Achieving the Dao from the Hundred Schools of Thought

Zhao Zhennan was terrified and bowed his head in explanation:

"Second Young Master, please be discerning! This vixen was acquired by me after I exhausted my entire fortune; not a single grain of rice from her cultivation was touched. I implore you, Second Young Master, to investigate thoroughly!"

Prince Di rose from his seat and walked into the center of the hall.

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound of boots treading on the steps echoed within the young master's residence, each step seeming to tread on Zhao Zhennan's heart.

Even though Zhao Zhennan was mentally prepared, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous at this moment.

Wang Zidi walked up to Zhao Zhennan, remained silent for a few moments, and then suddenly smiled.

"I believe in Lord Zhao's integrity. However, I am new here and know nothing about it, hence my question."

As he spoke, Wang Zidi waved to Zhang Zezhong beside him.

"Come, then be loyal."

Zhang Zezhong took a deep breath, stepped forward, and faced Zhao Zhennan, a master cultivator of the second realm.

"Zezhong, from now on you will follow Lord Zhao! Do your job well."

Zhang Zezhong bowed and agreed, and Wang Zidi then introduced him to Zhao Zhennan:

"Lord Zhao, Zezhong is my closest friend. He is a kind and prudent man who studies politics alongside you. I hope you will continue to guide and mentor him in the future!"

The method of cultivating political skills is to govern a region.

By staying by Zhao Zhennan's side, Zhang Zezhong could both serve as a monitor, helping Wang Zidi gradually gain control of the situation, and also improve his cultivation, enabling him to break through to a higher realm sooner.

Zhuang Weiyang looked at Wang Zidi and felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

"No matter how generous he is, he is still a prince of the country, and the blood of a political creature is always hidden in his bones."

Zhao Zhennan understood what Wang Zidi wanted to do, but he had no reason to refuse and could only agree with a smile.

As if he had thought of something, Zhao Zhennan cupped his hands and said to Zhong Muli:

"General Zhong, your beloved daughter Zhong Yue has entered the Bright Radiance Realm?"

Zhong Muli's expression remained unchanged as he replied, "Yes, I wonder why Lord Zhao asks this?"

Zhao Zhennan bowed to Prince Di again and pleaded, "Second Young Master, breaking through to the second realm of the Bright Radiance Realm requires arduous cultivation to illuminate one's true nature with the inner fire! In that case, could the garrison commander at the source of the Minjiang River be replaced? Since ancient times, the selection of the virtuous has not been biased towards relatives! My kinsman, a military cultivator—Zhao Xiuwen—entered the Dao through archery and is most skilled in manipulating chariots. If Xiuwen were to guard the Minjiang River, the safety of Zuili would be guaranteed!"

Zhuang Weiyang was puzzled. Wasn't this matter already decided? Why bring it up here?

While wondering, Zhuang Weiyang suddenly thought of something and looked at Zhong Bai beside her.

Zhong Bai seemed lost in thought, as if everything around him was irrelevant.

"Zhong Bai is also a military cultivator. Minjiang Town has five thousand elite soldiers, supplemented by thunder and fire chariots. This place is a natural experience dungeon for military cultivators!"

"Any soldier who guards this place can break through to the Bright Radiance Realm and complete the accumulation of Heart Flame within one or two years if he is diligent."

Having figured this out, Zhuang Weiyang couldn't help but sigh, "Political cultivators are all old foxes."

Giving Zhao Xiuwen the opportunity for rapid promotion in front of Zhong Muli inevitably caused a rift between Zhong Muli and Wang Zidi.

If everything is normal for the two of them, then there is no loss.

Prince Di glanced at Zhong Muli at this moment, and seeing that Zhong Muli did not respond, he decisively said:

"Alright, let's do it that way then! Zhao Xiuwen, come here!"

Zhao Xiuwen, unable to contain himself any longer, stepped forward, a smile on his face:

"Second Prince, your subject is here!"

Prince Di didn't even glance at him, waving his hand: "Later, you will accompany General Zhong Muli to hand over the duties to General Zhong Yue! Remember, if anything happens to Minjiang, I will execute him without mercy!"

"promise!"

After the prince finished speaking, he yawned and began to see the guests off.

"I've been traveling for days and feel quite exhausted. Let's stop here for today!"

Zhong Muli and Zhao Zhennan immediately bowed and took their leave. Zhao Xiuwen followed them.

At this moment, only Prince Di, Zhang Zezhong, Zhuang Weiyang, and... remained in the hall.

Zhong Bai.

Zhuang Weiyang glanced at Zhong Bai and said:

"Your dad's gone, what are you doing here? Waiting for dinner?"

"What?! There's dinner here too?! I knew you wanted to drink with me, Weiyang!"

Zhuang Weiyang: "..."

Seeing this, Prince Di couldn't help but laugh out loud:

"Haha, only you, Zhong Bai, could leave Wei Yang speechless! Someone, someone! Prepare wine and food! I'll have the wine I brought from Suzhou!"

The group went to a small room next door, sat in a circle to eat, and the atmosphere gradually warmed up.

Zhong Bai kept picking at his food, then downed several mouthfuls of wine before finally finishing his meal. He sighed deeply and said:

"Suzhou wine is still the best! But this meat... why is it so strange? It has the softness of fatty meat, yet also the chewiness of lean meat. Let me chew it carefully..."

As he spoke, Zhong Bai picked up another bite and put it in his mouth.

"And the cartilage is so chewy! Eating it makes your body feel like a furnace, as if even your heart fire has been ignited!"

Before the prince could explain, Zhuang Weiyang spoke first: "This is the elephant demon's...that thing, it can be soft or hard, and it can also be soaked in water. Eating it causes a fever, which is a normal reaction."

After saying that, Zhuang Weiyang looked expectantly at Zhong Bai's reaction.

Zhuang Weiyang clearly remembered that Zhong Bai was extremely picky about food and never ate offal or kidneys.

Previously at the academy, Zhuang Weiyang tricked him into eating a few bites of lamb kidneys, and Zhong Bai immediately vomited them up, and did not eat meat for half a month.

"What?! It's so precious?! I'll have to have a few more bites!"

Zhong Bai's reaction made Wang Zidi burst out laughing: "Wei Yang, it's been a year, and Zhong Bai is no longer the same Zhong Bai. Your little tricks won't work anymore, hahahahaha!"

"A scholar should be viewed with new eyes after three days' absence."

"Exactly! Wei Yang really knows how to speak! Hahaha!"

Upon seeing this, Zhong Bai immediately realized that Zhuang Weiyang wanted to see him make a fool of himself.

He wasn't annoyed at all, and simply explained, "Well... when you're leading troops in the field all year round, how can you be picky about food? You're lucky if you have anything to eat!"

Upon hearing this, Prince Di's interest was piqued: "Oh? Brother Bai, do you lead troops in the field most of the time?"

Zhong Bai answered without hesitation: "Of course! I earned my Candlelight Realm skill through countless battles in the wild! My father even told me not to tell you, young master, that I led troops out to kill demons on my own."

Zhuang Weiyang clutched her head in pain.

When you are not in danger, Zhong Bai is the greatest danger! All of General Zhong's painstaking efforts have been in vain.

Prince Di didn't care about this at all and said, "As a general, what is there to hide in eliminating evil spirits?! But Brother Bai, although Zuili is my fiefdom, I cannot act solely based on my likes and dislikes."

"That lucrative post in Minjiang is not available to you or Weiyang. I hope Brother Bai will understand my predicament!"

As he spoke, the prince raised his cup, and Zhong Bai immediately raised his cup to clink with his.

The strong liquor transformed into a fiery line, flowing down his throat, and Zhong Bai exhaled comfortably.

"Phew! Second Young Master, there's no need for further words. Zhao Xiuwen went to Minjiang and took this lucrative position, but I don't care at all!"

As he spoke, Zhong Bai chuckled coldly twice, which piqued Zhuang Weiyang's interest.

Has Zhong Bai found another monster-farming spot?

How could he not covet such a valuable place as Minjiang, especially since his father was a general of Zhuli?

"Hmph, if he's going to guard the Minjiang River and wait for demons, then I'll just lead my troops outside the city to find some half-demons and kill them, won't that be fine?"

"He probably never imagined that with enough effort, I too could reach the Radiant Realm!"

What kind of Ah Q is this?

Zhuang Weiyang couldn't help but say, "White."

"What's wrong, brother-in-law?"

"It was wrong of me, Zhuang Weiyang, to place such high hopes on your words."

How can you say such cowardly things with such self-righteousness?