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Chapter 228: Qi Luck Breakthrough, Derivation Five! Zhao Xing's New Investment!
🕑 Added 2024-11-13 12:29:00 +0000 UTC"What? Prince Jiujiu had a conflict with Liu Tianning? Two of his subordinates were killed, and dozens of Fighting Vajra Puppets were lost?" On the Black Dragon Warship, Thirteenth Prince Ji Chen stood up immediately upon hearing the news.
"Yes, the news has already spread," reported a scholar. "Prince Jiye violated Liu Tianning's rules by deploying Fifth Rank experts to chase his disciple, Zhao Xing."
"How foolish," Ji Chen shook his head. "Even I dare not break Liu Tianning's rules, yet he had to test it."
"He's always been like that, unconventional. Whatever others fear to try, he must test it."
"Well, now it backfired."
Ji Chen glanced at the Mirage Pearl, which displayed the scene. "What a formidable Liu Wanfa. He's even stronger than before!"
"Your Highness, I advise you to write a letter immediately and offer treasures as compensation on behalf of Prince Jiye," suggested the strategist.
"Let me think." Ji Chen pondered. "Earlier, it was just a small conflict, but now he's killed Jiye's trusted aides. If I do this, I fear people will accuse me of not standing with my brother."
"Not at all," the strategist explained. "You are his elder brother, and this gesture would showcase your magnanimity."
"Moreover, Liu Tianning is only 127 years old now. The court has never had a Grand Shennong from the Self School, but Liu Tianning may very well receive their full support in the future, perhaps even becoming the new leader! He might even take the position of Grand Shennong!"
"Your Highness wouldn't merely be showing favor to Liu Tianning, but to an entire faction!"
"Even if there's idle gossip, what of it? To achieve great things, one must not be hindered by trivialities."
Ji Chen, swayed, agreed. "Alright, let's proceed with your suggestion."
"Liu Tianning has made his move." Pei Yuanchang looked at the information and said, "Hmm? Zhao Xing managed to hold off against Fifth Ranks for this long?"
Pei Yuanchang's focus, however, was not on Liu Tianning but on Zhao Xing.
Though both were Fifth Rank, he and Liu Tianning were from different generations.
Rather than trying to curry favor with Liu Tianning, Pei Yuanchang found it more practical to befriend Zhao Xing, so his attention was primarily on him.
"What a remarkable Marquis Yuanrang. A little over a month ago, he was only at the mid-stage of the Heavenly Gang Realm, and now he's already at perfection, even forming a domain?"
Upon closely examining the scene in the Mirage Pearl, it was clear that while Zhao Xing was surrounded, he remained calm amid the flames. A faint mist surrounded him as well.
Obviously, he still had more cards to play.
"The master is invincible, and the disciple shows invincible potential as well," Pei Yuanchang thought. "Fortunately, I invited him early on and even ceded a territory to him."
At the beginning, Pei Yuanchang had little concept of how important Zhao Xing was to Liu Tianning.
But he had made an early bet. A grandson of a titled prince, a Fifth Rank master, and yet he had treated Zhao Xing, who was only at mid-stage Sixth Rank at the time, as an equal.
"That's called foresight." Pei Yuanchang leaned back in his chair, gently patting his leg. "Someone, come."
"Yes, sir."
"Go to the fish hold and bring out my stash. Send it to Marquis Yuanrang."
…
"What? Qin Chongwu and Huangfu Song are dead?" Xing Ming was shocked as he looked at the Mirage Pearl his friend handed him.
Liu Tianning had spared the Sixth Ranks, and the record of events had spread from Prince Jiye’s senior exploration group.
Xing Ming activated the Mirage Pearl, and the entire chase scene, along with Liu Tianning’s arrival, unfolded before him.
"Over three thousand Myriad Straw Puppets!" Xing Ming was breathless.
Liu Tianning wasn’t using cheap tricks. Releasing those clones proved each one had formidable strength.
"I only just found out. They say each clone of his has the power of a fully realized Fifth Rank." The burly man with the giant axe sighed. "Ninety years of study, and Liu Tianning’s straw puppet technique has become monstrous."
"Liu Tianning shouldn’t be considered a mere Fifth Rank," Xing Ming laughed bitterly.
Who fights someone like Liu Tianning one-on-one when doing so means battling thousands of Fifth Rank-level opponents?
And this time, Liu Tianning had only released a portion of his clones—he hadn’t even used a battle formation or summoned his Self School plant warriors.
"He truly doesn’t belong in the Fifth Rank," the giant axe warrior agreed. "I heard from my father that Liu Tianning had to pay a certain price when he challenged the Dao Academy back then."
"Ultimately, it was Prince Luohou who vouched for him, allowing Liu Tianning to remain at the Fifth Rank for a hundred years to quell the matter."
"I never knew about this," Xing Ming said, surprised. "I thought it was just a routine sparring match."
"If it were routine, why would no footage have ever surfaced?" the burly man chuckled. "The old geezers in the Dao Academy were too embarrassed."
Xing Ming shook his head. "With someone like him in the Fifth Rank, how are we supposed to compete?"
The giant axe warrior grinned. "Don’t worry. My father said that as long as you follow Liu Tianning’s rules, you’ll be fine. He has no personal desires."
Xing Ming pointed to the Mirage Pearl. "He may have no desires, but that disciple of his, Zhao Xing, is certainly a handful. He’s already at perfection in the Sixth Rank, and his strength keeps growing."
Before Liu Tianning’s arrival, Zhao Xing had already caught Xing Ming’s attention.
Despite being chased by two Fifth Ranks and several Fighting Vajra Puppets, Zhao Xing had held his ground.
The battle looked intense, but in reality, Zhao Xing hadn’t taken any damage and even had energy to spare.
The giant axe warrior shrugged. "Let him eat his fill. Zhao Xing may be at perfection in the Sixth Rank, but there’s only so much spiritual essence he can consume. The Extreme Night Sea is vast."
"I even think we should send more spiritual essence his way, let him eat to his heart’s content. Once he’s full, Liu Tianning will naturally leave."
Xing Ming had a strange expression.
Can’t beat him, so just feed him until he’s satisfied?
"Well... it might actually work."
…
Within the Hundred Weapon Tower, Three Kings were intently watching a scene on the Earth Mirror.
"Three thousand Myriad Straw Puppets?" Lord Lingde couldn’t help but exclaim. "Luohou, is this the full extent of Liu Tianning’s strength?"
The question was natural, as Lord Lingde was only a county king. His strength was barely enough to scrape the Third Rank, relying on court benefits to achieve a state of soul wandering.
But in terms of personal skill, Lord Lingde faintly sensed that he couldn’t suppress Liu Tianning.
"The full extent of his power?" King Luohou smiled. "You underestimate him."
"He spent ninety years locked away in the Military Realm, focusing on his straw puppet technique. His mastery has surpassed his ancestors."
"If his clones numbered less than ten thousand, how could he call himself Liu Wanfa?"
"What?" Lord Lingde was stunned. "Over ten thousand?"
Just considering Liu Tianning’s Myriad Straw Puppets numbered over ten thousand, and that he could summon plant warriors, the thought of his strength was terrifying.
"No wonder, Luohou, your vision is as sharp as ever," commented Lord Tianyan. "If it weren’t for your intervention back then, this genius would have been ruined."
"Those old geezers? Emperor Wen was far too lenient with them!" Luohou sneered.
"Ancient matters, best left in the past. Liu Tianning has already moved on," Lord Tianyan quickly shifted the topic to avoid any criticism of the imperial court. "Now that he’s taken in such an exceptional disciple, it seems his student is even more cunning."
"Indeed." Luohou smiled. "Sneaking past Fire Dragon Pass and scaling the Flame Mountain Range... Twenty-year-old Liu Tianning could never have done that."
"He had too much pride back then and would’ve stormed the enemy’s lair, slaughtering everyone inside."
"And isn’t that a form of infiltration too?" Lord Lingde joked.
"Hahaha!" Lord Tianyan and Luohou burst into laughter.
"Though his growth has been rapid, his foundation is solid." Lord Tianyan waved, and the image on the Earth Mirror rewound to the beginning of Zhao Xing’s chase.
"See? He detected Qin Chongwu and Huangfu Song from ten miles away, and they were wearing Invisible Robes."
"Indeed," Lord Lingde agreed. "It looks like he was meditating. If he had been fully alert, he would’ve sensed them even earlier."
"The spell domain and Hou Transformation Technique slowed their speed significantly. If it weren’t for the high speed of their airships, he would’ve escaped."
"This kid certainly has many tricks up his sleeve," Luohou nodded. "If he were in his prime, he might not have had to flee at all."
Qin Chongwu and Huangfu Song had launched a surprise attack. Zhao Xing’s airship had been stationary while he was meditating.
Even under such conditions, he had nearly escaped. All three kings agreed that Zhao Xing’s rapid rise was grounded in solid fundamentals.
…
As Zhao Xing followed Liu Tianning back to the Myriad Tower Ship, he carefully observed the elder.
Liu Tianning was carrying him as they flew, but their speed was still incredible, far surpassing that of any airship!
"Old Liu’s Floating Vine Parasite, this thing isn’t common in this era," Zhao Xing mused, somewhat envious.
The Floating Vine Parasite was a Seventh-Rank plant warrior that grew within the body of its host, developing alongside them.
Once fully grown, it could form Floating Vine Armor at will!
Even the Golden Feather Armor from the Golden Feather Court paled in comparison.
Because this creature couldn’t be mass-produced, it was exclusive to the Self School.
It had many uses, but its greatest advantage was enhancing speed.
"Floating through the skies and earth, traversing ten thousand miles in an instant. If its life force were burned, it could go even faster."
Zhao Xing had seen the power of the Floating Vine Parasite before, in his past life, when he had been part of a group sent to assassinate the elderly Liu Tianning.
After great effort, they finally managed to locate Liu Tianning in person.
They thought they had an opportunity when Liu Tianning seemed dazed.
But the moment he donned his Floating Vine Armor, he vanished in a flash, escaping their encirclement effortlessly.
After that, Zhao Xing never accepted assassination missions again, realizing that some people were simply unkillable.
At the time, it was rumored that Liu Tianning’s Floating Vine Parasite had broken past the limits of Ninth-Rank plant warriors. Even in his semi-mad state, it would instinctively protect him.
Zhao Xing finally understood why Liu Tianning cared so little for the spiritual resources of the Extreme Night Sea—his own fortuitous encounters were beyond imagination.
It took less than two incense sticks’ time before they returned to the Myriad Tower Ship.
Liu Tianning set Zhao Xing down and entered his chamber to handle some matters.
"Senior Brother, are you alright?" Ji Zixuan flew down to greet him, concern in her eyes.
"I’m fine," Zhao Xing said, shaking his head.
"That’s good." Ji Zixuan examined him carefully. "So, this is your true body?"
Zhao Xing glanced at Ji Zixuan. Why was she trying to discern his true form? What did she intend to do?
"I’m going to rest now."
With that, Zhao Xing returned to his room.
"Merge!"
Zhao Xing reabsorbed the soul power from the remaining Myriad Straw Puppets, leaving only twelve capable of casting high-level spells.
After stretching his body and finding it could still handle more, he continued reabsorbing soul power.
In the end, all the other clones lost their magical abilities and became empty shells.
Only five Myriad Straw Puppets remained.
"These five Myriad Straw Puppets required more effort and materials, with more soul power infused into them. They each hold about thirty percent of my own strength."
Thirty percent of his strength was enough to crush early-stage Sixth Rank experts.
As for the other clones, they were just disposable.
Zhao Xing had previously only used his clones for trivial tasks, not intending to rely on them for actual combat.
However, with his soul power drastically enhanced and after witnessing Liu Tianning’s use of Myriad Straw Puppets, Zhao Xing decided to put more effort into cultivating his straw puppet technique.
"Even though I’ve reached the Fifth-Rank Soul Stage, I need to control the number of straw puppets. The Myriad Straw Puppets should prioritize quality over quantity."
"If I had more time, these five clones would be more useful. At least Qin Chongwu and Huangfu Song wouldn’t have seen through them so easily."
Zhao Xing also remained mindful of the dangers of Myriad Straw Puppets.
Creating too many could lead to madness.
"Spread the soul power over time, then reabsorb it. Slowly increase the number without rushing," Zhao Xing reminded himself.
At present, he was doing the opposite. His soul power was too strong, so he had to rely on clones to manage the surplus. Otherwise, his mind would feel out of sync with his body.
Having just broken through, he needed to refine his straw puppet technique to adapt to the changes.
After returning to the Myriad Tower Ship, he spent the next day adjusting, becoming fully accustomed to his new powers by the following morning.
His adjustment was swift, partly thanks to the Great Dream Spring and Autumn technique, which allowed him to regulate his energy levels.
"Phew, I’m in a comfortable state now. Even if I keep eating more Yin-Yang Fish, it won’t matter," Zhao Xing smiled.
Stepping out for fresh air, he found Murong Xue waiting outside his door.
"Is something the matter?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Are you alright, Lord Zhao?" Murong Xue asked softly. "I heard you were in danger."
"I’m fine," Zhao Xing replied.
"Good." Murong Xue bowed slightly and excused herself. "Murong will take her leave."
It seemed she had come solely to check on him before leaving.
"Looks like being her bodyguard all these days wasn’t for nothing," Zhao Xing chuckled.
Suddenly, a gust of wind swirled past him.
Zhao Xing reached out and caught it, hearing a message transmitted to him.
"Zhao Xing, come to the Myriad Hall."
Liu Tianning was calling for him.
After adjusting his clothes, Zhao Xing flew toward the Myriad Hall.
"Teacher."
"There’s a list here," Liu Tianning said. "For the time being, don’t leave the ship. If you need anything, find it on this list."
Zhao Xing accepted the list, noticing it was a record of all the gifts and favors exchanged recently.
"Goodness, except for Jiye’s exploration group, all the other factions have sent gifts."
"They even sent Yin-Yang Fish!"
As Zhao Xing reviewed the list and pondered Liu Tianning’s words, he quickly understood the situation.
"The fall of six nations wasn’t due to weak soldiers or poor leadership but the result of bribery to Qin. Bribery weakened their power, leading to their downfall…"
Zhao Xing chuckled.
At this point, the six major exploration groups sending gifts to Liu Tianning felt a bit like they were trying to placate a plague god.
Liu Tianning lacked interest in spiritual essence, so these groups were likely trying to feed Zhao Xing until he was full, hoping they would leave quickly.
After all, they couldn’t afford to keep Liu Tianning around indefinitely, and there wasn’t much they could offer that would interest him.
Feeding Zhao Xing? That they could manage.
Sending Sixth Rank experts to fight Zhao Xing was pointless—his previous victories had proven that.
Sending Fifth Rank experts only resulted in bigger losses. Qin Chongwu and Huangfu Song’s bodies weren’t even cold yet.
So they figured they might as well let Zhao Xing eat to his heart’s content and hope he’d leave sooner rather than later.
"Why are you laughing?" Liu Tianning asked curiously.
"Teacher, while they are trying to curry favor and buy some goodwill, it feels more like they’re sending off a plague god. The thought amused me."
"Teacher, you are truly mighty!"
Hearing this, Liu Tianning couldn’t help but smile.
A student praising his teacher—it was always satisfying.
Moreover, Zhao Xing’s performance had met Liu Tianning’s expectations.
Otherwise, Liu Tianning wouldn’t have agreed to the plan of keeping Zhao Xing on the ship.
Zhao Xing had fought enough Sixth Ranks. His foundation was solid, and further battles with Fifth Ranks would push him too hard.
Besides, the situation here involved many different factions, and while Liu Tianning was the strongest within the established rules, he wasn’t looking to claim everything for himself.
After all, his goal was to find opportunities for his disciple and make allies, not to make enemies.
Right now, the balance was perfect.
"Consume as much spiritual essence as you can. You’ll stay on the ship for now," Liu Tianning said. "When the time is right, I’ll take you to hunt that Dragon Whale."
"Yes, Teacher," Zhao Xing nodded.
In the Extreme Night Sea, there was nothing else he needed. Only the Dragon Whale was worth pursuing.
However, the Dragon Whale dwelled deep underwater, and they had to wait for it to surface before they could hunt it. With the cave-heaven in flux and the Extreme Night Sea continuing to thaw, it would rise eventually.
…
On May 18th, after Liu Tianning received the gifts, the various factions breathed a sigh of relief. The competition continued, as did the battles, but the Myriad Tower Ship remained aloof.
Zhao Xing stayed on the ship, focusing on his cultivation and eating more fish.
By May 19th, Zhao Xing had sorted through the fish tanks and found over a dozen Wood-Eating Armor Fish, which fed on waterborne wood-element plants and contained wood-element spiritual essence.
They were discovered by Cui Yang, the legitimate grandson of King Tianjue. Zhao Xing quickly contacted Cui Yang and proposed a resource exchange.
While the Myriad Tower Ship didn’t engage in fishing, it had the widest variety of spiritual fish.
Exchanging resources with Zhao Xing wasn’t a loss for Cui Yang, so he quickly agreed.
Over time, Zhao Xing traded for a large number of Wood-Eating Armor Fish from Cui Yang.
By May 25th, the effects of the Wood-Eating Armor Fish had reached their limit. Zhao Xing had absorbed as much wood-element spiritual essence as possible.
On May 26th, Zhao Xing discovered a fish containing earth-element spiritual essence, the Sand Fish, from Pei Yuanchang’s personal collection.
However, the quantity was limited.
Zhao Xing, using the name of the Myriad Tower Ship, began a resource exchange with all the major exploration groups except for Jiye’s group.
After half a month of searching, he finally gathered enough earth-element spiritual essence by June 11th.
"My Qi luck level has finally broken through again." Zhao Xing looked at his status panel.
[Qi Luck Level: Derivation Five]
"The Qi luck at Derivation Five should have a reddish hue mixed with a faint purple glow. The core of the pillar should now have a constant purple tinge," Zhao Xing recalled from the Great Derivation Canon.
"Reaching Derivation Five in Qi luck meets my expectations."
When the spiritual essence of the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven erupted, Zhao Xing had set a personal goal to avoid greed and survive.
His target was to reach perfection in the Heavenly Gang Realm.
This goal was now accomplished.
In terms of spell mastery, his goal had been to find the Gate of Heaven in the Inverted Peaks and break through the restrictions on fate-related spells.
Mastering high-level fate spells was notoriously difficult.
Even under the command of veteran princes, few could boast mastery of advanced fate spells.
Liang Ruohai was one exception, but he had cultivated for many years. Zhao Xing hadn’t been at it for nearly as long.
Reaching this level exceeded his original expectations.
"High-level techniques in the four elements: Cloud Domain Technique, Ice Sealing Technique, Heavenly Fire Technique, and the Boundless Earth Palace Domain, along with other spells, have all advanced."
"And now, with my Qi luck at Derivation Five, the goals I set are basically complete," Zhao Xing mused.
Why only "basically"? Because when it came to longevity, Zhao Xing had no limits.
The more, the better!
Emperor Jing’s reign had another 176 years left!
If you don’t extend your lifespan, even the most talented hero will end up as dust!
"The Dragon Whale in the Extreme Night Sea is far larger than any ordinary whale."
"Barring any surprises, it should have life-extending properties."
Zhao Xing had never seen this Dragon Whale in his previous life, nor had he heard of it, but he could make an educated guess.
"Eating the Dragon Whale to extend my lifespan—there might be other benefits too."
"Once this is done, I can call it a day," Zhao Xing thought. "It’s almost June, and the Ten Suns Ascend event is expected around late August."
"I won’t push things too close to the deadline. Once my goals are met, I’ll leave early and play it safe."
Entering the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven was difficult, but leaving was much easier.
The reason was simple: one could claim they were preparing to break through to the Pure Essence Realm, and they would be allowed to leave.
Even if Zhao Xing stayed within the city limits of Yang City, it would be safe.
Having broken through to Derivation Five in Qi luck, Zhao Xing didn’t waste time waiting for news about the Dragon Whale. Instead, he pulled out the Earth Mirror and began researching the list of people who had entered the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven.
"While my luck is strong, I should invest in some potential talents."
"Previously, in the southern barbarian battlefield, I had limited activity and only invested in Yue Lingzhi."
"Now, people have come from all over for the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, so it’s time to plan for the future."
Most people who entered the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven had connections or background.
However, there were also some whose backgrounds, though significant, couldn’t be utilized.
Take Ji Zixuan, for example. She was the granddaughter of King Chenglan of Cuisian County in the Pinghai Prefecture.
Yet she couldn’t leverage much of her family’s power.
Even after meeting Princess You Ruo, her status had only improved slightly.
This was because Ji Zixuan had just broken through to the Seventh Rank, and she refused to follow her family’s arrangements, wanting to carve her own path. Naturally, she wasn’t highly regarded.
Princess You Ruo couldn’t interfere in another family’s internal affairs, so she could only give Ji Zixuan an opportunity and let her develop on her own.
Ji Zixuan’s situation was considered decent.
Some noble families sent in numerous illegitimate children, giving them a lowly title of Junior Exploration Officer. Once inside, they were left to fend for themselves.
Their families didn’t care whether they lived or died, rose or fell.
With many children, as long as one succeeded, it was a win for the family.
It was a cold reality, but such was life.
"Hmm? Yun Yi? A native of Heyuan County, the illegitimate son of Baron He Sang. Could it be him?" Zhao Xing’s gaze fell on a name on the list—Yun Yi.
Yun Yi was only a Junior Exploration Officer, confined to the areas around the Ten Thousand Li Thunder Pool and Gale Mountains.
Zhao Xing immediately sent a message through the Earth Mirror to Yun Yi’s exploration group leader, Wang Weimin.
Given Zhao Xing’s high rank, he could contact Yun Yi directly, but it would be too abrupt, so he decided to go through his group leader instead.
…
In the Ten Thousand Li Thunder Pool, thunderclouds roared.
Within the surrounding mountains, a sorcerer in a purple thunder robe cautiously led a team of twenty, searching for treasures.
They were hunting for valuable items to offer to the Yang City armory. With enough contributions, Yun Yi could be promoted to Senior Exploration Officer, or exchange his points for exploration rights in other regions.
"Stop!"
Suddenly, Wang Weimin, the lead sorcerer, ordered a halt.
"Everyone, retreat from the outer area!"
"Brother Wang, what’s going on?" A martial artist asked, puzzled. "We’re making good progress. Why retreat?"
"Something big is happening!" Wang Weimin’s hands trembled slightly. "The deputy leader of the top-ranked exploration group, Marquis Yuanrang Zhao Xing, just contacted me and asked to speak in private."
"What? The Marquis Yuanrang Zhao Xing, who’s been sweeping through the Extreme Night Sea and is undefeated against the Sixth Rank?" The others were stunned. "He’s Liu Tianning’s prized disciple. Do you know him?"
"I don’t," Wang Weimin said, a bit uneasy. "Which is why I’m nervous. I have no idea what he wants."
"Brother Wang, you’re going to make it big! I heard that big shots like to mentor rising stars, investing in promising talents. It must be because of your recent outstanding performance that you’ve caught Marquis Yuanrang’ eye!" an Eighth-Rank martial artist chimed in.
It was pure flattery—Wang Weimin was older than Zhao Xing by a full cycle.
In terms of age, Zhao Xing was the rising star.
But Wang Weimin didn’t mind accepting the compliment. After all, Marquis Yuanrang had a much higher status than him. In that regard, he really was the junior.
"Brother Wang, don’t forget about us when you hit the big time."
"Congratulations, Brother Wang."
"You’re all talking nonsense," Wang Weimin said modestly, but he couldn’t help feeling pleased.
Investing in talent wasn’t uncommon in the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, and he had indeed been performing well recently. Could it be that he had really caught the attention of Marquis Yuanrang?
Leading his team out of the outer area of the Thunder Pool, Wang Weimin quickly tidied his clothes and found a quiet place. Carefully, he positioned the Earth Mirror and awaited Zhao Xing’s call.
At the agreed time, the Earth Mirror glowed.
Wang Weimin immediately answered.
"Buzz~"
Zhao Xing’s virtual image appeared atop a smooth rock, while Wang Weimin bowed reverently from below.
"Your humble servant Wang Weimin greets Marquis Yuanrang."
"Rise, Lord Wang," Zhao Xing smiled. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Not at all, not at all," Wang Weimin hurriedly replied. "It is my great fortune to receive your summons."
"I do have something to ask of you." Zhao Xing got straight to the point. "Do you have a martial artist named Yun Yi in your exploration group? Is he skilled with the sword?"
"You seek Yun Yi?" Wang Weimin felt a bit disappointed, but he quickly replied, "Yes, there is such a person."
"Send him to me."
"Yes, please wait a moment, Your Excellency." Wang Weimin quickly left to find his team.
At that moment, the group was resting, except for a young man in green robes, standing on a distant rock with his sword, keeping watch.
"Yun Yi," Wang Weimin called. "Come down quickly."
"Swish~" Yun Yi instantly leaped down and landed beside Wang Weimin. "Captain, what’s the matter?"
"Do you know Marquis Yuanrang Zhao Xing?" Wang Weimin asked, testing the waters.
"I’ve only heard of him, never met him," Yun Yi replied.
"Are you related in any way? Maybe distant family?"
Yun Yi was confused. "Captain, what are you talking about? Marquis Yuanrang is from Nanyang County in Gucheng, and I’m from Heyuan County in the north of Pinghai Prefecture. How could we be related?"
"Do you have a grudge with him?"
"Captain, what’s wrong with you? I’m just a lowly eighth-rank official. You think I’d dare provoke someone like Marquis Yuanrang?" Yun Yi was bewildered.
"Well, Marquis Yuanrang specifically asked to meet you," Wang Weimin said, his eyes narrowing. "Yun Yi, I’ve always treated you well. You’ll remember that, right?"
"You…"
Yun Yi was completely baffled and wanted to ask more, but Wang Weimin had already dragged him to the stone platform where the Earth Mirror was placed.
"Greetings, Marquis Yuanrang," Yun Yi said, following Wang Weimin’s lead as they both bowed to the image.
"Yun Yi." Zhao Xing immediately recognized the young man’s face. He was certain—this was the future ninth-ranked sword master of Pinghai Prefecture!
Among Pinghai’s top ten sword masters, Yun Yi ranked ninth, while Long Xiao was third.
The first and second masters were much older and belonged to a different generation.
"Yun Yi, you’ve performed well in the Ten Thousand Li Thunder Pool. Would you like to accept a favor from me?" Zhao Xing asked directly.
At this moment, Yun Yi’s performance had been average, with nothing particularly noteworthy.
But compliments like this were commonplace in such situations.
"Marquis Yuanrang," Yun Yi’s youthful face still held traces of immaturity, and despite the great fortune being offered, he actually shook his head. "I have no desire to join the military."
Wang Weimin was panicking on the side. This fool was refusing?
He would have given anything to be in Yun Yi’s position!
"It’s not about joining the military. Once you leave the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, you can do whatever you want," Zhao Xing said with a smile. "I simply want to offer you an opportunity."
Wang Weimin was frantically signaling Yun Yi, almost begging him to agree.
Thank goodness Yun Yi finally nodded.
"I will follow your orders, Marquis Yuanrang."
"Good." Zhao Xing turned to Wang Weimin with a smile. "Lord Wang, please escort him back to Yang City and take him to Senior Gao Ming at the Shennong Office. You’ll be rewarded as well."
"I wouldn’t dare expect a reward. Serving Marquis Yuanrang is reward enough," Wang Weimin replied quickly.
When they looked up again, Zhao Xing’s image had already disappeared.
All that remained were the confused Yun Yi and the jubilant Wang Weimin.
…
Back on the Myriad Tower Ship, one of Zhao Xing’s clones put away the Earth Mirror.
"Ding! Your sword immortal count has increased by one," Zhao Xing joked to himself.
There was no need to demand anything from Yun Yi. By the time he reached the level of Pinghai’s top ten sword masters, Yun Yi would naturally repay this favor.
If not, Zhao Xing’s Soul Spirit would remind him of the unfulfilled karma, making it difficult to clear his mind.
Of course, lower-level cultivators didn’t face this issue.
"Left Long Xiao, right Yun Yi. Pair them with the divine swords crafted by Yue Lingzhi."
"With sword immortals clearing the way, musicians playing drums, dancers soaring in the air, and a few dragons and phoenixes pulling my chariot… When I become Grand Shennong, I’ll have to live in style!"
Zhao Xing chuckled at the thought.
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