Twelve-Stage Immortal Root, Glazed Flat Peach

At the Ninth Prince's Manor.

Eunuch Su entered through the main gate, accompanied by several young eunuchs.

Behind him, the young eunuchs carried sandalwood boxes, inside which were imperial edicts.

"Ninth Prince, receive the imperial edict."

"Eunuch Su, please wait a moment. I will go set up the incense altar."

Fang Heng instructed his servants to prepare the incense altar.

Throughout the manor, hundreds of people focused their gaze on the imperial edict within the sandalwood box.

Everyone knew this was the edict to enfeoff a Prince of a Commandery.

From this day forward, their master would be a Prince of a Commandery.

When one ascends, all his dependents rise with him.

Their backs, as servants, could now straighten with pride.

A moment later.

The incense altar was ready.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:

I, the Emperor, by Heaven's mandate, rule over all under Heaven, extending grace to the four seas and virtue to all commoners.

Hereby, a virtuous member of the imperial clan, with outstanding merit, diligent service to the nation, and both talent and virtue, is worthy to be a pillar of the state and a model for the people.

I specifically issue this benevolent decree, enfeoffing the Ninth Prince, Fang Heng, as the Prince of Dongdai Commandery, with the Daishan Secret Realm as his fief, and an income of ten thousand households.

Bestowed upon him are the golden imperial register and seal, and ceremonial carriages, to display his prestige. All rituals for the Prince of a Commandery shall be conducted according to regulations and not be overstepped.

Bestowed upon him are an annual stipend of ten thousand taels of silver, a thousand shi of grain, and various silks and satins, for daily use.

You shall adhere to your duty as a subject, be loyal to the sovereign and patriotic, diligently manage state affairs, and pacify the common people, so as not to betray my high hopes.

By imperial command!"

"Your son receives the decree."

Fang Heng accepted the imperial edict and performed a deep bow towards the imperial palace.

His mother concubine's influence truly worked wonders.

The enfeoffment of the Daishan Secret Realm had finally come through.

After Eunuch Su finished reading the imperial edict, he paused, then continued.

"Your Highness, the Prince of a Commandery, His Majesty also has an oral decree."

"The Ninth Prince is to lead the Director of the Ministry of Agriculture in the Imperial Household Department, to coordinate the cultivation of Sacred Emperor Rice, and await the results!"

"Your son receives the decree!"

Fang Heng accepted the decree, but his expression showed some surprise and astonishment.

Ministry of Agriculture?

The Imperial Household Department had this department?

"Eunuch Su, what is this Ministry of Agriculture about?"

"Among the seven departments and three bureaus of the Imperial Household Department, there wasn't a Ministry of Agriculture, was there?"

Eunuch Su nodded slightly, smiling as he spoke.

"Your Highness, the Ministry of Agriculture was established by His Majesty today, specifically for cultivating Sacred Emperor Rice."

"Your Highness serving as the Director of the Ministry of Agriculture shows His Majesty's immense trust in you."

"What about the Seed Selection Department then?"

"His Majesty's intention is for the Ministry of Agriculture to be responsible for cultivation, and the Seed Selection Department for sales. The two are unrelated."

After Eunuch Su's explanation, Fang Heng understood his imperial father's thoughts.

Separation of production and sales.

Mutual checks and balances, to prevent any one side from becoming too powerful.

Such was the art of imperial rule.

However, in the early stages of Sacred Emperor Rice cultivation, he, as the inventor, still held significant sway.

While serving as the Director of the Ministry of Agriculture, it wouldn't be difficult to interfere with the Seed Selection Department.

But after he was promoted, subsequent Directors of the Ministry of Agriculture would not have his high prestige, and thus would not be able to command the Seed Selection Department.

Besides that…

Destiny Points +500!

Advancing from fifth rank to true fifth rank, his Destiny Points increased again.

However, after being enfeoffed as a prince and after the emergence of Sacred Emperor Rice…

Fang Heng's sights had already been raised; 500 Destiny Points were hardly worth mentioning.

"Your Highness, according to imperial rules, any Prince of a Commandery is entitled to enter the Imperial Secret Vault and select one treasure."

"Might Your Highness be planning to enter the Imperial Secret Vault soon?"

"Right now!"

"I've been curious about the Imperial Secret Vault ever since I was a child!"

Fang Heng's voice held a hint of excitement.

The Imperial Secret Vault was the shared asset of the entire Great Qian imperial clan, controlled by the Emperor.

Beyond serving as the imperial family's foundation, its most important function was to reward deserving members of the imperial lineage.

A Prince of a Commandery could choose one treasure.

An Heir Prince could choose two treasures.

A Prince of the First Rank could choose three treasures.

Led by Eunuch Su, Fang Heng arrived at the depths of the imperial palace.

The area was heavily guarded.

Openly, there were hundreds of Yinglong Guard soldiers.

Covertly, countless imperial powerhouses watched for any disturbances.

Fang Heng looked out and saw a squad of Yinglong Guard at the entrance.

The Yinglong Guard wore silver scale armor that gleamed with cold light, and Xiuchun Blades hung at their waists, their presence profound and solemn.

A timid person would feel their courage fail and their legs turn to jelly just by witnessing this scene.

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

"Greetings, Eunuch!"

"This humble servant is accompanying His Highness to the Imperial Secret Vault to select treasures."

"Open the door."

The Yinglong Guard had already received news of the Ninth Prince's enfeoffment and naturally knew that the Ninth Prince would be coming to the Imperial Secret Vault.

The two leading Yinglong Guard produced two incomplete jade pendants and pressed them into the grooves on the palace gate.

The two incomplete jade pendants perfectly formed a complete one.

With a hum, a soft white light erupted from the vault's massive door.

Fang Heng could clearly see a formation on the vault door dissipate as the soft white light spread.

Immediately after, a "clack-clack" sound, like gears turning, emanated from within the door.

A trace of curious light flickered in his eyes.

Eunuch Su explained from the side.

"Your Highness, the vault door has two layers of protection."

"One is the formation on the door, which was set up by a Daoist master at the request of Emperor Taizu."

"The second is that the vault door itself is a mechanism-treasure, exquisitely crafted internally, and refined by a Daoist Puppet Master."

Fang Heng nodded slightly at Eunuch Su's words.

"It looks like a Mohist technique."

"Daoist Puppet Masters have absorbed the Mohist School's heritage. You are in me, and I am in you; who can truly distinguish between them?"

Clack-clack!

The vault door slowly opened.

Fang Heng followed Eunuch Su into the vault.

The Imperial Secret Vault occupied a vast area.

At a glance, it stretched over three hundred zhang in both length and width.

Tens of thousands of luminous pearls were embedded throughout the entire vault, illuminating it brightly.

These luminous pearls, besides providing light, also served as nodes for a formation.

If anyone were to intrude, the formation could activate instantly to eliminate the invaders.

"Your Highness, please take your time choosing. This old servant will wait here."

After Eunuch Su made a gesture of invitation, Fang Heng began to explore the vault by himself.

Having the rare opportunity to enter the vault, Fang Heng did not wander aimlessly like a headless fly.

Instead, he had a very specific goal.

His goal was to select a Heaven and Earth Spirit Root with extraordinary potential.

Since he possessed the Azure Emperor Scion Fate Attribute, which allowed him to imbue plants with spiritual energy, he naturally had to utilize this Fate Attribute.

Fang Heng dove straight into the section where the Heaven and Earth Spirit Roots were stored.

Seeing this, Eunuch Su's eyes flickered with a dim light.

"It truly is as His Majesty said; the Ninth Prince has chosen a Heaven and Earth Spirit Root."

Considering Fang Heng's actions at the Seed Selection Department, Eunuch Su didn't find it hard to understand.

Fang Heng's ability to cultivate Sacred Emperor Rice in just over a month showed his profound skill as a Spirit Farmer.

His choice of a Heaven and Earth Spirit Root was hardly surprising.

[Target: Cold Jade Ice Lotus]

[Potential: Tier 9]

[Enlightenment: One point per day, achievable in one month]

[Target: Ghost Cry Vine]

[Potential: Tier 8]

[Enlightenment: One point per day, achievable in twenty days]

[Target: Golden Scale Tree]

[Potential: Tier 10]

[Enlightenment: One point per day, achievable in forty days]

[Target: Glazed Flat Peach]

[Potential: Tier 12]

[Enlightenment: One point per day, achievable in one hundred days]

Tier 12!

When he saw the Tier 12 potential of the Glazed Flat Peach, Fang Heng's eyes immediately lit up.