"Praying for blessings." Nian Songyu replied impatiently. "Do you not even know this much?"
The rain poured over him, and He Lingchuan immediately felt refreshed, as if he had been cleansed from the inside out. Not only had every trace of grime been washed away, but strength flooded every muscle in his body.
The soldiers also let out delighted shouts.
Blackwater City had long been battered by wind and sand. Many residents suffered damage to their windpipes, hearts, and lungs. Yet being drenched in this rain had healed six or seven tenths of their ailments, and they could breathe freely again. Old injuries like aching legs and strained bones and muscles had also quietly healed under the cleansing rain, leaving them free of that oppressive heaviness.
The crowd looked at Sun Fuping with newfound awe.
A State Preceptor was too far removed from ordinary people, as if floating above the clouds, so they had no direct sense of what one could do. Only after he demonstrated this feat did soldiers and commoners alike drop to their knees on the spot, worshipping him as if he were a god.
Seizing the moment, Sun Fuping delivered a few ringing words to rally the troops, bringing their morale to its peak.
That was exactly the effect he had wanted.
Nian Songyu glanced at He Lingchuan. "Now the ceremony begins." It was time to open the eyes of these country bumpkins.
After the sudden downpour, the clouds thinned and the wind cleared. Everyone's clothes were soaked through, water still dripping from their trouser cuffs, and the ground was muddy and slick.
Sun Fuping raised his long staff again and tapped it against the ground. A remarkable sight unfolded:
The water clinging to people flowed out of their clothes and gathered on the ground.
Then the puddles beneath the soldiers' feet suddenly began to move, winding like snakes as they slithered toward the altar.
A large glass vat sat atop the platform, its diameter roughly equal to the span of two people's arms. It was crystal clear, and one could see right through it without obstruction.
The puddles on the ground seemed alive. Defying gravity, they flowed upward in orderly streams and poured into the vat.
Before long, the glass vat was full, the water almost level with its rim.
The ground outside Blackwater City's gates had been trampled by thousands upon thousands of feet, and the wind and sand were impossible to avoid. No one could say how filthy it was. Yet the water that flowed into the vat was as clear as if it had been distilled, without a single impurity.
Once spilled, water was hard to gather! He Lingchuan watched, secretly giving a thumbs-up. Whatever Sun Fuping was like as a person, this spell alone showed just how profound his abilities were.
The State Preceptor truly had something to him.
"Every one of you who marches with me has contributed some measure of your fortune to this." Sun Fuping turned to Zeng Feixiong and held out his hand. "Hand over your Kite Coin."
The State Decrees issued by different kingdoms took various forms. In the Yuan Kingdom, the State Decrees given to officials of every rank were Kite Coins.
Zeng Feixiong had already prepared his, so he took it out and handed it over.
His Kite Coin was shaped like a large copper coin, but the kite bird on it was only pale blue.
A State Decree's weight and color were influenced by many factors, not just an official's rank and authority. Still, judging from Zeng Feixiong's Kite Coin, he was merely an ordinary lieutenant.
Sun Fuping frowned. "It seems insufficient." With that, he tossed the Kite Coin into the glass vat.
Curiously, the Kite Coin did not sink. It floated steadily in the very middle of the vat, while the water's surface grew restless and ripples spread across it.
As the water washed over it, Zeng Feixiong's Kite Coin darkened, its color shifting to somewhere between deep blue and pale green.
"Even with the morale of the whole army behind it, this is a close thing." Sun Fuping pulled a cloth bag from his robes, opened it to show He Chunhua and the others, then cinched it shut and tossed the whole thing into the vat.
Inside was half a bag of yellow sand, shifting and writhing on its own even without anyone touching it.
He Yue asked in a low voice, "Is that the Furious Sand from the Coiling Dragon Desert?"
He Chunhua nodded, his eyes fixed on the vat.
When the Coiling Dragon Desert raged, no one dared enter its core region. That period was known as the Furious Sand Season. This half bag of Furious Sand, obtained at great expense by the He family, had been taken from Red Cliff Road during one such period.
Of course, not from the core region.
But the moment the bag entered the vat, the water began to boil, and countless bubbles rose to the surface.
He Lingchuan thought he even saw lightning flash and thunder rumble.
Then the water turned murky, but great clouds of steam rose from the surface, half deep blue and half a dusky yellow tinged with dark red.
The two colors of steam churned together. Strangely, everyone felt they were locked in a fierce struggle.
More precisely, after two exchanges, the dusky yellow steam gained the upper hand, pressing its opponent down and rubbing it into the water's surface.
It was obvious that there was a huge disparity in their strength.
Sun Fuping's expression turned solemn. "This won't do. The rank is too low, and the elemental force too weak! Who else?"
He Chunhua's voice was strained. "You mean there really is no chance?"
"They can't even put up a fight!" Sun Fuping snapped. "Governor, what do you suggest?"
Entering the Coiling Dragon Desert during the Furious Sand Season meant nine deaths for every survivor. No official or military officer willing to take such a risk would pass up a chance to stay alive.
Besides, there were no other officials present. The highest-ranking person here was—
He Lingchuan shot Nian Songyu a sidelong glance. "Can't he do it?"
The words had barely left his mouth before he regretted them. He still knew far too little about this world.
Nian Songyu let out a snort of laughter, looking at him as if he were an idiot.
He Yue said quietly, "This army belongs to Blackwater City. It isn't under Commandant Nian's jurisdiction. If he wants to use the army's fortune, he'd have to transfer here to take up a post or be stripped of his rank and return to commoner status, then accept an appointment from Governor He. Either way, it would require a royal decree."
How could a military officer from Xun Prefecture command troops from Jin Province?
—Under normal circumstances.
Sun Fuping stepped closer to He Chunhua and the others and said in a low voice, "Going in like this would just be suicide. Either we cancel the operation, or a high-ranking official from Blackwater City steps forward."
A high-ranking official from Blackwater City? That left only He Chunhua.
His life, or his future?
He Chunhua's expression changed. He knew he had fallen into a trap.
But his subordinates, including Zeng Feixiong, were all looking to him expectantly.
He knew he couldn't wait any longer, so he took out his Kite Coin. "Let's try it first."
He Yue grew anxious. "Father!"
How had the situation changed so suddenly?
He Lingchuan was even quicker. He pressed down on his father's hand, trapping the Kite Coin between their palms. "Father, don't act rashly. This is no time to lay down your life for the country!"
He Chunhua slapped his hand away. "Easy now."
Beside them, Nian Songyu gave a thumbs-up and praised him. "Lord He, your loyalty is admirable!"
The He brothers glared at him in unison. This fellow was in such a hurry to force their father's hand!
With everyone watching, He Chunhua took a deep breath, walked to the glass vat, and personally dropped his Kite Coin inside.
His Kite Coin was pale green, more than a single rank above Zeng Feixiong's.
The moment it entered the vat, the water churned more violently, and great clouds of vapor billowed upward. This time, they were yellow!
Unlike the Furious Sand's color, this steam was yellow with a faint brightness to it.
Not only was everyone watching in astonishment, but even Sun Fuping let out a long "Oh," unable to hide his surprise. "You crossed four ranks at once?"
Even with the morale of the entire army boosting him, the leap from pale green to bright yellow was astonishing, even if only temporary.
He Chunhua gave a self-deprecating smile. "Looks like I'm quite well loved."
He asked Sun Fuping, "If I lead the army on this mission, what are the odds I'll make it back?"
Before you continue