甜蜜的小狐狸

Lu Miao’s heart tightened in an instant. Had he seen her before, perhaps at the Gu family or somewhere else, and recognized her?

“Do you have any other instructions, Master?” Lu Miao asked.

“I wouldn’t dare,” Master Jiuhua replied. “Although you’re of a tender age, your cultivation level far surpasses ours. There’s probably no one in the entire country who can compare. It’s not my place to issue commands, and even seeking advice would be beyond my reach.”

That’s a relief. He hadn’t recognized her.

Lu Miao relaxed and responded politely, “Master, you flatter me. I’m merely someone who has had the good fortune to encounter an excellent master.”

“May I inquire about your teacher? Which sect does he belong to?” Master Jiuhua asked.

Lu Miao responded directly, “No sect, no school. My master has already passed away, and now I’m just an ordinary person. I take on tasks to make a living.”

Master Jiuhua pondered for a moment and remarked, “It’s a pity to see such talent go to waste. Jiuhua Mountain still holds some reputation in the country. I can lend you a hand and help you gain fame worldwide. Would you be willing to join us?”

Director Han, who stood nearby, chimed in, “If we’re talking about gaining fame globally, it’s better to join our management bureau and serve the country. By doing so, you can not only earn prestige and benefits but also secure a position. When you reach the regular retirement age, you’ll even receive a pension. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. Master, what do you think?”

Team Leader Chen sneered disdainfully from the side. If Lu Miao wished to join an organization, did they even have the authority to grant her that?

If even Young Master Fu couldn’t handle it, what made them think they could?

As expected, Lu Miao straightforwardly refused, “Thank you, but I have no interest in joining any sect or organization.”

“How about acquiring a title, then?” Director Han persisted.

Lu Miao’s eyes lifted slightly, a smile playing at her lips. “Why don’t we settle the payment for this task first, and then we can discuss the matter of a title? According to my standard fee, exorcising each monster costs 2 million. This time, there were nine, totaling 18 million. The life-saving pill for Priest Lingxu amounts to 2 million. In total, it comes to 20 million. Considering your role in protecting the people, I’ll give you a 50% discount, making it 10 million. After deducting the 1 million deposit you paid this morning, Director Han still owes 9 million.”

As she spoke, Lu Miao took out her phone, opened the payment code, and handed it to Director Han.

Director Han coughed and covered his mouth. “Master, you jest. We are all here to protect the people. How can we calculate things so precisely?”

“Clear accounting is essential, even among close friends. Besides, I have already given you a discount,” Lu Miao said, holding the QR code in front of him.

A sudden inspiration flashed in Director Han’s mind. “How about this? The City God Temple has an exceptional location. The land alone is worth over ten billion. Priest Lingxu’s awakening is uncertain, and currently, no one in the bureau has the ability to take over the temple. It remains unguarded. As a token of appreciation, I’ll personally gift the City God Temple to you. You can manage the temple as you wish. Ah, there are some matters at the bureau that require my attention, so I won’t stay any longer. Goodbye, everyone.”

After saying that, he swiftly left with Deputy Director Ding, not giving Lu Miao a chance to refuse.

Lin Bufan stared in disbelief. Was this even possible? “Boss, you… you’re getting the City God Temple just like that?” This temple had inherited incense for thousands of years!

Director Han was right. The land alone was worth tens of billions.

Lu Miao looked at him disdainfully. “Your boss has been taken advantage of, and yet you still want to help him count the money.”

The City God Temple was indeed valuable, but it had experienced a similar incident thirty years ago. Did they really think she would sell it? And who would dare to buy it?

Furthermore, the nine remained suppressed underground.

Priest Lingxu had nearly sacrificed his life to suppress them thirty years ago. Currently, no one in the bureau had the ability to take over. The City God Temple was a hot potato for them.

Presenting it as a gift was essentially passing the responsibility to her and making her work for free to help suppress the evil spirits.

However, the City God Temple boasted a thriving incense and generated abundant merit every day, which would benefit her cultivation. Priest Lingxu had managed to endure for thirty years because of this.

From that perspective, it wasn’t a complete loss.

Master Jiuhua smiled and shook his head. “In that case, congratulations on establishing your own sect.”

Having a designated incense position and receiving worship would be considered the establishment of a sect.

Lin Bufan looked puzzled. “Does that count as establishing a sect? Boss, what kind of sect are you creating?”

Lu Miao pondered for a second, then looked up at him. “The City God Temple Sect?” Master Jiuhua:… Was it really that casual? “Cough, doing such things in such a casual manner might not be appropriate. Young friend, please think it over carefully before making a decision,” Master Jiuhua suggested.

Lu Miao shrugged. “Then let’s go with ‘Casual Sect’.”

Master Jiuhua’s expression darkened. He should have kept his mouth shut.

As the hope for the future revival of metaphysics in the country, if Lu Miao represented the country and introduced herself as the leader of the Casual Sect…

Lin Bufan, on the other hand, immediately exclaimed excitedly, “Casual Sect? Then I want to be the eldest disciple!”

Lu Miao reached out and tousled his hair. “Good boy, we already have an eldest disciple. If you’d like, you can be the second disciple.”

Having already promised Shen Muhan to take him as her disciple, Lin Bufan could only come after him.

“Boss, I was the one who met you first, and I’ve been handling all your affairs. Who’s this person anyway? Why does he get to be my eldest disciple?” Lin Bufan complained.

Lu Miao raised her hand and rubbed her nose, gently coaxing him. “Being the eldest disciple isn’t all that great. Just look at Sun Wukong—he had to do all the dirty work and was even kicked out by his master multiple times. Zhu Bajie spent his days eating and drinking, being lazy and carefree. It’s much easier. In the future, you’ll be in charge of our Casual Sect, helping me manage the temple’s incense money and taking care of miscellaneous temple matters.

Leave all the dirty work to your eldest brother.”

Lin Bufan scratched his head, realizing that there might be some truth to it.

“Alright then.”

However, he felt that something was wrong.

As Master Jiuhua listened to Lu Miao’s persuasive words, he recalled something else.

“I have a friend’s son named Gu Shiyan. He was plagued by a terrible curse that threatened his life. My friend mentioned that it was the Master Mountain River who helped him resolve it. I wonder how things are now? Has the problem been completely cured?”

He had always heard the Gu family’s old lady talk about this Master Mountain River, and he was quite curious.

He never expected that he would encounter her today at the City God Temple.

Moreover, she was such a young girl.

Since Lu Miao had confirmed that Master Jiuhua hadn’t seen her at the Gu family and didn’t recognize her, she confidently made up a story, without batting an eye or skipping a beat. “Master Jiuhua must have mistaken me for someone else. The name I used is just a random pseudonym. If you search online, you’ll find many people with the same name.

Master Jiuhua looked at her with some suspicion. “You don’t know him?”

Lu Miao nodded firmly. “I don’t know him..”