Records of Mysterious Things in the Southern Dynasties

Chapter 188: In the Xuanji Tower (5200 votes plus more)
The three followed Yang Zhong to the storehouse behind the chief clerk's office, and each of them received a set of waist badges and official uniforms with their official credentials.

Yang Zhong told them that the waist badges were also divided into five grades: the big one used jujube wood, the swordsman and the team leader used copper, the flag master used silver, the guard master used gold, and the army master used jade.

The three people naturally received bronze medals. There was a circle of Qilin patterns engraved on the front, with a hole for tying a rope, and "Gou Chen Si Zhuo Dao Shi" engraved in the middle, with their respective names engraved below.

On the back is a circle of cloud patterns, engraved with eight domineering words - 'Touring the country on behalf of the emperor, kill first and report later'!
There are two sets of official uniforms, one with a leather hat on top and the other with a flat turban.

Yang Zhong pointed at the first set and said, "This is for formal occasions, and the other one is for daily wear."

"These two sets of official uniforms are issued once a year. If they get worn out, you have to buy new ones with your own money." He also reminded the three people: "So you must wear them with care."

"Oh, do I have to buy it myself? How much salary do we get every month?" asked Chen Baxian.

"We are ninth-rank military officers, but we receive an eighth-rank salary of 400 dan per year." Yang Zhong replied, "And we also receive grain."

"That's really good." Chen Baxian said with satisfaction, and Ren Yuan was also a little surprised.

"It's really good."

"The emperor doesn't need hungry soldiers, especially his imperial guards." Yang Zhong said with a smile.

The three of them changed into black hakama, a red tunic, a flat turban, a black leather belt, and black leather boots with spikes. They hung the bronze waist badge on the belt, and their spirits and energy changed immediately.

"Good, you look so majestic, you are definitely elite!" Yang Zhong clapped his hands and praised, "You three are born to do this job."

"It seems like something is missing?" Chen Baxian walked in the courtyard of the yamen with his head held high and his chest puffed out, not knowing where to put his hands.

He saw Yang Zhong's hand on the knife handle, and suddenly asked, "Where's the knife?"

"I'm just taking you to get it. Why are you in such a hurry?" Yang Zhong gave him a blank look.

Chen Baxian was not annoyed, and asked quietly: "Brother, what's the matter with the reward? Why was it given to me?"

"The owner of the building ordered it." Yang Zhong said calmly, "He said the newcomer will take care of you."

"The owner of the building is such a good person. I can never repay his kindness." Chen Baxian was deeply moved.

"Of course, but not every owner is like him." Yang Zhong sighed, "It's a pity that good people don't get good rewards. He still can't get promoted."

"It's okay. Aren't we here?" Chen Baxian said confidently, "With our capable men, I guarantee he will be promoted to the next level every year!"

"You should be thankful that you don't cause trouble to the owner of the building." Yang Zhong curled his lips and said to the three people, "We are here."

Ren Yuan and the other two looked up at the Xuanji Pagoda in front of them. Only when they got closer could they truly appreciate its grandeur and magnificence.

The nine-story, eight-sided tower is located on a white marble lotus pedestal. It is made of glazed glass and covered with white porcelain. Hundreds of eternal lights are placed outside the tower, making it a magnificent sight that is bright day and night.

There are eight copper ropes on the top of the tower connected to the eaves, and large copper bells are hung on the eaves of each floor, which obviously shows that a formation has been set up.

As expected, the Xuanji Tower was heavily guarded and was personally guarded by the Ghost Executioner.

Just as Yang Zhong was about to go upstairs, he stopped and whispered to the three people, "Nothing can be hidden in Xuanji Tower. But just tell the truth. The secrets inside will not be leaked to outsiders."

"Did they tell you that?" Chen Baxian asked in a low voice.

"Yes." Yang Zhong nodded.

"You just believe it?" Chen Baxian asked again.

"Whether you believe it or not, I believe it anyway." Yang Zhong said and walked up the stairs.

The three followed Yang Zhong up the high steps to the tower gate, and saw four solemn and powerful characters written on the plaque - "The Only Way".

Yang Zhong showed the document issued by the Chief Clerk's Office to the gatekeeper, and the gatekeeper opened the tightly closed tower door.

"You can go in by yourselves. You can only enter here when you are promoted. You are not allowed to enter at other times." Yang Zhong said to the three people, "I'll wait for you at the door." Then he took out something from his sleeve and handed it to Ren Yuan.

~~
Entering the tower, the situation inside was completely different. There was only one oil lamp on the huge floor, and the entire hall was almost submerged in darkness, which looked eerie and mysterious.

Ren Yuan was about to use his third eye to take a quick look around when he suddenly heard a sinister voice.

"Don't waste your energy. All magical powers are useless here."

He was frightened and A Yao subconsciously drew out the bone sword.

"Little girl, don't do this." The man was also shocked. It was the first time he saw someone dare to draw a sword in Xuanji Tower.

Ren Yuan quickly grabbed A Yao, and she didn't rush over.

The man then walked to the candle. He turned out to be a hunchbacked old man with white hair and beard, big bags under his eyes, and lifeless eyes.

Perhaps because he had not seen the sun for many years, his old face was extremely pale and bloodless.

"Excuse me, sir. We are the newly promoted ghostwriters." Ren Yuan bowed and presented the small gift that Yang Zhong had prepared for them.

"That's more like what you're saying." The old man laughed and shouted into the darkness, "Three Jade Pivot Pills."

Then there was a sound of rummaging through boxes and drawers, and after a while an old cripple came over carrying three small medicine bottles on a tray.

"Go up to the third floor." The old man asked the three people to take one pill each, and gave each of them an oil lamp and said, "When you get to the third floor, each of you choose a door to go in and take the pill. Remember to put the oil lamp at the door and don't bring it in."

"Yes." The three of them responded, found the stairs and went upstairs.

After they went up, a few old men and women who looked abnormal appeared in the darkness. They gathered around the candlestick, staring at the small jar that Ren Yuan brought in.

The hunchbacked old man opened it and saw that it was a jar of live centipedes. He sighed depressedly and said, "Old poisonous woman, this is for you."

A white-haired old lady with red eyelids and a blue face picked up the jar with a smile, grabbed a big centipede, stuffed it into her mouth, and started chewing it with a crunching sound.

The dying centipede struggled desperately at the corner of her mouth, looking very scary.

The elders were used to it, so they chatted in low voices:

"These three new recruits are so weird. One has a golden elixir with four orifices but has seven, and one actually practices inner alchemy."

"That little girl is even more interesting. She is actually a sword cultivator with the body of Nüba." The old lady who ate the centipede said vaguely, "With time, she may become a real celestial maiden."

"Now that the goddess has appeared, how far is Yinglong?" The old men became more and more crazy, talking nonsense excitedly:

"The goddess Yinglong, the Yellow Emperor fighting Chiyou?"

"Okay, okay, I want to see a river of blood!"

"Don't talk nonsense. What kind of goddess is she without the Emperor's Sword?" The hunchbacked old man poured cold water on their enthusiasm.

"Too."

"Alas, I don't know why Chen Shuai invited these three people in." The old people sighed, "They don't even follow the rules he set."

"The rules were broken last year." The hunchbacked old man shook his head and sighed, "Alas, rules are rules, how can they be broken just like that?"

"Chen Shuai has his own plans, why do you care about so many trivial matters?" The old lady chewed another centipede and said happily, "It smells so good, don't you want to try it?"

"No thanks, eat it yourself." The old men shook their heads and disappeared into the darkness again. The only sound in the tower hall was the old lady chewing the centipede...

(End of this chapter)