Courtyard House: I'm an engineer, and a fairy godmother transferred me to a different position.

When they received the message, they were already close to the edge of the primordial world, and could see the chaotic energy surging in the sky when they looked up.

Despite their resentment, no one dared to disobey the leader's orders.

In the letter, Minister Jiang stated that the matter originally sought no further investigation and mentioned that the dispute between Jie and Chan was about to begin, ordering them to return quickly.

Although Li Jing and his companions had doubts, they immediately turned back and traveled day and night back to the island.

They were all taken aback when they stepped onto Fangzhang Island.

In just a few days since leaving the island, the scene on the island has changed dramatically: many previously unseen formations are suspended in mid-air, crystal-clear plants grow beside the spiritual spring, and disciples of the sect are exchanging skills and fighting in the distance, creating a completely new atmosphere.

They met Daoist Duobao on their way, and after a quick greeting, they rushed over to report back.

Although he had heard about the recent establishment of a ranking list by the sect leader and was curious, he put aside his questions for the time being and went to the hall to meet Minister Jiang.

Li Jing composed himself slightly, then looked up and asked, "So, beyond that border... there really is nothing the Master needs?"

As he spoke, one could feel a faint tremor from the spiritual veins flowing beneath his feet.

At that time, they were already at the edge of the primordial wilderness. They could see the outside world in disarray, with mountains and rivers in chaos and a murky atmosphere. Before they could take a closer look, they were ordered to return.

The group has returned from that place, and they must have witnessed the sights there firsthand.

Such a desolate place would naturally not hold what we are looking for.

Minister Jiang rose from his desk, slowly walked to Li Jing's side, and gently pressed his hand on Li Jing's shoulder.

These past few days of running around have been really tiring.

Although he did not inquire in detail about their journey, the dust and tears on Li Jing and the other three's clothes indicated that their journey was far from easy.

He put his hands behind his back and slowly walked to the front of the corridor.

With a vast expanse of sky and earth before you, and the landscape of mountains and rivers spread out before you, it is an excellent place to view all directions.

One can easily control the movements near and far.

As far as the eye can see outside Fangzhang Island, a few wisps of black smoke can be faintly seen rising, mixed with the intermittent sounds of weapons clashing, which can be faintly heard on the wind.

"Indeed, as you said."

Li Jing nodded in agreement, "That land is extremely barren. Although human traces can be seen occasionally, no large-scale settlements have ever been found."

He deeply agrees with this.

The desolation seen with one's own eyes is more powerful than any words of description.

There, the scattered traces were insufficient to constitute evidence of civilization, and naturally, they would not find what they expected.

For this reason, they immediately returned home after receiving the message.

However, the journey was long and dusty, and they encountered several ferocious beasts along the way, during which their clothes were torn in several places by sharp claws.

Fortunately, there was nothing seriously wrong, only some signs of wear and tear.

In fact, before receiving the order to return, they had already explored a large area beyond the borders of the prehistoric lands—something even Minister Jiang had not fully anticipated.

Jiang Shangshu had initially estimated that they might have just touched the border, and even if they failed to penetrate deeper, it would not affect the overall situation.

After all, the information Teng Yin had conveyed had given him sufficient evidence.

He did not expect the four men to bring back much specific information, but to his surprise, they had already figured out seven or eight parts of the situation outside the border.

Minister Jiang had already assumed their abilities were far greater than before, but the final result still exceeded his expectations.

Before leaving, Li Jing made clear arrangements for their respective duties: Lei Zhenzi's wings would be used for flying and traveling, while Tu Xingsun, who could travel underground, would be responsible for exploring the earth's veins. He and another person would provide support from the side, as well as record-keeping and coordination.

After a period of adjustment, the four of them gradually developed a better understanding of each other. Although they were exhausted, they finally completed the long journey.

Lei Zhenzi can now fly continuously for several hours without showing signs of fatigue, and his mastery of his own power is becoming increasingly refined.

The other three are also improving, but their control is still lacking: Tu Xingsun occasionally bumps into solid rocks or strange metal objects underground, but each mistake turns into experience, and their teamwork becomes more and more seamless.

"Therefore, the matter of heading east should be put on the agenda."

I have a feeling that what I'm looking for might be in that direction.

Upon hearing Li Jing's report, Minister Jiang nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on the distance, as if deep in thought.

He didn't speak again, but his chest felt like it was surging with emotion.

For a moment, only the sound of the wind could be heard under the eaves.

After a long while, Minister Jiang finally turned around and looked at the four people who were waiting.

"You've been traveling for a long time, so go back and rest for a few days."

Now that you have returned, our real operation will begin in a few days.

Indeed, these days, Minister Jiang has been supervising everyone's cultivation while also waiting for Li Jing and the others to return.

Now that the four have returned, the time is almost ripe—once the final preparations are completed, everything will truly begin.

"Yes, ma'am."

The four responded in unison, bowed, and then quietly withdrew.

We arrived before we had even finished our journey home, our clothes still dusty from the journey.

Everyone knows that the real storm is yet to come in a few days, and for now, all we need to do is rest and recuperate.

Minister Jiang did not turn around; his gaze remained fixed on the distant horizon.

The sounds of voices around me were still numerous and varied, like the ebb and flow of the tide.

His face was calm as an ancient well, but something deep in his eyes was quietly settling, as hard as a rock.

***

The cheers almost lifted the dome.

No one can fully express the turmoil in my heart in words.

"My husband."

Hua Xu Niangniang silently walked to Jiang Shangshu's side, looking at the things in front of her, her brows furrowed with a thousand emotions.

What is destined to happen will eventually come; no one can escape the net woven by fate.

Minister Jiang sensed her warmth, gently extended his arm, and pulled her into his embrace.

He understood the weight of this worry, but some journeys are destined to be walked alone.

Since we are already on the path of fate, we can only move forward.

In the open space, Minister Jiang...

Li Jing and the other three stood quietly behind them.

After a few days of rest, their fatigue had dissipated, and they were sent to assist in the training of soldiers, relieving Nezha of his heavy burden.

Apart from Lei Zhenzi, the other three continued to hone their newly acquired supernatural abilities day and night, and with occasional guidance from Minister Jiang, their progress was quite rapid.

As their skills improved, their cultivation levels all broke through to the Golden Immortal realm. Seeing this, Minister Jiang felt somewhat relieved.

The reason they were summoned here is to witness the results of their cultivation.

Li Jing, Lei Zhenzi, and Tu Xingsun performed one by one.

Minister Jiang observed quietly, and a barely perceptible nod finally crossed his face.

As the battle was about to begin, he never allowed his men to fight unprepared battles.

For now, things are alright.

Several days later, Minister Jiang led a group of people to the remote borderlands.

"May this trip be fruitful."

A subtle tremor came from the ground beneath my feet.

Minister Jiang gazed into the distance, where the sea and sky met in a vast expanse of azure blue. To the left and right, there was only endless water, and the trace of land had completely disappeared from view.

He gazed at the vast expanse and sighed softly.

More than half a month has passed since Li Jing and his companions returned.

After they returned, Minister Jiang ordered Daoist Duobao to meet with them, and the established plan was officially put forward.

The necessary people are gradually gathering, and the general outline is already clear in my mind.

As for the exact timing, we'll have to wait and see what happens on the other side.

Minister Jiang is not in a hurry.

Having already waited for so long, why fear a mere ten days or so of delay?

On this trip, he did not use Teng Yin's power to move mountains and overturn seas again.

There is a deeper meaning in it—only by personally immersing oneself in this ever-changing vortex can one truly understand its reality.

In his view, this was actually the best way to hone them.

Just as everyone was making preparations in full swing, Minister Jiang quietly turned around with several people and headed towards Xiqi.

There are still unfinished matters there that need to be finalized.

The entourage consisted of Li Jing and others.

"Sir, where are we going?"

Li Jing followed closely beside Minister Jiang, his heart filled with doubt and unease.

This direction clearly points to Xiqi, but wasn't the original route to the mass grave on the border of the prehistoric world?

Minister Jiang stared silently at the void ahead, as if confronting something unseen.

After a long while, the sound slowly faded away.

"There are still unresolved issues in Xiqi."

Li Jing had expected no response, but was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

"Understood."

He didn't ask any more questions, but simply nodded silently.

In the blink of an eye, several figures swept across the sky and landed steadily on the top of Xiqi City.

"Master!"

Nezha, with his sharp eyes, recognized Minister Jiang at a glance and immediately beamed with joy, calling out to him loudly.

Upon hearing the sound, everyone around turned their heads and then respectfully stepped forward to bow.

Ji Fa walked through the crowd.

Since he ascended the throne as the new ruler of Xiqi, he has been imposing and dignified, but when he saw Minister Jiang, a deep sense of awe still rose in his eyes—without this man's help, this land would have long been overthrown by the Shang Dynasty's iron hooves, and there would be no peace today.

"gentlemen."

"Your Highness."

Minister Jiang greeted him with a smile and took a few steps forward.

The two walked side by side at the front, with the rest of the people following quietly.

Inside the main hall, Ji Fa dismissed his attendants and went straight to the point.

"According to reports from the secret sentries, King Zhou has been confined to the deep palace for a long time, and there has been no movement from him."

The Shang Dynasty court appeared quiet, yet an eerie atmosphere lingered beneath.

Ji Fa's words were something he had already anticipated.

Have Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao returned?

"Never."

Ji Fa shook his head, "The Shang Dynasty now has almost no power to rely on except for King Zhou."

Even with Daji by his side, she would ultimately be no match for the combined might of the Western Zhou army—besides, given King Zhou's temperament, he might not be willing to let her risk her life.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

All eyes were silently drawn to Minister Jiang.

After a long pause, Minister Jiang slowly spoke:

"Then let's end it."

The moment the words left his mouth, a chilling aura quietly spread out.

Ji Fa's eyes brightened slightly—he had been waiting for this decision for far too long.

Attacking the former dynasty was no easy task, especially the Shang dynasty, which had once unified the world. That's why he specifically asked Minister Jiang to come and make a decision.

Now that he had received approval, Ji Fa turned to face the generals in the palace.

"We obey!"

A chorus of unified responses rose up like a tide.

This dynasty, which had long lost the hearts of the people, should have met its end long ago.

Abuse of power and tyranny have brought untold suffering to the people—it is time to restore peace and tranquility to the world.

The army, led by Ji Fa, set off fully prepared.

With highly skilled cultivators such as Duobao and Wenzhong accompanying them, and Ji Fa's own cultivation having also greatly improved, Minister Jiang was not worried.

As for whether Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao would suddenly return to their aid, Minister Jiang did not take this into consideration.

They have been away from the court for a long time. Even if they return now, King Zhou's suspicious and tyrannical nature will not appreciate their contributions. Instead, it may bring disaster upon them.

Both of them were wise and would not seek their own destruction.

A long wind howled atop the city wall, and Minister Jiang gazed alone at the horizon where the army had vanished.

"Uncle-Master."

A soft, clear female voice sounded from behind.