Chapter 546: Wang Lao’er, Minister of the Court of Judicial Review! The Past of the Divine Heavens Sect! A Daughter of the Shen Family Comes of Age!

When Li Yanchu stepped out of the room, Shen Hongye, clad in light armor, was waiting outside and walked toward him.

“Congratulations, Daoist Master Li!”

“It’s done?”

Shen Hongye smiled.

Earlier, Li Yanchu had asked her to set up the formation to block outside perception so he could cultivate in isolation. Although her cultivation level wasn’t particularly exceptional, her talent in formations was extraordinary.

When the sudden celestial phenomena appeared, Shen Hongye had assumed it was caused by Li Yanchu’s breakthrough, hence her curiosity.

“It’s all thanks to you. The formation’s isolation effect worked perfectly,” Li Yanchu said with a smile.

A faint blush appeared on Shen Hongye’s face. “I didn’t expect any aura to leak out... I hope it didn’t affect your cultivation. If I had known, I would have spent even more time setting it up.”

Shen Hongye felt a bit embarrassed, as the formation wasn’t completely sealed.

It could still be strengthened...?

Li Yanchu twitched the corner of his mouth and shook his head. “You’ve done very well already.”

Receiving Li Yanchu’s recognition inexplicably made Shen Hongye feel a wave of happiness. When she first came to this small place called Wei City, she didn’t fully understand things.

Her family was extremely influential and had powerful cultivators. Whether in the cultivation world or the secular world, they were top-tier. Even in the capital, Shen Hongye was highly sought after by nobles and royalty. Scions of the imperial clan, children of high-ranking court officials, and even young prodigies from strong sects in the

jianghu

all vied for her attention.

She was the center of attention, admired by all, yet Shen Hongye paid none of them the slightest heed. Because Shen Hongye had a reason she could hardly speak of: she seemed to have no interest in men at all... Otherwise, given her status as a prestigious young lady of a great aristocratic family, how could she possibly lack a suitable match?

At that time, girls typically married young. Some could marry at thirteen or fourteen, and some had arranged marriages from childhood. By fifteen or sixteen, countless suitors would come knocking.

Back then, the threshold of the Shen residence was practically worn down by all the suitors. After all, the daughter of the Shen family had just come of age, and her name shook the entire capital.

Yet Shen Hongye had a doting old ancestor who cherished her dearly, and everyone in the Shen family supported her as well. She was a true prodigy in formations; when her talent was put to proper use, she could unleash power no weaker than that of the third realm. She was essentially a strategic resource at the national level.

Under such circumstances, Shen Hongye’s marriage wasn’t forcibly arranged for political alliances. She had been free to pursue her own interests: researching formations, studying unusual artifacts, and exploring rare objects. This cultivated her cold, intellectual demeanor.

In Li Yanchu’s previous life, she would have been like a quietly brilliant beautiful female researcher with glasses and white coat. Yet now, she was assigned to Beifeng County, Wei City, a nameless, unremarkable place, and it was specifically arranged by the Minister of Court of the Judicial Review.

The Minister of Court of the Judicial Review was an interesting figure. In his youth, he had been a Daoist under the Divine Heavens Sect, which specialized in lightning techniques and belonged to the Righteous Dao.

Unfortunately, the Minister’s talent was unremarkable. He trained until the age of forty, barely moving beyond the advanced Qi Cultivation Realm. His lifetime potential was capped at intermediate Qi Cultivation Realm at best.

Luckily, most of his senior brothers weren’t the type to bully him, so his cultivation life was relatively smooth.

It was only later that this man, who now led the highest authority in the Kingdom of Qian dedicated to handling cases involving cultivators and exterminating demons, encountered someone who would change the course of his life forever.

From that day on, the Divine Heavens Sect lost an unremarkable, middling middle-aged Daoist, while the Kingdom of Qian gained a Minister of the Court of Judicial Review tasked exclusively with slaying demons and eradicating evil.

Though his cultivation wasn’t high, he could lead many powerful cultivators and had impeccable judgment. He discovered and focused on nurturing talented youths.

For example, Court of Judicial Review’s treasure, Su Taiping, whose overwhelming fortune often caused spontaneous phenomena in battle, and whose path was filled with continuous serendipity. Su Taiping was one of the talents unearthed by this Minister.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

There was also the Court’s saber-wielder, the half-human, half-demon Jiang Li, who was also discovered and trained by this Minister. Many renowned Buddhist and Daoist masters, as well as wandering martial artists, were recruited into the Court of Judicial Review by him.

Hence, his judgment was widely recognized in the Kingdom of Qian’s cultivation world, and his prestige within the Court of Judicial Review was very high.

The Court of Judicial Review Deputy Minister, Xu Tiannan, was of the third realm. He too had been brought in by this Minister. Thus, among certain sect leaders, the Minister’s reputation was extremely high.

“Wang Lao'er’s cultivation talent isn’t exceptional, but his judgment is impeccable.”

Wang Lao'er[1] was the name of the Minister of the Kingdom of Qian’s Court of Judicial Review. It was a name that sounded like a village ruffian’s, yet he had used it all his life, becoming the powerful Minister of Court of the Judicial Review without changing it. Even the Emperor of the Kingdom of Qian had tacitly accepted this incongruous name.

So when Shen Hongye received Wang Lao'er’s assignment, she was somewhat puzzled but still came to Wei City. Facing the young nobles of Wei City vying for her attention, Shen Hongye remained indifferent. All the young nobles and princely scions across the capital meant nothing to her. Even a wealthy young master from a small Wei City, the son of an official or gentry, couldn’t catch her attention.

Shen Hongye had always thought that Wang Lao'er must have gone mad this time, assigning her to such a rundown place where she could accomplish nothing.

After all, Shen Hongye was an ambitious woman. The things she researched could potentially change the entire cultivation world of the Kingdom of Qian, even the balance of the entire realm!

But, she met Li Yanchu, and this tall, handsome, and youthful Daoist instantly struck her heart. For years, Shen Hongye had thought she wasn’t interested in men. Naturally, she hadn’t sought out any women either. Yet upon seeing Li Yanchu, she realized that perhaps love at first sight really did exist.

And now, she could only say that Wang Lao'er’s arrangement was surprisingly perfect. Now, with a chance to be alone with Li Yanchu, she quietly schemed in her mind. If she didn’t make a move this time, it would be difficult to encounter him again once they returned to Wei City.

Shen Hongye also observed that the women around Li Yanchu each had their own striking beauty. Especially the innkeeper of Taiping Inn who was full of charm, causing Shen Hongye to feel a hint of inferiority. She couldn’t understand how a mere small-town innkeeper, and reportedly a widow at that, could be so stunningly beautiful. It was completely illogical!

1. “王老二” is a deliberately unglamorous, almost rustic name. Wang is one of the most common surnames, and Lao’er literally means “Second,” a colloquial way of referring to the second son in a family. Put together, it sounds like a nickname you’d hear in an alley or village rather than the formal name of a high official or powerful cultivator. ☜