I run a casino in the immortal realm.

The Inspector's Building, the third floor of the public housing.

Su Qingwan placed a purple-gold storage bag on the table and pushed it in front of Zheng Yifei.

"My great-grandfather asked me to bring this to you. Inside is a 300-year-old nine-leaf purple fungus for protecting the heart meridian, and a set of Xuanbing Array Plate to stabilize the soul. Use it during foundation building to ensure that you will not suffer from qi deviation."

Su Qingwan spoke calmly, but her gaze was fixed on Zheng Yifei's face: "Great-grandfather said that the Su family is your solid support. They will not only help you establish your foundation, but also help you form your core."

Zheng Yifei didn't stand on ceremony and reached out to put away the storage bag.

"Please thank Elder Su for me."

He stood up and tossed the jade token representing the Chief Inspector's real power to Su Qingwan: "The Inspectorate is now in your hands. I'm going to the General Affairs Office to pick up the people. The Information Division must put on airs today."

There was no unnecessary talk; their interests were aligned, and saying another word would be a waste of time.

Half an hour later, in the main hall of the General Affairs Department.

Kim Jong-won sat in the hall and pointed to the fifteen disciples standing below the steps.

"Xiao Zheng, these fifteen people are all skilled clerks selected from various departments of the General Affairs Hall. Among them, eight are inner disciples at the Foundation Establishment stage and seven are outer disciples at the ninth level of Qi Refining. They are good at writing and calculating and have quick minds."

Jin Zhengyuan picked up his teacup and blew on it: "The one million spirit stones allocated by the sect leader will be deposited into the General Affairs Hall's account this afternoon. I've also cleared out a place for you, in the Listening Wind Pavilion in the backyard of the General Affairs Hall."

Zheng Yifei glanced at the fifteen people.

The inner disciples looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze, and even a hint of disdain.

A mere outer sect disciple at the ninth level of Qi Refining with five spiritual roots suddenly became their superior; no one would be happy about that.

Zheng Yifei ignored their gazes and was about to speak when a powerful surge of spiritual energy suddenly swept into the main hall.

The air suddenly felt heavy.

The fifteen disciples turned pale, instinctively took two steps back, and lowered their heads.

A young man wearing a robe with purple and gold dragon patterns stepped across the threshold.

He was in his early thirties, tall and slender with sword-like eyebrows that reached his temples. He placed one hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist, and with each step he took, the spirit stone floor tiles beneath his feet trembled slightly.

Peak Foundation Establishment. Moreover, it's the kind of peak where spiritual energy has been compressed to its limit, ready to shatter the foundation and form the core at any moment.

Jin Zhengyuan immediately put down his teacup, stood up, and cupped his hands in greeting: "Young Sect Master."

Xu Zhengkun, the eldest son of Xu Tianyang, the sect leader of Qingyun Sect, is a true crown prince.

Xu Zhengkun nodded slightly, his gaze passing over Jin Zhengyuan and landing directly on Zheng Yifei. His eyes were extremely oppressive, carrying the natural scrutiny of a superior.

"You're Zheng Yifei?"

Xu Zhengkun spoke, his voice echoing in the hall.

"Director of the Information Department, Zheng Yifei, greets the Young Master."

Zheng Yifei bowed respectfully, neither humble nor arrogant.

"My father assigned me to a sinecure as deputy director of the Information Department to assist you in the establishment."

Xu Zhengkun walked up to Zheng Yifei and looked down at him: "I'm about to go into seclusion to break through to the Golden Core stage. I don't have time to deal with worldly affairs. You make the decision, News Division. If you have any difficulties, come to me."

As soon as he finished speaking, the fifteen inner disciples were all stunned.

The young sect leader has been parachuted into the Information Department?

This isn't just a temporary posting; the sect leader has directly erected the strongest shield at the gates of the Information Bureau! With Xu Zhengkun standing there, which of the nine elders would dare to openly attack the Information Bureau? That would be tantamount to directly starting a war with the sect leader's faction.

Zheng Yifei's mind instantly cleared.

The sect leader was afraid that his sword would be broken by the Li family before it could be sharpened, so he sent his own son to support him.

These thighs are thicker than I imagined; I have to hold on tight.

"The arrival of the young sect leader is a pillar of stability for the Information Bureau."

Zheng Yifei raised his head, a flawless smile on his face: "I am new to the News Bureau and am unfamiliar with many of the rules. I wonder if Young Sect Leader is free tonight? I would like to host a banquet at Zuixianlou, firstly to welcome Young Sect Leader, and secondly, to ask Young Sect Leader for guidance."

Xu Zhengkun narrowed his eyes.

He thought this lowly cultivator who had suddenly risen to a high position would be either trembling with fear or arrogant and disdainful of others because of the sect leader's favor.

But Zheng Yifei reacted very quickly, adopting a very humble posture without appearing obsequious. Instead, he exuded a sense of familiarity, as if saying, "Let's do business together."

"Drunken Immortal Pavilion? You're certainly rich."

Xu Zhengkun's lips twitched slightly: "Alright, at three-quarters past 5 PM, I'll only drink Tianqing Brew."

After saying that, he turned and strode away.

At 3:45 PM, in the top-floor private room of Zuixianlou.

Zheng Yifei booked the entire venue, and on the table were the spirit meat of a third-tier demon beast, thousand-year-old spirit bamboo shoots, and two jars of Azure Brew worth five hundred spirit stones each.

Xu Zhengkun arrived at the appointment on time. He took off his purple-gold dragon-patterned robe and changed into ordinary clothes, but his imposing aura remained unchanged.

Zheng Yifei personally broke the clay seal and poured Xu Zhengkun a full cup. The wine was viscous like jade, exuding a spiritual aura.

"Young Sect Master, this cup is for you."

Zheng Yifei picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Xu Zhengkun picked up his cup, took a sip, put it down, leaned back in his chair, and tapped his fingers on the table.

"Zheng Yifei, you're a smart man. My father rewarded you with a top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill and sent me to support you. What do you think he's after?"

Xu Zhengkun spoke casually, but his eyes were fixed on Zheng Yifei's face.

Zheng Yifei didn't rush to answer. In his previous life, he had seen countless people at the gambling table, and Xu Zhengkun's attitude was a test of his political acumen.

If he answers, "The sect leader values ​​my business acumen," he might be kicked aside by Xu Zhengkun tomorrow.

Zheng Yifei picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of bamboo shoot, put it in his mouth, and slowly chewed and swallowed it.

"I am a sharp enough knife with no background."

Zheng Yifei put down his chopsticks and looked directly at Xu Zhengkun: "This knife is to be used to cut the flesh of the nine elders."

Xu Zhengkun stopped tapping his fingers on the table.

He stared at Zheng Yifei for a full three breaths before suddenly bursting into laughter.

"Good! What a knife with no background!"

Xu Zhengkun picked up his wine glass and took a big gulp: "You're more insightful than I thought. Since you understand, I'll tell you the truth."

With a wave of his hand, Xu Zhengkun completely enveloped the private room with a soundproof array.

"The Qingyun Sect was founded by my Xu family."

Xu Zhengkun lowered his voice, carrying a heavy sense of destiny: "Three thousand years ago, my Xu family ancestor led nine brothers who were willing to die for each other to slay demons and beasts, pacify the southern wilderness, and establish this foundation."

To commemorate the nine brothers' unwavering loyalty and righteousness, the ancestor established an elders' council, assigning them all the sect's most profitable resources—alchemy, weapon crafting, array formations, talismans, and mining—to manage.

Zheng Yifei listened quietly; this was the most crucial secret of the Qingyun Sect.

Three thousand years have passed.

Xu Zhengkun sneered, a hint of malice flashing in his eyes: "The nine brothers have become nine major families. They have deep roots in the sect and are too powerful to be controlled. They eat the meat, while the Xu family drinks the soup."

"In the current Qingyun Sect, the Xu family's orders don't even reach the main peak after leaving the Tianyuan Hall!"

Zheng Yifei sighed inwardly. Good heavens, this is a typical cultivation world version of the policy of weakening the power of the vassal kings. The conflict between imperial power and vassal kings is the same everywhere.

"Since the nine major families are so powerful, why haven't they taken their place?"

Zheng Yifei got to the heart of the matter.

"Because of the cultivation method."

Xu Zhengkun proudly raised his head: "My Xu family possesses the only low-grade Earth-rank cultivation technique of the Qingyun Sect, the Purple Heaven Thunder Technique."

For the past three thousand years, each sect leader has been absolutely invincible within their respective realms, relentlessly suppressing them. They dared not rebel, but they were also not particularly obedient.

Xu Zhengkun leaned forward, staring at Zheng Yifei.

"My father endured for three hundred years. He implemented the new tax law to seize money from the nine powerful families. He supported your establishment of the Information Department to snatch people from them!"

"Trying to steal people?"

"That's right! The Qingyun Sect has over a billion independent cultivators in its territory, and they used to only recognize the shops of the nine major families."

"The newspaper you're running, as long as it publishes the true situation in various places, will cause the Li family and the Ninth Elder's businesses to decline. Whoever controls the information controls the minds of those billions of rogue cultivators!"

Xu Zhengkun slammed his hand on the table.

"Zheng Yifei, my father sent me to protect you because you've struck a vital nerve with the nine major families! As long as the Information Department holds its ground, the Xu family can use public opinion to gradually reclaim power!"

Zheng Yifei understood everything.

Xu Tianyang wasn't interested in the spirit stones he earned, but rather in the "power of public opinion" behind the newspaper.

In this information-isolated world of cultivation, newspapers are like nuclear weapons used for overwhelming force.

"Since the young sect leader has revealed his secrets, I will also reveal mine."

Zheng Yifei picked up the wine pot and filled Xu Zhengkun's cup: "I'll sharpen this knife of the News Department. The direction the blade points is up to the sect leader, but the person wielding the knife is easily splattered with blood. I need the absolute protection of the Xu family."

"As long as you don't cross the line, the Xu family will protect you to the end."

Xu Zhengkun raised his glass, and the two clinked glasses.