Becoming a god by following the natural order and seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

Chapter 100 Innate Power
"Do you wish to die?!"

This earth-shattering shout, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly plunged the county government hall into a deathly silence.

The three people inside the hall changed their expressions abruptly, each reacting differently.

Magistrate Lin Shou's heart tightened suddenly, and cold sweat almost instantly soaked his inner shirt.

He assumed Chen Sheng was unaware of the newcomer's innate identity and feared that the two might start fighting at the slightest provocation. Even the aftershocks of a clash between innate experts would be beyond his ability to withstand, and he would inevitably be caught in the crossfire.

A glint flashed in Wu Kuang's eyes. His hand, which was holding the teacup, paused slightly. Then, he couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth, revealing a meaningful smile, and slowly placed the teacup back on the table.

After a brief moment of shock, Xu Yuanhai, the head of the Xu family, was overwhelmed by boundless rage that instantly shattered his reason.

As a master of innate martial arts and the head of his family, when had he ever suffered such a humiliating disgrace?
To be rebuked to his face as "suicidal" by a mere eighth-rank official is utterly ridiculous!

"put"

Xu Yuanhai's face flushed red, and he was about to unleash a 'How dare you!' filled with true energy, determined to teach this arrogant brat a lesson.

However, the moment the syllable was uttered, Xu Yuanhai's voice seemed to be choked by an invisible hand, stuck there.

A powerful, pure, and uniquely sharp aura instantly swept over him like a tidal wave, firmly locking onto his figure.

This aura is
innate?!
Xu Yuanhai's pupils suddenly contracted, and his anger was instantly extinguished as if doused with ice water.

He suddenly raised his head and looked incredulously at the entrance of the hall. At the same time, Wu Kuang and Lin Shou also seemed to sense something and turned to look with different expressions.

A tall, pine-like figure stepped into the lobby with steady, powerful strides, against the sunlight streaming in from outside.

The light and shadow behind him outlined his slender figure, illuminating a young yet exceptionally cold and handsome face, with sharp, knife-like brows that exuded an undeniable domineering and majestic aura.

Chen Sheng's gaze was like lightning, and his innate aura spread out without any concealment, like an invisible wave that filled the entire hall.

He glanced indifferently at Xu Yuanhai, whose face was ashen and whose eyes were filled with doubt, and then walked slowly toward the head seat in the main hall as if no one else was there.

When Lin Shou saw Chen Sheng approaching, he almost instinctively stood up and gave up his seat.

Chen Sheng didn't stand on ceremony and sat down calmly, then turned his gaze to Xu Yuanhai again, with a condescending and disdainful look:

"So you are Xu Yuanhai? Now that you have seen me, why do you not bow?"

salute?!
Xu Yuanhai's chest heaved violently, and his face turned extremely pale.

Even when facing County Magistrate Lin Shou and County Lieutenant Wu Kuang, he treated them as equals. He never thought of bowing to an eighth-rank military officer.
But at this moment, all the preconceived tough stances and thoughts of lashing out were completely overturned by the word 'innate'.

He never imagined that the commander of the military camp in Changshan County was such a young innate expert. No wonder he dared to disregard the Xu family and detain Xu Shenzhi.

Foundation Establishment Martial Artists and Innate Realm Experts may seem to differ by only one level, but in reality, they are worlds apart.

Facing a master of the same realm, he could no longer employ the condescending and oppressive strategy he had previously envisioned.

Even if he is arrogant and thinks he is better, it doesn't matter.

Looking into Chen Sheng's arrogant, cold, and sharp eyes, Xu Yuanhai had no doubt that if he confronted him directly, the other party would definitely attack without hesitation.

At that point, not only will the person be unable to be rescued, but the aftermath will also be difficult to resolve amicably.

Thinking of this, Xu Yuanhai took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the humiliation and surging anger in his heart. After a moment of silence, he raised his hand and cupped his hands to Chen Sheng, who was sitting at the head of the table, and said in a dry voice:
"I am Xu Yuanhai, and I greet Commander Chen."

Seeing Xu Yuanhai's attitude change so quickly, Chen Sheng couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

He had thought that he would have to fight today to test the strength of this Xu family patriarch, but he did not expect that the other party would be able to lower his posture so decisively after sensing his cultivation level.

As expected of the head of a prestigious family, his ability to be flexible and adaptable is truly extraordinary.

Lin Shou, who was standing to the side, was completely dumbfounded.

Previously, Xu Yuanhai had been so domineering, almost disregarding him and Wu Kuang. Unexpectedly, upon Chen Sheng's arrival, his mere presence was enough to make this Xiantian family head restrain all his sharpness and take the initiative to pay his respects.

At the same time, he also sensed the profound aura emanating from Chen Sheng, and an astonishing guess inevitably surfaced in his mind.

Could Chen Sheng have already entered the Innate Realm?

Although Wu Kuang was somewhat surprised by Xu Yuanhai's quick surrender, it was still within his expectations.

One can't help but admire in one's heart that the ability of these aristocratic families to survive to this day is truly extraordinary, thanks to the forbearance and adaptability of their leaders.

"Just now, Patriarch Xu seemed to have some complaints about my lateness."

Chen Sheng's tone was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger, yet it exuded an invisible pressure.

Xu Yuanhai forced a slightly stiff smile and lowered his posture even further:
"Commander Chen, you flatter me. I was just worried about my son's safety and spoke rashly in a moment of panic. I hope you will forgive me."

He paused for a moment, then cut straight to the point:

"I have come here today because of my son, Xu Shenzhi. He is young and inexperienced and does not know the rules. If he has offended anyone, I apologize on his behalf. I hope that Commander Chen can be lenient and show leniency."

"Hands on?"

Chen Sheng snorted coldly, his tone turning stern: "The Huang family's collusion with river bandits is well-documented, tantamount to treason. Your son, Xu Shenzhi, attacked me in public, and according to the law, he can be punished the same as the Huang family."

"Master Xu, you think you can get me to release him with just a few words? Do you think this Changshan County government office is some kind of private court run by your Xu family?"

Xu Yuanhai knew that it was impossible to avoid bleeding, so he quickly said:
"Commander Chen, you are wise. My son has been deceived by the Huang family and has no intention of colluding with them to rebel. Before I came here, I explained the situation to the officials in the government office, and they also know that there may be a misunderstanding."

As he spoke, he observed Chen Sheng's expression, while his gaze subtly swept over Wu Kuang and Lin Shou beside him:
"Furthermore, I am well aware that my son has caused Commander Chen trouble, and I am filled with remorse. Therefore, I have prepared a small gift to express my apologies, and I hope Commander Chen will accept it."

His meaning was clear: he wanted to discuss the terms with Chen Sheng privately.

Chen Sheng waved his hand dismissively, saying, "Magistrate Lin and Lieutenant Wu are my colleagues, not outsiders. If Master Xu has any 'small gift,' please speak freely."

He deliberately emphasized the words "small gift".

He wasn't surprised that the Xu family could get through to the prefectural government, but the government couldn't force him to release the people.

If the gift is substantial enough, he can naturally see through it; but if the other party tries to get away with it, he wouldn't mind accusing the Xu family of bribing an official of the imperial court.

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuanhai's eyes twitched slightly. After a moment's hesitation, he took out a palm-sized mutton-fat jade box from his sleeve, carefully placed it on the table, and gently opened it.

The moment the lid was opened, a refreshing and unique fragrance wafted out.

Inside the jade box lay a strange flower, milky white in color, resembling a snow lotus, with natural ice crack patterns on its petals. Looking at this flower, Xu Yuanhai's eyes flashed with an undisguised pity.

"This plant is called 'Snow Lake Flower'. It grows at the bottom of an extremely cold snow lake, and this particular plant is already thirty years old and has medicinal value."

Xu Yuanhai said in a deep voice, "It can be used in medicine and alchemy, or it can be swallowed and refined directly. It has the effect of improving cultivation and replenishing innate spiritual seeds."

This Snow Lake Flower was originally a precious resource he intended to use to befriend an alchemy elder from the Iron Sword Sect. Before coming here, he had never thought of using it; his original plan was to use his influence to intimidate the elder, or at least bribe him with gold and silver.

However, the revelation of Chen Sheng's innate cultivation level completely disrupted his plans. Judging from Chen Sheng's domineering attitude, if he were to take out ordinary gold and silver, not only would he not be able to save people, but he would probably immediately provoke the other party, and the consequences would be unpredictable.

"Snow Lake Flower?"

Chen Sheng's eyes flickered slightly.

Yan Ming, who was standing to the side, immediately understood, stepped forward, took the jade box, and respectfully presented it to Chen Sheng.

Chen Sheng looked at the milky-white spiritual flower in the jade box, feeling the pure energy contained within it, and nodded slightly.

Xu Yuanhai does know some of the rules.

They didn't use those gold and silver items to insult him.

Just as Chen Sheng was about to speak and agree to release the man, Li Huaisheng hurriedly entered the hall and bowed to report:
"My lord, there are two women outside the county government office requesting an audience. They claim to be from the Wang family of Ning'an, the eldest daughters of the Wang family, and wish to see Magistrate Lin and County Lieutenant Wu."

"The Wang family of Ning'an?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone in the hall changed slightly.

Within Ning'an Prefecture, there are many prominent families with the surname Wang, but only the Wang family, a top-tier family that has dominated the prefecture for hundreds of years and whose foundation is unfathomable, can be named after the prefix "Ning'an".

Lin Shou looked worried, hesitant to speak, wanting to remind Chen Sheng that the Xu family and the Wang family were not comparable at all, and that if they were to antagonize the Wang family, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Xu Yuanhai was first shocked and then regretted it.

To his surprise, the Han family had previously said that they had entrusted the matter to Wang Zhilan, the eldest daughter of the Wang family. He had taken it as an excuse, but he never expected that she would actually come in person.

What he regretted was that the Snow Lake Flower seemed to have been given away a little too early. If Wang Zhilan had been able to use the power of the Wang family to subdue Chen Sheng, he might not have had to pay such a huge price.

However, what's done is done, and there's no going back now; regretting it is useless.

"Please come in, Miss Wang."

Compared to the tension of the others in the hall, Chen Sheng remained calm and casually gave his instructions.

"Yes." Li Huaisheng accepted the order and withdrew.

A moment later, two beautiful figures appeared at the entrance of the lobby.

The woman in the lead was dressed in a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a charming and lively appearance. She was holding an exquisite wooden box in her hands, and judging from her attire, she should be a personal maid.

The woman who was half a step behind wore an elegant white dress and had a slender figure.

Judging from her age, she was only sixteen, with skin as white as snow and eyebrows as beautiful as a painting. In particular, her willow-leaf eyes had a natural gentleness that flowed between them, yet they also contained a cold and aloof temperament that made people afraid to look directly at her.

Chen Sheng knew in his heart that this woman with an outstanding temperament must be Wang Zhilan, the eldest daughter of the Wang family.

Wang Zhilan entered the hall, her cool gaze sweeping across everyone's faces before finally settling on the young man in official robes sitting at the head of the table.

When she sensed the undisguised innate aura emanating from the other person, a barely perceptible hint of surprise and solemnity flashed across her usually calm eyes.

There was actually a Xiantian expert presiding over the Changshan County government office?
And so young!

Although Wang Zhilan was startled, she showed no sign of it on her face. She bowed slightly and said softly, "Young Wang Zhilan greets Magistrate Lin and County Commandant Wu."

Then her gaze turned to Chen Sheng, revealing a hint of inquiry at just the right moment. Before coming here, she had not expected that the person in charge of Changshan County would be such a young master of innate skill.

There was a moment of hesitation.

"Miss Wang, this is Commander Chen Sheng, the Grand Commander of the Changshan County Armed Forces," Xu Yuanhai quickly stepped forward and introduced him politely.

Wang Zhilan's eyes flickered slightly, and she bowed to Chen Sheng again:
"Greetings, Commander Chen."

"Miss Wang, there's no need for such formalities."

Chen Sheng slightly raised his hand, gesturing for the other party to sit down: "May I ask what brings Miss Wang here today?"

Wang Zhilan sat down as instructed, her posture elegant.

He quickly surveyed the situation and saw that Xu Yuanhai had calmed down, while Wu Kuang and Lin Shou were both following Chen Sheng's lead. He immediately realized that the real person in charge of the Changshan County government was the young Commander Chen in front of him, and his style of doing things seemed quite tough.

His mind raced immediately, and he cut to the chase:

"Zhilan has come here on behalf of her friend Han Ling'er. I heard that she came to Changshan with Young Master Xu and, due to her youth and ignorance, offended the government's laws. Zhilan has been entrusted by her family to come and apologize on her behalf."

His tone was neither humble nor arrogant, which not only stated his purpose but also revealed his personal friendship with Han Ling'er.

As she spoke, she gave a look to her maid, Hongxiu, beside her.

Hongxiu understood, stepped forward, and respectfully presented the wooden box in her hand.

The wooden box was opened, revealing five Yuan Crystals neatly arranged inside, each emitting a soft cyan halo and pure Yuan Qi fluctuations.

Seeing this, Xu Yuanhai's eyes twitched violently again, and he was even more horrified.

Even the eldest daughter of the Wang family has to send a gift to Chen Sheng?
Could it be that behind Chen Sheng there is some overwhelming background that even the Wang family has to be wary of?
Thinking of this, Xu Yuanhai felt a chill run down his spine and was even more grateful that he hadn't acted impulsively.

Otherwise, it might be difficult to resolve this amicably.

However, what Xu Yuanhai didn't know was that Wang Zhilan simply didn't want to cause too much trouble. Using her family background to intimidate others was easy, but it would create endless resentment and bring disaster to her family.

Of course, Chen Sheng's displayed innate cultivation level did indeed earn her a certain degree of respect, making her attitude more polite and cautious.

Chen Sheng glanced at the five shimmering blue Yuan Crystals and was fairly satisfied.

These scions of prominent families were not all bullies; at least they knew basic rules and etiquette.

"Yan Ming".

Chen Sheng said no more and directly ordered, "Go to the military camp and bring Xu Shenzhi and Han Ling'er to the county government office."

"Yes, Your subordinate obeys!" Yan Ming accepted the order and quickly left.

Lin Shou, watching this unexpected turn of events, was filled with astonishment and felt an even greater sense of awe for Chen Sheng.

Wu Kuang watched all this silently, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

The power brought by the Innate Realm was indeed extraordinary; it could make the top families in the city treat him with respect and calm down the furious head of the Xu family.

(End of this chapter)