Below the Golden-leaved Bodhi Tree, Li Qingshan stood tall, peering over everyone.

  After another period of cultivation, he had completely adjusted to the laws of the Human realm. He still faced restraint, but strength was still strength.

  Human cultivators had never been renowned for the toughness of their physiques. If Shen Yushu used techniques against him from afar, then perhaps he could still stand a chance, but he actually approached him to beat him with a bamboo stick. Coupled with how he was taking Li Qingshan lightly, he had basically been asking for this.

  Everyone within ten paces of him was his enemy!

  Even Si Long with the body of a true dragon did not dare to underestimate him in the slightest, let alone a damned gardener with a frail body, without any expertise in battle, who practised the Heavenly Tome of Nature!

  “Li Qingshan, h- how dare you attack your senior!”
Shen Yushu rose up into the air and pointed at Li Qingshan. Blood oozed out from the corner of his lips. He shone with green light, and in the blink of an eye, he had completely healed from his wounds, except his face was still red due to his humiliation and fury.

  “Who do you think you are? You really think you’re worthy of being my senior? If this weren’t the Hundred Herbs garden, you’d be a dead man already. Piss off, before I get angry!” Li Qingshan waved his hand impatiently like he was shooing away a fly.

  “Alright, alright, alright! I’ll help the Hundred Herbs garden and the Myriad sect clean up its mess today! Yin Soul projection!” Shen Yushu bellowed out.

  A jade-green figure appeared from behind him. It was identical in appearance, but it gave off a feeling that was slightly lighter and more fleeting. Converting their soul nascences into tangible souls was the first step on the path to immortality for human cultivators. An intrinsic difference existed between them and Soul Nascence cultivators.

  He splayed out his arms; green light flowed and condensed. Immediately, winds began to surge through the surroundings as it illuminated the falling night rain. His green robes fluttered. It was as clear as day that he was about to cast a technique of startling power.

  “You’re asking for this!”
Li Qingshan shook his head. He felt the Nine-section Bamboo staff tremble away in his hand, trying to break free. He could tell it was an impressive arcane treasure, except it was not a weapon that was up to standard. At the very least, it was not created for fighting and killing. It was more like a tool.

  He grabbed the two ends and began to bend it forcefully. The Nine-section Bamboo staff immediately curved like a body. It did not actually snap, but it did groan under the force.

  “What are you trying to do? Stop immediately! If you dare to destroy my arcane treasure, I’ll never spare you.”
Shen Yushu’s expression changed drastically. The Nine-section Bamboo staff was his lifebound arcane treasure. Not only had he obtained it after a tremendous amount of difficulty, exchanging it for a large number of Green Jade bookmarks, but he carried it with him all the time, having refined it over many years. The Nine-section Bamboo staff even played a minor role in why he had managed to do so well in the Hundred Herbs garden. If it were broken, not only was it a loss of bookmarks which he had earned through great effort, but his Yin Soul would be damaged too. It might even affect his cultivation.

  “The path of survival has always been a life-or-death struggle, where you must stop at nothing, whether it be butchering cities or destroying countries. You don’t even think for your own life, yet you think for a staff? If you don’t have the determination to gamble your life, don’t stir up conflict on a whim!” Li Qingshan laughed aloud. He ignored him and continued to bend it.

  “Sigh, junior brother Li, you can stop now!”
Ruan Yaozhu walked out from behind the Golden-leaved Bodhi tree. When she passed by Li Qingshan, she casually grabbed the Nine-section Bamboo staff and tossed it back to Shen Yushu.

  As if he had just encountered his saviour, Shen Yushu said, “Senior sister, you’ve witnessed everything. He…”
“Don’t say anything more. I witnessed it all.” Ruan Yaozhu did not look at him, but she directly interrupted him. She said with a tone that could not be disobeyed, “Scatter, all of you!”
Shen Yushu felt very aggrieved. “But senior sister, this kid slacked off from work and even disrespected and attacked his superiors. How can someone like that remain in the Hundred Herbs garden?”
Ruan Yaozhu ignored him. She only said to the formal disciples, “I hire you to work in the Hundred Herbs garden. I don’t hire you to ensure that everything is fair. Please handle your work. If something like this happens again, leave the Hundred Herbs garden!”
“Yes, senior sister!”
Everyone answered her loudly. They refused to disobey her. A job as safe and steady as this, that was also beneficial to cultivation, was rare even across the entire Myriad sect, so who would want to be expelled from the Hundred Herbs garden? Speaking of which, after witnessing Li Qingshan’s performance, their feelings of discontent had melted away too. It proved that Ruan Yaozhu’s judgement had indeed been correct.

  Even if they refused to admit this, he was worth several of them with the abilities he had shown. Shen Yushu’s intentions were slightly questionable too.

  Only Shen Yushu’s expression changed with uncertainty as he stood in silence like he was unhappy with this.

  Only now did Ruan Yaozhu glance over. Shen Yushu descended from above. He lowered his head and clasped his hands. “Yes, senior sister!”
Li Qingshan peered over Ruan Yaozhu’s shoulder, only to see many people with their heads lowered. She definitely was not a shrewd or mighty figure. Instead, it was the opposite. Most of the time, she seemed too gentle and too simple-minded, but right now, she actually gave off a bearing of dominance and authority.

  After all, it all came down to cultivation at the end of the day in the cultivation community. Human Sovereigns simply stood higher. Modest and kind sovereigns were still sovereigns.

  Ruan Yaozhu waved her hand, and everyone dispersed.

  Li Qingshan smiled. “Thanks!”
Ruan Yaozhu turned around, looking at him with pursed lips.

  Li Qingshan said, “You’re angry? Sorry, I shouldn’t have spent so many days cultivating. I never thought I would end up taking so long in the beginning either.”
“It’s not that!”
“Oh, then you’re blaming me for hitting Shen Yushu. But that’s because he attacked me first.” Li Qingshan raised his hands. “But I’m still sorry about that. I shouldn’t have stirred up trouble in your territory.”
“It’s not that either. Junior brother Shen has selfish motives of his own, which is why he made trouble for you. Even if you did not fight back, I wouldn’t have let him harm you!”
Li Qingshan was stunned. “Then why?”
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  Ruan Yaozhu repeated it word for word. “The path of survival has always been a life-or-death struggle, where you must stop at nothing, whether it be butchering cities or destroying countries!”
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  Only now did Li Qingshan understand the reason why she was unhappy with him was actually because of that. He thought, Women sure are troublesome! But who can help the fact that this woman has just been so nice to me?

  All he could do was lay out his hands. “It’s just for say, but that is the reality!”
“You practise the Heavenly Tome of Liberty, so you want to walk the path of great liberty. I can understand that.” Ruan Yaozhu said, “But I don’t wish to see you become someone who will stop at nothing, or I will hate you!”
Li Qingshan furrowed his brows. He did not back down, staring straight into her eyes. “What if that’s the kind of person I am? What if that wasn’t just for say, and I’ve done that before? I’ve told you a long time ago that not everyone is as fortunate as you. Not everyone can live honestly in a place like this. Do you know how many battles to the death I’ve faced to be able to stand here before you? I don’t wish to deceive you. If you hate someone like me, then you’re welcome to expel me from the Hundred Herbs garden, but I will still do everything I can to pay back your kindness!”
He could apologise for any reason as long as the person was worthy of him treating them gently. However, because his path existed, he had to guard it vehemently. No matter how it was, as long as they questioned his path, he had to refuse them with words and stop them with his actions. As a result, he would raise his fists.

  They were inches apart, such that they could smell each other. Ruan Yaozhu took half a step back and let out a great sigh. “Isn’t standing here enough?”
“Of course not!” Li Qingshan smiled, easing up the solemn atmosphere. “I want to stand on equal footing with you at the very least or have you call me senior brother.”
Ruan Yaozhu grumbled, “Keep dreaming.” Then she said seriously, “I don’t know what you’ve been through, but I will try my best to persuade you to do good. Even if it’ll leave you in a bad mood, I’ll still say it, as I believe you don’t want to become a bad person.”
And that happened to be her path.