Greed and Stupidity

In Changfeng County, the sky was filled with drifting yellow sand, amidst which the fierce sounds of spell-casting echoed.

After a long while, the blinding yellow sand finally dispersed. Wearing a mask and with a full head of silver hair, the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng stepped out. His aura was chaotic, and he was clearly nursing heavy injuries. Yet, at this moment, whether it was the cultivators from the Prefect's Mansion or those from the Yellow Wind Sect, the looks they directed at him were filled with utter terror. For in his hand, he was holding a severed head—a head with wide-open, glaring eyes, seemingly dead with eternal grievance.

"Prefect Lu is dead..."

At a certain moment, an incredulous voice rang out, and an uproar broke out among all the cultivators present.

Lu Ran, the Prefect of Changfeng County and a cultivator at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, was a top-tier powerhouse across the entire Southern Four Counties. Previously, he had clashed with the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng many times. Although he could not do anything to subdue Huangfeng, it was equally a pipe dream for Huangfeng to kill him. No one had expected that he would simply die like this.

"Run..."

With Lu Ran killed in battle, the morale of the cultivators from the Prefect's Mansion instantly collapsed, leaving them with zero desire to continue fighting the Yellow Wind Sect.

In stark contrast, upon confirming that their sect master had slain the Prefect of Changfeng, the morale of the Yellow Wind Sect cultivators soared, and they immediately began to pursue the routed enemy.

"Reaching this point, Changfeng County is truly thrown into chaos."

Watching the pursuing Yellow Wind Sect cultivators, the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng did not make another move. In order to kill Lu Ran, he had paid a hefty price as well.

Just at this moment, a figure quietly stepped out from the shadows. The person was draped in a black robe that completely obscured his face, but the aura he exuded revealed that he was also a practitioner at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.

The reason Lu Ran had fallen in battle this time was precisely because he had fallen into the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng's scheme, facing far more than just Huangfeng alone. Otherwise, even with Huangfeng's impressive methods, it would have been impossible to kill Lu Ran so easily.

"Fellow Daoist Huangfeng, I have fulfilled what I promised you. Where is the item you promised me?"

Looking at the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng, the black-robed person's face was brimming with solemnity.

Hearing this, the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng smiled.

"Rest assured, since you and I now belong to the same faction, the items promised to you will naturally not be lacking..."

His tone was brimming with nonchalance. With a tap of his storage pouch, Huangfeng produced a primitive and unadorned jade slip.

As soon as the jade slip appeared, the black-robed person's gaze instantly locked onto it, filled with burning intensity.

Seeing this, the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng was not surprised at all. After all, this item was indeed something beyond reach for many people.

"The item is right here. You may inspect it thoroughly to see if it is what you desire."

With a composed expression, Huangfeng handed the jade slip in his hand to the black-robed person.

Without any hesitation, the black-robed person immediately took the jade slip.

After conducting a brief inspection and finding no issues whatsoever, the heavy stone pressing on the black-robed person's heart slowly settled.

Witnessing this scene, the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng spoke up once again.

"This jade slip records the complete experience of a Foundation Establishment cultivator forging their Dao foundation. With the help of this jade slip, I believe Fellow Daoist's breakthrough will go all the more smoothly."

"Perhaps before long, I shall have to address you as Senior."

His voice carried a hint of envy, and Huangfeng made no effort to conceal his admiration.

Hearing this, a smile also surfaced on the black-robed person's face.

"I accept Fellow Daoist's auspicious words; I hope such a day comes."

"Now that Lu Ran is dead, I will not linger here any longer."

Anxious to return and with no intention of staying further, the black-robed person left behind a single sentence and quietly vanished into an escape technique.

Watching the retreating figure of the black-robed person, the look of envy on the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng's face faded, replaced by cold indifference.

"Spiritual treasures laden with thorns are not so easily enjoyed."

Shaking his head, Huangfeng withdrew his gaze.

"He is greedy, and you are foolish—so foolish that you couldn't even tell whose food you were eating, actually trying to profit from both sides. How could someone like you not die?"

After the black-robed person had departed, lifting Lu Ran's head and gazing at his expression of shock and disbelief, the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng let out a cold laugh.

Lu Ran came from a humble background and was a talent selected by the Nanjing Dynasty through the imperial examinations. Because of his decent spiritual aperture aptitude and a stroke of luck, he received the imperial court's cultivation resources, eventually achieving the Great Perfection of Qi Refining. He was then dispatched by the court to Changfeng County to become the Prefect.

However, perhaps due to serving as Prefect in Changfeng County for too long, Lu Ran had somewhat lost his sense of self, eventually colluding with the Qingmu Clan of Qingteng County. This Qingmu Clan was the undisputed overlord of Qingteng County, and even across the entire Southern Four Counties.

With Foundation Establishment cultivators holding down the fort within their clan, their infiltration into the Southern Four Counties touched upon every aspect. It could be said that here, even the words of the imperial court might not carry as much weight as those of the Qingmu Clan.

"The imperial court is weak, and the Qingmu Clan has made frequent moves in recent years, continuously increasing their control over the Southern Four Counties. Apart from Qingyuan County, which remains relatively stable, both Changfeng and Leshan counties have already been eroded."

"Now that Lu Ran has been slain and numerous clans have been uprooted, the Qingmu Clan's schemes in Changfeng County have mostly come to nothing."

Crossing mountains and rivers, casting his gaze toward the direction of Qingteng County, various thoughts flashed through the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng's mind.

The Nanjing Dynasty and cultivation clans jointly ruled the realm, and this Qingmu Clan was the largest family in the Southern Four Counties. Ever since the founding of the nation, they had guarded the south. On one hand, they served as the dynasty's barrier, suppressing the more ferocious monsters further south; on the other hand, they carved out vast territories, acting as the semi-sovereigns of the south.

However, this Qingmu Clan differed from most families in the Nanjing Dynasty. They were not native clans of Nanjing, but rather Shanyue people. During the period when the Nanjing Dynasty opened up the Southern Four Counties, they clashed with the dynasty multiple times before finally accepting the court's amnesty and becoming part of Nanjing, thus integrating into it.

"Next, I must seize the time to carry out a top-to-bottom purge of Changfeng County, striving to leave behind a relatively clean domain. Only then can I be considered to have initially fulfilled the Third Prince's commission."

"Furthermore, with Lu Ran slain, the Qingmu Clan will certainly not sit idly by. They are very likely to interfere in the affairs of Changfeng County, so I must exercise more caution regarding my identity as the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng."

As thoughts collided, Huangfeng withdrew his gaze and slowly concealed his presence.

The Qingmu Clan was the overlord of the Southern Four Counties; even with backing behind him, he dared not show the slightest contempt. Fortunately, his own strength was formidable, and coupled with his trump cards, unless a Foundation Establishment master personally took action, he still possessed the confidence to ensure his own survival.

As time passed, the news of Prefect Lu Ran's fall at the hands of the Rogue Cultivator Huangfeng spread far and wide. Changfeng County was shaken, and the situation changed in an instant, a tense atmosphere permeating from top to bottom. Previously, although the Yellow Wind Sect had been causing great turmoil, the official authorities still held the upper hand and had repeatedly organized encirclement and suppression campaigns. But now, everything was different.

Meanwhile, upon receiving the news transmitted from Changfeng County, Qingyuan County was inevitably affected as well. A sense of crisis sprouted in the hearts of many, for after all, Changfeng County and Qingyuan County were simply too close to one another.