19: I want loyalty

Arriving at the City Lord's Mansion, she looked at the vermilion gate.

At first, Ruo Liuli was a little surprised.

In her impression, the Dao Foundation Immortal Clan, high above, was extremely glorious and extravagant.

However, the vermilion gate before her looked new but appeared unremarkable.

Any well-off Family could afford such a gate; it held no deterrent whatsoever.

There were no Dragon or Phoenix carvings on it, just an ordinary gate.

The stone beasts in front of the gate, however, were different. As the Shen Family's front, she had some understanding of the Shen Family.

The Shen Family rose to prominence relying on wood and fire Spiritual Roots, and they raised a Dao Foundation Realm Spirit Beast named Huozhonglin.

Its appearance was quite similar to the Qilin, a Divine Beast of Earth.

Thus, every household in the Shen Family erected statues of the Huozhonglin beast.

The scene before her was perfectly fitting.

Stepping over the threshold, the City Lord's Mansion remained unremarkable.

Upon entering the backyard, Ruo Liuli felt the Spiritual Qi in the air begin to thicken.

Soon, under a covered bridge, she paused slightly.

She saw a young figure in a green robe with his back to her, forming a hand seal. The hand seal wasDeep Blue, and then slowly floated towards the sky.

The clear sky immediately became overcast.

A damp scent came on the wind, and this scent further calmed the tumultuous, boiling demon blood within Ruo Liuli.

Drops of rain fell, and the gentle drizzle poured down from the eaves of the covered bridge, forming small bead curtains.

It was a clever design.

Ruo Liuli's eyes narrowed, but she sighed and murmured to herself.

“It's definitely the Shen Family Immortal Seed. His spellcasting is very proficient. I don't know his Realm, but his background is probably extraordinary.”

A Ninth Grade Spiritual Field was extremely precious in Yellow Sand Plains.

Cultivating a Spiritual Field also required a lot of resources and Spirit Stones.

It was not something a weak Immortal Seedling could afford.

He must have a significant background, hence the early investment.

No wonder the letters she sent to Seventh Master Shen had not received a reply.

Seventh Master Shen was an Elder and the Family Head, that was true.

But without entering Qi Refining, he was ultimately no match for these Immortal Seedlings.

Clearly, she had been abandoned.

The figure did not pay her any mind. He stretched out his hand, his palm cupping some rainwater, his figure gentle and clear.

“If it rains every few days, the climate of Black Ridge City will gradually improve, and the population here will slowly increase.”

“I entrusted Wang Family Uncle to definitely relocate some common people next time. By the end of the year, we should be able to satisfy five hundred households.”

“Black Ridge City is awaiting revitalization. The ruined futures of some scoundrels can now be considered compensated.”

“It's just this loss... this Young Master will offset it with the heaven and earth treasure of the Living Spring Water Vein. I presume the leader won't mind, will he?”

Ruo Liuli raised an eyebrow and said,

“Naturally not. When a subordinate makes a mistake, they must be punished.”

“Our Black Horn Gang is originally affiliated with the Shen Family. Over time, some people developed inappropriate ambitions, and they indeed deserved a lesson.”

“Those words sound like you're blaming my Shen Family for being hands-off.”

“I wouldn't dare.”

“The leader arrived with such a forceful presence, I thought you wanted to fight my Shen Family to the death.”

“I did have that thought, but the premise was to break ties, with no room for discussion, and the Shen Family was pressing hard.”

“Is the leader so confident he can kill me?”

“As a Grandmaster Martial Artist, killing an Shen Family Immortal Seed in the Early Stage of Qi Refining is still as easy as turning my hand.”

“Even if an Immortal Seedling knows some spells, the distance between you and me is too close.”

As she spoke, the moisture on both sides began to evaporate, condensing into mist above the covered bridge.

In an instant, it had the scenery of Yunmengze.

Shen Li smiled slightly, rolled up his sleeve, revealing his golden arm.

Ruo Liuli’s expression suddenly changed, becoming much more solemn.

“The leader should be aware of this, right?”

“Little Vajra Technique.”

“Does the leader still feel confident?”

“There will always be a time when the spell disappears. I don't believe an Immortal Seedling has so much Spiritual Qi to expend.”

Shen Li chuckled.

His fingertip, covered in green Spiritual Qi, was like a silk thread, or perhaps ink, parting a seam in the rain curtain.

Then a buzzing sound appeared!

A thick, viscous pressure suddenly descended upon Ruo Liuli. Her face was filled with disbelief.

She abruptly looked out from the covered bridge at the Formation enveloping Black Ridge City.

She gritted her teeth and said,

“Formation!!! Nexus!!! What a move.”

Shen Li clasped his hands into his sleeves.

“Still confident?”

Ruo Liuli dared not speak.

Cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm had very weak physical bodies, but that didn't matter because they could use spells.

City-protecting Formations, Talismans, Puppets, personal Formations, Magic Treasures, spells.

Any of them could easily kill a Martial Artist.

This Immortal Seedling before her controlled the city-protecting Formation; the pressure descending was more than enough to suppress and kill her!

She was silent for a moment, then sighed and said,

“My Lord, Ruo Liuli came here not to break ties with you.”

Haughty at first, then respectful.

Shen Li chuckled inwardly and said,

“Naturally. Otherwise, the moment you entered the city gate, this Young Master would have crushed you all.”

As he spoke, Shen Li clenched his palm, and drops of water flowed down the creases of his hand.

“Just as easy as crushing an ant!”

Zhou Si, behind him, was about to speak but was stopped by Zhou San.

Ruo Liuli, on the other hand, spoke directly.

“So, my Lord needs me!”

Shen Li denied it, saying,

“It is you who needs me.”

Shen Li cut to the chase, saying,

“The taste of changing demon blood, it's not pleasant, is it?”

“How would you know?”

At this moment, Ruo Liuli's expression truly changed.

She had never mentioned the matter of changing demon blood to anyone, even her subordinates, she only used cultivating a special martial art to cover it up.

She never expected her secret to be revealed so easily.

Shen Li, however, remained expressionless.

“Such tricks are things that all major families have played to death and discarded. Only country bumpkins like you would treat them as treasures.”

Being so humiliated, Ruo Liuli immediately gritted her teeth.

“But this method is powerful in combat.”

“And you die faster.” Shen Li waved his hand, losing interest.

“I have a method to calm demon blood.”

“But the Shen Family's things are not that easy to obtain.”

“Since you want to be a short-lived ghost and desire powerful combat, no one will stop you. I will only provide you with the things, but you need to pay for them.”

“What things?”

“Your allegiance.”

Ruo Liuli's expression remained unchanged; she had more or less anticipated this in her heart.

She just needed to inquire further.

“How to pledge allegiance? How to pledge allegiance? Like Seventh Master Shen?”

Shen Li, however, lost his gentle smile, instead revealing a hint of unruliness, and said,

“Your method, is it even worthy of being called 'allegiance'?”

“It's nothing more than back-slapping and making a deal.”

Shen Li stepped forward, looking at the female giant who was about the same height as him. He just raised his arm, pointing his middle finger at Ruo Liuli's glabella.

Then he slowly slid down, past her upturned nose, past the tip of her nose.

He felt a scorching, irritable sensation.

Then he slowly stopped on her fiery red lips.

He said with some amusement,

“Allegiance from the inside out.”

“Only me?”

“The entire Black Horn Gang.”

“This matter... I need to consider.” Ruo Liuli's eyes flickered; she did not agree immediately.

Shen Li then lifted the woman's chin and examined her carefully.

“Good looks, good personality, suitable for training.”

“You can consider it.”

“But I must warn you, do you know where all the Martial Artists who changed demon blood ended up?”

“Where?”

“They all became things that were neither human nor demon.”

“What a pity for that face.”

“You may leave.”

Ruo Liuli dared not respond. She put down the gifts and turned to leave.