Start with acting, and you'll achieve immortality!

"Sister-in-law, it's windy outside the city today. Why don't we deliver the meal to my elder brother tomorrow?"

"Your older brother works in the fields outside the city; without a hot meal, where would he get the strength?"

"Besides, I steamed your favorite steamed buns today, and I also got you two."

"Then let Xiao Liu accompany you; it'll be good for your safety on the way."

"It's only two miles, why bother them?"

"You silly child, now that you're an official, you're even more worried than before."

Zhang smiled, covered the bamboo basket with a clean white cloth, slung it over her arm, and turned to leave.

Li Ping stood at the door, watching Zhang's departing figure, his brows furrowed slightly.

For some reason, starting this morning...

The spiritual energy within him began to stir restlessly, as if some danger was quietly approaching.

Now that he has entered the Qi Refining stage, his spiritual sense is far more acute than that of ordinary people. This intuition, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, is by no means unfounded.

"Sixth grade"

Li Ping called out in a low voice

Xiao Liu, who had been slacking off in the alley corner, quickly ran over.

"My lord, what are your orders?"

"Go and call Shi Gan, bring his weapons, and quietly follow your sister-in-law."

"If anything seems amiss, act immediately; leave no survivors."

Seeing Li Ping's stern expression, Xiao Liu dared not delay, responded, and quickly ran off.

Outside the city, on the dirt road beside the official road

Zhang walked slowly, carrying a bamboo basket.

The autumn wind rustled the fallen leaves along the roadside.

As she walked, Zhang suddenly stopped.

She vaguely sensed something was amiss behind her; there seemed to be footsteps treading on fallen leaves, extremely light, yet always maintaining a distance of twenty or thirty paces.

She turned her head sharply, only to find an empty dirt road and a few withered weeds behind her, not even a bird in sight.

"Am I seeing things?"

Zhang patted his chest and quickened his pace.

However, after walking a short distance, the feeling of being watched from behind returned, even stronger than before.

She could even smell a faint odor of tobacco and sweat wafting in the air.

Zhang felt panicked, and her steps quickened until she was almost jogging.

Just as she passed a patch of reeds as tall as a person, the grass beside her suddenly shook violently.

"Capture her alive! The young master said to use this woman to lure that man surnamed Li out!"

A harsh shout suddenly rang out.

Two burly men with scarred faces suddenly sprang out of the reeds.

Holding a sack and rope, he headed straight for Zhang's house.

Zhang screamed in fright, dropping the bamboo basket in her hand and scattering the steamed buns all over the ground.

She turned to run, but tripped over a tree root and fell to the ground. Just as the two men were about to pounce on her...

At the critical moment

A dark figure leaped down the roadside slope like a tiger descending a mountain.

It was Shi Gan

He held a wooden stick as thick as a bowl in his hand, using the momentum of his fall...

It slammed hard into the back of one of the men.

A crisp snap

The man didn't even have time to scream before he was smashed, coughing up blood and flying backward.

It crashed heavily into the reeds, twitched twice, and then fell still.

The other man was terrified and quickly drew a rusty dagger.

"Where did this brat come from, daring to interfere in your master's affairs!"

Shi Gan didn't waste any words with him; he took a step and his figure moved like lightning.

The wooden stick in his hand whistled through the air as it aimed straight for the man's face.

The man raised his knife to parry, but underestimated Shi Gan's monstrous strength.

The wooden stick smashed the short knife in two, and its momentum carried it straight into his chest.

The man stumbled back five or six steps, collapsing to the ground with a thud, spitting blood from his mouth.

"Walk!"

Shi Gan pulled up Zhang, who was pale with fright, and shielded her behind him, coldly watching the man on the ground.

At this moment, Xiao Liu arrived with several constables wielding sticks and surrounded the wounded bandit.

A moment later, Li Ping arrived at the scene on a fast horse.

He dismounted, strode over to Zhang, and carefully examined her.

"Sister-in-law, are you hurt?"

Zhang's face was pale, and her body was still trembling slightly. She shook her head.

"No...it's nothing, thanks to Brother Shi for arriving in time."

Li Ping breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and looked at the bandit who was being held down on the ground.

On the corner of the bandit's clothing was embroidered a crooked "Hu" character, the former private army mark of the Hu family.

Li Ping's eyes instantly turned cold, like a frozen lake.

胡烈

This kid actually dared to lay a hand on his family.

Throughout his time travels, Li Ping has always adhered to his principles and skillfully manipulated people's hearts.

The pursuit of profit is all for the sake of survival in this cannibalistic world, and to protect my brother and sister-in-law.

Zhang and Li Da were his only attachments in this world.

Hu Lie's move completely enraged him.

"Sir, what should we do with this man?"

Shi Gan asked in a low voice

Li Ping walked up to the bandit and looked down at him.

Where is Hu Lie hiding in the mountains?

The bandit spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva and sneered repeatedly.

"You surnamed Li, the young master will use your head as a drinking vessel sooner or later! Go ahead and kill me if you dare!"

Li Ping did not ask a second question.

He drew the short knife from his waist and swiftly brought it down.

Blood splattered on the roadside reeds, staining the white reeds crimson.

Xiao Liu and several constables took a step back in fright; they had never seen Li Ping kill so decisively.

Li Ping wiped the blood off the knife with a white cloth and sheathed it.

"Shi Gan, clean up the body thoroughly, leave no trace."

"Yes, sir."

Li Ping turned around and helped Zhang Shi into the carriage.

"Sister-in-law, it's not safe outside the city. Unless it's absolutely necessary, please don't leave the city again."

Looking at Li Ping's calm yet somewhat frightening face, Zhang felt a slight fear, but still obediently nodded.

"Zizhi, are you...are you alright?"

"I'm fine, sister-in-law."

Li Ping led the horse by the reins and slowly walked into the city.

Upon returning home, Li Ping immediately had Li Da load the packed luggage onto the carriage.

He rented a house in the east of the city near the county government office, a place heavily guarded.

Moreover, it's very close to the document room, so if there's any unusual activity, he can get there immediately.

Looking at the empty old house, Li Da felt a pang of reluctance.

"Second brother, we've lived here for several years, are we really going to move?"

"Brother, this old alley is too remote. If Hu Lie's men can sneak in once, they can sneak in a second time."

Li Ping patted Li Da on the shoulder.

"If we move to the east of the city, there will be county officials patrolling there, and Hu Lie's men won't dare to openly take action."

Seeing Li Ping's resolute attitude, Li Da said no more, silently carrying the box and getting into the car.

After settling his brother and sister-in-law in, Li Ping returned to the document room alone.

He sat on the wooden chair, watching the sky outside the window gradually darken, his hands clenched into fists.

Hu Lie's existence was like a sword hanging over his head.

It could fall at any time

He couldn't wait any longer.

He originally intended to use the Autumn Tax Incident to cause Chen Rang, the Bai family, and Hu Lie to weaken each other.

But now, he can't wait any longer.

He wanted to take the initiative, lure Hu Lie out, and completely eliminate this potential threat.

Li Ping pulled out the tattered pill formula he had bought from the black market from his sleeve, and then looked at the spirit sand on the table.

His cultivation level is still too weak.

If he could break through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining, combined with his divine sense and tactics, he would have a better chance of winning against Hu Lie.

"Money"

Li Ping called out to the door.

Qian Duo pushed the door open and came in.

"My lord, what are your orders?"

"Go to the black market and find Hu Jiu. Tell him that I want to buy all the spirit sand he has, no matter the price."

Qian Duo was somewhat surprised

"Sir, we're afraid we don't have enough money."

"If that's not enough, use grain from the official granaries to make up the difference."

A ruthless glint flashed in Li Ping's eyes.

"Tell Hu Jiu that if he can obtain the spirit sand, I can give him an additional twenty shi of moldy grain."

Seeing that Li Ping was serious, Qian Duo didn't dare to ask any more questions and quickly bowed and withdrew.

Li Ping leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

The spiritual energy within the body slowly circulates through the meridians.