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

After several gentle autumn rains, the oppressive heat of summer in the capital city has quietly faded.

The maple leaves on the western hills were not yet fully red, but the cool autumn wind had already swept along the towering city walls and spread throughout the streets and alleys of Shuntian Prefecture.

The locust leaves on both sides of the long street turned slightly yellow, and they swirled and fell with the autumn wind, adding a touch of desolation and vastness to the bluestone pavement.

However, this should have been a time of melancholy in autumn.

Outside the right gate of Chang'an, the blue brick wall with the character "八" (eight) used specifically for posting imperial notices was already packed with people.

The massive crowd completely blocked the street.

Even the imperial censor's carriage was forced to stop a hundred paces away, leaving the horsemen to shout in vain.

In the very center of the crowd, a yellow imperial edict, half a meter wide, was prominently displayed on the brick wall.

The ink on it still carried a hint of freshly ground pine soot.

Every word and phrase struck the heart of every citizen of the Ming Dynasty like a thunderclap.

"...I have received the Mandate of Heaven to rule the four seas. Now, a naval fleet has sailed far to the far east, traversing the fog and breaking through the raging waves, and discovered a new continent."

Its land is vast and boundless, with fertile fields stretching for thousands of miles, and exposed veins of spiritual stones, while rare flowers and exotic herbs abound in the deep forests.

An elderly scholar, dressed in a gray cloth robe and who knew a few characters, stood at the front, loudly reciting the contents of the imperial edict in a hoarse voice.

The people around, whether they were peddlers carrying loads, women with baskets, or wandering knights with swords at their waists, all held their breath and listened intently, afraid of missing a single word.

"...However, since the new islands have not yet been developed, strange and ferocious beasts often roam there. The imperial court intends to lift the sea ban and recruit heroes from all over the world."

"All citizens of my Great Ming Dynasty, regardless of whether they are farmers, artisans, soldiers, or merchants, who wish to accompany the navy to sea to reclaim wasteland and expand the territory, will be granted one hundred acres of land and exempted from taxes for five years!"

The old scholar's voice trembled as he read this.

He swallowed hard, his eyes shining as he continued reciting.

"Anyone who can slay the ferocious beasts of Xinzhou and discover the location of the spiritual veins will be rewarded according to military merit, and will be granted a copy of the 'Great Ming Body Tempering and Breathing Advanced Manual' and the status of an external student of the Imperial Academy's Immortal Cultivation Academy."

Furthermore, one can exchange demon beast hides and bones, spirit stones and rare treasures for real gold and silver at the Spirit Bank. The imperial court will never shortchange a single coin!

After the imperial edict was read aloud, a brief silence fell outside the right gate of Chang'an.

Immediately afterwards, a deafening roar, like a volcanic eruption, shot straight into the sky.

"A hundred acres of fertile land! Five years of tax exemption! My goodness, could that Far East be the legendary Treasure Island?!"

A farmer with calloused hands trembled with excitement, gripping his companion's arm tightly.

"Erniu, we can't even feed ourselves properly with our few acres of barren land all year round. Why not take a gamble and go out to sea!"

"What do you know!"

A burly hunter carrying a large bow sneered, his eyes filled with ambition.

"Didn't you hear the notice? Killing ferocious beasts will grant you advanced breathing techniques! We practiced the initial version, and our strength more than doubled. If we could learn the advanced techniques, who knows, one day we might be able to condense our energy into blades like those officials at the Imperial Academy! This would be a tremendous opportunity to bring glory to our ancestors and change our family's fortunes!"

"Exactly! Not only can you cultivate immortality, but you can also exchange it for real gold and silver! Is there any better deal in the world?"

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Benefits, longevity, fame and fortune.

These three most seductive things in the world were brazenly presented to the millions of people by the imperial court.

In the past, ordinary people held the lofty path of cultivating immortality in awe, thinking it was a mysterious and ethereal matter of gods and immortals.

However, ever since the "Introduction and Breathing Exercises" spread throughout the world, countless people have tasted the benefits of being strong, healthy, and having abundant energy.

That veil of mystery was then completely torn away.

Now that the imperial edict has been issued, the new continent in the far east is no longer seen as a dangerous and desolate land in the eyes of the people.

Rather, it is a vast treasure trove that anyone can exploit.

As long as one is willing to work hard, even an illiterate butcher can achieve a promising future with a high position and a long life.

This is the Ming Dynasty, a vast empire that was forcefully propelled into an era of nationwide revelry by that reclusive scholar in a blue robe.

In a teahouse a few miles away from the right gate of Chang'an.

Li Changqing was sitting in a private seat by the window, playing with two warm, smooth walnuts in his hands.

He listened to the exciting shouts coming from the streets and alleys, and a leisurely smile appeared on his lips.

"The world is bustling with activity, all for profit. This fire is burning even more fiercely than expected."

He picked up the warm tea on the table and took a sip.

This world of human affairs is like a vast scroll slowly unfolding.

He stood outside the painting, watching those vibrant lives struggle, bleed, and create for their desires and ideals.

This kind of experience is indeed much better than sitting alone in the deep mountains, eating only dew and drinking only wind.

……

Half a month later.

Tianjin, the shipyard of the Ming Dynasty.

The early autumn sea breeze, carrying a strong salty smell, howled across this vast workshop covering thousands of acres.

The sight here is enough to deeply shock any newcomer.

Along the coast, hundreds of huge docks are lined up in a row.

In each dock, there lies the massive skeleton of a warship, as large as an ancient whale.

Countless craftsmen, like diligent worker ants, climbed and busied themselves on those scaffolding structures that were several meters high.

The air was filled with the scents of tung oil, rosin, rust, and some strange herbal aroma.

The sounds of hammering, sawing wood, and even the faint buzzing of arrays intertwined to create a rugged and bold symphony of heavy industry.

Shen You was wearing a moon-white uniform, a distinctive feature of the Imperial Academy's Immortal Cultivation Institute. However, the hem of his once neat robe was now stained and mottled with tung oil and mud.

He was wearing a sun hat and holding a thick roll of parchment drawings. He was standing in front of a dock, his brow furrowed as he stared at the thick mainmast ahead.

That was the "Breaking Waves" class treasure ship, a new generation of ocean exploration giants that the Ming Dynasty navy was about to launch.

These warships are no longer made of pure wood, but rather employ the "spiritual wood wrapped with iron" method newly developed by the Qintian Pavilion.

"Scholar Shen, do you think this Wind Gathering Formation is carved according to the rules?"

An old craftsman, shirtless and covered in sweat, climbed down the scaffolding and respectfully asked Shen You for advice.

The old craftsman held a specially made steel carving knife in his hand, the blade of which faintly emanated a trace of spiritual energy.

Ever since Shen You amazed everyone with his "following the principle of wood" in the Imperial Academy's grand examination, he was promoted exceptionally and became a key figure for cultivation by the Imperial Academy.

He was even assigned to the Tianjin Wei Shipyard to oversee the engraving of battle formations on new warships.

Shen You stepped forward and gently stroked the main mast.

It was a sturdy mast made of century-old ironwood, covered with a thin layer of black iron.

On the black iron sheet, smooth grooves were carved out by a carving knife.

Shen You closed his eyes and silently practiced the breathing techniques from the "First Chapter".

His aura, already quite refined after being guided by renowned teachers at the Imperial Academy, slowly probed into the groove along his fingertips.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and pointed to a bend in the middle of the mast.

"Master Zhao, the force here is three points too strong."

Shen You unfolded the sheepskin map, pointed to the array diagram on it, and patiently explained.