Daoist Official

Grand Protector's Manor.

By the entrance.

Zhong Shenxiu followed Feng Xi'er out slowly, feeling a sudden sense of relief.

'After all, my highest combat power is only a Vengeful Spirit equivalent to the Divine Ability Realm... and within the Second Yanhan Empire, there won't be too few true Sword Immortals or even Yuan Dan experts...'

He inwardly cautioned himself not to get carried away.

"Su Daozhi."

Feng Xi'er said to Zhong Shenxiu, "The Grand Protector has approved your emancipation document. Starting today, you are no longer a convict."

"Thank you for your great kindness, Colonel," Zhong Shenxiu quickly bowed in gratitude.

He knew very well how miserable convicts were, discriminated against everywhere, with ceilings in every aspect. Their highest possible position in life was a minor official, and becoming a ranked official was simply impossible.

'It's a pity that the visible ceiling is gone, but the hidden one remains... Obtaining Daoist Magic from the government is still as difficult as reaching the heavens...'

Zhong Shenxiu sighed inwardly and then heard Feng Xi'er continue, "However... your position as Sergeant of my Black Armored Iron Cavalry is gone... But it doesn't matter. I have already recommended you for the position of Deputy Envoy of Exorcism, rank nine, and you will still be under my command. The appointment letter will be issued soon. With this identity, you can enter the official martial arts academies without any hindrance."

"Thank you, my lord."

Zhong Shenxiu's face was full of joy, without a trace of gloom.

He knew that the position of Sergeant of the Black Armored Iron Cavalry was a position of trust, and Feng Xi'er had only been appeasing him at the time.

As a superior, burning bridges was also instinctive.

Now, with a ninth-rank official position to compensate, it was probably because Feng Xi'er was young and not thick-skinned enough.

"Very good."

Seeing Su Daozhi's attitude, Feng Xi'er felt much better. She flicked a key towards him, "I have a small courtyard in Sweet Water Well Alley. I'll give it to you as well."

'A tycoon.'

Zhong Shenxiu marveled inwardly, 'Although it's just a house in a remote area, it's still considered within the city. This girl's family must be very wealthy.'

Sweet Water Well Alley.

As Zhong Shenxiu opened the courtyard gate, he saw a not-too-large courtyard with a well and a plum blossom tree inside.

"Congratulations on your promotion and good fortune, my lord."

Huang Xie followed behind him, congratulating him with a smile, and then consciously went to find a broom and other cleaning tools.

"Let Shiqi do this kind of manual labor,"

Zhong Shenxiu thought for a moment, took out a few White Emperor coins, and handed them to Huang Xie, "Go buy some wine and meat, and also give some to the surrounding neighbors. After all, we are new here, and we need some support."

"Alright, my lord is indeed a considerate person."

Ever since he learned that Zhong Shenxiu was going to be an official, Huang Xie's attitude towards him had become even more respectful.

Zhong Shenxiu knew that the old friend of Su Daozhi would never return, and he felt a little emotional.

He looked at the courtyard. There were many rooms, including the master bedroom, study, and living room of the owner's family, as well as guest rooms, a kitchen, a stable, and even servants' quarters in the side rooms. Everything was complete.

Zhong Shenxiu naturally chose the largest master bedroom, as no one would compete with him for it.

When evening came, one person and two dogs feasted on the purchased wine and meat. The two dogs were still busy, doing who knew what.

Zhong Shenxiu, on the other hand, began to cultivate.

"The Spiritual Turtle Breathing Technique has reached its limit, with no further progress..."

"The [Shepherd] profession is even more so. I took it up forcefully, without any beginning or end..."

"Looking at it this way, further cultivation would be futile. I must obtain new Daoist Magic, right? I hope the official martial arts academies can give me some pleasant surprises."

He then thought of the two dogs again.

Given his current status, teaching his personal guards Qi cultivation techniques was not a major issue.

However, Zhong Shenxiu still wanted to be cautious and impart the Xiantian Qi Gong. This way, no one could say anything, and it would also give them a chance to succeed.

Zhong Shenxiu wandered around Fufeng City for a few days, waiting for his emancipation document and appointment to be issued.

He casually put away the emancipation document. The position of Deputy Envoy of Exorcism, rank nine, was quite interesting.

This was a Daoist Official!

Within the Second Yanhan Empire, in addition to civil and military officials, there was another category: Daoist Officials, specifically granted to reclusive cultivators who contributed to the empire, also known as 'Immortal Officials' among the common people.

The biggest threshold for this was cultivation.

Above Xiantian, one could serve as Deputy Envoy of Exorcism, rank nine, or Envoy of Exorcism, rank nine. At the highest, one could serve as Law Enforcement Envoy, rank eight!

Cultivators in the Gang Sha Realm were already considered to have truly entered the path of cultivation. As long as they were willing to serve the country, they could be appointed as Deputy Envoy of Demon Subjugation, rank seven, and after three years, they would be immediately promoted to Envoy of Demon Subjugation, rank seven!

Divine Ability experts who entered officialdom would start as Deputy Envoy of Examination and Summoning, rank six, and could reach as high as Golden Palace Grand Master, rank five!

As for Yuan Dan Grandmasters? They were already rare and powerful figures in the immortal path, starting at least as Five Talisman Spirit Official, rank four!

Beyond the fourth-rank Spirit Official, there are also positions like Celestial Master, Imperial Preceptor, and so on, though outsiders may not be clear on the specific cultivation realms required.

"These Daoist Officials have a leisurely life and receive offerings for free. They are the highest tier, surpassing civil and military officials, but there's nothing to be done... This is a world where power comes from within oneself, after all. If the imperial family of the Second Yanhan Empire didn't possess terrifying strength, it wouldn't be their turn to be emperors."

Zhong Shenxiu changed into the official uniform of a Deputy Envoy of Exorcism. It resembled a Daoist robe but appeared more fresh and elegant, complemented by an ivory waist token. Both Huang Xie and Er Ha's eyes lit up upon seeing it, and they praised him loudly.

Zhong Shenxiu couldn't be bothered with these two idiots.

Ever since he expressed his intention to teach them a Qi-refining technique he had stumbled upon, he had immediately gained two loyal lackeys.

However, being flattered like this every day was becoming rather boring.

"You two guard the house well. I'm going to check out the official martial arts."

He instructed the two of them and walked out of the courtyard on his own.

Zhong Shenxiu had been looking forward to this trip for a long time.

Officials were common in Fufeng Prefecture, so no one was particularly surprised by a Deputy Envoy of Exorcism. At most, they were surprised by Zhong Shenxiu's youth and handsome appearance.

The journey was smooth, and he didn't encounter any particularly interesting plot developments before arriving at the official martial arts academy.

This place could be considered a massive martial arts school. When soldiers were promoted to certain key positions, they had to come here to study military strategy and martial arts.

Through this martial arts system, the Second Yanhan Empire firmly held military power in its hands.

After all, when military officials were promoted, they could be transferred from their original posts, completely dismantling any potential influence.

In addition, it provided an excuse for isolation and investigation. Whether one ended up learning and improving or directly learning their way into prison depended on individual fortune.

Zhong Shenxiu presented his waist token and entered the martial arts academy. He bypassed the soldiers training on the parade grounds and went directly to the area where secret manuals were kept.

This place resembled a large library, with water vats placed around the perimeter and dedicated personnel on guard.

He walked inside and saw the vast interior space, with rows upon rows of bookshelves filled with military texts and martial arts manuals.

Outside, true cultivation techniques that ordinary martial artists struggled to obtain were abundant here.

The surroundings were quiet, with only the occasional rustling sound of a few martial artists reading and flipping through books.

Zhong Shenxiu smiled and headed directly to the second floor.

On the second floor, the martial arts ranked even higher, reaching the Xiantian level. Techniques like the Ten Directions Beast Art were all kept here.

As for cultivation methods for Daoist Magic? Don't even dream about it.