Chapter 178: Southern Barbarians Have Shamans, Heavenly Might Descends

The flood season of the Canglan River is from April to July, further divided into major and minor floods.

Zhao Xing left Shiyang Cave Heaven at the end of February, crossed the river on the seventh day of the third month, and arrived in Yuncheng after the Awakening of Insects. Afterward, he spent five days reporting the scourge Shao Wanjie, and then enjoyed three days at Shao Wanjie's residence. The Patrol Division of the prefecture capital sent people to deal with Shao Wanjie, which took only two days from start to finish.

This group of martial artists, including Xia Jing, arrived in Yuncheng to take up their posts on March 16th. Engineers, agricultural officials, priests, ritual masters, and physicians arrived in batches, with most of them present by March 21st. As for the seventh-rank principal officials of each department, they were all in place by March 18th.

The list of principal officials for each department is as follows:Yuncheng County Magistrate: Duan Ren, Lower Senior Seventh RankYuncheng County Commandant: Xia Jing, Lower Junior Seventh Rank (Temporary)Yuncheng County Priest: Shen Mingyu, Lower Senior Seventh RankYuncheng Director of Waterways: Zhao Xing, Lower Junior Seventh Rank (Temporary)Yuncheng Director of Public Works: Wang Ji, Lower Junior Seventh Rank (Temporary)Yuncheng County Physician Assistant: Yuan Yang, Upper Senior Eighth Rank (Temporary)

In addition to the principal officials in these five departments, several eighth and ninth-rank subordinate officials were either assigned or transferred in. Among them, Shen Mingyu, the principal official of the Temple, was not transferred, so his rank was not temporary. Duan Ren was not from Shiyang Cave Heaven but was transferred by the Nine Heavens Responding to Destiny Prefecture from elsewhere. Those with temporary appointments were mostly reservists from Shiyang Cave Heaven.

From March 16th to March 19th, Zhao Xing, Xia Jing, Wang Ji, Yuan Yang, and others continuously held banquets. These were not for leisure but primarily for getting acquainted. With over two thousand officials dispatched to various departments this time, even if the principal officials were familiar, many others were not. Therefore, these few days were spent holding meetings disguised as meals.

By March 20th, the principal officials of the four departments — Zhao Xing, Xia Jing, Wang Ji, and Yuan Yang — met again, bringing along their subordinate officials, all of whom were eighth-rank, such as Han Bing, Che Shihai, Zhang Jie, Chen Fang, Hu Bing, Zhang Yi, and Cao Shuang. This time, fewer people were present, but almost all the key figures of Yuncheng, except for Duan Ren and Shen Mingyu, were there.

Previous banquets were held within individual departments. Now that Zhao Xing, Xia Jing, Wang Ji, and Yuan Yang were meeting and had brought their eighth-rank subordinate officials, it was clear they were discussing the path forward. Zhao Xing had planned the meeting's agenda in advance, and Zhang Yi, the Master of Ceremonies, was moderating it.

This meeting format was somewhat unique, but most attendees were already accustomed to it, as Zhao Xing had employed similar methods during large-scale exercises in Shiyang Cave Heaven, including principal official meetings, expanded subordinate official meetings, and a primary agenda for discussions, all of which were quite efficient. Zhang Zhong, Jiang Xi, and He Fengnian were also brought along by Zhao Xing. Seeing so many principal officials gathered, they found it quite novel that Zhang Yi, an eighth-rank priest, was the first to speak, and they immediately listened intently.

"...While the specific tasks for each profession across the five departments differ, the general direction remains consistent."

"Only officials who previously held Grade A status in Shiyang Cave Heaven have the highest-ring tasks. There are forty-six such officials here in Yuncheng."

"With more ring tasks, the intelligence on the military realm is also more detailed. I've compiled all this information over the past few days. The first document on the left side of your desks; please open it and check for any inaccuracies or omissions." After speaking, Zhang Yi returned to his seat.

As per Zhao Xing's request, the first item on the agenda for this meeting was the compilation of personnel information and the sharing of task details across all departments. The tasks for martial artists, agricultural officials, engineers, ritual masters, and priests would naturally differ. People had arrived, but if they couldn't work together as a cohesive unit with aligned objectives, then the idea of banding together for mutual support would be moot.

Zhao Xing also picked up a document to examine it. Although he had undertaken similar ring tasks in his previous life, he wasn't sure if they would be the same this time. However, after a quick scan, he felt reassured. For the third-ring tasks, although the specific assignments for each department's profession differed, the assessment standards and task directions were all related to warfare and pacifying the barbarians.

"Brother Xia, Brother Chen... you need to kill thirty eighth-rank barbarian soldiers to pass this third ring with a Grade A evaluation?" Zhao Xing's initial focus was on the tasks assigned to top-tier geniuses like Xia Jing and Chen Fang.

"Yes," Xia Jing replied. "To achieve the highest evaluation, at least half of those eighth-rank foreign tribesmen must be at the Spirit Bridge Mid-stage or Spirit Bridge Late-stage."

"For us from the Azure Dragon Division, who can fight a hundred on our own, the number of enemies to kill isn't really difficult," Chen Fang said. "A qualifying Grade C evaluation only requires killing two Spirit Bridge realm individuals. What's difficult about that? The main concern is not being able to find enough enemies to kill."

Zhao Xing nodded. Indeed, currently, it was just military preparedness; both sides were merely training and probing. With no large-scale conflicts yet, the challenge lay in the scarcity of people to kill. Although the Nine Heavens Responding to Destiny Prefecture was south of the Canglan River, this buffer zone was still a considerable distance from the fortified regions of the Southern Barbarian states. To kill enemies, one either had to venture deep into enemy territory or rely on luck. With good luck, one might complete the task quickly without needing to penetrate deep; with bad luck, they might not encounter an enemy even within half a year.

"Our physicians' tasks are a bit more complex," Yuan Yang stated. "The third-ring task is graded based on the number of casualties among officials and civilians due to combat."

"I must treat combat injuries among officials and civilians within Yuncheng. The more casualties there are, the lower my evaluation will be."

Cao Shuang also looked at the physician's task and felt confused: "So if there are no battles and no one dies, wouldn't you just get the highest evaluation by doing nothing?"

Yuan Yang replied, "A physician's ideal is to have their medicines gather dust on the shelves, but in reality, that's impossible."

"The Southern Barbarian foreign tribes occupy the upper reaches, and they inflict natural disaster strikes on the Nine Heavens Responding to Destiny Prefecture downstream. The diseases brought by natural disasters are terrifying; even if officials can withstand them, the common people cannot. At that point, I'd have a lot more work to do."

"Moreover, it's impossible for you martial artists not to go into battle and kill enemies."

Wang Ji rubbed his shiny forehead. "The Heavenly Craftsmen's Workshop also has a lot to do: repairing and replacing siege weapons, constructing magical arrays. Alas... the hardest part is the tasks assigned by the Agricultural Ministry. Yuncheng is such a mess, it hasn't been repaired in years, and I'm afraid I'll go bald again."

The Agricultural Ministry's workload was indeed substantial, as water management was paramount. Most of Wang Ji's third-ring tasks revolved around the Agricultural Ministry's water management deployments.

Zhao Xing chuckled and cupped his hands. "My apologies, Foreman Wang. Next time, I'll have Yuan Yang prescribe more hair growth medicine for you. Just tell me what delicacies you'd like to eat, and I'll get them for you!"

"Can we get Foreman Wang a Southern Barbarian woman?" Hu Bing teased. "Foreman Wang mentioned that idea before."

"Get out!" Wang Ji retorted, his face red. "When did I ever say that? You even watched Zhang Jie defecate before!"

"Foreman Wang!" Zhang Jie exclaimed, flustered. "Why would you bring that up out of nowhere!"

"Hahahahaha!" The small reception room immediately filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

"Silence! Everyone, you're getting off-topic!" Zhang Yi sternly tapped the table. "The meeting continues. Let's begin the second agenda item."

The first item was determining direction, and everyone's task objectives were aligned. The second item was where to begin the work. Zhao Xing spoke first: "Yuncheng is situated near the Canglan River with numerous tributaries passing through it, so water management must be our top priority."

"If we are to repel enemies beyond our national borders, we cannot allow the Southern Barbarians to attack our homeland."

"Once natural disasters strike Yuncheng and cause significant damage, all your tasks, including mine, will be ruined. Therefore, preventing disaster in Yuncheng is the primary task. Do you all agree?"

"Agreed," Xia Jing stated first. Zhao Xing's third-ring task was to manage the Canglan River flood season and natural disasters. If the Agricultural Ministry couldn't spare personnel, Xia Jing, without a military agricultural official like Zhao Xing, would never dare to enter Fenghuang Mountain to fight barbarians. Without Zhao Xing, the military agricultural official, what would they eat? Furthermore, as the county commandant, Xia Jing also had the duty to protect Yuncheng, so he naturally supported the idea.

"Agreed," Yuan Yang also stated first. If natural disasters couldn't be prevented, his third-ring task would also be ruined. After a disaster, epidemics would spread everywhere, and if Yuncheng truly suffered from a natural disaster, he might as well pack up and leave. Wang Ji naturally agreed as well because his tasks were strongly correlated with Zhao Xing's. Prioritizing Zhao Xing's tasks effectively meant prioritizing his own. "Agreed," the others echoed their approval.

Zhang Yi raised his concern: "I am not the principal official of the Temple; Shen Mingyu is. And Liu Jingwen is not the county magistrate. If he and I were to conspire with our subordinates to undermine Shen Mingyu and Duan Ren, it would be against proper etiquette and might lower our evaluations."

Everyone's gaze turned to the young man seated upright below, wearing a tall hat and scholar's robes. Liu Jingwen was a ritual master, a military strategist. He hadn't been particularly outstanding during training, not even achieving Grade B status in Shiyang Cave Heaven, only Grade C-plus. However, during the last large-scale exercise, he had acted alongside Zhao Xing and Xia Jing. Many ritual masters had been dispatched, but Liu Jingwen was the only familiar "strategic general" among them. Zhang Yi, on the other hand, had entered the Priest's Four Saints Academy at the end of the training.

However, both of their paths required adherence to 'etiquette'. Zhao Xing and Xia Jing could act audaciously, but they could not. Doing anything out of line would diminish their spell power, and going against the etiquette in their hearts could even lead to a regression in their cultivation.

"That's a minor issue," Xia Jing said. "Just let them hand over all administrative affairs to the two of you."

"Will they?" Liu Jingwen hesitated. "Shen Mingyu is one thing; he neglected his duties in the Shao Wanjie case, so he won't be able to achieve anything in Yuncheng. But Duan Ren has just been transferred here to take office."

"If I say they will, they will," Xia Jing chuckled. "I forgot to tell you all, Duan Ren was a clerk in the 241st year of the Dingxin era, and only became a regular official in the first year of the Jingxin era, serving as a ninth-rank county magistrate in Huangyan Commandery. He didn't achieve a rank for five years before that, but after serving for three years in Huangyan Commandery, he quickly rose to the Lower Eighth Rank and was transferred elsewhere."

The others were confused, and Xia Jing immediately continued: "Huangyan Commandery is my father's fiefdom."

Everyone: "..."

"Darn it, Brother Xia just showed off!" Chen Fang slapped the table.

"Brother Xia, why didn't you say earlier that Duan Ren was once your family's vassal?"

"Report him! Someone's cheating!"

"Brother Xia, you didn't need a Dao protector, you just brought him?"

"Well, well, you anticipated becoming the county commandant and brought a county magistrate along, so you can quickly take control of both military and administrative power wherever you go."

"This fellow cannot be kept here for long!"

"Brother Xia should be punished with a stone of Ma Yu Guo!"

"Ugh... Zhang Jie, I swear I'm going to rip that mouth of yours apart!"

"Oh my, that wasn't me! Chen Fang was just mimicking voices! You know he got a perfect score in his language class."

"Silence!!"

Zhang Yi tapped the table loudly, casting a spell to quiet everyone down. Zhao Xing couldn't help but smile at this scene. Why did he want to bring Xia Jing into the fold? Because top-tier geniuses often had a Dao protector-like figure. Given Xia Jing's background, his options were much broader. A transfer like Duan Ren's couldn't have been arranged so smoothly if Xia Jing weren't the Marquis's heir.

"My father, Marquis Xia..." That phrase carried weight anywhere in Pinghai Province!

Just as Zhao Xing and his group were discussing the grand plan for Yuncheng, three thousand li to the south, somewhere in the Fenghuang Mountain Range. Clouds drifted, and light illuminated a cluster of massive stone buildings below. At the center of the complex stood an intricately carved colossal stone palace. Outside the palace were two solemn, imposing statues with beast heads and human bodies, holding staffs.

The palace exuded a sense of gravitas. Beside it were numerous beast-hide military tents, where many sturdy barbarian soldiers patrolled with sharp weapons. Numerous exotic beasts were also caged in the camp, their roars echoing one after another. From time to time, people in totem robes with arcane patterns painted on their faces moved among them, chanting spells with bowed heads. Whenever these individuals passed by, the barbarian warriors on both sides of the path would stop and bow respectfully. For these were the most revered 'Shamans' of the tribe.

As the shamans performed their rituals, faint light emanated from beneath their feet, and lush, green vegetation suddenly sprouted from the barren ground. Soon, barbarian soldiers came to harvest this fodder as food for the exotic beasts. One young shaman wore a black satin robe, a feather-adorned helmet, and a black cape matching his robe. Exuding an air of nobility, he walked into the central stone palace. As he walked through the passages of the stone complex, the entire space seemed to breathe, imbued with a strange and ancient charm.

A moment later, the young shaman arrived inside the palace. The interior was vast, containing only a single, shimmering purple throne, upon which sat a colossal figure. The young shaman bowed respectfully: "Greetings, God Envoy Cang."

"Zhaoke," the figure on the purple throne spoke, its voice like a great bell. "Mount Shen has commanded that your 'Hana' tribe's shamans are responsible for bringing down divine might upon the Nine Heavens Responding to Destiny Prefecture. This must be completed within one month."

As the words fell, a beam of light shot from the throne's armrest, and purple light coalesced to form a map. The map's ethereal image swept before Zhaoke's eyes.

"Have you memorized it?"

"Yes, I have," Zhaoke replied, looking up to carefully examine the map before bowing with a hand over his chest. "The Hana tribe will not fail the God Envoy's command."

With a whoosh, the purple figure transformed into a streak of light and, along with the throne, flew out of the passage, vanishing into the sky in the blink of an eye. Zhaoke quickly replicated the map, then retrieved a Great Zhou version of the Nine Heavens Responding to Destiny Prefecture map for comparison, and afterward, his gaze fell on a specific point on the map.

"Yuncheng," Zhaoke murmured. "The target area for the natural disaster strike is here."

The second update is expected around 12:30 AM.

(End of Chapter)