Chapter 116: Wrapping Things Up, Liang Family (1)

After Lu Yang disappeared from the main hall, the three members of the Great River Escort Agency remained motionless for several moments.

The elderly man was the first to recover, slowly straightening his back and looking towards the empty space where the masked cultivator had stood.

His expression was extremely solemn.

Although the visitor had spoken only a few sentences, the pressure he exerted was immense. The other party had even entered and left their main hall without anyone detecting his movements.

Forget the Great River Escort Agency, even if the elderly man gathered every cultivator in town, he doubted they could stop such a person from coming and going as he pleased.

That was a Spirit Awakening cultivator, a powerhouse even among major sects and great clans.

"Father, what exactly is going on?"

One of his sons finally broke the silence.

"Why would an expert of that caliber suddenly concern himself with Zheng Hui?"

The elderly man shook his head.

"I don’t know."

He had heard about the Zheng Family’s decline, naturally. However, he never imagined that someone would intervene in this matter, much less a Spirit Awakening cultivator.

"Then should we really cooperate with him?"

The other son hesitated before asking.

The elderly man glanced at him.

"What do you think?"

The middle aged man fell silent.

Indeed, they had no other choice left.

Whether they wanted to cooperate or not, the Great River Escort Agency was already involved.

Refusing a powerful cultivator’s instructions without a sufficiently good reason, strength, or backing was utter foolishness.

Besides, the visitor had promised rewards if they performed well.

If Zheng Hui genuinely managed to do whatever that person had instructed him to, the escort agency could benefit from the resulting connections.

There was no reason to reject such an arrangement outright.

"Tomorrow, send someone to meet Zheng Hui," the elderly man instructed. "Find out what the senior has arranged for him, and then provide whatever assistance is necessary."

He paused before adding, "But remember one thing. Do not offend Zheng Hui, and do not let him take advantage of our cooperation either. We are helping him under the senior’s instructions while keeping an eye on him, not surrendering our own interests."

His two sons immediately nodded.

The elderly man then looked towards the entrance, a complicated expression appearing in his eyes.

"Also, find out everything you can about that masked expert. Remember to be discreet."

He knew that such an investigation might yield no result. Nevertheless, it was better to understand the person who had suddenly entered their lives than to remain completely ignorant.

After all, the Great River Escort Agency had survived for nearly a century.

It would not have lasted this long if its members were incapable of adapting to changing circumstances.

...

Meanwhile, Lu Yang was already several streets away.

He had no particular concern about whether the Great River Escort Agency would follow his instructions.

Their head was an experienced cultivator who had operated in the county for decades, and such a person should understand the advantages of cooperating with someone much stronger than himself. 𝖋𝘳ℯ

Lu Yang never intended to leave everything to Zheng Hui alone.

Although he believed Zheng Hui possessed the intelligence and determination necessary to rebuild his business, he was not so naive as to place complete trust in someone he had just met.

There was always a possibility that Zheng Hui might run away with the silver, become greedy after his business began generating profits, or attempt to use Lu Yang’s backing to settle personal grudges and provoke unnecessary conflicts.

The chances were not particularly high, but they were not zero either.

The Great River Escort Agency was therefore a suitable choice.

It had been established around the same period as the Liang Family, and its influence in the county had also accumulated over several generations.

Its members had their own businesses, connections, and responsibilities. They could not simply abandon everything and flee because a mysterious powerhouse had given them an instruction.

Even if they wanted to do so, leaving the county would mean sacrificing the foundation their ancestors had worked hard to establish.

Furthermore, Lu Yang did not just threaten them, he also offered them an opportunity.

The prospect of cooperating with a Spirit Awakening cultivator, helping a fallen merchant rebuild his business, and potentially receiving future rewards was enough to make the arrangement worthwhile.

As long as they performed their duties properly, they would have nothing to fear from him.

If they failed to do so deliberately, that would be another matter entirely.

Lu Yang did not treat them with courtesy at all.

There was a difference between dealing with ordinary people and dealing with cultivators who understood the rules of the cultivation world.

Great Qian’s laws were primarily designed to govern ordinary society and maintain the empire’s order.

When cultivators became involved in disputes among themselves, the situation was considerably more complicated.

The Imperial Court certainly possessed the strength to punish cultivators who crossed certain boundaries, particularly when their actions threatened the empire’s stability or harmed ordinary people.

However, it did not mean every personal dispute between cultivators would automatically be handled according to the same procedures as an ordinary criminal case.

After all, the secular world and the cultivation world were separate from one another.

The moment one chose to become a part of the cultivation world, they were effectively giving up their identities as ordinary people, meaning that ordinary protection laws of Great Qian no longer applied to them.

In remote counties like this one, influence and strength often mattered even more than formal regulations.

Even if Lu Yang slaughtered all the cultivators in the Great River Escort Agency, the Imperial Court wouldn’t care because it was a matter involving the cultivation world.

Although he would not do such a thing, the Great River Escort Agency could not afford to gamble on his personality.

Besides, he was not asking the Great River Escort Agency to do anything particularly unreasonable.

He wanted them to cooperate with Zheng Hui, provide assistance where necessary, and keep an eye on the business.

In return, they would receive an opportunity to benefit from his backing.

It was a straightforward arrangement, but whether they could make good use of it was up to them.

...

Having finished his arrangements, Lu Yang finally turned his attention towards the last matter he needed to handle that evening.

The Liang Family.