Xiaoxiao.

The county magistrate's resignation was like a bombshell, exploding in people's ears a month after the Zhangzhen incident.

When the officials learned that the new magistrate was leaving, they were all struck dumb, as if by lightning. They couldn't understand why the magistrate would choose to leave at this time when the situation was so promising, like the rising sun.

Could it be true, as the rumors say, that he is a member of the royal family and that he came here to prepare for war only to seek pleasure?

Otherwise, it's really hard to explain!

It should be understood that all the old forces have now been eradicated like clay chickens and earthenware dogs, making it the perfect time to reap the rewards of victory.

Next comes promotion, wealth, and meteoric rise in rank.

Because of his outstanding achievements in handling the Zhang Zhen case, the prefect will surely regard him as a role model.

The higher Kuangzheng is praised, the more imposing the Prefect's achievements will appear. After all, the Prefect has the ability to recognize talent and uses people wisely!

You must know that Xiubei County was a thorn in the side of the prefect. Now that this thorn has been removed by the root, no matter what means were used or who did it.

If the disease is successfully eradicated, it will be an unparalleled achievement.

Kuang Zheng's seal of office was verified by the prefecture, and based on this alone, he was a trusted confidant of the prefect.

In the future record of merit, the Prefect will surely leave a significant mark.

Since the Prefect has reaped the benefits, Kuang Zheng, as the chief contributor, will naturally also receive a generous reward. This is one reason!

The sudden collapse of Zhang Zhen's gang was like a devastating storm, almost sweeping away all the heads of various departments in Xiubei County.

It's like a large number of fertile spots suddenly becoming available on a piece of fertile land, making everyone's mouth water. Isn't the whole point of working hard to accumulate seniority for a smooth rise through the ranks?

Now, the opportunity is right in front of us, like a treasure mountain shining with golden light, waiting for everyone to explore it.

Now it's time for everyone to show their skills. At this point, you can no longer rely on connections to easily achieve success as you always have. The most important thing is to get past the hurdle of rectification.

As the saying goes, "a local official is more powerful than a distant one," and Kuang Zheng was not only a local official, but also a figure as hard as steel.

What's even more astonishing is that he single-handedly entangled Zhang Zhen's gang to the point of being unable to fight back.

Based on this alone, if you want to get promoted and make a fortune, it's like searching for light in the darkness; you can't avoid it no matter what.

With just a slight nod, the hat was as firmly fixed to the iron plate, as solid as a rock!

At this moment, if Kuang Zheng so desired, he could transform the yamen into his own private garden, a truly monolithic and unparalleled garden where honor and disgrace are shared.

This is real benefit, the foundation for generations to come!

Kuang Zheng, now only 15 years old, already holds great power in his hands, shining brightly like a star in the night sky.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it's not entirely far-fetched that he will one day be granted the title of king or prime minister.

Such an irresistible temptation, yet he said he didn't want it. What courage that is!

Everyone was racking their brains trying to figure out how to stand out in front of the magistrate, but then news suddenly spread that he was going to resign. How could this not cause them to have all sorts of thoughts?

Therefore, the so-called rumors about the royal family naturally came to fruition.

At the age of fifteen, to have the power of life and death over millions of people in a county is simply an irresistible temptation.

Many people spend their entire lives trying to reach such a high position, yet the county magistrate treats it like trash.

If there weren't better options, who would be so dismissive?

Therefore, everyone firmly believed the rumors that Kuang Zheng was a member of the royal family. However, how could they know that the reason Kuang Zheng stayed for a month was because Wu Ren needed to rest and recuperate, so he had to stay temporarily?

Even though he was stationed in the county government, Kuang Zheng was a complete absentee manager.

He ignored all matters concerning the government and had no interest in them whatsoever.

But the people below didn't think so; they firmly believed that the magistrate was testing them.

Once you catch the eye of an adult, wouldn't rapid advancement be just around the corner?

Therefore, despite Kuang Zheng not signing any orders, the county government still operated in an orderly manner. Not only were all matters handled promptly and properly, but everyone was also unusually energetic.

The unfortunate people of Yiquan, who had been driven to the brink of divorce and death by Zhang Zhen, were finally going to return to their land. Thanks to Kuang Zheng's influence, the financial subsidies they received were incredibly generous.

But what's the use of all this?

Their families will never come back...

I thought the hardship was finally over, after all, I had been suffering for a whole month!

All the formalities and hardships have been endured; now it's time for promotions and titles.

As the saying goes, "No pain, no gain," but instead of the good news of promotion, everyone received news of their dismissal.

The county magistrate actually resigned from his post—this is truly unprecedented!

However, since things had already come to this, everyone quickly came to terms with it. It was better that they were gone; perhaps they could even reach a higher level!

There are many people who think this way, after all, the county government is a constant, but the officials come and go.

Old friends depart, new friends arrive. Since it's a fait accompli, let's bid them farewell together!

Therefore, despite the fact that everyone was a complete stranger to him, a huge crowd came to see him off.

"Why are you leaving?" Wang Xiaorong finally mustered up her courage and asked.

In her eyes, it was unwise for Kuang Zheng to leave at this time; now was the perfect opportunity for him to shine.

Resigning at this time would undoubtedly be doing the work for someone else; in officialdom, people are always forgotten once they leave.

Despite the large number of people seeing him off today, how many of them truly wanted to retain the magistrate? Perhaps only they themselves knew the truth.

Many people were secretly delighted, wishing that Zheng would pack his bags and leave immediately.

But on the surface, they pretended to be reluctant to part.

Upon seeing this, Wang Xiaorong felt disgusted and thought they were extremely hypocritical.

She genuinely hoped that Kuangzheng could stay, simply because she thought he was a very good person.

Although they had only met a few times, she still hoped that the other person would stay.

As for whether there are other reasons, only she knows.

After all, people often like to deceive themselves...

"Now that the matter is settled, it is natural to return." Because his cultivation had finally undergone a pleasing change, and because he had a very good impression of the little girl, Kuang Zheng surprisingly answered her question.

"You, you, you are really royalty?" Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaorong was utterly astonished.

"Hehe...I guess so!" Kuang Zheng glanced at Ying Yue and replied with a smile.

"Oh..." Hearing Kuang Zheng's reply, Wang Xiaorong was filled with disappointment and left dejectedly.

'His status is worlds apart from mine; let this illusion shatter like a bubble forever,' Wang Xiaorong silently told herself.

Watching his daughter's lonely figure, Wang Gen felt as if his heart was being torn apart. Because she had fallen in love with the eagle soaring in the sky, while he himself was like a fragile butterfly.

Such love is like the moon's reflection in water or a flower in a mirror, destined to have no happy ending.

Just as Qin Shi was about to step forward, she caught a glimpse of Kuang Zheng glancing at Yao Changqing before leaving without looking back.

Gazing at that receding figure, Qin Shi was mesmerized, momentarily lost in thought.

He was like that insurmountable mountain peak, and for the first time in his life, Qin Shi felt ashamed of himself...

Yao Changqing didn't know why he hadn't taken the initiative to say goodbye. Was it because he felt guilty? Or did he feel that the other person was like an unattainable star? Or was there some other reason? He himself had no way of knowing.

But he knew he had missed a golden opportunity, a golden opportunity he had always dreamed of, a golden opportunity that could have propelled him to the top!

At this moment, his heart was filled with loss and regret.

I hate myself for overestimating my abilities, and for my indecisiveness. If I had been more focused and diligent from the beginning, would everything have been different?

However, life has no "what ifs," only outcomes.

"How does it feel? How's it like to be invisible?" Xiu Bei County finally disappeared completely from sight. Wu Ren and Ying Yue no longer needed to hide. Looking at Wu Ren's furtive glances, Ying Yue teased him.

"Not bad, very good." Wu Ren smiled and replied. After a month of recuperation, Wu Ren had fully recovered.

"How about we try again?" Kuang Zheng said with a slight smile, his lips curling up in a half-smile.

"Uh...didn't we already leave? Look, Xiubei County has disappeared from sight." Wu Ren exaggeratedly turned his head to look back, feeling a little uneasy.

To be honest, he had always been skeptical of the idea of ​​cultivating one's mind. Besides, cultivating one's mind didn't necessarily require pretending to be an ordinary person. Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?

“You can go back, hehe!” Seeing Wu Ren’s embarrassment, Ying Yue quickly chimed in.

"Yes, haha!" Seeing Wu Ren's bitter face, Kuang Zheng finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Haha..." Ying Yue laughed along with him.

"Hehe..." Hearing the two laughing, Wu Ren finally came to his senses and realized that he had been teased. He smiled sheepishly, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Hehe... This preparation trip can't be said to have been completely fruitless. My intuition has already told you. So I think tempering the mind does have some effect, but it should be left to nature, and the effect will vary from person to person," Kuang Zheng said.

"It's like a chicken bone to me," Wu complained with a distressed expression.

On the day of the Xiubei River, Kuang Zheng suddenly felt a strange sensation. His dantian, which had been as still as stagnant water, began to stir with qi for the first time.

This almost made him cry tears of joy. You see, ever since they received that mysterious inheritance, they have been as if they were under a spell, and they can no longer feel the slightest fluctuation in their dantian.

After nearly four years, I finally felt the flow of spiritual energy in my body again. How could I not be overjoyed?

Whether it was due to flawed methods or simply bad timing, Wu Ren and Ying Yue's countless attempts were like stones sinking into the sea, failing to create even a ripple. How could this not cause them immense distress?

"Don't be too discouraged! At least we've obtained the Medicine Buddha. As long as we have enough spiritual resources in the future, there won't be any more danger of suddenly losing control," Ying Yue comforted her from the side.

The Medicine Buddha that Ying Yue mentioned was the statue she obtained from Penglou that night. Kuang Zheng accidentally learned about the statue's miraculous uses while transmitting spiritual energy to Wu Ren.

The Medicine Buddha is a legendary figure from the planet Penglai. He was distressed by the people's constant suffering from illness and the lack of a cure, so he traveled to every corner of Penglai, tasting every kind of plant. He then compiled these plants according to their medicinal properties, ultimately creating the "Compendium of Materia Medica."

From then on, people could use the medicinal properties of various herbs to control their illnesses. This freed people from the torment of disease, and the pharmacist was thus beloved and eventually attained enlightenment.

This is, of course, just a legend. The term "pharmacist" is a general term for highly skilled physicians of each generation. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" is also a medical encyclopedia compiled by generations of physicians through continuous verification and organization.

Even now, the Qin Dynasty still has dedicated physicians responsible for expanding the "Compendium of Materia Medica," meaning that the "Compendium of Materia Medica" has not yet been completed.

Moreover, the first compiler of the "Compendium of Materia Medica" was Shennong, and later, many medical masters such as Bian Que, Hua Tuo, Zhang Zhongjing, Sun Simiao, and Li Shizhen participated in the compilation of this classic.

Moreover, not only the Qin Dynasty, but also the Tang and Han Dynasties had relevant departments for compiling the "Compendium of Materia Medica," which continues to expand and continue to this day.

However, the Medicine Buddha is merely an idol created by Buddhism to expand its influence, but the Medicine Buddha in their possession does indeed have miraculous uses.

"Could it be something left behind by our ancestors?" Ying Yue offered her opinion on the origin of the Medicine Buddha.

"You mean it was left behind by cultivators from the past? Isn't that obvious?" Wu Ren was a little confused by Ying Yue's thought process. It must have been left behind by people from the past, otherwise how could there be any spiritual energy left behind?

"No, what I mean is, could this be a magical artifact that people used for cultivation in the past?" Ying Yue said, knowing that Wu Ren had misunderstood.

"Uh... most of the magical artifacts mentioned in the books are weapons, or special-purpose furnaces, plates, gourds, and the like. I haven't seen any magical artifacts with a specific image, but we can't rule out that possibility," Wu Ren pondered.

"Of course there are! Aren't there all sorts of statues in Buddhist temples and Taoist monasteries nowadays? Aren't they sacred objects for believers?" Kuang Zheng offered his opinion.

“Ah! That really makes sense. When people pray to gods and Buddhas, they are just using various statues as ritual implements, right? It’s just that ordinary ritual implements are usually held in the hand, while the ritual implements in temples and Taoist temples are for ordinary people to worship,” Ying Yue said.

"What I'm most concerned about is whether this Medicine Buddha will have any side effects," Kuang Zheng said with concern.

"Haven't we checked it all? It can purify spiritual energy, store spiritual energy, and act as a transfer station for spiritual energy. There's nothing else special about it!" Ying Yue dismissed Kuang Zheng's concerns.

“Have you ever seen a spiritual treasure that can be used repeatedly? Over the years, which of the spiritual objects we’ve found has become useless after it’s been used up? But look at this one, even after its spiritual energy is exhausted, it’s still made of jade. This is completely different from the spiritual objects we’ve obtained before,” Kuang Zheng said.

“Yes, once those spiritual objects have their spiritual energy absorbed, they will either turn to ashes instantly or become useless,” Wu Ren said.

"Then we'll use it less often in the future," Ying Yue suggested, having also noticed the Medicine Buddha's unusual behavior.

"Sigh! It's all because of our ignorance! If we knew him, we wouldn't have this problem. Sigh! We're just weirdos in this world!" Wu Ren sighed.

"Hehe...Alright. You're getting carried away. This statue is useful to us, but Yue'er is right. It's best to use it sparingly before we figure out its origins. Even without any side effects, we still need to find sufficient spiritual energy. That's our way out. This statue, no matter how good, is just a storage device. Spiritual energy is the source, the foundation," Kuang Zheng said.

"Easier said than done!" Wu Ren said.

"There will always be a way," Kuang Zheng said.

“That’s right, I believe in Zheng Ge’er,” Ying Yue said.

"Ugh... I can't stand it, why are they suddenly showing off their love? Ugh... I'm getting goosebumps." Wu Ren exaggeratedly shook his body, but he was just complaining, not actually discouraged.

"You bastard Wu Ren, you're asking for it!" Ying Yue blushed deeply after Wu Ren's antics and repeatedly threatened to hit him.

For a while, the two of them ran around laughing and joking, their laughter filling the roadside.

Suddenly, a black eagle swooped down like an arrow, its wingspan of ten meters shrinking as it transformed into a black meteor and shot towards the sky.

As Kuang Zheng stretched out his arm, the eagle suddenly spread its dark wings when it was only about five meters away from his arm and then landed steadily on his arm.

Kuang Zheng affectionately touched the other's forehead and whispered, "Thank you for your hard work." Then, he skillfully took out the secret letter from the eagle's talons, and soon revealed a look of ecstatic joy.

The eagle was enjoying its master's affection when it was suddenly grabbed and pulled up.

"Haha... Little Black, you've gotten even stronger. Time to boil water and shave your feathers. Haha..." Ying Yue shamelessly plucked at the black eagle. The black eagle was clearly very familiar with her, and despite its discomfort, it didn't resist at all. It just showed a human-like look of utter despair, which made Wu Ren, who was standing to the side, keep saying that this feathered beast had become a spirit.

"Hahaha..." Kuang Zheng's loud laughter attracted the attention of the two, and even the black eagle kept calling out, as it also sensed its master's joy.

"The Vermilion Fruit, the Vermilion Fruit has appeared," Kuang Zheng said, trembling.

"what?"

"Really?"

"Are you sure it's the Vermilion Fruit??" Ying Yue and Wu Ren were overwhelmed with excitement.

“Really!!!” Kuang Zheng affirmed.

"Good, good, that's great!!!" Laughter filled the valley, and the black eagle took off, singing loudly, its high-pitched cry resounding through the heavens and earth.