Make the Immortal Sect Great Again

Yan Weichuan was on the verge of a breakdown.

He had marched his troops at a frantic pace, pushing them to their limits, only to finally reach Longxing County and be met with shocking news: the county town was in chaos, and the magistrate had died violently.

"What did you say?"

Staring at the neatly arrayed ranks of the Xuanjia Camp and Wu Xintai's smug face, Yan Weichuan felt his head buzz. He nearly tumbled out of his saddle.

Magistrate Xu Bingzheng was dead!

The town's "chaos" was nothing but an excuse. Had the Xuanjia Camp gone mad? To actually assault the County Yamen and execute the magistrate—were they staging an open rebellion?

"...Where is Academician Li?"

"What Academician Li? Never seen him," Wu Xintai flatly denied with absolute self-assurance. After all, he truly had never laid eyes on any Academician Li.

Yan Weichuan was absolutely furious. It was bad enough that a dignified magistrate like Xu Bingzheng was dead, but Li Yiran was a direct descendant of the Capital Li Family. He was likely already dead or in grave danger. When the Li family investigated this, their wrath would inevitably fall on him. If he didn't give the Li family an answer, the Li family would settle the score with him directly.

The best answer he could give now was capturing the culprit. Under these circumstances, even if it came to a bloody clash between the two military camps, he would hold the moral high ground.

"Prepare to attack..."

Before the command could leave his mouth, he saw Wu Xintai unhurriedly pull an object from his robes. It shone with a conspicuous, faint light in the dark night.

The shape looked a bit familiar.

And that special material glowing in the dark—he held a similar piece himself, but only half of one. Why was this one complete?

"...Wait, wait!?"

A second later, Yan Weichuan finally realized what he was looking at. He abruptly halted, then frantically whipped around and barked an order, stopping his charging soldiers in their tracks.

Only then did he turn back to face a leisurely Wu Xintai.

"...A Military Tally?" Yan Weichuan's tone was hesitant.

Before he even finished speaking, Wu Xintai eagerly interrupted, "How did you know I received a military order from Lord Wang, a Gold-Bearing Brocade Guard, just yesterday?"

"This Military Tally is the proof."

"Lord Wang uncovered a massive White Lotus Sect plot to overthrow the county town, so he ordered me into the city to put down the rebellion. Unfortunately, those White Lotus Sect thugs were far too ruthless."

"Seeing me encircling them, they fled into the County Yamen and took the magistrate hostage. Left with no other choice, I surrounded the yamen with my troops. But because I was concerned for the magistrate's life, the White Lotus Sect rebels found an opening and slipped away. Regrettably, they silenced their hostage before they ran..."

Wu Xintai spoke with tearful sorrow, but Yan Weichuan's scalp prickled with dread as he listened.

'Mother of God, this is a disaster...'

He instantly recognized the problem. If the Xuanjia Camp was operating under official military orders, then his own Tabai Camp was the one moving troops without authorization!

"Oh, right."

Almost simultaneously, Wu Xintai seemed to remember himself, looking curiously at Yan Weichuan. "Brother Yan, what are you doing running all the way here to Longxing County?"

"Could you show this general your mobilization order?"

Wu Xintai held out a hand, his tone perfectly amiable. "It's not that I don't trust you. It's just standard procedure. After all, I know Brother Yan would never mobilize troops without authorization."

Yan Weichuan: "..."

"What's wrong?"

Seeing his old rival fall silent, Wu Xintai smiled even more brightly. "Could it be that Brother Yan doesn't have an order? No, that can't be. Then what is Brother Yan doing here?"

At this point, Wu Xintai finally uttered the accusation.

"Rebellion?"

Rumble!

The heavy downpour under the dark sky was gradually stopping, but the thunder rolled on. Ghastly white lightning illuminated both men's faces. As the two armies faced off, the atmosphere grew thick with murderous tension.

"Why aren't you speaking?"

Wu Xintai's smile vanished in an instant, his tone turning dangerously low. "Could it be that Brother Yan really threw his lot in with the White Lotus Sect and intends to commit treason? Are you looking for a clash with me right now?"

"..." Yan Weichuan remained silent.

He remained silent because the insane thought had genuinely crossed his mind. Since things had already gone this far, maybe he should just clash with the Xuanjia Camp right here in Longxing County. Whoever lost would be the rebel.

However, he quickly regained his composure.

It wasn't that he lacked the courage, but that he simply couldn't do it. The Xuanjia Camp was just as elite as his own men, and they held the official justification. If they actually fought it out, there would be no sweeping the matter under the rug.

"...Brother Wu jests."

In the blink of an eye, the commander of the Tabai Camp made his decision. He immediately waved a large hand. "Military orders are vital. How could I casually display them to outsiders?"

"Besides, you misunderstand me, Brother Wu. I didn't come specifically to Longxing County. I was merely passing through and noticed the commotion, so I came over to check on the situation. Since Brother Wu has already resolved the problem, this general will take his leave. We have pressing military duties to carry out and cannot delay for a single moment."

With that, Yan Weichuan immediately turned his horse around.

"All troops, hear my command! March!"

The commander had given the order. The Tabai Camp, having arrived with menacing momentum, was forced to turn tail and march back the way they came in disgrace. Wu Xintai did not forget to shout loudly after them:

"Safe travels! I won't see you out!"

Only when the Tabai Camp had thoroughly disappeared into the distance did Wu Xintai finally let out a long, satisfied exhale. Opportunities to suppress his bitter rival like this were rare indeed.

But that brought him back to another point.

'Just who exactly is that Gold-Bearing Brocade Guard? To execute a dignified magistrate, someone from the National Academy, and to do it with his own hands... his backing must reach the heavens.'

At this thought, Wu Xintai became even more resolute.

Although taking sides inevitably carried risks, he was acting under orders this time, complete with proper procedures and evidence. The absolute worst-case scenario was a transfer to a harsher garrison post.

However, if he could use this chance to latch onto this mighty dragon passing through their territory, it would be well worth it. With good luck, when the dragon soared to the heavens, his own position might just rise right alongside him. Compared to that, this tiny amount of risk was something countless people wished to brave but had no avenue to take!

...

Meanwhile, inside the Longxing County Yamen.

The main hall was riddled with holes left behind by the recent volley of arrows. Wang Ping stood with his hands behind his back, silently circulating his vitality and blood as he practiced the Thirteen Grand Protectors Hard Qigong.

Although Shenhou firmly believed he had already mastered this martial art, Wang Ping knew the truth in his heart. He had only used a promise worth a thousand gold to temporarily borrow the technique. As a result, he practiced the martial art constantly, striving to pay off the debt as fast as possible so he could recover his peerless loaning talent.

"Little Wang."

Shenhou walked into the yamen's main hall, looking exasperated. "You're still too impulsive. You haven't even joined the Tribute Hall yet, and you've already ruined your relationship with your colleagues."

Wang Ping didn't argue upon hearing this. Instead, he offered a very sincere bow with cupped hands.

"Thank you for your magnanimity, Senior."

Shenhou bared his teeth at the display. Look at that appearance—where was the vicious, cold-blooded ruthlessness from when he forced the kill on Li Yiran earlier? At first glance, you would actually think he was a good person!

That two-faced nature... he would definitely have a bright future!

Someone with Xugou's personality was too unyielding and prone to breaking, lacking the flexibility to adapt. It was exactly this kind of shameless person that the Tribute Hall currently lacked as an outstanding talent.

Sighing inwardly, Shenhou didn't dwell on the matter of Li Yiran and shifted gears. "Over the next few days, take a walk around the county town more often."

"Oh?" Wang Ping looked up. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing much."

Shenhou waved a hand. "We discovered some irregularities in the county town. It was the work of that Xu Bingzheng while he was still in office, and we are currently preparing to investigate them one by one."

"Originally, I wasn't going to have you intervene. But since you killed Li Yiran and kicked up such a massive storm, they'll probably make things difficult for you if you enter the Tribute Hall without a single merit. So I'm letting you lend a hand. When I submit my memorial later, I'll add a merit to your name, which will save you a lot of grief."

"Don't worry. With your martial arts, you won't face any risks."

"...Thank you, Sir."

Wang Ping bowed again in greeting. How could he not understand that Shenhou was letting him coast along for free merit? To look out for him to this extent was indeed the utmost generosity.

"Mhm, you're not stupid, kid."

Seeing that Wang Ping comprehended his meaning, Shenhou broke into a smile. He knew the other party had accepted this favor, which meant his own efforts weren't wasted.

After seeing Shenhou out, Wang Ping turned and headed for the backyard.

Xu Bingzheng had clearly put some thought into it while he was alive. The County Yamen's backyard was very spacious, even featuring a tea pavilion, beside which grew a date tree.

At this moment, a woman in white was practicing martial arts under the date tree. A long sword danced fiercely in her grip, surrounding her in a dazzling, impenetrable flurry of silver light. Compared to a few months ago, it was a difference between heaven and earth. The surging vitality and blood made her breathtakingly beautiful face look even more moving and captivating.

The woman was Madam Su.

Wang Ping stood in place and did not interrupt her. He waited patiently for Madam Su to finish her sword dance before lightly applauding, drawing the beautiful woman's sidelong glance.

"They say one must look at someone with new eyes after three days' absence, but Madam goes even beyond that."

Offering his praise, Wang Ping stepped forward and brought out a silk handkerchief he had prepared in advance, gently wiping away the glistening beads of sweat rolling down the sides of Madam Su's nose.

Madam Su's face flushed even redder. The sweat on her nose was gone, but her beautiful eyes rippled with shimmering light.

"Where's Old Liu?" Wang Ping asked.

"Still recuperating inside," Madam Su said softly, pointing to a wing room in the backyard. "He hasn't woken up yet, and it's still early. Why don't we practice our skills?"

Practice? Knocking on the Immortal Gate?

Wang Ping originally wanted to refuse, but on second thought, he was currently rushing to pay off his loan. Using Knocking on the Immortal Gate to speed up his progress was a timely opportunity.

"Alright. Then I'll have to trouble Madam."

"It's no trouble..."

—A short while later, Wang Ping gently patted Madam Su's head, concluding this session of Knocking on the Immortal Gate. For a moment, he felt his inspiration erupt like a geyser.

'A few more times tonight, and with the aid of my Flawless True Body and spiritual sense, I'll probably be able to pay off the loan in another two or three days, fully restoring a promise worth a thousand gold. That's perfect timing to use it on a higher-level Internal Force cultivation diagram to maintain my persona as a peerless borrowing prodigy.'

Wang Ping silently calculated his future plans.

On the other side, Madam Su swallowed, adjusted her coiled hair, and gracefully rose to her feet, leading Wang Ping into the backyard's wing room.

"..."

On the bed in the wing room, Liu Ye no longer looked like the battered wretch he had been in the prisoner cart. The vital essence Wang Ping had infused into him had accelerated his recovery to a shocking degree.

However, his mood seemed quite low. Seeing Wang Ping enter, he let out a heavy sigh. "Brother Wang..."

Seeing this, Wang Ping understood immediately and comforted him, "It's fine, Old Liu. I know your heart is good; it's just that your capabilities are lacking."

Liu Ye: "..."

After a brief silence, Liu Ye pulled himself together. After all, he had recognized his own mediocrity a long time ago; once he thought it through, it was just a trivial matter.

"I owe you this life," Liu Ye said, his face solemn and his voice grave. "If you ever have any orders for me in the future, just say the word. Even if you want me to return this life to you, I will not hesitate."

Wang Ping didn't take these words to heart. After all, he hadn't saved the man expecting any reward. He simply sat on the edge of the bed and casually asked, "There's apparently something wrong with parts of the county town lately; it was the work of that dog official. You got to town early, Old Liu. Did you discover anything?"

His original intention was just to find a topic of conversation.

Unexpectedly, Liu Ye actually thought about it for a moment after hearing this, before speaking startling words. "There is, actually. I heard the guards chatting about it in the county prison."

"...Oh?"

As soon as this was said, Wang Ping immediately sat up straight, not expecting to actually gain an unexpected harvest. His expression turned serious. "Tell me in detail. What exactly is it?"

"Strictly speaking, it's two things."

Liu Ye thought for a moment, then lowered his voice. "The first thing was something I discovered myself. I grew up in Longxing County, and I've worked as a bailiff in the County Yamen for half my life."

"It might sound like an exaggeration, but if someone moved a rock in this county town, I could spot it at a glance... So, I noticed something was wrong when I was in Longxing County earlier. The residences of several commoners in the city had been sealed off, but the paper seals were very strange. They weren't official government decrees. They were ghostly talisman scribbles."

"Ghostly talisman scribbles?" Wang Ping frowned.

Liu Ye quickly explained. "They were just a mess of patterns I couldn't understand. They looked like words, but also not words, and if you stared at them for too long, they made your heart palpitate."

Wang Ping's brows furrowed deeper. "...And the second thing?"

"The second thing came from the guards at the county prison," Liu Ye said. "...It concerns a bailiff who was ordered to recuperate at home. His name is Lin Sheng, Brother Wang should still remember him."

"Ah..."

Wang Ping quickly dug the name out of his memory. "The one who was forced to take a leave of absence because he questioned Chen Haoyan during the encirclement of Front Village?"

"That's him," Liu Ye nodded. "In reality, it was a dismissal."

"He's a courageous young man, but unfortunately too naive. To actually speak of justice while working in a government office, and stubbornly refusing to repent—that was why he was dismissed."

Speaking of this, Liu Ye still felt a bit of lament. He paused before continuing, "His Lin Family was a wealthy commoner household in the county town. Then suddenly one day, I heard the guards chatting in the county prison, saying the magistrate had personally ordered the County Yamen to seal off the Lin Family Mansion."

"And they used those exact same ghostly talisman scribbles for the seals."

"And unlike the other sealed locations, the magistrate specifically had the guards take a few people from the county prison and throw them into the Lin Family Mansion."

"And then... there was no sound."

At this point, Liu Ye seemed to show some fear. "They say those people made no sound after being thrown into the Lin Family Mansion. They vanished right along with Lin Sheng."

"The guards all say it has become a haunted house."

"And not just the Lin Family. Every place pasted with those ghostly talisman seals has turned into a haunted house. Nobody ever comes out, and the bailiffs deliberately detour around them when they go on patrol."

"..."

Hearing things reach this point, Wang Ping couldn't suppress his curiosity. What exactly were Magistrate Xu Bingzheng, and the people backing him, trying to do in the county town?

Ghostly talisman seals, man-eating haunted houses.

Intuition told Wang Ping there was a massive secret behind this, and it was very likely the exact reason the Taiping Sutra kept making him restart in Longxing County.

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