Chapter 10: Offering the Crimson Fruit, Inviting a High-Ranking Cultivator
Tian Guofu was stunned, the gentry of Qingping Town were stunned, and the yamen runners from the county office were also stunned!
Zhang Qingyun knelt heavily on the ground and loudly declared, “The demons and monsters in Qingshan County are rampant, harming innocent lives, and manipulating the winds and waves to extort the county’s populace into offering virgin boys and girls every year.
Such acts provoke the wrath of both heaven and man!”
“As the Qingshan County Magistrate, I, Qingyun, absolutely cannot tolerate these demons continuing their rampant behavior.
However, I am powerless, and though I wish to eliminate these demons, I am unable to do so.”
“I heard that the Daoist Priest possesses extraordinary Daoist magic, great magical power, and great compassion, so I have specifically come to invite the Daoist Priest to come out of seclusion.”
“I only ask that the Daoist Priest avenge the innocent people of Qingshan County and eliminate that demon.”
“If the Daoist Priest can eliminate that demon, whatever his request may be, Qingyun is willing to do his utmost.”
“Furthermore, Qingyun is willing to lead the entire county’s gentry and populace to convert to Penglai, and erect statues for the Daoist Priest to pray for blessings!”
After speaking loudly, Zhang Qingyun bowed deeply.
Tian Guofu quickly gestured to those around him, and they all knelt down together.
Before the secluded mountain Daoist temple, a large number of people knelt in this manner.
After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Qingyun felt his legs go numb from kneeling.
Even those old coots in his Family never had such a grand display, but this Jiang Sheng actually accepted it.
Finally, just as Zhang Qingyun felt he was being teased and was about to get up, he heard a voice from within the Daoist temple again.
“Enough, come in.”
Letting out a long sigh, Zhang Qingyun quickly got up, tidied himself, and led his attendants into the Daoist temple.
The Daoist temple was not large, but it was very harmonious, subtly exuding a feeling of natural heaven and earth, as if everything here secretly conformed to a certain charm.
The more he looked, the more extraordinary it seemed.
Upon reaching the front hall, Zhang Qingyun saw a painting of an Immortal hanging high in the hall, and beneath the painting, a Daoist Priest in a green robe was seated cross-legged on a futon, with his back to them.
Zhang Qingyun first offered incense and bowed to the painting, then saluted Jiang Sheng: “Zhang Qingyun greets Daoist Priest Jiang, I offer my respects.”
“County Magistrate is too polite.” Jiang Sheng’s voice was calm, natural, and poised.
Zhang Qingyun then explained his purpose again, and once more bowed to invite Jiang Sheng to come out of seclusion.
Jiang Sheng, however, said, “This humble Daoist is cultivating in the mountains, and the River God of Taiping River does not provoke this humble Daoist, so why should this humble Daoist take action?”
Zhang Qingyun was stunned, and then made another promise: “If the Daoist Priest agrees, Qingyun is willing to write to the imperial court and turn the entire Qingping Mountain into the Daoist Priest’s Daoist temple.”
“All things in the mountain will belong to the Daoist Priest, and even Qingping Town can be made a place of offering for the Daoist Priest!”
Listening to County Magistrate Zhang’s generous promise, Tian Guofu was dumbfounded.
What did this have to do with their Qingping Town?Why should they have another great deity above them?
But there was no place for Tian Guofu to speak here, so he could only lower his head in silence.
After hearing this, Jiang Sheng glanced at Tian Guofu, his expression still indifferent: “What use would this humble Daoist have for the offerings of a town?This humble Daoist is not lacking in such things.”
Zhang Qingyun was stunned, not knowing what else to promise.
Jiang Sheng suddenly smiled and said, “County Magistrate, this time you are quite sincere.”
“How about this, this humble Daoist will temporarily accept the Crimson Fruit offering.”
“If the County Magistrate can also invite some Cultivators to assist, then this humble Daoist is not unable to take action.”
“And no matter the outcome, Qingping Mountain will be this humble Daoist’s Daoist temple, and no one is allowed to set foot here without this humble Daoist’s permission.”
“Furthermore, when to take action will also be decided by this humble Daoist.”
“Thus, can the County Magistrate agree?”
Zhang Qingyun gritted his teeth and agreed: “Everything will be as the Daoist Priest says!”
Jiang Sheng smiled and said, “In that case, is the County Magistrate satisfied?Can you return to the county office now?”
Zhang Qingyun had originally wanted to invite Jiang Sheng to the county town for a visit, but now he couldn’t speak and could only leave in silence.
Returning to Qingshan County in a rather disheveled state, Zhang Qingyun recounted the events to his daughter and was very frustrated.
“I never thought that not only did I fail to invite the person, but I also completely lost face as the County Magistrate in front of so many people.”
Zhang Qing casually picked up a piece of pastry and put it in her mouth, but she smiled and said, “To have such a result is already not easy.”
“That Daoist Priest Jiang is said to be a high-ranking Cultivator from Penglai, so such a temperament is not surprising.”
“Furthermore, Daoist Priest Jiang has already agreed to take action, so we just need to invite some more Cultivators to help when the time comes.”
Zhang Qingyun nodded: “At present, this is the only way.”
Zhang Qing then said, “If we truly want to eliminate the demon in Taiping River, relying solely on Daoist Priest Jiang might not be enough.”
“In the vast Eastern Commandery, there are countless Loose Cultivators, and beyond the Eastern Commandery, Qingzhou has several Sects, all with high-ranking Cultivators presiding.
If we can invite one, we will have a better chance of success.”
After hearing this, Zhang Qingyun nodded silently: “Qing’er’s words are reasonable.
I didn’t expect Daoist Priest Jiang to kill the River God alone.”
Zhang Qing smiled and said, “My handkerchief sister is now an Inner Sect Disciple of the Lan Yue Sect in Qingzhou.
I can invite her down the mountain to help, and I think she will be more reliable than Daoist Priest Jiang.”
Zhang Qingyun finally breathed a sigh of relief: “That’s excellent.
Then I will prepare and invite more Cultivators from various places in Qingzhou.”
Meanwhile, in Qingping Mountain, Tian Guofu also dared to ask, “Daoist Priest Jiang, didn’t you say…”
Jiang Sheng glanced at Tian Guofu, his expression a little lazy: “Town Chief Tian, are you trying to say that this humble Daoist said the safety of Qingping Town has nothing to do with this humble Daoist?”
Tian Guofu chuckled and nodded.
Jiang Sheng shook his head, his expression still calm: “The safety of Qingping Town indeed has nothing to do with this humble Daoist.
However, this humble Daoist has discovered that Taiping River is too close to Qingping Mountain.”
“So close that if it were this humble Daoist, he could kill it and return in a few hours.”
As he spoke, a hint of solemnity appeared in Jiang Sheng’s originally calm aura: “It is true that this humble Daoist does not like to meddle in others’ affairs, but this humble Daoist will not tolerate demons lurking next to his bed!”
“If that County Magistrate Zhang can really find some more Cultivators to help, this humble Daoist is still willing to conveniently eliminate this imminent disaster.”
Only then did Tian Guofu understand that from beginning to end, Jiang Sheng had never considered the lives of the people of Qingping Town; everything was his overthinking.
Jiang Sheng then glanced at Tian Guofu again: “Town Chief Tian, this humble Daoist is not afraid to tell you.”
“If your County Magistrate Zhang invites a bunch of Qi Cultivators, then the matter of subduing demons and eliminating evil will be directly canceled.
This humble Daoist will not return the Crimson Fruit offering, and will instead sit back and watch your County Magistrate Zhang and those Qi Cultivators go and offer themselves as blood food to the demon.”
Tian Guofu nodded repeatedly: “Understood, understood, I understand everything.”
Then Jiang Sheng waved his hand, and Tian Guofu, being very perceptive, left.
He knew that Jiang Sheng was dismissing him.
After Tian Guofu left, Jiang Sheng suddenly sighed, and with an imaginary grasp of his right hand, a Magical Artifact sword appeared out of thin air in his hand.
The sword was three feet six inches long, entirely black, adorned with green lotuses, and was an excellent Magical Artifact.
Placing the sword across his lap, Jiang Sheng sat with a straight back, gently wiping this Magical Artifact that accompanied him down the mountain to eliminate demons: “A demon of the Purple Mansion realm, I really want to try.”
The second chapter for today is presented.
My lords, if you have any opinions, please do speak them.
Linyuan will correct himself if he has faults, and strive for improvement if he does not.