Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 101-Chapter 200)

The sunlight was cut to pieces by the blade-like willow leaves, scattering all over the teenager. He was not particularly handsome, but there was a rare sliver of uncertainty on his bronze, sculpted face. However, it turned into determination immediately, determination to uphold his promise and let nature take its course.

Zhou Wenbin patiently explained the method of controlling artifacts. As expected, the principle behind it was not complicated, but it had a strict requirement on cultivation. While Qi Practitioners could not easily connect with the spiritual qi of the world after splitting open a sea of qi, they were moving in that direction, allowing them to sense various objects with a spiritual nature.

Of course, all living things were spiritual nature, including every blade of grass or flower. However, with greater spiritual qi came stronger senses. While they could not control plants to harm their opponents, Qi Practitioners could pick a spiritual artifact and soak it in their own true qi constantly. Eventually, they would establish a slight sensory connection with the spiritual qi, allowing them to control it from afar. It was like controlling a piece of metal while using their own bodies as a magnet.

Li Qingshan expressed his gratitude. It was exactly these pieces of common knowledge that would instead bring him even greater help, as public knowledge to Qi Practitioners was an essential foundation. He had come from the country, without a master or a sect, so he had no chance to learn about such matters at all.

Zhou Wenbin smiled as he stroked his beard. “So you only plan on expressing your gratitude verbally?”

Li Qingshan was surprised. Did he plan on accepting backhanders?

Zhou Wenbin hinted, “You must have had quite the harvest last night, such as silver?” Li Qingshan had taken the procuress’ hundred treasures bag, which obviously did not escape his eyes.

Li Qingshan was taken aback. “You’re the mighty district magistrate, a sixth layer Qi Practitioner who rules over several hundred thousand people, yet you’re asking money from a broke kid like me?”

Zhou Wenbin said, “Must you speak so loudly? It’s not like I’m asking it for free. It’s exactly because I rule over too many people that there are far too many areas that require money. You have no use for silver anyway, so you might as well give it to me. I’ll exchange it for Qi Gathering pills.”

Li Qingshan was surprised. “Why’s that?” He would be more than willing to exchange silver for Qi Gathering pills. Unless he actually planned on buying women, he really had no use for the silver.

Zhou Wenbin was a sixth layer Qi Practitioner, but he actually required silver?





Chapter 131: The Places of Darkness | Legend of the Great Sage




Zhou Wenbin explained, and only then did Li Qingshan understand that he did not have it easy as a district magistrate. In order to maintain a sufficient ‘approval rating’ so that the citizens of Jiaping city would be grateful to him, the person who watched over them all, he had to reduce taxes and costs, begin construction projects both on land and over water, and establish public facilities. Moreover, he had to ensure high salaries to maintain honesty among his subordinates, maintaining a group of aides to help him handle governance. As a result, he often struggled to make ends meet.

Zhou Wenbin spread his hands and smiled bitterly. “It’s pitiful for a government official like me. Not only am I working without a salary, but I even have to find ways to raise money.”

Li Qingshan found this rather funny. In this day and age, although the disparity in wealth was enormous, this was not necessarily a bad thing to the common people.

In the Great Xia empire, regardless of rank or status, not a single official was paid a salary, but they did not have to hand up any taxes or money either. Even when they found gold or silver mines, the local government would control it.

This was impossible in any empire or kingdom that Li Qingshan knew about, but this was the reality. The items that interested cultivators were different from ordinary people in the first place. If Zhou Wenbin wanted to, he could squeeze millions of silver taels out from Jiaping yearly, but there was no point to that at all.

However, there was one type of mine that the empire would own, namely spiritual stone mines. The salary that government officials like Zhou Wenbin and Zhuo Zhibo collected were spiritual stones.

As a result, Li Qingshan took out the several hundred thousand taels of silver he found from the procuress and handed it to Zhou Wenbin.

Zhou Wenbin said, “Aren’t you going to ask just how many Qi Gathering pills you’ll get?”

Li Qingshan said, “I’ve never been a stingy person, but of course, I do hope that others can be more generous with me as well.”

Zhou Wenbin took out a small bottle with a total of twelve Qi Gathering pills. He handed it to Li Qingshan and said, “Since this is your first time, I’ll give you a special price. If you find more silver, you are welcome to exchange it with me. However, it’ll be a hundred thousand taels for a pill.”

Li Qingshan said, “That’s very fair.” When he thought about the astronomical price of a single, tiny Qi Gathering pill, he could not help but be rather amazed. However, if it were the jianghu instead, there were plenty of people willing to pay a hundred thousand taels of silver for a single Qi Gathering pill.

Li Qingshan then took out the accounts he had found from the procuress and handed them to Zhou Wenbin. “I’m wondering if there’s any evidence against the Parlour of Clouds and Rain on there.”

Li Qingshan did not want to raise suspicion with his actions, so he did not take it out immediately. However, he thought about how there were still many girls trapped in the underground palace beneath the Parlour of Clouds and Rain. As such, he needed to find a way to get Zhou Wenbin to search through the parlour again so that the girls could be openly rescued. Otherwise, they would basically starve to death down there if nothing happened.

Zhou Wenbin did not even glance at it. He clapped his hands and a servant immediately came over and retrieved the accounts, taking it to the government office. Those aides who were skilled in this area would look through it.

Before long, a person who seemed like an advisor walked over. At first, he glanced at Li Qingshan in surprise. The Hawkwolf Guard was impressive, but there were no ordinary Black Wolf guards who could sit at the same level as the official that he served. Afterwards, he bowed at Li Qingshan slightly before reporting to Zhou Wenbin, “Sir, there are many issues with it…”

Li Qingshan looked at the pond as he wondered how he would put it. Only after Zhou Wenbin and the advisor were done talking did he say, “Sir, is this enough evidence to take down the Parlour of Clouds and Rain?”

Zhou Wenbin said, “Do you really think that we can take down the Parlour of Clouds and Rain with a single set of accounts? You’re underestimating the strength of the Sect of Clouds and Rain far too much. The person I sent to Fishes’ Gully has already returned. Qing Xiu’s entire family is already dead. They’ve handled this matter very cleanly.”

Li Qingshan was furious. “Those bastards! Sir, you serve the government, so how can you fear a sect?”

Zhou Wenbin said, “I’m not afraid of them. I’m just helpless. These cultivation sects all have their own foundations and legacies. Some larger sects have been around for longer than the empire itself. Even when the founding emperor was around, he could only pacify them at most, making them promise to peacefully coexist as long as it did not get in the way of their interests. Afterwards, the Academy of the Hundred Schools was established, raising talents to contend against them.”

In short, they would not purposefully come and make trouble for Zhou Wenbin, but Zhou Wenbin did not want to make things difficult for them either. He had come here to cultivate, not to actually serve as an upright official and speak for the people. However, no one could blame him for anything.