Chapter 59 - 59: Holding Precious Treasures, The Wind Blows and The Grain Rises
“The year you died in war, Grandfather retired and returned to his hometown. Uncle, didn’t you know? That same year, our branch of the family lost its status as the head of the family.”
“This involves me? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
The Military Judge woke up to the fact that so many big events happened in the year of his death. They must have had something to do with him, but he was only learning about them today.
“What is the point of telling you then, Uncle? At that time, you weren’t even a ghost yet, just a lone soul who died in the war on the frontier!”
Xu Ze’s smile was intact.
“If Grandfather hadn’t retired that year, would you still be respected as a ghost deity?”
“Why did my father retire? Did I cause some sort of big trouble by dying on the frontier? All I killed were beastly barbarians who were plundering the common people on the frontier!”
The Military Judge furrowed his brows deeply, he didn’t think that he had done anything wrong in dying in the war.
“Because, Uncle, in order to make a statement to the people on the border, you killed a Bone General Duke who happened to be the son of a Beastly Barbarian king.”
“So that’s how it is. I was wondering why so many tribes of beastly barbarians were chasing me like mad after I killed that one. Turns out, it was the son of a Beastly Barbarian king!”
A look of realization surfaced on the Military Judge.
“All because of that war you fought, Uncle. That Beastly Barbarian king, in the name of avenging his son, led three hundred thousand beastly barbarians to the border, almost causing a war in the North for the first time in nearly half a Jiazi.
It took considerable effort for the court to persuade the Beastly Barbarian king to retreat, which greatly infuriated the court and the public!
Grandfather had no choice but to retire and return to his hometown as a ransom, which is why you are enjoying the honor of being a deity here.
Don’t you find it strange these years? You, a legitimate son of a prominent family, died in war as a seventh-grade school military officer, but now you are humbling yourself to a city god of a county.”
At this moment, the smile on Xu Ze’s face vanished. He looked at the deity in
front of him with a very complicated look.
Whether it was his appearance or his imposing figure, both were similar to the heroic uncle from his memories, but he could hardly still look up to him with admiration as he used to.
The Military Judge fell silent. He had pondered such questions and even contemplated answers.
“Ze, do you think I did something wrong back then?”
“Uncle, I never thought you did anything wrong. Unlike those debauched wealthy families who mixed with the border army, you never indulged in wine or women, and you were never oblivious to military affairs.
You diligently practiced martial arts, cared for your soldiers, fulfilled your duties, were loyal to the emperor and patriotic. What’s more, you were courageous. The beastly barbarians often plundered border villages, but whenever you encountered them, you avenged the people!”
“So, I wasn’t wrong?”
“Of course you weren’t wrong. The wrong ones are the late emperor who just wished for peace on earth and those cowardly monarchs and nobles who fear war!”
Xu Ze laughed aloud.
“Watch your words!”
A surge of divine light emanated from the Military Judge, instantly sealing off the inside and outside.
“Uncle, I have finished speaking. Now that I see you are well, it puts my mind at ease. When I return, I can reassure my father and grandfather. I will excuse myself now!”
Seemingly venting his emotions, Xu Ze respectfully bowed, then turned around to leave. Just as he was about to exit the great hall, he paused, turned back, and said,
“Uncle, why is someone like you born into a family like ours? You should have been born into a common wealthy family, been a heroic commoner, or a chivalrous hero. Why trouble the Xu family and me?”
After saying this, Xu Ze did not hesitate to leave the divine realm.
Looking at the direction of the door where his nephew left, the young face of the Military Judge, no different from his nephew, was once again shrouded in heavy divine light, concealing all his emotions. “I, have no regrets in my heart!”
‘Mountain god, you’ve treated us really well!”
Looking at the steamy river in the valley through the eyes of Black Mountain, Feng Qing’an couldn’t help but exclaim.
When the winter was about to come, following Feng Qing’an’s advice, Black Mountain searched the mountain for a place to spend the winter with the wolf pack. After crossing numerous mountains without finding a suitable place, Black Mountain found this valley with a natural hot spring finally. But this was guided by the mountain god who had fused a scale emitting divine light into Black Mountain’s forehead and led the wolves here.
Awooo-
Black Mountain was quite in agreement, surrounded by lush vegetation, blooming flowers, various birds, and running rabbits and mice. It was completely different from the dying world outside the mountain.
“Black Mountain, go and catch some rabbits to breed. Rabbits breed quickly and can be a good source of food for you during the winter!”
Feng Qing’an suggested another idea to Black Mountain. Having found a place for the wolf pack to spend the winter, the issue of food and drink remained.
Small animals like mice and rabbits, which have explosive breeding rates, are an excellent choice. However, the size of mice is too small while rabbits are suitable.
As long as the rabbits breed for several generations, the wolf pack may tighten their belts, couple with hunting outside, the winter can be passed without any problems. When spring comes, even if settled in the mountains, no need to worry about the food anymore.
Awooo-
Black Mountain assured it would strictly follow Feng Qing’an’s instructions and prepare a stable source of food for the wolf pack.
“When you finish with the wolf pack, don’t forget about me. Walk around the mountains when you have nothing else to do. Even if it’s blocked by heavy snow, it won’t stop you!”
Awooo-
Hearing Black Mountain’s promise, Feng Qing’an called off the “Sending God Skill”. He spent less time coaching Black Mountain’s actions as Black Mountain had developed the ability to judge independently.
Compared to looking after Black Mountain, Feng Qing’an preferred to devote more time to his own training. Because he felt that after forming the second soul contract, his training speed was a bit faster, but he wasn’t sure if it was because of the spiritual tea the mountain god had offered him.
Regardless of the reason, Feng Qing’an had a premonition that he wouldn’t need much time to form the third soul contract, probably before the Chinese New Year. And then, as long as he found a beast that suited him, he could officially become an Earth Beast General.
At that time, he would undergo a new transformation.
While Feng Qing’an was planning his own training, in Yongning County and neighboring counties, a distinctive group of people was visiting various local ghosts and gods and local government offices with the Princess Mansion’s letter of introduction in hand, obtaining various archives.
The core of their investigation revolved around one person, some strange demons, and monsters that a certain city god had suppressed fiercely, suddenly becoming all too visible. Among these, the wolf dog that did not fear integrity naturally attracted the most attention..