Chapter 35: The Zhou Family

“Human Immortal Scroll?”

Wu Ming’s heart stirred. He quickly flipped through again and found another entry: “The Yellow Court Yin Fu Sutra – Earth Immortal Scroll. The method of Earth Immortal demands a price of two thousand Heavenly Merits! And it’s incomplete too!”

The Main Temple was in a blank period, with nine out of ten items on the Heavenly Merit Board being out of stock. Wu Ming had already gotten used to this.

“According to the Main Temple’s usual practice, the out-of-stock items must be especially powerful… It seems the Earth Immortal must be a formidable and lofty figure even in the Great Zhou World…”

Actually, Wu Ming wasn’t very clear about Daoist cultivation stages anymore, but he had heard of a title within the Human Immortal Scroll—the True Man!

These Daoists were said to possess unfathomable magical powers, appearing only in myths and legends, figures who would slay demons and monsters and stabilize fortune.

Even within the commanderies and counties, they were extremely rare, serving as honored guests to princes and military governors, and even receiving titles from the imperial court.

To Wu Ming, this already marked them as powerful cultivators, and yet they were still within the realm of Human Immortals.

According to the descriptions in the Yin Fu Sutra, it appears that titles such as Dharma Master, True Man, and Celestial Master are all minor stages within the broader Human Immortal realm!

Wu Ming rubbed his chin and said, “This Qingping Daoist only possessed a fragmented method of a mage, no wonder he was so weak…”

He then carefully read further and learned that in Daoist cultivation, Human Immortal was a major realm. Generally speaking, once one reached the peak of Human Immortal cultivation—Celestial Master stage—one could dominate the mundane world, achieving what others could not, treating worldly wealth and honor as trivial.

Before becoming a Master (Fashi), one had to go through two stages: receiving the Daoist ordination (Shoulu Daoshi) and attaining the title of Alchemy Master (Lianshi).

According to Wu Ming’s understanding and Feng Han’s knowledge, Qingping Daoist had barely attained the rank of a ordained Daoist, barely qualifying as a Daoist practitioner, or just entering the threshold without internal cultivation, when he met Wu Ming and ended up defeated.

Nonetheless, even entering the threshold was already an impressive feat.

After all, Daoist cultivation was difficult. People like Ma Lao San and Zheng Qian had only learned one or two minor spells and couldn’t even be considered legitimate Daoists, merely insignificant practitioners.

This Silver Seal Jade Book contains only a single page, mostly fragmented. The introductory sections on “Entry” and “Alchemy Master” remain intact, but the “Master Mage” stage is incomplete, requiring one hundred and fifty merits to compensate…

Wu Ming rubbed his chin thoughtfully: “However… the quality of this text is quite high, even more expensive than several Daoist scriptures I originally planned to study…”

In the Main Temple, although the ranks of various Daoist techniques weren’t displayed, one could discern their levels from their price.

Not to mention, the Yellow Court Yin Fu Sutra even had follow-up scrolls, and even the classifications of Human Immortal and Earth Immortal were completely unheard of to Wu Ming. In his limited knowledge from his previous life, a True Man had already been an extremely prestigious identity.

All these factors combined caused Wu Ming’s inner scales to tip.

“One last try—if there’s still no news from Elder Sister Wu Qing, and if the Daoist academy remains inaccessible, then I’ll cultivate and seek enlightenment on my own!”

Leaving both the Yellow Court Yin Fu Sutra and the Taiyin Corpse Cultivation Method within the Main Temple space, Wu Ming emerged and lit the oil lamp, eagerly reading through Qingping Daoist’s notes and journals.

Although this man came from humble origins, he had remarkable opportunities and broad experiences, jotting down many things casually, which greatly expanded Wu Ming’s knowledge.

As the cold moonlight filtered in, it gradually grew late into the night.

“These oil lamps… still strain the eyes too much!”

Wu Ming stretched and rubbed his eyes. The oil lamp in his room was of high quality, seemingly made from whale oil, and even emitted a faint fragrance when lit. But having experienced better in a past life, the contrast was evident now.

In ancient times, scholars would say, “Through countless ages, clarity comes from reading scrolls; one’s life is devoted to writings.” Unfortunately, countless unfortunate scholars damaged their eyesight in the process.

“The Wu family is only moderately wealthy, so it’s acceptable… I’ve heard that true aristocratic families use massive tallow candles as thick as arms, burning dozens each night, consuming vast resources, illuminating the entire estate as bright as day. Even more luxurious are those who use Daoist techniques for lighting—truly unimaginable extravagance…”

Sighing, Wu Ming prepared to rest.

After all, although his body was strong and he could endure such minor strain, he still needed to take care of himself.

“Has the young master retired yet?”

At this moment, the chambermaid from the outer room softly knocked on the door: “Master Feng Han requests an audience!”

“Ah? Please come in!”

Wu Ming called out loudly. Soon, Feng Han strode in, and Wu Ming’s eyes lit up: “Did Yu the Steward confess?”

“Yes. Xue Laosi from the stable used to be a craftsman in the public office, passed down through generations, but was dismissed after committing a crime. I called him over, and once he set up his old tools of the trade, Yu the Steward couldn’t endure even two rounds before spilling everything!”

Feng Han’s expression, however, was somewhat grim.

“Is it the Zhou family from the county town?”

Wu Ming smiled.

Qingping Daoist had been a guest of the Zhou family, as recorded in his notes.

Compared to the Wu family, which was somewhat nouveau riche, the Zhou family was the true local power. They owned fifty qing of land. According to Zhou measurement, one qing equaled one hundred mu, meaning they possessed a total of five thousand mu of land, with numerous servants and over a thousand clan members.

Moreover, nearly every generation produced officials of the eighth rank. If there were fortune tellers skilled in observing auras, they would say: “The red aura coils around, blessings and prosperity endure—a mansion of great county prestige!”

Although the Wu family could be considered among the local elites, they were at the lower end, still several generations behind the Zhou family in terms of accumulated power.

“If that’s all, then it’s fine…”

Feng Han, however, gave a bitter smile: “The problem is, this plot was specifically aimed at the Young Lady, targeting the Dragon Gate Gathering! Behind it, there seems to be the hand of a commandery aristocratic family!”

“Dragon Gate Gathering? Commandery aristocracy?”

Wu Ming couldn’t help but sit up straighter.

In this world, noble families were generally categorized into local gentry, county households, and commandery aristocrats, with the most prestigious clans being renowned across the land.

The Wu family was roughly at the peak of the local gentry or perhaps the lower end of county households, while the Zhou family was at the top tier of county elites. Yet, compared to commandery aristocrats, both were still a major class below.

To put it simply, the influence of a commandery aristocratic family was such that even a real-power county magistrate of the fifth rank had to take them seriously, even visiting upon taking office. Without their support, governance would be problematic, and one might even be driven out.

“Indeed…”

Wu Ming stood up and pushed open the window.

The night was cold and bleak, clouds obscuring the moon, the dark sky oppressively heavy, as if a storm might break at any moment.

“The wind is rising before the storm… Master Feng!”

In the night, seeing Wu Ming’s calm reaction to such shocking news, Feng Han couldn’t help but admire him deeply as he stepped forward, his movements exuding a regal, commanding presence.

Martial arts and Daoist techniques could be cultivated later, but such innate composure was inborn and couldn’t be learned.

Originally, upon hearing of the Wu family’s grave crisis, Feng Han had planned to deliver the news, fulfill his duty, and then thank them before leaving to avoid getting dragged into the mess.

But now, seeing Wu Ming’s demeanor and knowing that Wu Qing was a promising candidate for the Daoist academy with a bright future ahead, he couldn’t help but reconsider and bowed deeply: “What instructions does the young master have for me?”

“I’m very grateful that you’ve been honest with me!”

Wu Ming waved his hand: “This matter isn’t your fault, and I’m reluctant to drag you into it. I’ve prepared three hundred taels as a token of appreciation; you may go on your way freely!”

“What are you saying?”

Although he had originally considered that option, now that he was thinking of placing his bet, Feng Han’s expression turned stern: “Since ancient times, loyal ministers serve only one master. Though I’m but a commoner, I’m not a petty person who would flee at the first sign of trouble for my master!”

“I apologize for my words. Please accept my apology, Master Feng!”

Seeing Feng Han’s firm expression, Wu Ming felt a bit surprised but naturally said nothing at the moment. He displayed a look of deep gratitude, stood up, and bowed deeply: “Your noble integrity, Master Feng, will always be remembered by Wu Ming!”

They exchanged a smile, and their bond deepened further.

“As for this matter concerning the commandery aristocracy, it’s still just hearsay without solid evidence… Even if it were true, the Wu family is a prominent county household, and Elder Sister Wu Qing is a Daoist academy member. Without any proof, even a commandery magistrate from a noble family wouldn’t dare act recklessly against us!”

Since they had decided to stand together, Wu Ming first reassured Feng Han.

He then sneered: “Even if it’s true, at worst we abandon our estate… What can a commandery aristocratic family do? Can their influence reach beyond the commandery or even into other provinces? Before we leave, they’ll surely learn the meaning of retribution!”

Feng Han nodded. In this world where supernatural powers existed, great power resided in individuals. Someone like Wu Qing, taking Wu Ming with her, could establish themselves anywhere in the land.

Of course, the foundation of noble families lay in land. While Wu Qing could ensure Wu Ming lived comfortably elsewhere, whether they could rebuild an estate like this was another matter entirely.

By mentioning the worst-case scenario, Feng Han felt more prepared. Wu Ming’s expression immediately softened.

“These are all worst-case scenarios… just precautions. We still need to investigate the commandery’s situation, but this Zhou family’s intentions are truly sinister!”

His cold laughter carried a murderous intent, making Feng Han shiver involuntarily.

“There are a few things I need to trouble Master Feng with!”

“Please, young master, just give your orders!”

Wu Ming slowly paced around the hall: “Although I’ve heard of the Zhou family before, my knowledge of them isn’t deep… I need you to find out their connections in the county and commandery, their available martial strength, and why they’re targeting our Wu family. Please do your best, Master Feng…”

After seeing Feng Han off, Wu Ming turned to the maid: “Go fetch Steward Wu for me!”

Regardless of what Feng Han did, there was still a distinction between insider and outsider. Not that Wu Ming distrusted him, but certain precautions were still necessary.

Moreover, some matters could only be entrusted to family members to ensure peace of mind.

“Master, you summoned me?”

Not long after, Old Steward Wu came in with a fawning smile, his expression humble.

But Wu Ming thought he was quite lucky.

Whether it was the previous Lin Qi incident or this time’s trap set by Qingping Daoist, he had survived intact each time. Regardless of anything else, his luck alone was impressive.

“Yes… I need you to deliver a letter to the Daoist academy in the county and ask my elder sister to return. Also…”

Wu Ming hesitated slightly: “Gather the several distant relatives of the Wu family scattered across the nearby villages and hamlets. I have something important to announce!”