“How can that be?” Jiang Wang countered, blocking his path. “The Taixu Observation Platform is built on your territory, and will require your care in the future. Furthermore, regarding the matter of the Heavenly Abode Secret Realm, I still carry a debt of guilt towards you, Elder Brother Lü. No matter what, you must allow me to offer an explanation.”

“One matter is one matter, we cannot discuss them in this manner!” Lü Zongxiong exclaimed, agitated. “Do you think I don’t see the prospects of this Taixu Observation Platform? It is enough to ensure the long-term prosperity of Tianfu City! Let alone what happens eleven years from now, even if you were to dismantle the Heavenly Abode Secret Realm, this brother would have no complaints! It is well worth it!”

Establishing the Taixu Observation Platform in Tianfu City allows Lü Zongxiong to participate in it under the banner of the City Lord’s Mansion and reap benefits – this is merely a portion of the gains. Those who come because of the Taixu Observation Platform, those who gain improvements within the Taixu Illusion Realm… all contribute to strengthening the foundation of Tianfu City.

Who gains the greatest benefits? Precisely Tianfu City, precisely the Lord of Tianfu City.

Thus, even if he only secures one share out of ten, he is still making a considerable profit.

As for that seemingly casual remark he made – “Even if you were to dismantle the Heavenly Abode Secret Realm, it is well worth it.” He tightened his grip.

If one chose to interpret it as intentional, then it was intentional. If one chose to interpret it as unintentional, it could also be unintentional.

Having been the Lord of Tianfu City for so long, could Lü Zongxiong truly have been oblivious to the changes within the Heavenly Abode Secret Realm?

When Zhu Biqiong entered, on the brink of death, beyond hope of salvation, she emerged lively and full of vitality. When had the Heavenly Abode Secret Realm ever possessed such an effect?

But what was the optimal choice?

To truly lay bare this matter, to fall out with Jiang Wang on the spot, would it lead to a favorable outcome? Could he escape his own share of responsibility?

And if he pretended not to know… then he could safely pass eleven years. In eleven years, he could see how Jiang Wang handles it. Given Jiang Wang’s character, full of deep emotions and righteousness, since he had made a promise, Lü Zongxiong believed he would not be left at a disadvantage.

To take a step back, if he could achieve the Divine Presence realm in eleven years, he would not fear bearing responsibility. If he could not achieve it, then retiring would also be a good outcome.

Thus, when Zhu Biqiong left alone, he chose not to hear, not to ask, and instead listened to Jiang Wang’s explanation.

From the moment this Elder Brother Jiang produced the Cloud Twilight Venerate and the Line of Thought Staff, he knew his decision was not mistaken. That individual was indeed a heaven’s pride with a sense of responsibility. His return in eleven years was worth anticipating.

But he truly did not expect, there was no need to wait eleven years, in just these few short days, Jiang Wang had brought him such a grand gift. This was truly the pinnacle of performance.

What further need was there to ponder? Such a friend, one should make as many as possible. To what degree of intimacy could they interact, to that degree they should interact.

Jiang Wang looked deeply at Lü Zongxiong. To be able to serve as the City Lord of a significant city like Tianfu, it was indeed impossible to rely solely on cultivation. Strategic thinking and methods were also indispensable.

If he had harbored malice from the outset, intending to let Lü Zongxiong bear the losses of the Heavenly Abode Secret Realm alone, then animosity would surely have arisen between the two sides. Now, he still didn’t know how fiercely they would be litigating.

And he had always strived to the best of his ability to shoulder responsibility and solve the problem. It was this attitude that could only lead to Lü Zongxiong’s silence regarding the Heavenly Abode Secret Realm.

“Elder Brother Lü, I will not speak empty words with you. I plan to let my Desheng Trading Company build and operate the Taixu Observation Platform. I will not always remain in Tianfu City, and this is a long-term venture that requires the City Lord’s Mansion to maintain order and ensure no one causes trouble. Therefore, out of these five shares, you should take one more share.”

Jiang Wang’s meaning was very clear: he wanted the City Lord’s Mansion to station a guard troop at the Taixu Observation Platform in exchange for an additional share of benefits.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t recruit a few fighters, but if he privately called guards, even from the Chongxuan family, the meaning would be completely different. The guards of the City Lord’s Mansion represent Tianfu City, and further, they represent the State of Qi.

With guards standing at the entrance, impacting the Taixu Observation Platform would be like impacting the City Lord’s Mansion. With the State of Qi watching, how many people would dare to be so audacious?

One of the reasons Jiang Wang did not choose to establish the Taixu Observation Platform in Qingyang Town was precisely this: Qingyang Town lacked the power to guarantee the normal operation of the Taixu Observation Platform. He could not possibly sit guard at the Taixu Observation Platform all day, tying himself to this share of benefits.

And if he fully handed over responsibility to the Chongxuan family, then this business, exactly whose would it be considered? His, or the Chongxuan family’s?

He wouldn’t mind giving all the Taixu Observation Platform’s business to Chongxuan Win, but the problem was that the Chongxuan family was not equal to Chongxuan Win. That Chongxuan Zun, who had seized the glory of all his peers, would soon emerge…

No matter how confident he was, he could only say that he dared to fight, that he was not afraid to draw his sword. As for winning or losing, it was truly difficult to say.

The Desheng Trading Company was a business completely controlled by him and Chongxuan Win. Handing over the operation of the Taixu Observation Platform to Desheng Trading Company was a way for him to leave a retreat for Chongxuan Win. Even if he failed in the competition for family head, he would still have this career.

And entrusting the stability of the Taixu Observation Platform to Tianfu City is both compensation for the Heavenly Abode Secret Realm and a way to tie down another helper. The status of the Lord of Tianfu City is not much lower than that of the Governor of Linhai Commandery.

Jiang Wang had stated his position to this extent, and Lü Zongxiong also no longer wasted words. “Good, brother, I will simply accept this favor for now. The commercial tax will be five shares, and the rest, you will have three shares, and I will have two shares! I will certainly handle the matter of this Taixu Observation Platform properly for you, properly!”

When Jiang Wang did things, he either didn’t do them, or when he did, he didn’t procrastinate. After a few words, they settled the matter and immediately went with Lü Zongxiong to find a location. After circling around a few times, they finally decided to establish it in the west of Tianfu City.

Lü Zongxiong directly allocated twenty mu of land, allowing Jiang Wang free rein.

Furthermore, he also demarcated a large urban area, including the land for the construction of the Taixu Observation Platform, and immediately ordered his subordinates to transform and organize it. Taverns, inns… all would move towards this side.

Tianfu City rose precisely because of the Heavenly Abode Secret Realm. He knew too well how to utilize advantageous resources like the Taixu Observation Platform.

As the Lord of Tianfu City, the prosperity of Tianfu City was not only his political achievement, but would also supplement his cultivation.

The Official Path is a dense and complex cultivation system, incorporating theories from various schools such as Daoism, Confucianism, Legalism, and Mohism, serving as a powerful supplement to cultivation.

It doesn’t just look at rank, but also at the substantial influence of power.

Different ranks naturally provide different support.

For example, although the popular sentiment in Qingyang Town is usable, it provides very little supplement to Jiang Wang, essentially unable to keep up with his cultivation. On the contrary, it provides a not insignificant supplement to Dugu Xiao, who formally serves as Town Chief.

The difference in the supplement brought by a small Qingyang Town man and a hereditary Marquis of Bo Wei is naturally heaven and earth apart.

The rank of Lord of Tianfu City, comparable to a Governor, then provides a supplement to Lü Zongxiong’s cultivation. He gripped tightly.

But the Official Path can only serve as a supplement to cultivation, not its fundamental basis.

For example, if Dugu Xiao reached the Tongtian realm, she could then, through the rank of Qingyang Town Chief, absorb vital energy faster, condense Dao Yuan, increase her cultivation speed, and even mobilize the power of the town’s domain against enemies. If she were still an ordinary person, becoming Town Chief would be useless; at most, official qi would protect her body, allowing her to avoid some wandering souls and ghosts.

Therefore, many cultivators disdain the Official Path, believing that worldly affairs entangle one’s body and are not worth it.

The supplement of the Official Path has different influences on different people, and even varies at different stages. For example, Zhuang State Prime Minister Du Ruhu, in his early days, his rank as Prime Minister indeed greatly accelerated his cultivation speed.

But at his current level, as he aims to impact the Cave True realm, the mere rank of Prime Minister of a single Zhuang State can no longer provide him with significant help. On the contrary, he is constrained by this position, state affairs weigh upon him, and his cultivation is slow.

For Jiang Wang, his current duties and titles, aside from substantial status, primarily mean receiving a salary. If he were truly to govern a region, even if he were to be given the position of Governor of the State of Qi, his cultivation speed would not necessarily be faster than it is now.

The establishment of the Taixu Observation Platform had no fundamental problems. This was truly the pinnacle of performance.

Although the materials are precious and require a large initial investment, it is merely a matter of following the blueprints.

Jiang Wang personally selected the site, then immediately sent a message to the people of Desheng Trading Company to be responsible for purchasing the relevant materials, and asked Lü Zongxiong to help invite people from the Ministry of Works to build it – this itself was a choice to gain more trust from the Qi Court.

The main value of the Taixu Observation Platform lies in its connection to the Taixu Illusion Realm. As long as it provides a place to sit in the tower, the twenty mu of land allocated by Lü Zongxiong is definitely more than enough. As for the specific planning, Jiang Wang handed it all over to Chongxuan Win to worry about; after all, he was skilled at this.

Yes, the expansion of the Taixu Illusion Realm is so important that Chongxuan Win even put down his overseas affairs to return – of course, he had also completed almost everything he could do overseas.

In fact, the changes in the Taixu Illusion Realm had been slowly progressing all along, with signs appearing earlier. Only after the Sea Merit List appeared did the speed suddenly accelerate.

Chongxuan Win had communicated with Jiang Wang prior to this.

But at that time, he only had a vague understanding of some information, his intelligence was very limited. After all, he was outside, and his position had not yet been reached. He never expected that Jiang Wang, without a sound or trace, had become a Taixu Envoy, becoming an “insider”!