Chapter 22: Emergency Conscription

Xiao An'an thus began her life in Mapleleaf City. Aunt Song did send a letter afterward, saying that she had married into Wangjiang City. As a city known for its commercial prosperity, Wangjiang City was second only to the capital, Qinghe City, in the entire Qinghe Prefecture. Moreover, her husband's family name was Lin, considered a prominent local clan. In this way, she had found a good home.

No wonder she couldn't bring her daughter.

As for the remaining property of the Jiang family in Phoenix Creek Town, Jiang Wang didn't inquire about it further. In any case, Aunt Song had been married to his father, and she had taken care of him attentively after he fell ill. It was reasonable to give her some dowry.

However, both sides would probably leave it at that, with no need for further contact.

At the age of four or five, it was time for enlightenment, so Jiang Wang arranged for his sister to attend a private school. It was the best private school besides the three major family clan schools, and ordinary families were not accepted. Jiang Wang had been a leading figure in the outer court of the City Dao Academy for so long, so he still had some influence. Moreover, now that he had entered the inner court and his Dao Meridian was manifesting, he was undoubtedly a pillar of the future for the State of Zhuang, and no one would easily offend him.

Every day, after listening to scriptures at the Dao Academy and doing some cultivation, he would pick up An'an from school on time. He also tried to choose tasks that took no more than a day, generally going and returning on the same day, so as not to delay taking care of An'an. If there were tasks that couldn't be avoided, he would have Linghe, Zhao Rucheng, and others take turns helping to look after her for a while.

The days flowed by in this fulfilling manner. The foundational array diagram in the Tongtian Palace became increasingly complex, and a preliminary form was beginning to emerge. However, the further along he went, the more difficult it became to set up the foundational array diagram. In particular, shifting the Dao Essence before the foundation was laid could cause the Dao Essence to dissipate with the slightest mistake, wasting all his efforts in opening the meridians. Because he had chosen the Stellar Cycle Array, his foundation laying was already slower than others. Therefore, Jiang Wang didn't allow himself to fail in each array point shift during the foundation laying process.

In terms of combat power, he couldn't cultivate Dao techniques because the foundation was not yet laid. Jiang Wang could only put more effort into the Violet Qi Rising East Sword Manual. This sword manual had nine forms of practice and five forms of killing. As the name suggests, the practice forms were for cultivation, and the killing forms were for attacking and fighting, subduing the fierce and breaking the enemy.

Fortunately, after he mastered the nine practice forms, the effect of nourishing his physical body and Qi was astonishing. Jiang Wang could even clearly sense that his physical body was giving more feedback to the true spirit of the Dao Meridian, accelerating the condensation of Dao Essence.

After a period of time, he actually gained another opportunity for meridian opening cultivation, and he could condense three Dao Essences every day. This undoubtedly greatly shortened the time to successfully lay the foundation.

Life was fulfilling and satisfying. In this kind of life, Jiang Wang ushered in his first large-scale mission since entering the Mapleleaf City Dao Academy.

……

"Emergency mobilization mission, no one is allowed to leave!"

In the Scripture Academy, today's morning class had just ended when a general in a black robe burst in.

"Who is this person?"

"What does he do?"

The disciples whispered to each other, but soon someone pointed out the truth, "Keep your voice down, that's Wei Yan!"

The entire Scripture Academy instantly fell silent.

Second on the Dao Merit Ranking, a general with real power in the City Guard Army – either identity was enough to suppress everyone. In particular, this military officer was known for his tough and cold style.

Wei Yan didn't seem to care about the attitude of the crowd, or rather, he only needed to express his own attitude.

"Starting from last week, there has been no news from Little Forest Town for five full days."

Jiang Wang and Linghe exchanged a look. As a large town under the jurisdiction of Mapleleaf City, Little Forest Town inevitably reported every now and then, even if it wasn't about every detail.

Five full days without news was almost equivalent to Mapleleaf City losing control over it. A town with a population of several thousand suddenly cut off from the outside world was no small matter.

Wei Yan continued, "I hold the City Lord's seal and order the mobilization of at least thirty inner court disciples from the City Dao Academy to go to Little Forest Town to investigate this matter."

"Isn't this the responsibility of the Arrest and Punishment Division?" A disciple asked dissatisfiedly.

Such a large mission, mobilizing thirty inner court disciples from the City Dao Academy at once, would not be low in danger. Therefore, many people were unwilling.

"Heart-Swallowing Devil Bear Xiong Wen has appeared in Three Mountains City. Currently, most of the power of the Arrest and Punishment Division in the entire Qinghe Prefecture has been transferred to Three Mountains City."

Wei Yan didn't respond. His adjutant, Zhao Lang, explained from the side.

The official system of the State of Zhuang followed that of the State of Yong. General cases were handled by the yamen, while cases involving the extraordinary were handled by the Arrest and Punishment Division. The Arrest and Punishment Division was responsible for extraordinary events throughout the country, theoretically subject to the local government, but due to its special nature of being directly under the capital, local governments often could not control it at will.

Just like this time, the mobilization of manpower to pursue Xiong Wen was the intention of the Arrest and Punishment Division's superiors. Even the City Lord of Mapleleaf City, Wei Quji, could not interfere and transfer them back.

"Then what about the City Guard Army?" The disciple who spoke earlier asked again.

The City Guard Army was the direct military force in the hands of the City Lord, suppressing all evil and rebellion. A major event like the loss of contact with the entire town of Little Forest Town was already enough to trigger the City Guard Army to suppress it.

"The City Guard Army has other important tasks." Wei Yan impatiently cut off the conversation. "The Dao Merit reward for this mission will be increased by 30%. In principle, it is voluntary, but if the number of inner court disciples who sign up is less than thirty, I will use the City Lord's order to carry out a forced mobilization!"

"It needs to be reminded that before this mission, two ninth-rank Pulse Wandering Realm cultivators sent by the City Lord's Mansion to investigate have been trapped in Little Forest Town. I hope everyone will assess the risks and act according to their capabilities."

The Dao Academy system was the most important extraordinary promotion system in the State of Zhuang. The City Dao Academies in various places absorbed local cultivation seeds. After several years of cultivation, they would then enter the County Dao Academies in various places through assessment. After that, they would enter the National Dao Academy from the County Dao Academies, selecting layer by layer.

Finally, all the geniuses of the entire State of Zhuang would be gathered in the capital. Those who advanced would compete with the heroes of the world, and those who retreated would be sent to various places to govern one side.

Although the Mapleleaf City Dao Academy only recruited ten inner court disciples each year, due to the high difficulty of entering the County Dao Academy, many cultivators lingered in the City Dao Academy for several years or even more than ten years. After years of accumulation in the entire Mapleleaf City Dao Academy, excluding those who had traveled far and not returned and those who were in closed-door training, there were about three hundred inner court disciples.

From Wei Yan's point of view, he might wish that the number of applicants was not enough. According to his original intention, he would directly mobilize the thirty strongest people in the entire Mapleleaf City Dao Academy through forced mobilization orders, which would give him a greater chance of success. However, the Dao Academy and the City Lord's Mansion were not subordinate relations after all, and it would be difficult to reconcile if a conflict arose.

"Are you going, Boss?" Jiang Wang asked Linghe in a low voice. He was actually a little worried because this mission would inevitably involve extraordinary power, and Linghe and Du Yegu had not yet been able to open their meridians, which could be said to be extremely dangerous.

"Of course I'm going." Linghe didn't hesitate. He was already one step behind on the path of cultivation, and he certainly couldn't miss an opportunity like a 30% increase in Dao Merit rewards. As for danger? If he was afraid of danger, he should have stayed in the village to farm.

"I'm signing up!" Du Yegu shouted. "All four of us are signing up!"

Zhao Rucheng bumped him dissatisfiedly: "What are you doing? I still want to go back and get some sleep."

Among the few of them, he was the least motivated, just muddling through life every day. Life was all about relaxation and more relaxation.

Wei Yan glanced over lightly and, seeing that they had not yet successfully laid their foundations, didn't pay much attention and casually instructed his adjutant: "Record it."

The adjutant said loudly: "The registration time is limited to one incense stick's worth of time, with twenty-six places remaining."

"We cultivators are supported by the country and should contribute to the country. I'm signing up for this operation." Li Jianqiu arrived as his voice did, walking in gracefully from outside the courtyard gate.

Disciples of his strength already had a lot of freedom. Not only did they not need to come to the Scripture Academy every day to report, but they could even refuse this level of forced mobilization. Unless it was a national crisis, they would all only climb to higher levels of cultivation. His appearance at this time caused a series of low exclamations.

"How dare I let Jianqiu take all the credit? Count me in, Wang Changxiang." Unlike Li Jianqiu, who walked with his hand on his sword, Wang Changxiang's temperament was much more peaceful. He was still wearing the linen Daoist robe that Jiang Wang had seen him wearing in the Dao Merit Hall before, walking slowly and calmly.

"With the addition of Brother Wang and Brother Li, this trip will be even more certain!" A rare smile appeared on Wei Yan's cold face.

Even he didn't dare to be arrogant in the face of Wang Changxiang, who was seventh on the Dao Merit Ranking.

With the addition of Wang Changxiang and Li Jianqiu, the enthusiasm for registration suddenly increased, and it was soon full.

The thirty inner court disciples, apart from Jiang Wang and his four brothers, were almost all at least ninth-rank cultivators, all extraordinary. Such an extraordinary force could almost sweep through Mapleleaf City.

Wei Yan casually took the list and glanced at it, nodding and saying, "You people still have some blood and courage. You haven't lost your humanity from reading scriptures."

Perhaps this was praise to him, but the condescending tone was still quite unpleasant.

The Ministry of War and the Dao Academy were two different promotion systems, with both cooperation and competition between them. It was common for them to dislike each other.

Immediately, a disciple said dissatisfiedly, "If Senior Brother Zhu was here, I wonder if some people would still dare to point fingers!?"

The person he was talking about was of course Zhu Weiwo, who was first on the Mapleleaf City Dao Merit Ranking.

Wei Yan wasn't angry, he just flicked his robe and walked out of the Dao Academy on his own, "Departure!"