Chapter 76

So pills are this cheap.

Li Rui walked out of the Medicine Hall with six warm Body-Strengthening Pills.

One spiritual pill costs at least five hundred taels.

Six pills mean a full three thousand taels; this is the price of buying pills at the Medicine Hall, and it would only be higher outside at the Pill King Workshop.

But going directly to the alchemist.

The medicine cost a total of one thousand taels, and the labor silver was at most two hundred taels.

Which means, in this round trip, the Medicine Hall earned a full one thousand eight hundred taels!

"Carriages, boats, shops, feet, teeth—even if innocent, they should be killed."

The Medicine Hall is one thing, but places like the Pill King Workshop that gather alchemists to do business are no different from agencies; just by flipping hands, they can make a fortune.

However, Li Rui just muttered a few words.

Things like rectifying the market are better left to young people; he, an old man, won't join in the fun.

As long as he isn't cheated himself.

Six spiritual pills.

Are enough to refine Iron Bone into Golden Bone.

Thinking of this, he quickened his pace.

"Back to the room to practice."

County Office, side hall.

The Qinghe County Office layout is orderly.

"Facing south, civil on the left and martial on the right, front hall and back residence, prison in the southwest."

Entering from the main gate, along the central axis are the main hall, second hall, third hall, and finally the magistrate's residence, with corridors on the east and west sides for civil and martial officials to work, and the southwest corner is the prison.

The magistrate usually receives guests in the hall on the east side.

At this time, the main hall was full of people, and the officials outside the door could faintly hear the voice of Magistrate Zhang.

"Everyone here is a hero, I entrust the matter of the Guiming Sect to you all."

Qinghe Magistrate Zhang Linkang stood up with a smile and cupped his hands.

In the hall.

Respecting the left and despising the right.

Elder Song Zhenyuan of the Huaqing Sect had the most noble status and sat in the top position on the left without question, with Han Qin and other Huaqing Sect disciples standing behind him.

On one side, Deputy Alliance Leader Tang Sheng of the Tiandi Alliance and Deputy Gang Leader Peng Hu of the Blood Tiger Gang were also sitting.

Besides them, the heads of the families and gangs that could be mentioned in Qinghe were all present, and Dao Xiong was naturally among them.

Such a lineup.

Even Magistrate Zhang Linkang felt that it was very face-saving to spread it out, and he would have to boast a few more times when he saw his colleagues in the future.

"Those monsters of the Guiming Sect slaughter the innocent, rape women, raise monsters to wreak havoc in the countryside, privately cast weapons... their crimes are heinous!"

Magistrate Zhang listed dozens of crimes of the Guiming Sect in one breath, looking heartbroken and hating evil as if it were his enemy.

As if they wouldn't have a clear conscience if they didn't join forces to destroy the Guiming Sect.

Dao Xiong, sitting in the middle, sneered in his heart.

"The mouths of scholars are truly not to be trusted."

Don't look at Magistrate Zhang's appearance of wanting to cut down evil for the people.

It wasn't like this before.

Although the Guiming Sect has always been designated as a cult by the imperial court and hit by local governments.

But this Magistrate Zhang had never taken it to heart before. The recent search by officials was because that Huaqing Sect disciple who defected to the Guiming Sect killed too many catchers, making Magistrate Zhang feel he had lost face, which was why he sent officials to search.

"The prefect of Anning Prefecture took a concubine who knew how to serve people well a few days ago; she was a spy sent by the Guiming Sect, stole secret letters from the imperial court, and killed an official."

"Heard the prefect was furious and threatened to destroy the Guiming Sect."

If it weren't for his superiors taking it seriously, with Magistrate Zhang's old-oil-strip temper of being an official for ten years, how would he have bothered to unite all parties to deal with the Guiming Sect.

Seeing everyone looking like they shared a common hatred.

Of course, those who performed too obviously were basically the shills he had notified in advance, or his confidants.

In short, the atmosphere was still very good.

Magistrate Zhang was even more satisfied.

He then turned his head to look at Song Zhenyuan, who was pretending to doze: "Master Song, heard that Elder Jiang of your sect has also come to Qinghe, wonder if we could meet."

Upon hearing the name of Jiang Linxian.

Everyone in the hall sat up straight unconsciously, listening carefully.

Everyone was extra concerned about the affairs of that big figure; if one could climb up the relationship, or be favored, that would be a major event of changing one's destiny.

Song Zhenyuan slowly opened his eyes: "Elder Jiang is like a dragon seeing its head but not its tail; we just need to do our work seriously, and Elder Jiang will naturally make a move."

"Exactly, exactly."

Magistrate Zhang echoed repeatedly.

Although the Huaqing Sect is a Jianghu sect, it is not without people in the imperial court, and the relationships are intertwined, so he dared not offend them either.

After some discussion.

Everyone reached a consensus to join forces to deal with the Guiming Sect.

Magistrate Zhang then assigned the number of people for the task to each gang and family.

Everyone was happy.

The meeting dispersed.

Tang Sheng didn't choose to take a sedan chair but walked back to the Qinghe Branch.

Dao Xiong had to follow half a step behind.

People on the street saw a group of Tiandi Alliance disciples and consciously avoided them.

Tang Sheng seemed to be in a good mood.

He spoke: "Dao Xiong, do you know why the Alliance Leader wants you to come to Qinghe to establish a branch?"

Dao Xiong's heart tightened.

Deputy Alliance Leader Tang was clearly trying to point him out, so he answered carefully: "Subordinate does not know."

He didn't try to be clever and spout nonsense.

Tang Sheng chuckled and said in a voice only the two of them could hear: "The Alliance Leader was appreciated by a noble in the Annan Army, and news came out that the Guiming Sect took a fairy treasure, and that thing is now in Qinghe. The Alliance Leader set up a branch in Qinghe to have you find the fairy treasure."

Dao Xiong's pupils contracted slightly.

The thoughts of those in high positions are indeed hard to fathom.

He had originally thought the Alliance Leader wanted to expand his power, but he hadn't expected there to be another deep meaning.

"Fairy treasure..."

Those who reach the peak ascend to become immortals.

There are many legends about immortals circulating in the world.

Fairy treasures are naturally treasures left behind by immortals.

Five days later.

Chen hour.

The sky was still deep, without a glimmer of light.

Bang, bang, bang!

A burst of urgent knocking sounded.

Li Rui pushed open the door and saw Liang He looking anxious, "Hall Master, something happened; that petty thief who brought the weapons to the black market is dead."

"Let's go, let's take a look!"

Li Rui threw on an outer garment and followed Liang He to the black market.

When he saw the petty thief lying on the ground, bloody, with his throat slit.

Li Rui was expressionless.

In fact, he had long anticipated this, so he had specifically kept Liang He in the black market to take turns with Mao Kai to guard the petty thief.

He had already told Zhang Yang about the matter.

As long as it was operated properly, they could bite Zhao Wei back.

But they were still a step too slow; Zhao Wei had actually chosen to silence him in a frenzy.

Mao Kai had suffered minor injuries in the fight just now.

He clutched his chest, looking ashamed, "Hall Master, that person was a rank-entered martial artist; we were no match."

"This matter is not your fault."

As the saying goes, one is not afraid of a thief stealing, but of a thief coveting.

It is truly too difficult to guard against the prying eyes of a rank-entered martial master at all times.

Li Rui instructed, "Clean this place up, and tell everyone to act as if this never happened."

Mao Kai was unwilling, "Master Li, are we just going to let it go like this?"

Li Rui looked coldly at Mao Kai, "Then what would you have me do?"

Mao Kai was speechless for a moment.

That's right, what could he do?

The other party was a rank-entered martial artist, and his backer was the number one Deputy Helmsman; if one didn't want to bow their head, they could only bow.

"Yes!"

He lowered his head bitterly and led the few people beside him to start cleaning up the bloodstains on the ground.

Li Rui walked back to Hun Tian Yi Hall.

Liang He followed silently behind him; he spoke up, "Hall Master, what should we do next?"