Chapter 295: Promotion and Journey to Shangluo Academy (Twelve Thousand)

In Shuihua Grotto-heaven, the offshore glacier suddenly split open, and a qún, ten thousand meters long, soared into the sky. Its massive mouth opened, and a seven-colored blue light beam erupted towards the east. Complex and mottled vital energy, mixed with a large amount of water vapor, was scattered across the eastern regions. When the final exhalation and inhalation were complete, the violent sea eye deep beneath the ocean floor gradually vanished.

With a whoosh, the qún suddenly disappeared, and a human figure appeared above the ice plain. Zhao Xing's true form took out his geomantic mirror.

"Wang Tianzhi ordered me back to Tianyuan Prefecture. Has the imperial edict arrived?""The results of the commendation came a bit fast." Zhao Xing pondered as he looked at the message. The commendation was too quick, and he worried the imperial court hadn't fully accounted for everything. However, since he was already here, he had no choice but to receive the decree. Someone was already at Shuihua Grotto-heaven to meet him.

"Great Peng Transformation!" Within Zhao Xing's inner Five Elements Heaven and Earth, the ethereal image of a Great Peng spread its wings. Divine light illuminated the acupuncture points and flesh throughout his body. His body transformed in an instant with a single breath. He transformed into a white Great Peng with a wingspan of one hundred meters. Most Great Pengs in ancient myths were pure white. Zhao Xing was no exception; only his beak and claws were a pale gold.

More than four months had passed since he began his mission. After continuously refining the Hou Transformation Art in various harsh environments, and consuming a drop of Kunpeng essence blood, Zhao Xing's true form finally broke through to the fourth turn, mastering the Great Peng Transformation. He also roughly grasped one of the Great Peng Transformation's innate secret techniques: "Great Peng Spreads Wings." The Kun Transformation Art offers strong defense, and "Kun Swallows Heaven and Earth" allows it to absorb vast amounts of vital energy, making it fearless in harsh environments. The Peng Transformation Art grants great speed, and "Great Peng Spreads Wings" can unleash top-tier Xun Wind, useful for both attack and flight. Both stages of the Kunpeng Transformation possess endless mysteries, and their innate secret techniques have multiple avenues of comprehension.

With "Great Peng Spreads Wings," his form instantly vanished from its original spot. Zhao Xing's mastered Great Peng Transformation could achieve a wingspan of a thousand meters, but its fastest form was at the hundred-meter level. Compared to "Ruler of the Horizon," "Great Peng Spreads Wings" was more suitable for long-distance travel and navigating harsh environments. "Ruler of the Horizon" was better for short-distance teleportation, but its resistance to severe conditions was not as strong. Of course, these comparisons of short distance and resistance were relative to the Great Peng Transformation; the Hou Transformation Art inherently possessed the characteristic of resisting harsh environments.

The area where Zhao Xing carried out his mission on the offshore glacier was approximately fifty thousand li from Huacheng. Using "Great Peng Spreads Wings" for travel, he arrived in just one hour. This speed surpassed most seventh-tier tower ships and rivaled many top-tier seventh-tier military battleships. More importantly, the consumption was not significant, as the Great Peng, a favored creature of the wind, moved by riding the wind, completely merging with it.

A loud, sharp cry pierced the skies over Huacheng. Soon, many people looked up."Zhao Xing is back.""Zhao Chen'an has mastered the Great Peng Transformation; it's truly enviable.""Zhao Xing alone quelled nine of the storm eye regions in Shuihua Grotto-heaven.""This innate secret technique is too powerful. Using 'Great Peng Spreads Wings' to control top-tier Xun Wind is equivalent to automatically mastering the 'True Meaning of Xun Wind' among the Five Elements.""His future is limitless. No wonder Dean Ling acted as he did back then."

Many high-ranking officials were carrying out missions in Shuihua Grotto-heaven, most of them agriculturists from the Hou Transformation faction. Each time they saw the Great Peng appear, they were filled with envy. If one could fully unleash the Great Peng Transformation to its utmost, they would master the fastest speed in the world.

Huacheng Government Office. The Heavenly Derivation King rubbed his forehead and smiled faintly, "Good boy, you returned in just an hour. That's truly fast."

*Whoosh* The white Great Peng disappeared. Then, Zhao Xing used "Ruler of the Horizon" and instantly appeared at the Huacheng Prefecture Office."Zhao Xing.""Your Highness, I apologize for the wait," Zhao Xing bowed. The order had been conveyed by Wang Tianzhi, but the one who came to meet him was the Heavenly Derivation King himself."You don't need to worry about the handover. I've already spoken to the people here. Let's talk on the way. Let's go.""Yes."

Zhao Xing immediately boarded the Heavenly Derivation King's dragon boat, flying towards the entrance of Shuihua Grotto-heaven.

Inside the cabin. Zhao Xing glanced at the Heavenly Derivation King, noticing his stable aura. Although his appearance hadn't changed, his demeanor had, radiating a vigorous vitality."What are you looking at?""Your Highness, are you...?""Hahaha, you noticed?" The Heavenly Derivation King immediately smiled."It's true? I thought..." Zhao Xing's face lit up with joy. He guessed that the Heavenly Derivation King had already received his commendation; after all, even commendations for small fries like him had arrived, so the King's must have come even earlier.

"Did Liu Tianning and King Luo tell you I was about to die?""Yes," Zhao Xing nodded. At that time, both Liu Tianning and King Luo had hinted at that possibility. At that time, both believed that the Heavenly Derivation King would not be able to receive a commendation to extend his lifespan again. This was because the Heavenly Derivation King was already six hundred and eighty-three years old, and he had also lost fifty years of his lifespan during the Rebellion of King Liang. The Heavenly Derivation King himself had said he only had three years left to live.

For someone at the Heavenly Derivation King's level, he was already nearing the maximum lifespan of a second-rank official. If he wanted to live, there was no other way than for Emperor Jing to bestow upon him a first-rank official position to extend his life. Searching for lifespan-extending treasures privately? Even if such items existed, no one would dare to give them to the Heavenly Derivation King. If Emperor Jing did not grant him a longer life, it meant he did not wish the Heavenly Derivation King to continue living! Who would dare offer treasures to the Heavenly Derivation King then? Beyond the relationship between ruler and subject, this was a matter within the Ji family itself, and no one else could interfere. Zhao Xing, Liu Tianning, King Luo, and the Heavenly Derivation King himself all knew that the only path to survival depended on Emperor Jing's attitude.

"His Majesty specifically decreed me a first-rank Fate Official, but without the title of Prince or any other rewards," the Heavenly Derivation King said. "This matter will also not be publicly announced." Zhao Xing nodded slightly, understanding that this meant he held the substance of the rank without its formal title. The unique nature of Fate Officials meant they could not operate openly. In fact, apart from Zhao Xing and a small group, most high-ranking officials didn't even know of the Heavenly Derivation King's existence."Congratulations, Your Highness," Zhao Xing offered his sincere congratulations.

With this commendation, the Heavenly Derivation King could live for about another hundred years. Of course, this extended lifespan would still not reach the era of Emperor Wu; he would likely pass away by the end of the Yongzhi period, and he would still precede Emperor Jing in death. There were few wars during the Two Zhì periods, so the Heavenly Derivation King could enjoy his later years in peace during this final century. Even with tasks like the Dragon Court Ancient Land ahead, he would not be as exhausted as he was during the Barbarian Pacification War and King Liang's Rebellion, constantly coughing blood and losing years from his lifespan.

"Speaking of which, I should also thank you," the Heavenly Derivation King remarked with emotion. Why did Emperor Jing extend his lifespan? Because he discovered Zhao Xing, a genius, selected him from the arena, and brought him to the Star Palace to cultivate the Derivation God Art. Furthermore, Zhao Xing had summarized the correct cultivation insights. During this process, the Heavenly Derivation King halted the comprehension of other Derivation God Art cultivators and, in those years, compiled Zhao Xing's cultivation insights into a volume, which he submitted to the throne.

The true merit lay here! What merit was there in quelling King Liang's rebellion? That was merely his duty. King Liang had left a backdoor in the Creation Disk and instigated a defection among some Fate Officials, and there was a lapse in oversight during the Ten Yang Grotto-heaven incident. For these two grave offenses, Emperor Jing chose not to condemn the Heavenly Derivation King, primarily because he wasn't expected to live much longer anyway.

However, finding the correct cultivation path for the Derivation God Art changed everything. Originally, those who cultivated the first layer of the Derivation God Art generally could only cultivate less than ten thousand divine thoughts and lacked the characteristics of the Seven Great Main Souls. Yet, Zhao Xing pushed this limit to 49,999 and acquired the Seven Great Main Souls. If it were just an isolated case, it would be one thing. But after that, the Heavenly Derivation King compiled Zhao Xing's cultivation insights into a book and had many people experiment with them. As a result, those cultivating the first layer of the Derivation God Art generally showed significant improvement. Although they couldn't reach Zhao Xing's extreme level, they were much stronger than before. Many individuals' divine thoughts now exceeded ten thousand. This meant that what only a peerless genius like Liu Tianning could achieve before, ordinary talents could now also accomplish.

It was precisely this action that made Emperor Jing change his mind. A first-rank Prince title would definitely not be bestowed, but granting him a first-rank Fate Official position and specifically extending his lifespan, allowing the Heavenly Derivation King to live for another hundred years, was not an issue.

"Your Highness overstates it. It is all due to His Majesty's profound grace," Zhao Xing said solemnly."Mm."

The two understood each other without words and did not continue the conversation. Zhao Xing, too, felt a surge of emotion. Emperor Jing was indeed Emperor Jing. The signals he had previously sent had led Liu Tianning, King Luo, and others to believe that the Heavenly Derivation King would not have his lifespan extended. Yet, in his heart, Emperor Jing had probably long decided to grant the Heavenly Derivation King a longer life. He still needed the Heavenly Derivation King to continue carrying out this task. However, masters like Liu Tianning and King Luo were destined not to know the inside story, as this was top secret. Everyone would simply assume that Emperor Jing was, after all, sentimental. What profound imperial grace!

Since they couldn't discuss the Heavenly Derivation King, they could only talk about his own commendation."Your Highness, do you know where I'll be going?"

The Heavenly Derivation King replied, "Your merits generally stem from four parts. First, preventing disasters in Tianhe and Mingyue Prefectures, and assisting the Prefects of Tianhe and Mingyue in stabilizing the situation. Of course, the main natural disasters in those and other prefectures were concentrated in Tianhe and Mingyue Prefectures."

Zhao Xing nodded slightly. After he was assassinated, his true form returned to the Star Palace. The three major agriculturist schools all participated in the resistance against King Liang. The prevention of natural disasters in other prefectures did not require Zhao Xing's clones to oversee. His main contributions were concentrated in Tianhe and Mingyue Prefectures. Although Sima Yunhai and Pang Yuanzhen also assisted, Zhao Xing held the dominant position, making his claim to the primary merit unquestionable.

"Second, resolving the rebellion crisis in Tianhe Prefecture, rescuing Transport Commissioner Zhang Ping and the Tongxuan Priest Wu Xuanying of the Divine Temple, quelling King Tianxia's rebellion, and dealing with the remaining seven garrisoned armies." The reason for separating these was that the merit of disaster prevention and military achievements were calculated differently. The political achievements of civil officials and the military exploits of generals resulted in different commendations. Promotions, noble titles, casual ranks, and merit ranks were all considered separately. For example, civil officials rarely received princely or marquis titles for their administrative governance, and the same applied to merit ranks. Conversely, most high-level casual ranks belonged to civil officials.

"Third, your 'Treatise on the Three Yin and Three Yang, Six Qi, and Grand Heavenly Cycles,' which calculated the opening time of the military realm's passage entrance," the Heavenly Derivation King said. "The reason the Ten Imperial Armies were able to seize the passage and enter Pinghai Prefecture so smoothly was due to your treatise on grotto-heaven numerology."

A thought flashed in Zhao Xing's eyes. He hadn't expected this to involve the deployment of the Ten Imperial Armies. But it made sense; otherwise, he wouldn't have been on the Heavenly Fortune Gold List, let alone ranked so high. "In terms of military merit, even if you cut down ten thousand King Tianxias, it wouldn't compare to this achievement."

Zhao Xing chuckled, "If King Tianxia knew you calculated it that way, he'd probably be furious even as a ghost."

The Heavenly Derivation King also chuckled twice upon hearing this. "He wasn't truly a formidable character. Aside from some commendable aspects in battle formations, he barely ranked among the county kings.""When Great Zhou fought the Southern Wild and established the Nine Heavens Responding Yuan Prefecture, it was mostly smooth sailing. Many generals were fortunate enough to attain high positions and mistakenly attributed the court's capabilities to their own."

Zhao Xing wholeheartedly agreed. The national power of the Southern Wild and Great Zhou were simply incomparable; if not for its unique location, it would have been annihilated eight hundred times over. Even if Great Zhou's generals and the Southern Wild's generals were swapped, with everything else remaining the same, they would still be driven to Yinluo Mountain; it would only be a matter of time.

"Fourth, relocating the common people from rural towns and cities, thereby preserving Great Zhou's foundational destiny," the Heavenly Derivation King said. "This is another significant merit.""The Creation Disk shows that Pinghai Prefecture will experience a peak period of destiny in the next few centuries, with a surge of talents appearing in concentrated bursts.""You and Xia Jing, as initiators and implementers, played a significant role. Both your names appeared together on the Creation Disk."

Zhao Xing suddenly understood. No wonder the review was completed so quickly; it turned out to be recorded on the Creation Disk. A true 'post-mortem'!

"Of course, the future predictions on the Creation Disk will not be made public. The future predicted by Fate Officials is never used as a basis for promotion," the Heavenly Derivation King stated. "The Heavenly Officials will recommend those who participated in this action, and it will also undergo several audits by the Earth Officials."

Zhao Xing nodded. Fate Officials' predictions of the future indeed could not serve as a basis for promotion; otherwise, chaos would easily ensue. The Heavenly Officials the Heavenly Derivation King referred to here were officials responsible for administration. Heavenly Officials were divided into Yin and Yang. The Heavenly Official agency governing administration in the mortal realm was called the Heavenly Official Bureau. The Yin Heavenly Official managed administration in the netherworld, and additionally held the authority to grant blessings; their agency was named the Heavenly Official Temple, also known as the Heavenly Palace. Both Yang and Yin Heavenly Officials were primarily held by Courtesy Cultivators, as they were the most rational and intelligent group, less susceptible to interference from certain matters. The Courtesy Cultivators' "Clear Eyes" method, which allowed them to perceive every detail, was very suitable for evaluating officials.

Of course, this was just one primary responsibility; in detail, there were many other functions, such as granting blessings and extending lifespans. Correspondingly, there were Earth Officials, but the distinction between Earth Officials in the Yin and Yang realms was significant. The Earth Official Situ in the Yang realm managed the Yellow Register and Earth Register, and some functions of the Earth Official Bureau overlapped with the Divine Temple and the Directorate of Agriculture. The Earth Official in the Yin realm, however, presided over punishments in the netherworld, apprehending and arresting spirits. For instance, the Earth Official of Absolution was a second-rank Yin God. Since the Heavenly Derivation King mentioned Heavenly and Earth Officials, Zhao Xing estimated his commendation this time would not be minor.

Why say this? Because the Earth Official of the Underworld was generally used to investigate one's ancestral lineage for eighteen generations. If one's ancestors were not criminals, then there was no problem. It was essentially the 'netherworld version of a political background check.' Any involvement of the Earth Official's audit usually meant a promotion to a high-ranking official position. Officials below the third rank were irrelevant, as they couldn't stir up any significant trouble anyway. However, officials of the third rank and above needed to have impeccable backgrounds.

As expected, the Heavenly Derivation King then said, "Your commendation this time will elevate you to a provisional third-rank official. Your noble title, merit rank, and casual rank will all be raised, but I won't say too much, so you still have some surprise when you receive the decree."

"What official position is a provisional third-rank official?""A provisional third-rank official, with the specific post yet to be determined," the Heavenly Derivation King replied. "You're heading to the Dragon Court Ancient Land in three years, so I advised His Majesty not to assign you a specific official post for now, nor will you receive the third-rank fortune baptism, only the fourth-rank one.""Of course, the explanation for the Heavenly Officials and the official notice will state that you are to recuperate for a few years and reunite with family and friends."To highlight His Majesty's grace, of course—Zhao Xing thought to himself.

Nevertheless, this arrangement was quite reasonable. The duties of a third-rank official were typically long-term tasks, not something that would show results in just a few years. Once policies were implemented and directions set, they could not be easily changed, nor could the official arbitrarily leave. The Dragon Court Ancient Land would open in the third year of Great Peace; assigning Zhao Xing an official post now would lead to divided attention. Although he had myriad clones, the tasks required full concentration. Being hunted in the Dragon Court Ancient Land while simultaneously handling major political affairs would certainly have a major impact, preventing him from doing either well. Therefore, a provisional third-rank official position was the best arrangement.

"What are your thoughts?" The Heavenly Derivation King asked with a smile, seeing Zhao Xing's prolonged silence."I'm very excited."The Heavenly Derivation King laughed and chided, "You're lying through your teeth!" He hoped to see excitement on Zhao Xing's face for the promotion, but Zhao Xing's expression only held a sense of reflection. Where was the excitement?Zhao Xing also smiled. "To be honest, there is indeed some sentiment, a mix of many emotions, I suppose."

It was quite a moment for reflection. Although he had anticipated reaching the third rank this time, originally, Zhao Xing had only aimed to achieve a fifth-rank position during Emperor Jing's reign. Now, with the Jingxin calendar nearing its end, he was already a provisional third-rank official! Of course, opportunities for further promotion would be few, requiring arduous accumulation of seniority and waiting for a new emperor to ascend the throne. Having this foundation was already far better than Zhao Xing had initially imagined. However, upon truly reaching the third rank, Zhao Xing also felt as if he were treading on thin ice, for he was now closer to Emperor Jing, the monarch!

Leaving Shuihua Grotto-heaven, they headed directly for Tianyuan Prefectural City. Since all his temporary official positions had been resigned when he extricated himself, Zhao Xing now only held the title of a Taoist official: Doctor of Scriptural Governance within the Daoist Academy. The Doctor of Scriptural Governance was also part of the Tianyuan Prefecture Branch of Xuantian Academy, so the imperial edict was delivered to Tianyuan Prefecture. As it involved the secrets of the Dragon Court Ancient Land and tasks from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, this promotion was not publicized. Besides Shao Nong Ling Wang Tianzhi, Fate Official Heavenly Derivation King, two Heavenly Officials, one Earth Official, and the second-rank priest of Tianyuan Prefecture, no one else was present.

Two Heavenly Officials had arrived, but one was not human; it was a Yin Heavenly Official. The other was Duke Wei, 'Wei Gongming,' a second-rank Courtesy Cultivator, with whom Zhao Xing had met once before on the Island of Chosen. Zhao Xing had a connection with Wei Gongming's direct grandson, Wei Wuji, whom he had met during the spiritual energy outburst in the Ten Yang Grotto-heaven."Zhao Xing, receive the imperial decree!"Wei Gongming stood below the divine platform, his voice resonant."Your servant is ready to receive the decree."

Zhao Xing knelt on the pre-prepared cushion. "By Imperial Edict: Zhao Xing, formerly the Transport Commissioner of Baishui Dao in Tianhe Prefecture and Level Three Inspector for five prefectures in Pinghai Province, who protected Tianhe Prefectural City, executed the rebel king, pacified the rebellious army, and whose loyalty and bravery are commendable. He prevented the Mingyue Heavenly Calamity, applied ingenious methods, offered superior strategies, and displayed extraordinary intelligence. He presented the 'Treatise on Heavenly Timing' and expounded on grotto-heaven numerology, demonstrating exceptional talent. He established public works, protected the myriad people of Great Zhou, and promoted the benevolent and righteous way of the sages. Therefore, he is specially promoted to a provisional third-rank position, and his former offices are no longer held. Considering his many years of arduous service, he is specially permitted to return to his hometown for reassignment, to recuperate for several years before taking up a substantive post. He is elevated to a first-class marquis, granted the title 'Marquis Shenwei.' Granted land of two million five hundred thousand mu, and a fiefdom of one hundred three thousand fifty households. Rewarded with one 'Yuanyou' scepter, four sets of luxurious robes, two ornate canopies, one Heavenly Sword, one dragon-headed war chariot, five dragons, one silver dragon flying boat, and a pair of dragon soul Ruyi scepters—. Promoted to Grand Master of Ceremonies, and given twelve additional merit ranks, to recognize his achievements!"

When Wei Gongming finished reading, Zhao Xing immediately kowtowed and loudly proclaimed, "Your humble servant Zhao Xing thanks His Majesty for his sacred grace. May His Majesty live forever!" He then straightened up, holding his hands high above his head. The moment the imperial edict was placed in his hands, a feeling of "enlightenment" swept over him.

A mountain-like power surged, and Zhao Xing immediately felt a profound weight from the depths of his soul. At the same time, a torrent of majestic energy washed over his body. Since this was only a fourth-rank baptism, the phenomenon quickly ended. Why did it not involve entering the Heavenly Heart Hall as before? It was purely because the Yin Heavenly Official and Earth Official present needed to carefully observe Zhao Xing's conferment process. If he had entered the Heavenly Heart Hall, observation would have been impossible.

The fourth-rank national fortune baptism was quickly absorbed by Zhao Xing. The Heavenly Official and Earth Official observing the ceremony exchanged whispers."His foundation is solid. The power of the national fortune has increased both his luck and lifespan.""His lifespan seems unusual, and his fortune is quite robust.""This is because he consumed numerous spiritual essences in the Ten Yang Grotto-heaven; he also took the heart of the Dragon Whale.""So that's it.""His fated soul is powerful, unlike ordinary people. What's the reason for this?""The Derivation God Art.""Any other questions?""To the Heavenly Derivation King, no, there are none. However, Marquis Shenwei's cooperation will be needed next.""Very well. Once he rests a bit, I'll arrange for you to discuss the details.""Yes."

The baptism quickly ended. Zhao Xing stood up and cupped his hands to everyone around, including seemingly empty spaces."My thanks to all the Lords and True Monarchs.""Marquis Shenwei is too modest," Wei Gongming said, stroking his beard, full of satisfaction.