Fantasy: Immortality Begins with Absorbing Demons

Chapter 563 Change (Part 1)

After summarizing the gains and losses, Han Yi began to plan for the future.

Although he has now successfully broken through, he is severely weakened and needs a period of rest to recover.

"It's best to focus on rest and recuperation; it's not advisable to move around too much..." he sighed.

Plans are subject to change. He had originally intended to proceed with Fang He's affair as soon as possible after his breakthrough, but now it seems that time will have to be postponed again.

Han Yi slowly got up, went to the corner of the secret room, and pressed the mechanism.

It seems that his frequent practice of sabotage caused the mechanisms in the secret chamber to become somewhat sluggish.

"Find some time and have Yunwentai come over and fix it for me again." He frowned slightly.

The mechanisms and hidden compartments in this secret room were all designed and built by Yun Wentai, whom he paid to do.

Fortunately, Yunwentai's technology is quite good, and they didn't cut corners.

After pressing the buttons several times, the mechanism finally worked, and a square popped out from the wall.

Inside the square is a box carved from cold jade, containing a palm-sized white jade scallop.

The scallop shell opened, revealing the white scallop meat inside, emitting a slight chill.

These are century-old ice shells dug from the Arctic Ocean. They are believed to nourish the spirit, clear the meridians, and replenish the body's vital energy.

Han Yi picked up a scallop and put it in his mouth.

The scallop meat was icy cold, with no fishy smell at all, but rather a hint of sweetness, making it a gentle and pleasant meal.

He dared not delay, and quickly sat down cross-legged to digest the effects of the medicine and recover from his injuries.

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As the sun and moon pass by, time goes by, and the days go by one by one.

With Han Yi's reckless spending, most of his savings as an inspector were gone, and his injuries were slowly improving day by day.

Meanwhile, during this period of silence following Han Yi's resignation, the new policies of Yunzhou were gradually implemented.

Although Huayang City is not a prefectural city, it was chosen by Fang Jiulian as a pilot site where various new policies were first implemented.

Under the vigorous promotion of the newly arrived governor, a large-scale construction project was launched in Huayang City, and batches of unprecedented new government offices rose from the ground.

Various new policies were also introduced and updated daily with the establishment of government offices.

Establish schools and promote education. Introduce new laws and set rules...

Dozens of incompetent and corrupt officials were apprehended by the government troops, their cases were reviewed overnight, and they were executed at noon.

Dozens of tyrannical and oppressive criminal gangs were also eradicated, leaving no survivors.

Immediately, the previously stagnant situation in Huayang City began to stir and become refreshing.

The hundreds of thousands of people in Huayang applauded and cheered, and began to actively support and endorse the new policies.

The government troops also took this opportunity to seize a large amount of supplies and greatly promote themselves.

Recruiting soldiers, hiring soldiers, enlisting soldiers...

With ample military supplies, the government army quickly and easily assembled a thousand-strong legion in the Huayang City area.

The commander of the legion was none other than Fang Jiulian, the eldest son of the Fang family.

As a newly formed legion, its soldiers urgently need to be tempered and grow through bloodshed and battle. Fang Jiulian, meanwhile, is eagerly awaiting the right opportunity.

Under the overwhelming power of the government army, all forces in the Huayang City area, including Jingtian Manor and the Green Robe Alliance, were intimidated.

All sects and factions, large and small, good or bad, reputable or righteous, fell silent, fearing being targeted by the government army.

Become the next whetstone.

Fang and his side, under this heavy pressure, also calmed down and became peaceful, not daring to make any rash moves.

However, at this crucial moment, a rumor suddenly began to circulate.

News of saltpeter explosions gradually spread throughout the various restaurants and tea stalls in Huayang City.

It is said that there are underworld forces, the Green Clothes Alliance, attempting to smuggle saltpeter into the city to sabotage the implementation of the Autumn Kill policy.

Behind the Green-Clad Alliance stands Fang He, the deputy head of Jingtian Manor, which explains their unbridled actions. If it were just rumors, no one would take it seriously.

The key point is that the story was told in a very detailed and convincing way, with the time, place, and people all matching up.

Even the government troops followed the clues and went to investigate according to the rumors, and they actually found a batch of prohibited saltpeter in the mountains and caves in the suburbs.

As a result, everyone in the government army immediately became focused and busy.

The Autumn Harvest Policy was the first order issued by the Governor of Liuzhou, and also his first political achievement.

Whoever dares to disrupt the implementation of the new policies is going against the Governor of Liuzhou, the government army, and the entire Yunzhou!

Therefore, we must investigate this thoroughly!

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Boom! The fiery red dragon scale tree was slammed hard against a palm, its trunk cracking and revealing its white interior. The fiery red flowers were scattered by the impact, but it did not break.

"It's too much to bully others, it's too much to bully others!!!"

In the garden filled with red and yellow flowers, Fang He's chest heaved and his face flushed.

"They believed just some baseless rumors? How could they dare to believe them? Do they really think they can't see that someone deliberately spread them? Isn't it just an attempt to make an example of someone!"

Fang He paced back and forth in the pavilion, cursing incessantly, clearly in a very bad mood.

"What's the use of saying all that? Do you think there's any other way?" Qiu Xiaoxiao stood among the flowers and plants, and said impatiently, "Now that the news has come out, Kou Hu doesn't show any mercy. No matter what your status is, the government army is at the height of its power right now and needs a big enough target to establish its authority."

She wore a light green dress. Although her appearance was not stunning, she had a good temperament and was very pleasing to the eye, complementing the surrounding flowers and plants.

"A solution?" Fang He suppressed his anger. "You Green Robe Alliance created this mess, and in the end, you have no choice but to leave me to clean it up?"

“What’s the use of just throwing a tantrum here?” Qiu Xiaoxiao was no stranger to Fang He and didn’t tolerate him at all. “It’s true that our Green Clothes Alliance wanted that batch of goods, but if the investigation ends up pointing the finger at you, I don’t care.”

"Didn't you say you'd send someone to keep an eye on things? Why didn't you move them beforehand?" Fang He suppressed his anger and said patiently.

It would have been better if they hadn't talked about it, because once they did, Qiu Xiaoxiao got angry.

"It's true that I sent people to keep an eye on things, but when people came to my door, the guards disappeared. How could I dare to move them so easily?"

She originally sent Ye Tianjun to the cave to guard the goods, partly to keep an eye on them and partly to ambush the person who intercepted them.

But in the end, when she arrived, Ye Tianjun, along with his girlfriend, had vanished without a trace, leaving no clue whatsoever.

Under these circumstances, she and her second sister naturally dared not act rashly and wanted to see how the situation would develop.

But they never expected that the situation would change so quickly overnight.

It's unclear how the government troops received the information, but before the Green Robe Alliance could react or move their belongings, they found the contraband saltpeter in the cave and surrounded and sealed it off tightly.

They then meticulously investigated the ins and outs of the matter surrounding this batch of saltpeter.

For this reason, the Green Clothes Alliance has had to keep a low profile and has begun to tighten its defenses recently.

Fang He was also implicated in this matter, constantly subjected to investigations, hindered at every turn, and faced numerous setbacks. He dared not make any major moves for fear of arousing suspicion.

"Isn't Fang Jiulian, the eldest son of the Fang family, the chief investigator of this matter? Why don't you go and beg him for mercy?" Qiu Xiaoxiao said coldly. "At a time like this, don't worry about saving face. If you can get help from him, don't miss the chance. Even if you get punished, it's better than losing your head when you find out the truth."

As the commander-in-chief of the government army, Kou Hu naturally couldn't do everything personally. The main force behind the investigation was his disciple, Fang Jiulian.

That's why Qiu Xiaoxiao didn't take it too seriously.

Even if the truth is found out, and it turns out that the Green Cloak Alliance wanted to transport saltpeter into the city, as long as Fang He mediates between them, as an inside agent, they can always find a way to maneuver.

"Sigh..." Fang He sighed, "Alright, I'll think of another way."

What he didn't tell Qiu Xiaoxiao was that the current situation was already the result of his seeking out Fang Jiulian.

Ever since he heard the rumor circulating in the city, he had felt a sense of foreboding and immediately sent someone to deliver a letter to Fang Jiulian, trying to explain the matter. Unfortunately, after sending the letter several times, he only received a blank sheet of paper and no response.

Fang Jiulian didn't offer him any explanation at all.

Even after Fang He returned to the Fang family and tried to contact Fang Jiulian's relatives and friends to explain the matter, he received no reply.

Fang He therefore suspected that Fang Jiulian might have already found out something, which was why he was not responding and was preparing a swift and decisive strike.

Fang He knew Fang Jiulian's character well; he only cared about gains and losses, and was purely rational, showing no mercy.

However, Fang He could not possibly reveal this to Qiu Xiaoxiao.

The Green Clothes Alliance is a criminal organization; being opportunistic, kicking someone when they're down, and betraying trust are all basic tactics for them.

The reason Qiu Xiaoxiao is still cooperating with him now is entirely due to her relationship with Fang He, the Fang family, and Fang Jiulian, hoping to gain a chance to survive.

If Qiu Xiaoxiao knew that Fang Jiulian completely disregarded Fang He, she would definitely abandon him immediately. "Okay, I'll wait for your message." Qiu Xiaoxiao nodded. "Here are twenty 'Blood Gathering Pills,' keep them safe."

After saying that, she casually tossed a white jade bottle over.

Fang He took it, opened it, and saw that the blood-red pill was spinning around, emitting a rich blood aura, and his blood vessels in his body were excited and surged.

"When can we get the rest?" he asked quickly, barely suppressing his urge.

"Just wait. If nothing unexpected happens, we should be able to gather them all in seven days," Qiu Xiaoxiao replied. "However, this is the last time. The last batch of people wasn't of good quality, and the success rate of the pills they produced was too low."

"There's nothing we can do. Given the current situation, it's extremely difficult to find enough people among the criminals. Things are different now than before," Fang He said helplessly.

Since the rumors started, he has actually been investigated several times.

Of course, given his relationship with Fang Jiulian and the origins of his Fang family background.

Furthermore, since the government troops also lacked conclusive evidence, the investigation here was being conducted secretly by someone.

"Alright, let's hide for now and continue this matter once things have calmed down." Qiu Xiaoxiao nodded, indicating her understanding.

"That's all for today. Contact me if anything comes up." She left those words behind, then vanished into the garden in a flash.

Fang was left alone, quietly gazing at the blooming flowers before him.

After a long silence, he seemed to have made up his mind, and sighed, "It seems this is the only way..."

"Guards!" he shouted in a low voice.

The steward, Zhang An, hurried in and bowed respectfully: "Yes, sir. What are your orders?"

"How's everything prepared?"

"I took everything I could, and for the rest, I tried to sell them off at a low price." Zhang An looked pained; he had lost a lot of money.

He would never have agreed to sell if the master hadn't been in such a hurry.

"Don't worry, this loss is nothing. We'll be back sooner or later, and then we'll figure out how to get it back."

Seemingly sensing Zhang An's inner pain, Fang He offered some words of comfort.

After much deliberation, he realized that the current situation was extremely unfavorable for him.

Even if the government troops can't take action against him because they don't have evidence, what if they do find evidence?

Now Fang Jiulian is avoiding suspicion, and for his own future, he doesn't care about anything at all.

Without Fang Jiulian's protection, it would be extremely difficult for Fang He to perfectly preserve himself in the bombing incident.

Perhaps, to prove his impartiality, Fang Jiulian will betray his own family for the greater good.

Given Fang Jiulian's character, Fang He believed that he was capable of doing such a thing.

Faced with the increasingly worse situation, it might be better to back down for now; taking a step back can open up a whole new world.

If we can't afford to offend them, can't we at least avoid them?

He sold off most of his assets, packed only his valuable and light belongings, and set off to hide in a secluded manor he had purchased elsewhere.

Any bulky food and supplies that cannot be taken with us should be given to the government troops to buy some time.

The government troops wanted to make money to prepare for military expenses, so this way, they could always get a taste of the benefits.

He went to another city, waiting for this period to pass so he could temporarily leave this vortex and focus on finding out about Shouming's situation first. "Old Zhang, is the information I asked you to compile ready?" Fang He asked.

“It’s all here. Based on the information you provided, my people from the Green Clothes Alliance and I have identified some suspicious individuals.” Zhang An pulled out a pale yellow sheet of paper from his pocket.

How many people are there in total?

“There are seven people in total. As instructed by the master, they are all people who are involved in the saltpeter incident and the young master’s disappearance,” Zhang An replied quickly.

"Seven people?" Fang He frowned. "Let me see them."

Han Yi's name was prominently listed on the yellow paper.

"Are all these people problematic?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, according to the Green Robe Alliance, these people are either those whose statements are inconsistent, whose evidence is insufficient, or those who are highly suspected of committing crimes in both incidents. They need to be closely monitored."

"You've been keeping an eye on them?" "I've been watching them the whole time, and I haven't noticed anything unusual about them recently," Zhang An replied.

"Alright, give the order to have them arrest the people," Fang said calmly.

"This..." Zhang An looked troubled, "Won't this have too much of an impact?"

These seven people are all martial arts instructors from various departments of Jingtian Manor, and they are all elites from their respective departments.

During such a sensitive period, rashly arresting people would be too drastic and could very likely result in retaliation.