Deep Grievances Hard to Dispel

Inside a small, secluded room, Lin Zhaohe was conversing with a man in white robes. When facing this person, Lin Zhaohe's demeanor was exceedingly reverent.

"Uncle, your nephew has arranged everything properly."

The man gave a slight nod. "Once this matter is concluded, I will elevate your branch to a main lineage."

This man was none other than Lin Yuanshan, a Qi Condensation cultivator of the immortal clan Lin family.

Lin Yuanshan looked at Lin Zhaohe with quiet satisfaction. Unlike the other collateral branches of the Lin surname who had long forgotten their ancestors and strayed from the clan, Lin Ruohe's lineage still remembered their roots thanks to their preserved genealogy records.

"As long as we borrow the imperial court's hand to suppress and weaken the Zhou and Huang families, our Lin family will surely restore the glory of our ancestors."

"Uncle speaks the truth," Lin Zhaohe agreed.

More than two hundred years ago, the Lin family had been the sole immortal clan in Qingshui County. With several Qi Condensation cultivators and numerous thriving branches, they had been at the absolute peak of their power.

However, during the war between the Zhao Kingdom and Darong Mountain, the Lin family was swept up in the flames of conflict. Their mortal members suffered disastrous casualties, and every single Qi Condensation cultivator perished in battle.

Without cultivators to keep them in check, long-suppressed factional strife erupted overnight. The Lin family shattered in an instant, and deep-seated hatred took root between the various branches, eventually giving rise to the numerous scattered households bearing the Lin surname in Qingshui County today.

Over two hundred years later, the world had changed, and the Huang family had risen to become the undisputed overlords of Qingshui County.

The various Lin households, on the other hand, had entirely forgotten their shared past, becoming complete strangers to one another. Only a rare few, like Lin Yuanshan and Lin Ruohe, still knew of the ancient records.

Although Lin Ruohe had learned of this history long ago, he was merely a county registrar. Setting aside whether the other Lin households would even believe him, he simply lacked the power to resolve their mutual enmity. Such a feat required someone with true weight-such as a Qi Condensation Immortal Master.

It was not until Lin Yuanshan established an immortal clan a few years prior that Lin Ruohe finally saw hope-or rather, a chance for profit.

Although Lin Ruohe was tied to the Zhou family by marriage, the disparity in their status had grown vast. Even his official post was subordinate to Zhou Chang'an's, leaving him no room to scheme for benefits from the Zhou family.

But if he returned to the Lin family, his lineage would become one of the main branches of an immortal clan, bringing countless advantages.

"Rest assured, we are of the same blood, and I will not treat you poorly. Once this is done, the position of County Deputy will certainly belong to your father. If your child possesses immortal affinity, I will keep them by my side and guide them personally." Fearing Lin Zhaohe might lose his nerve, Lin Yuanshan naturally tempted him with rich rewards.

"Do not worry, Uncle. I have already grown close with Zhou Chang'an. Framing him when the time comes will be no trouble," Lin Zhaohe said, before a trace of anxiety crossed his face. "It is just... plotting to murder an official of the imperial court... what if we are discovered?"

Lin Yuanshan offered words of comfort. "The cultivators of the prefecture are still human, and humans make mistakes. As long as our actions remain hidden, we will naturally go unnoticed."

Though still harboring some unease, Lin Zhaohe nodded.

Shortly after, he arrived at a secluded, dimly lit corner where faces were obscured by shadows. A burly street thug was already waiting there.

"You know what needs to be done?"

"This lowly one understands," the man replied with an obsequious smile, bending his massive frame into a bow. "Whoever dares to offend the County Magistrate, even if it's the Heavenly King himself, this lowly one will make them suffer."

He had caught wind of a secret rumor from the county office: whoever beat up the arrogant young master that had offended the magistrate would be promoted to a constable.

Whether the rumor was true or false mattered little to him. He cared nothing for the consequences-as long as there was a chance to become a constable, it was far better than remaining a common ruffian.

Lin Zhaohe watched the burly thug walk away before retreating into the darkness himself. He had long since laid down hidden moves within the county office; even if an investigation were launched, the trail would only lead to Huang Yuancheng and Zhou Chang'an.

Night fell.

Lu Shiyang was drinking and seeking pleasure in a tavern, but the events of the day left a heavy, lingering resentment in his chest. Unable to hold it in, he spat out a string of curses.

"Motherfucker, isn't he just a dog-shit County Magistrate? What's so great about that? My brother is an Immortal Master, and my family is an immortal clan. Damn it."

Yet, all he dared to do was grumble and attempt to drown his sorrows in wine.

Hearing Lu Shiyang's curses, the burly thug who had been waiting nearby shot up from his seat. He led a group of his brothers to surround Lu Shiyang and his servants. The surrounding patrons, sensing danger, had already fled the tavern, leaving only Lu Shiyang and his two attendants behind.

The thug's accomplices knew none of the details, only that beating a man tonight would earn them several taels of silver. They were naturally eager to oblige.

"Boy, you have some nerve, insulting the County Magistrate!"

"What do you think you're doing? We belong to the Lu family!" the two servants shouted, their voices fierce but their hearts trembling at the wall of imposing figures closing in around them.

"Doing what? Teaching you a proper lesson on behalf of the County Magistrate, of course," the leader sneered viciously.

In the next breath, the group of thugs swarmed Lu Shiyang and his men. The ensuing brawl smashed the tavern to splinters. Lu Shiyang was beaten to death on the spot, and in the chaos, the burly leader also somehow lost his life. The surviving thugs were instantly thrown into a panic.

They had only intended to break a few bones for some quick silver, but now that blood had been spilled and lives taken, the matter had escalated beyond their control.

The ruffians scattered in terror. The surviving Lu family servants, covered in their own blood, scrambled back to the estate to report the incident. Only shattered furniture and two lifeless corpses remained on the tavern floor.

When Zhu Zhen learned the identity of the deceased, a cold sweat broke out across his back. It was made even worse by the fact that the killers had supposedly acted to avenge his honor.

"First, go and arrest all those thugs. A life for a life-we must give the Lu family a proper explanation."

He subjected the captured ruffians to brutal torture, but their leader was already dead, and the remaining men knew nothing of the deeper plot. No matter how harshly he interrogated them, he could not extract a single piece of useful information.

By the next day, news of Lu Shiyang's death had spread throughout the county. Lu Zhaohai, the Lu family cultivator, abandoned his Daoist training grounds entirely and stormed straight into the county office to demand justice.

Yet, no matter how immense his fury, he dared not lay a hand on Zhu Zhen. He could only hack the imprisoned thugs into minced meat to vent his rage before claiming Lu Shiyang's corpse and returning home.

Though he suspected this might be the handiwork of the other major families, the root cause lay with Zhu Zhen. Naturally, his hatred extended fully to the magistrate as well.

And so, a grisly murder case was hastily swept under the rug.

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. Zhu Zhen's desperate hunger for official achievements had caused his conflict with Huang Yuancheng to escalate intensely, resulting in endless turmoil within the county office.

Because of Lu Shiyang's death, the Lu family naturally began to target Zhu Zhen as well. Even if Zhu Zhen managed to push a decree past Huang Yuancheng, the Lu family would secretly obstruct it, ensuring his governance failed at every turn and forcing him to withdraw his orders.

As a result, not only was Zhu Zhen unable to secure a single presentable achievement, but his bitter enmity with both families grew deeper and heavier by the day.

"Magistrate Zhu, your governance of Qingshui County is truly lacking. You had best put your back into it."

On the day of his official evaluation, the supervising official left Zhu Zhen with only that single sentence before taking his sedan chair to the next county.

At the county magistrate's estate.

"Why? Why must you all constantly go against me!" Zhu Zhen roared, furiously smashing porcelain and furniture to vent his rage. "Damn the Huang family! Damn the Lu family! I curse you both-may your lineages be severed forever!"

Advisor Bai, standing to the side, could bear it no longer. He stepped forward to offer comfort, only to see Zhu Zhen's body suddenly seize up. A thick spray of black blood erupted from the magistrate's mouth, and he crashed heavily to the floor!

"Milord! Milord!"

Advisor Bai rushed forward in a panic, but Zhu Zhen had already lost all signs of life. His eyes remained wide open-dead, with eternal grievances unsoothed!

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