Xu Bai did not refuse immediately.

Instead, he deliberated a moment, and a troubled expression crept onto his face.

"What is it, young friend? Do you have some unspeakable difficulty?" Nangong Shirong asked.

"To be honest, Senior Nangong, I am not actually a member of the Myriad Immortals Alliance. I am an ancient cultivator who was long in slumber..." Xu Bai then "truthfully" recounted, in full detail, how he had exchanged a Tianling Flower for an identity within the Myriad Immortals Alliance.

Nangong Shirong laughed heartily. "Young friend, do not worry. I have already looked into all of this thoroughly. That Dao Unity-level Audience Jade Token also fell into your hands, correct?"

Shock crossed Xu Bai's face.

Nangong Shirong simply waved a hand, gesturing that he need not be nervous.

"It bends the rules a bit, but your current identity within the Alliance is recognized by the Tianxuan Mirror, and that is enough.

"Even cultivators from the Five Elders Council can reform themselves and be naturalized into the Myriad Immortals Alliance. So why not ancient cultivators like you?

"Besides, the Wang Qiupo incident has already proven your loyalty to the Alliance beyond doubt! If not for your vigilance, young friend, who knows how many more spies he would have planted in our ranks!"

Nangong Shirong snorted coldly, then turned a kindly gaze back to Xu Bai.

"Xu Bai, I am short-handed at the moment. Why not come lend me a hand?

"Rest assured, with me here, no one will be able to attack you for your past!"

With him going to this extent, Xu Bai feared that if he still refused, he would not be able to walk out of this room.

So he pretended to consider it for a moment, then looked at Nangong Shirong with a face full of gratitude. "In that case, I must thank you for your patronage, Senior!"

At Xu Bai's affirmative reply, Nangong Shirong let out a bout of hearty laughter.

With his approval, Xu Bai's entry into the official system went exceptionally smoothly.

Even the test at the Jade Heart-Questioning Platform was just a formality. They asked a few harmless questions, then hastily passed him.

Xu Bai received the position of Tianliang Province Liaison Envoy.

He reported directly to the head of the entire province. The authority and responsibility of this post were neither great nor trivial.

Everything depended solely on the word of the City Lord of Tianliang.

If the role of Secretary-Envoy, once held by Li Fan, was to assist the City Lord in handling the province's administrative affairs, then the Liaison Envoy handled all communication between Tianliang Province and other provinces, as well as with the Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters.

Those who held power within a province would inevitably find positions for their own people, driven by any number of considerations.

But to avoid drawing undue attention, they rarely placed their people directly within their own province. Instead, they sent them to another province where they had connections, let a decade or two pass while seniority accumulated naturally, then arranged a transfer back.

By then, the placement would be one the broader community could accept without objection.

Even if Alliance headquarters investigated, they would find everything in full compliance with the rules. There would be no grounds for complaint.

This matter occupied the vast majority of the Liaison Envoy's responsibilities.

It was the first issue Li Fan faced as soon as he took office.

Everyone knew that Tianliang Province had a massive number of key vacancies.

You, Nangong Shirong, are eating all the meat by yourself. At the very least, you ought to leave some broth for the rest of us.

Too many factions wanted a share of the spoils. Balancing all sides and satisfying everyone was no easy task.

If he did it well, that was merely his duty. But if a mistake occurred, Nangong Shirong would simply thrust Xu Bai forward as the scapegoat, sacrificing him to pacify the crowd.

He had calculated it all quite neatly.

Faced with a sudden avalanche of visiting cards, Xu Bai ignored every single one.

After taking his leave, he concealed his aura and went straight back to Longevity Valley.

Nangong Shirong sent a message to inquire. Xu Bai only smiled slightly and replied, "Let them stew for a while. If there's any problem, just blame it all on me, City Lord!"

Nangong Shirong thought for a moment, said "Clever," and fell silent.

Once safely back, Xu Bai retrieved the Truth-Binding Fruit and entered the true Medicine King Cauldron.

The room where Jiang Yushan slept was right next to Liu San's.

Xu Bai entered it without difficulty.

He made few alterations to her memories, changing the image of Liu Yihang into that of Li Fan.

Then, following standard procedure, he implanted a suggestion of absolute trust in "Liu Yihang."

With the preparations complete, he called Liu San in and woke her.

As Jiang Yushan's eyelashes fluttered, a storm of emotion crossed Liu San's face.

Xu Bai quietly retreated a few steps.

As expected, confusion filled Jiang Yushan's eyes when she woke.

But her expression soon changed, and she shot a beam of black light at Liu San.

The black light struck like a sword, thick with killing intent.

Yet Xu Bai sensed a trace of Longevity Verdant Force within it, which was truly bizarre.

"Yushan, it's me!" Liu San hurriedly blocked the black light, calling out frantically.

Jiang Yushan froze for a moment. Then she closed her eyes tightly, suppressing the murderous intent in her heart.

After a long moment, she opened her eyes again.

"What's going on? Did we reach the Xiaoyao World?"

Her voice was not the melodious sound of a typical female cultivator, but a harsh, grating rasp, like metal scraping against metal.

Liu San didn't mind at all and began explaining the whole situation to Jiang Yushan.

"We’re back in the Xuanhuang World?

"Thousands of years have already passed?"

Even this female cultivator, who had endured the brutal environment of the Unmoored Prison for so long, was left stunned by the news.

"I need to see for myself!"

Clearly, she did not fully trust Liu San.

At a gesture from Liu San, Xu Bai released her from the Medicine King Cauldron.

Liu San then took her on a tour of the current Xuanhuang World.

She returned soon after, somewhat disheartened.

"Your instinct to attack me was the effect of the Exclusivity of Techniques at work too," Liu San offered, trying to find her an excuse.

Jiang Yushan frowned slightly. "To keep myself from killing you, I suppose I should switch back to my original technique."

Liu San gesticulated repeatedly. "No need, no need. The sect urgently needs Longevity Pills right now. Yushan, how about using your Longevity Verdant Force to help me refine them?"

But Jiang Yushan refused outright. "The Longevity Verdant Force I cultivate differs from the Medicine King Sect's. A pill refined from it might induce rampant killing intent in whoever consumes it.

"You'd better find someone else."

Liu San's expression froze at her words.

"Right now, besides me, only you still retain the Salvation Longevity Scripture.

"The calamity of the Exclusivity of Techniques is truly terrifying. I fear that if more than three practiced it, none of us could restrain ourselves."

Liu San stammered an explanation.

A flicker of cold light passed through Jiang Yushan's eyes, and the words died in Liu San's throat.

"Elder Jiang, do not worry, simply refine the pills. Even if there are some minor side effects, the cultivators of the Myriad Immortals Alliance will care little for them now."

At the crucial moment, it was Xu Bai who rescued Liu San from the situation.

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