Chapter 168: Chapter 57: Seeing Wenhai Again

The attack clearly couldn’t have caused Wang Ping any harm. Its primary purpose was intimidation—a warning for everything he had done in Ningzhou Road.

The attack was just a minor incident. Once it was over, a sense of calm returned to the ship.

But the calm was merely on the surface. Hu Qianqian arrested many people and subjected them to surprise interrogations, which also served as the first lesson for her own disciples.

On the top deck, inside a luxurious private cabin, Wang Ping wrote all the information he had on Xiu Yu Taoist onto a bamboo slip.

Xiu Yu Taoist had risen to fame at the very beginning of the Xia Dynasty. During the great upheaval of the Demon Race, he led numerous campaigns to suppress them, and it was in the process that he ascended to the Third Realm.

He had two disciples at the Second Realm. The first was a Water Cultivator named Qingjiang, a Kun Cultivator. Her Dao Field was on Five Gods Mountain in Mozhou Road, where the Five Divine Rivers and the Wei River meet. Her activities were also centered in Mozhou Road.

The second disciple was the Gold Cultivator Taishan had mentioned, a man named Wulang. He consistently helped Xiu Yu Taoist manage affairs in Nanlin Road and was also one of the Patrol Envoys of the Nanlin Road Daoist Scripture Hall. Wulang had reached the Second Realm two hundred years ago. Rumor had it that he had fused with a Demon Soldier that could sever anything, earning him the title of the number one expert below the Third Realm in the Southern Zhongzhou Cultivation Realm.

He had a large following of loyalists, with no shortage of initiated Cultivators among them.

This group was a considerable force in Jinhuai Prefecture City. They monopolized most of the lucrative missions from the Daoist Scripture Hall. Other Cultivators either had to join their faction or stay out of their way. Daoist Zi Luan had long intended to bring the group to heel, but he’d never found the right opportunity.

Wulang himself rarely appeared in Jinhuai Prefecture. He spent most of his time searching for ancient ruins, seemingly on orders from Xiu Yu. This only made the Cultivators under him grow even more rampant.

"Who do you think was behind this attack?" Wang Ping asked, looking at Yu Lian sprawled on the table.

"Based on the information, Wulang is most likely out of town," Yu Lian said, thinking hard. "He might have authorized it, but he would never use such a clumsy method."

"In that case, let’s blow this way out of proportion."

Wang Ping took out a sheet of Xuan paper edged with brocade and recorded the attack as a formal case report. As long as the matter gained Daoist Zi Luan’s support, it would become an official internal case for the Daoist Scripture Hall.

Wang Ping was confident that Daoist Zi Luan would support his motion, as it served the Daoist’s own interests as well.

"You seem to be enjoying this," Yu Lian asked.

"No, I just find it amusing. Our cultivation is a battle against the heavens, yet the path of cultivation requires us to battle against men. That’s the amusing part," Wang Ping replied.

"Humans are so complicated."

"It’s because humans are innately weak. It might seem like we’re favored by the Celestial Dao, but in reality, we’re no different from ants in its eyes."

"I suppose so," Yu Lian replied nonchalantly before shrinking down, crawling into Wang Ping’s sleeve, and falling fast asleep.

「Three days later.」

A winter chill had settled over the river. With more free time on their hands, the people along the banks gathered to fish, play chess, chat, visit relatives, and celebrate weddings.

The fleet had already passed three wedding processions on its journey.

This was a world at peace. ’What a pity...’

By the time the fleet entered the territory of Nanlin Road, Qi Cultivators from the Daoist Scripture Hall were already waiting. They were there to take possession of the warships, and Wang Ping left the trivial details of the handover to Hu Qianqian.

After about Half an Hour of work, Hu Qianqian returned beaming. "I got ten thousand taels of silver," she said.

"You can keep it," Wang Ping said, taking the document and stamping it with his Patrol Envoy seal.

"Thank you, Master!"

Once the warships were handed over, the Qi Cultivators they had brought back were no longer Wang Ping’s responsibility. They could report to the Daoist Scripture Hall themselves to complete their mission. Wang Ping gave Hu Qianqian a brief farewell and flew off alone toward Jinhuai Prefecture.

Hu Qianqian wanted to follow him, but she now had a burden to look after. Besides, she was responsible for transporting the cargo on the ships back to Qianmu Temple.

...

「In the rear courtyard of the Daoist Scripture Hall.」

Daoist Zi Luan personally greeted Wang Ping at the door. After the recent incident, the two of them were more or less bound together for the time being. The Daoist needed to make a proper show of respect for his talented subordinate.

After a long exchange of pleasantries, Daoist Zi Luan lifted his teacup, his tone shifting to business. "Regarding the attack on you, I have already instructed the Major Case Department to open a case file. Furthermore, I have found a very particular person to investigate it for you."

He finished speaking and gestured to the Qi Cultivator at the door, who bowed and quickly departed. Daoist Zi Luan continued, "I will ensure you get a satisfactory resolution... Some people have lived in comfort for too long. They seem to have forgotten that the authority of a Patrol Envoy is indisputable."

Having stated his position, he lowered his voice. "However, as you know, we caused quite a stir before, and the Lord is not pleased. Right now, the emphasis is on ’peace throughout the land’."

"I understand. They gave me a warning, so I must give them one in return," Wang Ping said, nodding with comprehension and stating his bottom line.

"Correct, a warning is a must!" Daoist Zi Luan maintained his usual smile, then asked, "Is Young Master Ming in your possession?"

"I was just about to hand him over to you, Daoist..."

Wang Ping lightly tapped his storage pouch, placing a vine-wrapped head on the Eight Immortals Table between them.

Daoist Zi Luan’s brow twitched, and he immediately put Young Master Ming’s head away. Wang Ping then produced the pedestal for the six Bronze Bells. "And this Magical Artifact..." he said, taking out two more storage pouches that contained the six bells themselves.

"Excellent!"

A smile returned to Daoist Zi Luan’s face, and by unspoken agreement, neither of them mentioned the matter of the Blood Pills.

At that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed from the small courtyard outside.

Both men looked toward the sound. While Daoist Zi Luan maintained his smile, Wang Ping was momentarily stunned. Then, a faint smile touched his lips as well. The person being led in by the Qi Cultivator was an old acquaintance of his: Wenhai.

The Wenhai before him had none of the sharp-edged spirit he’d possessed when he first began his cultivation. He was dressed in a low-key, grey Daoist robe. He now wore a long beard of the type favored by Scholars, which concealed his formerly aggressive nature. On his head was the simple grey cap preferred by a traveling Taoist.

He walked in and performed a solemn Taoist salute, keeping his head lowered. "Greetings, Daoist Zi Luan, Daoist Changqing."

"Sit," Daoist Zi Luan chuckled, pointing to a subordinate seat to his right.

"Thank you, Daoist."

’His spirit seems completely broken,’ Yu Lian commented inside Wang Ping’s Spirit Sea. ’He’s like a desperate gambler. And the Spirit Veins in his body are mostly depleted.’

Daoist Zi Luan looked at Wang Ping and said, "Your case will be investigated by Daoist Wenhai. He will see it through until you are satisfied with the result."

Wang Ping nodded, his eyes fixed on Wenhai as he said a single word, "Good."

"Thank you, Daoist Changqing!"

Wenhai scrambled to his feet and bowed, his posture radiating subservience.

Watching Wenhai, Wang Ping couldn’t help but wonder, ’What on earth could change a Cultivator so thoroughly, inside and out?’ But on second thought, he gave a slight shake of his head. ’It’s not my business.’

"If your investigation turns up anything, come find me at Qianmu Temple."

After saying his piece, Wang Ping also rose to take his leave. By the time he reached the gate of his own small courtyard, he saw Daoist Zi Luan’s figure ascending into the sky.

’As expected...’

’He still has to report this matter to the Lord.’