Xiuxian: Start with the medicine boy

"you!"

The veins on the forehead of the enraged half-monarch throbbed.

"I have already sent people to arrest that spendthrift son, and he will be severely punished!"

As for the loss of the spiritual veins, my Nine Nether Demon Sect is willing to compensate tenfold!

"Ten times?" Xuanming Half-Venerable chuckled.
"A small spiritual vein is worth about 50,000 spirit stones on the market."

Ten times, five hundred thousand.

"Fellow Daoist Nu Kui, do you think the association is short of 500,000 spirit stones?"

The Angry Demon Half-Saint's face turned ashen.

He knew, of course, that the association didn't want spirit stones.

This is the first case, and it's a typical example.

The association must establish its authority.

If this matter is easily dismissed, then the ban will become a joke.

"What exactly do you want?" the Angry Demon Half-Venerable asked through gritted teeth.

Xuanming Half-Venerable put down the jade slip and slowly raised three fingers:
Three things.

First, three innate protective auras.

"Impossible!" the Half-Venerable Nu Kui categorically refused.

"The innate罡煞 (罡煞) is extremely precious; I only have four of them in my possession!"

Three paths?

You might as well kill me!

"Then so be it." Xuanming Half-Venerable made a move to stand up.
"I will report to the chairman immediately, and the chairman will make the decision."

Perhaps the president will show leniency because of your relatively high position.

The expression on the face of the half-saint of wrath changed.

Report to the chairman?

There's a 50% chance the chairman will be lenient with him, considering he's a bigwig in the association.

But there's another 50% chance... the chairman will use him as an example to establish his authority.

He didn't dare to gamble.

"Two!" The wrathful half-saint squeezed out two words through gritted teeth.
"I only have two innate qi and a top-grade magic weapon, the 'Black Demon Blade'."

Xuanming Half-Venerable pondered for a moment, then a slight smile appeared on his lips:
"make a deal."

He took out a pre-prepared jade slip of contract from his sleeve and pushed it in front of the Wrathful Demon Lord.

"Sign it."

Two innate malevolent energy beams and a black demon blade were to be delivered to the Surveillance Hall within three days.

This matter will be settled privately. I will close the case as 'natural decline of spiritual veins,' and your disciple... I will arrange for him to 'go into demonic possession during his seclusion, resulting in the destruction of his soul and spirit.'

This is the explanation given to the outside world.

The Angry Demon Half-Saint stared at the contract, his eyes practically spitting fire.

But in the end, he still bit his fingertip and used his blood essence to sign his Daoist name on the jade slip.

Xuanming Half-Venerable put away the jade slip and smiled with satisfaction:
"Pleasant to work with."

His figure flickered and disappeared into the main hall.

The Angry Demon Half-Saint stood still, his chest heaving violently.

After a long while, he suddenly slammed his fist into the jade pillar beside him.

"boom!"

The entire hall trembled, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the jade pillars.

"Xuanming...you wait!" A ferocious glint flashed in the eyes of the Angry Demon Half-Venerable.
"Old man Xuanming, you must not fall into my hands."

"When the time comes, I will make you pay back everything, with interest."

He paused, then remembered the culprit.

"And that idiot Murong Dutian... let him go to the Cliff of Repentance and face the wall for a hundred years!"
No, two hundred years!

As the voice faded, the figure of the Half-Venerable Nu Kui disappeared from the hall.

Half an hour later, the Surveillance Hall issued a notice:

"Upon investigation, it was found that the spiritual energy of the southeastern spiritual vein of the Shehong Mountains (Hai 37, Wei 25) has naturally declined due to geological changes, and has been reduced to level E."

The originally planned transaction with Qingyuan Sect has been cancelled, and the deposit will be refunded.

This is to announce.

When Qingyuanmen received the news, they found it strange, but since the association had already determined it to be "natural decay," they had no choice but to accept their fate.

The golden jade slip that recorded the truth was sealed by Xuanming Half-Venerable in the deepest part of the Surveillance Hall and classified as "Top Secret".

at the same time,

News has spread from the Nine Nether Demon Sect:

Murong Dutian, the young master of the Murong family, suffered a qi deviation and his soul was destroyed due to his eagerness for quick success in cultivation.

The Murong family was furious, but they could not find any trace of human intervention and could only attribute it to "inescapable calamity".

The surface of the endless sea is calm and undisturbed.

But in the shadows, many people know full well that the association's ban is no joke.

However, the method of execution is sometimes not the obvious "annihilation of the soul and body".

Rather, it is a more hidden and crueler price to pay.

Liu Qingfeng was penalized with three months' salary for "surveying error" (misjudging a small spiritual vein as a micro one), but he retained his position as inspector.

Han Chengyue's timely handling of the situation earned him the appreciation of Xuanming Banzun, which further solidified his position in the Spirit Vein Department.

All of this happened beneath a calm surface.

until--

The third day of the seventh month in the first year of the Daoli era.

Another urgent report arrived at the headquarters of the monks' association.

This time, it was a medium-sized spiritual vein that shattered.

The perpetrator was a direct descendant of the Blood River Sect.

Behind the Blood River Sect stood another deputy hall master of the Surveillance Hall—the Blood River Half-Venerable.

Xuanming Half-Venerable looked at the new jade slip in his hand, a cold light flashing in his deep eyes.

"The game... has only just begun."

He muttered to himself, his voice fading into the chilling atmosphere of the Surveillance Hall.

over time···

Similar incidents continue to emerge from below.

···
This day.

Deep within the headquarters of the Cultivator's Association, in a magnificent hall, a clear and melodious voice echoed through the spacious hall:
"President!"
This concludes my investigation. The detailed findings are recorded on this jade slip; please review them, Master.

While talking,
A slender figure dressed in a black robe is bowing respectfully with clasped hands.

The person stretched out his fair and delicate hands, raised them above his head, and presented a jade slip that emitted a faint light.

Cheng Buzheng, seated regally on the high throne in the main hall, merely raised his hand slightly and beckoned with his five fingers—

hum!
With a soft hum, the jade transformed into a streak of light, shooting through the air and landing precisely in Cheng Buzheng's palm.

He played with the jade slip in his hand, his fingertips tracing the smooth texture on its surface, but he didn't rush to look at its contents.

His deep gaze remained fixed on the black-robed figure standing below, and he spoke gently:
"Thank you for your help, Minister Mingxiang, these past few days."

"This is my duty as a subordinate."

The clear and melodious sound rang out again in the main hall, echoing throughout the empty space.

Just then,
The minister in the black robe slowly raised his head—

A beautiful and ethereal face was revealed in the interplay of light and shadow within the hall.

Familiar eyebrows and eyes, familiar features.

good! !
This female cultivator at the late Nascent Soul stage was none other than the disciple of the former Zhenhai Alliance's Venerable Zongbao, and her former friend and teacher, True Lord Mingxiang.

Compared to the past, Mingxiang Zhenjun's brows have lost some of their gentleness and beauty, but gained more composure and majesty.

Those clear eyes held a resilience and wisdom honed by the years.
With a flicker of his eyes,
It possesses both the clarity to see through the ways of the world and the vicissitudes of life experienced through trials and tribulations.

Although Cheng Buzheng is currently unable to directly acknowledge her, he has never forgotten this old friend who once did him a great favor.

At the previous conferment ceremony of the Cultivator Association, if it weren't for her insufficient cultivation level at the time, Cheng Buzheng would have already reserved the position of Hall Master, which was second only to one person and above ten thousand people, for her.

even so···
Despite facing opposition from many powerful departments, Cheng Buzheng still managed to appoint Mingxiang Zhenjun as the head of the Shadow Department.

On the surface, he was just an ordinary department head at the ministerial level.

Actually it is not.

The Shadow Division is directly under the leadership of the Guild Master and is not subject to the jurisdiction of any Hall-level department. All matters are reported directly to the Guild Master.

Their responsibilities involve core classified matters such as intelligence surveillance, covert surveillance, and the execution of special missions.

It can be described as the "eyes" of the monks' association president.

Logically, such crucial positions should be entrusted to trusted confidants.

However, after much deliberation, Cheng Buzheng still handed over this high-ranking and powerful position to Mingxiang Zhenjun.

In other words, although the Shadow Division is smaller than other Hall-level departments, its status and authority are almost identical to those of Hall-level departments.
In some special cases, it is even more extreme, far exceeding that of ordinary ministerial-level departments.

Like the emperor's personal guards, they were ranked one rank higher than any official they met.

In addition, Cheng Buzheng never mistreated the strong members of the original Zhenhai Alliance.

Those few half-saints who survived the catastrophe either served as the master or deputy master of a hall, all wielding real power and holding prestigious positions.

Such preferential treatment was almost an open secret among the upper echelons of the monks' association.

If it weren't for Cheng Buzheng, a Nascent Soul cultivator, personally appointing him...
With its iron-fisted approach to suppress dissent, the old monsters from the top sects within the association have probably already caused an uproar.

However, those who have spent years navigating the world of cultivation understand this—

This guild leader, whose origins date back to ancient times as a "rogue cultivator," naturally harbors goodwill towards cultivators who also hail from the Zhenhai Alliance. This is both out of nostalgia and...
It is also the political wisdom to cultivate one's own foundation.

Furthermore, the cultivation world has always upheld the ironclad rule of "the strong are respected," and Cheng Buzheng's cultivation and methods had already won everyone's respect. Therefore, most people turned a blind eye and tacitly approved of this arrangement.

And Mingxiang Zhenjun never betrayed Cheng Buzheng's trust.

The intelligence he has in his hand right now is the best proof.

Cheng Buzheng, seated on the high throne, waved his hand gently after hearing the report and said in a soft voice:
"Alright, I am aware of this matter. You may leave it to me to handle."

Continue to observe from the shadows, making all seem normal, and do not alert the enemy.

"Yes!"

Dressed in black robes, True Monarch Mingxiang responded solemnly with a grave expression.

"Hmm." Cheng Buzheng gazed at her gently, then suddenly changed the subject:
“Young friend Mingxiang, now that you are a trusted confidant of the Venerable One and in charge of important matters of the Shadow, if you encounter any difficult problems in your cultivation or affairs, you may speak frankly to the Venerable One.”

"I am both the guild leader and your supporter."

Upon hearing this, True Monarch Mingxiang was visibly taken aback.

She could naturally sense the extraordinary care and courtesy that Chairman Cheng showed her. Although she didn't know the specific reasons, her goodwill was genuine.

however,
She simply shook her head gently, her tone calm yet firm:
"My subordinates are all well and there are no difficulties."

Thank you for your concern, Chairman.

After a brief pause, she raised her eyes, a deep-seated concern in them, and spoke in a low voice:
"Now, your subordinate... only hopes that Master is safe and sound and will return soon."

Clearly, True Monarch Mingxiang had no intention of taking this opportunity to ask Cheng Buzheng for scarce resources such as "Innate Qi" and "Earthly Turbid Qi" needed to break through to the Half-Saint realm.

If it were any other cultivator, and they received such obvious favor and promises from a Nascent Soul cultivator, they would at least subtly mention it, even if they didn't ask for it directly, in order to seize the opportunity for themselves.

But Mingxiang Zhenjun did not have such thoughts at all. Instead, she was still thinking about her master who had been "out of contact" for a long time - Venerable Zongbao.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Buzheng's heart sank.

He paused for a moment, sighed softly, and said sincerely:
"Do not worry.

If I ever find a viable route to the Forbidden Sea, I will certainly not forget to search for Fellow Daoist Zongbao's whereabouts.

"Thank you, President!"

A hint of joy was clearly in Mingxiang Zhenjun's voice, and her clear, cold eyes lit up for a moment.

She bowed again:
"Then I shall take my leave."

As she spoke, her steps as she left the main hall seemed to lighten.
The black robe flashed in the light and shadow at the palace gate and then disappeared.

Sitting upright on the high throne, Cheng Buzheng quietly watched the beautiful figure disappear into the distance, his gaze gentle yet filled with complex emotions.

a long time,

He then withdrew his gaze and pondered to himself.

In the empty hall, only he remained, along with the flickering light and shadow cast by the spirit lamp.

Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, he frowned slightly and sighed softly:
"Hey……

This matter should eventually be explained to my friend Mingxiang.

"Fine, as long as we can keep it a secret for one more day, that's fine."

It's not too late to talk about it when the time is right.

He shook his head, temporarily suppressing the turbulent thoughts in his heart, and his gaze returned to the warm jade slip in his palm.

The next moment, a vast and boundless divine thought surged from between his brows, like invisible water, and instantly disappeared into the jade slip.

Countless images of information rapidly swirled through his mind—

In the inland, eastern region, Qingyun Mountain range, the third-grade superior spiritual vein "Bixia Spiritual Spring" dried up for no reason seven days ago. Traces of human destruction were found at the core of the vein, spiritual energy dissipated, and vegetation within a hundred miles withered.

In the inland, in the Northern Plains, in the Frost Valley, the foundation of the protective array of the "Frost and Snow Sect," a medium-sized sect with an 800-year history, was destroyed. The underground spiritual veins were drained by a mysterious array, causing the cultivation of all the sect's cultivators to stagnate, and the sect leader coughed up blood and went into seclusion.

On Liuli Island, the "Sea Spirit Eye" experienced a surge of spiritual energy on the night of the full moon, suspected to have been implanted with a "Spirit-Devouring Gu Worm." More than 300 rogue cultivators suffered severe backlash and their spiritual veins nearly collapsed.

Deep within the Golden Sands Desert, three hidden earth fire veins simultaneously erupted, triggering a volcanic eruption that burned down three oasis cities, killing and injuring over 100,000 mortals. Strange sacrificial runes remained at the scene…

One pile, one piece.

In just six months...
Dozens of serious incidents involving the destruction of spiritual veins have occurred throughout the cultivation world, with an impact so wide and the harm so profound that it is truly shocking.

These incidents almost all occurred within the "spiritual vein protection zone" explicitly designated by the Cultivator Association.

Cheng Buzheng slowly put down the jade slip, his brows furrowed, and the cold light in his eyes gradually intensified.

"So many spiritual veins have ruptured in such a short time. It seems that they have not taken my 'Spiritual Vein Protection Prohibition' to heart."

"We have to get serious."

He muttered to himself, his voice soft yet carrying a chilling undertone.

next moment--

boom!
With a muffled thud, the jade slip in his palm, which recorded countless bloodshed and conspiracies, suddenly turned into dust.

Delicate jade powder slipped softly from between his fingers.
Like a silent, flowing stream of fine white sand, it drifted through the cool light and shadow of the hall, eventually vanishing without a trace. (End of Chapter)