From slave trader to the Immortal Lord of Ten Thousand Laws

Ok?

250?

Combat power is a whopping 250?!

Jiang She's eyes widened, and he almost cried out in surprise.

He exclaimed in disbelief, "Xu Ningyuan, as the strongest in the Xu family, only has a combat power of '25'. So, this old man... isn't he equivalent to ten Xu Ningyuans?!"

He paused, his mind racing with thoughts.

at the moment...

He still had a gold brick left over from the old temple belonging to Madam Xu, so he was no longer short of money to use his golden touch.

This old Taoist priest... arrived just in time!

"But he has only condensed five strands of magical power, and he's not some Qi Refining Immortal. How could he have such strength?"

"Could there be some trick to it?"

Jiang She was stunned, somewhat puzzled.

But he dared not be careless, so he focused his attention again and looked up at the top of the old Taoist's head.

However, the combat power of "250" was not completely solidified, but rather slightly ethereal, as if separated from the old Taoist's own aura by a barely perceptible gap.

"I see!"

Jiang She suddenly understood, and his mind cleared up.

The previous perplexing feeling vanished instantly, and he silently thought:

"It was my oversight."

"This fool... he's the one who 'invited the gods' to come."

...

In the courtyard.

After the old Taoist priest Liu Tuo finished chanting the incantation, his Taoist robe billowed in the wind. He slowly opened his eyes, and his bluish-gray vertical pupils suddenly appeared, like snakes or lizards, indifferent and ruthless.

Immediately afterwards...

A sinister voice echoed in his mind:

"Heh heh heh... Liu Tuo, you brat, what do you want with me?"

As he spoke, his bluish-gray vertical pupils swept across the courtyard, containing a mysterious power that instantly discerned everything.

"Oh!"

The "immortal" possessing Liu Tuo grinned coldly, his mouth stretching monstrously to his ears. His gaze swept over the altar, his eyes filled with displeasure, and he stuck out his tongue, saying:

"Ha! So you just wanted me to catch this little brat for you? Liu Tuo, it's been over ten years since I last saw you, yet your offerings are so sloppy. Have you forgotten that for every time you summon me, you must offer twenty pairs of young boys and girls?"

"Hmph! Very well, I'll make my move first. You owe me a sum of money, which you must repay double after this matter is settled!"

Before he finished speaking, a chilling wind began to blow through the courtyard.

It was as if the yin energy was gathering and about to condense into a soul.

"Hmph, a mere newly deceased ghost dares to cause trouble here!"

The "Immortal God" let out a low shout, his voice colder than the deepest hell. Using the old Taoist's body, he stomped his foot violently:

"Thump—!"

The ground tremors slightly.

A burst of blue flame suddenly erupted from the straight incense stick inside the incense burner on the table.

The old Taoist priest reached out with his right hand, and the peach wood sword placed on the incense table immediately hummed and leaped into his palm. The sword trembled slightly, and there was a faint sound of wind and thunder.

The old Taoist priest stood with his sword, neither chanting incantations nor performing any ritualistic steps.

He simply pointed the peach wood sword forward, its tip pointing towards a certain room in the west wing.

"Shoot!"

The single word uttered was like the clang of metal on metal.

In an instant, the swirling yin wind in the courtyard seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, transforming into several streams of gray-black air. Whistling and howling, they were forcibly pulled out from the corners of the courtyard and the shadows of the eaves, surging like a tide toward the point pointed at by the sword.

"ah--!"

The woman's scream suddenly rang out.

The gray-black air current twisted and intertwined wildly, and suddenly condensed into a ball, which appeared as a semi-transparent phantom three feet in front of the tip of the peach wood sword.

Its form is ethereal, and its face is hazy.

Yet one could still glimpse a hint of beauty, though the resentment in her eyes was as sharp as blood and as deadly as poison, chillingly clear.

"Third Madam!"

Qiao'er, standing outside the courtyard gate, covered her mouth and exclaimed in surprise.

She recognized him.

I recognized the ghostly figure as the Third Madam!

At this moment, the ghostly figure was firmly pinned to the spot pointed by the sword, its soul trembling violently in agony.

She turned her head with difficulty, her resentful eyes looking past the old Taoist with the sword, fixed straight and unwavering on Qiao'er outside the courtyard gate.

"Qiao'er?"

"Yes, it must be your good young lady!"

"I did not harm a single member of your Xu family while I was alive, nor did I seek revenge after my death. I was merely haunted by a lingering obsession. But I never imagined... that your Xu family would resort to such despicable means to annihilate my soul!"

"Great! Excellent! Absolutely great!!"

The Third Madam laughed sternly, her voice like tearing silk, piercing Qiao'er's ear and causing blood to trickle down from her ear.

"Hmph! So noisy!"

The old Taoist priest's brows furrowed, his bluish-gray vertical pupils as indifferent as ice. He seemed not to hear the Third Madam's pitiful pleas, only letting out a cold snort. With a slight turn of his wrist, wind and thunder rippled on the peach wood sword, shattering the soul shadow hanging on the sword tip inch by inch.

"Shut up! Die!"

click-

The peach wood sword could cut through iron like mud, and it was about to shatter the soul shadow in one strike, but unexpectedly, at this critical moment, the Third Madam sacrificed the lower half of her soul body.

"Sizzle!!"

Her waist was split open as if by a single line.

His lower body fell and was shattered by the peach wood sword.

Its upper body turned into gray lines and scattered.

"Trying to leave?"

"snort!"

The old Taoist priest was taken aback, his face showing surprise. However, a cold glint flashed in his bluish-gray vertical pupils. He flicked his wrist, and the peach wood sword drew a sharp arc. The arc then split into a thousand threads, which, like a net, directly enveloped the escaping gray line.

But the gray line was exceptionally cunning. At the last possible moment, it used the remaining yin energy to suddenly burst forth, its speed increasing dramatically in an instant. In just one move, it cleverly slipped through the gaps in the net.

Although the old Taoist priest reacted swiftly, he was ultimately a moment too late.

The gray line instantly crossed the courtyards and disappeared into the flowers and plants, leaving no trace.

...

Inside the study of the Miein Temple.

Xu Qingyue sat alone behind the desk, her fair wrist slightly suspended, the tip of her pen lightly touching the paper, carefully checking the account books.

Suddenly, her delicate body trembled.

She suddenly felt the temperature in the room drop, and her hands and feet became icy cold. Her breath even condensed into a thin white mist in front of her eyes.

Why... is it suddenly so cold?

Xu Qingyue frowned slightly, put down her brush with her slender hand, and was about to call a servant to add some clothes for her.

Before he could even speak, the carved wooden door of the study, which was tightly closed, began to tremble.

"Clang... Clang..."

"Thump—!"

A chilling gust of wind suddenly flung the door open, and the candlelight on the table flickered and swayed, revealing a faint, almost transparent black shadow.

The dark figure suddenly froze in the study, its form becoming hazy and about to dissipate, leaving only its upper body floating aimlessly.

"The Third Madam?!"

Xu Qingyue's delicate body trembled, and her slender legs went limp.

"ah--!"

Her exclamation startled the people outside the courtyard.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of agile figures, accompanied by a strong gust of wind, entered the courtyard.

It was Xu Qingyue's guard.

Normally, the young lady treated them well, but now that they saw their master in trouble, they all drew their weapons and stood in front of the table to protect him.

"Don't be afraid, Miss!"

Among the guards, a man in white with sharp eyebrows and a long sword at his waist reacted the fastest.

He let out a sharp shout, his toes barely touching the ground as he shot out like an arrow. The long sword at his waist was drawn with a clang, its cold light flashing. He didn't care whether his opponent was human or ghost, and thrust his sword straight forward with fierce force.

"laugh--!"

The longsword thrust forward, but instead pierced through the afterimage.

Li Nian's attack missed its mark, and he was horrified. Just as he was about to change his move and defend, he saw the ghostly figure raise its arm and suddenly flick its sleeve.

"Bang!"

With a flick of his sleeves, he suddenly unleashed a chilling gust of wind.

Li Nian felt as if he had been struck in the abdomen with a heavy hammer. Before he could even groan, he was sent flying backward like a broken sack, his back slamming against the door frame with a loud thud. Instantly, blood gushed from his throat, and he collapsed to the ground, spitting out blood.

The Third Madam's ghost, however, seemed to have casually crushed an ant, completely ignoring the swatting of Li Nian. Only her eyes burned with resentment as she screamed madly and hatefully:

"Xu Qingyue! Xu Qingyue—!!"

"I have done you no wrong, why do you want to harm my soul? Why do you want to harm my soul?!"

"I refuse to accept this! I refuse to accept this! If you want to kill me, why can't I kill you!"

Bang!

Before the words were finished, a thunderous shout rang out:

"You wicked child! How dare you be so insolent!"

The old Taoist priest moved swiftly, leaving a trail of afterimages as he passed through the courtyards, before he appeared between Xu Qingyue and the ghost. Without even taking out his peach wood sword to flick it, he simply reached out, and his five fingers, like dragon claws, gripped the Third Madam's throat tightly, lifting her up into the air.

He possessed magical power, which relentlessly eroded the Third Madam's ghostly aura, like a mule pulling a millstone.

"Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!"

The ghostly aura burned like fire, and the soul's light rapidly dimmed.

The Third Madam's soul became increasingly transparent. Terrified, her face turned ashen. In that instant, the horror of her body and soul being annihilated overwhelmed her resentment, and she could only plead for mercy with a face full of fear:

"Spare me! Immortal, spare me!"

"My master... is the Jade Flower Immortal of Yunxiang Mountain, who has reached the Qi Refining stage and is a true immortal!"

"Master... has planted a life mark deep within my soul platform. If the Immortal Master were to shatter my soul today, the mark would collapse, and Master would know immediately. Master... is extremely vengeful and protective of her own... If she finds out about this, she will stop at nothing, even digging three feet into the ground, to avenge me!"

"Hehehe!"

The old Taoist priest burst into laughter. Instead of loosening his grip, he slightly tightened his fingers, and the golden light of his magic burned the Third Madam's soul, causing her to hiss and her face to contort in pain.

"A Qi Refining Immortal? What a powerful backer! I was so frightened I almost bowed down in worship!"

The old Taoist priest sneered: "Little girl, you're about to die, and you still dare to use your wild cultivator master, who knows which remote village or mountain cave you crawled out of, to scare people."

If you were to say that your master is the Grand Preceptor, who sits atop the Great Qian Dynasty court, wielding immense power and enjoying the nation's fortune and offerings... I might have to reconsider and swallow my pride, allowing your remnant soul to enter the Well of Reincarnation.

"But you?"

"Ha! Your magical power is a jumbled mess, your foundation as fragile as duckweed. You cultivate unorthodox methods, you're nothing but an ant. With your meager cultivation and background, how strong could your master be? He's nothing more than a cowardly cultivator hiding in the gutter, barely surviving! You dare call yourself a 'Qi Refining Immortal'? You dare threaten me?!"

"Ha! Just let her come seeking revenge."

"I will kill them all!"

Before he finished speaking, the old Taoist suddenly clenched his fist, and magical power burst forth from his palm, as blazing as the sun and as fierce as fire. In an instant, he turned the wailing Third Madam into green smoke. Then, with a flick of his sleeve, he left not even the slightest trace.

The suffocating chill and resentment in the study vanished instantly.

As the Third Madam's soul completely dissipated, the sinister and chilling magical power receded from the old Taoist priest like a tide.

The old Taoist priest swayed, his bluish-gray pupils disappeared, and his face turned ashen, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness. He staggered a few steps and barely managed to hold onto the table beside him. The earth-shattering, godlike aura he had just displayed had vanished.

Xu Qingyue slumped in her chair, still slightly shaken. Her pretty face was still pale, and her breasts heaved unsteadily, trembling with each rapid breath.

She looked up and saw a mess on the ground. The guard Li Nian was still lying unconscious by the door, and the other guards were also still in shock. She suppressed the turmoil in her heart, braced herself on the edge of the desk, and barely managed to stand up. Then, she slightly bent her waist and bowed gracefully to the old Taoist priest.

"This humble servant... thanks the Immortal Master for his righteous rescue, exorcising evil spirits and saving Qingyue from danger. If it weren't for the Immortal Master's unparalleled supernatural powers, Qingyue would probably be in grave danger today. The entire Xu family is deeply grateful for this great kindness and will surely repay it with the utmost gratitude."

Her voice was weak, still trembling slightly, but it had regained its usual gentleness and politeness.

After catching his breath, the old Taoist priest Liu Tuo heard Xu Qingyue's words of gratitude. A glint of light flashed in his cloudy eyes, and the ashen look on his face faded, replaced by a serious and earnest expression.

He shook his head slightly, his white beard trembling, and laughed:

"Miss Xu, you flatter me."

"Exorcising demons and monsters is simply our duty as cultivators; there's no need for thanks."

"However..." He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sharpening as he looked directly into Xu Qingyue's still-frightened almond-shaped eyes. His voice suddenly became deep and mysterious: "Just now, I borrowed the eyes of a 'celestial being' to observe Miss's fortune and destiny, and I saw that Miss's palace of fate was gloomy, and there was a dark aura swirling around her forehead. This is not an ordinary sign of misfortune, but rather an ominous sign of impending calamity!"

"A bad omen?"

Xu Qingyue was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

The old Taoist priest nodded, stroking his beard, and said, "Miss, think about it carefully. Ever since the Third Madam died violently in the West Wing, strange things have been happening frequently in the house. Many servants have lost their lives, and Miss has been repeatedly possessed by ghosts! This is not accidental; it is because Miss's fate is extraordinary, making her extremely prone to attracting evil spirits and being plagued by calamities!"

Xu Qingyue was horrified and exclaimed in horror:

"What should we do?"

The old Taoist priest glanced at her, then quickly looked away, feigning profundity as he said, "If you remain in the mortal world, trapped in worldly affairs and mundane matters, I fear... calamities will be endless. You may escape one calamity today, only to face another tomorrow. This is not a long-term solution; you may even endanger your life and bring ruin upon your family!"

"Only by breaking free from the shackles of worldly ties, entering my Xuanmen (mysterious sect), and cultivating the supreme Dao can one purify one's body, resolve karmic tribulations, eliminate calamities, and attain eternal life and freedom! This is the 'immortal destiny' destined for you, Miss, and your only path to survival!"

"I am destined to meet you, young lady, and today, by sheer coincidence, I have saved your life. Is this not the will of Heaven? Why not... come with me into the mountains to learn the Dao? I will impart all my knowledge to you, guiding you directly to the Great Dao and freeing you from the suffering of the mortal world!"

As he said this, he was thinking dirty thoughts.

Xu Qingyue took a deep breath, performed a graceful curtsy, her posture respectful yet her tone firm, and said:

"I will never forget the Immortal Master's life-saving grace. As for the Immortal Master's words about destiny and tribulations, I, a mere mortal woman, dare not presume to discuss such profound matters."

"However... my father is seriously ill, and my uncle is unwilling to marry. If Qingyue were to abandon worldly ties now and follow the immortal to the mountains to learn the Dao, who would serve my father medicine at his bedside? Who would manage the livelihood of the Xu family of hundreds and the family business passed down through generations? How could Qingyue dare to lightly abandon the foundation laid by our ancestors..."

"Moreover... the path to immortality is vast and elusive, and longevity is a distant dream. Qingyue is merely a woman with dull aptitude, and I fear she will find it difficult to even begin to understand its principles. In doing so, she would only disappoint the immortal's good intentions and cause the Xu family line to be cut off. Such an unfilial and unjust act is something that Qingyue... truly cannot comply with."

After speaking, she bowed deeply again, her expression extremely respectful, yet her intention to decline was already evident.

The old Taoist priest smiled upon hearing this:

"What's the harm? Haven't you done portrait painting? Do you have someone you love? Marry him and have children!"

He spoke with a lewd smile.

He loved married women more than young girls who hadn't yet conceived.