Chapter Seventy-Two: No One Is Allowed to Scheme Against My Dog

Su Jian decided that there was no time like the present, especially since he had nothing else to do today. However, living in Lingxiu Village and constantly traveling back and forth had become quite inconvenient. The village lay nearly a hundred miles from Hanshan City; even though Zhao Qianxue was a Nascent Soul cultivator capable of flying on her sword, the journey still took her the better part of an hour.

After some consideration, Su Jian decided to exchange for a Swiftstride Talisman.

[Swiftstride Talisman: Triples the user’s speed.]
[Would you like to spend 2,000 spirit power to unlock?]
[Current remaining spirit power: 5,680.]

With this, traveling to and from Hanshan City would be far more convenient. Whether for hurried trips or swift escapes, the Swiftstride Talisman would always come in handy. Su Jian immediately took out several thousand Swiftstride Talismans, as well as an equal number of Concealment Talismans and Sky Star Thunder.

“Qianxue, when you travel, use this Swiftstride Talisman. That way you’ll be able to go between Hanshan City and Lingxiu Village much faster,” he said. “And you should sell these two items in the shop as well.”

These talismans were rather mediocre, but there was no harm in selling them. Only peddling basic cultivation items was far too slow a way to earn money, after all. The untreated Sky Star Thunder could only kill cultivators at the Golden Core stage. Even so, they could fetch a high price, and he doubted that would be a problem.

Zhao Qianxue asked in confusion, “Aren’t you worried that selling such high-level items will draw unwanted attention?”

She had gotten used to being busy these past few days and now felt a little out of sorts with nothing to do. Being able to help Su Jian again pleased her greatly.

Su Jian waved his hand dismissively. “These talismans and the Sky Star Thunder may be life-saving tools for ordinary cultivators, but in truth, they aren’t particularly rare,” he replied. The system’s required spirit power for unlocking them was the best measure of their value.

Zhao Qianxue nodded thoughtfully.

Su Jian continued, “I’ll go with you to Hanshan City. Let’s leave now.”

His insistence on accompanying her was not just because he worried for Zhao Qianxue’s safety, but also because he had urgent business of his own to attend to. Dealing with the mastermind lurking in the shadows was a matter best handled sooner rather than later—otherwise, he might miss the perfect opportunity.

So, on this trip to Hanshan City, he planned to find a way to amass a large amount of spirit power—ideally fifty thousand, all at once.

But just as they were about to quietly slip away from Lingxiu Village, someone suddenly knocked on their courtyard gate.

Who could this be... arriving at such a precise moment?

Su Jian grumbled inwardly, but out of caution, he made sure to prepare a Grand Teleportation Talisman before opening the gate.

It turned out to be Li Ling’er.

Su Jian grinned. “Where’s your dog?”

Li Ling’er’s pretty face darkened. “...Don’t you dare get any ideas about my dog!”

Abandoning his mischief, Su Jian asked, “Well, little girl, what brings you here?”

Li Ling’er huffed, “You scoundrel, suddenly I don’t feel like telling you anymore.”

“Alright, then. Off you go,” Su Jian said as he made to close the door.

He didn’t dislike her proud and willful manner.

Li Ling’er puffed up in frustration. “I only came out of kindness to tell you—the Bai family in the village thinks you’re an ill omen and is plotting how to drive you out!”

Su Jian couldn’t help but twitch at her words. He hadn’t expected to be caught up in such a trivial mess.

“I’ve never even met these cattle-head Bai family people. Why would they label me an ill omen?” he muttered, not truly bothered but still finding it rather distasteful.

This was a most baffling sort of trouble.

Right now, he felt like wringing that family’s dog’s neck.

Li Ling’er grew tense. “Don’t talk carelessly... The head of the Bai family is the only cultivator in Lingxiu Village. If word of that gets out, you’ll be in trouble.”

Su Jian frowned slightly, surprised. “What’s his cultivation level?”

He hadn’t expected there to be another cultivator hidden in this remote village. The Bai patriarch’s cultivation probably wasn’t much, but hatred never appeared without a reason. If the Bai family was going to such lengths to prevent him from settling in Lingxiu Village, there had to be some unspeakable motive. Perhaps his presence here was an obstacle to them.

Li Ling’er shook her head. “I’m not a cultivator—how would I know his level?”

“Then how did you find out about this?” Su Jian pressed. The girl had a good heart, at least.

Li Ling’er explained, “I just happened to overhear the Bai patriarch talking to my father when I went home. He invoked the name of the Immortal Dao, claiming your arrival would bring disaster to the village. He said there’s still time to drive you out.”

Su Jian asked calmly, “And what did your father say?”

“My father didn’t agree, of course. He’s a scholar, full of upright spirit—he doesn’t believe in such nonsense.”

Su Jian raised an eyebrow, curious. “Isn’t your father worried that the Bai family might take their anger out on him?”

At these words, Li Ling’er’s expression turned anxious.

She hadn’t even considered that. As soon as the Bai patriarch had left, she had rushed to tell Su Jian.

Not daring to delay, Li Ling’er hurried back home.

Su Jian gave Zhao Qianxue a brief instruction, then quietly followed after her. Since this trouble was brought about by his presence, and since he was quite curious to see just what sort of people the Bai family were—bold enough to provoke the very powers that be—he had no intention of sitting idly by.

His earlier warning was not unjustified. To a cultivator, mortal lives were as insignificant as ants. Li Lingguang might well be just an ordinary man, and the Bai family could easily be driven to fury.

In a world so vast, there was much the Bureau of Justice could not oversee. If a small, remote village like this vanished overnight, it was unlikely anyone would care.

Li Ling’er arrived home to find her father unharmed and the Bai patriarch already gone. Only then did she sigh in relief.

Su Jian considered that it was best to deal with the Bai family sooner rather than later. But before taking action, he needed to learn more about their background—there was always the possibility that they were hiding their true strength.

Trouble, it seemed, never came singly...

Finding the Bai residence was easy enough. As one of the village’s more prominent families—and the only cultivators around—they were well-known.

Lingxiu Village wasn’t large. Su Jian quickly located the Bai family estate: a sizeable courtyard, already showing the scale of a minor cultivation clan. His investigation revealed several dozen members of the Bai household.

At that moment, the Bai patriarch was leisurely sipping tea. The key detail: he was a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

Nascent Soul cultivators were neither overwhelmingly strong nor particularly weak. The fact that someone like Yuan Chidao, with a Nascent Soul cultivation, could secure a post in the Bureau of Justice only made the Bai family’s presence in this remote village all the more peculiar.