From the family treasure tree to build an eternal family

Chapter 75: Homecoming (Please Read)

Seeing that he was wearing a soldier's uniform, Xu Xiaoniu answered truthfully, "My name is Xu Xiaoniu, and I'm returning home from the battlefield in Yunbian County."

"The battlefield of Yunbian County?"

Zhang Hong was puzzled. He was only in his early twenties and had no recollection of the reason for the large-scale conscription ten years ago.

Upon hearing this, Wang Quan exclaimed, "Yunbian County?! Is the battle over there over?"

Back then, his younger brother was conscripted and sent to the battlefield in Yunbian County.

"Yes."

Xu Xiaoniu nodded.

Wang Quan couldn't wait to ask, "What's the result? Have all the recruited soldiers returned?"

"Yunbian County won, and all the surviving soldiers were sent back."

The winner was the immortal from Yunbian County, not an ordinary person.

Xu Xiaoniu couldn't bear to tell him that only one or twelve of the soldiers sent to the battlefield survived, and the rest died there.

"Wait, what proof do you have?"

Zhang Hong looked at Xu Xiaoniu with half belief and half doubt. What if this person was a disguised identity and was actually a refugee or a bandit?

Xu Xiaoniu took out the letter of military merit from his inner pocket: "Here it is."

Zhang Hong reached out to take it and was about to open it to check, but he saw the handwriting on the envelope.

He was so scared that his hands were shaking: "Lao Wang, look at this...is it real?"

Wang Quan took the letter and saw the words written on the envelope: [Personally addressed to Tonggu County Magistrate Lu Yisong].

"this!"

He quickly dismounted and respectfully walked up to Xu Xiaoniu: "Good man, what rank of military merit have you achieved?"

"First-class military merit, the reward seems to be some kind of official title."

First-class military merit?
Official status? !
Hearing Xu Xiaoniu's answer, the two were shocked. Military merit was divided into five levels, but they had only seen the third level, not the first level.

First-class military merit rewarded with official status?
How great a contribution must one make to be awarded first-class military merit?

Wang Quan came to his senses and quickly handed back the letter of military merit with both hands: "My lord, please keep it quickly."

After Xu Xiaoniu put away the letter, Wang Quan brought Zhang Hong's horse and said, "Sir, please mount quickly. I will take you to the county government office to see Magistrate Lu. A hero with first-class military merit has emerged in Tonggu County. We must report this as soon as possible."

Xu Xiaoniu originally wanted to go home first, but it was hard to refuse under the circumstances. Besides, riding a horse would definitely be much faster than walking, so he jumped on the horse.

Wang Quan got on his horse and said, "Zhang Hong, I'll lend you my horse. You can find a way to get back."

"Oh, okay, okay."

Zhang Hong nodded repeatedly. It was his honor that the person riding his horse was a man with first-class military merit and official status.

"Wait."

He suddenly realized what was happening and asked, "Excuse me, where do you live, sir? I'll go and tell your family."

This was his chance to seize the opportunity.

"Baihe Village, Xu family, Xu Xiaoniu."

After Xu Xiaoniu finished speaking, he rode at full speed to the county town under the guidance of Wang Quan.

----

Tonggu County Government Office, lobby.

County Magistrate Lu Yisong sat in the main seat, and the other three immortal officials sat on the side of the hall.

In terms of official position, the county magistrate is half a level higher.

But the actual status is not like this.

Among the three immortal officials, the county governor Jiang Hao is now the son-in-law of the Lu family. He married Lu Jinlan ten years ago and his status is better than that of the Lu family's son-in-law.

Jing Zhuo, director of the Demon Subduing Department, is a cultivator in the late stage of Qi training.

The Demon Subduing Division's duty is to deal with demonic cultivators, evil cultivators, or powerful warriors who bring disaster to the world. The head of the Forest Supervisor, Baili Wei, has the surname "Bai Li" and the given name Wei.

He is the youngest and weakest of the four immortal officials, only at the third level of Qi training, but his status is the highest.

He had a handsome face and wore a robe with special effects. He sat leisurely on a chair, with an otherworldly air of being indifferent to everything.

The atmosphere at the scene was a bit awkward at this time.

They discussed the candidates for "official status" here.

Lu Yisong should have suggested Fan Yang, but there had been no news from Fan Yang for two days, and he was afraid that something had happened to him.

He lowered his eyelids and asked, "Regarding proposing to the county government which innate warrior should be granted official status, what suggestions do you have?"

Bailiwei spoke first: "You decide, I'm fine with it."

He didn't care about the fight for the petty profits in Tonggu County; he was here to gain experience.

"What about you, Director Jing?"

Lu Yisong looked at Jing Zhuo. He knew that it was Jing Zhuo who was making trouble behind the scenes.

"I recommend one of my Demon Subduing Guards, Li Mang. He's been under my command for several years and has made many contributions. He's a suitable candidate for recommendation."

Jing Zhuo spoke without hesitation.

"Hmph, are you sure that person is an innate warrior and not a cultivator?"

Lu Yisong narrowed his eyes and saw through Jing Zhuo's thoughts.

"I don't know whether he has spiritual roots, but he is definitely a congenital warrior who has cultivated internal energy. If you don't believe me, you can summon him and test him on the spot."

"..."

Without checking, Lu Yisong knew that Li Mang must have cultivated internal strength.

The regulations for military officers require them to be innate warriors, but there is no regulation that these innate warriors cannot have spiritual roots.

This involves a loophole in the promotion of military officers to immortal officials.

The selection of immortal officials is much stricter than that of military officers. They must be carefully selected by the county government, unlike the military officer registration and the four immortal officials in the county town which can be decided at will.

The imperial court only needs silver to support military officers, but uses spirit stones to support immortal officials.

A single Spirit Stone could cause casual cultivators to fight tooth and nail for it, while Immortal Officials regularly receive Spirit Stones every month and every year. This is enough to prove the preciousness of Immortal Official status.

Besides the selection by the county yamen, there is another way to become an immortal official: a military officer who has obtained official status, has his spiritual roots detected, and becomes an immortal cultivator. If he then makes sufficient contributions, he can be promoted to an immortal official.

Li Mang's situation was a little different. He was a casual cultivator, and with nowhere else to go and lack of resources, he turned to Jing Zhuo and continued to practice martial arts.

It is very easy for cultivators to practice martial arts, because their spiritual energy can strengthen their tendons and marrow and has already opened up the meridians and acupoints throughout their body. They only need to improve their own qi and blood to develop internal strength and become a congenital warrior.

For an ordinary person to become a congenital warrior, he has to practice hard from a young age and spend more than ten to twenty years.

It only takes six months to a year for a cultivator to become a Xiantian warrior. However, time is precious, and cultivators would rather use it to cultivate and increase their spiritual energy than waste more than six months cultivating internal strength.

Internal energy is meaningless to cultivators. Time and energy are limited, and it's difficult to specialize in one field. No one would practice Taoism and martial arts at the same time.

----

After Jing Zhuo proposed Li Mang, he sent a message to Lu Yisong: "Lü County Magistrate, you have already received the benefits, why do you care about Fan Yang's life or death?"

"..."

Lu Yisong understood this principle, and he had already received the money given by Fan Yang.

But he was very unhappy because this involved his authority and the future status of his immortal official.

He couldn't find anyone else to replace Fan Yang, so he said helplessly, "Compile Li Mang's achievements into a book and submit it to the county government."

The county magistrate is the bridge of communication between the county seat and the county government.

At this moment, someone walked into the county hall. This person was Lu Yisong's trusted official.

"Ok?"

Lu Yisong frowned. Why did his men rush in at such a critical moment?
The official respectfully saluted the four immortal officials and said, "Excuse me, my lords, but I have something important to report to the county magistrate."

(End of this chapter)