"Prefect." Pei Xuanjing greeted Gu Ji with a fist, his demeanor neither cold nor warm.
"We respectfully greet the official." The attitude of Gu San and others was much more respectful.
Gu Ji nodded to Pei Xuanjing but did not hurry to speak with him.
Instead, he turned his sights on Gu San and others behind him. Upon realizing the absence of Gu Da and a few others, he understood implicitly, but he simply sighed with a slight regret, "You have worked hard this time."
"We are willing to do anything." Gu San and others replied.
Gu Ji nodded and gestured to someone beside him to meet with Gu San and others. Only then did he take a few more steps and come into Pei Xuanjing's presence.
"How was your trip?" He asked straightforwardly.
A hint of a smile appeared on Pei Xuanjing's face as he pulled out a strange orb from his chest, "I completed the mission."
Then, without any hesitation, he handed over this treasure which could help someone break through to the third grade realm, a treasure for which many people would go crazy over and even be willing to die for, without any hesitation or delay.
Even Gu Ji was extremely surprised. He had trusted Pei Xuanjing before but had never thought that the latter would genuinely be so trustworthy, so willing to give up such a treasure without any hesitation or reluctance.
"Prefect?" Seeing that Gu Ji was not accepting the orb, Pei Xuanjing couldn't help but call out.
Pei Xuanjing didn't know what was going through Gu Ji's mind. Even if he did, he would only have smiled. As far as he was concerned, this item held no advantages for him.
For him, the greatest value of this strange orb was not its ability to help someone break through to the third grade realm, but rather the Taoyun it contained.
After acquiring the strange orb, Pei Xuanjing had completely refined the orb's attached Taoyun within the two months he spent in the Blessed Land of the Forbidden Place. He had already reaped enough benefits.
Now, what he wanted most was to fulfill his contract with Gu Ji, and then find a safe place to start the life simulator again for the next life simulation.
After all, once he had refined the strange orb, the amount of Taoyun he possessed had reached over fifty thousand points. Under the condition of not breaking through to another realm, he had enough points to activate the life simulator five times.
At the moment, he was eager to start the simulation to enhance his strength.
"Thank you!"
Gu Ji came to his senses and took the strange orb in his hand.
He had not yet closely observed it when a cold voice came from afar.
"Mister Prefect, if you don't want it, how about you give it to the old man?"
Liu Chengxiong appeared in the distance with a group of people, the look in his eyes filled with longing for the strange orb.
"Hehe, if Master Liu likes it, I don't mind giving it to you. I just don't know what you will exchange for it?" Gu Ji sneered and stored the strange orb in his chest while speaking.
"The Prefect is contradicting himself." Liu Chengxiong taunted.
"You are Pei Xuanjing, right?" He then turned his gaze to Pei Xuanjing.
When he focused on Pei Xuanjing or rather, on the Flowing Flame Sword at Pei Xuanjing's waist, his face suddenly changed, a chill rising in his heart.
"Pei Xuanjing, why is the Flowing Flame Sword in your hands!" Liu Chengxiong furiously questioned.
At his question, all the martial artists from the Liu family, who were following him also had their expressions change greatly.
They knew the Flowing Flame Sword had been given to Liu Ruilong to take into the Blessed Land of the Forbidden Place. But now this divine weapon had somehow appeared in Pei Xuanjing•s hands. What had happened to Liu Ruilong…
"Why ask when you already know the answer, Master Liu?" Pei Xuanjing responded nonchalantly, "Someone naturally gave the sword to me!"
"What did you do to Rui Long?" Liu Chengxiong still held onto a ray of hope as he asked.
Pei Xuanjing shattered this illusion, "He is, of course, dead!"
"YOU…" LIU cnengxlong was vapmg, ms eyes almost Diligmg out or tnelr socKets.
The members of the Liu family all showed surprised and angered expressions.
Pei Xuanjing said coldly, "Master Liu, don't be sad, I will soon send you to meet Liu Ruilong."
At the same time, he whispered to Gu Ji, "Take action!"
If Liu Chengxiong dared to set an ambush here, it proved that he had malicious intentions.
Also, everything that the Liu family had done in the Forbidden Land, including allowing Liu Ruilong to take the Flowing Flame Sword and team up with Yuwen Leopard from the Diamond Gate, only proved that the conflict between him and the Liu family was irreconcilable. One party must fail.
At this moment, Gu San also reported to Gu Ji about the Liu family's attempt to assassinate them in the Forbidden Land, making Gu Ji furious with the Liu family's actions.
As the Prefect of Anping Prefecture, he felt his previous actions were just a warning to the Liu family. However, they dared to take action, which showed disrespect to him, which made him intolerably furious.
After learning from Gu San that Pei Xuanjing had already broken through to the fourth-grade realm, Gu Ji felt more confident. Being the Prefect, he was not short of decisiveness. "Take action, leave all members of the Liu family here." He immediately ordered.
"Kill them, avenge my son, and recapture the artifact!"
Almost at the same time, Liu Chengxiong gave the order to the members of the Liu family.
To the fourth -grade elders who came with him, he said, "Please take action, elder!"
The fourth-grade elder nodded, "This is my duty."
The elder of the Liu family went straight for Gu Ji, wishing to first seize the strange object. After all, he also coveted this strange object and wanted to use it to break through his realm.
Both sides took action immediately.
Although Gu Ji had practiced martial arts, he was more often infatuated with power, so his strength was only a mere sixth grade, far inferior to Liu Chengxiong.
"You all leave one person to protect the Prefect. I will take care of the fourth-grade martial artist."
Leaving this sentence behind, Pei Xuanjing jumped up and directly confronted the elder of the Liu family.
Clang, Pei Xuanjing•s Flowing Flame Sword was drawn, its chilling sword aura directly stabbed out.
The elder of the Liu family simply sneered. With a Long Knife in his hand, he slashed, which surprisingly turned out to be a Thousand Refinement Divine Weapon, seeming to be even better quality than the Flowing Flame Sword in Pei Xuanjing's hand.
The two people's swords clashed, and they fought fiercely.
The elder of the Liu family had been stuck in the fourth -grade realm for many years. Although he had not been able to break through to the third grade, he had cultivated a deep true Qi foundation with the support of the Liu family's resources and had a divine weapon in hand, making his strength remarkable.
Although Pei Xuanjing's breakthrough came later, he was young and well-educated. He mastered several intermediate martial arts. Plus, the combat experience as a fourth-grade martial artist he obtained from the life simulator, he did not fall behind when compared to the elder of the Liu family, at least for the time being.
Their fight freed up the fourth-grade martial artist brought by Gu Ji.
Although his strength as a fourth-grade martial artist might be inferior to any one of the Liu family elder or Pei Xuanjing, when facing other Liu family martial artists with a maximum fifth-grade level, he had an absolute advantage, and there was simply no competition.
It didn't take long for the entire Liu family to fall into a disadvantage. Liu Chengxiong was primarily targeted by the fourth-grade martial artist. If it were not for an Indomitable Weapon he had, he might have been killed on the spot..
The patriarch of the Liu family faced such circumstances, filled with both urgency and fury.
Pei Xuanjing seized the opportunity, changing the move of his Flowing Flame Sword.
Supreme As Water!
The final move of the Water-like Sword Technique was used.
The already powerful Water-like Sword Technique, now supplemented by the Thousand Refinement Divine Weapon Flame Sword, had its power multiplied several times over.
Pchht!
The patriarch of the Liu family couldn't dodge in time and was injured by Pei Xuanjing.
Seeing all this, the fourth-grade Martial Artist under Gu Ji immediately dispersed the Liu family members in front of him and swung his long knife towards the patriarch of the Liu family.
Originally, the two were evenly matched. Now, with the patriarch of the Liu family injured and being attacked by two Martial Artists of the same realm, he was unable to resist.
He sustained more injuries in just a few moves.
Just as he managed to catch a breather with his desperate fighting style, he found himself livid at Pei Xuanjing's actions.
"Cheng Xiong!"
Pei Xuanjing was temporarily repelled by the opponent's desperate fighting style, yet he didn't immediately press the attack. Instead, upon spotting Liu Chengxiong not far away, a murderous intent emerged in the corner of his mouth. He swung the Flowing Flame Sword, sending out the move Supreme As Water, going straight for Liu Chengxiong.
Faced with Pei Xuanjing's thunderous attack, Liu Chengxiong was completely unable to defend. He was pierced through the chest with a single sword strike. Several of Gu Ji'S Martial Artists then rushed up to finish him off, hacking him to death.
Seeing Liu Chengxiong's death, Pei Xuanjing felt a sense of relief washing over him.
Back at the beginning of his life simulation, Pei Xuanjing was repeatedly ambushed by the patriarch of the Liu family. The Liu family was almost an insurmountable chasm in his life simulation.
But now the patriarch of Liu family was incapable of withstanding his sword strike, and the entire Liu family was on the verge of destruction all because of him.
Indeed, what goes around comes around, the retribution was truly swift.
After killing Liu Chengxiong, Pei Xuanjing didn't give the patriarch of the Liu family any chance to catch his breath. He once again raised his sword and rushed towards the patriarch of the Liu family.
Half a double hour later, all the people brought by Liu Chengxiong had been wiped out, and the divine weapon held by the patriarch of the Liu family had ended up in Pei Xuanjings hands.
Gu Ji's subordinates were cleaning up the battlefield, while he himself was discussing some matters with Pei Xuanjing.
"If not for Mr. Pei today, our losses would have been disastrous," Gu Ji said cordially, no longer holding onto the demeanor of the prefect.
A fourth-grade Martial Artist was enough for him to show respect, let alone a fourth-grade Martial Artist who was just over twenty years old and was almost certain to step into the Upper Three Realms in the future.
Pei Xuanjing smiled. "My lord, you're too polite."
"Don't call me 'my lord' Gu Ji said magnanimously, "If you don't mind, you can call me 'big brother'."
Pei Xuanjing didn't hesitate. "Big brother Gu!"
"Brother Xuanjing."
"Hahaha…"
The two exchanged looks and laughed.
After the laugh ended, Gu Ji took the initiative to speak. "Most of the Liu family's masters are dead, leaving only one fourth-grade Martial Artist. Since the Liu family dared to set up an ambush to assassinate a court official, that's the same as rebelling. Even the people behind them wouldn't dare to cover for them. In the future power struggle of Anping Prefecture, the Liu family is bound to be removed from the list of factions."
He asked inquiringly, "I wonder if brother Xuanjing would like to take over everything from the Liu family?"
As Pei Xuanjing had helped him so much, he naturally wanted to respond accordingly.
Pei Xuanjing declined, "I aim to wander the world for Martial Arts cultivation. I have no intention of staying here."
Martial Artists need resources for their cultivation. Every successful cultivator would choose to join a faction, or establish their own power. Someone who wanders alone like Pei Xuanjing is a rare case.
However, Pei Xuanjing's path is different from others'. He does need some resources, but what's more important to him is to collect Cultivation Method Manuals to simulate life.
Establishing a power involves too much effort, and he doesn't have anyone else who can help him manage it. For him, it's actually detrimental.
"That's true. You're not in a rush." Gu Ji nodded.
He wasn't aware of Pei Xuanjing's thoughts. He simply believed that the prestige of the Liu family was beneath someone as gifted as Pei Xuanjing, so he found Pei Xuanjing's refusal to be quite reasonable.
"In that case, I'll handle the assets of the Liu family. Be assured, Xuanjing, your share won't be lacking," Gu Ji assured him.
The assets of the Liu family were a considerable treasure, even for someone of his status as the prefecture governor.
But he knew very well that this wealth was not to be swallowed whole by himself. He would definitely give Pei Xuanjing a share, a sizable portion at that.
But in exchange for the friendship of a fourth -grade Martial Artist, who might even become a third-grade Martial Artist in the future, it was a trade very worthwhile to Gu Ji.
"Thank you very much, big brother Gu," Pei Xuanjing replied with a smile.
Though he's devoted to Martial Arts, he wasn't the type to be an ascetic cultivator. With these earnings, he could support the resources needed for his daily cultivation.
There was no reason for him to reject this goodwill, given these things were what he rightfully deserved.
Gu Ji casually dismisses, "It's a trifling matter. You don't need to worry about these mundane things. All you need to do is wait."
Pei Xuanjing nodded and then, seemingly accidently mentioned something after remembering those who had attacked him under Shen's Business Association bounty in the Blessed Land, "Brother Gu, how come I noticed some of Shen's Business Association's people among this group?"
Gu Ji understood his hint immediately, his eyes brightening, "Indeed! If Shen's Business Association dared to collude with the Liu family, they can't be let off the hook either."
Pei Xuanjing showed a satisfactory smile.
After the battlefield was cleared, they all headed for Anping City.
On the way, Gu Ji had already issued a document, commanding the elites from Six Gates and Thousands of Households to be mobilized.
After entering the city and regrouping, without any rest, they split into two routes, heading straight for the bases of Shen's Business Association and the Liu family.
The other fourth-grade Martial Artist of the Liu family went to reinforce Liu Rui Long but returned without achieving anything.
He had just returned to the Liu family for a short while when he was cornered at home.
Faced with the siege of the elites from Six Gates and Thousands of Households, the fourth-grade Martial Artist of the Liu family was killed on the spot.
The same happened at Shen's Business Association. Shen Mei, upon hearing the news from the Blessed Land, immediately had people pack up their belongings to escape but ran right into Pei Xuanjing and his crew, and was killed by them.
By this point, the Liu family and Shen's Business Association, these two major powers that had been established in Anping Prefecture for almost a hundred years, had completely collapsed..