The three Daoists from before, even without their hibiscus or fish-tail crowns, possessed an undeniable air of the immortally blessed.

These three, however, resembled wealthy young lords more inclined to scenic wanderings and inquiries of hermits. The gatekeeper, a junior cultivator, prepared to halt their progress, intending to inquire after their provenance and lineage.

The sable-hatted maiden casually flipped over the Department of Punishments’ Third Class Inactivity Plaque, revealing the engraved characters.

“Great Li” blazed forth, a harsh sight. The “Third Class” inscription offered a meager solace.

The gatekeeper, though, was not entirely ignorant. He swallowed the words forming on his tongue. These were indeed celestial emissaries from the Upper Kingdom, dignitaries from the Great Li’s Department of Punishments.

Thank heavens for the “Third Class.” A higher rank would have sent shivers down his spine. Had a Second Class Functionary graced the Jade Raft Sect with their presence during these turbulent times when the Great Li’s missives “named” so many offenders, the gatekeeper feared annihilation.

Even their newly emerged Golden Core Grand Ancestor might not be able to weather such a storm.

Rumor had it that possessing such a plaque granted free rein across the lands of Treasure Bottle, Northern Ju, and Paulownia Leaf continents.

Especially in Paulownia Leaf, that land so docile it was like Treasure Bottle Continent’s obedient grandson, some audacious wild cultivators had taken to learning fluent Great Li dialect, forging Inactivity Plaques, and living a life of swindling and luxury. This reckless endeavor, it seemed, was brought to an end when the Fallen Mountain’s subsidiary sect, Green Willow Sword Sect, was established there, coupled with the appointment of a new Deputy Headmaster at Celestial Eye Academy who personally oversaw the matter, reportedly arresting over a hundred such rogues and forcing them to study the Classics.

Truth be told, each time he perused the local gazettes, detailing how these Paulownia Leaf vagabonds defrauded not only kingdoms but even seduced celestial maidens, he felt a pang of envy.

As they approached the mountain gate, the azure-robed scholar in the center surprised him by bowing in greeting.

The gatekeeper’s spirits lifted. He returned the bow, thinking that these officials of the Great Li were far more courteous than some of the God-Ordained Sect’s Daoists.

They ascended the path, flanked by ancient, towering trees, their verdant canopy offering welcome shade. The moss-covered stone steps radiated a cool respite from the summer heat.

Xie Gou tentatively inquired, “Mountain Lord, even with the Elevated Lone’s Three Discourses, you remain certain you cannot reconstruct your Yin and Yang spirits?”

Chen Ping An shook his head. “Absolutely impossible.”

He wished the Master and Sage of Rites were mistaken, but was it truly possible?

The Elevated Lone’s final sermon at the Hua Yang Palace of Earth Lung Mountain, his most important discourse of the three, detailed the construction of a Bridge of Immortality.

Did this not illuminate a clear path for countless mortal officials and mountain spirits to ascend and tread the path of cultivation?

Certainly, most who encountered this path would still fail to construct such a bridge, but the Elevated Lone’s profound insight deserved the accolade “Immeasurable Merit”!

Xie Gou perceived a hint of ancient Daoist grandeur within him.

And that final discourse, “On Swordsmanship”… Xie Gou, if ever he journeyed to Earth Lung Mountain in the Azure Sky world, would pay respects at the mountain gate. Or, should he encounter a Daoist official of the Hua Yang lineage, Xie Gou would grant them his patience.

Xie Gou pressed on. “Might the Mountain Lord still have a chance to forge a Confucian Sage’s Natal Word?”

Did he enjoy rubbing salt in wounds? Chen Ping An smiled thinly. “Might Second Seat Xie prefer to serve alongside First Seat Zhou in the Green Willow Sword Sect?”

Xie Gou scratched beneath his sable hat. “Then I’m lost.”

If the Mountain Lord still possessed an astral-projected Yin Spirit and a separate Yang Spirit incarnation, Xie Gou would worry less. Accepting the position of Great Li National Preceptor would become a simple matter, with the Yin Spirit making a daily appearance at the National Preceptor’s Mansion in the capital.

Failing that, if the Mountain Lord were a proper Confucian disciple, secretly nurturing a nascent Natal Word, it could work too. Serving as the Great Li National Preceptor would be a tailor-made “Dao Ground.” If it were a word like “Literature” or “Sacrifice,” he could focus on the Ministry of Rites. If “Martial,” “Weapon,” or “War,” he could have accepted the Sage of Rites’ offer and leaned towards the Department of War.

But alas, neither path seemed viable.

Xie Gou muttered, “Dare I say, Mountain Lord, that you seem to have put the cart before the horse?”

If he had already attained ascension and begun the methodical exploration of the Path of Harmony, it would be one thing. But Chen Ping An was still an Immortal, far from the stage where a Daoist sage actively engages with the mortal realm. Could it be that the Path of Universal Refinement had become a dead end, broken by Jiang She, and the attempted verification of the “Ascension Method” through Observer Daoist Ding had failed, leaving the Mountain Lord disheartened and seeking solace in the bustle of human affairs and courtly duties?

Xiao Mo suggested, “Perhaps the Young Master should seek out secret Daoist texts. Best of all would be those with complete lineage and traditions that could aid in simultaneously cultivating Dragon Ascendancy techniques.”

Xie Gou nodded vigorously. “A splendid notion!”

It was at least a partial solution.

As the Great Li National Preceptor, he couldn’t be expected to contribute his own resources, could he?

Xie Gou quickly added, “The Dragon Ascendancy lineage within the Vast Continent seems rather fragmented. Isn’t there a risk of many techniques and a shallow Dao? If we’re taking this path, let’s not be careless.”

Xiao Mo smiled and nodded. “We shall be discerning indeed.”

Xie Gou began contemplating where to “borrow” traditions and texts. Ah, those two Functionaries, a Daoist couple, were truly breaking their hearts for their Mountain Lord’s cultivation!

Generally, discussing Dragon Ascendancy inevitably involved Daoism. Chen Ping An, as the Great Li National Preceptor, could spend two, three, or even a hundred years establishing meritorious deeds, helping the Great Li Dynasty, already among the ten greatest in the Vast Continent, rise further in power and secure its place as supreme. Then, he could withdraw from the court and return to the mountains, fulfilling the saying, “Accomplish your merit, then withdraw; it is the Way of Heaven.”

Xiao Mo, however, thought of the Daoist officials in the Azure Sky world, most adept in such matters. He could ask his Daoist companion, Azure Clouds, for some texts. As for their provenance, that would be Azure Clouds’ concern.

Or perhaps another trip to the Vanishing Year Palace? To beseech Wu Shuangjiang? Surely that man’s schemes would not lack such resources. Perhaps he was waiting for their Young Master to ask?

Narrowly defined, Dragon Ascendancy has two forms: Below, assisting someone in ascending the Dragon Throne during chaotic times, becoming the founding emperor. Above, assisting True Dragon Kings like Zhu.

Or, more broadly, emerging from the mountains to govern and administer, assisting the ruler in becoming a restorer of the dynasty, prolonging its reign, bringing peace and prosperity. Or even assisting a final ruler, uniting ruler and minister, to avert impending disaster and transform chaos into peace.

The most impressive, of course, was like Embroidered Tiger, who could right a falling sky, uniting a nation’s strength to save a continent’s shattered lands.

Reaching the mountainside, they saw scattered, jutting rocks bearing the inscription “Ascension Terrace.” Steps were carved into the stone, creating a narrow path to the summit, with iron chains serving as handrails for the ascent. A pointed pavilion crowned the summit, its sides adorned with moss and vines like flowing hair, the verdant green drifting like a misty veil, charmingly ethereal.

Chen Ping An gazed up at the Ascension Terrace but made no move towards the pavilion. “It’s not that it’s useless. In the short term, for thirty to fifty years, governing the Great Li with Daoist-leaning Dragon Ascendancy techniques would indeed benefit cultivation. But to scheme against Heaven’s will is ultimately lacking. If Senior Brother Cui were watching from the sidelines, he’d probably smile knowingly, as if to say, ‘Is that all?'”

Xie Gou frowned, sensing more layers to the Mountain Lord’s meaning. Putting himself in Chen Ping An’s shoes, Xie Gou felt a pang of frustration. Was there truly no end to this?

A stream cascaded into the void, crossed by a hanging bridge. Looking back down the path, it vanished into the clouds, suggesting the previous peaks now lay beneath their feet.

According to the gazetteer, the Crimson Creek and Azure Creek converged here, one a deep, blood-red, the other a jade-green.

The Jade Raft Sect’s ancestral mountain did not lead directly to the ancestral hall. A mountain ridge, cleaved as if by a blade, diverted them to a higher peak. Chen Ping An plucked a vine, lightly smoothing it to transform it into a rustic walking stick. Walking along the ridge, no wider than a few dozen feet, paved with large blue stones, the sea of clouds surged against its sides, the sunlight creating waves of golden light, and occasional flocks of birds soared from the clouds.

The crisp sound of the walking stick striking the stone path echoed. After a long silence, Chen Ping An explained, “According to the planned trajectory, my Immortal foundations were laid decently. Serving as protector for Daoist Ding offered a certain chance of ascending and attaining the Ascension Realm. Driven by greed, seeking Universal Refinement, never being satisfied.”

“Systematically reaching the Martial God stage, ideally the Eleventh Realm, achieving the ambition of physical godhood before one hundred years. Secluding myself in a Dao Ground, focusing on talisman creation, the more the better, millions, tens of millions, to build a ladder. So, even without the conflict with Jiang She, I would still reduce myself to five elemental Natal objects, turning everything within my human body into a state of chaos.”

“Seeking the pure state of a Fourteenth Realm swordsman.”

“The Path of Harmony is ascension to the heavens.”

“Therefore, the first step towards becoming a Fourteenth Realm pure swordsman is to ask the sword of Zhou Mi.”

Xie Gou pondered, finally concluding that the Mountain Lord was not foolish in the ways of cultivation. Jiang She was truly deserving of a beating!

Chen Ping An remained calm, his face devoid of sorrow or even resentment.

Facing cliffs, they walked along a sunlit cliffside path, the cries of apes and birds echoing through the mountains.

Across the chasm, the cliffside path was dimly lit, requiring travelers to carry lanterns, their solitary lights flickering like will-o’-the-wisps in a graveyard.

Xiao Mo glanced at the opposite path. Several Jade Raft Sect disciples, likely of menial status.

Chen Ping An chuckled. “My childhood was difficult, I had to grit my teeth, persist, and live honestly and well. Deep down, I hoped the neighbors would long remember my parents’ kindness. Regardless, they departed early but still raised a well-behaved child. Similarly, accepting the position of Great Li National Preceptor is the same principle.”

“Senior Brother Cui cared not for his posthumous reputation, but I care about the world’s perception and evaluation of Cui Chan. I care deeply.”

“I admit I am attached.”

“I want to correct the large and small errors Cui Chan intentionally left behind, to mend the gaps. To make what was already good and right even better, more perfectly ‘benevolent’. This is an exam paper left on Senior Brother’s ‘desk’ after the examiner has left. Whether the Great Li Dynasty is good or bad in the next century, whether I have made the Great Li Dynasty, which Cui Chan and Master Qi placed their hopes in, better – that is an answer only I will know.”

“But if I stop there, am I just a kind-hearted Confucian scholar? Merely Cui Chan’s personally protected junior brother, who was also the last Hidden Official of Sword Qi Great Wall? If I do not strive for merit, who will? If I do not inherit Cui Chan’s mantle of merit and learning, who can?”

“Emperor Song He, does he truly not want to completely escape Embroidered Tiger’s shadow? To lead the Great Li Dynasty into a brand new era on his own? But I have appeared, and he has no choice.”

Such thoughts were only human, perfectly normal. Once Shen Chen, Changsun Mao, and Wei Li, the elders, gradually retired from the court, the fate of Wei Liang, one of Cui Chan’s confidants, would depend on his discretion. The newly rising Great Li central ministers, Zhao Yao, Cao Gengxin, and Wu Wangcheng, would eventually coalesce around Emperor Song He’s will, eventually reaching an understanding and rotating on their own.

The previous literary temple assembly confirmed that the Ministers of Rites of all nations in the Vast Continent must be scholars from academies, though the temple granted a twenty-year grace period. Imagining Li Huai, now a Sage of Cliffside Academy, potentially serving as the Minister of Rites in some southern kingdom, was quite amusing. After all, during their travels, Li Huai was the youngest, requiring someone to “protect” him even when he went to relieve himself in the middle of the night.

Nearing the summit, Xie Gou asked telepathically, “Has the Mountain Lord found a new path?”

Chen Ping An nodded. “I must try. But I am not like Vice Minister Cao, I will draft my boasts beforehand.”

Xie Gou grinned, giving a thumbs-up and sincerely praising, “If the Mountain Lord were of similar Dao age to us, it would be extraordinary.”

Chen Ping An remained unimpressed, smiling and saying, “At the Floating Cloud Dojo, which Functionary was it who skimmed the ground, watching the spectacle?”

Xiao Mo glanced at the blank-faced sable-hatted maiden, scolding, “Act, keep acting.”

Xie Gou cautiously asked, “Did the Mountain Lord’s Senior Brother, Embroidered Tiger, pave the way long ago?”

Chen Ping An shook his head. “He disdains such things. As long as I am no longer in the dark, I can figure it out myself.”

Xie Gou wondered, “Is the key within the National Preceptor’s Mansion? I haven’t guessed wrong, have I? But I’ve even wandered through the main hall and Cui Chan’s study. Why haven’t I realized it?”

Chen Ping An said, “The same landscape, different minds, different moods. How could the insights be the same?”

Xiao Mo hesitated, then asked, “The Mountain Lord does not intend to harmonize with the land, does he?”

Chen Ping An chuckled. “Then how would I travel to the Five Colors world, how would I travel to the Azure Sky world? Carry the entire Treasure Bottle Continent on my back?”

Xie Gou exclaimed, “Then it would truly be an unprecedented, unparalleled expatriation.”

Chen Ping An flicked his fingers to deliver a forehead tap.

Recalling something, Chen Ping An asked telepathically, “Xiao Mo, having reached the Fourteenth Realm, what is your view of the world?”

The Fire Dragon True Man had once described to Xie Gou the sights seen by Fourteenth Realm cultivators while on the Fish Scale Ferry.

Previously, Chen Ping An and Lu Chen had temporarily borrowed Dao arts to travel through the Treasure Bottle Continent, also gaining some unique “insights.”

Xiao Mo said, “Roughly, there are three types of sights. First, one can see thousands of ‘Xie Gou’ along the path taken, like a series of connected still frames. And ahead on the path ‘Xie Gou’ is about to take, but there are fewer, perhaps a hundred steps, a few dozen figures, and they grow increasingly faint.”

“Second, seeing green mountains as swords, seeing rivers and streams also as swords. With a mere thought, one can wield the mountains and waters as a longsword.”

“Third, perhaps due to my Natal Flying Sword, I can see a line hanging between heaven and earth, acting as swordlight.”

Chen Ping An praised in admiration, nodding. “Truly a magnificent sight.”

Xie Gou rubbed her forehead, looking glum. It used to be her pursuing Xiao Mo to become a Daoist couple, now…it still seemed to be her pursuing Xiao Mo, wasn’t it?

Xiao Mo said, “Young Master, don’t let her fool you. According to Daoist Azure Clouds, ten thousand years ago, Bai Jing could already see, or at least hear, similar sights, as many as five or six types. Daoist Azure Clouds said her visions were ’embryos of the Great Dao.’ But precisely because of this, Bai Jing was burdened, as if suffering ‘Heavenly Disgust.’ It will be even harder for her to reach the Fourteenth Realm than most natural treasures.”

Xie Gou clutched her sable hat, shaking her head. “Heh.”

Chen Ping An was too lazy to speak.

He felt as if he had been stabbed several more times.

Xiao Mo turned to Xie Gou, sternly saying, “Daoist Azure Clouds tells you to stop squandering your talent. What use are the embryos of the Great Dao reserved for you by heaven and earth if you cannot harmonize with them in even a single day?”

Xie Gou spat. “Is he my boss? One realm higher, so what…”

Xiao Mo grew instantly irritated, pressing down on the sable hat. Xie Gou immediately changed her tune. “Must be amazing!”

Nearing the ancestral hall, a Jade Raft Sect cultivator appeared on the wind, saying stiffly, “Our sect is holding a conference in the ancestral hall. We must ask you distinguished guests to halt here.”

Her attention was focused on the young woman ascending in the middle, fearing she would lose her temper and force her to decide whether to stop her.

Therefore, she deliberately ignored the Great Li Department of Punishments Functionary Plaque hanging from the sable-hatted maiden’s waist.

Xie Gou deliberately picked up the plaque, waving it around. Take a look, do you recognize it?

Xiao Mo smiled. “We won’t go to your ancestral hall, we’ll just take a look at the nearby steles.”

The female cultivator remained troubled. Of course, that was the reasoning, but what would happen if they left and she had to face the ancestral hall’s wrath?

Chen Ping An, who had slightly altered his appearance, produced a Second Class Inactivity Plaque from his sleeve.

It seemed that Zhao Yao had not been polite with his junior uncle back on the Sword Boat, asking him to deliver this plaque on his trip to the Jade Raft Sect. Of the four hundred plus individuals eliminated within Qiu, only sixteen received Functionary Plaques or upgrades, the rest simply had their merits added to the Department of Punishments’ records.

The female cultivator glanced at it, silently yielding the way. It was the first time she had seen a Second Class Functionary Plaque issued by the Great Li Department of Punishments. She was learning much today.

Some estimated that of the three types of Great Li Department of Punishments Inactivity Plaques, the First Class Functionary Plaques were, literally, countable on one hand.

There was perhaps one Second Class Plaque allocated to each of the Great Li’s provinces. One could surmise the weight of such a plaque.

The female cultivator guessed that the respectable-looking middle-aged scholar was likely the greatest spymaster within their Handan province. How true that people were not what they seemed! As rumor had it, the most formidable spies were those who blended into the crowd, barely worthy of a second glance.

Xiao Mo felt helpless, Xie Gou struggled to suppress her laughter, and the Mountain Lord’s expression remained unchanged, his steps calm.

The Jade Raft Sect ancestral mountain, as was custom, had a stele erected at the summit.

The inscription was personally written by National Preceptor Embroidered Tiger, calligraphed by Zhao Duanjin of the Ministry of Rites, engraved by the Ministry of Works, and erected by the Great Li border troops in mountains across the various nations.

Back then, some of the more timid and obsequious immortal sects of the Treasure Bottle Continent had erected their steles directly at their ancestral halls, while the bolder ones placed them in inconspicuous spots on the cliff’s edge, minimizing their exposure. The Jade Raft Sect had opted for the latter approach, building a pavilion specifically to shelter the stele from the elements.

Two groups were already at the stele’s pavilion.

One consisted of Daoists from the God-Ordained Sect: Fu Ji, a Handan province accompanying troop cultivator, his siblings Qi Mei and Qi An, and a young Daoist page, Yan Dao.

Han Zhoujin, a formation master and one of the Great Li Terrestrial Branches lineage cultivators, hailed from the God-Ordained Sect’s Clear Pool Blessed Land and was familiar with Fu Ji.

The other group consisted of Great Li spies, including Hong Ni, a hulking man who was the late sect leader “Spirit Pennon” True Man’s direct disciple. He had just tearfully claimed in the ancestral hall that his master had ridden a crane to the Daoist mountains, when in reality he had personally sent the man on his way.

Then there was the menial disciple who had claimed to be at the Cave Heaven Realm, allowing their “Golden Core Ancestor” Pang Yun to kill him. He went by the name Liu Wang within the Jade Raft Sect but was actually Huang Qu, the responsible for all of Qiu’s intelligence operations. He temporarily only had a Third Class Functionary Plaque. His direct superior, the head of all spies in Handan, was also his benefactor and the one who had shown him the path to the Department of Punishments, a long-time senior who was the Second Class Functionary.

Huang Qu had just been elevated as Pang Yun’s direct disciple, significantly raising his status and standing within the Jade Raft Sect. In the ancestral hall, Pang Yun had steeling his heart to ask him a question with a thought. If he were appointed as the next sect leader of the Jade Raft Sect, would he, Pang Yun, be able to obtain a Great Li Inactivity Plaque? Huang Qu said that this matter needed to be reported to the Department of Punishments and that he could not make the decision on his own. Pang Yun then asked him to try to smooth things over with the Department of Punishments in the near future.

Pang Yun was not on either list. On the one hand, the old cultivator was not deeply involved in Qiu’s court politics and had no interest in those power struggles. On the other hand, he had indeed gone to the Peidu battlefield in his early years, spending more than two years there. As for fighting to a stalemate with a Jade Purity Realm barbarian demon…the Jade Raft Sect and Qiu court would just listen to this.

The truth was that Pang Yun had only provided support and support to the Great River battlefield, distantly tossing spells or cleaning up the battlefield.

Huang Qu, a True Cave Heaven Realm cultivator, openly managed the Jade Raft Sect affairs, while Fu Ji, the Handan provincial military cultivator, managed things from the shadows.

With their Department of Punishments duties completed and gains secured, the two groups had gathered here for a casual chat, as was common for those sharing incense at a mountain temple.

Deep down, Huang Qu and Hong Ni naturally envied the lineage and background of those sect Daoists, but it didn’t lead to significant jealousy.

Fu Ji and the others respected the two Great Li spies, rumored to have come from the military, but had no real desire to rise in the officialdom like them. Cultivators ultimately wanted to return to the mountains after experiencing the mortal world several times.

Fu Ji had personally witnessed millions of barbarian demon troops surging forward like a tide on the battlefield north of Old Dragon City.

The Great Li border troops, strictly arrayed beneath the shining sun, their talismans and armor gleaming…Fu Ji did not wish to see such a grand scene again.

The arrival of Chen Ping An and his companions halted their conversation.

Fu Ji felt that the middle-aged scholar holding a cane seemed to be paying attention to him. How odd. Wasn’t Qi Mei the more beautiful?

Chen Ping An stopped outside the pavilion, producing the Second Class Functionary Plaque and looking at Huang Qu, smiling. “Vice Minister Zhao of the Department of Punishments has asked me to deliver this to you.”

Huang Qu and Hong Ni quickly exited the pavilion, the former receiving the plaque with both hands, taking a deep breath, and nodding in acknowledgement, before handing over his original Functionary Plaque, which the man smilingly pocketed.

Hong Ni punched Huang Qu on the shoulder. “Good lad, promoted! Remember to look after me in the future!”

Huang Qu grinned, happily foolish.

The Daoists within the pavilion also congratulated Huang Qu before bowing and departing on their swords or the wind.

Sensing the page’s odd behavior, Qi An asked in puzzlement, “Short-legged showoff, what’s wrong?”

Yan Dao’s intuition had always been accurate. Could the Inactivity Plaque the man had handed over be a fake? Had Yan Dao noticed something amiss?

Yan Dao shook his head vigorously, wondering, “The man looked familiar, but I can’t remember where I’ve seen him before.”

Fu Ji said, “Why do I feel that he’s interested in me?”

Yan Dao and Qi An immediately exchanged glances. Their Grand Uncle Fu was truly joking.

Qi Mei wore a complex expression but said nothing. He seemed to be the straw-sandalled youth who had posed as a swordsman beside the bearded vagabond and carried a peachwood sword outside the haunted mansion in Rouge County City.

The six Great Li Sword Boats did not immediately return to the shipyard but began sequentially travelling over the airspace of the affiliated nations.

Changsun Mao, the nearly eighty-year-old Commissioner of the Office of Transmission, had only recently been granted the title of Grand Secretary of the Literary Glorification Pavilion before being reassigned as Minister of Civil Affairs.

Even the elder who became the Great Li’s “Celestial Official” felt surprised. Ma Yuan, however, was quite cunning, preemptively “stocking the cold stove,” babbling nonsense at the Office of Transmission. At the time, Changsun Mao hadn’t understood, but the unexpected thing was that it was just the usual talk, telling Ma Yuan not to let his conscience be eaten by dogs and to take care of Guan Yiran. If that little bastard couldn’t handle the Ministry of Revenue, Ma Yuan could speak to the Emperor and bring him to the Office of Transmission.

Of the Great Li Dynasty’s hundred plus provinces, the capital had various provincial halls, large and small, to provide lodging for provincial officials coming to the capital for meetings or reports. However, not every province could build its hall near Thousand Step Promenade. Even being somewhat close to the imperial city was a sign of wealth and connections in court. For example, only a few halls, like those of Chu and Hong, could approach South Xun Ward. At most, the halls of some large provinces would be near the inner city limits of the imperial city.

Cao Gengxin, in Thousand Step Promenade’s South Xun Ward, had coaxed Zhou Haijing and Gai Yan to use Chen Ping An’s name to make him the big boss, without him needing to invest any money or effort, just receiving dividends each year. Zhou Haijing had always been wild when it came to making money, while Gai Yan, who ran an immortal inn in the capital, got completely absorbed in making money. Hearing about this, they both felt it was entirely doable. They kept it from Chen Ping An, partnering to open a teahouse.

The teahouse was in the Wei province hall. Whether they paid rent or not was unknown.

So, when Chen Ping An received the first dividend of several dozen taels of silver by Flying Sword transmission to Fallen Mountain’s Ji Se Peak, he was a bit stunned.

Qiu Country was something that this new National Preceptor Chen Ping An had been forced into, but at least it had been discussed in the small court assembly and the National Preceptor’s Office. Cao Gengxin and the others were capable! They dared to think, dared to act, dared to take responsibility!

In the twilight, a carriage slowly stopped outside the Wei province hall. The driver was a handsome young man with a yellow hat and blue shoes. Chen Ping An, using an illusion technique, lifted the curtain and jumped out of the carriage.

Xie Gou wasn’t interested in drinking tea. She was currently at the National Preceptor’s Mansion, feverishly writing a gazetteer, borrowing the study from Sister Rong Yu and occasionally asking her to glance over it.

Cao Gengxin was entertaining a guest, personally brewing tea. Seated opposite him was Lou Mian, the Wei province governor who had recently arrived in the capital on business.

Wei province was one of the Great Li’s few large provinces. Governor Lou Mian was an efficient administrator with a good reputation in the Great Li court, particularly emphasizing education and water conservancy in his jurisdiction, resulting in outstanding achievements. This was likely related to Lou Mian’s own background. He was from Yu province, the descendant of generations of farmers, a successful candidate in the imperial examination with close ties to the Grand Pillar State Cao family, fifty years old. If nothing went wrong, he could rise further.

Lou Mian hadn’t seen Grand Pillar State Cao Qiao on this trip to the capital, but Cao Gengxin was giving him face, which surprised Lou Mian.

Lou Mian asked with a smile, “Yuanmei, tell me, who are you introducing me to?”

Yuanmei was Cao Gengxin’s style name.

Cao Gengxin smiled. “The big boss behind this teahouse. I’m just a helping hand.”

Lou Mian chuckled, taken aback.

Lou Mian was a provincial governor, and his residence was specially arranged by the Court of State Ceremonial, so he wouldn’t be staying here.

Originally, there were some questions he wanted to ask Cao Gengxin privately, such as Changsun Mao’s promotion to Minister of Civil Affairs and why the Great Li Sword Boats had suddenly ascended to patrol the territories of the various affiliated nations, especially the rumored court plans to establish a circuit above the provinces. However, after arriving here, Lou Mian had barely started a topic when Cao Gengxin casually changed the subject. Lou Mian understood the unspoken message and simply drank tea and chatted. Regardless, the tea brewer was a younger Vice Minister of Civil Affairs. Cao Gengxin still calling him Uncle Lou and him calling him Yuanmei, the two had reached tacit understanding.

A gentle knock sounded on the door. Cao Gengxin rose slightly, but Lou Mian had already stood up and opened the door. Besides the hall’s maid, there was a amiable-looking azure-robed man. Lou Mian was stunned. The man smiled and extended a hand, and Lou Mian instantly suppressed the shock in his heart. He immediately stepped aside and slowly walked back to his seat. The man lightly closed the door, thanking the maid.

Cao Gengxin smiled mischievously, clasping his hands. “Immortal Chen is so hard to invite. Such honor, such honor. Let me introduce you, Lou Mian of Wei province, I call him Uncle Lou. Uncle Lou has watched me grow up.”

Chen Ping An nodded smilingly, sitting in a chair and accepting the teacup Cao Gengxin handed over. Only then did Lou Mian sit down as well.

Zhou Haijing and Gai Yan were eavesdropping in the next room. Their relationship had improved a lot since they were business partners.

Actually, there wasn’t much talked about during the tea session. Just the local customs of Wei province, some amusing anecdotes from the capital’s officialdom, mainly Cao Gengxin acting as a go-between, talking about this and that.

After finishing the tea, Chen Ping An and Lou Mian walked ahead, with Cao Gengxin smilingly following behind.

As they went down the stairs, Lou Mian, being of short stature, tilted slightly to the side, lowering his head slightly, continuing to chat with “Mister Chen.” Chen Ping An could only fold his hands in his sleeves, smiling and replying.

From behind on the stairs, Cao Gengxin saw someone who was obviously an official standing with his hands behind his back outside the teahouse, surrounded by others, his head raised, admiring the various tea wares and cakes displayed in the glass cabinet, commenting, with everyone around him laughing. After reaching the bottom of the stairs, Cao Gengxin saw the official, arrogantly heading into the teahouse. With lightning speed, he lowered his head and bowed, leaving behind the Wei province locals earning money in the capital who had recommended him to broaden his horizons, saying that the teahouse owner had a great background. Seeing Lou Mian walking towards him, the official hurried forward, already swallowing saliva to moisten his throat, suddenly stopping two steps away from the governor and whispering his identity.

A provincial governor, a powerful regional official in charge of sixteen commandaries and over a hundred counties. How could he not recognize Lou Mian?!

Lou Mian showed no expression, nodding. “These are the teahouse’s two owners, Mister Chen and Young Master Cao.”

The official was confused, not understanding or asking anything, just bowing and following Lou Mian all the way out of the teahouse, sending him to a carriage that seemed to be squeezed into a corner, unremarkable. Before getting into the carriage, Lou Mian glanced at this county magistrate who was so imposing, and did not say anything, got into the car, and slowly left the Wei province hall.

Seated in the carriage, Lou Mian closed his eyes to rest. It seemed that the court’s plan to merge several provinces into a circuit was inevitable, a good thing!

Before today, Lou Mian had not known that Mister Chen was in the capital. However, after drinking tea, many questions became clear.

Each policy issued by the National Preceptor’s Office would be a powerful pulse of the Great Li Dynasty.

A nation was like the human body!

Just thinking about the county magistrate, he had only had a rough understanding of him before through reviewing case files. Now he had completely memorized his name.

Lou Mian opened his eyes, his lips moving, speaking a local dialect.

Xiao Mo drove the carriage to the inner city.

Lin Shouyi had a small residence in the Great Li capital. He had actually bought two residences early on, one of which had been rented out.

The one renting the residence was Wu Wangcheng, the current Vice Minister of War.

His Majesty had already bestowed a mansion, and Wu Wangcheng had moved in, but the rented residence had not been returned.

Someone like Wu Wangcheng, being able to survive the battlefield, was not a simpleton or a reckless hothead.

Chen Ping An folded his hands, lightly tapping his index fingers together.

Originally, he had envisioned two Paths of Harmony. For example, if the Ascension Method he had gained in the Immortal Realm could truly lead to ascension, then if he could not ascend to the heavens and harmonize with the Dao, there was another candidate path. Now that the steps had been disrupted, it didn’t matter, it was just a matter of switching the order.

Xiao Mo said, “Young Master, we’ve arrived.”

Chen Ping An stepped down from the carriage, knocking on the door and deliberately asking loudly, “Is Lin Yupu home?”

Lin Shouyi had just arrived in the capital today. Opening the door, he asked in puzzlement, “Since you’re not chasing debts, what are you calling me here for?”

However, he had a different expression towards Xiao Mo, smiling. “Greetings, Mister Xiao Mo.”

Xiao Mo smiled. “Greetings, Young Master Lin.”

Chen Ping An led Xiao Mo into the courtyard, smiling. “Do you want to participate in the imperial examination?”

Lin Shouyi thought he had misheard. “What?!”

Chen Ping An said, “If I remember correctly, Uncle Lin has always hoped you could become an official?”

Lin Shouyi wore a conflicted expression, unable to speak.

Chen Ping An smiled. “My student, Cao Qinglang, was the third pick of the top scholar. I think for you, it’s unlikely. Being a Second Class Successful Candidate would be a pleasant surprise.”

Lin Shouyi frowned. “What exactly is going on?”

Chen Ping An didn’t hide anything, explaining that the Emperor had appointed him as the “future Minister of Civil Affairs.”

Lin Shouyi found it incredible, bitterly smiling. “What is going on?”

Chen Ping An said, “Even if you only get a Third Class, it’ll be fine.”

Lin Shouyi asked, “You’ve become the new National Preceptor?”

Chen Ping An nodded, smiling. “So I thought you could go there to study. During extra help sessions, you’d have a friend to eat with and chat about things.”

Lin Shouyi thought for a moment, then said, “I’d rather not move there to study. It’s too uncomfortable. As for whether I can pass the examination, I’ll try my best. If I fail once, I’ll try twice. If I fail twice, I’ll honestly continue cultivating.”

Chen Ping An felt relieved, saying, “I’ve been waiting for you to say that.”

Lin Shouyi said, “Don’t help me cheat! You know my temper. I might not even be your friend anymore.”

Chen Ping An nodded. “Of course.”

Lin Shouyi smiled. “It shouldn’t be too hard to become a Second Class