Chapter 69: The Great Fire Dragon Immortal
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation.
Yu Zhao had mentally prepared herself for the possibility that Shopkeeper Qian and Wang Youtai might fail in retrieving the painting. She preferred to avoid any trouble, but somehow, trouble always seemed to find her.
As she set her teacup down with a gentle sigh, the tranquility of the courtyard was shattered by the sudden arrival of over twenty constables, their swords drawn. Following them were Shopkeeper Qian and Wang Youtai, looking bruised and bloodied, as if they’d been paraded through the streets in disgrace.
The leader of the constables, a scholarly man with an air of authority, stepped forward. His voice was cold and commanding. “Who do you think you are, pretending to be a cultivator and deceiving the public? Confess your deception!”
Wang Youtai’s eyes widened with a mix of fear and desperation. He knew Yu Zhao’s abilities were real; she was no charlatan. The accusations from the county magistrate were clearly born of ignorance. Wang Youtai was certain that divine retribution would soon befall these foolish men, and the magistrate would pay dearly.
Unfazed, Yu Zhao glanced at the man’s sleeve with mild curiosity. His audacity intrigued her; clearly, someone had spread lies about her.
The scholar, sensing her calmness, pulled out a pale yellow talisman from his sleeve, a smug expression on his face. “It seems you prefer the hard way! Behold the power of a true cultivator—”
Before he could finish, the talisman was pulled from his grasp by an invisible force and floated gracefully into Yu Zhao’s hand. The scholar’s confidence faltered, replaced by shock.
Yu Zhao examined the talisman with disinterest. It was a simple fireball charm, likely made by someone at the third level of Qi Refinement—nothing impressive.
With a flick of her wrist, she ignited the charm. It flared up and quickly turned to ash, which drifted down to land on the scholar’s face. Stunned, he stumbled backward, muttering, “The Great Fire Dragon Immortal has deceived me!”
This display of true cultivation power left the constables in disarray. They hastily sheathed their swords and dropped to their knees, begging for mercy. Some were so terrified that they were visibly trembling.
Yu Zhao, uninterested in revenge, was more curious about the presence of another Qi Refinement cultivator at the county office. She extended her divine sense, sweeping over the town and its surroundings, reaching into a bustling county city. A slight smile played on her lips as she found what she was looking for.
…
At the county office, Magistrate Jia stood nervously at the entrance of the main hall, watching the busy street outside. His face was slick with sweat, betraying his unease.
“Magistrate Jia, you need not worry,” said a sullen, middle-aged man seated to the left, toying with a string of prayer beads.
Magistrate Jia forced a weak smile. “With the Great Fire Dragon Immortal here, I shouldn’t worry,” he agreed, though the words felt hollow. He hesitated before adding, “But if that person truly is a cultivator, what then?”
The question had plagued him since Wang Youtai and Shopkeeper Qian had brought their stories, leaving him deeply uneasy.
The Great Fire Dragon Immortal dismissed his concerns with a scoff. “The spiritual energy here is meager; no genuine cultivator would bother with this place.”
Magistrate Jia privately doubted this. If the Great Fire Dragon Immortal had chosen to stay here for sustenance and shelter, why wouldn’t other cultivators?
Noticing his doubt, the Great Fire Dragon Immortal’s expression darkened. “As long as I’m here, what do you have to fear?”
Magistrate Jia nodded, somewhat reassured. If the stranger wasn’t a real cultivator, all was well. But if they were, the Great Fire Dragon Immortal would handle it.
His brief sense of security was shattered when a sudden, overwhelming force pinned him to the ground. For a moment, his mind went blank. As he struggled to comprehend what was happening, he glanced over at the Great Fire Dragon Immortal.
To his horror, the so-called immortal was sprawled on the ground, his face flushed, veins bulging.
Magistrate Jia’s heart sank. The Great Fire Dragon Immortal was in worse shape than he was.
Despite his limited understanding, Magistrate Jia’s instincts as an official kicked in. They were in a situation far worse than the Great Fire Dragon Immortal had anticipated. This mysterious person was not only a real cultivator but also vastly more powerful. They were in serious trouble.
Magistrate Jia cursed inwardly. The Great Fire Dragon Immortal had led him straight into a disaster.
“P-Please… listen… to me…” the Great Fire Dragon Immortal stammered, his voice trembling with regret.
He had always been able to intimidate ordinary people, but in the world of cultivation, he was insignificant. With mediocre spiritual roots and little fortune, he was vulnerable to any truly ruthless cultivator. That’s why he had hidden in this remote county, where spiritual energy was scarce, hoping to live a peaceful life revered by the locals.
Who would have thought that even in this quiet place, far from the usual paths of cultivators, he would encounter someone so formidable?
The Great Fire Dragon Immortal could only hope that his genuine repentance would convince this powerful stranger to spare his life.
Feeling the pressure on his neck ease slightly, he quickly pleaded, “Senior, Senior, I had no idea you were interested in that painting! I meant no offense! Please, forgive my ignorance! I will compensate you with all my possessions!”
Magistrate Jia, piecing together the situation, realized he had gravely underestimated this person. The Great Fire Dragon Immortal’s desperate pleas confirmed his fears.
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation.
As dread washed over him, sweat dripped from his face, pooling on the floor.
“Where is the painting?” a cold female voice demanded, close to the Great Fire Dragon Immortal’s ear.
Sensing a chance for survival, he exhaled in relief. Perhaps there was a way out if he handled this carefully.
“The painting is in my storage bag,” he admitted.
He intended to retrieve it and present it respectfully, hoping to appease the mysterious cultivator.
But the cultivator didn’t wait for him to act. With a mere thought, she severed his connection to the storage bag, taking control of it herself.
As his link to the bag was forcibly cut, the Great Fire Dragon Immortal stared in disbelief.
Could it be that he had unknowingly offended a Foundation Establishment cultivator?
It’s been a hot second, I think she is foundation still.
P.S: Nice.