Chapter 80

Xiao Zhangqing, after listening to Gong Wansheng's words, finally understood a bit of the factional struggles within the Luoxia Sect.

No wonder Shopkeeper Hong said those words to him before leaving Nanshan Fang.

He said that if Xiao Zhangqing were to be promoted to Second-rank Talisman Master in the future and the sect wanted to call him back, he could consider going to Liyang Immortal City.

It turned out that at that time Shopkeeper Hong already had a plan; going to Liyang Immortal City was equivalent to starting a new base and "splitting off" from the Luoxia Sect.

He also understood why Zhou Changkong, upon arriving at Nanshan Fang, was full of contempt for Shopkeeper Hong in words and deeds, slandering him and almost treating him as a traitor.

However.

Gong Wansheng was right; Xiao Zhangqing is not even a disciple of the Luoxia Sect, so why involve himself in the sect's open and covert battles and the grudges of the previous generation, taking sides and courting trouble? He only wants to develop quietly, improve his cultivation and strength, and be carefree in this strange and dangerous Cultivation World.

His short‑term goal now is simply to succeed in Foundation Establishment.

But he definitely will not go to the Luoxia Sect.

Gong Wansheng assured him that if he returned to the sect with him, he would face no oppression; the current sect leader is magnanimous and would not hold a grudge because Xiao Zhangqing once benefited from Hong Jiantao. Yet Shopkeeper Hong also said that after Xiao Zhangqing becomes a Second-rank Talisman Master, it would be best not to go to the Luoxia Sect, implying that if he went, trouble would follow, and the current sect leader in his eyes must have problems…

Both of their statements could be correct, or both could be wrong.

Different stances lead to different perspectives on the issue, yielding different answers.

But as long as Xiao Zhangqing can step outside the problem and not make a choice, there will naturally be no risk!

Regardless of how the Core Formation Sect master is in character or magnanimous, and regardless of how many factions and conflicts exist within the Luoxia Sect.

If Xiao Zhangqing does not get involved, trouble will not fall on him!

Later.

Xiao Zhangqing then asked Gong Wansheng about information on the Demon Sect Evil Cultivator and whether Nanshan Fang was truly dangerous, given that Mu Renjie is now dead…

"If Mu Renjie had not revealed his true nature before tonight and been slain by Symbol Master Xiao, Nanshan Fang might still be very dangerous, becoming the next Yin Ye Peak Workshop Market. But now Mu Renjie is dead, the Cao family has one practitioner in the mid‑Foundation Establishment stage and one in the initial stage, and Symbol Master Xiao is present, plus the mountain‑protecting formation; Nanshan Fang will not be dangerous. At least for a short time, there will be no danger."

Gong Wansheng's statement was completely different from that of Ruan Qingzhu and the others before.

But the final conclusion still regarded Nanshan Fang as safe, at least for the time being.

"At present my Soul Transformation is only somewhat stronger, and my Soul Perception secret art cannot be used as a regular combat method; compared with genuine Foundation Establishment cultivators, I cannot play a large role," Xiao Zhangqing said.

Gong Wansheng laughed, "Symbol Master Xiao, you are overly modest. You have not yet established a foundation, your magical power is weak, but as a Second-rank Talisman Master, your impact in Nanshan Fang already surpasses Cao family head Cao Hao, who is at the mid‑Foundation stage! By yourself you can create numerous temporary cultivators with foundation‑level killing power! Not to mention your Soul Perception secret technique—once unleashed, it can threaten even late‑stage Foundation cultivators!"

Regarding Xiao Zhangqing's terrifying Soul Perception secret art, that spirit attack that rose like a soaring dragon, Gong Wansheng only glanced at it from afar and still feels a lingering chill.

Without exaggeration, Gong Wansheng thought that even if Mu Renjie were not plagued by evil spirits and were a proper late‑stage Foundation cultivator, his effect would still not match that of the current Xiao Zhangqing! "Can the sect, moving forward, mobilize some Second-rank Talisman Script materials to support Lingfu Pavilion?" Xiao Zhangqing asked opportunistically.

Since his identity as a Second-rank Talisman Master was exposed in this coincidental way, directly letting Gong Wansheng, the Luoxia Sect 'emissary', know, Xiao Zhangqing laid his cards on the table and stopped pretending.

It happened that in Nanshan Fang collecting Second-rank Talisman Script materials was difficult, entirely dependent on luck.

Even Lingfu Pavilion had not provided them before.

After all, besides him, Lingfu Pavilion has no Second-rank Talisman Masters.

Gong Wansheng agreed outright, "No problem. After I return, I will report the situation and help you gather the Second-rank Talisman Script materials. As for the specific Second-rank Talisman Scripts you will craft, how they are allocated, how much must be submitted to the sect, we can negotiate later."

A Second-rank Talisman Master enjoys a completely different status.

Even within the Core Formation Sect, they are offered sacrifices and treated well.

Their voice carries great weight.

If Zhou Changkong were not dead, he would have to treat Xiao Zhangqing with courtesy in the future, asking his opinion on everything, whether satisfied or not.

Rather than directly assigning tasks as before, dictating which Talisman Scripts to draw and how many per day.

Even if Symbol Master Xiao publicly took private commissions for extra money, Zhou Changkong would not dare say anything, let alone punish him.

As long as he does not use Lingfu Pavilion‑provided materials to draw Talisman Scripts for sale, and instead uses symbols drawn from materials he collected at home, he can handle them freely. "By the way, Mu Renjie was beguiled by evil spirits, willingly fell, and almost caused a disaster. He has now been executed, but his family, the Mu family—does Symbol Master Xiao have any ideas on how to deal with them?" Gong Wansheng, who came to Nanshan Fang and did excellent intelligence work, knew that Xiao Zhangqing and the Mu family harbored some grudges.

At first the Mu family tried to invest in Xiao Zhangqing covertly, but their short‑sightedness led them to withdraw the investment, causing an unpleasant scene, and the Mu family was mocked by many.

Later the Mu family rose powerfully to become the top family in Nanshan Fang, and the matter was gradually mentioned less. Yet some members of the Mu family would not let it go, repeatedly troubling Xiao Zhangqing; for example, the Guangju Tower run by Xiao Zhangqing's concubine had once been contested by the Mu family.

If Lin Zixi had not developed a first‑rank spirit wine, Guangju Tower would have shut down for good.

A major turn of events occurred tonight; Xiao Zhangqing wants revenge and seizes the chance to annihilate the Mu family, and Gong Wansheng also finds it justified and will not intervene.

Honestly, because of Zhou Changkong's death, Gong Wansheng harbors anger toward the Mu family; if he weren't considering the bigger picture, he would have struck the Mu family himself!

But contrary to Gong Wansheng's expectation, Xiao Zhangqing did not state his position directly, asking, "Dao Companion Gong, how would you like to deal with it?"

Gong Wansheng thought for a moment and said, "According to me, although Mu Renjie did not join the Evil Cultivator but was beguiled by evil spirits, he was already extreme‑tempered and had done many covert selfish deeds; he cannot be lightly absolved just because he was possessed, and his death does not erase his debts. Moreover, the Mu family has been his accomplices for years, and the whole clan benefited greatly from him… now is the time for them to pay the price."

"However, the Demon Sect Evil Cultivator is now advancing aggressively; although Nanshan Fang is safe, it is not wise to launch a full‑scale conflict now and cause internal attrition. Mu Renjie is dead, but the remaining strength of the Mu family is not negligible; their enterprises touch every aspect of Nanshan Fang, and wiping them out entirely could plunge Nanshan Fang into chaos, giving the Evil Cultivator a foothold. Therefore my suggestion is that the Mu family must pay, but not with a single stroke; it should be a gradual, step‑by‑step erosion. As for the Mu family members, when the Evil Cultivator truly arrives and battle erupts, their cultivators should be placed at the front lines, so that even if they die, they die fittingly."

Xiao Zhangqing listened, nodded in agreement, "We'll proceed as Dao Companion Gong says."

His attitude was actually much the same as Gong Wansheng's.

He and the Mu family had long lost any friendship, and because of the Guangju Tower incident, they had once been on a knife's edge.

Moreover, tonight, if his Talisman Scripts were not plentiful and his Soul Transformation not strong enough, he would likely have already died at Mu Renjie's hands, making it impossible to aid the Mu family.

"But…" Xiao Zhangqing added, "Mu Renjie's daughter, Mu Chunfeng, should not be targeted."

Gong Wansheng laughed, "Symbol Master Xiao, do you have a relationship with this Mu family miss?"

Xiao Zhangqing nodded, "We are friends."

"Alright, I understand," Gong Wansheng said with a vague look, "Actually before tonight, Mu Renjie quietly sent his daughter away, but I intercepted her and am now holding her. Symbol Master Xiao, if you're interested… shall I send this girl to you?"

Xiao Zhangqing replied wordlessly, "Where are you going with this… just return Mu Chunfeng to the Mu family. Let the Mu family handle her as they wish; just give her a single exemption."

"Fine, fine, fine…" Gong Wansheng stopped insisting, seeming to realize that Symbol Master Xiao was not the lecher he imagined. "I'm about to head to the Cao family to give the head some instructions. Symbol Master Xiao, are you interested in coming along? From now on Nanshan Fang will temporarily rely on you two for protection. Of course, the main reliance is on you, Symbol Master; today is a good chance to get familiar with the matter."

"The main reliance is on the Cao family head; I'll just lend a hand," Xiao Zhangqing corrected.

He had only just reached the ninth layer of Refining Qi, his accumulation still insufficient; next he must first advance to the Great Perfection of Refining Qi, and if possible he hopes to complete his Foundation Establishment in Nanshan Fang!

Becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator will greatly boost his strength, a qualitative leap; moreover, the system may undergo new changes, and then he will finally have a modest self‑preservation ability in this Cultivation World and his footing will be steady.

Venturing out again will greatly increase his safety.

So far he lives quite comfortably in Nanshan Fang, and Zixi has even established an enterprise like Guangju Tower.

If Nanshan Fang is in danger, Xiao Zhangqing will not be stingy about contributing part of his own power.

But to have him shoulder the main beam, hold up the sky—that is absolutely out of the question! He is only a ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivator; what qualifications does he have to undertake Nanshan Fang's primary defense duty?

We need to get a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator like the Cao family head to come.

He would just be helping out.

Gong Wan Sheng resignedly said: "Xiao Symbol Master, you are really quite steady."

Xiao Zhangqing humbly said: "No, no, I just have self-awareness."

Thus, Gong Wan Sheng went alone to the Cao family, informing them of tonight's incident and how the pattern of Nanshan Fang should change thereafter.

Even if Xiao Zhangqing is unwilling to take the lead, once the news of his killing Mu Renjie spreads, even if Gong Wan Sheng does not urge, the Cao family head will certainly show him great respect.

On the surface, Nanshan Fang may perhaps honor Cao Hao as its leader, but in secret, it is surely Xiao Zhangqing who is the chief!

(End of chapter)