"These two are Pill Masters from the Mingcang Sect, naturally they are entitled to stay in the Upper Garden." The Posthouse Official spoke slowly, his expression unchanged. He had held his office here for a long time and had seen all sorts of people. Being yelled at a few times would not faze him.
"Mingcang Sect?" The expression of the young cultivator shifted slightly. He glanced at Zhang Yan and his companion, saw there were only two of them, and heard the term "Pill Masters." His demeanor relaxed, but his tone grew sharp again as he sneered, "And what of the Mingcang Sect? Is precedence not to be respected?"
He stepped in front of Zhang Yan, raised the Dharma Sword in his hand, and declared, "We have yet to find accommodations. How about a duel, sword against sword? If you lose, hand over this garden to me. What do you say?"
The Posthouse Official watched coldly from the side, saying nothing.
The man appeared to have Meridian Opening cultivation and had not yet entered the Ming Qi First Realm. The Dharma Sword in his hand did exhibit a faint Spirit Light. However, Zhang Yan did not even glance at him. His expression calm, he simply ordered the posthouse soldier to take the token and lead the way quickly.
The posthouse soldier dared not disobey, took the token, and moved ahead to guide them. Zhang Yan swept his robes and likewise headed for the door.
The young cultivator was enraged by Zhang Yan’s complete disregard, his face flushing crimson and his body trembling uncontrollably. Seeing Zhang Yan about to step outside the posthouse doors, he shouted, "Begin!" The Dharma Sword in his hand shot out of its sheath with a sharp clang and flew toward Zhang Yan’s back.
Zhang Yan’s gaze sharpened, and he turned his head, pursed his lips, and blew forth a stream of turbid Qi. Within this turbid Qi, he concealed a trace of heavy evil, sending it directly toward the flying sword. With a sharp hiss, the spiritual energy on the sword was worn away nearly entirely, and it fell downward. The turbid Qi, undeterred, surged forward. Even before it reached its target, its oppressive force—capable of piercing stone and gold—was palpable, causing the youth’s face to change drastically.
At that moment, a voice rang out: "Fellow Daoist, please show mercy!"
A Flying Talisman emerged from somewhere, emitting rays of light in the air as it tried to block the turbid Qi. Unexpectedly, with a soft puff, the turbid Qi pierced through it with ease. The person let out a surprised "Oh," and immediately released a crescent-shaped silver ring, sending it directly to collide with the turbid Qi.
The silver ring was imbued with spiritual energy and shone dazzlingly, clearly a Dharma Treasure. Zhang Yan frowned slightly, inhaled deeply, and recalled the turbid Qi into his chest. Turning his gaze, he saw a brightly dressed woman standing with her sword in hand. With a flick of her wrist, she retrieved the silver ring back onto her arm.
The woman’s appearance was seductive, yet her demeanor radiated cold detachment—clearly a proper disciple of the Xuanmen. Judging by her cultivation level, she seemed to have reached the Ming Qi First Realm, unmistakable as a human cultivator. However, upon seeing Zhang Yan, her face changed as she exclaimed, "Zhang Yan, it’s truly you!"
Zhang Yan raised an eyebrow and replied, "Fellow Daoist, have we met?"
The woman let out two cold laughs and said, "You naturally wouldn’t remember me. But do you recall Shen Jingyue, Brother Shen, from beneath Dangyun Peak?"
"Oh?" Zhang Yan’s eyes narrowed. He gave her another look and nodded slightly. "So, you are a Daoist from the Guangyuan Sect. How is Brother Shen these days?"
The young cultivator, who had been pale with fright earlier, managed to stammer out, "Senior Sister Jiang, y-you know each other?"
The woman coldly replied, "Thanks to Daoist Zhang, Brother Shen has been deceased for half a year now."
Zhang Yan’s expression remained unchanged. He recalled how Shen Jingyue had forcibly performed calculations involving the Erosion Text, exhausting his life force. This outcome was not unexpected, though he held no particular animosity toward the man.
The woman stepped forward slightly, placing herself between the young cultivator and Zhang Yan. "Daoist Zhang, today my junior brother has behaved improperly and offended you. I will see him punished. Brother Zhang, may I ask you for leniency?"
Zhang Yan smiled faintly and said, "This is the territory of the Water Country. I have no intention of making things difficult for you."
The woman sighed in relief. But unexpectedly, Zhang Yan turned his head toward the Posthouse Official and said, "I heard that Lord Ji established Water Country, set regulations, upheld etiquette, and enacted laws so that cultivators across the realm would not regard them as a Wild Clan. After seeing things today, I can’t help feeling disappointed. When I meet with your Shangguan next time, I will surely ask thoroughly: where are the laws, and where are the regulations?"
After finishing, he ignored the two of them, turned, and walked out accompanied by Luo Xiao.
The Posthouse Official and the woman simultaneously showed expressions of alarm.
With a cold face, the Posthouse Official approached the woman and said, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, I must insist that you give me an explanation for this matter."
With just a few simple words, Zhang Yan had forced the Posthouse Official to take action and deal with the incident. What initially seemed like a minor matter now threatened to spiral out of control. The woman became inwardly furious but found herself utterly helpless.