Chapter 107: Rapid Rise to Prominence, Success Within Reach

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As the group holding torches cautiously approached, Shang Lu and Feng Boyuan finally saw clearly that there were not many of them—only six in total.

The leader was an elderly woman with white hair and wrinkled skin, the local shaman from the county town.

In her left hand, she held a bell made from some unknown bone, while her right hand raised a soul-calling banner, murmuring incantations.

After chanting a few lines, she would shake the bone bell, and with its eerie sound, wave the soul-calling banner.

Beside the shaman was the little girl who always accompanied her.

Behind them were three men: the head constable holding a shield in one hand and a knife in the other, and Du Feng, whose hands were bandaged and unable to wield weapons.

In truth, quite a few county officers and local militia had come to Yunhua Mountain, but after finding the secret realm’s entrance, the shaman left most outside.

The secret realm was filled with trickery and danger; having too many people inside was not necessarily a blessing.

If anyone triggered the realm’s hazards, it would endanger everyone, potentially killing them all.

So the shaman selected only the three strongest to enter with her, searching for Shang Lu and the shaman official.

The rest stayed outside to stand guard, preventing any escaped demons, sorcerers, or spies from infiltrating.

As for Du Feng, he was originally unqualified to enter the secret realm.

Not only was his strength insufficient, but his injured hands had yet to heal, making self-protection difficult.

Still, he insisted on volunteering. Considering his close relationship with Shang Lu and that if no clues were found inside he could serve as a medium to cast spells to locate Shang Lu, the shaman finally took him along.

In a sense, Du Feng functioned like a search-and-rescue dog for this team.

He did not mind at all; as long as he could contribute to the rescue of Shang Lu, he was happy.

The six approached Shang Lu and Feng Boyuan, and upon seeing their battered, bloodied state, were greatly shocked.

“Boss Lu, how did you get hurt like this?”

“I have some medicine here—apply it quickly.”

Du Feng and the head constable hurriedly surrounded Shang Lu, eager to help dress his wounds.

Shang Lu waved them off. “No need, the shaman official Feng has already treated me.”

Compared to Shang Lu, Feng Boyuan received little concern.

Mostly because no one knew him well, except the shaman who had met him several times.

Though the head constable and Du Feng had seen him before, back then Feng Boyuan was spirited and vigorous, nothing like his current battered, bloodied state.

Only after hearing Shang Lu’s introduction did the six realize this bloodied man was indeed Shaman Official Feng and hurriedly paid their respects.

“No need for formalities,” Feng Boyuan said, surprised as he looked at them.

“Did you come all this way without triggering any of the secret realm’s dangers or trickery?”

“No,” Du Feng was quick to answer, “we encountered nothing and came straight here.”

He paused, then curiously asked, “Shaman Official Feng, is this really a secret realm? Isn’t it supposed to be full of opportunities and treasures? Why did we only see rocks and stalagmites?”

The head constable shot him a sharp glance and said gruffly, “Be grateful. The secret realm is full of dangers and trickery. We were lucky to make it here safely and find you and Shaman Official Feng.”

Feng Boyuan grew more curious and turned to the shaman. “Senior Sister, how did you find this place?”

The shaman was much older than Feng Boyuan and had trained in the shaman institute before, so it was natural for him to address her as Senior Sister.

“By consulting the spirits,” she said weakly, shaking the bone bell and soul-calling banner in her hands.

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“What kind of spirit is so powerful that it can navigate the secret realm with precision, guiding you safely past its dangers and deceptions?”

Feng Boyuan was both amazed and curious, eager to see this guiding spirit and learn its true nature.

But the shaman replied, “As soon as we arrived here, our connection with her was lost. At first, I thought we had been tricked by the realm’s deceptions and were in danger. But unexpectedly, we really did find you.”

Feng Boyuan was disappointed not to meet the spirit that could freely traverse the secret realm.

At the same time, he glanced at Shang Lu, thinking, “That mysterious spirit probably came because of Constable Shang.”

He was self-aware, knowing that spirit was unlikely to be drawn to him.

He also had another question.

“Constable Shang, you said you didn’t see anyone earlier—how did you know they were coming?”

Shang Lu couldn’t say the truth—that he had been told by San Niang—so he replied vaguely, “I can’t explain it clearly. I just felt they would find us, though I didn’t expect them to come so quickly.”

Feng Boyuan nodded and accepted the explanation.

“That’s intuition! Constable Shang truly has profound fate.”

Could it all be attributed to fate? Shang Lu was a bit surprised.

But Feng Boyuan’s help in providing a good excuse made things easier for him.

The shaman examined their wounds, took out some shaman medicine, and used her skills to stop their bleeding and heal them.

At that moment, Du Feng and the others spotted a huge half-step flood dragon nearby and were startled.

“There’s a huge monster here!”

“Run! A monster is coming!”

“Take Boss Shang away! Don’t forget Shaman Official Feng too…”

Seeing them panic, Feng Boyuan quickly called out, “Don’t be afraid. That flood dragon is dead.”

“Dead?”

Hearing this, the head constable and others calmed down somewhat.

Looking at the enormous horned dragon lying motionless on the ground, covered in blood and wounds, they finally relaxed.

Du Feng mustered his courage to approach and confirm the flood dragon was truly dead, clicking his tongue in amazement.

“It really is dead… I, Du Feng, have seen it up close, even if it’s a dead one.”

Back later, he gave Feng Boyuan a thumbs-up and sincerely praised, “Shaman Official, you truly are formidable!”

Feng Boyuan’s face flushed, but since it was covered in blood, no one could tell.

He hastily explained, “I didn’t kill the flood dragon; Constable Shang did. He also saved my life.”

“What?”

Everyone was shocked by this.

Even the shaman looked stunned, nearly mispronouncing her spell.

Shang Lu killed the flood dragon?

But he was only at the Tongmai Realm—how could he slay a flood dragon?

Was this flood dragon only fierce in appearance but actually a harmless pillow stuffed with straw?

Or had some other inexplicable event occurred here?

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Everyone was curious and wanted to ask more, but seeing Shang Lu and Feng Boyuan’s weak states, they knew it was not the time for detailed questioning.

They resolved to first get them out safely; there would be plenty of time later for Shang Lu to boast and recount the intriguing tale.

Though no one knew exactly how Shang Lu killed the flood dragon, one thing was certain.

Shang Lu not only saved the shaman official’s life but also performed a great deed, and his rise seemed imminent.

After the shaman finished her incantations, she instructed the head constable and another squad leader to carry Shang Lu and Feng Boyuan on their backs and exit the secret realm along the same path.

Then the shaman arranged for others to escort them back to Luoshui County.

She remained on Yunhua Mountain to personally guard the secret realm, awaiting the shaman institute’s arrival to take over.

Shang Lu and Feng Boyuan were soon carried down the mountain.

At the foot, a horse-drawn carriage awaited to convey them back to Luoshui County, heading straight to the county office.

The magistrate and clerk had received advance notice and came out to greet them.

After exchanging words with Feng Boyuan, they immediately made arrangements to prevent demons or evil spirits from invading Yunhua Mountain’s secret realm during this sensitive time, as well as to guard against foreign spies attempting sabotage.

As for Shang Lu, they sent people to escort him home to rest and recuperate.

Everyone in the county knew that Shang Lu’s residence was notorious as a haunted house.

Before today, no one had dared enter, even when Shang Lu repeatedly invited them; they feared it was ill-omened.

But now, with Shang Lu wounded and barely able to move, the constables, despite their fear of the haunted house, had no choice but to escort him home.

When they pushed open the door and stepped inside the infamous haunted house, they were surprised to find the place bright with sunlight, clean and tidy, and filled with a refreshing, pleasant fragrance that soothed the mind and body.

Du Feng looked around and sighed, “Boss Lu, everyone in the county says this place is haunted. But seeing it today, it’s nothing like a haunted house at all. It’s clearly the kind of home we’ve all dreamed of!”

The other constables who had escorted Shang Lu nodded in agreement.

If such a house was haunted, then what did that make their own homes? Hell?

Shang Lu smiled. “Actually, there really are ghosts in this house.”

Du Feng and the others didn’t believe him, thinking he was joking.

Seeing that Shang Lu’s home was nothing like a haunted house, they relaxed and decided to stay and take care of him.

But Shang Lu didn’t want them to be a burden.

Besides, their presence would complicate many things.

“My condition isn’t that bad. You don’t need to stay here to look after me. It’s better for you to return to the county office and await orders.

As long as the shaman institute hasn’t arrived, the matters on Yunhua Mountain aren’t over yet. We mustn’t be negligent!”

Shang Lu was firm, and the constables could only obey and leave.

They agreed to visit him daily to check on his condition.

As Du Feng and the others stepped out of the courtyard and turned to close the door, it shut on its own.

They looked at one another, faces full of shock and disbelief.

How could the door close by itself?

Could it be… the house really was haunted?