My cultivation disguise has been exposed by Xiao Sizi.

He'd be a fool not to take advantage of a good deal; he took the wealth that his family had plundered from the people for centuries with a clear conscience.

Seeing that the immortal had accepted the gift, Cui Wanqing was overjoyed and was about to say something flattering.

however.

The lazy and casual look on Li Chen's face gradually disappeared at this moment.

He sat up straight, his deep, dark eyes like two drawn swords piercing Cui Wanqing's gaze.

An invisible pressure belonging to a Golden Core stage cultivator, though only a trace of it was leaked, made Cui Wanqing and Cui Meng instantly feel their breath catch in their throats, as if a mountain was pressing down on their shoulders.

"I've accepted the gifts. I understand that the Cui family wants to befriend me."

Li Chen's voice became exceptionally cold and devoid of any emotion.

"However, there are some unpleasant things I need to say upfront."

Li Chen extended a finger and gently tapped the rosewood tabletop, producing a "tap-tap" sound.

"I hate trouble the most. I hate even more people using my name to do bad things outside."

"Your aristocratic families have deep roots, but don't think I don't know about the dirty deeds you do behind the scenes, such as annexing land, bullying men and women, and disregarding human life."

Li Chen coldly stared at Cui Wanqing, whose face had turned deathly pale.

"From this day forward, if the Cui family of Qinghe wishes to continue entering the gates of my Prince Qin's mansion, then you'd better take back all those wicked hands!"

"If I find out that you dare to use your supposed friendship with me to oppress the people, I guarantee that lightning will strike your ancestral home in Qinghe Cui clan!"

boom!

This relentless criticism was like a bucket of ice water poured directly from Cui Wanqing's head to her feet.

She was so frightened that her knees buckled and she knelt on the ground, her delicate body trembling violently.

"Immortal Master, please bear witness! Wanqing swears to Heaven that the Cui Clan of Qinghe would never dare to do anything improper! Upon returning, we will strictly discipline our clan members and ensure they cause you no trouble whatsoever!"

Cui Wanqing's voice trembled as she kowtowed repeatedly.

Seeing that the heat was about right, Li Chen stopped tapping his fingers on the table.

The big stick has been swung away; now it's time for the carrots.

Li Chen leaned back, the coldness on his face instantly vanishing, replaced by that mysterious, enigmatic, half-smiling expression once more.

Get up.

Li Chen picked up the tea that Qin Wan'er had just poured and took a small sip.

"Everything in this world follows a cause-and-effect cycle. If your aristocratic family wishes to obtain the protection of a true immortal, simply sending these inanimate objects is far from sufficient."

Li Chen looked intently at Cui Wanqing, who had stood up and was still shaken.

"If your Cui clan of Qinghe can do more things beneficial to the Tang Dynasty and the people, and do more practical things for the suffering people of this land, accumulating more merit for the Tang Dynasty, which is also for me, I wouldn't mind giving you an opportunity..."

Li Chen deliberately dragged out the last syllable.

Under Cui Wanqing's increasingly wide and eager gaze.

He slowly uttered four words that carried immense weight.

"For example, cultivating immortality!"

Rumble!!!

These two words were like the first thunderclap in the world, causing a magnitude 12 earthquake in Cui Wanqing's mind!

Cultivating immortality?!

The immortal meant that if the Cui family of Qinghe behaved well, he would actually be willing to bestow upon them the path to immortality, allowing mortals to cultivate immortality?!

Cui Wanqing felt a strong wave of dizziness wash over her. She clenched her palms tightly, using the piercing pain to tell herself that this was not an illusion!

"Immortal...Immortal Master, is what you say...truly true?!"

Cui Wanqing's voice had completely changed; it was a trembling voice that was filled with extreme ecstasy and even a hint of madness.

"I am a man who never lies."

Li Chen waved his hand lazily. "That's all I have to say. Go back and tell your patriarch which way to go, and let him choose for himself. See him out."

……

Half an hour later.

Inside the heavily guarded underground chamber of the Cui family's secret residence in Qinghe.

"Bang!"

The head of the Cui family of Qinghe was a calm and composed old man who remained unmoved even in the face of a collapsing mountain.

At that moment, he was so excited that he slapped the rosewood table in front of him, breaking it in two!

"Cultivating immortality! The immortal master himself said so! It really is the path to immortality!"

The patriarch's face flushed red, and his whole body trembled violently as if he had the malaria.

The other core elders of the family in the secret room were also acting like madmen. Some were laughing loudly, while others were so excited that tears streamed down their faces.

Immortality, the power to control the wind and rain!

This is the ultimate dream that countless emperors, generals, and powerful families throughout history have longed for but could never attain!

And now, this gate to the realm of gods has truly opened to the Cui family of Qinghe!

"Master! This is an opportunity that will not come again!"

An elder, his eyes bloodshot, roared, "Since the Immortal Master has spoken, demanding to see our sincerity and accumulate merit for the Tang Dynasty, what are we waiting for?!"

"Yes! Let's act immediately!"

The head of the Cui family took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the ecstasy in his heart, and his eyes flashed with unprecedented decisiveness.

"Issue the highest command of my family!"

"First! Immediately open all our granaries in Chang'an and the surrounding prefectures and counties! Set up soup kitchens throughout this harsh winter! Distribute porridge and clothing to help all the refugees who are struggling to survive the winter! No matter how much silver it costs, we absolutely cannot allow a single person to starve or freeze to death in our territory!"

"Secondly! From this day forward, all officials of the Qinghe Cui clan in the imperial court will unconditionally support all of His Majesty's decrees! Wherever His Majesty points, we will fight! Anyone who dares to oppose His Majesty is going against the entire Qinghe Cui clan!"

"Third! Immediately investigate all members of the family. Anyone with a history of bullying men and women, or seizing fertile land, should have both legs broken and be sent to the authorities for prosecution, regardless of the reason! We cannot allow a single bad apple to ruin the entire Cui clan's cultivation endeavors!"

With these orders, which were like cutting off one's own arm, yet also like burning one's boats, being issued.

The entire massive machine of the Cui family of Qinghe began to operate frantically.

In the following days.

The people of Chang'an were shocked to discover that those aristocratic lords who were usually high and mighty and wouldn't even give them a second glance had actually changed their ways!

The Cui family of Qinghe set up huge soup kitchens in all the wards and markets of Chang'an.

They generously distributed thick, white rice porridge to the poorly clothed refugees, as if it were free. They even sent people to deliver charcoal and cotton clothing to the elderly living alone to help them get through the winter.

Meanwhile, in the imperial court.

Li Shimin felt as if he were dreaming these past few days of attending court.

He proposed repairing the water conservancy system, and originally thought that he would be obstructed by the officials of the powerful families. However, the officials of the Cui family of Qinghe were not only the first to jump out to support it, but also offered to bear half of the repair costs!

Li Shimin was overjoyed, his face beaming with delight.

However, the mysterious actions of the Cui family of Qinghe, who could be described as "great philanthropists" and "the most loyal ministers," completely baffled the other major aristocratic families.

The heads of the Cui family of Boling, the Lu family of Fanyang, and the Wang family of Taiyuan gathered together, looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Has the Cui family of Qinghe collectively taken the wrong medicine?"

The head of the Cui clan of Boling had a grim expression. "Are they planning to betray the Shandong gentry and become the lackeys of that Li family emperor?!"

Just then.

In the Boling Cui clan's camp, a young junior with a sinister face and eyes that revealed arrogance and conceit suddenly let out a mocking sneer.

"My uncles, you've all been deceived by that Li Shimin!"

The arrogant junior stood up, a disdainful smile curving his lips.

"What tribulation of lightning, what guardian immortal of the nation! It's all just a smokescreen that Li Shimin deliberately staged to consolidate his imperial power and suppress our aristocratic families!"

There are no gods or immortals in this world!