The Hidden Immortal

Chapter 124 Instant Immortality (10,000-word chapter)

Chu Xun didn't speak, so Wei Youyou ran to Zhang Jingheng and looked up at him.

Although Zhang Jingheng's eyesight wasn't very good, he could still vaguely see the little girl standing in front of him and could even sense her scrutinizing him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Zhang Jingheng asked.

Wei Youyou looked up and said, "Do you want to come to our house? Master's house has a lot of livestock, including Brother Crow, Brother Weasel, Brother Rabbit, and Little Brother Field Mouse—"

She counted on her fingers, and Zhang Jingheng laughed as he listened: "I know, I've been there before."

Chu Xun called Wei Youyou back to prevent her from saying anything inappropriate.

Zhang Jingheng laughed and said, "This girl is interesting."

Afterwards, Chu Xun went to pay his respects to Liu Yuqing.

When Liu Yu and others passed away a few years ago, Zhang Jingheng did not tell anyone else, saying that he did not want too many people to come and give gifts.

Funerals should be kept as simple as possible; there's no need to make them too elaborate.

Chu Xun didn't have a very deep impression of Liu Yuqing, only remembering that she had the demeanor of a wealthy family's daughter.

His speech and behavior, including eating and drinking tea, were very dignified.

Zhang Jing stepped forward and touched the memorial tablet, especially the part engraved with Liu Yuqing's name, which had been worn white.

It's obvious that he does this often.

"She passed away peacefully, without suffering much," Zhang Jingheng said. "I hope I can do the same when I leave this world."

As he spoke, he turned to Chu Xun and asked, "Were you with the Duke of Wei when he left?"

Chu Xun hummed in agreement: "Yes."

Did he ask you anything?

Chu Xun looked at Zhang Jingheng, roughly understanding what he wanted to ask, and said, "I asked."

Did you say so?

"I said so."

Is he happy?

"Happy."

Zhang Jingheng laughed: "That's good. I reckon nothing in my life has made me happier than this."

After having dinner at the Prime Minister's residence, Zhang Jingheng paid out of his own pocket to have the chef buy a lot of good ingredients and prepare a very sumptuous meal.

The entire Prime Minister's residence had never seen so many dishes before.

In the past, the old prime minister would have at most two dishes and a bowl of rice for a meal. Occasionally, he would ask the cook to make a bowl of seaweed and egg drop soup, which was considered a luxury.

Wei Youyou circled the table three times but still couldn't find what she liked to eat.

Most of the dishes are meat, along with some specialty ingredients. There are vegetarian dishes, but they are all cooked.

Knowing that she liked to eat lettuce, Zhang Jingheng was slightly surprised, so he had someone select some vegetables that could be eaten directly, wash them clean, and bring them over.

Wei Youyou tasted a few bites and commented, "It's not bad."

Zhang Shaoheng arrived late, almost at the end of the meal.

He has now been transferred to the Ministry of Works as Minister, and his official duties are very busy. It is already rare for him to be able to find time to come back for a meal.

The main reason was that Chu Xun had arrived, and Zhang Jingheng sent someone to inform him; they had to give him face.

After eating a couple of bites of food and drinking a glass of wine, he hurriedly left again.

Zhang Jing sighed, "Jing Kingdom may seem prosperous, but in reality there are many places that need repair. He is very busy and may not be seen for three to five days."

"Looking back now, I think my parents were probably in the same boat after I left home to take up my post."

"They're alright, after all, they have relatives they can visit each other," Chu Xun said.

"That's true."

Zhang Jingheng nodded, then asked, "The weapons you mentioned in the letter?"

"I brought them. How many do you want?"

How much do you have?

"Several thousand."

Zhang Jingheng remained silent for a long time, his cloudy eyes fixed on Chu Xun.

After a long while, he slowly exhaled.

"Fortunately, the Jing Kingdom has not yet entered a period of chaos, and you have no ambition to contend for hegemony."

Otherwise, who could stop them?

Zhang Jingheng knew very well how powerful those divine weapons were.

He once personally led a sword into the palace.

No high level of cultivation is required; with a casual slash, anything can be cut down.

When weapons become powerful enough, the level of individual strength is no longer particularly important.

Chu Xun said, "However, these swords are difficult to take away all at once; they can't withstand the weight."

Zhang Jingheng responded, saying, "We don't need that many. Too many would only make the soldiers rely on the power of their weapons and become lazy in their daily training."

Zhang Jingheng knew very well that the divine weapon would eventually run out, and that Chu Xun had only sent it because of him.

Once he passes away, he won't need to give face to anyone anymore.

Even if the emperor himself were to beg, he might not be able to get it.

Therefore, divine weapons can be used to intimidate, but the fundamental protection of the land always lies with the people.

Having lived for so many years, he has a remarkably clear and far-sighted understanding of many things.

Chu Xun did not object. Since the sword had been brought, Zhang Jingheng could use it as he pleased.

Gathering the essence of gold is no longer as troublesome as before. If it weren't for dealing with the gods and immortals of the underworld, there would be no need to store these things at all.

Subsequently, Zhang Jingheng sent someone to notify the Ministry of War to send someone.

As he was told, Chu Xun first took a hundred swords, sending half to the northern desert and the other half to the southwest.

At the court meeting a few days later, many civil officials once again advised that troops should be withdrawn from the northern desert to allow the people to recuperate.

They didn't say anything about the southwest side, after all, there are mountains and forests there, which are easy to defend and difficult to attack, serving as a natural barrier.

Although the terrain in northern Mongolia is complex, it is relatively flat, making it easy to attack but difficult to defend.

To defend the northern desert, the Jing Kingdom would need to expend a great deal of manpower, material resources, and military strength.

If the Yue Kingdom, which is further away, were to attack, even if these forces were multiplied several times over, they might not be able to stop them.

It takes too much energy and is not worth the effort.

Emperor Yongxiang remained silent, as did Zhang Jingheng, and the court session ended in this eerie silence.

There was still some tacit understanding between the ruler and his ministers.

Neither supporting nor opposing is to give face to the late emperor and the prime minister.

But things might change once the northern deserts are conquered.

After all, the Crown Prince is not the Seventh Prince of yesteryear. Although he grew up under Zhang Jing's tutelage, he has always maintained his independence.

Emperor Changning and Zhang Jingheng fought side by side against the enemy. The old prime minister's merit in supporting the emperor earned him unconditional trust and support.

Upon learning of these events, Chu Xun shook his head inwardly.

Jing Kingdom is likely on the decline.

The Jing Kingdom has existed for nearly a century, from the time of Emperor Taizu to the present day.

Several good emperors emerged during this period. Even the Chongming Emperor, who was particularly suspicious, had renowned ministers like Tang Shijun and Zhang Jingheng to assist him.

By the time of Emperor Yongxiang, there were few capable officials left in the court.

Most of the ministers echoed the emperor's ideas and were too conservative.

It's not that being conservative is bad, but given the circumstances Jing State is in, if you don't fight your way out, someone will eventually invade you.

Moreover, Tang Shijun only appears once every hundred years. Will there be another one in the next hundred years?

However, these things have little to do with Chu Xun. The rise and fall of dynasties is a normal occurrence.

What he cares about is people.

The golden sword was urgently sent to the border to guard the new city.

Zhang Jingheng stayed at the Prime Minister's residence every day, but all kinds of important military matters would be sent to him for review.

Chu Xun didn't understand these things, so he took Wei Youyou out shopping.

I looked around here and there, enjoying a rare period of leisure.

A few days later, Zhang Jingheng's health deteriorated.

He fainted while reviewing the official documents.

The imperial physician came to examine the patient and prescribed medicine, but judging from his expression, the patient's condition was not good.

No one understood Zhang Jingheng better than Chu Xun, who checked his life force every day.

It grows weaker day by day and could be extinguished at any moment.

But it kept holding on, like a tree about to rot and collapse, standing firm on just a little bit of bark.

The emperor and various princes and ministers all came to visit him one after another.

Princess Yunshu, Xiao Shuying, was no exception.

When she arrived at the Prime Minister's residence, Zhang Jingheng had just finished drinking ginseng soup.

It was still the old ginseng that Chu brought, but after drinking it too many times, the effect wasn't as good anymore.

The butler hurried in and announced, "Princess Yunshu has arrived."

After drinking the ginseng soup, Zhang Jingheng's complexion improved slightly. Leaning against the bed, he said to Chu Xun, "You haven't met Princess Yunshu yet, have you? You should probably ask her what kind of extraordinary person she encountered."

Chu Xun did indeed want to ask about the immortals and deities.

Not long after, the butler invited Xiao Shuying over.

Zhang Jingheng remained leaning against the bed and said, "This old minister is unwell and will not pay his respects to the princess."

"Prime Minister Zhang, there's no need for such formalities. I've come here today—"

Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Shuying stared blankly at Chu Xun standing by the bed.

"Yo!"

Wei Youyou called out.

Chu Xun was also slightly taken aback. This was Princess Yun Shu?

Princess Yunshu, now a woman, is dressed in a white palace gown, her features exquisite and her beauty ethereal.

Zhang Jingheng was waiting for the princess to continue, but a moment later, he heard a scream.

"senior!"

The old prime minister was taken aback. Xiao Shuying quickly walked over, and even the maid Qin Shuang following behind her looked excited.

I thought I had stumbled upon a divine being, but I'll never have the chance to meet him again in this lifetime.

Who would have thought that they would meet again at the Prime Minister's residence?

Chu Xun was also somewhat surprised, and then he suddenly realized that Xiao Shuying's father was the deceased Emperor Changning.

No wonder they say you need dragon bones to prolong your life.

This kind of thing is useless to both cultivators and ordinary people, even to a shapeshifting spirit like Wei Youyou.

Therefore, after obtaining the dragon bone, Chu Xun threw it directly into the carriage and used its golden essence to suppress it, so as not to attract any unclean things that shouldn't be there.

Only spirits of pythons and ghosts that crave yin energy would desire it.

As for earthly emperors, there is the saying that they are true dragons and sons of heaven.

Whether the dragon bone could truly prolong the emperor's life is unknown, but from a logical standpoint, it is quite plausible.

Seeing Xiao Shuying approach with an excited expression, Chu Xun didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

After searching for a long time, I realized that the so-called divine figure was actually myself.

When Xiao Shuying arrived, she immediately bowed and greeted her, showing no airs of a princess whatsoever.

The steward of the Prime Minister's residence, standing to the side, was dumbfounded.

When Chu Xun first arrived, he spoke to Zhang Jingheng without any regard for rank or status, which made onlookers break out in a cold sweat.

In that case, it could be somewhat explained that relatives don't pay much attention to etiquette.

But why is Her Highness the Princess so respectful to this person?

Even Zhang Jingheng sensed something was amiss and asked, "Princess, what's wrong—"

Xiao Shuying happily explained, "Prime Minister Zhang, this is the senior I told you about. I never expected to see him here again."

7

Zhang Jingheng was slightly surprised and turned to ask Chu Xun, "You can slay ghosts and evil spirits?"

Chu Xun did not deny it, and said, "Yes."

Zhang Jingheng took a slow breath. He knew he was capable, but he didn't expect him to be this capable.

"So, you also gave the princess that sword?"

"Yes."

As she drew her sword, Xiao Shuying immediately remembered another purpose of her trip.

He quickly summoned Qin Shuang, a straightforward maid who held the sword in both hands.

Xiao Shuying said, "Prime Minister Zhang, I have brought the sword that the senior gave me. Would you like to take a look and compare it with the weapon forged by the person you mentioned. Which one is stronger?"

As she spoke, she slightly raised her chin, as if she were proud to possess such a sword.

Zhang Jingheng chuckled upon hearing this and said, "No need to look. The main character is standing right here. What's there to compare?"

Xiao Shuying was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and asked in astonishment, "The one Zhang Xiang mentioned, is that the senior?"

"Who else could it be but him?" Zhang Jingheng chuckled and said, "I told you, no one in the world could forge a weapon better than his."

Xiao Shuying looked at Chu Xun again, her surprise deepening.

She had heard about the divine weapon many times.

Unexpectedly, the senior I bumped into on my way back to Beijing was the same person.

But upon closer examination, this is actually the most reasonable approach.

There aren't that many extraordinary people in the world; perhaps many of them are just the same person.

With the previous events as a foundation, it became much easier to start the conversation.

Upon learning that her senior was a relative of the former prime minister, Xiao Shuying immediately became extremely interested in the village called Songguo Village.

Two dukes, a remarkable man, and many military generals.

Along with another duke, Tang Shijun, he also served in the area.

What kind of place could nurture so many outstanding people?

Xiao Shuying's beautiful eyes, when fixed on Chu Xun, revealed an unusual glint.

Or perhaps it is because of the existence of such an extraordinary person that so many outstanding individuals were born?

Xiao Shuying has a high talent for martial arts. At only nineteen years old, she is already a second-rank martial artist.

Of course, this is also related to her royal birth and the abundance of resources she had.

Having witnessed Chu Xun's methods, Xiao Shuying became interested in the matter of cultivating immortality.

To be precise, there is no one in the world who is not interested in cultivating immortality.

They can summon wind and rain, overturn rivers and seas, and live forever.

Every word is captivating.

Unfortunately, although Chu Xun possessed Foundation Establishment cultivation and the Five Elements Daoist techniques, he was unable to teach others how to cultivate immortality.

Xiao Shuying felt a little disappointed, thinking that her senior didn't think much of her talent and was unwilling to teach her.

Chu Xun couldn't explain it either, so he could only let her guess.

Zhang Jingheng also asked out of curiosity what ghosts and evil spirits were like, and whether they were really as terrifying as the storyteller described.

"Ghosts are nothing more than human souls; they are what humans are like."

"What's scary is just an illusion caused by the invasion of yin energy."

"A person with abundant Qi and blood and an upright heart is difficult to harm even by ghosts and monsters."

"When one's Qi and blood are weak or insufficient, and one already harbors inner demons, one is naturally more susceptible to influence."

Zhang Jingheng listened to the story for a long time.

Finally, unable to keep going any longer, he fell into a deep sleep.

Xiao Shuying had been staying at the Prime Minister's residence for a long time; it was time for her to return to the palace.

Since they had met, Chu naturally wanted to give her a gift.

As they walked out, Xiao Shuying asked, "When are you going back, Senior?"

"It's uncertain; it could take a month or more, or it could take several days," Chu Xun said.

Xiao Shuying then asked, "May I go with you to see Pinecone Village?"

Under the whole world, could it be the king's land.

Princess Jing, a princess of the dignified Jing Kingdom, actually had to ask for permission to go to a small village.

If the princes and ministers saw this, they would be shocked and feel that it was a breach of etiquette.

Neither Chu Xun nor Xiao Shuying thought there was anything wrong with what she said.

"You can go if you want," Chu Xun said.

Xiao Shuying smiled and said, "When you leave the capital, please remember to let someone know so that we can travel together."

"Aren't you staying in Kyoto to observe mourning?" Chu Xun asked.

Xiao Shuying shook her head: "Mourning doesn't necessarily have to be done in the capital, and besides, I don't like the people here."

Upon returning, she clearly sensed that the atmosphere in the palace had changed considerably.

Those brothers and sisters I used to know all have their own thoughts now.

Some tried to curry favor with the emperor, hoping to receive a reward.

Some avoided going out, seemingly worried that something might happen.

It seems that after my father passed away, everyone changed overnight.

Xiao Shuying had little interest in wealth and fame; she preferred the carefree life and chivalry of the martial arts world.

Chu Xun subconsciously used his ability to see clearly to get a better view. He saw that Xiao Shuying had a royal aura about half a foot high on her body, clinging to her like a thin golden veil.

The limbs and chest are indigo blue, like a sword being drawn from its sheath.

This is the spirit of the martial world, clearly distinct from the noble air of royalty, and they do not interfere with each other.

To Chu Xun's surprise, beneath the two different auras lay a deep, dark purple hue.

Silent, solid, and imposing with an undeniable authority.

When Emperor Yongxiang visited Zhang Jingheng at the Prime Minister's residence, Chu Xun specifically observed the emperor's aura.

It was almost identical to the dark purple hue that Xiao Shuying wore.

This is the aura of an emperor!

In the Jing Kingdom, men have always been the most powerful, and the harem is not allowed to interfere in politics. So why does Xiao Shuying have the aura of an emperor?

Could it be that this princess is destined to become the emperor?

Chu Xun hesitated slightly before asking, "Has Your Highness considered what you want to do in the future?"

Xiao Shuying replied without hesitation, "Naturally, it's more comfortable to be a free spirit in the martial world."

This was her honest opinion; she was no longer used to life in the palace.

She preferred the trials and tribulations of the martial world to the splendor of this place.

Swords clash, intrigue rages, and treachery abounds; you're never idle.

Chu Xun didn't ask any more questions; his current thoughts were just that—thoughts.

From a fortune perspective, the future may not necessarily follow our current ideas.

He was just a little curious whether a princess who only liked the martial arts world could become an emperor.

And under what circumstances and in what way did he become emperor?

Every few days, Xiao Shuying would visit the Prime Minister's residence.

It's more accurate to say they're visiting a remarkable senior figure than to say they're visiting the former prime minister.

Chu Xun is not a materialistic person; he only likes to eat and drink.

Wei Youyou is the same way, except that she also likes pretty and fun little gadgets.

Xiao Shuying then brought the best food and entertainment from the entire capital city, in a variety of ways.

This deliberate attempt to ingratiate himself is obvious even to a fool.

The princess cared more about the prime minister's relatives than about the prime minister himself, and the people in the prime minister's residence were gradually getting used to it.

By the end of the first year of Yongxiang, good news came from the northern desert.

The last king of the horse tribe was killed deep in the desert, and of the eight thousand main force of the horse tribe, only a little over a thousand escaped.

Although they were not completely annihilated, the Ma clan, having lost their royal family, was now a disorganized mess and no longer a threat.

The news sent shockwaves throughout the country.

The Ma tribe, which had been harassing the border for years, has finally been dealt with.

Unfortunately, Emperor Changning did not live to see this scene.

Upon receiving the news, Zhang Jingheng was unable to attend court to receive Emperor Yongxiang's praise, nor did he notice the subtle exchanges of glances among the civil officials.

This great achievement will go to a military general, who will gain even greater fame.

How could these civil officials be willing to do that?

The war absolutely cannot continue!

At this point, Zhang Jingheng was facing his final moment.

He forced himself to listen to the good news, then collapsed.

If Chu Xun hadn't caught him quickly, he probably would have died on the spot.

The steward was extremely anxious and ordered someone to quickly summon Zhang Shaoheng, who was still at the Ministry of Works, and his grandsons.

Watching Zhang Jingheng's life force gradually die out, Chu Xun picked him up.

The old prime minister, with his white hair, was as light as a child.

Water is in its proper position, governing winter's dormancy.

The last vestige of life force was sealed away by Chu Xun using his supernatural powers.

People haven't all arrived, and there are still things to say that need to be said. I can't just die like this.

Shortly after, Zhang Shaoheng and the others rushed in.

Seeing his dying father lying in bed, Zhang Mingyu, a grandson in his thirties, burst into tears. Just as he was about to cry out, he heard a reprimand.

"No noise allowed! Is everyone here?!"

He looked over in surprise and saw Chu Xun sitting by the bed, and felt a little unhappy.

I know this is a relative of the Zhang family, but this is the Prime Minister's residence. What right does a mere relative have to point fingers and shout?

He was now serving as a principal officer in the Ministry of Rites, and immediately stepped forward to rebuke him.

Chu Xun glanced over, his gaze striking Zhang Mingyu like a heavy hammer.

The official in charge of the Ministry of Rites felt his body stiffen. He realized that what was sitting in front of him was no longer a person, but an insurmountable mountain range.

Simply looking up at it brings an unimaginable sense of oppression.

It's as if if you say one wrong word or utter one wrong syllable, that mountain will come crashing down on you.

The immense pressure caused his face to turn red, and he trembled as he withdrew the step he had just taken.

Zhang Shaoheng knew a bit about Chu Xun's background; this relative was no ordinary person, even the princess treated him with great respect.

He then stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and asked, "How is Father doing now?"

Chu Xun said, "Once they open their mouths, they'll leave after only a few words. Who else in the house hasn't come yet?"

Even the Water Master's winter-hiding supernatural powers cannot be maintained indefinitely.

Especially for someone with great merit like Zhang Jingheng, the time is even shorter.

Zhang Shaoheng quickly turned to look at his children and grandchildren. Almost all of them had arrived, except for two who had married far away and one brother who was serving as an official in another place.

Chu Xun said, "We can't wait for them any longer. After hearing their last words, everyone leave the Prime Minister's residence!"

Zhang Shaoheng remained silent for a few seconds, then forced himself to ask, "Why do you do this?"

"If we don't leave, we'll die," Chu Xun said.

Meanwhile, at the Kyoto City God Temple.

The golden statue of the City God trembled.

"Zhang Jingheng, the Prime Minister of Jing State, has reached the end of his life. Judge Wen, you may go there."

The judge, holding his judge's pen, appeared and bowed, saying, "Understood!"

The City God must receive such a meritorious soul.

Even if it's not needed within the Jing Kingdom, exchanging it with the righteous gods of neighboring countries would be a good option.

Inside the Prime Minister's residence, Zhang Shaoheng and the others were all stunned by Chu Xun's answer.

Will we die if we don't leave?

Who wants to kill them?

And why kill them?

Chu Xun did not answer, only exuding a powerful aura that made these people feel suffocated.

At this moment, Zhang Jingheng's life force had begun to burn again. Chu Xun stuffed three ginseng slices into his mouth, and Zhang Jingheng barely managed to open his eyes.

His last glimmer of hope cleared his eyes slightly, allowing him to barely make out the people standing inside the room.

Perhaps knowing his days were numbered, he said, "Heng'er, come here."

Zhang Shaoheng hurriedly stepped forward, his eyes red-rimmed, and knelt on the ground: "Father, your son is here."

Zhang Jingheng said weakly, "There are three things you need to do. First, after I leave, you must listen to Chu Chen in everything and not disobey him."

""

Zhang Shaoheng glanced at Chu Xun, then bowed his head and replied, "Yes, I remember."

"7

"Secondly, we must appease the soldiers in the northern and southwestern regions, especially those who have sacrificed their lives. Their families must be taken care of, so as not to break their spirits."

Zhang Shaoheng kept his head down: "I remember."

"7

"The third thing—" Zhang Jingheng's voice was even weaker: "After completing the first two things, everyone in the Zhang family resigned from their official posts and returned to Songguo Village."

Zhang Shaoheng suddenly looked up, his face blank with shock.

Not only him, but everyone else in the room looked puzzled.

They could understand the first two things, but one was asking this Chu Chen to help with the funeral arrangements, since he was a relative from their hometown and there must be some rules they didn't know about.

One reason is to appease the soldiers after the war and maintain the stability of the Jing Kingdom, which is also quite reasonable.

But the third thing was something they just couldn't understand.

Why must everyone resign from their official posts and move to some village they've never been to before?

Zhang Jingheng didn't look at them anymore, but instead slightly raised his head and parted his lips slightly.

Chu Xun knew what he wanted to say, sighed, and said, "If they really go back, I will ensure their safety."

A slight smile appeared on Zhang Jingheng's face as he murmured, "Teacher—I've finished everything I needed to do—"

The next instant, his life force was completely extinguished, and his hand fell limply to the ground.

Zhang Shaoheng saw it clearly and immediately wanted to step forward and cry out.

Chu Xun sensed the presence of the underworld deities nearby and immediately ordered, "Everyone, leave the Prime Minister's residence! Do not approach! Go!"

He waved his hand, and before Zhang Shaoheng and the others could agree or disagree, he saw a blur before his eyes.

When he regained consciousness, he was already standing outside the Prime Minister's residence.

Everyone was horrified, realizing that the person entrusted with his final affairs by the old prime minister was no ordinary person.

Wenpan, accompanied by underworld officials, arrived at the Prime Minister's residence, where two underworld deities were present.

After all, this is the territory of the City God, so there's no need to be overly cautious.

With his strength, even if a fierce demon came, it would be directly crushed to death by his aura.

Moreover, the one who came to guide us this time is a person of great merit, not some vengeful spirit or evil ghost.

However, just as they entered the Prime Minister's residence, before they even saw Zhang Jingheng's spirit, a voice came from within.

"I want to take his soul with me and arrange for his reincarnation. I beg the gods and immortals of the underworld to grant me this favor."

The aura of the Foundation Establishment stage was revealed without any concealment.

Wenpan was slightly taken aback, feeling that the aura was somewhat familiar.

When they arrived, they saw a man sitting beside Zhang Jingheng's corpse, with a few strands of white hair at his temples, and they remembered him.

"Are you the one who visited the Bureau of Rewards before?"

"That's right." Chu Xun nodded. "I have a past with the Zhang family, and we agreed to help him reincarnate so he wouldn't have to work in the underworld."

The judge shook his head and said, "It's not that I'm not giving face, but the judgment of merit is entirely up to the City God; neither of us can make that decision. If you wish to speak, please come with me back to the Underworld and discuss it with the City God in person."

Chu Xun was unwilling to go. Once he reached the underworld, would he still be able to make his own decisions?

"What if I don't go?" he asked.

The judge seemed to understand his meaning, and said in a slightly deep voice, "The souls of all people are under the jurisdiction of the Underworld. You are a person who has attained immortality through cultivation; do you intend to disrupt the order of Heaven?"

"No matter what, I must take this soul with me!" Chu Xun said.

"Then you can give it a try." The judge's voice grew even more sinister, and he raised his judge's pen.

Chu Xun did not want to fight. If it could be resolved peacefully, he would not mind even saying a few nice words.

Unfortunately, judging from Wenpan's demeanor, it was clear that words alone were not enough.

As expected, if you can't win a fight, you can't reach an agreement at the negotiating table either.

Without further hesitation, a thought arose in my mind.

The carriage, which had been tethered in the stables of the Prime Minister's residence for several months, suddenly exploded.

Thousands of golden swords rose into the air and arrived in front of them in the blink of an eye.

As the carriage exploded, Wei Youyou jumped up, grabbed the dragon bone, and then leaped towards the outskirts of the city.

This was Chu Xun's instruction: put away the dragon bones and wait outside the city.

As Wei Youyou quickly jumped out of the Prime Minister's residence, she turned her head to look.

"Master is alright!"

Chu Xun brought 5,773 swords from Songguo Village, all of which he had accumulated over the years.

Zhang Jingheng took 100 of them, so there are now 5,673 left.

Each longsword possesses a trace of golden essence.

The sheer number of them caused Wen Pan's expression to change slightly.

"A golden magic artifact?"

But he showed no fear, only looking at Chu Xun with an extremely cold voice.

"Does Your Excellency truly believe that you can disregard the Heavenly Laws by relying on these golden magical artifacts?"

"This is the capital city, under the jurisdiction of the City God. I advise you not to make a mistake and ruin the cultivation you have worked so hard to achieve."

""

"Entrust the person who has accumulated merit to us, and the underworld will naturally make proper arrangements for them."

Chu Xun stopped wasting words with him and had a sudden thought.

Of the 5,763 golden swords, half shattered in mid-air.

Nearly three thousand white sword shadows pierced towards Wen Pan.

The golden essence filled the sky, and wherever it passed, everything was shattered by its sharp intent.

Standing outside the Prime Minister's residence, Zhang Shaoheng and the others turned pale with shock and horror.

The long swords flying through the air, their shadows dancing like dragons and snakes, were a sight they had never seen before.

"Back off! Back off as far as you can!"

Zhang Shaoheng, who had previously been somewhat confused, now finally understood why they were asked to leave the Prime Minister's residence.

Staying here will really mean death!

Even Xiao Shuying in the palace sensed something unusual.

The sword, wiped with a cotton cloth, trembled as if it were about to slip from my hand.

But after a few vibrations, it quickly became quiet.

She frowned. "What happened?"

At that moment, the maid Qin Shuang rushed in: "Princess, something terrible has happened! Prime Minister Zhang has passed away!"

Xiao Shuying suddenly stood up and looked at the long sword that had been shaking incessantly. She immediately thought of the senior she admired.

Could it be related to our predecessors?

She quickly said, "Quickly, go to the Prime Minister's residence immediately!"

The Prime Minister's residence was not far from the palace. The two men were highly skilled, and not long after they left the palace gates, they heard a loud rumbling sound.

Following the sound, one could see thousands of long swords rising into the air, blotting out the sky and the sun.

Like a long, silvery-white dragon, it pierced the sky and crashed heavily into the Prime Minister's residence.

Qin Shuang's face paled with fear: "What is that!?"

Xiao Shuying's eyes shone brightly: "It must be the senior's doing!"

But what kind of adversary could have prompted the senior to resort to such astonishing methods?

This is Kyoto, who would dare to cause trouble here?

Without hesitation, Xiao Shuying sped towards the Prime Minister's residence at an even faster speed.

"Princess!" Qin Shuang was startled and quickly followed.

After the two crossed a street, they saw that more than half of the longsword had shattered.

A white sword shadow flew out, its power even greater than before.

Qin Shuang exclaimed in surprise, "The Heaven-Slaying Sword!"

A strange light flashed in Xiao Shuying's eyes. After Chu Xun handed her the better Flying Stream Sword, he had tested its power.

The sword energy surged forth, invincible in its path.

At that time, she suspected that this senior and her master might be related to the Heaven Sword.

Upon seeing the white sword shadow, he immediately confirmed it.

I still remember my master saying, "In the martial world, whether you're a first-rank master or a grandmaster of innate cultivation, you're all just ordinary people. The truly powerful ones don't show off their skills."

"Perhaps you will witness his unparalleled charm simply by going for a bowl of tea."

Looking back now, that's how I would describe this senior.

At the time, I thought my master was exaggerating. A Grandmaster of the Innate Realm was already an invincible figure, and he only deserved the words "nothing special".

Looking back now, I realize I was too inexperienced.

It could even be said that the master's evaluation is extremely insignificant compared to the methods we see today.

Such brilliance, how many people in the world can match it!

There is only one of him!

Inside the Prime Minister's residence, the judge held his pen and casually swept it across the room.

A large amount of ink was splashed out, blocking the essence of metal one by one.

Except for lacking the suppressive power of the City God's seal, it is in every other respect comparable to the Prefectural City God.

This was the most formidable enemy Chu Xun had ever encountered.

In addition to the judge's own abilities, there was also the pressure from the City God.

As the judgment states, the capital city is the small territory of the City God.

Running wild on someone else's turf, how can you not bear the pressure?

Even a trace of the golden essence that could kill an ordinary underworld official has little effect on the judge.

When a team's strength reaches a certain level, the number of players is no longer the key factor in determining victory or defeat.

Without further hesitation, Chu Xun shattered all the remaining longswords.

An endless stream of golden essence rushed in, and the pressure on the judge suddenly increased.

He shouted sternly, "Relying on your many magical artifacts, you dare to cause trouble in the capital! How dare you!"

The brushstrokes are more numerous, but the essence of metal is, after all, one of the most powerful and vigorous representatives in the world.

Even Wenpan was somewhat outmatched by the onslaught of thousands of white sword shadows.

The Yin messengers on the side were unable to withstand the attack and were pierced through by dozens of golden essence energies, causing a large amount of black smoke to billow out.

Upon seeing this, the judge flew into a rage and threw down his judge's pen: "Summon the Altar of Good and Evil!"

The judge's pen drew a talisman in mid-air, and then a thick yin energy emanated from the talisman, connecting it to the underworld.

A tall stone platform loomed in and out of sight; the golden essence struck it and shattered into dust.

As if the stone platform possessed a spirit, strange patterns spread out, binding Chu Xun with lightning speed.

Chu Xun felt as if his soul was being pulled away, and even the faint spirits of the pine, willow, and water gods seemed to loosen.

The Altar of Good and Evil can clearly distinguish right from wrong and investigate everything that happened in a person's previous life.

But Chu Xun's secret was firmly locked away and could not be discovered by the Good and Evil Platform.

However, this caused the Good and Evil Platform to tremble violently, so much so that Chu Xun couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.

If the shaking continues like this, even if their secrets aren't exposed, they'll be shaken to death.

If good and evil cannot be determined, then erase you from existence, and there will be no need to investigate further.

"These old bastards, they don't even listen to reason with magic artifacts!" Chu Xun was speechless and could only curse in his heart.

The Heavenly Divine Water Pearl moved at will, manifesting out of thin air and splashing onto the Good and Evil Platform.

This essence of Ren water, which has a great restraining effect on Yin judicial instruments, slows down the vibration of the Good and Evil Platform.

The judge scoffed, "As expected, you have many tricks up your sleeve. No wonder you're so arrogant. Too bad this is the capital city, not a place for you to run wild!"

As he spoke, the judge's pen moved again, drawing out talismans with even deeper colors.

The shape of the Good and Evil Platform became clearer.

Once the essence of Ren water is shaken away, it immediately dissipates.

Chu Xun's heart sank. He had thought the underworld gods in the capital were powerful, but he hadn't expected them to be this powerful.

He had faced off against the civil judge under the jurisdiction of the City God.

The Mirror of Good and Evil may have some supernatural properties, but it's not that powerful.

This altar of good and evil appears to be merely a blurry projection, not its true form, yet it is already so powerful.

If the real body were to appear, what would become of us?

With his current level of cultivation, he was indeed no match for her.

At the very least, he needs to advance his cultivation level once more.

Upon reaching the Golden Core stage, both cultivation level and spell power can increase more than tenfold, perhaps even giving one some confidence in a confrontation.

But nowadays, there aren't so many opportunities.

Chu Xun gritted his teeth inwardly, now he could only hope that the old Taoist priest would make a move.

He once promised that he would help him in a life-or-death crisis.

Although he didn't know the old Taoist's level of cultivation, judging from what had happened to Chen Guizhou's family before, he was at least much more powerful than himself.

At this moment, Zhang Jingheng's soul floated out of his body.

A person who has performed great deeds will not have a confused or muddled soul.

Seeing Chu Xun and Wen Pan locked in battle, Zhang Jingheng was slightly taken aback.

Seeing Chu Xun bound by the Good and Evil Platform and vomiting blood, Zhang Jingheng's face immediately darkened.

He didn't ask any questions, but instead looked at Wen Pan and shouted, "What kind of demons and monsters dare to act so presumptuously in the capital of my Jing Kingdom!"

The two characters "放肆" (fangsi, meaning presumptuous or unruly) are like towering mountains, transforming into an invisible, immense force that presses down on the judgment.

Wen Pan was caught off guard and was beaten until his mouth was steaming.

He turned around abruptly and saw Zhang Jingheng radiating golden light, like a god.

"He has actually achieved perfect merit!" The judge was shocked.

There are also distinctions in quality among different kinds of merit.

Those like Tang Shijun possessed great merit and were eligible to be appointed to positions in the underworld, and these positions would not be low.

Zhang Jingheng, on the other hand, achieved perfect merit.

Theoretically speaking, it's almost equivalent to becoming an immortal on the spot.

Such a person's soul is a golden body of merit, far more powerful than a jade tablet.

His words carried weight with them, truly embodying the meaning of verbal and written condemnation.

The judge quickly explained, "Minister Zhang, please don't misunderstand. I am a judge under the command of the City God, here to guide you into the underworld."

Zhang Jingheng glanced at him coldly: "Before me, you little devils and demons dare to impersonate gods and immortals of the underworld!"

"You will be punished on behalf of Heaven!"

"die!"

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