Chapter 1495: The First Political Work Department's Attendant Maid

Jiang Ding's lecture on the Dao lasted for over ten years, and then came to an end.

During those ten-plus years, he tailored methods to each of the four Soul Transformation cultivators to mend their foundations, all achievable under their current conditions; if their talent and effort sufficed, their chances of advancing to Void Refinement would rise by one or two tenths.

Of course, this was under the cultivation environment of the Upper Realm.

In the Minor Thousand Worlds of the Northern Plains it was absolutely impossible; in the Zhong Senior Qian Shi Gao Jie the chances would also be slim.

However, in the Upper Realm, in treasured lands where the rules of Heaven and Earth and the Dao's resonance were more complete, such chances would grow far greater — this was the importance of external conditions to a cultivator.

"... Condense the Inner Heaven and Earth, give birth to rules, and Void Refinement is first achieved."

"The type of rules you condense is tied to the path you have walked and the Gong Fa you have cultivated; if the Gong Fa is of the Void Refinement tier, there will be a corresponding connection."

"That is all there is to it, nothing more."

Jiang Ding looked at the four and said seriously: "Void Refinement does not hold many mysteries; do not heed the so-called 'profound beyond profundity, beyond words' of some wild cultivators. Void Refinement is exactly this — if you achieve it, you advance to Void Refinement; if you cannot, then it is simply fate."

"We cultivators of immortality press forward without retreat; we only ask for a heart free of regret."

"We thank the Master for his teachings!"

Hei Hei Louxi and the other Soul Transformation cultivators bowed respectfully, hearts filled with reverence.

The claim that Void Refinement held few mysteries could only be spoken by the being before them; not only did he himself understand, he could also explain it so that others understood — this was the terrifying part.

Noble as they were, among the strongest of the Northern Plains Minor World, they often taught their own juniors and attendant maids, and naturally knew how difficult it was to reach such a level.

One could say that this person standing here, spending several thousand years, could easily forge a powerful Void Refinement sect with orderly inheritance, passed down for countless generations.

"No need for such ceremony."

Jiang Ding nodded slightly: "Since you have already understood, then return. Arrange your respective duties, take up the cultivators' positions, and then choose a time you deem suitable to ascend to the Upper Realm."

"That is the place where the Dao is achieved."

"Chun Chun Sanwa,"

Jiang Ding looked at the only Hua Shen Zhong Qi cultivator: "As a Nine Essence Spirit Ginseng, your lifespan is far longer than that of a human Soul Transformation cultivator, and you still have a considerable distance to Soul Transformation Late Stage. After Gong Gong Caiyu ascends, you shall succeed as the master of the Zheng Sect."

"Yes, Canghai Tianjun."

Chun Chun Sanwa bowed reverently.

"After you, the succession of the Zheng Sect Sect's master need no longer be reported to me."

"Simply follow the existing order of inheritance and the laws to recommend a new Zheng Sect Sect master. If there is no catastrophe that destroys the sect, my clone will no longer interfere in the affairs of Tushan Master Tushan Zhongting."

Jiang Ding said lightly.

The master of the Zheng Sect was, in a sense,

the head of the Nine Sects, governing all directions.

The affairs of a Minor Thousand World had gradually ceased to interest him; he was content to let it run along its fixed orbit. Through the long years, the things that repeated beneath the sunlight were too many, too tedious, enough to grind away the curiosity of any long-lived being.

"Yes."

Chun Chun Sanwa bowed once more.

"Fate, indeed..."

Hei Hei Louxi and the other Soul Transformation cultivators sighed within their hearts; they truly had been born in a fortunate era. Had they been born a generation later, even with twice the talent and brilliance, they could never have caught the eye of this being.

The ancient ones of the years gradually regarded every person equally; all living things were as straw dogs, no different from one another.

"The tax laws shall also be amended."

"Within the laws of Master Tushan, the seventy percent of tax revenue belonging to this Lord personally shall be reduced to ten percent. This applies specifically to the Northern Plains Dao-achieving Minor World and will not spread to other worlds, in gratitude to the billions of living beings of this world who witnessed my growth."

"I hope the billions of living beings of this world may all be happy and healthy, and cultivate smoothly."

Jiang Ding added one more statute.

This was a benefit belonging solely to him personally; he had voluntarily relinquished it, and it still conformed to the principles of the laws of Master Tushan.

In truth, this did not quite conform to the principle of equivalent exchange.

As the master of Master Tushan, Jiang Ding provided this world's strongest combat power to keep the peace and the driving force for breakthroughs in production science and technology; seventy percent was the market-economic behavior that conformed to equivalent exchange.

However, just as with old acquaintances, he also held affection for this Minor Thousand World where he had grown from a Gao Zhongsheng, and so he conceded much.

The reason he did not relinquish it entirely was out of his care for the Dao-achieving Minor World.

Power and obligation complement one another.

If he gave up this remaining ten percent of tax revenue, then in his heart he would have no obligation whatsoever to shelter the Northern Plains Dao-achieving Minor World. As time passed and sentiment faded, this world might be completely forgotten by him; in the long view, the billions of beings of the Dao-achieving world would actually suffer a great loss.

"... Yes, Canghai Tianjun."

Chun Chun Sanwa had become a mere echo, the famed might of Chun Tian Canghai Tianjun nowhere to be seen — whatever that being said, he immediately noted it down, ready to execute.

'Specifically for the Dao-achieving Minor World?'

Hei Hei Louxi and the other Soul Transformation cultivators, however, let their imaginations run.

A being such as this — how vast must be the territories he ruled? They wondered whether, after ascending to the Upper Realm, these old acquaintances of his might advance further still.

"That is all."

"Return."

Jiang Ding waved his hand, his voice gentle: "I wish all of you, my old friends, to achieve the great Dao of Void Refinement, to live up to a lifetime of cultivation. When the flowers bloom next year, you and I shall meet again."

"Many thanks, Canghai Tianjun."

"When the flowers bloom next year, we shall surely come again to pay our respects to Canghai Tianjun, and discuss the Dao with Canghai Tianjun..."

Hei Hei Louxi and the other Soul Transformation cultivators bowed deeply.

They took one last look at the blue-robed youth upon the Wang Zuo, fixing his voice, countenance, and smile firmly in their memories, then bade farewell and departed, no longer disturbing this being's quiet cultivation.

In the end, only one snow-white palace-skirted girl, one and a half meters tall, remained on the spot, her big eyes blinking.

Though also an old acquaintance, there was a difference.

Gong Gong Caiyu Canghai Tianjun and the Great Sun Sword Lord had both risen together from the humble beginnings of mortals; naturally their bond was not the same as with others, and naturally the support they received was not the same either.

The Great Sun Sword Lord had never considered himself a saint, treating all with selfless impartiality.

"This is for you."

Jiang Ding took out a jade-green box and handed it to Gong Gong Caiyu: "A top-grade Void-Breaking Pill, imbued with the power of rules. It can make it far easier for a Soul Transformation cultivator to coalesce a world of rules, adding a twenty-five percent chance of Void-Breaking."

"I hope you survive."

Pills like these Jiang Ding had a great batch refined through the Immortal Gate, and sent them separately to Zhang Zhang Junsheng, Master Canghai Canghai Tianjun, Lu Ling Canghai Tianjun, An Siyan, Jin Jin Lingfeng, and others. These Immortal Gate friends had also been fully outfitted with more heart-devil pills and Tribulation Crossing treasures unique to the Immortal Gate.

Having slain multiple Dao Merging Divine Lords, his wealth was beyond the imagination of Void-Breaking cultivators.

"Thank you, Young Master."

Gong Gong Caiyu accepted it and offered her sincere thanks.

"Mm."

Jiang Ding gave a slight nod, looking at the girl before him.

In fact, among the many Soul Transformation cultivators, the one he needed most was this girl—his first Political Work Department maid, a maid whose loyalty had always been maxed out.

If one day a greater domain needed to be ruled, he only had to send her out, and she would carry out his will completely, establish the central institution he needed, formulate the world order he required, build a new Mount Tu maid corps, and he could hand it all off entirely without having to do it himself.