Chapter 18: Aftermath

After returning to the Stone House, Chen Xiyi looked at the situation outside. It was still a mess. He didn’t plan to clean it up. Because of the stampede, the bodies that could have been collected turned into mush.

He could still collect them, but the problem was these things were useless to Chen Xiyi. It was better to just go down and dig for more resources.

He climbed down the wooden ladder into the pit and started digging again. In his mind, he thought about the pros and cons of what he had done.

To others, this incident might completely ruin the image he had built before. But for Chen Xiyi, it was no problem at all.

He never intended to create the image of a kind and gentle immortal from the start.

If you are too kind, people will bully you. If he showed any weakness, they would take advantage. This time, some people had stirred up trouble, trying to use their numbers to pressure him with morals. It was a perfect example.

Chen Xiyi created his image to build momentum for himself, to let more people know he was an immortal. Only then could he have enough status and position to legitimately obtain items with Historical Connotation.

If his status, position, or the awe of his image were insufficient, in this feudal society, others might try tricky methods.

If it came to knowledge and experience, Chen Xiyi could probably win.

But if it came to intelligence, Chen Xiyi wasn’t so sure his IQ was higher than theirs. They were limited by their time, but they weren’t fools.

If his image wasn’t imposing enough, others would likely test him in various ways.

Now, with that display of Jianghu’s magic, Chen Xiyi had not only scared them, making them know he wasn’t to be trifled with, but more importantly, it made his image even stronger. He went from being just an immortal to an immortal with great Magical Power who dared to kill.

This event might give Chen Xiyi some negative reputation, but it also earned him a higher status.

“This way, I have the qualifications to negotiate with a kingdom.”

Chen Xiyi had previously boasted that he could burn mountains and boil seas. Of course, that was an exaggeration. Not even he could do that, and neither could Jianghu.

But Jianghu could grow. So far, Chen Xiyi didn’t know Jianghu’s limits.

“I need to get new Fairy/Spirit quickly, preferably ones good at fighting and protection.”

Chen Xiyi felt completely insecure. This time it worked out; he made a big show. But what if the Great Li Kingdom sent an army to suppress him?

With his current methods, he definitely couldn’t fight them and would have to run.

But judging by the current situation, the Great Li Kingdom wouldn’t send an army. Instead, they would come to invite him respectfully.

After all, Chen Xiyi had spread the word that he possessed the secret to immortality. Whether it was true or false, the Emperor of the Great Li Kingdom would surely be tempted.

As long as he could achieve immortality, the deaths of some people didn’t matter at all, especially those who died seeking immortality or Immortal Arts.

“First, I’ll mine. I’ll think about it after digging. By then, maybe the Prefect will come to pay his respects.” Chen Xiyi started working.

Since he had created the image of an immortal and was putting on a mystical act, he couldn’t let his standards drop.

As an immortal, naturally he couldn’t go to see these officials. They had to come see him to fit his image.

…

Prefect Cai Hai looked serious. “I never expected this Immortal Fuyao to have such ruthless methods. I thought he was just a fraud, but I was wrong…”

He had previously seen the wonder of Old Taoist Xuan Li’s Stone Sword.

But today, seeing that floating water cloud above the crowd and then those water arrows shooting out made him realize that this Immortal Fuyao was truly not someone they could afford to provoke.

If nothing else, if they really angered him and he floated that water cloud over Lingqu City, with water arrows raining down constantly, no one would survive.

“Sir, the memorial is ready. Please review it,” a Scholar beside him said.

Cai Hai took the memorial, read it, then closed it. “Send it by express courier, eight hundred li to the Capital, for His Majesty.”

This was no small matter. Whether it was the deaths of over a hundred people or this Immortal Fuyao’s magic, it wasn’t something a Prefect like him could handle.

Besides, the other party also possessed the secret to immortality.

“Yes, Prefect.” The Scholar took the memorial and went out.

Cai Hai was left alone, thinking quietly.

“Immortality. Immortal Arts.”

His eyes became somewhat distant. He used to think power was his lifelong pursuit, but now he understood something: no matter how much power you have, you’re still just a mortal.

Because of this, he began to have different thoughts.

If he himself had Immortal Arts like that Immortal Fuyao, wouldn’t everything become much simpler?

Scheming? Weighing pros and cons?

None of that would be necessary.

“It seems I must pay a visit to Immortal Fuyao. His methods are ruthless, but from what I’ve heard, it was those lowly commoners who caused the trouble. Did they really think immortality and Immortal Arts were so easy to obtain?”

“They tried to use their numbers to threaten Immortal Fuyao, but he is an immortal.”

“However, it seems he hasn’t completely closed the path to immortality. If you want it, you need to exchange something he is interested in.”

“Old Taoist Xuan Li used his Ancestral Master’s painting to exchange for a Magic Sword to Attain the Dao. Perhaps it was because of their prior connection, but it also shows that this Immortal Fuyao is someone who values old ties and protects his own.”

“I could try using some old antiques, calligraphy, or paintings first.”

Cai Hai wasn’t stupid. He had the ability to become a Prefect.

Just through thinking and analyzing, he roughly formed a plan.

“But this matter is really big,” Cai Hai chuckled lightly. If his memorial reached the Emperor, the entire Great Li Kingdom would be stirred up.

He was a Prefect, a position of no small status.

“Also, the three great Noble Families in Lingqu City are probably getting restless, though I don’t know what they…”

Before Cai Hai could finish his analysis, a yamen runner announced from outside: “Sir, the heads of the Wu, Song, and Li families are here to see you.”

“Let them in,” Cai Hai said, feeling a little surprised. He hadn’t expected these three Noble Families to come to him instead of trying their luck by visiting Immortal Fuyao themselves.

But surprised or not, he would still see them.

Cooperating with Noble Families had its pros and cons.

His backing was the Great Li Kingdom’s Imperial Court. These three Noble Families couldn’t even compete with him, let alone go against the Great Li Kingdom. Most likely, they were here to offer their allegiance.

After all, the potential benefits in this matter were huge. No one could remain unmoved.

While Noble Families had means to deal with ordinary people, officials, and scholars, those means would probably be useless against that Immortal Fuyao. They might even anger the Great Immortal and get their whole families killed.

So naturally, they came to find Prefect Cai Hai, since he had the backing of the Imperial Court, which offered some security.