All-class Gu Immortal

Chapter 178 Zhou Qing: I admit I spoke too loudly just now! (Part 2)

Upon seeing Han Wending appear, Zhou Qing's face lit up with joy. He quickly stepped forward and respectfully bowed, saying, "Greetings, Uncle Han!"

Before heading to Nanli County, just in case, he wrote a letter in advance and had the town's escort agency deliver it to the Han family and give it to Han Qingqing. This was to prevent the Demon Suppression Bureau and the Five Poisons Sect from causing trouble as soon as he arrived in Nanli County.

He guessed right!

However, Zhou Qing did not expect that the Demon Suppression Division and the Five Poisons Sect would send two Grand Martial Masters at the Blood Exchange Realm to question him. They really thought highly of him.

Of course, he never expected that the person from the Han family who came was not Han Qingqing, but Han Wending, the head of the family.

Han Wending turned around, a gentle smile appearing on his solemn face, and reached out to help him up.

"Nephew, no need for formalities. You left in such a hurry last time that you didn't allow the Han family to properly show you the hospitality. Now that you're back, you must stay at the Han family's house for a while longer."

"I was rude last time," Zhou Qing said respectfully.

The two Blood Exchange Realm Grand Martial Masters standing nearby both tensed up upon seeing this. They hadn't expected Zhou Qing to have such a close relationship with the Han family, which was now quite troublesome.

"Let's deal with the immediate issues first." Han Wending nodded, but his smile gradually faded as he faced the two Blood Exchange Realm Grand Martial Masters.

"Wan Guang, you have barged into my nephew Zhou's residence without cause and assaulted my maid. Do you intend to antagonize the Han family?"

Seeing Han Wending's tough attitude, Wan Guang's expression changed, but he didn't dare to say anything harsh to Han Wending, and his attitude immediately softened.

"My junior brother Wan Jiang has gone missing. I am here on the orders of the sect leader to ask him questions. I want to find out more about the situation from my junior brother surnamed Zhou."

"Oh? Wan Jiang has disappeared?" Han Wending seemed thoughtful, but didn't say anything more. Instead, he turned to look at Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Senior, I am not familiar with Senior Brother Wan Jiang. I only know that he went out last month and has not returned since. I know nothing else. I suppose Senior Sister and Senior Brother Wei have already informed Master about this matter."

They had already prepared their explanation before they arrived.

Since they insist that Wan Jiang is missing, the best explanation is that they don't know.

After all, he's a living, breathing person, a martial artist at the Bone Refining Realm, with his own legs; no one can keep him under control.

"Whether it's true or false, come back to the Five Poisons Sect with me, and the sect leader will know the answer with a single question." Wan Guang's expression darkened slightly.

"Even if I went to the Five Poisons Sect, Senior Brother Wan Jiang's disappearance has nothing to do with me. Judging from your words, senior, do you intend to torture me?" Zhou Qing raised an eyebrow.

Upon hearing this, Han Wending did not speak, but his extremely imposing gaze fell on Wan Guang.

Wan Guang felt a tightness around him and forced himself to say, "The sect leader would naturally not use torture on the disciples of the sect. However, the elder of the punishment hall in the sect has cultivated a 'soul-capturing technique' that can be used on martial artists below the Blood Exchange Realm, making them speak without reservation."

A strange light flashed in Zhou Qing's eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "Has the sect already used the Mind-Bending Technique on Senior Brother Wei?"

"Not yet." Wan Guang's expression froze. Actually, he was just bluffing Zhou Qing. He didn't expect that Zhou Qing, so young, would be so calm in the face of trouble.

However, mainly because Han Wending was by his side, he dared not use his Blood Exchange Realm cultivation to intimidate Zhou Qing.

"It seems this soul-capturing technique has a significant negative impact on the target, doesn't it?" Zhou Qing's expression turned cold; he wasn't easily intimidated.

“If you don’t resist, you won’t be affected. If Junior Nephew Zhou has nothing to hide, why not give it a try?” Wan Guang said stubbornly.

"Whoever raises the question must provide evidence! I am innocent, why should I prove my innocence? Besides, if such insidious methods are used against the disciples of the sect simply because of suspicion, then it's better not to go to the Five Poisons Sect." Zhou Qing's attitude hardened.

Private fights are strictly prohibited in Nanli County, but this is actually to protect Wan Guang, not Zhou Qing.

If this were in the wild today, a mere Wan Guang wouldn't have the right to question him.

Seeing that Zhou Qing showed him no respect whatsoever, speaking almost like a scolding and not treating him as an elder or senior at all, Wan Guang couldn't help but sneer with a dark face:

"From what you're saying, you're denying that you're a disciple of the Five Poisons Sect?! Truly worthy disciples of Junior Brother Wei, each one more impressive than the last."

"Hmm?" Han Wending raised an eyebrow.

Wan Guang's face turned pale and then flushed, as if a dye shop had been opened on his face.

However, he came with the attitude of bullying the weak and intimidating others from the beginning, and now, facing Han Wending, who is far stronger than himself, he can only suffer a setback.

"If Senior Wan has no further questions, please leave. My family is poor and I have nothing to offer you, so I will not keep you as a guest." Zhou Qing said indifferently, directly seeing the guest out.

"Fine! Fine! Fine! I will definitely report today's events to the sect leader truthfully!" Wan Guang gritted his teeth, glaring at Zhou Qing with hatred.

"Farewell!"

With that, he bowed to Han Wending, who was standing to the side, and then turned and left.

At this moment, the remaining officer of the Demon Suppression Division, dressed in a purple official robe, looked slightly embarrassed.

"Xiao Yun, and you? What brings you here to see your nephew Zhou?" Han Wending looked at the other person, addressing him by his first name, but his attitude had softened somewhat.

"Reporting to Lord Han, Xiao Kang, the military commander in charge of the Ping'an County area, has mysteriously disappeared. Before his disappearance, he investigated a large number of files related to Zhou Qing. Therefore, I am here to find Zhou Qing to find out some information."

Xiao Yun bowed respectfully.

Although the Demon Suppression Division and the Prefectural Governor's Office of Nanli County were not part of the same system, Han Wending, as the Commandant of Nanli County, held a higher official position and was more powerful than him, so he naturally dared not be negligent.

Han Wending's heart skipped a beat, but he said without changing his expression, "Xiao Kang investigated a lot of files related to Zhou Xian before he disappeared. Does that mean his disappearance is related to Zhou Xian?"

"Of course, I'm just here for a routine inquiry," Xiao Yun said solemnly.

“Alright, go ahead and ask.” Han Wending nodded.

"Yes." Xiao Yun looked at Zhou Qing and asked him a few basic questions: Where was he on the day Xiao Kang disappeared, what was he doing, and was anyone else by his side?

Zhou Qing responded to each point.

In fact, both Xiao Yun and Zhou Qing knew that the questioning was just a formality.

Zhou Qing had worked in the Demon Suppression Bureau, so he naturally knew how many methods were used to interrogate prisoners in the Imperial Prison. Many of the punishments, if not considered to be extremely perverse, were so creative that they were beyond the imagination of normal people.

A dozen or so forms of torture applied at once would be unbearable even for the toughest man.

However, such punishment would naturally not be used on Zhou Qing.

Often, whether you did the thing or not is not important.

If Zhou Qing had no power or background, he would definitely confess once he entered the Demon Suppression Bureau's prison.

This is the same principle as someone who has been stabbed eight times in the back and committed suicide.

Death might be the easiest outcome at that moment.

The focus is not on the truth, but on completing the mission.

"I have finished asking my questions and will now return to report." After asking his questions, Xiao Yun did not delay. He bowed respectfully to Han Wending and prepared to leave.

"Please take care, Lord Xiao." Zhou Qing said, cupping his hands in greeting, and then proceeded to see Xiao Yun to the door.

"Young Master Zhou, please wait." Xiao Yun gestured for him not to see him off and quickly walked out of the mansion gate. Zhou Qing watched Xiao Yun leave, his eyes shifting. Today was only the first hurdle, the beginning of trouble, not the end.

He craves stability, but there are always people who prevent him from achieving it.

Zhou Qing looked at Han Wending, "Uncle Han, actually about this matter..."

"You don't need to explain, I believe what you said." Han Wending raised his hand to interrupt him. For him, the truth was not important.

“You saved Qingqing and Lu Yan, and I must repay this kindness, even if it means becoming enemies with the Five Poisons Sect. Besides, the Wan family today is not the same as it used to be.”

"Thank you very much, Uncle Han!" Zhou Qing bowed respectfully.

"There's no need for that." Han Wending held Zhou Qing's wrist. "You've already shown me the letter you wrote to Qingqing. I'm planning to arrange a position as a lieutenant general for you in the Divine Might Camp. In this way, both the Han family and the Su family will become your backers, and you can focus on your cultivation until you break through to the Blood Exchange Realm."

"A military officer? That's probably against the rules, isn't it?" Zhou Qing was taken aback. A military officer was usually a high-ranking martial artist at the Blood Exchange Realm.

“It’s against the rules. However,” Han Wending nodded, his words revealing an undeniable domineering air, “In the Divine Might Camp, my rules are the rules!”

"Of course, as a lieutenant general now, it will be difficult for you to win over the people, so you will not be given real power or salary at the beginning. I believe that with your abilities, you will soon be able to distinguish yourself in the battles against the barbarians. At that time, you will be the rightful lieutenant general of the Divine Might Camp."

Han Wending said with a smile.

"Yes!" Zhou Qing replied solemnly. Joining the Divine Might Camp would make it much easier to make contact with the Five Streams Barbarians.

"The main camp set off yesterday, and there are still some things to take care of in the camp. I'll go back to the camp first and come to see you again in a few days," Han Wending nodded.

"Uncle Han, you flatter me. When you return, it will naturally be me who pays you a visit," Zhou Qing said respectfully.

"Alright, Qingqing has been talking about you a lot lately!" Han Wending said with a smile.

"Father! What nonsense are you talking about? You're gossiping about your daughter behind her back again." At this moment, a coquettish voice came from the front door.

Zhou Qing looked in the direction of the sound and saw Han Qingqing wearing a black armor, her long hair tied in a high ponytail. Compared to her previous arrogance, she looked heroic and dashing.

"I praised you earlier, but you didn't get a chance to hear it. Now that I've said this, you've heard it all," Han Wending teased.

"Who told you to come back without me? I don't have your kind of agility," Han Qingqing said irritably.

"It's all because you kept urging me to come and help my nephew Zhou." In front of Han Qingqing, Han Wending showed no airs of a master, acting more like a doting father.

"What nonsense are you talking about?!" Han Qingqing's face flushed red, and she stomped her feet in frustration.

"Alright, you young people can talk some more. I have to go and handle the affairs of the camp." Seeing that his daughter was anxious, Han Wending disappeared from the scene in a flash.

"So fast!" Zhou Qing's eyes narrowed. He barely had time to react before Han Wending disappeared from sight.

Such speed is far beyond what Mu Renjie could match.

Han Wending is very likely a top-tier martial arts master who has undergone more than six blood transfusions, and his strength may even be stronger than Wei Sheng in his prime.

"Brother Zhou, how have you been lately?" Han Qingqing came up to Zhou Qing and looked at him with a pretty face.

"Thank you for your concern, Miss Qingqing. I'm doing well these days." Zhou Qing smiled and cupped her hands in greeting, then instructed the two maids, "Quickly, serve Miss Qingqing some tea."

"Yes." The two maids hurriedly went to the backyard.

At this moment, Han Qingqing noticed the handprint on Lanlan's face and her expression darkened slightly: "Lanlan, who hit you?"

When "Fourth Miss" Lanlan saw Han Qingqing, her voice trembling with tears, she told Han Qingqing what had just happened.

"The Wan family is really going too far!" Han Qingqing said indignantly.

"This matter won't end like this. I will make Wan Guang pay a hundredfold!" Zhou Qing comforted him. Since Wan Guang harbored ill intentions towards him, the only option was to kill him.

"Young Master Zhou" Lanlan was somewhat moved; she believed that Zhou Qing would have this ability sooner or later.

"Lanlan, you took the beating for me today. Go find Xiaohong and Xiaolv and get fifty taels of silver from the storeroom as a small compensation for you." Zhou Qing nodded.

"Young Master Zhou, how can this be?" Lanlan waved her hands repeatedly. Even though she was a maid in the Han family and the most favored fourth young lady's personal attendant, she received a monthly salary of two taels of silver. Fifty taels of silver would be enough for her to save for several years.

“Of course, that’s fine. My reputation is worth far more than fifty taels of silver. If it weren’t for the recent high expenses and insufficient funds in the treasury, even five hundred taels wouldn’t be a problem,” Zhou Qing said solemnly.

He never mistreats those who do their jobs well.

With his current spending habits, even an extra fifty or five hundred taels wouldn't be enough to accomplish anything significant.

But for the people below, this money is a huge sum of money.

If someone earns so much money and is still stingy with those around them, that's just too mean.

"Lanlan, since Brother Zhou has said so, you should keep the money. Brother Zhou is much more generous than me," Han Qingqing chimed in.

"Miss, you flatter me. You've been very good to me too!" Lanlan quickly replied.

"Go ahead," Han Qingqing gestured for Lanlan to hurry up.

"Yes." Lanlan bowed and left the front yard.

After Lanlan left, Han Qingqing said, "Brother Zhou, if you need money, you can tell me."

“I’m short of money more than a little bit. You should keep your money for yourself. I have my own way.” Zhou Qing waved his hand. He had already asked Han Wending for such a big help this time, so he was too embarrassed to borrow money from Han Qingqing again.

Besides, although Han Qingqing is the most favored child in the Han family, she is still young, and a few thousand or tens of thousands of taels of silver would be a lot.

If it weren't for the fact that he had many things that were temporarily inconvenient to sell, he wouldn't be short of money.

The items that Mu Renjie and Wan Jiang possessed alone could fetch nearly ten thousand taels of silver.

Han Qingqing nodded and walked towards the front hall: "Alright, just let me know if you need anything. I have some property left to me by my mother, all of which is my private savings. Although I don't earn much, I can still lend you 30,000 to 50,000 taels of silver for emergencies. You can pay me back whenever you have the money."

"squeak!"

Han Qingqing was talking to herself when she walked into the front hall and found that Zhou Qing hadn't followed her in. There was a creaking sound behind her.

"Brother Zhou?" Han Qingqing turned around and saw Zhou Qing standing at the door, looking astonished.

"Miss Qingqing, I admit I was too arrogant just now." Zhou Qing smiled brightly, her eight white upper teeth dazzlingly white in the sunlight.

“Actually, this…” Zhou Qing made a gesture of rubbing his hands together like a fly.

Thirty thousand taels of silver!
This is enough for him to achieve a major breakthrough in both martial arts and Gu cultivation.

If he could break through to the Blood Exchange Realm in one go, his strength would increase greatly, and making money would be much easier.

Han Qingqing was taken aback by Zhou Qing's sudden enthusiasm.

(End of this chapter)