Da Xuan Martial Saint

"Be careful in everything."

Xu Hongyu looked at Chen Mu and ultimately only whispered.

As the Inspection Commissioner appointed by Yan Jingqing, Chen Mu naturally couldn't stay in Yu City during the flood disaster. He had to take charge of at least one area of the two rivers and six rivers. Although Xu Hongyu also wanted to follow Chen Mu, she knew her strength was insufficient and feared that she might become a hindrance to him in case of danger.

Indeed, her staying in the city would allow Chen Mu to be more at ease.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Moreover, with her Kan Water Artistic Conception which she had cultivated, she was more capable than the average person in sensing her surroundings in such foggy weather. She was also more suited to operate in the densely populated Yu County Prefecture City, whether to hunt and kill demons or to stop the flood.

"Rest assured."

Chen Mu nodded slightly at Xu Hongyu and then stretched out his hand to flick away a round drop of rainwater entangled in her hair, saying, "After this flood disaster is over, we should...ah, we've arrived at Yu City."

He stopped midway through his sentence, feeling as if it was strangely ominous, and it was just at that moment that he saw the outlines of Yu City emerge through the distant mist.

Very quickly.

The carriage arrived below Yu City.

Looking around at that time, one could see the moat surrounding Yu City brimming and almost spilling over. All the city gates had been closed, including the moat sealed off by sluice gates.

"Who goes there!"

There were patrolling guards on the city walls challenging the vague silhouette of the carriage in the mist.

But just as the guard's call finished, something flew up from below. The guard instinctively caught it and was immediately taken aback to see it was an Order Token with the words 'Inspectorate of Yu County, Metropolitan Commander's decree' inscribed, and his face changed.

"It's the Lord Metropolitan Commander!"

"Quick, lower the basket!"

The guard immediately shouted to someone far away.

But at this moment, Chen Mu's voice came from below, saying, "No need."

As his words fell.

A figure was seen leaping up along the towering city wall, reaching the top in just a few bounds, wearing a light-colored gauze dress that remained unstained by the muddy rain and even allowed the rainwater to quietly slide off her shoulders.

After Xu Hongyu climbed up the city wall, it was Xiao He's turn, who, with some difficulty, found a couple of points to leverage herself and also climbed up the wall. Following that, with a cry of surprise, it was Chen Yue who was swept up in Chen Mu's arms and thrown onto the city wall.

That wasn't the end of it.

Chen Mu intercepted the carriage and lifted the brown-maned horse by the legs, exerting force to throw the robust animal with a hint of demon bloodline over twenty meters high and onto the city wall!

The brown-maned horse let out a neigh in the air, its legs and hooves flailing wildly, but upon reaching the wall, Xu Hongyu immediately reached out to catch it, albeit with some difficulty, and set it beside her.

The guards beside her were all dumbstruck.

It was one thing for Chen Yue to be thrown up, but it was quite another for such a tall and big horse to be tossed onto the wall over twenty meters high so suddenly, leaving them all deeply shocked and even more respectful as they stood to the side.

Chen Mu looked from afar through the fog that obscured his vision at Xu Hongyu and the others on the city wall, but he did not go up. He took a deep breath and directed his gaze downward before turning and walking off into the distance. A few steps later, he disappeared in the mist.

On the way there,

he had already received Yan Jingqing's dispatch ordering him to take charge of the Qingping River area.

Now that the flood disaster had begun, although he had delayed slightly to escort Chen Yue and the others on the road, he certainly wouldn't waste time entering the city for rest and tea. After dropping off the people, he turned and headed straight for the Qingping River.

In ancient times, Yu the Great managed the waters and thrice passed by his own door without entering; his own actions were hardly worth mentioning by comparison.

He didn't consider himself a saint with worries for the country and its people, but he was performing his duties in his capacity.

"The son-in-law doesn't even return home first..."

Xiao He stood on the city wall, slightly behind and to the side of Xu Hongyu, watching the vague figure disappear completely below, murmuring softly, and then tugged at Chen Yue's little hand beside her.

Xu Hongyu kept her gaze fixed on the hazy fog, fully extending her Kan Water Artistic Conception to sense, until she could no longer perceive Chen Mu's presence, at which point she pulled back her senses and murmured quietly to herself.

...

The Qingping River is one of the six major rivers of Yu County.

It runs across Jingyu and Pingyu counties, merging with one of Yu County's two rivers, 'Wusha River.'

Compared to the two rivers, the Qingping River was not so wide, only about thirty to forty zhang (an ancient Chinese length unit), but its waters were extremely turbulent, far surpassing the other five major rivers in ferocity. During flood disasters, the river was one of the most dangerous, and in past flood disasters, the casualties caused by its flooding had far exceeded other rivers.

Yan Jingqing asking him to take charge of the Qingping River was undoubtedly handing him the most challenging task besides the two rivers; thus, he would not slack off. At that moment, he was rushing towards Qingping with the greatest speed.

Despite the thick fog.

For him at this stage, no matter how dense the mist, as long as The Power of Heaven and Earth was not in disarray, he could not possibly get lost.

"I wonder how the lands of the two counties are now."

Chen Mu raced through the mist, not distinguishing between main roads and paths, cutting straight across, murmuring again to himself.

Since the flood disaster had just started, the flooding should not have erupted yet, and if the officials of the two counties could take action, they should have already started evacuating the populace from the villages near the river domain.

As the Metropolitan Commander of the Inspectorate overseeing Yu County, and with his memory that could recall everything at a glance, he had a clear map of Yu County in his mind, down to each county and township, and he was very familiar with the Qingping River basin.

"People in the central regions of Jingnan and Jingzheng townships must be completely evacuated. The terrain there is low-lying, and since the banks of the river lack levees, once the flood disaster fully breaks, these low-lying areas would definitely be submerged."

Chen Mu continued to run and assess the situation.

He had already considered these matters after receiving his orders, and now needed to think them over more carefully.

"In fact, if the river in this section could be diverted and levees built to direct it into the wilderness two hundred li away, the impact of the flood disaster could be greatly reduced, yet..."

Chen Mu shook his head.

Building embankments and diverting rivers required money and even more so, manpower.

In the current state of the world, with governance in ruins and martial lawbreakers running rampant, involving oneself in such massive projects was essentially unthinkable.

Even if Yan Jingqing was willing to allocate silver, and used his authority to forcefully push the project forward, it would be impossible for a prestigious Inspector to personally oversee the river channels for one or two years. Once he turned his head, who knew what sort of things would be stuffed into the embankments.

When the flood disaster struck again in a decade or so, and the haphazardly constructed river embankments were swept away by the floods, trying to find the officials responsible would be futile; even Yan Jingqing himself would most likely no longer be in Yu County by then.

As for sending people to keep watch, who could he send?

From the Sect disciples and Stewards down to the officials from the major families in Yu County, who didn't first think of pocketing benefits for themselves?

Swish, swish.

The rain, unnoticed, had grown even heavier.

Chen Mu quickened his pace significantly, rushing through the rain.

As the rainfall intensified, the floods of Qingping River would arrive even sooner. He wasn't sure how the evacuation of the most critical areas for the common people was progressing, and he needed to hurry over as soon as possible.

Drip, drip.

Raindrops the size of baby fingertips continually fell, turning the ground beneath Chen Mu's feet into a series of puddles without his notice, while the dense fog slightly dissipated, allowing his vision to reach a little farther.

However, as Chen Mu kept running forward, a glint suddenly flashed in his eyes. While still in motion, he powered off his feet, his body flipping mid-air and soaring several meters high.

Whoosh!

Almost at the exact moment Chen Mu leaped into the air, the fog to his left split in two. A fierce Sword Qi whistled through the air, slashing across the area he had just passed and leaving a trench that stretched for several meters on the ground!

After dodging the strike in mid-air, Chen Mu landed in a muddy puddle, splashing mud and water everywhere.

He didn't continue to run forward.

Instead, he coldly surveyed his surroundings.

"Heavenly Sword Sect?"

Out of the parted fog, a figure cloaked in a Mysterious Robe walked slowly towards him. An old face covered with wrinkles, holding a sword in his hand and looking at Chen Mu, a cold glint flickered in his eyes.

"The intelligence was indeed flawed... Being able to dodge my sword in advance shows that your sensitivity to Qi should not be at the early stages of Xun Wind Artistic Conception. It seems your comprehension of the Xun Wind Artistic Conception has already reached the second stage."

The second stage of Xun Wind Artistic Conception!

If it were just a comprehension of Xun Wind and Thunderbolt Artistic Conceptions, it wouldn't be too remarkable; it would at best signify a talent comparable to that of a major Sect's true lineage. But understanding the second stage of an Artistic Conception was a different matter altogether.

Given Chen Mu's age, it was certain he would rank among the true lineage, and even within that group, his ranking wouldn't be low.

Indeed, it was the right decision to agree with He Wuyou's proposal. Chen Mu might not show anything extraordinary in his fate, but his rise up until now has continuously defied expectations. He is someone with great fluctuations within his fate, and it is indeed necessary to eliminate him as soon as possible.

The rain grew heavier.

It turned into a torrential downpour, pouring down bucket after bucket.

"So it is Steward Liu Su from the Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion. The Sword Qi just now wasn't Sword Intent, but more likely the Late Autumn Artistic Conception."

Chen Mu stood firm in the muddy depression, his gaze calmly sweeping across his surroundings as he said indifferently, "Who else is there? Since you've all come, why bother hiding?"

"Hehehe, you truly are an extraordinary talent able to comprehend the second step of an Artistic Conception with such courage. No wonder Brother He is so eager to kill you. Now, even I feel that coming here was the right decision."

From behind the fog, another figure clad in a Mysterious Robe stepped forward, appearing younger than Liu Su, likely in his forties or fifties, wearing a light smile. Yet, his eyes also held a murderous intent as he looked at Chen Mu.

Cai Jiusheng hadn't planned to come, but Liu Su's arrangements were just right. After killing Chen Mu, he would still have time to attend to the river domain he was responsible for. Being here was mostly a matter of convenience, but now it seemed that taking this route was indeed the right decision.

A man like Chen Mu, even in the small locality of Yu County, had comprehended the second stage of the Xun Wind Artistic Conception, showcasing a terrifying level of understanding. After all, even Meng Danyun of the Seven Profound true lineage hadn't grasped the second stage of the Xun Wind Artistic Conception.

Such a person,

could potentially become an existence like Yan Jingqing in the future!

"Mysterious Steward Cai Jiusheng."

Chen Mu spoke faintly. He was quite familiar with the intelligence on various Sects, and though he hadn't met them in person, he could still recognize an official of the Steward level at a glance, "He Wuyou is here too, right? Who else is there?"

Although He Wuyou had yet to reveal himself, preferring to attempt a surprise attack from the shadows, Chen Mu had already captured his presence. However, aside from He Wuyou, there was a fourth person detected by Chen Mu's senses.

"Hahahaha, Brother Chen's second-stage perception of the Xun Wind Artistic Conception is indeed extraordinary; even I can't hide from it. Actually, I'm just here on the way. As long as Brother Chen dies at their hands sooner, then I won't have to expend the effort to make a move."

Crack! Crack!!

Following his words, a silhouette stepped out from the fog on the right side of Chen Mu. With each step, the mud puddles beneath his feet crackled and froze over, turning the vicinity into a field of blooming ice flowers within the white fog.

A true lineage member of the Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion, Cheng Houhua!

"So it seems I, a mere Inspection Commissioner, have drawn such significant attention that four High Masters of the Five Viscera Realm have laid an ambush, aiming to cut off all chances for survival by blocking every escape route during the flood disaster, while I'm not in Prefecture City and am dealing with the flood crisis."

Chen Mu's gaze lightly swept over Cheng Houhua before moving to the left, where in the midst of the fog the final figure in a Mysterious Robe appeared. Though the face was masked and unrecognizable, Chen Mu remembered sensing this presence once before in Yu City - unmistakably, it was He Wuyou.

He Wuyou!

Cheng Houhua!

Two Mysterious Mechanism Pavilion Stewards!

To kill him, an Inspection Commissioner, they had spared no effort, conspiring amidst the flood disaster's arrival at a time when he would be out of Prefecture City, sealing all possible paths to snuff out any glimmer of life.