In the snow, Zhang Zhuo helped Zhang Xia remount her horse. He patted Zaozao’s cheek, saying, “Thank you, you’ll be a great hero of my Zhang family from now on. I’ll have the steward find you a mare later…”

Zhang Xia glared at him angrily, “Father, what are you saying?!”

Zhang Zhuo laughed heartily, “This is the natural order of things, what’s there to be said?”

Chen Ji watched this scene and remarked, “Everyone says Lord Zhang is greedy; that might not be true, but what they say about him being fond of women is probably not false. However, I can see that Lord Zhang truly dotes on Second Miss Zhang. He’s still in his official robes, so he must have been informed while working at the yamen and rushed here without delay.”

Zhang Zhuo burst into loud laughter, “You understand me, Chen Ji.”

Chen Ji suddenly asked, “Lord Zhang, this horse is exceptionally magnificent. I heard Second Miss Zhang say that Deputy Supervisor Xu Shu from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau brought it back from outside?”

Zhang Zhuo swung onto his horse, “It’s no secret. Seven years after Xu Shu was revived, he achieved success in his cultivation. He suddenly bid farewell to Grand Secretary Xu and headed north, saying he was looking for something. Later, I heard him say he went to the bitter cold lands even further north of Jing Dynasty. He didn’t find what he was looking for but brought back this dragon horse.”

“I heard Second Miss Zhang say it’s a dragon-breed.”

Zhang Zhuo said, “Xu Shu mentioned that some ancient bloodlines still remain in the bitter cold lands of the North, and they are most extraordinary when used as warhorses.”

Chen Ji suddenly wondered, if his guess was correct and Xu Shu was also a person who came down from the Forty-Nine Heavens, what exactly was he looking for, trekking thousands of miles to the bitter cold lands of the North?

Was it a treasure from the Forty-Nine Heavens lost in the human world?

Chen Ji asked again, “Lord Zhang, you are very knowledgeable. Have you ever heard of a figure named Xuanyuan?”

This was what he most wanted to ask.

There were no search engines in this world; finding information was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Only someone like Zhang Zhuo, with an exceptional memory and extensive knowledge, could possibly answer his questions.

Zhang Zhuo thought for a moment, “There’s a Fuguo Peak in Huangshan. Beneath Fuguo Peak, there’s a cave dwelling with the characters ‘Xuanyuan’ carved inside. A fragmented book records that the sharpest sword of all time is called the ‘Xuanyuan Sword,’ but this sword has been lost and its whereabouts unknown; no one has ever seen it. That’s all the records I could find.”

Chen Ji nodded, saying nothing more.

It seemed some matters still needed to be asked of Xuanyuan himself.

He slowly closed his eyes, letting the horse carry him swaying into the distance. The icy current within him spread out, bringing him back to the black sea of clouds, where he fell upon it.

When he opened his eyes, Chen Ji did not see Xuanyuan on the mountaintop.

A black royal banner embroidered with golden characters was planted in a crevice of a large rock, with no one around.

Chen Ji felt strange. Standing at the edge of the cliff and looking down, he saw the sea of clouds dissipate, revealing a patch of farmland that had been cultivated at the foot of the mountain, he knew not when.

Xuanyuan had shed his royal robe, changed into coarse cloth clothes, and was pulling a plow in the fields with his trouser legs rolled up.

Chen Ji descended the mountain to the edge of the farmland and asked curiously, “What are you doing?”

Xuanyuan replied casually, “Farming!”

Chen Ji wondered, “You are already an immortal who doesn’t need to eat or drink, why are you still farming?”

Xuanyuan said impatiently, “I like farming, can’t I? Sheji, she for land, ji for grain. If there were no five grains, this realm would be incomplete; this is the foundation of a nation.”

Chen Ji sat down by the edge of the farmland, “But the words ‘sheji’ don’t include people.”

Xuanyuan was taken aback, “What?”

Chen Ji sat cross-legged, “She is land, Ji is grain. Where are the common people?”

Xuanyuan thought for a moment, “In the heart of the emperor.”

Chen Ji chuckled, “Humorous.”

Xuanyuan lowered the plow from his shoulder and said with a cold expression, “What brings you here today?”

Chen Ji said seriously, “Did you once build a cave dwelling for cultivation beneath Fuguo Peak?”

Xuanyuan was puzzled, “Fuguo Peak? Never heard of it.”

Chen Ji thought for a moment and rephrased his question, “In the outside world, I found a cave dwelling beneath a mountain peak, with the characters ‘Xuanyuan’ carved inside. Not far from that peak, there’s also a gorge where, if one walks through it and looks up at the sky, only a sliver of blue sky is visible, and neither the sun nor moon can be seen except at midday or midnight.”

Xuanyuan was startled, “Tianzi Du? You found Tianzi Du?”

Chen Ji was also startled, “What is Tianzi Du?”

Xuanyuan left the farmland, and in a flash, a black royal robe materialized on him, appearing as if from thin air. He said, “I once escaped to a mountain to recover from severe injuries and seek enlightenment… It was also there that I met you.”

Chen Ji hadn’t expected this place to be connected to him, “And after we met?”

Xuanyuan didn’t want to answer that question. Instead, he narrowed his eyes, “Strange, strange. Since you could find Tianzi Du, it means Guixu, Leize, Qingqiu Nation, Tianshan, Zhangwei Mountain, Faqiu Mountain, and Riyue Mountain are all still there, just under different names…”

“That must be the case!”

Xuanyuan’s expression became strange, “There’s a spring in Tianzi Du with a sword hidden inside. I seized it after slaying my enemy back then. If you extract its sword intent, you can use it to nourish the sword seed within you and ascend to greatness instantly.”

Chen Ji’s eyes lit up, but then the light quickly faded, “It’s been over sixteen thousand years. That sword has probably long since corroded?”

Xuanyuan asked in a low voice, “Has the Whale Blade ever corroded?”

“No!”

“If the Whale Blade hasn’t, then it hasn’t either. I stored it in that spring precisely to use Tianzi Du, the most extraordinary peak in the world, to nourish its sword intent, waiting to retrieve it later. I didn’t expect it to benefit you.”

Chen Ji’s spirits lifted again, “Can you describe the specific geographical features of that spring?”

Xuanyuan avoided the question, slowly saying, “It’s not just that one place. I’ve hidden many other treasures in the world. Although I don’t know their current names, I can draw them for you. But why should I help you draw them?”

Chen Ji said seriously, “If one day I die, won’t you be able to return to the world by possessing my body? I’m merely keeping these treasures for you; they will all be yours later. When you reappear in the world, you won’t have to painstakingly search for them. You can use them immediately.”

Xuanyuan scoffed, “Do you take me for a fool?”

Chen Ji sighed helplessly, “Name your terms.”

Xuanyuan thought for a moment, then suddenly waved towards the distant military formation, “Feng Huai, Feng Lie, Feng Jiao, Feng Gui.”

From the military formation, four warriors stepped forward and knelt on one knee, “Present!”

Xuanyuan turned back to Chen Ji and sneered, “Four of them will surround and kill you. When you can defeat all four of them, I will tell you the location of the first hidden treasure.”

Feng Huai held a saber, Feng Lie held an axe, Feng Jiao held a staff, and Feng Gui had a bow on his back.

The four exuded formidable aura and overwhelming battle intent.

Chen Ji cursed under his breath and turned to run.

“Chen Ji, wake up…”

“Chen Ji, we’re here!”

Chen Ji opened his eyes on horseback, and his gaze met with an expanse of red.

The setting sun cast its slanted rays, reflecting brilliant light on the white snowfield, like an orange-red aurora flowing over the accumulated snow.

The gate tower of Luocheng appeared on the horizon, like a mirage.

Chen Ji looked at the scene, somewhat lost in thought.

Zhang Zhuo rode his horse closer to him and asked curiously, “What are you thinking about?”

Chen Ji regained his composure and said with a smile, “Lord Zhang, right now I really want to go back to the medical clinic and get some good sleep, but this breathtaking scenery makes me want to stop and look at it longer. What do you think, is the destination more important, or the scenery along the way?”

Zhang Zhuo stroked his beard and pondered for a long time before replying, “If you ask me, naturally the destination is more important.”

Chen Ji was puzzled, “Why?”

Zhang Zhuo laughed heartily, “I’m a rather greedy person. When I see one beautiful sight, I immediately wonder if there’s something even better waiting for me up ahead; I won’t be content until I see the very end. Young man, you saved my official position during the last popular uprising, and this time you saved my daughter’s life. How can I possibly repay you?”

Chen Ji smiled, “Lord Zhang, you’re too kind. Second Miss Zhang and I are classmates; how could I stand by and do nothing when someone is in danger?”

“That’s different!”

Zhang Zhuo thought for a moment and said, “Take the imperial examination. As long as you don’t kill anyone in the examination hall, I guarantee you’ll become a Juren scholar.”

“That simple?”

“That simple!”

Zhang Zhuo said, “I know you don’t want to get involved in officialdom, but I also know that you’re not someone who just wants to look out for yourself.”

Chen Ji looked into the distance, “You misunderstand, my lord.”

Zhang Zhuo chuckled, “If you were merely a Confucian official who only cared for himself, you wouldn’t have leaped down the city wall on the day of the uprising. Work with me. I’ll guarantee your…”

Before he could finish, Master Wang spurred his horse, breaking away from the army formation, and rode up to Chen Ji’s side.

He said to Zhang Zhuo, “Chen Ji is not suited to be a civil official, nor does he necessarily have to take the imperial examination path. After the New Year, come with me to the capital; I’ll arrange a position for you in the Ministry of War. The court has long been plagued by corruption; what good would wasting three years do?”

Zhang Zhuo was displeased, “What business is it of yours to interfere?”

Wang Daosheng calmly replied, “He is more suited for the border army.”

Zhang Zhuo shook his head, “Promotion in the border army is too slow.”

Wang Daosheng said emotionlessly, “Without the border army, how could there be peace and prosperity, with singing and dancing, in the south? Does Lord Zhang look down on the border army?”

“You old man, don’t try to smear me.”

Zhang Zhuo angrily retorted, “I wasn’t saying the border army is useless, but rather that by keeping him by my side, I can promote him sooner. With more power in his hands, he can accomplish more.”

Wang Daosheng lightly asked, “Who are you to him? I am his mentor; it is only logical that he should work with me.”

Zhang Zhuo was startled. For a moment, he wanted to retort but didn’t know how to start, “I… I can…”

He looked back at Zhang Xia, then swallowed his words, “You only taught him for a few days. What kind of mentor does that make you? Just wait, we’ll see who prevails…”

Chen Ji looked from Zhang Zhuo to Wang Daosheng, “My lords…”

Wang Daosheng’s expression remained calm, “When addressing him, you can call him ‘My Lord.’ From now on, when you address me, you must call me ‘Teacher!'”

Chen Ji, “Teacher!”

Wang Daosheng spoke unhurriedly, “It’s not that I absolutely require you to come out and serve, but if you wish to serve, you must do so with me. Do not follow him; he works for the Xu family and doesn’t care for his reputation in his daily affairs. Who knows how later historians will write about him?”

Chen Ji quietly tightened the reins and slowed down, withdrawing from the dispute between the two lords.

Without his interference, Zhang Zhuo and Wang Daosheng moved closer and argued more fiercely.

Zhang Zhuo said, “Whether you’ll even be transferred to the position of Minister of War in spring is still uncertain, so why are you making such reckless promises now?”

Wang Daosheng, “In the spring of the 24th year of Jianing, you lost the debate to me.”

Zhang Zhuo raised an eyebrow, “You’ve already been demoted twice by His Majesty, and the Donglin faction cannot tolerate a renegade like you. What can you possibly achieve by following you?”

Wang Daosheng, “In the autumn of the 25th year of Jianing, you lost the debate to me again.”

Zhang Zhuo immediately became enraged. From horseback, he punched at Wang Daosheng through the air, but Wang Daosheng, clad in heavy armor, felt nothing from the blows.

Wang Daosheng calmly scorned, “What sort of behavior is this for an imperial official, resorting to physical altercations!”

Zhang Zhuo roared, “You scoundrel, face your death!”