Under One Person: The End of Technique, Company Building

In this secluded grove on the back of Longhu Mountain, the night wind rustled through the leaves.

Shan Shih-Tung was still frozen in place, clutching the gold-embossed business card bearing the title "Head of the Extraordinary Affairs Section of Na Du Tong."

His proud cultivation of the Azure Talisman God was like a small boat in a storm before the mental pressure of those few seconds, with no room to struggle.

That feeling was terrifying. It wasn't the violent, overwhelming force of Qi, but rather an absolute indifference, like looking down from a high place on clouds at ants.

Shan Shitong had no doubt that if he had dared to utter another "no" just now, the young section chief in front of him, dressed in a well-fitting suit and with a gentle smile, would have crushed his mental world without hesitation.

"Section Chief Zhuge..." Shan Shitong swallowed hard, his voice dry and hoarse. "What happened tonight...it was indeed a misunderstanding. I went for a walk at night and accidentally fell into a ditch...it has nothing to do with your company."

Zhuge Qi put his hands behind his back and nodded in satisfaction. A hint of approval flashed in his deep eyes, as if he were looking at a junior employee who had finally figured things out: "Brother Shan's awareness is quite high. In the world of supernatural beings, the mountains are high and the roads are slippery. It's common to slip and fall while taking a walk at night. Our company has always advocated 'harmonious coexistence and common development,' so it's naturally best to avoid hurting feelings."

As he spoke, Zhuge Qi turned to look at Feng Baobao, who was still holding a shovel and had a blank expression. His tone carried a hint of elder's helplessness: "Baobao, look, Brother Shan said he fell in by himself. You're out digging in the back hills in the middle of the night instead of sleeping, which violates the company's 'Employee Fieldwork and Rest Management Regulations.' Go back and write an 800-word self-criticism and hand it in to Xiao Li tomorrow morning."

"Oh, I got it." Feng Baobao scratched her messy hair, slung the shovel over her shoulder, and agreed without any hesitation.

Zhang Chulan, Xu San, and Xu Si, who were standing to the side, were all dumbfounded.

Zhang Chulan, in particular, originally thought that this matter tonight would not end well, and he might be branded with the infamy of plotting against his fellow disciples.

As a result, this Section Chief Zhuge not only absolved the company of all responsibility with a few casual words, but also forced the victim, Shan Shitong, to swallow this bitter pill!

These methods, these shamelessness, this ability to distort the truth… Zhang Chulan gasped inwardly, secretly marveling: his own little bit of "shameless" skills were utterly insignificant compared to those of a true veteran leader within the system! This was called "legitimate" and "procedural justice"!

"Alright, it's late and the dew is heavy, everyone can go home." Zhuge Qi patted non-existent dust off his sleeves, smiled slightly at Shan Shitong, and said, "Brother Shan, you're on your own about what to do on the field tomorrow. Health is the foundation of everything. After such a big fall, if you're really not feeling well, it's not shameful to forfeit. Our company absolutely respects the personal wishes of our players."

Shan Shitong shuddered and immediately nodded like a chick pecking at rice: "I understand! I understand! I just hurt my leg, and it hurts terribly right now. Tomorrow... I definitely can't go to the competition tomorrow!"

"Very good, Xiao Li, help Brother Shan claim medical expenses, use our department's entertainment expenses to buy some nutritional supplements and send them over." After giving his last instructions, Zhuge Qi turned around and walked calmly out of the woods.

Ma Hong, Xiao Li, and Liu Yanyan quickly followed. Zhang Chulan watched Zhuge Qi's departing figure, his eyes filled with awe and reverence.

……

The elimination rounds of the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony continued on the morning of the second day.

On the number one secondary arena, Zhang Chulan had already changed into a smart tracksuit and stood in the center of the arena.

The stands were already packed with people, most of whom were there to see what kind of trouble this "shameless Qi Source Transmission Master" would cause today. Many even had mineral water bottles and rotten eggs ready in hand.

"Where is Shan Shitong? Why hasn't Qingfu Shen arrived yet? What time is it?"

"Could it be that she's afraid of Zhang Chulan?"

"Bullshit! Shan Shitong's sealing talisman is incredibly powerful; Zhang Chulan is definitely going to get beaten up!"

The stands buzzed with discussion. Meanwhile, Zhuge Qi, sitting in the best viewing spot with a thermos in his hand, was leisurely blowing on the goji berries floating on the water.

Just as the referee was about to announce that Shan Shitong had forfeited due to exceeding the time limit, a limping figure appeared in the entrance passage. Shan Shitong was pale, his right leg was wrapped in thick bandages, and he walked to the edge of the arena with the help of two disciples from the Celestial Master's Mansion.

The entire room fell silent.

Shan Shitong raised his head, his gaze passing over Zhang Chulan and landing directly on the young section chief holding a thermos in the stands. Zhuge Qi also picked up his teacup and, from a distance, slightly raised it towards Shan Shitong, a warm smile on his face.

Dan Shitong felt his legs go weak, and the suffocating feeling of being targeted by an ancient beast the night before surged back into his heart. He shuddered violently, shook off the disciple who was supporting him, and shouted at the referee with all his might, "Referee! I accidentally broke my leg while taking a walk in the back mountain last night! I concede this match! I forfeit!"

After saying that, he turned and left without looking back. He was so fast that it was hard to believe he was a man with a broken leg, as if he was afraid that if he slowed down even a step, he would be swallowed up by something invisible.

The entire arena was deathly silent for a full three seconds, before erupting into a chorus of boos even louder than yesterday.

"It's a complete cover-up! Absolutely a complete cover-up!"

"Zhang Chulan, you beast! What exactly did you do to Shan Shitong?!"

"Shameless! Winning without a fight? This Luo Tian Grand Ceremony is unbearable to watch!"

Trash rained down on the arena once more. Zhang Chulan expertly covered his head with his clothes, scrambling away while inwardly laughing: "Section Chief is awesome! Administrative methods are awesome! This kind of effortless way to mentally break your opponent is simply too good!"

Zhuge Qi, calmly taking a sip of hot tea from the stands, said to Ma Hong beside him, "Look, what did I teach you yesterday? This is called making good use of external resources to achieve strategic goals. Zhang Chulan is a good candidate to thrive within the system."

……

That afternoon, Zhuge Qi temporarily converted the east wing of the inn into a simple office.

Zhuge Qi took off his suit jacket, leaving him in only a clean white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms.

He was sitting at the octagonal table, flipping through the latest "Analysis Report on the Movement of Personnel in the Competition" that Dou Le had just sent over.

Two polite knocks came from outside the door.

"Go in," Zhuge Qi said without looking up.

The door was pushed open, and Zhuge Qing, dressed in casual sportswear, walked in.

His face still wore that nonchalant, sly smile, as if he had everything under control: "Cousin, you had Xiao Li call me over for a short meeting? What, did my performance in the match this morning catch the attention of the headquarters leaders? Are they going to award me a banner?"

Zhuge Qi put down the report in his hand and glanced at Zhuge Qing. He didn't respond to the joke, but instead pointed to the chair opposite him: "Sit down. Pour yourself some water."

Zhuge Qing keenly sensed the unusual calmness emanating from his cousin.

Since that encounter in Tianjin, he noticed that Zhuge Qi's aura had become increasingly profound.

If my cousin used to be a bottomless well, then my cousin now is like a tranquil night sky, seemingly empty, yet encompassing everything.

He dropped his joking demeanor and properly pulled out a chair to sit down.

"Do you know why I called you here?" Zhuge Qi picked up the purple clay teapot and seemingly casually poured a cup of tea for Zhuge Qing.

A chilling scene unfolded. Even though the water in the pot was already cold, as the tea poured from the spout into the teacup, Zhuge Qing clearly sensed a fleeting, pure "qi" in the air. By the time the tea reached the cup, it was already bubbling and steaming hot!

That's... Samadhi Fire?!

Zhuge Qing's pupils suddenly contracted, and his heart was filled with turmoil.

To control the raging, life-giving fire of Samadhi True Fire to the point where it can instantly heat tea without damaging the porcelain cup in the slightest, and without even a trace of smoke escaping...

This absolute control over flames and one's state of mind is something even the patriarch, Zhuge Gong, might not be able to achieve! Just how high has my cousin's cultivation level reached?!

"Have some tea and calm yourself down." Zhuge Qi's tone was calm, as if he had just done something insignificant. This was precisely the terrifying aspect of his breakthrough to the fourth realm of meditation, "abandoning thoughts and achieving purity"—all techniques were at his fingertips, yet he remained untouched by worldly dust.

Zhuge Qing picked up his teacup, his hand trembling almost imperceptibly. He took a sip of the hot tea, suppressing his shock: "Cousin... your strength... I'm completely convinced. You summoned me here because of my competition?"

"I watched your match this morning." Zhuge Qi leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped in front of him. "It was a crushing victory, very beautiful. You have a very solid foundation in Wuhou Qimen. Among the younger generation, apart from Zhang Lingyu and a few reclusive little monsters, there are indeed few who can consistently outclass you. However, Xiao Qing, you committed a major taboo for us sorcerers."

"A major taboo?" Zhuge Qing was slightly taken aback.

"You're too arrogant, and too eager to win." Zhuge Qi's gaze seemed to see right through his soul. "The core of our Zhuge family's Qimen Dunjia formation is 'seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, and conforming to the way of heaven.' You are a god in the formation, that's true. But if you really think of yourself as a god in this vast world, and believe that everyone is within your calculations, then the day when you suffer a great loss is not far off."

Zhuge Qing fell silent. As a genius, he possessed an indelible pride inherent in the lineage of the Wuhou School. He truly believed that among his peers, apart from the top disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion, no one was worthy of being his opponent.

"I called you here today not to criticize you, but to give you a heads-up." Zhuge Qi tapped the table lightly with his fingers, making a rhythmic sound. "In the upcoming battle, if I'm not mistaken, you will soon encounter Wang Ye from Wudang Mountain."

"Wang Ye?" Zhuge Qing's mind conjured up the image of that lazy Taoist priest with dark circles under his eyes, who always looked like he hadn't slept. "That Taoist priest from Wudang Mountain? Cousin, do you think I'll lose to him?"

"Not only will we lose, but we will lose utterly." Zhuge Qi's words struck Zhuge Qing's pride mercilessly like a heavy hammer.

Zhuge Qing's expression changed instantly. He could accept anyone questioning him, but he absolutely trusted Zhuge Qi's judgment.

Since my cousin said so, then this Wang Ye must be incredibly terrifying!

"Why?" Zhuge Qing asked through gritted teeth.

"Because what he possesses is enough to overturn your understanding of Qimen. I can't go into details, as it involves the Jia Shen Rebellion and the secrets of the Eight Extraordinary Techniques."

Zhuge Qi stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the setting sun outside. "Xiao Qing, let me be frank with you today. I brought you to participate in the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony not so that you could obtain the position of successor to the Heavenly Master, nor so that you had to come back in first place to bring glory to your ancestors. Those are all empty titles."

Zhuge Qi turned around, standing backlit, his "veteran cadre" composure and the authority of a superior perfectly blended: "What I want is for you to broaden your horizons and gain wisdom in this conference. I want you to see with your own eyes this rapidly changing world of supernatural beings, and to see the unpredictable and treacherous events hidden in the shadows."

"The future of the Zhuge family cannot rely solely on me holding the company together. I need a wise and discerning successor, someone who can take responsibility and let go of burdens, to safeguard this reputation for me in the business world."

Zhuge Qing felt a tremendous shock in his heart.

He suddenly understood his cousin's good intentions.

My cousin walks on thin ice at the company, constantly outwitting and outmaneuvering the Ten Elders, all in an effort to find a way out for the Zhuge family in this new era. He sent me to participate in the competition to temper my mindset, to break free from the shackles of genius, and to truly grow into a pillar capable of standing on his own.

"Cousin, I understand." Zhuge Qing stood up, took a deep breath, and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zhuge Qi. "No matter how strong that Wang Ye is, I will not back down. I will fight this battle with all my might. If I really lose, I will accept it. Since there are always higher heavens out there, then I will go and see just how high those heavens are!"

He was also curious to see what could possibly shatter his pride, just as his cousin had said.

Zhuge Qing was indeed a very proud person, after all, he had an outstanding appearance and a powerful background, and his journey was smooth sailing.

Not only his background, but also his talent for cultivation has never been hindered by anything.

Even so, he still felt that he was not incapable of accepting failure, and even a complete and utter failure would not break him.

However, since the form specifically instructed him on these points, it's clear that he had his reasons.

"Good, this is the spirit that the descendants of our Marquis of Wu should have." Zhuge Qi finally showed a relieved smile. Accompanied by the system notification sound [Deeply affected, reputation value +500], he knew that the political and ideological work of this "short meeting" was successfully completed.