Aftermath and Cleanup, the Imperial Decree of Rewards Arrives!

The premature defeat and death of the King of Liang King led Zhao Xing to some kind of speculation.

But there's no other major event for him to test his guesses right now, so he can only write it down for now.

On December 8th of the 36th year of the Jingxin Calendar, Zhao Xing's true form also left the Star Palace.

"We've now reached the final stage of kicking a man when he's down."

"The news of Liang King's defeat and death in Lüliang Province will soon spread throughout the land. I don't need to take the last bite of the spoils."

After leaving the Star Palace, Zhao Xing immediately flew to the Celestial Horse Garden of the Princess's Residence.

A wisp of cloud appeared at Chen Shijie's residence.

"Old Chen."

With a light kick, Zhao Xing sent a surge of energy spreading into the ground, searching for Chen Shijie's secluded cultivation location.

"Metaphor"

Before long, he found Chen Shijie's location.

It was in an Earth Palace three thousand meters below the surface.

The Body Tempering Earth Palace!

As a seasoned Earthly Advantage Faction Shennong, Chen Shijie chose the most solid method of Body Tempering his soul: the Earth Palace Body Tempering.

During these two years of inactivity, Chen Shijie spent 90% of his time in the Earth Palace, and even Gui Niang rarely saw him.

"Old Chen ~ Old Chen ~"

The Earth Vein rippled, gentle yet powerful, continuously transmitting into the Earth Palace.

"Um?"

Chen Shijie, who was sitting cross-legged in the Earth Vein, opened his eyes.

He then quickly rose to the surface, detached from the Earth Palace, and appeared on the ground.

"Zhao Xing, is the time ready?"

"Um.""

Zhao Xing glanced at Chen Shijie. At this moment, Old Chen's temperament was completely different from two years ago. He had already entered the Fourth Grade rank.

The Seven Po have been fully cultivated, and their foundation is solid, far exceeding the average level.

In the early years of the Jingxin Calendar, Chen Shijie's natural talent and aptitude were both low, and his comprehension could be considered average.

However, after experiencing the promotion and good fortune in the early stages of the Pacifying Barbarians War, consuming the spiritual essence of the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, cultivating the Dharma in the East Sea for ten years, and consolidating his foundation for two years with the resources of Zhao Xing from the Princess's Residence, he can now be said to have undergone a complete transformation.

"It's time. Liang King has been defeated and is dead. It's time for you, the officer awaiting transfer, to step out of seclusion."

Zhao Xing shared the intelligence with Chen Shijie.

Except for a slight flicker in his eyes upon hearing of the Liang King's defeat and death, Chen Shijie Chen Shijie calm.

The earth is fertile and nurturing, and Chen Shijie's spirit is now stronger, possessing a composure that wouldn't falter even if the sky were to fall.

"Have you finished watching?"

"I've finished watching it."

"Chen Shijie, receive the imperial decree!"

Zhao Xing took out an imperial edict, which he had obtained from Luo King.

"Your subject is present."

Chen Shijie spread out his clothes and knelt down on the ground.

He is now receiving a royal decree imbued with the power of imperial authority.

Fifth Grade official awaiting transfer was required to kneel and bow to receive the imperial decree.

Zhao Xing unfolded the imperial edict.

"Metaphor"

A phantom appeared above, which was none other than Luo King, who was holding the Imperial Command Sword, wearing the Heavenly King Armor and the Instant Prison Bow.

"By order of His Majesty, I hereby appoint you as the Pingyuan Decree the Agricultural Supervisorate Office of Tongming Prefecture, Pingyuan County, concurrently serving as the Agrarian Commandant of the Yuanming Army and a Special Envoy of the Fourth Rank of the Land Tunnel Division. You shall proceed to Tongming Prefecture immediately to assume your post."

"Your subject receives the imperial decree."

Chen Shijie raised his head with both hands.

Zhao Xing placed the imperial edict in his hands.

Chen Shijie's hands sank slightly; this imperial edict was weighty, but the sentiment behind it was even heavier.

Whether it was the Pingyuan Decree, the Yuanming Army Agrarian Commandant, or the Special Envoy of the Earth Passage Division, all were Fourth Grade positions! Among them, the Pingyuan Decree was a full Fourth Grade.

How could a Fifth Grade official who had been idle for several years and had previously served as the Director of the Dragon Horse Bureau and the Right Manager of the Community God Hall obtain such an appointment?

Although it is a special assignment and a temporary position, as long as you do well, it is a sure thing that you will be promoted to a substantive position.

"You were able to obtain such an imperial edict from the ruling king?" Chen Shijie said with some emotion as he stood up.

Zhao Xing chuckled and said, "You, Chen Shijie, deserve this appointment. If you were an incompetent official, even if I begged for the imperial decree, you wouldn't be able to accept it. Not only would you not be promoted, but you might even be demoted."

"Tongming Prefecture is in dire need of reconstruction. Old Chen, you're in for a tough time ahead."

Chen Shijie laughed too, "Only you, Zhao Chen'an, could describe a promotion as suffering and hardship."

It was obvious that he could have made a fortune in the past!

How bad can it be, no matter how bad it is?

Tongming Prefecture is in dire need of reconstruction, and all of his positions are related to regulating the Earth Vein.

Once the turmoil in Pinghai Province ends, the land will slowly begin to repair itself, not to mention the leader of the Earthly Advantage Faction, Xuan Yuan Qingtian, who once used the divine artifact to cast the spell "Mountains and Rivers Forever Solid".

As long as Chen Shijie sits in that position, he can reap political rewards even without doing anything.

"Time is of the essence, let's get going," Zhao Xing said.

This is only a temporary appointment. As for the subsequent adjustments to the administration, and how far Chen Shijie go, that depends on him.

He had carefully considered choosing this position for Old Chen, and Zhao Xing believed that with Chen Shijie's abilities, he was definitely capable of making a difference.

"Walk."

Chen Shijie left a message for Gui Niang, and then left the Princess's Residence with Zhao Xing.

Tongming Prefecture is quite far from Chongming Prefecture, and it won't be a short time before we get there.

However, Zhao Xing had special privileges at the Dao Academy, and it only took him one day to send Chen Shijie to Tongming Prefecture.

"I won't go to the government office with you."

"No need, I can manage."

Chen Shijie certainly didn't need Zhao Xing to accompany him anymore.

If he still can't handle his subordinates, colleagues, and superiors at this point, he might as well just kill himself.

If Zhao Xing were to accompany him, it would be like feeding him; that's not how an official behaves.

"Okay, I'll wait for your good news."

After seeing Chen Shijie off, Zhao Xing's true form once again began teleporting through [Azure Roaming Azure Sea].

His next stop is Dayuan Prefecture, Nanyang County, which is also his hometown.

"Swish~"

Zhao Xing quickly arrived at the temple in Nanyang County.

Upon entering the temple, Zhao Xing flicked his finger, and the incense burner ignited.

"Where are the day and night wandering spirits?"

"Metaphor~"

The two statues revealed their true spirit.

The original Day and Night Wanderer is dead. The current Day and Night Wanderer is a newly appointed one in the Yin Realm. His power is not yet sufficient, and his figure is somewhat illusory.

"Greetings, Inspector."

When a low-ranking Yin Spirit encounters a high-ranking official, it is as if the Yin Spirit is bowing to the official.

"Where is Zong Shichang, the Seventh Grade Tranquil Flood Magistrate of Nanyang County, located now?"

"Inspecting Wangjia Village in Yuhe County."

"Alright, you may all leave."

Having found the location, Zhao Xing disappeared into the temple.

Zong Shichang was Eighth Grade in the twenty-second year of the Jingxin Calendar, and now it is the thirty-sixth year of the Jingxin Calendar, and he has only been promoted to the Seventh Grade.

That's how it is when you're an official in a small place; you might not even get a promotion for more than ten years.

Zong Shichang was able to rise from the Eighth Grade to the Seventh Grade because Zhao Xing stood up for Young Master Zong when he returned to Nanyang County, which is why the Nanyang County gave him the opportunity.

However, the highest rank one can reach is the Seventh Grade; mid-level officials are not easily promoted.

Now that Pinghai Province is in the final stages of chaos, the opportunity has arrived.

Of course, Zhao Xing also had to consider what Young Master Zong was thinking and how capable he was; otherwise, forcibly promoting him to a mid-ranking official position would be detrimental to him.

Yuhe County, Wangjia Village.

"Where's that old dog Gongsun Bo's Return to Origin Waterwheel? Why hasn't it been set up yet?!"

"Lord Zong, Lord Gongsun said that the weather is too cold for the Mechanism Master at Heavenly Craft Workshop to go into the water, so the construction will have to be postponed for a few days."

"Damn it, that old geezer is just lazy! Go find Wu XunJian and tell him to take some men and drag that old dog out of its kennel!"

"This-----"

"Go ahead!"

As soon as Zhao Xing arrived, he heard Zong Shichang cursing.

"Lord Zong, what an arrogant official you are!"

"Who?!""

Zong Shichang turned around abruptly, only to see a familiar face staring at him with a smile.

"Hahaha, Zhao Xing!" Zong Shichang was overjoyed. "Why are you back?!"

"Don't ask me yet, what happened to you?"

Upon hearing this, Zong Shichang immediately snorted, "What else could it be? It's freezing cold, and the people at Heavenly Craft Workshop just don't want to work."

"Let me tell you, that old dog Gongsun Bo is a complete scoundrel—"

Heavy Snow were falling heavily in the sky, while Zong Shichang was pouring out his grievances on the ground.

The two stood by the rushing river, one listening and the other speaking.

Every now and then, ice blocks would leap into the river, joining the mighty river army as it surged forward, conquering new territories.

After listening and calculating, Zhao Xing loosened his fingers.

He immediately understood the situation.

The floods instigated by the Southern Barbarians using the power of the Canglan River did have some impact.

All the prefectures and counties not far from the Canglan River have experienced an unusually large amount of water this year.

Nanyang County, including Dayuan Prefecture, was not an enemy-occupied area during the chaotic period. Occasionally, a small number of rebels appeared, but they were quickly suppressed. From beginning to end, it was under the control of the imperial court.

Therefore, it was never designated as a "disaster area" by the imperial court.

Since it's not a disaster area, manpower and supplies will naturally be prioritized for relocation elsewhere, and we won't pay as much attention to it.

From the perspective of those above, it has little impact on the overall situation.

For ordinary people in the countryside, most of the villages and towns along the river were submerged, which they saw as a major disaster.

Young Master Zong is the Tranquil Flood Magistrate, which is in charge of rural rivers.

He wanted to Engineer School waterwheels and dig canals in the countryside.

However, they lacked both funding and sufficient manpower.

In the past two years Pinghai Province has been short of funds and manpower.

Rebellions can be quelled, and the world can be at peace, but economic losses cannot be recovered in a short time.

If we want to see relief, it will have to be during a period of Great Governance Era.

After cursing for a while, Zong Shichang finally calmed down. "Sigh, actually, you can't entirely blame them. It's my fault for not having the ability to coordinate all parties, and the imperial court didn't have the funds. Sigh..."

Zhao Xing nodded slightly. "If Brother Zong were in a higher position, he would surely be able to bring benefits to the people."

Zong Shichang didn't understand Zhao Xing's meaning, and just said with some melancholy, "How could I have that ability? I can't even manage these small rivers—hmm?"

Suddenly, Zong Shichang looked at the sky with some suspicion. He subconsciously unbuttoned his shirt. "Why is it getting hot? And this river—holy crap, how did the water level drop so much?"

Zhao Xing smiled and said, "It seems that Brother Zong's efforts have moved heaven and earth, and the disaster in Wangjia Village has been alleviated."

"Really?" Zong Shichang looked at Zhao Xing with some doubt, and then he ran to the bamboo shed next to him.

"It really did subside; the Yin-Yang Instrument shifted to the left by a quarter of an inch. According to Wu Ji Farming Book, this is a sign that the disaster is dissipating."

"The Earth-Spirit Watergrass has lost five leaves, and the Warm Hua Bottle has dropped seven marks—"

"Could it be that I have truly moved the heavens?"

"I don't usually worship gods very often."

Zong Shichang didn't understand, but he was greatly shocked.

After receiving messages from officials in multiple locations, he finally confirmed that the disaster was indeed dissipating and was not limited to Wangjia Village.

"Brother Zhao, did you do it?" Zong Shichang asked, turning around. "As soon as you arrived, the disaster was alleviated."

Did you hire some important person to help you?

"It does have something to do with me."

"Ah, it really is you."

Zong Shichang was somewhat incredulous. He had never witnessed the methods of a high-ranking Agricultural Official. In his understanding, Zhao Xing seemed to be getting more and more powerful, but he still dared not think of such a high position.

"You're so amazing now, does that mean I'll get promoted and make a fortune with you? Hahahaha," Zong Shichang joked.

Zhao Xing also laughed and said:

"That's fine. Judging from your abilities, Brother Zong, you'd be perfectly capable of becoming a Sixth Rank official."

"A forged chain, a forged chain, even Fifth Grade would be fitting."

"However, there aren't many opportunities here in Nanyang County. Would you be willing to leave your hometown and serve as an official in another place?"

"If you wish, I can recommend you to another place, starting as a temporary Sixth Rank official. Whether you can be promoted to a full-fledged official and how long it takes to achieve that depends on your abilities."

Zong Shichang was stunned. "You... you're serious?"

After receiving Zhao Xing's affirmative reply, Zong Shichang became somewhat conflicted.

He thought about it for a while and ultimately refused.

"Brother Zhao, thank you for your kindness."

Zong Shichang rubbed his face and said, "Well, I don't have such grand ambitions. I just want to live a peaceful life with Qing'er. If I can also bring some benefits to the people on that basis, I'll be satisfied."

"You should know what I mean, right?"

Zhao Xing patted Zong Shichang on the shoulder. "I understand. Not everyone wants to be a high-ranking official. Some people just want to live a carefree life. Eagles have their ambitions, and jackals have their way of living. Everyone has different pursuits, so there's no need to force it."

"Yes, yes, that's exactly what I meant." Zong Shichang nodded vigorously, then paused, "No, I suspect you're saying I have no ambition, that I'm a lazy bum who just wants to live off others and doesn't strive for improvement."

"Don't doubt it."

"Damn it, you scoundrel, take this punch!"

"Hahaha, remember to give me ten taels of silver!"

"Hahaha, put it on the tab first, then let me throw eighteen punches at you!"

Yunbei Lake is the largest lake in Dongchang Prefecture and the largest inland lake in Pinghai Province.

Located in the eastern part of Pinghai Province, the lake became larger than before after the turmoil in Pinghai Province.

"Splash!"

In one part of the lake, the water suddenly arched up, as if a giant object was lurking underground.

"Gurgle~"

A huge bubble rose to the surface.

When it expanded to a radius of twenty meters, it suddenly exploded.

"Cough cough~ cough cough~"

A figure appeared above the lake; it was Ji Chen, who had escaped from the East Sea.

When the rebellion in the East Sea was already defeated, Ji Chen did not flee into the depths of the East Sea with Hong Yuanshou. Instead, he went the other way, landed on the shore, and used the permission of the Azure Water Daoist Academy to come to Yunbei Lake in Dongchang Prefecture.

He escaped just in time; at that moment, the permission granted to Liang King for a teleportation channel was still in effect.

Ji Chen wanted to travel along a route to the Southern Wilderness, because his father, when he was besieged, had told him to run in that direction.

Only in this way can we survive.

"Cough cough~ cough cough~" Ji Chen coughed violently again. As Third-Rank Realm, he was really having a hard time right now.

Because he was seriously injured, with a golden sword stuck in his shoulder, it was this sword that made it impossible for him to recover.

"Ahhh—" Ji Chen tried to pull out the golden sword, but as soon as he pulled it out half a foot, a powerful sword intent emanated from the sword, wantonly destroying his body.

At the same time, the divine sword continued to grow larger.

As long as he uses his vital energy, the sword will keep getting bigger!

His hand gripping the sword hilt was smoking, so he had no choice but to give up drawing the sword.

"Damn Long Xiao, damn it!!"

Ji Chen lowered his head.

He had escaped very smoothly, without anyone noticing.

But to his surprise, a sword cultivator named Long Xiao actually found him!

Not only that, it seemed as if he was waiting for him, and just as he was about to complete the teleportation, the other party ambushed him!

Ji Chen dodged six of the swords, but one still pierced through his body.

"How did he know where I was going to escape to? Even Hong Yuanshou didn't know my escape route. I also have an absolute secret concealment on me—."

Ji Chen couldn't understand how he had been targeted.

Could it be that what Father said about absolute cover-up was a lie?

He had to stop to heal his wounds while simultaneously considering an escape route.

But just fifteen minutes later.

Three kilometers behind him, a bubble appeared on the lake surface, and a man carrying a greatsword appeared in the sky above the lake.

Sword energy swirled around his figure, making him appear like Heavenly God being.

At the same time, the golden sword on Ji Chen's body trembled violently.

"What?!""

"It's Long Xiao, he's chasing after us again!"

Ji Chen immediately understood the identity of the newcomer.

Just then, through the senses of the Seven Stars Divine Sword, Long Xiao also discovered the location of the Heavenly Balance Sword.

The Seven Stars Divine Sword was originally a precious sword bestowed upon Bai Mingchuan by Emperor Jing.

It must be said that Emperor Jing had a rather perverse sense of humor; some of the materials used in the divine sword were the same as those used in the Heaven and Heaven-and-Earth Fishhook.

It also has the function of "Seven-Star Positioning".

The Bai Family is a water tribe, Emperor Jing bestowed upon Bai Mingchuan this set of top-grade eighth-rank Seven Stars Divine Sword, for which Bai Mingchuan should be extremely grateful.

But he wasn't a sword cultivator, so he gave it to Long Xiao to use.

"Found you!"

Long Xiao's eyes blazed with fury when he saw Ji Chen.

"You beast, return the Marquis's life!"

Ji Chen stopped running. He knew that if he didn't deal with Long Xiao, he would be discovered no matter how he ran.

He immediately affixed a Divine Talisman to both the front and back of his chest to suppress the effects of the Seven Stars Divine Sword.

"Long Xiao, don't you want to know Yang An's dying Last Words?"

As Ji Chen applied the talisman, he watched Long Xiao rapidly approaching, trying to buy time to recover. "I was also on the battlefield at the time, and I witnessed his death with my own eyes."

Long Xiao indeed stopped.

But the next moment.

The six divine swords behind him were quickly drawn and flew towards Ji Chen like swimming dragons.

"Whoosh whoo...

The sky was filled with sword shadows, forming a sword formation that completely surrounded Ji Chen.

At this moment, after more than a decade of training, Long Xiao was no longer the Valiant Commandant would be easily provoked.

He was angry, but he also had enough reason to control that anger.

"Swish swish swish swish~"

Sword energies clashed, Ji Chen dodged in a sorry state, shouting maniacally, "Yang An, hahaha, he died such a miserable death!"

"I instructed Luo Zhen to betray him, and I didn't expect Yang An to actually fall for it!"

"Oh, by the way, Luo Zhen later became the Xier King, right in the former garrison of your Divine Might Army, ahahaha!"

"Yang An is really stupid. He clearly had a chance to escape, but for the sake of brotherhood, he refused to retreat alone."

"He finally died from exhaustion, his very soul lingering. Before he died, he let out an incredibly painful cry. Do you know why?"

"Hahaha, it's the Soul Melting Gu!"

Ji Chen endured the excruciating pain, casting spells to resist while frantically dodging. He possessed numerous treasures, allowing him to persevere even when trapped in the Seven Stars Sword Formation and attacked by countless sword energies.

"The Soul Melting Gu is the most painful and torturous method in the world!"

"Yang An's will was strong enough; the Soul Melting Gu took a full month to reduce his soul to nothingness."

Under Ji Chen's constant provocation, Long Xiao's body trembled, and his anger seemed to be burning him up.

But Long Xiao's eyes grew increasingly cold.

Anger and sword intent were constantly rising!

In the blink of an eye, it broke through a critical threshold.

Upon seeing this, Ji Chen was immediately alarmed.

Because he discovered that his stimulation had not had the expected effect, but instead caused Long Xiao's swordsmanship to break through!

Within the Seven Stars Sword Formation, the number of sword energies jumped from 100,000 to 200,000 in the blink of an eye!

"Ta-da!"

The dense array of sword energy transformed the space within a two-thousand-meter radius around him into a world of swords!

Originally, the attack power of each sword aura emitted by the Seven Stars Divine Sword was only barely at the level of the early stage of the Third Grade.

However, the power of the sword energy is now also increasing!

Two hundred thousand paths, then it became five hundred thousand paths!

The attack power of each sword aura has reached the mid-stage of the Third Grade!

Ji Chen was utterly stunned!

The fact that a Fourth Grade Long Xiao Prodigy could unleash such powerful combat strength is something even Yang An back then might not have possessed.

And this was entirely due to his provocation!

He dared not speak again.

Although the defensive artifacts on his body could block the sword energy, they could not completely negate the impact.

Apart from barrier-type treasures, no treasure offers absolute defense, and even shock absorption has its limits.

Moreover, Ji Chen was only Third Grade, so he couldn't fully unleash the power of the treasure.

Long Xiao's sneak attack was truly skillful, which rendered many of Ji Chen's treasures unusable.

For example, his Golden Feather Battle Armor covered his entire body, but the chest area was not fully covered because of the Seven Stars Divine Sword.

"Oh no!"

Ji Chen's expression changed drastically.

He watched as the light shield in front of him grew weaker and weaker, and the barrier activated by the wolf-tooth jade pendant on his body weakened drastically.

Every barrier has an energy value, which is constantly being consumed.

The only thing he possesses that can completely defend against attacks is a barrier-type treasure.

The Golden Feather Battle Armor does have a 90% reduction effect.

But right now, it can only perform at 80% of its potential.

"!"

Under the onslaught of countless sword energies, the eighth-grade top-tier defensive barrier was finally broken.

Now Ji Chen has no choice but to tough it out.

He could still withstand the 80% reduction in the original armor's strength.

But gradually, he found that he could not withstand the terrifying impact.

"Long Xiao, Yang An is actually not dead!"

"I've hidden his soul. Let me go, and I'll take you to him!"

"Ah—"

Ji Chen was terrified. He tried to lie to make Long Xiao stop, but Long Xiao didn't believe Ji Chen at all.

"No, no, no, stop! Yang An is really not dead!"

"Puff!""

At one point, Ji Chen felt a sharp pain in his body.

The divine sword on his body had disappeared, and a large hole appeared in his chest.

"Pfft~"

The sword energy pierced through his chest, and Ji Chen discovered that the Golden Feather Battle Armor he was wearing had been stripped away by Long Xiao's sword energy.

Like Erding dissecting an ox, after a few moments, a complete set of Golden Feather Battle Armor turned into a flowing liquid, next to which lay Ji Chen, naked and heavily injured.

"Puff puff puff puff puff puff!"

The seven divine swords pinned Ji Chen to the void.

Flames erupted from his body as he struggled incessantly.

But he couldn't break free from even one divine sword, let alone seven.

"... Help me... Help me!"

Ji Chen shouted, but Long Xiao couldn't hear the first two words, as if they had been muted.

Suddenly, the sword energy disappeared.

Long Xiao stopped.

Ji Chen looked at Long Xiao with despair in his eyes, because he discovered that Long Xiao, who was originally Fourth Grade, had already entered the Third-Rank Realm!

What an amazing talent!

What made it even more despairing was that Long Xiao didn't seem to intend to kill him right away.

Otherwise, he would have died when the Golden Feather Divine Armor was stripped off.

"Long Xiao, come on! Cough cough—use your, your most cruel methods to kill me!" Ji Chen roared maniacally.

"Come on! Let Heir Apparent see just how capable you are!"

"Hahaha, Yang An died a horrible death. Did you see the brocade pouch on Heir Apparent left waist? It contains a bottle of Prickly Yuan Water."

"If you, if you just drip a single drop on me, my pain will be magnified ten thousand times. That's what was used on Yang An— "

A cruel glint flashed in Long Xiao's eyes, and he was about to make a move.

Metaphor

Just then, a sound transmission talisman in Long Xiao's arms automatically ignited.

A familiar voice appeared in Long Xiao's ears.

"Long Xiao, don't become what the enemy expects."

Long Xiao said in a hoarse voice, "Did you hear what he said?"

"The Marquis wouldn't want you to do this. Just kill him cleanly and go to Anping Prefecture."

"I have something important to tell you."

In the distant prefectural city, Zhao Xing looked at the sky and seemed to see the scene before him.

He didn't want Long Xiao to become like he was in his previous life. Today, he tortured Ji Chen to death in a cruel way to vent his hatred.

However, Long Xiao's Sword Heart will also be affected.

If he enters the path of the Third Grade with hatred, and continues to cruelly torture Long Xiao under Ji Chen's influence, it will be detrimental to Long Xiao's future path.

"Long Xiao!" Zhao Xing, noticing Long Xiao's inaction, grew anxious and shouted sharply, "Kill him immediately!"

"Aaaaaah!!!"

Long Xiao finally listened to the advice, and the myriad swords reappeared, instantly annihilating Ji Chen's physical body Fate Soul.

When Ji Chen disappeared, the crimson in Long Xiao's eyes faded, leaving behind two lines of clear tears.

"Waaaaah~ My Marquis ————"

Hearing Long Xiao's cries, Zhao Xing on the other end also breathed a sigh of relief.

He waited quietly.

A quarter of an hour later, Long Xiao's hoarse voice came through. "Zhao Xing, I'm done crying. Where should we go now?"

"Anping Prefecture, along the Canglan River, will annihilate the remaining enemy."

Now, there are only some formidable enemies Canglan River.

The inner palace mainly consists of small fry, not enough to go around.

Chen Shijie was already in the Civil Official system, and Zhao Xing urged him to quickly achieve results in governance.

Long Xiao is a military general, so he should go and earn merit by killing the enemy.

"Okay, I'll go right away."

Zhao Xing cautioned, "I'm out of talismans. Remember, killing is fine, but don't torture your enemies with cruel methods; it's detrimental to your cultivation."

"When you can no longer bear it, go to the temple to dispel the murderous aura, otherwise you may easily Going Berserk."

"Okay, I understand."

Long Xiao's voice gradually calmed down.

"Keep in touch."

The talisman burned to ashes, and Zhao Xing's voice also disappeared.

Long Xiao retrieved Ji Chen's scattered belongings and quickly disappeared into Yunbei Lake.

Datong Prefecture, a desolate swamp, three thousand meters underground.

There is a large underground city here.

The planting area is located in the seventh dungeon.

Xia Jing ran to a straw effigy in the planting area and excitedly exclaimed, "Zhao Xing Zhao Xing! Liang King is dead!"

"Okay, I understand." The scarecrow nodded and continued turning over the soil.

"I mean, the Liang King is dead!" Xia Jing exclaimed anxiously. "Aren't we going to do anything about it?"

"Isn't that what we're doing right now?" Zhao Xing turned around.

"Aren't you going to do something else?" Xia Jing asked. "Many of the remaining enemy forces are fleeing southeast. Right now, the Canglan River is teeming with large-scale enemy activity!"

Xia Jing was also well-informed. When he heard that the Liang King had been defeated and killed, he knew that now was the time to kick a man when he was down.

"Brother Xia, I don't recommend you go."

"Huh? Why?" Xia Jing asked. "Isn't this a good opportunity?"

"You're too weak."

"???"

Xia Jing almost tore Zhao Xing's straw doll apart.

"I mean, relative to the current situation, you're too weak," Zhao Xing said. "You don't have the strength of Third Grade."

There's simply no way they can get a share of the profits.

"With the army stationed in Pinghai Province, how many powerful warriors have been sent here? There's no room for you to go and behead people!"

"Even at the Third Grade, it's not really enough. You might work hard for nothing."

After Xia Jing turned the corner, she couldn't help but smile wryly and say, "You didn't have to be so blunt."

"If I don't be direct, I'm afraid you won't be able to hold back."

"Brother, you're currently at the Fourth-Rank Yuan Soul Realm. If you run into some fleeing first or second rank cultivators at this crucial moment, wouldn't you have died for nothing?"

"The Shelter Plan and the Underground City Project will be enough to feed you."

Xia Jing nodded. "Actually, it's not that I couldn't help it, it's just that I'm not alone right now."

From the thirty-fifth year of the Jingxin Calendar to the present, Xia Jing and Zhao Xing's operations have reached a considerable scale.

The resources mobilized exceeded three trillion!

Most of these resources were squeezed out from powerful and influential Noble Families.

They're not spending money for nothing; of course they expect a return!

Even if there's no immediate return, it's fine, but Xia Jing has to get promoted. Once Xia Jing gets promoted, they'll have plenty of opportunities to ask for favors in the future.

"Be patient." Zhao Xing covered the seedlings with the last handful of soil, and the planting of this acre of seedlings was complete. "The Great Zhou has enough generals who can fight, but not many who can both fight and heal."

"When everything is over and those above start looking down, you'll stand out."

Xia Jing stroked his chin and said, "Do you think there will be any more wars in the future? Should I switch to being Civil Official?"

Zhao Xing shook his head; Emperor Jing would not launch a second Pacifying Barbarians War.

During the subsequent period of dual rule, the Great Zhou's policy shifted to defense.

The army and military spending will be significantly reduced, making it difficult for military officers to get promoted.

In addition, he would constantly find reasons to reduce and consolidate power, accumulate national strength, and leave a legacy for his son.

"Don't be fooled by the fierce fighting outside. It may seem like the generals are just picking up heads, but very few will actually stand out."

"Let alone high-ranking positions, even mid-ranking promotions are scarce."

"Ultimately, this was a mutiny, a civil war."

"It's nothing to be proud of, and it's not worth publicizing."

Zhao Xing said in a low voice, "Brother Xia, at this time, I not only do not suggest that you try to gain merit, but I should also suggest that your uncle take the initiative to apologize, return the military power, follow the arrangements, and reduce or exempt the tax revenue of the fiefdom."

"Furthermore, regarding the Shelter Plan, I will hand over all control to the government before the Spring She Day."

Be greedy when others are fearful, and fearful when others are greedy.

"Now, it's time to be fearful."

Xia Jing looked surprised and uncertain. "My uncle seems to have said something similar, but not as strongly as you described. My father's opinion is the opposite. Why is that?"

Zhao Xing said, "Because my uncles believe that the war against the Southern Barbarians will continue and that they will continue to give important positions to military generals, but I think that's unlikely."

Xia Jing gritted her teeth and said, "Fine, I will try to persuade Father."

"We need to hurry. It's already December. The Spring She Day is in February, and the official reorganization is in April. If we're late, it will be too late."

"I understand." Xia Jing nodded and hurriedly ran out.

On December 8th, Zhao Xing's true form left the Star Palace. In late December, Zhao Xing's true form went to the Tianyuan Prefecture Branch.

At this time, the Tianyuan Prefecture Branch became the place where Li Boqian, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, issued orders.

Zhao Xing no longer intends to exercise his willpower, but he can't just sit idle either.

He planned to take on some tough and tiring tasks from Li Boqian.

Otherwise, after a rebellion by the Liang King, he would only have credit for the achievements, not for the hard work, and would have relied entirely on his connections and influence.

That would make people hate you.

"Being assassinated by a gang of assassins, painstakingly building a refuge, and then having to endure more hardship—sigh, working under Emperor Jing is really damn hard."

When Zhao Xing's true form arrived at Tianyuan Prefecture, it was already December 21st.

The main reason was that he spent some time retrieving his clones scattered across various prefectures.

With order restored in Pinghai Province and the Golden Dragon's fortune stabilized, one can no longer do whatever one pleases.

Zhao Xing's final plan was to accept his superior's orders and do some dirty and tiring work.

Li Boqian did not meet with Zhao Xing.

He was received by Wang Tianzhi, the Lesser Agriculture Decree.

Having multiple identities is a good thing; he still holds the title of Classics Scholar the Mystic Heaven Academy.

When Zhao Xing expressed his desire to do some heavy work, Wang Tianzhi gave him a strange look:

"Everyone else is scrambling to do easy jobs that lead to promotions, why are you doing the opposite, Chen'an?"

Zhao Xing cupped his hands and said, "This humble official has an eccentric temperament and has never liked going to crowded places."

Wang Tianzhi would also chime in. "You do have a pioneering spirit and like to take on challenging problems."

"In that case, I'll assign you two tasks."

He pulled out two files:

"First, there's the work of periodically calculating the Military Realm passage. You and Hu Yang were already working on this, and now you're continuing to participate."

"You've cultivated the Derivation God Art, making you perfectly suited for this kind of large-scale computational work."

Zhao Xing nodded. This job involved a lot of work, which met his expectations.

"Secondly, there is the work of sorting out the Grotto-Heaven in Pinghai Province. Many harsh and cold places have experienced the chaos of primordial energy. You have cultivated the Kunpeng Transformation, so you can go to many places that others cannot."

The rebellion of the Liang King not only threw Pinghai Province into chaos, but also plunged many other Grotto-Heaven World into turmoil.

Especially during the most intense period, the most fiercely contested area was the Grotto-Heaven World, because the Grotto-Heaven World involved the entrance to the passage, so it was naturally the place where the most intense battles took place.

"Your humble servant obeys."

Zhao Xing accepted the two orders, then bowed respectfully and withdrew.

Not long after, Lu Chunhua walked in and bowed to Wang Tianzhi.

Seeing Wang Tianzhi deep in thought, Lu Chunhua couldn't help but ask curiously, "What are you thinking about, Martial Uncle?"

Wang Tianzhi snapped out of his daze and smiled, "It's nothing, I just ran into a clever guy."

"How smart?"

"I might end up working for him in the future."

Most of the clones that Zhao Xing had put away were sent to the Heaven Monitoring Office of the Phenology Institute to work with his Senior Brother Hu Yang and Zhang Tianxing on calculations.

When Zhao Xing arrived, Hu Yang and Zhang Tianxing overjoyed.

"Hahaha, Shao Dong, look who's here."

A thousand-eyed green spider flew down from the mountain of books and transformed into a middle-aged man.

He was Hu Yang's Senior Brother, Zhang Tianxing.

"Where?" From another direction, a golden bird arrived in an instant, transforming back into human form.

"Oh, the Holy Son of the Marquis Transformation Faction has arrived. Come, come, Senior Brother, let's quickly kowtow to the Holy Son."

After saying that, Hu Yang and Zhang Tianxing made a gesture as if they were about to kneel down.

Zhao Xing also pretended to kneel down. "No, please. You two are the elders who protect the sect. How can an elder kneel before the Holy Son? I should be the one kneeling before you two."

"No, no, no, we are the ones who should kneel."

"Hey hey hey~"

Some concessions.

Zhao Xing, Zhang Tianxing, and Hu Yang all laughed.

"Come in, please come in quickly."

"Chen'an, you've come at the right time. My Senior Brother and I are almost bald." Hu Yang rubbed his head dejectedly. "Yesterday, when I went to the Mechanism Institute to look for tools, people thought I was Mechanism Master."

Zhang Tianxing chuckled, "How offensive! Not all mechanics are bald."

Zhao Xing said, "Could it be that Senior Brother Hu was wearing the striped and slatted Divine Net Robe?"

Hu Yang and Zhang Tianxing taken aback for a moment, then realized what was happening and burst into laughter.

Zhao Xing quickly integrated himself into their work by using his Mechanism Master to crack jokes.

These two are quite the comedians.

In the work that followed, there were occasional jokes about the Mechanism Master.

"That day, I was using Hou Bian Method to get to the Mechanism Institute. As I passed their training ground, a Mechanism Master wearing Heavenly Balance Detector was waving at me."

"Chen'an, guess what I'm going to do?"

"What's wrong?"

"When I got excited, I joined his puppet bird formation, and then he told me to go east, so I went west."

"Even after I left, that guy was questioning his existence, thinking that his flying bird mechanism was broken, and he checked it one by one."

"Hahaha, Junior Brother Hu, you're so mean! Chen'an, don't you dare follow his example!"

"How could that be? I usually take the lead, and that'll throw his entire trap array into chaos."

"Hahaha!"

The calculations were so tedious and boring that Hu Yang and Zhang Tianxing could only entertain themselves.

After Zhao Xing joined, the two comedians became three.

Hu Yang and Zhang Tianxing also liked Zhao Xing very much and found Zhao Xing to be more and more to their liking.

Meanwhile, Zhao Xing's true form went to the "White Stone Grotto Heaven" in Tianyuan Prefecture to carry out the mission of quelling the chaos of the primordial energy.

"Zhao Xing, I am Tao Guangyao, the Grand Agriculture Decree in charge of White Stone Grotto Heaven."

"This task is very demanding and tiring. Although you were sent by the Lesser Agriculture Decree, I will absolutely not give you any special treatment!"

"You might get injured during this time, but it's not too late to quit now. I'll pretend you were never here."

"But if you take on the task and then just go through the motions, I will show absolutely no mercy. I'll give you a grade below C! I might even label you an incompetent official!"

Tao Guangyao had dark skin and was thin. When he had a stern face, he looked very fierce.

Facing Zhao Xing, the popular Sino Genius, he maintained a completely businesslike demeanor, stating beforehand that he would absolutely not give him any leeway or special treatment.

Zhao Xing also became serious and immediately stated his position. "Please rest assured, Lord Tao, there is no genius Zhao Xing here, only the Agriculture Official Zhao Xing."

Tao Guangyao nodded slightly, then waved his hand and drew a map. "The ' Sky Sea ' area of ' White Stone Grotto Heaven ' is currently experiencing a level 12 tsunami, as well as a violent waterspout, a hurricane, and a seismic event."

"The Sky Sea Grotto Heaven is expanding outwards. You, Shang He, and Wu Long are responsible for the level seven area in the southeast."

Is there a problem?

Zhao Xing glanced at the information and immediately said, "No problem."

"Okay, you can rest for fifteen minutes. I will arrange for you to set off in fifteen minutes."

"Yes!"

An hour later, Shang He, Wu Long, and Zhao Xing set off.

After Zhao Xing boarded the ship, both men couldn't help but glance at Zhao Xing strangely.

"Who are you, and how did you get on this ship?" Wu Long asked.

"This humble official, Zhao Xing, was on a mission with the two of you."

"Zhao Xing? Never heard of him — you're at the Fourth Grade rank?" Shang He frowned.

"Yes."

"This is no joke!" Wu Long immediately stood up. "Don't set sail yet, I'm going to find Lord Tao."

Neither of them had heard of Zhao Xing, probably because Zhao Xing's rise to power was too recent.

It has only been two or three years since the Jinglun the sutra.

A slightly stronger Third Grade might spend several years, or even more than a decade, in seclusion or on a mission.

Especially for powerful individuals who have been living in the Grotto-Heaven for a long time, their interaction with the outside world is even less.

"It was Lord Tao who sent me. I have already mastered the Kunpeng Transformation. Please be patient, gentlemen. You'll see whether I can handle it once we arrive."

Due to the excessively violent energy in White Stone Grotto Heaven, the area is currently inaccessible, and communication relies entirely on human intervention.

Seeing that they were about to miss the appointed time, and seeing Zhao Xing's confidence, Shang He and Wu Long sat down again.

"Don't blame me for being blunt, but if something happens to you, we won't have time to save you," Wu Long said.

"Don't worry, I definitely won't hold you two back."

Shang He nodded. "Okay, let's set sail then."

The wind howled fiercely, and the sky and earth changed color.

The warship escorting the two men soon became unable to proceed when it reached an airspace.

At this moment, Wu and Shang walked out of the cabin.

Zhao Xing followed.

In the vast expanse of the sky, an ocean suddenly appeared!

I've seen plenty of Cloudsea, but this is the first time I've ever seen Sky Sea floating in the sky.

At this Sky Sea, it was impossible to tell how high the waves were, because both above and below was the sea.

The Ocean Cube stretches as far as the eye can see.

"Boom boom boom~"

The waves of the sea, layer upon layer of shockwaves, propagate outwards.

Zhao Xing originally thought that Tao Guangyao was referring to an earthquake in the sea, but he didn't expect that it was not the case at all.

"A huge piece of land was swept into the Sky Sea, constantly being pulled and pushed by the waves, falling in all directions."

"The waterspout swept away the mountains and rivers, throwing them to other places. The mountains and the sea intertwined, and the violent vortex of energy continued to intensify. If no one stopped it, it would eventually spread to the entire White Stone Grotto Heaven."

Zhao Xing activated his Heavenly Eye, scanning the situation in the Sky Sea through the heavy winds and waves.

The disaster that broke out in the Grotto-Heaven World was far more rapid and illogical than that outside.

"Roar!""

Wu Long suddenly leaped into the air, his body rapidly expanding. He took off from the deck, and when he broke through the barrier, he transformed into a giant beast with a dragon's head and a human body.

"Internal Marquis Transformation Art, Jimeng Transformation."

Hou Bian Method's inner cultivation can basically be judged from his outward appearance.

Wu Long cultivated the Hou Bian Method, which was the incarnation of Jimeng.

"Jimeng is described as having the body of a human and the head of a dragon. He constantly roams the Zhangyuan, and his comings and goings are always accompanied by strong winds and heavy rains."

"I wonder how many secret techniques it has mastered."

At this moment, Shang He also completed his transformation.

"Eight heads and eight faces, tiger body, eight feet and eight tails, green and yellow in color, exhaling clouds and mist, controlling water."

"Ancient mythical beast - Tianwu".

"It cultivates the Tianwu Transformation."

Neither of them glanced back at Zhao Xing, and they rushed straight towards the Sky Sea.

If it's Zhao Xing, then he'll naturally know what to do.

If it doesn't work out, or if he gets scared, he will naturally go back with the ship.

"It's my turn."

A hint of excitement appeared in Zhao Xing's eyes.

He charged upwards.

His whole body underwent a dramatic change; all his acupoints lit up with divine light, and the phantom of Kunpeng roared within his bloodline.

Once Zhao Xing broke through the deck barrier, he transformed into a giant fish a thousand meters long.

The Kunpeng Transformation within the Kunpeng transformation!

"This place is big enough for me to do whatever I want. Let's see what my limits are!"

When Zhao Xing was learning this technique from Li Boqian at Tianyuan Prefecture, he was not able to fully unleash his potential.

Because the place is too small!

Even so, he cultivated to the top level of the Third-Turn, mastered the transformation of the Kun, and was able to use the Kun's innate secret techniques.

"Big big!!!"

Zhao Xing's dantian was circulating wildly. He had refined the true blood of the Kunpeng, and at this moment, the phantoms of Kun and Peng were intertwined in his acupoints and flesh.

In the end, the phantom of Kun became more and more solid, while the phantom of Peng gradually disappeared.

"Ugh~"

Shang He and Wu Long were flying forward when they suddenly heard a voice coming from behind them.

The sound seemed to come from the ancient, primordial ocean, desolate and primitive.

"Holy crap, it's huge?"

"He's only a Fourth Grade, yet he actually mastered the Kunpeng Transformation?"

Shang He and Wu Long were both shocked.

Their changes are quite significant; both Shang He and Wu Long are now over a kilometer tall.

But compared to Zhao Xing, they are completely insignificant.

At this time, the giant Kun's eyes alone were hundreds of meters long.

Their size was so great that they seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see; in front of Zhao Xing, they were like ants.

Zhao Xing's feelings were indeed the same.

When he pushed himself to the limit, Shang He Shang He and Wu Long Wu Long, in his eyes, only slightly stronger than ants.

"North of Zhongbei lies the Minghai Sea, also known as Tianchi. There dwells a fish there, its breadth spanning thousands of miles, its length measured in countless ways. Its name is Kun." Shang He murmured to himself, "The Grand Minister of Agriculture Li Boqian's unique skill has actually been mastered by someone."

"Legend has it that the Kun has disappeared from the world. In the far north, there is a frozen ocean, where there is no Heavenly Pool, nor any trace of the Kun."

"The world could not contain such a colossal object. I never expected to see it today." Wu Long was also extremely surprised.

Of course, Zhao Xing cannot be considered a behemoth yet.

Because even after he transformed into a Kun, his length was only a little over nine thousand meters.

It's still far from reaching the level of thousands of miles.

"In a normal Kunpeng Transformation, the Third-Turn stage is only three thousand meters tall. However, the Kunpeng True Blood I refined is pure enough, and my Ten Thousand Laws Dao Body foundation is strong enough, so I reached more than nine thousand meters."

"Compared to a real Kun, it's just been born."

He is currently unable to break through the 10,000-meter level because his inner world is pulling him back, preventing him from expanding further.

If it continues to change, it will not only fail to grow larger, but will instead collapse and exhibit abnormal changes.

Zhao Xing would certainly not attempt to break through his limits. The Internal Marquis Transformation Art was a rather dangerous technique, and he naturally couldn't mess around with it.

"After transforming into a Kun, one can unleash the ' Kun Swallows Heaven and Earth ' technique, which can devour water, primordial energy, and clouds and transform them into one's own power."

Zhao Xing began to move his body and flew towards the Sky Sea.

Wu Long and Shang He quickly made way, having to change their routes.

Because this thing is fucking huge!

They are blocking our way.

With a simple flick of Zhao Xing's tail, they would be sent flying.

"Walk!"

The two regained their senses and quickly flew towards the Sky Sea.

As the giant Kun entered the Sky Sea, Zhao Xing instantly felt a pulling force and an impact force.

Many boulders, as big as small mountains, rushed over and smashed into him.

Then a tornado vortex began to tear his body apart.

However, Zhao Xing was completely unaffected.

"The Kunpeng Transformation is truly powerful."

"As expected of the most powerful faction among the Time Faction."

Zhao Xing is swimming in the sea.

That attack, powerful enough to tear apart Third Grade, and that boulder capable of crushing Third Grade, was like a tickle to him.

Of course, there wasn't much Zhao Xing could do; his large size made him rather cumbersome.

If it's an enemy, even if Third Grade can't kill him, it will be difficult for them to capture Third Grade.

The commotion was so loud that people far away ran away.

"The Kun Swallows Heaven and Earth!"

As the giant Kun in the sea opened its massive jaws, Zhao Xing began his mission to quell the riot.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, the thirty-seventh year of the Jingxin Calendar has arrived.

Zhao Xing's clone began to withdraw from the Shelter Plan.

He contacted Luo King and Heaven Derivation King, and also discussed with Lu Bang and Tian Hou, gradually consolidating control over various regions.

It was handed over to the local government for jurisdiction.

With the restoration of the government institutions in Pinghai Province, this should also be handed over.

The group of powerful figures behind Xia Jing immediately followed Zhao Xing and left the scene.

In particular, Xia Hou and Pingyang King (Ji Ziyun's father and Xia Jing's uncle) withdrew very decisively.

However, many people are still reluctant to part with it.

I've invested so much money, but it feels like I haven't gotten anything in return, and now I have to withdraw?

Zhao Xing also offered his earnest and heartfelt advice.

During the gradual handover, eight or nine out of ten people followed him.

As for the few who couldn't see the situation clearly, Zhao Xing was helpless.

Late January.

Liu Tianning, who had not appeared for a long time, finally showed up.

"Teacher, is the task finished?"

"It's over for now." Liu Tianning's illusory figure nodded. "I was previously intercepting and killing Liang King's troops and participating in the siege of the high-ranking legions in Lüliang Province."

"I see." Zhao Xing had guessed before that Old Liu might not be in Pinghai Province.

Now that the mission is off, Liu Tianning has nothing to hide.

"I have reached the early stage of the Heavenly Luck Realm."

Liu Tianning gave Zhao Xing another bombshell message.

"Congratulations, teacher."

Although he said that, Zhao Xing's smile was rather forced.

Because he was worried about Liu Tianning's condition.

Judging from his memories of his previous life, Liu Tianning's progress was much faster than he was aware of in his previous life.

He remembered that Liu Tianning was only Third Grade after the Liang King Rebellion ended, but now he was Second Rank.

"After April, you will come with me to the Shangluo Academy," Liu Tianning said. "Come with me to see Xu Xing."

Also, get to know the people at the Shangluo Academy.

"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded.

That's for sure. Even if he hadn't written the True Self Heavenly Creation Theory, he would have definitely gone to meet with the higher-ups at the Shangluo Academy.

Because he is Liu Tianning's only successor.

Old Liu went to the Shangluo Academy to serve as its first vice dean.

With Xu Xing dead, Liu Tianning is now the leader of the True Self Faction, and no one can take his place.

This is a momentous occasion; he absolutely has to be there.

After all, from the very beginning, Zhao Xing received the resource cultivation plan of the True Self Faction" and can be considered an important member of Liu Tianning Group.

"Heaven Derivation King may not live much longer." Liu Tianning then mentioned a few more things, "But Luo King will succeed him as Grand Commandant, be granted the title of First-Rank Ruler King, and simultaneously serve as the Hall Master of the Martial God Hall and the Dean of the Divine Martial Academy."

"Is the Heaven Derivation King not going to live much longer?" Zhao Xing asked. "Won't he be granted the title of First-Rank Prince?"

"Judging from the current situation, the possibility is extremely slim. His Majesty has no such intention." Liu Tianning shook his head. "A rebellious prince has just died, and it's difficult to bestow another title upon him."

The harm caused by a first-rank prince is too great. As long as he possesses a divine artifact, he can easily tear apart the destiny and lifeline of the Great Zhou.

Zhao Xing sighed inwardly. The Liang King had just died, so how could Emperor Jing possibly give in so quickly? He was probably still weighing his options.

He didn't have a deep impression of the Heaven Derivation King in his previous life because the Fate Officials was a mysterious and unknown figure.

"What else have you and your clone done?" Liu Tianning asked. "The Shelter Plan and the Underground City—are they still under your control?"

"The Shelter Plan is currently being handed over," Zhao Xing said. "I will hand it over as soon as local governments resume operations."

"It needs to be done quickly, and the accounts must be clear and transparent. Don't get yourself suspected of embezzling funds. If someone deserves to be killed, then kill them."

Don't hesitate, I will send an inspector to oversee the operation.

Zhao Xing was startled, not by anything else, but by Liu Tianning's tone.

Old Liu seems to be overlapping with an image he knew from his past life.

"Yes, I will get away as soon as possible, but teacher—"—you cultivate the Ten Thousand Laws Clone, do you feel anything is wrong?"Zhao Xing asked.

Liu Tianning fell silent for a moment, then his voice was low and somber. "Zhao Xing, I'm sorry."

Zhao Xing was even more surprised. "Teacher, what are you saying?"

Liu Tianning sighed, "The Ten Thousand Laws Clone has its drawbacks, and I thought I could solve this problem."

"Because even Xu Xing is not as good as me! He only has five top-level Dharma Bodies, but I have cultivated seven! And the number far exceeds his!"

"But I failed; I couldn't change the problem."

"On the contrary, the stronger the problem, the more serious it is."

"Only if I succeed to the position of dean can this situation be temporarily suppressed."

Liu Tianning said, "Historically, there has never been an era in which two people cultivated the top-tier Ten Thousand Laws Clone and lived to old age unharmed."

"I led you down this path, but I couldn't solve this problem for you. Now, you have cultivated a top-level Dharma body. If Keep Moving, you will encounter the same problem as me."

Zhao Xing paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Teacher, it's not your fault. I've also noticed the drawbacks of this method, but it's not without hope of a solution."

He certainly didn't blame Liu Tianning. He had taken the initiative to learn this magic, but he hadn't thought about becoming his apprentice at the time.

Furthermore, there is a solution to the problem of the Ten Thousand Laws Clone.

Liu Tianning may not know that the Derivation God Art he practices is different from his own.

From the current perspective, the correct cultivation method is able to control the Ten Thousand Laws Clone.

"Teacher, there are still some things that are inconvenient to talk about right now," Zhao Xing said. "But I am certain that there is a solution." Liu Tianning's illusory figure looked over. He was a little unsure of Zhao Xing's attitude. Was he trying to comfort himself, or was there really some secret that he didn't know?

"Okay, I believe you. Let's solve this problem together, master and apprentice."

In February of the thirty-seventh year of the Jingxin Calendar, there was basically no fighting in Pinghai Province.

The restoration and recovery efforts are also progressing rapidly.

Barring external influences, given the strength of the Great Zhou, the chaotic celestial phenomena and altered landscape of Pinghai Province could easily be restored.

In particular, the Earthly Advantage Faction's Kunyuan Recreation a top-tier restorative technique. Once cast, it can cover an entire county, and the recovery speed is very fast.

Because the Liang King died prematurely and did not cause further chaos, Zhao Xing found that, overall, the damage suffered by the Great Zhou in this life was less than that in the previous life.

At least based on the information from Pinghai Province, this is the case.

This further confirmed his suspicion.

The tenth day of the second lunar month Spring She Day.

A large number of imperial envoys entered Pinghai Province.

At the same time, Heaven Derivation King also revealed some hints.

Next, the imperial court will begin to review the Pinghai Province Rebellion and conduct a more detailed and in-depth analysis.

Zhao Xing naturally understood that the cleanup that followed had begun.

Emperor Jing no longer intended to wage Pacifying Barbarians War, so he naturally had enough energy to eliminate internal threats.

How many foreign forces have taken advantage of this wave to go into hiding?

Does not accepting the Black Dragon Luck's bestowal of imperial favor necessarily equate to loyalty? Did he secretly provide financial assistance to the Liang King's group?

"Anything that gets even slightly involved will be a big problem," Zhao Xing thought to himself. "Fortunately, the groundwork was laid back in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven. I, Chen Shijie, and Long Xiao were all demoted for offending the Liang King, and later we were assassinated in the East Sea."

"Many things may not seem significant at the moment, but a retrospective review can provide valuable evidence."

From the beginning of February to the end of March in the thirty-seventh year of the Jingxin Calendar, the sky was clear and the earth was bright in Pinghai Province, but a dark cloud always hung over everyone's hearts.

Because in these two months, a large number of officials were executed or imprisoned. Those who fared less severely were stripped of their power, their titles, fiefdoms, ranks, and honorary ranks.

Especially for military leaders and oligarchs, even a small mistake can escalate into a major one.

Even the Seventy-Two Dao Academies could not escape unscathed and all had to give Di Yi explanation.

In this atmosphere, almost all of Zhao Xing's clones shrank back.

He stayed in Tianyuan Prefecture and simply carried out the two tasks assigned by Wang Tianzhi.

By late April, the tense atmosphere seemed to have eased somewhat.

The first batch of rewards has been issued.

On this day, Zhao Xing, who was doing hard labor in the Grotto-Heaven World, and his clone in the Phenology Institute both received orders.

"Zhao Xing, return to Tianyuan Prefecture immediately! An imperial edict has arrived!"