Felling the Hidden Dragon

More than three thousand characters had been densely engraved on the bronze plate, clearly recording the method for refining Sword Fang, along with a matching Essence Extraction Art called Sword Cleansing Art.

Jing Qian held the bronze plate in his hands as the power of Worldly Understanding reached its peak. It was like a high-definition camera: in a single instant, it imprinted the entire art into his mind, never to be forgotten.

Then the contents of the art were shattered as swiftly as a block of tofu, kneaded into pieces, and absorbed into Jing Qian's memories.

For Jing Qian, comprehending the method for refining a White Fang destiny pattern had taken only a few minutes from recollection to understanding.

The divine might of Worldly Understanding was plain to see!

He silently put away the bronze plate and said, "Thank you for your assistance, Steward Tao. If I manage to make a breakthrough in any specialized field, I will surely repay you."

Tao Yong smiled and said, "You should first deal with your Jing Family's troubles."

"Now that you have successfully entered the Dao, you have one year of freedom and need not take up an official post under my office."

"Will you cultivate here at the government office, or return to the island?"

"Steward, I still have some trivial matters at home that I haven't finished handling. I need to make a trip back."

Tao Yong nodded and replied, "Your identity token allows you to ride the Raven Carriage twice a year for free. After that, you'll have to pay. Go on, then."

Jing Qian bowed, turned, and took his leave.

When he stepped out of the courtyard, his state of mind changed abruptly as well.

After being tempered and polished by his time at the government office, his cultivation and state of mind had improved tremendously.

Alone, challenging this new world, he felt not the slightest trace of cowardice—only soaring fighting spirit.

Jing Qian walked toward the government office's exit. Once he left, what he stepped on was no longer paving bricks, but the tongue of the Dragon Python.

The tongue of this sixth-grade spirit construct was comparable to refined steel. Standing on it, he felt no softness whatsoever.

He hurried onward, heading deep into the Dragon Python's throat.

The upper wall of the Dragon Python's mouth was inlaid with countless luminous pearls, illuminating the government office until it was as bright as day.

Only after walking more than five hundred meters did he reach the base of the serpent's tongue.

Beyond that lay the Dragon Python's abdomen. It was dark and profound within, like the endless hells.

At the boundary between light and darkness stood a bird's nest a full hundred meters in diameter.

Jing Qian stepped forward and entered the nest through a passageway meant for people.

The instant he entered, four eagle eyes as large as millstones stared straight at him, carrying an intimidating aura.

Jing Qian swept his gaze around and saw four enormous black ravens lying in the four corners of the nest.

He chose the one closest to him, then raised his foot and climbed aboard.

A red-bronze seat was firmly embedded in the raven's back for passengers to sit in.

Jing Qian settled himself into it and said, "Take me to Hun Zhou Sea Market!"

The moment his voice fell, the raven beneath him shot into the air and flew upward.

The raven's wings spanned more than twenty meters when spread, and it flew incredibly fast. In the blink of an eye, it passed through the Li Dragon's nostril and flew outside.

These Raven Carriages, made from ninth-grade White Fang ravens, were the primary means of transportation for the government office's cultivators to travel across the entire island.

As this raven rose into the sky, Jing Qian looked back down and saw a familiar figure emerging from the Dragon Python's deep abdomen.

The man dragged three thick ship anchors with one hand, moving slowly, one footprint at a time.

Behind him were three somewhat battered ships.

The ships traveled over dry land entirely by the strength of the man's physical body!

The person with such terrifying strength was none other than Ling Mingji, the head of the Military Affairs Office, whom Jing Qian had been fortunate enough to see once.

Jing Qian peered down at Ling Mingji from above. It seemed to stir the other man's senses, for the powerhouse raised his head and looked toward the raven.

Jing Qian met his gaze for a moment before promptly looking away. By then, the raven had already flown out of the Li Dragon's nostril and into the sky.

He pondered the information he had captured from Ling Mingji.

This great cultivator of Prolonging Life was constantly shrouded in the phantom of a Divine Peng Appearance, guarding his surroundings without the slightest flaw.

Even if the man stood still, Jing Qian feared that his full-force attack would struggle to break through his defenses.

Jing Qian also discovered a spirit construct within Ling Mingji:

Spirit Construct: Felling the Hidden Dragon

Suppression Requirements: Bird and Flower Appearance, God and Ghost Appearance, Mountain and Sea Appearance

Lifespan Burden: Eleven hours/day

Jing Qian recorded all this information, then rode the raven away in triumph.

Within the government office, Qian Yuan sat in his residence, sunk deep in thought.

Even though he had pushed his schemes to their absolute limits, that boy Jing Qian had still carved out a path to survival and advanced to the ninth-grade Determining Destiny Realm.

Not only had he tricked Qian Yuan into wasting another sixth-grade destiny flame, he had also obtained a formal position with the government office.

Now, the Qian Family's plan to spend enormous resources acquiring the Official Shop License of the Jing Clan Main Store had practically been declared a failure.

Even though he was a mid-ranking official of the government office with considerable authority and influence, he could not directly harm a fellow colleague. That was a grave taboo.

Moreover, the grudge between the Qian Family and the Jing Family was known throughout Hun Zhou.

If anything happened to Jing Qian, Qian Yuan would undoubtedly be accused, and it might even affect his power and position.

But asking him to completely abandon his pursuit of the Official Shop License was likewise utterly impossible!

Over the past hundred years, all more than thirty of his attempts to advance to the Prolonging Life Realm had failed. His Lifespan was already nearing its limit.

And the younger generation of his lineage were all useless wastrels, incapable of shouldering the Qian Family's banner.

Without the Official Shop License to protect them, once he died, the Qian Family's fate would likely be even worse than the Jing Family's. They would be expelled straight back to the Hun Zhou Plain, spending their days rushing about to raise dragons, with no hope of ever rising again.

He had to exert even greater force to scheme Jing Qian into his grave.

Qian Yuan remained sleepless through the night, thinking until dawn.

At Hun Zhou Sea Market, twenty-four official shops were neatly arranged around a broad crossroads.

Jing Qian stood in the very center of the intersection, carefully surveying the sea market.

The Raven Carriage truly deserved its reputation as the government office's ninth-grade transportation tool. In terms of speed and comfort alone, it was outstanding.

Traveling at eight hundred li per hour, it had brought him back to the sea market in less than two hours.

Upon his return, his state of mind, cultivation, status, and position were all worlds apart.

Naturally, everything he did was also completely different.

He calmly entered the Jing Clan Main Store and went to the main hall of the large residence.

He casually said to the first person he encountered, "Go summon everyone to the main hall. I have something to say."

Then he carried a redwood armchair to the center and sat down peacefully.

Before long, everyone still present at the Jing Clan Main Store had arrived.

Among them, the old steward and Qian Xi were people Jing Qian could identify by name. He did not recognize anyone else.

Once everyone had gathered, Jing Qian immediately said, "Why are you still here? Haven't you thought of running?"

His voice was cold and devoid of the slightest emotion.