Cohabitation with Sword Spirit-Chapter 323 - 60: Digging One’s Own Grave

Walking in a pitch-black corridor, within a few steps, Shen Jinghai’s forehead was already unconsciously sweating coldly, and his footsteps slowed down a bit.

Pressure like a mountain, like a sea, came from all directions.

As Deputy City Lord, Shen Jinghai could meet Lord City Lord to report work at any time without having to make an appointment in advance. This was regarded as an almost unique privilege in Shen City, even Shen Ruoshi’s few biological children did not receive such honor. Shen Jinghai, being half an outsider, enjoyed this privilege and was often at the center of attention.

Only Shen Jinghai himself could truly understand the other side of this privilege.

Meeting Lord City Lord was not simple work. Just entering the City Lord’s cave mansion and walking in the eerie narrow corridor was enough to crush an ordinary person’s will with invisible pressure. Cultivators whose Divine Sense had not condensed and transcended into a Primordial Spirit risked soul dispersion if they stayed in this place for too long.

As for the face-to-face meeting with Lord City Lord, opening up to report work, and receiving his inquiries, it was nothing short of torture. Despite Shen Jinghai’s high cultivation, he felt each time as if he were battling a formidable enemy, leaving him mentally and physically exhausted.

Shen Jinghai continued to step forward, only feeling the pressure ahead growing heavier. The air was like solidified rock blocking his path, requiring mountain-overturning courage to continue. Meanwhile, in this hardship, there was a distinct fiery agitation, and as he approached the end of the eerie corridor, Shen Jinghai could even feel the edges of his clothes were on the verge of burning.

Suppressing the burning clothes with a cool True Essence, Shen Jinghai slightly raised his head, curling his lips into a smile.

Although Lord City Lord’s mood was evidently poor, from the tangible Primordial Spirit fluctuations, it was praiseworthy; his cultivation had improved again.

Although becoming more difficult to manage, the power of the residual waves escaping through numerous seals was already amazing. The Lord’s strength was unimaginable. In terms of sheer power, probably no one in the world could compare to the City Lord of Shen City. Even the Sect Leader of the Saint Sect could not surpass the City Lord in absolute strength.

However, it was ultimately a misguided path.

Ever since Li Fengyun swept across Shen City, defeating generations of masters in Shen City with the Wind and Cloud Body and abducted Shen Yue’e, Shen Ruoshi’s personality had changed drastically.

The once upright but thoughtfully meticulous Shen Ruoshi was gone, replaced by the strong-willed and domineering City Lord of Shen City. In just a few years, Shen Ruoshi, with incredible determination and courage, forcefully broke through the Peak of the Mountain-Overturning Realm, entering the almost legendary realm of the Sea Overturning Realm, and even after that did not stop. He opened a Heavy Prison Cave Mansion for himself, secluded inside to focus on cultivation, using the harsh environment akin to an earthly purgatory to stimulate his power to continuously advance.

In the past decade, Shen Ruoshi was almost inseparable from the Heavy Prison Cave Mansion, each day immersed in saber mountains and seas of fire. As a result, this cave mansion had merged with him, being inside it allowed one to perceive Shen Ruoshi’s joys and sorrows.

This, might be one of the reasons Shen Ruoshi rarely saw outsiders.

Shen Jinghai let out a sigh, once again adjusting the states of his True Essence and Primordial Spirit, stepping past the last hurdle of the eerie corridor.

Suddenly the view opened up, an oval-shaped majestic hall, with all four walls being dark-colored rock walls, in the middle a glistening jade stone floated in mid-air, emitting a sparkling glow. Under the glow, a young man with silver hair cascading like a waterfall sat slanted on a black throne, resting his head on one hand, his sword-like brows slightly furrowed, his gaze sharp as blades and spears, made even sharper by the prominent cheekbones.

This was the City Lord of Shen City, Shen Ruoshi, already nearing a hundred years old. Fifty years ago, he was among the world’s top masters, his heroic battle stance at the Immortal Technique conference hosted by the Saint Sect left countless people with psychological shadows.

Yet fifty years have passed, Shen Ruoshi not only did not age like ordinary people, his facial features returned to those of his youth, looking merely like a young man in his twenties. Only the silver hair and two silver sword-like brows indicated his true age.

Without any cosmetic Immortal Techniques or Life-Extending Magical Treasures, it was purely due to the development with cultivation, where his physical body and Primordial Spirit spontaneously evolved, breaking the norms of the Immortal Cultivation Realm.

Someone once said that every Cultivator of the Sea Overturning Realm in this world is an outright monster, their Divine Techniques, feared even they themselves cannot fully master.

Facing such a monster, Shen Jinghai, unhurriedly, stepped forward two steps, bowed and greeted, "Greetings, Lord City Lord."

"Hmm, speak if you have something to say."

"Yes." Shen Jinghai knew Lord City Lord disliked wasting time, so he also kept it brief, immediately straightened his body, and began reporting the recent work from his manuscripts.

The army recently completed a streamlined reorganization, having melded through fierce battles at the Chaos Battlefield. New magical treasures have been fully equipped, ready to demonstrate effectiveness in the next real battle at the Chaos Battlefield. City order remains normal, the preparations for the birthday banquet half a month from now are steadily advancing, currently 70% complete, the remaining part will be completed within the expected time.

Shen Jinghai’s report was concise and to the point, only extremely important matters were listed in the report. Most trivial matters, Shen Jinghai wouldn’t bother wasting the City Lord’s time.

About the time of a cup of tea, Shen Jinghai finished reporting, bowed again, ready to leave.

However, just as his gaze lowered, a faint voice came from the throne ahead.

"Wait, that’s all?"

Shen Jinghai was taken aback, then cold sweat appeared on his back.

As expected of Lord City Lord, indeed he sees everything... On the way here, sensing that the Lord City Lord was not in a good mood, I deliberately concealed some negative news to avoid adding fuel to the fire. Unexpectedly, the Lord City Lord still figured it out.

For a ruler, the most taboo thing is subordinates deliberately hiding things, regardless of the reason, taking matters into their own hands is challenging the authority of the superiors. Shen Jinghai, as the Deputy City Lord, naturally knew this common sense, so he started to break out in a cold sweat.

But he’s not in a panic, for the City Lord Shen Ruoshi is unlike ordinary rulers; he is broad-minded and does not hold grudges against the common taboos of the power circles.

So after being reminded, Shen Jinghai went through the report again, and reported the previously hidden negative news one by one.

Including a young commander Shen Ruoshi had focused on, who was unfortunately killed in the Chaos Battlefield; including the new weapon development plan in the Lingshan High-tech Zone being delayed once again, without deep reflection by those in charge, who instead shamelessly applied for more funds; also found out that while applying for a huge budget, they spent tens of thousands of Spirit Stones on a luxurious banquet under the pretext of celebrating the grand sales of the full-scale simulated Battle Array Map, indulging in extravagance and debauchery, and now an investigation team has been dispatched...

After finishing these reports, Shen Jinghai finally breathed a sigh of relief, bowed once more, and prepared to turn around and leave.

However, just as he was about to turn his body, he heard Shen Ruoshi let out a cold snort, saying a bit impatiently, "Is that all!?"

Shen Jinghai was momentarily petrified.

The City Lord’s words... what do they mean?

The tasks that needed reporting, indeed were just those, he had been loyal to the City Lord, was there really something left unreported? However, the Lord City Lord never liked speaking without basis, if he asked, he must be sure that something was concealed, but what could it be?

In a split second, countless thoughts passed through Shen Jinghai’s mind, but he dismissed them one by one as unimportant trivialities that the Lord City Lord would never waste time on. If he specially stopped him to inquire, it must be an important matter, such as...

A moment later, Shen Jinghai’s mind finally settled on a particular matter.

Though somewhat unbelievable, at this moment, the only thing Shen Jinghai could think of was just this one matter. Over these years, as Deputy City Lord, considering himself the City Lord’s right-hand man, he never concealed anything from the City Lord, except for this one matter...

After pondering for a moment, although Shen Jinghai was extremely reluctant, he still chose to be honest.

Compared to some personal honor and disgrace, the professional quality of being a right-hand man is obviously much more important, and in front of the Lord City Lord, there should be no concealment.

"Lord City Lord, over the past ten years, I... have been participating in matchmaking events at Golden and Jade Marriage." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Pfft!"

Shen Jinghai’s eyes widened in disbelief, seeing the Lord City Lord, whose Immortal Power was like the sea and prison, actually couldn’t hold back and sprayed water.

"What did you say!?"

By this time, Shen Jinghai already sensed something was off, but since he had already started, he could only grit his teeth and continue.

"In order to build a good and perfect personal image, to enrich family and emotional life, I have always thought it necessary to find a wife. But marriage should not settle for less, it requires a truly suitable partner, so over the past ten years or so, I have applied for matchmaking events at Golden and Jade Marriage every week..."

Shen Ruoshi turned his body slightly, crossed his right leg, and asked, "Ten years, weekly dates? Then you must have met many people, how come you haven’t found anyone you fancy?"

Speaking of a suitable one, Shen Jinghai couldn’t help but think of someone named Cai’Er... not knowing whether it was a girl or a boy, at that moment, his blood seemed to flow in reverse.

After a long while, Shen Jinghai could only squeeze out one sentence: "This matter... is extremely difficult."

"Hmm, the matter of marriage is indeed difficult, but seeking a wife at Golden and Jade Marriage is really unreliable. After a while, I’ll arrange one for you."

Shen Jinghai’s eyes widened again, looking at the Lord City Lord in disbelief.

Shen Ruoshi waved his hand: "You’ve been diligently working in Shen City for so many years, always alone, it’s also my oversight, I thought you were... hmm, never mind."

After a pause, Shen Ruoshi’s face fell again, with some impatience in his eyes, he asked, "Jinghai, the reason I stopped you wasn’t for your personal life, I have only one question."

Shen Jinghai quickly straightened his face, listening intently.

"Why haven’t Qingming and the others come to see me yet?"