Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

"Grand Tutor, these sorcerers are of no use to us. We should bury them all alive to comfort the spirits of our fallen Ming soldiers!"

Zhu Youzhen said through gritted teeth.

Upon hearing this, Li Changqing did not immediately issue the order.

He strolled up to the gray-robed elder, looking down at him with eyes as deep and unfathomable as an ancient well.

"Killing you would only dirty my hands."

Li Changqing spoke calmly, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Let me ask you, besides Penglai, how many other blessed lands like this are there for cultivating immortality outside of your Eastern Sea?"

The gray-robed elder felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and dared not conceal anything, revealing everything like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.

"In reply to Senior's words. Deep within the East Sea, in a place shrouded by an ancient maze, there are three large islands: Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou. My Penglai Immortal Sect is only one of them, occupying the main island of Penglai."

"Each of the three islands, including Fangzhang and Yingzhou, has its own sect and lineage. They frequently wage war against each other in order to compete for the increasingly scarce spiritual energy and spirit stone mines."

"The real reason we left the island this time is... the real reason is that the spiritual energy on the island is nearly exhausted. The sect leader wants to establish a celestial dynasty in the Central Plains, gathering the dragon energy and human resources of the mortal world to support our continued cultivation..."

As Li Changqing listened to the gray-robed elder's confession, a knowing glint flashed in his eyes.

Sure enough.

They watched as the Ming Dynasty's navigation technology improved day by day, and giant ships capable of crossing oceans were built.

They even accidentally breached their island-protecting formation, which aroused their fear and greed, leading them to attempt to enslave ordinary people.

Zhu Youzhen listened with a pounding heart.

The Penglai Immortal Sect nearly brought down the Ming Dynasty.

If the abbot and the cultivators from Yingzhou were to also mobilize, wouldn't the Ming Dynasty's territory be constantly hanging on a knife's edge?

"Grand Tutor... what should we do?"

Zhu Youzhen lowered his voice, his tone revealing deep worry.

"Mortal flesh and blood are vulnerable to artillery fire, which cannot penetrate their protective aura. If they come again, how should the Ming Dynasty defend itself?"

Li Changqing turned around, looking at Zhu Youzhen's worried face, and then at the Ming soldiers below the steps, who were covered in wounds but still gripped their weapons tightly.

He originally thought that as long as he taught the Ming Dynasty to build strong ships and powerful cannons, enlighten the people, and develop industry and commerce, the Ming Dynasty would be able to stand invincible in this world.

He could then peacefully remain an outsider, quietly observing the passage of time from his inn outside the pass.

But today's battle has allowed him to see the full picture of this world.

No matter how strong the military of the Ming Dynasty was, it was ultimately limited to the mundane world.

As long as those immortal cultivation sects exist, as long as that supreme power still reigns supreme over imperial authority.

This prosperous and bustling world is like a castle built on the sand.

It could collapse at any moment if a strange wind from overseas blows it down.

Li Changqing slowly closed his eyes, sensing a certain Daoist essence that was faint yet still present in this world.

After a long while, he opened his eyes again, and the original nonchalance and loneliness in his eyes gradually disappeared.

Instead, there was a grand ambition to reshape the world.

"emperor."

Li Changqing called out softly, his gaze fixed on the horizon where the setting sun was about to disappear.

"I originally planned to wipe out these few petty thieves and then return to the border to work as an innkeeper, living a life of seclusion."

Zhu Youzhen's heart tightened suddenly. He was about to speak to persuade Li Changqing to stay when he saw Li Changqing shaking the folding fan in his hand.

"But now, I've changed my mind."

Li Changqing turned his head to look at Zhu Youzhen, a dazzling, deep smile curving his lips.

"The chessboard of this game is larger than I anticipated. With immortals and Buddhas lurking in the shadows, it would be too petty of us to build only a few dilapidated wooden boats and a few crude cannons."

Zhu Youzhen was taken aback, seemingly incredulous: "Grand Tutor, you mean...?"

Li Changqing stepped forward, waved his sleeve, pointed at the trembling cultivators below, and suddenly raised his voice.

It exudes a majestic and domineering aura.

"Don't they consider themselves immortals and view mortals as ants?"

"Then I will stay and, on behalf of Your Majesty and for the Ming Dynasty, create an unprecedented Ming Dynasty of cultivation!"

These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

Zhu Youzhen, Song Yin, and all the important officials of the Ming Dynasty present were dumbfounded, their minds reeling.

Cultivation in the Ming Dynasty?

To allow the soldiers, artisans, and common people of the Ming Dynasty to venture into that ethereal and elusive path of immortality?

Transform those lofty cultivation methods into the cornerstone of the Ming Dynasty's strength and prosperity.

This idea, so grand and even unconventional, was beyond the comprehension of all of them.

Li Changqing ignored the shock of the crowd.

He walked up to the gray-robed elder, squatted down, and looked at him with a cold gaze.

"Want to live?"

"I want to! I want to! Please, senior, show me the way!"

The gray-robed elder nodded repeatedly, as if grasping at a last straw.

"very good."

Li Changqing extended a finger and gently tapped the gray-robed elder's forehead.

"Go back and tell the remaining elders of the Penglai Immortal Sect, the abbot, and the two sect leaders of Yingzhou. Tell them that I am waiting for them in the Forbidden City."

"From this day forward, these three sacred mountains in the East Sea will be under the jurisdiction of the Ming Dynasty. The spiritual stone mines, medicinal herbs, and cultivation manuals on the islands will all be paid as tribute annually to the Ming Dynasty's treasury."

"The disciples on the island must be at the command of the Ministry of War of the Ming Dynasty and be incorporated into the naval forces."

Li Changqing stood up, his tone calm, yet every word was like an ironclad rule.

"Those who obey will prosper, those who oppose will perish. If they dare to utter a single word of dissent, I will personally go to the East China Sea and completely flatten those three dilapidated islands from the sea."

"Did you understand?"

The gray-robed elder trembled violently, his face turning ashen.

To force the lofty immortal cultivation sects to submit to the mortal court and pay tribute, and even to be incorporated into the army and driven by mortals.

This is an utter disgrace and a complete subversion of the entire cultivation world!

But faced with Li Changqing's overwhelming pressure, he dared not entertain the slightest thought of resistance and could only kowtow repeatedly.

"This junior understands! This junior will convey Senior's decree to Sect Master Mishima without a single mistake!"

"Get lost."

Li Changqing waved his hand dismissively.

The gray-robed elder, along with his few surviving disciples, felt as if they had been granted a pardon. They scrambled to their feet, not even daring to unleash their flying swords.

They stumbled and fled towards the city gate, fearing that this capricious and wise senior would change his mind.

After the cultivators had vanished without a trace, the entire Fengtianmen Square fell into an eerie silence.

As the setting sun finally disappeared, a bright moon quietly climbed onto the eaves of the Forbidden City.

Zhu Youzhen took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil churning within him.

Looking at Li Changqing's tall, straight figure in his blue robe, he felt an unprecedented surge of pride.

Back then, the Grand Tutor taught him to read account books and how to use cannons to blast open up the sea frontier.

Today, the Grand Tutor will lead him to knock on the door to immortality.