Ascending to Godhood: I Can Foresee All Futures

Chapter 258: Chapter 154: Returning to Changshan Mountain

After nearly half a year away, he was back in Changshan County.

Chen Sheng didn’t feel as if a lifetime had passed, but his return still stirred deep emotions within him.

When he had departed, Chen Sheng was just a minor eighth-grade official whose cultivation had just entered the Innate realm. Although he held some sway in Changshan, he was nothing in the grand scheme of Ning’an Prefecture. His future had been uncertain.

But upon his return, Chen Sheng had undergone a world-altering transformation in just five short months.

His official rank had reached Junior Sixth Grade as a Deputy Captain of a battalion. In fact, with his current influence, it wouldn’t even be impossible for him to be appointed as a Captain of Jing’an somewhere, should he so desire.

After all, two of the Jingwu Bureau’s three great Governors were his patrons, and the third held little real power. His backing could be described as formidable.

His cultivation, moreover, had soared from the early Innate realm to the peak of the Earth Fiend realm. He had even earned the title of one of the Ning’an Ten Heroes. To say his might now shook all of Ning’an would be a slight exaggeration.

But his renowned prestige was beyond question.

One could even say that in all of Ning’an Prefecture, aside from the six great powers, there was no one he needed to fear.

A glorious homecoming. A common fish transforming into a mighty flood dragon.

How could Chen Sheng not harbor some thoughts of returning in splendor?

However, he was here for the Profound Sun Treasure Pearl. Before he had it in his hands, he didn’t plan on making a grand entrance, lest he attract too much attention.

After all, while the Cyan Flood Dragon Alliance was a shadow of its former self when water bandits roamed freely, they still had eyes and ears everywhere. Now was a critical time for their rendezvous, and he couldn’t afford any mishaps.

But avoiding a grand entrance didn’t mean Chen Sheng had to keep a low profile.

He just had to ensure the news of his arrival didn’t spread too far.

Besides, he needed assistance from the Government Office for this matter, so it was only natural to pay a visit to Wu Kuang and... Madam Yang.

During the months Chen Sheng was away from Changshan, Madam Yang had remained safe and sound. Her longing for him, however, had grown intense, and she sent someone with a letter for him almost every month.

Part of it was to express her affection, and part was to update Chen Sheng on her cultivation progress.

Truthfully, Madam Yang had been cultivating with great diligence over the past six months.

With abundant resources, her own considerable talent, and the decent foundation she already possessed, her cultivation had advanced rapidly. She had informed him in her letter last month that she had already reached the peak of the Bone Forging realm.

’I’ll have to reward her properly, of course.’

Chen Sheng turned to Sun Yuzhi with a smile. "Vice Envoy, I’m heading to the County Government Office. Would you care to join me?"

"There’s no need," Sun Yuzhi replied, directly refusing his invitation. "Just inform me when it’s time for the ancestral rites. I have other business to attend to."

A mere County Captain of Changshan was not worthy of her personal attention. Back in the Prefecture City, such a low-ranking official wouldn’t even have the opportunity to meet her, unless they had significant connections.

Besides, she truly did have other matters to attend to.

The matter with the White Tiger Hall was not yet resolved.

She needed to send a message to inform Nie Xuanfeng.

Although Chen Sheng was a man she had her eye on, he was ultimately Nie Xuanfeng’s trusted subordinate. She wasn’t certain she could handle the White Tiger Hall on her own, but with Nie Xuanfeng’s involvement, things would be different.

This was especially true given that Nie Xuanfeng had the backing of the Nie Clan from Yunzhou.

In terms of sheer intimidating presence, his was far greater than hers.

"Very well. You can rest at the Chen Residence in the eastern part of the city, Vice Envoy. I will join you after I’ve finished my business."

Although Chen Sheng had only spent a few months in Changshan before, he had acquired quite a fortune during that time. A few large residences were among the more trivial of his acquisitions.

"Mm." Sun Yuzhi gave a slight nod, maintaining her dignified air. With that, she turned and departed.

.....

After parting ways with Sun Yuzhi, Chen Sheng headed straight for the Changshan County Government Office. Despite his absence of nearly six months, his fearsome reputation lingered. The junior official standing guard at the entrance recognized him almost immediately.

He immediately sent someone to announce the arrival to Wu Kuang and Lin Shou while respectfully ushering Chen Sheng inside.

Wu Kuang, who was in the middle of processing official documents, was both shocked and overjoyed to hear of Chen Sheng’s arrival. He hastily set aside his work and rushed out to greet him, a look of unconcealed delight on his face.

By now, Chen Sheng was no longer the minor figure who had needed to spend silver to buy his post. And while Wu Kuang had once been his benefactor, he wouldn’t dare show the slightest disrespect now.

After all, when a debt of gratitude is mishandled, it can easily curdle into animosity.

Besides, Chen Sheng had not been ungenerous to him.

Even after moving to the Prefecture City, the two had remained in regular contact. Chen Sheng had even sent men to deliver a strand of Innate Spiritual Qi and a great quantity of Cultivation Resources, which had directly enabled Wu Kuang to condense a Spirit Seed and break through to the Innate realm.

"Haha, Chen Sheng, you rascal! You’re finally here!" Wu Kuang’s laughter boomed through the hall before he even appeared. He came rushing out of the Government Office Hall, his eyes landing instantly on Chen Sheng, his face unable to contain its broad, beaming smile.

"County Captain, I trust you’ve been well," Chen Sheng replied with a smile, clasping his hands in a formal greeting.

"None of that empty formality with me," Wu Kuang said, feigning displeasure. He then stepped forward, grabbed Chen Sheng by the wrist, and pulled him toward the Government Office Hall.

A moment later, the two were seated.

Wu Kuang spoke with deep gratitude.

"I must thank you again for the resources you provided. If it weren’t for you..."

Without the resources Chen Sheng had gifted him, Wu Kuang would still have been hesitant to attempt his breakthrough. But the moment they arrived, all his doubts vanished.

The reason was simple.

The resources were simply overwhelming!

Furthermore, the strand of Innate Spiritual Qi Chen Sheng had prepared for him was of exceptional quality. Wu Kuang hesitated for only half a day before deciding to make his attempt. The breakthrough went off without a hitch, even more smoothly than for the scions of some great families. He had successfully advanced to the Innate realm.