The Prefect's mansion was located in the very center of Guanxia City, precisely and without deviation.
It served not only as the administrative hub for the prefecture but also as the nexus of the city, drawing in a significant portion of Luoxia Prefecture's fortune. Above, the sky was filled with a shimmering aura, as if a deity resided in the clouds, overlooking the land.
Of course, such sights were invisible to ordinary mortals. Only after reaching the second realm, by infusing their eyes with spiritual energy, could one glimpse such phenomena.
After midday, a carriage slowly halted outside the Prefect's mansion, but it was not the main gate that opened, but a side entrance.
An old man, accompanied by several maids, emerged. His demeanor was not exactly deferential, but certainly not arrogant either, devoid of any haughty airs.
Upon seeing this, Qian Nishang and Ji Yuan alighted from the carriage and greeted the old man.
Although he was merely a servant of the Prefect's mansion, he was close to Fan Sulu, and despite holding no official title, his position was undeniably significant. Even cultivators in the second or third realm would not treat him with disrespect.
Indeed, most people would regularly offer him gifts, hoping to gain an audience with the third young master, Fan.
Within this prefecture, Fan Sulu, the third young master, often held more sway than the Prefect himself.
The two followed the old man along a path within the mansion, and soon arrived at a relatively secluded courtyard.
The area was not large, containing only four or five small rooms, lacking even a pond or a pavilion, yet it possessed an air of simple elegance.
However, having heard Qian Nishang's earlier words, and now observing the style and arrangement of the place, Ji Yuan couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.
This was especially true when he saw a young gentleman, dressed elegantly, standing beneath an old tree, gazing upwards as if examining the texture of the red leaves on the branches. Ji Yuan couldn't shake off a feeling of insincerity.
"Greetings, third young master."
Qian Nishang performed a deep curtsy and called out respectfully.
A moment later, Fan Sulu withdrew his gaze, turned, and glanced at the two standing a few paces away, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
"Please, have a seat!"
He gestured, leading them to sit beneath a nearby tree.
Servants, who had been waiting discreetly, smoothly brought forth fruits, pastries, and several plates of preserved fruits.
Ji Yuan took a sip of the fragrant tea, his expression subtly shifting. Everything on the table before him contained spiritual energy. Even the preserved fruits were made from spiritual fruits.
Not to mention the tea in his cup, which was of the finest quality he had ever seen. A single cup consumed provided as much spiritual energy as half an hour of arduous cultivation.
Furthermore, several maids stood nearby, holding incense burners and fanning them with palm leaves, sending waves of pure, refreshing breeze that, when lingered in, could dissipate some worries.
This level of indulgence alone was not much less than what the Qian family could offer.
It was said the Prefect was short of funds, yet the third young master's enjoyment showed no signs of such. Hundreds of taels of silver had been spent without a word.
"It is only due to the esteemed shopkeeper Qian's visit that I indulge in such extravagance. Normally, I would not dare to be so lavish."
Fan Sulu personally refilled their tea cups, then turned his gaze to the young Taoist carrying a long sword on his back.
Seeing this, Qian Nishang was about to introduce him, but Ji Yuan spoke first, "I am Ji Yuan, my Taoist name is Ling Yu. Greetings, third young master Fan."
He nodded, not offering a polite clasp of hands, appearing rather casual.
This, in turn, piqued Fan Sulu's curiosity. Not only were those younger than him, but even those of the same or older generation, would not dare to be so presumptuous in his presence.
He pondered for a moment, then lightly waved his hand. The attending maids quietly retreated, their movements making no sound at all.
Once the courtyard was empty of outsiders, he asked with a hint of confusion, "Is it Daoist Ling Yu who, through shopkeeper Qian, brought the spiritual medicine?"
Upon hearing this, Qian Nishang's heart tightened. However, remembering a conversation between them in the carriage, she quietly sipped her tea without speaking.
Meanwhile, Ji Yuan readily admitted, "Indeed. The remnant pills that young master consumed were indeed taken from the Divine Profound Sect."
*Crack!*
At these words, the teacup in Fan Sulu's hand split apart. As he opened his palm, it shattered into tiny fragments that fell onto the stone table.
The third young master of the Prefect's mansion stared at Ji Yuan, his eyes flickering, and after a full quarter of an hour, he suddenly burst into laughter.
Just as Ji Yuan's statement was abrupt, his laughter was equally sudden.
"Daoist Ling Yu speaks directly. Were it anyone else, they would never mention this matter, let alone admit it so frankly."
Fan Sulu restrained his laughter and sighed with feigned helplessness.
However, his mind was churning with unspoken thoughts. He had met straightforward people before, but never anyone this direct.
He didn't beat around the bush at all, even stating something that could bring immense trouble, possibly even a life-threatening crisis, so openly.
Such a thing was almost unthinkable, even for seasoned martial artists!
Only young boys and girls, new to the martial world and lacking any experience, would act this way.
But Fan Sulu did not believe the young Taoist before him was such a person.
Although he had been in seclusion recently, refining the medicinal properties of the pill fragments to restore his cultivation, he was still aware of most of the significant events in the prefecture.
For instance, the spokespersons of the thirteen factions had been mysteriously killed in Qianyu City. Although the outside world speculated that these individuals had acted greedily, attempting to harm an official of the court for personal gain.
Thus, the illegitimate son of the Li family head, with the Li family's covert protection, had eliminated these wrongdoers.
However, Fan Sulu knew that this was merely information released by Li Wenqing, aiming to gain a nominal advantage and seize the initiative, placing the Li family in the spotlight.
It was even Li Wenqing's suggestion that his father, the Prefect, order the confiscation of the thirteen factions' assets, using this opportunity to issue severe threats and extract a substantial sum.
This way, these factions would direct their anger and losses towards the Li family.
Then, a strategy of "driving wolves to devour tigers" could be employed. Regardless of the final outcome, at least their Prefect's mansion would profit handsomely.
And all of this, Fan Sulu suspected, might have been orchestrated by the young Taoist before him. Otherwise, Qian Nishang would not have been so helpless at the beginning, merely reacting passively to the ensuing troubles.
Not to mention, that crucial moment of impending doom that very night, this young Taoist had been present.
"I did it, so there's nothing to hide."
Ji Yuan smiled, giving the other party a meaningful look.
The implication was that Fan Sulu was also involved, and shouldn't try to conceal it.
Stealing something and eating something were both acts that would infuriate the Divine Profound Sect, and there was little to differentiate their severity in that regard.
In fact, from certain perspectives, the pressure the Prefect's mansion would face might be even greater than if he had simply stolen the item.
This was because it was easy to assume the Prefect's mansion was behind the act, and since Fan Sulu was indeed the one who consumed the pill fragments, there would be no way to defend themselves.
Although he had already anticipated this, when Ji Yuan pointed it out implicitly, his expression couldn't help but darken slightly. However, it returned to normal in an instant, as if nothing had happened.
"If that is the case, then the favor my father and I owe you will be settled."
He picked up another teacup, poured hot tea, and said.
Qian Nishang's brow furrowed slightly. He intended to use this favor to acknowledge the matter.
This might not be the best solution, but it was the safest. Once the Prefect's mansion acknowledged the deed, the pressure from the Divine Profound Sect would not fall upon their shoulders.
The Qian family would not suffer any losses in this matter, at most losing a favor. But as long as Li Wenqing could bring down the Li family, or severely weaken them, they could still profit.
However, Ji Yuan shook his head, clearly not agreeing to such a transaction.
"Young Master Fan, since this is a business, both parties should profit. Your approach puts all the benefits in your own pocket, while we have toiled for nothing."
He shook his head, deliberately putting on a distressed expression, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
Seeing this, Fan Sulu was about to speak, but after opening his mouth, he could only swallow his words back.
The reason was simple: Ji Yuan produced a jade bottle, placed it on the table, and opened the cap, allowing the other party's gaze to fall inside.
And this jade bottle contained his share of the pill fragments.
Qian Nishang also looked confused and cast a questioning glance at him. She knew Ji Yuan still possessed at least one more pill fragment, but couldn't understand why he was revealing it now.
Did he truly intend to strike another deal with this third young master Fan?
"Young Master Fan has already experienced the benefits of this item and naturally knows its advantages."
Ji Yuan feigned distress, pushing the jade bottle forward with his hand.
To be honest, he had little use for this item. Although each pill fragment contained astonishing medicinal power and was incredibly gentle, capable of elevating ordinary people to the second realm with miraculous effects for breakthroughs.
However, for him, what was a spiritual elixir to ordinary people was a poison that could ruin his cultivation path!
If the medicinal power could be suppressed, it would be considered a spiritual elixir, or even an immortal elixir.
But unfortunately, the medicinal power could not be suppressed. It would cause a breakthrough unconsciously, leading to an unstable foundation that even years of effort could not rectify.
Even without consuming this pill, Ji Yuan was confident that within twenty to thirty years, he could reach the third realm, and within a hundred years, he might even form a golden core.
He had no need to sacrifice the possibility of standing at the pinnacle in the future for fleeting gains.
However, what was poison to him was a genuine spiritual medicine for Fan Sulu. He had suffered severe injuries years ago, and although healed, hidden ailments remained. The spiritual energy he absorbed was less than a tenth of its former capacity, and the resources consumed were more than ten times that of an ordinary person.
A single pill fragment could indeed restore him to his former peak, but maintaining his cultivation, let alone progressing further, would require a considerable amount of silver.
This had become a deep-seated worry for him.
But with a second pill fragment, things might change significantly.