[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign":3,"chapter-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-115":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Eternal Green Immortal Sovereign",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2270123,4432,"Chapter 115: Out of the Military, Into the Court","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-115",115,"\u003Cp>“Old Brother Li, my apologies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang drew his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he instantly unleashed the Tiger’s Fury Blade Art; his longsword became a blur as it slashed toward Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui was no slower—he raised his blade to block.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp ring echoed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two longswords clashed midair, each man stepping back one pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Li Rui was faking it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flicker of surprise passed through Zhang Yang’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was young and strong, having entered the Bronze Bone realm earlier than Li Rui; logically, he should have utterly dominated that exchange—but instead, he’d been evenly matched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang’s heart hardened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was determined to join the Annan Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No more holding back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That last strike had put real pressure on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He increased the force in his grip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A ruthless Iron Bone power surged toward Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two exchanged blows for forty or fifty moves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang grew more and more alarmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He realized he couldn’t defeat Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other man was clearly only just at Eighth Rank Qi strength, yet his swordplay was bizarrely effective—seemingly slow, yet effortlessly neutralizing every attack, like punching into cotton, maddeningly frustrating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ge Hong and Zhou Rui were equally stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When did Old Man Li get this strong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They admitted to themselves that if they’d faced Li Rui, they’d be just as helpless against that strange sword art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang grew more desperate, until finally—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui spotted Zhang Yang’s opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swept his blade upward, knocking Zhang Yang off-balance; as the man stumbled backward with his center wide open, Li Rui retracted his sword, lowered his shoulder, and slammed into him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang crashed onto the ground with a thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I lost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang’s face flushed red and pale, then he let out a quiet sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui extended his hand to help him up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Brother Zhang, my apologies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang’s mouth twisted bitterly, but he quickly accepted the truth—if he’d sought to win, Li Rui had every right to win too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one in this world is forever invincible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, Li Rui was old; joining the Annan Army would finally secure his later years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lingering forever in the Jianghu wasn’t a proper end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once he understood this, he felt at peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Congratulations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang grinned crookedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui smiled back: “Let’s have wine together later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both sheathed their blades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhongtian regarded Li Rui with keen interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hiding his strength?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He might act tyrannically, never giving others a choice—but in the end, he was always proven right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the intelligence he’d received before arriving—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang and Ge Hong should have been the two strongest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui was a dark horse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Completely beyond his expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet among the four, whichever two went with him made little difference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Interesting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhongtian smiled faintly: “The results are in. From now on, the two of you will accompany me to the Anning Guard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, then added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ge Hong, you’ll serve as Platoon Leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Rui, you’ll oversee grain supply.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the Annan Army rarely saw major battles, a Platoon Leader was a true command position—Li Rui was too old for that. Ge Hong, having once run a martial arts school, was better suited to training soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui was steady and had previously managed the Tianyi Hall and the Medicine Hall—his experience closely matched the duties of grain oversight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Lord Ning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui and Ge Hong exchanged glances, both seeing joy in each other’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui was very satisfied with this arrangement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Platoon Leader and Grain Overseer were the lowest ranks in the Annan Army, they were still Eighth Rank—and officers in the Annan Army wielded far more authority than ordinary county magistrates. Nearby, Wei Ming stepped forward to congratulate them:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Congratulations, Old Brother Li, Young Brother Ge.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lingered a moment longer on Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t expect this fellow villager to be so formidable—I greatly underestimated him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the selections made, Ning Zhongtian rose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, stay at this branch for now and prepare. Once Xincheng is built, you’ll proceed there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, my lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui and Ge Hong bowed deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhongtian had achieved his goal—he left the Qinghe branch with Wei Ming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They bowed respectfully as the two departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dao Xiong stood and addressed Li Rui and Ge Hong: “Congratulations, Old Brother Li, Young Brother Ge—we’re still brothers of the Tian Di Alliance. Come back often.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>=9+ Shu _ Ba\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone had subtly changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before, he’d always used their titles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deputy Branch Master Li, Deputy Branch Master Ge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Li Rui and Ge Hong were joining the Annan Army, their status had changed entirely—there might come a day when he’d need to ask them for favors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So his words had to be softer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang and Zhou Rui heard this and grew even more envious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Dao Xiong’s attitude alone, they could sense the power of the Annan Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A regular Eighth Rank official wouldn’t warrant such courtesy from Dao Xiong—in Qinghe, his position as Branch Master equaled that of an Eighth Rank officer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Annan Army officers were different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They held real blades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Annan Army never needed a reason to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such ruthless men were not to be offended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dao Xiong laughed heartily: “Today’s a fine day—why wait? Let’s go drink at the Entertainment Quarter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four men nodded in unison:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whatever you say, Boss Dao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Late at night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui walked down the street reeking of wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s true—better to lean on a big tree.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since joining the Tian Di Alliance, this was the first time he’d drunk Dao Xiong’s wine—even been personally toasted by him multiple times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, he realized how talkative his superior could be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang and Zhou Rui, even more envious, got drunk for once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui didn’t let his new position go to his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s just a slightly safer, more stable position.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wherever he was, his strength remained the key.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, in the Annan Army, he’d need to be even more cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One misstep, offending someone beyond his reach, and trouble would be immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a line of small characters appeared before his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Congratulations, Host. Achievement completed: “Out of the Military, Into the Court” — Initial Entry into Officialdom.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【To establish the heart of Heaven and Earth, to secure the lives of the people, to carry forward the lost wisdom of the sages, to bring peace for ten thousand generations—gaining fame, you must benefit your region. Congratulations on obtaining your official status. This is a fine beginning to “Out of the Military, Into the Court.”】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Task “Initial Entry into Officialdom” completed. Reward calculation in progress.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Task Score: B.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Obtained 30 Achievement Points!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Name: Li Rui】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Age: 7】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Talent: Martial Bone, Exceptional Comprehension, Spirit Eye】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Martial Art: White Ape’s Cloak Blade, Nine Profound Spirit Sky Diagram】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Achievements: 50\u002F100】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui gazed at the increased achievement points on the panel, a faint smile tugging at his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The higher his official rank rose, the more abundant the achievement points he would earn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Being an official truly has many benefits.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of this was within his expectations; many of the achievements on the panel could be paired with official service—besides “From General to Chancellor,” there were also “Gain Fame and Glory” and “Strike Fear Through the Martial World,” all achievable through official position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And wandering the martial world meant living on the edge of a blade—lose your life, and it’s gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where’s the comfort of being an official?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1258,"2026-06-19T22:01:09.077Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","315bc285520833802757bc4c6ed48650f43b11c324f7965577facb9f5d232deb","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-116","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-114",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feternal-green-immortal-sovereign-cover.jpg"]