Chapter 204 - 117: Condensing the Mountain Search Authority, The First Step into Jiangyin Prefecture, Killing with a Borrowed Knife to Eliminate Future Troubles

Chapter 204: Chapter 117: Condensing the Mountain Search Authority, The First Step into Jiangyin Prefecture, Killing with a Borrowed Knife to Eliminate Future Troubles

As for Feng Zhengming, the heir to the Hall Master of the Wind and Cloud Daoist School and the Wind and Cloud Association in the Prefecture City, he had rushed off to protect the Pill Master the moment he heard of the turmoil.

The young master from the Post House, Di Yuan, had tagged along with him.

Hearing Zhao Jiu’s furious roar,

Di Yuan seemed to recall something. He sidled up stealthily beside Ji Xiu and Zhao Jiu.

"Magistrate Zhao, Boss Ji, about this... I happen to know a thing or two."

He rubbed his hands together and pointed at the docks with a chuckle, his tone ambiguous.

"Huang the Seventh has been going in and out of the County every day recently. He always had a few people with him, but no one knew what they were up to."

"Then, just last night, he and his old servant came rushing to me, all injured. He demanded that I prepare a merchant ship to take him back to the Prefecture."

"I never gave him a firm answer, though. He should still be waiting on my ship. But the Post House men in charge of sea transport won’t set sail without my order."

Hearing these suggestive words,

Zhao Jiu’s expression darkened instantly. He glanced at Ji Xiu beside him and understood in a flash.

’So the traitor was one of my own!’

He remembered how he had instructed his men to turn a blind eye to Huang the Seventh Young Master from the Medicine Shop. He’d done it out of respect for the boy’s family, one of the Nine Lords, giving him some leeway in the County.

’But this brat...’

’...he didn’t give me any face at all! He secretly framed me for this disaster without a word!’

’If this accusation sticks...’

’...not even my old man could get me out of this!’

’And now that it’s all over, he actually thinks he can just run away?’

Zhao Jiu’s face flushed red with anger. Gritting his teeth, he first ordered the Martial Artists of the Three Great Halls and the County Soldiers to patrol the streets of Anning and hunt down the remaining Demons. Then, he immediately spoke.

"Elder Liang..."

"Go investigate this for me!"

"Huang the Seventh is just some young master from the Prefecture. He’s not very bright, so his work is bound to be sloppy and full of holes."

"That little bastard... he’s ruthless."

SHING!

Zhao Jiu abruptly drew his sword, a murderous glint flashing in his narrow eyes.

"Come with me! We’re going to intercept him!"

After hearing the whole story, Ji Xiu couldn’t help but click his tongue. While he wondered if Huang the Seventh was an idiot, a cold light filled his eyes.

If before, Ji Xiu couldn’t openly do anything to him because of his background...

...this little whelp was so malicious that letting him go would surely lead to endless trouble.

This time, even if Zhao Jiu didn’t settle the score with him...

Ji Xiu thought to himself.

’I can’t let him return to Jiangyin Prefecture alive!’

[Under the long night, the Tutor has slain dozens of Centennial and Enlightened Demons, protecting the common people and exercising the authority of ’Mountain Search’!]

[Magic and Divine Technique: ’Mountain and Sea Search’ progress has greatly increased!]

[Current Refinement Progress: 40% → 51%!]

[’Mountain Search’ Refinement has reached Perfection!]

[Spiritual Sense and Qi Observation Innate Talents have fused, transforming into ’Mountain Search’. Henceforth, when the Tutor travels the mountains, day and night will be as one. All things within sight, unless concealed by heavenly secrets, can be perceived!]

[Mountain Search is complete. The next Refinement is Hunting the Sea!]

[The Tutor has awakened the ’Hunting the Sea’ Innate Talent—Riding the Wave!]

[Riding the Wave: Enhances Water Attribute, making the Tutor agile upon entering water. It is as if divinely aided in the unseen, granting the ability of Water Control!]

[As Refinement Progress greatly increases, you will be able to enter water without covering your mouth and nose, walk on rivers as if on flat ground, and become like the Lord of River Waves!]

Mountain Search, Hunting the Sea!

At this point...

Ji Xiu had already completed the Refinement and practice of the first half!

Looking at the second half, ’Hunting the Sea’... Ji Xiu licked his lips and gazed toward the eight-thousand-mile East Canghai, a fervent heat flashing in his eyes.

The five hundred miles of the Mountain Dao could no longer contain his ambition.

And that eight-thousand-mile East Canghai, boundless and magnificent, was now within his grasp after this affair!

Skin Refining, Skin Refining, all that’s left is Skin Refining!

Once he achieved the Third Refinement.

He would charge headfirst and dive right in!

He would make the Thirty-Six Professions, the Daoist Schools, the Prefecture Officials and Grandmasters...

...add the Ji surname to their ranks. He would make it so that one day, even his Mountain Living business could sell the wares of the Earth Dragon Cave in the Prefecture City!

"Oh, right, Brother Ji, we’ve met before."

"My name is Di Yuan. My family is mostly in the business of sea transport and escorting cargo. My family controls several of the shipping routes between Anning County and Jiangyin Prefecture."

"In the past, your County never established the right connections to transport goods to the Prefecture. It’s a shame that these ships are empty on their return trips, apart from carrying passengers."

"The pelts and Essence Blood of Demons from the County... if transported to the Prefecture, their price can double!"

"I wonder, are you interested?"

The furious Zhao Jiu gave his orders and stormed off.

But looking at the pensive Ji Xiu, Di Yuan recalled the scene he had just witnessed—that ’Ghost God Avoidance, devoured in one bite’ moment.

Di Yuan swallowed hard, burying this secret deep in his heart. Then, his eyes darted around. As if struck by an idea, he asked his question.

"Oh? There’s such a benefit?"

"Then, Brother Di, what’s your cut?"

Ji Xiu was stunned for a moment, then his spirits lifted. He felt as though someone had handed him a pillow just as he was getting sleepy. ’Isn’t this the first step to breaking into Jiangyin Prefecture!’

However, he had heard that the Three Major Professions and the Three Great Gangs had tried to live off the mountains and sell their goods in Jiangyin Prefecture before.

But they had all been extorted by the Post House, which controlled the shipping routes, and the Fishing Trade, which controlled the Jiangyin Ferry and docks, until they had no fight left in them.

You’d give up some profit here, bribe someone there, and once you reached the Prefecture City, you still had to pay rent to the merchant guilds and taxes to the city...

After all the layers of exploitation,

after weathering the elements and running back and forth on a single trip, you might not even make a sliver of profit in the end. So, they had simply given up on the idea.