Chapter 36: Council

Night had fallen over Yanggu County, and within the City God Temple, Lord Lu had set aside a special chamber to discuss the strategy for the attack on the demon-ridden Jingyang Ridge. Once Wang Liang brought the three players—Ghost Without a Care, Life-and-Death Comrade, and their companion—into the room, he immediately sensed the atmosphere thickening, as though the space had been sealed off from the outside world.

Ghost Without a Care and the others felt nothing amiss; upon entering, they found the room filled with people. The chamber was spacious, and at its center stood a freshly crafted sand table, displaying the entire terrain from Jingyang Ridge to the gates of Yanggu County.

At the head of the sand table stood Lord Lu, the City God, flanked by the county magistrate and a man dressed as a general—the commander of the nearby barracks, the highest-ranking military officer in Yanggu County. Wang Liang had heard of him; his name was Hua Dian, dispatched here after the death of the former commander Yin Xun at Jingyang Ridge, tasked specifically with reclaiming the demon domain.

To the left of the sand table stood three men. The first wore dripping iron armor and bore the face of a great fish—he was General Fish, one of the two main commanders from the Yellow River Dragon King Temple. Upon seeing Wang Liang enter, General Fish noticed Life-and-Death Comrade behind him. He recognized this player, who frequently appeared at the Dragon King Temple, and gave a slight nod.

Following General Fish was a Daoist with an air of immortality, appearing to be in his fifties. He carried a horsetail whisk and was the abbot of the distant Yuanshan Temple. He, too, was acquainted with Life-and-Death Comrade, and after General Fish nodded, he nodded as well.

The third was the owner of the Yanggu County pawnshop, who, upon seeing Wang Liang, nodded gently in welcome.

Their gestures left the local gentry, clan leaders, and heads of various factions standing on the right in stunned silence. They wondered privately who Wang Liang was, to be so familiar with the county’s most influential figures.

These gentry were much like Ximen Qing—small-time powers on the streets, able to muster twenty or so men. The clan leaders could perhaps rally a hundred during rural conflicts, though that was rare. The true forces were the faction heads: the helmsman of the boatmen's guild, commanding nearly a thousand strongmen and able to draw sixty or so capable fighters; the archery society’s president, a figure of considerable standing, whose men were elite marksmen; and the leaders of the night patrols—small teams of three to five, each guarding a stretch of street, but together numbering several hundred.

Finally, the best hunters from the surrounding mountains were present. Having suffered losses to the ferocious tiger, they were now the most committed to this cause. Only the most skilled hunters had survived to attend; the weaker ones had fallen to the beasts years ago.

Their numbers were considerable, though their perspectives varied, and they began quietly discussing Wang Liang’s arrival.

“I’ve seen one of those three attendants behind him,” a minor faction leader whispered, pointing at Life-and-Death Comrade. “He’s often seen in town—a formidable vigilante. I always wondered why he acted so boldly; turns out he has a master.”

Another, a night patrol leader, gestured toward Ghost Without a Care. “That one doesn’t look alive. I’ve seen him hunt demons and ghosts at night.”

Gradually, their gaze toward Wang Liang shifted; it was best not to offend someone of such stature.

A gentleman murmured, “Do you know who the one at the front is? Let me tell you, I have kin in the Xue family. Their steward, Chen Chao, is my cousin’s cousin. He told me in secret—that man is the Dragon King.”

“Is that true? How could the Dragon King appear here?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? Think about it—the previous raids on Jingyang Ridge, when did the Dragon King Temple ever send troops? This time, half their force is here. Whose doing is that? And Yuanshan Temple—they’re big names. Would they nod to you? They wouldn’t even look your way. Their courtesy now must be because they know the Dragon King’s identity.

I have proof, too. Chen Chao entertained the Dragon King once. The Dragon King gave him a small silver ingot, engraved with ‘Dragon King’s Seal.’ If you had no status, would you dare engrave such a thing on your own silver? When you give out silver ingots, what do you usually engrave?”

“What else? ‘Prosperity and Wealth,’ or ‘Fortune and Treasure,’ things like that.”

“Exactly. Would you dare engrave ‘Dragon King’s Seal’?”

Upon hearing this, everyone’s gaze toward Wang Liang changed further, leaving him unsure where to stand.

At last, Lord Lu spoke: “Please stand on the left, fellow Daoist.”

When Lord Lu addressed him, everyone believed the gentleman’s tale. If even the City God called him ‘fellow Daoist,’ Wang Liang’s status must be extraordinary. The county magistrate recalled his previous dealings with Wang Liang, wondering if he had made any missteps.

Wang Liang, unaware of their private speculations, led Ghost Without a Care and the others to the left side of the sand table and saluted the dignitaries there. His gesture, learned in dream, surprised all but the pawnshop owner. The others sensed something amiss; outwardly, Wang Liang’s salute was that of an equal, but his bearing suggested otherwise.

Wang Liang’s presence was that of a high official—combining the iron-blooded valor of a warrior, the elegance of a scholar, and the poise of a leader in flawless harmony. His salute was neither strictly military nor purely Confucian; it bore the free-spirited style of Daoists from the Spring and Autumn era.

This alone implied Wang Liang’s attainment predated theirs, his foundation deeper. Both dignitaries entertained the notion: since they had come for the campaign against Jingyang Ridge, if Wang Liang wished to distinguish himself, they could afford to step back.

With this in mind, their attention shifted to the sand table, pondering how to discreetly place Wang Liang at center stage.