Beginning with the Five Animals Fist to Become a Saint

Chapter 780 Jiujiang Dragon, Wang Wenzong!
Guangning Prefecture.

At this moment, the vast government office was completely silent.

The only sounds were the swirling snow outside, the rustling against the windowpanes, and the crackling of the charcoal fire.

now.

Knock knock knock—

Shen Wenyuan, dressed in a black and gold robe, sat in the main seat, his knuckles tapping on the sandalwood armrest.

In the passenger seat next to him sat a middle-aged man with a calm and composed expression.

The man was dressed in a light blue official robe, with a cloud pattern of a wild goose embroidered on it.

This person's identity is immediately apparent: he is Zhu Huaijin, the prefect of Guangning Prefecture and a high-ranking official of the fourth rank in the imperial court.

If Shen Wenyuan hadn't been granted the title of Marquis, his position as the head of the Inspectorate of a prefecture wouldn't have qualified him to sit in the main seat, even if he were just half a head higher than him.

“My lord, it’s time to make a decision!” Liu Teng, the garrison commander, spoke first.

As the garrison commander and a military general, he had the authority to freely deploy and dispatch the troops under his command.

In this place, his status was second only to Shen Wenyuan and Prefect Zhu Huaijin.

Before Shen Wenyuan could speak, Zhu Huaijin shook his head.

"To make a move at this time would mean a direct confrontation with the Immortal Crossing Sect."

"Now, Ji Mingzhou, the sect leader of the Duxian Sect, is in the snowy weather and his strength is no less than that of a first-grade martial artist. With Li Sixiang added to the mix, they have two second-grade grandmasters! Moreover, according to the secret letter, Xu Qing of Taihua Mountain in the Five Mountains Prefecture has been missing for a long time and has shown his whereabouts in the Duxian Sect. Members of the Nine Witches Sect in the Cloud Dream Prefecture and the Shocking Waves Gang in the Hundred Rivers Prefecture have also shown their whereabouts in the Yingtian Alliance."

"At this moment, the Yingtian Alliance has at least four Grandmasters in charge, or even more. To send them out now would be like throwing an egg against a rock! It would ruin the entire situation in Guangning Prefecture."

Upon hearing this, Liu Teng suddenly stood up.

"My lord!!" he said, his tone becoming more serious. "If we don't take action, are we just going to sit here and watch the Zhuge family be wiped out? Tomorrow is Ji Mingzhou's final ultimatum. If we don't go to their aid, tomorrow the 732 members of the Zhuge family will either kneel down and surrender, defect to the Yingtian Alliance, or be completely wiped out!"

"Regardless of the outcome, we will squander all the support we have won."

Just then.

Shen Wenyuan stopped tapping on the armrest.

"Lord Liu!" His voice was deep, yet carried an undeniable air of authority: "Sit down!"

Liu Teng gritted his teeth, his chest heaving a few times, before he sat down heavily.

“What Liu Zhenfu said makes sense. For the past hundred years, the Zhuge family has stood firmly on the side of our government. If we allow the Yingtian Alliance to use its power to oppress us and cause the Zhuge family to defect, we will completely lose the hearts of the people. In the future, the sects and local forces in Guangning Prefecture will be completely unified by the Yingtian Alliance.”

Shen Wenyuan paused at this point.

Then he added, "But what Lord Zhu said is also true! The Yingtian Alliance is now too powerful for us to handle. Guangning Prefecture only has one Grandmaster."

At this point, he looked up at the middle-aged woman who was standing silently to the side.

"Did you invite Mr. Wang Wenzong, the old master from Jiujiang?"

"Thank you!" The middle-aged woman nodded, then said, "But Mr. Wang Wenzong said that he doesn't want to deal with these people. He has already repaid the favors from back then. He only wants to live out his old age in peace and protect Guangning City. That is his bottom line."

Upon hearing these words, Shen Wenyuan shook his head.

"What a pity! If Wang Wenzong were to make a move, Ji Mingyuan might not be his match. He was the third-ranked figure among the Eighteen Dragon Leaders back then."

ponder for a moment.

The entire government office fell silent once again.

Then, Shen Wenyuan looked up again and slowly stood up.

“I will personally go and invite Mr. Wang Wenzong to come out of seclusion! Without his help, if we go to the Zhuge family now, it would be like throwing an egg against a rock, just as Lord Zhu said.”

"My lord, has anyone been sent down from above?" Ye Zhengqi, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.

"Don't worry about that. The higher-ups won't sit idly by. Someone will definitely come sooner or later!"

After saying this to reassure people, he walked out of the government office.

Just as he reached the door, he turned back to face Ye Zhengqi.

“Prefect Ye, you will accompany me to visit the Dragon King Wenzong of Jiujiang.”

"Yes, Lord Marquis!" Ye Zhengqi replied immediately.

Following Shen Wenyuan's footsteps, the two turned and disappeared into the vast snow, vanishing from the sight of everyone in the government office.

at this time.

The middle-aged woman who had just been talking to Shen Wenyuan also stood up.

"Lord Zhu, I shall take my leave now!"

"Please take care, Lord Bai!" Zhu Huaijin said politely.

He wouldn't look down on the person in front of him just because she was a woman.

Because he knew the identity of the woman in front of him; the deputy head of the local inspectorate was already a Celestial Master.

Although his official rank was below his, his strength far surpassed his.

In Guangning Prefecture, he was able to face her without fear, thanks to his special status as an official appointed by the imperial court.

But once outside the territory of Guangning Prefecture, he was just an ordinary scholar, while the woman in front of him was a dignified third-rank Celestial Master.

This person has a place in the world.

Subsequently, the deputy prefect of Guangning Prefecture also walked out of the prefectural office and disappeared from everyone's sight.

The once crowded government office now has only four people left.

Prefect Zhu Huaijin, Garrison Commander Liu Teng, and Assistant Prefect and Sub-Prefect.

Just now, the Second Master, the Assistant Magistrate, and the Third Master, the Prefect, of Guangning Prefecture seemed to have no right to speak.

Only after Shen Wenyuan and the others left did Zhu Huaijin finally let out a long sigh.

"Why does Your Excellency sigh again?" asked the Second Master from the side.

"The future is uncertain, and in order to seek external assistance, the Marquis has to humble himself and personally invite the Dragon King of Jiujiang, Wenzong, to come out of seclusion," Zhu Huaijin said.

"Lord Zhu, based on your understanding, is there any reinforcement that the Marquis just mentioned?" Liu Teng, the garrison commander, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

Prefect Zhu Huaijin glanced at Liu Teng and then said, "If someone from above comes, will the Marquis go to invite the old gentleman Wenzong, the Dragon King of Jiujiang, again?"

"If there are no reinforcements or outside help, what will Lord Zhu do? Will he just sit and watch the Zhuge family turn against him or be buried?" Town Governor Liu Teng asked with a burning gaze.

Prefect Zhu Huaijin remained silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "It's a dead end either way! Now we can only hope that with the Marquis's influence, we can persuade the Dragon King Wenzong of Jiujiang to help us."

"With Mr. Wang Wenzong's strength and influence, he is capable of inviting the Eighteen Dragon Heads to come to his aid. With this force coming to his aid, the crisis in Guangning Prefecture may be resolved."

Upon hearing these words...

Town Magistrate Liu Teng shook his head: "Lord Zhu must know about the Dragon King Wenzong of Jiujiang. He changed his surname from Long to Wang and returned to his ancestral home. This means that he will no longer concern himself with the affairs of the Eighteen Dragon Heads! Given the past character of this Jiujiang Dragon King, how could he easily change his decision? Let alone ask the Eighteen Dragon Heads to come to his aid again."

Upon hearing Liu Teng's blunt words, Zhu Huaijin, the prefect, fell silent.

A sense of powerlessness rose in my heart.

This feeling hadn't appeared in his heart for a very, very long time.

The chief official of the prefecture was in charge of the people's livelihood, economy, and government affairs of Guangning Prefecture.

Since taking office, he has been the undisputed king of Guangning Prefecture, a true local emperor.

What you want when you wake up in the morning often comes true by evening.

As for feelings of powerlessness, they no longer exist in him.

But now, facing the infighting of several martial arts grandmasters, he finds himself with nowhere to turn.

He couldn't help but look up at the window.

Outside the window, a heavy snowstorm raged, a once-in-a-decade event.

The thought sent a chill down his spine.

The power of the government is now far inferior to that of the Yingtian Alliance.

In the snowy weather, Ji Mingzhou, the leader of the Yingtian Alliance, became even stronger, rivaling a true first-grade martial arts grandmaster.

His thoughts drifted far away, wondering "what should I do?"

the other side.

Shen Wenyuan walked out of the government office gate and plunged headfirst into the vast expanse of white snow.

At this moment, he did not try to protect himself from the wind and snow, but let it lash against him. Ye Zhengqi, who was following closely behind, did the same, letting the wind and snow lash against him as well.

"My lord, is it true that reinforcements are on their way?" Ye Zhengqi's voice rang out in the wind and snow.

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenyuan stopped in his tracks.

Do you know who the current governor of Zeshan Prefecture is?

"I know!" Ye Zhengqi nodded. "It's Brother Jiang."

Shen Wenyuan said, "Under normal circumstances, when such a major event occurs in Guangning Prefecture, the governor of Zeshan Prefecture would arrive after I submit the news."

“But the current governor of Zeshan Prefecture is Brother Jiang. He has not yet entered the first rank. Even if he is willing, he is powerless! Moreover, I heard that half a month ago, he was cursed by some powerful people from thousands of miles away.”

"He can barely protect himself now, so how can he possibly come to Guangning Prefecture to provide assistance?"

"Even if it really comes, how will it improve the situation?"

"The Yingtian Alliance now has at least four Grandmasters, and possibly more."

"Ji Mingzhou of the Immortal Crossing Sect is even more powerful than the peak of the first-grade martial arts in this snowy weather."

"Therefore, the only way to resolve the predicament of Guangning Prefecture is to ask the Dragon King of Jiujiang, Elder Wenzong."

"If he makes a move, with his powerful physique of eighteen dragon heads, he is strong enough to fight against several grandmasters. His true strength is no less than that of a first-grade martial arts peak expert."

"Moreover, he is in a dangerous situation, and that leader will not stand idly by."

"After all, the Dragon King of Jiujiang, Wenzong, is the third brother of that dragon head."

"With the second-in-command absent, this Jiujiang Dragon King Wenzong is the de facto number two among the eighteen dragon heads."

Upon hearing Shen Wenyuan's words, Ye Zhengqi nodded solemnly.

"So the only one who can break this deadlock is Jiujiang Dragon King Wenzong?"

“Only him!” Shen Wenyuan nodded.

The wind and snow were like knives, sweeping across the quiet streets of Guangning City.

Guangning City was unusually quiet at this moment, with only a few pedestrians outside.

As the daylight faded, fewer pedestrians appeared on the road, while the houses on both sides of the road were illuminated by dim lights.

The streets in the west of the city.

Shen Wenyuan and Ye Zhengqi stepped down one after the other, their feet sinking deep into the snow, which covered their boots.

The two figures appeared exceptionally lonely amidst the swirling snow.

A moment later, the two arrived in front of an inconspicuous three-courtyard house.

From the outside, the house was dilapidated, with only a few dim lights shining from the eaves in the wind and snow, so quiet that it seemed uninhabited.

"Lord Marquis!" Ye Zhengqi's voice broke the silence: "Is Old Master Wang Wenzong really willing to agree? The favor has been repaid, and now he has only agreed to guard Guangning City and stay at home."

Shen Wenyuan looked ahead and gently exhaled a long, thin stream of white mist.

"A debt of gratitude is settled once it's repaid! So, it's impossible to get him to agree to something based on a debt of gratitude!"

"So this time, I will not talk about personal feelings, but only about righteousness and the common people."

Ye Zhengqi remained silent.

For a former hero who has long since retired and only wants to spend his old age in peace, how much weight do morality and the common people hold?

Afterwards, Shen Wenyuan straightened his official robe, which was soaked by the wind and snow, and took the initiative to step forward.

He raised his hand and tapped the door knocker, which remained motionless, with neither too light nor too heavy a touch.

The knocking sounded faint in the dim twilight, amidst the howling wind and snow, yet it possessed a penetrating power.

After a while.

The door creaked open, revealing a crack.

Then a handsome and well-behaved face was revealed.

It was a child who was about ten years old.

His eyes were clear and bright, giving him an exceptionally clean appearance.

"Are you two visitors?" the child asked.

"My name is Shen Wenyuan, and I have come here specifically to pay my respects to the venerable Mr. Wang Wenzong!" Shen Wenyuan said.

"So it's you! Come in! Grandpa Wang said he won't give up until he sees you!" The child's words were followed by a clearing of a path.

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenyuan's heart sank.

This reveals bad news.

This Dragon King Wenzong of Jiujiang had clearly made up his mind not to help him.

He took a deep breath and stepped over the threshold.

Ye Zhengqi followed closely behind.

Led by the child, the three of them passed through the second gate and came to a courtyard with a square layout.

Shen Wenyuan's gaze immediately fell on the main house directly in front of him, which was dimly lit. The square courtyard was covered with thick snow and looked somewhat dilapidated because no one had cleaned it.

The child stepped forward, passing through the square courtyard.

"Grandpa Wang, Shen Wenyuan is here!" A child's innocent voice pierced through the gatehouse.

"Come in!" came an old voice from inside the house.

Upon hearing this, the child finally pushed open the door.

Then, the two saw a candle burning in the dimly lit room.

An elderly man in a short jacket sat on a bench, drinking a little wine.

On the wooden square table in front of the old man were a stack of peanuts and a plate of thickly sliced ​​beef.

Aside from these two, there were no other snacks to accompany the drinks.

There was no charcoal fire inside, and it was bitterly cold.

However, the old man was so thin that his bones were visible, yet he was only wearing a short jacket in the cold winter, which looked quite incongruous.

"Since you've come to visit at this time, would you like to have a drink together?" Wang Wenzong's calm voice rang out.

"With pleasure!" Shen Wenyuan replied, lowering his tone.

"Bring another pot of yellow wine!" Wang Wenzong's voice rang out.

“Yes, Grandpa Wang!” the child replied.

He then turned and left.

Shen Wenyuan then stepped over the threshold and sat down next to Wang Wenzong.

“Lord Marquis is quite persistent!” Wang Wenzong glanced at Shen Wenyuan and said.

"There's no other way; this involves the lives of millions of people in Guangning Prefecture!" Shen Wenyuan said.

At this moment, Ye Zhengqi was secretly observing Wang Wenzong.

In the years since he came to Guangning Prefecture, he reflected on his past and realized that he had never seen the true face of the Dragon King of Jiujiang, Wenzong.

This is the first time he has met her today.

Upon meeting him, he noticed something incongruous about Wang Wenzong.

At this moment, Wang Wenzong was so thin that his bones were visible, and he had hardly any flesh on his body.

But it felt as if there was a fire burning inside him, constantly releasing heat.

He looks to be over seventy or eighty years old, but upon closer inspection, there are no wrinkles typical of the elderly on his face.

Even in the darkness, his eyes were exceptionally bright, as if they were sparkling and glowing.

"Kid, you sit down too!" Wang Wenzong looked up at Ye Zhengqi and said.

Ye Zhengqi immediately cupped his hands in greeting and then sat down as well.

He chose to sit next to Shen Wenyuan, directly opposite Wang Wenzong.

(End of this chapter)