Chapter 138 - 107: Spirit Vein, Dragon Vein!

Chapter 138: Chapter 107: Spirit Vein, Dragon Vein!

Just thinking about that Emperor’s methods sent chills down one’s spine. By using everyone in the world as a catalyst, he had intended to prematurely trigger the tide of the Spirit Vein. If he had actually succeeded, the Xia Country of today probably wouldn’t exist.

Suddenly, Lu Jing’an thought of a new question. "Master, if the Previous Dynasty was the lowest ebb of the Spirit Vein, then right now should be its peak. But why are Cultivators today not stronger than those in the Previous Dynasty? Is it also because of the lingering effects of what that Emperor did back then?" He paused, then added as another thought occurred to him, "Or is it because of the Voiders?"

"It’s a combination of both," Chen Xuan explained. "Although the blood sacrifice failed, it struck like a heavy hammer against a bell. It damaged the foundation of the Spirit Vein, causing the resurgence of its tides to slow down. The Voiders simply seized this opportune moment to blast open our nation’s gates. Having been suppressed overseas for thousands of years, what they were waiting for was exactly this chance—when Xia Country’s Spirit Vein is weakened and its Dragon Qi is sluggish."

He looked at Lu Jing’an and continued, "All those experiments with evil Demons you’ve seen before are by no means a coincidence. One major function of the Spirit Vein is to suppress the foul and sinister entities in the world. Conversely, if Demons run rampant, they will constantly erode the foundation of the Spirit Vein. It is like termites hollowing out a beam, or boiling a frog in warm water. What the Voiders seek is definitely not just our nation’s territory, but also the total severing of Xia Country’s cultivation roots to nip any future threats in the bud forever."

These were matters that Lu Jing’an had never understood, nor even heard of before. But it couldn’t be helped. The Lu Family’s foundation was far too shallow, and such hidden knowledge was precisely a part of a clan’s deep foundation.

"Master, do the Voiders truly have a way to destroy our Xia Country’s Spirit Vein?" Lu Jing’an asked a crucial question.

Chen Xuan shook his head. "I’m not clear on that myself. If you want to know more about the Spirit Vein, you can go to the Anping Bureau and ask Kui Shan. The lineage of Earth Cultivators understands the Spirit Vein far better than we do."

Lu Jing’an got a headache just thinking about Kui Shan’s face, but to get to the bottom of this matter, he really had no choice but to make the trip.

After eating breakfast, Lu Jing’an took a car and headed in the direction of the Anping Bureau. Halfway there, he suddenly heard a paperboy waving newspapers on the side of the street. His clear, loud voice carried an exaggerated sense of panic, traveling far through the crisp, cold winter air.

"Extra! Extra! Rebel riot in Xiao County! Provincial Government official murdered! Read all about it! Earth-shattering news!"

Lu Jing’an told his driver to pull over, then waved the paperboy over.

"Director Lu, you want to read the news? Which paper would you like?" The paperboy clearly recognized him, speaking with utmost politeness and reverence.

Lu Jing’an glanced at the various newspapers the boy was holding. "Give me one of each."

The paperboy respectfully handed over one copy of every paper he had.

Taking the newspapers, Lu Jing’an asked, "How much?"

The paperboy waved his hands dismissively. "Director Lu, you are a great hero. I can’t take your money."

Lu Jing’an didn’t bother arguing with the boy. He simply flicked a silver coin into the air, and it landed precisely into the breast pocket of the paperboy’s jacket. While Lu Jing’an didn’t know the exact going rate for newspapers, he figured these copies were worth seven or eight copper plates at most. One silver coin was more than enough.

Of course, he could have given more, but this paperboy was different from people like Orchid. If he gave Orchid extra money, she would just call him "Young Master" a bit more sweetly. However, giving too much to a street paperboy might actually end up putting him in danger. Lu Jing’an was well aware of such nuances.

The car continued to drive forward. The paperboy shouted his thanks from behind, but Lu Jing’an paid it no mind, focusing his attention on the newspapers instead.

The headline that had caught his interest described how rebels had launched an uprising in Xiao County, killing several security officers as well as a high-ranking official from the Provincial Government. Lu Jing’an read through the entire article before casually tossing the newspaper onto the car seat.

Rebels. They had indeed always been around. But rebels with such a clear, targeted objective were truly rare. The Bai Family was practically wearing a name tag at this point.

The car soon arrived outside the Anping Bureau. Thanks to Lu Jing’an’s assistance on several occasions, the Anping Bureau was indeed faring much better than before. For instance, right in the middle of winter, smoke was actually rising from the bureau’s chimneys. In the past, they wouldn’t have even dared to burn too much firewood.

Seeing this wealthy patron arrive, everyone in the Anping Bureau warmly greeted him. Their enthusiasm wasn’t just because he was a big spender; it was also because he was an entirely unobnoxious patron. He seemed to genuinely just want to sponsor the Anping Bureau, without any ulterior motives.

"Director Lu, what wind blew you here today?" A clear, laughing voice rang out from the corridor, sounding as crisp as ice cubes clinking against a porcelain bowl.

Lu Jing’an looked up to see Wen Ling leaning against the main hall’s doorway, bundled up in a fluffy fur-lined coat. Judging by the fur, it was made of rabbit pelt—not particularly expensive, but kept very clean. The ring of soft fur around the collar made her face look as small as a palm. Underneath, she was surprisingly wearing a silk cheongsam with piped edges. It was a clear aquamarine color rarely seen in winter, as if she had borrowed a touch of spring from a Jiangnan Water Village.

She stood there smiling, one hand resting on the doorframe. A white jade bracelet encircled her wrist, swaying gently with her movements, seemingly brightening the otherwise dull and gray surroundings.

"It’s been a long time since my last visit, so I came by today to see how you were doing, Sister Wen Ling, and to see if you were short on any winter supplies," Lu Jing’an said casually.

Wen Ling giggled. "That’s very thoughtful of you, Director Lu. But speaking of supplies, we really are short on quite a few things. I heard that you use silver thread charcoal, the kind that doesn’t produce any smoke. The charcoal we burn here is just too choking."

Lu Jing’an smiled. "That’s a small matter. I’ll have someone deliver two cartloads to you later, Sister Wen Ling. I guarantee it will be enough to last you through the winter."

Wen Ling was just about to smilingly accept the offer when she was interrupted by a bout of coughing. The moment she heard it, she immediately pouted.

"We aren’t short of any supplies here. Thank you for your concern, Director Lu." Kui Shan was as fond of ruining the mood as ever. However, at least he knew how to say thank you now. That was an improvement.

"Senior Kui Shan, you’re here too. I happen to have a few things I’d like to consult you about," Lu Jing’an said directly upon seeing the man.

"Let’s talk inside," Kui Shan offered proactively.

Lu Jing’an followed Kui Shan into the room, and Wen Ling naturally trailed in after them, seemingly afraid that Kui Shan might say something inappropriate and offend their wealthy patron. Lu Jing’an and Kui Shan sat down across from each other. Wen Ling shot Kui Shan a pointed look before stepping out to brew some tea for Lu Jing’an.

It didn’t take long for Wen Ling to return. Just smelling the aroma of the tea, Lu Jing’an knew that the Plant Cultivator was about to be short a few more leaves. He didn’t stand on ceremony or refuse; he simply picked up the teacup and took a sip.

"So fragrant and sweet. What did you add to it, Sister Wen Ling?" Lu Jing’an asked, his eyes lighting up.

Wen Ling beamed with a smile. "I didn’t add anything. It’s just that the Plant People have been eating quite well lately, which makes their origin tea taste even better."

Lu Jing’an took another sip of tea before finally setting the cup down. Once it was back on the table, he cut straight to the chase. "Senior Kui Shan, you should be aware of what happened at the opera stage yesterday, right?"

Kui Shan nodded. "I am aware."

After a moment, Lu Jing’an realized that Kui Shan surprisingly hadn’t taken the opportunity to make a few sarcastic remarks at his expense. He wondered if the man had turned over a new leaf.

Business was more important, so Lu Jing’an didn’t dwell on it too much. He continued, "We took the opportunity to interrogate the people inside and discovered some unusual information. Master Chen told me to come to the Anping Bureau and ask you about it, Senior."

Kui Shan still didn’t offer any sarcasm or mockery. Instead, he simply asked, "What information?"

Being this serious twice in a row made Lu Jing’an somewhat unaccustomed to it. He glanced over at Wen Ling, who merely covered her mouth and giggled softly.

"What, shouldn’t I be asking you?" Kui Shan said with a frown.

Lu Jing’an replied, "No, it’s not that. It’s just that I find it a bit surprising you didn’t throw in any sarcastic comments or mock me."

At Lu Jing’an’s words, Kui Shan’s weathered face actually flushed slightly.

"I judge the matter, not the person. You’re here for serious business, so why would I mock you?" Kui Shan said, forcefully giving himself an out.

Lu Jing’an didn’t press the issue any further. After all, the main reason for his visit was much more important. "According to our investigation, the Bai Family from the Defense Command seems to be colluding with the Voiders. They plan to destroy our Spirit Vein."

The moment Lu Jing’an said those words, the smile instantly vanished from Wen Ling’s face. Kui Shan’s entire body tensed up, and his expression turned extremely grave. Seeing Kui Shan’s reaction, Lu Jing’an knew he had come to the right place. Just as he suspected, Kui Shan and the Anping Bureau were much more knowledgeable when it came to the Spirit Vein.

"Director Lu, do you have any evidence for what you’re saying?" Kui Shan asked him in a solemn tone.

Lu Jing’an shook his head. "I have no proof, but this matter is absolutely true."