Chapter 18: Token and Almanac

You have obtained a Thousand-Mile Transmit Token!

**Thousand-Mile Transmit Token (Special Edition)**Quality: Upper Third GradeEffect: Once activated by spiritual energy, it automatically sends out a distress signal to a designated location and marks the sender's position for the recipient.

***

You have obtained the Misfortune-Averting Almanac!

**Misfortune-Averting Almanac (Special Edition)**Quality: Upper Third GradeEffect: Provides warnings based on the user's fortune level. The higher the level, the stronger the effect. It is effective up to the 'Derivation Three' fortune level.

***

After receiving the treasures, Chen Shijie gave a few instructions, and everyone thanked him before departing.

Holding the two treasures, Zhao Xing felt a touch of surprise. He hadn't expected that the appearance of the Profound Heaven Sect would lead him to acquire these two items so early, and special edition versions at that.

“The Thousand-Mile Transmit Token offers an automatic tracking and positioning function, unlike the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talisman. In emergencies, when there’s no time to speak, the token is far superior to a single-use talisman.” Zhao Xing examined it, noting the three embedded red, blue, and green beads. These corresponded to different levels of urgency: red signified extreme danger, typically for situations like an enemy invasion, requiring at least a small military force to investigate upon receiving the signal. Recalling Wang Long’s earlier mention of the East Lake Army, Zhao Xing surmised that this token was likely a special military-issue item. Its quality indicated that an Upper Third Grade treasure was something ordinary people rarely possessed.

Almanacs, on the other hand, were common; ordinary households had them, though most were unranked. However, any almanac that achieved a rank typically possessed miraculous effects, such as this Misfortune-Averting Almanac.

“This isn't a complete version of the almanac, but it's also a special edition. It removes the 'bringing good fortune' effect while strengthening the 'averting misfortune' effect.”

“The higher one's fortune level, the more pronounced its effect.”

The complete version of the almanac was exceedingly difficult to obtain, as it resided within the imperial palace, classified as a 'priceless rarity' of super-grade. All other almanacs across the land were mere offshoots derived from that super-grade 'treasure'. This treasure's standing was no less than that of the later 'Cloud Dream Academy', though it naturally fell short of the 'Grand Dream Academy', which was a national treasure.

Despite this, acquiring the Misfortune-Averting Almanac was still very good. Almanacs with the 'bringing good fortune' effect were extremely rare, typically requiring at least a fourth-grade quality, and for truly powerful effects, a seventh-grade quality was necessary. Dynasties founded on fortune almost always implemented such restrictions. Why? To prevent people from using them for ill-deeds and to avoid unearned gains. Moreover, if everyone could 'bring good fortune' to themselves, it would effectively mean no one could.

“The poor and distressed cannot acquire the 'fortune-bringing' version of the almanac, and its owners are invariably wealthy or noble, thus rarely using it for personal gain.”

“Hmm, my fortune level is Derivation Two, so the Misfortune-Averting Almanac's effect should be quite good... huh?” Just as Zhao Xing left the Bureau of Agriculture, intending to visit his fields in the eastern suburbs, the almanac suddenly began to flip its pages on its own.

With a rustle, the almanac flipped open, then stopped on one particular page.

**Jingxin Calendar, Year 15, July 22, Mid-Afternoon, Quarter past Si Hour.****Misfortune Aversion Warning: Moderate Omen; Traveling far to the due east, hidden dangers lurk.**

Simultaneously, a prompt appeared on his panel.

You have used the Third-Grade treasure 'Misfortune-Averting Almanac'. Based on your fortune level and known information, you have received the following alert:**If you depart at Si Hour and travel to the eastern suburbs, you will encounter hidden Profound Heaven Sect cultists at a tea shop. You will inadvertently attract their surveillance, and your life or death will be uncertain. Do not proceed!**

“Damn it, hidden dangers indeed! Have those lunatics from the Profound Heaven Sect really come near Gucheng City?” Zhao Xing glanced at the almanac, then compared it with the panel's alert, feeling somewhat speechless.

Ominous signs were categorized into four levels: Minor, Moderate, Major, and Extreme. Normally, the latter three were quite rare. He hadn't expected to receive a moderate-level ominous sign right after acquiring it. Since Zhao Xing was already aware of the Profound Heaven Sect's existence and possessed various information about them, the panel's display was more detailed. Was his fortune so effective? He received such an alert right after it appeared?

“'Do not travel far at Si Hour, hidden dangers lurk.' Time to bail out.” Zhao Xing decisively chose to avoid the east; he wouldn't be going to the eastern suburbs today.

As for reporting it? That was impossible. The information was too scant, and there were so many tea shops in the east; who knew which one harbored evil-doers? Even if he had detailed information, he couldn't do it now. How would he explain himself? The Misfortune-Averting Almanac certainly didn't provide such specifics.

The Great Zhou Dynasty had no sects; all former sects had been expelled from the nineteen prefectures. 'Expelling sects to the outer realms' referred to the achievement of a certain ancient emperor. Therefore, once the unified fortune dynasty system was established, there was essentially no breeding ground for evil gods, illicit worship, or sectarian fiends, at most only some petty, hidden disturbances.

“Yet, even under these conditions, the Profound Heaven Sect, an ancient sect, has managed to periodically stir up trouble and assert its presence across several dynasties. Its power is truly terrifying. It's one of the few ancient sects whose disciples remain active even in the era of unified dynasties.”

“Though the main sect is mostly closed off, in a state of slumber, its remaining adherents and believers still constitute a considerable force, at least for me at present,” Zhao Xing thought to himself. “I wonder if others will notice, but if there truly are Profound Heaven Sect cultists lurking around the public fields right now…”

Turning around, Zhao Xing returned to the Bureau of Agriculture and found Chen Ziyu and Qian Dong.

“Ziyu, Qian Dong, what are your plans for a bit later?”

“Ziyu and I plan to go to the eastern suburbs, then head home for lunch before returning to the eastern suburbs,” Qian Dong said lazily. “The food at the Bureau of Agriculture doesn't suit my taste.”

“It's already the Great Heat solar term. To re-cultivate spirit rice, we constantly need to use the 'cultivation' spell for it to survive. It's truly arduous, sigh…” Chen Ziyu said, looking distressed.

“Oh, by the way, Big Brother, why did Chen Shijie call for you?” Qian Dong asked.

“He said there were fiends causing trouble, specifically abducting officials from the Bureau of Agriculture and the Bureau of Works. Chen Shijie warned us to be careful and even bestowed some defensive items,” Zhao Xing replied. There was nothing secret about this, as the news had already spread.

Nanyang Prefecture's public order was generally good, or at least that was the impression, so Chen Ziyu and Qian Dong paid little heed. Instead, upon hearing Zhao Xing had obtained two treasures, they clamored to see them.

Zhao Xing was more than happy for them to abandon their plan to go to the eastern suburbs. The three simply ate lunch in the city. In the afternoon, he took out the almanac, walked a bit to the east, and finding no warning, felt significantly relieved.

“No warning appeared, so they must have left? Perhaps they were just scouting the area? I heard that minor officials like Li Chengfeng from the A-rank list didn't take it seriously at all and even deliberately went to the eastern suburbs together, hoping to gain merit. I wonder if anyone went missing,” Zhao Xing mused. At this moment, he secretly wished the Profound Heaven Sect would stir up some trouble and capture some of the A-rank officials. With fewer strong competitors, wouldn't his chances of becoming a full official increase significantly?

However, such thoughts were destined to remain wishful thinking. By early August, no one had gone missing. Gucheng City remained peaceful, and even some units of the East Lake Army had withdrawn.

On the second day of the eighth month, Old Administrator Xue Wenzhong returned to the Huailiu Courtyard after a ten-day sick leave. Everything seemed largely unchanged. The staff of the Bureau of Agriculture soon forgot about the incident, as the Autumn Commencement assessment was about to begin.