The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

"...The examination will start at the time of Xu and end at dawn during the time of Mao."

"All participants must carry a second-tier Spirit Guiding Lantern to patrol. The area covers both the lakes and bays, as well as the thirty-two wards of the docks."

"The content of the examination is to soothe the souls of those who drowned and other wandering spirits."

"Soothing ten souls without using the 'Invocation of Gods' will earn you an A-rank."

"Soothing five souls without using the 'Invocation of Gods' will earn you a B-rank."

"Soothing three souls without using the 'Invocation of Gods' will earn you a C-rank."

"If you cannot soothe even one soul, you must invoke the gods immediately. Do not compromise the peace of the townsfolk for the sake of your rank."

"If you invoke the gods, the examination will end early. Does everyone understand?"

"Understood."

"There is still some time to prepare, so find a place to begin."

"Yes, Sir Meng."

After Meng Yun, the temple's Ritual Officer, finished speaking, the clerks dispersed to prepare for the upcoming test.

Zhao Xing activated his Night Vision and saw Meng Yun carrying a bundle on his back.

Inside the bundle was a figure about two feet tall.

It had a rosy face, held a miniature crescent moon blade, and wore an expression of solemn righteousness.

Its eyes were closed but suddenly opened, and it even smiled at Zhao Xing.

Night Vision, Seeing Ghosts and Spirits!

Before seeing any ghosts, Zhao Xing first saw a spirit worshiped at the temple.

Zhao Xing cupped his hands in respect and quickly deactivated the spell. Looking again with normal eyes, the figure was nothing more than an ordinary sandalwood carving.

"Hmm? Why did the True Lord awaken?" Meng Yun seemed to sense something and turned to look around.

Zhao Xing had already averted his gaze.

"Wow, they even brought the Donghu Duke's spirit. If any souls dare to surface, that Duke alone could slash down an entire group of them," Zhao Xing mused.

At this stage, wandering spirits posed little threat. At most, they could disturb someone's dreams, leaving them fatigued and lethargic for a few days.

Unless someone deliberately raised a soul, which was a serious crime, any such case would be considered the work of an outsider sorcerer.

Furthermore, with Meng Yun bringing the Donghu Duke's divine fragment, even if Zhao Xing danced in a sea of ghosts, none would dare lay a finger on him.

After all, he was the man favored by the Donghu Duke!

"Sir, what are you looking at?" asked Xu Laoba, confused as he watched Zhao Xing suddenly pause while walking.

"Oh, nothing. I thought I saw someone familiar, but I must have been mistaken," Zhao Xing responded casually.

"So, should we keep wandering, or should we get to work?" Xu Laoba couldn't help but nudge him for an answer.

They had been wandering for over half an hour, and Zhao Xing showed no signs of wrapping things up.

Two silver taels and five coins were not a trivial sum, and Xu Laoba was starting to feel uneasy about earning it so easily.

"No rush. Let's grab something to eat first," Zhao Xing said, stepping into a food stall and ordering several skewers of grilled meat. "Feel free to eat your fill. It's all on me. Just don't drink any alcohol—we still have work to do."

"Thanks, Sir," Xu Laoba replied, without hesitation, ordering dozens of skewers. Seeing that Zhao Xing didn't bat an eye, Xu Laoba thought to himself, This guy is truly generous. Determined, he swore to ensure that Zhao Xing wouldn't leave empty-handed tonight.

After gorging on skewers, some soup, and grilled fish—spending a total of one silver coin—it was a hearty meal for the price. The portions were generous, and the taste was authentic.

Xu Laoba stopped after eating until he was seventy percent full since he knew he would need to dive into the water soon.

Zhao Xing, however, had only eaten half of what he could and kept ordering more.

Xu Laoba was secretly shocked, thinking, This guy looks tall and lean, but who would've thought he could eat so much? I'm already full, but he's still going strong. Could he be some sort of martial artist?

Though Zhao Xing wasn't a martial artist, his physique as a cultivator at Essence Gathering Stage Three far surpassed that of Xu Laoba. Naturally, his appetite was much larger.

Just as Zhao Xing was biting into a piece of grilled fish, a sudden gust of wind blew through the stall.

"Hm?" Zhao Xing paused mid-bite. He was highly sensitive to the wind, and this sudden gust was clearly not natural.

"A cold wind? And moist... Could this be a water ghost coming ashore?"

There is a higher-level version of the wind-controlling spell called Soul-Striking Wind, typically learned by military Shennong officers.

Zhao Xing could tell that this wind wasn't conjured by humans. Sensing the dampness in the air, he quickly deduced that a water ghost had surfaced.

He spotted a ghostly figure, dripping wet, wandering aimlessly through the streets. The spirit was dressed in silk and appeared plump, moving without direction.

Checking his almanac, Zhao Xing noted that there was no omen today, and after calculating the time, he realized it was close to the Dingmao period.

"Wait here for me. Don't move. I'll be back soon." Zhao Xing paid for the meal and started following the ghost.

"Huh? Sir... Where did he go?" Xu Laoba was left bewildered. Zhao Xing didn't seem to walk that fast, but in the blink of an eye, he had disappeared into the crowd. "What a strange guy."

Zhao Xing sped up, quickly catching up to the wandering, plump ghost, walking beside it.

With Night Vision fully activated, he could not only see the ghost but also communicate with it. After observing the ghost for a moment, he asked, "Excuse me, sir, what are you searching for?"

The ghost, hair still wet and lips pale, turned toward Zhao Xing and replied, "I'm looking for the way home."

Zhao Xing cupped his hands in a show of respect, "May I ask where your home is?"

The ghost mumbled, "I'm from the west of the county, from the Jia household south of Dangyou County."

West of the county? Dangyou County? Zhao Xing was trying to place the location when the plump ghost mumbled again, "But no matter how hard I try, I just can't find it. I can't find it..."

Then it hit Zhao Xing. Dangyou County was a small county that had been merged with another, Pingshan County, twelve years ago to form You County.

No wonder you can't find your way home. The entire county no longer exists, and your body must have floated all the way from the west of the county to the south!

Realizing this, Zhao Xing continued, "Sir, are you heading home to deliver a message?"

The ghost nodded, "Yes, I need to tell my wife that I've died so they can retrieve my body from the water. I also need to tell her that I've buried a box of silver..."

"Where is it buried?"

The ghost turned its head, its eye sockets filled with eerie green flames. "Why should I tell you? You're not my family."

"..." Zhao Xing couldn't argue with that logic.

Having said that, the plump ghost continued its aimless wandering, mumbling, "I'm from the west of the county, from the Jia household south of Dangyou County. I need to go home, but where is my home? I can't find it..."

Zhao Xing was about to try another approach when he suddenly heard a clear voice from up ahead, "Soul, return!"

A beam of golden light shone down on the plump ghost, stopping its mutterings. The spirit, as if drawn, began to move toward the source of the light.

No one else noticed the voice or the golden light, but Zhao Xing did. Looking ahead, he saw a figure holding a Spirit Guiding Lantern—it was one of the temple clerks participating in the examination.