Dao Companions Help Me Live Forever

Chapter 164: Big Movie: Saving Dan Shi (6k)

"Since ancient times, autumn has been lonely and desolate. I say that autumn surpasses spring."

Yu Xian nestled in the empty mansion, playing with the small white tiger that had just taken on a tiger form. He watched the fallen leaves drifting in the wind, feeling quite content.

One could even say he was extremely relaxed.

Because Chen Yi had taken Yu Lan up the mountain, it meant that no one was watching him.

Don't be fooled by his tough talk in front of Chen Yi, acting like he could have as many women as he wanted.

But in the end, he didn't dare to mess around in front of Chen Yi.

If she were to be stimulated one day, if something went wrong in her mind and she suddenly wanted to switch to the ruthless path, he would be her first sacrifice.

This wasn't the world from his past life.

Even if a scumbag was a scumbag, as long as he didn't break the law, at most he would be morally condemned.

But in the cultivation world, having a bad mood was enough reason to wipe out an entire family.

He seemed carefree, embracing women on both sides, even having a Gold Core True Immortal ride on him, but only he knew the thin ice he was treading on in his heart.

Chen Yi was much stronger than him. Once he angered her, he wouldn't even have a chance to escape.

This made him feel very insecure.

So after Chen Yi recognized him, his cultivation time almost doubled, while his leisure time decreased significantly.

It wasn't until recently, after his Deception Technique advanced to the third level, that he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"But I still need to break through to the Gold Core realm as soon as possible." Yu Xian secretly thought.

Life is like a box of filled chocolates. If you don't eat them, you won't know the taste.

Originally, he was living a good life.

But ever since Chen Yi came, his life became a mess, losing his control.

His actions seemed free, but he was actually considering Chen Yi's feelings everywhere.

In the end, it was because his own strength was insufficient.

Otherwise, even if Chen Yi hated him because of love, they could just break up and have a fight, then go to another place and continue to live like a boss.

"Damn, it feels like I've been living in her shadow all this time."

"But she has been good to me..."

Yu Xian's good mood didn't last long. The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became, and he vigorously rubbed the small white tiger's head.

Well, the fur was smooth and silky, giving a feeling of silk.

And perhaps because Yu Lan had been taking care of it all along, there was a faint scent on it, similar to the scent on Yu Lan's body.

"Meow..."

Ah Miao made a protesting sound, and a pair of yellow gem-like eyes showed obvious dissatisfaction.

阿喵, who had already read many human books, had almost become a human disguised as a tiger, understanding the difference between men and women.

She was almost thirty years old, a mother tiger. It was fine for her to be touched by Sister Yulan on a regular basis, but how could she let a man touch her?

She suddenly thought of the innocent girls in the books who were bullied by tyrants.

In her eyes, Yu Xian was worse than a tyrant.

But how could Yu Xian care about a pet's emotions? As long as he was happy, that was all that mattered.

After a while, seeing that Yu Xian had not stopped violating her, Ah Miao couldn't help but bare her teeth.

Yu Xian felt a slight sting in his finger and saw Ah Miao bite down on it, showing a fierce expression.

"Oh, little one, you're still angry."

Yu Xian stirred his finger in Ah Miao's mouth. His tongue was rough and not smooth.

"Meow!!!"

After being humiliated, Ah Miao spread out her limbs, exposing her soft belly, as if saying, "Go ahead, touch me."

After all, being touched was quite comfortable.

Seeing Ah Miao cooperating like this, Yu Xian lost interest in stroking her after a while.

"I must be out of my mind. Why am I wasting my time with a little cat during such a good time?"

Yu Xian left Ah Miao and walked out of the mansion.

Ah Miao lay on the chair, her eyes lifeless, staring blankly at Yu Xian's fading figure.

...

The Wu family, once one of the eight major families in Shangyang City, is now in charge of the alchemy department of the City Lord's Mansion.

The alchemy department is responsible for the assessment of alchemists, as well as serving as a platform for alchemy commissions, purchasing medicinal materials, recovering elixirs, and distributing elixir benefits to all city officials, and so on.

Anything related to pills and medicine falls under the jurisdiction of the alchemy department.

So the alchemists on Shangyang Mountain are not unregulated. On the contrary, they are governed by an entire department under the City Lord's Mansion.

It's just that the City Lord, Chen Xiao, is too incompetent. He was easily fooled by his subordinates and couldn't find his sister to discuss matters, so he obediently became a clay Buddha.

On this day, a group of cultivators in black uniforms forcefully broke into the Wu family's mansion in the inner city.

In terms of living space, the Wu family is far inferior to the former Zhao family. After all, the land of the Zhao family was bestowed by Dan Yang Zhenren, casually covering hundreds of acres.

But the Wu family's land was bought by themselves, and each acre represents a huge fortune.

Therefore, the Wu family's reputation is great among the eight major families, and the entire mansion is just a large courtyard with seven entrances and seven exits, housing about three hundred people.

However, since the wise City Lord abolished the spiritual energy tax, the population of the Wu family has skyrocketed to about a thousand people.

When the gate of the Wu mansion was kicked open, it was like a thunderclap, making this densely populated house lively.

"Outrageous!"

The gatekeeper of the Wu Mansion was an old man in his sixties with graying hair. Seeing someone so audaciously kicking the gate of the Wu Mansion, he immediately stood up from his chair.

A dark black light flew out from behind him, attacking the intruder.

Surprisingly, this person was a cultivator in the later stage of Qi Refining, capable of controlling artifacts.

But the person who kicked the door simply patted his uniform on the chest and confidently shouted, "Tax Bureau investigation, make way for unrelated people!"

The dark light suddenly stopped, gradually dissipating to reveal its true form, which turned out to be a thick and sturdy black iron mace artifact.

"The Tax Bureau?!" The gatekeeper was filled with doubt.

"What business do you have at the Wu Mansion?" he asked.

The Tax Bureau had recently gained a notorious reputation in the city. Under the guise of tax inspections, they had destroyed several Foundation Building forces. Some families had been ruined due to excessive tax demands, forcing them to leave the city. Even two Foundation Building cultivators who resisted were treated as scapegoats and died on the spot, resulting in a gruesome scene that further tarnished the Tax Bureau's reputation.

A cultivator with a large mole on his chin stepped forward and touched the black hair growing on the mole. He smiled and said to the gatekeeper, "We received a report that the Wu family is suspected of tax evasion. According to the new tax code, we have the authority to seal the Wu Mansion. We are here to search for evidence. Please step aside, old man."

The gatekeeper's face darkened as he shouted, "Our ancestor is in charge of alchemy and can directly meet with the city lord. We also have tax exemption privileges. What qualifications does your Tax Bureau have to investigate our Wu family? Do you think we are one of those small families that you can bully? Leave immediately, or don't blame the Wu family for disregarding the face of the Tax Bureau and keeping all of you here!"

"Tax exemption privileges belong to the alchemy supervisor, not the Wu family. Besides, can you guarantee that everyone in the Wu Mansion is from the Wu family?" The cultivator with the mole shrugged and said, "Do you, a gatekeeper, think you can make decisions for the Wu family? Go and inform the person in charge of your family. We'll wait for half an hour. After half an hour, the Tax Bureau will enter the mansion to arrest people."

He didn't care about the Wu family or the Wang family. Whoever provided him with Foundation Building pills, he would serve them like a dog.

No one knew the excitement he felt when their beloved director secretly placed three Foundation Building pills under the Tax Bureau's plaque.

He thought he would never have a chance to reach Foundation Building in his lifetime.

But hope always comes unexpectedly.

Although he was just a temporary worker who had to work for another five years, although there was only one regular position available each year, although they had forty-eight temporary workers...

But hope was there. With each step forward, there was a little more possibility of success.

Who knows, maybe he would work hard and be appreciated by the director, and be promoted ahead of time.

The gatekeeper snorted coldly at the audacity of the cultivator with the mole, but said nothing more. He turned around and went to inform the others.

When he arrived at the main hall, he saw his family's master talking to a young man and a veiled woman.

"Master, there is something happening outside..."

The old gatekeeper walked up to the head of the Wu family, about to speak, but was interrupted by a wave of the hand.

"The head of the family already knows about the tax bureau's matter. The ancestor will come to handle it soon. Please invite your colleagues from the tax bureau into the mansion for tea," the head of the Wu family instructed.

The old gatekeeper was puzzled, but he suppressed his curiosity and nodded.

After the old gatekeeper left, the head of the Wu family smiled and said, "Manager Yu, if there's anything, you can send someone to inform us. There's no need for you to personally come. Please wait for a moment, the ancestor will arrive soon."

"Someone entrusted me with this matter. It's a matter of loyalty, and I can't rest assured without coming in person," Yu Xian said, looking at a woman beside him and giving her a reassuring look.

The woman beside him was naturally Luo Han.

This time, he invited Luo Han to help save the alchemy colleagues who were in dire straits, while also demonstrating the dangerous moments he usually faced.

Luo Han had long wanted to go down the mountain for a trip.

Although she was a homebody, it didn't mean she could stay in one place for her whole life.

Occasionally, she would go down the mountain, stroll around, buy things, admire the scenery in the city, and adjust her body and mind.

But since Master Dan Yang left, she hadn't left the house for a long time.

When Yu Xian invited her this time, she hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

Anyway, Yu Xian didn't need to deceive her to get her to come down the mountain if he really wanted to make a move on her.

Seeing that Yu Xian really brought her to the Wu family to save people, she was excited and nervous, and a little excited. This was an experience she had never had before.

The Wu family had invited her to join several times, but she had refused.

Because she understood that if she joined the Wu family, she might lose her only freedom.

Her master had warned her before he died that unless it was absolutely necessary, she must not join a cultivation family, otherwise she would be a tool controlled by others for her whole life.

In the eyes of the family cultivators, bloodline was the most important.

To truly integrate into a family, one had to intermarry and work hard for three generations.

Luo Han remembered her master's teachings and kept her distance from the family's invitations, quietly practicing alchemy.

This time, she actually stepped into the Wu family on her own initiative, how could she not be nervous?

She heard that the Wu ancestor was powerful, and his cultivation had already reached the late Foundation Building stage. If he insisted on making a move, she and Daoist Yu would probably be trapped here.

But Daoist Yu was also involved in this matter because of her request. If necessary, she could just agree to the Wu family and refine pills for them, and then let Daoist Yu leave.

Luo Han looked at the side profile of Yu Xian and silently made up her mind.

But as she looked, she remembered the absurd dream she had after getting drunk that day, and her cheeks under the veil turned slightly red.

After waiting for a while, an old man dressed in a blue robe and holding a peach wood staff angrily entered the room, with a hint of burnt smell on him.

Luo Han's nostrils twitched, and she transmitted her voice to Yu Xian:

"This is Wu Laozu, he seems to be in a bad mood, probably because his furnace exploded."

Wu Laozu's real name is Wu Fan. He is a pill refiner in Shangyang City who, apart from Luo Han, is able to stably refine Foundation Building pills. It is said that his pill refining skills have reached the second-grade high level, just one step away from the third-grade.

In addition, the Wu family is known for their pill refining skills and always has an abundance of elixirs. Therefore, Wu Laozu's cultivation level is considered quite good within the family, reaching the late stage of Foundation Building.

As soon as he entered the room, Wu Laozu slammed his peach wood staff on the ground and coldly snorted at the head of the Wu family, saying, "I have said that no one is allowed to disturb me during pill refining. Jialiang, what could be so important that you disregarded our usual rules? Do you know how rare the materials for this Five Kui Pill are? A single failure would be a waste of years of effort!"

Wu Jialiang quickly apologized, "Laozu, please calm down. I had no choice. Manager Yu has come and must see you."

At this point, Wu Laozu's gaze finally turned to Yu Xian and Luo Han.

"Manager Yu, and who is this?" His tone was somewhat puzzled, as if he didn't recognize Luo Han, but quickly waved his sleeve in anger, saying, "What business do you have here? Are you here to cause trouble for the Wu family?!"

His gaze was cold, and his aura poured down like a mountain and sea, making the air in the entire hall seem stagnant.

Yu Xian, of course, didn't care. His confrontation with Chen Yi was not in vain. Even facing an ordinary Gold Core cultivator, with his current strength, he wouldn't be intimidated by mere aura.

But at the moment, he was still playing the role of an early stage Foundation Building cultivator.

According to normal calculations, the cultivation base of a late stage Foundation Building cultivator is six to seven times that of an early stage cultivator, and their spiritual power is three to four times stronger.

The difference in strength was overwhelming.

As a result, his expression gradually became unpleasant.

And Luo Han, who had never experienced a serious battle, felt even worse. The Wu Laozu in front of her seemed like a volcano about to erupt, constantly alerting her spiritual senses. The invisible pressure was like a waterfall crashing against her soul.

She felt like she couldn't breathe.

"So this is the strength of a late stage Foundation Building cultivator, so powerful. No wonder my master told me not to reveal my pill refining talent unless I am fully confident."

"How is Daoist Yu doing?"

Just as Luo Han had this thought, she felt a hand resting on hers.

A warm breath flowed through her palm, making her unconsciously feel safe and warm.

Surprised, she looked up and saw Yu Xian, with sweat on his forehead, forcing a smile at her. He calmly said, "Manager Wu, do you want to challenge your superior and make a move against me?"

Wu Laozu's aura paused for a moment, then slowly dissipated. He walked to the main seat in the hall and sat down, assuming the posture of a host.

"I dare not," Wu Laozu said with a smirk. "I was just joking with the manager. I didn't expect the manager to be so weak that you couldn't even withstand my aura."

Yu Xian snorted coldly: "I have heard a saying, 'Do not bully the poor youth.'

I, Yu Xian, am only fifty-one years old this year. Over ten years ago, I broke through the Foundation Building realm and I am confident that I can break through the later stage of Foundation Building before the age of eighty.

I wonder at what age Manager Wu broke through the later stage of Foundation Building?"

Wu Patriarch's face turned black, and he abruptly changed the subject: "Manager Yu, let's talk about the main issue."

Seeing Wu Patriarch back down, Luo Han inexplicably felt happy and once again looked at Yu Xian.

"He seems so calm. If it were me, I probably wouldn't know what to say right now. And he's only fifty-one years old, which means he's only two years older than me."

Yu Xian said, "Manager Wu, I heard that Tong Ming and Dong Yueyue, two second-tier alchemists, have joined the Wu family.

I suspect that these two alchemists joined your Wu family with the intention of evading taxes. I trouble you to bring them out to confront me and also to complete the necessary procedures."

According to the new tax code, when alchemists refine pills, they consume a large amount of underground spiritual veins, which is far greater than their usual cultivation. Therefore, they need to pay additional pill taxes.

However, public officials like Wu Patriarch, who have a certain level of authority, have the privilege of tax exemption and can even benefit their families.

This is also a loophole deliberately left by Yu Xian for them.

Otherwise, if they really force them into a dead end, Shangyang City will either become a ghost town or an empty city, and who will come to work and earn money for him?

After hesitating for a while, Wu Patriarch said, "The two alchemists have indeed joined the Wu family, so there is no need for confrontation. I neglected the procedures, and I will have someone from the Taxation Department make up for it another day."

"Manager Wu, do you want to help people evade taxes?!" Yu Xian slammed the table and said aggressively, "Today, you must hand over the people. Do you think the swords of my Taxation Department are not sharp?"

Wu Patriarch's face also changed, and he said ominously, "Manager Yu, my Wu family's swords are never dull."

The two sides' momentum clashed once again.

Luo Han was nervous, his palms sweaty. At the same time, he noticed that Yu Xian's hand holding his was somewhat cold, indicating that he was not as confident as he appeared.

But in this way, Luo Han felt that the Yu Xian sitting beside him was more real.

He was also nervous and afraid, and he didn't have complete confidence.

But he still came...

Was it for her?

Luo Han began to speculate.

On the other side, under Yu Xian's determined gaze, Wu Patriarch finally backed down and said, "Alright, I will have someone come over."

After saying that, he ordered someone to bring the two alchemists.

The scene fell into silence, and no one spoke.

About a quarter of an hour later.

Two alchemists were brought over by someone, one man and one woman. The man had a medium build and a refined appearance, while the woman wore a red robe with undulating mountains on her chest, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin and a rosy complexion.

"Tong Dan Shi, Dong Dan Shi, this is Taxation Supervisor Yu Zongguan..." Wu Laozu introduced Yu Xian's identity to the two of them and explained the purpose of their visit.

Upon hearing this, the two of them said in unison, "Thank you, Supervisor Yu, for your concern. We voluntarily joined the Wu family, but we neglected to complete the procedures and pay the fines. We will go to the Taxation Bureau tomorrow to rectify the situation and pay the fines."

Yu Xian said, "Are you two really willing? With me here, you can speak your minds without any reservations."

The female alchemist, Dong Yueyue, covered her mouth and smiled, "Supervisor, can't you see how happy I am now? I lead a fulfilling life here every day."

"Tong is the same," the male alchemist, Tong Ming, added.

Yu Xian fell silent for a moment, then took Luo Han's hand and stood up, reminding them before leaving, "Wu Supervisor, with your status, sheltering two second-tier alchemists is already the limit. If you take in more people, it will be suspected of tax evasion, and I will come again."

Wu Laozu nodded lightly, "No need to worry, Supervisor."

"Goodbye."

Yu Xian walked out somewhat absentmindedly.

Seeing this, Luo Han didn't know how to withdraw her hand, so she followed behind him, but before leaving, she glanced at the two alchemists again.

...

After leaving the Wu residence.

"I'm sorry."

Yu Xian seemed to have finally realized that he had been holding Luo Han's hand all this time, and quickly let go, with a bitter smile on his face, "They refused to cooperate, so I couldn't take them away."

Luo Han felt her wrist loosen, but she felt a sense of loss.

She suddenly realized that she felt safe by Yu Xian's side, just like when she was with Zhao Daoyou before, she didn't have to worry about the chaotic gazes outside.

She sorted out her thoughts and said as usual, "Tong Dan Shi and Dong Dan Shi seem to be doing well. The Wu family should treat them well. They haven't broken through the Foundation Building stage in their cultivation, and they are getting older. It's a good choice for them to marry and have children in the Wu family."

Yu Xian said, "I just feel like I made you run for nothing."

Luo Han smiled, "How can it be considered running for nothing? Today, I saw the majesty of Supervisor Yu. Even someone like Wu Laozu had to bow down in front of you."

Yu Xian shook his head and laughed, "I was also nervous just now. Fortunately, I didn't show any ugly side in front of you."

Luo Han thought of Yu Xian's cold hand and didn't want to mention it.

"Friend Yu, I'm a bit tired, so I'll go back first."

"I'll walk you." Yu Xian blurted out.

Luo Han thought of the feeling just now and felt a little flustered, so she quickly refused, "No need, I'm not a child."

She had only been with Yu Xian for less than three months, but she didn't mind him holding her hand anymore, which made her somewhat afraid.

Yu Xian didn't insist, but said, "The city is still chaotic. If you don't let me accompany you, I'll send two tax officers from the Taxation Bureau to accompany you. Others won't dare to have any ideas."

Luo Han hesitated for a moment before nodding, "Okay."

Soon, two Qi Refining stage tax officers escorted Luo Han away.

Yu Xian turned around and walked back into the Wu residence.

...

In the backyard of the Wu residence, where the old ancestor usually resided.

"Wu Daoyou, I didn't expect you to not only be skilled in alchemy, but also quite good at acting. I admire you, Yu Mou admires you." Yu Xian sat in front of Wu Laozu, drinking tea together.

As partners planning to monopolize the Foundation Building pill market, Yu Xian proposed the plan and Wu Laozu immediately agreed.

In the face of interests, there was no need to establish any friendship at all.

Wu Laozu laughed heartily and poured tea for Yu Xian.

"Supervisor Yu, you flatter me. It's just that I've lived a long life and gained some life experience."

"But Supervisor Yu went through so much trouble just to perform this play in front of that beauty. I'm a bit puzzled."

"Puzzled?"

Yu Xian tapped the peach wood staff beside Wu Laozu and smiled, "You say you're an old man, how could you understand the thoughts of us young people?"

"I hope we can have a pleasant cooperation in the future."

He raised his teacup.

Wu Laozu also raised his teacup and toasted, "I won't let Supervisor down."

Yu Xian finished his tea and bid farewell.

"The tea is good, but it doesn't suit me. I'll leave it for Wu Daoyou to enjoy."

Wu Laozu drank the tea in his cup in one gulp.

"Young people's thoughts? Haha, I refuse to accept being called an old man."

"Someone, bring the forty-two newly accepted concubines of the old ancestor."

Merge the chapter and update the average data.

(End of this chapter)