Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

The mortal woman did not cry or make a fuss.

Yet they were also anxious and unsure of what lay ahead.

Seeing her bewildered and helpless look, Ge Mingsheng sighed inwardly—fortunately, this person had the will to live and did not care about her reputation, so she did not try to kill herself.

Of the three, she was the only one who was unharmed.

She even tried to calm the other woman and man down, preventing them from doing anything rash out of shame, anger, or humiliation.

Otherwise, whether he can wait until he can capture those two cultivators is another matter entirely.

Unbeknownst to the woman, her act of self-preservation also saved her and her brother's lives.

Fu Shan is not a person who kills indiscriminately; such things do not bring her any pleasure. She only kills when there is a benefit to her.

After Ge Mingsheng finished his brief and concise report, Fu Shan nodded. She curled up in her chair, looked at the woman, and said:

“Your aptitude is also quite good. Kill them and join my Juque Sect with your brother.”

"The other two, you—take them to collect thirty taels of silver as compensation, and send them out of the Juque Sect. If I wander around Nanli and find out that the two have not returned... hah."

Fu Shan casually pointed to a disciple and assigned him a task, which the disciple immediately accepted and left.

"Elder, spare her! She's just a mortal!"

"We both know we were wrong, please, elders, show leniency!"

"My master is Elder Wei of Ziling Mountain. Please, for Master Wu's sake, show mercy!"

"..."

The two disciples of the Juque Sect immediately started arguing, feeling both fear and indignation. However, as Fu Shan gently raised his hand, they were instantly silenced.

At the same time, spiritual power was suppressed.

A dagger was brought forth by spiritual power and hovered in front of the mortal woman.

Ge Mingsheng's breathing suddenly slowed down.

She suddenly realized that this Elder Fu Shan was no ordinary person.

The factional struggles within the Juque Sect are extremely serious. These two cultivators have already brought up Elder Wei, but Elder Fu has no scruples whatsoever.

She is unconventional in her recruitment of people, and values ​​keeping her promises. Even if someone hasn't passed the sect's assessment, she will recruit them to her service.

More importantly... this person knows the prices of goods in the outside world.

Thirty taels of silver.

This is the annual salary of the lowest-ranking mortal manager in each town of the Juque Sect, an amount that a poor farming family could only save up over many years.

There are such people in the Juque Sect.

As he looked up at the mortal woman, Ge Mingsheng quickly glanced at Elder Fu Shan's appearance, wanting to memorize her features, but suddenly his eyes met hers.

His heart skipped a beat. Ge Mingsheng tried his best to act nonchalant, shifting his gaze to the ordinary woman, wondering what decision she would make.

I quickly started thinking about how to deal with it.

The recent anomalies of the Juque Sect are very likely related to this person. Judging from Elder Fushan's actions, he is decisive and efficient, holds a very high position, and seems to disregard the other elders.

Moreover... the timing of Elder Fu Shan's appearance was too coincidental.

What a coincidence...

This extraordinary person was previously unknown in the Juque Sect, only appearing before everyone when the sect leader was killed and Elder Wuwei took over the position.

Sect Leader Wu Wei...

Ge Mingsheng pursed his lips almost imperceptibly. Elder Wu Wei didn't seem to have appeared in front of everyone these past few days.

She suddenly realized that the true power behind the Juque Sect, and the source of the recent anomalies, was very likely Elder Fu Shan...

Ge Mingsheng's heart was racing.

She suddenly realized that Elder Fu Shan was secretly reorganizing the Juque Sect. Since reorganization was necessary, someone else had to be replaced, so she was given the task.

This is the assessment before re-employment.

A sense of unease lingered in my heart.

Her past was something that everyone else gradually accepted, like a frog being slowly boiled in water, so things that might arouse suspicion didn't seem strange to others.

But Elder Fu Shan is no fool, and given her sudden emergence from seclusion... will she notice anything amiss?

"No no no!"

The two cultivators were struggling desperately. The mortal woman was somewhat incredulous. She was afraid that this was just a game and that if she really fought back, she would die. She was also afraid that if she disobeyed, she would also die.

Her hands trembled as she gripped the dagger, and she hesitantly looked up at the immortal.

But Elder Fu remained calm and nodded to her.

Under such encouraging gazes, the woman suddenly calmed down. She gripped the dagger tightly in her hand, her expectant gaze... just like when her parents were alive, her mother silently watched her fight back against those who bullied her, while her father silently stood by, waiting for her to make her move.

There will be support and rewards.

Don't be afraid.

She walked up to the two cultivators, but instead of bending down, she turned back to look at Elder Fu.

Then, he turned his head.

He grabbed the hair of the cultivator whose spiritual power was completely sealed, plunged the dagger directly into the man's skull, and then forcefully pulled it out.

Blood splattered on her wrist, seemingly scalding the woman and making her flinch.

Without hesitation, she grabbed the other cultivator's hair again, and with a strange surge in her meridians, plunged the dagger straight into his skull.

The woman stole the cultivator's cultivation.

He became a new disciple of the Juque Sect.

This was Fu Shan's consideration: since Heaven had opened up a new path for mortals, why couldn't Li Cheng use it, while her Juque Sect could?

If she replaces the old Juque Sect disciples with those who enter the Dao through the "New Path," her Juque Sect might also receive "divine favor."

She played a significant role in aggravating the suffering of ordinary people.

But so what? It was the Juque Sect that actually took action.

As long as she stands behind ordinary people and supports them, they will be on the same side as her. Isn't it easy to choose between the Juque Sect and Licheng?

The Way has no distinction between right and wrong, high and low.

If she wins, she's right.

Unfortunately, Nascent Soul stage cultivators need to undergo tribulation and gain the approval of heaven and earth, and cannot be replaced by their own people in this way; otherwise, why would it be so troublesome?

Fu Shan nodded and said:

"Take her and her brother to get the Juque disciple's waist tokens, and register them as my disciples."

Not only was the woman in awe, but even Ge Mingsheng was astonished by this person's prowess.

If the Juque Sect hadn't killed her parents, if Daoist Wuyan hadn't lent a helping hand back then... if Elder Fushan had used the same method to win her over...

Ge Mingsheng felt conflicted.

Fu Shan appeared far too late.

The Juque Sect has committed countless crimes, too numerous to recount. She was very charming, but she arrived too late; everything was beyond redemption.

If the Juque Sect were to seize power, the path of "mortals rebelling against cultivators" might be completely blocked. Perhaps Elder Fushan was only choosing to compromise temporarily to win.

Decades or centuries later, the Juque School will repeat the same mistakes.