I run a casino in the immortal realm.

After receiving Zheng Yifei's approval to "proceed according to plan," Zhao Wenyuan immediately left the county town with his men.

He doesn't plan to buy land and build a building like he did with the main branch; that would be too slow.

His strategy was simple and brutal: throw money at it.

Upon arriving in Yuanyang Prefecture, Zhao Wenyuan immediately set his sights on a five-story restaurant in the most bustling area of ​​the city center.

The restaurant owner initially refused to sell, but Zhao Wenyuan offered three times the market price, effectively bribing the owner with gold coins until he finally agreed.

After acquiring the shop, Ye Tianqiong led the craftsmen to renovate it overnight.

The formations, decor, and secret rooms were all replicated according to the standards of the main store.

Yu Luo Sha recruited female cultivators locally with high salaries and provided on-site training.

Yuanyangfu branch opened in just half a month.

On the opening day, Liu Zhengyi, as the prefectural magistrate of Yuanyang, personally sent yamen runners to maintain order.

With the reputation established by the main branch and the ironclad rule of "not taking a cut from the winners' share," the Yuanyang Prefecture branch achieved an astonishing turnover of 300 million gold on its first day.

Zhao Wenyuan quickly replicated this model in the other seven prefectures.

He dispatched his most astute managers to work separately.

Within six months, all eight branches of the Southern Wilderness Gambling House in the prefectural cities had opened for business.

Although these branches are not the largest casinos in the area, they are definitely the most luxurious in terms of decor, the most advanced in terms of layout, and the most attentive in terms of service.

After establishing a foothold in the market of Fucheng, Zhao Wenyuan did not stop there, but set his sights on the 160 counties below.

Since the county town's consumption power was not as strong as that of the prefectural city, Zhao Wenyuan adjusted his strategy.

The county branch only opened three floors, and the formation was downgraded to the fourth level, but the core rules remained unchanged.

A year and a half later.

When the last branch opened in the most remote Qingshi County, the signboard of Nanhuang Gambling House had already been planted all over Tanzhou Prefecture.

It comprises 160 counties, 8 prefectural cities, and 1 county-level city.

This took half a year longer than Zheng Yifei's original plan of covering the entire county in three years.

In the past three and a half years, the underground structure of Tanzhou County has undergone tremendous changes.

Thanks to the swift and decisive actions of the Criminal Investigation Department's anti-smuggling team, coupled with the intelligence network secretly woven by more than 160 gambling dens, smuggling has almost disappeared in the entire Tanzhou Prefecture.

With the smuggling gone, legitimate trade began to flourish, and coupled with the huge tax revenue from gambling dens, the tax revenue of Tanzhou County in the past three years has increased by a full 30% compared to the past.

Zhu Zhenbang received an "excellent" rating for three consecutive years in his performance evaluation in Kyoto.

Zheng Yifei's name has become a golden brand in both the officialdom and the underworld of Tanzhou County. No one dares to mess with him, and no one wants to mess with him.

In mid-August, the weather was slightly cool.

In the study behind the prefectural governor's mansion, Zhu Zhenbang held a teacup, his brows slightly furrowed.

On the desk lay an official document that had just been sent back from the Ministry of Personnel in Kyoto, stamped with a bright red rejection seal.

Zheng Yifei sat at the lower end of the table, his expression calm.

"Yifei, I put a lot of effort into writing this petition for commendation."

Zhu Zhenbang put down his teacup and sighed: "The tax revenue of Tanzhou County has increased significantly and smuggling has been eradicated. These are all real achievements. The position of Chief of the Judicial Commissioner has been vacant for more than half a year due to Pan Rengui's promotion. I strongly recommend you to take the position. Logically speaking, with this achievement, the Ministry of Personnel has no reason to block you from being promoted from the fifth rank to the fourth rank."

"Thank you for your trouble, sir."

Zheng Yifei bowed slightly: "What were the reasons given by the Ministry of Personnel for rejecting the application?"

"Two words: seniority and cultivation."

Zhu Zhenbang pointed to the official document: "The Chief of the Judicial Commission is a powerful position in a prefecture. According to the laws of the Tianlong Dynasty, the minimum cultivation level for this position must be the Perfected Nascent Soul stage. You are currently only at the mid-Nascent Soul stage."

Zheng Yifei fell silent.

He knew, of course, that his cultivation level was a major weakness.

In recent years, he has devoted almost all his free time to cultivation, but his five spiritual roots have made his progress much slower than that of ordinary people.

"Actually, cultivation level is just an excuse."

Zhu Zhenbang looked at Zheng Yifei and lowered his voice: "Liu Zhengyi's family in Kyoto sent back a message that this time, the one blocking you is not the Minister of Personnel, but a Vice Minister of Personnel."

This vice-minister is a man of the Third Prince.

Zheng Yifei's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Back then, in the Battle of Qingyu Mouth, you uprooted the Canal Gang's roots in Tanzhou. The Canal Gang paid a large amount of tribute to the Third Prince every year. You cut off their source of income, so how could they possibly let you get promoted so easily?"

"The Third Prince wields immense power; even the Crown Prince gives him some leeway. If he wants to suppress a mere fifth-rank official like you in a local area, it's just a matter of a word."

Zhu Zhenbang picked up his teacup and took a sip: "Although the Liu family and our Zhu family have some influence in the capital and have been making arrangements for you, we are still somewhat powerless against the resistance of the Third Prince."

"Your humble servant understands."

Zheng Yifei nodded.

"Don't be too discouraged."

Zhu Zhenbang comforted him, saying, "As long as you are in Tanzhou County, with me here, the Third Prince's people cannot touch you. You are still young, so focus on improving your cultivation first. Once you reach the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, I will submit a memorial, and even if the Ministry of Personnel wants to obstruct you, they will not be able to find a legitimate reason."

"Thank you for your guidance, sir."

After leaving the prefectural governor's mansion, Zheng Yifei did not take a sedan chair, but walked slowly back along the long street by himself.

The autumn wind brushed against my face, bringing a touch of coolness.

He knew Zhu Zhenbang was right; in the face of absolute power, he didn't even have the right to meet the Third Prince.

Anyone could easily hold his career back with a single finger.

By the time they returned to the inner quarters of the Criminal Investigation Department, it was already dusk.

Su Wanqing was sitting in her study, sorting through accounts. When she saw Zheng Yifei enter, she put down her vermilion pen, stood up, and went to greet him.

"You're back? You don't look too well. What did the Prefect want you to do?"

As Su Wanqing helped him take off his official robes, she asked softly.

"The memorial submitted by the chief envoy was rejected by the Ministry of Personnel."

Zheng Yifei walked to the basin and washed his face, his tone indifferent.

Su Wanqing paused for a moment, then hung up her official robes, walked behind him, and gently massaged his shoulders: "It's alright, being a deputy envoy is quite good. Who in Tanzhou Prefecture doesn't know your illustrious reputation, Lord Zheng? Even the prefect relies on you."

We own over 160 gambling dens, making a fortune every day. Once we've accumulated enough wealth, a breakthrough will be a natural outcome.

Zheng Yifei turned around, took Su Wanqing's hand, and pulled her to sit down.

In the corner of the study, there was a pile of more than a dozen high-end storage bags.

In recent years, the Southern Wilderness Gambling House has earned a huge profit of hundreds of billions of gold coins.

Zheng Yifei divided the money into several portions, giving the Zhu, Liu, and Pan families their share without missing a penny. Half of the remaining money was sent to the Heavenly Craft Academy to buy high-grade spiritual herbs for Zhao Ling to refine pills, and the other half was exchanged for mid-grade and high-grade spirit stones.

His current cultivation resources are arguably the best in the entire Tanzhou Prefecture. He consumes top-grade pills like candy, and the amount of mid-grade spirit stones he absorbs each day could pile up into a small mountain.

Even so, he was still stuck in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

A person with five spiritual roots has a physique that is like a bottomless pit. Every time they break through a small realm, they need dozens or even hundreds of times more spiritual energy than a cultivator with a single spiritual root.

In contrast, the people around him made remarkable progress.

With the accumulation of massive resources, Li Jianfeng, Ye Xiao, Wang Changsheng, and Ouyang Zhan have steadily entered the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

Su Wanqing is exceptionally talented and has already reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. She can attempt to break through to the Void Refinement stage at any time.

The most shocking thing is Zhao Ling.

Her talent in alchemy exploded, making her not only the youngest sixth-level alchemist in the Heavenly Craft Academy, but also earning the personal favor of the academy's dean.

The dean made an exception and accepted her as his last disciple, personally guiding her cultivation and bestowing upon her an extremely precious "Void-Breaking Pill".

Currently, Zhao Ling is in seclusion in the top-tier cave dwelling of the Heavenly Craft Academy, focusing all her efforts on breaking through to the Void Refinement Realm.

"Wanqing, I'm not anxious because of my official rank."

Zheng Yifei looked into his wife's eyes and sighed, "What worries me is that our path is nearing its end."

Su Wanqing was slightly taken aback: "What do you mean?"

Zheng Yifei took out a jade slip from his storage bag and placed it on the table. This was a cultivation technique he had copied from the government library over the past few years.

"There are no cultivation methods in the county that can help you break through to the Integration Stage, the Great Ascension Stage, or the Tribulation Stage. The Five Elements Primordial Chaos Technique that I am currently cultivating, the Jade Maiden Mystic Ice Technique that you are cultivating, and the techniques that Jianfeng and the others are cultivating can only help you break through to the Void Refinement Stage. There are no cultivation methods for the Void Refinement Stage or above."

Su Wanqing's expression changed: "What about the cultivation techniques for the Integration Stage and the Great Ascension Stage?"

"It's been monopolized."

Zheng Yifei sneered: "The imperial library of the court has sealed off all cultivation techniques that can lead to the Integration Stage. This is the foundation of their rule over the Eastern Divine Continent."

Zheng Yifei stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the night outside: "We now have resources, spirit stones, and pills. Jianfeng and the others have reached the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm, you have reached the peak of the Nascent Soul realm, and Ling'er is about to break through to the Void Refinement realm."

But what happens after reaching the Void Refinement stage? Without high-level cultivation techniques, all the resources are useless. We will all be stuck in the Void Refinement stage until our lifespan runs out.