Eternal Immortal Dynasty: Starting as a Petty Official

Chapter 174 The Secret Records of Yunlong, Returning to Yangping Village (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

The cold wind howled, and snow filled the sky.

Outside, snowflakes fell gently, while inside, the brazier burned brightly, warm as spring.

After getting up and stretching his limbs, Zhao Bing looked out of the hall and saw a figure in the wind and snow moving as nimbly and lightly as a swimming fish, elusive and unpredictable.

"It's only been a few days, and you've already mastered the 'Nine Transformations of Fish and Dragon' to the fourth transformation!"

With a gasp, Zhao Bing turned around and looked at the other people in the hall, only to find that the other three did not show any shock.

"Although my elder brother is a Qi Refining cultivator, his talent in martial arts far surpasses ours. What's so surprising about that!"

Huang Zhong didn't even look at Zhao Bing, just smiled and replied, then opened a new scroll of bamboo slips and began to continue engraving!

"In that case, I shall ask my elder brother for guidance!"

With a flick of his dark eyes, Zhao Bing immediately turned and walked out of the hall!

"You may ask for advice, but you must not omit a single bamboo slip that you need to engrave and copy today!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Duan immediately put down his carving knife, looked up at Zhao Bing who was about to walk out of the hall, and smiled slightly.

"what!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Bing could only let out a wail, his face falling, and turned back to his seat.

"Tomorrow is New Year's Day, it looks like we won't be able to go back this year!"

Playing with the carving knife in his hand, Zhao Bing suddenly looked at the other three and said with a grin.

"Fourth Brother and the others didn't go back either!" Hearing this, Zhao Hong looked up at the agile figure outside the hall and continued, "Nineteenth Uncle and several elders with children originally planned to return to Yangping Village this year with their children."

"But my elder brother said that the journey would be tiring and not good for the children, so we didn't go back."

"Didn't you see that all the servants in the house are already busy? They're all coming to our house for a banquet tomorrow!"

"I see!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Bing nodded.

Perhaps tired from seal carving, Zhao Duan put down his carving knife and got up to stretch his muscles.

After pacing a few steps in the hall, Zhao Duan suddenly looked at Zhao Bing and said, "Bing, you've been a bit lax these past few days!"

"While it's true that the allure of pleasure can be a hero's downfall, you can't indulge yourself like this!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Bingli blushed and remained silent.

"The four of us have been practicing the Nine Transformations of the Fish and Dragon with our eldest brother. Three of us have already entered the third transformation, while you are still stuck at the second transformation!"

"We can't let ourselves be like this anymore!"

Seeing that the conversation had begun, Zhao Hong also looked at Zhao Bing and solemnly warned him.

"This kind of high-level cultivation technique is profound and obscure, truly difficult to understand!"

Zhao Bing scratched his head and offered a sophistry.

"The four of us have already perfected our skin and bone training, so the first six transformations pose no significant bottleneck for us!"

At this moment, Huang Zhong also pondered for a few moments, then looked at Zhao Bing and smiled.

"Fine! Fine!"

"I'll change it!"

Seeing that all three of them were advising him, Zhao Bing naturally knew that he could no longer make excuses, so he had no choice but to say this.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind swept through the hall, and a figure with steam rising from his head strode in, stepping through the wind and snow.

"Bring me some hot soup!"

Seeing this, Zhao Hong immediately gave instructions to the maid beside him.

A moment later, hot soup was served. Zhao Xian took the soup and drank it all in one gulp. After a few breaths, he let out a long sigh of relief.

"How's the transcription going?"

Setting down the soup bowl and instructing the maids on either side to leave, Zhao Xian looked around at the four people on his left and right and asked with a smile.

"Only seven or eight volumes were copied!"

Zhao Hong and the other three naturally answered in unison.

"Tomorrow is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Take a day off. We will continue copying from the second day onwards!"

Zhao Xian nodded slightly, then smiled and said.

"Thank you, elder brother!"

Upon hearing this, the group's faces lit up with joy, and they all agreed.

"The remaining books all need to be copied three times: one to be sent to the Cao family, one to the Xu family, and one back to Yangpingli!"

"As for the original book, we'll leave it here!"

"I'll leave Saigo only after I've finished copying everything!"

Upon hearing Zhao Xian's words, Zhao Hong immediately asked in confusion, "Aren't you going to inspect the villages anymore?"

"My fourth brother will take my warrant and lead the patrol!"

Zhao Xian shook his head and spoke.

"I didn't quite catch some of the scattered words carried on the wind just now!" Zhao Xian glanced at Zhao Bing and continued, "The 'Nine Transformations of the Fish and Dragon' is a treasured possession of the Yan family, and it can help the four of you achieve perfect bone cultivation!"

"Who knows, I might even get a glimpse of the Innate Realm someday!"

"Such a skill is extremely rare, not only in Wohu Township, but also in the entire Rongtai County!"

"At least the Xu and Cao families don't have that!"

"Our Zhao family's acquisition of such a skill is truly a blessing from Heaven!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Bing immediately replied, "Brother, rest assured, we will keep our mouths shut and will never reveal it!"

"Ah Bing's words resonate deeply with me!"

Zhao Xian immediately smiled slightly and praised him.

"Now that you have such techniques, you must never slacken in your practice!"

"We must achieve the seventh transformation within a year!"

Looking around at everyone, Zhao Xian spoke calmly again.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hong and the other two glanced at Zhao Bing, whose face was flushed, and immediately responded with smiles.

"Come, let's go see how the preparations for tomorrow's banquet are going!"

After giving a few words of advice, Zhao Xian got up and walked out of the hall.

The four people behind him immediately put down their tools and followed closely behind.

After returning to Xixiang, Zhao Cheng, Zhao Ji, and the others naturally went home.

Zhao Xian and his entourage, a large group of dozens including servants and maids, could no longer stay in a country house.

Besides, the country houses don't have that many places to stay for them!

Fortunately, after the Wu family was wiped out last year, the Wu family residence has remained vacant.

After the county officials sealed the property, they did not take any action.

So Zhao Xian brought a large group of people and moved into the Wu family residence.

The three-courtyard main house, plus a number of side courtyards, is more than enough.

Zhao Xian assigned Zhao Hong and the other three men a side courtyard each.

Seeing that the courtyard of the four people was quite empty, he assigned each of them a servant and a maid to take care of their daily needs.

As for practicing martial arts in the early morning, the Wu family naturally had a well-built training ground.

Dozens of servants and maids entered the Wu family, and in just a few days, the huge mansion was restored to its former glory.

It was no longer appropriate to call it the Wu Residence; the villagers had already begun to secretly refer to it as the Zhao Residence.

Zhao Xian naturally didn't care much about this.

With its green tiles, white walls, pavilions, and towers, it's a waste to leave such a fine house empty!

After inspecting the house and having lunch, Zhao Xian returned to his inner chamber.

After sitting on the couch and pondering for a long time, Zhao Xian took out a jade slip and two books, each about an inch thick, from his storage bag.

"The Golden Jade True Method!"

"The Secret Records of the Cloud Dragon!"

These are the two most precious martial arts manuals that Zhao Xian obtained from the Yan family!

The Golden Jade True Method is a true method of immortality, a low-grade Xuan-level technique, capable of forging a seventh-grade Golden Jade Dao foundation!

As for "The Secret Records of Cloud Dragon", it is a martial arts manual that leads directly to the innate realm. It is divided into two volumes: the first volume is the external cultivation method "Nine Transformations of Fish and Dragon", and the second volume is the internal cultivation method "Three Turns of Cloud Dragon"!

External training refers to the three stages of training the skin, tendons, and bones, while internal training refers to strengthening the internal organs.

To achieve internal cultivation, one must first perfect external cultivation!

Unfortunately, once the perfection of the three realms of external cultivation is missed, it's gone forever.

Otherwise, Zhao Zheng, Zhao Cheng, Zhao Zong, and others could also cultivate this "Nine Transformations of Fish and Dragon".

Uncle Zhao Li and his elder brother Zhao Ji have both reached the skin-refining stage and are currently at the tendon-refining stage. If they switch to cultivating this "Nine Transformations of Fish and Dragon," they still have a chance to reach the third stage of refinement.

Looking at the incantation before him, Zhao Xian's expression was unpredictable!

For no other reason than that Zhao Xian was unsure whether he should copy these two manuals and give them to the Xu and Cao families!

After all, this was something everyone had agreed upon beforehand!

Besides these two techniques, the Yan family also possesses a secret technique for cultivating fertile land into spiritual land.

The spirit field is the very foundation of a family!

"Cultivation requires wealth, companions, Dharma, and a suitable environment!"

"Spiritual field, cultivation technique~"

With a long sigh, Zhao Xian finally made up his mind that he would never reveal this kind of technique!

If Zhao Xian were alone, such techniques and secret arts would be of little use to him!

But Zhao Xian also has the Zhao family of Yangpingli behind him, with hundreds of people!

All the infamy is borne by me alone!

Having made up his mind, Zhao Xian naturally put away the items in front of him.

Suddenly, a low-grade spirit stone appeared in his palm. Zhao Xian sat upright on the bed, his palms facing the sky, calming his mind and concentrating on his cultivation!

A cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Refining already possesses sixty-four strands of magical power in their dantian.

However, to reach the eighth level of Qi Refining, one needs to cultivate sixty-four more strands of magical power!

It took Zhao Xian two years to cultivate from the first level of Qi Refining to the seventh level, with the help of countless elixirs and miraculous medicines.

Now, following the guidance of County Magistrate Gao Su, and no longer using elixirs, relying solely on spirit stones, it will take at least two years to reach the eighth level of Qi Refining!

As for cultivating to the point of perfect Qi Refining, Zhao Xian estimated that he should be able to reach that level before the age of thirty!

At that time, preparations for foundation building can begin!

The path to immortality is long and arduous; we can only strive to catch up!

The next morning, snow fell heavily.

The vermilion gate was wide open.

In the wind and snow, more than ten servants, holding brooms, swept paths through the courtyard!

As the hour of Si (9-11 AM) approached, the wind and snow gradually stopped, and guests began to arrive one by one!

In the main hall, Zhao Xian, Zhao Ji, Zhao Cheng, and others took their seats and began to chat.

Once all the guests have arrived, the banquet will begin!

Led by Zhao Xian, the members of the Zhao clan bowed and paid their respects in the direction of Wohu Township.

Meanwhile, at the foot of Wohu Mountain, dozens of miles away, a group of more than a hundred people knelt down in unison, performing three kneelings and nine kowtows to worship their ancestors!

The old year has passed, and the new year is about to begin!

After the first day of the Lunar New Year, Zhao Cheng, Zhao Ji and others continued to rest at home, while Zhao Hong and the other three copied classics and bamboo slips every day.

As for Zhao Xian, he was constantly being entertained with banquets every day!

The prominent families and wealthy households in Xixiang, knowing that Zhao Xian would be spending New Year's Day in Xixiang this year, had already sent him their invitations.

Zhao Xian accepted all offers without hesitation and gladly went!

Every day, he would either return home drunk or stay overnight at the host's house.

Zhao Xian did not end this extravagant feast until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

Meanwhile, Zhao Cheng, Zhao Ji, and others had already left Xixiang and were inspecting various townships within the county.

Song Ming also returned and stayed in Zhao Xian's residence, where he spent his days discussing metaphysics and Taoism with scholars from Xixiang.

Liu Ping, Liu Sheng, and Yang Zhi remained in Shanghuting, helping the former Yan family followers to settle down there.

Cao Miao was promoted to county clerk, and a vacancy also opened up a clerk position under Zhao Xian.

After discussing with Zhu Shen, the head of Xixiang, the quota was given to a scholar from the prominent Chen family of Xixiang, named Chen Chong.

The first thing Zhao Xian instructed Chen Chong to do was to go alone to find Zhao Cheng and the others and reunite.

As a subordinate officer of the Ministry of War, I should naturally do what I'm supposed to do!

Time passed slowly, and before we knew it, it was already the end of January.

Good news kept coming in one after another.

Chen Sheng was first recommended by Gao Su, the magistrate of Rongtai County, to serve as the county magistrate of Ronghuai County, which is next door.

Secondly, Liu Zhuo, the head of the Wohu Township Pavilion, was promoted to the position of Assistant Head of Wohu Township, and Zhao Ze was promoted to the position of Head of the Township Pavilion through a special appointment.

Immediately afterwards, his elder brother Zhao Zheng became an official again, succeeding Zhao Ze as the village chief in charge of catching thieves.

For a time, the Zhao family of Yangpingli was very powerful in Wohu Township!

Some busybodies even bluntly said that if the Yan family falls, the Zhao family will be rich!

Of course, before the rumor could spread far, the person who spread it was arrested by the newly appointed Xiangting Qiudao Zhao Zheng!

According to the law, those who falsely accuse others or spread rumors and cause trouble shall be severely punished!

Those who spread rumors are finally done for!

After this incident, naturally no one dared to discuss it anymore, and Wohu Township returned to its former tranquility.

On February , the dragon looked up.

Spring thunder roars, and all things revive!

As the weather warms up, soft sounds can be heard from the soil in a secluded mountain valley on Wohu Mountain!

Suddenly, a little head poked out of the soil, breathing in the gentle spring breeze!

As February arrives and the weather warms up, there is more and more work to be done in the fields.

Zhao Xian would also occasionally step out of his residence to patrol the fields.

The land allocated to Zhao Cheng and others was cultivated by their followers, and the land belonging to Zhao Xian was also cultivated by their followers.

Last year was a bumper year for Rongtai County!

Zhao Xian also reaped a bumper harvest from his many acres of land.

The land tax paid by Zhao Cheng and his followers alone amounted to more than a thousand shi of millet.

Even if it were converted into low-grade spirit stones, it would still amount to a thousand low-grade spirit stones!

Zhao Xian naturally kept all of the millet.

After all, when the Wu and Yan families' land was confiscated, Zhao Xian obtained several large granaries.

However, the millet and grain obtained from the Yan family's granary have been almost completely consumed!

The Chen and Liu families, with nearly a thousand Daoist followers, ate and drank for free for more than two months!

Even a mountain of grain would be eaten up!

Moreover, there were Zhao Xian's thirty households of convicts, as well as those convicts settled in Shanghuting.

Zhao Xian did not believe that County Magistrate Gao Su was unaware of the millet; he was merely using Zhao Xian to distribute it to the Daoist people who lived peacefully in Wohu Township!

Otherwise, the county would have to provide such a large amount of millet!

As for the millet confiscated from the Wu family, Zhao Xian didn't keep much of it. After all, he had to offer some benefits when building the residences of Zhao Cheng and others and conscripting Daoist people!

In short, Zhao Xian did not believe that County Magistrate Gao Su was unaware of these matters!

Zhao Xian was quite frank, after all, very few grains of rice actually ended up in his pocket.

Time passed slowly, and before we knew it, it was already the end of March.

By this time, Zhao Hong and his companions had finally finished copying all the books they had obtained from the Yan family.

Aside from books and records, the bamboo slips alone filled six large carts!

Including the bamboo slips that will be brought back to Yangpingli, the Zhao family's books in Yangpingli can be described as "a vast collection".

On the first day of the fourth month, Zhao Xian, Zhao Hong, and others escorted the books and prepared to return to Wohu Township.

Just then, news came from the county.

Chen Yuancheng invited Zhao Xian to Daqingshan Market to attend the upcoming Daqingshan Market Auction.

The auction will begin on April 18th!

After calculating the days, there's enough time.

Zhao Xian thanked Wang Cong, who had come to deliver the message, and then set off for Wohu Township.

This was Zhao Xian's first time attending an auction.

Having been in this world for twenty years, I am finally qualified to participate in this auction of the cultivation world!

As for whether or not to bid for some treasures at the auction, Zhao Xian's answer was simply, "It's up to fate!"

The distance from Xixiang to Wohuxiang is several dozen miles.

The seven oxcarts, along with Zhao Xian, Zhao Hong, and others who accompanied them, made for quite a grand procession!

They set off early in the morning and didn't arrive at Wohuxiangshe until the morning of the next day.

Last night, the group could only find lodging in a pavilion.

Mu Chun had arrived at Wohu Township early in the morning. At this time, the Xu and Cao families were already waiting outside the village house!

Zhao Xian was naturally unfamiliar with the two people who came, but judging from their age and cultivation level, they must be outstanding members of the younger generation from both families.

Zhao Xian responded with a gentle smile, without being presumptuous or showing off his status.

After the exchange of books and bamboo slips, the servants of both families carried them onto their own carts.

After chatting with the village officials and the people from the Xu and Cao families for a while, Zhao Xian mounted his horse and continued back to Shanghuting.

It wasn't until sunset that the group returned to Shanghuting.

Welcomed by Zhao Zhong and others, these books were moved to a spacious courtyard.

Zhao Xian was somewhat shocked when he saw the house with its blue tiles, white walls, and blue brick paving!

When did Yangpingli have such a grand mansion?

"Jiulang, this house was built by our Zhao clan members through the joint efforts of our great-grandfather and several elders who funded the purchase of materials!"

"Specifically used for storing ancient books!"

Seeing Zhao Xian and the others' astonishment, Zhao Zhong said with great pride!

"Thank you so much, elders!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian also spoke with great emotion.

"With these scriptures, our Zhao clan has truly become a family of cultivators!"

Seeing Zhao Xian step into the courtyard, Zhao Zhong said as he walked.

Pushing open the door to the main hall, one sees more than ten bookshelves standing in the hall, some of which already have several books on them.

Zhao Xian stepped forward, picked up a book, and began to look at it.

"Thick Earth Technique!"

After a moment's thought, Zhao Xian opened the book and began to examine it carefully.

"This is a cultivation technique that my great-uncle obtained on the battlefield back then; it seems to be a low-grade Yellow Rank technique!"

Seeing Zhao Xian open the book, Zhao Zhong also spoke in a low voice beside him.

Even among the rural Daoist people, low-grade Yellow Rank immortal cultivation techniques are extremely rare!

"Fifth Uncle, this time..."

Zhao Xian put down the book in his hand, leaned close to Zhao Zhong's ear, and whispered something.

Before he could finish speaking, a few commotions came from outside the courtyard.

"Shijuro, why didn't you bring your child back?"

"Has settling down in Xixiang made you forget about Yangpingli?"

Zhao Xian stopped speaking, looked up, and saw several white-haired old men walking into the courtyard. One of them was already joking with a burly man.

"Grand Uncle, how could I forget Yangpingli? That's why I'm back!"

"The baby is too young, and has been having tummy tummy upset these past few days!"

"Is that so? Should we have a doctor take a look?"

Upon hearing this, the white-haired elders also asked with concern.

"We called a doctor, but it's nothing serious. Maybe he just ate too much!"

The burly man immediately scratched his head and said with a smile.

"Still young!"

"Have a few fertile women from the clan go there to keep an eye on things!"

An elderly man with white hair sighed.

"Grandpa, that's wonderful!"

"Ah Cheng, Ah Ji, and the others in the house are about to give birth too!"

The burly man smiled and readily agreed.

"It won't be long before the Zhao family in Yangping Village has another twenty or thirty children!"

"We've all been waiting for this day!"

"Ah Xian has met several elders!"

As the group was talking animatedly, Zhao Xian walked over and greeted them with a smile.

"Excellent! You're becoming more and more like an official!"

Uncle Zhao De looked at Zhao Xian and stroked his beard in praise.

"It certainly cannot compare to the longevity and good health of my elders!"

Zhao Xian also spoke with a smile.

Then, he led several elders into the house.

"Ah Hong, keep an eye on the surroundings!"

Zhao Xian gave an instruction and then led the elders to the bookshelf.

After dismissing everyone else, only a few clan elders and Zhao Ren, Zhao Li, and Zhao Zhong remained present.

"In this annihilation of the Yan family, we obtained a Foundation Establishment cultivation technique and a Martial Arts Innate Technique!"

Zhao Xian naturally didn't hide anything and immediately lowered his voice to say it.

"Such an opportunity?!"

Upon hearing this, Grandfather Zhao Mu was also startled and shouted.

"In this purge of the Yan family, the Chen family of Yunwu Mountain, the Liu family of Mang Mountain, and the Xu family from this village—three Foundation Establishment cultivators—participated and killed a Foundation Establishment cultivator hidden within the Yan family!"

Seeing that the others, except Zhao Li, were quite surprised, Zhao Xian told them the truth.

"I also possess a Foundation Establishment cultivation technique bestowed upon me by the county magistrate. Including this one, my Zhao clan now possesses two immortal cultivation techniques that lead directly to the Foundation Establishment stage, and one martial arts innate cultivation technique!"

After Zhao Xian finished speaking, he took out the two jade slips containing immortal cultivation techniques and two books from his storage bag.

Looking at the jade slips and books in Zhao Xian's hands, several elderly men who had weathered decades of storms reached out their hands, but then withdrew them, somewhat hesitant to touch them.

Seeing this, Zhao Xian stuffed the items into the hands of several elders.

Although these people were old, they still possessed cultivation and their eyesight was not failing. They either scanned the items with their divine sense or began to look through them.

A moment later, the group handed these precious books and techniques to Zhao Xian.

"These cultivation techniques must not remain in the clan!"

"Ku Lang, just keep it close to your body!"

Zhao Mu looked at his beloved grandson and said solemnly.

"Amu is absolutely right!"

"That's only right!"

"If we leave it in the clan, losing it is a minor matter, but if it brings disaster to the clan, then it will be too late to regret it!"

This statement naturally garnered the support of the other clan elders.

"In addition, I also obtained two high-grade Yellow Rank cultivation techniques, four mid-grade Yellow Rank cultivation techniques, and more than a dozen low-grade Yellow Rank cultivation techniques!"

"As for martial arts techniques, there are nearly twenty, including fist techniques, sword techniques, and spear techniques!"

Zhao Xian nodded slightly, then continued.

After hearing Zhao Xian's words, the elders fell silent.

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