Chapter 72 - New County Governor

Grand Dominance, County Governor Manor.

That night, lanterns had been hung up early in an elegant compound in County Governor Manor. Beautiful women shuttled through the tables. People filled the tables and they exchanged toasts. It was very lively.

Qin Yun was sitting at the main table. Beside him was the Connate False Core realm cultivator, Master Meixia, the newly appointed personal guard commander, Commander Tie, the Hong family"s Patriarch Hong, a county officer, and the new county governor.

The other tables had officials of County Governor Manor, the army, the personal guards, and the Six Fans Gate. There were also some wealthy and large family heads in Grand Dominance County, as well as other famous figures.

"Brother Hong, I heard that your ninth son has also knocked open the gate of immortality?" The new county governor appeared rather cultured. His skin was a little dark and his eyes looked as sharp as a hawk"s. When he stared at people, it left them feeling repressed.

Patriarch Hong said with a laugh, "Lord County Governor, my child had only followed an itinerant cultivator for cultivation. He was lucky to knock open the gate of immortality. It"s nothing worth mentioning. Nothing at all."

"So what if he"s an itinerant cultivator? I am an itinerant cultivator as well. Haven"t I entered the Connate realm too?" The new county governor said with a smile.

Qin Yun, who was sitting at the same table, watched the new county governor.

According to what his father told him, the new county governor"s name was Gongye Bing. He was once a scholar and barely managed to fill a small official post. However, he focused on cultivation and after knocking open the gate of immortality, he was naturally placed in important positions by the imperial government. He was promoted again and again… And now, he had entered the Connate False Core realm and was just slightly older than sixty years old. As a Connate cultivator, his lifespan was extremely long. He was destined to have a bright future.

In the Great Chang empire, governing a country needed wisdom. A cultivator that was good at cultivation did not mean that they could govern well.

However, the people truly in high positions such as Zhoumu, or high officials of the imperial government, could all govern the world. In addition, they had extremely high cultivation realms! For example, the highest authority of the Great Chang empire, Human Emperor, had unified the country and had been in power for three centuries. He was even publicly recognized as one of the strongest figures in the world. The high officials that were under him were naturally extraordinary.

"If my son is able to step into the Connate realm, I"ll be smiling even in my sleep." Patriarch Hong said chuckling.

"If there"s time, let your ninth son come to me. Let me see him." County Governor Gongye exchanged a few more words with Patriarch Hong before turning to Qin Yun. "Young Master Qin."

"Lord County Governor." Qin Yun answered.

County Governor Gongye"s eyes stared at Qin Yun like a hawk"s. He said with a smile, "The person I wished to meet the most after coming to Grand Dominance is you. Grand Dominance"s Water G.o.d had wreaked havoc for more than two centuries and the imperial government had made attempts to rid that great demon. But, Water G.o.d would always hide into the river once he detects danger. Connate Golden Core experts can"t do anything about him. Yet, Young Master Qin, you joined forces with a Divine Firmament Chapter disciple and helped rid this huge calamity for millions of citizens of our Grand Dominance County! I, Gongye Bing, am sincerely impressed by you. Really! In my position as Grand Dominance"s county governor, I have to bring benefits to the common people. But no matter what I do, it will be incomparable to the great merits you have done."

"Lord County Governor, you are being humble." Qin Yun said, "You are the official of millions of residents of Grand Dominance like a father or mother to them. Every action you take will impact countless residents. The wellness of their livelihoods will depend on your governance."

"By taking up the post of an official, I have to bring benefits to the people. I will naturally do my best and not dare to slack off." County Governor Gongye smiled at Qin Yun with narrowed eyes. Following that, he looked at Master Meixia and began talking about Buddhist matters.

County Governor Gongye had just taken up his post and appeared rather cordial.

He spoke to everyone. He even had an exchange of words with other officials or heads of wealthy families.

"This County Governor Gongye is… completely different from the previous County Governor Wen." Qin Yun drank his wine as he evaluated from his observations. "County Governor Wen comes from a large family clan and is from South Hill"s Wen family. With him being rather advanced in age, he does matters in a lenient and accommodating manner. In fact, he left many things to his son, Wen Chong. As for County Governor Gongye, he had slowly risen from a lowly official to this stage. Furthermore, he is at the Connate False Core realm. Even if he"s cordial… The formless stance that comes from the Connate False Core realm will bring a suppressive feeling. It can be seen that County Governor Gongye is an extremely overbearing and demanding person. Perhaps, many of the families in Grand Dominance County will not be having a good time in the coming days."

That day, both the guests and host enjoyed themselves thoroughly. Qin Yun and his father left together.

In a study.

County Governor Gongye sat alone in his study. With a thought, a formless wave emanated, enshrouding the entire study. Even if someone were to suddenly enter the room, they would only see darkness and nothing else. Everything had been isolated visually and audibly.

"Hua!"

Gongye waved his hand and an ancient bronze mirror appeared on his desk. Soon, a black-robed man appeared through the distortions in the bronze mirror. The man had blood-colored brows and his eyes suffused a sanguine light. He was none other than the infamous great fiendish demon—Nine Mountain Island Lord.

"Senior Brother, what"s the matter?" Gongye said with a smile.

"Junior Brother, congratulations on your promotion. You are now in charge of an area." Nine Mountain Island Lord said with a chuckle.

Gongye said with a smile, "It"s truly rare that Senior Brother Nine Mountain will congratulate me. Among our fellow disciples, I"m a human junior brother ranked seventh. I am the weakest and was always looked down upon. Senior Brother Nine Mountain, you left Cloudfiend Mountain a thousand years ago and declared yourself king and ruled an area. I remember that in the decades of me entering Cloudfiend Mountain as a disciple, you have only met me once, isn"t that so?"

"Haha, Junior Brother, I"m a demon while you are a human. We have different comprehension abilities. Although you humans have short lifespans, you can cultivate fast. We demons enter seclusion that span decades. Naturally, I didn"t have much time to meet you. Furthermore, you infiltrated the imperial government as a disciple of Cloudfiend Mountain, so I didn"t dare disturb you or wouldn"t I expose your ident.i.ty?" The bronze mirror showed Nine Mountain Island Lord smiling. "As for now, I have been in the Jiang Prefecture for a thousand years. Now that I learned that you are becoming an official in the Jiang Prefecture, I naturally have to congratulate you."

"Is it simply to congratulate me?" Gongye smiled faintly.

There were demons that entered Daoist or Buddhist sects.

Naturally, there were humans that entered fiendish demon sects.

Gongye was considered a core disciple of Cloudfiend Mountain. He shared the same generation as Nine Mountain Island Lord, so he naturally knew the cruel methods available to fiendish demons. Why would Nine Mountain Island Lord, a Connate Golden Core demon that had lived for many years, contact him without any special reason?

"Junior Brother, I do have something to trouble you." Nine Mountain Island said.

"Speak. I"m listening." Gongye said with a smile. It didn"t surprise him.

His senior brother said, "I will not lie to you. My disciple, Water Ape, had helped me gather the blood of children"s hearts. But who knew that he was killed by Qin Yun and that Divine Firmament Chapter disciple, Yi Xiao. A large batch of children"s heart blood is now in Qin Yun"s hands. Therefore, I wish for you to help me to get it at all cost from Qin Yun."

"Oh?" Gongye said with a laugh. "I"ve checked the dossiers and there are records of three demonic slaves infiltrating Qin Manor. It is suspected that they were sent by you. It appears it"s for the children"s heart blood?"

"Unfortunately, it failed. Junior Brother, do you have any solutions?" Nine Mountain Island Lord asked. "As long as you help me settle this problem, I will definitely reward you."

"I can help." The corners of Gongye"s mouth suffused a smile. "However, I will need your ancient G.o.dfiend finger bone in exchange."

"The Fiendcelestial Phalanx?"

Nine Mountain Island Lord"s eyes suffused anger. "Impossible."

"It"s not like I want it forever. Lend it to me for studying and I"ll return it to you in fifty years." Gongye said with a smile. "Senior Brother, do you think I dare to rob you of your items?"

"Change it to something else. It"s impossible for me to give you the Fiendcelestial Phalanx." Nine Mountain Island Lord"s voice turned deep. Fifty years? Who knew what his human junior brother"s strength would be in fifty years. If he wasn"t afraid of him, it might be possible that it would not be returned.

Gongye shook his head. "Then, there"s no other way. That Qin Yun is extraordinary. He might even have a top cultivation sect backing him! Furthermore, he has killed Water G.o.d and has rendered great service. If I were to deal with him… it will be hard for me to answer to the imperial government."

"And giving you the Fiendcelestial Phalanx allows you to answer to the imperial government?" Nine Mountain Island Lord scoffed. "Junior Brother, if there"s any internal strife among the human"s imperial government, it"s possible that you end up killing each other, let alone a cultivator. I know you possess the means with your official post. Change the condition. I will remember this favor."

"I met Qin Yun just today. He"s not easy to deal with. Alright, there"s someone calling me from outside. I have to leave." After Gongye finished saying that, he drew back the Dharmic powers he had infused into the bronze mirror, causing the Nine Mountain Island Lord that was displayed on it to disappear into thin air.

"Hmph!"

Gongye sneered. "Trying to order me around? Dream on."

With that, he got up and left the study.

"Lord." The personal guards outside were awaiting him at all times.

"Let"s go. Accompany me to the underground dungeons. Let"s take a look at our Patriarch Liu." Gongye ordered.