Li Qingxian asked again, "Fighting often breaks out in the Divine Capital at night these days, but it’s always small-scale. Have the attacks on the Six Ministries stopped?"
"Minor conflicts between Lower and Middle Grade members still happen occasionally. The Upper Grade ones have grown tired of fighting; there haven’t been any for many years," Zhou Chunfeng said.
Li Qingxian pondered this for a moment before saying, "So when the Evil Demon Sect entered the Imperial Court back then, the other factions were dissatisfied, and that’s why they took action?"
Zhou Chunfeng nodded.
"Did you participate?" Li Qingxian suddenly asked with a smile.
Zhou Chunfeng gazed out the window, where the summer lotuses were in full bloom.
"Your father and I stood shoulder to shoulder as we scaled the broken walls of the Ministry of Justice and shattered the plaque of the Prison Department. We kicked down the gate to the South Courtyard of the Ministry of Revenue and destroyed their Divine Statues. Your Uncle Songg also secretly returned to the capital to take part in the attacks on the Six Ministries. And you might not believe this, but the ever-so-proper Chief Minister Zhao of today was once the vanguard of those very attacks."
"Why am I suddenly feeling so fired up?" Li Qingxian said.
"I don’t wish for your generation to face that kind of Divine Capital, but I hope you will be prepared."
"I think I understand now why the Evil Demon Sect is so much more restrained in the Divine Capital than in Fengzhou. It turns out you all did so much," Li Qingxian said.
"Fengzhou..." Zhou Chunfeng lowered his head and coughed softly.
Li Qingxian let out a long sigh.
Fengzhou was a sore spot for the Civil Servants of the Imperial Court.
Years ago, when Emperor Taining faced a crusade from All Kings, he had ennobled the leaders of various major factions as new Kings in exchange for their support. He granted them certain Prefectures as their personal fiefdoms, like independent kingdoms, for a period of three hundred years.
Today, the world was divided into five parts: the Imperial Court, the Demon Race, the fiefdoms of the major factions in Fengzhou, the surrounding smaller nations, and finally, the vast, desolate lands.
Not only were the Civil Servants resentful, but the Military Officers also couldn’t let the matter go.
Since the Grand Ancestor of Qi founded the nation, not even Princes with the most distinguished military merits had ever been granted a fiefdom of a single Prefecture.
"Your Uncle Songg has settled down in the Divine Capital. After the Emperor’s birthday celebration is over, you should find some time to pay him a visit," Zhou Chunfeng said.
"Alright."
"Focus on your Cultivation. Also, try not to bother Youfei too much," Zhou Chunfeng said.
"How can it be a bother when it’s for the sake of learning?" Li Qingxian said with a smile as he left.
Zhou Chunfeng watched Li Qingxian’s back disappear from the Chunfeng Inn and let out a soft sigh.
A long while later, a Huisun landed, transformed into a person, and handed over a ring-shaped piece of cyan jade.
Zhou Chunfeng reached out, took the Sound Recording Stone, and listened for a moment. The color drained from his face.
With a wave of his right hand, Literary Qi enveloped the entire room.
"Are you sure this is the person who delivered aid to King Dingg’s Mansion back then?"
"Your subordinate has investigated from multiple angles. It is indeed him."
"How many times did Gangfeng seek him out?"
"Three times."
"How could this be..."
Zhou Chunfeng stared out the window, muttering to himself, his face deathly pale.
In Room A9, Li Qingxian used his Communication Talisman Disc to ask Jiang Youfei some questions about Cultivation, continuing his studies.
「The sun rose and the moon set.」
Emperor Taining’s sixtieth birthday celebration began with great fanfare and ended just as grandly.
The entire Divine Capital, and indeed all of Daqi, was exceptionally quiet during these days.
As a mere Seventh-Grade Examination Leader, Li Qingxian didn’t even make a ripple during the grand ceremony, so he stayed peacefully in his room to study.
For some reason, he found that he could now quiet his mind and study the obscure and difficult texts. He was working much harder than before and reaping great rewards.
During these days, Li Qingxian frequently used his Spiritual Eye to observe the Destiny River of the World, continuously building up his power.
On the third day of Emperor Taining’s birthday celebrations, he bestowed great rewards upon his officials.
Li Qingxian was reading in Room A9 when he heard the sound of hurried footsteps outside.
"Li Ke, wonderful news!" came the voice of a young Night Guard.
Li Qingxian put down his book and walked out the door.
He saw a procession of Eunuchs in red-based official robes entering the courtyard, each one beaming. The man in the lead held a Black Ox Horn Bright Yellow Imperial Decree, and several men behind him carried brocade boxes.
Behind the Eunuchs were Palace Guards, and trailing them were dozens of Night Guards, their faces flush with excitement. Han Anbo and a few others had also rushed over upon hearing the news.
The leading Seventh-Grade Eunuch looked at Li Qingxian and said with a faint smile, "Might you be the young Fate Master, Li Qingxian, personally appointed by the Holy Emperor?"
"I am he." Li Qingxian clasped his hands in a salute.
"Night Guard Li Qingxian, receive the decree!" the Seventh-Grade Eunuch’s voice suddenly rose to a sharp, reedy cry.
"This humble servant, Li Qingxian, receives the decree. Long live my Emperor, for ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years." Li Qingxian bowed slightly, his hands hanging at his sides.
"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Li Qingxian, son of Mr. Gangfeng, possesses both talent and virtue, and is skilled in both literary and martial arts. He has repelled enemies from our borders and brought peace to our people. He is hereby specially granted the Qi Fortune Official Body of a Senior Seventh Grade, promoted to the rank of Cavalry Captain, and gifted one suit of Qi Fortune Battle Armor, one white jade paperweight, one set of the Four Treasures of the Study, and one bright yellow sword tassel, so as to display his virtue and make manifest his accomplishments. Thus it is commanded."
"This humble servant, Li Qingxian, receives this decree and gives thanks for His Majesty’s grace. Long live my Emperor, for ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years." Li Qingxian took two steps forward and accepted the Holy Decree with both hands held flat.
The Seventh-Grade Eunuch said, "Take the imperial gifts inside."
The Eunuchs filed into the house one by one, setting down the various items.
Finding an angle where no one could see, Li Qingxian took out a hundred taels in silver notes and slipped them into the Seventh-Grade Eunuch’s hand. The Eunuch glanced down, his face breaking into a wide smile, and tucked the notes into his sleeve.
Han Anbo moved to the side, took out some broken silver, and handed it out to the other Eunuchs and Guards.
"Lord Li is respectful and knows his etiquette. To be moved to tears at the sight of the Emperor’s favor... truly a loyal minister and a fine general," said the Seventh-Grade Eunuch.
An instant later, Li Qingxian had a sudden realization. He circulated his Magical Power, his eyes turning red as tears welled up.
"Yes, the Emperor is too good to me... oh, why am I crying? I’ve made a fool of myself in front of you, sir..." Li Qingxian hurriedly wiped the corners of his eyes, but made no move to wipe away the tears themselves.
The Seventh-Grade Eunuch chuckled. "If you please, Lord Li, hold the Holy Decree and put on the Seventh-Grade Qi Fortune Battle Armor. That way, we can return and report that our task is complete."
"Yes, yes... the Emperor is too good to me..." Li Qingxian said, his voice thick with fake sobs. He put on the Qi Fortune Battle Armor and held the Holy Decree in both hands.
The Seventh-Grade Eunuch carefully took the Official Seal from his waist and touched it to the Holy Decree.
A bright yellow halo flowed across the surface of the Holy Decree before transforming into a single line of pure white light that shot straight into the space between Li Qingxian’s eyebrows.
Li Qingxian felt a surging, majestic power rush in from all directions, wrapping around his entire body and overwhelming his consciousness.
A magnificent but indistinct chorus of praise echoed in his ears, like the acclamation of ten thousand people.
The world was reduced to endless white light.
After an unknown amount of time, Li Qingxian felt his Magical Power climb higher and higher. Suddenly, he heard the faint sound of cracking porcelain.
Following that, pushed by the formless, majestic power, Qi Meridians were slowly constructed. Li Qingxian felt as though new, flowing rivers had appeared within his very flesh and blood.
His arms, legs, fingers, toes, torso, head...
Those rivers should have been trickling streams, yet their flow was deafening, a constant roar. They carried the unstoppable momentum of a world-sweeping force, surging ever forward, crashing through the land.
Li Qingxian cultivated according to the Divine Sky Technique, constantly performing Mind Guarding Spirit Platform and then channeling the energy through the new Qi Meridians in his body.
Magical Power surged and Qi Meridians circulated. After another unknown period, Li Qingxian discovered that all the Qi Meridians in his body had connected. Along the edges of his major blood vessels, near-tangible channels for the meridians had formed.
With the construction of the Qi Meridian channels complete, he had officially advanced to the Peak of Grade Eight.
Once the Qi Meridians began to fuse with his blood vessels, he would advance to the Seventh Grade.
Feeling the Magical Power rushing through his body like a Great River, Li Qingxian’s heart surged with excitement.
’I never expected this Qi Fortune Official Body to be so powerful.’
Observing his Spirit Platform, Li Qingxian saw that the number of dragon heads on his Thunder Dragon Fire Seal had increased from two to three.
The auras of his Inner God Child and Inner God Warrior were also climbing steadily, having advanced to the Eighth Grade along with him.