I Cheated While Cultivating

Chapter 77: Unforeseen Events

The night was silent, and the prefectural city yamen had also quieted down. Wang Tong had been re-imprisoned in the deepest cell, under strict watch. Inside the study.

Wu Zongshan’s expression was solemn, and he spoke in a heavy voice, “Young Master Zhou, are you telling the truth? Could there really be a ghost that has lived for thousands of years beneath Yuyang County City?”

“It’s just a suspicion, but we can’t rule out the possibility that it’s just trying to mystify,” Zhou Heng pondered. “If it’s true, this matter is beyond what you and lean handle.”

Although he was not sure how powerful a ghost that had lived for thousands of years might be, he was certain that both he and Wu Zongshan would undoubtedly die if faced with such an entity.

“Suspected to have lived for thousands of years, and even mentioned the Tianyang Battle…” Wu Zongshan was overwhelmed for a moment and said with earnestness, “Young Master Zhou, this matter is of great importance, and I need to consult with my superiors.

“However, logically speaking, the ghost from Yuyang County should not be that advanced.”

“Oh?” Zhou Heng asked with curiosity, “Why do you say that?”

”Because Yuyang County is just an ordinary county,” Wu Zongshan explained. “A ghost that has lived for thousands of years would have a status and realm above Fourth Rank.

“Such a high-level ghost, once it escaped, would bring about a disaster of monumental proportions, with living beings suffering terribly. Therefore, if such a ghost were truly sealed there, it wouldn’t be unguarded.

“Of course, it has been more than three thousand years since the Tianyang Battle. Times change, and perhaps it’s true that the seals and prohibitions have lost their guardians and degraded to a common area.”

“That is indeed possible,” Zhou Heng nodded slightly, but he noticed another piece of information from Wu Zongshan’s words, “After the Tianyang Battle, many ghosts like this one were sealed?”

There is very little recorded about the Tianyang Battle in this world, and most of the books Zhou Heng could find were vague, merely explaining the causes and outcomes, glossing over the details of the process or not mentioning them at all.

This left Zhou Heng’s understanding of the history of the Tianyang Battle extremely obscure, without even a basic framework established.

Unexpectedly, while discussing the ghost matter with Wu Zongshan, he also learned some secrets of past history.

It was quite unexpected.

—This world was full of crises, with ghosts and evil spirits proliferating, and they had existed long ago in the ancient past.

Therefore, Zhou Heng believed that to make himself and those around him safe, m addition to strengthening his own power, he also needed to understand more information and history.

Often, familiarity with the hidden secrets of the past could mean the difference between life and death.

“At the founding of Da Qi, ghosts ravaged the lands, and the people suffered immensely. Many ghosts of similar magnitude were sealed,” Wu Zongshan explained without going into detail. “If the ghost in Yuyang County is really of that level, I’m afraid that it would require a Celestial Power to act.”

I hope not,” Zhou Heng said seriously. “However, it can be confirmed that a strong ghost is sealed beneath Yuyang County City. The rumors of ‘treasures’ in the past half-year are likely its efforts to break free from the seal.

“Perhaps from the moment Chen Hanyu of Honghua Palace appeared in Yuyang County half a year ago, that ghost has been preparing all this, scheming to break the seal and escape.”

The abilities exhibited by the ghost “Yu Shang” possessing Chen Hanyu were also manifested in “Xuan Yang,” and it was after passing through Yuyang County that Chen Hanyu met with disaster.

Therefore, Zhou Heng had reason to suspect that there might be a close connection between “Xuan Yang” and “Yu Shang.”

“Yes, that’s a possibility,” Wu Zongshan agreed with Zhou Heng’s speculation, nodding, “The matter of Yuyang County must be dealt with cautiously…”

Buzz! Buzz!

At that moment, a bookshelf not far from Zhou Heng and Wu Zongshan began to tremble as if something was trying to burst forth from inside it.

Zhou Heng, slightly startled, then said, “Master Wu, should I step aside first?” “No need,” Wu Zongshan gently shook his head as he walked towards the bookshelf, manipulated a mechanism, opened a secret compartment, and said, “It should be a message from the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer. It’s harmless to’ let you know as well.”

Afterwards, Wu Zongshan took out a piece of apricot-yellow paper from the secret compartment. It was covered in dense text, each character shining with a silver glow like starlight.

The Lord of Huangtong Mansion looked at the text, took a deep breath with a sigh of relief, then put it away and closed the compartment. Turning to Zhou Heng with a smile, he said, “Alright, we need not worry any longer. The Zhou Tian Boundary Officer has already been investigating the situation in Yuyang County, and they have made progress.”

They ve investigated it clearly?” Zhou Heng’s eyes lit up as he smiled and said, “That’s good to hear. Did they mention the level of the ghost creature sealed there, and how to deal with it?”

Three hundred years ago, an advanced Fourth Rank Martial Path expert sealed a ghost creature there,” Wu Zongshan said with a smile. “Back then, the creature was of the Fifth Rank, but now, after being confined for so many years, it’s doing well if it retains Sixth Rank strength.

“The Zhou Tian Boundary Officer will send two Star Envoys to inspect the seal’s condition and, depending on the situation, reinforce the seal. They will also evacuate the residents of Yuyang County to a certain extent.”

“Then, that is certainly reassuring,” Zhou Heng nodded and said with a smile.

He was quite satisfied with the outcome. His initial intention had been to report the matter of Yuyang County to the officials, to the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer, so that professionals could handle it.

Since the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer’s people had already gone there, it was all the better and cause for everyone’s happiness.

“Haha! With the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer taking action, we’ve got no more worries,” Wu Zongshan also appeared relieved as he said with a laugh, “You should return home and rest. Tomorrow, I will send someone to escort you to see that mansion.”

The mansion in the North District.

This was the reward Wu Zongshan had promised Zhou Heng, and now that he had captured Wang Tong, it was time to make good on that promise.

“Then I’ll have to trouble Master Wu,” Zhou Heng said with a rich smile on his face, feeling quite pleased.

After all, his greatest pursuit these past two years had been to own a mansion in Huangtong Mansion City, to truly settle down, and now that dream was finally becoming a reality.

Yet in his heart, he had already set his sights on even loftier goals.

Of course, he still intended to take a look at the mansion.

He then took his leave and turned to depart.

Planning to go home and thoroughly examine the items he had taken from the two men he had killed on his way to Yuyang County, and then to check out the new Fortune Bag he had acquired.

However, just before leaving the study, Zhou Heng suddenly thought of a question and asked, “Master Wu, did the letter from the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer mention the name of the ghost creature?”

Ah? It did mention it, but the names of ghost creatures are usually not that important,” Wu Zongshan replied casually, “The ghost creature is called He Yang, the ‘He’ meaning to combine, and ‘Yang’ as in the sun.”

“He Yang…” Zhou Heng’s smile suddenly froze on his face.

Not Xuan Yang??