I run a casino in the immortal realm.

"That's right, the Inspectorate is a lucrative position, and countless eyes are eyeing it."

Liu Zhengyi sighed, his tone becoming meaningful: "The prefectural city is not like a county town. To get this position, cultivation alone is not enough; you also need the approval of those above. Although I am a prefectural judge, I cannot control everything. To pull strings, you need to have the right connections."

As he spoke, Liu Zhengyi held up a finger and waved it in front of Zheng Yifei.

"One million gold coins?"

Zheng Yifei asked tentatively.

Liu Zhengyi shook his head, a meaningful smile curving his lips, and uttered three words: "Ten million."

Ten million gold coins!

Upon hearing this number, Zheng Yifei's eye twitched imperceptibly.

This old man has an insatiable appetite. Ten million gold coins is an astronomical figure for ordinary cultivators. Even for the three major families of Liuhua County, it's not something they can easily come up with in cash.

This is blatant selling of official positions and titles, and the prices are outrageously high.

Zheng Yifei looked troubled, his brows furrowed, as if he were having a fierce internal struggle.

But in his mind, he was rapidly calculating: the value of a seventh-rank patrol inspector was immeasurable. With this title, he could openly expand his influence and gather resources in the prefectural city.

Ten million may seem like a lot, but compared to the future returns, this investment is absolutely worthwhile.

"My lord, ten million gold coins is indeed a considerable sum. Even if I sold myself, I still wouldn't be able to raise enough."

Zheng Yifei said with a bitter face, but then his tone changed, and he said through gritted teeth, "However, for the sake of your great cause, and for my future, I will find a way to raise this money even if I have to sell everything I own!"

"Good! That's bold!"

Liu Zhengyi nodded approvingly.

"As for cultivation level..."

Zheng Yifei lowered his head slightly, his tone tinged with apology: "This humble servant would not dare to deceive you, sir. In fact, some time ago, this humble servant was fortunate enough to obtain a Nascent Soul Pill, which has already..."

At this point, Zheng Yifei took a deep breath and quietly released a trace of the seal on the Hidden Spirit Technique within his body.

hum-

A faint fluctuation of spiritual energy emanated from his body.

He controlled it with exquisite skill, revealing only about 20% of his strength. Although this aura belonged to the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, it appeared very weak and chaotic, like a rogue cultivator who had just forcibly broken through a bottleneck with a pill and whose realm was not yet stable.

Liu Zhengyi sensed this aura, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes at first, but then he understood.

Zheng Yifei has access to the Treasure Pavilion and handles countless resources every day, so it's not surprising that he obtained breakthrough pills.

Moreover, judging from his weak and unstable aura, it was obvious that he had forcibly built up his strength with external force, and his foundation was extremely shallow.

This kind of mediocre Nascent Soul cultivator is no threat to him, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator with profound foundation. He could crush him with one hand.

"You've actually broken through?"

Liu Zhengyi raised an eyebrow in feigned surprise, then stroked his beard and laughed loudly: "Hahahaha! Good! Very good! Now that your cultivation is sufficient, things will be much easier."

"I'm giving you half a month to raise these ten million gold coins. Once the money is in place, I'll immediately have the Liu family influence things within the Ministry of Personnel."

"Thank you for your kindness, sir! I will go back and raise the money immediately!"

Zheng Yifei bowed deeply, tears streaming down his face, and left the study.

As he stepped out of the county government office, the night breeze swept by, and the gratitude and fear on Zheng Yifei's face vanished instantly, replaced by a deep, calm as still as an ancient well.

"Buying a seventh-rank official position for ten million, that's a good deal."

Zheng Yifei was very excited. Under the official system of the Tianlong Dynasty, it was difficult to move an inch without an official position. With the identity of patrol inspector, he could legitimately establish a new base in the prefectural city.

Back at the courtyard house, it was already late at night, but Zheng Yifei did not rest.

He immediately summoned Li Jianfeng, who was on night duty, and asked him to call everyone to the council hall.

In less than half an incense stick's time, twelve Nascent Soul cultivators gathered together.

The council hall was brightly lit. Although everyone deliberately concealed their auras, the invisible pressure of twelve Nascent Soul stage experts gathered together still made the air feel heavy, and even breathing became difficult.

Zheng Yifei sat in the main seat, picked up a cup of hot tea to moisten his throat, and recounted to everyone the contents of his conversation with Liu Zhengyi at the county government office that evening.

"To the prefectural city?"

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Zhan's sleepy eyes widened instantly, and he excitedly slapped the table: "Great! This Liuhua County is too small, a tiny place with hardly anyone who can fight. I'm so tired of it. There must be many more experts in the prefectural city. Going there will be a good opportunity to stretch my muscles!"

Sitting next to him, Ouyang Tian glared at his son and slapped him on the back of the head: "Shut up, let Yifei finish what he has to say. All you know is fighting and killing. The waters in the city are deep. There are countless Nascent Soul cultivators. With your cultivation, you'll only be a slightly above-average one. Don't cause trouble."

Ouyang Zhan shrank back, chuckled dryly twice, and dared not contradict his father.

Zheng Yifei put down his teacup, his expression turning serious: "Sect Leader Ouyang is right. The prefectural city is not the same as the county town. The forces there are complex and the waters run deep. We cannot all go there. We must leave people to guard Liuhua County."

Duobao Pavilion and the Southern Region Gambling House are our foundation and our inexhaustible source of wealth. They absolutely cannot be allowed to fail. Once we lose our core base, even if we go to the prefectural city, we'll be like water without a source.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"After some consideration, I've made the following arrangements for the personnel going to the prefectural city this time."

Su Wanqing smiled gently and nodded. As Zheng Yifei's wife and the head of the team, she naturally had to stay by Zheng Yifei's side.

Zheng Yifei then looked at Zhao Ling, who was dozing off with her chin resting on her hand.

"Ling'er, you go too."

Zheng Yifei tapped the table, waking Zhao Ling: "The spiritual herb resources in the prefectural city are a hundred times richer than those in the county town. You can even buy rare sixth and seventh-grade spiritual herbs there. Go there to further your studies and improve your alchemy skills as soon as possible."

"We'll all need your pills to help us break through to the Void Refinement stage in the future."

Upon hearing about high-grade spiritual herbs, Zhao Ling's drowsiness vanished instantly. Her eyes lit up, and she nodded like a chick pecking at rice: "Don't worry, Brother Yifei! As long as there are spiritual herbs, I guarantee I'll feed you all until you're all plump and healthy, and you'll all reach the Void Refinement stage!"

Upon hearing this, everyone smiled kindly, and the atmosphere in the council hall became much more relaxed.

Zheng Yifei smiled and turned his gaze to Li Jianfeng and Ye Xiao on his right: "Jianfeng, Ye Xiao, you two come with me."

Li Jianfeng and Ye Xiao raised their heads at the same time, a sharp glint flashing in their eyes.

"There will definitely be plenty of open and covert attacks in the city. Swords of the Sword's Edge and daggers of the Night Owl are our sharpest blades in the shadows."

Zheng Yifei's voice turned cold, revealing a murderous aura: "Once we arrive in the prefectural city, there will definitely be a lot of dirty work that can't be done in public that you will need to handle. I will act as the inspector on the surface, and you will help me clear obstacles in the shadows."

Li Jianfeng touched the ancient longsword he always carried at his waist and said calmly, "No problem. My sword should drink some blood from a high-level cultivator too."

The owl nodded slightly in the shadows, seemingly blending into the darkness without making a sound, yet the deadly sense of danger it exuded sent chills down one's spine.