Chapter 8: Heavenly Lad's Skill

Dark smoke still rose in the hidden chamber.

Part of the stone wall in one corner had peeled away, but the main structure remained upright.

Zhang Jian noticed that the dozens of talisman scrolls on the central wall were undamaged, and in his gaze, they instead emitted a faint, flickering glow.

Indeed, they were glowing.

He immediately stepped forward toward the dozens of talisman scrolls.

Looking closely, the dozens of scrolls were ancient and obscure, with white paper and gold borders, each covered in countless red dots forming intricate talisman lines, extraordinarily complex.

A glint appeared in his eyes; after carefully examining the dozens of talisman scrolls, Zhang Jian's gaze flickered slightly, and he saw the talismans within each scroll leap to life, forming strands of starlight-like lines shimmering with jade light.

The transformation of the lines ultimately condensed into individual talismans, materializing along the talisman lines.

He instantly discerned the secret hidden within these scrolls.

It was an article!

"……" But Zhang Jian's face was stiff; he realized he could not recognize these strange talismans.

Even if he saw through their mysteries, it would be useless!

"……"

Lacking cultural refinement, he truly wasn't fit for cultivation!

Zhang Jian kept a stiff face, but inwardly he sneered.

However, he soon recorded part of the symbols of these talismans; now that he knew of their existence, the subsequent decryption should not be difficult.

Moreover, he could still go to the ancestral shrine to take advantage.

"A consolation prize isn't bad!"

Zhang Jian's gaze fell again on the two exploded bookshelves; many ancient texts had been burned to ashes, or reduced to dust.

His eyes then fell once more on the volume titled "Heavenly Lad's Skill."

He picked it up casually, tidying the room while seizing the opportunity.

Since Zhang Yi allowed him to enter the hidden chamber to clean up, he clearly also permitted him to access the texts inside.

As he had expected, the "Heavenly Lad's Skill" was also a superior internal cultivation method; the internal energy cultivated was supremely rigid and yang, fierce and unmatched.

This great volume contained all stages of internal cultivation across five levels, its preciousness far surpassing ordinary internal cultivation methods.

However, it also had requirements.

That is, before the innate stage, one must maintain a child's body to avoid the rigid yang internal energy lacking true yang.

For Zhang Jian, this posed no difficulty at all.

……

The feedback from the Zhang family's submission of the large waterwheel diagram came quickly.

Not long after, an envoy arrived from the prefectural city and entered Fengxi.

In the county office, a middle-aged official wearing a green robe and blue cloud boots smiled broadly as he saw off the arrogant envoy, but upon turning, his face darkened and water seemed to drip from it.

Many nearby officials also noticed the county magistrate's ill mood, each hurrying to slip away.

In the rear courtyard, gazing at the enormous plaque draped in red silk before him, Yang Qing's face was grim and cold.

The plaque bore four gilded large characters, this being an imperial gift.

"A family that accumulates goodness, what a fine family that accumulates goodness!"

Yang Qing gritted his teeth in hatred.

At the time of the great drought in the northern lands, if he could present the improved waterwheel now, even if he could not be promoted, he would at least receive an excellent evaluation in today's Ministry of Personnel assessment, which would greatly help his future transfer to a larger county.

Yet the auspicious omen now in his grasp had actually been monopolized by the Zhang family.

Yang Qing was both furious and helpless.

As the magistrate of Fengxi, he didn't even know an auspicious omen had appeared under his very nose; one could imagine his backers would also be greatly disappointed in him.

But the Zhang family was indeed troublesome and not easy to retaliate against.

This left Yang Qing seething, unable to vent his anger.

"Master, the Zhang family is indeed too arrogant; as the parent-official of Fengxi, you should not be overstepped by the Zhang family from any angle!"

The aide Zhao Xing lowered his head beside him; he could see Yang Qing was already furious, which made his expression strange.

Blocking someone's future is like killing their parents.

This time, the Zhang family's monopolizing of benefits had thoroughly enraged Yang Qing.

His words, to Yang Qing, were like pouring oil on fire, making his breathing grow slightly hurried.

"Hmph, these great clans in the localities are all tumors to the court; they disregard court laws, exploit the localities, and even treat our court's laws as nothing—how could this official tolerate it!"

Yang Qing's face remained calm, but his eyes flashed with a cold glint.

Seeing this, Zhao Xing seized the opportunity to step forward and say: "Master, I, your humble subordinate, have an idea that might help you vent your anger."

"What is your idea?"

Yang Qing paused, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Xing, whom he still trusted.

He had investigated: Zhao Xing was originally a poor scholar from the locality, once a member of the Four Seas Spring Wind Brotherhood, had run a gambling den in his youth, but had offended the Zhang family, losing not only his family property but also his beautiful wife, who had become others' plaything, making it impossible for him to be in collusion with the Zhang family.

Moreover, Zhao Xing's connections with some bandits outside the city were murky, his background not clean, giving Zhao Xing leverage—he could feel assured.

Zhao Xing revealed a hint of a gloomy smile on his horse-like face and said:

"Master, the Zhang family is so bold; their reliance is none other than Zhang Liu and Zhang Zhang—Zhang Liu not mentioned, Zhang Zhang is not currently suppressing bandits? If the bandit suppression fails, the elders can completely charge Zhang Kui with losing troops and disgracing the nation, violating military prestige, and have him arrested and executed!"

Zhao Xing's mouth corners twitched slightly upward.

"Without Zhang Zhang's troops, a mere local clan—do the elders not still wish to knead and shape them as they please!"

Zhang Ye's grandfather is Zhang Kui.

Zhang Kui had earlier been supported by the Zhang family, obtained the position of Fengxi County Constable, overseeing Fengxi County's criminal investigation and patrol duties, holding the county's militia—this was a force even the magistrate had to fear.

Yang Qing was not afraid of Zhang Duan, but distant water cannot quench immediate thirst!

However, facing the burly and hot-tempered Fourth Uncle Zhang, he dared not act rashly.

Yang Qing calmly gazed at Zhao Xing, a hint of depth in his eyes: "You are quite ruthless!"

Yet Yang Qing felt something strange in his heart, not knowing whether Zhao Xing had stumbled upon this by chance or had anticipated his thoughts in advance.

In fact, even without this incident of the Zhang family presenting an auspicious omen, he had already prepared to act against Zhang Kui.

He had endured for two years in his position as magistrate of Fengxi County.

Fengxi County could only have one voice, and that was the Fengxi County Magistrate's Office.

He could not tolerate anyone else's rights rising above his own, Yang Qing.

Faced with Yang Qing's cold and suspicious gaze, Zhao Xing timely lowered his eyes and spoke obediently:

"As a subordinate hired by the master, receiving the master's stipend, I naturally must consider the master's interests!"

"Zhang Yi's disrespect toward the master naturally makes him my enemy!"

Yang Qing nodded and said: "Well said! If the great households of Fengxi County were all as loyal to the court as you, how could there be such chaos? Some enjoy the court's favors while gnawing at its foundations everywhere—such traitors and villains deserve death by a thousand cuts!"

By the end, Yang Qing's eyes were filled with a chilling sternness.

Zhao Xing silently lowered his head.

Yang Qing suppressed his anger, gazing at the plaque reading "Accumulating Virtue House," let out a cold laugh, and continued:

"By the way, many wandering knights have recently come to Fengxi—spread the word that the Zhang family has grain and plenty of wealth!"

Zhao Xing gave a slight nod.