Li Pingcan was thoroughly satisfied.  

The intelligence from Qin An would serve as a merit for his second brother, ensuring his future path would be steady and smooth.  

As for Su Meiniang's secrets, they were invaluable to him—key resources for his early cultivation journey.  

And that manual, the "Allure Sect's Heavenly Desire Scripture"...  

"These seduction techniques are useless to me, but for that nine-tailed fox on Spirit Mountain, they must be an irresistible temptation. Although spirit beasts can't practice human techniques, they can gain new insights by analogy. Trading this for some rare treasures would be a huge profit."  

The interrogation concluded, and the effects of the [Hallucinogenic Mushroom] gradually faded.  

Qin An and Su Meiniang slowly regained consciousness, looking around in confusion. The memories of the illusionary realm receded like a tide, yet left an indelible mark.  

When they saw the smiling youth before them, an indescribable fear rose from the depths of their hearts, making them feel like stray dogs.  

"Loose ends should be tied up thoroughly."  

Qin An's eyes bulged with rage as he threatened, "The Zhou family won't let you go! And don't you want to know who else backs me?"  

Before he could finish, Li Pingcan smiled and said, "The Endless Life Sect? I already knew."  

Ignoring Qin An's shock and Su Meiniang's pleas,  

Li Pingcan stood up. A burst of flames lit up the cave, devouring all traces of their presence.  

............  

Li Pingfu's expression was grave. "Little brother, I never expected seeking a military post would stir up so much trouble."  

"Elder brother, you're mistaken."  

Li Pingcan, perhaps one of those who understood Magistrate Liang best, immediately grasped his brother's concerns and reassured him, "If you hadn't sought this post, how would we have discovered that the Zhou family is tied to the Endless Life Sect?  

The sect's recent moves have been too bold, even attempting to infiltrate the county office. Their ambitions must be vast. If we avoided seeking this post out of fear, we wouldn't even know where disaster might strike."  

Deep down, Li Pingcan harbored a faint suspicion: Why had cult activities become so frequent in recent years, while the government's responses seemed slower than before?  

Was the dynasty's destiny weakening? Or was something else occupying the court's attention?  

"Little brother, you're right."  

Hearing his younger brother's words, Magistrate Liang recalled his family's flight from famine in their youth.  

As a child, he'd thought it a natural disaster; only upon growing up did he realize it was "immortal calamity." Had their father held a military post back then, they might have escaped unscathed...  

This realization dispelled all hesitation from Magistrate Liang's mind.  

...........  

That night,  

Magistrate Liang meticulously copied two scorching "confessions" and handed them to Li Pingcan under cover of darkness.  

Beneath the moonlight, the two brothers sat facing each other.  

Li Pingcan flipped through the pages, his expression shifting from solemnity to a cold, mirthless smile. His typically scholarly face now bore an uncharacteristic sharpness.  

"The Endless Life Sect... the Zhou family... spirit beasts..."  

He set the papers down gently, his knuckles tapping the table with dull thuds.  

"What a Zhou family—posing as a century-old scholarly clan while colluding with such evil cultists," Li Ping'an murmured, his voice soft but his gaze icy.  

If even their guest elder was a cultist, how could the Zhou family be innocent?  

According to Qin An's confession, the Zhou family harbored more than one follower of the Endless Life Sect.  

The Zhou branch, having risen to power by clinging to Magistrate Liang's coattails, had become Yunshui County's sole dominant family. They'd grown increasingly ruthless, committing countless atrocities far worse than the main family's past deeds.  

Li Ping'an had long collected evidence of their crimes—land seizures, forced marriages—but Magistrate Liang had suppressed it all, even issuing warnings. Li Ping'an had understood then that with his limited power, any meaningful action required careful planning.  

But now, with the Zhou family implicated in cult activities and solid evidence in hand, not even the county magistrate could suppress this.  

Watching the killing intent in his second brother's eyes, Li Pingfu realized the years had transformed the once bookish youth. When pushed past his limits, that hidden decisiveness and ruthlessness emerged like a honed blade.  

"What's your plan?" Li Pingfu asked.  

Li Ping'an's lips curved into a smile tinged with scholarly calculation. "To deal with such entrenched families, brute force isn't enough. We must destroy not just their bodies, but their reputations. The Zhou family will fall—openly, undeniably, and permanently."  

He stood, pacing as strategies crystallized in his mind.  

"These confessions are our sword, but we can't wield them directly."  

Li Ping'an explained calmly, "Brother, you may not know—Magistrate Liang tolerated the Zhou family only because they were 'obedient.'  

But if he learns they've conspired with cultists to assassinate officials? With solid evidence, he'll be more eager than anyone to eliminate them, lest they tarnish his record."  

Once Magistrate Liang acted, it would be with thunderous finality. The Zhou family would be finished!  

As for those letters and tokens? They'd never existed—until Li Pingcan used [Hallucinogenic Mushroom] to make Qin An "write" them personally.  

"With both witnesses and physical evidence, the Zhou family's guilt will be ironclad. No one will dare defend them—their allies will scatter like rats."  

Li Ping'an's calm tone belied his certainty of the Zhou family's doom. "We'll use the government's might and public outrage to nail them to the pillar of shame."  

Li Pingfu listened with admiration.  

Where he excelled at crushing obstacles through strength, his brother mastered dismantling them with precision. Together, they were unstoppable.  

"Do it. I trust you," Li Pingfu said.  

"Then let's strike! Our combined strength can cut through metal!"  

Li Ping'an took a deep breath, his resolve firm. In this world, only family deserved his absolute trust.  

...........  

Peach Blossom Village, Li Family.  

After the killings, Li Pingcan returned leisurely to his courtyard.  

A panel flickered before his eyes:  

[You've planted 20,000 saplings. Druid level increased to LV7!]  

[You gained 2 Tier Upgrade Points]  

[You learned a new skill: Animal Companion]  

"Animal Companion!"  

Li Pingcan's spirits lifted.  

[Animal Companion: You may form an equal soul contract with a beast or spirit beast, making it your loyal partner. Once contracted, you'll share senses and communicate telepathically. Additionally, you may borrow one of its innate abilities to a limited extent.]  

This skill seemed tailor-made for him.  

Shared abilities meant he could gain diverse powers depending on his partner!  

"I must choose carefully."  

After quick consideration, Li Pingcan decided to wait.  

Currently, the Green Jiao dragon-serpent was his most powerful potential partner—but their bond was already so close that formalizing it felt redundant.  

"Better to wait for a spirit beast whose abilities complement mine perfectly."  

Forming a partnership demanded utmost care—he needed maximum compatibility.  

Next, Li Pingcan turned to his two precious Tier Upgrade Points.  

Without hesitation, he allocated one to [Enhanced Resistance].  

The panel's text shimmered and changed:  

[Enhanced Resistance has upgraded to: Element Absorption]  

[Element Absorption: Your resistance to all elemental damage increases significantly. When struck by elemental attacks, you may convert 10% of the damage into temporary mana and resistance. This conversion strengthens with your Druid level.]  

"Amazing!"  

Li Pingcan grinned—this was god-tier!  

Against mages, he'd become a perpetual motion machine—the harder they hit, the more mana and resistance he'd gain. Every spellcaster's nightmare!  

Calming his excitement, he used the last point on [Breath of the Tree]—his foundation and family's future.  

[Breath of the Tree has upgraded, gaining new traits: Everlasting Vitality, Boundless Flow]  

[Everlasting Vitality: Your mana and stamina recovery speeds increase. Your breath now carries faint life energy, slowly healing wounds and purging pill toxins/impurities.]  

[Boundless Flow: Lifespan extension effect enhanced. At max level, extends lifespan to 500 years. You may teach this technique to blood relatives, granting them partial lifespan extension (max level can add 200 years).]  

Li Pingcan's breath caught.  

This surpassed most Foundation Establishment cultivators' lifespans!  

More importantly, his family would benefit too.  

"Even Mother, with only two levels of Breath training, could live to 170!"  

What greater happiness than growing old together with family?  

"Father, Mother, brothers... we'll be together for a very, very long time..."  

He'd never forgotten why he cultivated—immortality wasn't the goal, just a means to protect his family.  

..........  

The next day, a meticulously worded secret report laden with evidence appeared on Magistrate Liang's desk.  

Magistrate Liang frowned at the documents before snapping coldly, "Fools! Disgraceful trash!"  

He'd known the Zhou family was incompetent, but never imagined they'd dabble with cults.  

Still, this Li Ping'an boy—gathering such comprehensive evidence—was undeniably talented.  

A flicker of wariness crossed the magistrate's eyes before he ordered:  

"Send Li Ping'an to investigate the Zhou family."  

At his command, county soldiers and constables swarmed the Zhou estate like wolves.  

Before the Zhou mansion, an aura of impending violence thickened.  

A hundred elite soldiers stood with blades bared, their weapons glinting coldly.  

Behind them, Li Ping'an in his blue official robes stood composed, holding a warrant stamped with the magistrate's seal. Beside him stood Li Pingfu.  

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*  

Heavy knocks shattered the morning calm.  

The Zhou gates creaked open to reveal Patriarch Zhou Shan, irritation plain on his face as household guards flanked him.  

His expression froze at the sight before twisting into a sneer.  

"Well, if it isn't Clerk Li."  

Zhou Shan's mocking gaze slid past the imposing Li Pingfu to land on Li Ping'an, his tone dripping with contempt.  

This old adversary was all too familiar—always causing trouble for the Zhous!  

"Li Ping'an, you've grown bold. Did marrying into power make you think you matter? Surrounding my estate—is this your petty revenge?"  

Li Ping'an remained unruffled. "Zhou Shan, by Magistrate Liang's order, we're investigating your family's collusion with the Endless Life Sect in plotting against officials. Surrender peacefully for questioning."  

Zhou Shan burst into laughter, as if hearing the world's best joke.  

To the gathering crowd, he jeered, "Hear this! A peasant boy who climbed via his wife's skirts dares accuse a century-old family of cult ties! Ridiculous!"  

His scorn was naked: "Li Ping'an, look at yourself! The Zhous are Magistrate Liang's favorites—you're just the Mu family's dog!  

Without your father-in-law, you'd still be digging dirt in Peach Blossom Village! Go home and tend your wife—Yunshui's affairs are beyond trash like you!"  

Li Ping'an's expression didn't flicker, though cold light flashed in his eyes. "Take them."  

At his icy command, constables stormed the estate, sealing its grand gates with official notices.  

Only when faced with real action did fear flicker in Zhou Shan's eyes. He bellowed,  

"The Zhous are a century-old noble house! By what right—I demand to see Magistrate Liang!"  

He tried to bull through toward the county office—despite years of luxury softening him, his Divine Execution Realm cultivation let him bowl through several constables.  

"Elder brother, stop Zhou Shan!" Li Ping'an urged.  

Li Pingfu vanished instantly.  

Zhou Shan barely registered the movement before crushing pressure pinned him. His guards flew back like ragdolls, blood spraying.  

Then an iron grip lifted him by the throat like a chicken.  

The unstoppable aura of a Postnatal Realm expert!  

"You—you—"  

Zhou Shan kicked helplessly, face purpling, eyes wide with horror.  

That country bumpkin Li Pingfu was... a Postnatal expert?!  

"Halt! Release our patriarch!"  

Elderly Zhou family elders rushed out—all Postnatal Realm masters—only to freeze at Li Pingfu's overwhelming presence.  

One man had subdued the entire scene.  

Li Ping'an stepped forward, announcing to the crowd:  

"By Magistrate Liang's decree: The Zhou family of Yunshui, despite their standing, have conspired with the Endless Life Sect. Their guest elder Qin An is a cult leader—a capital offense!  

All core Zhou members are to be arrested, their assets seized. Resistance will be met with lethal force!"  

As he spoke, constables produced a chest containing Qin An's "handwritten" letters, ledgers, and cult tokens—all displayed publicly.  

"Lies! Framed!" Zhou Shan croaked.  

Li Ping'an nodded to a constable, who dragged out a trembling Zhou steward—the very man who'd relayed messages between Qin An and Zhou Shan, his mind broken by [Hallucinogenic Mushroom].  

Before all, the steward tearfully confessed to facilitating cult communications and plotting Li Pingfu's assassination to seize the County Captain position.  

With both witnesses and evidence, doubt vanished.  

Zhou Shan went limp, his face ashen. He understood now—County Captain Zuo Wu's absence meant abandonment. The Zhou family was finished.  

Former allies edged back while the crowd roared with fury.  

Li Ping'an raised a hand.  

"Seal the estate. Arrest them all."  

As soldiers surged inside, screams and curses erupted. The vermilion gates symbolizing generations of glory were slammed shut, crossed with official seals.  

Under the rising sun, Yunshui's mightiest family crumbled to dust.  

News of the Zhou family's fall swept through Yunshui like a storm.  

Former friends scrambled to disavow them.  

At the County Captain election, the remaining candidates withdrew upon learning of Li Pingfu's Postnatal cultivation and the Li family's triumph.  

Challenge a twenty-something Postnatal expert?  

Oppose the family that toppled the Zhous? They'd rather live.  

Even the Postnatal expert from the Zhou's allied family came bearing gifts to "apologize."  

Thus, Li Pingfu claimed victory without bloodshed.  

Amidst awed gazes, he accepted the County Captain's seal—his authority now unquestioned.