Waiting Until the Chicken Pecked Clean the Rice, the Dog Licked Clean the Flour, and the Lamp Burned Through the Lock

"General Cheng Tianyou, the garrison commander of the capital, pays his respects to the Grand Minister of Agriculture." The golden-armored general bowed respectfully. "I did not know that the Grand Minister of Agriculture had arrived; please forgive me."

Seeing that Zhao Xing remained silent.

Cheng Tianyou felt uneasy. "Cheng Tianyou respectfully invites the Grand Minister of Agriculture to enter the city."

Zhao Xing spoke up, "You are not qualified to invite me into the city. Go and inform them immediately!"

The Royal City Garrison General is equivalent to the "Grand Commandant" of the Northern Chen Kingdom, but the vassal state does not have the position of Grand Commandant, and the highest rank is only the Army-Protecting General.

However, the territory of Beichen Kingdom is smaller than a prefecture, so King Qin Feng of Beichen is not yet qualified to appoint a General of the Prefecture.

Therefore, Cheng Tianyou's only real Official Rank was "Prefect Commandant". This position of Royal City Garrison General was a special post set up by the feudal state to elevate the status of the military general in power, and it was not considered a formal Official Rank in the Great Zhou.

Considering only Cheng Tianyou's position as Prefect Commandant, he was at most a Third Grade official and really had no right to invite Zhao Xing, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, to come down.

Seeing Zhao Xing's accusatory look, Cheng Tianyou knew something was wrong. He didn't dare to say anything, cupped his hands in greeting, and left his personal guards to accompany him in the sky before descending from the royal city.

Upon arriving in the royal city, Cheng Tianyou quickly headed to the palace.

He was going to inform Shen Tu Ming, the prime minister of the Northern Chen Kingdom.

King Qin Feng of Beichen is not currently in the royal city; he is carrying out important duties in the cave world.

All domestic affairs, large and small, were handled by Prime Minister Shen Tu Ming.

The prime minister of a fiefdom was generally a first-rank Ritual Cultivator.

However, the situation varies from place to place, and this Lord Shen Tu was a military general by birth.

This is because he is Qin Feng's brother-in-law, and his sister, Shen Tu Lan, is Qin Feng's queen.

Shen Tu Lan was very favored. She gave birth to four sons. Her eldest son was established as the Heir Apparent as soon as he was born, and her other three sons were also ennobled.

With five daughters, all married to dukes or princes of the current dynasty, the Shentu family was extremely prominent in the north.

Shen Tu Lan doted on her younger brother, allowing him free access to the palace, and later even letting him live in the palace.

The North Star King has been stationed in the Grotto-Heaven for many years, so it can be said that the affairs of the country, big and small, are basically decided by these two siblings.

"Her delicate figure hesitated to enter through the curtain, but then emerged from behind it with a smile, ready to greet her."

"The enchanting beauty's face is like a flower glistening with dew, and the jade tree's radiance illuminates her rear courtyard."

Jinhua Palace, Shen Tu Ming was leading his close ministers in enjoying a dance performance.

Each of him and his ministers had four maids by their side. The selection of maids was extremely particular, with each having their own unique characteristics, from slender to plump.

Two of the maids served dishes and stood beside him, and the two maids would take turns serving each other every once in a while.

Because Shen Tu Ming did not set up a serving table, the food was served by maids who acted as human dining tables. In order to allow each minister to eat more dishes, the maids became mobile.

Two maids were in his arms, one on his left and one on his right, responsible for pouring wine and feeding him. They were dressed very little, with very wide necklines and cuffs, so that the high-ranking officials could reach out and grope them at any time.

In the center of the main hall, three jade-carved trees stand, their surfaces smooth and flowing, with beautiful women adorned with colorful ribbons dancing around them.

This is the classic Jade Tree Dance of the Northern Chen Kingdom, with only one principle: twist with vigor and wear as little clothing as possible.

Shen Tu Ming's recitation of this poem was truly realistic. The radiance of the jade tree illuminated the dancer's private parts, making them faintly visible. This visual impact greatly aroused the interest of the courtiers, and even increased their appetite.

"Lord Shen Tu, what a fine poem!"

"The prosperity and grandeur of Beichen Northern Chen Kingdom today are truly due to the efforts of Lord Shen Tu!"

"Lord Shen Tu and military prowess; truly a great talent of our time!"

Flattery flooded in, and Shen Tu Ming, the prime minister who came from a military background, immediately became conceited.

"Hahaha, esteemed gentlemen, you flatter me. Come, let's drink this cup!" Lord Shen Tu laughed loudly, his eyes glazed over, his expression intoxicated.

This is the kind of life a person should live. What's the point of a life like his brother-in-law, the North Star King, who only knows how to cultivate and fight?

However, at that moment, a eunuch hurriedly entered the hall and quietly whispered in Shen Tu Ming's ear.

"Hmm? Grand Minister of Agriculture Zhao Xing? He's arrived in the capital?" Shen Tu Ming regained some of his senses.

"Yes, Prime Minister, General Cheng Tianyou, the garrison commander of the capital, just came to report."

"What's Grand Minister of Agriculture Zhao Xing doing here?" Shen Tu Ming muttered. "A Grand Minister of Agriculture like him coming all the way to the northern border, could he have some official business?"

"My lord, have you forgotten that our Northern Chen Kingdom hasn't paid the Gold Fragrance Medicine Tax for fifty years?"

"Isn't it a bit much?" Shen Tu Ming Mingyi said. "It's just a Gold Fragrance Medicine Tax, why would it be worth him coming all the way here to urge us?"

"How many people did he bring? How many troops did he lead? Did he explain his purpose?"

"No, the Grand Minister of Agriculture refused to come down from the city walls. Cheng Tianyou said he was not qualified to ask the Grand Minister of Agriculture to come down from the city."

"Hmph, they really know how to put on airs," Shen Tu Ming complained. "They've only just taken office, and they're already acting so high and mighty. Cheng Tianyou is a first-rank official, too."

Why can't we get him to come?

The guard wanted to say that the title of First-Rank Garrison Commander of the State was a nominal one and did not actually count, as even the Great Zhou did not recognize it. However, he knew that Shen Tu Ming was an incompetent fool who probably couldn't even distinguish this.

"Alright, go and tell Shen Tu Li to prepare the ceremonial guards, and also prepare my Prime Minister's ceremonial guards. I'll go and invite him down." Shen Tu Ming was very reluctant to leave this lively banquet, but he also knew that he couldn't afford to offend the Grand Minister of Agriculture.

So he stopped the music playing in the side hall. "Gentlemen, there is an urgent matter. Please forgive me for not being able to continue today. We will invite you to a banquet another day."

"Ah? Lord Shen Tu, why is that?"

"Is there any urgent matter in the Northern Chen Kingdom that requires Lord Shen Tu's personal attention?"

"Ah, I've only just begun to enjoy myself with this beauty. If I leave now, wouldn't I be making her unhappy?"

Shen Tu Ming glanced at the two generals who had begun to indulge in lewd pleasure and couldn't help but laugh, "With your skills, even if you had another hour, you still wouldn't be able to satisfy the beauty."

"Hahaha~" Everyone burst into laughter.

"Disperse, disperse." Shen Tu Ming stood up and waved his hand, dismissing the maids and dancers.

Seeing that he had already stood up, everyone else had no choice but to get up, leave their seats, and head home.

After Shen Tu Ming dismissed everyone, he ordered people to prepare a ceremonial procession as he was about to step out of the mansion.

Suddenly, I felt a premonition.

"I have a feeling this trip is going to be disastrous?"

Shen Tu Ming suddenly felt a sense of loss. He was a first-rank official, which meant he was also at the Fate Palace Realm.

However, the structure of his Life Palace was purely due to the imperial court's fortune pulling him up.

Before receiving the title, Shen Tu Ming was already a Third Grade Yuan Soul Realm.

He was definitely a weak first-grade martial artist. Not to mention comprehending the rules of the realm, he had only learned three top-level martial arts techniques, and all of them were just at the beginner level of the third Third-Turn.

Of course, he still possesses the sensitivity to his own destiny that comes with being at the Fate Palace Realm.

"It seems this Grand Minister of Agriculture is not someone to be trifled with. I should tell my sister first."

Shen Tu Ming immediately sent someone to the inner palace to inform his sister, Shen Tu Lan.

Only after he had done all this did he go out to greet them.

Before he could see Zhao Xing, half an hour had passed.

"This kind of trash dares to make me wait for an hour?" Zhao Xing was genuinely amused when he saw Shen Tu Ming.

A weak first-rank official who rose to power through the dynasty's fortune actually made me wait for a full hour.

Shen Tu Ming even put on a grand show, displaying the ceremonial guards of a prime minister before coming to greet him.

It really made Old Master Zhao laugh.

"Shen Tu Ming, the Prime Minister of the Northern Chen Kingdom, greets the Grand Minister of Agriculture."

Shen Tu Ming's bow was only a half-bow, because he felt that he was a first-rank official while Zhao Xing was a first-rank official, so there was only a half-rank difference between them.

Zhao Xing was too lazy to waste any more words arguing with him after such rudeness.

They didn't even have the thought of criticizing him.

"Change!"

Without a word, Zhao Xing unleashed the Morning Crow Yellow Ear Transformation.

"What? Ouch~"

Caught off guard, Shen Tu Ming's body lurched and he fell onto the carriage, his crown and ribbons scattering all over the ground.

"Hey, what are you doing?!"

Shen Tu Ming was very puzzled. Why did Zhao Xing suddenly make a move?

Zhao Xing was also puzzled. In the past two years, he had become the Grand Minister of Agriculture and had also received the resources and benefits that the Grand Minister of Agriculture was entitled to.

Among them, the Solar Terms Decree, a divine artifact of the Time Faction, is a rare and precious artifact.

The Seventy-Two Seasonal Mark Heavenly Seal are also considered rare treasures.

The Lingshi Star Compass is a treasure-level item.

The Earthly Advantage Faction: the Kunyuan Divine Hoe, a peerless treasure.

The Earth Emperor Cauldron is a treasure-level structure.

With the divine artifact at his side for comprehension and the support of various resources, Zhao Xing did not make a great leap in the realm of Dao, but his progress in the realm of Law was rapid.

He has long since mastered the spell "Yuan Seal" and reached the ultimate fifth level.

Although the "Morning Crow Yellow Ear Transformation" is only one of the four basic techniques of Yuan Seal, it is also a top-level perfect secret technique.

How could this little Shen Tu Ming possibly withstand the Transformation of Seasons Art he himself had implemented?

Zhao Xing only realized what was happening after examining the scene with his Soul Heaven Vision.

"I see."

A strong protective Golden Light emanated from Shen Tu Ming's body, circulating within him.

This is the power left behind by the North Star King, a very high level of rule-based power.

Since the North Star King is already a true Super First Rank, his rule power can still take effect even if he is not physically present.

So his casual pointing just now didn't work, and Yellow Ear Transformation didn't succeed.

"Grand Minister of Agriculture, what crime has the Prime Minister committed? Why did you suddenly intervene?" Cheng Tianyou was also taken aback, not expecting Shen Tu Ming to come out to greet him.

Without saying a word, Zhao Xing took action.

"Why should I explain my actions to you?" Zhao Xing Xingting glanced at Cheng Tianyou, and the powerful pressure on his soul immediately made Cheng Tianyou break out in a cold sweat.

He was also at the Fate Palace Realm, but in front of Zhao Xing, he couldn't even muster the thought of drawing his spear.

Zhao Xing pointed at Shen Tu Ming again. He wanted to find out the truth, and of course, it would be much easier to detain Shen Tu Ming and investigate him immediately.

With just one glance, he knew that the Northern Chen Kingdom had been completely ruined by this person.

What kind of prime minister could allow the defenses of the royal city to be so lax?

What kind of prime minister could go fifty years without paying taxes?

Of course, the most important thing is that he was able to leave the Grand Minister of Agriculture standing in the air above the capital for more than an hour.

They completely disregard him!

"Change!"

This time, Zhao Xing put in a lot of effort when casting the spell.

His magic bypassed the protection left by the North Star King and successfully turned Shen Tu Ming into a fat Big Yellow.

The power of the rules left behind by the North Star King is not a very strong form of protection.

It is absolutely impossible to defend against a powerful figure like Zhao Xing.

Come to think of it, it's impossible for some supreme expert to come and kill his brother-in-law within the territory of the Northern Chen Kingdom.

This is, after all, within the territory of the Great Zhou. Who would dare to act so recklessly?

"Woof woof?"

Shen Tu Ming was terrified and ran away as fast as he could.

Believe it or not, the North Star King really doted on him. After turning into Big Yellow, Golden Light emanated from his body. Using this power, he actually ran towards the palace in a flash.

Zhao Xing could capture him, but he wouldn't pursue him. Instead, he would wait and see who Shen Tu Ming would turn to for help.

The civil and military officials present were dumbfounded and didn't react for a moment.

After realizing what was happening, they still didn't know what to do.

Zhao Xing then looked at the Agriculture Official in the crowd.

"Who is Lou Zhenyun, the Agriculture Overseer of the Northern Chen Kingdom?"

An official suddenly appeared from the back of the line, and walked up to Zhao Xing with a guilty expression. "This guilty subject, Lou Zhenyun, pays his respects to the Grand Minister of Agriculture."

Zhao Xing is a king, so it's perfectly acceptable for Lou Zhenyun to address him as his subject.

"Lou Zhenyun, you've really disappointed me." Zhao Xing's eyes were cold.

Lou Zhenyun was selected by Zhao Xing from a group of Third Grade officials during the early Yuan Hunting Era period, after Liu Tianning became the Grand Minister of Agriculture.

At that time, he was the Agriculture Minister, responsible for the selection and appointment of the chief Agriculture Overseer in the various vassal states of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The Agriculture Overseer in a fiefdom was Second Rank official with considerable power.

Because he held supreme agricultural power over a vassal state.

The position of Agriculture Overseer, a powerful Official Rank within the Second Rank, is a very important one.

When Old Master Zhao chose Lou Zhenyun, he did so for two reasons: first, he had an outstanding resume and was a man of action; second, he came from a humble background and had a good reputation.

However, after fifty years, Northern Chen Kingdom still couldn't collect the Gold Fragrance Medicine Tax. It was only after Chen Yu discovered this that the abnormal situation was reported.

That proves that Lou Zhenyun was seriously negligent in his duties!

"I am ashamed of the Grand Minister of Agriculture's promotion and am willing to accept any punishment." Lou Zhenyun was at the end of the procession. As soon as he saw Zhao Xing arrive in person, he knew what it meant.

"You were transferred here in the twentieth year of the Yuan Hunting Era, and in just sixty years, you have become so corrupt." Zhao Xing stared at Lou Zhenyun and quickly saw the various sins he was confessing to.

They were mostly involved in corruption, hedonism, and womanizing.

In the past sixty years, Lou Zhenyun's cultivation has not improved at all. When he was transferred there, he was at the mid-stage of the Second-Rank Heavenly Fate Realm, and he is still at the mid-stage of the Second Rank Heavenly Luck Realm now.

"I am guilty, I am ashamed before the Grand Minister of Agriculture—." Lou Zhenyun took off his official hat, knelt in mid-air, and wept bitterly.

"Get up, get on the ship, and explain the problem clearly," Zhao Xing said calmly.

"Yes, yes." Lou Zhenyun flew shakily onto the Five Grains Tower Ship.

The other officials all changed their expressions drastically, but Zhao Xing ignored them and flew directly towards the palace.

He sensed that Shen Tu Ming had already arrived at the destination.

"Whoosh~"

Zhao Xing's figure vanished instantly, leaving only the Five Grains Tower Ship gleaming in mid-air.

The other officials, each with their own agendas, also followed suit.

Cheng Tianyou finally dared to breathe heavily. "Hoo~ Such heavy pressure, this feeling is too terrifying. I am in the mid-stage of the Fate Palace Realm, and just one look from me has caused my blood and qi to freeze, and I can't move."

"General, Zhao King has gone to the palace. What should we do now?" The deputy general was also uneasy and didn't know what to do.

"What else can we do? You go to Yu Yang Heaven to find the Prince, and I'll go to the palace," Cheng Tianyou said through gritted teeth. "We are the palace guards; we can't just stand by and watch the palace be destroyed."

Zhao Xing was indeed the Grand Minister of Agriculture, but Cheng Tianyou also had his own responsibilities, namely guarding the royal city, especially the safety of the royal palace.

"Yes." A golden-armored guard immediately flew away from the royal city.

Within the royal palace lies a place called Lan Hua Palace.

"Woof! Woof woof!"

Shen Tu Ming, with his tail between his legs, rushed quickly into the Lan Hua Palace.

Lan Hua Hall, a beautiful woman was dressing up in front of a mirror. Her shoulders were bare, and the hair ornaments on her head shimmered with light, surrounded by colorful ribbons, which accentuated her exquisite features.

Shen Tu Lan pursed her bright red lips, about to go out for a stroll in the garden, when a small dog suddenly rushed in.

The palace servants were startled and were about to grab the fat Big Yellow.

"Where did this dog come from!"

"Quick, grab him!"

"Wow, that's powerful!"

"Wait, it looks like it's writing—."

"It's really ugly."

"Woof!" Lord Shen Tu looked up at the palace maid who had called him ugly and bared his teeth at her.

Shen Tu Lan was quite interested in this scene, but she turned pale when she saw the words written by the Big Yellow.

"Little brother, what happened to you?"

"Woo-woo-woo~"

"Sister, save me." After writing the last four words, Shen Tu Ming crawled under Shen Tu Lan's skirt and began to tremble.

Shen Tu Lan squatted down, picked up the Big Yellow, and soon confirmed that it was indeed her younger brother.

Because that cunning little look and expression is so much like Shen Tu Ming's, she would recognize him even if he turned into a dog!

"Get out, all of you!"

Shen Tu Lan immediately dismissed the palace servants and then began to question Shen Tu Ming about what had happened.

Just then, Zhao Xing also flew to the front of the Lan Hua Palace.

"Who dares to force their way into the palace!"

"How dare you! Take it!"

"Woof woof woof?"

"Hehehe?"

"Gurgle!!"

As Zhao Xing walked, a flock of chickens and dogs appeared around him, barking and running around in all directions.

When Cheng Tianyou, who had followed, saw this scene, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

In the blink of an eye, those powerful palace guards and maids were reduced to chickens and dogs.

Some of them are even human when they jump up, but turn into chickens and dogs after landing.

Lan Hua Palace was thrown into chaos, losing its former majesty.

"Grand Minister of Agriculture!" Cheng Tianyou forced himself to rush forward. "Please stop, Grand Minister of Agriculture. This is the inner palace. Even if the Prime Minister has offended you in any way, you should not trespass into the inner palace."

Zhao Xing glanced at Cheng Tianyou. This man was indeed loyal. Even though he knew he was no match for him, he still stood up to uphold the dignity of the North Star King.

However, he didn't come here to offer a friendly dinner invitation.

Even if it is found that the North Star King has not committed any major crime, he still needs to be reprimanded.

Moreover, it's still unclear how a mere royal city garrison commander could possibly stop him.

"Loyalty is admirable, but the mindset is too outdated and stagnant. Go down and reflect."

Zhao Xing's eyes narrowed, and a crack immediately appeared in the stone slab beneath Cheng Tianyou's feet.

In the blink of an eye, the gap transformed into four facets, sucking Cheng Tianyou inside.

"Roar!"

Cheng Tianyou mustered his courage and picked up his gun. At the same time, Golden Body Dharma Form appeared behind him—a majestic and ferocious bear.

However, the next moment, a light suddenly appeared in the sky, and water poured down from above his head.

"Phew~"

It was as if a torrent of water had been poured onto a newly lit bonfire; the Golden Light emanating from Cheng Tianyou was instantly extinguished.

"Gurgle~ Gurgle~"

As the floodwaters rose, Cheng Tianyou's body sank as well.

In that one moment, he was trapped three thousand meters underground.

The Mystic Water Earth Palace and the Vast Sea Earth Palace are combined, and the two methods are united as one!

Three thousand meters underground, Cheng Tianyou was surrounded by water weighing trillions of tons, and he couldn't break free at all.

Zhao Xing then swiped his palm again, activating the Kunyuan Recreation technique.

The ground was instantly restored, as if Cheng Tianyou had never existed.

"This—" The royal city garrison soldiers who accompanied the group were immediately stunned.

"Get out." Zhao Xing said calmly.

As if under a spell, all of them withdrew from the palace gates.

Just then, a bewitching figure appeared in the Lan Hua Hall.

"Zhao King, how majestic you are!"

"You forcibly broke into the North Star King and indiscriminately injured people without saying a word. What did my brother and the palace servants do to offend you?"

Zhao Xing turned around and saw Shen Tu Lan glaring at him angrily.

"Good question."

Zhao Xing waved his hand, and on the Five Grains Tower Ship, Lou Zhenyun's desk shook, and a confession document disappeared.

Whoosh~

The document then traversed space, flew rapidly, and landed in Zhao Xing's hand.

"You and your brother control the government."

"Prime Minister Shen Tu Ming is a corrupt official, embezzling and accepting bribes, and arbitrarily dismissing officials sent by the court—"

"Zhao King!" Shen Tu Lan interrupted, "My brother's governance has many flaws. However, even if these are true, they are not serious crimes. The Heavenly Official Bureau should handle such matters! Consult my husband before making any decisions!"

Zhao Xing's expression was extremely interesting. "The North Star King is truly blessed to have a wife like you!"

At this point, even if they wanted me to give the North Star King some face, they should have spoken to me properly. How could he be so arrogant?

Do you really think the North Star King is invincible?

"The rooster crowing at dawn in the north brings chaos to the court; no wonder the Northern Chen Kingdom is in such turmoil. Since you are so eager to interfere, I will grant your wish!"

Zhao Xing pointed, and the Golden Light shot straight towards Shen Tu Lan.

She is also protected by the power of the North Star King's rules.

But how could North Star King's casual arrangement withstand Zhao Xing's full-force spellcasting?

As the two forces clashed, Zhao Xing's Transformation of Seasons Art immediately pierced through the Golden Light.

Then the magnificent robe fell to the ground, its ornaments scattered everywhere, and a brightly colored pheasant emerged from beneath it in a panic.

"Chirp?!?!" Shen Tu Ming was so frightened when he saw that his sister had also turned into a chicken that he trembled and quickly hid under the bed.

After Shen Tu Lan turned into a chicken, she quickly hid under the bed.

Zhao Xing originally intended to capture the two, but after his power entered the bedchamber, he discovered that a golden pillar of light had risen up and enveloped the two.

"Hmm?" Zhao Xing looked closely and saw a circle next to the big bed.

The circle appears to be drawn with the blood of Golden Body, and this protective power is quite strong.

Seeing this, Shen Tu Lan and Shen Tu Ming were immediately relieved.

Because the North Star King once said, "I guard the outer realm of the Grotto-Heaven, and many enemies from beyond the world hate me to the bone. If you two encounter danger, go into this circle."

"This is the protective Golden Light I left behind with my Golden Body's essence and blood. As long as you don't leave this circle, even the strongest experts of this era cannot do anything to you."

Zhao Xing indeed found it difficult to break through this Golden Light.

The North Star King a true first-rank official.

The methods he left behind were still quite effective.

"Metaphor"

The phantom of the North Star King appeared from the Golden Light.

He was clearly taken aback when he saw Zhao Xing outside the door.

"The Grand Minister of Agriculture?"

"North Star King".

Qin Feng glanced back at the chicken and dog within the Golden Light, then cupped his hands towards Zhao Xing and said, "I beg the Grand Minister of Agriculture to show mercy and spare my family. I will plead guilty to the court afterwards."

"North Star King, if you truly wish to plead guilty, how can you allow your brother-in-law to act so recklessly?" Zhao Xing had already basically ascertained the facts.

Prince Qin Feng of Beichen has rarely returned home in recent decades. Although he has not made any mistakes, he has been lax in managing his subordinates and has allowed his relatives to make mistakes, which he cannot escape.

Of course, this is nothing to a high-ranking and powerful king, especially one who has broken through the Rule Realm.

As long as the North Star King doesn't betray the country, everything else is a minor matter.

But Zhao Xing made this trip to put pressure on the North Star King.

To simply dismiss the matter with a few words would not align with the tone set by Wu Emperor.

Furthermore, this matter was caused by the fact that the Agricultural Supervisorate could not collect taxes. If he could not make the North Star King act according to his rules, wouldn't he follow suit in the future?

How can I carry out my work then?

For both public and private reasons, Zhao Xing cannot be given this much face today.

However, the North Star King also did not want Zhao Xing to have his brother-in-law arrested.

This is such a bad influence. He is the North Star King. His harem was forcibly broken into and his wife and brother-in-law were taken away. Wouldn't he be laughed to death?

The original North Star King wouldn't have been so blind to the situation. If he were still in the Emperor Jing's era, when he was only at the Fate Palace Realm, he would never have done this.

If the emperor were Emperor Jing, he wouldn't have dared to block Zhao Xing like that.

But Wu Emperor is not Emperor Jing, nor is he the former North Star King.

He really wants to save face today.

"Zhao King, I am on my way back. Please allow me to apologize in person." The words were not harsh, and could even be described as yielding, but the underlying attitude was very firm. It was clear that he did not want Zhao Xing to leave with his men.

"Your insistence on keeping them here will not do you any good," Zhao Xing said in a deep voice. "North Star King, I'll ask you one more time, do you really intend to do this?"

North Star King remained silent.

Seeing this, Zhao Xing said no more and immediately flew into the sky.

"Since you want to stay, then so be it."

Zhao Xing continued to cast spells, and Golden Light shot out. In the blink of an eye, thousands of Golden Light disappeared into the void above the palace.

A moment later, countless figures appeared on his body, some burrowing into the ground, others soaring into the sky.

Soon, golden dots appeared throughout the entire palace, both above and below ground.

Beneath the ground, there are Earth Vein forming channels that twist and turn into an incredibly complex maze. At first glance, the tunnels appear to be chained together.

Then Zhao Xing took out several finished talismans from his pocket and waved them over.

The clone followed the Golden Light and flew away, placing the Divine Talisman in its Predetermined position.

Having done all this, Zhao Xing's true form landed and reappeared inside the palace gate.

When the North Star King saw Zhao Xing reappear, a strange look appeared in his eyes.

Because Lan Hua Palace, there was now a Rice Mountain and Flour Mountain formed from Yuan Rice, and next to them, a lamp. The lamp seemed illusory, burning an equally illusory lock.

"Zhao King, what are you doing—"

Zhao Xing snorted coldly, threw the evidence into the hall, and then turned and left without saying a word.

The North Star King was somewhat confused.

It's unclear what Zhao Xing actually did; after all, he only left behind the consciousness attached to the power of the rules, not the person himself.

Seeing that Zhao Xing had really left, he stopped thinking about it and simply called his brother-in-law out.

They wanted to use the power of rules to remove the changes within the two individuals.

But when he unleashed several Golden Light, he found that he couldn't dispel them at all.

"Hehehe?!" A hint of panic flashed in Shen Tu Lan's eyes, while Shen Tu Ming also wagged his tail frantically, his eyes filled with tears, looking pitiful.

"Stop yelling!" North Star King said irritably. "Look what you've done!"

He sensed that the Transformation of Seasons Art seemed to have become one with the additional arrangements around them.

So he blew a breath toward the Rice Mountain and the Flour Mountain.

"Phew~"

He quickly blew away the Rice Mountain and Flour Mountain.

But he had just blown it away when—

——

"Metaphor"

The ground suddenly trembled slightly, and another Rice Mountain and Flour Mountain emerged from the ground.

"What... what kind of magic is this?"

The North Star King was stunned.

He tried to get Shentu and his brother to come out of the hall.

However, the two of them couldn't even get past the threshold of the main hall.

North Star King was dumbfounded.

He had put a lock on the safety of the siblings, but now Zhao Xing seemed to have put countless locks on them, completely trapping them here.

Above the royal city, Zhao Xing's Five Grains Tower Ship was carrying a group of people aboard.

These were all Agriculture Official dispatched by the imperial court.

The Great Zhou operated under a system of both enfeoffment and prefectures and counties. Some of the officials of the Six Ministries in all the enfeoffed states had to be appointed by the imperial court.

The people Zhao Xing is taking away now are Lou Zhenyun and others.

They were Agriculture Official, sent there when Old Liu was in power. Now that they had made a mistake, he naturally had to take them back to Abundance Capital for punishment.

As for the other officials, Zhao Xing did not ignore them, but rather entrusted them to the other departments of the imperial court.

At the same time, it is also necessary to make the North Star King take the initiative to admit his mistake.

Zhao Xing didn't even collect the Gold Fragrance Medicine Tax.

To reiterate, we must make the North Star King admit his mistake and hand it over himself.

Otherwise, would a Grand Minister of Agriculture, really make such a fuss over collecting such a small amount of tax?

Do you really think he's a beggar?!

"If you're not respectable, I'll force you to be respectable. If you want to break my ultimate fifth-stage Yuan Seal, you'll have to kill Shen Tu Lan and Shen Tu Ming." Zhao Xing sneered.

The principle is the same as that of the strange artifact spirits we saw in Yuan Feng Treasury.

His Yuan Seal) was indeed not unbreakable; with the strength of the North Star King, it was indeed possible to forcibly destroy his Origin Seal Art.

But the moment the Origin Seal Art is broken, Shentu and his brother will also die!

Because those two are currently quite vulnerable, they simply cannot withstand the attacks from North Star King and Zhao Xing, not even a slight aftershock.

This is the classic dilemma: the way to rescue the hostages is to kill them.

"North Star King, I await your arrival in the capital to plead guilty!"

Before leaving, Zhao Xing's voice echoed over the royal city.

Upon hearing this voice, North Star King frowned, and the Golden Light phantom vanished.

Meanwhile, at Yu Yang Grotto-Heaven.

At the Boundary Wall, a hurricane swept across the sky, whipping up a violent surge of energy.

A warship was anchored at the edge of the hurricane, while a large army awaited in the distance.

Inside the cabin, North Star King opened his eyes.

"Brother Qin, what happened?" Cai Jin asked in confusion.

Cai Jin, a Duke, is also one of the ruling kings of the Military Realm. He holds a very high position in the Ling Yuan Continent. The Cai Clan is also a major clan in the Northern Territory. Now, with the rise of the Vitality Tide, an unprecedented opportunity has been presented to many powerhouses at the Fate Palace Realm.

Many people want to seize this opportunity, but the Vitality Tide generated in the Central Divine Continent is not strong enough, so breaking through to the Rule Realm is difficult.

The chances are still not very high.

Previously, only emperors were in the Rule Realm, and there were no barriers for emperors to break through. As long as one was an emperor, he was bound to be in the Rule Realm because he received the fortune of the country.

For others at the Fate Palace Realm, the road ahead is unclear, and they cannot see where the path they are cultivating should lead.

As a result, Qin Feng, who had experience in making breakthroughs, rose rapidly in status.

Starting from the thirtieth year of the Yuan Hunting Era, many people began to actively befriend the North Star King.

Even if Qin Feng, the Prince of Beichen, does nothing, his fame grows day by day, and many people try every means to get to know him.

Duke Cai is the one who has become most familiar with Qin Feng over the years; he is also a physician at the peak of the Fate Palace Realm.

"Brother Cai, something has happened at home, and I would like to ask for your help." Prince Beichen Qin Feng looked at Cai Jin.

Upon hearing this, Cai Jin was taken aback. He had known Qin Feng for many years, and the other party had never made any requests. Even if he wanted to do a favor, he never had the opportunity. But now, the opportunity had finally come!

"Very well, Brother Qin, please speak frankly! I will certainly go through fire and water for you!"

"Brother Cai has experience in resolving Transformation of Seasons Art; I would like to ask you for your help."

"Restoring the Transformation of Seasons Art? A piece of cake!" Cai Jin smiled and said, "I cultivate the ' Yin Yang Six Qi Great Shift,' and I have quite a bit of experience in restoring weather changes and restoring human form."

How do Medical School view the Transformation of Seasons Art? They consider it a disease.

It is only when the Yin and Yang and the six Qi of the human body are out of balance that the body undergoes changes.

Take ordinary people as an example. Some people may suddenly develop sores, pimples, internal bone pain, bulges, etc. when the seasons change.

Climate change is disease!

The Transformation of Seasons Art can be reversed, just as a person can be cured of an illness.

The several Grotto-Heaven in the Northern Territory have direct contact with Outside Forces, and often encounter evil magic. Natural disasters are also often accompanied by climate change. Cai Jin is a famous Divine Physician in the Northern Territory.

"Thank you for your trouble, Brother Cai." Qin Feng breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"It's nothing, I hope it can help Brother Qin," Cai Jin said modestly.

Zhao Xing led a group of Agriculture Official who had committed crimes directly back to Abundance Capital.

Under normal circumstances, none of these officials would be qualified for Zhao Xing to handle the matter personally.

But this time, Zhao Xing really did handle it personally.

"Lou Zhenyun, as the head of the Agriculture Official in the state, was the first to commit a crime and was executed."

"The rest were stripped of their official positions, Nobility Title, and fortunes, and imprisoned until death."

Zhao Xing convicted these Agriculture Official. Sitting opposite him were Dong Wenzhuo, the official in charge of celestial affairs, and Wu She of autumn.

The chief official of the Heavenly Official Bureau was led by the Right Chancellor Dong Wenzhuo.

The chief official of the Autumn Bureau was Wu She, a man Zhao Xing knew well. When Zhao Xing was practicing the Chicken-Dog Transformation under Li Boqian, this man was the one who brought criminals to practice with.

Wu She now become one of the chief officials of the Six Ministries.

The execution of such internal officials is basically just a formality, a notification to Dong Wenzhuo and Wu She. Unless the punishment is extremely outrageous,

Otherwise, if the Grand Minister of Agriculture personally reviews the application, it will be approved directly.

Wu She was the Minister of Justice, and normally he should have conducted the investigation again. However, in this case, he simply carried out the order, since the person had already been delivered.

That's basically settled.

Therefore, he did not express his opinion.

Dong Wenzhuo, being a mature and prudent man, still asked one more question, "Grand Minister of Agriculture, these officials were all captured from the Northern Chen Kingdom. Their crimes are irrefutable and they cannot be pardoned."

"However, shouldn't we ask North Star King again?"

No wonder Wu Emperor wanted to give North Star King a warning. Dong Wenzhuo even felt that he should ask North Star King North Star King he should be given face and allowed to use the special pardon decree for the title of prince.

Zhao Xing immediately flew into a rage upon hearing this, stood up, and said in an unfriendly tone, "There's no need to ask North Star King about this matter. Lord Dong only needs to have these people's names removed from the Book of Souls by the Heavenly Official Bureau!"

"The Northern Chen Kingdom is in chaos. Although he didn't instigate it, this situation is entirely due to his negligence!"

"Even the North Star King has to come to the capital to plead guilty! He can't escape punishment himself, so what's the point of talking about saving others?"

After saying that, Zhao Xing stormed out.

Once outside, his demeanor returned to normal.

His anger was merely a way of making his stance clear to Dong and Wu, indicating that there was no room for negotiation.

In the workplace and in officialdom, sometimes getting angry isn't real anger, but just a way of expressing one's attitude.

Inside the room, Dong Wenzhuo looked distressed. "It's easy to imprison someone and execute them, but as the Right Chancellor, I still have to send someone to serve as an official in the Northern Chen Kingdom. Sigh."

Wu She did not express any opinion, but simply cupped his hands in greeting and took his leave.

Just as he had planned before entering, he would only listen and execute orders without offering any opinions.

It involves a conflict between a Supreme Grade prince and the Grand Minister of Agriculture. He won't get involved in the dispute at all; whoever is sent to the Minister of Justice, he will behead.

"Brother, what makes you so sure that the North Star King will come to the capital to apologize?" Ji Che asked curiously inside the palace.

"I turned his queen into a chicken and his brother-in-law into a dog, and imprisoned them in the palace," Zhao Xing said.

"If he wants to break the Yuan Seal technique, there is only one way: to break it by force. However, if he does that, those two will surely die."

Zhao Xing elaborated on his observations and how he handled things in the Northern Chen Kingdom.

"You transformed into a Rice Mountain, a Flour Mountain, and then let fire burn the lock. What does this mean?" Ji Che asked.

"Besides Rice Mountain and Flour Mountain, that chicken and that dog can't eat anything else," Zhao Xing said. "I can't let them starve to death, otherwise forcing the North Star King to come and apologize would be meaningless."

"The North Star King's heart has not changed. He is loyal to the Great Zhou. In this era, it is truly rare that he was able to take the lead in cultivating to the Rule Realm and become one of the eight Super Supreme Grade of the Great Zhou."

"Since he is not a traitor, he should not be killed. As His Majesty previously instructed, he should only be given a warning."

"Based on this, I have left room for maneuver in my actions and have not gone to extremes."

"The Origin Seal Art also has a time limit, so there's always a chance of escaping it!"

"Oh?" Ji Che asked, "What conditions did you set?"

"Once the chicken has finished pecking at the rice, the dog has finished licking the noodles, and the lamp has burned through the lock, the spell will naturally be broken."

"How long will it take?" Ji Che asked.

Zhao Xing smiled and said, "Rice Mountain Flour Mountain will circulate endlessly through the thirty-six underground tunnels. No matter what method is used to blow them away, as long as they are within the range of the Origin Seal Art, they will be automatically transported back."

"If we can completely destroy the area within Origin Seal Art range, leaving not a single drop of rice or a handful of noodles, that would be a forced break, and those two would die."

"The lamp is formed by the moonlight and cannot be extinguished; the lock is formed by the condensation of sunlight."

"As long as the sun and moon continue to shine and the cycle of yin and yang continues, it will remain unchanged forever. If you forcefully break through, those two will die."

Ji Che pondered for a moment, then said with a very interesting expression, "Doesn't that mean it will never be unsealed?"

Zhao Xing humbly replied, "It's not that exaggerated. If the Northern Chen Kingdom continues to exist, this magic can only last for tens of thousands of years."

"Tens of thousands of years, hahahahahahaha!" Ji Che burst into laughter. "You've really left yourself a lot of room for maneuver, hahahahaha."

Zhao Xing: "That's how things should be done, but we can't be too absolute in our words. I don't want to follow in the footsteps of Duke Yellow Springs Palace."

Ji Che smiled knowingly.

He certainly knew what story Zhao Xing was referring to. In ancient times, Duke Zhuang was a king whose mother, Lady Jiang, gave birth to his eldest son, Duke Zhuang, and his youngest son Gongshu Duan.

As a result, Lady Jiang always favored her youngest son, and even after her eldest son had inherited the throne, she still wanted her youngest son to take over.

So Duke Zhuang sent his mother, Lady Jiang, away and publicly swore an oath before the Luo River: "I will not see her again until we reach the Yellow Springs!"

In his later years, Duke Zhuang regretted his actions; after all, she was still his mother. Lady Jiang also felt she had been too biased and missed her eldest son every day.

But what if you've said something hurtful in a fit of anger?

So a clever minister built the Yellow Springs Palace, so that Duke Zhuang and his mother, Lady Jiang, could meet in the Yellow Springs Palace.

You can do your best in everything, but you shouldn't say everything you want to say.

Zhao Xing's trip was to give the North Star King room to admit his mistakes.

"The North Star King seems to have a poor understanding of himself, and also of my abilities."

"This time, let him see for himself!"

"Your Majesty can also take this opportunity to see who is willing to get involved in this matter and help North Star King."

Ji Che nodded. This matter was similar to the Bride Snatching of that year; one incident could reveal the inclinations of many ministers.

The investigation by officials of the Northern Chen Kingdom quickly caused a sensation.

Zhao Xing's statement that he would send the North Star King to the capital to apologize quickly spread.

The Grand Minister of Agriculture and the Supreme Grade King are locked in a battle; this is big news.

As soon as the court session ended, discussions arose.

"Isn't the Grand Minister of Agriculture being too impulsive? Running into the royal palace and even trying to arrest the Queen and the Emperor's brother-in-law of the North Star King? Isn't that showing the North Star King absolutely no respect?"

"What nonsense are you spouting? You're only thinking about the North Star King's reputation? Doesn't our Grand Minister of Agriculture have any dignity? Doesn't His Majesty have any dignity?"

"Exactly! The Grand Minister of Agriculture arrived in the kingdom, and after beating the drums twice, no one came to greet him. How corrupt must the officials of the Northern Chen Kingdom be?"

"Who is the Grand Minister of Agriculture? Back then, he was only at the Third-Rank Realm, yet he dared to slaughter a group of extraterrestrial cultivators at the Fate Palace Realm in the Dragon Court! He even plotted against the White Bone Sect, the Great Serpent Country, Four Great Royal Courts, causing the White Bone Sect to go bankrupt and lose eighteen treasures!"

"When the late emperor was alive, the Grand Minister of Agriculture even dared to lead His Majesty to Bride Snatching! And they actually succeeded!"

"He was also the youngest and most prestigious Agricultural Official in history. When he became the Grand Minister of Agriculture and went to the Northern Chen Kingdom to inspect taxes, it took more than two drumbeats to finish."

"How dare they be so disrespectful!"

"Isn't it because the North Star King is not in the country?

"You scoundrel! Did you take money from North Star King to speak up for him repeatedly, you corrupt official!"

"Hey, Brother Kun, forget it, don't do it—"

Ji Youtang and Xiao Zhe separated Meng Kun and a Ritual Cultivator, kicking them twice as they did so.

Seeing that the man's face was bruised and swollen, Meng Kun gave up, snorted, and left.

Seven days later, in the royal palace of the Northern Chen Kingdom.

At this time, North Star King had already returned to the royal city.

Looking at the mess in the palace, he was speechless.

Cai Jin's expression turned somewhat solemn, because he realized that the magic enveloping the palace seemed to be more than just a simple spell.

"This method is quite ingenious. If we are not careful, it could lead to the death of the Queen and the Prime Minister," Cai Jin said.

"That's why I invited Brother Cai here," the North Star King sighed. "Although they made a mistake, we can't let them lose their lives. I can plead with His Majesty for a pardon afterward. Right now, I need your help."

"I'll give it a try, but I can't guarantee it will work." Now that Cai Jin had witnessed the magic firsthand, she no longer dared to be as confident as before.

He strode into the palace and immediately saw the Rice Mountain, the Flour Mountain, and the lamp lock.

Since Shentu and his sister had become ordinary chickens and dogs, they got hungry very quickly.

These past few days, I've been surviving by pecking at rice and licking noodles.

The Shen Tu siblings are used to eating delicacies.

In order to survive, they had no choice but to eat coarse flour and coarse rice, and the taste of it was truly indescribable.

In short, Shen Tu Ming ate with tears in his eyes, and even sneezed from time to time.

Upon seeing North Star King and Cai Jin enter, Shen Tu Ming and Shen Tu Lan, siblings, immediately ran over.

"Giggle giggle!"

"Woo woo woo~"

The golden pheasant flapped its wings, and the yellow dog wagged its tail and whimpered incessantly.

Cai Jin knew without even thinking that they were complaining.

However, he also knew the nature of the Shentu siblings and didn't feel sorry for them.

On the contrary, they felt that Zhao Xing's methods were truly ingenious.

You usually eat delicacies and enjoy a life of luxury, but now come and try the simple rice and noodles that ordinary people eat, and experience it for yourself!

That's what I thought, but I still had to do it.

"Your North Star King, please forgive my offense to the Queen and the Prime Minister."

Qin Feng shook his head. "What's there to offend? Brother, just cast your spell."

Cai Jin immediately grabbed Shen Tu Ming by the neck and lifted him up. He felt all the bones in Shen Tu Ming's body, and soon Shen Tu Ming's bones began to crack. "Oh ho ho~"

Unable to bear the pain, Shen Tu Ming immediately started barking like a dog.

Cai Jin pondered for a moment, then cut off a piece of skin and flesh and examined it carefully.

After observing for a moment, he took out the magic needle and began to insert it into Shen Tu Ming's body.

Just to be on the safe side, Cai Jin also brought out the Medical Canon she always carried with her.

Strands of life force descended and entered Shen Tu Ming's body through the divine needle.

"Dudu-"

Suddenly, a hissing sound came from inside Shen Tu Ming's body.

A phantom of a stone roller also appeared above Cai Jin's head, crushing over Shen Tu Ming.

"Ugh~"

Shen Tu Ming began to convulse and roll his eyes back.

Half an hour later.

Cai Jin stood up in shock.

"How is it?" asked the North Star King.

"Brother Qin, I am powerless to help." Cai Jin said in shock, "This Transformation of Seasons Art is too powerful. Not to mention that it is also linked to the surrounding space, this Hou Transformation of Seasons Art alone is beyond my ability to solve."

"Even Wu Cheng, the founding Grand Minister of Agriculture, was probably no better than this in terms of his Pig Trap Art."

"I never imagined that the Grand Minister of Agriculture had reached such a level. North Star King, I take my leave."

Cai Jin cupped his hands in greeting, then turned and left without saying a word.

When Zhao Xing first came to power and defeated Liu Tianning, many people still believed that Liu Tianning had deliberately lost the match.

Therefore, they did not have a particularly strong impression of Zhao Xing's strength.

Cai Jin could give it a try to please North Star King. After all, a doctor should only focus on treating illnesses and he could use his profession to obscure his stance.

But now that he's tried it, he doesn't dare get involved anymore.

Even the way he addressed him changed from Brother Qin back to North Star King.

Watching Cai Jin leave in a hurry, the North Star King's expression turned gloomy.

Seven days later, the incident escalated, and dozens of powerful figures gathered in the Northern Chen Kingdom.

Some people came to help, while others simply wanted to see the new laws of the Grand Minister of Agriculture.

"I have heard that the Origin Seal Art was created by Li Boqian, the Grand Minister of Agriculture of the previous term."

"However, his magic is not like this, nor does it have such a large range, nor is it that complicated."

"Times are changing. You yourself said that it was the previous Grand Minister of Agriculture. Of course, things are different now that it's Lord Zhao."

"Pengpeng, the Ultimate Law formed by combining the Earthly Advantage Method, Transformation of Seasons Art, talismans, and mechanisms, is something you might never see in a lifetime. It was worth the trip from thousands of miles away."

"Look, the ninth-ranked Agricultural Official, the fourth-ranked Mechanism Master, and the third-ranked Talisman Master from the Northern Territory have all arrived."

"With the influence of the North Star King, how come he can't even invite the number one Northern Border Daoist Arena?"

"Hmph, don't you even know who cast the spell? Grand Minister of Agriculture Zhao Xing has even more influence; who would dare to muddy the waters so easily?"

"Since I didn't dare come myself, I could only invite the ones who came after me."

"It is said that this was done after prior notice and with the approval of the Grand Minister of Agriculture, supposedly to ensure that the North Star King would accept defeat wholeheartedly."

"Look, didn't Wu Hua succeed?"

Following the reminder from a powerful figure, the other powerful figures who had come to watch the spectacle also turned to look.

Wu Hua, the ninth-ranked Agricultural Official in the Northern Territory, is proficient in both the Heavenly Timing and Earthly Advantage Institute Shennong Art. He is already very old, nearly seven hundred years old. His strength has reached the late stage of the Fate Palace Realm.

He had already retired from officialdom and was in a state of seclusion in the mountains, but he was invited back out.

Wu Hua didn't want to cause trouble for his descendants, but he also had to repay the favor, so he simply contacted Wang Tianzhi through relatives and friends.

Wang Tianzhi conveyed his predicament to Zhao Xing.

Old Master Zhao was magnanimous and directly allowed the Old Sima Nong to help North Star King with his research.

If he wants to win, why would he need to use his power to intimidate others?

Zhao Xing then told Wang Tianzhi, "Whoever it is, whether they're the Agricultural Official or Mechanism Master, they can go and take a look if they want!"

Of course, this news hasn't reached us yet, and even if it did, many people probably wouldn't dare to do it.

Therefore, only the Agricultural Official Wu Hua, the Mechanism Master Wang Zhen, and the Talisman Master Nangong Qing were truly trying to find a solution inside.

At this moment, Wu Hua suddenly made a move, and a Water Spirit figure appeared beside him.

The North Star King's eyes narrowed, and everyone who heard the commotion looked over as well.

Could it be that Wu Hua is about to break the laws of the Grand Minister of Agriculture?

"Is this Shen Tu Ming?"

"That doesn't seem right, isn't that dog still there?"

"Shen Tu Ming was short and stout, while this man was tall and imposing, wearing golden armor and holding a long spear. He doesn't look like him at all."

"Who is this person?"

Everyone was puzzled.

"Cheng Tianyou, so you were here all along?" North Star King exclaimed in surprise.

He thought Cheng Tianyou had died while guarding the palace, since it was Cheng Tianyou who ran over to stop Zhao Xing.

Given Zhao Xing's temper, even if he killed Cheng Tianyou on the spot, it would be a pointless death for him.

Unexpectedly, Cheng Tianyou was buried underground.

"Your Highness, ugh~" Cheng Tianyou looked like he had edema, and his whole body had become much larger.

He was about to speak when he spat out a mouthful of water.

"Hey, how much water did you drink?" Nangong Qing looked at him with great interest. She hadn't expected that someone would actually emerge from underground.

Cheng Tianyou was vomiting uncontrollably. How much had he drunk?

He had forgotten that the Mystic Water Earth Palace and the Vast Sea Earth Palace were combined into one, meaning that water was constantly flowing in.

Zhao Xing had also forgotten about Cheng Tianyou at the time, so he stayed underground.

He was a martial artist, but he didn't know any escape techniques, so he could only hold his breath.

It lasted for almost half a month!

In the end, Cheng Tianyou couldn't take it anymore and could only drink water and then breathe air from the water to survive.

God knows how much he drank!

Fortunately, he had mastered several levels of dietary methods, so he had a large stomach and was able to persevere.

However, he had almost reached his limit. If Wu Hua hadn't discovered him, he probably would have become the unlucky one in this dispute.

"Rare indeed, so rare!"

When Wu Hua learned that Cheng Tianyou had been underground for more than half a month, he couldn't help but sigh.

"The magic of the Grand Minister of Agriculture is beyond my comprehension."

"I've been here for three days, and it's only now that I've discovered the casual technique hidden beneath the Yuan Seal."

"To witness such magic in my lifetime, I could die without regrets!"

"Haha, the Grand Minister of Agriculture truly deserves to be the leader of all Agricultural Official in the land!"

Wu Hua laughed a few times, then rode away on a cloud.

He has done his best. The karma of the North Star King has been repaid. If he cannot break the bond, then it is not his fault.

The North Star King's face darkened, and he looked at the Mechanism Master Wang Zhen, who was inspecting everywhere, and the Talisman Master Nangong Qing.

Nangong Qing pointed, and the surrounding Divine Talisman appeared and disappeared. Then he shook his head. "North Star King, these Divine Talisman are interconnected. Even if they can be broken, breaking only the rune's essence is useless."

"It integrates the principles of Heavenly Timing and Earthly Advantage Institute, becoming a node connecting heaven and earth. That's all I can see."

After Nangong Qing finished speaking, he cupped his hands in greeting and flew away.

She didn't say it couldn't be broken, just to save face for the Talisman Master's path, but in reality, she said everything.

That means it can't be broken, because if it is, people will die.

The North Star King's expression grew increasingly grim, and he could only pin his hopes on the Mechanism Master Wang Zhen.

The reason why the spell lasted so long was ultimately because Zhao Xing used an array.

Otherwise, the spell will weaken over time.

Otherwise, Zhao Xing would be a true Rule Realm, where rules and spells would still be effective even when he is not physically present.

However, Zhao Xing is clearly not at the Rule Realm. If he were at the Full Rule Realm, the North Star King would have already bowed down.

After all, it's not shameful to bow down to the Grand Minister of Agriculture who is at the same level, but Zhao Xing is only at the Fate Palace Realm, so he finds it hard to accept.

That's just how people are; when they've been in a high position for a long time, they start to lose face.

Wang Zhen went in and out of the palace.

He first looked at the copper lock and the floating flames.

"The Sun Lock, the Lunar Flame, one yin and one yang, give rise to the six directions, which correspond exactly to the thirty-six earthly paths."

"How do we sever the power of the Earth Vein? If we do, their transformation will immediately turn into a deadly chaotic transformation. At that point, they won't be in the form of chickens and dogs anymore."

"I wonder what kind of monster will be created, or if it will turn into a pile of minced meat."

The more Wang Zhen pondered it, the more exquisite it seemed.

He found Shen Tu Ming and took the dog to the fire next to the copper lock to burn it.

Shen Tu Ming had absolutely no desire to move.

By this time, most of the hair on his body had been burned off.

His body was covered in bruises.

These days, North Star King has been trying to find many people to work with, and everyone knows that they should start with them.

Shen Tu Lan was, after all, the queen; even if she turned into a chicken, she couldn't just arbitrarily try any magic tricks.

There's no problem with the prime minister. Shen Tu Ming is just a nobody, and he's also a brother-in-law, so he's not as important as Shen Tu Lan.

As a result, he suffered greatly these days.

They were pricked with needles, burned, sliced up, and had their tongues and anuses opened—"

Shen Tu Ming recalled a line of poetry he had once recited, "Jade trees shimmer with light, illuminating the rear courtyard."

This is truly fitting for the current situation.

"Karma..."

Shen Tu Ming was exhausted; he even had the thought of not wanting to be saved anymore.

However, when he could no longer hold on, a doctor would come to treat him.

Even if an ordinary Big Yellow is injured, it's still a piece of cake to catch it.

As time went on, the scope of research on him expanded significantly.

After being roasted by Wang Zhen, Shen Tu Ming, without waiting for the doctor to make a move, suddenly rammed into a pillar next to him.

It was obvious that he didn't want to live anymore.

"Lord Shen Tu, calm down, don't do anything rash." The kind physician stopped Shen Tu Ming and treated his injuries.

Shen Tu Ming was speechless, and even grinned slightly.

"North Star King, forgive my incompetence, I cannot break this formation." After studying it for a few days, Wang Zhen quickly gave up.

However, he still offered some professional insights. "Your palace is less sealed by an array and more sealed by the heavens and earth."

"The Transformation of Seasons Art are based on Heaven, and the thirty-six Earth Vein symbolize the Earth."

"The power of the Solar Yang is the lock, and the power of the Lunar Yin is the fire."

"The Yellow Ear of the Rooster Crows in the Middle."

"This technique is almost flawless. At least I can't think of a way to break it," Wang Zhen said.

The North Star King asked in a low voice, "Is it that you can't figure it out, or that you dare not break the code?"

Wang Zhen shook his head. "I really can't think of anything."

"North Star King, we have known each other for a long time. Although we haven't seen each other for a long time, I would say that the Grand Minister of Agriculture has shown leniency."

"The Rice Mountain and Flour Mountain could be considered a weakness, but this weakness was deliberately left by the Grand Minister of Agriculture to prevent your two relatives from starving to death."

"Any other food that comes in will drain your vital energy; eating it will not replenish it in any way."

"Besides, what's the difference between not daring to say it and not being able to think of it?" Wang Zhen said meaningfully.

Seeing that the North Star King was deep in thought, he cupped his hands in greeting and flew away.

After pondering for a long time, the North Star King raised his head and looked at the crowd around him.

Many of the people were invited by him, while many others came voluntarily.

Some of those gazes were subtle yet cold.

Seeing the North Star King sweep over, they didn't look away. Several of them held a letter in their hands, clutching it tightly, as if the letter were a weapon.

The North Star King glanced at them, then at the two men who were seemingly oblivious to each other at the palace gate. Finally, he sighed and bowed to his personal guard beside him, saying:

"Ling'er, arrange for a prison cart to escort your father to the capital to apologize to the Grand Minister of Agriculture."