Chapter 410: Junior High Priest
Yu Huisheng’s rise to County Magistrate in his forties was due not only to his own efforts but also to the influence of his wife’s family.
To be precise, most of his success stemmed from his Old Father-in-Law. Without marrying such a well-connected woman, how could a man from such a humble background ever have attained this position?
Unfortunately, his wife’s younger brother had recently visited. After staying for several days, the brother-in-law departed, and Yu Huisheng even escorted him ten miles, hoping the man would speak well of him upon his return, persuading his Old Father-in-Law to help him climb further up the ladder. Even a sinecure in the prefectural city would be better than remaining in this barren backwater.
But yesterday, a messenger arrived from the prefectural city, asking when the young master would return home. The question sent Yu Huisheng into a panic, his spirit nearly abandoning him. His brother-in-law had set out five days ago—he should have arrived home by now!
Yu Huisheng broke into a cold sweat. If his brother-in-law had gone missing, not only would his chances of promotion vanish, but he might be trapped in this place for life.
He immediately thought of the missing townsfolk. Could his brother-in-law’s disappearance be connected to this?
Wasting no time, Yu Huisheng submitted an urgent report detailing the situation while organizing search parties. Yet after two days, no word had come.
“Master, Qian Prefecture has replied.”
Qian Prefecture was the prefectural capital, the seat of Yu Huisheng’s wife’s family, and a crucial link in the Great Formation of the Three Wild Geese.
“Bring it here immediately!”
Yu Huisheng snatched the letter impatiently, tore open the envelope in a frenzy, and meticulously read each word.
The clerk beside him held his breath, craning his neck to steal a glance.
After a long moment, Yu Huisheng slumped back into his grand master’s chair, exhaled deeply, and turned to instruct the clerk,
“Huff… My father-in-law will send investigators. Make sure they’re well taken care of—spare no spirit stones or resources.”
“Yes, Master,” the clerk nodded repeatedly.
Yet the worry between Yu Huisheng’s brows remained. He knew that after his wife’s younger brother had been missing for so long, the chances of his survival were slim. But he couldn’t fathom who would target his brother-in-law.
The young man was always accompanied by guards. Though their cultivation level wasn’t particularly high, they had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, making them nearly impossible for ordinary people to overcome.
Even those capable of harming him wouldn’t risk offending their father-in-law. Moreover, this trip was spontaneous, making it impossible for anyone to predict.
Considering all factors, an accident seemed the most likely explanation.
At that moment, a woman draped in fine silk emerged from around the corner. She appeared to be around thirty years old, with unremarkable features: narrow eyes and thin, protruding lips that gave her an immediate impression of bitterness and spitefulness.
Too distraught to care about appearances, she asked with tear-reddened eyes, “Master, has there been any news of Hong Di?”
Yu Huisheng stepped forward to support her, shaking his head with a pained expression. “Alas…”
The woman immediately burst into tears and wailing.
“Waaah… what are we going to do? It’s all your fault! I told you to send him back and beg Father to transfer us away from here, but you insisted you were too busy to leave. Now look what’s happened! We’ll probably never escape this place for the rest of our lives! Why did I ever marry such a useless coward like you…?”
As the woman’s hysterics escalated, Yu Huisheng’s face darkened. He clenched his fists so tightly that the murderous glint in his eyes seemed to solidify into a tangible force. A volcano of suppressed rage churned within him, desperate for release. He wanted nothing more than to crush this shrew with a single blow.
Others saw only his meteoric rise through his wife’s family, unaware of the silent suffering he endured behind the scenes.
Yet for the sake of his position, for the seat beneath him, he could only swallow his bitterness in silence.
Being a kept man wasn’t as easy as it seemed.
“Madam, please don’t fret yourself sick. Lord Tai Shan has sent word that he has requested the Junior High Priest to investigate. They will surely find Hong Di.”
Yu Huisheng had to swallow his anger and even comfort his wife.
“Junior High Priest? What kind of official is that?”
Suddenly, a casual inquiry reached Yu Huisheng’s ears. His heart jolted, and he whirled around to see a graceful young man seated on his desk, meticulously reading the letter that had just arrived from the Prefecture.
The young man seemed completely at ease, as if he were in his own home, showing no sense of urgency whatsoever.
When did this person arrive?!
Yu Huisheng’s hands and feet turned icy. If this man could appear beside him without a sound, he could just as easily take his life.
“I am Yu Huisheng, Zhang County Magistrate. Is there anything I can do to assist you, young master?” Yu Huisheng dared not show the slightest disrespect, his expression almost servile.
The Madam beside him stopped crying, staring blankly at Xu Sanyan, as if terrified.
In the corner, the clerk slowly shuffled his feet, looking for an opportunity to escape and call for help.
Xu Sanyan seemed oblivious. After reading the letter, he lowered his head and methodically folded it into a paper airplane. Gripping the bottom edge, he flicked his wrist. The paper airplane arced gracefully through the air, its seemingly slow trajectory suddenly accelerating as it pierced the clerk’s skull.
“Hah…”
The clerk’s eyes widened, and he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
“Ah!”
The Madam’s face drained of color as a piercing scream erupted from her throat, so shrill it made Xu Sanyan’s head snap around. His icy gaze silenced her instantly.
She knew that if she screamed again, the corpse on the floor would soon be her fate.
Gulp.
Yu Huisheng couldn’t help but swallow hard. Who was this man? Why had he come and killed without a word?
“What rank is the Junior High Priest?” Xu Sanyan asked again.
Having overheard their earlier conversation and read the letter, Xu Sanyan had pieced together the situation. It was simple: Chang Yulian had accidentally killed the son of a powerful figure while collecting blood essence, and now that figure was sending someone to investigate.
Yu Huisheng quickly replied, “The Junior High Priest is a fourth-rank official under the Qian Kingdom’s Grand Temple of Eternal Harmony. They oversee all cultivators within the kingdom; every Qian Kingdom cultivator must be registered and recorded.”
Xu Sanyan nodded. That was quite a significant amount of authority.
“What cultivation level is required to become a Junior High Priest?”
Yu Huisheng lifted his eyelids and stole a glance at Xu Sanyan. “Generally, the Soul Refining Realm.”
Xu Sanyan slowly nodded. It seemed this position carried considerable weight. Soul Refining Realm cultivators were already among the upper echelons of the cultivation hierarchy, and even the Qian Kingdom couldn’t have many of them.
“How many Junior High Priests are typically assigned to a Prefecture?”
“One. Each of the Qian Kingdom’s twenty-six Prefectures has a branch of the Grand Temple of Eternal Harmony, overseen by a Junior High Priest who manages cultivators within their jurisdiction and apprehends criminals. Above them is the High Priest, a second-rank official.”
Xu Sanyan understood. It was like the mortal world’s government offices: the Junior High Priest was equivalent to a constable, while the High Priest was the chief constable.
After settling the matter, Xu Sanyan felt completely at ease. A mere Soul Refining Realm cultivator couldn’t disrupt his plans.
“What’s the cultivation level of the Qian Prefecture Prefect?” Xu Sanyan suddenly asked.
Yu Huisheng hesitated before answering, “Um, I can’t say for certain, but I once heard Lord Tai Shan mention it… I believe it’s the void harmony realm.”
Xu Sanyan rested his chin in his hand, deep in thought. A plan slowly began to form in his mind.
The Great Formation required five cities, and Qianzhou City happened to be one of them. The other four were easy enough to control—he could simply use Demonic Seeds to manipulate their County Magistrates. But the Prefecture was different; he’d need a more subtle approach.
What about establishing himself as a Grand Formation Master?
Of course, befriending the Junior High Priest would be ideal. Then everything would fall into place naturally…
As for how to befriend him, Xu Sanyan already had a plan.
A slow smile spread across his face…
(End of the Chapter)