Free Web NovelChapter 1367: Chapter 59 Qingyang Town Affairs
The Yellow River Gathering drew the attention of the entire world.
Everything that happened on the Guanhe Platform would be analyzed and contemplated endlessly by people.
As the leader of the Yellow River’s Inner Court, Jiang Wang naturally garnered the most attention.
The fact that he bore the inheritance of the Near Ancient Cloud Top Immortal Palace was no longer a secret.
That Flat Step Qingyun Immortal Technique, which allowed him to walk in the sky as if treading solid ground with effortless grace, could be said to be truly peerless.
It was precisely because of this that the diviner discovered something: the Cloud Top Immortal Master he failed to predict in Yong Country turned out to be Jiang Wang, the prodigy of Qi Country.
With the notorious name of a Human Demon, once a target was found, it was inevitable to come knocking.
But Qi Country was not Yong Country.
Daring to predict the Heavenly Mechanism and brazenly destroying the Green Cloud Pavilion within Yong Country’s borders was one thing, but sneaking into Qi Country to harm Jiang Wang was impossible. Even the chief of the Human Demons, if he dared enter Qi Country, would face nothing but death.
Nevertheless, a diviner was still a diviner, and this one was the second-ranked Human Demon, the fortune-telling demon!
Sometimes, dealing with someone doesn’t require getting too close.
Just like... now.
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Today’s Green Sheep Town was an entirely different place, stripped of its usual serenity.
The rough-looking soldiers searched around, their shouts mingling with the cries of children, punctuated by the cacophony of clattering items...
Despite the looming threat of Zhongxuan Sheng, the soldiers dared not cause excessive disturbances. Yet, the act of searching itself was inherently destructive.
First, it undermined the authority of the territory’s lord and eroded the sense of security among the inhabitants.
Secondly, the rummaging through cabinets and belongings was a blatant disruption of order, inevitably leading to pandemonium.
The residents of Green Sheep Town Hall were confined indoors, while the entirety of Green Sheep Town’s domain was laid bare to the search teams.
Zhongxuan Sheng wandered leisurely behind Zhang Weiyu, occasionally inserting himself into conversations.
"Hey, old man, keep a record. If anything’s missing from your home—gold, silver, Dao Yuan Stones—later Zhang, the Bureau of Officials’ Official, will compensate you!"
"Quick, make way for Lord Zhang! Yes, you! What are you doing? Lord Zhang arrives, and you don’t step aside? Are you trying to rebel? Where are you from? What’s your last name and first name? What’s your purpose here—anything shady?"
"Hey! Look at that expression of yours!"
"Eyes sharp, everyone! Put your valuables, oh no, I mean put all the evidence out in the open! If not, today you’ll definitely get a taste of Lord Zhang’s wrath!"
Zhang Weiyu knew there was no washing away the reputation he’d acquired in Green Sheep Town—he would remain a "corrupt official" in everyone’s eyes.
This man couldn’t be beaten or thrown off; he clung to the situation like stubborn glue.
After several failed attempts, Zhang Weiyu eventually abandoned his "lead-from-the-front" approach, returned to the Town Hall with a dark expression, and decided to sit down for questioning. With no hesitation, he strode toward the main seat.
Unexpectedly, a thin silhouette blocked his path again.
Zhang Weiyu’s expression soured. "What do you want now?"
Dugu Xiao lowered her gaze and explained earnestly, "That is the seat of my family’s Duke. Even when he’s absent, it remains unoccupied by anyone else."
Zhang Weiyu was so angry he laughed aloud and pointed at Dugu Xiao, speaking to his subordinates: "A mere petty pavilion head dares defy orders repeatedly! Imagine the arrogance Jiang Wang himself must display!"
Zhongxuan Sheng extended an arm, unleashing a massive gravitational force that forcibly dragged Dugu Xiao away. "How bold you are! A mere pavilion head blocking the way?
Do you even know that Imperial Court Adviser Chen personally once said, ’What the law doesn’t forbid, one is free to pursue’?
Do you understand what that means?
Is there any clause in Qi’s Law stating that an official of the Bureau of Officials cannot sit in this seat?
Lord Zhang serves as one of Adviser Chen’s most trusted lieutenants.
Don’t talk about a mere Green Sheep Town’s seat—even higher, higher, and higher ones could be taken! Hey! If Zhang says he’ll sit, then he’ll sit!"
By the time Zhongxuan Sheng finished half of his words, Zhang Weiyu had already plopped himself down onto a nearby chair, no longer insisting on occupying the main seat.
Chen Fu’s original words were, "What the law doesn’t forbid, one is free to pursue; what morality doesn’t constrain, one can pardon." The original intent was a discussion of the boundaries between law and morality.
But Zhongxuan Sheng’s deliberate twist of the phrase left Zhang Weiyu unable to counter it.
Once seated, Zhang Weiyu said, "From now on, I will personally handle the interrogation!"
The message was clear: if Zhongxuan Sheng interrupted again, it would constitute interference in official duties.
Zhongxuan Sheng would inevitably have to answer for it under Qi’s Law.
Grade-4 Green Badge Ma Xiong had silently entered the Town Hall at some point but merely found a quiet corner to sit in. He remained motionless, his eyes half-lowered in meditation.
In this chaotic operation filled with trivial nonsense, achieving results was problematic, but failing to achieve results was equally troublesome. If Zhang Weiyu were to abandon his duties, Ma Xiong would quickly step down too. After all, his primary task this time was to supervise Zhang Weiyu—although Zhongxuan Sheng’s "supervision" had been overly thorough and exceedingly detailed.
Zhang Weiyu paid him no attention and instead fixed his gaze on Fan Qingqing, asking, "I hear you hail from a maritime background?"
Fan Qingqing respectfully replied, "Indeed, my lord. The Five Immortal Sect I belonged to was destroyed by evildoers. Fortunately, Duke Jiang took me in, so I remained in this town, assisting him with building towers and halls. Counting the time, it’s been several months."
Her words were truthful, yet subtly distanced herself from Jiang Wang, implying that she wasn’t one of his trusted aides.
"A seasoned Inner Mansion Realm expert like yourself hardly seems like someone a small town would employ," Zhang Weiyu said, clearly catching her attempt to disassociate herself. He looked at her with encouragement. "Did you later find out who destroyed your sect?"
Fan Qingqing, no novice, had once held the position of elder within a Transcendent sect. She wasn’t about to be swayed by such faint probing.
She simply shook her head, her face sorrowful. "I am insignificant and powerless; I couldn’t uncover the truth."
While she might not devote herself completely to Jiang Wang, she dared not openly betray him in front of so many people.
Zhang Weiyu’s question was a casual probe; failing to elicit results didn’t faze him. His eyes shifted to Dugu Xiao. "When did you first serve Jiang Wang? Do you have any family left?"
Dugu Xiao replied, "My parents passed away, and I have no siblings. I am merely an ordinary maid, bought and sold at will. The Duke took pity on my loneliness and hardship, gifting me transcendence..."
Zhang Weiyu clicked his tongue, choosing not to question her further. Suddenly, his eyes sharpened like lightning, locking onto a cowering man leaning against the doorway.
At once, Zhang Hai flinched, his hands instinctively moving behind him.
"What are you hiding in your hands?" Zhang Weiyu asked sharply.
Before Zhang Hai could respond, a Cut-rain Army soldier stepped forward. With a rough grab, he snatched a sheepskin scroll from Zhang Hai’s hands and presented it to Zhang Weiyu.
Unrolling it, Zhang Weiyu found indecipherable cryptic writing upon it.
He eyed Zhang Hai coldly and chuckled disdainfully. "Your name is Zhang Hai, isn’t it? Whatever secret you’re hiding, you’d better confess now. If I uncover it myself, it’ll be too late for you!"
Zhang Hai was overwhelmed by panic.
He was an utterly unremarkable cultivator, aimless and mediocre, clinging to vague fantasies. His presence in Green Sheep Town hinged solely on a past favor from Jiang Wang. Lacking experience dealing with figures like Zhang Weiyu, he stammered, "I... I..."
"Enough, no need to speak!"
Zhang Weiyu cut him off with a gesture, handing the sheepskin scroll to a subordinate. "Take this and analyze whether it’s some kind of cipher." freeweɓnovel.cѳm
"M-my lord!" Zhang Hai mustered his courage to explain, "This isn’t a cipher. It’s a formula I recently devised!"
Zhang Weiyu’s face remained expressionless, but his fingers had clenched tightly.
He glanced again at the sheepskin scroll, which read:
"Nine petals of cattail, four pearls of ethereal stone, half-withered grass, thrice-steamed rice, water from empty mountains, mist formed by Dao Technique—blend into one..."
Flowers, stones, grass, rice, water, and mist—are you seriously claiming you’re concocting alchemy???
Are you not afraid of poisoning yourself to death?
Zhongxuan Sheng couldn’t suppress his amusement and burst into a snicker.
Moments later, as if entirely unable to contain himself, he erupted in hearty laughter.
