Whose heretical cultivator relies on a rich woman to attain enlightenment?

Zhennanguan is less than 100 li away from Jingnan City.

The town is situated between two mountains, which are thousands of feet high. Looking from south to north, they resemble two arms tightly embracing Jingnan.

Between the two mountains lies a natural crevice, ten miles long and no more than a hundred feet wide. Zhennan Pass is situated here, with sheer cliffs on both sides, making it extremely dangerous...

"The geology in this godforsaken place is still so unstable. Who knows when another major earthquake will strike? Tsk, this place is not safe to stay for long. Once I make some money, I'll have to take my whole family and run away as soon as possible."

Lu Cheng's attention was clearly not on the terrain here. He would look up at the sky from time to time. Because of the terrain, there were often a lot of falling rocks, especially after heavy rain, when it would rain "stones". He had personally seen his colleagues being smashed into mincemeat by falling rocks. This is why Zhennan Pass is guarded by cultivators of the sixth realm or above all year round.

Oh, that colleague was dragged back by Lu Cheng, so consider it an extra business deal.

As they moved forward, a large group of people followed behind Huang Zhao, creating a formidable spectacle.

Although Lu Cheng would occasionally criticize the officials of the Demon Suppression Division for abusing their power, he never felt that the Demon Suppression Division did not deserve such high treatment.

He even felt that doubling his salary wouldn't be unreasonable, after all, he was already able to receive... no, he had witnessed the tragic scene of countless cultivators being killed by demons.

"Greetings, Lord Huang."

"Greetings, Your Excellency."

"Greetings, Commander Huang."

Many cultivators darted back and forth through the crevices of the rocks, walking on their swords. Upon seeing Huang Zhao, they all jumped off their flying swords and bowed respectfully.

Sword control is not difficult; one can learn it once one reaches the second realm, which is equivalent to successfully establishing one's foundation. However, most people can only learn it after their foundation is fully established or perfected, since sword control requires extremely strict control over spiritual energy.

"Um."

He nodded in acknowledgment.

In the cultivation world, strength is the only true measure of success. Don't let Huang Zhao's unassuming appearance fool you; he has the lives of dozens of demon kings at his disposal. Before Ji Xiaoxiao arrived, he was in charge of the Jingnan region. Despite his middle-aged appearance, he has actually lived for nearly three cycles of sixty years.

However, Huang Zhao was very considerate and did not fly on his sword. He walked all the way to Zhennan Pass. Lu Cheng just looked around at this familiar place. If it were someone from the Central Plains, they might have climbed to the top of the mountain and sighed, "Looking down on all the mountains from here." After all, this place is the border of Da Yue and a natural barrier for Da Yue.

But Lu Cheng wouldn't.

Because he comes every day.

I wouldn't say I come every day, but I come here almost every three days. The roadside is covered with dark red or black bluestone slabs, which have almost completely soaked the rock walls and the sides of the paving stones. These are not traces left by moss or wind and rain.

It was blood that had dried up for many years.

The scene was one of utter devastation, with piles of demon corpses lying around. They looked neither human nor ghost, with most retaining both beastly and human characteristics, making them extremely bizarre and terrifying. Some, however, looked no different from ordinary wild animals.

Many cultivators dressed in the official robes of the Demon Suppression Bureau escorted all sorts of strange and grotesque demons toward the city gate. These demons were valuable resources, not only because they could be interrogated to extract valuable information, but also because every part of their bodies was a treasure.

Bones and skin can be used to forge weapons and magical artifacts, and blood can be used to refine elixirs. Many rogue cultivators come here to try their luck. If they can capture a powerful demon outside the pass and successfully send it to the Demon Suppression Bureau, it can be a considerable fortune.

"So it's Lord Huang. The person behind you is a stranger. May I ask who he is?"

Several people who appeared to be of high status proactively cupped their hands in greeting, and even bowed to Lu Cheng as well. Although Lu Cheng was only at the initial stage of cultivation, he was qualified to follow behind Huang Zhao. Could it be...?

illegitimate child!?

"So this is what it feels like to borrow the tiger's power? Damn, it's irresistible, so satisfying."

Lu Cheng was unaware that he had been labeled with a strange tag. He was secretly making a decision in his heart that he would cling to the coattails of a rich woman in the future, get promoted and receive a raise, marry a beautiful and wealthy woman, and reach the pinnacle of life.

The only pity is that Ji Xiaoxiao hasn't come out of seclusion yet; he's genuinely curious about this white-robed fairy.

"Lu Cheng, as you all know, is the sole survivor of the Jingnan demonic energy outbreak case."

"This is a promising talent. I'm introducing him to you all today. We'll all be brothers from now on, so please take good care of him."

"Yesterday, he discovered someone secretly refining corpses in Jingnan City. This matter is closely related to the case of the demonic energy outbreak. We now have some clues."

"He has done a great service."

Huang Zhao's voice wasn't loud, but the officers in front of him heard it clearly. Instead of the expected shock or admiration, they were puzzled.

Yes, Lu Cheng did make a contribution, but they have all been working in the corporate world for many years. Huang Zhao's words just now were not a compliment, but a step up in social class.

He brought Lu Cheng to meet them, saying that they would all be brothers from now on, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Jingnan is about to have its thirteenth commander.

No one spoke, no one made a sound, and no one greeted them. They couldn't figure out Huang Zhao's intentions at all. Their first reaction was pretty much the same: Lu Cheng was a relative who was deliberately trying to get a share of the pie.

They looked at each other, urging the other to speak up. This was no small matter. They knew that Lu Cheng would definitely have to climb up from the bottom, but the path had already been paved, and the position of the thirteenth banner commander was almost a certainty.

This is unacceptable to every captain.

All because of profit.

The amount of grain and salary provided by the Great Yue court each year is only so much, including cultivation resources, and it is the same every year. As for how to allocate, manage, and use it, that is Huang Zhao's business.

To put it simply, it's the cake theory.

There is only one cake. If someone wants to have more, someone else will have less. Over the years, their distribution has been very stable. Even if someone gets hungry and wants to eat more, they can make up for it the following year.

But if there were one more pair of chopsticks, everything would be different.

Everyone should eat less.

Salaries, resources, and even a portion of subordinates' pay might be diverted to this so-called thirteenth branch, to support these cronies.

Anyone in that situation would probably not give up their offer.

"Oh, isn't this Young Master Lu?"

The sarcastic voice startled the boy awake, and even Huang Zhao frowned.

"I heard that this time, Young Master Lu went to a brothel and found a zombie. Not bad, not bad at all. He's quite promising for his age."

"To be able to link zombies to demonic energy, such eloquence is a waste of talent in the Demon Suppression Division. Why don't you go sit at a table with the storyteller under the overpass?"

"Just kidding, Young Master Lu, don't make that face."

"When you were holding the token and giving instructions to the Demon Suppression Division branch, you weren't like this at all. You had the air of a captain at such a young age."

"Let me see what level Young Master Lu has reached... Ouch."

"So this is the legendary first realm."