Eternal Immortal Dynasty: Starting as a Petty Official

In this world, immortals and mortals live together, and wild beasts and spirits roam the mountains and fields.

As night fell, to ensure their own safety, all the local people and county soldiers who had been searching in the mountains and forests returned to their lodgings.

There are at least four or five hundred people dining at the pavilion tonight.

Chen Yuancheng's meager amount of spirit rice was far from enough to feed all these people.

Left Commandant Xu Cheng took charge and retrieved a bag of spirit rice from the pavilion's storeroom to provide everyone with their evening meal.

After everyone had finished eating, the county soldiers set up camp on the open ground west of the pavilion, while the other villagers went home to rest, as they would have to continue searching the mountains the next day.

Zhao Yi, the father, was worried about his family and, since there was a doctor taking care of him at the pavilion, he ordered Zhao Xian to return home.

Zhao Xian readily agreed and informed Chen Yuancheng, who also agreed.

Back home, his mother, Zhao Xushi, his second brother, Zhao Hong, and his younger sister, Zhao Yu, were all in the main house, which was brightly lit and had not yet rested.

Seeing Zhao Xian return, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief, then extinguished the candles and went to sleep peacefully.

Silent all night.

The next morning, after finishing his breakfast, Zhao Xian, still carrying his bow and arrows, hurried towards the pavilion.

Yesterday, after searching for half a day, we found some traces of the bandits. Today, we will wipe them all out in one fell swoop.

As the sun rises in the east, its golden light fills the fields.

The county soldiers and the local people, still divided into more than ten teams, slowly stepped into Wohu Mountain.

Apart from the two high-ranking officials, Gongcao and Zeicao, Zuowei Xu Cheng, Youjiao Liu Yu, Sefu Zhu Ran, as well as Tingzhang Chen Yuancheng, Qiudao Wang Jia, and others all entered the mountains to suppress the bandits.

It was only then that Zhao Xian truly realized that the world he lived in was a world where immortals existed.

All that could be seen was Xu Cheng, the Left Commandant, riding his fiery steed, treading on crimson flames, soaring through the air, crossing giant rocks and cliffs as if walking on flat ground.

This scene also prompted some Taoist followers to call him "Immortal Master"!

Even Liu Yu, Chen Yuancheng, and others were filled with envy upon witnessing this scene.

While Zhao Xian was surprised, he also realized that the Fire-Scaled Steed was not always flying through the air, but only occasionally flying for ten or so breaths.

Unsure of what to do, Zhao Xian naturally turned to Chen Yuancheng for guidance.

"Kuro's observations are quite meticulous."

After praising it, Chen Yuancheng pondered for a few moments, then lowered his voice and explained, "That Fire Kirin Steed is a Foundation Establishment stage spirit beast prepared by the Yunlan Sect for its inner disciples. Although it can fly, it can only fly dozens of miles at a time."

"Dozens of miles?"

Zhao Xian was quite surprised, then pretended not to understand and continued to ask curiously, "What level of cultivation is required to fly and traverse the earth, soaring through the skies?"

"Then it has to be at least a core disciple like the county magistrate."

Chen Yuancheng looked on with longing and said with awe.

"What's the difference between core disciples and the inner disciples you mentioned, Tingjun? Since there are inner disciples, are there also outer disciples?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian continued to ask in a low voice.

After all, the mountain road was difficult to travel, and the Left Commandant was quite strict in disciplining his troops, so the road was naturally quiet, and chatting could relieve the fatigue.

"As Yuan Cheng said, Jiu Lang is indeed exceptionally intelligent."

Before Chen Yuancheng could speak, Youjiao Liu Yu had already walked over, forcing a smile on his dark face.

"I've met you."

"There's no need for such formalities on a military march!"

Before Zhao Xian could even bow, Liu Yu interrupted him.

"Liu Jun is an outer disciple of the Yunlan Sect, so let Liu Jun answer Jiu Lang's questions."

Chen Yuancheng, of course, wouldn't steal Liu Yu's thunder, and immediately said with a smile.

"The Yunlan Sect governs the Qingzhou region, which includes seven prefectures and dozens of counties. All the officials in these prefectures and counties, as well as some of the officials in charge of food, are outer disciples."

"All officials of the rank of 100 shi or above are inner disciples."

"The county magistrates and high-ranking officials of each prefecture are all core disciples of the sect."

"The governors of each prefecture are the elders of the sect."

After a few moments of contemplation, Liu Yu explained the classification of grades in detail.

"All outer disciples are at least at the late Qi Refining stage; all inner disciples are Foundation Establishment cultivators; and core disciples must have reached the Jade Liquid stage."

"As for the elders, they are all at the Core Formation stage, with lifespans of several hundred years!"

At this point, Liu Yu's expression was filled with longing.

"I never imagined that the world of cultivation would be so vast and boundless!"

Zhao Xian also exclaimed in amazement.

"Jiulang entered the Daoist path at the age of sixteen. Although he is not outstanding in the county, considering your background, it is quite remarkable!"

"If you diligently cultivate yourself in the future, wearing a blue ribbon and half a seal is not out of the question!"

Upon hearing Zhao Xian's exclamation, Liu Yu offered words of encouragement.

Afterwards, Liu Yu chatted with Chen Yuancheng for a few words before turning and leaving.

"Jiulang, never forget Liu Jun's encouragement!"

Chen Yuancheng said with a smile.

Around noon, they finally discovered the bandits' trail, and some villagers had already engaged them in battle.

Zhao Xian and Chen Yuancheng were in a team far from the battleground. By the time Zhao Xian arrived, the battle had already subsided.

In a sheltered mountain hollow, there lay twenty or thirty corpses, all disheveled and ragged, undoubtedly bandits from the mountains.

Besides them, there was a group of prisoners who looked like lambs to the slaughter, including men, women, and children, numbering over a hundred.

"You scoundrel, die!"

Suddenly, a thief sprang up from the ground, wielding a short blade, and thrust it straight at the patrolman Liu Yu.

Before Liu Yu could retaliate, an arrow struck the bandit in the face.

The archer was, of course, Zhao Xian.

"Kuroro, your shooting skills are great!"

Liu Yu turned to look at Zhao Xian, praising him with a smile.

Immediately, he bent down, grabbed the thief's hair, and with a swift stroke, severed the head and threw it aside.

"Cut off his head and display it to the public!"

"Clean up the battlefield, bind the bandits, and burn their camp!"

Left Commandant Xu Cheng rode his fiery steed, hovering in the air, surveying the soldiers of the various counties, and solemnly shouted.

"I will obey the Left Commandant's orders!"

The soldiers from all the counties shouted in unison, and then, following the orders of the Left Commandant, they split up and took action.

More than ten county soldiers, each holding a straw rope, roughly tied up the prisoners.

Another child was crying loudly, but the county soldiers swiftly beheaded him.

"A child's head doesn't count towards merit, so why kill him? You could sell it for over a thousand coins anyway."

The sound carried on the wind and reached Zhao Xian's ears.

"This~"

Zhao Xian was quite shocked by this scene and was speechless.

"Jiulang, don't say anything more."

Chen Yuancheng tugged at Zhao Xian's sleeve and said in a deep voice.

A moment later, a voice barely audible reached Zhao Xian's ears: "Not all county magistrates are as benevolent and loving as County Magistrate Rongtai!"

Zhao Xian was slightly taken aback, but looked at Chen Yuancheng, who pursed his lips and did not speak.

Moments later, the flames intensified, and the mountain stronghold began to burn.

Half an hour later, Zuo Wei Xu Cheng raised his hand and unleashed a beam of spiritual light, which immediately caused a fine rain to fall, extinguishing the fire in the mountain valley.

"Fall back!"

Left Lieutenant Xu Cheng shouted, and the group slowly walked down the mountain.

When they returned to the pavilion, Liu Yuan, the clerk, and Chen Sheng, the bandit clerk, had already come out to greet them.

"Congratulations, Left Lieutenant, for wiping out the bandit's lair and restoring peace and tranquility!"

Liu Yuan and Chen Sheng shouted in unison.

"Haha, this victory is also thanks to everyone's efforts!"

Left Lieutenant Xu Cheng laughed loudly, dismounted, and came to the two men's side, saying with a smile.

"Where are the officers?"

The three chatted for a few moments, when Xu Cheng turned around and shouted loudly.

"The underlings are here!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a scholar in a long robe stepped out from the group and hurried forward.

"Verify the soldiers' battle merits with Liu Jun, and distribute the rewards immediately!"

"I will obey the Left Commandant's orders!"

The scholar immediately responded respectfully.

Subsequently, patrol officers Liu Yu, steward Zhu Ran, Chen Yuancheng, and others also stepped out of the group and joined in.

"Yuancheng, I have reviewed the report on the Daoist people's military achievements you submitted. Who is this Zhao Xian?"

"He actually managed to kill twelve people?"

Suddenly, Liu Yuan, the clerk, looked at Chen Yuancheng with a smile and asked, his gaze shifting between Chen Sheng and Chen Yuancheng.