Chapter 70: Coiling Dragon

East of the city, stood the grand mansion of the Wang family.

A modest carriage paused briefly. Wu Ming lifted the curtain, squinting his eyes.

“Red aura flows outside the compound like a stream, while golden auspicious energy fills the interior. It truly deserves to be called the Huang residence, blessed with enduring fortune, and guarded by a large amount of yin virtue… That golden speck in the center must be the City God King Zhong…”

“Let’s go!”

At this command, Wu Tiehu immediately drove the carriage away. To onlookers, this brief stop, lasting less than half a moment, was nothing unusual.

Yet inside the carriage, Wu Ming’s heart was in turmoil: “Judging from both sides, although the Magistrate’s residence still exudes the majesty of law, forming an imperial decree with yellow energy, it appears quite weak. It’s barely sufficient to deal with the Wang family alone, but adding the City God into the mix would place it at a disadvantage…”

“Moreover, it’s also surrounded by gray-black qi, clearly signaling great misfortune approaching soon!”

Before coming to the Wang residence, Wu Ming had specially visited the Magistrate’s mansion.

The dragon energy of human affairs lies in governance: red-colored majesty of law forms its backbone, governing the white energy of commoners, and forming yellow energy above the Magistrate’s mansion.

Nevertheless, there was a diversion, with at least half being diverted to the Wang residence.

This represented a dangerous contrast in popular support and power.

“Furthermore… it doesn’t control the local troops, lacking military authority…”

As a former district commander and appointed as a Junwei (commander of a prefecture), Wu Ming was well aware of these matters.

The structure of a command is basically very similar to that of a county, also having three highest officials at the same level: the Junshou (governor), the Juncheng (deputy governor), and the Junwei.

Among these, the Juncheng holds high rank but no real power, having only nominal authority. Currently leaning toward the Wang family, it’s completely unworthy of expectation.

The remaining Junwei, however, controls two thousand city guards, which is extremely important!

During peacetime, a county commander would control only three to five hundred soldiers at most, so these two thousand troops under the Junwei represent almost half of the entire command’s military force, sufficient to suppress the city with ease.

“Judging from the current situation, the Wang family is the only prestigious clan in Chufeng Commandery, with the greatest strength. The Li family serves as the magistrates, but are inferior to the Wangs. With a weak leader and powerful subordinates, the danger is clear… If we still cannot gain military power and exercise decisive authority, we would become the meat on the chopping block, at their mercy…”

“Master, we’ve arrived at the City God Temple!”

Wu Tiehu’s voice suddenly came through.

Wu Ming looked outside. First in sight was an extremely wide courtyard, followed by densely packed stone tablets, repeatedly expanded and built over time, with inscriptions left by literary figures.

In front of the temple, pedestrians bustled about, quite lively.

This was just an ordinary day. During the temple fairs on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, even more people would gather, making it extraordinarily bustling.

Further ahead stood the main structure of the City God Temple.

The temple spans approximately ten acres, oriented southward with its rear facing north. It consists of three courtyards, each comprising three main halls.

The first hall, also known as the front hall, is a two-story brick-and-timber structure featuring double eaves and a hip-and-gable roof. Flanking it are eastern and western gate towers, while at the center stands a curved screen wall adorned with a vividly colored, colossal qilin image. Inside, the eastern and western stables house exquisitely carved saddled horses and equestrian deities, rendered with such lifelike detail that they exude an awe-inspiring majesty.

Directly inside the main gate, at the center, stands a hexagonal stage. The edges are carved with floral and bird patterns, painted in five colors. The ceiling of the stage is an octagonal dougong structure, exquisitely designed. In front of the stage is a large hall for the audience, with small courtyards on both sides. Above the courtyards are upper galleries, and below are side rooms, specially reserved for women and children to watch performances.

The second hall, also referred to as the middle hall, features six side chambers on both the eastern and western sides. These chambers enshrine various subordinates of the City God, including civil and military judges, Generals Gan and Liu, Generals Fan and Xie, the Horse and Horse General, the Day and Night Patrol Spirits, the Shackle Generals, as well as the Twenty-Four Departments.

The third hall has bell and drum towers on both sides. The central hall houses the City God statue, tall and majestic. In front is a long offering table, two zhang long and five chi wide, neatly arranged with cups and plates, offering fresh flowers, melons, fruits, wine, tea, incense, and candles.

Outside the main hall, there is a large bronze incense burner, flames burning fiercely, with incense smoke curling around. After worshipers offer their incense, as soon as they throw it in, it immediately burns to ashes.

“What a magnificent sight! Truly magnificent!”

At this moment, Wu Ming naturally didn’t go inside. Just observing from outside, he saw the red energy surging like a tide, transforming into a patch of golden energy at the center, merging with the incense offerings and vows, forming some kind of mysterious power, flowing into a spiritual land, prompting him to sigh involuntarily.

The Magistrate’s mansion’s aura is based on law, the dragon energy of human governance!

Whereas the City God Temple’s fortune is based on merit, blessings, and vows, capable of enhancing yin virtue and bringing enduring blessings.

In terms of grandeur and majesty, naturally the human dragon energy is more superior, but in terms of longevity and permanence, the deity’s fortune surpasses it.

“This is…”

Looking closer at this moment, Wu Ming’s expression turned somewhat angry: “What audacity!”

It turned out that tiny red stars, entwined with military energy, were flowing into the City God’s fortune.

Immediately, he knew that this City God belief, like an invisible net, was being interconnected by the Wang family, forming an intricate network.

Judging from this situation, many mid- to high-ranking officers within the local troops had been won over, causing his heart to grow cold.

“If the Wang family were to act themselves, once caught with evidence, it would lead to unpredictable consequences. But now, using the City God belief to connect everything, it’s extremely covert… If it weren’t for my Heavenly Eye, even ordinary cultivators with spiritual vision would really fail to detect it…”

Wu Ming sneered coldly, about to examine further, when suddenly he was shaken.

Amidst the curling incense and wishful energy forming golden flowers, the spiritual land trembled, and a golden figure emerged, its crimson-gold eyes gazing over.

“This must be City God King Zhong! Judging from the appearance, it still lacks a bit of rank!”

A fifth-rank city god must be entirely golden; this one still retained a final trace of redness, clearly not yet perfected.

Even so, within this city, in the underworld, where the fortunes of all beings converge, its every move is earth-shattering—even true immortals would have to retreat momentarily.

“Let’s go! No need to visit anywhere else. Head straight back to the inn!”

Wu Ming, now fully aware he was no match, wiped his stinging eyes and instructed.

“Alright!”

Though unaware of what his young master was really doing, Wu Tiehu kept his mouth shut, not asking a single question, and slowly drove the carriage away.

At night.

In the old Ma family inn, within the courtyard, a single lamp flickered like a bean.

Wu Ming sat cross-legged, meditating on what he had seen and heard that day.

“Judging solely by appearances, this commandery’s Wang family ranks first, while the Magistrate’s mansion can only come second. In this situation, the Junwei’s allegiance becomes crucial… Unfortunately, this person seems neutral, while the military power beneath has already been significantly infiltrated by the City God…”

Wu Ming deeply understood how insidious this deity belief could be.

Ordinary soldiers, even officers, always had families, right?

The temple priests of the City God could gradually influence them through their homes, taking time but certainly achieving extraordinary results.

When the grand plan is completed, even if the Junwei disagrees, there will be nothing he can do.

“Without even waiting for that day, the current situation is already very dangerous…”

Wu Ming’s eyes glimmered darkly. Although he hadn’t fully observed the auras of the Magistrate and the Wang family patriarch yet, judging from their residences, one must be like a coiled dragon and crouching tiger, while the other is like the setting sun.

With this thought, he made a decision.

He reached into his robe and retrieved the Suizhou Pearl. Within its crystal-clear white radiance, golden-green energy surged forth, accompanied by a purple mist that coiled like a dragon or serpent, undulating unpredictably.

He also took out a coiled dragon jade pendant. The quality of this jade could only be described as ordinary, with only its carving being quite skillful. The coiled dragon depicted had some lifelike quality. It was something he had casually bought during today’s outing.

The coiling dragon refers to a dragon that lies dormant in the earth without ascending to heaven, or a dragon curled in a spiral. According to folklore, a coiling dragon is a hornless water dragon, considered inferior to the jiao dragon.

The “Taiping Yulan” also states: “A coiled dragon is four zhang long, dark green or black in color, with a red belt like brocade patterns. It often follows water downstream into the sea. It is poisonous; if it injures someone, death is immediate.”

Thus, the coiled dragon was mingled with jiao and snakes.

Regardless of interpretation, this coiled dragon ultimately possesses dragon qualities, ranking above snakes and pythons, yet inferior to jiao dragons.

“This rank is just right, neither too high nor too low…”

Wu Ming smiled lightly, his expression then turning solemn as he pointed a finger at the Suizhou Pearl.

Buzzing!

With a faint dragon’s roar, a thread as fine as a hair, yet tinged with greenish-purple, was drawn out.

“Command!”

At this moment, as the master of the Suizhou Pearl, Wu Ming silently recited the incantation, smearing this thread of dragon energy onto the coiled dragon jade pendant.

The jade pendant suddenly emitted a flash of light, faintly green, with a streak of purple flashing briefly before fading away. After a moment, all the unusual phenomena disappeared.

“It’s done!”

Seeing this, Wu Ming smiled with satisfaction, examining it carefully.

The jade pendant seemed largely unchanged, except that the coiled dragon now appeared more vivid and lifelike, as if about to take flight.

Within the Suizhou Pearl, golden-green clouds churned, no different from before, except that the purple serpent had become slightly thinner by an almost imperceptible amount, unless one observed very closely.

“This earth dragon energy is still quite abundant…”

Seeing this, Wu Ming smiled: “Originally sufficient for me to cultivate to the level of a true immortal, now giving away a single thread is nothing significant… Moreover… this dragon energy has been refined by me and gifted by me… Once accepted, it creates a karmic bond. In the future, any achievements must be repaid tenfold. And if they oppose me, they will also be restrained…”

“The Magistrate cannot defeat the Wang family; it’s a matter of circumstances. The weakening of imperial authority prevents external support, instead creating a trap. But now, by sending this item, it will inevitably break free from the shackles and become a dragon soaring in the sky!”

When the time is right, everything unites in support; when fortune fades, even heroes are powerless.

Previously, although the Magistrate held the moral high ground and official authority, without obtaining evidence against the Wang family or defying the law, he couldn’t make things too difficult for them.

But if he ignites the desire for self-determination, then he will possess the power of life and death, bestowing rewards and punishments at will, naturally leading to a different outcome.

“However… not every fate can bear this thread of dragon energy. Each must be carefully examined according to their destiny…”

Wu Ming suddenly chuckled to himself: “I wonder if this counts as awakening a hidden dragon?”

With a mere wave of the hand, clouds gather; with a turn of the palm, rain falls—even the mighty currents of earth dragons bend to his will. The lord of the commandery remains unshaken, his demeanor serene, presenting a scene of profound gravitas to ordinary eyes. Yet Wu Ming felt no particular joy. Having glimpsed countless realms through the Hall of the Main God, the rise and fall of a single city or region held little significance to him.