Water elemental became a god, ultimately becoming the master of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers

Chapter 116 Dream of Immortals, Sticky Rod Office

Lin Shouzhou squinted at the top-tier experts who were personally greeted by Lu Jing and said,

"This consultation meeting was actually an attempt by higher-ups to unite the scattered martial arts community in Wuqing County and establish the Wuqing Sticky Rod Office."

Firstly, it's to rectify the increasingly chaotic order in Wuqing County; secondly... it's tantamount to enclosing territory, forming cliques, and excluding dissidents.

Hearing Lin Shouzhou say this, Chen Shunan, Sun Xiao and the others immediately felt relieved.

Very good, their water pit is right inside the fenced-off area.

Golden ginkgo leaves fluttered down in the wind, carpeting the passageway.

Chen Shunan and his companions found a long table set up by the pond under a ginkgo tree and sat down.

The pond water was much clearer than in summer, making it appear even more pristine, reflecting the frost-touched red maple leaves, half-withered lotus leaves, and rugged rockery on the bank.

It could be considered a floating wine cup on a winding stream, with plenty of fruits and snacks on the table.

It's a truly stunning autumn scene.

Sun Xiao took two sips of the chrysanthemum tea prepared by the Military Academy and said,
"Practicing martial arts here will broaden your mind. It's much better than our damp and cramped well."

Cheng Bin then said quietly, "If I could bring Xiaoman here, stroll arm in arm with her, and appreciate the chrysanthemums and autumn scenery, it would be a wonderful thing in the world."

"That simp (idiot)!"

Chen Shunan and Sun Xiao cursed inwardly at the same time.

With nothing to do, I enjoyed the cool breeze.

Chen Shunan suddenly felt sleepy, so he immediately lowered his head, huddled behind the long table, and became half-awake and half-asleep.

After a night of cultivation, I quickly replenished the mental energy depleted by slaying the thief in the ear.

His strength also gradually improved during this period of laziness.

It can be said that one sleeps soundly until one reaches the Western Paradise, but who knew that the world within one's dreams is so vast.

"Look at Old Chen..."

Sun Xiao glanced at Chen Shunan and nudged Cheng Bin with his elbow.

Cheng Bin shook his head, simply turning his body to the side to shield Chen Shunan behind him, providing cover for him.

For some reason, Old Chen seems to be getting increasingly unwell lately. He is always drowsy, and sometimes he even falls asleep while standing in line to fetch water.

The two were puzzled and assumed that Old Chen had overworked himself at night.

They have no self-control...

the other side.

Lin Shouzhou and other top-notch masters sat around the ancestral hall, gathered around Lu Jing, Nie Zheng and others, verifying martial arts secrets and discussing important matters of the Holy Dynasty.

In his words, he spoke highly of Lu Jing, the chief instructor and leader of the military academy.

Lu Jing came from humble beginnings, merely a country bumpkin, yet he rose to his current status through various stepping stones. Furthermore, he cultivated the "Jade Flaw Embracing Skill," honing his physical strength and blood to the pinnacle of a first-rate martial artist.

He has risen from a rising star in martial arts to a renowned hero.

Especially after Lu Jing sparred with Nie Zheng, Yun Ruo, and other martial artists, easily winning with just a casual gesture, everyone felt even greater awe and respect for him.

However, the more this happened, the more embarrassed the members of the Water Wozi gang, especially Zhou Qing and Lin Shouzhuo, became.

Lu Jing was once a trusted confidant of Zhao Guangxi, and was promoted by him and became his pillar of support.

As a result, he sought another ruler and his strength increased rapidly. The enmity and grudges that followed are self-evident.

"All right."

Lu Jing clapped his hands, instantly attracting the attention of top-notch experts present.

In particular, Lu Jing possessed some kind of mysterious technique called "condensing sound into lines" that could disrupt the six senses, so the sounds coming from the ancestral hall were not leaked out at all.

Even a second-rate expert just a step away wouldn't notice.

Lu Jing said, "I have gained the trust of the mountain lord and been instructed by Magistrate Wang to temporarily serve as the general manager of the Wuqing Sticky Pole Office."

"Of course, as you all know, this Wuqing Sticky Pole Office is merely imitating the Imperial Fortification Office in the capital, and it's somewhat of a poor imitation. Let's discuss this privately..."

Lu Jing smiled broadly, cupped his hands, raised his forehead, and gestured to the Emperor.

Then, Lu Jing changed the subject, his expression became solemn, and an invisible pressure emanated from him, making everyone feel that their breathing became somewhat difficult.

Lu Jing said coldly, "However, without rules, there can be no order. The Wuqing Sticky Pole Office is also divided into inner and outer departments. The inner department is the core and has the responsibility of command."

“Every top expert present will be admitted to the inner circle, and can recommend one person to join. The selection process will be based on merit and ability, and after a public trial and vote by the inner circle, they can also join the inner circle. Constitutional democracy is popular overseas now, and we will follow suit.”

"The rest of the second-rate experts went to the front lines to apprehend thieves and criminals, and patrol the mountains."

"In addition, the esteemed officials above have already made up their minds to access the treasure troves of various forces in Wuqing County, coordinate resources, and have Shuiwozi provide 'Five-Wheel Eight-Treasure Immortal Water,' Duifang provide 'Changyao Pine Resin Rice,' Yubang provide various treasure fish, and the Four Great Pots will also provide mountain treasures such as 'Stone Immortal Peach,' as well as several superior martial arts manuals."

"Reward according to merit, and do our utmost to cultivate more top-notch experts!"

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent, and many people exchanged bewildered glances.

The distinction between internal and external departments is relatively easy to explain.

The closer one is to the center of power, the more resources and benefits one receives. Being able to squeeze into the circle of top-tier experts is, of course, an immense stroke of luck for anyone else.

To put it bluntly, even a tiny bit of resources or insights leaked from the fingers of a top-tier master would be enough to make a second-rate martial artist feel like they've found a treasure.

But the centralized allocation of resources, even requiring massive financial investment to cultivate more top-tier experts, feels like a state of war preparation!

But if we are preparing for war, where will this enemy come from?

At first, everyone thought that the government was just using the Guolu Association as a pretext to raise funds and recruit people, but now it seems that there is another reason.
After all, it was just a small group, Guolu Society. It might be strong, but it didn't send out its entire force, so it wasn't worth Lu Jing and the others reacting like this.

Lu Jing looked at Yuan, the temple keeper, who was sitting not far away, and said, "Yuan, why don't you explain?"

Everyone looked at the sound.

The temple keeper, Yuan, was dressed in his finest attire today, wearing a bright red robe and a nine-beam Taoist crown. With a youthful face and white hair, he sat motionless in place...

He was like a charlatan.

But clearly, many people bought into this and looked at it with awe.

Yuan, the temple keeper, sighed softly, "A great demon lurks in the Grand Canal. A real... great demon!"

Yuan, the temple keeper, then recounted in detail how he, Lin Shouzhou, Zhou Qing, and others had tracked down the snake demon a few days earlier, how the snake demon had died tragically, and how they had accidentally discovered another terrifying being that even the flounder dared not reveal.

Everyone looked at Zhou Qing with inquisitive eyes.

Zhou Qing said in a low voice, "That's true. Moreover, in the past few days, we have sent more people to search the waters near Banno Tsutomu and found that the number of underwater demons has increased significantly."

When a great demon sets out, there are always omens: raging demonic flames, countless followers, and all sorts of lowly minions leading the charge. It seems Wuqing County is about to face a catastrophe.

Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone present suddenly turned grim.

Zhou Qing is considered a top-tier expert with years of experience, and he is acquainted with many of the people present.

Zhou Qing's words are highly credible.

However, only three hundred years have passed since the last time a dragon passed through the area and flooded Wuqing County.

Why did it have to be us who encountered this?
As for retreating and running away...

Most of the top-tier martial arts masters present received provisions and rations from Wuqing County, enjoyed various welfare benefits, and were exempted from taxes and corvée labor by the imperial court, and were not required to kneel in court.

You take all the benefits and then try to walk away when things get tough. It's not that simple.
The Baojia system, standing before everyone, was enough to dispel the fear in many people's hearts.

Even if one dies on the battlefield, wrapped in the belly of a demon, at least the family can be preserved, and they can earn the reputation of a family of loyalty and righteousness.

To flee would mean the execution of the entire family, the extermination of nine generations of relatives, and even the exhumation and exposure of their ancestral graves!

Lu Jing looked around at everyone and saw the cautious or worried expressions in their eyes. He then spoke up loudly,

"Gentlemen, we warriors eat the king's food and bear his worries. Having enjoyed the people's hard-earned wealth, we naturally have a duty to defend our homeland. Moreover..."

Lu Jing chuckled softly, "If we achieve great merit in this demon-slaying, the four major academies have promised to give eight year-end quotas to my Wuqing County."

"The end of the year?"

"The four major academies in Tongzhou City—Yueshan, Aoshan, Fengchi, and Longguang—all control the path for martial artists to enter the Dao through martial arts and transcend the mortal realm to become immortals. In previous years, only one or two spots were released; this time, it seems the path to immortality has been opened wide?"

"Isn't it obvious? The higher-ups are using the year-end quota to make us work like oxen and horses... Oh well, it's not like I haven't done it before."

The crowd was buzzing with discussion, clearly showing their interest.

Afterwards, Lu Jing devised specific plans regarding the possibility of the Guolu Society bandits seizing corpses, the underwater demons, and the Lunar New Year, assigning elites from various factions to be responsible for different areas...

A makeshift troupe gradually took shape.

Lu Jing spoke up at the right moment, interrupting the noisy discussion: "Alright, since everyone is here today, please submit the names, cultivation levels, and backgrounds of the inner circle candidates you wish to promote or recommend, and we'll have a public hearing."

They whispered among themselves.

Zhou Qing looked at Lin Shouzhou and said, "The master has already given instructions for me to mentor He Qiqiang and for you to mentor Wei Feng."

Wei Feng is the manager of a freshwater well under Zhao Guangxi, and he has the cultivation level of a second-rate cultivator in the late stage.

Upon hearing this, Lin Shouzhou frowned and said in a deep voice,
"I want to mentor... Chen Shunan."

Zhou Qingxiu narrowed her eyes slightly and said, "This is the master's order."

Lin Shouzhou puffed on his pipe, his face ashen and stubborn as a rock in a latrine, his expression unyielding to reason.
"Afterwards, I personally apologized to the owner."

Zhou Qing said helplessly,
"Think carefully. Chen Shunan is only at the mid-stage of the second tier, his strength is insufficient, and he is over fifty years old. Even if you submit his name, it may be rejected."

Lin Shouzhou shook his head and said,

"Give it a try. Joining the inner circle is risky. You'll have to travel around with us, endure wind and rain, and fight powerful demons. But for Old Chen, it's an opportunity. Otherwise, without a great stroke of luck, he probably would never have a chance to reach the first-class realm in his lifetime."

It was precisely because Lin Shouzhou had experienced years of hardship and stagnation that he truly understood the bitterness involved.

Seeing Lin Shouzhou's reaction, Zhou Qing said no more.

One by one, the lists of those to be mentored were submitted.

Outside the ancestral hall, the second-rate martial artists sitting by the pond, enjoying the autumn breeze, were incredibly curious about what these first-rate experts were up to in such a mysterious way.

But he could only patiently make do with the dried fruit and tea, and chat aimlessly with those around him.

(End of this chapter)