“It’s a blessing,” Nian Songyu said in annoyance. “Don’t you even know that much?”

As the rain poured down on him, He Lingchuan felt instantly refreshed, as though his entire being had been cleansed from the inside out. Not only was the filth washed away, but every muscle in his body brimmed with strength.

The soldiers let out whoops of joy.

Heishui City, long ravaged by wind and sand, had left many of its inhabitants with damaged lungs and hearts. But now, as the rain soaked them, their ailments eased. Breathing became easier, and old ailments like cold legs or strained joints quietly melted away under the rain’s blessing, leaving only a lightness in their wake.

The crowd now looked at Sun Fuping with newfound awe.

A state preceptor had always seemed distant, high above the clouds, unreachable to the common folk. However, now that they had witnessed his power firsthand, soldiers and civilians alike fell to their knees, worshiping him as if he were a living god.

Seizing the moment, Sun Fuping recited a booming declaration of expedition, raising the unit’s morale to its peak.

This was precisely the effect he was after.

Nian Songyu cast a glance at He Lingchuan. “Now, the real ritual begins.” Even you bumpkins will have your eyes opened now.

The downpour passed quickly, and the sky cleared. Everyone’s clothes were soaked through, pant legs still dripping, and the ground had turned to slush beneath their feet.

Sun Fuping raised his staff once more and tapped it against the ground. Then, something extraordinary happened.

The water on their clothes pulled away, separating from the fabric as if of its own volition, and slithered down to the ground.

Then, the puddles beneath each soldier’s feet began to stir. The water moved like serpents, winding and twisting their way toward the altar.

There sat a massive crystal vat, wide enough for two people to wrap their arms around. Its glassy walls were perfectly transparent, offering an unobstructed view of the interior.

Defying gravity, the water slithered upward and poured into the vat in neat lines.

In no time at all, the vat was filled nearly to the brim.

The ground outside Heishui City’s gates had been trodden by thousands, battered by wind and dust. It was filthy beyond telling. Yet the water that flowed into the vat was pristine, as pure as if distilled, utterly without a speck of dirt.

Water shouldn’t be able to flow up like that! He Lingchuan could not help but give a mental thumbs-up. Whatever else might be said about Sun Fuping’s character, his magical prowess was unquestionably profound.

As expected of a state preceptor…

“All who follow me on this expedition, your fortune, however great or small, now lies within,” Sun Fuping announced. He then turned toward Zeng Feixiong and extended a hand. “Present the Yuan Coin.”

Each nation had its own form of mandate token. In Yuan, all ranks of officialdom were issued a “Yuan Coin” as their mandate token.

Zeng Feixiong had already prepared his. He took it out and handed it over.

It looked like a large copper coin, though the bird motif on his was only pale blue.

The weight and color of a mandate token depended on many factors, not just rank and title. Judging from Zeng Feixiong’s Yuan Coin, he was an unremarkable deputy commandant at best.

Sun Fuping’s brow furrowed as he commented, “This seems lacking.” Still, he tossed the coin into the vat.

Curiously, the coin did not sink. Instead, it floated dead center atop the water, while the once-calm surface began to ripple in concentric waves.

As the water washed over it, the Yuan Coin darkened in hue, shifting into a shade somewhere between deep blue and pale green.

“Even with the morale of the entire unit behind him, it’s barely enough,” Sun Fuping said grimly. He pulled a cloth pouch from his robes, opened it briefly to show He Chunhua and the others, then cinched it shut and tossed it into the vat.

The bag held half a sack of yellow sand. Though untouched, it writhed of its own accord.

He Yue whispered, “Is that the mad sand from the Panlong Desert?”

He Chunhua gave a slight nod, his eyes never leaving the vat.

When the Panlong Desert enters its period of fury, not even the boldest dare step into its heart. This period was commonly referred to as the season of mad sand. The He Family had paid handsomely for this half-sack of mad sand, collected from a stretch of the Hongya Route during the most violent period.

Of course, they had not gotten it from the desert’s core.

Still, the moment the mad sand hit the water, the vat began to boil, countless bubbles roiling to the surface.

He Lingchuan thought he even saw flashes of lightning erupt within.

The water quickly turned murky, but thick steam began to rise. Half of the steam was a deep blue, the other a dingy yellow tinged with red.

The two kinds of steam intertwined, and strangely enough, everyone could sense that they were fighting.

To be more precise, after two rounds of clashing, the yellow mist had clearly gained the upper hand and was now pressing its opponent down against the surface and grinding it mercilessly.

A single glance was enough to tell that the power gap between the two sides was massive.

Sun Fuping’s expression darkened. “Not good. His rank is too low, and his vitality is too weak! Who else is there?”

He Chunhua’s voice was hoarse. “Is it truly not enough?”

“Not even close!” Sun Fuping snapped. “Commandery administrator, do you have any ideas?”

Entering the Panlong Desert during its berserk period was practically a death sentence. Any official or officer with even a sliver of a choice would never volunteer.

And here, the highest-ranking official present was—

He Lingchuan cast a glance at Nian Songyu. “What about him?”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he regretted it. He still did not understand this world well enough.

Nian Songyu snorted in amusement and gave him a look like he was watching an idiot.

He Yue muttered under his breath, “This army falls under the jurisdiction of Heishui City. Commandant Nian has no authority here. If he wants to channel the unit’s fortune, he’d have to be reassigned to Heishui City or be stripped of rank and reappointed by Commandery Administrator He. Either way, it requires a royal edict.”

Military officers from Xun Province could not lead troops from Jin Province—at least, not under normal circumstances.

Sun Fuping stepped closer to He Chunhua and lowered his voice as he said, “Should we enter like this, it would be no different from suicide. We need a senior official from Heishui City to take the lead, or else the operation will have to be called off.”

A senior official of Heishui City? That meant He Chunhua and no one else.

Now, the question was: his future or his life?

He Chunhua’s face darkened. He knew he had walked right into a trap.

However, all eyes were on him—Zeng Feixiong included, waiting with bated breath.

He could not stall any longer. With a pained expression, he reached for the Yuan Coin in his robe and said, “Let’s try it first.”

“Father!” He Yue blurted, panic rising in his voice.

How did things get so out of hand so quickly?

He Lingchuan moved even faster, grabbing his father’s hand mid-motion. The Yuan Coin was caught between both their palms. “Father, don’t be reckless. Now’s not the time to be a martyr!”

He Chunhua slapped his hand away. “Calm yourself.”

To the side, Nian Songyu gave a thumbs-up and said approvingly, “Lord He, you truly are loyal to the kingdom!”

The He brothers both shot him a glare. Is this bastard in such a hurry to shove someone onto the chopping block?

With everyone watching, He Chunhua took a deep breath and stepped up to the crystal vat, personally dropping in his Yuan Coin.

His token was pale green, showcasing that he was a whole tier above Zeng Feixiong’s.

The moment it entered the water, the surface surged even more violently. Thick steam billowed upward, this time in a brilliant yellow.

It was a different hue from the mad sand, as this mist glowed with brightness and clarity.

Not only did the onlookers take notice, but even Sun Fuping let out a surprised “Oh?” His expression could not hide his astonishment. “It jumped four full tiers?”

Even with the boost from the army’s morale, a leap from pale green to pure yellow was remarkable, even if only temporary.

“It seems that I’m more beloved than I thought.” He Chunhua gave a wry smile. Then, he turned to Sun Fuping and asked, “If I lead the army myself, what are the odds we’ll make it back alive?”