Chapter 296: Calm the Mind, Targeted

Hongshi Commandery is huge!

It's roughly the same level as Dingxiang Commandery, where He Pingsheng had previously been.

Within this commandery, besides Hongshi City, there are countless sects.

There are at least eight hundred, if not a thousand.

Which sect doesn't have Foundation Establishment disciples?

Yet the entire Hongshi Commandery has only five hundred slots.

What to do?

How to divide them?

That's the problem.

After three days of silence, on the fourth day, the governor's mansion drafted a distribution plan.

The announcement was posted on both sides of the northern gate of the governor's mansion.

He Pingsheng also went to check it out.

The five hundred slots were split into two parts.

The first part: three hundred!

These three hundred slots were allocated by invitation: each prominent sect within Hongshi Commandery could recommend two 【Foundation Establishment】 cultivators to compete.

Those who ranked within the top three hundred would each earn a qualification to join the West Shu Commandery's Five Dragon Gully Secret Realm expedition.

In addition to sect recommendations, all Foundation Establishment tenth-layer disciples within Hongshi City were eligible to register.

Regardless of whether they were lone cultivators!

After registering, they could join the sect disciples in competing for the slots.

Upon seeing this news, He Pingsheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He was eligible to register.

This was the first part!

The second part: two hundred slots.

These two hundred slots would be auctioned off in a special session at the Hongshi Auction House.

But only sects could participate in the auction—not individuals.

In plain terms, these slots were meant for sect disciples.

Lone cultivators had few opportunities.

But there were some.

After inquiring, He Pingsheng followed the directions of the governor's mansion staff to a large hall within the compound.

He took one look—and was startled.

Because the line of people registering was truly long.

And nearly everyone in line were lone cultivators.

No choice—just join the queue!

Once the queue began, officials from the governor's mansion came forward to register each person and issue a token!

Each token bore a number.

During the competition, both the number and name would serve as identification.

Once registered, no one was allowed to leave the governor's mansion.

Because the governor's mansion strictly forbade private resale of tokens.

To prevent private resale, all registrants were confined within the governor's mansion—thus, every cultivator inside was qualified, and no one could sell their token.

Those hoping to buy their way in couldn't even enter.

Clever design!

He Pingsheng naturally received a token too.

The token was crude—made of wood.

On the wooden token was written his name: Xu Kunlun.

After Xu Kunlun's name came a string of numbers: 1886.

Soon, everyone had received their tokens.

Then a woman in a green Daoist robe approached.

He Pingsheng looked at her—he recognized her.

She was one of the three Nascent Soul cultivators of the governor's mansion.

"Everyone!" the female cultivator said: "This is our governor's mansion's Jingxin Elder—pay your respects!"

All lone cultivator disciples bowed respectfully to Jingxin Elder.

Some even knelt and kowtowed dramatically.

Yet Jingxin Elder didn't even glance at them.

She merely swept her gaze across the crowd and said: "Is Xu Kunlun here?"

Fuck…

He Pingsheng's face darkened: She's coming straight for me?

"I'm here…" He couldn't hide—he raised his hand, stepped out of the crowd, and bowed again to Jingxin Elder: "Disciple Xu Kunlun, pays respects to Elder!"

"Hmm."

Jingxin nodded and said: "Hand over your token."

Huh?

He Pingsheng stared blankly: "W-why?"

He asked.

Jingxin said: "No reason. I simply feel you shouldn't participate in this competition."

He Pingsheng thought of one possibility.

That the imperial family deliberately barred anyone connected to Qiao Huizhu.

So he asked: "I meet all the governor's mansion's criteria—why can't I participate?"

"If Elder cannot give me a sufficient reason, Xu Kunlun cannot accept this!"

"Hehehe…" Jingxin laughed softly: "And what if you can't accept it?"

"I am in charge of distributing these slots for Hongshi Commandery—these slots are mine to decide!"

"Is that reason sufficient?"

Jingxin fixed He Pingsheng with a piercing gaze.

He Pingsheng nodded: "Disciple accepts this without complaint."

He handed over the token to Jingxin, then left the governor's mansion.

No choice.

She's a Nascent Soul.

He couldn't beat her!

Worse, she's the one in charge of slot allocation.

If she just refuses you—what can you do?

He Pingsheng was a rational man. Reason told him someone was targeting him.

Was it the imperial family?

Unlikely.

After all, the imperial family's goal was to destroy the Xuan Huang Hei Bai lotus—anyone would do.

So it was clear: this Jingxin woman was deliberately sabotaging him.

But why?

He Pingsheng couldn't figure it out.

If there was one Mianqiang explanation, it was that she wanted to take Qiao Huizhu as her disciple but failed, and thus resented him?

Would a great Nascent Soul be this petty?

…

"Sorry, Brother Xu…"

In the Hongyue Trading House, Ling Zhiwang looked at He Pingsheng with regret: "I can't get you into this auction!"

"Because the buyers must be sects—not individuals!"

"Besides… sigh…"

"Brother, let me be straight with you!"

"Jingxin Elder specifically instructed us not to let you in!"

"And… I heard from Hongyue Elder that Jingxin Elder intends to stop you from obtaining a slot at all costs!"

"I'm telling you this—don't you dare say I told you!"

"Brother, you understand, right?"

Ling Zhiwang's survival instinct was overwhelming.

He Pingsheng remained calm. He nodded: "I understand."

He had not been driven into a corner.

There's still a way!

Since we can't get through Hongshi County, let's check conditions in other counties.

"Friend Ling!" He Pingsheng said: "I'll be straight with you—I must enter this secret realm!"

"I can't get a slot in Hongshi County, so I want to try elsewhere!"

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"That's right!" Ling Zhiwang's eyes suddenly lit up: "That's actually a good idea... Brother, don't rush—let me think..."

"I've got it!"

Ling Zhiwang waved his hand and pulled out a jade slip from his pocket.

With a sharp crack, the jade slip unfolded, projecting a map.

This was the map of Liang Country.

Hongshi County lies at the border between Liang Country and Qi Country.

"Look here..." Ling Zhiwang pointed at the map: "South of Hongshi County is a large county called 【Nanlong County】, whose capital city is 【Tiannan City】."

"Tiannan City is my hometown—I have a close friend there!"

"Go see him!"

"Take my token... Once you arrive, he will surely do everything he can to help you!"