Eternal Immortal Dynasty: Starting as a Petty Official

Chapter 194 An Old Friend Turns Bandit, First Meeting on a Rainy Night (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

In just a dozen or so steps, Zhao Xian caught up with the fleeing bandit using his unparalleled lightness technique!

"die!"

With a leap, like a tiger descending a mountain, he pounced on the bandit from behind, and his ring-pommel sword slammed down!

Suddenly, the bandit turned around abruptly, looking at Zhao Xian with a face full of fear.

"Zhao Xian!"

"Pfft!"

The ring-pommel sword flashed through the air like lightning, beheading the bandit in one stroke!

"This thief recognizes me!"

Once Zhao Xian had regained his footing, a tremor ran through him!

With a slight thought, a flash of light, and the bandit's mask was shattered into pieces!

"It's actually this fellow Daoist!"

Upon recognizing the person, Zhao Xian also showed a hint of surprise.

"number!"

Without a second thought, Zhao Xian raised his hand and unleashed a fireball that landed on the severed head!

After picking up the storage bag from the bandit, Zhao Xian fired another fireball, burning the bandit's remains.

The cultivator in the distance merely glanced in their direction before continuing his attack on the next person.

Since Zhao Xian had killed him, he naturally had no face to claim the spoils!

Zhao Xian felt a surge of relief; it would have been bad if that person had heard that he knew this bandit!

Having slain three men, Zhao Xian was now a scourge on the battlefield; no bandit would dare to flee here.

Seeing this, Zhao Xian was happy to have some peace and quiet. After all, he had killed three of the dozens of bandits who were surrounding him and seized three storage bags, which was already more than enough for him!

Even if Chen Sheng values ​​him highly, he is still within Ronghuai County, so he should keep a low profile!

Looking around, one sees a scene of devastation on the battlefield, with the sounds of fierce magical weapons clashing echoing everywhere!

The renowned bandit leader of Zhuhe, who was in mid-air, was barely holding on under the fierce swordsmanship of Chen Sheng, a genuine Foundation Establishment cultivator!

"This time, we have finally won!"

After a moment of reflection, Zhao Xian also looked up at the battle in mid-air, a hint of longing gradually appearing in his eyes!

"Chen Sheng, you old scoundrel! I'll fight you to the death!" Suddenly, Zhu He shouted, and quickly put a spirit pill into his mouth!

In an instant, their previously somewhat listless momentum surged even stronger!

"kill!"

A flash of light appeared in his hand, and Zhu He raised his hand and cast a talisman!

"Boom!"

In an instant, thunder roared, and a dazzling bolt of lightning appeared out of thin air above Chen Sheng's head before crashing down!

"Thunder Talisman!"

Upon seeing this, a look of shock and anger flashed across Chen Sheng's face!

Where did Zhu He get the thunder talisman from?!

Thunder magic is difficult to cultivate, and cultivators with thunder spiritual roots are even rarer!

Neither Rongtai County nor Ronghuai County has any famous Thunder Dao cultivators, and there are no Thunder Dao talismans for sale in the markets of either county!

Where on earth did this guy get the Thunder Talisman?!

The lightning struck fiercely, leaving no time to think. But then Chen Sheng's mind stirred, and a shield-shaped magical artifact resembling a tortoise shell appeared above his head, emitting a faint, earthy-yellow aura!

"boom!"

Without missing a beat, the lightning struck the shield-shaped magical artifact squarely!

"Snap! Snap!"

With a few crisp sounds, several cracks slowly appeared on the tortoise-shell-shaped shield artifact!

With a single strike, this mid-grade magic artifact, which had at least four layers of magical restrictions, was shattered, demonstrating the power of thunder magic. "Zhu He!"

With a long roar, Chen Sheng revealed a hint of anger on his face. He raised his hand and unleashed a beam of azure light, heading towards Zhu He in the distance!

This mid-grade magic artifact is the most precious magic artifact he possesses!

Although it is only five magical restrictions, the value of a protective magical artifact is higher than that of an offensive magical artifact. This shield is worth as much as some ordinary high-grade flying swords!

"escape!"

Unexpectedly, Zhu He on the other side just sneered and crushed the talisman in his palm!

"number!"

A sudden gust of wind arose out of nowhere, engulfing Zhu He, who instantly transformed into a streak of blue light and vanished from everyone's sight.

"Zhu He! Even if you flee to the ends of the earth, I will still kill you!"

Seeing Zhu He escape with the help of the talisman, Chen Sheng was furious and let out a long roar to the sky!

Meanwhile, Zhao Xian, standing in the reeds, was stunned by this turn of events!

I thought it would be easy for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to kill a Qi Refining cultivator, but I never expected that Zhu He would use so many tricks to fight his way out of a seemingly hopeless situation!

"No wonder he's a notorious bandit who wreaks havoc on the entire county!"

Zhao Xian looked at this scene and a hint of emotion appeared on his face!

As for whether Zhu He would retaliate against those who participated in the annihilation of Zhu He's bandits after he escaped, Zhao Xian naturally didn't care much!

It's uncertain how long it will take for him to recover and return!

Besides, what brotherhood can there be among bandits!

A moment later, the sounds of fighting in the reeds gradually subsided. Zhao Xian looked around and saw that of the more than thirty people who had come to attack the bandits, only about twenty remained!

The bandits who launch a desperate counterattack should not be underestimated!

Suppressing his emotions, Zhao Xian and the other cultivators began to carefully clean up the battlefield.

As dawn broke, the group mounted their horses and left the reed marshes!

Although Zhu He escaped, the vast majority of the bandits were wiped out, and Chen Sheng could naturally report back to Magistrate Zhen Que!

It was time for Zhao Xian to leave!

After Chen Sheng and others returned to Ronghuai County, the county magistrate Zhen Que immediately hosted a banquet for Zhao Xian, Chen Sheng, and other meritorious officials.

During the banquet, Zhen Que naturally praised Zhao Xian highly and even tried to recruit him again.

However, Zhao Xian politely declined, stating that he had been deeply indebted to Gao Su, the magistrate of Rongtai County, and that as the saying goes, a loyal minister does not serve two masters, so he must see things through to the end!

These words greatly pleased Zhen Que, who became even more satisfied with Zhao Xian.

Upon learning that Zhao Xian was about to get married, Zhen Que thought of the red jade coral that Zhao Xian had previously given him, so he decided to give Zhao Xian a mid-grade weapon as a congratulatory gift!

Zhao Xian was naturally overjoyed!

Seeing the emperor's demeanor, the officials of Ronghuai County also presented Zhao Xian with gifts as congratulatory presents!

Of course, Chen Sheng's gift was the most valuable, a protective talisman at the Foundation Establishment level!

After the banquet ended, Zhao Xian and Chen Sheng left together and stayed overnight at the county magistrate's residence in the county government office.

"Lord Chen, I have a request to make!"

Strolling under the bright moonlight, Zhao Xian lagged behind Chen Sheng by a step and suddenly spoke in a solemn voice.

"Bo-Zhang, our relationship is different now than before, so please feel free to speak your mind!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng stopped and turned to look at Zhao Xian behind him.

"Han Du, a subordinate official of the Bureau of Bandits, assisted me in wiping out most of the bandits within the county. I promised him that after the success of the campaign, I would recommend him as a patrol officer!" At this point, Zhao Xian bowed respectfully, "I hope Lord Chen will grant my request!"

"Bozhang, you've really put me in a difficult position!"

Upon hearing Zhao Xian's request, Chen Sheng showed a hint of helplessness.

The patrol officer was a high-ranking official with a salary of 100 shi (a unit of grain), and also the county magistrate's henchman and eyes and ears in controlling the county. Although he was the county constable, he had no right to interfere in the appointment and removal of such personnel!

"However," Chen Sheng hesitated for a few moments, then looked at the respectful Zhao Xian before him and sighed, "He's really not up to the task of patrolling, but I can try recommending him to the county magistrate as a military officer!"

"Soldier Cao~" Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian immediately bowed deeply, "Thank you, Lord Chen, for granting Zhao Xian your request!"

As is well known, the county magistrate's military clerk was not a permanent position; he was a tool used by the county magistrate to bypass the county constable and control military affairs.

In other words, it was a position specifically used to divide the military power of the county magistrate!

In order to ensure that Zhao Xian would keep his word, Chen Sheng actually took the initiative to recommend Bing Cao to the county magistrate, an act that truly made Zhao Xian extremely grateful!

Chen Sheng, however, had his own plans regarding this.

Currently, there is only one county magistrate in Ronghuai County, Chen Sheng, and the right magistrate is still missing. All military power in the county is under Chen Sheng's control!

Although it's not a big deal, if one actively recommends someone else to serve as a military officer, then in the eyes of Magistrate Zhen Que, this is naturally a way of showing loyalty and not being greedy for power!

Regardless of whether the county magistrate ultimately appointed Han Du as a military officer, he had already done Zhao Xian a favor and demonstrated his loyalty.

Kill two birds with one stone!

He helped Zhao Xian up, and the two continued walking towards the mansion under the moonlight.

The next morning, the sun rose in the east.

After finishing his meal, Zhao Xian packed his bags and bid farewell to Chen Sheng.

Knowing why Zhao Xian had rushed back to Ronghuai County, Chen Sheng naturally did not try to stop him and immediately sent someone to escort Zhao Xian out of the city.

After leaving Ronghuai County, Zhao Xian hurried north.

Traveling alone at full speed, Zhao Xian naturally moved very quickly. By the morning of the second day, he could vaguely see the boundary stone at the border between the two counties.

After crossing the boundary stone, Zhao Xian returned to Rongtai County.

After traveling for another half hour, Zhao Xian saw the village of Nankou.

Now, all the wounded soldiers under Zhao Xian's command have returned to Wohu Township and Xixiang to recuperate.

There were no soldiers in Nankou Township, but his troops had been harassing the area for over a month, so Zhao Xian naturally had to make a gesture of respect.

While he was pondering, his steed had already reached the outskirts of the Nankou village.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Xian dismounted and headed towards the Nankou village.

Seeing that Zhao Xian was simply dressed but had an imposing presence, the two village soldiers guarding the door naturally dared not stop him. "I am Zhao Xian, the county clerk!"

Zhao Xian did not make things difficult for the two village soldiers. He showed them the official seal at his waist and then said with a smile.

"Lord Hyouso!"

The two village soldiers had obviously heard of Zhao Xian's name, and their faces immediately lit up with surprise!

"Has the sergeant returned from suppressing bandits in Ronghuai County?"

One of the soldiers immediately led the way, asking excitedly.

"The bandits in Ronghuai County have been mostly quelled; I should now return to my hometown!"

Zhao Xian didn't try to hide anything and replied with a smile.

"Lord Bingcao is indeed brave and skilled in battle; in just over a month, he has quelled the bandits in Ronghuai County!"

The village soldier immediately began to praise him.

Before long, Zhao Xian saw Jiang Zhuo, the head of the village of Biannankou, and two other village officials.

Upon learning of Zhao Xian's return from suppressing the bandits, the two men offered their congratulations repeatedly.

After chatting with the two for a while, Zhao Xian took out two mid-grade spirit stones from his sleeve and placed them on the table!

He bluntly stated that this was the cost of his soldiers harassing him for over a month!

The two were unwilling to accept it and instead engaged in a tug-of-war with Zhao Xian.

In the end, Zhao Xian had no choice but to collect the two mid-grade spirit stones.

The two men sent the heads of the more than seventy bandits to the county.

After being inspected by Chen Sheng, the county's bandit clerk, the rewards had already been distributed to the two men.

In particular, both of them were awarded a commendation!

When the civil service assessment comes at the beginning of next year, both of them might be promoted to a higher position!

The two of them were too grateful to Zhao Xian to accept the mid-grade spirit stone he gave them.

It was noon, and with the two accompanying him, Zhao Xian had lunch in Nankou Township.

After finishing his meal and resting for a while, Zhao Xian naturally got up to take his leave.

After the two men tried to persuade him to stay, seeing that Zhao Xian had no intention of lingering, they rose and respectfully saw him off to the outside of the country house.

"Lord Jiang, the gentlemen of this village are of noble character and have taken care of my soldiers for over a month. Zhao Xian is deeply grateful!"

Standing opposite the group, Zhao Xian bowed deeply to Jiang Zhuo and the other officials from Nankou Township.

"There's no need for such a grand ceremony! Lord Zhao, please rise!"

Upon seeing Zhao Xian, Jiang Zhuo immediately stepped forward to help him up.

"Chiefs Chen and Liu have worked tirelessly to escort the remains of fallen soldiers home and provide them with compensation. Zhao Xian is deeply grateful!"

"Since the two of them are not currently at the village inn, please, Lord Jiang, deliver these two hundred low-grade spirit stones to them!"

Zhao Xian then took out two hundred low-grade spirit stones from his sleeve, put them into a cloth bag, and handed them to Jiang Zhuo, saying with a serious expression.

"Jiang Zhuojian hesitated somewhat."

"The supplementary cards are presented to Mr. Chen and Mr. Liu!"

Zhao Xian held the cloth bag up to Jiang Zhuo and said solemnly.

"In that case, I will thank Lord Zhao on their behalf!"

Jiang Zhuo took the cloth bag, turned around and handed it to the clerk behind him, then bowed to Zhao Xian and said "Diagram!"

Zhao Xian also returned to the world to analyze it once again.

After finishing his analysis, Zhao Xian turned around, mounted his horse, and galloped north along the official road!

"Thanks to a loyal and capable official like Lord Zhao, Rongtai County is able to enjoy peace and tranquility!" Jiang Zhuo said with deep emotion, watching Zhao Xian's departing figure. "And send someone on horseback to deliver this spirit stone to Lords Chen and Liu!"

"I will obey Your Majesty's command!"

As night fell, the sky was dark and the earth was filled with lightning and thunder!

Before long, a violent storm struck.

Large raindrops pelted my face, feeling quite refreshing.

Inside the makeshift shed, warhorses were tethered to trees, and Zhao Xian sat to one side, eyes slightly closed, meditating and regulating his breathing.

Since leaving Nankou Township, Zhao Xian had been running all the way, hoping to reach Rongtai County!

Unexpectedly, a torrential downpour struck Fuhou, leaving them no choice but to build a thatched hut in the mountains to shelter from the rain.

Meanwhile, a hundred miles away, inside a gloomy and terrifying cave.

In the darkness, a pale-faced figure leaned against the cave wall, eyes slightly closed, as if unconscious.

"Da da da!"

Suddenly, a figure braved the wind and rain and slowly walked into the cave.

"Fellow Daoist Zhuhe, it's been several days. How have you been?"

The newcomer looked at the listless figure and asked with a calm smile.

"Fellow Daoist Qi, Fu Fan has braved the wind and rain to come. If you only intend to mock me and laugh at me, then you have already seen that. You may turn around and leave!"

"I apologize that Zhu He cannot see you off any further!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu He didn't raise his head or open his eyes, but simply said calmly.

"Fellow Daoist, you jest! How could I be such a person!" Shaking his head, the newcomer continued to look at Zhu He, his expression serious. "Now that things have come to this, Fellow Daoist Zhu has no way out. As for what I discussed with you before, I wonder what you have considered?"

"Even now, I still don't know the true origins of your story!"

Zhu He slowly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them, and looked at the person opposite him.