For a moment, Shen Gongbao's mind went blank.
He looked at the Third Prince of the East Sea before him, whose eyes were bloodshot and whose lips still bore a trace of blood, yet who gazed at him with the eager look of an elementary school student seeking guidance.
An immense sense of absurdity nearly made him think he was still having a nightmare inside the Myriad Tribulations Samsara Mirror.
A template?
The Dao Protector hadn't given him one!
The Dao Protector had only taught him how to hand over the form, not how to coach someone through filling it out!
"This..."
Cold sweat instantly beaded on Shen Gongbao's forehead again.
He felt like an ordinary man holding a treasured sword from a fallen dynasty. He had finally bluffed his enemy into submission, only for that enemy to insist on discussing the sword's forging techniques with him.
Who the hell knew that?
Yet there was no turning back once the arrow had left the bow.
He now represented the dignity of the Interception Sect's Calamity Aversion Department, as well as the unfathomable plans of the Dao Protector.
He could not back down.
Shen Gongbao took a deep breath, forcibly swallowed the words "I don't know either," and put on an inscrutable expression.
He stroked the little goatee soaked by seawater and spoke with the gratified tone of someone saying, "You've finally asked the right question."
"Third Prince, the fact that you can ask this question shows that you have already grasped the essence of our procedures."
Sure enough, a glimmer appeared in Ao Bing's eyes.
"The essence lies in the word 'quantification.'"
Shen Gongbao began doing what he was best at—spouting nonsense with a perfectly straight face.
"So-called dignity cannot be seen or touched, which makes it extremely unsuitable for cost accounting and risk control."
"Therefore, we need to turn it into concrete indicators that can be measured and assessed."
Seeing Ao Bing listen in utter confusion, he hurriedly gave an example.
"For instance, your side could stipulate that 'Interception Sect disciples must keep their distance whenever they see anyone belonging to the East Sea.' That would be a quantifiable standard. Or, 'For the next hundred years, every Heavenly Court appointment involving the Aquatic Clan must include at least one Dragon Clan candidate.' That too would be an indicator."
"List these indicators, and when we return, we'll calculate the cost of achieving them, then compare it with the price we are willing to pay. If the gap is not too great, then... isn't there room for negotiation?"
Shen Gongbao's words completely opened the doors to a new world for everyone in the Crystal Palace.
The Turtle Prime Minister, who had remained silent all along, suddenly burst with dazzling light in his cloudy old eyes.
He slapped his thigh fiercely.
"Brilliant!"
"Your Highness, this is the ultimate open scheme! This... this is teaching us how to make demands!"
His old face flushed red with excitement as he urgently said to Ao Bing,
"Your Highness, stop fighting! We'll fill it out! We'll fill it out right now! Write down every grievance our Dragon Clan has suffered over the past million years!"
Ao Bing's body jolted.
He looked at Shen Gongbao, then at the Jade Slip in his hand.
So... that was what it meant?
This Investigation Form was not an insult, but a... list of demands?
The Interception Sect actually wanted to settle disputes this way?
A complex emotion unlike anything Ao Bing had ever felt before—part gratitude, part absurdity, part admiration—welled up within him.
He had misunderstood the Interception Sect.
He had misunderstood that Dao Protector he had never met.
An expert!
This was the bearing of a true expert!
Subdue enemies without fighting, kill without leaving a trace, and strike at the heart through procedures!
"Good!"
Ao Bing nodded heavily. The violent aura on his face vanished completely, replaced by unprecedented solemnity.
He turned toward the Aquatic Clan commanders behind him, who had long since been petrified, and issued the most unbelievable order of his life as a dragon.
"Pass down my command!"
"All generals and commanders, attend on the spot! Convene the East Sea Dragon Clan's... ah, Special Form-Filling Meeting!"
"Today, we will discuss no warfare, only... form-filling!"
Thus, within the Crystal Palace of the East Sea, the most bizarre scene since the creation of the Primordial World unfolded.
The grand hall, once brimming with murderous intent, became an enormous conference room.
Ao Bing personally chaired the meeting, the Turtle Prime Minister served as chief recorder, and Shen Gongbao was honored as a guest, seated beside Ao Bing as the "Special Invited Process Consultant."
"First item: troop strength assessment."
Ao Bing looked at the Jade Slip, his brows furrowed tightly.
"Our East Sea claims to have a million armored soldiers. But only three hundred thousand are truly combat-capable. Grand Unity Golden Immortals... including this prince and several uncles, total five. Golden Immortals... thirty-seven. Should we... exaggerate those figures a little?"
He turned an inquiring gaze toward Shen Gongbao.
Shen Gongbao's heart skipped a beat. How would I know?
Yet his expression remained unchanged as he gave a soft cough.
"Third Prince, my personal recommendation is that you stick to the facts."
"Our Risk Assessment Model is extremely precise. Any false data could cause the model to misjudge the situation and reach an erroneous conclusion. If... the system were to mistake your strength for Quasi-Saint level and automatically trigger the 'Sage Personal Arrival' contingency plan, then the consequences..."
He did not continue, but his meaning was perfectly clear.
Ao Bing and all the commanders shuddered in unison.
"Prime Minister, write it down! Use the actual figures!"
At the request of our many readers, we now offer an ad-free VIP membership feature.
Click to view
"Yes!"
"Second item: Innate Spiritual Treasures."
An Octopus General spoke in a deep, muffled voice.
"Your Highness, our treasury does contain a low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure left behind by the Dragon King, the 'Water Splitting Thorn,' but..."
"But what?"
"That treasure has gone without maintenance for a million years, and its spirituality has deteriorated severely. When we took it out a few days ago, it was less useful than a Houtian Spiritual Treasure..."
Ao Bing's face darkened.
The Turtle Prime Minister hurriedly took up his brush and added a small note after it.
(Note: Long neglected and in disrepair; performance unstable; recommended for discounted valuation.)
Shen Gongbao's eye twitched as he watched from the side.
He felt less like he was gathering military intelligence and more like he was conducting an asset inventory for a company on the verge of bankruptcy.
The most difficult part was still the KPI Assessment.
Over the specific quantifiable standards for "Defend East Sea Dignity," the Dragon Clan's upper ranks erupted into a fierce argument.
"I think we should demand that the Interception Sect apologize publicly!"
"What use is an apology? We need tangible benefits! I demand that the fishing rights within thirty thousand li of Golden Ao Island belong to us!"
"Your vision is too narrow! If we demand anything, we should demand patrol rights over the entire East Sea! Even the Heavenly Court must not interfere!"
The form-filling meeting was about to turn into internal strife.
In the end, the Turtle Prime Minister was the one who settled it with a single decisive statement.
"Stop arguing!"
"Write this: After this battle, ensure that the Dragon Clan ranks among the top ten of the Hundred Clans of the Primordial World and maintains that position for at least one Yuanhui! That is dignity!"
The entire hall fell silent.
Every dragon looked at the Turtle Prime Minister as though he were an immortal.
Ao Bing was so moved that he grasped the Turtle Prime Minister's claw.
"Prime Minister, you are truly a great talent of our clan!"
Three full hours passed.
When the final question had been filled out, Ao Bing returned the Jade Slip bearing the heart and wisdom of the entire Dragon Clan to Shen Gongbao with both hands.
His hands were trembling.
His eyes had never been clearer.
He felt that he had undergone a profound cleansing.
Fighting and killing were far too low-level.
Using procedures, rules, and data to solve problems—now that was the Great Dao!
Shen Gongbao solemnly accepted the Jade Slip, carefully placed it into a specially made jade case, and affixed a seal.
He gave Ao Bing a deep bow.
"Third Prince, fellow Daoists, thank you for the effort."
"This humble Daoist will return to Golden Ao Island at once and submit this report to the Calamity Aversion Department for review."
"According to procedure, the review period will take approximately seven to fifteen working days. During that time, I hope your side will exercise restraint and await good news."
After saying this, he turned to leave.
"Daoist, please wait!"
Ao Bing suddenly called out.
Shen Gongbao's body stiffened, and he nearly reached for his Earth-Escaping Talisman again.
But Ao Bing merely strode forward, took out a Dragon Scale from his robes, and held it out.
"This is this prince's token. Should Daoist come to the East Sea in the future, present this token and you may enter the Crystal Palace directly. My Dragon Clan will surely receive you as an honored guest."
He looked at Shen Gongbao with sincere eyes.
"Today, Daoist opened a new door for my clan. Ao Bing has learned much."
Shen Gongbao accepted the Dragon Scale blankly, his mind still buzzing.
He muddleheadedly took his leave and muddleheadedly left the Crystal Palace. Only after he broke through the sea surface and was struck by the warm sunlight did he suddenly come to his senses.
He lowered his head to look at the token in his hand, then touched the weighty "Investigation Report" tucked against his chest.
An unprecedented surge of pride shot into the heavens.
I, Shen Gongbao, resolved conflict without spilling a drop of blood, turned weapons into jade and silk, and made the East Sea Dragon Clan bow in submission with nothing but my silver tongue!
With such towering merit, the position of Chief Elder was secure!
Meanwhile, on Golden Ao Island, within the Calamity Aversion Department.
Chen Changsheng was resting with his eyes closed.
On the Mission Assessment Wall before him, the words "East Sea Dragon Slaying" still emitted an ominous red glow.
Suddenly.
The system's icy prompt sounded in his mind.
[Ding!] [Detected that the host has successfully introduced the concepts of "procedures" and "risk assessment" into an interspecies conflict in the Primordial World for the first time, creating a new dispute-resolution model of "nonviolent noncooperation" and exerting a profound, immeasurable influence on the future course of civilization in the Primordial World.] [This is an act of defying fate and changing destiny. Heavenly Dao Merit descends!] [Reward: Ten thousand years of cultivation!] [Reward: Post-Heaven Merit Treasure, first-edition draft of General Principles of Primordial Era Procedures!]
Chen Changsheng slowly opened his eyes.
A smile curved his lips.
It worked.
Before you continue