I am a living immortal.

Establish a mind for heaven and earth, establish a destiny for the people, carry on the lost knowledge of the ancient sages, and bring peace to the world for all eternity. Although Wei Ming hasn't yet fully achieved this, he's on the path. He's not as brilliant as many, but he works diligently and thinks deeply. He's living up to his original vow.

So this time, Wei Ming planned to bring Wei Zhao and Wei Qian to the banquet. He had much to do, and his current dormancy didn't mean he would remain so forever. He had to do everything in his power to alleviate the suffering of the people before the Yan Dynasty went astray, before he died. And this meant standing firmly in opposition to the aristocratic families. Those deep-rooted cancers had never disappeared, but had simply taken on a new form, disguised in new skins, and now openly appeared in the light of day. It was merely a change of name for the country.

To shake things up, dramatic reforms are needed. The sooner the better. Beneath the shadow of prosperity, a poisonous miasma begins to grow, slowly dragging down this hard-earned prosperity. While no nation can last forever, if it can be delayed, it shouldn't come sooner. He, Wei Ming, will strike down the tangled tree for the people.

But he also knew the consequences. Whether he was knocked down or not, he would not have a good ending. So the Tiandi family was the biggest obstacle for him to let go. So he wanted to ask Su Mu to save their lives if the situation really came to the last moment.

.........

It had been a while since Su Mu and the others returned to Yan State. There were many places he could have gone, like Qingxuan Temple, the small house in Yuannan, or even Fuyun Temple on Fanyun Mountain. Ultimately... he ended up going to Yuannan. The master at Qingxuan Temple was long gone, and as luck would have it, Su Mu had returned to Fanyun Mountain, and most of the thirteen disciples at Fanyun Mountain were away training. The small courtyard he'd visited when he first arrived in Yuannan seemed like a good place to stay.

Since the incorporation of Nanping Mountain, Yuannan has become a truly large county. Its prosperity is no less than that of a prefecture. There are no more years of natural disasters, and no more wars. A series of policies from the court have benefited ordinary people, the most notable of which is tax reduction. This was also promoted by Wei Ming. Although the reduction was not much, it greatly alleviated the pressure on the people. This is mainly due to the prosperity of the people. The people have surplus food at home and are more willing to spend. This can make money flow. After all, ordinary farmers have been bartering all year round, holding silver and copper coins in their hands. In order to facilitate the circulation of trade, the tax reduction policy was implemented.

There is a source behind all of this.

The five of them stood on the streets of Yuannan, gazing at the bustling thoroughfare. They had visited many kingdoms before, and they too had experienced periods of prosperity, but those periods were drawing to a close. The spirit of prosperity of the Yan Dynasty was completely different. The rising popularity was something Shenlong was not used to.

"This is the country where you were born. It is indeed extraordinary." Mirage Dragon praised.

"Haha, it wasn't like this back then." The old goat still remembered that Yuannan was far from being as prosperous as it is now. Although some signs could be seen, it was definitely not like that at that time.

It was shot on the horseshoe.

How could Mirage Dragon not know? Of course he knew, he was just happy to praise it. He snorted when his words were ruthlessly exposed.

The group's playful banter drew many people's attention. The main reason was that they were very eye-catching. Needless to say, Shenlong was born without a sense of modesty. He was dressed in luxurious brocade, gold and silver jewelry, and wore a priceless jade pendant around his waist. Coupled with his perfect face, he looked very noble, like a young master from a prominent family. Su Mu and the old goat, one was elegant and simple, like a banished immortal; the other had a blank expression, giving off the illusion of awe without anger. And Xuan Mo Xuanyi had red lips and white teeth, a touch of childishness, and was very endearing. And Cao Chen, needless to say, most old fortune tellers have an air of immortality. If you don't look good, not many people will believe you. So, among the group, he looked the most like an immortal. This combination was truly eye-catching.

The group didn't linger in Yuannan County for long, heading straight to Su Mu's courtyard. Qingyun Lane had changed drastically. After all, it had been decades since they'd last seen it, and few would likely recognize it now. The neighbors had either inherited the courtyards through their children or had long since moved away. People came, some left, and some were separated by death, leaving the place completely unrecognizable. But the women chatting at the alley entrances remained the same, though the people now were no longer the same.

Su Mu's appearance brought a new dimension to the conversation in the otherwise quiet alley. The women and elders, hesitant to act too presumptuously, stared furtively at the group, unable to discern their origins or relatives. These people, clearly wealthy, came to Qingyun Alley instead of Yuannan City. They were baffled, but kept their silence. After a brief exchange of glances, they were all bewildered.

Xuan Mo was very happy and ran to the gate of the courtyard immediately.

“Home, home.”

For Xuan Mo, the first time he opened his eyes was in this small courtyard. No matter how luxurious his previous stay was, it could never replace the place this small courtyard held in his heart.

Shenlong and Cao Chen also took in the courtyard. In their eyes, this courtyard was unique, and the talismans covering the outside of the courtyard had a familiar smell.

Xuan Mo looked at Su Mu expectantly.

"Open the door!" Su Mu handed the key to Xuan Mo. The moment the copper lock opened with a click, Xuan Mo reached out and pushed the door open. A surge of spiritual energy washed over them. For decades, the spiritual energy that had been accumulating in the courtyard now lashed the faces of the few people.

Cao Chen almost drowned in this rich spiritual energy.

"This spiritual energy is truly incredible." Mirage Dragon exclaimed.

The group stepped into the courtyard, and a sudden opening opened up. Lush greenery filled the view, with tea trees and fruit and vegetable plants swaying. After years of growth, each plant here had even reached the level of a spiritual herb. The courtyard, saturated by the spiritual energy, had expanded several times, appearing vastly more spacious. A figure slowly appeared before them and bowed.

"grown ups."

It was a middle-aged man in a emerald green robe. But upon closer inspection, the young man was translucent. Su Mu immediately recognized him—the tea tree. When she'd left, the tea tree had already developed some intelligence, now able to create shapes using light and shadow. It was truly remarkable.

In fact, he already knew about the tea tree's condition from Wei Ming's letters. Wei Ming had thanked him for sending fruits and vegetables year after year, and he knew about it then.