Dao Qi Wu Zang Guan Guan: I became a Daoist Master in the 1990s

Chapter 151 The Imperial Preceptor of the Heavenly Realm
Qi Yun, too lazy to listen to his cowardly excuses, interrupted him directly and asked, "So, what is the background of the Imperial Preceptor? What is his cultivation level?"

When Prefect Li heard Qi Yun ask about this, he seemed to grasp a glimmer of hope and hurriedly replied, "Reporting to the Imperial Preceptor... no, to the hero! The Imperial Preceptor's Taoist name is Qingyun."

It was a chance encounter during His Majesty's southern tour ten years ago!

At that time, His Majesty was unwell and the imperial physicians were helpless. It was the Imperial Preceptor who cured His Majesty with profound Taoist magic, displaying many supernatural powers. His Majesty was amazed and regarded him as a celestial being. Therefore, he honored him as the Imperial Preceptor and ordered the construction of the 'Zijin Temple' on Zijin Mountain outside the capital, showing him the utmost respect!

The Grand Preceptor has six direct disciples. The one currently presiding over the 'Yin-Yang Furnace' project at the Qingwei Temple in Yongzhou is his sixth disciple, whose Daoist name is… 'Xuan Yin'!

He paused, his tone unconsciously carrying a hint of awe and a subtle threat: "The Imperial Preceptor possesses boundless magical power and great supernatural abilities. As the Imperial Preceptor, one's cultivation must have already transcended the ordinary and entered the legendary 'Stepping the Gang' realm, thus achieving the position of Celestial Master!"

That is the sixth disciple, Xuan Yin. Although he joined the sect the latest, he is now said to be a master of the 'Transformation' realm!
The imperial bodyguard who was protecting Eunuch Wang just now must have already headed to Qingwei Temple with Eunuch Wang... Hero, you...

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear: the Grand Preceptor's power is immense, and there are countless experts among them. Although you are powerful, you should still think twice.

Upon hearing this, Qi Yun's eyes flashed with a cold light. Without drawing his sword, Cheng Yun, he simply flicked forward with the tip of the scabbard!
With a soft "crack" and a shrill scream from Prefect Li, one of his left little fingers was severed by Qi Yun's sword sheath!
Qi Yun's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority: "I'll answer your questions. Understand?"

Prefect Li convulsed in agony, his face ashen white. He clutched his bleeding left hand tightly, his teeth grinding together as he forced back a scream. Beads of cold sweat instantly covered his forehead as he stammered, "I...I understand! Please tell me, sir!"

"What about the four Dharma altars under the Qingwei Temple?"

"It's...it's Master Xuanyin...his four disciples are in charge...on the surface, they're responsible for...coordinating food supplies...gathering refugees, but in reality...in reality, they're secretly overseeing...overseeing the forging of divine weapons in four hidden locations..."

Prefect Li answered with a heavy heart, his voice broken and intermittent.

"Where is the place where it's refined? Do you know its exact location?"

"No...I don't know! This humble official truly doesn't know!" Prefect Li hurriedly shook his head. "This humble official was only responsible for...providing official conveniences, assisting in the allocation of some resources, and suppressing local dissent...the specific refining locations were all personally controlled by True Man Xuan Yin and his disciples, and were extremely secretive. This humble official had no way of knowing!"

Qi Yun nodded and didn't pursue the matter further.

He changed the subject abruptly: "I've come tonight to borrow something from you."

Upon hearing this, Prefect Li's face, which had just eased slightly, instantly turned deathly pale again. He stared at Qi Yun in terror, stammering, "Immortal... Immortal Master... you... you want to borrow..."

"I'm not borrowing your head," Qi Yun said calmly, "I'm borrowing the grain from your Hongnong Prefecture's granary."

Prefect Li was taken aback at first, then suddenly realized what he meant and exclaimed in surprise, "You...you're going to give the grain to the disaster victims outside the city?!"

He almost blurted out, "A wise man thinks twice! A wise man thinks twice!"

There are hundreds of thousands of disaster victims outside the city. Although the government has some grain reserves, it is far from enough to meet the needs of the disaster victims.
Even if all of them were distributed, how many days could it last?
When the food runs out, the famine victims will still die, and the city's garrison, officials, and civilians will also run out of food! At that time, chaos will surely break out in the city, and the streets will be filled with the corpses of the starving!
Moreover, a major disaster is bound to be followed by a major epidemic. Those disaster victims are weak, and if they eat food and then die, it is a waste of food and only increases the risk of disease.
Immortal Master, those people... those people are already dead!

This action will not only fail to save them, but will also harm the entire city!

"laugh!"

Before he could finish speaking, the sword flashed again!
This time, Qi Yun used the sword's edge.

The remaining two fingers on Prefect Li's left hand flew off with a thud, spurting blood. "It seems you still haven't listened to me," Qi Yun's voice was icy cold. "Just answer my question. One more word of nonsense, and next time it will be your neck that gets broken."

Prefect Li was in so much pain that he almost fainted. He collapsed to the ground, unable to utter a complete sentence, only groans of pain and boundless fear remained.

At that moment, the masked assassin in the corner struggled to stand up completely.

He endured the pain and spoke hoarsely, “Brother… the prefect’s words, though… though they were meant to exonerate him,… but the consequences he spoke of might… might have some truth to them… so many disaster victims cannot be saved by the grain of one prefecture… if it causes unrest and plague in the city, wouldn’t… wouldn’t the crime be even greater?”

His tone was full of confusion and struggle, clearly influenced by the prefect's theory of "choosing between two evils".

Upon hearing this, Qi Yun smiled lightly, a smile that carried a hint of indifference and compassion as if he had seen through the ways of the world: "Reason? His reason is that the lives of the wealthy merchants, gentry, officials and soldiers in the city are lives, but the lives of the hundreds of thousands of people outside the city who are crying out for their deaths are not lives."
So they deserve to become the 'waste utilization' materials they talk about?

Heaven's justice is impartial; it has never discriminated between the noble and the lowly.

His gaze swept across the endless darkness outside the window, as if he could see the hellish scene outside the city: "I will do my best to do what I should do."

The outcome is up to fate.

How can we shrink back or even collude with others because of potential difficulties and future troubles?

Today I distribute food to the starving. There may still be death and disease tomorrow, but at least tonight, someone can have a full meal, feel a touch of human warmth, and have a little more hope to live.

If we stop doing good in the present because we are worried about the 'evil' of the future, the world would have been plunged into darkness long ago.

Where the Way lies, though a thousand or ten thousand may stand in my way, I will go. As for right and wrong, merit and demerit, I only seek a clear conscience; the rest is up to Heaven's will!

These words struck the assassin like a thunderclap. He stared blankly at Qi Yun, the confusion in his eyes gradually replaced by shock and admiration.

Qi Yun stopped looking at him and turned her gaze back to the pale-faced Prefect Li: "I only ask you, will you lend the grain or not?"
"If I don't lend it, then I really need to borrow your head!"

At this moment, Prefect Li was completely broken down, with no hope left. Enduring the excruciating pain, he asked in a trembling voice, "A hero keeps his word? You borrowed the grain... so... so you won't kill me?"

"Of course." Qi Yun nodded.

"Alright...alright...I'll lend it! I'll lend it!" Prefect Li, as if all his strength had been drained, collapsed to the ground, his voice hoarse, "I only ask that you...keep your promise..."

A moment later, the attic door opened.

Qi Yun stepped forward first, his expression calm.

Behind him, Prefect Li, his face pale, hastily wrapped his blood-soaked left hand with a torn piece of his clothing as the masked assassin held a sword to his back, staggering as he followed.

The officers and constables waiting downstairs were immediately agitated, raising their weapons, yet hesitant to act rashly.

(End of this chapter)