Smooth Progress, Setting an Example
Su Zhen stood at the bow of the boat, looking at the scenery rushing past below, deeply moved.
Luozhen Province is too big.
We've been flying for almost a day, and we still haven't reached the border.
"This is only a small part of Luozhen Province," Li Yunjing said with a smile. "Once the earth veins are fully formed, the territory of Luozhen Province will not be much smaller than that of Central Divine Province."
Su Zhen clicked his tongue in amazement.
This single prefecture is comparable to the Central Divine Province.
Such a feat is simply unimaginable.
It should be noted that when Central Divine Province was first established, its territory was not large, not much different from the current Luozhen Province.
However Central Divine Province has a long history of Jianzhou, and its territory has long since expanded to an astonishing extent.
It's unbelievable that Luozhen Province could catch up in such a short time!
As evening fell, the airship arrived at Fallen Star Valley.
From afar, one could see ten enormous warships standing around the valley, guarding the mine like sentinels.
The valley was brightly lit, the campsite was neatly arranged, and people were coming and going at the entrance to the mine tunnel, creating a bustling scene.
"Sect Leader!"
Gu Lin and Zhi Qianshu were already waiting at the valley entrance. When they saw Li Yunjing arrive, they quickly went forward to greet him.
"How is the situation?" Li Yunjing asked as he walked.
"Everything went smoothly!" Gu Lin said excitedly. "Preliminary exploration shows that the reserves of this mine are larger than expected."
The surface layer of Fallen Star Iron is already extremely pure; the deeper you dig, the better the quality will become. At this reserve level, mining could last for a century!
Zhi Qianshu stepped forward and respectfully bowed, saying, "Zhi Qianshu greets Sect Leader Li."
"Chief Zhi, it's been a long time." Li Yunjing helped him up and smiled, "Did the tribe suffer heavy losses in this beast tide?"
"Not bad at all!" Zhi Qianshu grinned. "Thanks to the fleet's timely arrival, only a dozen or so brothers were injured, and no one died. Compared to previous beast tides, this one was relatively mild."
Li Yunjing nodded. "That's good. We'll need your help with the mine from now on."
The group entered the valley and explored the area as they went.
Su Zhen followed behind, looking at the black and shiny Fallen Star Iron Ore scattered all over the ground, watching the disciples of the Artifact Hall skillfully sorting and smelting it, and watching the warships patrolling the sky above the valley. He was overwhelmed by the sights.
He quietly tugged at Li Yunjing's sleeve and whispered, "Sect Leader Li, you guys are amazing."
Li Yunjing smiled and said, "Take your time. You'll have your own Departing Maple Sect."
Su Zhen was taken aback, and then a surge of warmth welled up in his heart.
He knew that Li Yunjing wasn't just being polite.
With such an ally, the future of the Departing Maple Sect is promising.
That evening, everyone held a banquet at the mine camp to celebrate the retreat of the beast tide and the resumption of operations at the mine.
The bonfire roared, the aroma of roasted meat filled the air, the warriors of the Biyuan Tribe sang and danced, and the disciples of the Luozhen Sect drank heartily.
Li Yunjing sat in the main seat, looking at the lively scene before him, but his mind was already planning for something much further ahead.
We have Fallen Star Ore, we have a fleet, and our allies have arrived.
The foundation of Luozhen Province is becoming increasingly stable.
Next, it's time to consider the seventh state.
After staying in Fallen Star Valley for three days, Li Yunjing made all the necessary arrangements for the mine.
The mine is headed by a general manager, an elder from the Artifact Hall, who oversees mining, smelting, and transportation. It is also headed by a guard commander, an Nascent Soul from the Law Enforcement Hall, who, along with ten escort ships, is responsible for the security of the mine and its surrounding area.
The Biyuan Tribe dispatched two hundred warriors to be responsible for perimeter patrols and short-distance transportation, and would receive 20% of the profits as agreed.
In addition, the Luozhen Sect regularly provides tribes with elixirs, weapons, and Cultivation Method to help them improve their overall strength.
"The Fallen Star Iron produced in the mine will be prioritized for the Artifact Hall to forge Spirit Treasure and upgrade the fleet," Li Yunjing said to Gu Lin. "In addition, a portion will be allocated to forge a batch of standard weapons to reward meritorious disciples and warriors of the Biyuan."
"Understood!" Gu Lin replied loudly.
After arranging everything, Li Yunjing took Su Zhen and set off back to Luozhen City.
On the way back, Su Zhen was clearly distracted, and he kept seeming to want to say something but then stopped himself.
Li Yunjing observed this and smiled, "Sect Leader Su, please speak frankly."
Su Zhen coughed lightly, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "Sect Leader Li, I wanted to ask if, besides our Departing Maple Sect, any other sects will move to Luozhen Province in the future?"
He worried that with too many sects, there wouldn't be enough resources to go around.
Li Yunjing nodded slightly. "Of course there will be. Luozhen Province is so big, it's impossible for it to only have Luozhen Sect and Departing Maple Sect. However, it's not something you can just do casually."
"Oh? What do you mean?"
"First, one must have a good family background, have never done anything immoral, and have no connection with Evil Cultivator or Devil Cultivator," Li Yunjing said slowly.
"Secondly, one must abide by the rules of Luozhen Province, register with the Personnel Department, and obey the unified command of the Luozhen Sect."
Third, they were required to pay a certain amount of tribute and undertake corresponding obligations, such as guarding the border, participating in construction, and being ready for deployment during wartime.
"Those who meet the requirements will be approved and their locations will be designated for official entry. Those who do not meet the requirements will not be able to move in, no matter how many benefits they are offered."
Su Zhen nodded repeatedly as he listened.
Having some barriers to entry is fine.
If just anyone could get in, wouldn't Luozhen Province be in complete chaos?
"So, we're the first one from the Departing Maple Sect?" Su Zhen asked with a smile.
"You are the first sect to officially settle here," Li Yunjing said. "After all, you are old friends, and I can trust you."
Su Zhen felt a warmth in his heart and a sense of pride.
Being the first outside sect to settle in Luozhen Province is no small honor.
Upon returning to Luozhen City, Su Zhen did not delay any longer and immediately set off back to Flying Immortal Prefecture to oversee the relocation of the entire sect.
The news spread very quickly.
The news that Departing Maple Sect Luozhen Province and acquired a mid-grade Spirit Vein soon spread throughout the surrounding prefectures.
One stone stirs up a thousand waves.
"Departing Maple Sect? That small sect from Flying Immortal Prefecture? They actually moved to Luozhen Province?"
"That's right! I heard that Sect Leader Li personally approved it, allocating Clear Wind Valley to them, and the Spirit Vein are all mid-grade!"
"Why should I? Just because they have a good relationship with the Luozhen Sect?"
"Don't you remember the life-or-death bond they had back then? Besides, if you could also form an alliance with the Luozhen Sect, you could go too."
"..."
Many sects have taken notice.
What kind of place is Luozhen Province? It has Immortal Vein, Fallen Star Ore, and is blessed by the ten Ancestral Vein. Its future potential is limitless.
The earlier you can move in, the sooner you can gain a competitive advantage.
Especially those small and medium-sized sects, who are overwhelmed by the large sects in the Five Provinces, have very little room for growth.
For them, Luozhen Province was a godsend.
In a short time, sects flocked to Luozhen City to apply for residency.
A long queue formed at the Personnel Department, with sect leaders bringing generous gifts and displaying respectful attitudes, all eager to Luozhen Province.
Departing Maple Sect is a great example!
In just a few days, Mo Xuan's desk was piled high with applications.
Mo Xuan, carrying a thick list of applicants, came to Li Yunjing for instructions.
"Senior brother, in the past few days, a total of thirty-seven sects have applied to move in. Among them, twelve are from Flying Immortal Prefecture, eight from Qingyang Province, five from Central Divine Province, and the rest are from other prefectures."
Their strengths varied greatly; the strong ones had several Nascent Soul elders, while the weak ones only had Golden Core sect leader to hold their own.
Li Yunjing sat at his desk, flipping through the list, and said calmly, "According to the rules we set before, those with questionable backgrounds will be rejected outright."
Those sects that are too weak to support the settlement should postpone their relocation. Three to five sects with good reputations and upright conduct should be selected as the second batch to move in.
"The settlements are all located around Luozhen City. The Spirit Vein are allocated according to the size of the sect, ranging from low-grade to mid-grade. After settling in, there will be a six-month observation period. Those who pass will be officially registered, while those who fail will be asked to leave."