Starting with the drowned ghost, he synthesized the Myobo no Shinjun.

039 Who can be without regrets?

Ning Kui casually wrapped the heads of nine bandit leaders with a stream of water.

The head wounds are mostly rough and uneven, making it difficult to cut the neck of someone from the Iron Bone Realm.

Ning Kui put in a lot of effort, and the bandits suffered a lot while they were alive.

These heads were to be used as offerings to the dead people of Yugu County, in order to comfort their wronged souls.

On the way back to the county government, of the twenty constables who had followed him into battle, only sixteen were still alive.

Having experienced the baptism of blood and fire, some indescribable change began to sprout in their hearts.

It turns out they can do more than just bully and monopolize the market, embezzle and steal.

They, too, can be heroes revered by others—an experience never before had anyone who followed Magistrate Lin.

When they arrived at the dilapidated county government office, Li Qijue had already arrived ahead of them.

His once black hair had turned mostly white, and he looked exhausted; protecting the people of the city had taken a heavy toll on his vitality.

"You're back?"

Li Qijue pointed to the tea table that had been casually set up opposite him, gesturing for Ning Kui to sit down.

The finest calming tea has a wonderfully fragrant aroma.

After Ning Kui sat down, he said to himself, "I started learning martial arts at the age of nine and reached the Great Perfection of Skin Refinement at the age of ten."

I originally intended to refine the immortal robe of qi and blood.

In the final step, because of his young age and insufficient blood and energy, he looked as if he was about to be squeezed into a dried-up corpse.

My mother couldn't bear it and intervened, causing me to fail at the last minute.

As Li Qijue said this, a self-deprecating look appeared in his eyes: "This is the first regret on my path of martial arts."

And I can't even blame anyone.

He looked at Ning Kui with envy: "Congratulations, you have really achieved the Qi and Blood Condensation Immortal Robe."

I didn't expect you could actually do it.

And it's so fast.

Ning Kui's heart sank. His cultivation speed was too fast, which was indeed hard to ignore.

"Relax, just like when we first met. You can't beat me anyway, can you?"

Seeing Ning Kui's body stiffen, Li Qijue couldn't help but twitch his lips and laugh, as if he were recalling the scene of their first meeting.

At that time, Ning Kui was so weak that he had to rely on a few ghost fish at the Qi-eating realm for protection.

Now, however, he has to rely on this prodigy.

Since Li Qijue was born, he has not had many people he has taken a liking to.

Ning Kui is one of them.

"Since that time, I have vowed that every step I take in martial arts will lead me to the legendary ultimate realm."

I never imagined that I would leave with regrets again in the final and most crucial step of the four stages of transcending the mortal realm.

Li Qijue looked lost and for a long while before continuing, "I'm about to return to Yujing City."

"What??"

Ning Kui slammed the teacup down on the tea table, splashing the fragrant tea out: "You finally managed to enter the Elephant Realm."

Now is the time to settle scores with those bastards, and you're telling me you're leaving?!

He couldn't help but be furious that three families in Yugu County had colluded with river bandits to massacre tens of thousands of civilians!

Even without evidence, this is something they all know perfectly well.

Are we just going to pretend nothing happened?!

He will not agree, nor will he accept it.

Li Qijue felt an overwhelming bitterness in his heart as he was confronted with Ning Kui's questioning. Trembling, he crushed the porcelain cup in his hand into pieces.

"You think I don't want to kill them?!"

They slaughtered the people and sabotaged the reforms. Do you know what kind of storm the conservatives will unleash in the court tomorrow?

The "evil exorcism order" may be shelved and never be reinstated!

Moreover, they forced me to enter the Elephant Realm, ruining my path to invincibility!

I wish I could grind them to dust and suppress them forever in brothels and latrines!

but……"

His tone shifted abruptly, and his passionate and angry words became weak and powerless.

"Those within the Xiangdi territory are not allowed to participate in the reform; this is a compromise and tacit understanding reached among the officials of the court."

"What kind of bullshit teamwork is this?!"

Ning Kui stood up angrily: "You were only at the Blood Refining Realm before, and you couldn't defeat the great evil behind those three families. Even if you endured humiliation, I still respect you as a man."

Now you've gained skill, but lost your courage?

Why should we have to be inferior to those evil spirits?!

"Can't we just overpower them with a satisfying, unrestrained push?"

That's because the world is like this!

Within the territory of the Celestial Song Dynasty, evil spirits are stronger than our human race!

If we forcefully push for the reform in Yugu County through violence, we will succeed.

What about Jing'an Prefecture? What about Yangzhou Circuit?

I can kill evil spirits at the Elephant Earth Realm, but can I kill evil spirits at the Dharma Heaven Realm?

Moreover, above the Law Heaven Realm lies the Myriad Paths Realm.

Above the Myriad Paths Realm, there are even stronger evil spirits!

Only by finding a successful method in a disadvantageous situation can we learn from the overall decadent state of Tian Song.

Only then can His Majesty the Emperor firmly support the reforms!

Li Qijue roared out all the pent-up resentment in his heart in one breath. How could he not want to crush them with absolute superiority?

Just like when the Song Dynasty was first established, the Rebel Suppressor roamed the land, sweeping away all the powerful families and sects.

Centuries have passed, and the people of the Song Dynasty are impoverished and plagued by constant internal strife.

Problems such as redundant soldiers, redundant officials, and redundant expenses remain unresolved.

The evil families are even more deeply rooted, with complex and intertwined power relationships, where a single move can have far-reaching consequences.

Most importantly, the country suffered repeated military defeats in its foreign campaigns, and had to pay huge sums of tribute every year to maintain peace on the borders.

The people are alienated from the government and have very low levels of trust in it.

If such a court were to undergo sweeping and radical reforms, it would fall apart in no time!

Li Qijue was breathing heavily.

He stood up, walked to Ning Kui's side, and put his arm around his shoulder.

"Let's take it slow and see. Who can be without regrets?"

Such were the rules set by the imperial court...

Outside the county government's tea room, the group of people who had been eavesdropping all became somber.

The magistrate of Yun County had tears welling up in his eyes. As the county's official in charge of the people's livelihood, he was powerless to do anything.

These past few days, he's thought about quitting several times and simply going back to Jing'an Prefecture to be a wealthy idler.

But when I think of how Prime Minister Wang was willing to resign from his position and shoulder the weight of the entire court, I am moved to tears.

He then felt that reforming the world was inherently difficult.

If everyone backs down, how can we talk about the lofty ambitions of serving the people and dedicating ourselves to the prosperity of the country?

Li Qijue continued to say to Ning Kui, "I have high hopes for you. Accepting you into the Zhenni Division was the best decision I made when I came to Yugu County."

I have decided to remove your probationary status and officially promote you to the position of Tongzhang Suppression Envoy.

After I leave, Prime Minister Wang will send another Silver Badge Suppression Envoy at the peak of the Blood Refining Realm.

I hope you will assist him well and not let the reform in Uotani Prefecture fail.

That will become my new regret.

These words, which sounded like a plea for help, made Ning Kui frown.

He didn't join the Suppression Division to put shackles around his neck.

What utter nonsense about the border region not being allowed to interfere in the reform?

What utter nonsense about reforms only having any value if they succeed in a weak situation?

Does this mean that he won't be able to break through to the Elephant Realm until the reforms are successful?

Otherwise, we'll have to stand by and do nothing, just like Li Qijue.

I'm sorry...

Ning Kui reached out and pushed Li Qijue's hand away: "Sorry, I refuse to be promoted."

There are three reasons. First, I get along fairly well with you, but if I had a different boss and he wanted me to be his dog, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to resist killing him.

Secondly, since there is a rule in the imperial court that those at the Elephant Realm are not allowed to participate in the reforms, with my potential, breaking through to the Elephant Realm will not be too far off.

Third, Wang Xiangong's strategy was to first eliminate the small evil families by swatting flies, while gradually dividing the large families, uniting one group and then suppressing the other.

This doesn't align with my beliefs. I want to become stronger quickly, strong enough that I don't need to follow any rules set by anyone, and I can destroy whichever evil spirit I want.

Therefore, being a demon hunter hired by the Zhenni Division is more suitable for me.

This way, it won't prevent me from continuing to grow stronger within the Suppression Bureau system, nor will it hinder my later escape from these constraints; even slaying evil spirits feels so frustrating.

Li Qijue stared at Ning Kui in silence.

Suddenly, I realized that he was indeed not a monster who could be judged by common sense.

Such a person should not be placed on the chessboard as a piece that follows the rules and charges into battle.

He should exist as a variable outside the chessboard.

They occasionally take a few bullets from the enemy, and when it really matters, they're the kind of people who'd rather flip the table than hesitate.

"Hehehe, hahaha!!!"

Li Qijue laughed loudly: "Well said, you are different from me!"

I can delay the appointment of the next pacification commissioner by a maximum of one month.

During this month, you can do whatever you want.

Even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you!