Chapter 103: Unveiling the Truth

In just ten short days, the entire Guobei County seemed reborn. Towns were refreshed, and the people thrived, living in peace and contentment. Without comparison, there was no clearer sense of transformation; compared to their previous lives, countless individuals now felt as if Guobei County was a paradise. The deeds of Magistrate Wang were widely celebrated.

It was precisely because of this that their gratitude toward Magistrate Wang grew even deeper. Some even stepped forward, bowing repeatedly in his presence. Wang was overwhelmed by the unexpected favor; he had rarely experienced such a scene before, yet it pleased him deeply.

This, he realized, was what it meant to be supported by the people.

It seemed he was not without anything after all, Wang comforted himself.

“Entrust fate to heaven, but do all that one can,” he murmured anxiously as he returned to the county office. He had done everything within his power, yet his heart remained restless and uneasy.

Only at the evening banquet did Wang seize the chance to ask, “Daoist, in your view, given my current state, how confident can I be in confronting the demonic forces?”

He could clearly feel that his spiritual energy had significantly strengthened. At his age, he would have normally been drowsy by dusk. But in the past few days, he had shed his previous frailty and now felt vigorous, as if a great force filled him, making him seem a decade or two younger.

The person most deeply moved by Wang’s transformation was his wife, whose cheeks now bore a healthy glow.

“Honorable Magistrate, there is no need for worry. The hearts of the people have united and are continuously giving back. I believe it will not be long before your strength grows once more,” the Daoist calmly reassured him.

“By then, you can face the demonic forces with about sixty to seventy percent confidence.”

“However, do not rejoice prematurely and never let your guard down because of a moment’s success or failure.”

“Know this: the demons are always watching, waiting for the right moment to strike mercilessly.”

“Conversely, your righteous energy is not unchanging. Should the people's hearts waver, the demons will surely exploit the weakness.”

“When that happens, all your efforts will be in vain.”

Yan Chixia smiled lightly, patiently explaining the stakes with clarity.

He believed Magistrate Wang was intelligent and valued his life. Otherwise, he would not have risked everything before to save it.

For the sake of his own life, Yan trusted that Wang would no longer cause harm to the people.

As for Wang’s worries, they were unfounded—after all, the story was his own creation. Whether demons existed was up to him; if he declared safety, then there would be no danger. Even if there was no real threat, he had countless ways to convince others otherwise.

As for the unsavory methods involved, Yan merely smiled them off.

Compared to the significance of redeeming a corrupt official who had wronged the people, the means seemed trivial.

He was no rigid scholar; one must be adaptable in life, lest one take many detours.

Sometimes, the process matters little, so long as the outcome is what one desires.

Moreover, Wang’s cultivation of righteous energy was an undeniable fact. Even upright officials often failed to harness it.

But with Yan’s guidance, Wang had managed to nurture and expand it continuously in just ten days—a feat money could not buy.

Thus, in a true sense, Wang had not lost anything; rather, he had gained.

With firm resolve, Wang said, “Daoist, your words are wise. From now on, I shall not repeat past mistakes.”

Though living on the edge was difficult, he had no other choice.

Yan Chixia nodded in agreement. Guobei County was now on the right path, and it was time for him to depart. They had pressing matters ahead and could not linger.

So, Yan took the opportunity to bid farewell.

At first, Magistrate Wang wished to keep him a few more days, both to fulfill his host’s duties and to gain a sense of security. But upon learning Yan’s departure was resolute, he could only regretfully let him go.

He watched until Yan’s figure completely vanished from sight.

...

The night darkened gradually. The pale moonlight concealed the eerie woods among the hills.

Along the deep and rugged mountain path came heavy footsteps, growing louder. An elderly man, well into his seventies, moved with peculiar mannerisms that unsettled onlookers.

Behind him, a few hungry wolves followed closely but without haste. Their eyes gleamed with cold, violent light, as if eager to tear the old man apart. Yet, for some unknown reason, they maintained a distance of about three meters, unwilling to approach any closer.

The old man, calm and composed, continued forward unhurriedly, seemingly oblivious to the wolves behind him as if they did not exist.

“Neither man nor not-man, neither corpse nor not-corpse—how strange!”

“That old man is clearly enveloped in death’s aura. By all rights, his soul should have long departed, his body buried. So what on earth is going on here?”

The speaker was Yan Chixia, who, passing through with Yi An, had encountered this bizarre sight and was struck with alarm, as if they had seen a ghost.

From over ten meters away, Yan felt the overwhelming presence of death.

All things possess spirit, even the cold wolves. It was this death aura that restrained them, suppressing their bloodthirsty instincts.

Even Yi An shook his head in bewilderment; this was unheard of.

Everyone knows that living beings cannot emit death aura—without exception, this is an immutable truth.

As for the other scenario, it was even less plausible. After death, a body stiffens and, under certain conditions, can become a mindless, bloodthirsty creature shunned by heaven and earth—a zombie.

Yet, this old man’s behavior bore none of the traits of a zombie. Zombies, because of their rigidity, cannot move like normal people.

This old man’s eyes were bright and sharp, with a hint of malevolence—clear signs of intelligence.

Yan Chixia hesitated but could not quell his curiosity. “Let us not startle the snake. Follow quietly and uncover what this old man truly is!”