409: Shao Siming

Magistrate Yu Huaisheng was able to attain the position of County Magistrate at the age of forty-something; aside from his own efforts, the assistance of his wife's family could not be overlooked.

To be precise, most of the reason was due to his father-in-law. If not for marrying a good wife, how could someone from his down-and-out family have attained such a position?

Unfortunately, some time ago, his brother-in-law came to visit his wife. After staying for several days, he departed. At that time, Magistrate Yu Huaisheng had even set aside his official duties to escort him for ten miles, hoping his brother-in-law would say some good words upon returning, so that his father-in-law might help him move up further—even a leisurely position in Fu City would be better than remaining in this barren place.

But yesterday, people came from Fu City asking when the Young Master had returned home. This statement immediately terrified Magistrate Yu Huaisheng, causing him to lose his wits, because his brother-in-law had set off five days ago; by his calculations, he should have arrived home long ago.

Magistrate Yu Huaisheng broke out in a cold sweat. If his brother-in-law had gone missing, let alone getting promoted, he feared he would never be able to leave this place for the rest of his life.

He immediately associated this with the missing commoners in the city. Could his brother-in-law's disappearance also be due to this matter?

Magistrate Yu Huaisheng dared not delay; he wrote a report explaining the sequence of events while organizing men to search everywhere. However, two days had passed, and not a single shred of news had come back.

"My Lord, there is a reply from Qian Province."

Qian Province was the Fu City, and also where Magistrate Yu Huaisheng's wife's family resided; it was also a key link in Xu Sanyan's Formation.

"Quickly, present it."

Magistrate Yu Huaisheng could not wait and snatched the letter, frantically tearing open the envelope, and reading it carefully word by word.

Beside him, the private secretary held his breath and craned his neck to peek.

After a long while, Magistrate Yu Huaisheng collapsed into his grand armchair and let out a long sigh of relief, then turned to instruct the private secretary,

"Huu... My father-in-law will send people to investigate. When that time comes, make sure to handle the arrangements properly; do not be stingy with Spirit Stones or wealth."

"Yes." The private secretary nodded repeatedly.

The worry between Magistrate Yu Huaisheng's brows did not disperse. He knew that since his brother-in-law had been missing for so long, he was likely in grave danger. But he could not understand, who would dare to make a move against his brother-in-law?

His brother-in-law was accompanied by guards all year round; although their strength was not considered very high, they still possessed the cultivation of Foundation Establishment. It would be extremely difficult for ordinary people to make a move against them.

And those who had the ability to act would not risk offending his father-in-law to touch him. Furthermore, this trip was done on a whim; others could not have possibly predicted it.

Taken together, the possibility of an accident was greater.

At this moment, a woman draped in fine silk emerged from the corner. The woman was about thirty years old, her appearance quite ordinary, with long, narrow eyebrows and protruding lips. A single glance gave one the impression of someone sharp and mean-spirited.

At this moment, she had no heart to concern herself with anything else. With reddened eyes, she asked, "Husband, is there any news of Younger Brother Hong?"

Magistrate Yu Huaisheng stepped forward to support her, shaking his head with a bitter face. "Sigh..."

The woman immediately began to wail,

"Wuwuwu~ What are we to do? It's all your fault! I told you to send him back so he could ask Father to transfer us away from here, but you insisted you were too busy with official business to get away. Now look, I fear we won't ever be able to leave this place in our lifetime. How did I end up with a good-for-nothing like you..."

The woman became increasingly noisy. Magistrate Yu Huaisheng's face darkened as he clenched his fists tightly. The ferocity in his eyes almost solidified, and the boundless rage suppressed in his chest had nowhere to vent. He just wanted to punch this woman to death.

Others only saw him rising rapidly through the support of his wife's family, never knowing how much bitterness he had endured behind the scenes.

But for the sake of his status and the position beneath his rear, he could only endure it silently and swallow the bitter fruit.

Living off one's wife is not so easy either.

"My Lady, do not let this distress ruin your health. My father-in-law's letter says he has already requested the Junior Lord of Fate to investigate; he will certainly find Younger Brother Hong."

"Junior Lord of Fate? What kind of official position is that?"

Suddenly, Magistrate Yu Huaisheng heard an indifferent inquiry beside his ear. His heart instantly froze, and he turned his head abruptly to see a dashing young man sitting on his desk, holding the letter that had just arrived from the prefecture and reading it word for word.

His relaxed demeanor was as if he had returned to his own home, without the slightest bit of urgency.

When did this person arrive?!

Magistrate Yu Huaisheng felt his hands and feet go cold instantly. Since this person could appear beside him without a sound, he could just as easily take his life.

"I am Magistrate Yu Huaisheng of Zhang Zhi County. Is there anything I can do to serve you, Young Master?" Magistrate Yu Huaisheng dared not show the slightest negligence; his expression was almost humble.

The wife beside him also stopped crying, staring blankly at Xu Sanyan, seemingly frightened.

The private secretary in the corner slowly moved his feet, wanting to seize the opportunity to escape and call for help.

Xu Sanyan seemed unaware. After reading the letter, he lowered his head and leisurely folded it into a paper airplane. Holding the bottom edge, he gave it a gentle push. The paper airplane traced a graceful arc, seemingly slow but actually swift, suddenly piercing through the private secretary's skull.

"Haa..."

The private secretary's eyes widened, and he collapsed to the ground, no longer breathing.

"Ah!"

The woman was terrified, her face pale. She let out a sharp, piercing shriek. Xu Sanyan turned his head abruptly, and his icy gaze forced her to choke it back.

She knew that if she screamed again, the corpse on the ground would be her fate.

"Gulp~"

Magistrate Yu Huaisheng could not help but swallow a mouthful of saliva. Who exactly was this person, and why did he kill someone without saying a word?

"What kind of official position is the Junior Lord of Fate?" Xu Sanyan asked again.

After hearing their conversation and reading the letter, Xu Sanyan had already roughly understood the ins and outs of the matter. It was nothing more than Chang Yulian having accidentally killed the son of a big shot while collecting blood plasma, and now that big shot was sending people to search.

Magistrate Yu Huaisheng hurriedly replied, "The Junior Lord of Fate is a fourth-rank official, belonging to the 'Tai Chang Palace' of Gan Country. They oversee all Cultivators in the country; as long as one is a Cultivator in Gan Country, they must be registered."

Xu Sanyan nodded. That power was truly not small.

"What level of cultivation is required to become a Junior Lord of Fate?"

Magistrate Yu Huaisheng raised his eyelids and stole a glance at him. "Generally, one needs to be in the Soul Refinement Realm."

Xu Sanyan nodded slowly. It seemed this position had quite a high value. Cultivators in the Soul Refinement Realm already belonged to the upper-middle echelon of the pyramid; even in Gan Country, it was impossible to have too many.

"How many Junior Lords of Fate are generally in one prefecture?"

"One. All twenty-six prefectures of Gan Country have Tai Chang Palace outposts, overseen by a Junior Lord of Fate, who is responsible for managing Cultivators within the territory and pursuing criminals. Above them is the Lord of Fate, a second-rank position."

Xu Sanyan understood. It was just like a mortal yamen; the Junior Lord of Fate was equivalent to a Chief Constable, and the Lord of Fate was equivalent to the Head Constable.

After figuring it all out, Xu Sanyan was completely at ease. It was just a Soul Refinement Realm Cultivator; it could not affect his plans.

"What is the cultivation level of the Prefect of Qian Province?" Xu Sanyan suddenly remembered something.

Magistrate Yu Huaisheng deliberated and said, "Uh, I cannot be certain, but I once heard my father-in-law mention it years ago; it seems to be the He Dao Realm..."

Xu Sanyan rested his chin on his hand and thought carefully, a plan slowly emerging in his mind.

Because setting up the grand Formation required five cities, and Qian Province City happened to be among them, the other four were easy to handle—he only needed to control their County Magistrates with his Demonic Seeds. But the prefecture city was different, so he needed to take a roundabout approach.

How about the title of Formation Great Master?

Of course, it would be best to become friends with this Junior Lord of Fate; then, everything would proceed logically...

As for how to become friends, he already had an idea in his mind.

Xu Sanyan slowly curled the corners of his lips...