Tian Feng's gaze was resolute. "Into the city! Once I'm inside, you may leave."
The driver had no choice but to urge the ox cart toward the gates of Guangzong City.
Sitting on the cart, Tian Feng watched the crowds closely. Most were common folk dressed in rags, so emaciated they were skin and bones, their spirits utterly depleted. Only the hope and longing in their eyes remained.
At the city gate, a Yellow Turban captain guarding the entrance saw Tian Feng's imposing bearing and refined demeanor. He stepped forward and saluted. "May I ask your name, sir?"
Tian Feng climbed down from the cart and replied amiably, "I'm a recluse from the mountains, Tian Yuan, courtesy name Zhiyuan."
Entering the tiger's den, Tian Feng naturally wouldn't give his real name.
The Yellow Turban captain knew the man might not have given his real name, but he didn't care. Smiling, he asked, "Did you also come because of the Recruitment Edict?"
"Also?" Tian Feng's heart skipped a beat.
The Yellow Turban captain smiled. "These past few days, many scions of powerful families from Julu and Wei Commandery have come to our Guangzong. They've joined the Political Academy or the Science Institute to serve our army."
Tian Feng felt a prickling sensation on his scalp.
Well, he wasn't the only clever one, after all.
Fortunately, he'd kept to himself, rarely going out. Especially while observing the mourning period for his parents, he'd hardly seen anyone. Few people knew him, or he might run into an old acquaintance in the city and accidentally give himself away.
Tian Feng remained composed and nodded. "Yes, I came in response to the Recruitment Edict."
After hearing this, the Yellow Turban captain briefly inspected the ox cart. Seeing no weapons aboard, he said, "Please enter the city. Xiao Wu, take the gentleman to the Recruitment Bureau."
The boy called Xiao Wu was a slender Yellow Turban youth, about sixteen or seventeen, with a fine down of hair above his lip.
He stepped forward and bowed to Tian Feng. "This way, sir."
"Thank you."
Tian Feng thanked him and climbed back onto the cart. The driver flicked the reins, and the cart rumbled after Xiao Wu at a leisurely pace.
As soon as they entered the city, Tian Feng saw streets running in a neat grid and crowds of people everywhere. There were refugees so hungry they could barely see straight, and merchants leading oxen and horses. When he lifted his head, he could see the county office standing solemn and imposing at the very center of the city.
Xiao Wu led Tian Feng this way and that. Along the way, Tian Feng saw the bustling Western Market, where peddlers loudly hawked cloth, pottery, food, and wine. He couldn't help but marvel.
He couldn't resist asking Xiao Wu, "Aren't the people in the city worried about the war? Why are they all living as if it were a time of peace?"
Xiao Wu beamed. "The Holy Venerable is in the city. His power is boundless, and his divine might is as terrifying as a prison. What can a mere Han Army do? Of course everyone feels at ease."
Tian Feng's eyes shifted as he fished for information. "I've heard that when the Holy Venerable descended to the mortal world, he appeared as an infant, then walked five steps in the sky and became a five-year-old child. Is that true?"
"It certainly is!"
Xiao Wu clearly revered Holy Venerable Huang Tian. Once he started talking about the Holy Venerable's miracles, he couldn't stop.
"On the first day after descending into the world, the Holy Venerable appeared as a five-year-old immortal child. He grew a year older with each passing day, until he became a young man. Only then did he stop growing."
"Have you seen the Holy Venerable?"
"I saw him once on the battlefield, then again when he was distributing Spirit Water. I haven't seen him since."
"Distributing Spirit Water?" Tian Feng was startled. "What is Spirit Water? Is it talisman water?"
He knew that Zhang Jiao had distributed talisman water during great epidemics and droughts, saving countless lives, but he didn't know how talisman water differed from Spirit Water.
Xiao Wu explained, "Talisman water is talisman water, made by the Great Virtuous Teacher using rice gruel and talisman paper. Spirit Water is made when the Holy Venerable pours his power into clean water. It can relieve pain and illness and prolong life. In the battles with the Han Army a few days ago, many people were badly wounded, and they survived only because they drank Spirit Water."
In truth, this Spirit Water was just an extremely crude "spiritual item" made by Huang Tian drawing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into water.
When ordinary people drank it, it could replenish their vital energy a little and lift their spirits. Beyond that, it had little effect.
But for wounded Yellow Turban soldiers, Spirit Water was a lifeline. They firmly believed that drinking it would keep them alive.
Their fierce will to survive, combined with the small benefit the Spirit Water itself provided, had truly saved many people.
Tian Feng asked in astonishment, "Have you drunk Spirit Water?"
Xiao Wu shook his head. "I'm not wounded, so why would I drink it? Besides, the Holy Venerable said Spirit Water is hard to come by and can only be kept for three hours. After that, its spiritual power dissipates, and it becomes ordinary clean water.
Healthy people like us aren't allowed to drink it. It's all saved for the refugees and sick people who come into the city. They've gone hungry for a long time and suffer from accumulated illnesses and aches. After drinking Spirit Water, their pain and sickness often ease, and they're able to survive."
As he spoke, he suddenly stopped and pointed at a spacious building nearby with a sign reading "Spirit Water Bureau." "That's where they distribute Spirit Water."
Tian Feng followed his gesture. Dozens of Yellow Turban soldiers guarded the Spirit Water Bureau, while hundreds of filthy, disheveled refugees stood in two lines with their children in tow. Their eyes were fixed longingly on bowl after bowl of Spirit Water, each giving off a faint, sweet fragrance.
Tian Feng asked, "Could we stop and watch for a while?"
Xiao Wu didn't refuse. "Of course."
Tian Feng climbed down from the cart and walked over to the Spirit Water Bureau. Two Yellow Turban soldiers looked him over but didn't drive him away, so he stood at the edge of the crowd to watch.
At the very front of the line, a man held a seven- or eight-year-old girl in his arms. Her lips were pale, and she was unconscious with a fever. A tall, lean Yellow Turban soldier pried open her lips and slowly fed her Spirit Water.
In an instant, the little girl's lips grew rosy. Her dry, mud-caked face gradually regained some color. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes. Tucking her head into the man's arms, she whispered, "Father, I feel awful."
The middle-aged man holding her was overjoyed. He looked pleadingly at the tall, lean soldier. "Divine Envoy, Divine Envoy, please give us another bowl of Spirit Water! Save my daughter!"
As he spoke, he couldn't help dropping to his knees.
The tall, lean soldier pulled him up and glared at him. "Why are you kneeling in such a hurry? Who said I wouldn't give her any more? Get up!"
The middle-aged man quickly stood and bowed repeatedly. "Thank you, Divine Envoy! Thank you, Divine Envoy!"
As they spoke, the tall, lean soldier picked up another bowl of Spirit Water and held it out. The little girl caught its sweet scent, leaned toward it, and gulped it down.
After drinking it, she seemed noticeably more alert, and her eyes brightened.
The tall, lean soldier pointed to the side. "Go over there. There's a healer there. Have him examine her."
"Yes, yes!"
Under everyone's gaze, the middle-aged man carried the little girl to an elderly man with a full head of white hair. The old man felt the girl's forehead, then took her pulse. A kind smile appeared on his face. "Her fever's gone. She'll be fine."
The middle-aged man was overjoyed. He immediately knelt and kowtowed to the healer, then to the tall, lean soldier. "Thank you, good sir! Thank you, Divine Envoy!"
The tall, lean soldier waved a hand. "If you want to give thanks, thank the Holy Venerable. His power is boundless, and his mercy saves the world."
"Yes, yes!" The middle-aged man came to his senses, turned toward the county office, and kowtowed several times, his expression devout.
Judging by his appearance, he wouldn't hesitate for a moment to die for the Holy Venerable.
Seeing this scene, Tian Feng was deeply shaken, struck speechless with shock.
Before you continue