Meeting Emperor Jing and Winning a Promotion!

Cold and dark, the distorted starlight reflected on the dragon scales, which quickly faded, revealing tanned skin.

"It's charred in one spot, red in another, and white in yet another, just like after cupping. Well, this Heavenly Mystery Magic Robe and Almanac have all been burned to ashes." Zhao Xing patted it twice, and ashes sifted off his body.

The Fu Ming Smelting Furnace was so powerful that even though Zhao Xing had broken through to the Second Rank, it still burned his skin.

Fortunately, after entering the Yin Realm, the cold aura suppressed the furnace, and with the fire gone, the outer layer of the furnace gradually cooled down.

"Last time it was the primordial spirit that came in, this time even the physical body came in together. The warship's Yin-Yang traversal function is really powerful." Zhao Xing looked around.

The Ancient Yin Warship drifted aimlessly, its field of vision a patchy, dark expanse. Zhao Xing realized it was sailing through a cloud of 'dark clouds'.

After treating his injuries, Zhao Xing walked to a cabin at the bow of the ship and inserted the Shang Tang Token.

"Buzz~" The rudder rose a bit higher, and Zhao Xing Essence Soul Leaving the Body, placing his hands in the recessed slots.

A map of the Yin Realm appeared in his mind, while the Ancient Yin Warship remained still, ignoring the spatial flow of the Yin Realm.

"Does our current location correspond to the Eastern Ying seas of Japan in the mortal realm?"

"How did things turn out like this? In just one instant, the changes are truly remarkable."

If Zhao Xing were to travel between the mortal and spiritual realms now, his location would be in the outer seas of Eastern Ying after he returned to the mortal world.

"The best route back to the Great Zhou— " Zhao Xing's palm began to twitch.

The masts on the Ancient Yin Warship began to rattle fiercely, and dark clouds gathered in front of them.

"First, jump into that dark cloud, and jump four times in a row. Then, following the route of ' Guiyin, Guizi, Guichen, Guiwu,' you can cut into the North-South Great Nether Flow."

"By following the north and south currents, we can return to the territory of the Nineteen Provinces."

Navigating the Ancient Yin Warship was relatively easy for Zhao Xing. As long as he remembered "yin and yang are opposite, the heavenly stems and earthly branches are positioned, and the time of day is in harmony," he could use the spatial flow of the Yin Realm to travel.

The wonder of the Ancient Yin Warship lies in its ability to create the "Nether Cloud Path," allowing it to carve out a small path and cut off from any point onto the main road.

For example, right now, after Zhao Xing finished operating the system, a thin, misty tunnel appeared in front of the warship.

The stern left a faint ripple that spread outwards.

The entire ship was no longer level, but tilted slightly downwards.

"The potential difference created by the front and rear currents is somewhat like the Ruler of the Horizon?"

"Oh, Li Boqian is a disciple of Heavenly Yang True Lord. He must have used the Ancient Yin Warship. It seems that Ruler of the Horizon was created by comprehending the Ancient Yin Warship."

"No wonder it felt so familiar. The Nether Cloud Path reversed, when used in the Yang Realm, becomes the Yang Cloud Path."

Having reached this level of understanding, many things now seem different when viewed in retrospect.

"Li Boqian created this Cloud Method with the intention of using Cloud Method to distort space and thus change the rules of heaven and earth."

"I suspect that Old Li wants to create 99 stable and unchanging cloud paths in the mortal world."

"If this level of efficiency can be achieved, the efficiency of transportation in the mortal realm across the Nineteen Provinces will be comparable to that in the Yin Realm."

The efficiency of Yin Spirit delivering messages is very fast. By utilizing the regular spatial flow of the Yin Realm, they can arrive in an instant.

Li Boqian is aiming for the Ultimate Cloud Art!

If he could make 99 cloud paths exist in the mortal world and be passed down forever.

Then the Great Zhou could use the cloud road to transport supplies and troops.

Its transportation efficiency far surpasses that of the Ancient Earth Path, which Earthly Advantage Faction!

"Every Grand Minister of Agriculture is full of ambition."

By observing people through the lens of law, Zhao Xing gained insight into Li Boqian's inner thoughts.

The path of clouds will forever flow, connecting Nineteen Provinces —what a lofty ambition!

"It seems that the Cloud Method of Ruler of the Horizon is not intended for personal use at all, but the hope of achieving such a level is slim."

From Zhao Xing's perspective, Ruler of the Horizon must first reach the ultimate level.

Secondly, Li Boqian also needs to reach the [Establish Dao Realm] (

Only in this way can the possibility of connecting the Nineteen Provinces via the cloud path be realized.

However, this is only a possibility.

Take the Li Fire True Lord as an example. His "Borrowing Fire to Travel" was achieved by utilizing the Li Fire Divine Altar.

"The Li Fire True Lord is at the Establish Dao Realm + Divine Artifact, enabling him to teleport over long distances."

"Li Boqian wants to achieve this effect by the Establish Dao Realm + Cloud Method, without wanting to pay the price," Zhao Xing chuckled.

Unfortunately, this idea was destined to fail.

"It's impossible for Li Boqian to reach the [Establish Dao Realm]. Without the Spiritual Energy Revival, the number of people who can normally reach the Establish Dao Realm in the entire Vital Energy Era, not counting those half-dead old guys, can be counted on one hand."

"Emperor Jing should only be at the normal Rule Realm, perhaps extremely close to establishing the Dao, but definitely not at the normal Establish Dao Realm," Zhao Xing thought.

"Developing an innovative Ultimate Cloud Art is no simple task, and besides, the situation in the Yin Realm is different from that in the mortal realm," Zhao Xing thought.

"In this light, the Kunpeng Transformation is not the Ultimate Law, nor is the Cloud Method Ruler Ultimate Law Ruler of the Horizon. Only the Yuan Seal might be the Ultimate Law."

"Old Li's lifespan is also coming to an end. He will definitely pass away before Emperor Jing. After this matter is settled, I must go and find him to learn this technique from my previous life."

The Yuan Seal system of the previous generation was only mentioned once or twice in the biography of Li Boqian, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, so it was obviously not inherited.

It is now the sixteenth year of the Great Governance Era. Li Boqian was about to die during the Eternal Governance Era era, and his lifespan should be about the same as that of the Heaven Derivation King.

"Xu Xing the seventeenth year of the Great Governance Era era. A few decades later, Xuan Yuan Qingtian, the leader of the Earthly Advantage Faction of the Kunyuan Academy, will also die, followed by Li Boqian, the Grand Minister of Agriculture."

"Son of Heaven. Not only the Agricultural Official, but also the leaders of other professions, all died of old age. In the end, it was Emperor Jing died."

Xu Xing died the earliest, not because he cultivated the Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet, but mainly because he was older to begin with.

The Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet only drives people mad, not shortens their lifespan. Therefore, it is said that Xu Xing peacefully in the seventeenth year of the Great Governance Era, even if he had not cultivated the Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet.

Three days later.

"Boom!"

A black cloud burst forth from the stern of the warship, and the next moment Zhao Xing saw a streak of aurora light flash by, along with the shadowy figure of Yin Spirit passing by.

"We've returned to the territory of the Great Zhou. This should correspond to the islands of the East Sea."

"This way of traveling is fast, but it's not a reliable method," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

Regardless of their realm, as long as they are not dead, they can only stay in the Yin Realm for a maximum of seven days after becoming Yin Spirit or ghost.

The physical body's stay is even shorter; even if one stays on the Ancient Yin Warship, it can only last for five days.

If it exceeds five days, no matter how strong you are, your physical body will disintegrate and collapse, and that will be a true dead end.

"Now that I have so many treasures and have become a pivotal figure in the Dragon Court Ancient Land, I must at least go and meet Emperor Jing," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

The deity himself must personally go to pay homage; otherwise, it would be disrespectful.

On the fourth day, Zhao Xing arrived at the Yin Realm corresponding to Tianyong Province.

"Whoosh~"

Ancient Yin Warship appeared in the private palace of Heavenly Yang True Lord.

In the distance, the aurora shimmered, the spatial flow disappeared, and he entered a stable underworld region.

"Grandmaster~ Grandmaster~"

Zhao Xing stood at the bow of the boat, calling out loudly.

Before long, Heavenly Yang True Lord flew out of the palace.

Upon seeing Zhao Xing's physical body and primordial spirit on the warship, Heavenly Yang True Lord couldn't help but laugh.

"Grand-disciple, it's only the end of the sixteenth year of the Great Governance Era, how come you've already come out?"

"Your body is in this state, did you go to a doctor for Acupuncture and Moxibustion and cupping?"

Zhao Xing bowed and said, "Grandmaster, I'm fine, just some superficial injuries."

"My grand-disciple didn't escape because he encountered danger."

"Look how many good things I brought out!"

Zhao Xing waved his hand, dispelling the barrier around the Ancient Yin Warship and revealing the pile of treasures inside.

What hasn't Heavenly Yang True Lord seen?

He had intended to join his grand-disciple in expressing his amazement.

Upon seeing what was on the ship, the feigned shock turned into genuine shock.

"Wow!"

"Did you destroy the Dragon Race's stronghold?"

Heavenly Yang True Lord was truly astonished.

There are piles of treasures!

As the Grand Minister of Agriculture in charge of the country's finances, what hadn't he seen?

But he had never seen anything like this before!

Mountains of Ancient Dragon Saliva Incense, mountains of Dragon Blood Sacred Leaf, and tons of Dragon Crystal Marrow, plus over twenty rare divine Divine Soldier —"—

What's even more awe-inspiring are the Fu Ming Furnace and the Kunyuan Divine Hoe!

Heavenly Yang True Lord saw these two things, he started swearing.

"Damn barbarians! This, this is—am I seeing things?"

Zhao Xing picked up the Shennong Hoe and handed it to Heavenly Yang True Lord with a grin. "Feel it, let your grand-disciple verify the goods, and see if they're genuine."

With the Shennong Hoe in hand, Heavenly Yang True Lord immediately perked up, his whole body gleaming golden, as if coated with a layer of divine light.

"It can't be fake! It can't be fake!" Heavenly Yang True Lord, holding the Shennong Hoe, dug down with the momentum.

"L mouth~,

Bright yellow mist rose from Shennong Hoe, and the Netherworld land below the warship suddenly seemed to shrink.

The palace of the Heavenly Yang True Lord instantly became a palace a thousand meters Gao Shan.

"It's it, it's the one!" Heavenly Yang True Lord exclaimed excitedly.

He picked up the Kunyuan Divine Hoe and examined it closely.

The vanished land shrank to a tiny lump of mud, appearing on the hoe blade.

Seeing this, Zhao Xing nodded slightly. As expected of the former Grand Minister of Agriculture, he immediately demonstrated the power of the Kunyuan Divine Hoe.

That's why they say this amazing tool is incredible for digging ancient roads. With just one stroke of the hoe, it dug away a 20-kilometer radius, 1,000-meter-thick layer of soil.

Seeing that Heavenly Yang True Lord was about to dig again, Zhao Xing hurriedly said, "Grandmaster, stop digging! You still need to stay here. Let's find another place."

"That's true." Heavenly Yang True Lord immediately took Zhao Xing and flew to another place to dig to his heart's content.

The old man threw the excavated soil into the space, and several mountains took shape and disappeared. He had a great time playing with it.

He finally calmed down after a quarter of an hour.

"That was awesome! So awesome!"

Heavenly Yang True Lord, holding a hoe, stood at his feet and sighed with satisfaction, "Grand-disciple, one of my greatest regrets in life is that I never got to hold the Kunyuan Divine Hoe."

"I never imagined that the wish I couldn't fulfill while I was alive would be fulfilled hundreds of years after I died."

He handed the Kunyuan Divine Hoe to Zhao Xing: "Grandmaster, thank you. I can now die without regrets."

Grand Minister of Agriculture has never held the Shennong Hoe has an incomplete life; no other divine artifact is as significant as it.

"Grandmaster, you're too Guest Qi to me." Zhao Xing smiled and accepted the Shennong Hoe. "I have something else to give you."

"Hahaha, let me see what other filial offerings your grand-disciple has to offer."

Heavenly Yang True Lord was overjoyed and flew back to the Ancient Yin Warship with Zhao Xing.

Zhao Xing rolled up a large amount of Ancient Dragon Saliva Incense and Dragon Blood Sacred Leaf.

Heavenly Yang True Lord's eyes lit up. "Grand-disciple, this is a bit too high-class."

He had seen ambergris and Dragon Blood Sacred Leaf before, but the quality here was clearly different.

"Of course, this is reserved for the Dragon Emperor!"

"Here, try it and see how it tastes."

"Look, first crush it, then roll it up with Dragon Blood Sacred Leaf, and then ignite it with Dragon Crystal Marrow —that's how the Dragon Emperor smokes!"

After Zhao Xing's actions, a large cigarette appeared.

He lit the fire and held the other half up, presenting it to Heavenly Yang True Lord.

"Sigh~"

Heavenly Yang True Lord took a deep breath, his face filled with ecstasy, as if he were floating on air.

It held its breath for a long time before slowly exhaling.

"How is it?" Zhao Xing asked.

"That's powerful!" Heavenly Yang True Lord nodded vigorously.

As Yin Spirit, these are the things he likes best.

The offerings to the dragon and the offerings to humans are of a different kind of spirit.

What's more, this is exclusive to the Dragon Emperor, so its prestige is on a completely different level!

With such a powerful aura, coupled with its already excellent effect, the old man was overjoyed.

"I've saved a special portion for you." Zhao Xing waved his hand, and a batch was sent to the palace of Heavenly Yang True Lord. "Don't tell anyone, or some Yin Spirit might come and try to steal your offerings."

"Hahaha, why are you acting so sneaky?" Heavenly Yang True Lord chuckled. "Don't worry, even if that brat Boqian comes down, I won't give it to him!"

This was a gift from my grand-disciple! Want it? Go find it yourself!

Seeing Heavenly Yang True Lord's happy expression, Zhao Xing was also pleased.

Heavenly Yang True Lord had helped him a great deal. Back in Tianhe Prefecture, without Heavenly Yang True Lord's close protection, he wouldn't have dared to act recklessly.

He also gave himself a Shang Tang Token, which could travel between the realms of Yin and Yang and was key to his later resurrection.

Combined with the Soul Heaven Fruit, it's like having a second life!

"Grand-disciple, you've gained quite a bit in the Dragon Court."

"Come, tell your grandmaster what exactly happened."

Heavenly Yang True Lord was in high spirits and insisted that Zhao Xing tell him the story of the Dragon Court.

The two began to chat casually in the palace.

"What? The Dragon Emperor Codex? There's such a thing!"

"You exchanged it from Yin Xiu and then used it to summon Yin Xiu? Hahaha, amazing! That Dragon King probably has no idea what he missed."

"The Misa Palace? It can influence the Dragon King's challenge missions? Hiss—"

"The Purple Bone Celestial Venerable of the White Bone Sect presented you with eighteen treasures? Where did the White Bone Sect get so many good things? That fool probably even pawned his bones, hahaha!"

Laughter never stopped in the palace.

While smoking the Ancient Dragon Saliva Incense, Heavenly Yang True Lord listened to Zhao Xing recount his experiences, occasionally glancing at the Kunyuan Divine Hoe. This was simply the happiest and most pleasant time for him.

However, time is ultimately limited. Zhao Xing had already stayed here for more than four days and had to leave.

"Grandmaster, your grand-disciple must go out now."

Heavenly Yang True Lord flicked off the dust, somewhat reluctant to part with it.

However, he also knew that he couldn't keep Zhao Xing for too long.

"Your return is confidential, but now that you are back in Tianyong Province, you should pay your respects to His Majesty, and then we will make further arrangements."

"Yes." Zhao Xing listened obediently.

"I have already informed Li Boqian, and he is on his way back. You will then tear open the passage from here."

After leaving, I went directly to his Agriculture Official's Residence, and then followed his instructions.

"I am a timid disciple. If I were to suddenly meet His Majesty, I would inevitably be impolite. It is my master who has thought things through," Zhao Xing flattered.

"Don't be afraid!" Heavenly Yang True Lord waved his hand dismissively. "I watched His Majesty grow up. He may not be a benevolent ruler, but he is certainly not narrow-minded."

Zhao Xing remained silent; the old man could make such a assessment, but he dared not agree.

"Go see him without worry. You have Li Boqian, Liu Tianning, and Meng Kun to look after you, and I, your grandmaster, and Meng Haishan to support you."

"The world is vast; you can go anywhere!"

Tianyong Province, Abundance Capital, Dongcheng.

The residence of the Grand Minister of Agriculture, the Four Seasons Garden.

"~"

A black crack appeared above the Four Seasons Garden. On the comb pole, the Black Bird Banner reflected in the void, spreading its wings and continuously widening the crack.

Strange celestial phenomena occurred, Yin Wind howled.

However, after expanding to a certain extent, twelve Golden Light appeared in the sky, as if nails were fixing the sky curtain in place.

This prevented the strange phenomenon from spreading further, and the area around the black crack remained sunny and calm.

Grand Minister of Agriculture Li Boqian pointed, and a cloud path stretched out diagonally, like a life ladder, first bringing down the large object Fu Ming Smelting Furnace.

Then came a multitude of precious materials, and a figure sliding down the cloud ladder.

The black crack disappeared without a sound or movement, as if nothing had happened.

"Zhao Xing pays his respects to the Grand Minister of Agriculture!"

Li Boqian looked at Zhao Xing's wounds and helped him up.

"Zhao Xing, you've worked hard."

"Don't worry, it's just a minor injury," Zhao Xing said with a smile. "A little medicine will do the trick."

"No, what I meant by 'hard work' was that you have to bear with it a little longer, don't let it heal yet." Li Boqian pointed to the wound. "If it heals too quickly, it won't be enough to show your contribution."

"If you bring back so many precious materials and artifacts intact, others will only think you did it very easily. If they are too easy to obtain, others will not appreciate the fruits of your labor."

Zhao Xing was taken aback.

He looked around.

Sure enough, there were Earth Mirror on all sides, accurately reflecting his wounds and the tattered fragments of his robe.

You truly deserve the title of Grand Minister of Agriculture!

Zhao Xing sincerely admired it.

"Alright, you can change into it now." Seeing that the photos were almost taken, Li Boqian handed Zhao Xing a new set of official robes.

While Zhao Xing was changing clothes, Li Boqian also came to the furnace and picked up the divine weapon, the Kunyuan Divine Hoe.

"It really is it."

Li Boqian was also extremely excited at this moment.

Hearing about it is one thing, but only when you actually hold the Kunyuan Divine Hoe in your hands can you truly feel its charm.

The Kunyuan Divine Hoe is called the Shennong Hoe because it has a special significance for the Agricultural Official.

Even after his death, the Heavenly Yang True Lord remembered it, which shows its importance.

"I'm better than the old man, hahaha." Li Boqian laughed smugly.

When the old man was the Grand Minister of Agriculture, he had many magical artifacts, but he never encountered a war, and he never actually used the Mountain and River Diagram or the Solar Terms Decree.

Many powerful artifacts won't unleash their full potential unless there's a war!

Furthermore, Heavenly Yang True Lord never held the Kunyuan Divine Hoe during his lifetime!

"The first Grand Minister of Agriculture in the Great Zhou Calendar to wield the Shennong Hoe!" Li Boqian said with a proud smile.

"Now I can brag to all the seniors about it."

Especially when encountering the Shennong God Earthly Advantage Faction.

What? Senior, you've never used the Shennong Hoe?

Well, I've tried it. That thing is just so-so.

"Hehe, hehe--" Thinking of this cool scene, Li Boqian couldn't help but yearn for it and couldn't wait to go down there.

Zhao Xing, who had just changed his clothes, watched Li Boqian's silly grin and didn't know what to say. This was not even the leader of the Earthly Advantage Faction. If he brought the Shennong Hoe to the Kunyuan Academy, who knew what kind of sensation it would cause.

However, he couldn't care less about that at the moment; now that he was back, he had a lot of official business to attend to.

For example, the internal situation of the Dragon Court, the ownership of the treasures, and the audience with Emperor Jing.

At this moment, Zhao Xing sealed his memory palace again.

He did this before entering Tianyong Province. Although he was already at the Second-Rank Heavenly Fate Realm, it was impossible for anyone to know his thoughts. But once he arrived in Abundance Capital, he kept a low profile.

"Zhao Xing, these treasures were all brought back by you," Li Boqian finally got down to business. "What are your plans?"

Zhao Xing had already made his decision and immediately stated his position. "The Dragon Emperor Codex is already bound to my soul. I will leave the Kunyuan Divine Hoe behind for the time being to study its mysteries, comprehend its methods, and observe its principles in preparation for annotating the code."

"The remaining treasures are all willing to be handed over to the national treasury and allocated by the Grand Minister of Agriculture."

Make your stance clear first, but you have no intention of negotiating the Dragon Emperor Codex and the Kunyuan Divine Hoe.

As for the other treasures, handing them all over is also a matter of attitude.

The imperial court certainly wouldn't want it all; it would definitely keep a portion for him personally, and the portion it took would be exchanged for merit.

Furthermore, Zhao Xing was referring to handing it over to the national treasury, not the imperial treasury; these are two different things.

The national treasury is still managed by the Grand Minister of Agriculture, isn't it? With Li Boqian dead, it's now in Old Liu's hands. In the end, it's still in his own pocket.

Therefore, Zhao Xing's attitude was very thorough.

As for dragon eggs and spiritual liquid, there's no need to say more; they're not things that can be taken out, just like the Dragon Emperor Codex and the Kunyuan Divine Hoe.

Li Boqian nodded slightly. "Your willingness to hand it all over shows your sincerity. However, the imperial court won't take it all into the national treasury; otherwise, what would become of the country?"

"I will discuss with the other department heads and reserve some resources for you, and then report to His Majesty."

"His Majesty will also reward you for your contributions."

"As for the Dragon Emperor Codex and the Kunyuan Divine Hoe, we should also petition His Majesty to include them in the list, and then His Majesty can issue an edict to bestow them upon you. Do you understand what I mean?"

Zhao Xing respectfully replied, "This humble official understands."

He brought back the divine artifact, but it was just to carry out official court duties. It was all thanks to the court's training and His Majesty's wisdom!

It's true that you've made great contributions, but you still need to be humble and low-key.

In this way, both face and substance are satisfied, and everyone is happy.

I chatted with Zhao Xing for a while and set the tone and process.

Li Boqian nodded in satisfaction.

His biggest fear was that Zhao Xing would become arrogant and complacent after achieving great success.

The Great Governance Era era has lasted for sixteen years, and how many arrogant civil and military officials have disappeared without a trace? Li Boqian knows this all too well!

Even Wang Tianzhi was persuaded by him to resign and pursue cultivation.

However, his worries were completely unnecessary; Zhao Xing had long seen through Emperor Jing.

It's impossible for him to be arrogant; I just hope Emperor Jing won't do anything wrong.

After giving his instructions, Li Boqian began to carefully count the items.

Suddenly, he looked at eighteen of the treasures.

"Hmm? How come there are so many Human Race treasures? Three [Witch Immortal Cauldron] from the Southern Barbarians, five sets of Golden Feather Divine Armor, four Spirit Witch Staff, and these three bone artifacts, the crafting techniques of which are clearly from the White Bone Sect ------How come the Great Serpent Country's divine artifacts [Ama-no-Murakumo Sword] and [Yasakani no Magatama Sword] are also here?"

Li Boqian had no idea that Zhao Xing had tricked the Purple Bone Celestial Venerable, and the information was not timely.

Zhao Xing smiled and said, "This is a long story. Back when I entered the Misa Palace— "

After hearing his explanation, Li Boqian was stunned for a moment.

"How novel! Such a vast royal court and top-tier sect, yet you've managed to completely outmaneuver them."

"Hahaha, the White Bone Sect definitely doesn't have that many good things; most of them were borrowed."

"It looks like it's going to go bankrupt now."

How can we not go bankrupt?

For the next few hundred years, the Purple Bone Celestial Venerable will have to work like crazy to pay off the sect's debts.

After discussing official business, Zhao Xing stopped referring to himself by his official title.

"Teacher, I heard that Xu Xing, the dean of the Shangluo Academy, is about to pass away. I would like to go and see him off."

Upon hearing this, Li Boqian nodded. "He does indeed have little time left. As far as I know, Xu Xing will pass away at the beginning of next year's Lunar New Year."

"You returned through the Shang Tang Token, which cannot be exposed. Therefore, you must reappear openly only after the 20th year of the Great Governance Era, when the Dragon Court closes."

"Now that the matter in Abundance Capital is settled, you may go and see him off."

"Yes." Zhao Xing understood that it was not appropriate to reveal too much now.

Even taking the Kunyuan Divine Hoe to the Kunyuan Academy wasn't something one could just do casually. It required an announcement to the world and a grand ceremony, all of which occurred twenty years into the Great Governance Era.

"Rest for a day and make preparations. Go to see the Emperor tomorrow."

"Yes."

On December 7th of the sixteenth year of the Great Governance Era era, Zhao Xing, accompanied by Li Boqian, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, secretly entered the palace.

Emperor Jing Ji Mingjing, received Zhao Xing at the Heaven Origin Hall.

"Your subject, Zhao Xing, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

May Your Majesty live a long and prosperous life!

Zhao Xing hadn't looked up the whole way, but as he entered the hall, he caught a glimpse of the light emanating from the throne and respectfully bowed down.

Li Boqian also performed the full ceremony.

No need for formalities.

A majestic voice came from the throne.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Zhao Xing bowed again, then stood up.

Only then did he take a closer look at the figure on the throne.

His imposing figure on the throne resembled a majestic Gao Shan, radiating an irresistible aura of authority.

He wore a long purple-gold robe, embroidered with mysterious runes, each line flowing with powerful energy, and the Golden Light shimmering like starlight.

His face was resolute and stern, his eyes deep and unfathomable, seemingly containing boundless wisdom and keen insight.

The occasional glint in his eyes seemed to pierce through the mists of time and space, making it impossible to look directly at him.

He wore a dazzling crown with nineteen sparkling gems, each gem carrying immense power, their light intertwining to form a mysterious radiance that enveloped his body.

Zhao Xing's eyebrows twitched at this sight, because Emperor Jing's body was too tall, exceeding ten meters!

He's a giant!

"Please take a seat."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhao Xing and Li Boqian bowed again, but this time they did not need to perform the full ceremony. The two walked in a square manner and knelt down in front of the two tables on the left.

At this moment, the Golden Light emanating from Ji Mingjing faded, making him appear less imposing and more approachable.

The fact that the meeting was not held in public indicates that the atmosphere of this meeting was a relatively casual chat between the ruler and his subject.

"Your Majesty, I have good news to report," Li Boqian said after taking his seat.

"Oh? What's there to be happy about?"

"Marquis Zhao Xing of Divine Might Marquis returned from the Dragon Court ahead of schedule, with a great harvest that far exceeded my expectations," Li Boqian said.

In fact, Emperor Jing already knew, and now it was just a matter of going through the motions.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xing immediately stood up and reported to his superior:

"Thanks to Your Majesty's great fortune, I was fortunate enough to obtain twenty-three treasure-level artifacts, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-two pieces of treasure-level material [Ancient Dragon Saliva Incense], five thousand eight hundred and nineteen pieces of treasure-level [Dragon Blood Sacred Leaf], and sixty thousand eleven thousand two hundred and sixty pieces of treasure-level [Dragon Crystal Marrow]."

"In addition, there are three rare Dragon Emperor Codex, the Kunyuan Divine Hoe, and the Fu Ming Furnace."

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, one zhe was approximately 120 jin.

That is to say, there are approximately 105 tons of the precious material, Ancient Dragon Saliva Incense.

The Dragon Blood Sacred Leaf weighs approximately 349 tons.

The largest quantity is Dragon Crystal Marrow, totaling 3,672 tons!

Precious materials, every penny counted!

Both "anchor" and "zhu" are units of weight, equivalent to grams. One can imagine how much cargo Zhao Xing brought back from Dragon Court.

Aside from those obtained through deception, many of these items are still unique!

If Old Master Zhao weren't afraid of being hunted down, he could defect and flee the country. With all these things, he could easily go abroad and create a top-tier sect on his own.

Of course, this would be a foolish move. It wouldn't be long before the reign of Wu Emperor arrived, and the Profound Yellow World would be engulfed in war. To abandon the Great Zhou and surrender to a foreign vassal at that time? That would be utterly stupid.

After the report was completed, Emperor Jing smiled and praised, "Chen'an made outstanding contributions; he is truly a fortunate general!"

This was a very high compliment, especially coming from Emperor Jing himself. The historian behind the curtain quickly noted it down.

Zhao Xing immediately bowed and said, "Your subject dares not take credit. My achievements today are entirely due to the cultivation of the court and the wisdom of Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty, I am willing to hand over all the spoils to replenish the national treasury, in order to repay Your Majesty's great kindness."

Emperor Jing nodded slightly. "I am pleased that you have such a kind intention, so I will grant your wish."

Zhao Xing had to thank Emperor Jing again, and bowed once more, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"You have made such a contribution, I cannot fail to reward you." Emperor Jing said, "The Kunyuan Divine Hoe is of great benefit to you, so I will allow you to keep it by my side."

"Treasured Divine Soldier are objects from beyond the mundane world, unfit for refined tastes. Go to the imperial treasury and choose any three."

Twenty-three items were submitted, and Emperor Jing bestowed three more upon them, allowing the recipient to choose any three. This reward was undeniably generous.

As for Ancient Dragon Saliva Incense, Dragon Crystal Marrow, and Dragon Blood Sacred Leaf, Emperor Jing included them in the list of rewards for promotion and titles.

Because Zhao Xing possesses the Dragon Emperor Codex, these things can still be used.

"Zhao Xing, you were originally Third Grade official awaiting transfer. Now that the Dragon Court has closed, I will promote you to the rank of Third Grade."

Choose an auspicious place to serve as an official, cultivate your character and refine your skills in seclusion, and consolidate your spiritual realm.

"The meritorious official will be promoted to the twelfth rank, and his fiefdom will be increased to one million mu. This will be determined by Boqian and the various tribes."

"In addition, I bestow upon you a pardon, five hundred Ancient Dragon Saliva Incense, two thousand Dragon Blood Sacred Leaf, ten thousand Dragon Crystal Marrow, and the Ninth Order heavy weapon ' Martial Yao Warship '. I also bestow upon you the title of Imperial Court Attendant Order Military Realm Grotto-Heaven Inspector."

After the reward was given, Zhao Xing happily kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Emperor Jing's reward was already quite generous.

His honors and official rank were both promoted, and even the fiefdoms related to nobility were granted, doubling the size of Zhao Xing's original fiefdom.

One-third of the precious materials were returned, and Zhao Xing was also granted special permission to equip himself with heavy weaponry and warships, as well as many other privileges.

Such as the Imperial Court Attendant Order can freely enter and exit the Imperial Palace, the Inspector who can go to various Grotto-Heaven and blessed lands in the Military Realm, and the Golden Token of Immunity from Death.

However, a generous reward must have an ulterior motive.

There was one thing that Emperor Jing never mentioned, and that was the Dragon Emperor Codex.

As expected, after Zhao Xing expressed his gratitude, Emperor Jing asked, "Can the Dragon Court Law Codex be carried with one's person?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, please take a look." Zhao Xing controlled his morph form, then spat out the Dragon Emperor Codex and transformed back into human form, respectfully raising it above his head.

He knew that Emperor Jing wanted to confirm whether the Dragon Emperor Codex was truly bound to his soul.

~

Emperor Jing reached out and grabbed, and the Dragon Emperor Codex floated in front of him.

Golden Light rippled, Zhao Xing felt a powerful force invading the Dragon Court Law Codex.

"Crack~" Zhao Xing felt his body trembling, and his Fate Soul was under great pressure.

In an instant, Zhao Xing was soaked in sweat.

However, this pressure comes and goes quickly.

Soon the Dragon Emperor Codex flew back.

"It is indeed a divine object," Emperor Jing commented.

"Let me ask you this: if the imperial court were to provide full assistance, could you unify the Dragon Court in a short period of time and completely drive the other forces out of the ancient land?"

As expected, it happened.

Emperor Jing truly wanted Zhao Xing to unify the Dragon Court and turn it entirely into the back garden of the Great Zhou.

Zhao Xing cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, based on my explorations in the Dragon Court over the years and my understanding of the Dragon Race —it will be very difficult to control the Dragon Court in a short period of time."

"What makes it difficult?"

Zhao Xing replied, "Although I can summon the Dragon King Yin Xiu, and even other Dragon Kings, I am limited to summoning only the Dragon King."

"Among the ten kingdoms, there is a sleeping Great Dragon King. With the legal code in my possession, I am unable to issue commands to the Great Dragon King."

"If they are the ruling Dragon Kings, I cannot arbitrarily replace them with the Dragon Lords of our dynasty."

"The other two parts of the code exist in the Sin Sea and the Abyss of Heaven Abyss."

"To retrieve it would be even more difficult than to conquer the Great Dragon King."

"If we can't get them back, we can't deprive the Outside Forces of their entry slots. They can just hide in these two places."

"In other words, I can only use this code to suppress Outside Forces from profiting from it, and try my best to kill them."

However, it is impossible to completely transform the ancient lands into the territory of our dynasty.

After listening to Zhao Xing's explanation, Emperor Jing remained silent for a moment before nodding slightly and abandoning the idea.

"The Dragon Emperor Codex is a good thing. You must make good use of it and never let it fall into the hands of the enemy."

Knowing what Emperor Jing was worried about, Zhao Xing immediately declared, "Your subject will keep this in mind and will swear to protect the interests of the Great Zhou with his life."

At this point, the dialogue between the emperor and his ministers was essentially over.

Emperor Jing kept Zhao Xing and Li Boqian for a simple meal at the palace, and then formally inquired about Zhao Xing's strategies for managing natural disasters, the training of the Military Sima Nong, the Object Law Treatise, and the Collected Commentaries on the Two Classics, etc.

Zhao Xing's answer could be described as excellent, but it was nothing groundbreaking. It was just in line with his status as a genius, and compared with his previous performance, it was just average.

It wasn't until evening that Zhao Xing Xingcai and Li Boqian secretly left the palace.

After returning to the Grand Agriculture Official's Residence, Zhao Xing finally let out a long sigh of relief.

"Kid, this isn't like you," Li Boqian said, giving Zhao Xing a strange look. "Why are you so nervous?"

"Perhaps it's the first time they've met the Emperor and faced His might directly, so nervousness is inevitable," Zhao Xing said.

Li Boqian nodded, without suspecting anything.

"Xu Xing out. You should set off with me for the Daoyuan Continent tomorrow."

"After you return, we will discuss the blessed land you wish to visit."

"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded.

Early the next morning, Zhao Xing and Li Boqian left Tianyong Province and headed to the Shangluo Academy in the Daoyuan Continent.

Zhao Xing woke up with a start as soon as he left Tianyongzhou.

In his dream, the first thing he did was to check the Dragon Emperor Codex.

"As expected, if one wants to rule the Dragon Court, it's fortunate that this thing is truly soul-bound, otherwise Emperor Jing might have to consider replacing him."

"From Third Grade to Rank Third Grade? This promotion is within my expectations. The transition from Third Grade to Rank 4 is a hurdle. If it's Rank 3, it means there will be great use in the future. If it's just Rank 3, one will never be able to enter the core of the empire."

"His merit has been promoted twelve ranks, his fiefdom has doubled, and he has also been granted the titles of Imperial Palace Attendant and Inspector of Cave Heaven Blessed Land in the Military Realm."

"Who wants to walk around the palace? I have no desire to go at all."

"Inspecting the Cave Heaven Blessed Land of the Military Realm is quite good; I have the authority to go to many of the most secret and important locations."

"Martial Yao Warship? This means I can equip them with most of the weapons of war."

"A get-out-of-jail-free card—? Let's not even mention it."

Overall, receiving such an honor during the Great Governance Era years of the Jiazi Purge was already quite remarkable.

In normal times, the reward could probably be increased, but only to a limited extent.

Zhao Xing estimated that even if there were any rewards after Emperor Jing, they would all be insignificant honorary titles.

Why? He still needed to leave room for his son.

Otherwise, by the time of the Wu Emperor Dynasty, there would be nothing left for Zhao Xing to be granted, and how would his sons employ people?

"Can I exchange three times in the Imperial Treasury? Hmm? Does this mean I have a chance to establish the Great Dream Academy?" Zhao Xing was somewhat surprised.

Emperor Jing was indeed very generous this time, bringing out the entire imperial treasury for him to choose from.

"I must take a good look at this when I get back," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

The Dragon Race's divine artifacts are, after all, for the use of the Dragon Race. As for the treasure trove of the Human Race, in the entire Profound Yellow World, only the treasure trove of the Southern Barbarian Holy Mountain can rival the inner treasury of the Great Zhou Imperial Palace.

"The Dragon Court Law Codex shouldn't have been tampered with." Zhao Xing examined the Dragon Court Law Codex more carefully. "It's a rare and precious artifact. If Emperor Jing could tamper with it, he would have just taken it away. There's no need for him to do this."

After being checked, Zhao Xing regained consciousness.

On the 20th day of the 12th month of the 16th year of the Great Governance Era era, Zhao Xing secretly arrived at the Shangluo Academy in the Daoyuan Continent and Shangluo County.

"Zhao Xing, why are you out here?"

Shangluo Academy, Myriad Dao Tree, in a secret pavilion, Zhao Xing met Liu Tianning.

"The process was a bit complicated; I came out secretly." Zhao Xing stared at Liu Tianning, trying to glean some clues from his face. "Teacher, more than ten years have passed; what level have you reached?"

"First Rank, Fate Palace Initial Realm."

Zhao Xing's expression changed. "Is there something unusual about you?"

After a pause, Liu Tianning sighed and said, "Yes, and the problem is quite serious."

P. S.: Requesting double monthly votes!