I run a casino in the immortal realm.

In less than half an hour, the household registration, travel permit, and property deed were all completed smoothly.

This is the power of money paving the way; in any world, as long as the profits are sufficient, the efficiency of bureaucracy can be frighteningly high.

"Brother Wang, thank you so much for your help today."

Zheng Yifei put away the property deed, stood up, and said, "It's better to meet by chance than by invitation. To thank you for your help, I'd like to host a dinner at the 'Drunken Immortal' restaurant in the city and invite you for a drink. I wonder if you would do me the honor?"

Zuixianlou is the largest restaurant in Liuhua County. It is said that a table of top-quality spiritual food there can cost thousands of gold coins.

On the way here, Zhang Ding introduced Zuixianlou to him.

Wang Bo stroked his mustache. He had some official business to attend to that afternoon, but looking at Zheng Yifei's face, which screamed "I'm rich," he unhesitatingly pushed his documents aside: "Brother, you've invited me so kindly, how can I, as your older brother, refuse? Let's go! We'll drink until we drop tonight!"

Half an hour later, on the most bustling street in Liuhua County, at Zuixianlou.

Zheng Yifei booked the most luxurious top-floor Accord.

The interior of the elegant pavilion was decorated in the most luxurious way. The floor was covered with soft beast fur, the walls were adorned with calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, and the corner was filled with the calming aroma of fine sandalwood.

The table was laden with delicacies: braised spirit fish aged for a hundred years, roasted meat from a fifth-tier demon beast, the Fire Cloud Leopard, and jade bone chicken soup stewed with more than a dozen kinds of spiritual herbs... Each dish exuded a rich spiritual energy, making one's mouth water.

Su Wanqing sat quietly to the side, occasionally touching her chopsticks. Most of the time, she silently played the role of a submissive wife, but her consciousness was quietly released, alert to all movements around her.

Zheng Yifei then personally poured a cup of amber-colored spirit wine for Wang Bo.

"Brother, let me offer you a toast. I'm new to Liuhua County, and I'll have to rely on your guidance in the future."

Zheng Yifei raised his glass.

"Of course, of course! You're too kind, brother!"

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the atmosphere in the private room became quite lively. Wang Bo's face flushed slightly, and he began to talk non-stop.

While serving food to Wang Bo, Zheng Yifei casually asked, "Brother, I'm new here and know absolutely nothing about this city. I just overheard Zhang Ding, the gatekeeper, mentioning something about the Zhao, Qian, and Sun families. I wonder what the situation is like in Liuhua County?"

If I ever start a small business in the future, I'll know what to avoid so as not to offend important people.

Upon hearing this question, Wang Bo put down his chopsticks, picked his teeth with a toothpick, and sighed, "Brother, you've come to the right person. The waters of Liuhua County run deep."

Wang Bo lowered his voice and leaned forward: "In Liuhua County, the magistrate is nominally in charge. Magistrate Liu Zhengyi has the cultivation of the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm and holds a seventh-rank official seal bestowed by the imperial court."

Within this small territory of Liuhua County, as long as he activates the official seal and borrows the fortune of heaven and earth, even a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator would have to give way. Therefore, the power of the government is absolutely the greatest.

"but……"

Wang Bo changed the subject: "Although the government is powerful, it can't cover everything. There are three local strongmen in the city, namely the Zhao, Qian, and Sun families you mentioned."

"These three families have extremely deep foundations. The Zhao family monopolizes the entire county's business of elixirs and spiritual herbs, the Qian family controls the mines and the forging of magical artifacts, and the Sun family controls the entire county's breeding of spiritual beasts and the transportation of caravans."

It can be said that these three companies control 70% of the industries in Liuhua County.

Zheng Yifei nodded thoughtfully: "Since these three families can monopolize so many industries, they must have top experts within their families, right?"

"That's natural."

Wang Bo sneered: "Zhao Wuji, the head of the Zhao family; Qian Wanguan, the head of the Qian family; and Sun Potian, the head of the Sun family—these three old fellows are all at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm! Although they are no match for the county magistrate in a one-on-one fight without the support of official seals, if the three families join forces, even the county magistrate will have to be wary."

"If that's the case, why doesn't the magistrate use the imperial court's power to suppress them?"

Zheng Yifei asked the core question.

"Suppress? How do you suppress them?"

Wang Bo looked at Zheng Yifei as if he were an idiot, then realized his rudeness and coughed twice to explain, "Brother, you don't know this. The powerful families in the Eastern Divine Continent are deeply intertwined; if you pull one hair, the whole thing will be affected."

"Take the Zhao family for example. One of the Zhao family patriarch's granddaughters is the ninth concubine of our Yuanyang Prefecture Prefect! The Prefect is a high-ranking official of the fourth rank, a powerful figure in the late Nascent Soul stage! Would the County Magistrate dare to touch the Zhao family?"

"Look at the Qian family. The eldest son of the Qian family is the son-in-law of the prefectural education commissioner. The education commissioner is a high-ranking official of the fourth rank. How could a seventh-rank county magistrate afford to offend him?"

The Sun family is even more ruthless; they sell large numbers of spirit beasts to the garrison in the county town at low prices every year, maintaining an extremely close relationship with the military.

Wang Bo shook his head and concluded: "These three families all have people protecting them from above. Although the county magistrate is the top dog in Liuhua County, he is still suppressed by the prefectural city and the county city above him."

So, everyone usually just maintained a superficial harmony. The county government collected its taxes, and the three families profited from each other's income. As long as they didn't rebel, the county magistrate would turn a blind eye and give them some face.

After listening, Zheng Yifei had a clear understanding of the power structure of Liuhua County.

This is a typical ecosystem of co-governance between feudal bureaucrats and local powerful families.

The government possessed absolute military power and a legitimate claim to justice, but local powerful clans controlled the economic lifeline and upper-class connections.

The two sides check and balance each other, yet also collude with each other, forming an impenetrable net that tightly suppresses the rogue cultivators at the bottom.

"I see, thank you for your guidance."

Zheng Yifei raised another glass of wine.

After finishing his drink, Wang Bo looked at Zheng Yifei with a glint of shrewdness in his eyes: "Brother, you gave your brother such a generous gift today and spent a lot of money to buy a house and settle down. Surely you didn't just want to be a rich man in Liuhua County, did you?"

Tell your brother the truth: what do you plan to do for a living in the future? Do you want to open a pill shop, or do some business reselling spiritual materials?

"If you want to do business, your brother can introduce you to the managers of the three major families. Pay some protection money, and you can live a peaceful life."

In Wang Bo's view, the best way out for a wealthy overseas cultivator like Zheng Yifei is to attach himself to one of the three major families and become a law-abiding businessman.