Heavenly Dipper Boy Skill

The dark room still reeked of smoke.

Part of the stone wall in one corner had crumbled away, but the main structure had not tilted.

Zhang Jian noticed that the dozen or so talisman scrolls on the central wall were somehow undamaged. Now, in his eyes, they were giving off a faint glow.

They really were glowing.

He immediately stepped toward the dozen or so talisman scrolls.

On closer inspection, the scrolls were ancient and obscure, with white paper and gold borders. Each was covered in countless red dots that formed intricate lines of runes.

A glimmer appeared in his eyes. After examining the scrolls carefully, Zhang Jian's gaze shifted faintly. He saw the runes inside each scroll suddenly leap into motion, forming lines of starlight that shimmered like jade.

The changing lines eventually coalesced into runes, which took shape along their paths.

He had glimpsed the secret of the scrolls at a glance.

They were an essay!

"..." But Zhang Jian's expression stiffened a little when he realized he couldn't read these strange runes.

Even seeing through their secret was useless!

"..."

Without a proper education, one really wasn't fit to cultivate immortality!

Zhang Jian kept his face stiff, silently grumbling to himself.

Still, he quickly memorized some of the runic symbols. Now that he knew these runes existed, deciphering them should be no trouble.

Besides, he could always go to the ancestral shrine and reap some easy rewards.

"Even a consolation prize is nice!"

Zhang Jian's gaze fell again on the two shattered bookcases. Many ancient books had been burned to ashes or reduced to cinders.

His eyes returned to the volume titled "Heavenly Dipper Boy Skill."

He picked it up and read while tidying the room, making use of the opportunity.

Since Zhang Yi had allowed him into the dark room to clean up, he had clearly given his tacit approval for Zhang Jian to handle the books inside.

Just as he had expected, "Heavenly Dipper Boy Skill" was also a superior method of internal cultivation. The inner breath it produced was supremely yang and fierce, unmatched in its strength.

This substantial manual covered all five stages of internal cultivation, making it far more valuable than ordinary methods.

But it came with a condition.

Before reaching the innate stage, the practitioner had to preserve his virginity, lest his yang inner breath lack true yang.

For Zhang Jian, that would be no trouble at all.

The reward for the Zhang family's presentation of the Large-Tube Waterwheel Diagram came quickly.

Before long, a special envoy arrived from the prefectural city and entered Fengxi.

At the county office, a middle-aged official in a green robe and cloud-patterned boots smiled broadly as he saw off the arrogant envoy. But when he turned around, his expression darkened until it looked ready to drip.

The officials nearby could all tell the county magistrate was in a foul mood, and one by one they hurried to slip away.

In the rear courtyard, Yang Qing stared at the enormous plaque before him, draped in red silk, his face cold.

Four gilded characters adorned the plaque. It had been bestowed by the emperor.

"'A House of Good Deeds'—what a fine 'House of Good Deeds' indeed!"

Yang Qing ground his teeth in hatred.

A severe drought had struck the northern lands. If he had been able to present the improved waterwheel at such a time, he might not have received a promotion, but he would at least have earned an excellent rating in the Ministry of Personnel's assessment that year. That would have greatly improved his chances of being transferred to a larger county in the future.

Yet the auspicious discovery that had been within his grasp had been swallowed whole by the Zhang family.

Yang Qing was furious and helpless.

He was the magistrate of Fengxi, yet he hadn't even known an auspicious discovery had appeared right under his nose. One could imagine how disappointed his backers would be in him.

But the Zhang family really was difficult to deal with. It wasn't easy to take revenge on them.

Yang Qing felt a surge of anger lodged in his chest, impossible to dispel.

"Master, the Zhang family really is far too arrogant. You are Fengxi's magistrate, the people's parent official. No matter how you look at it, the Zhang family should not have acted behind your back!"

His adviser, Zhao Xing, kept his head lowered. He could tell Yang Qing was already furious, and the realization made his expression shift.

To ruin a man's future was like killing his parents.

The Zhang family's decision to keep everything for themselves had thoroughly enraged Yang Qing.

Zhao Xing's words only added fuel to the fire. Yang Qing's breathing grew ragged.

"Hmph. These powerful local clans are all tumors upon the court. They flout the laws of the dynasty, prey on the people, and treat the laws of the court as nothing. How could I tolerate it?"

Yang Qing's face remained calm, but a chill glinted in his eyes.

Seeing this, Zhao Xing seized the chance to step forward. "Master, I have an idea that might help you vent your anger."

"What idea do you have?"

Yang Qing paused and glanced at Zhao Xing. He trusted him well enough.

He had looked into Zhao Xing's past. Zhao Xing had been a poor scholar from the area, a man who had once made friends far and wide. He had run a gambling house in his youth, but after offending the Zhang family, not only had his property been seized, his beloved wife and concubines had become playthings for others. There was no way he could be in league with the Zhang family.

Besides, Zhao Xing had shady ties to some bandits outside the city. His background was far from clean, and Yang Qing had a hold over him. He could be trusted.

A sinister smile appeared on Zhao Xing's long, horse-like face. He said:

"Master, the Zhang family dares to act so boldly because they rely on Zhang Six and Zhang Four. Zhang Six aside, isn't Zhang Four currently suppressing bandits? If the campaign fails, Your Excellency can charge Zhang Kui with losing his troops, disgracing the nation, and bringing shame upon the military, then arrest and execute him!"

The corners of Zhao Xing's mouth lifted slightly.

"Without the troops in Zhang Four's hands, what could one mere local clan do? Your Excellency could knead them however you pleased!"

Fourth Master Zhang was Zhang Kui.

In his youth, Zhang Kui had received the Zhang family's support and secured the post of Fengxi County's deputy magistrate, overseeing bandit suppression and patrols. He commanded the county's soldiers and constables—a force that even the magistrate had to fear.

Yang Qing wasn't afraid of Zhang Duan. Reinforcements from far away couldn't help him in the present!

But when it came to the burly, hot-tempered Fourth Master Zhang, he didn't dare strike lightly.

Yang Qing regarded Zhao Xing indifferently, a trace of depth in his eyes. "You certainly are ruthless!"

Yet Yang Qing felt a flicker of suspicion. Had Zhao Xing come up with this by chance, or had he already seen through Yang Qing's intentions?

In truth, even if the Zhang family hadn't presented the "auspicious discovery," Yang Qing had already intended to move against Zhang Kui.

He had endured for two years in his position as magistrate of Fengxi County.

There could be only one voice in Fengxi County: that of the county office.

He would never tolerate anyone else's authority standing above his own.

Under Yang Qing's cold, suspicious gaze, Zhao Xing lowered his eyes at just the right moment and said obsequiously:

"As your adviser, Master, and the recipient of your stipend, it's only natural that I should have your interests at heart!"

"Since Zhang Yi showed you no respect, he is naturally my enemy as well!"

Yang Qing nodded. "Well said. If only all the wealthy families in Fengxi were as loyal in serving the court as you are, there wouldn't be such chaos. Some people take the court's favors, yet constantly gnaw away at its foundations. Such treacherous rebels deserve to be hacked to pieces!"

By the end, Yang Qing's eyes had turned utterly cold.

Zhao Xing silently lowered his head.

Yang Qing reined in his anger and looked at the "House of Good Deeds" plaque with a sneer. Then he added:

"By the way, haven't quite a few wandering martial artists come to Fengxi lately? Spread the word for me: the Zhang family has grain, and plenty of money!"

Zhao Xing gave a slight nod.