Chapter 6

Ji Sui-feng's heart knew that the three of them had stopped their laughter, and this hospitality would come at a price. He thought that the two elders must have been frightened by the monster they saw yesterday, and such people could only remain as wandering cultivators for their entire lives.

He sneered inwardly at the two, but on the surface, he asked with a faintly puzzled look, "Oh, isn't this within the duties of the two elders?"

Yun Xi secretly smiled, thinking that his senior brother was always cold-faced but warm-hearted, and had likely already decided to take charge of the matter.

Du Song, unaware of Ji Sui-feng's thoughts, smiled awkwardly and said, "Senior, you saw the monster too. I fear I am not up to the task. If I send the message back and wait for reinforcements, who knows how many civilians will suffer in the meantime..."

Meng You nodded in agreement and bowed earnestly, "We beseech you, Senior, to take action and bring peace and safety to the people of Wanshan County."

Ji Sui-feng poured himself and Su Fu a cup of wine, raised it in a toast, and drank it all down. After a moment, he said coldly, "You two are afraid of death and want to drag others into it. If we are not a match for it either, would you still speak of the people's welfare?"

The two elders were always treated with the utmost respect and flattery wherever they went, but now they were openly insulted. Their faces turned red, but reason told them they must not act rashly, or they might die before even encountering the monster.

Seeing the situation, Su Fu smiled and tried to smooth things over, "Senior Ji, I don't think the two elders have any ill intentions. Don't make it difficult for them." Then he turned to Du Song and asked, "Mr. Du, which family was the victim last night? Can we investigate?"

Du Song quickly stood up, grateful, and replied, "The victim is the Chen family of Wanshan County. The head of the family, Chen You-wei, has a daughter, who is eighteen years old. The incident occurred last night at the hour of the Ox. There is no problem with the investigation, but the victim is somewhat delirious. I beg you, Immortal, to save her."

Ji Sui-feng laughed coldly again, "I suppose you have received some benefit from the Chen family. Very well, I will take action, but you must answer one question for me."

Du Song and the other elder immediately breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Senior, please ask. We will answer to the best of our knowledge."

"Since I came down the mountain, I have heard much about the Venerable Fuchen from the people. Who is this person? Where is he from? Is he a cultivator? What deeds have earned him such praise?"

These questions were one of the reasons he had come down the mountain. His expression was stern as he stared intently at the two. It was no wonder the Jade Purity Sect took this matter seriously, for the title of Venerable was reserved for those of pure yang power.

"Hmm?"

Su Fu's heart skipped a beat, and his brows furrowed.

The two elders exchanged glances, perhaps out of some taboo, and their faces showed hesitation. Meng You, being more impetuous, finally spoke up, "The Venerable Fuchen is extremely mysterious, and no one knows his origins. The Secretariat has records, and he first appeared four years ago in the eastern city of Zhaoyang. The title of Venerable was given to him by the people."

"His name is Fuchen, and wherever he goes, demons and evil are subdued. Even the most secretive demons are captured by him. He never shows himself to the public, and no one knows his true appearance. He seems to change his appearance each time he appears..."

Meng You paused, lost in thought. These records were archived in the Secretariat, and he had reviewed them, choosing his words carefully, "All the people he has helped have spontaneously erected longevity altars for him. No one knows who started it, but they began calling him Venerable."

"Furthermore..." He hesitated, feeling Ji Sui-feng's cold gaze, and finally said, "There are rumors that Fuchen has come to Wanshan County, but we have not seen him, and we cannot be sure."

Su Fu showed no outward reaction, only wiping his mouth with a napkin, but inwardly he was surprised. He knew who Fuchen was; in his previous life, his name was Su Fuchen. He had kept the name to remember his past, but he hadn't expected it to attract so much attention. He needed to be more cautious.

Meng You added more details about Fuchen, such as how in the Chengyuan era, a ghost was causing trouble in a certain place. In reality, it was a ghost cultivator who was using human flesh to cultivate, and Fuchen had eliminated it.

"That's all I know, Senior. Is there anything else you want to ask?"

Ji Sui-feng looked thoughtful, waved his hand, and said, "Prepare yourself, we will visit the Chen family." Then he turned to Su Fu and smiled, "What do you think, Daoist Su?"

Su Fu grabbed the Soul Summoning Banner and smiled, "I will follow Senior Ji's lead."

...

It was early autumn, and the early risers in Wanshan County needed to wear outer garments. By the time it was the hour of Chen, it began to warm up. The city had two main roads, one leading south to the neighboring county of Yunya, and the other leading north to the famous Lijiang River, which connected to the outer counties.

Wanshan County was known for its mineral resources, especially iron ore, which was highly valued by the imperial court. All the mined ore had to be transported to Liangjing, the capital of the Da Li dynasty, also known as Luliang City.

The largest mining company in the area was the Chen family of Wanshan County.

The Chen family was the wealthiest in Wanshan County, but they had only one daughter and no sons. Chen You-wei wanted to find a son-in-law to inherit his business, but the news of the monster's attack had been suppressed, though it would eventually leak out.

The Chen family's residence was located in the most prosperous area of the city, on Liuguan Street.

At the entrance, two large stone lions guarded the house, and there were sixteen steps leading up to the door, almost on par with the residences of nobles. Although the Da Li dynasty had strict regulations, such as the height of the steps in front of the houses of workers, merchants, and farmers not exceeding eight, this remote area was far from Liangjing, and who could enforce the rules?

There were also guards at the entrance, but they were not as well-trained as the regular soldiers Su Fu had seen the previous day.

As the group approached and climbed the steps, the guards came forward. Meng You quickly stepped forward and said coldly, "I am a Class B elder of the Da Li Secretariat, here to investigate the monster attack. Notify the head of the Chen family immediately."

The guards, who stood at the entrance every day, had seen countless people. Seeing the group's extraordinary demeanor, they knew they were not ordinary. One of them ran into the house to report.

When the main gate opened, Meng You stepped aside, allowing Su Fu and the others to enter first.

Inside the compound, there were artificial hills, pavilions, and a lake, all signs of extreme luxury. However, to Ji Sui-feng and his sister, this place was vulgar and could not compare to the Jade Purity Sect's mountain gate.

Soon, the head of the Chen family came out, accompanied by two women.

Chen You-wei looked refined, not at all like a merchant. He was in his forties but appeared to be around thirty-five due to good care. He was slightly overweight, wearing a brocade robe with gold patterns and cloud-dragon boots, and had a gentle smile, showing some dignity.

"Unaware of the arrival of the five immortals, I failed to welcome you properly. Please forgive me."

As they approached, Chen You-wei stopped and bowed deeply, then introduced one of the women, "This is my wife, Zhang Jin."

Zhang Jin, around thirty-two or thirty-three, was dignified and elegant, and it was clear she came from a wealthy family. However, her face showed sorrow, and she forced a smile, "Greetings to the five immortals."

Chen You-wei's face darkened for a moment but quickly recovered, then pointed to the other woman, "This is my concubine, Li Yun-yun."

Li Yun-yun, around twenty-four or twenty-five, had a slender and curvaceous figure, and her outer garment slightly revealed her fair skin. She had a light makeup and a charming demeanor, and she bowed gracefully, "Greetings to the five immortals."

Ji Sui-feng did not want to interact much with ordinary people and stood with his hands behind his back. Meng You, being tactful, stepped forward and said, "There's no need for formalities, Mr. Chen. The seniors want to see the site of the incident and meet your daughter. They may have a way to help her."

Chen You-wei, hearing the last part, was overjoyed and quickly instructed the two women to bring his daughter out. After the incident, she had been kept separately due to her delirious state, to prevent any further incidents. He then led the group to the site of the incident.

Before leaving, Li Yun-yun cast a flirtatious glance at Su Fu and the others.

"Hmph, a fox spirit," Yun Xi muttered, unable to hide her displeasure. This was a normal reaction, like a child defending their favorite toy.

Chen You-wei ignored it and continued leading the way.

As they went deeper into the compound, Su Fu gripped the Soul Summoning Banner tighter, exchanging a serious look with Yun Xi.

"Creak—"

They passed through many pavilions and gardens, and Chen You-wei stopped at a courtyard door, pushed it open, and stood aside, gesturing, "Immortals, this is where the incident occurred last night."