Fortune and Spiritual Powers

A few days passed, and the weather gradually grew hotter. Fang Ming was chatting with He Yuqing at this time. Speaking of He Yuqing, after arriving at Fang Ming's territory, he would answer any questions Fang Ming had and would readily agree to carry out tasks, completing them flawlessly. However, he never pledged allegiance to Fang Ming as his Lord.

Fang Ming surmised that He Yuqing saw himself as an advisor, and he chuckled inwardly, thinking that scholars were indeed thin-skinned. Nevertheless, He Yuqing still sought his counsel for matters, as Fang Ming, despite having some understanding of this world, lacked a comprehensive grasp. With He Yuqing's suggestions as a reference, he could avoid many pitfalls.

At this moment, Fang Ming was saying, "Mr. He, what do you understand about the Way of Fortune?"

He Yuqing picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said with a smile, "The Way of Fortune may seem somewhat ethereal and illusory, but it truly exists. The Great Clans and Prefectural Aristocracy all have some involvement with it, though to varying degrees!"

"Oh!" Fang Ming's eyes lit up, and he asked, "Could you elaborate, sir?"

He Yuqing smiled and said, "If Your Excellency wishes to hear, I will naturally tell you everything. However, this is merely a fraction of my He Family's accumulated knowledge, not a complete system, and contains many errors. I hope Your Excellency will not find it amusing!"

Seeing Fang Ming nod, he continued, "Fortune, everyone possesses it, though in different amounts. In households, there are distinctions between red dwellings and yellow dwellings. Fortune precedes events; weak fortune invites calamity, while flourishing fortune makes all endeavors successful." Fang Ming then asked, "Then how does one observe fortune?"

He Yuqing chuckled self-deprecatingly and said, "We mortals, of course, cannot see fortune. However, I've heard that among the Taoist Sect's Qi cultivators, there are those with profound cultivation who possess a spiritual eye. They can discern the thickness and even the color and specific form of fortune. My family has gathered much information and made great efforts to compensate for our limitations, thus obtaining some accurate intelligence."

Without waiting for Fang Ming to ask, he continued, "Those with weak fortune might only have a wisp or two; they are mostly common folk. Those with strong fortune can form mists, even condense into masses; this indicates they are extraordinary and bound to achieve something."

"If categorized by color, black signifies Calamity Qi; its presence is inauspicious and easily leads to disaster."

"White qi is mostly possessed by common folk, ordinary citizens are mostly of this qi."

"Red qi is already extraordinary. If an ordinary person has this qi, they are a temporary prodigy, capable of being a talent for a whole county."

"Yellow qi, if possessed by an ordinary person, guarantees great wealth and honor. If they are an official, they are likely above the sixth rank."

"Purple qi is the qi of great nobility. Ordinary people cannot possess it; only the provincial government and the imperial court can see it. Hence, there is the saying of 'a hall full of purple qi' during court assemblies."

Fang Ming nodded; this was largely consistent with what he saw with his Qi Observation Spiritual Power. He then asked, "What about the forms of fortune?" "The forms of fortune are the ultimate secret. Although my family has some information, it was later proven to be fabricated and unreliable, so my family does not know," He Yuqing replied with a wry smile.

After thinking for a moment, he added, "There are also two pieces of information that my family is unsure about!"

Fang Ming asked with great interest, "Please tell me, sir!"

He Yuqing's tone became distant, "A Lord who can gather followers can obtain the fortune of his subordinates. Even if the Lord initially has little fortune, it can be gradually changed. Therefore, the fortune of rulers is often extraordinary; this is the Way of the System."

He paused again and said, "It is rumored that a great master of the Taoist Sect can locate dragons and acupoints, channeling the earth's vital energy. By burying ancestors in auspicious acupoints, they can enhance the fate and fortune of their descendants in the living world. Some even... can find dragon lairs and identify Hidden Dragons..."

His voice trembled slightly.

Fang Ming was startled, but He Yuqing took a deep breath and smiled, saying, "This matter is mostly hearsay, Your Excellency should just listen and forget it!"

Fang Ming smiled, but he kept this matter in mind.

Just then, Zhenzhu came in to report that He Dong and Wang Liulang had returned to report. Fang Ming asked Zhenzhu to bring them in.

He Yuqing said, "Since Your Excellency has matters to attend to, I shall take my leave!" He then departed. Fang Ming watched his retreating figure and sighed. He had never seen a civil official with such a strong destiny, but unfortunately, he only wished to be an advisor.

Fang Ming shook his head, dismissing the thought. Seeing He Dong and Wang Liulang enter, Zhenzhu bowed and left, closing the door behind them.

He nodded and asked, "Have the tasks assigned to you two been completed?"

He Dong bowed and said, "My Lord, as per your instructions, the believers in Qingxi Township have been registered and their incense and fire offerings recorded. Here is the roster for your review!" He handed over a bound booklet.

Fang Ming took it and flipped through a few pages. Seeing that the organization was clear and the records were precise, he said, "You have handled this task well. What about Guo Sheng? How is he under you?"

He Dong's expression remained unchanged as he reported, "Clerk Guo has excellent writing skills and performs his duties diligently. He is a talented individual."

"Mm! Very good." He Dong did not deliberately badmouth Guo Sheng, indicating that he had discretion and knew his boundaries, fitting for someone who had served as a Clerk of Records for so long.

Fang Ming was very satisfied and then asked Wang Liulang, "Have the Yin Soldiers been stationed properly?"

Wang Liulang performed a military salute and said, "Reporting to my Lord, your subordinate has assigned personnel clearly. The squads have moved into their designated positions and begun training and patrolling for fierce ghosts. The barracks have also been organized. Through the integration over these days, the men under my command have adapted well."

"Mm!" Fang Ming nodded, smiling as he said, "You have worked hard. This matter has been handled very well!"

Wang Liulang knelt down with a "snap" and said, "I would die a thousand deaths for my Lord without regret!"

Fang Ming waved his hand, telling him to rise, "There's no need for such formality!"

He continued, "You have all handled your tasks admirably. Convey my command: all subordinates are to assemble in the main hall of the Earth God Shrine Domain. I have something to announce."

He Dong and Wang Liulang bowed and withdrew.

Not long after, the core members under Fang Ming's command arrived at the main hall. Everyone's expression was solemn. Their Lord usually held discussions in his study, so coming to the main hall must mean something significant. They felt uneasy, and standing in the vast hall, a sense of emptiness emerged, making them even more anxious.

As they were thinking, Fang Ming arrived. Everyone bowed and paid their respects. Fang Ming accepted their salutations, sat in the main seat, and looked at the somewhat sparse crowd below. He said, "Everyone, please rise. I have called you here to announce something important!"

"Please tell us, my Lord," they said, though they exchanged glances.

"Mm," Fang Ming nodded and said, "You have all handled this matter very well. I have decided to reward your merits!"

Without waiting for a reaction from below, he said, "He Dong!"

He Dong stepped forward and said, "Your subordinate is here!"

"You have been loyal and diligent, compiling the accounts for Qingxi Township with clear organization. I hereby appoint you as Record Keeper Magistrate, in charge of accounts, and bestow upon you the Earth Escape Spiritual Power." As Fang Ming spoke, he pointed, and a red light flashed, transforming into a talisman. It flickered in mid-air and merged into He Dong's forehead.

He Dong was enveloped by the red light. After a moment, when he emerged, he was already wearing the Magistrate's Official Robe. He was still somewhat dazed but instinctively knelt and said, "Thank you, my Lord!"

Fang Ming then said, "Guo Sheng!"

Guo Sheng stepped out and said, "Your subordinate is here!"

"You possess exceptional literary talent and perform your duties diligently. I hereby appoint you as Fertilize Land Clerk and bestow upon you spiritual power! You will be responsible for the wish of fertilizing land, as in Qingxi Township!" He pointed again, and a talisman merged into Guo Sheng's forehead. He also changed into a Clerk's Official Robe.

Without waiting for everyone to react, Fang Ming continued to issue rewards one by one.

"Zheng Kuan, you have also made contributions. I appoint you as Disease Expulsion Clerk and grant you spiritual power! You will be responsible for the wish of expelling diseases, as in Qingxi Township!"

"Wang Liulang, your military achievements are outstanding, and you've been with me for a long time. I hereby appoint you as the Child Delivery Clerk, granting you spiritual power to fulfill wishes in Qingxi Township! You will still manage two fire divisions." Fang Ming's voice was much gentler this time, as Wang Liulang was the first to follow him.

Wang Liulang stood to the side, initially thinking it was a reward for a civil official. He was surprised to be included and, after a moment of stunned silence, stepped forward to bow, saying, "Thank you, my Lord!"

Fang Ming looked at the four men below and said, "The Divine Power Talismans I just gave you have been infused into your bodies. You can use them as long as you channel them with divine power."...

Seeing the four men looking both surprised and confused, Fang Ming couldn't help but clear his throat. Once they came to their senses, he continued, "Wang Liulang, Guo Sheng, Zheng Kuan, each day you will find He Dong to get the names of believers whose wishes need fulfilling. Then, calculate the required divine power and collect it from me. After that, you will go and fulfill the believers' wishes. You must strictly adhere to the list, with no omissions or shortages, otherwise..." A hint of coldness crept into his voice.

"Your subordinate would not dare!" The four knew the seriousness of the matter and bowed respectfully.

Fang Ming smiled and let the four return to their positions. He then looked at Xie Jin, whose expression remained unchanged, and nodded, saying, "Xie Jin!"

"Subordinate is here!" Xie Jin stepped forward and saluted.

"You are brave and skilled in leading troops. I grant you permission to establish another fire division and station it at the Earth God Shrine barracks."

"Thank you, my Lord!" Xie Jin's heart leaped with joy. This meant he would command more soldiers than Wang Liulang. Was this a sign that his Lord intended to heavily rely on him? Then, what was the meaning of the spiritual power granted to Wang Liulang just now?

Fang Ming nodded, waved Xie Jin back to his position, and secretly sighed as he looked at the red and yellow aura above Xie Jin's head. This was the person with the highest destiny among his subordinates, capable of holding the position of a true eighth-rank military general. While Wang Liulang was also good, with his red and white natal qi, he could at most reach the true eighth-rank.

Compared to Xie Jin, he was somewhat lacking. In the future, when expanding the Yin Soldiers, it would be more suitable for Xie Jin to lead them. However, Wang Liulang had been with him the longest, had contributed, and had made no mistakes. He couldn't just cast him aside to make room for Xie Jin.

He could only appoint him to a civil position that also involved military affairs, to distract him for the time being and give Xie Jin an opportunity. Once Xie Jin established his prestige in the army and earned more merits, he could naturally be promoted.

As for what position Wang Liulang would be suitable for later, Fang Ming had already considered it. If he wanted a civil post, once Fang Ming was promoted again, he would transfer Wang Liulang to be a village Earth God, guarding one area, and he could continue to be promoted in the future. If he wanted a military post, there was only the position of Fang Ming's personal guard captain. Although it didn't exist yet, it would eventually be formed, and it was an important position. After all, he was the first subordinate to follow him, so Fang Ming had to take extra care of him.

The Divine Power Talismans just now were actually a concept Fang Ming had conceived long ago. Through continuous study of the Divine Position Talismans and the insights gained from his recent promotion, he had finally achieved results.

These were talismans that Fang Ming had personally created, incorporating elements of the "Divine Strike" technique. He had turned the Earth God's inherent spiritual powers into projected talismans and infused them into his subordinates' bodies. Fang Ming held the highest authority and could recall them or order their self-destruction with a single thought.

With these talismans, his subordinates could unleash spiritual powers if they channeled them with divine power. Yin Spirits did not possess divine power and could only receive it from Fang Ming. Of course, they had spiritual energy in their Yin Spirit bodies and could also channel it, but it would consume a large amount of spiritual energy, and they would dissipate themselves after only a few uses.

Fang Ming infused the four inherent spiritual powers of the Earth God into his subordinates' bodies. He Dong's was the Earth Escape Spiritual Power, as he didn't need to go out to fulfill wishes for others; he only needed to strictly manage the accounts, so the Earth Escape Spiritual Power was for his self-preservation.

Guo Sheng was given the Fertilize Land Spiritual Power, Zheng Kuan received the Disease Dispelling Spiritual Power, and Wang Liulang was given the Child Delivery Spiritual Power. With these, as long as they had divine power, they could unleash their spiritual powers and free Fang Ming from tedious work.

From now on, He Dong would calculate the number of people whose wishes needed to be fulfilled each day, provide the list, and calculate the divine power required to unleash the spiritual powers. He would then report to Fang Ming. Fang Ming would condense the divine power into large coins and distribute them to the three men. The three men would then go to various villages or Qingxi Township according to the list and use their spiritual powers to fulfill the believers' wishes. Each night, they would reconcile the accounts. As long as the management was strict, he was not afraid of his subordinates causing trouble.

This system was now established. If Fang Ming were to be promoted again in the future, he could smoothly promote these positions to various departments and then to ministries, saving him considerable effort. Of course, once the territory expanded, he could establish Day and Night Patrol Gods to patrol various areas daily and investigate illegal activities.