I meet all the requirements for becoming a god in this world!

"I won't be able to break through my Mo Sect realm in the short term."

Cheng Laiyun slowly opened his eyes.

Eight kinds of recitation, seven kinds of concentration.

Nourish the seed of divine soul with spiritual power, causing it to solidify into human form...

This is an extremely difficult level.

The required spiritual energy is far greater than what is needed when attempting to break through to the eighth rank.

He stood up and walked outside, his mind racing.

"So if I want to improve my strength, my direction should be... to improve my martial arts realm."

"Let's also get him to the eighth rank, exploit the bug in the cheat system, and see what new ancestral master's divine power will appear..."

Thinking about this, Cheng Laiyun walked along, stroking his chin in thought:

"However, while I can enter the Dao of martial arts through Xiao Hu, further improvement still requires guidance from someone. Who should I turn to?"

Just then, a familiar voice rang in his ears:

"Wait, wait! This thing is a treasure of the Heavenly Crafts Academy. If it's damaged, even our heads wouldn't be enough to pay for it!"

Uh?

Cheng Laiyun suddenly looked up.

Then they saw four or five people dressed in black robes carrying a huge furnace as tall as a person, slowly approaching this place.

And the one who spoke... was none other than Qi Dazhuang!

Dazhuang?

Didn't he become a disciple of the Wuji Sect?

How did I end up in the Tongpan Division of Qingzhou Prefecture?

Of the three great joys in life, the most important one is meeting an old friend in a foreign land.

Cheng Laiyun spoke directly: "Dazhuang!"

Qi Dazhuang, who had just put down the furnace, heard the sound and his burly body jolted. He then looked up, his simple-minded eyes staring at him as if they were sharp swords.

A look of surprise suddenly appeared on his honest face:

"Good luck!"

"Oh my god!"

"When did you come to Qingzhou?! Why didn't you tell me?!"

Qi Dazhuang had a horizontal sword at his waist and was dressed entirely in black.

The several officers from the Tongpan Division surrounded him like stars around the moon, their gazes filled with respect.

Clearly, Qi Dazhuang's position in the Tongpan Division was not ordinary.

"Hey, I've only been here two days. Weren't you at the Wuji Sect?! How come... you've struck it rich?!"

Cheng Laiyun smiled broadly as he looked at Qi Dazhuang in front of him, feeling a deep sense of kinship.

At the same time, a sense of unease arose in my mind.

No... I was just about to say I was looking for someone to learn martial arts techniques, and then I ran into such a suitable person?

When the time is right, heaven and earth will lend their strength.

Could it be... that I'm the protagonist of some book?

Putting aside this absurd idea, Cheng Laiyun shook his head.

"Bang!!" A solid bear hug.

"Cough cough..." Cheng Laiyun felt as if his chest had been hit by a large truck.

His pupils suddenly contracted.

Qi Dazhuang's strength has improved!

And it's a huge upgrade!

I'm telling you, this kid is the perfect protagonist template!

"Don't say anything! I'm busy with what I'm doing, I'll treat you to drinks tonight!!"

Qi Dazhuang's smile never faded when he saw Cheng Laiyun.

These words were exactly what Cheng Laiyun wanted to hear, and he nodded with a smile, "Okay!"

…………

Prefectural Governor's Office.

back yard.

The warm spring sun shines through the carved window, casting dappled light and shadow on the ground.

In the garden, there are artificial hills and rocks, and a babbling stream. Several early-blooming peach trees peek over the wall, and their petals fall with the wind, dotting the bluestone path.

Luo Xun, the fourth elder of the Medical Sect, is a fifth-rank medical cultivator and is highly respected outside the sect.

At this moment, however, he stood respectfully in the garden like a primary school student.

There was a screen in front of him.

The screen is framed in sandalwood and has bamboo as its core. The surface is embroidered with a picture of snow-covered mountains at dusk, with fine stitches and a profound artistic conception.

A person was sitting behind the screen.

The face was not visible, only a slender figure could be vaguely seen.

The man sat motionless, yet his entire being seemed to blend into the garden.

The gentle trembling of the peach blossoms, the sound of flowing water, even the angle at which the sunlight falls, all seem to be quietly controlled by that figure.

Without releasing any pressure, Luo Xun, standing three zhang in front of the screen, involuntarily softened his breathing.

This old man was Zhang Hong, the ruler of Qingzhou.

The realm of the five ranks of Confucian and Taoist Confucian scholars.

If it were merely a matter of high cultivation level, it wouldn't warrant such respect from Luo Xun.

What truly earned him the awe and respect throughout Qingzhou was another identity—a Confucian scholar with supernatural powers bestowed by the sage.

Those with supernatural powers are the very foundation upon which the Great Far Dynasty depends for its survival.

Only the Great Yuan Dynasty possessed the powerful weapon to destroy the six kingdoms and unify the world.

The land of Qingzhou, spanning a thousand li, was all under Zhang Hong's jurisdiction.

Luo Xun took a deep breath and bowed to report:

"Reporting to Lord Zhang, there has been progress in the matter of the plague."

After a moment of silence behind the screen, a gentle voice came from behind, its age impossible to discern, yet it was as comforting as a spring breeze:

"explain."

"Although the root cause has not yet been determined, my disciples have found a cure," Luo Xun said respectfully.

"The antidote has been proven effective in patients, and the epidemic is expected to be brought under control within a few days."

A very faint laugh came from behind the screen, tinged with approval:

"Truly worthy of being called a master of medicine."

Luo Xun quickly shook his head: "Master Zhang, you flatter me. This is all thanks to my disciple Ling Ziyun. I dare not take credit for it."

"Oh?" A hint of interest appeared in the voice.

"Ling Ziyun... is a promising talent. He is skilled in medicine and religious instruction."

Luo Xun remained bowed, hesitated for a moment, and then added:

"Actually... Ziyun was able to come up with a way to detoxify because he was enlightened by a young friend."

"Who is it?"

"A young man from the Mo Sect named Cheng Laiyun," Luo Xun said truthfully.

"Although he is young, he is quick-witted and Ziyun admires him very much."

Behind the screen, the hand that had been resting on the armrest paused slightly at the knuckles.

It was just a very slight thud.

It was so fast it felt like an illusion.

The voice remained unchanged, still gentle and calm:

"understood."

Luo Xun, unaware of anything amiss, continued reporting:

"The lockdown of Liuma Town is still in effect. As per the order of the Chief Minister, it can only be lifted after the epidemic is completely over."

"Hmm." The person behind the screen responded calmly, "Go ahead."

Luo Xun bowed, took three steps back, and turned to leave.

The footsteps faded into the distance, and the garden returned to silence.

Behind the screen, the hand was still resting on the armrest.

He tapped it lightly with his fingertip.

……

On the other side of the garden, a young man stood with his hands behind his back.

This man was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, wearing an indigo blue official robe, a silver fish-shaped pouch at his waist, and a black gauze hat on his head.

Beneath the brim of his hat was a stern face.

His eyebrows were sharply defined, his eyes were like cold stars, his nose was high and straight, and his thin lips were tightly pursed. He exuded an air of aloofness that kept strangers at bay.

He was Zhang Hong's eldest son, Zhang Lai.

Among the younger generation in Qingzhou, he is already a leader in the eight categories of Confucianism and Taoism.

But what truly makes him someone not to be underestimated is his other identity.

Deputy Commander of the Qingzhou Prefectural Office.

The Tongpan Division was in charge of criminal cases, arresting thieves, and cracking down on smuggling in a prefecture. It was subordinate to the Jian Guo Division and oversaw the arrest teams in each county.

The deputy commander is the second-in-command of this massive machine. Although his position is lower than that of the commander, he often wields more real power.

He stood under the veranda, his posture as straight as a pine tree, his gaze fixed on the screen deep in the garden, waiting respectfully.

A moment later, a voice came from behind the screen, still gentle, but with a hint of heaviness:

"Come in."

Zhang Lai took a deep breath, stepped forward, stopped three feet in front of the screen, and bowed: "Father."

"How's the case of the remains coming along?"

Zhang Lai's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm as he said in a deep voice, "Father, only one person is missing."

There was a moment of silence behind the screen.

"Um."

There was no emotion in that voice, only a single, faint word.

But Zhang Lai knew that this one word was the greatest recognition.

My father doesn't praise people easily; to receive even a simple "hmm" is considered extremely high praise.

"Go and do it." The person behind the screen raised a finger; the hand was long, pale, and had distinct knuckles.

"Make it look nice."

He didn't finish speaking.

Zhang Lai bowed deeply, saying, "I understand."

Having said that, he took three steps back, turned around, and left.

They walked hurriedly and soon disappeared at the end of the garden.

……

The back garden returned to silence.

Only the peach blossoms are still falling, and the flowing water is still murmuring.

Behind the screen, Zhang Hong sat alone.

His hand rested on the armrest, his fingertips gently tapping the edge of the rosewood, one tap after another, very rhythmically.

The tapping sound was very soft, almost drowned out by the sound of flowing water.

But if you listen closely, you can detect something hidden in that rhythm.

a long time.

A barely audible murmur came from behind the screen:

"Cheng Laiyun...Xu Jiayin..."

"The Mysterious Pearl of the Ink Sect..."

The knocking stopped.

The peach blossoms in the garden seem to be falling even faster.