Patches of rainbow feathers fall into the lake, causing ripples.

When the surface of the lake is entirely covered with the Hongqiao feathers, the entire Cultivation Technique Lake resembles a sleeping multicolored exotic beast.

Twelve-colored Hongqiao, twelve colors, the Twelve Major Meridians.

As the Hongqiao completely dissipates, the feathers on the lake don’t last long and disappear along with them.

They haven’t truly vanished; at the center of the lake, there seems to be a small island.

It might not count as a small island, at most, it can only accommodate one person.

Around the small island, there are eleven little spots of different colors, faintly visible as if not yet formed.

Twelve colored islands, representing the Twelve Major Meridians.

At this moment, he has already deduced the method to traverse the first meridian, suitable for his own Meridian Unlocking Realm Cultivation Technique.

On the interface.

[Mountain and Sea Tiger and Python Cold Refining Scripture: Meridian Passage (Refining the Internal Organs Late Stage)]

[Progress: 87/100]

The benefits of deducing the Cultivation Technique at Meridian Unlocking Realm are very apparent; Chu Ming advances directly from the four organs and three viscera to the five organs and five viscera, with only the last viscera remaining un-nurtured.

At this time, the Cultivation Technique of the Meridian Unlocking Realm, one meridian is traversed, and eleven meridians have taken shape, only requiring time to ferment, assisted by the Mountain and Sea, Book Collection, two great lakes, and continued deduction.

...

In a secret room of the County Government Office in Jingyan County.

"Lord Lv, what should we do now, that kid is still alive, what can be done with this matter from above...?"

County Magistrate Zhou Xun appears somewhat angry and anxious.

"Shh!"

County Magistrate Lv Wen makes a silent gesture, and the room falls into silence.

After a moment, seemingly confirming no one is eavesdropping, he slowly speaks: "Lord Zhou, things have reached this point, is there any use in saying these things?"

Zhou Xun remains silent.

"Lord Zhou need not be so anxious, can that Chief Clerk’s Office discover anything?" Lv Wen seems very relaxed.

"Lord Lv...?" Zhou Xun looks at Lv Wen in puzzlement.

Regarding the problems with the salt mine, others are unaware, but he and County Magistrate Lv Wen are very clear.

"Does Lord Lv have a strategy to handle it?"

"Haha, our mine has no problems, why do we need a strategy?"

Lv Wen picks up a teacup, lifts the lid, and gently stirs the rim.

The mine has no problems?

Zhou Xun is astonished.

The mine has significant problems.

From personnel to mining, from mine safety to the transport of salt out of the mine, problems exist at every stage.

If the Chief Clerk’s Office is their man, these problems would no longer be problems.

But now, this Chief Clerk’s Office is sent by the Prince, clearly coming to investigate them.

"Lord Lv, please don’t keep us guessing..." Zhou Xun pleads.

Lv Wen sets down the teacup, still appearing relaxed.

"First of all, every move of the Chief Clerk’s group from entering the city is under our control; this point must be grasped tightly."

"Lord Lv, rest assured, that residence from servants to maids was personally selected by me."

"Hmm," Lv Wen nods, "Secondly, our Jingyan County has three major mines, and the mining of each is supervised and regulated by the Imperial Examination Hall; what are we afraid of?"

"Do you think the commandants and constables of the Imperial Examination Hall will show a pen-wielding scholar a good face?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun’s eyes brighten: "Lord Lv, this official has good relations with the commandants of the Imperial Examination Hall..."

The Inspector General of the Imperial Examination Hall is surnamed Zhou, and he is also surnamed Zhou.

Lv Wen softly chuckles and continues, "Then please arrange for Lord Zhou, during the next few days, to standardize the mining procedures."

"Standardize mining, regulate workers, not a penny short of their wages, provide meals..."

"We in Jingyan County have a total of three mines. Mine number one is the deepest in extraction but also the most unstable. Send someone tomorrow to let the Chief Clerk’s Office see it."

"Calculate, pit C in mine number one hasn’t collapsed for five days, right..."

A cold light sweeps through Lv Wen’s rather clouded eyes.

A pit collapse, those inside may get injured, some may die, and even worse, the pit might get buried, leaving no one inside a chance to come out.

Each mine has many pits, and as mining goes deeper, the longer it goes on, the greater the chances of collapse.

"Does the Lord intend to..." Zhou Xun immediately grasps the meaning.

Disguising certain events as accidents is the cleanest way to solve troubles.

Lv Wen continues, "Mine number two, because there was once an incident of evil, has the shallowest mine depth, arrange it as the second mine for the Chief Clerk’s Office."

Evil!

Upon hearing the two words, Zhou Xun’s demeanor understandably shows increased fear.

"Lord Lv, back when the Divine Mystery Bureau annihilated the evil, sealing that pit, it hasn’t appeared for many years, nor are there any signs of its revival. I’m afraid..."

Zhou Xun understands why Lv Wen discusses mine number two and the evil things.

If the accident in mine number one doesn’t succeed, then they must rely on mine number two.

But the thing in mine number two is evil; what is an evil thing?

That is a terrifying thing that only the Divine Mystery Bureau could eliminate, how could it be utilized by humans.

"Haha, it’s indeed unlikely for the evil thing to appear precisely, but we can create some false signs of its revival."

"The Chief Clerk’s Office is a teenager, how bold can he be?"

"Hearing rumors of a revival of evil in the mine, would he still dare to go down?"

Lv Wen appears very confident.

"Sir, that kid is accompanied by the Tiger Armor Army Centurion."

"Humph! So what if it’s a Centurion! If he truly dares to go down, then let the evil thing become real."

"What does Lord Lv mean?" Zhou Xun’s eyes flicker.

How can an evil thing become real?

"Spread false information of an evil’s appearance, create fear and chaos for everyone inside the mine; once confusion sets in, more opportunities arise."

No need to say more, Zhou Xun also understands the meaning.

Mine number one relies on accidents, while mine number two relies on crafting accidents with the evil thing.

An appearance of evil would certainly cause panic among hundreds of miners and overseers inside the mine. Panic leads to casualties.

Who gets injured, who dies?

In the cramped, dim-lit space of the mine, who knows what could happen?

"And what about mine number three?" Zhou Xun is already feeling confident.

"Mine number three..." Lv Wen ponders, "If it truly reaches mine number three, the trouble will be great, and you and I must brace for the worst."

"However, by that time, support from above should have arrived, so there’s no need to worry too much."

"By the way, how were those miners dealt with?" Lv Wen shifts the topic.

"All buried, rest assured, Sir."

"Rest assured? How can I rest assured? Didn’t a relative of a miner named Iron Pillar cause a scene in front of the County Government yesterday?"

"A rural village woman!" Zhou Xun angrily replies, "Also dealt with."

"Lord Zhou, do you know that this rural village woman and that miner have a son?"

"Hmm?" Zhou Xun’s face changes drastically upon hearing that.

"Humph! I’ve already ordered someone to search for him!"

"..."

...

Late night.

Fifty miles outside the west city of Jingyan County, the salt mine mountain.

Deep inside the second salt mine.

Buzzing——

Noises come from the darkness.

"What is that sound?" Several miners working on mining are startled.

Mining the salt doesn’t stop day or night.

Buzzing——

The strange sound echoes again.

A brave miner cautiously moves forward with an iron pickaxe to investigate.

Suddenly, a gray shadow flashes by.

The miner is scared pale, his legs weaken, and he falls backward.

Chirping——

But when he raises his head, he sees a palm-sized gray vole.

"A vole..."

"Haha, Old Wang got scared out of his wits by a vole."