Heart Survey

Chapter 2784 The waxing and waning of the moon have their own time.

A clump of rotten flesh detached from the flying wing blade, like a rotten fruit, and fell from the branch.

Golden, immortal Heavenly Branches grew from the Central Celestial Realm, and were then draped in a moon veil, making them appear as a hanging moon when people looked up.

The beings of Shenxiao below the celestial realm look up at the moon, and the moon casts a shadow—dimly like a cassia tree, as if someone were chopping down a cassia tree.

The four continents are high mountains, their snow-covered peaks turning green as the moon waxes and wanes. The five seas flow swiftly, carrying white and black as the tides rise and fall.

The moon waxes and wanes in its own time, and the twenty-four solar terms are just like the present world.

The native creatures of the Divine Firmament World are still passively receiving messages from all the heavens. At the boundary between ignorance and civilization, there stands a door that no longer exists, welcoming visits from all the races of the heavens.

The period of development within the chaotic eggshell, the fleeting light and shadow before the timeline was complete... The world of Shenxiao developed a demon civilization, with city-states, religions, and sects.

But as the Heavenly Demon Lu Zhichan said, "The civilization of the demon realm is also the civilization of the world."

The jailers had already taken over all of the prisoners' pasts, and the prisoners lived in the jailers' shadow.

Racial wars have continued from ancient times to the present day. People influence and permeate each other, and no one can say that civilization exists independently of any other.

Everyone knows that the present world is the center of all the heavens and myriad realms, where there are the richest resources, the most profound foundations, and the strongest races.

Soon the beings of Shenxiao will also know that the timeline they experience is the same as the center of all the heavens and myriad realms. The same sunrise and sunset, the same cycle of the four seasons... therefore, they also share the same civilized soil.

Should they side with the precarious Allied Forces of the Heavens, or with the human race that has dominated the world for several great eras? As Xiang Bei said, "His heart is biased."

"Aligning the timing" not only cut off the space for the Allied Forces of the Heavens to counterattack, but also, to some extent, severed the barrier between the beings of the Divine Firmament and reality.

A mass of mindless, rotting flesh fell at a speed far greater in the Central Heavenly Realm than it had with a thunderous crash in the Mortal Heavenly Realm.

Five days later, it fell away from the Heaven of Refining Nature and Laws of All Qi, and in the process, it came into harmony with the laws and approached the Dao.

After breaking through the mortal realm, it suddenly ignited, setting the air ablaze with flames, like a meteor falling from the sky.

This is the first recorded meteorite since the founding of the Divine Firmament Great World. Thus, it has become an inseparable part of history.

But after shining brightly across the sky, it suddenly lost its luster and vanished without a trace. The Jade Boy Tai Su, who had come to capture the star, found nothing. Only the embers remained; the object within was nowhere to be seen.

The ethereal, ethereal net, like a translucent cicada wing, soared higher and higher into the sky.

Beneath the clear, ethereal net, a tiny, exquisitely crafted child, seemingly moved by the workings of heaven and earth, left behind a prophecy and drifted away—

"The rotten become firewood, and the hanging branch becomes a vow."

"Those who steal light will be obscured, and those who burn out will turn to dust."

"Gold decays but is truly immortal; snow falls in the west while the moon rises in the east."

His figure became smaller and smaller as he flew, but his aura became more and more majestic as he went further.

In the end, in the vast world of Shenxiao, spanning the four continents and five seas, those with the right destiny may hear its prophecy.

At the critical moment of the upheaval in Shenxiao, on this day when the entire world was on the verge of collapse, this ray of spiritual light, born in the vast "Tai Su"... has reached the pinnacle of the Shenxiao Great World!
After the Radiant True God Lord was slain, a new "Divine Firmament Mandate" was born, which was divided into five parts. The Primordial Jade Boy appeared while the rest remained hidden.

Finally, in the Golden Universe of Yuzhou... *thud!* The phoenix tree shook its withered leaves, startling a carrion-eating bird into flight. A lump of rotten flesh, only the size of a fist, fell into the long-dried-up well.

For several more months it was covered in mud and grime.

Several more months passed before the leaves fell and covered the ground.

Spring goes and autumn comes, creak~ only the wind pushes the door open.

This is a house that has long been abandoned.

Those who abandon their homes know not where they have gone.

……

……

Gong Xiyan was born in Chunshen Mansion. He lost both his parents at a young age and grew up in his uncle's house.

He joined the army at the age of fifteen, "just to make a living."

It was only during his time in the military that he began to engage in spiritual practice.

Because of his delicate appearance, he was often ridiculed and teased in the warlike army of the Jing Kingdom.

But he never gets angry.

He ignored people's teasing and jokes. Some of them were even insulting, but he just laughed it off.

Because of his excessive silence and lack of courage, he was known as "the coward of the Zhang family".

At that time, the Grand General of Chunshen Prefecture was Zhang Xihong.

He's practically a disgrace to General Zhang.

He never went to brothels or drank alcohol; he spent all his time in the military camp, either practicing swordsmanship or reading. He didn't go home even on his days off. Every month after receiving his pay, he would have someone send it back to his uncle's house.

The more he practiced his knife skills, the more he was looked down upon. People said he only dared to chop wood, not people. Some even suggested he become a woodcutter.

Until the Chun Shen Guard took turns guarding the borderlands, General Zhang Xihong frequently led his troops deep into the desert, using the demons to train his soldiers—he even deliberately let a demon army cross the line, so that they would attack and prepare camps.

Many warriors who saw the Yin Demon for the first time were stunned. Even those who drew their swords to fight back fought individually, completely forgetting basic military responses.

At this moment, Gong Xiyan drew his sword and left the stronghold, cutting off the head and tail of the demons, first killing the demon general, then breaking the demon formation, and finally annihilating the entire group of Yin demons!
After the war, someone asked him why he tolerated those people's insults when he was so strong.

He only said, "The crime does not warrant death."

He honed his sword skills to kill enemies; when he drew his sword, he was treating the other person as an enemy.

He doesn't lecture people; he only kills.

From then on, no one dared to provoke him.

He later accumulated merits and rose to the rank of "Flag Bearer".

Chunshen Guard had a strict military system, with soldiers divided into three ranks: Beirongbing (newly recruited soldiers who had not yet been issued armor and weapons), Shougewei (officially enlisted and issued standard armor and weapons), and Ruilingshi (elite soldiers who had fought in many battles and could lead a team of ten men).

There are three ranks of Lieutenant (corresponding to the Zhou Tian Realm to the Teng Long Realm, junior officers) - Patrol Lieutenant (commanding ten Sharp Feathers, patrolling and scouting), Garrison Lieutenant (commanding one hundred Sharp Feathers, stationed at passes/fortresses), and Flag Bearer Lieutenant (commanding five hundred Sharp Feathers, in charge of camp gate flags and can independently carry out tactical tasks).

There will be three ranks: Yangfeng Langjiang (commanding 5,000 troops, all of whom are elite soldiers), Zhenshou Zhonglangjiang (commanding 10,000 troops and guarding key locations), and Chunshen Wuying Jiangjun (commanding 10,000 troops and leading one of the five battalions of Chunshen Guard: "Feng, Lin, Huo, Shan, and Yin").

Above that is the Grand General of Chunshen Guard.

It can be said that Gong Xiyan had already entered a key position in Chunshen Guard at that time, and the next step would have been to become a "Langjiang" (a military officer), making him the core of Chunshen Prefecture.

At this time, however, he left Chunshen Guard, passed the martial arts examination, and entered Hongwu Army, one of the emperor's personal guards, to start climbing from scratch.

After arriving in the capital, perhaps feeling elated and carefree, Gong Xiyan enjoyed a rare period of leisure and made some friends.

One of his closest friends, after drinking too much, asked him why he had left Chunshenwei.

Instead of giving those perfunctory reasons, he said, "General Zhang Xihong is too rigid and easily broken; I fear he will not last long."

It is also said that "General Yuan Yong of the Five Camps is both powerful and virtuous, and has deep ties with various garrisons. He is well-established and will surely become the leader of the army."

Gong Xiyan was an ambitious man, but staying in Chunshen Guard would not give him a chance to rise in the ranks.

This is not something he should say! Nor is it something he has the right to say.

Later, at a crucial moment in the competition for the rank of Lieutenant-General Hongwu, his good friend passed on these words.

Because of this incident, Gong Xiyan was beaten with three hundred lashes and almost died!
Coincidentally, on that day, Princess Zheyue was inspecting the military camp on behalf of the emperor. She saw him on the verge of death at the military law office, learned the whole story, and said, "I actually feel sorry for him..."

Snapped!
The book was then closed.

The valiant general, seated before the long table, closed the book of his father's story.

"General Gong." The messenger lifted the curtain and entered, seeing the military idol, the pride of Dajing, wielding a sword in one hand and reading a military book in the other.

People more talented than you work even harder than you. As a mere soldier, what reason do you have not to strive?

Xiao Qi mentally spurred himself on, then spoke with even greater respect: "The Heavenly Official of the Way of Peace has returned your visiting card intact."

Since the Shenxiao Gate was suddenly pushed into the demon realm, a whole year has passed since this great war, which has affected all the heavens and myriad realms.

This year is the 3944th year of the Daoist calendar.

The Jing Kingdom established undeniable merits on the Shenxiao battlefield. The swift killing of Yao Zhen, the God Lord, and the preservation of the "aligned time sequence" alone are enough to make their achievements incomparable. If we do not include the Demon-Slaying Heavenly Lord who is said to have "sat and watched" the transcendent from the Guanhe Terrace, they can be said to have made the "greatest merit of Shenxiao."

Of course, the Jing Kingdom also gained a great deal in the demon realm. In terms of current profits from the war alone, no one can compare with the Jing Kingdom. The Heavenly Breath Wasteland has even been called "Little Central Continent" by some people.

In addition, Xiang Bei of the Chu state managed the territory of Shengyangzhou.

King Yi Wu of Qi managed the Yu Yu Chen Zhou.

In the Qin state, Zhang Gu established the first great city of Shenxiao for the human race in Jinzhou Yuzhou.

The "Arona" and "Hunaba" of the Mu Kingdom, together with the Xiang Lady of the Chu Kingdom, have taken control of the Yaozhen Heavenly Palace on the Shisui Plateau and are spreading their faith in the Qian Tian Yao Continent. The Qingqiong Divine Cult is spreading widely in the Yao Continent, and the Chu pantheon has also been rebuilt there, fighting fiercely against the alien pantheons led by the demon race.

A year ago, Emperor Jing was driven to transcendence by his encounter with Emperor Xuanbi, who was slaying a demon, and was willing to risk his life, forcing the demon master Tathagata and the Lord of Jade Capital to intervene and stop the conflict.

The war between the Central Heavenly Realm and the Mortal Heavenly Realm suddenly subsided, and the two sides entered a prolonged stalemate. Small skirmishes continued, but major battles did not occur.

The unprecedented large-scale meteor shower since the beginning of the new calendar in four thousand years has further elevated the Divine Firmament Great World!
Both sides in the war have reached a tacit agreement to attribute the outcome of this war to Shenxiao himself.

Therefore, the four continents and five seas are the focus of the second phase of the struggle between the human race in the present world and all the heavens and myriad worlds.

Whoever dominates the four continents and five seas, wins the favor of the original will of the Divine Firmament World, and reaps all the benefits, will be the ultimate victor.

With the victory of the All-Heavens Alliance, the Divine Firmament World will become the bridgehead for the counterattack against the present world, and only then will the third phase of the All-Heavens War take place.

With the human race victorious, the demon race is locked back in its cage. As for other races, their fate rests entirely in the hands of the human race.

Specifically, within the human race in the present world, whoever plays the greatest role in the process of the human race dominating the four lands and five seas will be able to seize the largest share of merit in the final victory and receive the boost from the torrent of humanity.

Gong Weizhang was a leading figure among the younger generation of the Jing Kingdom, representing the Jing Kingdom in exploring the Jin Zhou Yu Continent.

Here, one must not only compete with the Allied Forces of the Heavens, but also consider the local forces of Jinzhou Yuzhou, as well as the Qin people who were the first to establish a great city in Jinzhou Yuzhou.

The pioneers sent to explore the region have all failed, and the influence of the Jing Kingdom in the Jinzhou Yuzhou is currently limited to Shuangyun County, where the army is stationed.

Even within Shuangyun County, the Jing Kingdom cannot be considered the absolute authority.

Because Shuangyun County was within the sphere of influence of the Taiping Dao, the people of Shenxiao in this area mostly followed the Taiping teachings. Moreover, within the same county, the True King of the Sea Clan, Niannu Xing, also stationed troops and established a territory.

Shuangyun County is located near the "Westernmost Sea of ​​Fortune". Due to the conflict between land and sea air currents, ice flowers often fall from the sky, forming frost clouds, hence the name.

"All ships bound for the Western Sea of ​​Blessing depart from Frost Cloud County. All ships coming to the Golden Universe and the Yu Continent arrive from the Western Sea of ​​Blessing."

The previous generals of the Jing Kingdom who chose to establish a presence here certainly had keen insight and selected a good location. But it was precisely because this prefecture was so important that it was contested by various factions, which is why its ownership had been delayed for so long.

As a result, the expansion of the Jing Kingdom along the Jinzhou Yuzhou route was thwarted in one corner. A year passed, and not only did they fail to occupy Shuangyun County, their outward expansion efforts were also driven back.

Currently, Shuangyun County comprises twenty-one cities. The Jing Kingdom occupies four, the Sea Clan occupies three, and the Changchun Wood Clan occupies one. The remaining thirteen major cities are all in the hands of the native forces of Shenxiao.

It wasn't that the local forces that held their own cities were stronger; rather, it was that the warring parties used them as a buffer.

As the struggle continued for more than a year, the major cities of Shenxiao became increasingly desolate, while the cities occupied by Jing Kingdom, the Sea Clan, and the Changchun Wood Clan gradually prospered.

The core of the four cities of Jing State was Botou City, where Gong Weizhang's camp was located. It was named "Botou" because it was located by the sea and was a popular anchorage for many ships.

Of course, the State of Jing did not only bet on Shuangyun County.

On the frigid surface of the Western Sea of ​​Fortune, the navy of the Jing Kingdom is raising its flags and raising its sails, constantly at war with the sea creatures. With the deliberate support of both sides, the native tribes of Fortune Sea are also developing rapidly, carving out their own territories along the sea. Now, there are many maritime forces, intertwined and not permanently stationed in this area, making it difficult to unravel the complexities.

This is also a major reason why Shuangyun County cannot compromise.

Taking Shuangyun County would allow Jing Kingdom to integrate its operations in the Western Sea of ​​Fortune with its expansion in Jinzhou Yuzhou.

The headquarters of the Taiping Dao is located on Taiping Mountain in the central part of Jinzhou Yuzhou.

Legend has it that this place was originally the Abyss of Heaven, a gap in the creation of the Divine Firmament Great World, which caused constant disasters and often attracted evil beings from beyond the realm. The Way of Peace struggled there for many years and finally filled in the Abyss of Heaven, building a mountain out of earth, vowing to forever bring peace to the Divine Firmament... and thus this mountain came into being.

Gong Weizhang sent over a visiting card, intending to befriend the Taiping Dao by traveling such a long distance.

Unexpectedly, this celestial official was very arrogant and refused to meet with them. He wouldn't even bother with the pretense of politeness.

"Return it intact?" Gong Weizhang put down the military treatise. "Wasn't any message sent?"

Xiao Qi shook his head: "Not a single word."

"Indeed..." He hesitated for a moment, but still said, "On my way back, I passed by the 'Opera House'. General Jiang was shopping there and stopped me to ask about the results of my trip to Taiping Mountain. He was furious when he heard that Taiping Dao was so rude... He said he would go back to Yuchan Mountain to muster his troops and sweep away the surrounding Taiping Dao branches to restore face for you and for the Jing Kingdom."

The General Jiang that Xiaoqi mentioned is Jiang Zhaoyuan, the Garrison Commander of Qinghai Guard.

This person has an extremely powerful background and is Gong Weizhang's "senior." It's understandable that he would be somewhat resentful to have to obey Gong Weizhang's every word here.

The reason he stationed his troops alone at Yuchan Mountain... while it was said to be a division of forces, was actually because Gong Weizhang could not make him submit peacefully, and had to take into account the Qinghai Guard General Jiang Kelian, so he simply transferred him out to let him do his job.

It was not wrong for Jiang Zhaoyuan to want to sweep away the Taiping Dao.

The military court's swift execution of Yao Zhen, the God Lord, and the immediate establishment of the Central Moon Gate, demonstrate that it is a matter of punishing those who do not comply and eliminating those who are disrespectful.

The local forces of Shenxiao are insignificant, and the mere Taiping Dao is not worth considering.

He was the only one who would frequently send troops to save face for Gong Weizhang, the nominal commander-in-chief, which was somewhat disrespectful to Gong Weizhang.

The smug young Gong Weizhang remained expressionless. He seemed unconcerned about both Zhu Dali's and Jiang Zhaoyuan's rudeness. He simply asked, "Did Taipingshan send back only my visiting card, or did they send them all back?"

"Reporting to General Embroidered Robe," the messenger, now even more respectful, replied, "Mount Taiping only accepts invitations, and I have no way of knowing the true attitude of the Heavenly Official. However, I have bribed a servant under the command of this treacherous official and learned that their Heavenly Official never receives guests..."

He glanced cautiously at Gong Weizhang: "I especially dislike those in the military."

As the emperor's personal army, the Hongwu Army had a special "Embroidered-Clad Gentleman" position in addition to the existing three-tiered generals of other powerful armies.

Those who held this position often also served as the emperor's bodyguards, accompanying the emperor on his journeys and guarding him at night. They were the emperor's confidants and were often seen as the only way for Grand Commander Hongwu to reach his goal.

There's a saying in the military: "No one will be Hongwu without wearing embroidered robes."

Gong Weizhang attained this position at a young age, surpassing even his father's achievements.

The former Grand Commander's prestige has not yet faded, and the Emperor's favor is timely. Many people assume that he is the future Grand Commander Hongwu... Now all that is needed is the military force that will come naturally, and an undeniable record of merit.

"The ideal of the Way of Peace is to 'create lasting peace for the world,' so naturally they dislike conquest and those who start wars."

"But now that the Divine Firmament has been opened and the heavens are in chaos, things are far from peaceful, and his word no longer counts. He should have been aware of the fact that he was able to build this enterprise."

"Treat everyone equally, yet you see no benevolence. Dislike everyone as a whole, yet you see no dislike. This Heavenly Official doesn't want to get involved with either side... Unfortunately, things didn't go his way."

Gong Weizhang raised his eyebrows slightly: "I remember your name is Zhang Jun?"

Xiao Qi could not hide his excitement: "It is indeed I, Xiao Qi!"

Gong Weizhang casually handed over a sword-shaped token: "Take my Divine Firmament Jade Token and go to halt the military operations at Jade Toad Mountain. Report directly to my camp upon your return."

Zhang Jun responded loudly and went off with high spirits.

The Divine Firmament War has been underway for over a year. Unlike the war at the Central Moon Gate that was a gamble on the fate of the nation, the warriors going to the Divine Firmament today do not have any sense of crisis about the destruction of their country or their people... most of them have come to make a name for themselves.

Now that he can board Gong Weizhang's warship, how could he not be overjoyed?
The curtains were drawn, blocking out the sound of the tides from the Western Sea of ​​Fortune.

No matter how dissatisfied, resentful, or self-righteous Jiang Zhaoyuan was, he could not disobey the Divine Jade Decree that represented the authority of the commander-in-chief... That was enough.

Gong Weizhang did not continue reading military books, nor did he look at the old book that recorded his father's life.

He and his father were not actually very close.

Only after his death, through this old book... could I truly know him.

At such a young age, he took charge of the offensive in Jinzhou Yuzhou, competing with renowned generals like Zhang Gu and facing off against sea tribe generals like Nian Nuxing. He was inevitably looked down upon, but also seen as compensation for Gong Xiyan.

With his "never shy away from a knife" nature, he never takes a soft approach to challenges.

He continued to shine brightly for a long time, until he became the Yellow River champion for the third time, attracting worldwide attention.

Gong Xiyan had said "return to its sheath" many times before, but he never truly heard it.

He believed in the edge of his blade, and he believed that the moment the long sword hung over his neck would prove everything right.

But in Frostcloud County, he finally began to sheath his sword.

After life leaves its final mark, looking back on the life of the Grand Commander with whom one had little interaction... it's like a conversation between two men, and it only begins here.

The friend who secretly informed on Gong Xiyan back then was not punished by Gong Xiyan after he rose to prominence.

When faced with his former friend's apology, Gong Xiyan simply said, "If there was no wrongdoing, how could there be a loss of friendship?"

"If I had not lost..." Gong Weizhang cut off the rest of his thoughts and suddenly stood up behind the long table: "Prepare the horses! In the next few days, increase the intensity of the war of faith and be careful to conceal my whereabouts—I will personally ascend Mount Taiping to ask the Heavenly Official for guidance."

The advantage that the human race currently holds over the Allied Forces of the Heavens is an objective fact, whether on other battlefields or in the four continents and five seas of the Divine Firmament World.

The slow progress of the Jing Kingdom in the Golden Universe Yu Continent was primarily due to the extremely fierce battle for the Central Moon Gate. Even such a massive military empire needed a respite.

Prioritizing the preservation of existing victories, they ceded the subsequent expansion to other factions. Xie Ai and Erzhu He of the Li Kingdom achieved numerous great feats in the Shenxiao world, enjoying considerable success and prestige.

Predicament is relative. The Jing Kingdom has not made much progress in Shuangyun County, and Nian Nuxing, as the true king of the sea tribe who can stand alone, is also trapped in a corner and has not been able to expand for a long time.

The fact that the embroidered-clothes young man is going to Taiping Mountain alone presents a perfect opportunity.

No matter how unwilling that celestial official may be, if the embroidered-robed youth of Jing Kingdom were to encounter trouble on his territory... his allegiance would be inevitable.

The guards standing outside the tent wanted to follow, but Gong Weizhang waved them away.

It will take some time for Nian Nuxing to go from confirming the intelligence to taking action, so he doesn't need to rush to Taiping Mountain so early.

Leaving the military camp, I turned around and looked up again, and there was a "theater" in front of me.

The “theater house” was not a place for performing plays; it was a place for buying and selling puppets.

Its building was erected half a year ago, first created in Qingrui City of Shuangyun County, and quickly became popular in the county.

Compared to the goods of the Mo family's "Thousand Machine Tower", the various mechanisms of the "Opera Tower" are often less formal, much cheaper, and more bizarre - supposedly because the chief mechanic of the Opera Tower often draws inspiration from all the myriad races of the heavens.

The most crucial reason, of course, lies in the fact that the goods sold in the "theater" are not subject to the control of any of the myriad races in the heavens. It is located in a major city controlled by the native forces of Shenxiao, and is open to all customers equally.

Because of the existence of the "Opera House", Qingrui City is the only one of the thirteen major cities in Shenxiao County that has not declined but has instead become more and more prosperous.

A long queue stretched outside the building, the diverse array of customers resembling a dreamlike painting. The different languages ​​clashed against each other, like sawing wood in one's ears.

("Dreamy Flow" is a painting style founded by the talented scholar Xu Xiangqian. Before that, everyone only knew that his paintings were ugly, and no one knew how it became a style. Perhaps it was because of his wife, who became a grandmaster of the eclectic school, or perhaps it was because of his reputation as one of the "Twin Heroes of Ganma Mountain" that he always talked about.)
The common language of the Shenxiao world is the language of the demon race, which is an advantage of being in the game early—those demons who descended to this world earlier had already replaced their own language with the mature demon race language before the language and writing of this world even came into being.

One of the important tasks of the Jing Kingdom's garrison in Shuangyun County was to promote the Jing Kingdom's language and script.

Gong Weizhang lifted his boots and entered. The first thing he saw were rows of semi-transparent boxes. The goods were displayed inside the boxes, each with a nameplate inscribed with Daoist script and a description. At the bottom of each box was an entrance for Daoist Yuan Stones. Once enough Daoist Yuan Stones were inserted, the box would open, and customers could take their goods and leave.

Writing is a testament to one's ability, so while the customers at the theater are incredibly diverse, they are relatively consistent in adhering to the rules.

【Response to Couplets】

Shape: Palm-sized, with blurred features, can be sculpted freely to relieve stress.

Main material: Haiyunjie Chaoyin Cork.

Function: Records and imitates the voice, tone, and common phrases of a specific person. After being infused with Dao Yuan, it can be made to repeat a specified content of no more than one hundred words with remarkable accuracy.

Secret: When worn close to the body for a long time, it may occasionally be recorded by a stranger in the wearer's sleep talking.

Mayfly Lamp

Shape: A glass lamp with a self-emitting crystal suspended inside, surrounded by thin metal sheets like insect wings.

Main ingredient: Grain crystals produced in Kigatan, the island nation of gold.

Function: Once activated, all mosquitoes within three feet of the light will turn into mayflies.

Secret: Long-term users will be favored by mayflies.

……

These things… Gong Weizhang wasn’t quite sure how to evaluate them. They seemed utterly useless, yet somehow somewhat useful. They certainly broadened his horizons, though.

Gong Weizhang stopped in his tracks as he looked around.

In front of him, separated by a cargo box, it was as if an invisible robe had been lifted, revealing a man with slightly cold features. His aura was undisguised; black ants circled around his wrist.

The man looked over: "General Gong! What brings you here today?"

Gong Weizhang recognized him as Xi Ming.

He was once the head of the Thousand Machine Tower of the Mo Clan. After the death of the True Lord Copper Smell, he left the Mo Clan.

According to the intelligence reports, this person always wore a very formal smile, but even that smile was temporarily stopped at this moment.

"Come and take a look," Gong Weizhang said.

"General Jiang has already warned us." Xi Ming raised his eyebrows slightly: "Your Excellency does not need to warn us again."

Gong Weizhang pursed his thin lips, his cold, sharp jawline like a knife: "I wonder what kind of warning he gave?"

“Selling puppet goods in this lawless place, Qingrui City, is aiding the enemy; to put it more seriously, it’s betraying humanity… and so on.” Xi Ming’s expression was somewhat helpless as he gently patted the goods box: “Our business is small and insignificant; how dare we provoke the tiger of Jing Kingdom? We’ll close down after we sell these.”

Gong Weizhang was silent for a moment: "From a military perspective, General Jiang's concerns are not without merit."

Xi Ming lowered his hand and his eyebrows: "The theater sells 'theatrical items'. We have never made or sold any puppets related to military affairs."

Gong Weizhang said, "Once the mechanical skills of the opera boss and his sister are passed on, it will be a great help to the various tribes of the heavens."

“How can we stop them?” Xi Ming frowned again. “Many of the combat puppets that Qianji Tower traded with the native creatures of Shenxiao were also transferred to the tribes of the heavens. Do we need to have someone investigate them? Let alone the great era of Shenxiao, where the heavens are mixed together, before Shenxiao was established, when we traveled to the heavens, we left behind many kinds of inheritances. Do we have to hold them all accountable?”

"It's like a race. Those of us in the lead should just run as fast as we can. Why should we control our pace and not let those behind us see how we're putting in the effort?"

When did we become so insecure?

"The reason why the present world is the center of all heavens and myriad worlds is not because it suppresses all heavens, but because we are always at the forefront of the times."

Customers come and go in the theater all the time, but the two people talking here are never disturbed.

Gong Weizhang simply said, "What you said is similar to what the Demon-Slaying Heavenly Lord said when he presided over the Yellow River Meeting."

"But this is personal confidence, not national confidence, not racial confidence. The strong have an invincible mentality, unafraid of those who come, and willing to be pursued. As a nation and a race as a whole, what we need to do is control the variables. We must move forward, and we cannot relax our grip on the constraints."

"If this is a race, we must not only run ahead, but also control the referee and leave obstacles behind... to ensure lasting victory, we must not give up any necessary means."

"This is Shuangyun County. General Jiang is bound by duty and cannot help but worry. It is better to be anxious than to be unaware of impending disaster or blindly accept the passing of good fortune."

He cupped his hands in a gesture of respect: "Botou City bought all the items in this building at the original price. Please understand, Mr. Xi."

Before heading to Victoria Peak, I made a special trip to the opera house to deal with the mess left by Chiang Chao-yuan's assertive presence there.

To be fair, he didn't think the theater's artifacts could be considered "aiding the enemy." Trade is a complex art; the resources the theater earns from the various celestial tribes are ultimately for the benefit of humanity. Besides, if the theater leaves, won't the demon race's mechanics come? And the sea race's wise teachers offer mostly novel methods. This neutral ground is simply a matter of me leaving while the enemy occupies it.

But in this small territory of Shuangyun County, Jiang Zhaoyuan had already made his stance clear, and he couldn't go against it. The two core areas that Jing Kingdom was developing in Jinzhou Yuzhou couldn't be diverged in public.

This kind of thing... must not happen again.

"My younger sister loves mechanisms, not Daoyuan Stone."

"Her brilliant ideas are best displayed at the right time, rather than gathering dust in the archives."

Xi Ming stared at him intently: "I have already promised you that I will close the shop after selling all of these."

"Just as Mr. Xi said." Gong Weizhang used his finger as a knife to carve the character "Gong" on the cargo box in front of him, indicating that he had been there in person. "If anyone from the military government causes trouble, I will show this record to them."

After saying that, he turned around.

Just before he disappeared, Xi Ming's voice rang out behind him: "No matter what, Jiang Zhaoyuan is a young nobleman of the military government. He can't possibly be unaware of the principle that there can be no double orders in the military... Does the death of Governor Gong mean that the Gong family is no longer the Gong family?"

Jiang Zhaoyuan was not incompetent; ultimately, he and Gong Weizhang differed in their approaches to expanding the Divine Firmament. Jiang Zhaoyuan subscribed to the principle of "following the crowd prospers, resisting the crowd perishes," and implemented a policy of blockade and annihilation. Gong Weizhang, on the other hand, sought opportunities for cooperation with the beings of the Divine Firmament.

Xi Ming saw the root of the problem.

Gong Weizhang stood still, turned to look at him: "Does Mr. Xi really care about this issue?"

“I don’t care at all.” Xi Ming spread his hands: “My sister and I left Jucheng only to explore the different possibilities of mechanical arts. We ask for nothing but a free life. The only thing I care about is whether my sister’s research will be disturbed.”

"It won't happen again," Gong Weizhang said.

Xi Ming stopped talking and watched him leave.

"Xiao You, watch the shop for a while."

A small black cat appeared at the sound. It lay on the box of the [Yingyuou] and raised its paw as if in response.

The native creatures of Shenxiao, who had been hired, were already used to this and were all very hospitable to their guests.

Xi Ming then put his hands behind his back and slowly concealed himself.

The world of Shenxiao is vast, and the Shenxiao tribes are not unified; they exist in human, animal, and spiritual forms, and are usually divided by region rather than by a unified external feature. For example, the native Shenxiao creatures that live in the Antarctic Flame Abyss are called the "Southern Abyss Tribe."

Therefore, some people say that the Divine Firmament Great World itself is a microcosm of the universe. Prosperity and war are both objective realities.

The city lord of Qingrui City is a cloud.

It was born from the azure clouds, struck by the primordial thunder, and thus a spirit was born. It descended to earth, awakened its wisdom, and became what it is today, naming itself "Qingrui".

This fellow is quite intelligent, but he is by nature stingy.

He was very pleased with the establishment of the opera house in Qingrui City and offered much verbal support.

Of course, he paid taxes very punctually—having learned the concept of taxation from the demon race, he quickly put it into practice. At his peak, he paid taxes upon entering the city. It was only after Xi Ming persuaded him to stop, citing the principle that a full stomach leads to a full stomach at every meal.

As the "theater" flourished and its positive impact on Qingrui City became increasingly clear, he finally gritted his teeth and gifted the Ximing siblings a house.

This house has been abandoned for a long time. It was probably built at the beginning of Qingrui City. Later, the owner either died or left, and the house was left empty.

Qingrui calculated the time, "brought it back to the city," and after a simple tidying up, prepared to sell it. However, it had been abandoned for too long, and was teeming with snakes, insects, rats, and ants, so it couldn't fetch a good price.

When giving it to Xi Ming, they said things like, "This is an antique," "It will stand with the city and prosper with the city," and "Shenxiao stands in the world, with infinite possibilities"...

Tribes from all heavens come and go in an endless stream, and travelers from the mortal world also visit frequently... This city lord has learned too many different things.

The Xi siblings hadn't originally planned to settle in Qingrui City, always living in an apartment building, but they didn't need to refuse the house that was delivered to them. The puppet craftsmen could tidy up the courtyard in just one night.

Add some items for dust removal and incense burning, and there will be no problem with people living there.

Xi Xiangyi doesn't care about these things; all she needs is a quiet space to study the institution.

Xi Ming personally oversaw the renovation of the residence, making it very cozy.

The two characters “Xi Fu” are woven with blue thread and surrounded by cloud patterns, giving it a very refreshing look.

"Welcome home!"

The gate, carved with auspicious dragons and phoenixes, opened automatically, emitting a melodious greeting: "You've worked hard!"

"Deng deng deng~deng deng deng~deng deng~" accompanied by Feng Ge's music.

A peacock, its tail feathers spread wide, walked past him, like a screen shifting, revealing a glimpse of the courtyard. Of course, the information about the courtyard recorded on its magnificent tail feathers also came into the view of the playboy—

"The temperature is just right, the grass and trees smell nice, the puppet beasts aren't fighting, and the young lady is in a good mood."

Two kingfishers snatched his outer robe, and a large squirrel wiped his boots clean with its tail.

All the animals in the manor are puppet beasts, and the large jujube tree in the courtyard with its hollow branches and neat horizontal lines is where they replenish their energy. Beasts go into the hollow, birds perch on the branches, and those who can't sit still eat a jujube... all of these replenish their energy.

The courtyard was paved with flagstones of varying shades of bluish-gray, with velvety, shimmering moss growing between the stones. The moss's color changed with the time of day: pale gold in the morning light, turning azure at noon, and tinged with purple at dusk.

It is called "Moss-Trace Brick".

Unfamiliar visitors will be recorded by the moss, and unwelcome visitors will suffer from diarrhea after leaving the yard.

Under the eaves and among the treetops hang several palm-sized, quaint and charming wooden or terracotta figurines, some resembling children holding peaches, others like dozing raccoons. They sway gently in the breeze, producing a melodious chime.

They are decorations, scenery, and guards.

Previously, bound by the rules of Jucheng and guided by various missions, Xi Xiangyi tended to follow the crowd. After leaving Jucheng, however, his imagination ran wilder, leading to a variety of whimsical ideas, many of which were unconventional and rebellious.

Many of the things she designed were inexplicable, and she herself felt they were useless.

But the playwright will put them in the right place and make them useful, although they often need to be adjusted slightly.

Later, he even opened a "theater house" to sell mechanical designs suitable for theatrical performances. Given his management skills at the Thousand Machine Tower, business was naturally booming.

The entire theater complex and stage, everything that had happened since leaving Jucheng, was simply his answer to the question of what the theater should be like.

"You are very useful, your design is very useful."

In the bright and clean control room, Xi Xiangyi sat on the floor fiddling with something, surrounded by various puppet parts scattered around her.

She still looked like a tomboy, her face painted with face paint. Silk clothes, ribbons, riding boots... the clothes she was used to wearing, she never planned to change them in her entire life.

Xi Ming walked in, silently tidied the table, categorized the tools, and placed them where Xi Xiangyi could easily reach them. He then opened the window to let in the fragrance of the flowers in the courtyard. Afterward, he sat down at the doorway, took out a pot of "Yellow River Inquiry," and slowly sipped it, enjoying the view of the courtyard.

Xi Xiangyi does not create things repeatedly; she will not make a mechanism that has already been completed.

Therefore, the selling point of the products sold in the theater is naturally defined as unique and novel.

The theater is doing very well; demand exceeds supply. She needs to have more ingenious creations.

“We’re moving,” Xi Ming said.

"A fight is bound to break out here sooner or later, and it will be destroyed sooner or later."

"Qingrui City is actually very good, and our home is very good too. But... we should settle down in a more stable place."

"That azure cloud is not bad in nature. I wonder which family's weapon-refining material it will become."

"I met Gong Weizhang today. He's become even more handsome... and terrifyingly strong. Is Huang Hekui really that amazing?"

"The dry well in the backyard has been refilled with groundwater; the water quality is alright, good for watering the flowers and plants. Hey—what do you think about turning it into a wine fountain?"

"We've been in Shenxiao for over a year now..."

Xi Ming talked to himself, drinking and rambling on, saying whatever came to mind, knowing that Xi Xiangyi wouldn't listen at this moment.

Immersed in a world of inspiration, her works are her life.

When designing puppets, she wouldn't care even if the sky were to fall.

Therefore, the fate of the play must hold up this "sky" and prevent it from collapsing.

As they drank, the wine jug became empty.

"Even the best wine can't withstand drinking like this," he sighed.

When he left this world, Xi Ming still had a lot of supplies left, but he would drink a pot of it from time to time, and there wasn't much left.

"When will Baiyujing open up to Shenxiao?"

Now that I'm in Qingrui City, it's quite a long way to go back and forth.

Furthermore, the war between the Divine Firmament and the Divine Firmament is ongoing. It's manageable for those from the mortal realm to come to the Divine Firmament, but it's very troublesome for the Divine Firmament to return to the mortal realm, with layers of checks and no specific timeframe. He cannot leave Xi Xiangyi for too long.

"Go back to the Central Heavenly Realm and ask that Marquis of Bowang if he can bring some back. I'll donate some military supplies; he'll surely agree."

"By connecting with the State of Qi, we can open a shop in Yuyu Chenzhou."

"The people of Jing have a lot of troubles inside and outside, and they are not easy to talk to."

He shook the wine jug and poured the last few drops of wine down his throat.

As the sun sets, it shines on the green stones and purple moss in the courtyard, creating a beautiful scene.

The birds, being sensible, didn't make a fuss. One of them, with its eyes half-closed, was about to drift off to sleep.

The backyard is filled with blooming flowers, enclosed by vegetable gardens and trellises of grapevines, and colorful mechanical butterflies flutter about.

gurgling...

The well, made of perfectly repaired blue bricks, emitted a soft bubbling sound.

"Hmm... Heh..."

At the bottom of the clear well, a pair of excessively beautiful eyes opened, their bewilderment gradually receding like the tide, as if waking from a long dream.

What year is this eve?
Thank you to reader "Sword Name Longing" for becoming the leader of this book's alliance, making him the 1034th leader of the Red Heart Patrol Alliance!
Thank you to reader "A Loud Roar in the Sky, I Make a Dazzling Appearance" for becoming the leader of this book's alliance, now known as the 1035th Alliance of the Red Heart Patrol!
……

See you on Friday.