As Lu Zheng walked into the City God Hall, he imdiately saw a broad and commanding general sitting in the main seat of authority in the hall.
Though dressed in a brown official robe, the cuffs were bound with leather, a gold belt encircled his waist, his thick brows and rugged beard frad a face beside which a saber hung, as he sat self-serving drinks, cup after unceasing cup.
"My lord!" called Judge Li.
"Hmm?"
The City God raised his gaze, his eyes sharp as lightning. Lu Zheng could only feel the gaze as a blazing torch, carrying a ntal realm that was dauntingly intense.
Without even making a move, Lu Zheng already felt that he was utterly no match for this person.
"A Daoist from the White Cloud Temple, who also cultivates Martial Dao Blood Qi, for what purpose have you co?"
Lu Zheng bowed in greeting, "Lay Practitioner Lu Zheng from White Cloud Temple, pays respects to Lord City God."
"My lord, Young Master Lu just killed a President Du from the Night Wanderer Camp of the Ye Lan King outside the city," Judge Li hurriedly exclaid.
"Hmm?" The City God’s gaze sharpened, "That old ghost of the Ye Lan King has the nerve to stir up trouble?"
"I too..."
"Lord City God, Judge Li, please lend an ear," Lu Zheng interjected.
"Hmm?" The City God raised an eyebrow.
Judge Li paused, looking left at Lu Zheng, then right at the City God.
"Speak!" the City God commanded.
"It is like this, Judge Li has misunderstood. This matter should not be any conspiracy by the Ye Lan King, but rather, it is related to ."
Judge Li was taken aback, while the City God appeared clearly intrigued, examining Lu Zheng with interest.
"Explain, how do you an?"
Lu Zheng first cupped his hands toward Judge Li, "I originally intended to et with the City God, wishing to explain everything in one go. That is why I did not directly inform you earlier, and I beg your pardon, my lord."
Judge Li waved his hand repeatedly, "No, no, Young Master Lu, you’re too polite."
Lu Zheng turned to the City God and said, "This ghost ca looking for because a general under the Ye Lan King died, nad Yan Jie."
Hearing this, the City God paused, then quickly reacted, "You killed him?"
Following up swiftly, "Do you know the half-ghost, half-spirit Peach Ghost in the south of the city?"
Lu Zheng was stirred inwardly, thinking that the City God indeed knew of Shen Ying and Yan Jie’s enmity.
Lu Zheng nodded and said, "I am friends with Madam Shen. Not long ago, Yan Jie allied with a Pig Demon to encircle and kill Madam Shen. Later, Madam Shen asked for my help in a dream, so I lent a hand."
"Pig Demon?" the City God asked, curious.
Judge Li imdiately said, "A while ago, there was a Pig Demon causing trouble in Tonglin County. However, it wasn’t under our jurisdiction, so the county invited Daoist Yuan Jing from White Cloud Temple to exorcise the demon. Later, I only knew that the Pig Demon left, but was unclear about the specifics."
Lu Zheng nodded, "Yes, exactly that Pig Demon."
The City God seed a bit surprised, "The two of you, against two, killed Yan Jie?"
Lu Zheng nodded, "Including the Pig Demon."
"Oh?" The City God raised an eyebrow, genuinely a bit astonished.
He knew the strength of Shen Ying and Yan Jie, neither were weak, and for Shen Ying to call for aid ant the Pig Demon was also quite capable.
And with Lu Zheng’s help, they managed to leave their opponents at Peach Blossom Plain?
"Don’t just stand there, get a seat for this gentleman, yes, Young Master Lu, get him a place." The City God gestured to the guards on either side and then beckoned to Lu Zheng.
"Co, co, co, sit, tell , how did you defeat those two fellows?"
Lu Zheng was a bit bewildered, not knowing why the City God was suddenly so enthusiastic.
Seeing Lu Zheng dazed, the City God realized he had been too eager.
"Haha, forgive , excuse . In life, I was just a martial artist, clueless about anything else but waging war. Now, as the City God of Tonglin County, with the Ye Lan King only defending and not attacking, I have no battles to fight."
The City God chuckled heartily, "Bored out of my mind each day, so I got interested when I heard you fought a good fight. Tell about it, no taboos, right?"
Lu Zheng quickly replied, "Of course not!"
Lu Zheng took his seat, Judge Li accompanying him, and then the guards perceptively poured wine for Lu Zheng.
"Drink, drink, don’t worry, it’s fine county wine, suitable for humans," the City God warmly raised a toast, "Drink up, please!"
"Certainly!" Lu Zheng raised his cup, clinked glasses across the air with the City God and Judge Li, then downed the drink in one gulp.
Hmm, not bad, better than the wine at Elder Liu’s ho, though naturally not comparable to the whiskey I brought from the modern world.
"How did you and Madam Shen, the Peach Ghost, co to know each other?"
As Lu Zheng was friends with Shen Ying, the City God refrained from directly addressing her as the Peach Ghost.
Lu Zheng briefly recounted how he t Shen Ying, focusing primarily on how he assisted her in taking down the Wild Boar Demon and Yan Jie.
"Brave and resourceful, quick and decisive!" the City God loudly praised, "A full drink to that!"
They both raised their cups and downed their drinks.
"That Wild Boar Demon could tear tree roots with its bare hands, a formidable force. You approached with the Conceal Breath Talisman, attacked with the Cold Condensing Talisman, mastering the art of unpredictability like yin, and striking like thunder. If I were still alive, I would definitely recruit you under my command as a general!"
The City God paused, "Indeed, when you pass, join my Underworld then."
Lu Zheng: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ
Judge Li awkwardly raised his cup, "My lord, you’ve had too much to drink!"
"This mild wine, could I possibly get drunk?" The City God waved it off, his eyes burning bright, "Do you use the saber, young man?"
Lu Zheng’s eyes fird, glancing at the saber by the City God’s waist, nodding, "I do use the saber!"
"Good!"
Seeing Lu Zheng’s determined gaze, the City God approved with a loud shout, setting down his wine cup, "How about sparring with a bit?"
Lu Zheng also set down his cup, smiling, "If the City God is interested, I am honored to accompany."
The City God laughed heartily, "Fetch a saber! Bring a saber for Young Master Lu too!"
The guards imdiately fetched a saber, shortly returning. Lu Zheng took the standard issue long saber handed to him by the guards and brandished it, finding it satisfactory.
anwhile, the City God had already risen, striding out ahead of the hall.
...
Outside the hall, at the training ground, over a hundred ghost soldiers, having heard the City God intended to duel with a living man, gathered into a circle after long lacking entertainnt, eagerly watching the center of the grounds.
In the center of the training ground, the City God and Lu Zheng stood facing each other, three zhang apart.
"Though I am a Ghost God, without blood qi, I have not forgotten my sword technique and ntal realm. With yin qi, it wields a unique power. Be cautious."
"Thank you for the warning. Please enlighten , my lord!"
"Very well!"
The City God roared fiercely, stepped forward, drew his saber and slashed downwards to start.
"Roar!"
An imaginary tiger’s roar echoed in Lu Zheng’s mind.
Lu Zheng only felt a majestic fierce tiger, shrouded in yin qi, charging at him head-on, the montum grandiose and vast, exerting pressure over several zhang in radius, inescapable, unavoidable, and undefeatable.
"Open!"
Lu Zheng concentrated all his spirit, also let out a furious shout, raised the long saber in his hand, barely breaking free from the enveloping ntal realm.
"Whoa! That’s too damn strong!"
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