Chapter 172: Southern Barbarians Have Witches; Heavenly Majesty Descends

The flood season of the Canglan River spans from April to July and is divided into major and minor floods.

Zhao Xing emerged from the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven in late February, crossed the river on March 7, and arrived in Yuncheng after the Jingzhe solar term.

Afterwards, he spent five days reporting the troublemaker Shao Wanjie and then enjoyed three days of pleasure at Shao Wanjie's residence.

The Patrol Bureau of Fucheng sent people to deal with Shao Wanjie, taking only two days from start to finish.

This batch of martial artists led by Xia Jing arrived in Yuncheng to take up their posts on March 16.

Engineers, Agricultural Officials, Priests, Ritual Cultivators, and Physicians arrived in batches, and by March 21, they were basically all present.

As for the seventh-rank heads of each bureau, they were all filled by March 18.

The list of heads for each bureau is as follows:

First is the County Magistrate of Yuncheng, Duan Ren, Senior Seventh Rank, Lower Grade.

The County Vice-Magistrate of Yuncheng, Xia Jing, Junior Seventh Rank, Lower Grade (Temporary).

The County Priest of Yuncheng, Shen Mingyu, Senior Seventh Rank, Lower Grade.

The Chief Water Official of Yuncheng, Zhao Xing, Junior Seventh Rank, Lower Grade (Temporary).

The Chief Engineering Official of Yuncheng, Wang Ji, Junior Seventh Rank, Lower Grade (Temporary).

The Deputy Medical Official of Yuncheng County, Yuan Yang, Senior Eighth Rank, Upper Grade (Temporary).

For the five bureaus above, besides the heads, numerous eighth and ninth-rank assistant officials were either added or replaced.

Among them, the head of the Temple, Shen Mingyu, was not transferred, so his rank is not temporary.

Duan Ren was also not from the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven but was transferred from the Nine Heavens Yingyuan Mansion from elsewhere.

Those holding temporary appointments are basically reserve personnel from within the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven.

From March 16 to March 19, Zhao Xing, Xia Jing, Wang Ji, Yuan Yang, and others were constantly hosting banquets. It was not for eating, drinking, and playing, but mainly to get to know people.

Because the officials sent to each bureau this time numbered over two thousand, even if the heads were familiar, many of the others were not, so these days were spent holding meetings under the guise of dining.

By March 20, the four bureau heads Zhao Xing, Xia Jing, Wang Ji, and Yuan Yang met again, bringing along the assistant officials of each bureau, such as Han Bing, Che Shihai, Zhang Jie, Chen Fang, Hu Bing, Zhang Yi, Cao Shuang, and others, all of eighth rank.

This time there were fewer people, but the top brass of Yuncheng, excluding Duan Ren and Shen Mingyu, were basically all here.

Previous banquets were within each bureau, but now that Zhao Xing, Xia Jing, Wang Ji, and Yuan Yang met and brought along all the eighth-rank assistant officials, it was obviously to discuss how to proceed next.

Zhao Xing had planned the meeting content in advance and had Zhang Yi, the Master of Ceremonies, preside over it.

This meeting style was quite unique, but everyone present was basically accustomed to it because Zhao Xing conducted large-scale drills in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven this way; whether it was heads-of-bureau meetings, expanded assistant official meetings, or the main meeting regulations, it was quite efficient.

Zhang Zhong, Jiang Xi, and He Fengnian were also brought over by Zhao Xing. Seeing so many bureau heads gathered, it was actually Zhang Yi, the eighth-rank Priest, who spoke first, finding it very novel, and he immediately perked up his ears to listen intently.

"... The specific task content for each profession among the five bureaus is different, but the general direction is consistent."

"Only the officials who previously held Grade-A treatment in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven possess tasks with the highest ring count; there are forty-six of them here in Yuncheng."

"With more ring tasks, the intelligence from the Soldier Realm is also more detailed. Over these few days, I have summarized all this intelligence. Everyone, please open the first document on the left side of your desk to check if there are any errors or omissions." After Zhang Yi finished speaking, he returned to his seat.

According to Zhao Xing's request, the first item of this meeting was the summary of personnel intelligence and the sharing of task content for each bureau.

The task content for Martial Artists, Agricultural Officials, Engineers, Ritual Cultivators, and Priests must be different.

People have arrived, but if they cannot be twisted into a single rope and their task goals are inconsistent, then talking about huddling together for warmth is impossible.

Zhao Xing also picked up the document to check. Although he had done similar ring tasks in his previous life, it might not be the same this time.

However, after a general glance, he felt relieved.

On the third ring task, although the task content for each profession differed, the assessment standards and task directions were all related to war and pacifying the Southern Barbarians.

"Brother Xia, Brother Chen... you have to kill thirty eighth-rank barbarian soldiers to pass the third ring with a Grade-A evaluation?" The first thing Zhao Xing looked at was the tasks of Grade-A geniuses like Xia Jing and Chen Fang.

"Mm." Xia Jing said, "To get the highest evaluation, among these eighth-rankers, the foreign races at the mid-to-late Spirit Bridge stage must not be less than fifty percent."

"We from the Azure Dragon Bureau can fight a hundred on our own; the number of enemies killed is actually not difficult," Chen Fang said. "A qualified Grade-C evaluation is killing two Spirit Bridge realm enemies; what's so hard about that? The main worry is not being able to find anyone to kill."

Zhao Xing nodded.

Yes, right now it is only war preparation; both sides are mostly just training troops and testing each other. Large-scale conflict hasn't broken out, so the difficulty is that there aren't enough people to kill.

Although the Nine Heavens Yingyuan Mansion is south of the Canglan River, this buffer zone is still very far from the fortified areas of the Southern Barbarian states.

To kill enemies, one must either go deep into enemy territory or rely on luck.

With good luck, one doesn't need to go deep and might complete the task very quickly; with bad luck, one might not even encounter anyone within half a year.

"Our Physicians' task is a bit more complex," Yuan Yang said. "The third ring task is scored based on the combat casualties among officials and commoners."

"I must treat the injuries of officials and commoners in Yuncheng caused by combat; the more combat casualties, the lower my evaluation."

Cao Shuang also looked at the Physicians' task and felt completely confused: "Then if no combat occurs and not a single person dies, wouldn't you get the highest evaluation just by lying down?"

Yuan Yang said, "The ideal of a physician is to prefer dust gathering on the medicine rack, but in reality, that is impossible."

"The Southern Barbarian foreign races occupy the upper reaches and launch natural disaster attacks on the Nine Heavens Yingyuan Mansion downstream. The diseases brought by natural disasters are terrifying; even if officials can withstand them, the common people cannot, and at that time, my work will increase significantly."

"Moreover, you Martial Artists cannot avoid going to the battlefield to kill enemies."

Wang Ji touched his shiny bald head: "The Heavenly Workshop has many things to do, repairing and replacing city defense and siege equipment, constructing magic arrays... Alas... the hardest part is the tasks assigned by the Agricultural Bureau. Yuncheng is a mess that hasn't been fixed in many years; my head is probably going to go bald again."

The engineering workload of the Agricultural Bureau is huge, after all, water control is the top priority. Most of the third ring tasks Wang Ji drew were centered around the water control deployment of the Agricultural Bureau.

Zhao Xing smiled and bowed: "Sorry, Master Wang. Another day, I'll have Yuan Yang prescribe you more hair-growth medicine. Whatever good food you want, just say it; if you say it, I'll get it for you!"

"Can we get Master Wang a Southern Barbarian woman?" Hu Bing joked. "Master Wang mentioned this idea before."

"Get lost!" Wang Ji said, his face turning red. "When did I ever say that? You bastard, you even watched Zhang Jie take a dump before."

"Master Wang!" Zhang Jie panicked. "Why on earth are you bringing this up?"

"Hahahaha!" The small living room was immediately filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

"Silence! Everyone has gone off-topic!" Zhang Yi tapped the table sternly. "Continue the meeting; begin the second agenda item."

The first agenda item was determining the direction; everyone's task direction is consistent.

Then the second agenda item is where to start.

Zhao Xing spoke first: "Yuncheng relies on the Canglan River, with many tributaries passing through; water control must be the top priority."

"We must hold the enemy beyond our national gates, so we cannot let the Southern Barbarians steal our homeland."

"Once a natural disaster strikes Yun City and causes major damage, then everyone's tasks, including mine, will all come to nothing. Therefore, preventing disaster in Yun City is the top priority. Do you all agree?"

"Agreed." Xia Jing spoke up first. Zhao Xing's third-ring task is to deal with the Canglan River flood season and natural disasters. If the Ministry of Agriculture cannot spare a hand, he, Xia Jing, without the Military Minister of Agriculture, would never dare enter Fengming Mountain to cut down the barbarians.

Without Zhao Xing, the Military Minister of Agriculture, what would they eat? Even taking a step back, Xia Jing, as the County Commandant, also has the duty to protect Yun City, so of course he supports it.

"Agreed." Yuan Yang also spoke up first. If the natural disaster cannot be prevented, his third-ring task will also come to nothing. After a natural disaster, plagues spread everywhere; if Yun City truly suffers a natural disaster strike, he might as well pack up and leave.

Wang Ji naturally agreed as well, because his task is strongly linked to Zhao Xing's task. Putting Zhao Xing's task first is putting his own task first.

"Agreed." The others also voiced their approval one after another.

Zhang Yi voiced his concern: "I am not the main official of the Divine Temple; Shen Mingyu is. Liu Jingwen is not the County Magistrate either. If he and I unite with subordinates to sideline Shen Mingyu and Duan Ren, this would be improper according to ritual and might lower our evaluation."

Everyone's gaze turned to the young man sitting upright below, wearing a tall crown and scholar's robes.

Liu Jingwen is a Ritual Cultivator and a military strategist. He was not particularly outstanding during training; even in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, he did not receive even a Grade-B treatment, only a Grade-C Upper. However, during the last large-scale drill, he acted alongside Zhao Xing and Xia Jing. Many Ritual Cultivators were sent over, but among the 'Strategic Generals', Liu Jingwen was the only familiar face.

Zhang Yi, on the other hand, entered the Priest's Four Saints Court at the end of training.

But the Dao of these two must follow 'Ritual'. Zhao Xing, Xia Jing, and others can act boldly and recklessly, but they cannot. If they do something out of line, the power of their spells will decrease; violating the Ritual in their hearts can, in severe cases, even cause their cultivation to regress.

"This is a minor issue," Xia Jing said. "Just let the two of them hand over all administrative affairs to you two for full handling."

"Will they?" Liu Jingwen said hesitantly. "As for Shen Mingyu, let it be; he failed to detect the Shao Wanjie case, so in Yun City he won't be able to do anything. But Duan Ren was just transferred here to take office."

"I say they will, so they will," Xia Jing said with a light smile. "I forgot to tell everyone: Duan Ren was a clerk in the 241st year of the Dingxin Era and only became regularized in the first year of the Jingxin Era, serving as a Ninth-Rank County Magistrate in Huangyan Commandery. He was unranked for the previous five years, but after serving three years in Huangyan Commandery, he quickly rose to Eighth-Rank Lower and was transferred elsewhere."

The crowd did not understand, so Xia Jing continued:

"Huangyan Commandery is my father's fief."

Everyone: "..."

"Damn it, Brother Xia pulled one over on us!" Chen Fang slapped the table.

"Brother Xia, why didn't you say earlier that Duan Ren was once your family's vassal?"

"Report! Someone is cheating!"

"Brother Xia, you don't need a Guardian, you just brought one along?"

"Good heavens, you foresaw you would become the County Commandant, and brought along a County Magistrate; wherever you go, you can quickly seize military and political power."

"This fellow cannot be allowed to stay long!"

"Brother Xia should be punished to eat one dan of hemp fish fruit!"

"Ugh... Zhang Jie, I really want to tear that mouth of yours apart!"

"I'm dizzy! I didn't say that; Chen Fang was imitating speech! You know this kid got full marks in Language Class."

"Silence!!"

Zhang Yi banged on the table repeatedly, casting a spell to quiet everyone down.

Zhao Xing watching this scene couldn't help but smile.

Why did he want to recruit Xia Jing? Because even Grade-A Upper geniuses can have something similar to a Guardian.

And with Xia Jing's background, his range of choices is even greater. Such a transfer as Duan Ren's would be impossible to arrange so smoothly if Xia Jing were not the Heir of Hou Fu.

"My father, Xia Hou..." That phrase carries weight wherever it goes in Pinghai Zhou!

Just as Zhao Xing and the others were discussing the grand plan for Yun City.

Three thousand li to the south, somewhere in the Fengming Mountain Range.

Clouds and mist scattered, and light shone upon a massive stone architectural complex below.

In the center of the complex stood a finely carved giant stone palace. Outside the palace stood two statues of beast heads and human bodies, holding staffs, with a solemn aura.

The palace exuded a sense of heaviness. Beside the palace were many animal-skin military tents. Many sturdy barbarian soldiers patrolled holding sharp weapons. Inside the camp, many exotic beasts were imprisoned, their roars rising and falling in waves.

Among them, people wearing totem robes with mysterious patterns painted on their faces constantly shuttled back and forth, chanting spells with their heads bowed.

Whenever these people passed, the barbarian warriors on both sides of the road would stop, bow, and show incomparable respect.

Because these people were the most noble 'Witches' of the tribe.

With the Witches' operations, faint light emanated from beneath their feet, and lush green grass and trees suddenly sprouted from the barren underground.

Soon, barbarian soldiers came to harvest this fodder to feed the exotic beasts.

Among them was a young Witch wearing a black brocade robe, a helmet adorned with feathers, and a black cape matching the robe tied behind him.

He radiated a noble aura as he walked into the central giant stone palace.

As he walked through the corridors of the stone buildings, the entire space seemed to breathe, presenting a strange and ancient charm.

Moments later, this young Witch arrived inside the palace. The interior was vast, containing only a single Wang Zuo glowing with purple light. Upon the purple-light Wang Zuo sat a massive figure.

The young Witch bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Envoy of the Azure God."

"Zhao Ke." The figure on the purple-light Wang Zuo spoke, his voice like a great bell. "The Divine Mountain has issued an order. You, the Witches of the 'Hana' tribe, are responsible for the descent of Divine Wrath over the Jiutian Yingyuan Fu area. It must be completed within one month."

As the words fell, a beam of light shot from the armrest of the Wang Zuo. Purple light condensed to form a map, and the map's phantom image swept before Zhao Ke's eyes.

"Do you remember?"

"I remember." Zhao Ke looked up, examined the map carefully, then placed a hand on his chest and bowed his head. "The Hana tribe will certainly not fail the Envoy's order."

"Whoosh~" The purple figure transformed into a streak of flowing light and, together with the Wang Zuo, flew out of the corridor, vanishing into the horizon in the blink of an eye.

Zhao Ke quickly copied the map, then found a map of the Jiutian Yingyuan Fu from the Great Zhou version to compare. Afterwards, his gaze fell upon a certain spot on the map.

"Yun City," Zhao Ke murmured. "The target area for the natural disaster strike is right here."

The guaranteed second update will be around 12:30.