This place is fun

Chapter 186 Gift
“Master,” Mr. Qi’s voice interrupted Su Daoshan’s thoughts.

He turned his head and saw Mr. Qi take out a piece of paper, hand it over and say, "The information you asked that Hermit Huangzhu to find out a few days ago has yielded some results. I have already written it all down when he reported to Lingjing yesterday."

"Oh?" Su Daoshan took the record from Mr. Qi and quickly glanced at it.

When he discovered that Ke Lizhi was actually Huang Zhu Jushi, he casually made a move by fabricating an organization called "Shangqing Palace" and having Mr. Qi lure Ke Lizhi into it. He then gave Ke Lizhi a task—to get close to him in the real world and extract secrets from him.

This design is naturally intended to make him need one's help, making it easier for the person to fleece him.

After all, Ke Lizhi is a direct disciple of Yuanshan Tower, the eldest young master of the Ke family in Emerald City, a 26-year-old mid-level sixth-grade martial artist, and a member of an extraordinary profession... No matter how you look at it, he is a good material that can be utilized in all aspects.

In the past two days, because all the major sects have already spread out in all directions, Su Daoshan has not received any contact from Ke Lizhi. However, the intelligence he has at the moment shows that in just one or two days, Ke Lizhi has already found out everything about the Su family.

From how Su Qihong rose to power, to how the current head of the family, Su Jingyan, served as an official in the capital and why he retired to his hometown, to the Su family's experiences and circumstances over the years, everything was thoroughly investigated.

The answer was almost exactly the same as what he had gotten from his Uncle Xie.

"Just as I thought, the Su family's past is no secret to outsiders. The stupid things my uncle did back then have become a laughing stock not only among officials in the capital, but also among the high-ranking members of local powerful families in Xiazhou. No wonder the Mi family dared to target the Su family with just a casual remark from the capital's Criminal Investigation Bureau."

"Such a stupid and weak family might be fine under normal circumstances. But if someone from above specifically names them, who wouldn't want to take the opportunity to kick them while they're down?"

Su Daoshan sighed inwardly.

Weakness is the original sin. If it weren't for his unexpected transformation into an extraordinary martial artist and his association with Han Gu, the Su family would probably have been destroyed long ago.

But how long can my small frame hold out?

"The reason why Uncle Xie told me not to worry about Sun Zheng before was twofold. First, the Su family has a past relationship with Emperor Yongtai, and the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics has to consider the emperor's face and will not take action openly. Second, with the You Clan invading, and me having made contributions, there is room for maneuver in Han Valley."

"But think about it carefully. Whether it's the sects or the military, although they are openly and covertly fighting with the imperial court, they ultimately cannot openly confront each other."

"This also means that if the court were to openly target the Su family one day, they could simply fabricate a charge and the Su family would be doomed."

"Otherwise, among all the families involved in the Crown Prince case, didn't they have any connections or a few talented disciples who were noticed by the sects? But in the end, no one could protect them, and they ended up with their families destroyed, their wives and children separated."

"If I can survive under the protection of Hangu, like Song Xier, by changing my name and identity amidst the power struggles between the sects and the royal family, I will be incredibly fortunate."

Su Daoshan was very clear-headed—he couldn't rely on others to protect himself and the Su family.

But relying solely on himself, he was truly powerless. In reality, he was merely a seventh-rank martial artist, without any background or power; how could he possibly protect the Su family?

The only viable path seems to be desperately improving one's strength. In the end, strength speaks volumes in this world. No one listens to the words of a seventh-rank martial artist, but everyone has to think twice before speaking to a third-rank, or even a second-rank, grandmaster.

But this will take time.

The Bureau of Investigation and Statistics might not give him that much time. This time they sent Sun Zheng, but who knows if Wang Zheng, Li Zheng, and Liu Zheng will arrive one after another tomorrow.

and so……

Su Daoshan rubbed his hands together, turning the record in his hand into ashes, his eyes flashing. Recruiting Huangzhu Jushi Ke Lizhi into his subordinate was just a casual move, but the fact that the other party was so obedient and efficient showed him a different path.

As someone who spends every day practicing essay writing for civil service exams, how could Su Daoshan not understand the power of the organization?

In reality, he might just be a nobody, unable to organize his own power, but by observing qi, he could do so in this spiritual realm...

"We should try to recruit more people to join the Shangqing Palace."

The moment the idea popped into his head, it took root in Su Daoshan's mind.

In reality, Su Daoshan could recognize quite a few extraordinary martial artists. Not to mention Song Xier, Wen Yilan, Pan Gang, Liu Hua, Liu Xiangyi, Li Yulian, and others, just the last time he fought at Xishuwei Fortress and Yunjing Gate, he saw quite a few extraordinary martial artists.

For example, Han Luheng in the army, Hua Chong in the demon hunters, and a few elders, deacons, and personal disciples of various sects. This also includes Xie Xunbai and Meng Qiaofu…

The more Su Daoshan thought about it, the faster his heart beat.

Although not all of these people could be as easily coerced and lured as Ke Lizhi, even if only a portion of them were lured in, the power of the Shangqing Palace would be unimaginable.

"However, although I can verify the identity of extraordinary martial artists by observing their aura, the condition is that I must have seen them in both the real world and the spiritual world. So far, apart from Ke Lizhi, there is no one else who matches up."

"It seems I need to leave Xianlai Town as soon as possible, travel to other places, and make more friends."

Su Daoshan had actually been considering leaving Xianlai Town for a long time.

On the one hand, he had already plundered all the spiritual resources accumulated by the five tribes over many years. If he stayed any longer, there would be no more profit to be made.

On the other hand, more and more people have recently been coming to Xianlai Town to inquire about the "if negotiations fail, we'll chop them up" policy. These are the people I need to avoid.

Thinking of this, Su Daoshan walked to the eaves, sat down in a chair, poured out a pot of stale tea from the table, washed two cups, broke off a piece from the tea cake, and while boiling water to brew tea, said to Mr. Qi, who sat down opposite him, "Mr. Qi, I plan to leave for a while."

"Oh?" Mr. Qi was taken aback and asked, "Where is the boss planning to go?"

“I don’t have any specific goals, I just want to go out and see the world,” Su Daoshan said. “After all, as you know, too many people have been asking about me lately. Fame isn’t a good thing for me.”

Mr. Qi nodded and said, "That's true..."

In the Spirit Realm, protecting one's identity is the greatest protection a human martial artist can offer. Not only must their real-world identity be kept secret, but the fewer people who know their identity in the Spirit Realm, the better.

This is especially true for newcomers to the Spirit Realm. They need to make full use of the Spirit Realm's rules to protect themselves.

As he spoke, Mr. Qi suddenly thought of something, turned around and went into the room, took out a parchment scroll, spread it on the table, and said with a smile, "Since you are planning to go out and take a look, you might find this useful."

Su Daoshan turned his head and glanced at it casually, but his eyes widened immediately.

"A map of the Spirit Realm?" Su Daoshan even stopped brewing tea, stood up excitedly, and examined it carefully.

Once unfolded, the parchment scroll measures approximately fifty centimeters in length and width, with a creamy white surface. A topographical map, resembling a target, is outlined on it using black, dark blue, and red ink.

The map's center is marked with the three red characters "Tiandao Mountain". The first ring outside the center is marked as the First Spirit Realm. The second ring outside that is marked as the Second Spirit Realm... and so on, up to the Fifth Spirit Realm.

Beyond the Fifth Spirit Realm lies the outer realm.

Between the five major spiritual domains, both inner and outer, there are twelve lines that follow the contours of the mountain range. These lines meander and twist, yet they lead directly from the outer domains to the center of Heavenly Dao Mountain.

The sign above reads "Mountain Trail".

Su Daoshan quickly scanned the map. As if knowing what he was looking for, Mr. Qi smiled and pointed to the edge of the map, saying, "Master, we're here."

Sure enough, Su Daoshan looked in the direction the finger was pointing and saw the tiny characters "Xianlai Town" nestled among the mountains beyond the realm. And across the entire map, there were countless similar town names, densely packed together.

"How did Mr. Qi come to have this?" Su Daoshan asked excitedly and curiously.

“Master has forgotten,” Mr. Qi laughed, “I am a spirit demon.”

Su Daoshan was taken aback, then slapped his forehead and laughed, "That's right."

No wonder Su Daoshan was so excited he was confused; maps are extremely rare in the Spirit Realm.

It's important to understand that mapmaking has never been a task that can be accomplished by an individual alone. Even in the real world, it requires meticulous organization and planning, and consumes a significant amount of manpower, resources, and capital.

Take the Xi Kingdom, for example. After the cataclysmic apocalypse, spacetime collapsed, and human cities became like isolated islands. Not to mention distant lands, even nearby roads and terrain were completely unknown. It wasn't until the founding emperor of the Xi Kingdom raised an army, opened up transportation between the cities, established a court, and later organized people to draw the current map of the Xi Kingdom.

In this process, not to mention the resource consumption of each dispatched team, countless people died at the hands of the You Clan and the Mad Puppets. The same was true for other countries like Jing and Wei. The current map of the continent is pieced together bit by bit from each country and city. It took a full fifty years. Even so, many places remain unexplored.

Compared to the real world, the situation in the spirit world is even more unique.

First of all, there are no nations or courts here. Relationships are based on deceit, the survival of the fittest, and a chaotic, disorganized society. Even if there is cooperation, it is at most a cooperation for short-term gains.

Secondly, due to the harshness of survival in the Spirit Realm, everyone devotes all their time and energy to finding spiritual resources and improving their own strength. People like Ao Jiu have even stayed in their familiar areas for over a decade; where would they find the leisure or abundant resources to explore further?
Moreover, the Spirit Realm is incredibly vast. The outer realms and the Fifth Spirit Realm are manageable, but the Fourth and Third Spirit Realms are not places that just anyone can go to.

This is why maps of the Spirit Realm are extremely rare. Even those that exist are mostly simplified versions.

Su Daoshan never dreamed that Mr. Qi would give him such a big surprise when he casually mentioned that he was going to visit other places.

A map with extremely detailed markings!
"Yes, what human martial artists cannot do, spirit demons may not be unable to do. In the spirit realm, they are the true masters." Su Daoshan's eyes shone. What moved him most was that he was certain that this thing was extremely rare even among spirit demons, and it must be a closely guarded secret.

After all, to some extent, spirit demons and human warriors are also rivals.

"Mr. Qi, give this to me," Su Daoshan's gaze, like a dim candlelight, was fixed on Mr. Qi as he asked, "Won't there be any trouble?"

“Now that the Ancient Banyan Tribe has pledged allegiance to the new owner,” Mr. Qi said with a smile, “they will naturally stick to this path to the end.”

Su Daoshan laughed. Chatting with someone who knows how to talk is always a pleasure.

He thanked him solemnly, put away the map, then picked up the kettle that had been boiling, and poured water into the teapot as he spoke, "These past few days have been incredibly hardworking, sir. Putting aside this map, just consider that if it weren't for the eight thousand spirit essences you provided, I wouldn't have had such a smooth journey..."

"Of course, of course," Mr. Qi said, bowing.

Su Daoshan smiled and shook his head, rinsed the tea leaves once, and then began to brew it, saying, "In this world, nothing is taken for granted. Since you call me 'Master,' I, as your master, naturally cannot fail to reciprocate. Perfect timing, I've also prepared a gift for you..."

“No need for such formalities, sir.” Mr. Qi waved his hands repeatedly, about to refuse, when he heard Su Daoshan say, “...It is an article.”

Upon hearing this, Mr. Qi immediately stopped waving his hand, and his eyes lit up.

The Spirit Realm is the lower realm of the real world, and the spirits born with the awakening of the Spirit Realm's will are, in a sense, born with the genes of civilization. Therefore, they imitate humans, learn from humans, and attempt to replicate human social systems. This is an instinct etched into their very bones.

In the minds of all spirits and demons, the most precious thing is not spiritual essence, but knowledge. The reason why Mr. Qi was willing to follow Su Daoshan was simply because, as a spirit and demon, he was born with the ability to sense Su Daoshan's Dao seed and to feel the unfathomable aura of knowledge emanating from him.

He had only ever sensed this aura from his "mentor".

Upon hearing that it was such a gift, how could Mr. Qi refuse? He beamed with joy.

Seeing Mr. Qi's appearance, Su Daoshan couldn't help but laugh. He handed him a cup of tea that he had just brewed, then raised his cup to his lips, drank it leisurely, and then got up and went into the classroom.

"Sir, wait a moment."

Su Daoshan sat down at the desk on the podium and focused his mind slightly.

This gift wasn't something he came up with on a whim; rather, it was something he had prepared long ago to give to Mr. Qi, inspired by his interactions with these spirits and demons over the past few days, observing their lives, work, and studies.

Outside the window, several children are chasing and running, their laughter like silver bells. In the distance, in the fields, farmers are working barefoot, wearing straw hats. Fishermen on the riverbank are casting their nets into the water in a large circle. Amidst the chirping of insects and birds, the sound of farm women weaving on their looms is incessant.

The peaceful scene that had long disappeared in the war-torn real world was recreated in this spiritual realm in a different way.

This made Su Daoshan want to do something about all of this.

The content of the article was something he had memorized perfectly in his previous life. The only thing that made Su Daoshan somewhat worried was that many of the allusions in the works of the sages of his previous life might not be applicable to this world.

However, since he had decided to bring it out, Su Daoshan had already thought it through.

Due to the apocalyptic catastrophe, the history of this world was almost completely severed a century ago. The entire continent's spacetime was fractured, with fewer than one in a hundred humans surviving. Cultural transmission was also annihilated, with only a handful of books remaining.

Now, if we were to look back at the ancient civilization and history spanning thousands of years, and review the countless dynasties that rose and fell after their glory, even the most outstanding scholars would be unable to give a clear answer.

Since transmigrating, Su Daoshan has been trying to understand this world through the original owner's memories, as well as the books and legends that survived the cataclysm.

However, the numerous deficiencies made it an impossible task.

However, it was through these precious books, through the original owner's memories, and even through some legends and fragments of words, that Su Daoshan discovered that there were the same words of sages, the same writing, the same classics and historical figures' names here...

Su Daoshan couldn't figure out what kind of world he had transmigrated to, or what its connection was to his previous life, but one thing was certain—

Since one can be assessed as having "unfathomable" knowledge and attainments by some hidden force in this world, acquire the Dao Seed of the Twelve Grades, possess extraordinary characteristics far exceeding those of ordinary people, and forge a Gatling gun in the Heart Furnace Refining... then it means that everything one brought from one's previous life is recognized.

In this way, you can simply take out many things yourself, so why be so fussy?
I'm nothing more than a heartless porter.

Without hesitation, Su Daoshan picked up his pen and began to write.

The entire piece he was to write was no more than a thousand words. He wrote it down effortlessly, without adding a single punctuation mark, and finished it in less than a quarter of an hour. Afterward, he spent about three-quarters of an hour annotating each of the dozen or so allusions in the text.

He put down his pen, neatly arranged the papers, and weighed them down with paperweights. Su Daoshan got up and went out, then deliberately teased Mr. Qi for a while, listening to him talk about the recent situation of several tribes. Finally, they agreed on a way to contact each other in the future, before Su Daoshan summoned Xiao Hei in its giant crocodile form and leisurely left.

Only after Su Daoshan's figure disappeared into the dense forest behind the mountain did Mr. Qi, who was already scratching his head and itching to enter, rush into the classroom.

A stack of papers filled with neat, small characters the size of a fingernail lay quietly under a paperweight. The first three characters were large.

The Thousand Character Classic

"Heaven and earth were dark and yellow, the universe was vast and boundless. The sun and moon waxed and waned, the stars and constellations were arrayed. Cold came and heat went, autumn harvested and winter stored. Leap years made up the year, the musical scales harmonized the seasons..."

Mr. Qi's expression didn't change much at first. In fact, after reading the first few sentences, there was still a hint of confusion in his eyes.

In his view, although what his employer wrote rhymed, it did not conform to the five- or seven-character lines, and was neither poetry nor prose; its form was merely a rhymed verse. Moreover, the common sense principles in the text were simple and straightforward.

The cold comes and the heat goes, autumn harvests and winter stores... Who doesn't know this?
However, as he looked around, a thought flashed through Mr. Qi's mind.

He discovered that this four-character rhymed poem covered a wide range of topics, from the mundane to the profound, from ancient to modern. More importantly, every single character in the entire poem was unique!
If this wasn't written for adults, but for children learning about childhood...

The more Mr. Qi thought about it, the faster his heart beat.

As if to confirm his guess, at that moment, a seven-colored spiritual light silently entered the room. The next second, an old man in a blue robe materialized from the spiritual light and appeared silently in front of Mr. Qi.

"My esteemed teacher?!" Mr. Qi was both surprised and excited. He immediately bowed deeply in respect.

But the old man in the blue robe didn't even glance at him. He simply strode to the desk, picked up the Thousand Character Classic, and began to read.

After a moment, the old man slapped the table and exclaimed, "The concept is ingenious, the rhyme is harmonious, the parallelism is exquisite, and every word is a gem. A thousand words can express all things. Wonderful!"

Almost as the old man was commenting, the seven-colored spiritual light in the room intensified, filling the room with the fragrance of orchids. The articles on the table, like fertile soil, took root in a beam of white light, and a lotus flower suddenly bloomed. Children leaped and jumped on the lotus, accompanied by celestial music.

Immediately, one figure after another appeared.

There were elderly men, middle-aged scholars, and several figures with vast and ethereal auras that made people tremble, hidden in the seven-colored light.

Mr. Qi felt dizzy and his legs went weak.

Previously, when Su Daoshan was refining artifacts in his Heart Furnace, he had witnessed the extraordinary phenomenon of the Craftsman's Sage descending and the creation of new things by nature. But he never expected that with this sudden arrival from his master, not only had the Master and the Sages come, but even the Sage himself had cast a subtle glance his way.

Just who exactly is this boss of ours?
(End of this chapter)