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Chapter 36 Protecting the interests of our customers is protecting the interests of our store.
"I didn't expect Shen Fang to come and deliver this letter in person."

After watching the prefect and his entourage leave, Liu Shuyue murmured to herself.

Chen Xuan chuckled, "Don't be fooled by his trembling appearance. He's actually certain you won't kill him, which is another kind of praise for your character."

“But he had no need to come. King Qi certainly had his own special envoy, unless he forced himself to take on this task.”

"If I don't make the trip myself, how can I ascertain the situation of the Immortal Master and the disaster victims?"

"Hmm?" Liu Shuyue glanced at him with displeasure.

Chen Xuan chuckled and said, "What I mean is, if he's really struggling to make ends meet here, there's no need for him to continue dealing with us."

She raised an eyebrow. "You mean... his real purpose in coming to investigate wasn't to resettle the remaining disaster victims?"

“That should just be a side effect. This way, he can continue to maintain contact with you without offending the King of Qi—after all, as a local official, seeking a way out for the people is an indisputable act of kindness.” Chen Xuan paused. “As for his real purpose… to be honest, I’m not sure either; it’s just a guess.”

"Why don't you tell me?" Liu Shuyue asked curiously.

"You told me last time that the Luo Kingdom might invade the Qi Kingdom with the help of your senior sister, right?"

“Hmm.” Liu Shuyue’s face darkened at the mention of this. “I really don’t understand why Senior Sister Lanqin would do such a thing. War only brings death and destruction, and sect disciples should do everything they can to prevent it from happening. I sent her a message, but she hasn’t replied to me at all.”

Perhaps the Lotus Cloud Sect doesn't care about the fighting and killing in the mortal world, Chen Xuan thought to himself, but didn't say it aloud.

"Do you think the State of Qi can win?"

"Huh?" Liu Shuyue was taken aback. She clearly hadn't considered such a question. "This...this depends on the national strength, the level of their armies and generals, and the application of magic and cultivators is also very important. But if Senior Sister were to participate in the battle head-on..."

“Qi has suffered more defeats than victories, isn’t that right?” Chen Xuan continued, “Shen Fang probably considered this possibility as well.”

"Is he worried that the King of Qi will be defeated?"

“Qingzhou and Luoguo are directly adjacent, and the possibility of it becoming a battlefield is not low. If we really can’t win, where can Prefect Zhang Wei go? If he doesn’t want to die for his country, he has to think of a way out for himself now… If Mala Village can take root, it would be a good choice.”

The phrase "a true refuge" probably refers not only to shelters for disaster victims, but also to places far from the threat of war.

Chen Xuan allowed Shen Fang to enter the village and suggested that Liu Shuyue treat him with the courtesy due to a formal envoy, also for this reason. For Mala Village to get on the right track, establishing connections with the outside world is only a matter of time.

Liu Shuyue breathed softly, "You really do think more deeply than I do."

“That’s because you’ve spent a lot of time fighting demons in the past,” Chen Xuan said dismissively. “Besides, this is just my guess, because Shen Fang doesn’t seem like a blindly loyal person.”

She didn't reply, but stared blankly to the north.

Seeing her like this, Chen Xuan couldn't help but sigh.

"You're not going to rescue the Liu family, are you?"

"I... how could this be?" Liu Shuyue was startled. "They fabricated their relationship with the Lianyun Sect and coveted benefits that didn't belong to them, which is why they brought this deadly disaster upon themselves!"

“Indeed,” Chen Xuan agreed.

But after a while, she hesitated and said, "But to be exterminated for lying is too harsh a punishment. The Liu family doesn't deserve such a thing. And what about the residents of the area where the Liu family lives? What wrong have they done? The King of Qi said he would exterminate them all, which means hundreds of thousands of people... Can he really bring himself to do it?"

"It's hard to say, what if he really does that?"

“Then I’m afraid I can’t just stand by and do nothing…” Liu Shuyue subconsciously clenched her fists. “Those people are innocent. I can’t let them suffer a terrible fate because of a rumor about me.”

I knew it.

Chen Xuan was not surprised by this answer. He had already understood what Liu Shuyue was thinking when she suddenly fell silent earlier.

"Have you ever considered that this might be a trap set for you?"

If Liu Shuyue were to bind her hands and plead guilty to the King of Qi, that would naturally be the outcome the latter would most like to see. However, if Liu Shuyue could be lured to Yunzhou, then a trap could be set to capture her. As the ruler of Qi, the King of Qi certainly knew the origins of the Assistant Immortal Master; the Liu family had simply run into the crossfire.

Liu Shuyue nodded slowly. "He was certain I couldn't bear to see hundreds of thousands of innocent people die for me, so he used them as leverage against me. But—"

Chen Xuan waited quietly for her to finish her sentence. "But if I really don't go, wouldn't I just end up like those Lotus Cloud Sect seniors who disappeared without a trace?"

"Sect... senior?" Chen Xuan didn't expect her to say that.

"Like me, they left the mountains with the responsibility of saving the world and caring for the people, but in the end, none of them succeeded. They disappeared without a trace, and the lives of the people of the six kingdoms did not change fundamentally. I do not want to follow in their footsteps."

Liu Shuyue turned to look at Chen Xuan, “This matter may be a trap, but it may not be able to trap me. King Qi does not know that I am no longer the same as before—in the past, I could not accomplish many things on my own, but now things are different.”

“Chen Xuan,” she said, extending her hand, “can you continue to lend me a hand?”

“Of course, serving VIP customers is our consistent principle.” Chen Xuan held her hand.

Upon hearing this reply, Liu Shuyue's expression relaxed somewhat.

"So, do you have a plan?" he asked.

"Not yet... But I want to go to Yunzhou as soon as possible, before the news reaches the capital. If the Liu family can admit their mistakes and correct them, and take the initiative to clarify those lies, then the King of Qi will have one less excuse."

“If the King of Qi is truly obstinate and insists on taking action against the local people... then he has no humanity left.” Liu Shuyue’s tone gradually became firm. “To me, he would be no different from a demon.”

After dealing with Shen Fang's matter, she summoned all the villagers and launched a new round of capacity adjustment meeting.

Ordinary people who bathe in dragon blood not only gain the ability to sense qi, but also have a chance to unleash their innate talents.

This is because sensing Qi is itself a kind of mutation that can reshape the bones and flesh of living beings, including both humans and demons.

It's just that demons have no other skills to learn, so they can only focus on cultivating their own instinctive magic.

Since it is a talent that is activated, what kind of ability you get depends entirely on luck.

For example, someone might excel in combat, but their innate talent lies in healing, something that was unavoidable in the past. Therefore, cultivators often emphasized diligent study and practice, with sensing Qi merely being the initial qualification.

But Chen Xuan's appearance changed this situation.

"Duan Zhengquan, member of the hunting team!" A tall man walked up to Chen Xuan, sat down cross-legged, and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute, saying, "I entrust this to you, Manager!"

Chen Xuan pointed the barcode scanner at his forehead.

"Not bad, you have a new ability."

"Let me see." Liu Shuyue moved closer to him, so close that she could smell the fragrance of osmanthus in his hair.

The screen displayed "Master Calculator" LV1.

There is another note below: — It can be described as a walking abacus; but in the end, it is just an abacus.

"It's not for combat, but it would be good for someone who keeps accounts," Chen Xuan commented.

Upon hearing that it had nothing to do with the battle, Duan Zhengquan immediately showed a look of disappointment.

“Then let’s use the logistics team member whose talent was awakened last time to exchange for it. I remember his name was Wang Shitou.” Liu Shuyue then called over the latter and exchanged his “Swift as the Wind” and “Divine Calculator” skills.

Finally, she added, "While running fast isn't exactly a combat skill, it can be incredibly useful when combined with spirit sword techniques to quickly close the distance to the enemy. Also, don't forget that acquired cultivation is of utmost importance; don't be discouraged by your weak natural talent."

"Yes! I will follow the teachings of the Immortal Master!" Duan Zhengquan replied respectfully.

"next."

For Chen Xuan, Mala Village was a veritable treasure trove. Even if his inventory didn't grow, each successful transaction would bring in at least 2 performance points, which was why he was willing to maintain a close partnership with Liu Shuyue. Providing long-term service to 30,000 high-potential secondary clients was a rare opportunity. In fact, he had already gained 450 performance points from the very first capability adjustment conference, exceeding the combined efficiency of all his previous business dealings.

Furthermore, these villagers who have stepped into the threshold of cultivation possess more than just innate talent. As they continue to grow and progress, they will master more and more magical abilities. Even if their upper limit is far less than Liu Shuyue's, it will still be a large and stable business.

Thus, Chen Xuan also clarified a goal—although Liu Shuyue was highly skilled, she might not be good at dealing with the conspiracies and schemes set up by her own clan. In order to ensure that the rights of free trade were not harmed, he could not allow anyone to threaten the safety of VIP clients, and the King of Daqi was no exception.

(End of this chapter)