Advancing in Concert

Gu Chengyin's eyes flickered slightly, and the smile on his lips deepened.

"Elder Qiu loves the people like his own children. As an enshrinee of the Celestial Master Mansion, you still understand the hardships of the common folk."

"You did not hesitate to personally take action to eradicate bandits and thieves, all to return a bright and clear sky to the citizens of Luodu."

"This junior is full of admiration."

These words sounded like a compliment.

But as Elder Qiu listened, a ripple flashed through his eyes.

He heard the deeper meaning behind these words.

Gu Chengyin had acknowledged his characterization of the matter.

He also acknowledged his method of using the eradication of bandits to maintain the overall situation.

A look of satisfaction appeared in the depths of Elder Qiu's eyes.

This young man understood the big picture and knew when to advance and when to retreat.

He knew when to fight and when to yield.

He knew that personal interests were not worth mentioning in the face of the grand scheme of things.

It was no wonder that Gu Chengyin, at such a young age, was highly regarded by His Highness and had climbed to this position.

Leaving everything else aside, this level of foresight alone was beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Elder Qiu could not help but look into the distance, his eyes revealing a sense of profound emotion:

"Although this old man is an enshrinee of the Celestial Master Mansion, in reality, I am no different from a night soil collector."

"It is all for Great Luo, after all."

These words were spoken with great humility.

And humility itself was a posture, a posture of approval.

The two walked a bit further.

At the end of the small garden was a moon gate, beyond which lay another courtyard.

Gu Chengyin suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Elder Qiu also stopped and looked at him.

Gu Chengyin turned around, faced Elder Qiu, and smiled faintly.

"That is only natural."

"Since Elder Qiu is so dedicated to the country and the people."

"And the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion also has the intention to eradicate bandits and thieves."

"This junior has a presumptuous request. I wonder if I should speak it?"

Elder Qiu's expression changed, and a trace of vigilance flashed through his always calm eyes.

"Junior Preceptor Gu, this old man does not understand your meaning."

Gu Chengyin looked at Elder Qiu, the smile on his lips deepening.

He spoke at a leisurely pace:

"Coincidentally, last night, my people discovered some tracks."

"After joint discussions among the Internal Affairs Bureau, the Golden Feather Guards, the Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Rites..."

"...it was confirmed that these tracks point exactly to the gathering place of the bandits from last night."

"Since the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion wants to eradicate bandits and thieves,"

"Why not... advance side by side with the Inspection Team?"

As his voice faded, the small garden fell silent.

The koi in the pond continued to swim leisurely, completely unaware of what was happening on the shore.

Elder Qiu looked at Gu Chengyin, looking at those deep eyes and that face with a faint smile.

He suddenly understood something.

Gu Chengyin was much more difficult to deal with than he had imagined.

Originally, Elder Qiu thought that Gu Chengyin was willing to lay down his personal interests for the sake of the big picture.

But now it seemed that this was not the case. Gu Chengyin was indeed willing to lay down interests.

But what he laid down were not his own personal interests.

Rather, it was the interests of the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion.

Eradicating bandits and thieves, this was proposed by Elder Qiu.

For Great Luo, this was said by Elder Qiu himself.

Advancing side by side, this was Gu Chengyin following along with his words.

And the result?

The result was that Gu Chengyin wanted to go eradicate bandits and thieves together.

To eradicate the bandits at their gathering place.

To eliminate the thieves from last night.

As for where exactly these bandits and thieves were gathered, that was entirely up to Gu Chengyin to say.

If he said they were gathered in a ditch outside Luodu City, the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion would have no choice but to go.

If he said they were gathered in a certain immortal cultivation sect, the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion would still have no choice but to go.

Because this was eradicating bandits and thieves; it was a justified cause.

It was something that even if those immortal cultivation sects knew about, they could only pinch their noses and accept it.

What ruthless methods.

Elder Qiu remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly:

"Does Junior Preceptor Gu mean..."

"...that you want the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion to follow you to eradicate bandits and thieves?"

Gu Chengyin smiled faintly and shook his head to explain:

"Elder Qiu misunderstands. Not follow this junior."

"This junior is merely a lowly Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and cannot bear such a heavy responsibility."

"Therefore, it is advancing side by side."

"The Luodu Celestial Master Mansion has the intention to eradicate bandits and thieves, and the Sect Inspection Team also has the heart to do so."

"Hitting it off instantly for the sake of a bright and clear sky for the citizens of Luodu."

"Is this not very reasonable?"

Reasonable.

It was indeed reasonable.

So reasonable that Elder Qiu could not refute it.

Because eradicating bandits and thieves was something he brought up.

Because the bright and clear sky was something he said himself.

Because personally taking action was what Gu Chengyin had just praised him for.

Now Gu Chengyin was following his words, saying they should go eradicate bandits and thieves together.

What reason did he have to refuse?

Elder Qiu looked at Gu Chengyin, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

This was an open scheme.

It was not a trick, not a calculation, not a trap.

Rather, it was open and aboveboard, following your own words to make you jump into a pit yourself.

You praised him for understanding the big picture?

He turned around and asked you to advance side by side.

You said you wanted to eradicate bandits and thieves?

He immediately told you the gathering place of the bandits and thieves.

You promised to return justice to him?

Now was the time for him to take back that justice.

It was just that exactly who he would seek to take back that justice from was entirely up to Gu Chengyin.

After pondering for a long time, Elder Qiu spoke again.

"Junior Preceptor Gu."

"Are you certain that is the gathering place of the bandits and thieves?"

Gu Chengyin looked at him, a faint smile on his lips.

"Rest assured, Elder Qiu."

"The people of the Sect Inspection Team would never make a false report."

"The Internal Affairs Bureau, the Golden Feather Guards, the Censorate, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of War."

"They have all confirmed it."

Elder Qiu's eyes narrowed slightly.

The Internal Affairs Bureau, the Golden Feather Guards, the Censorate, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of War.

Six departments, all named and specified.

All confirmed it?

How much exaggeration was in these words, Elder Qiu did not know.

But he knew one thing.

If Gu Chengyin dared to say this, he naturally had his confidence.

And after all was said and done, it was actually all for one purpose.

To drag the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion into the mud.

Even to drag him, a Golden Core expert, into the mud.

As long as he personally led a team to eradicate the bandits and thieves, to advance side by side.

Then the Sect Inspection Team would have two Golden Core experts.

One was the invincible Golden Core, Lin Qingyan.

The other would be him, the person in charge of the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion.

Elder Qiu remained silent, his mind rapidly weighing the pros and cons.

To go, or not to go?

If he went, it meant boarding Gu Chengyin's ship.

The Luodu Celestial Master Mansion and the Sect Inspection Team would be tied together; at least on the surface, it would be a relationship of advancing side by side.

If he did not go, it meant rejecting his own proposal.

Gu Chengyin could turn around and announce to the world: The Luodu Celestial Master Mansion said they wanted to eradicate bandits and thieves, but it turns out it was just empty talk.

Although the Celestial Master Mansion held a lofty status, it was precisely because of this lofty status that they placed even greater importance on their reputation.

If the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion ruined the reputation of the entire Celestial Master Mansion because of this.

Then the Shendu Celestial Master Mansion would naturally come to make trouble for Elder Qiu, because he was the person in charge of the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion.

And there was a high probability that the person coming to make trouble would be Lin Qingyan, who was currently recuperating in the Serenity Pagoda.

And given the clearly complicated relationship between Lin Qingyan and Gu Chengyin.

The final result would be that the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion still had to go.

Upon reaching this conclusion, Elder Qiu closed his eyes helplessly.

In this round.

Gu Chengyin had won.

No matter what choice was made, he won.