Chapter 1197: Wind and Rain Are Coming

The county yamen was reduced to ruins, with no survivors. Liu Xian and his wife lay dead in a pool of blood, each with a fist-sized blood hole in their chests, their faces frozen in disbelief.

Besides them, all the wealthy merchants who had sought refuge in the county yamen were also killed.

A black-robed man and Sun Cui'er stood amidst the ruins. Sun Cui'er held two bleeding hearts in her hands.

"You killed my ghost pet so quickly. You're asking for death!"

The black-robed man was instantly enraged, his face contorted with murderous intent.

"What audacity! How dare you infiltrate the state capital and commit murder. You are the ones courting death!"

A cold male voice suddenly echoed.

Ripples appeared in the void, and a fair-faced old man in white robes materialized high in the sky, his expression cold and indifferent.

"Senior Lin, you've finally arrived."

Wang Tianwen breathed a long sigh of relief upon seeing the white-robed elder.

The black-robed man and Sun Cui'er turned pale with fright and fled in different directions.

The silver jade brush in Wang Tianwen's hand glowed intensely. With a wave towards the black-robed man, a silver light blade, dozens of feet long, shot through the air.

The black-robed man flicked his sleeve, and a black ghostly claw, several feet wide, shot out to meet the silver light blade.

Boom!

The black ghostly claw shattered the silver light blade. The black-robed man's escape speed surged, covering a hundred zhang in an instant.

"Still trying to escape? Do you take me for a fool?"

The white-robed elder said coldly, shaking his wide sleeve. A red light and a golden light flew out, heading towards the black-robed man and Sun Cui'er respectively.

Above the black-robed man's head, the void rippled, and a large, shimmering red net materialized, trapping him. Above Sun Cui'er, a golden light glowed, revealing a dazzling miniature golden pagoda. With a spin, it emitted a golden mist that enveloped Sun Cui'er, drawing her into the golden pagoda.

The white-robed elder's figure flickered, and he instantly appeared before the black-robed man.

To his horror, the black-robed man found he could not use any spiritual power. The white-robed elder placed his right hand on the black-robed man's forehead, and his palm glowed with a dazzling white light.

Soul-Searching Technique!

The black-robed man's face contorted as if he were enduring excruciating pain.

With a *poof*, a black flame appeared out of thin air, incinerating the black-robed man into ashes.

"A restriction!"

The white-robed elder frowned, his figure flickered, and he flew into the golden miniature pagoda.

Wang Tianwen manipulated his magic artifact to eliminate the low-level ghosts.

More than half of Hongcheng was destroyed, with tens of thousands of common people dying at the hands of the ghosts. Most wealthy merchants and gentry were killed or injured, turning the entire city into a living hell.

Not long after, the white-robed elder flew out of the golden miniature pagoda.

"Senior Lin, what's the situation? What exactly happened?"

Wang Tianwen asked cautiously, knowing that if he had remained at the governor's yamen, he might not have escaped the calamity.

"This ghost was artificially cultivated. Over the years, many low-level cultivators inexplicably disappeared. We originally thought they had left the Great Yan Dynasty, but it turns out they were captured by evil cultivators and used to feed this ghost. She died unjustly, her resentment was immense, and with the aid of cultivation methods, it was easier to nurture her into a powerful vengeful ghost."

The white-robed elder spoke slowly. The Central Plains Cultivation World is the heart of the Dongli Realm, bustling with merchants and commerce, and a large number of cultivators come here to do business.

If disciples from several major factions hadn't inexplicably disappeared, the Myriad Immortals Bureau would not have discovered the large number of low-level cultivators who went missing.

Five to six hundred low-level cultivators alone died at Sun Cui'er's hands, alongside tens of thousands of mortals. It's no wonder she could quickly advance to Ghost King. Of course, in addition to consuming a vast number of cultivators and mortals, she also possessed ghost cultivation techniques, allowing her to reach the Ghost King realm.

Otherwise, she would have had no way to become a Ghost King.

The Dongli Realm is the collective name for this plane. It is merely a lowest-tier plane, and there are higher-tier planes beyond it.

Wang Tianwen suddenly understood. He had felt it was strange from the beginning that a Core Formation stage Ghost King could suddenly appear.

"Little friend Wang, immediately lead your people to clear out the remaining ghosts. I will send a batch of reinforcements right away."

"Understood, Senior Lin."

Wang Tianwen agreed and led a team of cultivators to clear out the remaining ghosts.

These ghosts were not high-ranked, but they were numerous.

Three days later, Wang Tianwen returned to the government office. The Myriad Immortals Bureau had sent one Nascent Soul cultivator, five Core Formation cultivators, and over a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Oh, Fellow Daoist Qin, why are you here? Weren't you stationed in Chaozhou?"

Wang Tianwen looked at a fair-faced scholar in a green robe and said with some surprise.

The green-robed scholar's name was Qin Qian, a friend of Wang Tianwen.

Chaozhou is five to six million li from Quanzhou; it would have been impossible to arrive in just three days.

After some conversation, Wang Tianwen learned that several prefectures were being troubled by demonic cultivators, and the imperial court had dispatched a large number of cultivators to investigate.

"What's going on? Demonic cultivators causing trouble in multiple prefectures? This is too strange!"

Wang Tianwen wondered aloud. Sun Cui'er was a ghost carefully cultivated by high-level cultivators. What benefit could cultivators gain from ghosts harming a large number of mortals?

Was it meant to provoke the royal family? Or the imperial family? Or was something about to happen to the Great Yan Dynasty?

"I'm not sure either; the higher-ups probably know the inside story. Oh, by the way, Fellow Daoist Wang, I ran into your seventh granduncle. A great reputation is never undeserved; the ancients truly did not deceive me."

Qin Qian said with a smile.

"Oh, you met Seventh Granduncle? He went to Chaozhou? When was this?"

Wang Tianwen asked curiously.

"Three months ago, a third-tier demon flood dragon caused trouble in Black Dragon Pond in Chaozhou, harming the common people. We were ordered to rush there, but as soon as we arrived, we saw your seventh granduncle had already slain the demon flood dragon. Fellow Daoist Yang, who was leading our group, sparred with your seventh granduncle and was defeated in just three moves."

Qin Qian's face was filled with admiration as he finished speaking.

Over the years, Wang Qingshan had traveled throughout the Great Yan Dynasty, defeating many young talents. As a result, his name and portrait became widely known.

"Three months ago? Calculating the time, Seventh Granduncle might pass through Quanzhou. It would be great if I could meet him; I haven't seen the elder in a long time."

Wang Tianwen said with some excitement. The greater Wang Qingshan's reputation in the Great Yan Dynasty, the more convenient it would be for Wang Tianwen to work in the Myriad Immortals Bureau.

The Myriad Immortals Bureau has many disciples from major factions. The Great Yan Dynasty would not allow them access to core secrets but would hire cultivators with cultivation resources to perform tasks.

To establish oneself in the South Sea Cultivation World and develop a territory, one must lease islands from major factions and serve as their enforcers. While the rent isn't expensive, it's easy to get caught in major wars and perish. In the Central Plains Cultivation World, most foreign cultivators either join the Myriad Immortals Bureau or become retainers under royalty and nobility.

Regardless of the option, daring to harm the interests of local forces would invite retaliation from them.

Therefore, because Wang Tianwen originated from the Wang family, the Great Yan Imperial Family allowed him to continue serving in the Myriad Immortals Bureau instead of expelling him.

"That's not necessarily true. I heard that the Miao family in Lanyun Prefecture is hosting an Immortal Ascension Grand Meeting, inviting many high-level cultivators to participate. Your seventh granduncle will probably attend that."

"The Miao family? Are you referring to the Miao family known for their mastery of talisman arts?"

Wang Tianwen asked with some curiosity.

"Is there a second Miao family in Yunlan Prefecture? I heard the Miao family produced a prodigy named Miao Jiale. This Immortal Ascension Grand Meeting is likely being held for him. If your seventh granduncle attends, I think the Miao family's plans will fall through."

Qin Qian said with a smile. When major factions hold grand celebrations, they typically either introduce their outstanding juniors to other factions or have important announcements to make; the former is usually more likely.