68 Chapter 68
◎Don't be a good person◎
This is strange. Immortal sects have always prided themselves on being righteous and having the well-being of all people in their hearts. Even without rewards, protecting the local people is their duty. How could they stand idly by and do nothing about the disaster just because they no longer receive offerings?
She didn't want to meddle in other people's business, but when she saw the amount on the reward notice, she couldn't help but be moved. It was a full thousand gold coins.
It was indeed a paradise on earth, a place where people could live and work in peace and contentment. The local gentry contributed half, and the common people chipped in some, and the thousand taels of gold were easily raised.
If we can get this money, it will be enough for Yishui Villa to operate for at least several years.
As soon as Pei Xueyan appeared, the surrounding people immediately gathered around, pointing and whispering.
How could such a young, beautiful, and delicate woman possibly withstand a great river?
Pei Xueyan raised her hand and tore down the notice about flood control, saying triumphantly, "Since you don't believe me, I'll show you what I've got."
As he spoke, he turned his body toward Yunhe, and the riverbank was immediately blocked by hundreds of trees.
Immediately afterwards, she channeled her spiritual power, and the surging eastward-flowing river strangely reversed its course and flowed back!
"This is of course a small trick; it can only hold out for a while. If I exert all my strength, I can definitely block the breach and allow the Yunhe River to flow safely into the sea along its course."
Seeing this incredible skill, everyone realized that the woman was indeed quite skilled.
They immediately agreed that a deposit of one hundred gold coins would be paid first, and the remaining payment would be settled after the dam was completely repaired.
Just as Pei Xueyan was about to go over and investigate the situation, she saw someone in the crowd say, "I recognize this spiritual power; it's a technique from the Qing Sect."
Someone else shouted, "If he is a Celestial Master of the Azure Sect, how can he covet this hundred gold pieces? Could he be an imposter?"
The Qingzong Sect enters the world to help the people, never taking a penny from them.
She was focused on the Qingzong Sect's cultivation level, but deep down she was still the same half-baked person. She gritted her teeth and decided to be a good person for once.
"I'll only take this deposit, nothing else." Seeing them still arguing, Pei Xueyan got angry: "Here's your money back! Go find whoever wants to fix the flood!"
Now is certainly not the time for moral blackmail. Although people still have doubts, they no longer say anything.
The river embankment has just been reinforced, and there is no risk of it collapsing in the short term.
Unexpectedly, two days later, a torrential rain fell, and two days later, the sky suddenly cracked open.
Upon hearing the news, Pei Xueyan immediately rushed out of the inn. She composed herself and hurried towards the turbulent breach of the Yunhe River.
She took a deep breath and slowly began to mobilize the spiritual energy within her body.
However, it's quite clumsy to control.
First, spiritual power was used to stimulate the vegetation on the riverbank, causing it to grow wildly into tough vines that tightly entangled the collapsed embankment. Then, the underground rock layers were stirred up in an attempt to fill the gaps in the breach.
The current of the Yunhe River was so strong that the breach that had just been plugged was torn open again by the giant waves in the blink of an eye.
Pei Xueyan dared not relax for a moment, guarding the riverbank and struggling against the flood for several hours.
Her face grew paler and paler, and cold sweat trickled down her forehead.
She could no longer stop it. When she forced herself to move, her meridians felt like they were being pricked by countless needles, and the pain almost made her faint.
But she can't stop.
Once we stop, hours of hard work will be wasted, and the banks will surely be flooded.
She couldn't hold on any longer.
More than ten hours later, with a loud "boom," the dam collapsed.
Pei Xueyan was slammed hard by the giant wave, like a broken fallen leaf, tossed up and then thrown down.
The spiritual energy within his body completely dissipated, his meridians broke inch by inch, and he suffered excruciating pain.
Her consciousness gradually faded, and her body was swept away by the current and slapped against the shore.
What she didn't know was that at the very moment the dam collapsed, the torrential rain suddenly stopped, and the clouds and fog dispersed.
My ex-husband is here!
Jiang Qiye stood with his hands behind his back on the cloud. With a gentle flick of his wide sleeves, a surge of spiritual power, like a rushing silver dragon, swept across the entire river surface in an instant.
In stark contrast to Pei Xueyan's clumsy control, Jiang Qiye's spiritual power was steady and vast, precisely choking the floodwaters.
First, the rock layers were stirred up, causing the heavy bluestone to rise from the bottom of the water and steadily resist the force of the breach.
The once rampaging river, under his control, gradually calmed its violent nature and flowed slowly eastward along the riverbed.
"It's Sect Leader Jiang of the Qing Sect! Sect Leader Jiang has arrived!"
Some people recognized him and shouted with joy.
Jiang Qiye didn't say much, but raised his hand and drew upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
But in an instant, the rain stopped, the sun came out, and the sky cleared.
"If you hadn't arrived in time, all the people along the river would probably have been eaten by fish!"
"Master Jiang, you are truly our second parent!"
Jiang Qiye nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the repaired river embankment before turning to the unharmed people: "Protecting living beings is our duty."
The crowd cheered and eagerly invited Jiang Qiye to come into the city to rest. A celebratory banquet had already been prepared and set up in the city's largest restaurant.
No one remembers the woman who took up the challenge and vowed to use her spiritual power to draw trees to block the embankment just a few days ago.
As the dikes were repaired, the water level downstream gradually receded.
She clearly wanted to be a good person and plug that leak, but in the end, she still failed miserably.
Clearly, one cannot be a good person.
The waters of the Yunhe River, the sand on the shore, the cheers of the people… none of it mattered to her anymore.
She's still better suited to be that ruthless demon, that heartless enchantress. These past few days, it seems Jiang Qiye's cultivation has been helping her repair herself little by little—but she doesn't want that!
Jiang Qiye originally came here following Lingyu's trail and also quelled the flood, but after searching everywhere, he still couldn't find Pei Xueyan.
After an unknown amount of time, when Pei Xueyan opened her eyes, she was greeted by a slightly plump face.
He was a young gentleman, holding a folding fan, dressed in brocade and silk, and it was clear at a glance that he came from a wealthy family.
He wasn't exactly handsome; his face was slightly chubby, and he looked to be around thirty years old.
Seeing that she had woken up, the young man put away his folding fan and said with a smile, "Little Immortal Master, you're finally awake?"
The sun was scorching, but her clothes had already dried. Pei Xueyan could tell that the man had no lewd intentions whatsoever. She sat up and asked softly, "You saved me?"
The young man bowed respectfully, behaving like a scholar, and said humbly, "Young Immortal Master, you flatter me. I was not trying to save you; I simply happened to find you while traveling downstream."
What do you want with me?
The man fanned himself with his folding fan, his smile still gentle: “My name is Li Guan. My father hoped I would pass the imperial examination and enter officialdom, but after I passed and became a Xiucai, I knew I wasn’t cut out for it. To be honest, my father is the richest man in Jucai County, with immense wealth. However, my ambition lies elsewhere; I yearn for the path of cultivation and immortality. Seeing that you, Immortal Master, possess such supernatural powers at such a young age, I am truly envious.”
Pei Xueyan raised her hand and patted the mud off her body, her voice tinged with a hint of weariness and exhaustion: "At your age, it's probably too late to talk about cultivating immortality and seeking the Dao."
Li Guan, however, did not take it to heart and laughed loudly, "Little Immortal Master, your words are biased. I also wish to be like you and save the common people."
She immediately covered her ears and shook her head repeatedly, "Don't talk nonsense! I didn't!"
Li Guan laughed heartily, fanning himself: "Immortal Master and I are truly kindred spirits! To tell you the truth, I have no interest in the common people; I only desire immortality, the ability to fly through the clouds and roam freely. If one day I could acquire even half of your cultivation, Immortal Master, I would be completely satisfied. Amitabha."
Upon hearing this, Pei Xueyan couldn't help but laugh, and slowly stood up while supporting herself on the ground: "You wouldn't... want to come and learn from me, would you?"
Li Guan was quite excited: "Little Immortal Master wants to take me as your disciple?"
Upon hearing that he was wealthy, Pei Xueyan thought it was a good way to make money, so she slowly said, "My fees are very high, at least five hundred gold coins."
Li Guan didn't care at all upon hearing this. He waved his folding fan and quickly followed her, his face full of smiles: "What is five hundred gold coins? May I ask your name, little immortal master?"
Pei Xueyan thought for a moment and then casually said, "My name is Xue Lian."
"Master Xue, it's a pleasure to meet you." Li Guan quickly cupped his hands in greeting, his attitude becoming increasingly respectful.
Pei Xueyan was simple-minded to begin with, and seeing the other party being so respectful, a sense of vanity quietly rose within her, making her feel somewhat smug.
For the next few days, she ate and drank to her heart's content at the inn, and Li Guan didn't mention a word about asking her to teach him her skills.
That's fine too.
After a few days of this leisurely life, Pei Xueyan's doubts gradually began to surface.
Sure enough, she happened to pass by Li Guan's room and overheard him saying something about "Grandmaster".
Since he already has a master and has entered a heterodox sect, why would he want to become my disciple?
Pei Xueyan was a straightforward person, so she didn't hesitate and pushed open the door, questioning, "You, Li Guan! You look so honest, but since you already have a master and have joined a side sect, you still dare to try to fool me and want to become my disciple!"
Li Guan was whispering to his attendant when he was suddenly interrupted, and the folding fan in his hand snapped shut.
"Master Xue, please don't be anxious. I am not doing this to fool you. To be honest, I did become your disciple a year ago. However, my master has been ill recently, and we juniors are really worried. I heard that you are very skilled, so I came up with this idea to ask you to stay and help me."
"I'm not a doctor, how can I help?"
Li Guan looked troubled and sighed, "Little Immortal Master, you may not know this, but my grandmaster has an eccentric temperament and has cultivated for many years. His cultivation is profound and he does not need an ordinary doctor. His 'illness' is not an ordinary ailment. Alas, this matter is hard to say, hard to say."
"If it's hard to say, then don't say it." Pei Xueyan was too lazy to listen to these convoluted stories about filial piety, and she wouldn't feel any goodwill towards him because of them. After saying that, she turned around and left.
Pei Xueyan was just about to leave.
"Master Xue, please wait!" Upon seeing this, Li Guan quickly called out to her, then took a heavy cloth bag from his attendant and handed it to her. "Please accept this gold. It's free, a gift for you. Whether we become friends or not, it's all good."
Pei Xueyan glanced at the bulging cloth bag and was tempted.
Although this person concealed the truth, he wasn't exactly cunning; the key thing was... he was incredibly rich!
Most importantly, they are very generous!
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