Chapter 539: The Central Province and Yuanbo

"Forget it. I will consult my younger sister when she returns from her journey west; in the future, I must travel to visit the heroes of the world."

Taking his seat, he secretly channeled his Oath Authority to digest the lingering power of the Samadhi True Fire. It was not hard to guess what kind of torture those peak-mortal alien powerhouses would suffer, even if they were lucky enough not to die from a mere touch of it. After a long while, the Candle Dragon returned to his human form and sat on the dragon throne, sighing incessantly as he spoke.

Aside from vigorous sowing, Lidao's response to the one-against-three situation also included sowing discord and weakening the enemies. By relying on the carrot-and-stick approach to constantly cultivate traitors among the tribes, the tiger-man village not far from Lifuhong was a very good example.

After several generations of assimilation, the tiger-men of Cathay no longer identified with their kin across the Heavenly Mountains who still drank blood and ate raw meat, and were even full of contempt for them, becoming the "Tiger Elite Warriors" under the command of the Candle Dragon.

Furthermore, once he discovered a genius with the "potential of a Demigod," he would strangle them with thunderous means. Not meeting a worthy opponent was his regret as a fighter, but it was also the fortune of the soldiers and civilians under his rule.

Snorri did not bother much with how the Candle Dragon consoled his own wounded soul. He accepted the golden belt, tied it around his waist, and felt his resistance significantly improved; he was overjoyed, as only the relics of the three major gods could still provide him with significant gains nowadays.

He spent a few days explaining to Licunmao the way to transform mortal faith into divine power. In the hearts of the soldiers and civilians of Weinan Province, his image as a harsh official was deeply rooted. His grassroots foundation was far worse than that of Chan Master Kongxing, so even with the support of his father, it was difficult for him to get what he wanted.

"Governor, you need not see us off any further; we shall meet again at the Tianting!"

Lidao and the Taibao saw them off for two stages before reluctantly parting ways. Snorri stood at the bow of the ship, waving in farewell. Although the scenery of the Heavenly Mountains was beautiful, he wanted to see the most prosperous Jingji Road of Zhendan even more.

Passing through the Zhulin Ferry at the northern end of the Great Canal, the warship officially entered the Tianting River, a fertile land sandwiched between the Sheng River and the Jade River, embracing the Tian Lake.

The Central Province accounted for more than half of the grain output of the entire Cathayan Celestial Empire; both the war-torn Weibei and the naturally harsh Weixi relied on her support. Bilong Yuanbo utilized the mysterious power of the Five Elements Compass to make the crops here ripen three times a year, and he specially appointed agricultural officials to encourage farming and sericulture.

Relying on the gold-bottomed red dragon flag on the mast representing the personal arrival of the Candle Dragon, the Ironclad shuttled through the dense river network without obstruction, not even encountering the most basic questioning.

"Let the ruler be a ruler, the minister a minister, the father a father, and the son a son" was the guiding principle for Bilong's governance of his territory. Those who are rulers should fulfill the way of the ruler, and those who are ministers should fulfill the way of the minister; the True Dragon does things with his own logic, and there is no need for subordinates to overstep or worry.

Ultimate Peace was the keynote of the Central Province. Unlike Miaoying's wartime management centered on the neighborhood watch system, the officials of the Prime Minister's Office executed the "State Affairs" he promulgated, managing the people's production and life with a granularity so fine it almost dictated which foot to step with first when leaving the house.

The "Literary Pavilion" in Shangwu City was the foundation of the Cathay bureaucratic system. Jade Dragon cultivated and selected scholars here and dispatched them to every corner—only in Weinan did he encounter some resistance, as the Candle Dragon trusted the Dragon-blooded who carried his true blood more.

Disembarking at the Haoyue Forest at the end of the water network, Snorri gazed from afar at the sacred mountain named "Kunlan." Its positioning was like a fusion of the Kunlun Mountains and Mount Tai from his previous life; it was the pillar and origin of the Empire, and legend had it that the Dragon Emperor and his wife were born from it.

Only one mountain-climbing path from Xingpo City directly to the altar on the mountainside was open to people in all of Kunlan; other areas were forbidden grounds for the Dragons, and trespassing was punishable by death—a rule set by the Moon Empress.

Shenzhu, who was enfeoffed as the Princess of Xingpo, also held the management of the Haoyue Forest. Although she was not there to allow him to take a shortcut to explore the mysteries, Snorri had seen plenty of Kunlan's magnificence from Miaoying's memories—the graceful figure of the Storm Dragon had been left everywhere during the process of learning to control the wind.

"Last night I climbed the tower to observe the stars and saw a group of yellow Qi coming from the west; truly, you are a person endowed with the Earth Virtue. The Princess is away, so please allow this old Daoist to welcome the honored guest on her behalf."

What Xingpo City was widely known for was not being the residence of the Morning Dragon, but because the "Imperial Observatory" was located here. In addition to observing celestial phenomena, calculating solar terms, and formulating calendars, it also cultivated Astrologers—alchemists who wielded Heavenly-series spells improved by the Celestial Dragon Emperor.

The old man who held the rank of Chief Astronomer was named Yuanchunfeng. Thirty years ago, he was the most prominent figure in Cathay, breaking through to the peak of mortals before the age of fifty and being personally appointed by the Celestial Dragon Emperor as a seed for a Demigod.

Although he was backlashed and had his realm knocked down while peeking at the secrets of heaven, Yuanchunfeng was still the most brilliant Astrologer, and the Dragons often consulted his opinions when making major decisions.

"I clearly came from the south..."

Knowing that he did not need to rely on night-sky observation to deduce his arrival, Snorri muttered to himself. The derivative consequences of fortune-telling in Nangao City finally made him vigilant against charlatans—in this world, charlatans were not always figures like the Sleeping Dragon or the Young Phoenix; they were more likely to be followers of the Great Horned Rat.

During the banquet, Yuanchunfeng used the excuse of worrying about the young master and having no one to preside over affairs in the city to constantly ask about Shenzhu's whereabouts. Snorri played Tai Chi with a fake smile, and the old man was left confused, not knowing how much to believe.

Not wanting to stay in Xingpo for long, he led his team to board the Dragon Horse carriage arranged by Yuanchunfeng and set foot on the "Jingji Road," a paved expressway running straight from the Haoyue Forest to Weijing, facilitating the transport of supplies and troops from the Great Canal.

"This Weijing is truly worthy of being the number one city in the world!"

Looking at Weijing from afar, it stood on the plain like a gray, dusty mountain, and the shadow of the Tianting could be vaguely glimpsed on the cloud-shrouded peak. The south gate, named "Yongning Gate," facing the Jingji Road, was thirty or forty meters high—to allow the passage of elite guards.

"Two for one gate, eight for four gates. If you want to attack the city, you won't even be able to touch the city walls without tens of thousands of troops."

Snorri stroked his beard and sighed. He had been to many majestic cities in the Old World and the New, and Marienburg, Altdorf, and Itza were all extraordinary, but the square city walls of Zhendan were even more shocking.

"Silence! Make way!"

"Boom, boom, boom!"

Accompanied by a melodious drumbeat and rhythmic shouts, a large team of gold-armored Dragon Guards approached. Led by a great general holding a hammer, they spread out to the flanks after exiting the city gate, leaving space for the subsequent Jade Blood Clan eunuchs and the eight-bearer sedan chair.

"Snorri Thorsson: the restorer chosen by the Dwarf gods, the Demigod who defeated the minions of evil, rising in less than a hundred years to exterminate spiders and slay dragons, achieving repeated meritorious deeds—is this correct?"

A high-spirited young man lifted the curtain and stepped out. Snorri swallowed, feeling inferior for a moment. The Bilong carried a thick indifference and confidence that everything was under control, and he had enough capital to back it up.

In terms of magic power, he was not inferior to a second-generation Slann, and he could tear apart giant beasts with his True Dragon body while laughing. The Dwarf King noticed the sword at his waist; according to intelligence, Yuanbo was also the most brilliant swordsman in Zhendan, known as the "Longdi Guishou."

"My younger sisters have all received your care and guidance; seeing you today, your demeanor is truly extraordinary!"

(End of chapter)