Chapter 273: Jingxin Year 35, the Prince of Liang Rebels

"I have not fully recovered yet," the Destiny Mysterious Bird said dully. "However, I can give you the luck I promised. Do you remember what I said? As long as you break through to the Fourth Grade within ten years... hah? Why do I seem to recall saying that last time, and you said you didn't want it?"

Not fully recovered? Zhao Xing looked at the Destiny Mysterious Bird and found that its feathers had already grown back.

But what was wrong with its mental state? It felt a bit dull.

"Senior, haven't all your feathers grown back?"

Zhao Xing suspected it had already recovered but simply didn't want to exert itself, deliberately playing the fool.

"Hah hah," the Destiny Mysterious Bird suddenly laughed, its laughter somewhat neurotic: "At my realm, profound and mysterious, how could a mere mortal know?"

Zhao Xing nodded: "Then, apart from luck, how many treasures can this senior bestow upon me?"

The Destiny Mysterious Bird said: "I can find one for you, but you may choose."

Just one? That's too few!

Zhao Xing felt the Destiny Mysterious Bird was holding back.

"Senior, in these years, I have always kept the oath made with you in mind, never slacking in cultivation for a single day."

"I have practiced day and night, hoping to release you sooner."

The Destiny Mysterious Bird opened its beak: "Hah hah, then two?"

Zhao Xing chuckled inwardly; as expected!

It seems there is still plenty of room to squeeze.

The contract we signed back then stipulated full effort; how can you hold back your strength?

"Now, the dynasty I reside in is about to face great turmoil; without treasures to protect myself, I fear I will meet a violent death."

Zhao Xing declared solemnly: "If I die, it matters little; but if I cannot fulfill the senior's long-held wish, I truly cannot close my eyes in peace."

The Destiny Mysterious Bird showed a conflicted expression in its eyes: "Hah hah hah, then three."

Zhao Xing bowed and said: "I have cultivated for thirty-six years, entering the Fourth Grade Yuan Soul Realm, and have also cultivated the first layer of the Great Expansion Soul Art. With the many treasures bestowed by the senior, I believe I can release you sooner."

The origin of the Great Expansion Soul Art predates the records of the Great Zhou; Zhao Xing estimated the Destiny Mysterious Bird must have heard of it.

He was now hinting to the Destiny Mysterious Bird: Look, a cultivation genius like me, you probably won't find a second one; won't you find me a few more treasures?

"The Great Expansion Soul Art? No wonder I feel your life soul has grown much stronger, hah..."

"However, I can find at most three for you, hah, but you may state your requirements first, and see if the treasures are in the same place, hah."

"If the timing is right, I will retrieve them for you, hah."

Seeing the Destiny Mysterious Bird speak thus, Zhao Xing knew it had likely reached its limit.

One cannot kill the chicken to get the eggs.

"Senior's magic power is overwhelming; naturally, this junior believes the senior can seize them effortlessly."

"But please do not force yourself; the senior's safety must come first. Even if the senior cannot find so many treasures, this junior will still remember the senior's kindness."

The Destiny Mysterious Bird, hearing Zhao Xing flatter it, was greatly pleased.

But upon hearing the latter part, it instantly bristled: "Who are you calling unable?! You brat, how dare you underestimate me?!"

"I dare not; I am merely worried for the senior."

"Hmph, that's more like it. Speak, and as long as they are within, I can fetch them for you freely."

Zhao Xing was prepared and immediately said: "Senior, for the first item, I need a treasure to guard against priests."

"For the second, I want a high-grade soul armor; the higher the grade, the better."

"For the third, the senior decides; as long as it can save my life, whatever the senior gives, I will use."

Zhao Xing's purpose was clear.

Because what he feared most was encountering powerful priests.

Priests excel at many methods, especially those targeting the soul.

The Ten Thousand Manifestations Divided Bodies are unafraid of other methods, but priests have many ways to lock onto his main soul.

If all seven main souls are destroyed, then all is lost, and all the divided soul bodies will dissipate.

Additionally, high-grade priests can imprison the life soul or grind it down to nothingness at this level.

That is to say, high-grade priests possess the ability to completely erase a person.

Even the Great Zhou's Rebirth Star Lord cannot recall souls.

Just like Yang An.

Death is not terrifying.

Because for Zhao Xing, even if his physical body dies, if he can transform into a Yin Spirit body, he will have a chance in the future to return to the mortal world.

Other professions find it very difficult to kill someone into a state of nothingness, but priests can.

If killed by a high-grade priest, then it is truly completely over.

Therefore, the first two treasures he requested are to guard against priests and to protect the life soul.

As for the third item, Zhao Xing made no specific request.

If the requirements are set too rigidly, what if the Destiny Mysterious Bird encounters a good one but doesn't take it, and instead finds a substandard one for me?

It has been lonely for tens of thousands of years; it is truly hard to say.

"I understand; wait here."

The Destiny Mysterious Bird suddenly grew larger, its feathers shining brilliantly. It opened its beak, and with every breath and exhalation, countless rainbow lights descended, surrounding it.

Its wings spread; Zhao Xing felt that every single feather was filled with the imprint of the Dao, those profound secret patterns making it impossible to look away.

"Do not look!" the Destiny Mysterious Bird reprimanded. "Did I not say, hah, that this realm is profound and mysterious; how can you observe it?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Zhao Xing quickly closed his eyes.

The last time the Destiny Mysterious Bird grew large and displayed its divine might, his realm was still relatively low, and he could not discern anything.

It was like an ant, unable to feel the pressure of an elephant.

Now that the refinement of the soul has been completed and the first layer of the Divine Expansion Soul Art has been cultivated in the refinement of the spirit, he can perceive the terrifying nature of the Destiny Divine Bird.

"Screech!"

Seven-colored rainbow light encircled the entire body of the Destiny Divine Bird as it burst out of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.

The moment it went out, this seven-colored rainbow light suddenly collapsed, as if an invisible force were pressing down on its movements.

"My fate is determined by me, not by heaven!"

The Destiny Divine Bird let out a strange cry, the rainbow light flared, it raised a defensive shield, and instantly vanished outside the door.

"Huff"

Zhao Xing sat cross-legged inside the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, waiting.

"I wonder if that stupid bird can make it."

"I hope some treasures targeting priests remain here," Zhao Xing thought silently.

Although he had bought many consumable treasures in the Soldier Realm.

But after all, it was not guaranteed; if he could buy them, others might be able to as well.

His main defense was against high-grade priests!

Such powerful beings would certainly not lack treasures.

Therefore, he placed great hopes on the Great Dream Academy here.

"Higher-grade Soul Armors must exist."

"As for the rest, it is uncertain."

Zhao Xing waited silently.

This wait was much longer than the previous one.

Zhao Xing saw no sign of the stupid bird returning for a long time and could not help but feel worried; could something have gone wrong with that fellow?

Last time, the Destiny Divine Bird returned very quickly.

But this time, Zhao Xing waited for a long while and still did not see it fly back.

"Is there a guardian within the Great Dream Academy stronger than it? Could something have gone wrong?"

Waiting is a torment.

Zhao Xing stood at the door gazing out for a long time, until finally—

"Screech!"

A sound came from the clouds and mist!

"It's back!"

Zhao Xing was overjoyed.

However, immediately after, his eyebrows twitched, and he involuntarily stepped back two paces.

Because the originally pure white clouds and mist suddenly turned as black as ink, with countless bolts of Lei Ting flashing within.

Terrifying heavenly might descended; even while staying inside the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, Zhao Xing felt his heart tremble with fear.

"Such powerful heavenly might; it seems this time it pulled off something big for me!" Zhao Xing was both excited and nervous.

He heard the voice of the Destiny Divine Bird, no longer as powerful as before.

Continuous cries came from the cloud layers, as if trapped by some rule, or as if battling some existence.

In a state of unease, Zhao Xing stared fixedly at the outside of the door.

Finally, after one shichen.

The Destiny Divine Bird, flashing with seven-colored rainbow light, flew toward the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.

It had successfully escaped the cloud layers!

The flowing light grew weaker and weaker, but it ultimately flew into the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.

The moment it entered, all the strange phenomena outside instantly vanished, as if they had never appeared at all.

"Senior, Senior, how are you?"

Zhao Xing ran over; at this moment, the Destiny Divine Bird still stood on the cabinet, as if this unremarkable cabinet was its nest.

But he could not see anything clearly, because the Destiny Divine Bird was still flashing with seven-colored rosy light.

Through the rosy light, he could only see a faint bird-shaped phantom.

"I am fine."

The voice of the Destiny Divine Bird had become somewhat hoarse.

Fine?

Zhao Xing was suspicious.

Since the other party had said so, he did not dare to ask any more.

"The two items you wanted, I have found them for you."

Zhao Xing felt something was off with its voice but could not pinpoint what the problem was; he thought it might have been injured.

However, upon hearing the word "treasure," Zhao Xing put the matter aside and looked on with full expectation.

"Huff"

The Destiny Divine Bird exhaled a breath of seven-colored qi.

Immediately, a golden, gleaming book flew out and floated before Zhao Xing.

"This is the Great Li's Primordial Yin Sacred Scripture."

"It is a ninth-grade treasure!"

"However, the era of Great Li is no longer here; how much effect it can still exert is unknown."

"But since your current dynasty has experienced great turmoil, in this region, it should not be suppressed too severely."

"That should be enough for you."

The Profound Yin Scripture, a Ninth-Rank treasure?

Zhao Xing was overjoyed in his heart. He asked cautiously, "Senior, how much of its power can I unleash?"

For a Ninth-Rank treasure, one usually needs to be of the First Rank to fully unleash its power.

Of course, single-use consumables are the exception.

Single-use consumables do not care what realm you are in; from the moment of their creation, they do not require the user to possess any specific strength.

Some powerful treasures can even be used by those not yet ranked.

"I observe your soul spirit is nearing the Third Rank Yuan Soul realm, though it has not yet completed its condensation. If we consider only your own capabilities, you can unleash about thirty to fifty percent of its power."

It is also a dual-purpose treasure; it can be used conventionally or as a consumable treasure.

When used conventionally, it can probably only unleash thirty to fifty percent of its power.

When one's realm is lower than the treasure's corresponding rank, this situation usually occurs.

Fortunately, it can be used as a single-use consumable to unleash its full power.

The full power of a Ninth-Rank treasure?

Even a high-rank Priest encountering me would have no choice but to flee!

"The Profound Yin Scripture has four types of effects."

"First, the sealing type, named Yin-Yang Boundary, which can lock the connection between the Yin Realm and the mortal world within a certain range."

"Second, the attack type, God-Slaying Talisman, which can inflict massive damage on Yin Spirits, even annihilating them into a state of nothingness."

"Third, the defense type, Profound Yin Guard, which can create multiple clones to protect multiple individuals from having their Life Souls extinguished."

"Fourth, the summoning type, Establishing the Dao Dharma Body, which can summon the Establishing the Dao Dharma Body left behind by legendary deities."

"However, the fourth effect is also restricted by the current system of the Fortune Dynasty."

"Each dynasty has its own rules; summoning deities to establish their Dharma Bodies may not necessarily work. Even if summoned, a price must be paid, whether it be lifespan, blood qi, primordial energy, or incense... Note that whether the Establishing the Dao Dharma Body appears or not, the price is paid in advance."

"And it happens twice: once for the summoning, and once for the sending off."

"Of course, if you tear off a page, that price is borne by the Scripture itself, because the Scripture itself is an extremely expensive incense material."

"Yes, this junior understands." Zhao Xing remembered clearly, then respectfully put away the treasure. "Senior, what about the second item?"

The Mandate of Heaven Black Bird paused. Its seven-colored light flickered, then its voice sounded somewhat confused: "The second item? What second item? Huh? Did I already give you a treasure?"

Zhao Xing was surprised. What was wrong with the Mandate of Heaven Black Bird?

"It seems I suffered heavy impact this time. Never mind, let's not talk about that for now. Since you have already obtained the Profound Yin Scripture, the second item is the Soul Armor."

"An Eighth-Rank Supreme Life Soul Armor."

"The minimum requirement for wearing it is the Third Rank. Since you have cultivated the first layer of the Great Expansion Spirit Art, you should barely be able to wear the Life Soul Armor."

Having said that, the Mandate of Heaven Black Bird opened its mouth and exhaled again.

A set of green armor appeared before Zhao Xing.

He was currently in a soul-body state. When Zhao Xing touched it, the Life Soul Armor directly equipped itself onto his body.

When he goes out, the armor will remain in the state of being worn by the Life Soul.

"I will retrieve the Sixth-Rank Soul Armor that originally belonged to the Xie Zhi from it and return it to the Treasure Vault," the Mandate of Heaven Black Bird said. "This will at least weaken the power of the Heavenly Punishment a little."

"As the senior commands." Zhao Xing didn't care. If he already had an Eighth-Rank one, what was the use of a Sixth-Rank one?

That set of Soul Armor contained the technique of the Great Dream Spring and Autumn; he could not sell it or give it to anyone.

"An Eighth-Rank Supreme Soul Armor has no difference in effect from the previous ones, so I won't introduce it in detail; you already know it well," the Mandate of Heaven Black Bird said.

Zhao Xing nodded.

The Soul Armor is pure soul defense. An Eighth-Rank Supreme piece can defend against the soul techniques of even a Second-Rank expert.

Of course, in the battles of offense and defense under heaven, the struggle between spear and shield, ultimately the spear still holds the advantage.

If Zhao Xing truly encounters a Second-Rank Priest or a hermit demon adept in soul techniques, it is best to just run.

Because even an Eighth-Rank Supreme Soul Armor cannot provide absolute defense against a Second-Rank expert.

Even if it blocks ninety percent of the power, the remaining ten percent transmitted to the Life Soul could very likely kill him.

It is still the same saying: others may not lack opportunities; they may not lack Eighth-Rank soul-attack treasures.

When encountering a Second-Rank soul-type expert, whether a Priest, a Shaman, or a certain sect's evil god, just run.

If it is just running, with the Soul Armor, Zhao Xing's chances are still very high.

"Senior, is there a third item?"

Zhao Xing asked.

The Mandate of Heaven Black Bird had delayed for so long; he suspected the other party might not be able to find a third item.

Being allowed to choose any two was already very good.

After all, since they were specially selected, the Mandate of Heaven Black Bird likely had to go to two different places to obtain these two treasures.

The Mandate of Heaven Black Bird had promised to try its best and did not say it was certain.

Yet it still gave Zhao Xing a surprise.

"Yes, and not just a third item; there are five in total."

"What?"

Zhao Xing was stunned for a moment.

Five items?

That is to say, besides the Profound Yin Scripture and the Soul Armor, there are three more treasures?

Happiness came too suddenly; the Mandate of Heaven Black Bird had given him a huge surprise.

"Vroom"

Yellow, red, and blue lights appeared before Zhao Xing.

Inside the three lights floated tokens.

As they drew near, Zhao Xing sensed three utterly distinct concepts.

One was scorching heat, one was biting cold, and one was desolate.

He was not unfamiliar with these three tokens.

"Three Divine Court Solar Term Tokens: Start of Summer, Start of Autumn, Start of Winter!"

Zhao Xing's gaze burned with fire.

The Solar Term Tokens come in sets of four; Destiny's Black Bird had actually assembled a complete set for him!

He had previously obtained the 'Start of Spring' Solar Term Token of Eighth Rank Supreme quality.

Now possessing the remaining three, he could perfectly assemble the 'Four Seasons Set'.

Among the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, the Four Seasons Set and the Eight Festivals Set are the best for mixed matching.

Gathering any other four or eight pieces is not as good as the Four Seasons or Eight Festivals sets.

"Forged in imitation of the ancient Divine Court's 'Xia Dynasty', each one possesses the level of Eighth Rank Supreme; if you can fully unleash them, the four-piece set can rival the power of Ninth Rank Low Grade."

"Of course, the effect of the Four Seasons Set is even stronger and more comprehensive."

Destiny's Black Bird spoke softly: "I have assembled these items for you; if you can fully master them, these four Solar Terms of the 'Solar Term Tokens' will allow you to reach the peak of the Settled Realm."

Zhao Xing was extremely pleased; he knew that the three realms of the Solar Term Tokens are Know, Settle, and Alter; the higher one goes, the harder it is to cultivate.

If the third realm is perfected, that is the realm level of a Grand Minister of Agriculture.

The Heavenly Timing Method is amplified by the Solar Term Tokens.

That is to say, the supreme techniques he has learned, if they align with the Solar Term Tokens, will have their power greatly enhanced!

"Additionally, this is a portion of luck passed down from Great Li."

Destiny's Black Bird exhaled once more, and Jin Guang shone upon Zhao Xing's body.

However, Zhao Xing felt no obvious sensation.

Luck is something formless and intangible; its influence is also potential.

But since Destiny's Black Bird said so, it certainly would not be fake.

"Go; next time you enter, I hope you are already at the Third Rank realm."

"Yes."

Zhao Xing's figure and the treasures slowly vanished together.

And within the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, the light of Destiny's Black Bird gradually receded.

This time it truly risked its life, shedding all its feathers.

It maintained the rainbow light without dispersing only for the sake of face.

"Gah!" Destiny's Black Bird looked at its bare body and could not help but feel sorrow rising from within.

It seemed it would not be able to soar freely for a very long time.

In the secret manor of Dongyang County in the real world, Zhao Xing slowly awoke.

"That's absolutely right, brother! Five treasures!"

"That stupid bird is truly awesome; this trip was not in vain!"

When Zhao Xing saw the five treasures, he simply could not stop smiling.

The Great Dream Academy, this treasure land, was truly beyond his expectations.

He never expected there to be so many good things.

Moreover, he encountered Stupid Bird, this turncoat guardian, who did not follow the rules of the Great Dream Realm and risked its life trying to send Great Li's treasures out, all just to exchange for freedom.

"With the Yuan Yin Sacred Classic in hand, one seal, two guards, three attacks, four summons; even if I encounter a high-grade priest, I have the ability to preserve my life; if I am willing to sacrifice this treasure, even a high-grade priest will be thoroughly annihilated by me!" Zhao Xing thought silently.

The Yuan Yin Sacred Classic is powerful because it can be used for conventional spellcasting and also serve as a one-time consumable item.

Currently, in the Great Zhou's Soldier Realm, there are no Ninth Rank treasures for sale.

Even if there were, they would not be something Zhao Xing could buy or afford.

The second-stage reward promised by Liu Tianning had not yet arrived; even if it did arrive, it was earmarked funds for specific use and could not be given to him to buy such luxurious treasures.

Because this was not Old Liu's money either; he only approved it for earmarked use, meaning it could only be used for cultivation, or for cultivating plant soldier units, or for researching spells, or for learning the Benwo Sect's spells.

"With the Yuan Yin Sacred Classic in hand, my chances of survival have greatly increased; facing high-grade opponents, as long as it is not a large army surround-and-kill or a First Rank powerhouse, I still have a great hope of escaping."

As for the Third Rank?

Without the Yuan Yin Sacred Classic, Old Zhao's own strength already did not fear ordinary Third Ranks other than priests.

With the Yuan Yin Sacred Classic, he was confident he could kill even ordinary Third Rank priests.

Geniuses are not within the scope of discussion; the upper limit of geniuses is too high; a Third Rank like Old Liu cannot be judged by average data.

"There is also the Eighth Rank Supreme Soul Armor, and the three newly obtained Solar Term Tokens."

"When I was at the Fifth Rank, the power of these Solar Term Tokens could only be unleashed to one percent."

"Now, I should be able to unleash about thirty to fifty percent."

Zhao Xing sensed slightly and derived a rough estimate range, which was about the same as what Destiny's Black Bird had said.

Of course, to reach fifty percent power, he would need to familiarize himself with them more over the coming period.

After all, that was not his own realm; it required a process of habituation and proficiency.

After seeing the treasures, Zhao Xing, as usual, entered the dream realm to begin his review.

Because he felt that Destiny's Black Bird's state was not right.

He had also been on guard against this stupid bird having any other intentions.

"Last time we established the contract, we both swore by cause and effect and must do our utmost; however, this stupid bird actually still had room to maneuver; it did not agree at the beginning. Either this contract benefits it and has room for operation, or it can violate it."

"True enough—it can even violate the rules of the Great Dream Academy. I'll have to be more careful from now on."

Looking back, the Heavenly Mandate Black Bird had no reason to harm him.

Of course, one must also guard against Old Zhao's unwillingness to entrust his life to others.

"Hm? Its state after leaving and returning seems off." Zhao Xing reviewed the events and suddenly noticed something unusual.

"When it gave me the treasures, it alternated between calling itself 'this seat' and 'I'—its voice, even its aura, subtly shifted."

"Is it suffering from split personality? Side effects from taking too many treasures and breaking the rules?"

"Or is this its true face?" Zhao Xing pondered.

The transition from a mechanical golem's battle spirit to sentience is a fundamental breakthrough.

He didn't understand the intricacies—he wasn't a Mechanist—but he felt the fool bird still held great secrets.

"Who cares about its intentions? As long as I grow stronger, I can shatter every conspiracy. Once I reach First Rank and control the Great Dream Academy, the truth will reveal itself."

"Overthinking now is useless."

Zhao Xing ended his dream review and opened his eyes.

"Less than four months remain—hurry and familiarize yourself with these three treasures."

Year 34 of the Jingxin Calendar, the third day of the eleventh month.

Liuhuo Dao Academy, Dayuan Branch.

Dean Ji Qingshan stood silently at the Liuhuo Sacred Altar.

This member of the Huang Shi Sect gazed at the flames before him, lost in thought.

This was the military version of the Liuhuo Sacred Altar; since the beginning of the Pacification of the Southern Tribes War, it had remained active.

Ji Qingshan was the grandson of Liang Wang and the nephew-grandson of Emperor Jing, remarkably young at only two hundred and twenty years old, already at the late stage of Third Rank.

Originally, he only needed to teach and nurture students, but in recent years, he had frequently joined military operations and begun encountering all manner of conflicts.

The Pacification of the Southern Tribes War claimed many high-rank lives, including many from the Dao Academy—some his friends, some his senior brothers, some his clan elders.

"I wonder when it will be my turn," Ji Qingshan sighed.

He was the most outstanding among Liang Wang's grandsons, yet he despised war and power.

He never sought to become crown prince, never grasped authority—only wished to teach.

But he could not escape the responsibilities and fate befitting a royal clan member.

He was assigned to oversee military logistics.

"Puchī"

The flames flickered, and a figure stepped out from within.

The newcomer had snow-white hair flowing in the wind, eyes like stars, deep as abysses, clad in a black-and-gold Wang robe—it was Liang Wang Ji Mingxian.

"Your servant, pays homage to Liang Wang, Your Highness."

Ji Qingshan had been ordered to wait here for Liang Wang's arrival.

"Rise."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

"Call me Uncle Grandfather," Ji Mingxian smiled. "Qingshan, do you still remember your youthful aspirations?"

"Uncle Grandfather, I remember," Ji Qingshan said. "I wished to teach and nurture, to write and record, to spread the Way of the Sacred Kings across the world."

"When you were young, your father and grandfather both intended for you to inherit the throne, forcing you to abandon your brush for the sword—who gave you the chance to take charge of the Dayuan Branch?"

"It was you, Uncle Grandfather, who gave me the choice and persuaded Father and Grandfather," Ji Qingshan bowed. "I have never forgotten it."

"Has your original intention changed?"

"It has not," Ji Qingshan said. "I still only wish to be a teacher, to read books."

"Do you wish to relinquish your position as Dean and leave Haizhou?"

Ji Qingshan's eyes flickered with thought: "I do—but I bear the responsibilities of the royal clan, and I am willing to remain here and serve."

Ji Mingxian nodded. "It is time. Leave. Far from Haizhou. Far from all this strife."

Ji Qingshan blinked in surprise: "Uncle Grandfather, can I really leave?"

Ji Mingxian smiled. "I gave you a choice back then. I give you one now. You may do what you love."

"Hand over your authority as Dean and the Liuhuo Altar Token to my son Ji Ye—he will temporarily assume your post. I will resolve any other issues for you; you need not fear harassment from the Ministry of Rites or the Ministry of War."

Upon hearing this, Ji Qingshan immediately bowed: "Thank you, Uncle Grandfather. I shall attend to it at once."

He immediately left the underground altar and handed the Liuhuo Token—used to control the altar and the fire-pit teleportation—to Ji Ye.

Normally, such a transfer could never be completed so swiftly—but trusting Liang Wang, Ji Qingshan surrendered everything without hesitation.

Then he departed Haizhou.

Year 34 of the Jingxin Calendar, the twenty-sixth day of the eleventh month.

Chongming Prefecture, Dongyang County.

In an underground chamber, Zhao Xing, deep in meditation, suddenly frowned.

He felt a powerful fire-elemental force within him dissipate.

As if something had drifted far away.

After a moment's thought, Zhao Xing finally understood what this sensation meant.

"It is the Liuhuo Dao."

"My permission to use the Liuhuo Altar has been frozen."

Zhao Xing swiftly pulled out the Liuhuo Token—the badge he had earned after passing the Glorious Dao Master examination at the Liuhuo Dao Academy.

With this token, he could teleport via any fire-altar within any branch of the Liuhuo Dao Academy.

But now, it was frozen.

"Buzz."

A message quickly arrived from the Earth Realm.

"In accordance with the Imperial Court's Ministry of War order, the Li Fire Altar shall prioritize supplying military commanders and military logistics. The permissions of some existing Li Fire Talisman holders will be temporarily frozen; the date of unfreezing will be notified separately — Ji Qingshan, Dean of the Great Source Prefecture, Li Fire Dao Academy."

"Permissions have been frozen." Zhao Xing looked at this announcement. "It seems flawless on the surface, prioritizing the military above all, but I suppose whether something can be used or not is entirely up to Liang Wang."

"But how did this Ji Qingshan secretly defect to Liang Wang as well?"

The announcement was issued by Ji Qingshan, the Dean of the Great Source Prefecture. Zhao Xing had investigated this man and did not recall him joining Liang Wang's rebellion.

He did not know, however, that Ji Qingshan was purely being used by Liang Wang.

Ji Qingshan trusted Liang Wang to handle everything; given the choice, he simply did as told.

In reality, the current Dean is already Ji Ye, yet orders are still issued in his name.

"The Li Fire Altar cannot be used; this means we have lost a channel for rapid turnover."

"The Bi Water Dao Academy still exists, but the cost is higher than the Li Fire Altar." "It seems I must find another stable channel."

Excluding the Military Realm, there are only five Dao Academies possessing such rapid teleportation means.

They are Long Yuan Martial Prefecture, Bi Water Dao Academy, Li Fire Dao Academy, Star Martial Prefecture, and Zi Yang Academy.

Among them, the Li Fire Dao Academy is the fastest, reaches the farthest, costs the least, and covers the largest range.

The others all have various restrictions and costs, far inferior to the Li Fire Dao Academy.

"I did not apply for Bi Water Dao Academy permissions, but there is no need to apply now."

"I need not go through Princess Youruo; I can simply approach Qin Hongying directly."

He immediately set out, leaving Dongyang County and arriving at Juncheng of the Bi Immortal Commandery.

Bi Water Dao Academy, Beast Taming Bureau.

Qin Hongying received Zhao Xing.

"Dean Qin, does the agreement from back then still hold?" Zhao Xing got straight to the point.

"Zhao Xing, you wish to serve as an official in the Dao Academy?" Qin Hongying showed a hint of joy. "Of course! I wonder which branch academy you wish to join."

"Any will do; I need a travel permit for Bi You Cang Hai." Zhao Xing said, "One that allows free movement throughout Ping Haizhou."

Qin Hongying nodded: "It can be done. Bi You Cang Hai utilizes underground waterways, high-level water veins connecting to various parts of Ping Haizhou, but it is not as convenient as the Li Fire Dao Academy. Moreover, passing through induces a sensation of drowning that cannot be completely eliminated; it is the same for everyone."

"I must inform you of the pros and cons. If you come solely for this, then the Li Fire Altar is most suitable."

Qin Hongying was very honest, explaining everything clearly.

Zhao Xing nodded: "I am aware. Please proceed with the arrangements, Dean Qin."

Having something usable is better than having nothing.

"Very well, follow me."

Jingxin Year 34, December 10th.

Zhao Xing remained in the secret manor in Dongyang County to cultivate.

He focused mainly on cultivating the Kun Peng Transformation and familiarizing himself with the Divine Weapon.

His clone occasionally entered the Star Palace within the Military Realm.

To see if King Tianyan had emerged.

But King Tianyan seemed to have vanished from the world, leaving no trace whatsoever.

"What exactly is he doing? He has even disregarded leaving his name in history. I wonder what major event he has encountered."

At the same time, a voice appeared in his mind.

"Chen An."

"Zhao Chenan."

"Hmm? It is a disturbance from the clone's side."

Zhao Xing immediately activated his clone at Kun Yuan Academy.

Meng Kun and Gu Changqing stood on Kun Mountain, calling out Zhao Xing's name repeatedly.

"Chen An."

"Zhao Chenan."

The voice echoed across Kun Mountain; Meng Kun and Gu Changqing's voices reverberated in the sky and underground.

"Truly strange; we cannot find where he is."

"This boy cultivates so many diverse and complex techniques; I truly cannot detect him."

Meng Kun and Gu Changqing also found it quite miraculous.

"Buzz."

From a certain lake on Kun Mountain, Zhao Xing surfaced silently.

He then quickly flew toward the Kun Mountain Palace.

"My lords, what urgent matter summons me?" Zhao Xing asked.

"I heard that at Xuan Tian Academy, you wrote an essay titled 'Treatise on the Three Yang, Three Yin, and Six Qi Great Microcosmic Orbit'?" Meng Kun held a Juan Sect document and said, "Is this true?"

"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded. "Has it now spread all the way to Daoyuanzhou?"

"You rascal, such great joy, yet you did not say a word?" Meng Kun widened his eyes. "What, have I, Meng Kun, treated you poorly?"

"I dare not. My lord has treated me well, but this treatise required verification at the time; I did not know if there were errors, so I did not publicize it." Zhao Xing said.

"Your current treatise on the Potential Transformation has already received preliminary verification. Lu Chunhua has just announced it at the Xuan Tian Main Academy." Gu Changqing said. "Chen An, you cannot favor one side over the other."

"You spent so much effort on the Heavenly Timing Faction; does that mean the Dili Sect is not worthy of your study?"

Zhao Xing was stunned; so they came for this?

"My lords, such a treatise cannot be written in a single day or night. I..."

"I don't care." Meng Kun gripped Zhao Xing's hand. "If you don't give me an explanation, you're looking down on me."

Zhao Xing was torn between laughter and tears, and could only reply, "My lords, if I gain any insight from the Earthly Law, I will notify you both immediately."

"I claim the first recommendation!" Gu Changqing immediately staked his claim.

"Huh? Old Gu, you dare compete with me?" Meng Kun glared. This old Gu was stealing from my house?

"Lord Meng, how can there be any competition here? You're the dean, busy with official duties. I'm a Five Classics Doctor—shouldn't this be my duty?"

"You're full of shit!" Meng Kun cursed. "Do you think only Gu Changqing has the ability to review? Am I not the dean? My rank is higher than yours—you can't compete with me for the first recommendation! Otherwise, I'll assign you to dig ditches!"

Official rank crushed the lower, and Gu Changqing felt it deeply.

In the end, he submitted to Meng Kun's tyranny and stepped down to second recommender.

But Zhao Xing had no interest in this matter at all—he could only make vague promises to brush them off.

Time moved forward, and before he knew it, the line of the thirty-fourth year of the Jingxin Calendar had passed.

On the fifth day of the first month, Zhao Xing's true body arrived at Tianhe Prefecture to report for duty.

Tianhe Prefecture was one of the four major prefectures of the Pinghai State Transport Commission.

It managed transport of goods east of Pinghai State.

Zhao Xing's official title now changed to: Transport Commissioner of the Thirty-Seven Routes under Tianhe Prefecture and Transport Master of the Hundred Routes of Water and Sky.

His specific duty was to ensure the safety of the waterways—not to escort military supplies on ships, but to guarantee the stability of the water and sky routes.

In plain terms, when the transport barges passed, the sky along the route must not have thunder, rain, or storms; the waterways must not flood or change course.

"Lord Zhao, the stability of these thirty-seven routes is entrusted to you," said Zhang Ping, the Third Rank Transport Commissioner of Tianhe Prefecture.

His expression was grave: "Right now, our Tianhe Prefecture Transport Commission is under immense pressure. The Southern Barbarian front has many complaints against us transport commissioners. If you make even one mistake, even if your master is Lord Liu, I will punish you without mercy!"

"Rest assured, Lord Zhang," Zhao Xing bowed. "I guarantee I will fulfill my duties."

A Fifth Rank Upper official overseeing thirty-seven routes—that was the upper limit of Fifth Rank Upper, but not Zhao Xing's limit.

He wanted more authority, but Zhang Ping was a fair and strict man—otherwise, Old Liu would never have sent him here to guard this post.

The Liang Wang faction kept slandering the state transport offices, blaming military defeats on delays in military supply transport.

This placed enormous pressure on Liu Tianning and other officials; Zhao Xing had come to share that burden.

"Take up your post immediately—I've already prepared your deputy," Zhang Ping said.

"Yes." Zhao Xing immediately left the prefectural office and returned to the Hundred Routes of Water and Sky Transport Commission.

When he entered the office and saw his deputy waiting for him, he froze.

"Lord Lu? Is it you?"

"Zhao… Lord Zhao?" Lu Tingzhi also froze. "How is it you?"

Zhao Xing couldn't help but smile. "I never expected to meet an old acquaintance here."

Lu Tingzhi had been Zhao Xing's former transport commissioner in his past life—and one of his patrons in embezzlement.

In this life, their connection had formed at Huolong Pass.

Back then, he had traded calligraphy and paintings to secure the future Divine Artisan Yue Lingzhi, and sent him to the Hundred Weapons Academy.

But after he left the Ten Yang Celestial Cave, they lost contact.

Neither had expected to meet again here.

"Excellent! I never imagined Lord Zhao would be my superior!" Lu Tingzhi was delighted—he believed their past connection and shared interests would propel him upward.

"I feel the same—it's wonderful that Lord Lu is my deputy," Zhao Xing said happily, his eyes constantly flicking toward Lu Tingzhi's head.

"P-Please, Lord Zhao, come in quickly."

"Hahaha, no need for formalities."

At the same time, Zhao Xing's other identity—Inspector of the Five Prefectures in Eastern Pinghai State—was officially confirmed.

This lateral transfer, within the vast Pinghai State, went unnoticed, stirring not the slightest ripple.

After taking office, Zhao Xing did nothing—only observed in secret.

Time passed, and before he knew it, it was the second day of the second month in the thirty-fifth year of the Jingxin Calendar.

At the third watch and three-quarters, Zhao Xing suddenly felt a sharp pang in his heart.

He stepped outside and gazed at the night sky.

The night was as calm as ever.

Zhao Xing stared silently.

Until the third watch and four-quarters.

Just as he thought the date had changed— 【409】 "Hum—"

"Voom!"

Night turned to daylight in an instant.

Simultaneously, the entire earth began to tremble.

Countless pillars of destiny surged into the sky.

Most stopped before reaching the heavens.

But many purple pillars shot straight upward, transforming into dragon shapes, circling endlessly.

Above the heavens, a colossal golden dragon of destiny appeared, frantically darting about, attempting to devour the newly emerged "dragon qi."

But at that moment, an even stronger pang of dread struck him.

Zhao Xing turned his head southward.

His pupils shrank instantly.

A black dragon was speeding toward him from afar, heading straight for the golden giant.

When it caught up, it bit down on its midsection.

"Boom!"

The earth and sky shook even more violently.

The golden great dragon was split in two; the black dragon devoured its corpse and instantly grew mighty.

The remaining half of the golden great dragon also restored itself to completeness in the blink of an eye, though its body had shrunk by a size.

"What is happening?"

"Why is there an earthquake?"

"Why has the sky brightened, and why is golden rain falling?"

"Someone, go quickly to the Ministry of Agriculture and ask what is happening!"

"Hahaha, I am Qiu Feisheng, the successor of the Shen Sect! Disciples, listen to my orders!"

"Kill, kill, kill! Seize the city!"

"Heavens, go quickly to report..."

Countless voices floated into Zhao Xing's ears; the sounds from every corner of Tianhe Prefecture all reached his ears.

Among them were both illusions of the future and events happening right now.

Accompanying this was a pillar of golden light that enveloped Zhao Xing.

Fortune fluctuated violently; those great bearers of fortune who hold the fortune of heaven and earth could ascend another level.

Zhao Xing glanced at his panel.

The fortune originally bestowed by the Heavenly Destiny Black Bird had already become 'Yan Six'.

At this moment, however, it suddenly began to jump again.

It kept changing back and forth between 'Yan Four', 'Yan Five', 'Yan Six', and 'Yan Seven'.

"It has finally come." Zhao Xing could not help but close his eyes.

Jingxin Era, Year 35, Spring, First Day of the Second Month.

Night; the vanguard of Liang Wang's great army withdrew north of the Canglan River.

On the Second Day of the Second Month, Liang Wang issued a manifesto denouncing rebels, pointing his spear directly at the current Prime Minister 'Liu Si', and calling on all Commandery Princes and Enfeoffed Princes under heaven to respond.

At the same time, using the divine artifact 'Chenwei Shenluo', he forcibly tore apart the majority of the fortune of Great Zhou's Pinghaizhou.

Lvliang Prefecture had its minority fortune split and devoured.

On the same day, Bai Zhengyang of the East Sea was beheaded; Hong Hong Yuanba and Hong Pang Yuan Shou responded to Liang Wang's edict, leading five million troops to land on Chongming Prefecture in the East Sea.

In the prefectural capital of Pinghaizhou, three Grade One Yin Spirits obeyed Liang Wang's orders, instantly seizing control of all temples and imposing a blockade.

Throughout Pinghaizhou, celestial phenomena were in utter chaos; the earth shook without cease; the black dragon's realm barrier shot up from the boundary marker, forming a dual blockade of ground and sky.

With this change, all under heaven were shocked!

Officials stationed in Pinghaizhou fell into incomparable chaos.

Because the fortune protection upon their bodies became very obvious, yet also produced a split.

At this time, even those who were not appointed officials could see their own fortune and knew how to absorb the fortune of Pinghaizhou.

By afternoon, the Soldier Realm Cave Heaven operated in a weak cycle; the vast majority of passage gates could not complete Soldier Realm teleportation.

Liang Wang sent troops to guard every location, completing a large-scale blockade, leaving only seven passages leading to Pinghaizhou.

The 'Liang Wang Rebellion' major event that Zhao Xing had anticipated for over ten years had finally arrived.