A Seal of Office, a Joyful Return Home

A Seal of Office, a Joyful Return Home

Within the world formed by the blue Porcelain Shard, in one small corner, the mist was gradually dispersing, as though it had acknowledged Zi Bofeng's ownership of this place.

Zi Bofeng looked down. That region rapidly drew closer. Centered on Lower Yan Village, with its mere dozens of low houses, an irregular circle spanning roughly twenty li gradually became clear as the mist faded.

It was as though Zi Bofeng were a deity above the Ninth Heavens, lowering his gaze upon the earth.

Yet there were only houses and land, mountains and rivers, grass, trees, and flowers here—all immovable, lifeless things. There was not the slightest trace of any animal. Moreover, everything remained shrouded in a dim gray aura of death. Though it no longer obstructed Zi Bofeng's sight, it still could not be dispersed.

Above this patch of land floated a red phantom: the seal of office bearing the words "Village Head of Lower Yan." Yet the seal imprint was upright, as though it had been stamped perfectly into the sky.

This small world had already acknowledged his ownership. From this moment onward, this place belonged to Zi Bofeng.

Not long after humanity gained intelligence, "seals" had been endowed with special meaning. They represented power, authority, and unquestionable certainty. At the same time, they represented responsibility, duty, and promises never to leave or abandon.

A Porcelain Shard and a seal of office had opened an entirely different world for Zi Bofeng.

From then on, his fate would be tightly bound to this land.

Meng City lay a full hundred li from Lower Yan Village. If Zi Jian had not been worried about Zi Bofeng's weak body, he would have set off at the fourth watch.

The Zi father and son left through the south gate. By the time the sun had risen to the height of a pole, Little Stone finally woke up and jumped down to walk on his own. Though he had always been quite afraid of Zi Bofeng, Zi Bofeng had been especially gentle with him these past two days. Children were always forgetful; he had long forgotten Zi Bofeng's formerly strict demands. Clutching Zi Bofeng's hand, he kept calling him "Big Brother" over and over.

After walking a while longer, they left the official road and took a quiet little path.

Beside the path stood a large black boulder shaped like a black horse raising its hooves in a gallop. This stone was called Galloping Horse Stone. Beyond Galloping Horse Stone lay the territory of Lower Yan Village.

Meng City was remotely situated, with vast land and sparse population. The territories under its several townships were even larger than a county in prosperous regions. Although Lower Yan Village had only two or three hundred people, it was already considered a relatively large village in the vicinity, and its jurisdiction was correspondingly larger.

Ahead of Galloping Horse Stone, a small square stone was embedded among the rocks. That was the Boundary Stele, marking the borders of Lower Yan Village.

Whenever the people of Lower Yan Village walked to the city, they had to pass this place. And whenever they did, they would imagine how wonderful it would be if Galloping Horse Stone were a real black horse, carrying them swiftly and urgently into the city.

Zi Bofeng stopped before Galloping Horse Stone. Looking at that tiny Boundary Stele, his heart surged like a rolling tide. Then he looked at Galloping Horse Stone. That blue Porcelain Shard had not only given him twelve lines of the Monster Raising Art, but also a pair of discerning eyes capable of seeing the gathering of spiritual energy. With one glance, he saw spiritual energy and beautiful wishes gathered upon Galloping Horse Stone.

Once they reached this place, they were almost home. His home. His own patch of heaven and earth.

Seeing his son so high-spirited, Zi Jian felt greatly comforted. Yet the worry between his brows never faded.

Unlike the optimistic Zi Bofeng, Zi Jian remembered every word Old Scholar had said to Zi Bofeng before they departed, while Zi Bofeng himself had long tossed them beyond Java.

Zi Bofeng had destroyed the Prefect's beloved root carving, and he had offended the Prefect's clerk. Either matter alone was enough to leave Zi Jian frowning in distress. In his heart, Zi Bofeng was still that bookworm who knew nothing of worldly affairs and could not adapt to changing circumstances. Though he had temporarily become more adaptable than before, Zi Jian still could not rest easy. He would have to find a way to deal with these matters. But how? No matter how he thought, he could not figure it out. Should he use the money they had saved at home to buy gifts and visit their door to offer apologies and compensation?

But those were not what worried him most. The matter before one's eyes was always the most worrying.

Zi Bofeng had become Village Chief. What would the villagers think? Back then, Zi Bofeng had offended nearly everyone in the village. Would they agree to let him serve as Village Chief? If they kept making trouble for him behind his back, how could Zi Bofeng possibly perform the role comfortably?

All things considered, the one thing worth celebrating was that after becoming Village Chief, Zi Bofeng could receive a salary. Though it was not much, it would at least support him. Zi Jian himself could make more trips to the city, craft more toys from clay, stone, wood, and bamboo to sell there, and help Zi Bofeng save funds for the examinations.

Just as Old Scholar had said, Zi Bofeng's official post was not important. What mattered was that he had to keep studying so he could continue taking the examinations and earn scholarly rank.

Zi Bofeng did not see it that way. He stood outside Galloping Horse Stone for a moment, then calmed his heart and drew a deep breath. Facing the difficult path and the distant mountain ridges, he shouted, "I'm here!"

"I'm here... here... here..." As though answering him, echoes rang out one after another. Yet rather than gradually fading, they grew louder and louder, until even the earth rumbled and the mountains and rivers trembled.

"Hahahahaha..." Zi Bofeng threw back his head and laughed. He did not know why, but the moment he set foot on this land, his entire body felt at ease. He could not help wanting to laugh—to laugh until heaven and earth collapsed, until seas turned into mulberry fields.

It was like the first time he had written a crooked "one" on paper, and also like the first time in programming class when he had output the simplest phrase: "Hello, world!"

If this is a dream, then let me keep dreaming. If this is a play, then let me live within the play. He was not only Zi Bofeng, the one who slept face-down during math class; he was also the Zi Bofeng who had lived in this world for more than ten years.

"Dad." Zi Bofeng looked to his left at Zi Jian, then pulled Little Stone into his arms. "Little Stone!"

"We're going home. From now on, our days will only get better and better!"

This was Zi Bofeng's promise—the most solemn promise he had made since appearing here with this identity.

If this is Heaven's will, then I need not defy Heaven to change my fate, nor struggle against anything.

Was the hardest thing in the human world not simply being at peace wherever one found oneself?

Adapting to circumstances was not difficult, but how many could truly achieve "peace"?

As this thought crossed his mind, his heart stirred. He took out his writing implements, dipped his brush in water, and used the pitch-black Galloping Horse Stone before him as paper, writing with vigorous strokes.

"Desert sands gleam like snow; the moon over Yan Mountains hooks like a blade. When shall golden reins adorn your head, that you may race through clear autumn?" Four lines of verse immediately appeared on the dry back of Galloping Horse Stone.

These four lines had not been written casually. This was the first time he had used the secret of the first art of the Monster Raising Art: Unity Transformation. Zi Bofeng's wisdom and spiritual power flowed from within him, passed through the brush tip, and entered Galloping Horse Stone. Every stroke surpassed the murmurs and prayers of dozens or hundreds of people, rivaling the accumulated fortune of hundreds or thousands of years.

"Mmm..." After finishing, Zi Bofeng stepped back two paces and nodded at the stone, greatly satisfied. He asked Little Stone, "How did Big Brother write?"

"Good!" How could Little Stone know whether it was good or not? Anything he could not understand was always good. He nodded vaguely, his little mouth open as he stared at the characters written entirely in water. They danced like dragons and soared like phoenixes; they truly were beautiful.

After admiring his own writing for a while, Zi Bofeng shook his head somewhat regretfully. Though he had already used the secret of Unity Transformation, the accumulated fortune within Galloping Horse Stone still seemed to be lacking a little. Nothing unusual had appeared. Only the watery ink had not vanished. It was like a faint layer of gold dust scattered over the horse's back, so pale that one could not even see it without looking carefully.

Little Stone looked up at Galloping Horse Stone with wide, round eyes and said hopefully, "It would be wonderful if this stone really were a big horse. Then I could ride it home!" Little Stone imagined himself sitting atop a tall black steed, looking as majestic as a mighty general.

Zi Bofeng clearly saw the last trace of obsession and fortune, carrying a thread of Little Stone's spiritual energy, fly toward Galloping Horse Stone.

Like the last straw that broke the camel's back—

"Neigh!" Galloping Horse Stone suddenly let out a whinny. It shook its head, snorted, kicked its front hooves twice through the air, then transformed into a black shadow and raced away like flying.

The Zi father and son and Little Stone stared blankly as Galloping Horse Stone sped into an endlessly stretching black thread. It seemed to charge to the distant foot of the mountains in an instant. Then, in the blink of an eye, the galloping horse raced back. Zi Jian hurriedly pulled Zi Bofeng and Little Stone aside. In the space of a moment, the black Galloping Horse Stone had run from here to Lower Yan Village and back—a round trip of perhaps forty li.

Such speed was truly horrifying. Zi Jian suddenly cried out, "A monster!" He did not know where the strength came from, but he grabbed Zi Bofeng and Little Stone, both staring curiously and wanting to go closer for a better look, then turned and ran.

Zi Bofeng struggled several times but could not break free. Only after they had run far away did he complain, "Dad, what are you running for?"

"That's a monster!" Zi Jian's face was deathly pale. "Bofeng, have you forgotten? It was monsters causing chaos back then that brought on the great flood and washed away Zi Village, forcing us father and son to flee..." At the thought of those past hardships, Zi Jian still shuddered with lingering fear. "We absolutely cannot go near monsters. Nothing good ever comes of it! No... I must report this to the authorities when I get back and have them smash that stone to pieces..."

"Uncle, aren't you afraid the monster will come looking for you?" Little Stone's eyes widened. Zi Jian often told him stories about monsters causing havoc to frighten him. Now that he learned Galloping Horse Stone was a monster, his little face immediately turned pale, and he tightly gripped Zi Bofeng's hand.

Zi Jian found himself in a difficult position as well. Right—if he reported it to the authorities and they failed to catch the monster, instead angering it, would the three of them not be in danger? He hastily shook his head. "Little Stone is right. This... this must be kept secret. You absolutely must not tell anyone! Do you hear me?"

"My mother..." Little Stone had only spoken two words when Zi Jian shook his head furiously. "Your mother is timid. Don't frighten her!"

"Oh..." Little Stone quickly shrank his neck.

Zi Bofeng's mouth hung slightly open as he looked to his left. His father wore a face full of terror.

Then he looked to his right. Little Stone's little face was white as snow.

He hurriedly swallowed the Monster Raising Art that had nearly left his lips.

Better not frighten them...

Record of Raising Monsters