Someone who brings ruin to a government comes to bear a heavy weight. In fact, a weight like that is enough to crush the soul and leave one damned by myriad tribulations. Someone who survives such an ordeal experiences something like nirvanic rebirth. Having done so, they can soar beyond the highest heavens and become the focus of all eyes.

As of this moment, Xu Qing, who had trampled thistles on the way to the throne, was now returning. He was that person who had experienced nirvanic rebirth. After experiencing the calamity he did, then returning to be the center of attention, he was like the most dazzling light in existence. His light burned so brightly that it stoked the emotions of all living beings, burning away the pressure that resulted from all the recent hardships.

Cheering filled heaven and earth. The sound soared along with the wind.

The events of the past year or more had been difficult for everyone in Sea-Sealing County. The death of the old governor left everyone in a daze. Then war came, seemingly out of the blue. Even as they were still in that daze, the death of Palace Lord Kong struck like tribulation lightning, tearing apart Sea-Sealing County and leaving the survivors deeply scarred. After the war ended, and the reeling Sea-Sealing County finally started to recover, the Lieutenant Governor’s Coup brought despair.

The people felt apprehensive, confused, bitter, and helpless. They needed someone who could bring about real change. They needed someone who could lead them through the crisis. In the past, they had believed Palace Lord Kong to be that person, except he died in battle. Later, they thought that person to be Seventh Prince or the lieutenant governor….

But today, they fully believed it was Xu Qing! His moment of return brought a change to the dome of heaven. Auspicious signs proliferated, and the people cheered endlessly. Men and women. Old and young. Cultivators and mortals. To them, there was only one person worth looking at.

Xu Qing was the focus of all the eyes in the county capital.

The golden dragon roared. Qingqin released a piercing cry. The destiny aura surged into the sky, swirled around, and formed a dazzling crown over Xu Qing’s head.

And then, within the cheering, people started shouting something very specific. It didn’t take long before others heard and approved, then joined in shouting the same word.

“Governor!”

“Governor!”

As they cheered, the atmosphere in the county capital grew more passionate. The Wood Spirit grand elder, at Xu Qing’s direction, stopped about 300 meters outside the city wall. Xu Qing stood on his shoulder, looking out at everything, his heart pounding.

Xu Qing was only twenty years old. Despite having learned a lot from his Master and the Captain, he was currently struggling to control his emotions. His goal had never been to assume the office of governor. In fact, the thought had literally never occurred to him. He had merely been following his heart and doing what he thought needed to be done. Therefore, he just stood there outside of the city thinking for a long moment. He was really at a loss.

But the cheering only grew louder, so he finally took a deep breath, calmed himself, and walked into the city.

He went straight toward the altar. Everywhere he passed, the mortals clasped hands and bowed. The cultivators did the same. On every road he walked down, it was the same. The crown above him became clearer and more eye-catching.

Eventually, he reached the square below the altar. The hundreds of thousands of cultivators from the three palaces looked at him with shining eyes as they clasped hands and bowed! No one asked them to do it. It was just something they instinctively felt they had to do after everything they had witnessed.

It was because of their respective fallen palace lords. It was because of the old governor. It was because of the crisis Sea-Sealing County had gone through. It was because of how Xu Qing had bravely stepped out alone. For a number of reasons, everyone was more than willing to bow to him.

Hundreds of thousands of people all bowed simultaneously, causing the crown over Xu Qing’s head to thrum loudly as it glowed with dazzling light.

The three deputy palace lords smiled as they also bowed. Among them, Li Yunshan seemed the most grateful. The three honor guards bowed as well, and they seemed almost dazed.

Master Seventh did not bow. Nor did the Captain. Of all the residents of Sea-Sealing County, only those two, because of their status, qualified to refrain from bowing. After all, they were essentially Xu Qing’s family.

Master Seventh did nothing to hide the pride in his eyes. It was bright and impossible to overlook. It was similar with the Captain, who stuck his chest out and grinned, looking very pleased with himself.

Meanwhile, Seventh Prince looked at Xu Qing approaching, then at the crowd. He could tell that, going forward, no one in Sea-Sealing County would be able to do a thing to Xu Qing.

Marquis Yao looked at Xu Qing and smiled, his eyes filled with a very profound look, as well as determination. The marquis was about to do something completely monumental. Something unheard-of among humans. And he was the only one in the crowd who qualified to try. After all, there was very little chance of anyone succeeding at such a task. Ancient traditions were difficult to break. Because of that, and many other reasons, what he was about to do probably shouldn’t be possible.

But even if the result was failure, he still had to try. Sea-Sealing County as a whole had made its wishes clear, and that was something even the emperor would take seriously. Even if the result was failure, it didn’t matter to Marquis Yao. He still had to make the attempt. And if it didn’t work, he could always try again in the future.

As Marquis Yao looked at Xu Qing, he thought, the heroic souls of the governor and Brother Liangxiu in heaven would definitely agree with what I’m about to attempt. Whether in public or private, I need to make sure this kid is absolutely invincible in Sea-Sealing County!

With such thoughts on his mind, Marquis Yao clasped hands and bowed very deeply to Xu Qing. Then, he spoke in a somber voice that echoed far and wide.

“Ask heaven!”

The moment the words left his mouth, the crowd exploded with cheering so loud it shook the surroundings.

Seventh Prince sighed inwardly. Earlier, the random mortals cheering ‘governor’ didn’t really mean much. Such shouting could be chalked up to emotions running high, and they carried no weight.

But for Marquis Yao to say what he had just said was completely different. Asking heaven, asking earth, and asking the people… was the ceremonial way to crown a new governor!

Throughout all human history, there had never been a pseudo-Nascent Soul governor. This would definitely be something the emperor paid very close attention to. That was especially true considering that it was pushed forward by Yao Tianyan. He was one of the few people who distinguished himself in opposing the lieutenant governor. He was the only member of the old guard who survived the war. What was more, he had been grievously wronged in the whole affair. And of course, he had been one of the five most powerful people in Sea-Sealing County. As such, he had the authority to do this.

Seventh Prince’s thoughts raced as he considered all the elements at play. I doubt my father will approve of this. But he does have to consider the will of Sea-Sealing County as a whole. And regardless, Yao Tianyan is clearly throwing caution to the wind. He’s betting everything by publicly announcing to the world, to the human species, and to the emperor himself that Sea-Sealing County… approves of Xu Qing!

Xu Qing has ignited the hearts of the people, and that’s going to make him difficult to deal with. He’s going to be like an ever-burning flame.

Seventh Prince maintained silence. He could tell that public sentiment had already been established.

The sky glittered as the image of the past governors, created by the flow of destiny aura, stood tall and bore witness to the events below.

No words were spoken in response to “ask heaven.” However, there was a deafening crash of thunder, which was the canopy of heaven in Sea-Sealing County providing the answer.

“Ask earth!” Marquis Yao said, his eyes shining. Intense rumbling sounds echoed from the earth, providing the answer.

“Ask the people!” Marquis Yao said, looking out at the county capital.

The hundreds of thousands of cultivators below the altar, as well as the countless mortals in the city, all shouted their resounding response.

“You may!”

“You may!”

The sound of the voices became like heavenly might filling the world. It represented the voice of the people and the will of Sea-Sealing County. Sea-Sealing County had made its choice!

As everyone looked at Xu Qing, and as the destiny aura converged on him, his heart pounded with many emotions. Looking around at everyone, he took all of those emotions and made them part of a deep bow. He bowed to Marquis Yao. He bowed to the cultivators of the three palaces. And he bowed to the county capital. Deeply.

At this point, it didn’t matter if the emperor approved or not. Even if there was no official governor in Sea-Sealing County, Xu Qing’s words would carry more weight than those of anyone else. There was no one in Sea-Sealing County with a higher standing than him.

As the bright moon shone down, no one was paying any attention to Seventh Prince. After a long moment of silence, Seventh Prince laughed softly. He could tell what was happening. At that moment, he made his decision to leave. He would take his army out of Sea-Sealing County and toward the former Holytide battlefields. Only there could he be in the limelight.

Before leaving, he turned to look at Xu Qing. Xu Qing’s return, and the ceremony that resulted, had fixed the image of Xu Qing deeply in Seventh Prince’s mind. .

In addition to Yao Tianyan, there’s now a second person I’m going to remember from Sea-Sealing County. My father will definitely reprimand me for letting a lone hero like this take center stage. But I can accept that.

With that, Seventh Prince made his departure.

The Lieutenant Governor’s Coup was over.

The forces of Sea-Sealing County were mobilized. Hundreds of thousands of cultivators spread out to help purge the mutagen, save the mortals, and restore order. As orders streamed out from the county capital, the various prefectures of the county were rescued from calamity. Because of all the various karma involved, there was no attempt made to hide the truth about the Lieutenant Governor’s Coup. Official announcements were made so that everyone knew what happened.

The curtain closed on the coronation ceremony for the new governor.

***

In the end of the tenth month of the year 2932 of the Dark War calendar, the tumult in Sea-Sealing County was revealed to be the work of the lieutenant governor, who was exposed as a member of Torchlight. His real name was Bai Xiaozhuo, and he had served as the governor of Sea-Sealing County in the days of the Sovereign Kingdom of Violet and Cyan. By using a god magic, he was reincarnated, and then sowed chaos in Sea-Sealing County.

The swordsage Xu Qing, who had received a 30,000-meter pillar of light in the Grand Emperor’s assessment of the heart, stepped out from the crowd during the coronation ceremony. Ignoring the threat to his own life, as well as his own desires, he strongly opposed the coronation. Then he revealed the truth about the conspiracy, resolved the danger to Sea-Sealing County, and saved everyone from a massive catastrophe.

The emperor was deeply moved.

In that same month, the emperor issued five edicts. The first edict was a strong rebuke of Seventh Prince for his failure to manage the situation properly.

The second edict put all members of Torchlight on the Most Wanted list. In all counties and prefectures, the Five Greater Celestial Divisions, and all associated government departments, were to scour the lands and kill anyone connected to Torchlight.

The third edict named Yao Tianyan, direct descendant of Heavenly Marquis Yao, as the acting governor of Sea-Sealing County. It also named the righteous folk hero Zheng Kaiyi as the new lieutenant governor, and gave him the authority to recommend a new governor for the county, as long as that person was in the Void Returning level. If so, then Sea-Sealing County could appoint a new governor with no further formalities. 1

The fourth edict removed the commanders-in-chief as the palace lords of the three palaces, and instead promoted the existing deputy palace lords to those positions.

The fifth edict bestowed swordsage Xu Qing with a golden identity medallion, a yellow robe, the right to attend the Imperial University, and grade-one battle credit.2

***

Those five imperial edicts were announced publicly everywhere.

In a very short time, all human regions and counties were deeply shaken, and Xu Qing’s name spread far and wide.

There were two things in those edicts that were particularly important. The first was Zheng Kaiyi’s mission. The second was Sea-Sealing County’s right to appoint a new governor with no further formalities.

Clearly, the emperor knew how important the situation was, but at the same time, couldn’t change the law. That said, he wasn’t going to ignore Sea-Sealing County’s wishes. That was why he gave such an important mission to Master Seventh. After all, everyone in Sea-Sealing County now knew about the relationship between Master Seventh and Xu Qing. As for the new governor being able to take office without further formalities, that essentially guaranteed that as long as Xu Qing reached Void Returning… then he would be the governor of Sea-Sealing County.

Sea-Sealing County’s moment of catastrophe had passed. Everything… went back to normal.

But to Xu Qing, it was just a new starting point. It was time to set sail again….

1. In case you forgot, Zheng Kaiyi is Master Seventh’s name, as revealed in chapter 113. It was only mentioned a few times other than that, specifically in 115, 116, 122, and 127. ?

2. Historically speaking, the ‘Imperial University’ was a real life school; it was the highest ranking educational establishment in certain dynasties in ancient China. ?

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