The Little Fox's Immortal Cultivation Encyclopedia

Chapter 100 The City God Arrives

Lu Zheng, a native of Tao County, once served as the county magistrate of Tao County. At that time, the county magistrate was negligent in his duties, and the clerks were corrupt and protected each other. He alone was conscientious in his duties, meticulously recorded criminal cases, sought justice for the people, upheld justice without bias, and was willing to die rather than submit.

He was upright and honest, loyal and diligent in caring for the people, and was listed as a candidate for City God.

The fox looked curiously at the solemn and imposing man and spoke first: "Chang Sheng has now fallen into hell. Although he is not destined to be reborn forever, he will not be able to reincarnate for the time being."

""

Lu Zheng was taken aback, then solemnly cupped his hands in gratitude: "I, Lu, will repay your great kindness even if it costs me my life."

"If the fox spirit bestows its favor and allows me to assume the position of City God of Tao County, I will take this great favor as my lifelong precept, dedicating myself to my duties, thoroughly investigating cases involving both the living and the dead, seeking justice for the souls of the dead, protecting the safety of the people, and ensuring that Tao County never suffers a repeat of what happened in the past!"

"You really want to be the City God?"

"To be honest, Fox Fairy, I, Lu, have had enough of that life of insignificance and powerlessness in my previous life. Only by becoming the City God and taking charge of the laws of Yin and Yang in Tao County can I be free from all constraints. I can then punish evil spirits and protect the people, clearing up all the injustices that I couldn't redress in my previous life!"

"You may look rough around the edges, but you speak with remarkable clarity and logic," the fox casually remarked.

Lu Zheng replied earnestly and deliberately, "Fox Fairy, I, Lu, also studied for a few years in order to obtain official rank."

"Alright, no rush to express your determination. Tell me your opinion on the current county government."

Lu Zheng nodded: "I have been observing for a long time. Magistrate Zhang was impartial and fair when hearing cases, and did not bend the law for personal gain. He is much better than that corrupt official."

"In my opinion, protecting and ensuring the safety of the people is the duty of a county magistrate. It is only because most officials cannot uphold this fundamental principle of being an official that he stands out from the crowd."

"Manager Zhang's unauthorized relocation of the shop sign is a clear case of right and wrong. Crossing the boundary is wrong, and occupying the road is also wrong. According to the regulations, he should be fined copper coins as a warning to others."

The fox understood: "You think his sentence was too lenient?"

"What appears to be a mild measure actually violates the law and the public good. Today, out of consideration for neighbors, we let the offender back half an inch, but tomorrow someone will take advantage of this and go too far. If minor transgressions are not punished, they will surely lead to great chaos!"

"What about that encouragement?"

"He does possess some courage, but he's too obedient to the magistrate. A weapon left unsheathed for too long will rust!"

The fox remained noncommittal, speaking calmly, "That makes some sense, but now is not the time for the assessment. Speak freely in three days."

"Yes." Lu Zheng bowed solemnly.

The fox nodded and drove away.

Interesting, very interesting. I thought this rude man was only fit to be a judge, but now it seems that if he were the City God, he could complement Magistrate Zhang.

The fox was quite satisfied. He turned the page and looked at the last candidate, then suddenly paused.

The names on the document glowed with golden light, countless names rising and falling, only to be covered by new ones in an instant. It was as if a shrew was holding a brush, scribbling and scratching, unable to put pen to paper.

strangeness----"

A gentle breeze swept by, and the fox, as if sensing something, looked up.

The weather had changed without us noticing; dark clouds rolled in, gradually obscuring the sky. As darkness fell, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from the distance.

Four dark-colored horses pulled a magnificent carriage with embroidered wheels, slowly approaching from the street corner. The faint sound of bells mingled with the clatter of hooves, clear and melodious.

Amidst the strong scent of incense, the carriage stopped directly in front of the fox. The curtain was lifted, and two figures slowly stepped out.

The man in front had an indifferent expression, wore an official robe, and waited respectfully by the carriage with his hands at his sides.

The person behind him had a smile in his eyes and a jade belt around his waist.

The man with the jade belt stepped forward, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, and said, "I have long admired the name of the Fox Fairy. Meeting you today, I can confirm that you are indeed extraordinary."

"I am late, and I deserve to be punished."

The indifferent-looking man stepped forward: "This is the City God of Yunxi County, and also the City God of this prefecture."

"That's all in the past, nothing to worry about," the City God waved his hands repeatedly. "I was very pleased to hear that the selection of the City God in Tao County was personally overseen by the Fox Fairy."

"Tao County has not had a City God for many years, and I am also very anxious about it."

The fox remained silent. Yunxi County was the seat of the prefecture, so it was not unreasonable for the city god to call himself the prefecture's city god. However, after so many things had happened before, where was this so-called prefecture's city god?

Seeing the fox remain silent, the city god suddenly stopped smiling, straightened his clothes, and bowed deeply to the fox: "I have come here for two reasons: first, to pay my respects to the fox spirit, and second, to apologize."

He sighed: "Tao County is under my jurisdiction. Because the Peach God manages it, I dare not overstep my bounds. But since I relinquished my authority, so many things have happened."

"The city is attacked by evil spirits, causing widespread suffering and death. Reincarnation is reversed, yin and yang are turned upside down, and rampant gods are causing chaos and poisoning the people—"

With each incident he recounted, he shook his head and sighed, "Whenever I think of this, I can't imagine what irreversible consequences would have occurred if it weren't for the fox spirit."

The fox frowned, and finally spoke: "The Peach God has done all it can."

"Of course, of course." He sighed deeply again. "As the City God of the prefecture, I have an inescapable duty. I have failed the trust placed in me by Mount Tai and have failed the hopes of the common people. Now I have been held accountable by the Mount Tai Prefecture and stripped of my position as City God, becoming a lowly underworld official, a laughingstock."

He changed the subject and brought the conversation back to the present: "I shouldn't interfere with the selection of the City God by the Fox Fairy. However, Tao County has many affairs to attend to, and if a City God is chosen arbitrarily, it may be difficult to implement his duties."

"Judge Ding, why don't you come and greet the fox spirit?"

The city god turned to the side, revealing the man with a cold expression.

"Judge Ding has served me for twenty years and is my capable subordinate. He is loyal and reliable. What's even more commendable is that he is also from Tao County, and he has come back to do his part for his hometown."

"If he were to become the City God, he would surely unite the people and bring peace to both the living and the dead. I wonder what the Fox Fairy thinks?"

Judge Ding stepped forward, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, and said, "If the fox spirit needs anything in the future, just give the order."

The fox looked at the two people in front of it and suddenly smiled: "The City God is very thoughtful, but I have already made arrangements. I need to put them through a test before I can make a final decision."

"That makes sense, that makes sense. The fox spirit is acting impartially, how could I dare to show favoritism?" The city god nodded repeatedly. "It just so happens that I am now free from the cage and feel relaxed, so I will stay here with Judge Ding and wait for the fox spirit's good news."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the City God rose to take his leave. Just before boarding his carriage, he suddenly turned back and said, "Although the fox spirit is a free spirit, her actions and demeanor are those of a seasoned veteran. I admire her greatly."

After saying this, the two got into the car and left.

The dark clouds dispersed, and the sky brightened again.

The fox unfolded the register and saw that the third name had finally stopped flashing and was now obediently printed there, as if it had always been so.

Ding Xun.

Apart from these two words, there was not a single other word.

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