Junior Uncle is too cunning.

Li Shundao sat in the private room, drinking wine while waiting, occasionally glancing out the window; the scenery here was truly beautiful.

"dong dong dong"

There was a knock at the door. Li Shundao stood up and gently opened the door, smiling at the person who came in. "Fellow Daoist Huajian, please come in."

Hua Jian didn't say much, but walked in with a smile, saying as he went, "More than twenty years have passed since we last met. Fellow Daoist Jin has made further progress. Congratulations!"

Li Shundao smiled, gestured for the chairs to be invited, and sat down with Huajian.

"Not at all, we've only just stabilized. We can't compare to you, fellow Daoist, who has the potential to become a Great Luo Immortal! We are filled with envy."

The two exchanged a few pleasantries and gradually quieted down. Hua Jian slowly put down his wine cup and looked at Li Shundao, asking, "Fellow Daoist, it seems you've come down from the mountain this time to join the Dao Alliance?"

Li Shundao nodded. This was normal, and there was nothing to hide. "That's right. I used to be carefree living alone, but now I can't run around anymore. I thought I should leave something behind. Joining the Dao Alliance is the best place for us rogue cultivators to belong."

Upon hearing Li Shundao's words, Huajian's eyes flashed with a strange light, and she was startled, but quickly regained her composure.

It's normal for Jin Wanqian to have such thoughts. After all, once you reach the Golden Immortal realm, your lifespan is limitless. At this point, every step forward is measured in hundreds or thousands of years, and it's normal to be stuck at a certain realm for tens of thousands of years.

At this point, Golden Immortals will choose to establish their own sects. Not only can they pass on their own lineage and have disciples to serve them, but they can also earn a share of the ancestral master's fortune. If another Golden Immortal emerges, that would be the best helper. Why not?

Isn't he the same way?

Hua Jian thought to himself, but then laughed out loud. “It seems you want to establish your own sect. When? Once you’ve decided, please let me know. If you need any help, just ask. I have some influence in Zhongzhou.”

Li Shundao was startled, not expecting Hua Jian to be so perceptive and to see through his thoughts so quickly.

He calmly agreed, "I don't have the same abilities as you, fellow Daoist. Establishing a sect is too much trouble for a lazy person like me. Taking on a few disciples and passing on my lineage is a wish I can fulfill. We'll see what my disciples think then."

Hua Jian nodded knowingly, though it was unclear how much he believed her.

He clinked glasses with Li Shundao again and said somewhat casually, "Fellow Daoist, are you from the East?"

Li Shundao's vigilance gradually increased, and he glanced calmly at Hua Jian. "I suppose so, but it's been quite a few years since I left. What, are you interested in the East, fellow Daoist?"

"No, but have you heard of the official competition in the East a while ago?"

Li Shundao thought to himself, "Huh?" but his face showed some confusion, displaying the expression of a cultivator who had just emerged from seclusion. "Oh, the competition for official positions? Forgive my ignorance, but I've never heard of this competition before."

Hua Jian glanced at him but didn't pay much attention. She then recounted the whole story in detail, which was basically the same as Chen Fusheng's experience. Most importantly, she even mentioned that Li Shundao had impersonated a Great Luo Golden Immortal and eventually obtained a third-rank divine position.

This surprised Li Shundao; Hua Jian's intelligence was too fast!

Only a few days have passed, and we've already obtained detailed information. It seems that there's a lot more to this Flower-Loving True Lord than meets the eye!

“It’s a pity I didn’t get to see the four Great Luo Golden Immortals, what a regret,” Li Shundao said, looking somewhat annoyed, though his expression was normal.

After all, for a Golden Immortal, witnessing a battle between Great Luo Immortals is a great opportunity, and Hua Jian nodded in understanding.

Li Shundao asked with some curiosity, "By the way, fellow Daoist, was the senior who appeared at the end really that powerful?"

Hua Jian put down his wine cup, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes, and nodded to Li Shundao.

His first reaction upon receiving the intelligence was disbelief.

It's a bit too far-fetched that someone of the same generation, a disciple of a sage, could snatch a weapon from another Great Luo Golden Immortal in one fell swoop. However, he also believed that with the power behind him, the source of the information couldn't be fake, which could only mean that the matter was true.

"It's true!"

"This..." Li Shundao pretended to be speechless, his face full of shock. "Does this senior know who he is? This way I can prepare in advance and avoid accidentally incurring bad luck."

Hua Jian greatly admired Li Shundao's cautious words and actions, and was very satisfied. As expected of a genius who broke through to the Golden Immortal realm as a rogue cultivator, he really had some skills.

This further solidified his plan. Upon hearing Li Shundao's question, Huajian shook his head. "I only know that the senior was a divine cultivator. The current God of Wealth in the East has a close relationship with him, but nothing else."

Li Shundao breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Hua Jian's words. It seemed that no other information had been leaked, and he felt a sense of pride.

It seems my performance was quite good; it actually left such a deep impression on them.

Li Shundao nodded in response and thanked Hua Jian, "I still have to thank you for informing me in advance, otherwise, if I had accidentally disturbed this senior in the future, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

But who exactly is this God of Wealth, that he actually has a Great Luo Golden Immortal as his backer?

Having finally encountered a high-ranking member of the Dao Alliance who was willing to speak, Li Shundao was determined not to miss this opportunity and asked them all in one go.

Sometimes, when you're standing on the chessboard, you can't see yourself clearly, while those outside the game know more.

Hua Jian was surprised by Li Shundao's question, but he didn't say anything. After all, breaking through to the Golden Immortal realm would definitely require a long period of seclusion.

The God of Wealth is a deity who has only emerged in the last two or three hundred years, so it's normal that Li Shundao didn't know about him.

Anyway, the matter of the God of Wealth is not a secret. Even if I don't say anything, Li Shundao will find out once he joins the Dao Alliance. I might as well do him a favor.

"This God of Wealth is roughly a mid-stage Golden Immortal cultivator. He has been spreading the Dao in the East for over three hundred years, but he is very low-key and usually remains unknown."

Decades ago, it gained fame because of a merchant selling fire-related products, and then… this time, with a Grand Luo Golden Immortal standing behind it, it finally caught the attention of the Dao Alliance.

Li Shundao felt a chill run down his spine as he listened to Hua Jian's words, and his earlier smugness vanished completely.

It was normal for Huo Lian's affair to be investigated. What he didn't expect was that even Chen Fusheng's hunting of Xuanxian True Dragon in the East China Sea for two days and his visit to Xiong You Village were also investigated by the Dao Alliance.

Even if the matter of Xiong You Village was investigated before his story was published, Chen Fusheng's hunting of two Xuanxian True Dragons took place in the deep sea, and he was certain that no one had discovered it at the time.

“A master strategist has intervened,” Li Shundao realized.

This is not the past life, where witnesses and physical evidence are needed to judge a case. If a master strategist wants to know about a person, he only needs to make a deduction. He can find out anything, from birth to death, no matter how small.

Li Shundao felt a chill run down his spine. He wondered how much the Dao Alliance had uncovered, managing to break through the Qi suppression of the wine gourd and trace it back to Chen Fusheng.

"Really? Then it seems that this God of Wealth is indeed a righteous god. Does he have such a divine status?" Li Shundao appeared to be just curious, but he was extremely nervous inside.

Hua Jian shook his head regretfully, "This god must be being concealed by some Grand Luo Golden Immortal. Some time ago, a senior from the Dao Alliance was able to calculate some of it, but after that senior made his move, he could no longer calculate it. It is estimated that it was suppressed, and the Dao Alliance did not dare to make a move again."

Li Shundao's heart was like a rollercoaster, but he finally landed safely. He did not expect that after the Three Treasures tested him, the Dao Alliance would directly send a master of the Great Luo Golden Immortal level to calculate Chen Fusheng. No wonder the wine gourd could not stop him.

As for the fact that a Great Luo Golden Immortal came down later, Li Shundao smiled to himself. Where was the Great Luo? It was clearly the effect of the Falling Treasure Coin. However, he didn't say anything, and a hint of regret flashed across his face.