When they were still some distance from the moon, Li Xingkong saw many military cultivators patrolling along designated routes. On the moon, a large array emitting a faint light enveloped the entire moon, as if it were wearing an outer garment.
The defenses of the moon by Divine Land are extremely tight, with a large number of cultivators patrolling the area. At regular intervals, there is a spherical building resembling a fortress, slowly orbiting the moon.
This spherical building looks like a fortress, or a military camp deployed in space. After their shifts, the patrolling monks would fly into the building to rest.
As Li Xingkong approached the moon, he used his Divine Sense to contact the lunar communication network, simulated his own fixed number, and sent a message to the network.
Due to the changes in the organizational structure, Li Xingkong didn't know what the current state of the Earthly Capital was, so he could only use a somewhat clumsy method: he would send a plain text message to the relevant people in the Earthly Capital to contact him.
Fortunately, although time has passed, information about Li Xingkong remains of paramount importance within the Divine Land system, and someone contacted him shortly after the news about Li Xingkong was released.
"Hello, is this Senior Li Xingkong? This is the Heavenly Crafts Institute. Where are you now? We'll send someone to pick you up."
Li Xingkong sent his current location information, and after a flurry of busy activity and rustling sounds on the other end, the same female voice spoke again.
"Okay, senior, we'll be there shortly."
After losing contact, Li Xingkong waited less than 5 minutes before seeing a group of people fly out of the lunar surface. Leading them was a small, spherical spaceship that could only carry one person. After taking off from the lunar surface, they hurriedly headed towards Li Xingkong.
From a distance, the group adjusted their formation, adopted a welcoming posture, slowed their speed, and slowly flew towards Li Xingkong.
The group of cultivators who arrived all looked quite young, and none of them were familiar faces. Jidu newly recruited researchers in recent years. Due to their cultivation, both men and women had a very dashing temperament and appearance, each with their own unique characteristics.
Upon seeing Li Xingkong, they stopped in their tracks, and the strange aircraft in the center slowly opened.
Her dress seemed woven from the clouds at the edge of the sky, shimmering with a faint silver light as it flowed. The flowing fabric, embroidered with star and cloud patterns, was draped in a thin, almost invisible gauze. A nimble ribbon rose without wind, swirling around her.
As the aircraft opened, the person inside revealed their true appearance. Li Xingkong slightly surprised; this person was indeed an acquaintance.
Having achieved spiritual cultivation, his appearance remained unchanged, so naturally he wouldn't be unable to recognize her after a long time. The person who came to greet him was none other than Zhang Yumeng, whom he had met a few times in the past.
However, this attire and exaggerated entrance made it difficult for Li Xingkong to connect the person in front of him with the little girl he remembered.
"Senior, it's been many years since we last met. Your cultivation has improved even more."
Zhang Yumeng floated down from the aircraft, like a real fairy.
"Um, your outfit..."
It is indeed beautiful, but isn't this a bit too extravagant?
"What, this isn't like me?"
Zhang Yumeng smiled, her smile as gentle as a spring breeze.
"The changes are indeed quite significant; if this were anywhere else, I wouldn't have recognized it at all."
" The Heavenly Crafts Institute has prepared some tea. Why don't we go back to the academy first?"
"Alright."
Standing in space, it was indeed a bit inconvenient to have a conversation, so Li Xingkong followed the group and flew towards the location of the Heavenly Crafts Institute.
Zhang Yumeng invited Li Xingkong to ride the flying vehicle together, but Li Xingkong declined. It would be too crowded for two people, so he decided to skip it.
As Li Xingkong clearly felt himself entering the atmosphere. The composition and structure of this atmosphere were extremely similar to those of Earth Star, indicating that Divine Land had put a lot of effort into this aspect.
Upon entering the moon, what came into view were magnificent palaces, with carved beams and painted rafters, golden bricks and jade tiles, a scene of a prosperous cultivation era.
As the group landed inside one of the palaces, Li Xingkong looked around and saw a huge sign at the gate with the three golden characters "Heavenly Crafts Institute" shining brightly.
"The Heavenly Crafts Institute was reconstructed from the former Earthly Capital. It is mainly responsible for scientific research, but as cultivation has developed, there are more and more research projects, and the original structure of the Earthly Capital has become somewhat inadequate."
Zhang Yumeng also jumped out of the aircraft. At the landing site, there were dozens of similar aircraft parked there, clearly indicating that this was a standard mode of transportation.
"The current Heavenly Crafts Institute is divided into five departments: Heavenly Secrets, Creation, Mystic Artifacts, Spirit Pivot, Great Void, each overseeing research projects in different areas. Compared to the previous Earthly Capital, its management is much more efficient."
Upon arriving at the Heavenly Crafts Institute, the group that had greeted Li Xingkong remained in the academy, while Zhang Yumeng led Li Xingkong on a brief tour of the Heavenly Crafts Institute.
Although the palace complex didn't seem very large, once Li Xingkong arrived, he discovered that quite a few people were actually hiding there. In each palace, many researchers were busy going about their business. When they saw Li Xingkong and Zhang Yumeng, they simply nodded in acknowledgment and went about their own business.
" Divine Land has developed very rapidly in recent years."
After following Zhang Yumeng around, the two stopped in front of the dean's office. Zhang Yumeng reached out and placed her hand on the magic circle on the door. The magic circle then activated, and the office door opened with a knock.
Li Xingkong had expected to see Old Tang here, but to his surprise, the office was completely empty.
Once inside the office and behind closed door, Zhang Yumeng visibly relaxed, her mood brightening considerably. She quickly moved and sat down in the chair that clearly belonged to the dean.
"Phew, it's exhausting to put on airs in front of people. Sit down, sit down quickly. It's so hard to even see an old acquaintance these days."
Li Xingkong sat down on the sofa. He could see the situation clearly. The dean of the Heavenly Crafts Institute had obviously changed, and the current dean was the one standing in front of him.
"You're the dean now?"
Li Xingkong Li Xingkong somewhat incredulous. Putting everything else aside, he knew exactly how skilled this guy was when he left.
"What are you doing! Is it so strange that I'm the dean?"
Zhang Yumeng was clearly affected by the doubts in Li Xingkong.
"It's nothing, I just wanted to say that one should look at a person with new eyes after three days of separation."
"You need to understand that being the dean isn't a technical position; it's a management position. I became the dean because I worked diligently, dedicated myself, and worked my way up through seniority!"
Zhang Yumeng was clearly somewhat skeptical of this impressive remark.
"Building seniority?"
Someone accidentally let it slip.
"Ahem, you didn't hear anything. Anyway, I'm definitely the dean now."
"What about Old Tang? What did he do?"
Li Xingkong very curious. Now that everyone had become a cultivator, it was clear that the original retirement age of 60 was no longer an ironclad rule, and working until the age of 600 was not a problem.
" Uncle Tang has naturally been promoted; he's now been transferred to the Veteran Cadres Bureau as its director."
Zhang Yumeng spoke with a hint of envy. But Li Xingkong didn't quite understand.
Anyone with common sense should know the true extent of Heavenly Palace Institute's power and the size of the Bureau of the Veteran Cadres Bureau. Is this really considered a promotion?
" The Veteran Cadres Bureau is different now than before. What kind of look is that?"
"You know, the Veteran Cadres Bureau is incredibly powerful these days. All matters related to the investiture of gods in Divine Land, as well as the management and placement of deities, are all under the jurisdiction of the Veteran Cadres Bureau."
"Hmm? What does this Investiture of the Gods have to do with the Veteran Cadres Bureau?"
Li Xingkong found it difficult to connect the two things at first glance.
"Do all cultivators who are granted godhood now have to die first?"
"Yes."
"That person has passed away, does that mean they're considered retired?"
That understanding isn't wrong.
"That settles it then. All the cultivators who have been deified will be under the management of the Veteran Cadres Bureau. Of course, they've changed their names now; it's called Five Manors Temple, which governs all the gods."
Li Xingkong digested this for a moment, and he had to admit, Old Tang's current position was indeed very powerful and influential.
"It's not just that. After Divine Land began its expansion, all the staff in various departments were transferred to the newly established departments. Even the management personnel in the Earthly Capital were drained. Someone like me, who would normally have needed a few more years of training, was forced into this position due to the severe shortage of manpower."
That's a pretty straightforward statement. When Zhang Yumeng first took office, she had extremely little confidence in her own abilities. Fortunately, she was also naturally intelligent, and after serving as the dean for several years, she managed the affairs of the Heavenly Palace Institute quite well.
After all, the people here are mostly researchers, so there's far less backstabbing and infighting compared to other departments.