Chapter 66: The Death of the Steward
The mont the Fire Thunder Talisman was activated, it transford into a streak of fiery red lightning, striking Qian Zhide directly before he could even react.
A deafening explosion resounded through the forest. Qian Zhide, caught in the blast, was instantly vaporized.
Even his low-grade spiritual weapon sword lted in the intense heat, reduced to slag.
When the dust settled, only a large, smoking crater remained where he had stood.
Whoosh—
At that mont, an owl swooped down from the sky, grabbed Luo Xiu's clothes with one claw, lifted him up, and flew towards the distant mountains, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Not a trace was left behind.
Not long after, two figures arrived, landing at the edge of the crater. Their faces were full of confusion as they surveyed the scene.
"What happened here? This is the aura of a high-grade Fire Thunder Talisman. Who was killed?" one of them asked, frowning deeply.
"The items are still scattered around. It wasn't a robbery for resources," the other speculated, looking at the untouched storage pouch lying nearby.
"It couldn't be a resource robbery. A high-grade Fire Thunder Talisman is worth thousands of spirit stones. Using it to rob resources? That makes no sense. This must be a revenge killing. A personal grudge."
---
Inside his thatched hut, Xu Ning stood by the window with his hands behind his back, his face calm and composed.
At this mont, Xu Ning didn't look like a novice cultivator at all. Instead, he radiated the presence of a long-ti ruler of power, a man accustod to making life-and-death decisions.
The aura he exuded was chilling, an invisible pressure that filled the small room.
This aura, cultivated over many years of wielding authority in the mortal realm, was ingrained in his very being. It surfaced when needed.
Initially, Xu Ning thought a mid-grade Fire Thunder Talisman would be enough to kill Qian Zhide. But to be on the safe side, he had upgraded it to a high-grade one. After all, he couldn't guarantee that Qian Zhide hadn't accumulated any hidden trump cards over his years of embezzling.
Waste was acceptable, as long as things were resolved smoothly. The result was what mattered.
Qian Zhide's death was destined to cause a stir in the Fifth Planting Area.
The entire area was soon sealed off. A large number of inner sect disciples ca to investigate, turning over every stone and questioning everyone. They practically turned the entire area upside down.
At first, the nial laborers of the Fifth Planting Area were sowhat confused and frightened by the investigation.
But after learning that the investigation was because of Qian Zhide's death, the entire planting area erupted in spontaneous cheers. People shouted with joy.
These cheers didn't even last until the investigators left. The sound was so loud it echoed across the fields.
So people rushed outside, shouting loudly, unable to contain their relief.
The oppressive influence of Qian Zhide had forced everyone to suppress their emotions for so long. Now the weight was lifted.
Hearing the cheers, the investigators couldn't help but exchange confused glances. They had never seen such a reaction to a death.
Ultimately, the investigation was destined to yield nothing. After all, the highest cultivation level in the entire Fifth Planting Area was only at the third level of Qi Refining. They were all poor and hadn't even left the Fifth Planting Area, providing ample alibis. No one had the ans to kill a steward.
After the investigators left, everyone brought out so of their stored wood, gathered together in the center of the district, and lit a large bonfire. They celebrated late into the night.
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"What a fitting end!" Li Yun couldn't suppress his smile. His face was bright with satisfaction.
He and Xu Ning had both had their mid-grade Cloud Spirit Flowers embezzled by Qian Zhide. They had long hoped for his downfall.
Wang Ergou added sagely, "I think this is the most taboo cause-and-effect relationship in the cultivation world. So sotis you still have to leave a way out for others. Otherwise, karma catches up."
Xu Ning smiled. "You think you understand everything, don't you?"
That night, the entire Fifth Area reveled until midnight, the bonfire burning bright.
A few days later, a new manager was assigned to the district. His na was Zhang Cheng, and he was at the fifth level of Qi Refining. His face was always full of smiles, and he seed much nicer than Qian Zhide. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
For the first few days, this guy did seem to be very good. He was friendly and helpful.
But then a mid-grade spiritual herb appeared in a nial disciple's spirit field, and his true nature was revealed. He directly embezzled it, just like Qian Zhide.
Now everyone realized they had been too optimistic about the world. So things never changed.
That night, the Yingying Monster returned, bringing back a large package from Luo Xiu.
Xu Ning took it, upgrading the pills inside while pondering his next move.
This new manager couldn't be allowed to stay. Otherwise, he'd embezzle any mid-grade spiritual herbs that appeared, reducing Xu Ning's legitimate inco from the fields.
After all, Xu Ning would need a large number of contribution points to exchange for cultivation techniques and spells to upgrade his own abilities. Every contribution point mattered.
Therefore, the monthly appearance of mid-grade Cloud Spirit Flowers in his field was crucial for his progress.
Submitting one mid-grade Cloud Spirit Flower each month completed the monthly task easily. Any extra low-grade Cloud Spirit Flowers could be exchanged for contribution points, which could be used to legally redeem many things from the sect.
But if the next manager embezzled again, what then?
Xu Ning felt that if soone was of questionable character, they should be eliminated imdiately. Even if the next manager wanted to embezzle, they'd have to think twice after two deaths.
After all, there's always sothing suspicious about such deaths. No one was a fool. They'd figure out the pattern soon enough.
After upgrading all twenty-odd Qi Gathering Pills to mid-grade Spirit level, Xu Ning put five into the new package.
Then he added over three hundred spirit stones, the unused high-grade Fire Thunder Talisman, and a written instruction. He wrapped everything up and tossed it to the Yingying Monster.
The Yingying Monster imdiately grabbed it and flew out the window. Ten minutes later, it arrived in the deep mountain cave and found Luo Xiu waiting anxiously.
Upon seeing the owl, Luo Xiu quickly took the package and opened it with trembling hands.
"This is... a mid-grade Qi Gathering Pill?" Luo Xiu was stunned upon seeing the pills inside. His eyes went wide.
Each one was worth at least ten spirit stones! More than he had ever held.
Luo Xiu quickly opened the letter and was even more astonished. His jaw dropped.
A mid-grade Qi Gathering Pill, actually for his own cultivation? So extravagant! This was sothing he had never even dared to dream of before.
Another murder? The letter instructed him to use the high-grade Fire Thunder Talisman to kill soone, followed by the person's detailed information. Another steward.
As for the remaining three hundred spirit stones, they were to be used to purchase talismans and talisman paper—two Fire Thunder Talismans and a large quantity of blank talisman paper.
These things could only be done tomorrow. Cultivation was the priority now. He needed to grow stronger.
Imdiately, Luo Xiu took out a mid-grade Qi Gathering Pill, swallowed it, and began cultivating, his heart filled with gratitude.
---
The next day, Luo Xiu, having consud five mid-grade Qi Gathering Pills in rapid succession, directly broke through to the second level of Qi Refining. The power boost was incredible.
This effect filled Luo Xiu with delight. Cultivating immortality was that simple when you had resources!
Not wanting to miss this opportunity, Luo Xiu quickly got up to attend to his business, his steps light and confident.
A few days later, Zhang Cheng, on his way to the market, was attacked in a similar manner. The Fifth Planting Area was once again sealed off for investigation.
The result, of course, was the sa as before—nothing was found. No witnesses, no evidence.
A few days later, a new manager arrived. This ti, it was a middle-aged woman nad Gui Mingi, also at the fifth level of Qi Refining.
Initially, everyone speculated that this manager would be difficult to deal with. She always had a long, stern face, acting as if soone owed her millions. She seed cold and unapproachable.
However, over the next few days, she didn't commit any embezzlent. Aside from giving important instructions, she was rarely seen leaving her hut. She kept to herself.
Xu Ning, however, observed sothing interesting. At night, certain male servant disciples would quietly enter Manager Gui's hut. They would erge later, looking listless with huge dark circles under their eyes. Sothing was going on.
Because of this, Wang Ergou and Li Yun specifically ca to gossip with Xu Ning one evening.
"Brother Xu Ning, I feel like sothing's off about this new manager," Li Yun spoke first, lowering his voice.
Wang Ergou added, a knowing look on his face. "I think this manager might be practicing so kind of dual cultivation technique. Specifically absorbing male essence for cultivation. It's a classic story."
Xu Ning was speechless. "Where do you get so many strange ideas? Not everything is a cultivation novel."
Wang Ergou grinned. "When I was a kid, I loved reading all sorts of cultivation novels. There were lots of these kinds of stories in them. I know the signs."
Li Yun teased him. "No wonder you're always getting scolded by your teacher. Too much fiction, not enough reality."
After gossiping for a while, the three of them went back to their own business.
As it turned out, Gui Mingi really wouldn't embezzle. Later, when Xu Ning and Li Yun's spirit fields each produced mid-grade Cloud Spirit Flowers, she didn't interfere. She simply recorded them and let them keep the flowers.
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