"So, should I get closer to Yan Shixiao in the future?" Li Qingxian asked tentatively.
Zhou Chunfeng’s expression was complex. "It’s best to be neither too familiar nor too distant."
"Alright." Li Qingxian savored the meaning of his words.
"From now on, Internal Factory Eunuchs will be stationed in the Patrol Bureau, the Four Roads Hall, and the various Rooms as Military Supervisors. You need to get along well with the Eunuch in your Room."
"In that case, just send Jingg Guan to our Room. He and I worked well together on the distillery matter," Li Qingxian said.
"Do you think the Patrol Bureau is your home?" Zhou Chunfeng said.
"Oh." Li Qingxian paid it no mind.
Zhou Chunfeng said, "Next up is the Emperor’s sixtieth birthday. Factory Director Lu just spoke with me. Nether Mountain will certainly cause chaos in the Divine Capital during the Emperor’s birthday celebrations. The top priority for our newly established Patrol Bureau is to sweep away Nether Mountain’s influence in the Divine Capital. The success or failure of this battle will determine the future of the Patrol Bureau. The Factory Director has given a strict, uncompromising order. So, you and I are both going to be very, very busy."
Li Qingxian’s focus sharpened.
"So Nether Mountain is the Netherworld Lord’s faction?"
Zhou Chunfeng thought for a moment, then said, "There are many things you will find out soon enough, so there’s no harm in telling you now. After Daqi was founded, the remnants of the Old Dynasty—the old loyalists and their descendants—along with the descendants of conquered smaller nations, formed a Secret Society called the Heaven-Flipping Association, dedicated to overthrowing Daqi. Later, for some unknown reason, the Heaven-Flipping Association split."
"One faction formed Nether Mountain. They are more radical than the Heaven-Flipping Association, using all sorts of methods to sabotage Daqi. Their goal remains to overthrow Daqi and assassinate the Emperor."
"The other faction formed the Mud Society. They seem to have changed their ways, no longer targeting the Royal Family, but instead focusing on the Demon Sect, with whom they are irreconcilably hostile. However, in the eyes of the Imperial Court, the Mud Society and Nether Mountain are cut from the same cloth. Both are targets for suppression, it’s just that more focus is placed on Nether Mountain, and the Mud Society is somewhat neglected."
"The Demon Sect is different, or rather, the Ministry of Justice, which the Demon Sect controls, is different. They hate both Nether Mountain and the Mud Society to the bone, and they desperately hunt down Mud Society members. Last year, they even captured a Mud Layman and imprisoned him in the Ministry of Justice’s Celestial Prison."
"Mud Layman?" Li Qingxian asked.
"The leaders of the Mud Society are called Mud Laymen. There are five of them in total."
"So, is our Patrol Bureau going to target just one of them, or are we arresting both?" Li Qingxian asked.
Zhou Chunfeng said coldly, "To cultivate their Demonic Skills, the Demon Sect has harmed countless people, even poisoning entire cities. The world is full of ’Dead Demon Lands.’ Depu, not far from the Capital City, was a fine little town, completely destroyed by the Demon Sect. In the future, if you encounter the Mud Society, as long as you aren’t discovered, lend them a hand. Don’t arrest them. As for the people from Nether Mountain, whether you help them or not, they see you as a mortal enemy. If you meet them, kill them. There’s no need to show mercy."
"Uncle Zhou, you seem to really despise the Demon Sect," Li Qingxian said.
Zhou Chunfeng said, "Anyone in this world with even a sliver of conscience wouldn’t like the Demon Sect. You’re too young, you don’t know what they’ve done. When you find out, you will absolutely loathe them. The Night Guard and the Ministry of Justice have always been at each other’s throats. Or rather, besides the Evil Sects, none of the major factions get along with the Demon Sect."
"No wonder you’re willing to help Sister Youfei," Li Qingxian said.
"However, the Demon Sect’s methods are cruel. Don’t confront them directly. If something happens, endure it for the moment. If you must strike, do it from the shadows. Don’t leave any evidence for them to find." Zhou Chunfeng glanced at Li Qingxian.
"I, Li Qingxian, am a man who gets along with others. Since the Demon Sect is so powerful, I will definitely stay far away from them. By the way, Uncle Zhou, I heard the Emperor subjugated the Demon Sect long ago. So why are they still so brazen and utterly depraved?"
Zhou Chunfeng stared at Li Qingxian for a long moment before saying, "Go get some rest. In a couple of days, I’ll get you the position of ’Deputy Room Master.’ From then on, you’ll be equivalent to a Seventh-Grade Official, which will make things more convenient for you."
"Uncle Zhou, I need to work on my Qi Meridian Connection next. Could you give me some pointers?" Li Qingxian said.
Zhou Chunfeng nodded and seriously explained the cultivation method for Qi Meridian Connection.
After Zhou Chunfeng patiently finished his explanation, Li Qingxian said, "Since I cultivate with Daoist Skills, after all, I’ll go ask Sister Youfei for advice in a few days."
"I’ll ask her when she’s free. Her Four Phases have condensed, and she’s in the process of Gathering and Transforming Three Flowers. Don’t disturb her recklessly," Zhou Chunfeng said.
"Alright. Then I’ll go ask Uncle Zhou Henn for his advice too."
"Go on."
Li Qingxian found Zhou Henn next, and they sat in a pavilion as he learned about the Martial Cultivator’s perspective on Qi Meridian Connection.
After asking his questions, Li Qingxian walked back to Room A9 in silence, his head lowered.
Qi Meridian Connection is primarily divided into seven parts: the head, chest, abdomen, left arm, right arm, left leg, and right leg.
Qi Meridians are like rivers, so for Qi Meridian Connection, one must observe the imposing presence of great rivers.
Qii Country’s Great River is considered the foremost among all rivers and the best place to observe one.
Besides that, some have tried observing the river of stars, but it was completely useless.
’Is there a river more powerful than the Great River? The river of stars is useless, and the long rivers of time and history cannot be observed directly...’
Li Qingxian hadn’t slept well to begin with. After thinking for a long time, his mind filled with Life Play, Fate Skills, and Qi Meridian Connection, he dazedly drifted off to sleep.
In his dream, one moment Champion City appeared, the next, the Fate Box. Then he became a Destiny Gentleman, cleaving a mountain in two with a single strike of the Great Star-Destroying Saber. Then he dreamed of the smiling Excellent Young Master, Shen Xiaoyi, and then of Sister Youfei’s slender, delicate hands reaching for him, only for them to suddenly transform into two long, white, massive arms...
In his dream, Li Qingxian’s memories and illusions tossed and turned restlessly.
Until he dreamed he had transformed into a Yellow Dragon, looking down upon the world, where all things flowed as one.
Li Qingxian’s eyes snapped open.
The Destiny River of the World.
Li Qingxian paid no mind to Han Anbo and Yur Ping beside him. He sat cross-legged on his bed, first using Covering Eyes, then Opening the Spiritual Eye.
His spirit soared into the high sky, looking down upon the world. All things flowed like a current; the world itself resembled a river.
The entire world seemed to be woven from countless rivers of Qi Fortune. The Divine Capital region surged and crashed, the south flowed gently and steadily, undercurrents swirled within the many smaller nations, the north rushed and cascaded, and the more distant lands of the Demon Race were like a surging tsunami.
Observing the River of the World.
Li Qingxian slowly comprehended the Destiny River of the World, faintly realizing that the foundation for his own Qi Meridian Connection lay here.
The moon set and the sun rose. The great sign of the Divine Capital Bureau disappeared, replaced by a new plaque.
Patrol Bureau.
Inside and outside the Patrol Bureau’s main hall, birds and beasts sat and stood.
The Civil Servants, with their avian rank patches, were few, while the Military Officers, with their bestial ones, were many.
Zhou Chunfeng, in a rare display, wore his Senior Fourth Grade Crimson Official Robe. He sat in the main seat alongside Yan Shixiao, who was also a Senior Fourth Grade, issuing commands.
Zhou Chunfeng remained the Patrol Bureau’s Disciplinary Officer. Four new halls were established: the East Road Hall, West Road Hall, South Road Hall, and North Road Hall. Each hall was divided into a Left and a Right Room, each room contained four Departments, and each department was staffed with one hundred people responsible for combat, investigation, and arrests.
The Internal Factory dispatched Supervisors, Hall Supervision Armies, and Palace Garrison Commanders. Among them, the Internal Factory’s Right Hand Punishment Envoy, Yan Shixiao, was appointed as the Supervisor of the Patrol Bureau.
The Military Supervisors were only responsible for relaying Order Letters from the Internal Factory and were not to interfere with the Patrol Bureau’s specific operations.
The Room Leader of the North Road Left Room was to be Hex Lei, the former Room Leader of the Street Patrol Room. The Military Supervisor for the North Road Left Room was Jingg Guan, who had previously partnered with Li Qingxian to establish the distillery.
Li Qingxian, due to his great merits and his status as a Fate Master, was appointed Deputy Room Leader of the North Road Left Room, a position equivalent to the Seventh Grade. He would also serve concurrently as the Department Head of Class A and the Squad Commander of Room A9.
Room A9 remained unchanged.
It took the entire morning for all the appointments to be completed.
Two small incidents occurred during this time. Li Qingxian discovered that an acquaintance had been transferred to the North Road Left Room.
It was Zhong Baishan, the Squad Commander from the Military Department who had been eating lamb soup. He seemed a little pale.
Additionally, Zhou Henn’s status was elevated. Originally a Fourth-Grade Martial Cultivator, he was finally given an official position of the Fourth Grade, serving as one of the Patrol Bureau’s Deputy Disciplinary Officers.