Chapter 652: This Small Matter of Being an Official

This great Shang dynasty has far too many issues.

Three years after the Li Jing paternal recognition incident.

Li Changshou's true body sat in front of the alchemy room, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan and wearing a loose, comfortable robe.

Though he still had the youthful and handsome face of someone in his twenties, he exuded the air of an old man, like a "Ma what Mei" figure.

He was getting used to retirement life in advance.

After Ling E entered the Golden Immortal realm, she began to spend more time in seclusion.

Originally, she had only aimed to casually reach Golden Immortal status so she could stay by her senior brother's side for a long time, but now she was troubled by the overwhelming insights and complications of cultivation.

Having stronger power was always a good thing, and the process of cultivation, especially during continuous breakthroughs, was quite enjoyable.

Hmm...

The Lingzhu Zi, whose realm was previously locked by the Heavenly Dao, had it really rough.

In these three years, Li Changshou's true body hadn't left Xiao Qiong Peak at all.

His paper effigies operated in secret, only occasionally appearing in the Heavenly Court to stabilize the morale of the troops and officials, otherwise keeping a very low profile.

He was afraid of being falsely claimed as a father again.

The world seemed as peaceful as if the great calamity had passed.

The war in Zhongshen Continent was drawing to a close, with about thirty percent of the immortal sects' mountain gates destroyed and over half of the immortal experts lost.

It was undoubtedly a severe blow to the overall strength of the human race.

During the centuries of the Zhongshen Continent war, the Heavenly Court had recruited a large number of scattered immortals, steadily raising the average strength of its heavenly generals.

As the Heavenly Court planner, Li Changshou hadn't handled many specific tasks, but these developments were all part of his original plans, earning him the primary credit.

By now, the Heavenly Court had established a complete system for training heavenly soldiers, with mechanisms for promoting heavenly beings, regular recruitment, and gathering experts to keep the soldiers and generals vibrant and combat-ready.

What was still lacking were the positions for the major orthodox gods.

When the Fengshen calamity ends, a colossal entity surpassing the peak saintly sects will stand above the nine heavens.

Saints will retreat in fear, and all immortals will tremble; the heavenly rules and doctrines extending from it will become the standards for immortals and the norms for all living beings.

The disciples of the Western Cult, whose paths to the Fengshen List were long ago sealed by Li Changshou, are nothing but ashes of calamity. The Fengshen List bears none of their names, and the great golden pillars in Lingxiao Hall hold not a single remnant soul.

One plan after another from the early stages is being realized in succession.

Of course, some in ways that even Li Changshou hadn't anticipated...

For example, Wen Jing.

The Western Cult has completely sealed off Ling Mountain, ceasing all activities, but that doesn't mean Li Changshou has lost his intelligence sources on them.

In these three years, his paper effigy met with Wen Jing's blood mosquitoes to exchange information. To keep Wen Jing stable, Li Changshou had to conceal the matters involving the Great Mage and Kong Xuan, only setting some psychological expectations for her.

It seemed the Great Mage already had a close dao companion, and they appeared to be developing their relationship further.

What puzzled Li Changshou was Wen Jing's...

Rather strange reaction.

Wen Jing wiped the corner of her mouth and asked about that person's strength. When Li Changshou said it was on par with the level of the three teachings' senior brothers, Wen Jing actually showed a wave of concern.

She started worrying whether she would qualify to join the Great Mage's circle of dao companions in the future.

Li Changshou: ...

Is this the world of the strong?

On this, Li Changshou could only silently recite scriptures, wishing for the Great Mage's safety, Kong Xuan's safety, Wen Jing's safety, and for the heavy responsibilities of Humanism's propagation to be safely fulfilled.

Wen Jing spoke of the current state of Ling Mountain, praising the Star Sovereign's strategies as ruthless and his actions as merciless.

Ling Mountain today is utterly desolate; more than half of the saint's direct disciples who had been hiding were killed or injured, dealing a fatal blow to the Western Cult.

These direct disciples can no longer hide in the shadows and have been sent by Saint Junti to the three thousand worlds to manage the affairs of the incense fire god nations.

The incense fire god nations are a stable source of merit for the Western Cult, so they don't want to give them up.

However, after the Ling Mountain battle, their direct forces were severely depleted. The experts recalled from the three thousand god nations suffered ninety percent losses, leaving many of those nations internally hollowed out.

Following the Ling Mountain battle, the Lintian Hall and the Immortal Alliance declared full war on the incense fire god nations, adding immense pressure to the Western Cult.

Now, the Western Cult has shifted its focus—or rather, its last hopes—to the three thousand worlds, leaving only an empty shell at Ling Mountain in the Five Parts Continent.

What concerned Li Changshou most was whether Wen Jing had been blamed by the Western Saints in this conflict.

Wen Jing chuckled awkwardly and described her somewhat embarrassing situation.

"How did I end up as their Western Cult's deputy cult leader? Tsk tsk."

Li Changshou: ...

How could that be?

Li Changshou couldn't help but wonder if he had promised her too much, though he originally couldn't offer enough.

Now, he could only hope that the Great Mage had enough charm to make Wen Jing fully committed, so that at the critical moment, she would absorb a bite of the golden lotus.

During the previous Ling Mountain war, Li Changshou had considered having Wen Jing seize the golden lotus.

But first, his teacher hadn't given any signals;

Second, at the time, Wen Jing was ordered to lead the Hong Meng fierce beasts and ancient demon beasts in underground ambushes, unable to reach the depths of Ling Mountain to access that lotus flower.

But now, with Wen Jing as the deputy cult leader of the Western Cult and Ling Mountain in a state of extreme vulnerability,

As soon as the two saints leave home, it will be a real opportunity.

Wen Jing, this hidden pawn, is on the verge of surfacing.

Li Changshou encouraged her a few words, telling her to wait patiently at Ling Mountain, and emphasized that when the time is right, his teacher's orders will come, so she needn't worry too much.

By now, Wen Jing had quietly understood her own "mission."

After all, the goals requiring her to continue lurking in the Western Cult were few and far between.

Indeed, Lord Taiqing wants to slay a saint, and he needs her to hide deep in Ling Mountain, waiting for Lord Taiqing to severely wound one of the Western Cult saints to the brink of death, then for her to deliver the final blow...

Saint's blood!

Wen Jing's dao heart suddenly burned with heat, and she eagerly agreed to Li Changshou's instructions.

Her enthusiasm even made Li Changshou a bit embarrassed.

As a spy who rose to deputy cult leader—excluding Kasyapa and Maitreya, the saint's direct disciples—she was essentially the third-in-command at Ling Mountain right now...

No one else could compare.

From a certain perspective, the Western Cult has suffered greatly.

But this can't be blamed on his teacher's ruthlessness; after all, the Western Cult struck first, scheming against the three Daoist teachings while thinking Saint Taiqing wouldn't notice.

It was just self-deception.

Yet, the Western Cult's great prosperity will still come to pass.

As Li Changshou understands it, if not for his teacher's scheme to transform barbarians into Buddhists, the Western Cult saints would have "received the mandate of heaven" at some point, establishing the Great Vehicle Buddhism, modifying their teachings, and embarking on the path of prosperity.

If there were a way to suppress the Western Cult's rise, his teacher wouldn't have resorted to stealing their name, luck, and doctrines.

The soul of a saintly cult lies in its teachings.

Even if transforming barbarians into Buddhists succeeds perfectly, what is preached to the world would no longer be the doctrines of the three Daoist teachings, but the doctrines of Buddhism, merely with a new group overseeing them.

"Ah..."

This world ultimately operates according to the will of the Heavenly Dao, not the will of living beings.

Li Changshou half-closed his eyes, using a wisp of immortal power to gently rock his lounging chair, feeling utterly at ease, free from sorrow or joy.

He hadn't been idle these three years either; as planned, he had infiltrated the inner circles of mortal royal power. The whole process was straightforward and didn't drain much of his effort.

Of course, Li Changshou didn't use any magic, nor did he control anyone's minds.

He simply employed a bit of strategy to secure an insignificant minor position for himself in Da Yin City.

Nothing worth mentioning.

"My lord."

A faint call echoed in his heart. Li Changshou's mind shifted to his official paper effigy, and in a residence in Shang's Da Yin City, he opened his eyes and stood up from behind the desk.

Pushing open the wooden door of the study, bright sunlight poured in. Li Changshou stretched lazily, invigorating his entire being.

This paper effigy had a middle-aged appearance, with graying hair and a slender build, exuding an air of refined immortality.

A young attendant knelt forward to report that it was time for the king's court session, and the carriage was ready in the residence.

"Understood."

Li Changshou clasped his hands behind his back and headed out of the residence. Soon, he boarded his exclusive covered ox cart and rumbled toward the sprawling palace complex.

Along the way, other similar ox carts joined, all carrying ministers heading to the daily session.

To say something that might sadden His Majesty the Jade Emperor, Li Changshou had reached this position in just half a year, and the number of times he attended court here with the human king already rivaled his total appearances in the Heavenly Court.

This was despite spending the first two and a half years not yet as a court official.

Here was the heart of Shang's power, a place of song and dance, untouched by the world's vulgarity and hardships.

But with his immortal sense sweeping over, he could see that Shang was rife with oppression by the nobility and the enslavement of commoners.

There were far too many slaves in Shang.

In broader contexts, slaves formed a class; they had no right to names, no protections, and served as the primary labor force in Shang's system.

They were playthings for the nobles, even used as burial sacrifices, with no path to advancement. Even if they were beautiful or handsome, they were merely objects, never gaining the merchants' recognition.

Shang's customs were relatively open, and many slaves had sunk into a life of indulgence, squandering their youth and ending their lives early.

Yet, the abundant resources of the Hong Huang and the vast lands of Nan Zan Continent allowed Shang to barely sustain such a massive slave population.

Now, the sheer number of slaves had become a huge hidden danger.

The main source of slaves was the war captives from Shang's past expansions; Shang didn't prohibit slaves from marrying or having children, leading to the awkward situation where the slave population now outnumbered the merchant class.

These issues...

Li Changshou just glanced at them casually, with no intention of intervening.

Let history unfold on its own.

Anyway, he had confirmed through various means that this Hong Huang had no direct connection to his home planet, Blue Star.

Entering the palace gates, the ox cart's jolts became much smoother, the solid ground leaving no wheel tracks.

Soon, the cart stopped in front of a grand hall. Attendants pulled open the curtain, and Li Changshou stepped out, offering a warm smile as he exchanged greetings with several fellow ministers who had arrived at the same time.

"The Grand Minister looks quite spirited today."

"Ah, Minister Lin, that court robe of yours is rather striking."

"General Wang, when did you change into that armor? It looks truly imposing."

Before long, a group of ministers gathered around Li Changshou, chatting and laughing as they ascended the hall's steps together.

Once at the hall's entrance, Li Changshou raised an eyebrow, glanced at the spacious hall, bowed slightly to his allied ministers, and headed toward a corner.

There, several younger scribes were organizing stone slabs, turtle shells, and bamboo slips, preparing to record the proceedings of this session.

The turtle shells weren't for writing; their use was a bit more complex.

These scribes included both men and women, dressed in uniform, intricate official attire, indicating their respectable ranks.

Among them, one had a square face and dignified appearance, his brow full of righteousness, with a faint mark on his forehead resembling a vertical eye.

He sat there with an aura all his own, overshadowing the other scribes, making it hard to believe this was his first time assigned to record the "king's discourses."

This person exuded confidence, showing no fear or reverence for his surroundings, with an innate sharpness.

Who else could it be but Wen Zhong?

At that moment, Wen Zhong noticed the approaching minister but sat steadily, head lowered, pretending not to see.

Currently, he had already progressed faster than the other immortals who had listened to Master Tai Bai's lectures that day.

What was so difficult about serving as an official in the mortal world?

Just display some ability, show off the talents mortals value, and hadn't he already reached the king's side?

Though he was only rotating in as a recording official, coming once or twice a month.

Compared to the Chan School's third-generation disciples still wandering around various places, and Senior Sister Huo Ling now working as a cook in Da Yin City's guard camp,

He, Wen Zhong, was the most promising immortal in Da Yin City!

If he continued at this pace, in less than ten years, he could become an official with rank; in twenty years, a key minister; in thirty years, one of Shang's most important figures!

Then, wouldn't handling the calamity be effortless?

"Cough!"

Why was this minister coughing? He must be addressing someone else.

These scribes came from different offices. He was a pure administrative scribe, the two women nearby from the Divination Office—a group of mortals with no cultivation who claimed to communicate with heaven and ancestors.

Quite amusing.

The other two men: one from the Grand Historian's office, and one with a similar background to himself.

Their main task was to...

"Cough! Cough cough!"

Why was this minister coughing again? Did he choke on his breakfast? Why was he standing right in front of him?

"Junior Nephew Wen Zhong, you're doing quite well for yourself."

Wen Zhong was startled, abruptly looking up and staring at the minister in ornate robes, seeing the faint, mocking smile at the corner of his mouth, and feeling that unforgettable dao rhythm in his heart, along with the teasing voice transmission!

"Mas—!"

"You all, stay alert,"

Li Changshou calmly interrupted Wen Zhong's words, shaking his head inwardly.

This child, Wen Zhong, still lacked maturity and steadiness.

Apart from Wen Zhong, the other four male and female scribes stood up and bowed to Li Changshou.

"Grand Historian, sir."

Wen Zhong opened his mouth wordlessly, then, reminded by a gesture from the side, quickly stood up.

Li Changshou chuckled and advised, "Seeing some new faces here, I'm just reminding you all to take accurate notes without omissions or errors, and keep the documents uniformly formatted."

"Yes!" Wen Zhong responded firmly, his mouth twitching slightly.

Master Tai Bai was truly everywhere.

As Li Changshou returned to the group of ministers, Wen Zhong overheard a few whispers from nearby, making his heart twitch even more.

In just three years, from a renowned scholar in Da Yin City to one of Shang's six high ministers, deeply favored by King Wen Ding.

Was this the extent of Master Tai Bai's capabilities?

Wen Zhong sighed inwardly...

He still had a long way to go.

In Yu Xu Palace, at the flying waterfall pavilion.

Guang Chengzi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at a painting depicting an overhead view of Da Yin City.

He remained silent for a long time, leaving the several middle-aged and young daoists standing behind him quite uneasy.

"How many years of life does the current Shang king have left?"

Guang Chengzi suddenly asked, and one of the middle-aged daoists stepped forward to answer:

"Based on his destiny, about six years."

"Six years—who will be the next Shang ruler? Has it been decided? Does he have brothers?"

"The next ruler seems to be Zi Xian; he has two brothers, Xu Yu and Bi Gan."

Guang Chengzi nodded slowly, then paced with his hands behind his back, a glint in his eyes.

He had it.