Elderly Martial Saint: Sixty Times the Cultivation Speed ​​at the Start

The procession passed through the outer area of ​​Qingzhou City, and the sound of horses' hooves seemed somewhat empty on the wide stone-paved road.

The buildings here are already much taller than those in Suining Prefecture, but the further east you go, the stronger the sense of prosperity and oppression becomes.

When He Ming reined in the horses and pointed to a cluster of rolling buildings ahead, the Zhenfu Guards behind Yi Yang, along with the men from the Punishment Division under Meng Kuo, all held their breath.

That's not a complex of buildings.

That was a mountain.

A black mountain range consisting of palaces, located in the east of the city.

At the bottom is a huge plaza wide enough to accommodate a thousand people for drills, and at the end of the plaza is a staircase leading to the top of the mountain.

It was pitch black and seemed to stretch on forever.

Level 99.

Each level of the platform was cast from black iron and engraved with intricate magic seals to suppress evil spirits. Despite enduring a century of wind and rain, the edges and corners remain as sharp as new.

Beyond the steps lay nine palaces, each higher and more magnificent than the last.

The eaves and brackets, and the glazed tiles reflect a cold light under the sunlight.

The entire complex was shrouded in an invisible aura, solemn and imposing, causing everyone who approached to subconsciously slow their pace.

This is the headquarters of the Qingzhou Sky Patrol Division.

"Lord Yi, Lord Meng, this is all we can take you this far."

He Ming and Commander He dismounted and clasped their hands in greeting to the two men.

"Someone will come to guide you later."

Yi Yang nodded in return.

He Ming led the Xi Feng cavalry away, while Meng Kuo, looking impatient, led his men and headed towards the steps first.

Yi Yang didn't rush to move. He told Xu Min to rest with the Zhenfu Guards where they were, while he went alone and climbed the ninety-nine black iron steps one by one.

As he reached the top of the steps, two guards in official uniforms stopped him.

Unlike the city, the guards here exuded an aura that clearly belonged to the True Qi Realm.

Yi Yang didn't speak, but simply took out the token representing the commander of the Zhenfu Guard.

The guards glanced at the token, their expressions unchanged, but one of them turned and walked into the first main hall.

"Wait here."

The other person spoke, but his voice was completely flat.

Yi Yang stood still, calmly surveying the massive organization.

Meng Kuo and his men also came up. Seeing Yi Yang being stopped outside, he showed a hint of schadenfreude and took out his own token to hand it over, but was also stopped in place.

About an incense stick later.

An old man walked out from inside the door of the first main hall.

The old man was thin and frail, dressed in a faded official's robe from the Court of Judgments. His hair was white, his face was covered with wrinkles, and he walked with a faltering gait.

He walked up to Yi Yang and Meng Kuo, his cloudy eyes sweeping over them.

"Yiyang from Suining Prefecture, and Mengkuo from Qingqu Prefecture?"

The old man's voice was hoarse, like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together.

"Exactly."

Meng Kuo answered first, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

Yi Yang's divine sense swept over the old man, and his heart skipped a beat.

This old man, even though he had one foot in the coffin, had a deep and unfathomable inner energy.

Transcendent Realm expert

"I am Yao Ju, the Chief Inspector of the Court of Judgment."

The old man introduced himself, which was considered a greeting.

"I have been ordered to escort you all to your guest rooms. Please proceed to your rooms and settle in."

He turned around, leaning on his wooden cane, and slowly walked towards the corridor on one side.

Yi Yang and Meng Kuo exchanged a glance and followed.

Xu Min and his entourage, along with their horses and led by another guard, went to the post station at the rear.

Walking through the corridor, Yao Ju's steps were slow, and his voice was still hoarse.

"What you just saw was the Nine Heavens Palace of the Sky Patrol Division."

"From bottom to top, each level is higher than the last, naturally representing a more prestigious status."

He tapped the great hall behind them, the one they had just come from, with his wooden cane.

"The First Hall is the territory of the Executive Affairs Hall, responsible for external affairs, welcoming and seeing off guests, all of which are done here."

"The second hall is the Hall of Martial Law."

"The third hall is our Hall of Judgment."

Yao Ju chuckled self-deprecatingly at this point and continued:

"I am an unworthy man. I was transferred from Yong'an Prefecture to Qingzhou and have toiled for more than twenty years before finally managing to secure the position of Chief Inspector in this Third Hall."

Meng Kuo, who was following behind, twitched his facial muscles upon hearing this.

The guards from the Punishment Division behind him didn't dare to utter a sound.

A powerful expert at the Tongxuan Realm spent thirty years just to get a position in the Third Hall.

What kind of den of dragons and tigers is this Qingzhou Sky Patrol Office?

Yi Yang listened silently.

Yao Ju's words, seemingly a complaint, were actually a warning.

This is a warning to these "sons of heaven" from the lower prefectures: don't think you're so great. Here, dragons have to coil up and tigers have to lie low.

"Then... Lord Yao, what about the Sixth Palace?"

Meng Kuo asked cautiously.

"The Six Palaces in the Later Period?"

Yao Ju paused, turned around and glanced at him, his eyes carrying an indescribable meaning.

"The six rear halls are important locations."

"No one other than a master of the Profound Realm is allowed to enter that place."

"Each hall houses important figures you can't even imagine."

"As for the Ninth Hall at the very top..."

Yao Ju didn't say anything more, he just shook his head and continued walking forward.

The group followed him through several corridors and arrived at a secluded courtyard.

The architectural style here differs from that of the main hall; it is less imposing and more elegant.

"You'll stay here for now."

Yao Ju pointed with his wooden cane to the dozens of guest rooms in front of him.

"We will make further arrangements once the list of appointments from the Commerce Department is released."

"During this period, you are not allowed to move around without a transfer order."

After saying that, he leaned on his wooden cane, turned around, and slowly left, leaving Yi Yang and Meng Kuo's two groups standing in the courtyard, looking at each other in bewilderment.

……

at the same time.

At the highest point of Qingzhou City, inside that palace that floats above the clouds, resembling a heavenly palace.

An official from the Imperial City Commerce Bureau, a middle-aged man with a fair complexion and dressed in the robes of a fourth-rank civil official, was sitting in the main seat, slowly sipping his tea.

Sitting opposite him was the delegation from the Witch Kingdom.

The leader was a dark-skinned man from the Wu Kingdom with deep-set eyes. His name was Ug, and he was the nominal leader of the delegation.

Mu Yanluo sat beside him, swinging her legs listlessly, the silver bells on her ankles making a soft tinkling sound.

"I understand what you mean, sir."

Ug's voice was a little hoarse. He put down the teacup in his hand. The teacup was made of delicate white porcelain, which he had never seen before in his life.

"Of the taxes from the three important towns, my Wu Kingdom can receive only 30%."

"However, we hope the list of goods for the trade can be extended further. We can provide 20% more of our witchcraft medicines and exotic animal materials, but we ask that you provide more refined iron and grain seeds."

The civil official in the main seat refused without even raising his eyelids:

"Envoy Mu, I have already made the court's bottom line very clear."

"Thirty percent is for you. Seventy percent is for us."

"As for the list of goods, it was determined by the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue, and I have no authority to change it."

His tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable decisiveness.

Ug clenched his fist under the table.

The guards from the Witch Kingdom behind him all wore angry expressions.

Mu Yanluo stopped swinging her legs and looked at the civil official. A cold glint flashed in her obsidian-like eyes.

finally.

Ug's clenched fist relaxed.

He lowered his head, his voice tinged with humiliation.

"……good."

The civil official then put down his teacup, a smile appearing on his face.

"That's good."

……

Half an hour later.

The delegation from the Witch Kingdom walked out of that heavenly palace.

The atmosphere was oppressive on the way back to the inn.

"Uncle Ug, why should we agree to their request!"

Mu Yanluo finally couldn't hold back any longer. She jumped off the wolf's back, ran to Uge's side, and questioned him in a low voice.

"Seventy percent! They're practically robbing us!"

Uge didn't look at her, but instead gazed at the bustling streets of Qingzhou City and sighed.

"Yanluo, you're still young."

Bowing your head is not admitting defeat. It's so that you can hold your head higher next time.

"Can……"

"No buts."

Ug interrupted her, his voice filled with deep weariness.

"Those people in the royal court are only concerned with fighting for that position. The national granary is almost starving, and they are still thinking about how to bring benefits to their own tribes."

"The shamans guarding those forbidden areas in the south have already sent out three urgent reports in crimson ink; the things underground are becoming increasingly restless, but who in the royal city cares?"

"If we don't exchange grain and ironware with Dayu soon, the border tribes will rebel before winter is over."

Ug's voice grew softer and softer.

"We...had no choice."

Mu Yanluo remained silent.

Looking at the bustling streets and the smiling faces of the people of Dayu Kingdom dressed in fine silks and satins, she felt a sense of powerlessness for the first time.

Ug ruffled her hair.

"Don't worry, this trade fair is also an opportunity for us."

"The Great Yu is not at peace either. They also need our witchcraft medicines and materials."

"Once the trade routes open, we'll have the opportunity to find people here who can help us."