Chapter 624: The Jimin Association's Small Request

Chapter 624: Chapter 104: The Jimin Association’s Small Request

Wang Ping’s interest was immediately piqued by Li Miaolin’s Puppet Technique. However, knowing it was surely a closely guarded secret, he shifted to a topic he was more concerned about, asking, “Where is Chengxi now?”

“Chongshan Island. It’s at the southern end of the Southeast Islands. Any further south and you’re in the territory of the Southern Islands,” Li Miaolin replied without hesitation.

While nodding, Wang Ping glanced at Liu Huai’en beside him before turning to Xia Wen Yi. “Wen Yi, you’re responsible for compiling this intelligence!”

“Yes!”

“Furthermore, the fifty thousand soldiers of the Demon Race’s navy will be heading south any day now. You handle the arrangements. My requirements are the same as always: I don’t want any clever schemes, only attrition. Use our defensive advantage to continuously wear down the soldiers from the Liangjiang Region and the Seventh Prince.”

Upon hearing this, Xia Wen Yi looked up at Wang Ping, clearly wanting to say something. After all, a war of attrition was exceptionally brutal. But when his eyes met Wang Ping’s, he swallowed the words he was about to speak and responded with resolve, “Yes!”

At this, Wang Ping glanced up at the sky. “It’s getting late. Please arrange a courtyard for Daoist Li.”

“Yes!”

“Thank you, True Man!”

Li Miaolin cupped his fist in thanks and added, “I will take my leave now. If you have any commands, True Man, I will follow them to the death.” His words sounded like the grand declarations exchanged between Green Forest Heroes, likely a result of the circles he had moved in over the years.

Wang Ping merely cupped his fist in response.

Once Li Miaolin and Xia Wen Yi had departed, Liu Huai’en took out the ‘Spirit Communication Stone’ and the two Demon Soldiers. “Returning these to you,” he said.

Yu Lian stared at the items in Liu Huai’en’s hand. “Where are the two Longevity Pills?” she asked.

Using the ‘Spirit Communication Stone’ required not only the energy from the two Demon Soldiers but also a portion of one’s lifespan. Of course, Wang Ping had been the one to provide them.

“Think of it as a fee for my troubles.”

Liu Huai’en replied with a smile.

Wang Ping extended his right hand and, with a slight flick of his wrist, the box containing the ‘Spirit Communication Stone’ flew into his hand. He then asked casually, “Can we trust this Li Miaolin?”

“He should be trustworthy for now. However, when you are about to advance, Fellow Daoist, it would be best to have him transferred away from you,” Liu Huai’en advised.

“Mm.”

With a casual flick of his finger, Wang Ping conjured a tea set onto the stone table in the courtyard. Seeing this, Yu Lian immediately rose into the air on a cloud, using magic to draw water from a distant mountain spring and pour it into a kettle set upon a nearby stove.

“I’ve been wanting to find time to talk with you ever since the battle of Shangjing City, but I’ve never had the chance.” As Wang Ping spoke, the light surrounding the small courtyard spread outward, driving away the encroaching darkness of night.

“And what is it you wish to discuss, True Man?” Liu Huai’en asked, chuckling as he sat down across from Wang Ping.

“What news is there of the Kongshan Association’s South Sea Taoist, as well as Wu Ma Daoist and his disciples?” Wang Ping asked the question that was foremost on his mind. Although multiple reports indicated that the Wu Ma Daoist had fallen and his disciples were nearly all wiped out, none of that intelligence had ever been definitively confirmed.

“You can rest easy. The Kongshan Association should… no, they have absolutely no chance of competing for a spot in the Fourth Realm this time. The Wu Ma Daoist did indeed fall in Shangjing City, and his disciples are all but wiped out. The only one who could have posed a threat to you, Guanmao Daoist, had his Primordial Spirit shattered—I saw it with my own two eyes. As for his physical body, we sold it to the Taiyin Sect.”

Liu Huai’en’s every word was filled with conviction.

Wang Ping felt a wave of relief wash over him. He glanced at the steaming kettle and asked, “What else do you know about the events in Shangjing City?”

“I may not know much more than you, True Man. Guan Xi might know more, but he’s barely made an appearance in the last two hundred years. This is probably because the leader of the paranoid faction, Ma Zuo, fell in Shangjing City, making it difficult to keep some of the zealots in that faction in check.”

“Ma Zuo Daoist is dead?”

Even though Wang Ping had been in Shangjing City at the time, he knew nothing of what had transpired after the Xiao Shan Lord’s ascension.

Liu Huai’en nodded. “Ma Zuo always believed it was the Huishan True Monarch’s deception that caused Elder Yuxiao’s death. He lived consumed by hatred, waiting for the day he could have his revenge. When the Huishan True Monarch appeared in Shangjing City, Ma Zuo charged at him without a second thought, but ultimately, it changed nothing.”

His eyes darkened as he recalled the event. “Back then, Guan Xi and Chongyun poured the power of the ‘Saint’ into Ma Zuo. They must have been hoping for something, but it was still useless. In the end, we all underestimated the power of a True Monarch!”

Yu Lian fixed her gaze on Liu Huai’en. “Don’t you people always go around shouting that the Saint is omnipotent?” she challenged.

Wang Ping wanted to chime in with his own sarcastic comment. He reached out to pat Yu Lian’s head, but she dodged aside. Her vertical pupils remained fixed on Liu Huai’en, curiously awaiting his response.

“I have never doubted that statement. It’s just that we are not yet capable of understanding the Saint’s true power!”

Liu Huai’en’s smile never wavered.

Seeing that smile on Liu Huai’en’s face, Wang Ping changed the subject. “What does the Jimin Association want this time?”

At this, Liu Huai’en cupped his fist. “Rest assured, True Man. Our request is simple. We hope that after your successful ascension, you will allow us to spread our teachings in the Southern Cultivation Realm.”

“You call that simple?”

The comment came from Yu Lian, of course, but it was exactly what Wang Ping was thinking as well.

Wang Ping remained silent, taking a packet of tea leaves from his storage bag and portioning some into the teacups. As he reached for the boiling kettle, Liu Huai’en elaborated, “We only need a small area. Even a territory the size of a single county would suffice.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it!”

Wang Ping poured the boiling water over the tea leaves, watching them swirl. “I will never recognize those lunatics from the paranoid faction,” he stated.

Liu Huai’en responded, “Please, rest assured, True Man. Even if you did recognize them, we would never allow them to appear openly in Zhongzhou. In truth, the zealots from the paranoid faction already have their own Preaching Areas. Many people outside of Zhongzhou actually prefer their style and dislike rules!”

‘With my own values and perspective, I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to slaughter half the living beings of the Xia Dynasty in its golden age. Perhaps, for Li Miaolin, killing for sport when he has nothing else to do is his way of holding onto his humanity!’

He prepared the tea as he mused, and before long, its rich aroma filled the air.

For the remainder of their time together, Wang Ping and Liu Huai’en made small talk. They continued chatting until it was time for Wang Ping’s daily cultivation session. As he left, Liu Huai’en promised on behalf of the Jimin Association that they would give their full support to Wang Ping’s ascension to the Fourth Realm.

「One day later.」

The fierce offensive from the Liangjiang Region suddenly slackened, and the rebel army from True Yang Mountain also withdrew from the Ningzhou Road region.

The offensive from Lishui Prefecture, however, suddenly intensified. They reinforced the front line with another hundred thousand elite marines, launching a fierce assault on the port of Shang’an Prefecture.

「Early in the morning, ten days later.」

Wang Ping received a formal calling card delivered by someone called ‘First Day.’ At the same time, Hu Qianqian arrived at the Mountain Peak Dojo with good news for Wang Ping. The Demon Realm had agreed to trade their Secret Technique for cultivating a Spirit Vein, but they wished to speak with him first.