Chapter 287: Chapter 221: The Governor’s Audience and the Bamboo Grove Beyond the Heavens

“Those bastards from the Cui Family!”

Li Guoquan slammed the document down fiercely, his expression extremely gloomy:

“Their Cui Family’s gate has already been crushed, yet they still act so brazenly? What a Cui Family, what a Cui Family indeed!”

Governor Zhao Wenting sighed softly:

“There’s nothing to be done. I’ve heard that the Cui Family scion, who worshiped the Merciful Divine Arrow, is currently seizing power in the family.”

Pausing, he continued:

“That’s precisely why that woman, Cui Qingyi, personally went to Chongyang. She intended to swallow Chongyang and also to avoid the momentum of that Cui Family scion.”

Li Guoquan remained silent, his expression extremely dark.

Ten days.

In ten days, Cui Qingyi failed to win over Chongyang’s upper echelon, so she started from the middle level,

Now, in Chongyang, more than half of the mid-level officials are from the Cui Family, and just in the past two days, the number of impeachments initiated exceeded a hundred.

A hundred!

Hu Zhongli spoke quietly from the side:

“I have also received news that the senior members of various religions have been infiltrating Chongyang one after another.”

“Next, the pressure you all will face will be immense, especially you, Old Li, as the Golden Councillor of Chongyang, you naturally stand at the eye of the storm.”

Li Guoquan closed his eyes and wearily rubbed his brow:

“The most troublesome is the pressure from the Golden City… Moreover, I received news that people from the capital are coming.”

His voice grew heavier:

“An old friend from the capital informed me that those coming aren’t just to support Chongyang becoming a Federal Direct-Controlled Municipality but also to investigate… the High Heaven Association.”

The meeting room fell into a slight silence.

Seated here were at least directors of some administrative departments, all of whom had long joined the High Heaven Association.

Hu Zhongli furrowed his brows tightly:

“But I heard that the capital has declared the Golden Province a forbidden zone?”

Li Guoquan shook his head:

“Forbidden zone or not, someone will eventually come to investigate… Let’s first discuss the current situation.”

“The Cui Family took the title of Inspector, and the directors of the Forestry Bureau, Education Bureau, and Finance Bureau… these bureaus cannot be retained.”

One by one, the high-ranking and influential figures at the meeting table silently stood up, their expressions dark.

Zhao Wenting cursed:

“Even trivial matters are caught by others with a handful of mistakes, useless!”

He sighed again:

“With the current trend, half of the 28 bureaus will fall into the hands of the Cui Family, it’s just a matter of time, and after surpassing the halfway mark, logically, they can impeach higher positions.”

Li Guoquan tapped the table:

“No worries, with the current martial law, the three-member adjudication team can completely suppress the impeachment.”

Someone shook their head:

“No, Director Zhang hasn’t returned yet. If the Cui Family takes the position of head of the Public Security Bureau…”

The meeting room fell into a dead silence.

Cui Qingyi wasn’t the real trouble.

The trouble is the deeply rooted connections of the Cui Family, the old positions, the old Celestial Beings, and at least a double-digit number of Innate members from various religions in the city.

Along with the person coming from the capital.

Zhou Muniu quietly observed everything, suddenly lifting his head and calmly said:

“How about we wipe out all the Cui Family members?”

All eyes turned to the boy, all wanting to speak but stopping, for now, nominally, Zhou Muniu was the Golden Councillor of the waiting zone—although the rights were still being exercised by Hu Zhongli.

“Impossible.”

Hu Zhongli softly said:

“Legislator Zhou, the old Celestial Beings of the Cui Family are still alive.”

Zhou Muniu acknowledged with a sound, saying nothing further.

A phone rang.

First Commander Zhang Erhe from the Military Department answered the call, his expression turning cold as water. After responding twice, he hung up the phone and then spoke:

“There’s trouble again.”

He said in a somber tone:

“Cui Qingyi went to the Military Department, caused a huge commotion, injured many officers, and in the name of Inspector, forced the military to dispatch troops!”

“Where are the troops being sent?” Someone had a bad premonition.

Zhang Erhe’s expression was extremely ugly:

“To Kou Mountain where Chen Qiusheng and the Western Believers are!”

The director of the Integrity Commission also answered a call, shortly after, exclaimed:

“Cui Qingyi also went to the Integrity Commission, forcefully requisitioning my people, detaining the mid-to-high-level inside the Public Security Headquarters!”

A certain director’s expression was unpleasant:

“Is she planning to wipe out that Kou Mountain, render martial law invalid, and then start with the Public Security Headquarters to strip Director Zhang of his position??”

Hu Zhongli pondered for a moment, his expression unchanged:

“This is no problem, Kou Mountain is already a base for the Western Sect, those Western Believers who infiltrated Chongyang are likely all there.”

“Of course, including several Divine Favor Envoy of the Western Sect, if Cui Qingyi goes there to stir trouble, perhaps… she may not return.”

The people in the meeting room all breathed a sigh of relief, yet vaguely felt something was off.

Isn’t Cui Qingyi supposed to be extraordinarily wise?

……

In the wilderness.

The whole of Kou Mountain had already been slowly surrounded by aerospace ships. Cui Qingyi strolled, followed by a male servant, step by step into Kou Mountain.

The servant spoke softly:

“Miss, intelligence shows that this place is filled with Western Believers, and probably the Divine Favor Envoy of the Western Sect are also present. Why risk going personally?”

Cui Qingyi lowered her eyelids, speaking coldly:

“Cui Wenda is favored by a deity, I must avoid him, but I must find a way to turn the table.”

The servant was puzzled:

“Here?”

The not particularly flamboyant beauty nodded gently, her expression steady under numerous terrifying gazes, without the slightest ripple.

As she walked, she spoke, without any concealment:

“The people on this mountain are clearly intentionally placed by Chongyang to maintain martial law. I’ve heard, the defected Chen Qiusheng is the master uncle of the Public Security Bureau chief.”

“I also investigated some matters, knowing Chen Qiusheng was forced to become a bandit, and that Zhang Fusheng is related to the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle Iron…”

Pausing for a moment, Cui Qingyi raised her head and spoke towards the large manor on the mountain:

“You couldn’t have controlled Zhang Fusheng anymore, right? Let me take Chen Qiusheng back, charge him with colluding in rebellion, strip him of his authority, wouldn’t that make it easier for your Western Sect to manipulate him?”

The manor was dead silent.

Suddenly, an old voice rang out:

“What I’m more curious about is how these matters relate to you finding a slim chance to overturn under Cui Wenda’s relentless pressure?”

Cui Qingyi’s expression tightened, then she continued:

“I now also worship a deity, I need to control Chongyang to do some things for Him.”

“Then, I will personally usher in His descent, to protect my path and return to the Cui Family.”

The old voice rose again:

“Oh? What is the name of this god?”

Amidst the grand resonance, a Divine Favor Envoy of the Western Sect, carrying a Divine Statue, stepped out—the speaker was actually the statue.

“Greetings, Venerate.” Cui Qingyi gave a respectful bow, and calmly spoke: “He is known as the God of Plague.”

“Today, by the decree of the God of Plague, I am here to ask the Western Sect—do you no longer wish to serve Him?”

A smile bloomed on her face, and the manor suddenly fell silent.

“Additionally, aren’t you all curious about the reason behind Zhang Fusheng’s meteoric rise?”

“He abandoned the God of Plague, received the authority granted by the great God of Plague, and then vanished. I have come bearing the mission of the God of Plague.”

Amidst the deathly silence.

The divine statue of a certain Elder Venerate of the Western Sect, uplifted by a Divine Favor Envoy, let out a soft sigh.

“You little fellow, you actually dare to go to Jiangzhou alone to see the God of Plague, truly bold… well, as you wish.”

“Hand over Chen Qiusheng to her.”

……

The massive aerospace ship slowly sailed into the waiting area.

“According to the rules, it still needs to stay for three days.”

Zhang Fusheng sat on the sofa, his eyes gazing through the fully transparent special armor, staring at the waiting area below.

Beside him, Wei Lingzhu was silently practicing Pile Skill, continuously sweating, and the sweat evaporated into mist.

Although she had cultivated her Spirit Realm to Perfection, her physical body was still that of a low-refinement Martial Artist.

“Old Lu, what do you think of this invitation?”

Zhang Fusheng flicked the invitation containing a trace of divine aura and asked casually.

Old Master, whose real name was Lu Xiuyuan, pondered for a moment before saying:

“The Governor’s thoughts are difficult to fathom, just like how no one knows why he wants the Golden Province to become independent.”

After a pause, he reminded:

“Master Zhang, although this Governor has only been transferred here for over ten years, he had already planted seeds here before coming to the Golden Province.”

“In a sense, he has been rooted here for many years.”

“Its roots are deep and branches flourishing, known to none.”

Zhang Fusheng frowned slightly, lost in thought.

Days after the ’World Venerate’ shot his arrow, the invitation arrived, a Governor, a Divine Spirit, wanting to personally meet him.

This Governor must have discovered something.

But specifically what?

Zhang Fusheng did not know.

What he did know was that achieving divinity, becoming the master of a province, the actions of the Golden Governor must be cautious,

Since he acted so conspicuously, arousing his vigilance, there must be a plan.

The only thing certain is.

The Golden Governor would not make things difficult for him—otherwise, it wouldn’t be necessary to go through all this trouble.

He decided to heed the words of the future Ancient Saint, to listen to the words of his apprentice.

Not to be the most conspicuous pioneer anymore.

But the current issue is, how to extricate himself from all these matters?

Golden Governor.

Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle Iron.

And the Western Sect who had been watching him.

Zhang Fusheng closed his eyes in contemplation, his emotions turbulent and unclear.

“Someone’s coming.” Old Master suddenly spoke.

Looking up, there was a person treading on clouds from afar, ethereal and ghostlike, like an Immortal.

A young man, dressed in bright red, stepped step by step, already at the outer shell of the aerospace ship, then directly passed through the outer shell, drifting in like a ghost.

“Director Zhang.”

The young man saluted Zhang Fusheng, speaking softly:

“Governor Sir invites Director Zhang for a meeting, to drink a cup of tea and play a game of chess, to discuss some matters.”

Zhang Fusheng beamed widely:

“How could a mere director like me, a humble Grandmaster, trouble the Governor Sir to meet me personally?”

The envoy smiled:

“The Governor’s thoughts, how could we, the ones carrying out duties, dare to speculate? However, before coming, the Governor Sir instructed.”

“To respectfully invite you—if you really do not wish to meet, then temporarily let it be.”

Zhang Fusheng gazed at the young man, this Governor’s envoy, a person of exceedingly high status in the Golden Province,

now unexpectedly humble.

But judging by the aura, this was clearly someone of the Innate Realm.

For a long time.

Suddenly, Zhang Fusheng smiled:

“With the Governor’s invitation, how dare I not comply?”

“Then Director Zhang… shall we?” The envoy gestured with a gesture of invitation,

Zhang Fusheng leisurely arose, glancing sideways at Old Master, who resembled an ordinary old man, and said:

“Take Lingzhu and go to Chongyang first, but proceed with caution, to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

“Yes, Master Zhang.”

The Old Master responded, watching Zhang Fusheng follow the young envoy, crossing out of the aerospace ship, treading on clouds and departing.

Hong Tianbao, who had approached at some point, was worried:

“Old Mr. Lu, about Fusheng…”

Though he did not know exactly who this Old Mr. Lu was, he could guess that his background was significant, quite unusual, and from his inadvertent words and actions, he could glean some clues.

The Old Master paused for a moment before sighing softly:

“Rest assured, nothing’s going to happen. A province master, if he truly wanted to make things difficult for Master Zhang, it wouldn’t require such bother.”

“Perhaps, it’s because of ’World Venerate’.”

Hong Tianbao’s expression became serious, then his brows relaxed.

“Going back to Chongyang first is also good.” He murmured to himself, gazing into the distance where figures disappeared into the airways, vanishing from sight.

Meanwhile.

“This is not the route to Golden City.” Zhang Fusheng stated calmly.

“Correct.”

The envoy nodded gently:

“This is the route to Jiangzhou—but rest assured, Director Zhang, we will not enter Jiangzhou.”

He extended a hand, unfurling silk and satin that transformed into an endless sky road. Zhang Fusheng frowned, taking a step onto the sky road.

The view was dazzling.

When the scene calmed again, it was already above Jiangzhou Heaven and Earth.

Or rather, between the bubbles, in the gaps between the many bubble worlds.

Looking up, or gazing around, one would see bubble worlds, one after another,

As if twelve days ago, when Zhang Fusheng borrowed Miss Ming Yue’s True Blood to momentarily peek his head out of Dragon Boat Heaven and Earth, the same scene came into view.

Amidst the bubbles’ encasement, within the void,

Here was emptiness, yet a bamboo forest thrived, with stone tables and wooden chairs set among it.

“You’re here?”

A gentle and elegant middle-aged man smiled:

“Take a seat.”

The Golden Governor, a Venerate of this era.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep