Chapter 5: A Sudden Turn of Heart

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(It was originally supposed to be published today, but the editor informed me that it would be postponed for a week, now scheduled for the first of the month…)

Even during the period when the city gates of Danling County were sealed, the supply of various essentials such as grain, vegetables, and firewood still had to be organized and managed by Wang Zhenling and his team. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been the plague that killed people, but the starvation of nearly the entire city!

This time, Wang Zhenling’s reputation soared.

Neighboring counties saw many deaths from the contagious plague, but Danling County, thanks to Wang Zhenling, was almost untouched by disaster.

The people of Danling’s villages and towns were immensely grateful to Wang Zhenling, and legends even spread that he had the power to drive away the plague.

So much so that many families secretly built shrines dedicated to the God of Plague in his honor!

Previously, Wang Zhenling’s foundation had been too weak, and his tenure in office too brief; his achievements were insufficient to convince others. He had relied entirely on Chen Bushi’s powerful recommendation!

This time, however, Wang Zhenling had truly solidified his foundation. Both county and prefectural officials, as well as the common folk, recognized his capabilities.

This plague incident had spread Wang Zhenling’s fame far and wide, throughout districts and counties!

When the plague finally ended, Wang Zhenling, still only a provisional county lieutenant, returned to the county court to hand in his official seal.

However, the county magistrate’s expression was complicated as he said to Wang Zhenling, “This year, the imperial court has suspended the recommendation of filial and incorrupt candidates across all districts and counties. This means our county has broken its promise.

But you have achieved great merit for the county. I have already petitioned the court to formally appoint you as county lieutenant.

Keep this official seal with you for now!”

“Huh?”

Wang Zhenling was slightly stunned. The court had suspended the recommendation of filial and incorrupt candidates across the land? What did this mean?

Such matters, of course, the county magistrate Wang Guang would never speak lightly about.

An action of this scale by the imperial court was known throughout the realm; it could not be concealed!

Soon after, Wang Zhenling learned the truth. It was indeed the result of the ongoing power struggle between the emperor and the ministers of the outer court.

The emperor was intent on promoting his own Hongdu Gate Academy, but he looked down on the National Academy, which trained Confucian scholars.

However, the Hongdu Gate Academy could never outcompete the deeply rooted National Academy. In anger, the emperor simply suspended the recommendation of filial and incorrupt candidates to cut off the National Academy’s lifeline.

At the same time, this marked the intensifying conflict between the emperor and his ministers!

Such changes affected the entire realm. Wang Zhenling was merely a tiny, insignificant creature caught in the wake of this policy!

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However, when the news reached Jiaode, the Wang clan was overjoyed.

The Wang family was merely a powerful local clan; producing one or two high-ranking county officials was already a rare achievement.

Even the clan head, Wang An, had only served a few terms as deputy county magistrate.

Even if Wang Zhenling truly became a filial and incorrupt candidate and went to study at the National Academy, hundreds of students were admitted each year. It was no easy feat to graduate and immediately gain a county lieutenant position without exceptional talent!

Moreover, a county lieutenant’s position in Danling was far more beneficial to the Wang clan than serving as a magistrate in a distant place!

Therefore, the Wang clan was extremely pleased by Wang Zhenling’s appointment as Danling’s county lieutenant and even held a grand banquet to celebrate.

Wang Zhenling, however, was not especially happy. The county magistrate Wang Guang was deeply wary of him. At first, he had taken the opportunity to shove Wang Zhenling out under the pretense of the filial and incorrupt recommendation.

Now, forced to reward Wang Zhenling’s merits, he was compelled to appoint him county lieutenant, but Wang Zhenling had no idea how much the magistrate disliked him!

The clan’s celebration was premature!

Taking the excuse of having drunk a few more cups, Wang Zhenling got up to change.

Unexpectedly, someone followed him, lowering their voice to say, “Lord Wang, you must be feeling quite triumphant, but I wonder if you have forgotten the promise you made to me from the Way of Cheng Tian?”

Wang Zhenling was stunned. Someone from the Way of Cheng Tian?

Turning around, he saw the same robed and crowned Taoist figure from before, smiling gently at him.

An immediate cold sweat broke out on Wang Zhenling’s body, and the effects of the wine vanished instantly!

This was Jiaode, inside the Wang clan.

How had the messenger from the Way of Cheng Tian gotten in?

No need to ask—it must have been someone inside the clan who let him in.

It seemed the ties between the Danling Wang family and the Way of Cheng Tian ran deeper than expected!

Since the last time Wang Zhenling had exposed this matter to clan head Wang An, no one from the Way of Cheng Tian had come to bother them.

After such a long time, Wang Zhenling had thought the clan had reached some sort of tacit agreement with the Way of Cheng Tian, but he never expected the messenger to show up at such an unforeseen moment.

“You are the Martial God Envoy?”

Wang Zhenling did not answer but instead asked back.

The Taoist smiled slightly, “Indeed, I am Wu Zhong, the Fifth Envoy of the Way of Cheng Tian.”

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“How did you get in here?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Lord Wang?” Wu Zhong answered casually.

Wang Zhenling sneered, “I care not for your reasons. Keep your distance from me, or don’t blame me for turning hostile!”

Wu Zhong was taken aback. He had expected many reactions from Wang Zhenling—fear, anxiety, polite avoidance—but he never imagined Wang Zhenling would be so rude!

Was this not a time when he should be afraid?

“Think carefully, Lord Wang. Your Wang family has special ties with the Way of Cheng Tian. You promised me certain things. Do you intend to go back on your word?”

Wu Zhong’s face darkened as he spoke threateningly.

Wang Zhenling sneered, “One can take medicine recklessly, but words must not be spoken lightly. When did I ever promise you anything? You simply coerced me by force!”

Wu Zhong had never encountered someone so shameless. They had come to an agreement before, yet now Wang Zhenling had turned his back on him without hesitation.

Enraged, he struck out with a palm at Wang Zhenling.

They were over ten feet apart. Wu Zhong’s palm struck through the air, releasing a black aura that surged forward like a massive black elephant charging at Wang Zhenling.

This was no longer a mere Qi Condensation technique; it was clearly a divine sprout-level technique. Under the immense power of a primordial spirit, the fierce energy took on various forms, overwhelming in strength.

Seeing what seemed like a multi-thousand-pound elephant barreling toward him, anyone would have been sent flying upon impact.

Wang Zhenling, however, sneered coldly. Without dodging, he formed the left hand as the sun and the right hand as the moon. The sun and moon united, transforming into the Yin-Yang Demon-Slaying Divine Sword.

It was as if a long sword truly appeared in his hands, stabbing forward. The elephant-like energy shattered instantly, but the Yin-Yang Demon-Slaying Divine Sword pressed on relentlessly toward Wu Zhong.

“You’ve actually cultivated to the divine sprout level… What kind of spell is this?”

Wu Zhong recoiled in shock, invisible sword energy carving a deep scar in the earth.

His robe was disheveled, his expression horrified, no longer possessing the confident demeanor he had before!

Wang Zhenling sneered. Of course, he had not truly reached divine sprout level—his Moon Wheel Heavenly Palace was still incomplete.

But the strength of his primordial spirit was no less than that of ordinary divine sprout-level masters!

This was the very reason Wang Zhenling had the confidence to turn hostile and refuse to acknowledge Wu Zhong!