The Xu family likewise favored the type like Xiao Changyuan who handled matters for money without being excessively greedy.
Seven or eight days later.
Wu Tao's appointment document as Immortal Official came down.
After several more days, Xiao Changyuan informed Wu Tao that he would be leaving Qingjiang County to return to Longjiang Commandery.
"Senior Xiao, you're leaving Qingjiang already? This junior has only just joined and still has many matters to seek guidance on," Wu Tao said with a worried expression, cupping his fists.
Yet in his heart, he thought, "Indeed, just as Third Master predicted without error."
"Qingjiang County has outstanding people and beautiful scenery. This Xiao would also like to remain long, but the family has given orders and I cannot but return. If you ever come to Longjiang one day, Wu Tao, you may come to the Xiao family to find me. I will certainly receive you warmly."
"All that remains at the Immortal Affairs Bureau is yours."
"With the monthly stipend of one spirit stone every two months, as long as you cultivate with dedication, you can also reach my current realm."
It was Wu Tao who had a bailiff go inform the county office, and only then did County Magistrate Wu and the others learn of it.
"The county administrator position belongs to the Xu family's Li Zhi, and now the Immortal Affairs Bureau is also controlled by an immortal cultivator recruited by the Xu family. This truly shows Heaven's mandate lies with the Xu family."
County Magistrate Wu felt infinite emotion in his heart. He even felt that before long, he would have to relinquish this county magistrate position.
Perhaps if he voluntarily abdicated, he could sell a few points of favor.
At least there was still that layer of in-law relationship.
Initially, the Wu family paid no attention whatsoever to this in-law relationship, feeling they could sever it at any time yet now, they maintained it carefully and cautiously. Even Wu Rushan's brothers and her birth mother received great importance from the Wu family.
After all, aside from them, no one else could even enter the Xu residence when they went to Dongxi.
Wu Rufeng and his mother, being Wu Rushan's close relatives, were able to enter and pay visits.
"No, I must have my nephew send people to probe and test the waters. If the Xu family truly intends to control Qingjiang County's officialdom, then our Wu family had better retreat while the current is still favorable."
Because Wu Tao still needed to keep up appearances, he planned to cultivate at the Immortal Affairs Bureau for another half month or so then he would return to the Xu residence.
"This Xiao Changyuan truly has the character of plucking feathers from passing geese. He said he left everything to me, but aside from a quiet room so clean the floor could reflect faces, what else did he leave?"
"Oh no, there's also a meditation cushion."
He shook his head with a laugh and immediately sat cross-legged on it to cultivate quietly.
After a short while, opening both eyes, he revealed a bitter expression, muttering to himself, "It truly cannot compare with Jade Cold Pool."
Wu Tao thought to himself, he might as well shorten the time again. At most, he'd stay three to five days before returning to Jade Cold Pool. If there were matters, he'd have bailiffs go to the Xu residence to notify them.
The next day, at the Wu residence.
After the Wu family head was informed by County Magistrate Wu that people from the Xu family had entered the Immortal Affairs Bureau, his heart likewise gave rise to this same worry.
"Someone come, go invite the Second Lady here."
"Yes, Family Head."
A moment later.
"Husband, why have you summoned this wife?"
A middle-aged noble lady dressed in splendid robes with exquisite makeup, her hair adorned with gold and jade ornaments, walked into the hall with a smile, her lotus steps moving gracefully.
In her hand, she held a fan painted with butterflies chasing secluded orchids, fanning slowly and gently, adding several parts to her charming bearing.
Around forty-some years of age, her figure still carried the charm of fullness. In her glances, she displayed complete dignified gentleness.
This person was Wu Rushan's mother, Lady Zheng.
"You haven't seen Shan'er in a long while. Do you miss her?"
"Naturally I miss her," Lady Zheng's almond eyes brightened. "We've been separated for years, and I haven't seen Jing'er or Rui'er. I wonder how these two children are doing now?"
"Then why not go with me for a visit shortly," the Wu family head said.
"Does husband have such leisure today?" Lady Zheng was slightly surprised, though she also vaguely guessed he had matters to personally inquire about with Wu Rushan face to face.
She fanned the round fan slowly and gently. After a moment, she slightly bowed and said, "Since husband has such refined interest, this wife will naturally accompany you."
The two brought four sword-bearing guards and two maidservants, riding a carriage toward Dongxi.
At the stone monument carved with "Dongxi Xu Clan," the carriage was stopped.
"Who is in the carriage?"
The guard cupped his fists, "Inside the carriage are the Qingjiang Wu family head and Second Lady, specially come to visit your residence's Second Master's wife."
"The Wu family?"
"Allow me to have someone return and inquire. If the master family is willing, then we'll invite you all to enter."
Lady Zheng's brows lifted slightly, seemingly displeased, "The Xu family is too arrogant. Every time I come, it's like this. Now even when you come personally, husband, they still receive guests this way. Simply unprecedented."
"Madam, please be patient. Since the Xu family has this rule, we who come as guests should naturally comply," the Wu family head closed both eyes, regulating his breath and calming his spirit.
…
The Xu residence.
Sea Sky Courtyard.
Xu Mingyuan was just accompanying Wu Rushan, who was seven or eight months pregnant, on a leisurely stroll through the courtyard.
Suddenly, a servant came to report.
"My father and my little mother have come?" Wu Rushan looked at the guard with surprise. "Did they say their purpose?"
"They only said they came to visit Madam."
Wu Rushan looked toward Xu Mingyuan, "Husband, what do you think?"
"Visitors are guests, and they're your father-in-law and the others. It wouldn't be good to refuse them at the door," Xu Mingyuan said with a smile.
"I'm not surprised that little mother came, but my father coming as well is a bit unusual. He's the Wu family head. Usually, only others visit him at the Wu residence. I've never seen him personally visit others' doors."
"It shows that our Xu family is no longer what it once was," Xu Mingyuan turned to look at the guard. "Let my father-in-law and the others come over."
"Yes, Second Master."
The guard immediately turned and left.
Wu Rushan stared at Xu Mingyuan's face with slight surprise, "Husband, you know my father's purpose?"
"I can roughly guess some of it."
"You should know that Wu Tao entered the Immortal Affairs Bureau, and yesterday Xiao Changyuan already left Qingjiang."
The matter of the Xu family recruiting immortal cultivators at Jade Cold Pool was no longer too great a secret within the Xu family.
Wu Rushan had also seen them a few times.
"If that's the case, doesn't the Qingjiang County Immortal Affairs Bureau fall under our Xu family's control? The Immortal Official's authority is even greater than military officials. This wife understands now. The Wu family fears our Xu family covets the county magistrate position."
"Madam is truly intelligent, understanding at a single point," Xu Mingyuan praised.
"Then what should I say when I see them?"
"Madam need only give subtle reminders. If the Wu family is sensible, they will obediently relinquish the county magistrate position and hand it over to our Xu family's people. At that time, my big brother will negotiate with them."
"What if they don't agree? Will we exterminate the Wu family?"
Xu Mingyuan raised his hand and scraped her delicate nose, saying with a light laugh, "What is Madam saying? How could our Xu family casually do such things? At most, we'll make them hurt a bit."
Wu Rushan seemed thoughtful. Though her heart was devoted to martial arts, she also knew something of the Xu family's foundation.
Even if all the aristocratic families in Qingjiang County united, they still wouldn't be a match for the Xu family now.
If they wanted to exterminate which aristocratic family, it was merely a matter of raising their hand.
"It seems necessary to give a warning or two."
Wu Rushan was ultimately of Wu family blood. Even if she hadn't lived too satisfactorily in the Wu family in the past, having grown up there since childhood, she still had some feelings.
Blood ties weren't something that could be severed just because one wanted to.
Just like Xu Yan, who had returned to her natal family. At first, things were fine.
But now that the Xu family's influence had grown increasingly vast, she was being disparaged by her own brothers and sisters. They said she didn't consider their face at all and privately severed the marriage alliance with the Chen family.
They were originally just ordinary wealthy households in Qingjiang County seat. With poor management and an incapable head of household, they wanted to establish relations with the Dongxi Xu clan, but how would Xu Mingwei and the others pay them any mind?
Helplessly, the whole family relocated to Liuyun County.
Chen Daniu was now the Chen family head in that county. With backing and support from the Xu family behind him, his scale of development was extremely rapid.
Xu Yan and her family went to seek refuge with him.
She was ultimately his birth mother. Chen Daniu could only secretly help out here and there.
Sea Sky Courtyard, reception room.
"Father-in-law, mother-in-law, what brings you here with such leisure today? This son-in-law failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive me."
Lady Zheng pursed her lips, "In the future, if I could travel freely by carriage, that would be great fortune."
"Mind your tongue," the Wu family head rebuked.
"Father-in-law need not be like this. We're all one family and can chat freely. But mother-in-law, allow this son-in-law to report, my big brother is the Xu family head. The rules he established, I must also follow. Otherwise, wouldn't our Xu family be in chaos?"
"Forget it, forget it. It's just a bit more delay," Lady Zheng saw that Xu Mingyuan was courteous and naturally couldn't keep a stern face. She immediately pulled Wu Rushan's hand. "You're pregnant again? Which pregnancy is this?"
Wu Rushan said with a smile while gently stroking her belly, "The third pregnancy. It's already been nearly eight months."
"Then it's soon. You must be careful."
"Little mother need not be like this. Shan'er, with husband's full support, has now become an innate martial artist. My body isn't so delicate."
Hearing this, Lady Zheng's phoenix eyes went round, her vermillion lips parted slightly, and the round fan in her hand fell to the floor with a "clatter," "The innate realm? This... this must be a jest, right?"
"Shan'er, you've reached innate?"
The Wu family head also couldn't believe it. After all, even he hadn't reached innate.
The Wu family had three innate martial artists in total: the Heavenly Dragon Hall Master, County Magistrate Wu, and one secretly hidden innate martial artist who was also not young, already past the age of forty.
They had originally planned to wait a few more years until County Magistrate Wu retired, then he would come out to compete for the county magistrate position.
At this moment, a maidservant brought tea and pastries. Xu Mingyuan picked up the teacup and took a light sip. Only then did the Wu family head say with a smile, "This is joyful news, great joyful news."
Seeing a leopard through a bamboo tube, he heard the implication in Wu Rushan's words.
Even she, a woman, could be cultivated to Innate. How profound must the Xu family's hidden power be, far beyond what the Wu family could compare to.
"She's advising me not to attempt the act of a mantis blocking a cart."
The Wu family head's spine went cold. He glanced at Xu Mingyuan and felt a chill run through his heart, "Perhaps only by completely pledging allegiance to the Xu family and becoming their subordinates will our Wu family have a place in Qingjiang in the future."
"But..."
This matter was of great importance, not something he alone could decide.
The Wu family had operated in Qingjiang County for nearly two hundred years. Their ancestors had fought hard to have today. How could they easily hand it over to others with cupped fists?
The Wu family head's heart was in chaotic turmoil.
Afterward, whatever else they discussed, he no longer cared much about. Even what he wanted to ask need no longer be asked.
Everything was already clear as day.
All of Qingjiang would sooner or later be in the Xu family's grasp.
How could they allow others to sleep soundly beside their couch?
If there were any, they could only be their own people.
Before long, the Wu family head and Lady Zheng departed.
Throughout the journey, the Wu family head was preoccupied with heavy thoughts, but Lady Zheng didn't think so much about it. She kept praising her daughter's talent.
…
"Madam, today you spoke a bit too much," Xu Mingyuan said softly.
He had actually hoped that Wu Rushan would subtly remind them that the Xu family had designs on the county magistrate position, rather than revealing this information.
Wu Rushan's entire body stiffened. She walked to his side and massaged his shoulders, saying, "Husband, this wife did this also to warn my father not to oppose our Xu family."
"They are ultimately my maternal clan. I naturally hope they can coexist harmoniously with our Xu family."
Xu Mingyuan sighed lightly and grasped her soft hand, saying, "Only this once."
"Thank you, husband."
Wu Rushan departed with the maidservants' support. Xu Mingyuan's gaze was calm as a deep abyss, his knuckles lightly tapping the red sandalwood tea table.
After a long while, he said, "Someone come."
"Second Master, what are your orders?"
"Have our people in Qingjiang secretly monitor the Wu family. If anyone from the Wu family leaves the county seat, report back!"
"Yes, Second Master!"
Xu Mingyuan wasn't worried about the Wu family allying with the other families in the county seat, but the Wu family had nearly two hundred years of foundation. They had also had minor connections with some aristocratic families in the commandery city.
If forces from the commandery city interfered, even though the Xu clan had no fear, it would inevitably reveal their cutting edge and even cause them to prematurely step into plain view in Yuehu Commandery.
The Wu family head returned to the county seat.
Preoccupied with heavy thoughts, he tossed and turned sleeplessly through the night.
The next day, he invited the Heavenly Dragon Hall Master, County Magistrate Wu, and the remaining innate martial artist to his study.
He was the Heavenly Dragon Hall Master's own son, and should be considered the Wu family head's cousin, named Wu Zhan.
From childhood, he displayed outstanding martial Dao talent and was secretly cultivated with full effort. Finally, a few years ago, he stepped into the Innate realm.
In the future, he had hope of surpassing the Heavenly Dragon Hall Master to reach late Innate stage or even Innate perfection.
"Family Head, how did the matter from before go?" County Magistrate Wu was first to break the oppressive silence, opening his mouth to inquire.
The Heavenly Dragon Hall Master and Wu Zhan looked over curiously, "What matter?"
The Wu family head remained silent for a moment, then raised his head to look over, "The reason I've gathered everyone here is precisely for this matter."
The Heavenly Dragon Hall Master and Wu Zhan grew even more curious.
He looked toward the two and said, "It's related to the Xu family."
These short five words caused the Heavenly Dragon Hall Master and Wu Zhan's expressions to turn shocked.
The Heavenly Dragon Hall Master's brow furrowed with worry, his cold eyes gazing intensely, "Did you provoke the Xu family?"
"How would I dare!"
"Then what is it for? The Xu family and our Wu family currently don't interfere with each other," the Heavenly Dragon Hall Master's expression eased slightly, his face showing doubt.
"I also thought it was like this before, until recently when Uncle had someone inform me that Xiao Changyuan left Qingjiang County, and a youth named Wu Tao became the only Immortal Official at the Immortal Affairs Bureau."
"Wu Tao? Who is he?" The Heavenly Dragon Hall Master murmured to himself.
"He should be a rogue cultivator, right?" Wu Zhan guessed.
"No, he is a rogue cultivator recruited by the Xu family!"
"Such a thing?! When did the Xu family establish connections with immortal cultivators?" The Heavenly Dragon Hall Master's expression alternated between dark and light.
"That's still not accurate. To be precise, Wu Tao is an immortal cultivator cultivated by the Xu family."
The Heavenly Dragon Hall Master's face went deathly pale with shock, "Young uncle, are you certain?"
County Magistrate Wu sighed and shook his head, "The Xu family is watertight, not leaking a single breath of wind. How can we be certain?"
"I'm making this deduction based on this person's age and strength."
"What the Xu family schemes for may be all of Qingjiang," County Magistrate Wu said.
"Young uncle and I have identical guesses. Now no one knows how deep the Xu family's foundation is. Yesterday, I also went to the Xu residence and only then learned that my daughter Shan'er has already stepped into innate."
"At that time, I felt no joy whatsoever, but was instead frightened with a cold spine and fearful heart."
"Rushan is only twenty-seven or twenty-eight, right?" Wu Zhan said in a daze.
He and Wu Rushan were of the same generation, but with quite an age difference. Moreover, she was born of a concubine, so they had almost no interaction.
Now hearing that she had actually broken through to innate, he was nearly shocked senseless.
"When did the innate barrier become so easy to break through?" he muttered incoherently.
The Wu family head said, "It's not that breaking through to innate is simple, but rather that the Xu family's foundation is so deep that helping people break through is simple, just like the many top martial Dao aristocratic families in the commandery city.
Within their clans, they fundamentally don't lack Innate realm direct descendants, but rather lack top-level grandmaster powerhouses."
This news left the Heavenly Dragon Hall Master's mind shaken. It took him a long while to recover. He looked toward the Wu family head, "Then what should our Wu family do?"
"The Xu family definitely has great fortune. Our Wu family cannot swallow the Xu family, but in the commandery city..." Wu Zhan's eyes suddenly revealed ambition.
Hearing this, County Magistrate Wu's brow furrowed tightly, displeasure evident as he raised his eyes to look over.
According to his original intention, they should show goodwill to the Xu family, yield, or even pledge allegiance, rather than oppose them.
"Using a tiger to devour a wolf is also a method," the Heavenly Dragon Hall Master hesitated for a moment and echoed in agreement.
"Family Head, what do you think?" County Magistrate Wu looked over again.
The Wu family head pondered for a long time and said, "The Xu family aims for all of Qingjiang. Yielding is useless. Either we completely pledge allegiance and become dependent on the Xu family, or we bring in forces from the commandery city to use a wolf to devour a tiger."
Though "using a tiger to devour a wolf" and "using a wolf to devour a tiger" were similar, their implications were vastly different.
The former considered the commandery city more powerful, while the Wu family head believed the Xu family surpassed ordinary forces in the commandery city.
"Family Head, aren't you overthinking this? The connections we established before are with a seventh-rank aristocratic family with a Grandmaster presiding over it. It's a top-tier seventh-rank family with at least a dozen or more innate powerhouses in the clan," Wu Zhan said with slight disdain.
"Don't forget about Xu Mingwei. He hasn't shown himself in a long while!"
"And there's the Yang family, who are also the Xu family's in-laws!"