I Have A Dual World Seal

"Gulp!"

City God Xin Zhanting raised his cup and toasted Lu Zheng from afar, then tipped his head back to drink it all.

"Good wine!"

Lu Zheng put down his cup and picked up a piece of roast chicken with his chopsticks, putting it in his mouth to ease the wine.

It's worth mentioning that back in modern times, he rarely drank alcohol. But since coming to the Great Jing Dynasty, whether he was drinking with Elder Liu or with Xin Zhanting, he found himself steadily building his tolerance.

"Younger Brother Lu, you're still without a title, not holding any official rank?" Xin Zhanting looked at Lu Zheng in surprise.

Lu Zheng shook his head, "No."

Xin Zhanting blinked, somewhat puzzled, and said, "With your literary talents, if not a top scorer in Zhongjing, achieving the rank of advanced scholar in the county exams would be a piece of cake. Are all those examiners blind?"

Lu Zheng shook his head again, "No, I haven't participated in the county exams. I'm not interested in becoming an official."

Raising his cup, Lu Zheng smiled and said, "My dream is to travel to the East Sea in the morning and Mu Cang Mountain at dusk, with a pot of wine and a flute, watching clouds by day and stars by night, envying neither officials nor immortals."

Xin Zhanting's eyes shone brightly, "What bold spirit!"

Then shook his head, "It's a pity, a natural-born cultivator, yet cannot be of use to the court."

Hearing this, Lu Zheng laughed again, "My lady has not provided quite a bit of incense and candle qi to Brother Xin?"

Xin Zhanting couldn't help but nod, then burst into laughter, "Indeed! Indeed!"

Judge Li, while drinking, swayed with his head, "Luxuriant is the peach, blazing in bloom; the couple is joined, in a home that's their own."

Putting down his cup, Judge Li said with admiration, "What a good poem! Though not resplendent, its simplicity and vivid imagery deeply touch the heart."

Xin Zhanting nodded and said, "Since the opening of Taohua Temple, countless commoners have burned incense and prayed, and the temple's prosperity in incense and candle qi is even surpassing my Underworld."

Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow.

Xin Zhanting couldn't hide his glee, "The incense and candle qi Taohua Temple shares with us has kept us all full, and we've been ceaselessly cultivating!"

Xin Zhanting raised his cup to Lu Zheng, "After another period of cultivation and training, I'll lead my troops straight into the Netherworld to eliminate the Ye Lan King on Yelan Mountain!

If this is accomplished, both Younger Brother Lu and Madam Shen will have meritorious contributions!"

Lu Zheng raised his cup in response, then waved his hand repeatedly, "That's due to Brother Xin's bravery and the dedication of the Underworld soldiers. How could my wife and I claim any credit?

Besides, according to Da Jing Law, the incense and candle qi from Taohua Temple shared with the Underworld is an official matter, how could it be considered a merit?"

Lu Zheng dared not claim this credit, knowing well what he could get involved with and what he should avoid.

"Heh heh!" Xin Zhanting chuckled, "Apart from Taohua Temple, the court also enfeoffs many small temples and shrines, but the incense and candle qi they can offer is trivial at best. None as flourishing as Madam Shen's Taohua Temple?

If it weren't for your famous poem 'Peach Blossoms in Bloom', Madam Shen's Taohua Temple's incense and candle qi would likely be no different from the other mountain gods and earth gods.

Now that your poetry and the temple align, the prosperity of the incense directly increases the strength of the Tonglin County Underworld. If you don't have merit, would a remiss Mud City God like me have any?"

Lu Zheng simply shook his head, then clinked cups with Xin Zhanting and drank, not accepting any talk of credits.

"Tch, unsatisfying, come, let's have a saber duel, that's more exhilarating!"

Lu Zheng stood up with a smile, took a long saber from a guard, and went to the training field with Xin Zhanting.

Another intense battle ensued.

The gap in strength between Lu Zheng and Xin Zhanting visibly closed, and Lu Zheng could now even force out some of Xin Zhanting's real abilities.

"Younger Brother Lu, you truly are a genius in cultivation! How did you cultivate? Even if Madam Shen grants you half of the incense and candle qi, one couldn't progress this fast, right?" Xin Zhanting was quite shocked.

Lu Zheng smiled slightly, "Recently, I ventured into the mountains and found a Zhi Ma, kept at Peach Blossom Plain, and discovered some stalactite springs, drinking quite a bit regularly, all helping with cultivation."

Xin Zhanting gave a thumbs up, "An unrefined living person cultivates the fastest. In just half a year, you've accomplished what I've achieved in decades as a ghost. Truly a born cultivation prodigy!"

"Anyway…" Xin Zhanting paused with amusement, "Does your master know your current cultivation level now?"

Lu Zheng was startled, recalling he hadn't let Daoist Mingzhang check his True Qi cultivation for a long time.

Ever since he learned the 'White Cloud Swordsmanship,' he's continuously used incense and candle qi for cultivation, even lavishly consuming Light of Fortune for cultivation. He spent over 250 strands, leaving less than a hundred, and to be honest, his strength has increased to the point where even he isn't quite sure of his mastery.

After all, the Jade Seal didn't provide a progress bar, and there weren't any cultivation realms in this world for comparison.

"Uh, I don't know."

Xin Zhanting nodded, "Hmm, not knowing is quite fine too."

Before Lu Zheng could speak, Xin Zhanting dragged him back to the grand hall for more drinking.

...

Late at night, Lu Zheng returned home, lay down on his bed, tipsy, unable to sleep. He sat cross-legged at his bedside and continued meditating and cultivating Qi.

This past month had been one of Lu Zheng's most monotonous.

In modern times, Lin Wan gradually became busy, but didn't cancel the lease for the two-bedroom apartment. 'Eighteen Mountain-Carrying Techniques' continued, and Lu Zheng would visit each weekend to instruct.

In ancient times, Lu Zheng either cultivated independently or held clinics at Renxin Hall, as its reputation in Tonglin County grew. Liu Qingyan, with her beautiful appearance and kind heart, healed with remarkable efficacy, already surpassing the chief physician, Elder Liu, in the public view in Tonglin County.

Sometimes, Lu Zheng even felt he could see golden light shimmering from Liu Qingyan, though upon closer inspection, it would vanish. Otherwise, he would've thought Liu Qingyan was about to become a saint.

With Lu Zheng's increasing cultivation, his consumption of Light of Fortune accelerated.

In a while, the remaining ninety-six strands might not last much longer.

"These peaceful days are both lovable and hateable…"

"You call this a cheat, having to siphon off others' fortune? If you were more productive and stole straight from the Heavenly Dao, I, your master, could avoid worrying until the end of time?"

"Now, I still have to ponder where to stir things up."

Lu Zheng rubbed his chin, contemplating whether yesterday's rain meant he should head into the mountains for more stalactite spring water.

"Whish!"

The room suddenly turned chillingly cold.

"Young Master Lu!"

It was the voice of the City Patrol Envoy, Duan Zhong.

"Does Inspector Duan have business?" Lu Zheng got out of bed and opened the door.

Unexpectedly, outside stood not only Duan Zhong, but also two other City Patrol Envoys and thirty City God Ghost Soldiers.

What was going on?