[Subplot: Undercover (Completed)!]
[Main Quest Unlocked: Heishan Vanguard]
[Scenario Description: You have successfully completed the task of General Heifeng. Now, General Heifeng requires you to contain the forces of Heitai County to help him fully control the divine office!]
[Quest Objective: Within ten days, assist General Heifeng in refining the divine office, or disrupt the situation within Heitai County!]
[Quest Rewards: Completion of the main quest grants 500 minor merits! Assassination of Patrol Inspector Wu Hong grants 500 minor merits! Slaying of Heitai County Magistrate Zhang Zhengyi grants 1,500 minor merits!]
[Quest Difficulty: Hong!]
…
Wang Xia was ultimately just an ordinary person of the Great Zhou dynasty, and he certainly didn’t understand the importance of tasks and intelligence within the reincarnation world. Scared by a few words from Shan Lan, he immediately spilled everything.
The task details he revealed caused Wu Ming and the others to change expressions repeatedly.
“So it’s a confrontational task?”
Shan Lan gave a bitter smile, then struck Wang Xia’s neck with her palm. Instantly, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.
“Did you already suspect something, Wu Ming?”
“Not exactly. But since they ambushed me, I naturally need to strike back! Besides, I managed to bring back a live prisoner!”
Wu Ming shrugged, causing Ling Guhong to roll his eyes.
“According to his account… after we lost contact in Heishui Town, they encountered General Heifeng, so their mission changed…”
Shan Lan sighed bitterly, “This time it’s even more troublesome!”
“But there’s also good news!” Ling Guhong added, “From his mission details, it seems that General Heifeng is currently focused on refining the divine office. With some containment, it might actually be our opportunity!”
“At the time, my studies recorded that local deities like Chenghuang and Tudigong require local energy and the people’s support to maintain stability. Observing Heishui Town, the people are suffering greatly, oppressed for a long time… This will surely cause backlash, making it impossible for him to control the authority smoothly!”
The scholar Lin Qizhi interjected at this moment.
“This is indeed very insightful!”
Shan Lan’s eyes sparkled, “This is our opportunity!”
“True! However, before that…”
Wu Ming glanced at Wu Hong, who lay unconscious on the ground, “Why not send this man into the county office? After all, he’s a bandit plotting assassination. Perhaps we can gain some benefits and find outside help…”
With the people’s iron will and the unyielding law of the government office, under the torture, this man would certainly spill everything.
As for whether other secrets might be revealed?
With the Main Temple, there was absolutely no fear of that.
“Alright!”
Wu Ming clapped his hands together, “Time is pressing. We can act tomorrow, but today we must try our best to find allies within Heitai County…”
“Brother Lin, I’ll trouble you to deliver this man to the government office, to face official punishment. As a scholar, you might even get to meet the county magistrate. There are many benefits to this. If we can borrow some powerful support, we might successfully complete this mission…”
Although Wu Ming had some knowledge, he knew better than to try discussing classics with a juren or jinshi who had passed the imperial exams, which would only invite embarrassment.
“As for the rest of us…”
Wu Ming looked around.
“Hehe… Actually, I have something to attend to today, so I must excuse myself!”
Shan Lan chuckled lightly, while Ling Guhong, sword in hand, remained silently quiet.
Seeing this, Wu Ming understood immediately. These two reincarnators, even older than himself, had obviously received some plot-related tasks.
Fortunately, he had previously confirmed that their missions aligned with his own. Since their main goals were the same, other minor details didn’t need further investigation. He smiled and said, “Perfect… I also have some personal matters to attend to. One day should suffice. We can regroup here tonight and set off together…”
Within ten days, they needed to deal with Heishui Town. It wasn’t very long, but not too short either, still somewhat urgent.
They shared breakfast together, then watched Lin Qizhi deliver Wang Xia to the authorities before parting ways.
…
“At this moment… it seems both Chenghuang and Heishan Jun have their own concerns and won’t interfere easily… We, with unknown origins and no entanglements in karma, have thus become the pawns, huh?”
Wu Ming walked in front of the Chenghuang Temple, smirking inwardly.
Of course, the mission was difficult, so any help was welcome. He adjusted his attire and slowly entered the temple.
The Chenghuang Temple remained the same as before, grand and solemn. In the center of the main hall stood a golden-painted clay statue, exuding majesty, as if overlooking all beings.
Wu Ming’s expression turned solemn. He took three incense sticks, lit them, inserted them into the incense burner, and silently prayed, “Disciple Wu Ming, unable to bear the suffering of the people of Heishui Town, wishes to eliminate the calamity of Heifeng. If Chenghuang has any spirit, please assist me!”
He didn’t kneel, simply bowed three times and waited quietly.
In an instant, Wu Ming felt a force emanating from the statue, enveloping the entire hall.
The offerings and sacrificial arrangements on the table were identical to before, yet somehow different.
“Are you Wu Ming? Willing to eliminate the calamity for the people, is your heart sincere?”
From above the shrine, a mighty and solemn voice descended, carrying immense power and overwhelming pressure.
“Such strength…?”
Wu Ming felt as if a thousand catties weighed upon him, inwardly astonished, “A county Chenghuang, merely a seventh-grade divine official, even with imperial favor, could possess such might?”
He could feel that before such immense power, he was like an ant.
“But still… even an ant has its own ambitions and path upward!”
He screamed inwardly, his face expressionless, only his eyes showing unwavering determination, “My heart is indeed sincere!”
Seizing this opportunity, he subtly glanced sideways, but only saw heavy curtains and layers of veils concealing the statue, except for a pair of piercing divine eyes shining through.
“Good!”
The divine light illuminated everything, making Wu Ming feel as if his innermost thoughts were being seen through.
After a long while, he heard the deity utter a single word softly, then everything fell silent.
“Huh? He’s gone already? That’s not how the script goes!”
Wu Ming grumbled to himself. He watched as a golden-armored deity emerged from beside the shrine. The figure’s face was stern as iron, and his voice boomed like a bell: “Since ancient times, yin and yang have been distinct. As a lord enfeoffed over this county, you must uphold this principle… Since you harbor such noble intentions, it is truly praiseworthy. May benevolent spirits protect you! My lord grants you the Six Ding and Six Jia divine talismans as your aid!”
Although this golden-armored divine figure still gave Wu Ming a sense of pressure, it was significantly less than that of Chenghuang, likely just a divine official.
As soon as he finished speaking, golden light flickered, his figure slowly dissolving into a yellow talisman that fell down. On it were the characters of the Six Ding and Six Jia, the paper emitting clouds and mist, faintly revealing the divine figure’s silhouette.
“Thank you, Chenghuang!”
Wu Ming deeply bowed, and instantly the pressure vanished.
Unknowingly, someone had appeared beside him, kneeling on a prayer mat, chanting, “May Chenghuang protect our household safety, business prosperity! I promise to offer three sacrificial animals next year, never to break my word…”
“A dream? No!”
Wu Ming was clear. Just now, the deity had used divine power to form a domain, meeting him in broad daylight rather than appearing in a dream at night.
He touched his chest. A talisman was clearly there, radiating divine power, emitting a faint glow.
Such supernatural ability was truly terrifying.
“If not restricted by incense offerings… and other taboos, even I might be tempted to try something…”
Wu Ming bowed again and left the Chenghuang Temple.
Of course, he also knew that in the Great Zhou world, most deities were actually the yinshen (spiritual remnants) of experts from various schools and sects after their deaths, taking refuge in the divine path.
Truly living individuals achieving divinity through their physical bodies were extremely rare.
“Just…”
Wu Ming touched the talisman on his chest, then looked back at the temple behind him, his eyes flashing with a deep shadow. He said nothing and left silently.
…
With some time remaining, he specifically visited several Daoist temples.
As the saying goes, since Wu Ming wanted to abandon the tragic fate of a meat shield warrior and embark on the path of a wealthy and handsome mage, the Daoist techniques were naturally very important.
In truth, besides the Main Temple, the Daoist academies within the Great Zhou world were the most promising sources.
But at the moment, he still clung to a glimmer of hope, attempting to find something within the mission world.
If he could obtain some teachings, it would save a lot of merits.
“And besides… it doesn’t necessarily have to be practiced immediately. After obtaining the techniques, I can still enter a Daoist academy and study them slowly…”
Wu Ming thought rather irresponsibly, then followed the directions he had previously inquired about, visiting each Daoist temple one by one.
Of course, genuine Daoist masters were rare everywhere. The few Daoist temples in Heitai County were mostly focused on incense offerings, indulging in worldly desires, and had long lost their true Daoist essence.
Several “deeply skilled” Daoist priests and masters were either frail and weak, easily knocked down by a single punch from Wu Ming, or only knew how to talk about metaphysics without understanding actual cultivation methods, leaving Wu Ming helpless.
However, he had originally come with a mindset of being happy whether he succeeded or failed, treating it as gaining experience. Therefore, he wasn’t too disappointed.
“Last one!”
Wu Ming looked at the sun, took a deep breath, and entered a somewhat dilapidated small Daoist temple.
Compared to the previous few prosperous temples, this Daoist temple had even half of its gateposts broken, its signboard peeling and worn, clearly in a state of poverty.
However, as soon as Wu Ming entered the courtyard, he saw that the garden was clean and tidy, exuding a natural charm, making him feel refreshed. When he saw the only Daoist priest, a thin, withered, dark-skinned old man with murky eyes that seemed to conceal a sharp vitality, he felt hopeful. He bowed and offered ten taels of incense money—having taken advantage of the chaos last night to enrich himself, Wu Ming now had plenty of money.
“Wuliang Tianzun, Layman, you offer such a generous donation—what do you seek?”
The old Taoist priest sat on a straw cushion, slightly narrowing his eyes as he asked.
“Your disciple yearns for the Dao and specially comes seeking teachings!”
Wu Ming didn’t beat around the bush and directly stated his purpose.
“Teachings?” The old Daoist priest’s eyelids lifted slightly, “We cultivate in simplicity; we have no teachings to offer. Leave! Leave!”
Wu Ming was disappointed and left after being refused.
Thinking about it, throughout history, how many masters didn’t repeatedly test their apprentices before accepting them?
Even if they played the fool or sought wealth and offerings, there were always wealthy young men available for them to exploit.
Wu Ming, with an unknown background and deep entanglements, coming in and immediately asking for teachings, was lucky not to be hit over the head.
“But it’s fine… At least I know where to find him. In the future, when I have the chance, I can come again, begging and pestering… Just don’t know if there will be enough time…”
Wu Ming pondered, memorizing the name of the Daoist temple, and slowly walked away.
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