Chapter 144: Jin Buhuan

Qingwu City, in the most luxurious residence in the city center.

This place occupies an enormous area, practically a city within Qingwu City, with windows and doors all around like battlements, its light illuminating the sky, drawing spectators like a market, and for three or four li around, it looked like a palace.

Within it were flying eaves and painted beams, exquisitely crafted, and from a distance, one could see a thousand masts like trees, a thousand homes with smoke, even the servants' quarters were five or six li in size, with countless houses densely packed, housing about one thousand eight hundred people.

Besides this, other areas were even more expansive, with dense flowers and bamboo, and more than ten clear ponds where fish could be seen swimming, each pond about thirty mu in size, all planted with thousand-petaled lotuses, surrounded by weeping willows, interspersed with peach and plum trees, and occasionally fragrant plum blossoms, green phoenix trees, and weeping willows, all intertwined among new flowers and old trees, making it beautiful even in winter.

Looking elsewhere, there were paths of clustered chrysanthemums, deep stone corridors, winding pond water, and a hall that could seat a thousand people, boasting the beauty of ponds and terraces, and the glory of ten thousand flowers.

The pavilions were intertwined, their red and green colors fresh and vibrant, and entering through the main gate, the fragrant pond was like a mirror, the lofty pavilions were unevenly spaced, and green locust trees lined the path, as if entering a thousand-li immortal mountain pavilion.

And this place is Jin Buhuan's residence.

His father, the Green Mountain Mountain God, was a white tiger born on Green Mountain.

A white tiger is not a wild beast tiger, but a naturally born exotic species similar to the Jade Rabbit and the Golden Crow, formed from Jin Qi (Metal Energy), a spirit of slaughter.

Besides slaughter, the white tiger also has the ability to gather wealth.

As the saying goes, a white tiger holding power gains its influence; with wealth, official position, and noble status, the day master needs support and Life Qi, or a strong official position at the right time with assistance; without wealth or official position, using an official position will bring nobility, and using wealth will bring riches.

The poem says: A white tiger holding power is strong in Yin and Mao, if it encounters Si, Wu, Wei, or Xu, those who meet it in the four fields will be wealthy and noble, and will surely become pillars in the imperial capital.

Because the white tiger belongs to Metal, and Metal itself is a symbol of wealth.

These points can probably sum up the general appearance of the Green Mountain Mountain God.

Cold, deeply murderous, and very rich.

Jin Buhuan, who inherited his father's wealthy trait, was currently standing in the main hall.

Before him hung a huge geomantic map, seemingly a map of the entire Green Mountain Country.

From this map, the territory of Green Mountain Country was shaped like a dumbbell, with wide areas to the south and north, but an extremely narrow passage in the middle.

The middle part was precisely the hub connecting the north and south, and it was also an entire mountain range.

Undoubtedly, what connected the north and south was Green Mountain.

Qingwu City, located about two thousand li from Green Mountain, was the transportation hub of the entire Green Mountain Country.

Jin Buhuan stood with his hands behind his back, his face gloomy, in front of this huge geomantic map, listening as the intelligence personnel behind him continuously reported the information they had gathered.

After listening, he turned around and tapped the table: "So, besides his address, you haven't managed to find out any other information?"

Although his tone was calm, the servants behind him immediately knelt down, lowering their heads: "Reporting, Young Master, there is one more matter yet to be reported! It's... it's that Li Qi also keeps a Dragon Steed, and according to those skilled in horse appraisal, this horse has the potential to transform into a Dragon."

Jin Buhuan smacked his lips, somewhat displeased: "Potential to transform into a Dragon? Tsk, he has all sorts of good things. Something that can resist divination... prevent curse-killing, and now such a fine horse, yet he discards it like worn-out shoes, only feeding it ordinary food, and never sought a cultivation method for it?"

"Yes... the horse appraiser at the time also sighed with regret. If it had been properly nurtured before, this Dragon Steed would certainly have transformed into a Dragon, a ninth-grade creature would be a certainty, and an eighth-grade was not out of the question," the servant said, lowering his head.

The scene fell silent for a moment.

Jin Buhuan fell into deep thought, while the servant below pressed his forehead to the ground, trembling with fear.

At this moment, this Young Master showed no trace of his usual flightiness; instead, he exuded the profoundness and authority of a superior.

After a while, he waved his hand: "All right, you may leave."

The person below felt as if granted a great pardon, quickly stood up, placed his hands on his knees, bent at the waist, lowered his head, and slowly backed out the door.

Meanwhile, Jin Buhuan stood up and began to pace back and forth in the room.

At this moment, the maid from outside walked in.

She still had that cool and distant demeanor, extremely beautiful, with a jade flute hanging from her waist, and an outstanding temperament, yet she was very inconspicuous.

Yes, truly inconspicuous; if she didn't speak or move, most people would probably unconsciously overlook her presence.

However, now she spoke on her own initiative, saying with a slight look of doubt: "Young Master, since you are so wary... then, why not strike first?"

As she spoke, she made a gesture of chopping downwards with her hand.

Jin Buhuan quickly reverted to his previous frivolous and arrogant Young Master demeanor, opening his folding fan with a swish. "Strike first? Haha, that wouldn't align with my Dao."

The maid frowned, her eyes filled with confusion.

"What? Looking down on it, huh?" He fanned himself with his folding fan, lying down on the reclining chair.

"The Sage of the Human Dao once said, even thieves have their Dao. As the saying goes, the Dao of Thieves: to deduce what treasures are at the destination is the sageliness of a thief; to enter first and fight is the courage of a thief; to be the last to leave and cover the rear is the righteousness of a thief; to know where to strike and where not to is the wisdom of a thief; to distribute the spoils evenly afterwards is the benevolence of a thief."

"Even as a thief, one must follow the Dao of Thieves, and must achieve sageliness, courage, righteousness, wisdom, and benevolence. If these five are not present, one cannot become a great thief, only a petty thief. Even thieves have their Dao, so how can there be a place without Dao? As a Young Master, do I not have my own Dao?"

The maid was intrigued, covering her lips with one hand, her eyes sparkling, somewhat curious about what 'how can there be a place without Dao?' meant.

She knew the meaning of the phrase was, 'how could there be a place without Dao?'

But she didn't know how the usually articulate Young Master intended to explain his own Dao as a Young Master.

Because it sounded quite comical.

Seeing the maid's expression, Jin Buhuan laughed heartily, then explained: "Haha, you don't understand this, do you? Dao is a principle, a rule. Dao in heaven and earth is the Law by which all things operate; Dao in a person is the principle one must follow as a human being."

"When heaven and earth and all things act according to the Dao, heaven and earth can operate stably without disorder. When people act according to the Dao, they will not fall into a state of confusion and panic."

"As a Young Master, I naturally cannot deviate from this rule."

"To be able to make one's elders believe that one can inherit their property without worry is the sageliness of a Young Master."

"To preserve one's inheritance rights, when a threat appears, to fear no consequences and decisively eliminate it, is the courage of a Young Master."

"To fulfill one's responsibility as a Young Master and protect the property one will inherit in the future is the righteousness of a Young Master."

"To understand what things will threaten one's inheritance of property, and to know what things can increase one's chances of inheriting one's elders' property, is the wisdom of a Young Master."

"To rationally plan and manage the inherited property, not to squander it aimlessly, but to use it methodically, is the benevolence of a Young Master."

"The 'sageliness, courage, righteousness, wisdom, and benevolence' of a Young Master: one only needs to achieve these five points to be considered a qualified Young Master, absolutely capable of inheriting their elders' property without any unexpected incidents."

Speaking of this, he lay back in the chair and sighed: "If these five points cannot be achieved, then the identity of a Young Master will only bring disaster."

"Without sageliness, one will be abandoned by one's elders and Family, losing this identity."

"Without courage, one will be indecisive and eventually eliminated in competition."

"Without righteousness, one will lack overall perspective and not know what to uphold as a Young Master, ultimately losing much for little."

"Without wisdom, not knowing friends from foes, or what is important and what is not, one will certainly do things that harm oneself and benefit others."

"Without benevolence, the inherited property will not last long before it is completely dispersed, becoming a fleeting dream."

He sat up from the reclining chair, looked up at the sky: "Didn't my two older brothers fail to follow the Dao of a Young Master, which is why I was able to surpass them later? Now I am the liaison for Green Mountain and Qingwu City, while they can only stay at home, guarding the gold mines."

"You see me enjoying myself and playing around normally, but when have my amusements ever violated the five points above? It is precisely because I firmly remember and abide by the Dao of a Young Master that I can steadily hold this position. The seventh-grade Qingwu Sect Master also treats me with extra courtesy, and eighth-grade Cultivators are willing to serve me."

"This, then, is the benefit of following the Dao," Jin Buhuan said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, the maid put away her previous expression and looked at her Young Master seriously, her expression somewhat surprised, as if she were meeting him for the first time.

"Let me analyze it for you again; just listen," Jin Buhuan said calmly, facing the vast courtyard outside, after sitting up from the reclining chair: "There's absolutely no need for me to conflict with Li Qi, is there?"

"Firstly, he poses no threat to my inheritance of the Family business. If we don't conflict, he and I will most likely just be passing acquaintances. If I provoke him out of a momentary fit of pique, needlessly making an enemy, that would instead give my two older brothers an opportunity. Blindly making enemies means not distinguishing between friends and foes, not understanding what's important and what's not. This is called lacking wisdom."

"Secondly, he also has a background. Even a small conflict with him has left Yan Jun severely injured, and the treatment alone cost three days' tax revenue of Qingwu City. How many 'three days' are there in a year? If I really were to kill him, although it would satisfy me, what about my property? What about the dead servants? This is not cherishing property. This is called lacking benevolence."

"How could I, as a typical Young Master, do such an unkind and unwise thing?"

"Therefore, not only will I not make an enemy of him, I will also send people to compensate him, let this matter pass, and ideally, nothing will happen, letting it end right here," Jin Buhuan said.

The maid nodded, indicating understanding, but then she asked with doubt: "So that's how it is. But why did Young Master say so much today? Usually, you would just act."

Upon hearing this, Jin Buhuan laughed heartily, leaned back in the rocking chair, swaying his body, and pulled the maid into his embrace, laughing: "Haha, the fact that I spoke so much to you today is what makes it 'sagely'!"

— — — — — — — — —

Just a few hours after Jin Buhuan's daytime debauchery.

The maid cleaned herself, tidied her clothes, then quietly left, returned to her own room, and closed the door.

After confirming the door was closed, she formed hand seals and chanted silently, waiting until the entire room was sealed by the spell, so that even peeking inside would reveal nothing.

Then, she took off her clothes, changed into a new set, and once her entire attire was white, she offered sacrificial vessels, then knelt on the ground, striking a bronze chime and singing loudly of the Western Hao.

If Li Qi were here, he would recognize this as a set of sacrificial rites, and the object of the sacrifice should be a Metal-element spirit or a Western god.

However, this set of rites was overly humble, not like those used by proper Invoker.

A traditional Invoker like him, although they would differentiate between superior and inferior, their rites would not overly demean themselves. As one who 'establishes the positions of heaven and earth and offers sacrifices to all gods,' a Zhu naturally has their own dignity and status. Even when meeting a great god whose status far surpasses their own, it would only be with an attitude of reverence, not one of humility.

But regardless, after a full set of procedures, the ritual was completed.

The Western god, the Metal-element spirit here, was naturally the Green Mountain Mountain God, who was a white tiger.

Rituals are a means of communication.

However, this ritual was too different from the orthodox ritual of Shaman God Mountain used by Li Qi, so much so that it could not construct the kind of Chaos space that Li Qi created to accommodate the will of a god.

Instead, a phantom of the Green Mountain Mountain God appeared on the altar, allowing for temporary conversation.

Looking at the phantom, there was a great god with a tiger head and a human body, dressed in brocade robes, appearing refined and gentle, but with sharp teeth in his mouth, which was somewhat terrifying.

His eyes were slightly narrowed, his gaze calm yet extremely penetrating, giving off immense pressure even as a mere phantom.

The phantom pondered for a moment, then said to the maid: "Hmm... Is it time for the routine report? Tell me, what has he been doing lately?"

The maid acknowledged, then began to recount Jin Buhuan's recent activities.

First, she mentioned the businesses he had recently arranged, the amusements he indulged in, the luxury goods he purchased, and the gambling he participated in.

Then, she detailed what gains there were and what consequences resulted.

Next, she spoke of the conflict with Li Qi and the subsequent handling of the matter.

Afterward, she relayed Jin Buhuan's 'Dao of a Young Master' word for word.

Finally, the maid said: "Young Master said at the end that the reason he spoke so much today was 'sageliness,' Lord. What does this mean...?"

Upon hearing this, the Green Mountain Mountain God first smiled and nodded repeatedly. Then, hearing the maid's question, he chuckled and asked in return: "What did he mean by 'sageliness'?"

"To be able to make one's elders believe that one can inherit their property without worry is the sageliness of a Young Master," the maid repeated verbatim.

The Green Mountain Mountain God responded: "You see, he is using your mouth to convey these things to me. Isn't he trying to persuade me, to make me believe that he can become a qualified heir? This is his 'sageliness'!"

The maid understood and said no more.

But at this moment, the Mountain God sighed: "However, his murderous intent has not yet ceased."

The maid did not know, but he could hear the unspoken meaning in his son's words.

Normally, he would not boast about himself like this, but saying so now was merely to make him pay more attention.

Once he received more attention, he would have more resources to eliminate that passing traveler.