Chapter 440: Manifestation of the Universe and Earth Changes, Sinong's Aspiration, Changing Heaven and Earth

The banquet held by the three lords, Peng Ao, Niu Hong, and Yin Er, for Zhao Xing was originally scheduled to last a year, but Zhao Xing had no intention of staying that long. He was concerned about the Great Zhou and the Beihe Army; how could he indulge in pleasure here indefinitely? After meeting Yuan Xin, the Marquis of Minguanbu, and Li Qinghou, a historical scholar, among others, he made a brief appearance at the department he concurrently held and then left.

Outside Shenchen Pass 14, inside the Lynx Star-Crossing Vessel.

“Grand Minister of Agriculture, our dynasty has dispatched a total of 5,265 cultivators at the Third Realm and three at the Dao Realm this time,” Chen Yu, the Minor Minister of Agriculture, reported, standing by. “We will operate under the name of the Wuye Fengdu Army of the Beihe Legion, led by the Grand Commandant, Ji Si, and King Luohou, and proceed to the Wangliang Upper Star Zone in Langping Path. Our main objectives are three-fold. First, to explore life-bearing planetary realms with spiritual energy indices between 10 and 100, and either occupy them or bring them back for sale. Second, to excavate valuable mineral regions. Third, to jointly establish the Great Zhou Chamber of Commerce by the Outer Ministry of Agriculture and the Maritime Trade Office, with Ling Tianchen and Meng Kun in charge. This will primarily involve cooperation with the Wuye Military Market Office of the Beihe Legion, though the specific regulations are still pending. Additionally, the Grand Commandant wished to increase the number of combat missions, but His Majesty rejected it and asked me to consult with you on your opinion.”

Zhao Xing sat in his chair, raising a finger slightly to motion for the scribe beside him to record: “The Great Zhou will operate alongside the Beihe Legion. In the Simoon Desolate Domain, spiritual energy zones are scattered, and there are not many places where life-bearing planetary realms appear. Setting too high a target will inevitably lead to conflict with other units of the Beihe Legion. We cannot act presumptuously based on our previous favors. Lower the exploration target slightly; life-bearing planetary realms with a spiritual energy index between 10 and 50 will suffice. If the Beihe Legion gets the meat, we can have some soup. If there’s danger, the Great Zhou won’t suffer critical losses. Development is just beginning; there are many risks and few opportunities. Prudence is paramount—relay this message to King Luohou.” Zhao Xing motioned to Chen Yu.

“Understood,” Chen Yu replied, realizing that the Grand Minister of Agriculture was discouraging King Luohou’s idea of expanding combat missions.

“Regarding trade, whatever work the Wuye Military Market Office offers, the Great Zhou will accept it without being picky. As long as there’s work to do and money to earn, that’s enough.” As for excavating valuable mineral veins, there was little to discuss. In its early stages, the Simoon Desolate Domain had few truly valuable resources to excavate. Furthermore, in many situations within the Desolate Domain, items could not be stored in one’s inner world or ordinary storage artifacts. Therefore, the Great Zhou intended to act merely as a middleman, and the mechanical formations and puppet war-spirits prepared by Lu Ying were primarily designed for transport efficiency. The Great Zhou currently possessed three special and precious Star-Crossing Vessels: the Vast Reach, the Limitless, and the Boundless, all of which were large-bodied vessels designed to enhance transport capacity. Seeing that Zhao Xing had no further instructions, Chen Yu withdrew to begin arranging the specific matters.

After exiting the pass and entering the Simoon Desolate Domain, the functionality of the Star Mirror was greatly diminished, and formation signals were intermittent with high latency. Zhao Xing then went to the archive room within the Star-Crossing Vessel.

“The authority of a Sea-Path Envoy is great, but so is the responsibility. With the strange occurrences in the Layered Mountain Realm, it won’t be long before this mission appears on the merit list. Completing the mission will earn merit points, which can be exchanged for resources. These are universal merits for multiple powers, far more valuable than the merit points of my previous life.”

In his previous life, only the Scarlet Star Empire and the Primordial Mound collaborated, so merit points were only usable within those two powers. Members of the Primordial Mound could exchange for divine weapons, cultivation resources, or even territorial peerages that they lacked but the Scarlet Star Empire possessed, and vice-versa. Now, super-powers included not only the Empire and the Primordial Mound, but also the Desolate Ancient Kingdom Alliance, the Samsara Divine Palace, the Primal Heaven Palace, and the Academy City, all of whom were involved. A single type of merit could be exchanged for valuable items from all these powers! Zhao Xing, of course, could not let such a grand opportunity slip by.

“According to the calendar established by the Astrological Faction, followed in the Profound Spirit Starfield, it is currently the 1194th solar year of the Desolate Domain’s 2nd Era. In six more solar years, it will be the 3rd Era of the Desolate Domain. Calculated in planetary years (Xuanhuang calendar), that’s another 5,985 years. When clearing the Ancient Sea-Path, many challenges were encountered, and the geological upheaval in the Layered Mountain Realm left the deepest impression on me. The problem of the Layered Mountain Realm’s upheaval was originally expected to occur in the 1195th solar year, but now, due to the involvement of multiple forces, the project progress has accelerated, making it possible that we’ve encountered it ahead of schedule.”

Zhao Xing simultaneously opened ten thousand Dao scriptures, then took out a blank one and placed it before him.

“As expected, what the Primordial Mound encountered wasn’t a mysterious event, but rather a Geochronological Upheaval.” Natural disasters and geological upheavals are both catastrophes and anomalies occurring within heaven and earth. These are commonly referred to as natural disasters. Wind disasters and insect plagues, frequently encountered by agricultural ministers when managing the environment, fall under the category of natural disasters. Earthquakes, atmospheric disturbances, and mountain shifts, among others, belong to geological upheavals. In the cosmic version, disasters have not disappeared but have become far more complex. Mountains now grow in the void, and as the environment becomes more intricate, so do the calamities.

“A Geochronological Upheaval is a relatively rare type of disaster. In current geomancy faction theories, there are few Dao scriptures that explain its essence, and effective solutions are also scarce. I had copied many books before leaving the Primal Realm, but still, there were only over seven million volumes.”

The pages rustled, flipping rapidly. Theoretical Dao scriptures did not increase combat power, but Zhao Xing, in both his past and present lives, enjoyed reading them. Firstly, he genuinely liked them, and secondly, they made tasks smoother. He was now reviewing the knowledge he had acquired in his previous life. Such an enjoyable pursuit of knowledge, of course, had to be shared with a good friend. Before long, Chen Shijie also appeared in the archive.

“Chen Shijie greets the Grand Minister of Agriculture.”

Zhao Xing opened his eyes, a smile playing on his lips: “Chen Shijie, you dare to greet the Grand Minister of Agriculture with only a bow and no prostration? How bold of you!”

Chen Shijie gathered his sleeves and rolled his eyes: “That’s enough. Why don’t you ask me to kowtow while you’re at it?”

“Hahaha, come in, come in!” Zhao Xing laughed, beckoning him.

“What brings you here?”

“To invite you to a feast of knowledge!”

Chen Shijie glanced at the Dao scriptures floating in mid-air. Names of geomancy faction Dao scriptures such as *Treatise on Geological Eras*, *History of Ancient Terrestrial Vein Changes*, *Grand View of Star Lands*, and *Classic of Realm Mountains* flashed before his eyes.

“Hmm? So many!” Chen Shijie’s eyes lit up. “Many of them—I haven’t seen before!”

“Hahaha, I knew you’d like them.” Zhao Xing was very pleased with Chen’s expression.

“Where did you get these?” Chen Shijie picked up a book, his gaze absorbed, yet his movements were gentle.

“From the Primal Realm, of course. It’s a pity though, there aren’t many Dao scriptures that record fundamental principles, and niche, obscure ones are even harder to find. I only managed to get a few million volumes. You haven’t seen them because the Star Mirror doesn’t collect them.”

“Why?” Chen Shijie asked instinctively.

“Firstly, niche and obscure Dao scriptures are difficult to collect. And secondly, it’s sectarian bias.” Zhao Xing pointed at the books: “The Primal Realm has collected many specific geomancy faction techniques. But Dao scriptures that record their fundamental principles are scarce. When it comes to debates over theoretical philosophies, both the Primordial Mound and the Primal Realm adopt the attitude of only using your techniques, not learning your ideologies.”

Chen Shijie understood, then added: “To be fair, the Primal Realm’s attitude is quite open. At least you could find this many.”

“The dispute over the Great Dao is a struggle for the right to interpret the Dao,” Zhao Xing nodded. “Indeed, each faction of the Agricultural Ministers has its own explanation of the universe. Our Self-Origin Faction divides the universe, realms, and domains into four periods: Primal, Fundamental, Myriad Manifestations, and Nirvana. By observing the universe, we demonstrate the manifestation of the Great Dao in different periods. This led to our Self-Origin cultivation system: cultivating pure elemental soil, nurturing fundamental space, and opening an inner world. To many, this method of cultivating an inner world is considered heresy.”

“You’re putting it lightly; it’s clearly a heresy,” Chen Shijie chuckled. “To not seek heaven or earth, but to form an inner world on one’s own—where would that leave the face of the Astrological and Geomancy Factions?”

Zhao Xing raised an eyebrow: “If you put it that way, aren’t my efforts to unite the three factions in my homeland futile?”

Chen Shijie didn’t even lift his head: “Not entirely futile. I still respect the Primal Realm and admire those accomplished predecessors. Of course, in my heart, the principles of the Geomancy Faction are the true Great Dao that expounds the essence of the universe. Astrological and Self-Origin? Mere side paths!”

Zhao Xing, multitasking, reading while casually asking: “Then tell me, how does the Geomancy Faction explain the Great Dao of the universe?”

Chen Shijie closed his book and replied earnestly: “The Geomancy Faction, using geological strata as units, divides the universe into three grand eras: the Archean Eon, the Proterozoic Eon, and the Dao Manifestation Eon. Below these are realms, epochs, periods, ages, and stages. The Primordial Mound derived its name from the concept of the Archean Eon. Legend has it that the Primordial Mound possesses the oldest minor world, within which a terrestrial vein is believed to have existed since the birth of the universe, known as the Primordial Terrestrial Vein. That ‘Primordial Vein’ contains the boundless mysteries of the Great Dao of the universe. From this, various spell systems evolved, such as the Earth-Rending Art, Mountain Art, Profound Earth Art, Underworld Palace Art, Earth-Passage Art, and Earth-Concealment Art. The Extreme Land Cultivation Method was created by a grandmaster of the Primordial Mound based on that Primordial Vein, which is why the first layer of the Extreme Land Cultivation Method involves drawing the vein into one’s body.”

At this point, Chen Shijie expressed some regret: “Alas, my aptitude is dull. Though I am now at the peak of the Third Realm, I still haven’t managed to master the first layer of Extreme Land. I can’t personally visit the Primordial Mound to see it.”

“Don’t regret it, you’ll master it eventually,” Zhao Xing said with a smile. “Look, it only took me a few years to achieve it.”

For a moment, Chen Shijie didn’t know whether to be happy or sad, feeling utterly uncomforted!

“Given the sheer number of books here, I’ll let it slide,” Chen Shijie said. “Don’t make another sound; let me read in peace for a while.”

“Very well, Elder Chen!”

Changes in terrestrial veins can cause mountains and rivers to shift, seas to become land, and the Six Qi to become unstable. If geological changes that would normally take an epoch, an era, or even a period to complete slowly are instead finished in a short time, the resulting upheaval is called a Geochronological Upheaval. Any minuscule variable, when multiplied by infinite time, becomes terrifying. Once a Geochronological Upheaval occurs, even the Great Dao itself can be affected. Cultivators of newer generations, unable to adapt to the Dao of older eras, might find that many of the spells they practice produce extremely strong deviations in effect, or even backfire, upon entering certain areas! A Geochronological Upheaval can trigger a galaxy-level ‘Marquisian Change’! It can also release geomantic energy that impacts one’s intellect, or even toxic gas! From Yuan Xin’s description, the Layered Mountain Realm on the Ancient Sea-Path experienced phenomena like blood rain falling from the sky, cultivators going mad, and corpses emerging, which strongly suggests a Geochronological Upheaval. This is because the Layered Mountain Realm is inherently special; its base extends deep into the void’s ancient Dao layer, and it can also convert void energy into rock. Thus, it possesses the conditions for a Geochronological Upheaval to occur. However, at this time, people’s understanding of geological upheavals was still quite superficial. Things they couldn't comprehend became mystical and spiritual.

“Most research on geological upheaval theory stalled in the Mesozoic Era, specifically the third terrestrial vein epoch of the Dao Manifestation Eon. There are very few countermeasures, and further back, there are none at all.” Zhao Xing, after spending several months reading all the books, began to organize what he had learned. The reasons for this lack were quite simple: firstly, there was no practical need. Even Geomancy Faction agricultural ministers at the Samsara Realm rarely encountered a Geochronological Upheaval. Within the Spirit Domain, such intense terrestrial vein shifts rarely occurred. Without demand, there was no motivation. When a problem was rarely encountered, naturally no one researched it. If all else failed, they would simply detour, declaring the area a forbidden zone and moving on. After all, what agricultural ministers excelled at, if not expanding territory and creating new habitable environments? Why bother with forbidden zones?

“Old Qing once said that the Desolate Domain is a graveyard for Samsara Realm cultivators. If you add this point, it’s not surprising that the whole affair became a tale of the bizarre. Now that the problem has been identified, it’s time to figure out how to solve it.”

Zhao Xing pondered for a moment, then first wrote several large characters on the blank Dao scripture:

*Treatise on Dao Manifestation Eon’s Geological Upheavals*

How could he determine it was the Dao Manifestation Eon, and not the Proterozoic or Archean Eons, without even being there yet? The reason was that the Simoon Desolate Domain’s formation history was not long.

“The Simoon Desolate Domain was formerly a Spirit Domain, and its terrestrial vein changes were gentle and slow. Based on this, it can be determined that the geological era of this Geochronological Upheaval falls between the late Mesozoic and early Cenozoic eras. As for which specific periods within that range, that will need to be observed on site.”

The Mesozoic Era is one of the terrestrial vein epochs of the Dao Manifestation Eon. It has three periods: the Triassic Period, characterized by the emergence of numerous Triassic Realm Mountains; the Turbulent River Period, named for the vast number of realm mountains that appeared, transforming the primordial void ocean into rivers; and the Baiwei Period, named by a person called Baiwei. This period was already nearing the end of the Five Emperors Era, an era that spanned three periods and could even be traced back to the Paleozoic Era before the Mesozoic. Clarifying this chronological order was somewhat troublesome, as the era unit was 1.2 million planetary years, but the geological period unit, like the Baiwei Period, was measured in hundreds of millions of planetary years. A single Baiwei Period lasted for several hundred million planetary years.

As he wrote, Zhao Xing suddenly recalled Fan Daoyou, whom he had met in Ice Star Prison.

“He specializes in deciphering ancient formations from the Baiwei Period. I wonder if he’ll get out early this life.” He had originally chosen Fan Daoyou to cultivate because of the latter’s unique skills. However, with the Ancient Sea-Path problem surfacing early, this fellow would also need to be released early; otherwise, it would be too late. “Forget it, I won’t think about him for now. Without Butcher Zhang, can I not eat pork with the bristles still on? I am now a First-Rank Sea-Path Envoy; my status is incomparable to before. I should be directing from a thousand miles away, not doing every intricate task myself.” Zhao Xing hummed softly, continuing to engrave the Dao scripture.

Time passed. Three months had elapsed since the Lynx Star-Crossing Vessel departed Shenchen Pass 14. Because there were Star-Ring Continents established by the Primordial Mound along the way, allowing for teleportation after a period of flight, the Lynx and the Beihe Legion’s Star-Crossing Vessel fleet arrived at Taoyang Star Continent, the second forward base on the Ancient Sea-Path, three months later. It was named after Taoyangzi, a disciple of Emperor Hongshan.

“Zhao Xing, the Beihe Legion has arrived at Taoyang Star Continent. On behalf of all the officers and soldiers of the Beihe Legion, I thank you.” The speaker was Duan Ye, the leading general of the Beihe Legion. Duan Ye was a seasoned Samsara Realm cultivator, one level below a lord (elite), but his combat strength was formidable. Zhao Xing saw Duan Ye’s comprehensive data on the detection panel and, after a quick calculation, realized that this person certainly possessed lord-level combat power. He was also the second most important figure in the Beihe Star System.

“Senior Duan, you are too kind,” Zhao Xing bowed. “It is my honor to do something insignificant for my homeland.”

Duan Ye was clearly not one to mince words; his second sentence was: “Rest assured, the Great Zhou’s forces, now integrated into the Wuye Army, will be treated fairly. The situation ahead is urgent, so we shall depart first.”

“I wish Senior a triumphant victory.”

As soon as the Beihe Legion’s Star-Crossing Vessels arrived at Taoyang Star Continent, they immediately used the Star-Shift Formation to teleport all vessels to another Daoist temple on Langping Path. From there, it was a short distance to the Wangliang Star Zone. Qiao Song and Yang Zhuo’s hidden worries could be resolved, and the Great Zhou could also hitch a ride to begin its own development. The Great Zhou’s leading personnel included Liu Tianning and Yun Tiandao, both Dao Realm cultivators, and those at the Fundamental Third Realm such as King Luohou, Ling Tianchen, Long Xiao, Xia Jing, Lu Ying, and Grand Physician Cui Chengzhi. Ji Che remained at Jiachen Pass 14 to oversee it as a domestic and international liaison point. Ji Si, Chen Shijie, and some other personnel stayed with Zhao Xing at Taoyang Base.

Upon landing at Taoyang Base, the only person who came to greet them was Daoist Miaosong, and it was merely his straw-puppet clone. How could a dignified First-Rank Sea-Path Envoy, whose status was higher than many positions held by Samsara Realm cultivators, be greeted only by Daoist Miaosong, a Second-Rank Sea-Path Envoy? Surely, they weren’t disrespecting him to this extent?

“Brother Zhao, please don’t be offended. The principal officers of all departments are currently in deliberation in the Central Hall and cannot excuse themselves,” Daoist Miaosong immediately explained.

“No worries. Then I’ve arrived at a good time. Take me to the Central Hall,” Zhao Xing said.

As they flew and teleported through the Desolate Domain, the Star Mirror’s communication was not always timely. Zhao Xing could have arrived early or late, and with no fixed arrival time, a precise greeting was impossible. Otherwise, Taoyangzi would have certainly shown face and come out to greet Zhao Xing. Zhao Xing’s authority had officially taken effect at Jiachen Pass 14. Upon landing at Taoyang Base, he proceeded without hindrance and soon arrived at the Central Hall.

Daoist Miaosong led Zhao Xing into the hall and chose an empty floating platform to sit, still unnoticed. This was because a fierce argument was currently underway inside the hall.

“Hold it? How can we hold it? Qiu Zishan, your Terrestrial Dao Division can’t even drive in a stake, and now you’re asking our Profound Mechanism Division to hold it?” A bald man slammed the table excitedly, his voice thundering, causing the space within the Central Hall to tremble. “The Terrestrial Dao Division holds one, the Profound Mechanism Division holds ten—are you going to do it or not?”

“Gu Ming, what nonsense are you talking about? Did I ask you to take risks? I merely asked you to reinforce the pass of the Seventh Realm Mountain for fifteen days. Why are you pounding the table?!” From another floating platform in the hall, Qiu Zishan, a brown-haired young man wearing a Void-Traversing robe, stood up, waving his arms somewhat indignantly, though his demeanor lacked strength. “If the five mountain passes of the Seventh Realm Mountain are sealed, my people will be trapped and die there.”

“Oh, so you’re begging me now, are you?” Gu Ming said, with a hint of mockery. “You’re asking our Profound Mechanism Division to risk their lives to bring your Terrestrial Dao Division people back from that sinister mountain path, is that it?”

Qiu Zishan was furious, but also felt humiliated by having to beg. Torn between his anger and the need, he chose to swallow his pride: “Gu Ming, you’re right! Consider it a plea from me—will you go save them?!”

Zhao Xing turned to Daoist Miaosong beside him and quietly transmitted: “Brother, I know Qiu Zishan; he’s Taoyang’s disciple and also the head of the Star Continent’s Terrestrial Dao Division. But who is that other person?”

Having just arrived, everything was unfamiliar, and checking the Star Mirror was useless as personnel changes at the forward bases were frequent. For instance, Zhao Xing’s Star Mirror showed Taoyangzi as the head of the Taoyang Base’s General Administration, but Taoyangzi was not currently at the base. His location, like Emperor Hongshan and Emperor Bihui, was at the First Pioneer Base.

“Gu Ming, a mechanist from Tianque Island of the Primal Heaven Palace, and also the chief officer of the Profound Mechanism Division.”

“Oh, no wonder he’s so temperamental,” Zhao Xing realized. The Tianque Island of the Primal Heaven Palace was renowned for the mechanists it produced. Many areas in the Phantom God Star System’s Yue Luo Necropolis had already been taken over by the Primal Heaven Palace, gradually transforming into the familiar appearance Zhao Xing knew. The repairs to those formations were the work of mechanists from Tianque Island. Had it not been for Zhao Xing’s appearance, the Trans-Realm Tomb, which contained the Time Pages of the Profound Spirit historical records, would have eventually been suppressed by the people of Tianque Island. Zhao Xing also knew another mechanist from Tianque Island, Zhan Ze, a good friend of Du Yun.

“So what exactly are they arguing about? It seems to be concerning the Seventh Realm Mountain?”

Daoist Miaosong’s expression grew solemn: “Brother Zhao, you must have heard some rumors on your journey, regarding the Layered Mountain Realm, correct?”

“I have heard some,” Zhao Xing nodded. “But since it hasn’t been officially announced on the Star Mirror, I thought the rumors might be exaggerated.”

“No exaggeration,” Daoist Miaosong shook his head. “The reality is far more severe than the rumors. Both the military forces and non-combat personnel stationed at the First, Second, and Third Daoist temples have suffered casualties. The artisans of the Geomancy Faction cannot even cut through the Layered Mountain Realm stone; they can’t even drive in a single stake. A while ago, blood rain fell over the First Daoist temple, and the bones of demonic creatures emerged. It’s even said that Emperor Hongshan himself was injured. Moreover, he has been slow to return from the first realm mountain, claiming to be searching for the fundamental cause, but many say even Emperor Hongshan is trapped...”

Zhao Xing was slightly startled. Even Emperor Hongshan was injured and trapped? This rumor was quite terrifying.

“The First Daoist temple is where the vanguard is excavating. It’s one thing if the Layered Mountain Realm isn’t opened, but how could even the already opened Second and Third Bases suffer casualties?”

Daoist Miaosong shook his head: “This is precisely the reason for the argument. Several Layered Mountain Realms originally located between the First and Second Daoist temples suddenly began to accelerate their sealing. Subsequently, the same strange occurrences appeared. Because no one knows what went wrong, tens of thousands of people are now trapped inside the Seventh Realm Mountain, unable to pass through or return.”

Chen Shijie and Ji Si were completely bewildered, but Zhao Xing quickly understood Daoist Miaosong’s meaning. The characteristic of the Layered Mountain Realm was that even after being excavated, it would regrow, always maintaining its original form, and slowly expanding in size and height over time. Secondly, the mountain body existed within the void layer. It obstructed the path precisely because of these two characteristics. If one stood before a Layered Mountain Realm, looking up or down, it was a wall; looking left or right, it was also a wall, extending infinitely. To pass through, one had to excavate a path and then consolidate the passage, or else take a detour. If one detoured, the distance would be immeasurable. Multiple realm mountains were arranged like train carriages, with bases serving as living spaces within these carriages. If the passages through the realm mountains could not be stabilized, then passage between the carriages would become impossible. Even more terrifying, if the realm mountains rebounded and grew too quickly, it would be akin to the carriages starting to crush each other! Explorers living between the realm mountains would either be trapped to death or crushed to death! The first three bases of the Ancient Sea-Path had problems because construction was done in phases with differing progress. Because excavation at the front was smooth and manpower was abundant, once the first mountain was cleared, a group of people immediately went ahead to establish a base, while another group remained at the first realm mountain to consolidate the passage, much like guards stationed at the entrance of each train carriage. These bases, linked one by one and extended into cosmic space, formed the Ancient Sea-Path.

“Yes, Zhao Xing, your carriage analogy is very apt,” Daoist Miaosong said with a deep breath. “The current situation is that the space between the carriages is not only being squeezed, but also toxic gas, demonic creatures, and blood rain that corrodes human dharma bodies have appeared. Originally, with Emperor Hongshan and Emperor Bihui present, morale was stable, and no one took it seriously. But now that Emperor Hongshan is injured, panic has started to spread. Gu Ming is unwilling to risk rescuing people because, as a mechanist, he’s not responsible for combat missions, and calls for rerouting are also increasing. I estimate this matter probably can’t be contained any longer—”

“Ugh, what a damn misfortune! To encounter something like this just a few years after arriving!” Daoist Miaosong couldn’t help but curse. Power and responsibility were reciprocal. If the Ancient Sea-Path had to be rerouted or simply abandoned, what purpose would their existence as Sea-Path Envoys serve? Demotion and merit deduction were secondary; Daoist Miaosong only prayed he wouldn't be thrown into prison.

“The situation is actually this severe?” Zhao Xing felt he had been overly idealistic. “I understand now. When I came to the Ancient Sea-Path in my previous life, the power of the Geochronological Upheaval had already been suppressed to its minimum by formations. Any occasional outbreaks didn’t cause a chain reaction, which gave me the impression that it was easily manageable,” Zhao Xing analyzed internally.

“Brother Miaosong, please share all the information and data you have with me.”

Daoist Miaosong touched his Star Mirror to Zhao Xing’s, completing the data transfer. Then, looking at the pensive Zhao Xing, he couldn’t help but ask: “Brother Zhao, you’re not thinking of wading into this mess, are you? I think, before any mission falls on you, you should quickly find an excuse with Emperor Hongshan to slip away. Aren’t you also concurrently serving as a Star Annihilation Envoy? If you apply for a transfer now, the Emperor surely won’t make things difficult for you. As for me, I’m out of luck. I’ve been working here for over ten years, sigh—”

Daoist Miaosong’s words were heartfelt; from his perspective, Zhao Xing fleeing now was the best option.

“I won’t leave,” Zhao Xing shook his head. “Retreating in the face of difficulty is not my style.”

“You’re really staying?” Daoist Miaosong was puzzled. He had painstakingly explained the pros and cons to Zhao Xing, so why wasn’t he listening? “Even if punishment doesn’t fall on you, you shouldn’t stay here. Who knows how long it will take to solve the Ancient Sea-Path problem? Instead of wasting time here, why not—”

“Brother Miaosong, there’s no need to persuade me further,” Zhao Xing smiled. “The ambition of an Agricultural Minister is to transform heaven and earth. Now is precisely the time to put our ideals into practice and fulfill our aspirations.”

The argument in the Central Hall ended at some unknown point, becoming so quiet that a pin drop could be heard. Everyone’s gaze uniformly shifted to Zhao Xing, drawn by his words.

“Well said!” Qiu Zishan exclaimed excitedly. “The ambition of an Agricultural Minister is to transform heaven and earth. Now is truly the time to put our ideals into practice! Exactly! People from the Primordial Mound are never stumped by a mountain! If the Profound Mechanism Division won’t help, then we don’t need them. We weren’t relying on those good-for-nothings anyway! Even martial artists are useless; they can’t even carry a corner peak of the realm mountain—” Not a few people echoed Qiu Zishan, though many also remained silent.

Gu Ming looked at Zhao Xing, cross-referenced the information on his Star Mirror, then sneered aloud: “Who do we have here? It turns out it’s the renowned Primal Saint Son.”

Unfazed by the sarcasm, Zhao Xing stood up and cupped his hands: “The Primal Saint Son is merely a jest. I, Zhao Xing, First-Rank Sea-Path Envoy, greet Chief Gu. I implore you, sir, to discuss the rescue operation together.”

Gu Ming, hailing from the Primal Heaven Palace, was instinctively displeased by Zhao Xing’s victory over Du Yun. He completely disregarded Zhao Xing’s polite words: “You don’t need to elevate me. This matter is purely the dereliction of duty of you Agricultural Ministers and has nothing to do with our Profound Mechanism Division. You want to save people? Fine!” Gu Ming pointed at Zhao Xing, a playful smile on his face. “Will your Void-Straw Clone and your true body be the first to go? Do you dare?” He thought, what does a combat-oriented Agricultural Minister know about opening mountains and excavating paths? Isn’t he just using people as pawns under a high-sounding pretext? Gu Ming wasn’t one to be trifled with and immediately put Zhao Xing on the spot. You spoke so righteously; do you, a First-Rank Sea-Path Envoy, dare to charge first? Gu Ming was certain Zhao Xing wouldn't agree, intending to end the pointless argument and turn to leave.

Unexpectedly, he saw Zhao Xing bow deeply, his tone firm: “Yes, I will be the first to go in this rescue operation. I ask for your assistance, Daoist brother.”