From Celestial Official to Great Celestial Venerable

Chapter 39 Aftermath
The longevity conference at Nongling Temple finally ended, but the clouds in the hall had not yet dissipated.

The eight righteous masters of the Longevity Rank stood quietly, watching Sun Qinghan's carriage transform into a golden light and disappear into the horizon.

Everyone looked at each other in disbelief, as if they were dreaming.

Who would have thought that in just half a day, Nongling Temple would be completely transformed?

Guo Shanshan, the chief abbot, and Liu Shichang, the deputy abbot, were both stripped of their celestial positions and sent directly to the Xiezhi Temple for interrogation.

What's even more alarming is that the county god decided to set up a separate "Spirit Plant Cultivation Team" in the temple, directly under the jurisdiction of the county temple, specifically responsible for the cultivation of Liuxiang oranges, and the county god even personally served as the team leader.

This order meant that even if a new temple abbot took office in the future, he would no longer dare to outwardly comply with but inwardly disobey Sun Qinghan's orders.

This small group may sound ordinary, but it actually wields immense power, much like the headquarters of an imperial envoy. It can directly mobilize the resources of the entire temple, making it practically a sword of Damocles that the county magistrate himself has plunged into Nongling Temple.

Hong Xi, the presiding officer of the General Affairs Office, straightened his sleeves, stepped forward, and bowed with a smile to Huo Yuanjue, who was still in a daze:

"Elder Huo, congratulations on your promotion! Not only have you officially advanced to the rank of Master Immortal, stabilizing your Dao foundation and extending your lifespan, but you have also gained the trust of the County God and been entrusted with important responsibilities. This is truly a cause for celebration!"

He spoke enthusiastically, but his eyes held a complex expression.

Half of this congratulations was for Huo Yuanjue's breakthrough in cultivation—the deputy abbot could only cultivate to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage at most, which was limited by the heavenly rules; only the main abbot could glimpse the Great Perfection realm.

The other half was amazed that this old man, in his twilight years, had actually taken advantage of this great storm to create a new opportunity for his cultivation path. How could one not envy him?
Huo Yuanjue was jolted awake by these words, struggling to pull himself out of his chaotic thoughts.

Today's dramatic turn of events was completely unexpected.

He originally just wanted to give Qin Chuan a chance to become a full-fledged employee.

Little did anyone know that it was like throwing a stone into a lake, creating huge ripples that not only completely overturned Guo and Liu, but also put himself in the eye of the storm.
—Not only was he promoted to a full-fledged position, but he also gained real power as the deputy head of this "small-group" organization.

Seeing that Hong Xi was still waiting for a reply, he had no choice but to calm himself down and give a vague answer: "Hmm... Master Hong is very kind. I... am also feeling uneasy."

Seeing that he was distracted, Hong Xi chuckled awkwardly and made an excuse to leave.

Huo Yuanjue is no longer the colleague he used to be. He is now the deputy directly under the county god, holding a superior position. How could anyone dare to be negligent towards him?

None of the remaining abbots approached to speak with them.

Just now, when the meeting ended, Sun Qinghan's cold words still echoed in the hall, saying that the Immortal Examination Division would thoroughly investigate the temple's long-standing problems, and that anyone who had any dealings with Guo and Liu or neglected their duties would be dealt with without leniency.

One or two of them, feeling guilty, had already turned ashen-faced and staggered as they left, as if they could already foresee their fate of having their path to immortality severed.

Meanwhile, in the council hall of the county temple, a higher-level longevity conference had just begun.

Upon returning, Sun Qinghan immediately sought an audience with Gu Yuankang, the county magistrate, and asked him to gather all the longevity tablets in the county temple to frankly recount the events that had transpired at Nongling Temple within half a day.

I heard that she dismissed two high-ranking officials in an instant with swift and decisive action…

Although everyone knows that this new county god is holding back his anger because the Lingcheng Project has been thwarted, he is bound to take action.

However, such a drastic approach still made several old-fashioned people who valued harmony and gradual progress frown inwardly, feeling that Sun Qinghan was too sharp and aggressive, which was not a sustainable approach.

"In addition, I propose to set up a special 'Spiritual Plant Administration Team' at Nong Ling Temple to be responsible for all matters related to the cultivation and promotion of Liu Xiang oranges."

This matter concerns the implementation of the new Great Dao of Heaven, and requires discussion and approval from all fellow Daoists.

Sun Qinghan sat upright in the high seat, his expression calm yet imposing without anger.

The establishment of such a directly affiliated agency involves the division of power, and it is by no means something that she can decide with just a word. It must be implemented only after a joint decision by the temple's senior management.

But she was confident that the proposal would pass in the temple.

The temple fell silent for a moment, the flickering candlelight casting shifting shadows on everyone's faces.

Han Changsheng, who was third in line, coughed lightly and finally spoke first. His tone was slow and heavy, carrying the caution characteristic of older cultivators:
"The Qinghan County God has set up a special team to handle important matters and promote the work. I have no objection in principle."

However, in dealing with fellow Daoists Guo and Liu, perhaps... we could leave a little room for maneuver?

Such harsh measures might demoralize those below and create panic, which would be detrimental to future governance stability.

He always preferred a peaceful and gentle approach to road repairs, and was not used to such a fierce and ruthless method.

Sun Qinghan's gaze flashed like a cold star as it swept over Han Changsheng's seat. His voice was clear as jade, leaving no room for doubt:
"Han Changsheng is wrong! The faults of Guo and Liu are not only negligence in their duties, but also deceiving their superiors, acting against the will of Heaven, and disobeying the new policies of Heaven!"
There must be absolutely no leniency or pity for such parasites! Only by taking swift and decisive action can we make an example of them and completely stop this unhealthy trend!
Otherwise, how can we demonstrate our determination to uphold the Heavenly Court's Way in Jiuchuan? How can we deter the villains from all directions?

After speaking, the powerful Daoist aura belonging to a Golden Core cultivator, though not deliberately activated, filled the hall like an invisible tide, its awe-inspiring majesty making people dare not look directly at him.

Han Changsheng felt a sudden tightness in his chest, an invisible pressure causing him to involuntarily lower his head slightly, avoiding her sharp edge.

He sighed inwardly, "What a miserable situation!" He subconsciously turned his pleading gaze to Gu Yuankang, the county magistrate who had remained silent in the center.

Gu Yuankang, the county god, wore a purple-gold cloud-patterned Taoist robe, a pure lotus crown on his head, and three long, jet-black, shiny beards hanging down in front of his chest.

He sat upright as a bell, his demeanor calm and composed, as if the turmoil of the outside world could not shake him in the slightest.

At this moment, he slowly opened his slightly closed eyes, his gaze gentle yet unfathomable. His voice was not loud, but each word carried the weight of a thousand pounds, like gold and jade falling to the ground.
"Fellow Daoist Qinghan is right. This unhealthy trend should not be encouraged. The matter of Guo and Liu is not just an internal affair of Nongling Temple, but also relates to our county's attitude and determination in promoting the Heavenly Court's Great Way. It should be dealt with severely to set things right."

He was the official county god, and in this temple-level hierarchy of deities, a single word from him could decide the fate of the world.

He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping across the room, before continuing:

"As for setting up the 'Spiritual Plant Practice Class,' I also think it is a pragmatic move."

The plan to grow oranges and other crops involves a wide range of issues, and it would be difficult to succeed without setting up a dedicated department and assigning specific personnel to oversee it. I agree with this.

The two county magistrates were in agreement, and there was no room for negotiation.

Sun Qinghan continued:
"In that case, please have Sendai draft new candidates for the head and deputy head of Nongling Temple as soon as possible and submit them. Don't let the temple's daily affairs be neglected due to personnel changes."

Upon hearing this, the seated immortals were all deeply moved—the positions of abbot and deputy abbot were truly the positions of the main immortals of the temple, high in rank and power, and always filled by a single person.

Countless senior abbots have been hoping for this for a long time and have been secretly working on it for years, but they still haven't gotten it.

If the Bureau of Immortal Investigation conducts a deeper investigation in the future and implicates several abbots who colluded with Guo and Liu, then several more valuable positions will become available.

This series of changes was enough to trigger countless undercurrents and opportunities in the officialdom of Jiuchuan.

Behind the scenes, countless people are racking their brains and making moves to achieve this.

After the county temple meeting, Han Changsheng still had questions in his mind. After pondering for a moment, he went to Gu Yuankang's secluded cave to ask for an audience.

Gu Yuankang seemed to have known his purpose all along. He greeted him with a smile on the cloud bed, and after dismissing the servant, he stood with his hands behind his back under the jade tree of Langhuan, and said leisurely:
"Are you wondering why I didn't stop Fellow Daoist Qinghan from setting up that Fengxing Class today, but instead helped her succeed? Wouldn't doing so be weakening my own power and allowing her to grow stronger?"

Han Changsheng took a deep breath and said frankly, "Fellow Daoist Yuankang, you are wise. Severely punishing Guo and Liu can be understood as a necessary measure to rectify discipline. But allowing her to establish her own team, directly manage practical affairs, and even allow her subordinates to directly access Nongling Temple's resources without following procedures... If this practice of establishing a small group is successful, it will be almost like a country within a country."

If this continues, the hierarchy of immortals in the county temple will definitely undergo a major change. This is like raising a tiger to cause future trouble, fellow Daoist... why are you doing this?"

Gu Yuankang remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the swirling purple mist within the cave, before he suddenly said softly:
“A few days ago, an old friend from the blessed land of ‘Zhuoxianfu’ sent me a message using a jade talisman for general knowledge.”

Han Changsheng was taken aback at first, then his pupils contracted, and his face instantly filled with surprise and disbelief. He blurted out:

"Promotion to a higher realm? Could it be... Fellow Daoist is about to be promoted? To take up a post in a blessed land?!"

That's the path to advancement that countless county-level and temple-level cultivators dream of: entering a blessed land to cultivate!

"In a few years, I'll be able to work in Fudi."

Gu Yuankang's tone was calm, but it was undoubtedly an admission.

The next level up from the county temple level is the prefectural-level immortal position in a blessed land. For example, the chief official of the Lushan blessed land is called "Lushan Prefecture Lord".

He turned to look at Han Changsheng, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"So now you should understand that all the affairs of Jiuchuan, big and small, will eventually be handed over to Fellow Daoist Qinghan, whether it takes three to five years or one to two years."

Now that I've accepted her 'recommendation,' how could I possibly do anything to hinder things before leaving office and needlessly offend the future leader?

Han Changsheng stood there stunned for a long time before he managed to say with difficulty:
"You mean... that you got this promotion opportunity because... because of County God Sun?"

This was completely beyond his comprehension; it was simply unbelievable.

"Although there is no concrete evidence, my friend gave me some vague hints, and the timing was too coincidental, so it was hard not to think that way."

Gu Yuankang sighed softly, seemingly with some emotion:

"I received this transfer order shortly after I raised objections to her proposal to 'build a spiritual path' at the last longevity conference."

In the past, these kinds of job vacancies were so competitive that opportunities might only come once every few decades. When did they become so easy for me?

He paused, gazing at the churning sea of ​​clouds, and slowly continued:
"I heard years ago that there are such people in the world. When they are county gods, they can call the shots and have absolute power and influence; when they are local deities, they can call the shots and their words are law. At that time, I just laughed it off and thought it was an exaggeration."

Seeing it with my own eyes now... I realize how vast the world is, and that there really are such people.

You are not unaware that this humble fellow Daoist graduated from the Forbidden City Grotto-heaven as a... Jade Capital Immortal.

(End of this chapter)