Jinque City, Chishao Town.
A flowing feast was being held in the town at this time.
The streets were filled with the sound of gongs and drums, and people flowed like a tide.
Children happily acted as atmosphere creators around a large courtyard for candy.
The owner of the large courtyard, also a prominent figure in the town, Master Hong, who called himself Shu Daoren, was celebrating his seventieth birthday.
He sat upright in the main house with all three doors open, receiving congratulations from relatives, friends, and members of his Family.
Those with close relationships and deep backgrounds could go inside for tea after offering their congratulations.
Those with ordinary relationships and backgrounds would wisely withdraw from the courtyard to eat at the flowing feast after presenting their gifts.
Outside the large courtyard, more than a dozen middle-aged wealthy individuals, dressed in luxurious and extraordinary clothes, gathered in the attic of a restaurant, staring at the activity in the courtyard with rather complex expressions.
"This Shu Daoren's display is getting grander and grander."
"He was originally just a cook for our Ma Family, and I don't know how much luck his ancestors accumulated for him to succeed!"
A tall, slender middle-aged man, who appeared to be the leader of this group of wealthy individuals, said with some anger:
"Now he's even trying to get his hands on our land. This is simply challenging the order of our Chishao Town!"
"Exactly, this Shu Daoren has been getting more and more out of line these past few years, relying on those big rats."
Several people next to the middle-aged man immediately echoed:
"We in Chishao Town do not tolerate such rampant people!"
"Since everyone is here, you must have made up your minds about the previous proposal!"
Seeing that the atmosphere was sufficient, the middle-aged man from the Ma Family, who was leading them, began to get to the point.
They were all local landlords and tycoons who had operated in Chishao Town for many years.
The leading Ma Family even had people serving in the Jinque City government for generations, so whenever there was something, the Ma Family would often take the lead in handling it.
Their Family, from the perspective of Water Blue Star's history, could already be called a gentry Family.
However, this order, which seemed stable and beautiful to them, was broken with Shu Daoren's return to his hometown in his old age.
This Shu Daoren was not a Cultivator, nor did he have an immortal sect identity, but he possessed the ability to control rat swarms.
Moreover, those rats were not extraordinary, yet they were far more ferocious and powerful than normal rats.
This caused these local strongmen to, for a time, have a significant amount of their interests snatched away by this powerful Dragon!
In recent years, Shu Daoren's clansmen had also frequently competed, fought, and brawled with the younger generations of other Families.
It was no wonder that popular anger gradually arose, giving the Ma Family an Opportunity to take advantage of his extravagant actions, which once again caused dissatisfaction among the people, and they planned to jointly deal with this person.
Their method was not clever but very effective.
It was for the Ma Family to take the lead, for each Family to donate a sum of wealth, and for the Ma Family to find a few Martial Artists or even Loose Cultivators in Jinque City to challenge or ambush that Shu Daoren.
The middle-aged man from the Ma Family listened as the wealthy individuals beside him each expressed their agreement to the amount of wealth they would donate.
His lips couldn't help but curl up, and he felt a hint of pride in his heart.
In fact, as the largest gentry in Chishao Town, their Ma Family only needed their trump card, the Guest Elder, to act to suppress Shu Daoren's arrogance.
No matter how great Shu Daoren's ability was, he was merely an unorthodox practitioner of a low rank. Ordinary people might not have a solution, but consulting a Cultivator could easily find a way to break it.
However, one's own trump card should not be used lightly. If it's used lightly, what kind of trump card is it?
And if they acted just like that, how would they make money?
The leader of the Ma Family had already calculated the accounts in his heart.
The money contributed by his own Family and trusted associates would be fully refunded.
Of the money from the other Families, thirty percent would be used to find relatives in the city for help, and the remaining seventy percent would be his own hard-earned fee.
Don't think that seventy percent is too much for a hard-earned fee.
For this, how many people wanted to pay this money to find connections but couldn't!
"Gentlemen, please wait a moment. I brought a bottle of good wine from Jinque City these past few days, and I will share it with everyone now!"
The middle-aged man from the Ma Family was very satisfied. With a glance, he prepared to have his confidant bring out the prepared wine.
Suddenly!
The exclamations from the street caught the attention of these wealthy individuals.
They leaned by the window, eyes wide, and saw a luxurious carriage, clearly beyond their means, slowly approaching from the street entrance, pulled by four pure white, tall horses.
Along the way, the crowds celebrating Shu Daoren's birthday spontaneously parted like a tide meeting a reef, making way.
Even the most unknowledgeable villagers could tell from the carriage's decorations and the tall horses pulling it that the noble person inside the carriage was of immeasurable nobility!
"Hiss!"
As the carriage arrived and stopped at the entrance of Shu Daoren's large courtyard.
The middle-aged man from the Ma Family, who had been to Jinque City, gasped. He recognized what the carriage's decorations signified.
"It's the Inspector of Jinque City!"
"That Cultivator who came down from the immortal sect to enjoy life!"
"He… how could such a noble existence visit this Shu Daoren!"
The middle-aged man from the Ma Family murmured, hoping that the other party was just passing by, or even had an enmity with Shu Daoren!
However, soon, as a young attendant accompanying the carriage entered the large courtyard with a gift box, he explained their purpose to Shu Daoren and others who were hastily standing up, and had the reception etiquette announce the gift list.
The middle-aged man from the Ma Family and the other local wealthy individuals who heard clearly were all greatly shocked, feeling their hands and feet turn cold, and their faces filled with panic.
How did this Shu Daoren get involved with a true immortal sect Cultivator?
The key was that this Cultivator… was also the Inspector of Jinque City! Theoretically speaking, he was their direct superior!
The middle-aged man from the Ma Family's face changed drastically. He stopped drinking, turned, and glared fiercely at the wealthy individuals present, whispering:
"Today's matter, everyone should pretend it never happened!"
"We are all old acquaintances, and you should know that even the Inspector, at most, can only cause our Ma Family to suffer greatly."
"But if our Ma Family finds out who leaked the news, I don't think any of you here can withstand our wrath!"
… … … …
Shu Daoren stood at the courtyard entrance, completely unaware that Su Ping's arrival had, invisibly, saved him from a man-made disaster.
He looked at Su Ping, who stepped out of the carriage, handsome and refined, with an ethereal aura, feeling a mix of alarm and unease.
He quickly performed a grand bow, then welcomed Su Ping into the main house.
As soon as the two entered the main house, the doors were tightly closed.
Shu Daoren's servants and Su Ping's servants spontaneously guarded the entrance, preventing outsiders from approaching.
Inside the house.
Su Ping directly stated his purpose.
This somewhat surprised Shu Daoren.
It wasn't that he was reluctant to part with his knowledge; his little skill in rat control was not worthy of a Cultivator's attention.
He was just surprised that such a minor, unorthodox Dao could be appreciated by an immortal sect Cultivator, feeling a little overwhelmed by the honor!
Shu Daoren took out his compiled Experience on rat training.
And he fully revealed to Su Ping the origin of his abilities, which came from another Opportunity: records left by a predecessor, found in a mountain cave when he was young.
He practiced according to them, and then spent most of his life exploring and improving, which led to his current abilities.
Shu Daoren then demonstrated his methods for Su Ping.
As Shu Daoren blew a whistle, hundreds of large rats with black fur and red eyes emerged from their rat holes and marched in formation under Shu Daoren's command, like a military array.
Su Ping marveled at this and immediately decided to recruit Shu Daoren to become his Family's Guest Elder.
"Come to Jinque City and help me prepare your rat-strengthening potion."
"Also, the title Shu Daoren… let's change it."