Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 823 - 823 507 You Really Think Highly of Me_2

Chapter 823: Chapter 507: You Really Think Highly of Me_2 Chapter 823: Chapter 507: You Really Think Highly of Me_2 Three Gods City?

Qi Tian’s mind flashed with inspiration, and he remembered the County Master of Baoding Prefecture he had once executed, a fellow named Fan Tie, who seemed to be from one of Three Gods City’s cultivating powers. He had always been puzzled that, in Great Zhao Nation, from National Master down, whether it was Prefecture Magistrate or County Magistrate, they all came from the three great Master Mansions, with the sole exception of Fan Tie. Qi Tian had never understood the reason for this exception, but now, he seemed to have grasped a clue.

Of course, Qi Tian could not be sure that everything Lin Jin had said was true, and even if it all were true, it did not necessarily mean that Wu Jing had a connection with the royal family’s secret realm. Nevertheless, it was still a clue worth digging into.

He looked at Lin Jin and said, “I’ve said before that there will be rewards for providing clues. I cannot be certain your information is useful right now, but I am willing to give you your reward first. Tell me, what do you want?”

Lin Jin quickly responded, “Master, I just want to improve the situation for me and my family. My father’s illness could have been treated, but because I could not afford to pay for a doctor, I could only watch as he passed away. At that time, I swore to change the fate of my entire family, but unfortunately, I neither succeeded in literature nor in martial arts, and my oath became empty talk.”

Qi Tian nodded and said, “In that case, I’ll give you ten thousand taels of silver, and have Prince Zhao arrange for you to become the County Magistrate of Lubei County, how about that?”

Lin Jin was overjoyed; he had initially thought that his news might earn him a hundred or so taels of silver, far more than he had expected. Qi Tian not only gave him 10,000 taels of silver, but also arranged for him to be the County Magistrate of Lubei County—a place where Qi Tian once served as County Master and the stronghold of the Imperial Master Mansion of Great Zhao Nation. As long as he did not ruin things for himself, leading a safe and peaceful life there would be absolutely no issue.

“Thank you, Master, thank you, Master,” Lin Jin prostrated on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing to Qi Tian.

Qi Tian waved his hand, and someone stepped forward to take Lin Jin away.

Qi Tian called Zhao Haiying and the others over, and after another clandestine meeting, Qi Tian decided to personally investigate Three Gods City. He split his subordinates into two groups: Sun Xiang, Jin Jin, and Wang Youjun would stay in the Capital to continue gathering information, and also to prepare for the possibility of Wanjie City’s people coming over. If they came and intended harm to Prince Zhao, these subordinates would need to intervene and negotiate with the visitors from Wanjie City to ensure Prince Zhao’s safety to the best of their ability.

Afterwards, Qi Tian went directly to the ancestral temple of the royal family, took a rubbings of the portrait of Emperor Tian Rui’s father, Emperor Zhi Wu, and then, with the rubbings and Zhao Haiying, Liao Chongru, Gao Jinmei, Deng Chuanliang, and others, set off for Three Gods City.

Located at the easternmost point of Great Zhao Nation, adjacent to Yellow Longhai, Three Gods City was one of Great Zhao’s largest seaports. Its maritime trade was incredibly active, and the citizens were generally wealthy.

To save time, Qi Tian and his group flew directly on flying swords. High in the sky, they could see countless large and small ships on the distant sea, with masts like forests and thousands of vessels coming in and out of the port, a scene bustling with life.

They headed straight for the Prefecture Government Office of Three Gods City. Prefecture Magistrate Wang Hui, though he had not been notified in advance of Qi Tian’s visit, had alert subordinates who had spotted Qi Tian’s group early on and immediately informed Wang Hui.

Upon receiving the report, Wang Hui did not dare to delay and stepped out directly from the government office to wait at the entrance for Qi Tian’s arrival.

Before long, Qi Tian landed outside the government office. Wang Hui had never met Qi Tian, but that did not mean he did not recognize him. Qi Tian had shaken Great Zhao Nation to its core recently, and as the Prefecture Magistrate—early on expressing loyalty to Prince Zhao and being one of the prince’s staunchest supporters behind the scenes—Wang Hui dared not fail to recognize Qi Tian’s face in advance.

Originally taking Qi Tian for just another passing cultivator, upon discovering it was Qi Tian himself, Wang Hui did not dare show the slightest negligence. Without waiting for Qi Tian to land, he swept his robes aside and knelt directly on the ground. “This lowly official, Wang Hui, welcomes Master. Your esteemed visit brings great honor to this official,” he said.

Wang Hui brought out some officials who all knelt down upon seeing their superior, and Qi Tian lowered his head to behold the spectacle of several dozen people prostrating on the ground.

With a wave of his hand, Qi Tian said, “Stand up. Is there a place here where we can speak without interruption? Take me there; I have questions for you.”

Wang Hui hurriedly invited Qi Tian and his companions to his study.

Qi Tian stopped Wang Hui from serving him tea and cut straight to the chase, “I’ve heard that around a hundred years ago, when Great Zhao Nation was under the rule of Emperor Zhi Wu, there was a lady named Wu Jing who came from our Three Gods City to the court. Is that so?”

Wang Hui didn’t know why Qi Tian would ask about this matter, and he didn’t dare to inquire. He simply nodded and said, “Indeed, that is the case. In nearly two hundred years, from our Three Gods City and even the entire Three Gods Prefecture, only Wu Jing became an emperor’s consort. This matter was quite sensational and is recorded in both the prefecture and county annals. However, as far as I am aware, Lady Wu did not meet a good end. She seemed to have done something that angered the previous emperor, leading him to stab her to death.”

Qi Tian was secretly delighted. He hadn’t been sure if Wu Jing was from this part of Three Gods City, and to his surprise, he had received good news upon his arrival. He quickly pressed on, “Do you know exactly where Wu Jing came from?”

Wang Hui replied, “I really can’t remember that. But if Master wishes to know, it is quite easy. I’ll have someone fetch the records right now, and you can examine them yourself.”

“Then why not fetch them now?” urged Qi Tian.

Not daring to delay, Wang Hui immediately ordered someone to bring over the chronicles documenting Wu Jing’s story, and he personally turned to the relevant section for Qi Tian to review.

Upon examining the records, Qi Tian discovered that Wu Jing was indeed related to the sect of a man named Fan Tie. Wu Jing’s father was an outer disciple of the Refining God Sect led by Fan Tie, and he had established a small cultivating family that was affiliated with the sect.

Qi Tian called Wang Hui over to his side and pointed to the three characters for Refining God Sect, asking, “As a Prefecture Magistrate, you should be familiar with the Refining God Sect, right?”

With a wry smile, Wang Hui replied, “Master, you really overestimate me. I must disappoint you, for I truly don’t know what kind of force the Refining God Sect is. Honestly, I’ve only seen this name in the prefecture records. Elsewhere, and even in regular conversations with other people, I have never heard of ‘Refining God Sect’.”

“How is that possible?” Qi Tian displayed an expression of disbelief.

Wang Hui said, “Every word I speak is true. In front of Master, I dare not utter a single lie. If what I say does not match what I know, I am willing to accept any punishment from Master.”

Gao Jinmei transmitted a message to Qi Tian, “Master, based on my years of experience as an assassin, Wang Hui seems to be telling the truth.”

Qi Tian had been using the sensing function of the Heavenly Dao Engine to monitor the Spirit Qi around Wang Hui. Throughout Wang Hui’s speech, Qi Tian detected no anomalies with him; in other words, Wang Hui wasn’t being deceitful and was telling the truth.

After pondering for a moment, Qi Tian took out a rubbing portrait of Emperor Zhi Wu. He had two types of rubbings: one was an exact replica, while the other retained the emperor’s visage but had his clothing and accessories completely changed. Qi Tian now produced the portrait with the attire changed to that of a wealthy elder.