The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

The middle-aged scholar who had come to deliver the invitation was stunned when he heard Zhao Xing's response. He stood there in shock, unable to recover for quite some time.

When he finally understood what Zhao Xing had said, a flash of anger crossed his eyes. "In that case, I shall return and report this exactly as you've said, word for word, to Magistrate Shao!"

With that, he turned to leave, his sleeves flaring as if to express his displeasure.

Zhao Xing waved his hand, and a gust of qi immediately trapped the middle-aged scholar. "Did I say you could leave?"

The scholar was stunned. "I am under Magistrate Shao's command! What are you trying to do?!"

"You're just a mere lackey. No official rank, no noble title, and yet you dare to act so brazenly in front of me?" Zhao Xing glared at him. "Do you really think you're an official? Kneel!"

Thud!

The scholar was forced to his knees by a tremendous pressure, his legs crumpling under the force.

Crack!

Just like that, his legs were shattered, his knees completely crushed.

Without any official rank, this man had grown accustomed to strutting around with Shao Wanjie's authority, treating even Eighth Rank officials as his equals. But today, he encountered Zhao Xing and immediately realized the true weight of an official's authority.

"Please, Lord Zhao, have mercy. I... I know my mistake," the middle-aged scholar whimpered, his face turning pale as his bones broke.

This man didn't follow the typical rules of engagement. And strategists' greatest fear? A reckless madman, because you could never predict what they would do.

"Don't worry. I won't kill you," Zhao Xing said with a smile. "Now, write down all of Shao Wanjie's crimes. You should know quite a lot."

The scholar's eyes widened, and he immediately tried to bite his tongue and commit suicide.

But how could Zhao Xing allow that? He sent a strike of qi that dislocated the man's jaw, preventing him from following through.

"Whether you write or not doesn't really matter. Shao Wanjie's crimes are numerous and well-documented. Collecting evidence is easy. The court is determined to cleanse the border military, and Shao Wanjie's fate is sealed."

"I hear you have a wife and children in the area, likely under Shao Wanjie's control. If their involvement is minimal and you cooperate with the investigation, I can guarantee they will be spared. Within two hours, I can have them safely removed from his influence."

"However, if you refuse, and you're set on sinking with Shao Wanjie's ship, feel free to inch your neck forward. My qi can ensure your foolish loyalty is rewarded."

The middle-aged scholar's heart trembled. He had never imagined that delivering an invitation could lead to such a situation.

But everything Zhao Xing said felt entirely believable. After all, he was a mere official of lower rank—what possible reason would Zhao Xing have to kill him? No, Zhao Xing's target was clearly Shao Wanjie.

To make a move against a Seventh Rank Upper official like Shao Wanjie... Zhao Xing either had backing far beyond what anyone expected, or he was telling the truth: the court was conducting a thorough purge.

As the shock wore off and his thoughts cleared, the scholar no longer wished to die. Though he couldn't speak, his hands still worked. He quickly wrote on the ground with his finger: "Let them live."

Zhao Xing nodded, and Long Xiao dragged the scholar to a side hall to record his full testimony.

Zhao Xing, meanwhile, took the prepared official document and headed to another side chamber in the Shennong Office.

Because of the high rank of his position, the office contained a row of small deity statues. Though the figures were modest in size, more akin to a set of small shrines, they were still revered.

Among the items Zhao Xing had received upon his appointment was a set of special incense and custom-made spirit money. He lit three sticks of the incense and placed them in front of the statue of Shenxing Daizong, the god of swift travel.

This was the medium through which he could send messages, and the cost was the incense and spirit money.

Whoosh!

The incense in front of the statue ignited, and the eyes of the deity statue lit up.

"Zhao Xing, Shennong of Yuncheng, what business brings you to summon me?" the deity's voice echoed.

"I have an urgent document to send to the Shennong Office in the prefectural city," Zhao Xing replied.

"For urgent delivery, you must specify the first recipient."

"Prefectural Shennong Monitor, Lord Dantai Ming."

"Very well."

Zhao Xing burned the document in the incense burner.

As the incense and spirit money quickly turned to ash, the document was sent on its way.

Meanwhile, in the Shennong Office in the prefectural city, Dantai Ming's office bustled with activity. In the back, three small shrine-like furnaces constantly churned out official documents, which were automatically stacked into small piles.

Swoosh!

Dantai Ming sat at his desk, sorting through hundreds of documents. A quill pen, seemingly of its own accord, flew across the papers, rapidly opening, signing, and closing each one before sending them back to the furnaces.

In just a brief moment, over a hundred documents were processed, yet his desk still held piles of work waiting for review. The endless flow of requests from the vast Nine Heavens Yingyuan Prefecture kept him occupied, especially in times of war.

At that moment, seven letters dropped directly into his lap.

Urgent letters could skip the usual queue, but the main reason these were prioritized was because Dantai Ming had personally set certain regions for immediate attention.

As he skimmed through the seven letters, he quickly returned responses, each within a minute. Despite being a Fourth Rank Lower official, Dantai Ming's mind processed at speeds akin to a high-level Earth Mirror, thanks to the assistance of his Three Flowers Gold Crown artifact.

Back in Yuncheng, Zhao Xing had planned to leave the temple hall, knowing that Dantai Ming would not immediately respond, given the countless messages flooding the prefecture office every day.

But before Zhao Xing could even step through the doorway, the statue of Shenxing Daizong stirred again, and a new letter flew from the incense burner straight into his hands.

"Huh? That was fast," Zhao Xing muttered, pausing mid-step. He hadn't even fully crossed the threshold yet, and already Dantai Ming had responded.

Opening the letter, Zhao Xing found it contained just eight simple words: "Wait and observe. Arrest if necessary, no interrogation."

Zhao Xing thought for a moment, realizing that Dantai Ming had given him two options.

The first was to do nothing and wait for official orders to come down.

The second was to arrest Shao Wanjie, but without interrogating him.

Both were valid approaches. As the Shennong of Yuncheng, Zhao Xing wasn't obligated to make arrests. He could simply await higher authorities.

However, Zhao Xing was not just any Shennong—he was also a Military Shennong, and currently involved in a mission within the Realm of Soldiers. As a capable and combat-ready Military Shennong, it was within his duties to prevent someone like Shao Wanjie from escaping.

The order not to interrogate was a protection, a safeguard from Dantai Ming.

"Shao Wanjie's ties reach as far as Fifth Rank Senior Prefect Liu Junliang, and possibly even higher. Knowing too much could be dangerous for me, so Dantai Ming advises me to avoid interrogation."

"My role is only to detain Shao Wanjie, following Dantai Ming's orders. That way, I avoid trouble."

Zhao Xing also understood the unspoken message: the court likely intended to remove Shao Wanjie, but without escalating matters to implicate others, especially not Liu Junliang. His report alone wouldn't be enough to bring down someone as high as Liu.

With this in mind, Zhao Xing made his decision. "In ordinary circumstances, I could just sit back and wait. But right now, I need to act fast. The sooner Shao Wanjie is dealt with, the better for my own plans. Delays of ten days or more would be detrimental."

"Besides, once Shao Wanjie is out of the way, I'll essentially be the highest-ranking official in Yuncheng, and its resources will be mine to manage."

"If I'm to succeed, I'll need all the money I can get."

"Arrest him! Crushing crime is a duty I can't shirk!"

With that, Zhao Xing sought out Long Xiao.

Long Xiao had just finished his interrogation of the scholar.

"Prepare yourself. We're going to that banquet."

"What?" Long Xiao blinked. "Didn't we just detain one of his men? And now we're going to his banquet?"

"He doesn't know that yet," Zhao Xing said. "Not only are we going to the banquet, but we're also going to arrest Shao Wanjie."

"Like when Chen did it in Gucheng?" Long Xiao asked.

"Exactly."

"Is Shao Wanjie a swordsman?"

"No."

"Does he have a hundred Seventh Rank guards?"

Zhao Xing looked at him in surprise. "Are you saying you can fight a hundred people?"

"Are you insulting me?" Long Xiao scoffed. "What, you think you're the only genius around? How many of your peers could you fight back at Ten Sun Cave-Heaven?"

Zhao Xing paused, thinking. "I suppose about a hundred."

Long Xiao patted his sword. "See? In the Shenwei Army, there were nearly eighty-seven thousand of us, and I was one of only five sword cultivators, besides the Marquis himself. You ask if I can fight? What an insult!"

"My apologies," Zhao Xing said with a smirk. "Please forgive me, mighty Lord Long."

"Hmm, that's better," Long Xiao said with a satisfied nod. "But are you sure I should get involved? I'm your protector, not your tool. You need to handle this challenge yourself. Won't using me affect your mission?"

Zhao Xing thought for a moment. "No, the third phase is about flood control, and this is unrelated. Even if there's a small impact on my assessment, resolving Yuncheng's internal issues quickly is far more important."

"Alright then, your call."

Shao Wanjie's estate was vast, comparable to ten full blocks of Yuncheng. He'd cleared the surrounding area of civilians and awarded the land to his cronies.

As Zhao Xing approached Shao Wanjie's estate, he couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer arrogance on display.

Because Shao Wanjie held both civil and military power in Yuncheng, he had stationed two full squads of soldiers around his mansion, with government troops guarding his private residence.

When Zhao Xing and Long Xiao arrived at the gates of Shao Wanjie's estate in their purple-horned carriage, they were greeted by the sight of two squads of barbarian warriors.

"One squad of Lionhead Warriors, one of Bullhead Warriors? A mere baron like Shao Wanjie dares to keep such soldiers for himself?" Long Xiao's eyes widened.

Barbarian warriors were not forbidden in the Nine Heavens Yingyuan Prefecture, but only marquises and above were permitted to maintain personal barbarian guards.

Unless one held an official position commanding barbarian troops, any private use of them was illegal.

Shao Wanjie had gone too far by using Lionhead and Bullhead Warriors as his personal gatekeepers. This was a grave breach of the rules.

"This man truly has no regard for the law," Long Xiao said coldly. "An estate far beyond his station, barbarian guards, corruption, embezzlement, forcing officials to work as his servants..."

Long Xiao's hand drifted to his sword hilt, the sight of the barbarian guards triggering his instinct to fight.

"When you play the emperor for too long, you start to believe it," Zhao Xing said with a shake of his head. "We'll kill the barbarian guards later, but leave their bodies intact."

"Understood."

As their purple-horned carriage approached the estate's gate, the barbarian guards halted them.

"Yuncheng's Shennong, Zhao Xing, here at the invitation of Magistrate Shao."

Zhao Xing revealed his official seal, dressed in his full court regalia.

"A court official?" The Bullhead Warrior, whose head featured the horns and nose of a bull but a mostly human face, immediately showed respect upon seeing Zhao Xing.

"Open the gates! Quickly!"

Barbarian warriors were notorious for their brutality, but to them, the officials of the Great Zhou were divine representatives.

Even the most fearsome barbarian warriors would bow like obedient dogs before Zhou officials.

Because in their eyes, the Great Zhou was a celestial empire, the ruler of all under heaven, unmatched by any.

To serve the Great Zhou, in their minds, was an honor.

This group of barbarian warriors, having been tamed and integrated, viewed the Southern Barbarians as mere savages and believed themselves lucky to serve the empire.

To them, slaying Southern Barbarians was a glorious duty.

"Lord, allow me to lead your horse," the Bullhead Warrior said, humbly grabbing the reins. He strutted forward, barking orders at his comrades. "Make way! Don't dare disturb the Lord!"

Meanwhile, inside Shao Wanjie's mansion, a pair of cat-eared twin girls giggled as they clung to Shao Wanjie, who lay in a hot spring, shirtless and enjoying grapes and wine.

Shao Wanjie's hands roamed freely, eliciting playful squeals from the girls as he grew more aggressive.

Just as he prepared to take things further, a servant interrupted him.

"My lord, Shennong Zhao has arrived at the gate."

"Oh?" Shao Wanjie lifted his head from the girls' laps, revealing his round face with a flat nose and balding forehead. "He's early. Where's Master Fang?"

"Master Fang has not yet returned."

"Hmph, that fool. More and more unreliable by the day. Doesn't even know to report back after delivering an invitation—probably off chasing women somewhere," Shao Wanjie grumbled, never suspecting that his advisor had already betrayed him.

"Escort Zhao Xing to the side hall and send a few chests of treasure as gifts. Let's see how he reacts. Come inform me in a quarter of an hour."

With that, Shao Wanjie resumed his lewd activities, pouncing back on the cat-eared twins. "Come, beauties, I'm not done yet."

In a finely decorated side hall, Zhao Xing sat with his eyes closed, meditating, while Long Xiao scowled at the servants bringing in several chests of treasure.

"Lord Zhao, my master has sent these gifts to congratulate you on your new appointment."

Zhao Xing opened his eyes but did not even glance at the speaking servant. With a flick of his finger, a flame shot forth, reducing the servant to ashes in an instant.

"I've found him," Zhao Xing said, having just used his spirit to sense Shao Wanjie's location within the estate. "He's still busy. Should we wait for him to finish?"

"I'd rather not wait another moment in this cesspool," Zhao Xing replied. "Let's deal with him now."

"Got it." Grabbing Long Xiao by the shoulder, Zhao Xing sank into the ground with him, using a tunneling technique to pass beneath the estate's gardens and courtyards until they reached the hot spring.

"Beauties~" Shao Wanjie cooed, still engrossed in his activities, completely unaware of the danger lurking below.

Whoosh!

Zhao Xing and Long Xiao emerged from the earth, and with a quick flick of Zhao Xing's finger, an invisible insect-like creature flew into Shao Wanjie's skull.

"Ugh..." Shao Wanjie, overcome with an overwhelming drowsiness, collapsed into a deep sleep.

The cat-eared twins, confused, barely had time to react before Zhao Xing knocked them both unconscious.

"Seems like I didn't even need to do anything," Long Xiao chuckled. "This guy has been living in luxury for a decade—he's completely lost his edge. What now?"

"Open the chest," Zhao Xing ordered. "The Wenzhu Box inside contains materials for the Illusory Form Straw Puppet."

"Oh." Long Xiao quickly unsealed the box.

"Rise!" Zhao Xing commanded, and a straw puppet transformed into an exact copy of Shao Wanjie.

"You stay here and maintain control over this puppet," Zhao Xing instructed. "I'll take the real one to the city's temple to be imprisoned."

"Maybe I should be the one to escort him? I'm not good at playing the part, and controlling that puppet could expose us if something goes wrong," Long Xiao suggested.

"You're right," Zhao Xing said after a moment's thought. Handing Long Xiao his official seal, he added, "Go quickly, and make sure to deliver him to the temple's priest, Shen Mingyu. Watch as he confesses his crimes before the judicial god."

"Understood. I'll return immediately." Long Xiao, now able to control the winds for short-distance flight, took off with Shao Wanjie in tow.

Zhao Xing glanced at the unconscious twin girls and sent a gust of wind into their minds, temporarily muddling their memories to ensure they wouldn't recall what had just transpired.

He then positioned the Illusory Form Straw Puppet, which now looked exactly like Shao Wanjie, in the hot spring next to the twins.

Afterward, Zhao Xing burrowed back underground, returning to the guest hall, where he summoned another straw puppet to take the guise of the estate's head servant.

"All set," Zhao Xing said, dusting off his hands as he prepared to rejoin the faux "Shao Wanjie."

In the Soldier Realm, beneath a bright sky, a series of towering spires stood tall, each hundreds of meters high and rotating along distinct trajectories.

Within one of these spires, engraved with the image of ten suns, intricate machinery and arrays filled the interior. At the highest level, three towering figures, each over five meters tall, gazed at a large Earth Mirror.

Displayed within the Earth Mirror were numerous divided images of Yuncheng, all viewed from an aerial perspective.

At the center of these images was a close-up of Shao Wanjie's estate.

"He dealt with Shao Wanjie using just a single straw puppet technique. According to the predictions of the Destiny Disk, his progress will be far smoother than others," one of the towering figures spoke, its voice booming like thunder. "Did we make the third phase of Zhao Xing's mission too easy? He hasn't made a single mistake so far."

"Exchanging one for another, deceiving the heavens—this might sound simple, but executing it is no easy task," said another figure, its body glowing with purple light. "Our challenge in governance is already enough. There's no need to increase the difficulty here."

"I just feel this boy's methods are far too skilled, as if he's done this many times before. Ten Sun Cave-Heaven didn't teach such things. I truly wonder where he learned this."