Chapter 77
Strange events recently occurred around Qinghe Town.
Near Sanglu Valley, people first reported wailing from graveyards, followed by nighttime ghost attacks and livestock deaths.
Two appointed cultivators investigated and eliminated several mountain ghosts causing the disturbances.
This puzzled locals since no evil beings had troubled Qinghe since the dynasty’s mass purge twenty years ago.
The reappearance of multiple mountain ghosts alarmed the investigators. They urgently informed Mayor Tian Yu through official channels and summoned Old Yu and Yang Linghu from the Yang Family.
"Senior Yu, what did you find?"
Mayor Tian Yu approached as Old Yu exited Sanglu Valley’s entrance.
"The dark energy originates from within the valley," Old Yu answered gravely. "It awakened those ghosts."
His inspection revealed the Zhang Family’s guarding formation remained intact, with the dark energy’s source inside. If mere leakage affected the outskirts, what horrors lay within the estate?
"Has the Zhang Family fallen?" "Yes." Old Yu nodded. "Mayor Tian, report this to the dynasty immediately."
Tian Yu’s face tightened. During his ten-year mayorship, no major crises had occurred. He needed only two more months to accumulate sufficient merit points for promotion – a goal he’d anticipated for half a year.
This crisis threatened his plans. Qinghe hadn’t seen Evil Spirits’ chaos in two decades. Would reporting jeopardize his advancement?
"Senior Yu," he ventured, "could spiritual power suppression delay this three months?"
"Delay?" Old Yu frowned. "While the Yang Family and our cultivators could temporarily contain the dark energy, this merely treats symptoms. The valley harbors evil beings at fifth to sixth level Gathering Qi cultivation. Requesting a late-stage Gathering Qi expert now could eliminate the threat. Suppression risks greater eruptions later and allows the evil beings to strengthen in concentrated dark energy. In three months, control might become impossible."
Noticing the hesitation on Old Yu’s face, Tian Yu laid out his thoughts plainly.
"Senior Yu, I’ll be direct. In two months, I’ll have enough merits to request promotion from the dynasty. I’ve waited ten years for this day and won’t let anything jeopardize it."
"The Promotion Decree should arrive within a month. Once it does, I’ll leave this post for new assignments."
"By then, you could take your people and abandon Sanglu Valley too. The Yang Family’s lands are distant – even if dark energy erupts, it won’t reach you."
Old Yu stayed silent. Yang Linghu stepped forward. "Mayor Tian, what about Qinghe’s people when dark energy spreads?"
"I know the consequences."
Tian Yu’s voice remained steady. "This concerns my future. After ten years serving Qinghe, it’s time to collect my due. Just some mortal deaths – trivial compared to monster tide casualties years back."
"Once enough die, the dynasty will intervene anyway. No need for Yang Family involvement."
Silence hung in the room.
Yang Linghu broke it first. "Hmph! ‘Just some mortals.’ How noble of our mayor."
The sarcasm didn’t faze Tian Yu. "Your family’s no better. Those mortals at the mountain’s foot – you use them as soldiers, laborers, cultivator candidates. Do they share your status? We all exploit them. You just haven’t needed sacrifices yet."
As Yang Linghu’s face darkened, Old Yu raised a restraining hand.
Tian Yu produced an item from his storage bag. "Help suppress the dark energy, Senior Yu, and this is yours."
Old Yu’s eyes widened at the milky-white pill in Tian Yu’s palm. Its sweet fragrance filled the air.
"A late-stage Gathering Qi cleansing elixir?"
"Your discernment honors me."
"Quality?"
"Inferior-grade."
The cleansing elixir aided Gathering Qi cultivators by enhancing their foundations – but only worked once. Though flawed, its value remained high. Inferior-grade sold for three hundred spiritual crystals in marketplaces, matching superior-grade rejuvenating elixirs.
Old Yu hesitated. The pill could boost a junior’s talent or fetch good coin. Yet using it on an inferior version felt wasteful. He’d need Yang Lingqing’s counsel.
"This requires family discussion," Old Yu finally said.
"Of course," Tian Yu replied, though impatience tinged his voice. "But don’t delay."
After they left, Tian Yu frowned. Why couldn’t the sixth-level Gathering Qi expert decide alone? Was the Yang Family really letting juniors lead?
"How curious," he murmured, then smirked. "Better this way. If Old Yu misses the trick, that youngster certainly will."