Chapter Fifty: Fellow Daoist, Let Us Continue Our Discussion at Your Residence

In truth, Su Ji'an had not truly departed; instead, he used a Concealment Talisman to hide himself atop the eaves, keeping a close watch on Wang Yourong's every move.

From the start, he sensed that something was off in the other's reaction.

He saw Wang Yourong collapse limply onto the bed, gasping for breath, clearly shaken by the ordeal.

It was only after a long while that Wang Yourong called out loudly toward the outside, "Someone... bring Sour Plum here at once to calm my nerves!"

Su Ji'an was taken aback, thinking, "City Lord, your facade has crumbled."

Indeed, this was a man who had seen much of the world—a true master of his domain. Such feigned composure was beyond Su Ji'an's own abilities.

Without further hesitation, Su Ji'an departed.

Whether the city lord was merely acting or genuinely composed, it mattered little to Su Ji'an; he cared only for the outcome, not the process.

Whether Wang Yourong would be honest or not would be clear by tomorrow.

Such matters were best left to the authorities; otherwise, the credibility would be lacking.

Ouyang Feng was shrewd and not easily deceived.

...

Wang Yourong gazed at his concubine but felt utterly drained, waving her away with disinterest.

He thought to himself, "That young man should have left by now..."

If he did not appear ordinary, the other would never feel at ease.

He knew well that those desperate fugitives had little honor to speak of.

Preserving his own life was no easy task.

...

The next morning, Su Ji'an, after reading the newly posted wanted notice at the city lord's mansion, left with satisfaction.

He had already changed his appearance; since Wang Yourong had seen his previous face, adopting a new identity was the prudent choice.

If nothing unexpected happened, Ouyang Feng would soon make his move.

Su Ji'an's role was merely to guide events.

As he pondered these things, the gate of his courtyard was suddenly knocked upon.

Su Ji'an frowned slightly. He had neither family nor acquaintances in Yingdu City—who could be visiting him?

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Although Zhao Qianxue had gone out early to the shop, she would not need to knock upon returning home.

Su Ji'an prepared a Great Teleportation Talisman and a Immobilization Talisman in his palm, ready to open the door, when he was met by two young maidservants who had come at the sound.

Upon seeing Su Ji'an, their faces immediately grew wary.

"Who are you? Our master is a cultivator. Leave at once!"

Su Ji'an smiled, offering a simple explanation, "Do not be alarmed. I am your master. For cultivators, changing one's appearance is quite normal."

Seeing the two still unconvinced, Su Ji'an did not grow annoyed; their vigilance was fitting for servants. Otherwise, any stranger could easily deceive them.

He smiled, "I gave you your names... And the array outside this courtyard was set by me. You mustn't approach it without reason."

At last, the two maidservants believed him.

Soon after,

Su Ji'an opened the courtyard gate and encountered the same shifty-faced Nascent Soul cultivator from before.

What was his name again?

Su Ji'an couldn't recall it for the moment, but it did not matter.

Before he could speak, Ruan Chidao greeted him with a broad smile, politely saying, "Greetings, fellow cultivator. I live next door. Chance has brought us together, and we should support each other henceforth."

Su Ji'an found much sense in these words.

Taking the opportunity, he replied, "Your words are admirable. I recently purchased this small courtyard, spending all my savings. Surely you would not begrudge lending me a few spirit stones?"

Ruan Chidao's mouth twitched, momentarily at a loss for words.

He had no desire to play the fool in such matters and quickly moved to his main point, "Fellow cultivator, this is not a long-term solution. I happen to have an excellent opportunity—are you interested?"

Su Ji'an replied blandly, "Not interested."

He had thought the other would be more tactful, but to his surprise, the man sought to take advantage of him immediately. Such schemers deserved to be dealt with swiftly.

Knowing there was a hidden threat, it was best to nip it in the bud.

This was also a key tenet of Su Ji'an's cautious way.

Ruan Chidao's face darkened; this young man was again acting unpredictably.

He forced a smile, "I think you should hear me out. Yesterday, I joined the Punishment Bureau and earned a small flag position. We hit it off, and with my recommendation, you could easily join as well."

Su Ji'an smiled, "Let us go to your house for a detailed discussion."

Ruan Chidao was slightly stunned, not sure what connection a detailed talk had with going to his place.

But Su Ji'an had already strode ahead, giving him no time to think.

Besides, with Su Ji'an only at the Golden Core stage, Ruan Chidao had nothing to fear.

Su Ji'an arrived at the neighboring door and smiled serenely, "I would not presume to play host. Please, after you."

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Ruan Chidao thought nothing of it and opened the gate, inviting Su Ji'an inside.

"Do you have some secret concern, fellow cultivator?"

Otherwise, why insist on talking in his home?

Su Ji'an, all gentleness, closed the gate behind them and spoke softly, "You are clever..."

As he spoke, he moved unobtrusively closer to Ruan Chidao.

At that moment, Ruan Chidao was completely unguarded, about to respond, when Su Ji'an suddenly slapped a yellow talisman onto his forehead.

Instantly, Ruan Chidao was frozen, unable to move.

Su Ji'an sighed, "You were right about one thing—we truly share a special kind of fate."

Ruan Chidao, terrified and confused, could not fathom Su Ji'an's motive for harming him.

It couldn't be for his spirit stones—he possessed less than the value of the Immobilization Talisman.

His thoughts grew tangled, most reluctant to leave behind his companion who had returned to her mother's home.

But Su Ji'an had no intention of explaining.

He never bothered with words for the dead.

He took out a vial of Five Poison Powder, pried open Ruan Chidao's mouth, and poured it in without hesitation—the whole action was fluid and practiced.

Ruan Chidao's eyes were filled with fear, but his body could not move, his mouth could not speak.

A deep sense of helplessness overwhelmed him.

In moments, under the corrosive power of the Five Poison Powder, Ruan Chidao was dead beyond saving.

Su Ji'an then searched his body, soon finding the storage ring.

"Penniless wretch!"

He cursed silently.

For a Nascent Soul cultivator, how miserable must one be to possess merely sixty spirit stones and a few cultivation resources?

He proceeded to thoroughly destroy Ruan Chidao's physical body.

After exploring the house, Su Ji'an returned to his own residence in disappointment.

It seemed the other never kept valuables at home—the storage ring contained his entire fortune.

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