Chapter 294: Undercurrents Surge, Crisis Looms
In a spacious and luxurious mansion, the lights had all been extinguished, and the hundred or so people in the household had long since gone to bed.
But in the deserted ancestral hall in the backyard, four or five middle-aged men in fine clothes sat, their expressions varied.
Bang!
One of them slammed his hand on the table, stood up abruptly, and said: “Huang Qiuli, don’t push us too far!
We don’t want to interfere too much with your Huang family’s business, but that doesn’t mean we’ll sit idly by and let you do as you please! Raising the prices like this, how do you expect the commoners in the county to afford food?!”
“It’s just a twenty percent increase, why are you so agitated, Brother Lin?”
The man called Huang Qiuli grinned, calmly sipping the warm tea in his cup: “Those commoners need to eat, but the hundred or so people in my Huang family also need to eat. They have wives, children, and parents to support, what are they supposed to do if I can’t pay them their wages?”
“Nonsense! You know how much money your Huang family has earned!”
“Brother Huang, Brother Lin is right.” Another man beside him said hesitantly: “You’re practically controlling the grain prices in the county, even the price of salt. The profit margins are quite substantial. If you raise the prices even higher during this harsh winter, there will be complaints everywhere…”
“If you go too far, it might be difficult for the county magistrate as well.”
“Master~”
A seductive female voice echoed softly from not far away.
Everyone turned their heads to see a mature woman swaying her hips and walking over with a charming smile. She embraced Huang Qiuli and said sweetly: “Why didn’t you come find me when you returned to the mansion? Why are you out here in the backyard in the cold wind?”
“Haha, I’m here to chat with my brothers in the county. I’ve neglected my dear wife.”
Huang Qiuli laughed heartily, pulling the woman into his arms, his hands restlessly groping her through her clothes, making her moan and whisper seductively.
This unrestrained scene made the others frown, their gazes towards the woman filled with displeasure.
This woman, relying on Huang Qiuli’s favor, was used to being arrogant and domineering in the county and had even offended them before. Her lustful nature was truly despicable.
“Brothers, let’s end this discussion for today, how about that?”
Huang Qiuli looked at their expressions and grinned: “Our business cooperation is going smoothly, it’s just this price increase that you might find difficult to accept. Why don’t you go home and think about it, and we can discuss it again tomorrow or the day after?
After all, I want to spend this New Year’s Eve with my beloved wives.”
“Y-You still have the mood for such vulgar activities! I won’t associate with you anymore!”
But the man surnamed Lin was furious and angrily flung his sleeves, leaving.
Seeing this, the others also felt awkward, not knowing how to react.
After all, there had already been some conflicts between these two.
After exchanging glances, they finally stood up and cupped their hands: “Brother Huang, we hope we can discuss this again tomorrow or the day after. We should discuss this properly with the other members of the chamber of commerce, after all, raising grain prices is a serious matter, it’s no wonder Brother Lin is so angry.”
“It would be wonderful if you’re willing to cooperate with me, brothers.”
A cold glint flashed in Huang Qiuli’s eyes as he stared at the retreating figure of the man surnamed Lin: “However, since someone dared to cause a scene and disrespect me, there’s no need for me to be polite to him anymore.
For example, that tactless Lin Huan.”
As he spoke, he suddenly pointed a finger.
“Aaaaaah!”
Lin Huan, who had been angrily leaving the backyard, suddenly screamed and fell to the ground, blood gushing from his arm, his whole body trembling in pain.
This unbelievable scene made the others freeze, staring blankly at the bloody scene.
What… what just happened?
“Y-You monster…!”
Lin Huan struggled to get up from the pool of blood, his eyes bloodshot as he glared back: “Just as the rumors said, you have such harmful demonic techniques!”
“This is just a small warning for you, Brother Lin.”
Huang Qiuli chuckled coldly, fondling the panting woman in his arms: “Since I can casually create a hole in your arm, Brother Lin, I naturally have the ability to silently kill your wife and daughters without anyone knowing who did it.”
“You madman! Relying on your power and influence in the county—”
“You should know better than anyone, Brother Lin, I’ve never had a good temper.”
The smile on Huang Qiuli’s face gradually disappeared, replaced by a contemptuous indifference: “You’ve cooperated with me for many years, taking your share of the profits, and now you dare to talk back to me. If you don’t want to live, I can take your head right now. Your two wives and daughter are quite pretty and charming, they would make good slaves.”
Lin Huan’s face flushed unnaturally, veins bulging on his forehead.
“Is there no law left?! If the county magistrate doesn’t punish you, I’ll go to the imperial inspector and—”
Pfft!
Blood splattered as Lin Huan fell to his knees, blood gushing from his leg.
Huang Qiuli withdrew his left hand and snorted coldly: “Law? In Boyang County, I am the law! Even Magistrate Gao has to bow and scrape before me, and you, a mere merchant, dare to challenge me?”
“Brother Huang, Brother Huang! Please calm down!”
The middle-aged men, who had been frightened, quickly recovered and cupped their hands with forced smiles: “Brother Lin was just angry and spoke some harsh words. Please spare his life.”
“Yes, Brother Huang! If you continue to display your power, Brother Lin might really die!”
“Hehe, for your sake, brothers, I won’t punish him any further.”
Huang Qiuli quickly regained his frivolous and casual smile, waving his hand: “Take this ungrateful fool away. It would be too unlucky for such an idiot to die here on New Year’s Eve.”
“Thank you for your forgiveness, Brother Huang.”
The men wiped the cold sweat from their faces, bowing and retreating with forced smiles.
They helped the almost unconscious Lin Huan and hurriedly left the backyard.
…
“Master has displayed his divine power again.”
Although a hint of fear flickered in the woman’s eyes, a seductive smile still lingered on her face as she pressed herself closer to him: “But falling out with Merchant Lin doesn’t seem to be beneficial to you, Master. After all, you see each other every day, and you still need to cooperate in business. If you truly offend the Lin family…”
“If it were before, I wouldn’t have been so serious.”
Huang Qiuli turned the woman’s face towards him and smiled: “But now that the world is about to change, there’s no need for me to associate with such a short-sighted fool. If he knows his place, I’ll spare his life, but if he continues to be troublesome, I’ll just eliminate his entire Lin family in a few days.”
The woman’s pupils constricted slightly, even her seductive moans ceasing.
“What?”
Huang Qiuli pinched her cheeks, making her pout, and chuckled sinisterly: “Do you think I’m too cruel and violent?”
“N-No, it’s just that Master seems more irritable than usual today, and you’ve never been so…”
“I was angered today, so naturally, I’m in a bad mood.”
Huang Qiuli quickly clicked his tongue in annoyance: “And what I just said is true. The world is about to change, there’s no point in maintaining relationships with these mortals. Even if his entire family disappears overnight, no one will care in the future.”
The seductive woman’s face turned pale: “C-Could it be that there’s going to be another war?”
“It will be even more exciting than war.”
“Huang boy, you’ve accumulated quite the power and influence in the county these past few years, you’ve become quite fierce.”
A gentle voice suddenly echoed through the backyard.
Huang Qiuli’s eyes lit up, and he immediately pushed the beautiful woman away, standing up with a joyful expression: “Madam Jiang, you’re here?!”
“Wh-What?”
The woman, who had stumbled from being pushed, looked stunned. She looked up and saw a middle-aged woman standing in the courtyard, her long hair styled in a high bun with a jade hairpin, her clothes beautiful and elegant. Although she showed signs of age, she still possessed a mature charm.
She knew that her master possessed some supernatural abilities, but who was this woman—?
“My dear boy, it’s been a while, you’ve become much more mature.”
The middle-aged woman walked over with a chuckle.
Huang Qiuli happily stepped forward and embraced her: “Madam Jiang, you’re even more youthful and beautiful, truly ageless, as captivating as a celestial being.”
“Giggle~ Your sweet words haven’t changed, always making my heart flutter.” The middle-aged woman chuckled softly, releasing him from her embrace, and looked him up and down: “Not bad, not bad! It’s only been a few months, but your cultivation has improved significantly. It seems my decision to entrust the Human Soul Repository to you wasn’t wrong, you have quite the talent.
In a few more years, you’ll reach the level of an Evil Spirit as a ghost practitioner, ascending to a higher realm!”
“It’s all thanks to your kindness, Madam Jiang, not only saving my life but also bestowing such a blessing upon me.”
Huang Qiuli said cheerfully: “I will naturally cultivate diligently and repay your kindness in the future, Madam Jiang.”
“My dear boy, I’m already content with your intentions.”
Madam Jiang’s eyes suddenly turned cold as she glanced at the stunned woman standing not far away: “But it seems your wives and concubines are still as foolish and ignorant of etiquette as ever. I wonder if this mortal woman has been serving you well?”
“She’s passable.”
Huang Qiuli chuckled: “Now that I’m cultivating according to the method you taught me, Madam Jiang, my body is becoming stronger and my energy more abundant. I think I’ll need to take a couple more concubines soon.”
Madam Jiang’s face was filled with indulgence: “Alright, alright, if you have your eye on any woman, my dear boy, I’ll capture her and bring her to your bed.”
Although her expression and tone were gentle, her words were chilling.
“There aren’t many suitable women in Boyang County… but when I returned to the mansion today, I saw two women on the street.” Huang Qiuli frowned slightly, as if recalling something, and murmured: “Although they were dressed warmly, I could still see that one had a voluptuous figure, and the other was slender and well-proportioned. Although I only saw their side profiles, they were quite stunning, I can’t forget them.”
“Oh? There are such beautiful women?”
“I wouldn’t dare to hide anything from you, Madam Jiang.”
“You praise them so highly, it makes me curious.” Madam Jiang smiled gently: “I’ll search the county later and see what kind of beauties could captivate you so much, my dear boy.
If I find them, I’ll capture them and give them to you. You can consummate your marriage with them tonight. If they are still virgins, it will surely further enhance your cultivation.”
Huang Qiuli’s face lit up with joy, and he bowed repeatedly: “Thank you for your generosity, Madam Jiang!”
Their conversation made the woman standing not far away tremble, her face turning pale as she collapsed to the ground.
Although she didn’t know this woman’s identity, for her usually arrogant and haughty master to be so obedient, she must be someone of high status.
Now that her master had his eye on two other women… could it be that her position in the Huang household was in jeopardy?
But the two people chatting didn’t seem to notice the woman kneeling on the ground.
Huang Qiuli asked curiously: “But why did you suddenly visit today, Madam Jiang? You’re a busy envoy of the Luo Xing, how come you have free time…”
Madam Jiang’s expression gradually turned serious, and she said in a deep voice: “You should know, my dear boy, that various factions are starting to make their moves, trying to get a share of the pie in this power struggle. Some even want to challenge our Luo Xing and seize control of this Fengchen Kingdom.”
“I understand.”
Huang Qiuli said seriously: “I went to other towns and counties a few days ago and discussed this with several colleagues.”
“Because of this, we, the Luo Xing, naturally have to start making preparations.”
Madam Jiang spread her hands with a solemn expression: “Give me the Human Key first, my dear boy. An important person will be arriving soon, he needs to personally retrieve the Yin energy and soul power accumulated within the Human Soul Repository over the years.”
“An important person…”
Huang Qiuli looked bewildered.
In the Luo Xing, the only person worthy of such a title was the legendary Luo Xing Soultaker!
“Jiang Huijun, you’ve chosen quite a talented disciple.”
A calm voice suddenly echoed through the quiet backyard.
Jiang Huijun’s expression changed slightly, and she quickly turned around and bowed: “Greetings, Soultaker.”
Huang Qiuli was startled and, without any hesitation, knelt down and kowtowed, his face covered in cold sweat.
Then, a wizened old man slowly walked out of the shadows, leaning on a cane, his long beard reaching his abdomen, his life force seemingly depleted, his face covered in wrinkles like tree bark, a gruesome and terrifying sight.
“You’ve nurtured his Yang energy so well, are you planning to drain him dry in a few years?”
“You jest, my lord.” Jiang Huijun’s face showed a hint of helplessness, and she lowered her head: “I don’t intend to harm this child.”
“Such womanly compassion.”
The old man’s voice was incredibly indifferent and hoarse. With a wave of his hand, an ancient fragment flew out of Huang Qiuli’s body and landed in his palm.
“I’m going to retrieve all the souls now. You two will search the county and set up surveillance. If you find any suspicious individuals entering the county, report to me immediately, without any delay.”
“Understood!”
“Also, carefully investigate every corner of this county for any techniques secretly placed by other factions. Destroy them immediately if you find any.” The old man was about to continue when his cloudy eyes suddenly turned pitch black, and he looked towards the distant city.
“Besides you two, how many other demons, ghosts, and ghost practitioners are there in this county?”
“Reporting to you, Soultaker, besides myself, there are three other demons and ghosts. But with Madam Jiang’s help in cleaning up before, the remaining ones are just insignificant pawns, they can’t cause much trouble.”
Huang Qiuli, lying on the ground, quickly responded.
“Send someone to test them first.”
The old man’s voice became even lower and stranger: “After I absorb all the soul power within the Human Soul Repository, I’ll investigate further!”
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure instantly disappeared, leaving only the stunned Jiang Huijun and Huang Qiuli.
“Madam Jiang, what did the Soultaker mean? He wants us to test…”
“Quickly send some servants to the government office and inquire about any suspicious individuals who have entered the county in the past few days.”
Jiang Huijun’s eyes flickered repeatedly, and she waved her sleeve, lightly tapping Huang Qiuli’s forehead: “I’ll go and investigate the county carefully. If you find nothing, bring your men and come find me.”
Whoosh!
Her figure also turned into green smoke and disappeared.
Huang Qiuli touched his slightly cold forehead, his expression changing constantly.
“M-Master, what happened in the county?”
The almost forgotten woman struggled to get up from the ground and walked over.
But Huang Qiuli’s expression quickly turned cold, and he waved his sleeve: “It’s none of your business, stay in your room. If you dare to leave the mansion without permission, I’ll break your legs!”
“Ugh!” The woman’s face turned pale with fright as she watched Huang Qiuli’s retreating figure, trembling.
After a long silence in the cold winter wind, she raised her sleeve and sobbed, dejectedly returning to her room.
…
As the night deepened, the festive atmosphere in Boyang County gradually cooled.
After enjoying their night stroll, Lin Tianlu and the two women returned to the inn.
However…
In the deserted corridor of the inn, Lin Tianlu was holding his two wives in his arms, one on each side. Mao Ruoyu and Cheng Yishi’s faces were flushed with desire, their bodies soft and weak, practically melting in his embrace.
He held them tightly around their waists, feeling the warmth of their bodies even through their thick clothes. Their legs rubbed against him as he walked, igniting a fire in his heart.
Perhaps they had some insights and gains during their music performance, forcing themselves to stay awake and composed along the way, only relaxing after returning to the inn.
Hum—
With a faint flicker of light, Yun Yue suddenly appeared before them. Her moon-white robe flowed gently, her hips and breasts swaying slightly, as she gently supported the two women’s shoulders.
“Leave them to me.”
“Thank you, Yue’er.”
Lin Tianlu chuckled awkwardly.
Yun Yue glanced at them casually: “They just have excess Yang energy, they’ll recover tomorrow.”
She gently embraced the two women and said indifferently: “Aren’t you going to sleep, Tianlu?”
“It’s a rare New Year’s Day, I might as well enjoy the scenery from the rooftop.”
“…After Ruoyu and Yishi have washed up and gone to bed, I’ll come up and join you.”
Lin Tianlu chuckled: “That would be wonderful.”
…
After escorting the three women back to their room and closing the door, he prepared to go to the rooftop to enjoy the moonlight.
But after walking a few steps along the corridor, he bumped into a handsome man in a blue robe and cloak. He was about to step aside to let him pass, but the other man also stopped at the same time.
“You… are Lin Tianlu?”
“Indeed.”
Lin Tianlu raised an eyebrow and asked curiously: “How do you know my name, sir?”
“It seems we’re quite fated to meet so coincidentally.”
The handsome man suddenly smiled strangely: “My name is Fuxiao, and I came here specifically for you.”
