Chapter 37: Settling Mortal Affairs

Li Changsheng had no idea what happened later in the imperial palace, and even if he did, he wouldn't have cared.

As long as the people from the Medicine King Sect didn't come after him, his current strength was more than enough to dominate the Tiannan region.

Early the next morning.

Li Changsheng returned to Linshui County.

At this time, dozens of surviving members of the Tiānxià Huì had gathered at the Zhang family estate, eagerly looking in the direction of the main gate. After Song Rulong's betrayal, they had been living in hiding for most of the year, their numbers dwindling from hundreds to just a few dozen.

But all that was in the past now.

They had heard about what happened at the Zhang family estate yesterday. Not only had their leader killed all the traitors of the Tiānxià Huì, but he had also slain two immortals from the royal family in Linshui County.

"Uncle Qin, do you think something might have happened to the Young Master at the palace?"

Bai Qing'er paced back and forth in the Zhang family's reception hall, her face filled with worry.

"The leader doesn't do anything he's not confident about," Qin Yi said calmly, sitting in a chair. "The royal family isn't to be feared. What's truly fearsome are the cultivators controlling them. Yesterday, the leader already killed the two Foundation Establishment cultivators of the royal family. There should be no strong individuals left in the imperial city."

"It's just that I don't know how powerful Sunset Valley, which stands behind the imperial city, is!"

A flash of concern crossed Qin Yi's face. Now that he was also a cultivator, albeit only at the first level of Qi Refining, he had some understanding of the cultivation world.

The two Foundation Establishment cultivators the leader had killed yesterday were clearly not the strongest in the Sunset Sect. If the Sunset Sect sent more people, would they have to continue living in fear every day?

"The leader is back!"

"The leader is back!"

Just then, a wave of cheers came from outside.

Li Changsheng walked into the Zhang family's reception hall under the respectful gazes of the Tiānxià Huì members.

"Young Master!"

Bai Qing'er's face finally lit up with a smile when she saw Li Changsheng. She ran over to him, stopped, and looked at him intently.

"You've suffered these past two years!"

Li Changsheng reached out and gently patted Bai Qing'er's head, a trace of guilt flashing in his eyes.

Before entering the Tunmen Market, he had tested Qin Yi and Bai Qing'er for spiritual roots. Qin Yi was slightly better off, having a Five Spiritual Roots aptitude, while Bai Qing'er had only a Pseudo Spiritual Root, worse than Five Spiritual Roots. Even if she embarked on the path of cultivation, reaching the first or second level of Qi Refining would be her limit.

Bai Qing'er simply shook her head, looking at Li Changsheng without saying a word.

Li Changsheng sat down in the main seat, glanced at the Tiānxià Huì members present, and said in a deep voice:

"You've all endured hardships during this time."

"You probably know by now that I am a cultivator, and I likely won't stay in the mortal world for long. I will be leaving in a few days."

"Cultivation requires spiritual roots. I will test your aptitudes later. For those with spiritual roots, I will teach you a cultivation technique. For those without, I will help you break through to the Xiantian realm in martial arts, allowing you to live well in the mortal world."

"If any of your descendants have spiritual roots, I will send someone to take them into the spiritual veins for cultivation every ten years."

As soon as Li Changsheng finished speaking, everyone present showed expressions of joy.

They had never imagined they would have a chance to cultivate, and even if they didn't have spiritual roots, their descendants could still have the opportunity to become cultivators.

Half an hour later.

Li Changsheng finished testing the Tiānxià Huì members present, feeling somewhat helpless.

The chance of mortals being born with spiritual roots was too small. Among the dozens of people, only one person, like Bai Qing'er, had a Pseudo Spiritual Root aptitude. The others had no spiritual roots and couldn't even draw in qi.

However, Li Changsheng still gave each of them a Peiyuan Pill, a pill used by Qi Refining stage cultivators. One pill was enough to help a martial artist break through to the Xiantian realm.

After settling the Tiānxià Huì members.

Li Changsheng took Zhao San, Bai Qing'er, and Qin Yi with him to Misty Valley.

The one Tiānxià Huì member who had tested as having a Pseudo Spiritual Root chose to stay in the mortal world even after receiving the first three levels of the Hunyuan Yiqi Art. Li Changsheng left him dozens of spirit stones and some pills useful for the Qi Refining stage.

With his help, the current Tiānxià Huì members would be well-supported. In the mortal world, a Qi Refining cultivator and dozens of Xiantian realm experts would form a powerful force. Even the royal family wouldn't dare to provoke them lightly.

Moreover, with several princes now vying for the throne, the royal family had no time to cause trouble for the Tiānxià Huì.

Li Changsheng also didn't hide his movements. Even if the Sunset Sect behind the royal family wanted revenge, they would come after him first. The Tiānxià Huì in the mortal world wouldn't be on their radar.

...

Three days later.

Li Changsheng and the others arrived outside Misty Valley.

"Young Master, there's someone blocking the road ahead."

The coachman pulling the reins reported.

Now that Qin Yi was here, the job of driving the carriage naturally fell to him. Zhao San also sat outside the carriage, leaving only Bai Qing'er and Li Changsheng inside.

"Young Master, these people are strong and seem to have a formidable background."

Zhao San's cautious voice also came into the carriage. Zhao San had reached the peak of Qi Refining, and for him to be cautious, the people ahead must at least be Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Li Changsheng opened the carriage door and saw a dozen silver-armored knights standing not far from Misty Valley. The knights formed a circle around a massive, luxurious carriage.

Li Changsheng's gaze sharpened.

These dozen silver-armored knights all had the strength of peak Qi Refining, and their leader was at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

Moreover, their horses weren't ordinary mortal steeds but Nightmare Horses with demon bloodlines. Each stood three meters tall, robust and capable of traveling ten thousand li in a single day.

If one of these Nightmare Horses kicked, it could cripple a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator.

Before Li Changsheng could speak, the leader of the silver-armored knights approached, riding his Nightmare Horse directly in front of Li Changsheng. He dismounted and gave a slight bow, saying:

"Mr. Li, we are from White Tower. Our young lady would like to invite you for a conversation."

White Tower's strength was indeed not simple!

Li Changsheng's gaze sharpened. Just this squad of silver-armored knights was powerful enough to sweep through eighty percent of the cultivation forces in the Qi Kingdom. In the Qi Kingdom's cultivation world, Foundation Establishment cultivators were already considered experts.

The Wan family had controlled Misty Valley for eight hundred years, yet their clan now had only three Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Let's go!"

Li Changsheng stepped off the carriage and spoke indifferently.

"Please!"

The knight leader didn't remount but instead stood to Li Changsheng's side, leading the horse as he guided Li Changsheng.

The two of them walked to the luxurious carriage, which was several dozen square meters in size and pulled by eight strong Nightmare Horses. The materials used to make it also appeared extraordinary.

The knight leader walked to the side of the carriage and bowed:

"Young Lady, Mr. Li is here!"

The carriage door opened from the inside, and a young woman in a green dress stepped out, bowing to Li Changsheng: "Mr. Li, the young lady invites you in."

"This is the young lady's maid, Miss Lu He," the knight leader explained in a low voice.

Li Changsheng nodded and stepped into the carriage.

The interior of the carriage was elegantly decorated, resembling a young lady's chamber rather than the inside of a carriage.