There Is Another Immortal

Just as Tong Shuzheng finally managed to organize the general arrangements for the coming days and handle the various matters of the day, he heard his advisor, Xue Chengfeng, announcing his arrival outside the tent.

After Xue Chengfeng entered, he saw Prefect Tong sitting in a chair, looking utterly exhausted while drinking plain water from the table.

He knew that due to the urgency of the situation at the time, Prefect Tong had only hastily packed a couple of changes of clothes before rushing out; he hadn't even had the time to bring any tea leaves.

Furthermore, Prefect Tong hadn't brought his family when he first took office. He only brought two attendants and him, an advisor who had been by his side for over ten years. Thus, no one thought to prepare such details for him.

"My Lord, although repairing the dam is urgent, you must also take care of your health." Xue Chengfeng raised his hands and bowed to him in greeting.

Prefect Tong took a large gulp of water, set the cup down, and waved his hand dismissively.

"Chengfeng, how many times have I told you? There's no need for such formalities when there are no outsiders around. Sigh, it's not that I don't care about my own health, but this matter is of great importance. It concerns the lives of tens of thousands of commoners here!" If he wasn't afraid that falling ill would leave no one to manage affairs, he wouldn't even be resting now.

Saying this, he glanced at the sky outside. Seeing that the moon was already high in the sky, he asked Advisor Xue:

"Is there an urgent matter that brings you here at this hour?"

Xue Chengfeng sat down in the seat below him.

"It's not exactly an urgent matter. I just heard Constable Huang report that as of half an hour ago, not a single conscripted laborer who came today is missing."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Tong Shuzheng's exhausted mood instantly lightened. He looked at Xue Chengfeng with a joyful gleam in his eyes.

"I originally thought that since everyone was inexperienced on the first day, casualties would be unavoidable. To think there were zero casualties all day! It seems the runners have done a remarkably good job this time! Pass down my orders: give each runner an extra reward of fifty copper coins today!"

Tong Shuzheng raised his voice for the latter half of his sentence, directing it outside the tent. The attendant outside heard it, entered the room to voice his compliance, and then withdrew to carry out the order.

Xue Chengfeng did not stop him. He waited until the attendant had left before turning back to Tong Shuzheng.

"My Lord, regarding this matter, I also heard something rather strange."

Seeing him keep him in suspense, Tong Shuzheng asked curiously:

"What is so strange?"

"Today, even though the runners repeatedly urged everyone to be careful, I heard that some people actually did encounter danger. Some who were responsible for repairs fell off the dam, and some porters tumbled into the river. All in all, there were about a dozen people.

However, those who fell into the river were later found safely on the riverbank, and those who fell from the dam actually walked back on their own, completely unharmed."

Hearing this, Tong Shuzheng was somewhat astonished.

"Such a bizarre thing actually happened?"

Xue Chengfeng nodded and then added:

"At first, I didn't believe it either, but many people nearby witnessed it with their own eyes on multiple occasions. Furthermore, My Lord," he looked at Tong Shuzheng with a peculiar expression,

"According to a few of them, it seems they were saved by an Immortal? It's just that after saving them, this Immortal vanished immediately without even leaving a name."

"An Immortal?" Tong Shuzheng blanked for a moment, recalling the official missive he had delivered five days ago to the Shangyang Sect's courier station stationed in Hufang Province.

"If an Immortal has arrived, why would they... not show their face?"

Having been an official for many years, he had his fair share of dealings with the Three Great Sects. Basically, whenever he encountered a matter beyond human capability, he would actively seek help from the immortal sect that governed the local area.

Yet, most of the time, it was like dropping a stone into the ocean—met with silence.

If the situation was relatively severe, at most they would send a single Immortal over to take a look.

But the response time was always incredibly long.

At the earliest, it would take a month to get any feedback.

And among the Immortals who came to assist, almost all of them were arrogant, looking down their noses at everyone. Not only that, but they were also very demanding when it came to pomp and circumstance. Every time he hosted them, Prefect Tong's own small purse, saved up over many years, would deflate significantly. If it weren't for the official sect assistance funds he applied for from the imperial court, and the sharing of costs by wealthy families wanting to curry favor with the Immortals, he probably would have had to resign from his post long ago and return to his hometown to be a farmer.

Xue Chengfeng was seen craning his neck to look outside the tent before leaning in close to Tong Shuzheng's ear and whispering:

"My Lord... I suspect that perhaps there is another Immortal here with us."

Hearing his words clearly, Tong Shuzheng was quite surprised. Looking at Xue Chengfeng, he also lowered his voice and asked:

"Why do you think so?"

Xue Chengfeng continued whispering in his ear:

"Do you remember Immortal Jin's explanation the last time we were looking for the children?"

Seeing him suddenly bring this up, Tong Shuzheng was a bit puzzled:

"Was there something wrong with it?"

At the time, his mind was entirely focused on finding the children. Being overjoyed after finding them, he hadn't thought deeply about Immortal Jin's explanation. Anyway, the affairs of their Immortals had little to do with him.

Xue Chengfeng softly voiced his thoughts:

"When I heard it back then, I felt something was off. Later, after pondering it carefully, I found it highly questionable. But since the children had already been found alive and well, I didn't delve into it at the time. Now, combining it with today's bizarre events, I have a bold guess.

It's quite possible that there is another Immortal in our prefecture, and likely a kind-hearted one who simply dislikes showing their face. My Lord, what do you think?"

After hearing his words, Tong Shuzheng fell into deep thought.

To be honest, his experiences dealing with those so-called Immortals over the years had never been very pleasant.

After all, who would enjoy constantly bowing and scraping to others like a subservient grandson? Moreover, he was a well-read scholar who had passed the imperial examinations; naturally, he possessed the proud backbone of an intellectual.

But many times, in order for the commoners under his governance to live and work in peace, he had no choice but to temporarily hide his pride deep in his heart.

Therefore, if someone were to say that these people today were saved by Immortals from the Shangyang Sect who, upon receiving his plea for help, traveled day and night under the stars to get here—and then, without demanding any special treatment or throwing their weight around, stayed outside to protect those poor conscripted laborers—he wouldn't believe it for a second.

But what if there was another hidden Immortal who didn't belong to the Three Great Sects?

Now, recalling Immortal Jin's explanation from back then, having navigated the bureaucracy for many years, he immediately spotted numerous loopholes.

Furthermore, at the time, when he wanted Immortal Jin to ask his companion for the criminal's corpse, Immortal Jin had hummed and hawed, making vague excuses.

Could it be, it's really true?

If that were truly the case, then the lives of these conscripted laborers would have an extra, thick layer of protection!

Thinking of this possibility, Tong Shuzheng's mood immediately brightened. He felt as if all the exhaustion he had accumulated over the recent days was suddenly swept away!

Looking at Xue Chengfeng, Tong Shuzheng let out a hearty laugh and patted his shoulder, saying:

"Chengfeng, if that is really the case, then that is wonderful news! Ah!"

As he spoke, unable to suppress the excitement in his heart, he immediately stood up and began pacing back and forth in the tent, continuing to speak:

"However, this is all just our speculation. Let us observe for another two days. If it is indeed true, since the Immortal prefers not to show his face, we must not go against his wishes. When the time comes, we shall quietly prepare some gifts of gratitude and leave them in a suitable place where the Immortal might see them."

Watching the lord he had served for over a decade pacing back and forth in such high spirits, Xue Chengfeng nodded and smiled.

"What you say is absolutely right, My Lord."