The establishment of the Celestial Dynasty began with the bestowal of the title upon the River God.

Li Yi took the document and saw the official seal of the Revenue Department on it. He didn't recognize one of the two characters, but it should be the character "Ling" from Zhang Ling's name.

The tall man didn't notice Li's subtle expression and was still happy for him.

"The Ministry of Revenue has approved 150 mu of land for you. The exact location has been decided. An official will go to Lijia Village to confirm with the local village head."

"I heard there's still a hundred bushels of grain left..."

"That's right." The tall man said as he walked out, "Although the situation is tense right now, Wu Chao can't afford to lose the knights' annual stipends."

"Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Li Yi chased after him.

The tall man walked slowly, and when the other man caught up, he squinted his eyes and whispered:

"Although the war may not necessarily involve the garrison, the four of us—Miss, you, me, and Big Eyes—cannot escape it. Let's sharpen our skills before the battle to avoid panicking at the time."

Furthermore, word has spread that the Commander intends to form a scout unit of one hundred men, who will accompany the army on the expedition.

The tall man's trip to help Li Yi carry documents was just a side matter; the real business was to spread the news of the formation of the sentry corps.

Although the majority of the troops stationed in the garrison were soldiers, there were also centurions and generals in charge of warfare. The North Street Centurion's Office was just an ordinary military settlement, but because Gongsun Ling was the daughter of a military family, she had to take on an extra responsibility.

Tsk, those with high moral character hold high positions but suffer mental and physical exhaustion, while those with low moral character hold lowly positions but remain complacent and bloated.

It's just tough on the lower ranks. Following such an official, they're guaranteed to gain military merits, but it's also incredibly dangerous.

Li Yi waved goodbye to the tall man and, remembering that he hadn't visited the Zhang residence for many days, decided to take the opportunity to see his uncle and aunt. So he rode into the city at the appointed time and happened to meet Zhang Ling, who was returning home after finishing his shift.

"It's Yi-ge'er."

After disembarking from the carriage and meeting the person, Zhang Ling smiled and asked, "Is it about the matter of titles and land?"

"I have designated your family's fields by the Qingchi River, and another hundred bushels of grain have already been loaded onto carts and sent to the Hundred Household Office. Nephew, you exercise every day, but fine food is never enough."

He gestured and led Li Yi into the mansion. The servants in the mansion were all respectful when they saw him. In just ten days, the young man seemed to have integrated into the Zhang family and was like one of their own.

……

Two days ago, on the eastern border of Qifeng County, inside the Qishan Immortal Sect.

The Qishan mountain range is long, with each of its seven peaks having its own lineage. Among the seven peaks, the southern one, Shangyuan Peak, has a mountain shape as if it were cleaved by a knife and axe. More than ten courtyards are scattered from top to bottom in an orderly manner. Under the sea of ​​clouds and the shade of trees, one can always see cultivators gathering Qi and practicing cultivation.

Zhang Junyi and Zhang Lingbao, being direct disciples of the Shangyuan Daoist, shared a courtyard, but now only the young lady remains as the permanent resident.

Below the courtyard, a young Taoist boy with a youthful face climbed the steep stone steps with light steps, and in a short while he reached the outside of the courtyard from the mountainside.

"Uncle-Master, a letter from you has arrived!"

Zhang Junyi suddenly opened his eyes, raised his hand to manipulate the water energy, and caused the courtyard gate to open by itself.

The young Taoist boy ran into the courtyard, stopped in front of his master, sniffed the cigarettes nearby, wrinkled his nose, and said:

"When did you set up an incense burner, Uncle-Master? Why aren't you burning sandalwood incense?"

Zhang Junyi snatched the envelope from the young Taoist boy's hand and teased, "Whose sandalwood incense is set up in their courtyard?"

"What's that?" the young Taoist suddenly asked, his eyes wide. "Which deity is Uncle-Master offering incense to?"

"The City God of Qifeng County, Song Shixin."

Upon receiving the letter, Zhang Junyi had no interest in engaging in idle chatter with the young Taoist. She shooed him down the mountain and dismissed a few maids. Sitting on the stone steps, she suddenly wrinkled her delicate nose and complained:

"How long has it been..."

With a flick of his fingers, he unexpectedly produced two letters.

Upon closer inspection, one of the letters was signed by Gongsun Ling.

"Why did she think of me?"

Zhang Junyi recalled that the two had not been in contact for a long time. Could it be that she had overheard the scandals of the Zhang family?

She opened the letter, skipped the pleasantries, and before she had read more than two lines, she saw a familiar name and couldn't help but read it carefully.

[...The Hundred Households Office on North Street was brutally slaughtered by a fox demon. My younger sister had no choice but to gather her followers and pursue them relentlessly until they reached the post station in Hanshan County. Sister, guess who I met?]

A moment later, Zhang Junyi solemnly put down Gongsun Ling's letter, then opened Li Yi's letter and read it carefully.

[To Junyi, seeing this letter is like seeing you in person.]

A few days after you came down the mountain, I also set off for the county town. My neighbor, Li Erhu, wanted to come along, so he did.

……

I helped the woman disguised as a man kill the fox demon, only to find out that her name was Gongsun Ling, a centurion of the garrison, and her father was the commander of the garrison, a high-ranking official of the third rank!

……

In conclusion, after careful consideration, I have taken Li Erhu to work under Gongsun Ling, managing a manor with no other miscellaneous tasks.

After that, he devoted himself to cultivation and personally witnessed the former minor official of Sanyi Manor attain godhood and now has the cultivation to open eleven spiritual acupoints...

I've said enough. I wonder what Qishan is like? Besides cultivation, does Junyi have any pastimes? Does he ever get bored like ordinary people and occasionally want to go down the mountain for travel and training?

I've heard that Qishan is far from the city. Are the rules in the mountains strict? Whenever I visit the Zhang family, my uncle and aunt mention you, they must be missing you.

Looking forward to your reply. Winter of the thirty-fourth year of Jianwu (220 AD). Li Yi.

Zhang Junyi read the letter twice, and when he thought that it was written on behalf of the landowner's family, his face flushed.

He then took out Gongsun Ling's letter, compared the two, and suddenly let out a soft snort, saying reproachfully:

"They kept the war from me..."

The girl suddenly got up, left the hospital, and climbed to the summit.

The Taoist priest Shangyuan almost never went out, only doing his cultivation in his cave. When he noticed his disciple's footsteps, he opened his eyes and waited silently until Zhang Junyi knocked on the door to ask to see him. Only then did he open the door.

A boy dressed as a child knelt behind the Taoist priest, casting a bewildered gaze toward the doorway.

"Master, Junior Brother." Zhang Junyi stepped forward and bowed. "I have been struggling with my cultivation recently and feel restless. I would like to go down the mountain for a period of training. I hope Master will grant me permission."

"Oh?" Daoist Shangyuan raised an eyebrow and sized up his disciple. "Have you already mastered the intermediate level?"

Zhang Junyi looked embarrassed and said, "No."

"Since you have never broken through the barrier of blindness, why is your cultivation not going well? Explain in detail, and I will clear up your doubts."

Zhang Junyi had already prepared his reply, and answered:

"My family has been in turmoil. This morning I received a letter from an acquaintance who said that war is about to break out in Qifeng County. I can't wait to go back home to be with my parents."

The Taoist priest Shangyuan stopped trying to stop him and said calmly, "Go."

After descending the mountain, Zhang Junyi felt a slight indifference from his master, but his heart was filled with joy.

During her time down the mountain with Zhang Lingbao, Shangyuan Peak received a Dao seed, who was highly talented and deeply loved by the master.

After she returned to the mountain, she recounted the grievances between herself and her half-brother. Her master, Daoist Shangyuan, was impatient and consequently treated her coldly.

Although he is still a direct disciple of Yifeng, his status is not what it used to be.

Zhang Junyi wasn't too disappointed. She was in Qishan, and her aptitude for cultivation was excellent. However, among the disciples of the peak masters, she wasn't particularly outstanding. Now that Shangyuan Peak had a successor, she should be happy.

She returned to the courtyard below, thinking that once she went down the mountain, the statue of the City God would inevitably be covered in dust, so she packed up her bundle and went down the mountain on her own.