Chapter 10: Presenting Flower-Red Fruits to Invite the High Merit Official

Tian Guofu was stunned, the gentry of Qingping Town were stunned, and the yamen runners of the county office were stunned too!

Zhang Qingyun knelt heavily on the ground and said in a loud voice, "Demons are running rampant in Qingshan County, harming innocent lives. They manipulate the winds and waves to threaten the people of the entire county, demanding that they offer up young boys and girls every year. Such conduct is an outrage to both heaven and man!"

"As the Magistrate of Qingshan, I cannot tolerate these demons continuing to run wild. Yet, I lack the strength to even truss a chicken; though I have the heart to slay the demons, I am powerless to do so."

"I have heard that the Daoist Master possesses peerless Daoist arts, great magical power, and immense compassion, which is why I have come specifically to invite you to descend the mountain."

"I only ask that the Daoist Master vent the grievances of the innocent people of Qingshan County and eliminate those demons."

"If the Daoist Master can slay those demons, no matter what request you may have, I, Qingyun, am willing to exhaust every effort to fulfill it."

"Furthermore, I am willing to lead all the gentry and commoners of the county to convert to the Penglai sect and build statues to pray for the Daoist Master's blessings!"

After Zhang Qingyun finished speaking loudly, he bowed deeply.

Tian Guofu hurriedly signaled to those around him, and they all knelt down as well.

In front of the quiet mountain Daoist temple, a large crowd of people knelt just like that.

I do not know how much time passed, but Zhang Qingyun felt his legs going numb from kneeling.

Even the old fossils in his family had never commanded such a grand display, yet this Jiang Sheng actually accepted it just like that.

Finally, just as Zhang Qingyun felt he was being toyed with and intended to stand up, he heard a voice come from the temple once again.

"Enough, come in."

Letting out a long sigh of relief, Zhang Qingyun scrambled up, tidied himself, and entered the temple with his attendants.

The temple was not large, but it was very harmonious, possessing a subtle sense of natural order, as if everything here conformed to some hidden rhythm.

The more he looked, the more extraordinary he found it.

Upon reaching the front hall, Zhang Qingyun saw a portrait of an immortal hanging high, and beneath it, a Daoist in green robes sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, his back turned to them.

Zhang Qingyun first offered incense and bowed to the portrait, then saluted Jiang Sheng: "Zhang Qingyun greets Daoist Master Jiang. I pay my respects."

"Magistrate, you are too polite." Jiang Sheng’s voice was calm, natural, and poised.

Zhang Qingyun stated his purpose once more and again bowed to invite Jiang Sheng to descend the mountain.

Jiang Sheng, however, said: "I am cultivating in peace here in the mountains. The River God of Taiping River does not provoke me, so why should I take action?"

Zhang Qingyun was taken aback and made another set of promises: "If the Daoist Master agrees, I am willing to petition the imperial court to designate the entire Qingping Mountain as your personal Daoist domain."

"Everything in the mountains shall belong to you, and even Qingping Town can be designated as your place of offerings!"

Hearing Magistrate Zhang make such a generous promise, Tian Guofu was dumbfounded. What did this have to do with their Qingping Town?

Why did they need to have another great deity placed over their heads?

But since there was no place for him to speak here, he could only lower his head and remain silent.

Jiang Sheng glanced at Tian Guofu after hearing this, his expression remaining indifferent: "What use do I have for the offerings of a town? I do not lack such things."

Zhang Qingyun was stunned, not knowing how else to make an offer.

Jiang Sheng suddenly smiled: "The Magistrate is indeed sincere this time."

"Very well, I shall accept the gifts and offerings for now."

"If the Magistrate can invite some other cultivators to assist, then it is not impossible for me to take action."

"Regardless of the outcome, Qingping Mountain shall remain my domain; no one is to set foot here without my permission."

"Furthermore, I shall decide when to take action."

"Can the Magistrate agree to this?"

Zhang Qingyun gritted his teeth and agreed: "I shall follow the Daoist Master's every word!"

Jiang Sheng smiled: "In that case, is the Magistrate satisfied? Can you return to the county office now?"

Zhang Qingyun had originally wanted to invite Jiang Sheng to the county seat for a visit, but now he could say nothing and could only leave in silence.

Returning to Qingshan County in a rather disheveled state, Zhang Qingyun felt very frustrated after telling his daughter what had happened.

"I never expected that not only would I fail to invite him, but I also lost all face as a Magistrate in front of so many people."

Zhang Qing picked up a pastry and popped it into her mouth, smiling: "To have such a result is already not easy."

"I have heard that Daoist Master Jiang is a high-ranking master from Penglai; it is not surprising that he has such a temperament."

"Besides, hasn't Daoist Master Jiang already agreed to take action? We can just invite some other cultivators to assist when the time comes."

Zhang Qingyun nodded: "That is all we can do for now."

Zhang Qing added: "If we truly want to eliminate the demon in the Taiping River, relying solely on Daoist Master Jiang is likely not enough."

"In the vast East Prefecture, there are countless rogue cultivators, and outside the East Prefecture, Qing Prefecture has several sects, all with high-ranking masters presiding over them. If we can invite one of them, we will have a better chance of success."

Zhang Qingyun nodded silently: "Qing'er is right. I never expected Daoist Master Jiang to slay the River God alone."

Zhang Qing smiled: "My close friend is currently an inner disciple of the Lanyue Sect in Qing Prefecture. I can invite her to descend the mountain to help; I imagine she would be more reliable than Daoist Master Jiang."

Zhang Qingyun finally breathed a sigh of relief: "That would be excellent. I shall make preparations and invite more cultivators from across Qing Prefecture."

Meanwhile, back in Qingping Mountain, Tian Guofu also gathered the courage to ask: "Daoist Master Jiang, didn't you say..."

Jiang Sheng glanced at Tian Guofu, his expression somewhat languid: "Is Mayor Tian trying to say that I claimed the safety of Qingping Town had nothing to do with me?"

Tian Guofu nodded with a sheepish smile.

Jiang Sheng shook his head, his expression remaining indifferent: "The safety of Qingping Town is indeed of no concern to me. However, I have discovered that the Taiping River is too close to Qingping Mountain."

"So close that if I were to go myself, I could go and return in a few hours."

As he spoke, Jiang Sheng’s aura, which had been as calm as water, took on a hint of sternness: "It is true that I do not like to meddle in other people's affairs, but I will not tolerate demons lurking right beside my bed!"

"If that Magistrate Zhang can truly find more cultivators to help, I am willing to take the opportunity to remove this menace that is right under my nose."

Only then did Tian Guofu understand that from beginning to end, Jiang Sheng had never considered the lives of the people of Qingping Town; it was all his own overthinking.

Jiang Sheng glanced at Tian Guofu again: "Mayor Tian, I am not afraid to tell you."

"If your Magistrate Zhang invites a bunch of Qi-refining cultivators, then the matter of subduing demons is off. I will not return the gifts and offerings, and I will sit back and watch your Magistrate Zhang and those Qi-refining cultivators go and offer themselves as blood food to the demons."

Tian Guofu nodded repeatedly: "Understood, understood, I understand everything."

Afterward, Jiang Sheng waved his hand, and Tian Guofu, being very perceptive, left; he knew Jiang Sheng was seeing him out.

After Tian Guofu left, Jiang Sheng suddenly sighed, his right hand grasping at the air, and a magical sword appeared in his hand out of nowhere.

The sword was three feet and six inches long, pitch black, and covered in green lotus patterns; it was an excellent magical artifact.

Laying the sword across his knees, Jiang Sheng sat with his back straight, gently wiping the artifact that would accompany him down the mountain to slay demons: "A demon of the Purple Mansion realm, eh? I really do want to try it."