Chapter 00021: The Scheme of Grand Tutor Sun
# The Scheme of Grand Tutor Sun
Chapter 21
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 21: The Scheme of Grand Tutor Sun
"Pray for blessings," Nian Songyu said with a hint of annoyance.
"Don't you even know this basic knowledge?"
As the rain poured down, He Lingchuan felt a refreshing sensation wash over him, as if his entire body had been cleansed from the inside out.
Not only were all impurities removed, but every muscle in his body was filled with strength.
The soldiers also let out cheers of joy.
Blackwater City had long been battered by wind and sand, and many of its residents suffered from respiratory and heart-lung ailments.
Surprisingly, this rain seemed to heal them by sixty to seventy percent, and their breathing became smooth again.
Even chronic conditions like arthritis and muscle fatigue quietly disappeared under the influence of this miraculous rain, leaving them feeling light and unburdened.
The way the crowd looked at Sun Fuping instantly became filled with awe.
The Grand Tutor was a figure too distant for ordinary people, as if floating on clouds, and they had never truly felt his presence.
But now, after witnessing his power, soldiers and civilians alike knelt down, worshiping him as if he were a deity.
Seizing the moment, Sun Fuping delivered a few inspiring words, boosting the morale of the entire group.
This was exactly the effect he wanted.
Nian Songyu glanced at He Lingchuan.
"Now, the ritual begins."
Let these country bumpkins see something extraordinary.
After the sudden downpour, the clouds dispersed, and the wind turned gentle.
Everyone's clothes were soaked, their pants dripping water, and the ground was a muddy mess.
Sun Fuping raised his long staff and tapped it on the ground.
What happened next was truly bizarre:
The remaining water on people's clothes separated and flowed to the ground.
Then, the water at the feet of each soldier began to move, winding like snakes, slithering toward the altar.
On the altar stood a large crystal jar, about the size of two people embracing each other, completely transparent, allowing an unobstructed view through it.
The water on the ground seemed to have a life of its own, defying gravity as it flowed upward, lining up and pouring into the jar.
Soon, the jar was filled to the brim with water.
The ground outside Blackwater City's gates was trampled by thousands, and the ever-present wind and sand made it impossible to say how filthy it was.
Yet, the water flowing into the jar was as clear as if it had been distilled, without a single impurity.
He Lingchuan couldn't help but silently applaud.
Regardless of Sun Fuping's character, this display of magic was truly profound.
The Grand Tutor indeed lived up to his reputation.
"Every one of you who follows me on this expedition, your fortunes are more or less gathered here," Sun Fuping said, turning to Zeng Feixiong and extending his hand.
"Hand over the Falcon Coin."
The tokens of state authority varied from country to country, and in the Falcon Nation, the tokens given to officials were called Falcon Coins.
Zeng Feixiong had already prepared his, so he took it out and handed it over.
His Falcon Coin was shaped like a large copper coin, with a light blue falcon engraved on it.
The weight and color of the state tokens were influenced by many factors, not just rank and position.
From Zeng Feixiong's Falcon Coin, it was clear he was just an ordinary deputy commander.
Sun Fuping frowned.
"This seems insufficient."
With that, he tossed the Falcon Coin into the crystal jar.
Interestingly, the coin didn't sink to the bottom but floated steadily in the center of the jar.
However, the water's surface became restless, rippling continuously.
Under the flow of water, Zeng Feixiong's Falcon Coin darkened, shifting between deep blue and light green.
"Even with the morale of the entire army, it's still a stretch," Sun Fuping said, pulling out a small pouch from his robe.
He opened it briefly to show He Chunhua and the others, then closed it and threw the entire pouch into the jar.
Inside the pouch was half a bag of yellow sand, which wriggled on its own without being touched.
He Yue whispered, "Is that the mad sand from the Coiling Dragon Desert?"
He Chunhua nodded, his eyes fixed on the jar.
The Coiling Dragon Desert was a place no one dared to enter during its active periods, known as the Mad Sand Season.
The half bag of mad sand the He family had acquired at great cost came from the Red Cliff Road during one of these dangerous times.
Of course, it wasn't from the core area.
As soon as the sand pouch entered the jar, the water began to boil, with countless bubbles rising to the surface.
He Lingchuan even thought he saw flashes of lightning and heard thunder.
Then, the water turned murky, and large clouds of steam rose from the surface, half deep blue and half a dull yellow with hints of dark red.
These two colors of steam intertwined, and strangely, everyone felt as if they were locked in a fierce struggle.
To be precise, after two rounds, the dull yellow steam gained the upper hand, practically grinding its opponent against the water's surface.
It was clear that the difference in power was too great.
Sun Fuping's expression turned serious.
"This won't do. The rank is too low, and the energy is too weak! Who else is there?"
He Chunhua asked hoarsely, "Is it really impossible?"
"There's no way to compete!" Sun Fuping said angrily.
"What does the Prefect suggest?"
Entering the Coiling Dragon Desert during the Mad Sand Season was a near-suicidal mission.
No official or military officer with any other options would take such a risk.
Besides, there were no other high-ranking officials present.
The highest-ranking person here was—
He Lingchuan glanced at Nian Songyu.
"Can't he go?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them.
He was still too unfamiliar with this world.
Nian Songyu chuckled, looking at him as if he were an idiot.
He Yue whispered, "This army belongs to Blackwater City and isn't under Nian's command. For him to harness the army's fortune, he'd either need to be transferred here or stripped of his rank and reappointed by Prefect He. Both would require a royal decree."
How could a military officer from Xunzhou lead troops from Jinzhou?
—Under normal circumstances.
Sun Fuping approached He Chunhua and the others, speaking in a low voice.
"Going in like this is just suicide. Either cancel the mission, or a high-ranking official from Blackwater City must step up."
A high-ranking official from Blackwater City? That would be He Chunhua.
Life or career?
He Chunhua's expression changed, realizing he had been trapped.
But his subordinates, including Zeng Feixiong, were all watching him eagerly.
He knew he couldn't delay, so he took out his Falcon Coin.
"Let's try this first."
He Yue was anxious.
"Father!"
How had the situation escalated so quickly?
He Lingchuan grabbed his father's hand, the Falcon Coin sandwiched between their palms.
"Dad, don't be impulsive. This isn't the time to sacrifice yourself for the country!"
He Chunhua slapped his hand away.
"Calm down."
Beside them, Nian Songyu gave a thumbs-up.
"Prefect He, your loyalty is commendable!"
The He brothers glared at him.
Was this guy really in such a hurry to push them into danger?
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, He Chunhua took a deep breath and walked to the crystal jar.
He personally dropped his Falcon Coin into the water!
His Falcon Coin was light green, a full tier above Zeng Feixiong's.
As the coin entered the jar, the water churned even more violently, and large clouds of steam rose, this time yellow!
Unlike the color of the mad sand, this steam was a bright yellow with a hint of radiance.
Not only was everyone watching, but even Sun Fuping let out a long "Hmm," unable to hide his surprise.
"A leap of four tiers?"
Even with the morale of the entire army, jumping from light green to bright yellow was astonishing, even if it was only temporary.
He Chunhua gave a self-deprecating smile.
"It seems I'm quite beloved."
He asked Sun Fuping, "If I lead this expedition, what are the chances I'll return alive?"
(End of Chapter)