Liu Zhizhen had followed Zhou Hongyi to Lu County.
He also wanted to see what kind of person the governor of Lu County was to be treated by a peerless genius like Zhou Hongyi as an opportunity to comprehend the Great Dao.
He even thought that this could help the Sect Master comprehend the Dao.
Did such a person really exist in the world?
In the hearts of the disciples of Daoyi Palace, the Sect Master, Zhang Shuming, was an Immortal-like existence. He was aloof from the world and was untainted by worldly affairs. He was already standing before Heaven’s Gate and was only a step away from becoming an Immortal.
Could it be that the governor of Lu County was an Immortal?
“Uncle-Master Zhou, aren’t we going to visit Governor Cui?” Liu Zhizhen looked at Zhou Hongyi in confusion. Why did he bring him to an inn?
“You and I have traveled a long way. How can we go and pay our respects directly?” Zhou Hongyi shook his head gently and smiled. “Moreover, even if you and I are neat and tidy, we can’t go over directly.
“It’s very likely that this Governor Cui is an expert who has deeply understood the principles of the Great Dao. If we want to pay our respects to him, we have to be respectful enough. Let’s stay in this inn first, burn incense, take a bath, and fast for three days before paying our respects.”
“Huh?” Liu Zhizhen was stunned.
Such etiquette was like preparing to welcome an Immortal God. Was the Governor of Lu County really so powerful?
….
The next morning.
In the inner hall of the governor office.
Cui Heng was looking at the map of the 13 counties of Fengzhou.
He was thinking about what order he should implement the decrees in to maximize the effect of collecting emotions after taking over as State Overseer.
At the same time, he also noticed that Yunshu County, which was to the north of Fengzhou, bordered the grassland outside the Great Jin.
This could be said to be Fengzhou’s first line of defense against the barbarians’ invasion.
If he took over as the State Overseer of Fengzhou, he would definitely have to consider how to deal with the barbarians in the grasslands.
Of course, it depended on the collection of the Seven Emotions.
“Lord!” At this moment, Xu Feng’an’s voice came from outside.
A few days ago, he had returned to the Yuhua Sword Pavilion to help Hui Shi carry out the government decree. He had just returned yesterday.
“Come in.” Cui Heng put away the map and smiled. “Minister Xu, why are you here so early?”
“Lord, I saw Zhou Hongyi just now,” Xu Feng’an said solemnly. “I heard from Hui Shi that he sent a letter saying that he wanted to visit you?”
“So he’s already here.” Cui Heng nodded lightly. “Why didn’t I see him come over?”
“I asked around and found out that he bought some incense and even bought kitchenware to personally cook vegetarian dishes.” Xu Feng’an sighed and said, “It seems that he wants to burn incense and abstain from eating before coming to visit you.”
“Oh? That’s interesting.” Cui Heng was a little surprised when he heard this. No matter what Zhou Hongyi thought, this etiquette was definitely done to the extreme. He chuckled and said, “He doesn’t sound like a Daoist practitioner. He seems more like a scholar.”
“Lord, you have a sharp eye. Actually, this Zhou Hongyi was really a scholar.” Xu Feng’an explained, “He came from the Zhou family of Yuping County in Yongzhou. Although he is not from the 16 Families of the world, he is still from a local famous family.
“However, although Zhou Hongyi’s father was the head of the Zhou family, his biological mother was only a concubine. It was said that she was a courtesan from a brothel. After she married into the Zhou family, she did not have a good life. Not long after she gave birth to him, she died of depression, but she could not even be buried in her ancestral grave.
Therefore, Zhou Hongyi studied hard since he was young and wanted to use this opportunity to clear his mother’s name. Later on, he came into contact with martial arts by chance and advanced by leaps and bounds. He had an intense conflict with his father and almost fought with him.
Fortunately, the Daoyi Palace’s Sect Master passed by and took him in as a disciple. This prevented the tragedy of father and son killing each other.”
“This is a legendary figure.” Cui Heng sighed with emotion and nodded. “Since he has done his part, let’s not neglect him.”
As he spoke, he took out the paper with Zhou Hongyi’s name on it.
Then, with a gentle shake, the paper instantly combusted and turned into a talisman with complicated runes written on it.
“When he comes to visit, you can give him this talisman.”
Cui Heng handed the talisman to Xu Feng’an. “This talisman can increase his spiritual perception. It can help him comprehend the Dharma and Logos of Heaven and Earth faster and increase his speed of entering the Deity Realm.”
“Yes, my Lord!” Xu Feng’an took the talisman and immediately felt that his perception had been strengthened. The Dharma and Logos that he could only vaguely sense in the past instantly became extremely clear.
This even made him feel like he was starting to touch the threshold of the Deity Realm.
Of course, he also knew that this was just an illusion. He had not grasped the cultivation technique to break through to the Deity Realm. Even if he had this talisman in his hand, it was useless.
However, to those who had grasped the method to break through to the Deity Realm, this talisman was a priceless treasure. It could be said to be a direct ride to the Deity Realm!
“Is the Lord really just a Human Immortal from the Upper World?”
Xu Feng’an’s heart was in turmoil. The various methods Cui Heng had displayed were far more powerful than he had imagined.
“By the way, this is for you.” Cui Heng took out another booklet.
“This is?” Xu Feng’an took the booklet in confusion. He only flipped through it twice before his body trembled violently. He knelt on the ground and said extremely respectfully and gratefully, “Thank you for your kindness!”
This booklet was none other than the Deity Realm martial technique that Cui Heng had compiled according to the current martial techniques of the Yuhua Sword Pavilion after learning that Xu Feng’an was far away from reaching the Deity Realm. It perfectly matched what Xu Feng’an had learned.
Since even Zhou Hongyi had obtained a talisman that could assist with his cultivation, he naturally wouldn’t treat Xu Feng’an badly.
Moreover, Xu Feng’an even got the Yuhua Sword Pavilion to cooperate with the implementation of the government decree.
Cui Heng would not mistreat anyone who worked hard by his side.
“Go on.” Cui Heng smiled. “Study hard.”
“Thank you, Immortal!” Xu Feng’an thanked him again and left happily. After a while, Captain Chen Tong came again.
“My Lord, there’s news from the various counties that foot soldiers suspected to be from the Wang Clan of Langya are marching here. They should be coming for us.” Chen Tong explained the situation briefly.
“They’re finally here.” Cui Heng clapped his hands and smiled. “It wasn’t in vain that I waited so long. Go to the dungeon and bring Wang Jinsheng and Wang Qingquan out. Hang them on the flagpole of the city gate.”
“Hang, hang them on the flagpole of the city gate tower?” Chen Tong’s eyes widened when he heard that. This was killing the heart! When the people from the Wang Clan of Langya arrived, they would probably faint from anger on the spot.
However, to do such a thing to the top preeminent families in the world, an indescribable excitement surged in his heart. He could not wait.
In the past, he wouldn’t even dare to think about such a thing!
….
In the death-row dungeon of Lu County City.
Wang Jinsheng and Wang Qingquan were still alive. They were very dispirited and looked like they were about to die.
Actually, it just looked like that.
Both of them had martial cultivation and their physiques were extremely strong. Even if they were locked up in this dungeon that did not see the sun, their bodies were still very healthy.
The main reason was that the mental damage caused by the public trial had almost crushed their personalities.
If it were someone with a more unyielding temperament or someone who was completely in despair, they would probably have already committed suicide.
For example, Sun Yanshi.
After discovering that Wang Jinsheng and Wang Qingquan had been captured, he directly slammed his head into the wall of the dungeon and died.
However, neither Wang Jinsheng nor Wang Qingquan had the courage to do so.
Perhaps it was because they still held a glimmer of hope in their hearts that the Wang Family from Langya could come over and save them.
In the corner of the dungeon where Wang Jinsheng was, the air was filled with a pungent smell. He looked at Wang Qingquan beside him and asked in a low voice, “Uncle, do you think someone will come to save us?”
“Yes, definitely!” Wang Qingquan’s mental state had already recovered a lot. Although he was still unable to use his martial techniques, he could already communicate normally. “You and I being imprisoned here is equivalent to slapping the face of the Langya Wang Clan. Even if it’s just for the sake of face, they will definitely save us.”
“But, but… Will it succeed?” Wang Jinsheng asked uncertainly.
“This…” Wang Qingquan fell silent when he heard this. He said with a bitter expression,’ It should be possible. Even if Cui Heng is extremely powerful and has unimaginable methods, he wouldn’t dare to completely fall out with our Wang Family.”
“That’s right, that’s right. No matter how powerful he is, he definitely won’t choose to fight our Wang Family head-on!” Wang Jinsheng seemed to have found confidence from this and actually smiled. “Since he hasn’t killed us yet, he should be afraid of our Wang Family.”
Although the two of them had seen Cui Heng’s strange methods, they did not know that Hui Shi had slaughtered thousands of elite soldiers.
Sun Panshi had already committed suicide before telling them the situation.
Clang!
Suddenly, there was the sound of chains colliding against the cell door.
Wang Jinsheng immediately shivered and locked himself up. He looked outside with a face full of fear and saw a few prison guards undoing the chains. “Officers, are we going to the public trial again?”
Wang Qingquan’s face was also a little pale. He knew too well how it felt to be tried in public. It was simply a double torture of the body and mind. It was worse than death!
Although Wang Qingquan had never personally bullied the citizens of Lu County, he was Wang Jinsheng’s backer. When Wang Jinsheng was publicly interrogated, he would also be dragged along.
“It’s not a public trial anymore.” The prison guards left without saying anything else. Wang Jinsheng and Wang Qingquan looked at each other in surprise.
Could it be that they were saved?!
“Gentlemen, long time no see.” Chen Tong walked in slowly and chuckled. “Follow me. There’s no need for you two to return here anymore.”
This made the two of them even happier. They were so excited that their bodies were trembling.
They could finally leave this damned place!
They were finally saved!
Their long-term “ideological education” even made them subconsciously not think about other possibilities and wholeheartedly think that they were saved.
However, when Wang Jinsheng and Wang Qingquan followed Chen Tong to the city gate of Lu County, they were stunned.
“W-what do you want to do?!”
“No, no, you can’t do this!”
Wang Qingquan and Wang Jinsheng exclaimed, but they had no room to resist at this moment. They could only watch helplessly as the soldier clasped his hands behind his back and tied them to the rope used to raise the flag.
“Rise!” Chen Tong sneered.
The soldiers immediately turned the winch. The rope that bound Wang Qingquan and Wang Jinsheng quickly rose and hung the two at the top of the flagpole.
Now, the two of them were hanging in the air with their hands tied.
It became the most beautiful scenery on the city wall of Lu County.
“Ah!” Wang Jinsheng kept roaring. Such humiliation made him almost go crazy. “Just you wait! When my father comes, all of you will die!”