The Reversal of Heaven Begins with The Smiling, Proud Wanderer

[How could the person caught in the net appear here unscathed... Could it be that the Imperial Uncle has already been defeated?]

Lin Mu had no interest in playing along with the young emperor and said directly, "Your Majesty need not be alarmed. I have come here today only to take two things. I will leave as soon as I have them and do not wish to cause any more trouble."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Houzhao felt somewhat relieved. As long as they weren't there to take his life, everything was negotiable.

He asked cautiously, "What do you want?"

What he feared most was that these lawless江湖人士 (jianghu figures) wanted his life or the throne.

Lin Mu glanced at Zhu Houzhao. This guy did resemble a certain actor who was active on the screen in his memory, but his temperament was more noble. Under his current appearance of feigning composure, there was a sense of prudence and scheming that belonged to an emperor.

Although Emperor Wuzong of Ming was known for his love of play, he was not an incompetent ruler. He personally led an expedition to Yingzhou and defeated the Tatars.

[Ding! You have come into contact with the auspicious figure Zhu Houzhao, triggering the side quest: National Prosperity.]

[Mission Requirements: Within one year, help the Ming Dynasty improve its national fortune and national strength.]

[Task Reward: Randomly selected.]

Lin Mu's mind raced; this task was neither particularly difficult nor easy.

He was well-prepared and confident, and said, "First, I need to break through a bottleneck in my cultivation recently, and I have heard that Your Majesty has a thousand-year-old snow lotus from the Tianshan Mountains hidden in the Bathing Virtue Pool."

Zhu Houzhao's eye twitched almost imperceptibly.

That snow lotus was something he had painstakingly collected, intending to save his life or refine elixirs in the future... But compared to his immediate safety, all worldly possessions were worth giving up.

He readily nodded: "A treasure given to a hero. This item can help a brave warrior break through his bottleneck. It is also its own good fortune. I grant it."

Lin Mu continued, "Secondly, I have heard that Princess Yunluo possesses a mermaid pearl. I have other uses for this item, so I request Your Majesty to issue an order for her to hand it over."

Zhu Houzhao was slightly surprised. Although the pearl was rare, it was not indispensable to the royal family. He immediately agreed, saying, "This is a small matter."

He immediately signaled to his trusted eunuch to fetch the snow lotus and to summon Princess Yunluo.

While waiting, Lin Mu flicked his sleeve, and in an instant, a flash of light appeared, and piles of crops and books, unlike anything he had ever seen before, appeared out of thin air, almost filling half of the warm pavilion.

Golden corn, plump potatoes, red-skinned sweet potatoes, round soybeans, and drooping ears of rice, along with stacks of books made of unusual materials.

Zhu Houzhao was stunned by this divine skill and blurted out, "This... what kind of divine magic is this, brave warrior? And what are these things?"

"This is a grain variety that can yield several thousand catties per mu."

Lin Mu spoke calmly, yet delivered a message that was enough to shake the entire dynasty: "Enough to ensure that the people of the Ming Dynasty will no longer have to worry about famine."

He selected several of the most important books from among them—the History of Ming, the Practical Planting Techniques Handbook for New Professional Farmers, the Barefoot Doctor's Handbook, the Militia Military Training Handbook, and Modern History—as well as a large, exquisitely crafted globe with detailed depictions of the world's territory, and handed them to Zhu Houzhao.

"Your Majesty has many doubts, especially about the future... Perhaps the answers can be found here."

"By making good use of these, the fate of the Ming Dynasty can be extended and the foundation of the nation can be secured."

Although these books are written in simplified Chinese characters, they are consistent with traditional Chinese characters. With Zhu Houzhao's intelligence, it was not difficult for him to understand about 70-80% of them by guessing and deciphering.

Zhu Houzhao took the heavy "History of Ming" with some skepticism. He first quickly flipped through it, then slowed down, his expression gradually becoming solemn and suspicious, and finally turning into shock and horror.

The book contained many stories from the previous dynasty that roughly matched the secrets he knew. When he turned to the part about the "current dynasty" and the future, he saw that he died at the young age of thirty-one in the Leopard Chamber, and that the Ming Dynasty was in turmoil amid internal and external troubles, and would eventually perish at the hands of the Jianzhou Jurchens outside the Great Wall.

[Absurd! How could the mere Jurchens possibly overthrow our Great Ming Dynasty?! Didn't our ruthless purge during the Chenghua era era era eran the threat completely disappear?!]

[I... only have a little over ten years left to live? There must be something fishy about this!]

Whether this book is a prophecy or a warning, Zhu Houzhao could no longer take it lightly.

He took a deep breath, and when he looked at those seemingly simple agricultural, medical, and military books again, his eyes were completely different.

If the high-yield crops are real, and if the medical techniques and military training methods described in the book are indeed effective...

What the person before me is giving me will be a national treasure powerful enough to defy fate!

And that globe depicting a completely new world unlocked the shackles of his understanding.

At this moment, dense but restrained footsteps could be heard outside the warm pavilion. A large number of Jinyiwei and Dongchang experts had arrived and surrounded the place. However, without the emperor's order, no one dared to enter.

Perhaps it was because Zhu Houzhao's act of reading the History of Ming had subtly disturbed the will of Heaven, or perhaps it was because the hope brought by those seeds of crops that transcended time was too great, but a system notification sounded in Lin Mu's mind:

[Ding! Side quest: 'National Prosperity' has been completed. Reward: Heavenly Scale Halberd Technique!]

[Heavenly Scale Halberd Technique: A superior martial art originating from the world of Martial Universe, it consists of four forms: Fish Scale Halberd, Raging Python Halberd, Transforming Dragon Halberd, and Heavenly Dragon Halberd. Its power increases progressively with each form, requiring the use of appropriate weapons and abundant Yuan Power to execute.]

【Do you want to receive it? 】

"receive."

With a thought, a flood of profound martial arts insights rushed into Lin Mu's mind and became instinctive.

This halberd technique from a higher world is indeed exquisite and domineering. Although it cannot unleash its full power due to the different rules of the world, the "Fish Scale Halberd" move, which I have only just begun to comprehend, is already far more powerful and varied than most martial arts in this world.

At this moment, the eunuch returned carrying a jade box containing a thousand-year-old snow lotus.

Princess Yunluo also rushed over. Although she didn't understand why, she still handed over the bright and lustrous mermaid pearl according to her brother's decree.

"Thank you for your generous gift, Your Majesty."

Lin Mu stored the two treasures into his system space. His purpose for the trip was fulfilled, and he had even completed an extra task. He was in a good mood, and his smile became more sincere. "The journey of the martial world is long, Your Majesty, please take care."

After thinking for a moment, Lin Mu took out an AK rifle and several boxes of ammunition from his system space, placed them on the table, and said, "This item is called an 'AK rifle'. Your Majesty can use it for self-defense."

After speaking, he nodded slightly to Liu Sheng Piaoxu.

The two figures vanished before Zhu Houzhao's eyes in a flash, leaving no trace. Only the young emperor, holding the heavy "History of Ming," stared blankly at the grain seeds filling the room and the unfamiliar "AK artifact" on the table.

"This... is a celestial artifact. How should I use it?"

Zhu Houzhao muttered to himself, his gaze returning to the History of Ming and the globe, a sharp and decisive glint in his eyes.

……

Outside the palace, the lights are just coming on, and the night is gentle.

Lin Mu glanced at his gains in the system space and was quite pleased.

"Master, where do we go next?"

Liu Sheng Piaoxu asked softly, his posture still respectful, but his eyes held a subtle glint that was more noticeable than usual.

Lin Mu looked up at the western horizon, where stars were beginning to appear, and a lazy yet expectant smile played on his lips.

"I've heard that the grapes in the Western Regions are sweet and the wines are mellow. Since I have some free time these few days, I'll take you to see the scenery of the Western Regions."

Chapter 66: Crossing Daqing

A month has passed since I traversed the world's number one destination.

After experiencing exotic customs for a few days, swaying to the top, and completing the extreme challenge of taking on ten people at once, Lin Mu looked at his unshaven face in the mirror.

"I have been ruined by wine and women, and I am so haggard. From now on, I will abstain from alcohol."

Lin Mu smashed his wine glass, chased away the blonde, blue-eyed Hu woman, shaved his beard, and summoned Liu Sheng Piaoxu.

The woman arrived quietly with light, quick steps, wearing a pale purple kimono. Her eyes were like autumn water, yet they carried a submissive timidity.

"Owner."

She knelt down in front of Lin Mu, her voice soft.

Lin Mu took out a jade bottle from his sleeve and pushed it in front of her.

"This is the antidote for the Three Corpse Brain God Pill. You've been doing well lately, so this is a reward for you."

Liu Sheng Piaoxu's eyelashes trembled slightly, but he did not immediately reach out to catch it.

"I need to leave for a while."

Lin Mu's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority: "Go back to Japan and diligently cultivate the techniques I'm passing on to you."

"Remember, this skill must not be passed on to outsiders, not even your father."

"Yes."

Liu Sheng Piaoxu responded and then said, "Master, I... can I leave you with a child?"

Lin Mu reached out and lifted Liu Sheng Piaoxu's chin: "Okay, this time you don't need to force it out with your internal energy."

"Thank you, Master."

Liu Sheng Piaoxu was overjoyed. She grabbed Lin Mu's hand, put it around her neck, and showed an expression of enjoyment.

Three poles in the sun.

Lin Mu finished dressing, looked at Liu Sheng Piaoxu, paused briefly, and said with lightning speed: "Remember, after returning to Japan, integrate the Japanese martial arts world as soon as possible, and reap the rewards when I return."

"Yes, Master."

Liu Sheng Piaoxu bowed her head deeply, revealing a section of her fair neck: "Piaoxu will certainly not fail her master's expectations."

Lin Mu nodded and took out another bag of gold: "This should be enough for you."

Liu Sheng Piaoxu accepted the gold, a complex look flashing in his eyes, but in the end he simply bowed again and quietly left the room.

Watching her departing figure, Lin Mu smiled slightly.

That's the good thing about Japanese women; they're obedient, sensible, and rarely ask many questions.

That afternoon, Lin Mu came to the desert alone.

Under the blazing sun and amidst the endless yellow sand, a thought stirred within him, and a portal of light, visible only to him, quietly appeared.

[Ding! The Gate to All Realms has opened, linking to the world of Joy of Life.]

[The host may choose to travel independently; failure to enter within ten seconds will be considered a forfeit.]

"Joy of Life?"

Lin Mu raised an eyebrow: "That world filled with nuclear radiation?"

Memories of this world flashed through his mind: the main plot revolved around a young man named Fan Xian, a standard template for male-oriented wish-fulfillment novels—a series of adventures and constant face-slapping moments, although occasionally a few people around him would be sacrificed, but that was just part of the routine.

Fan Xian doesn't have any cheat codes like a system; what he relies on is his modern memories and the vast network and resources left by his legendary mother, Ye Qingmei.

Thinking of Ye Qingmei, Lin Mu couldn't help but shake his head.

When the woman first left the temple, she seemed to be holding a script from a female-oriented online novel.

Approachable, possessing the technology of prehistoric civilization, he can create three grandmasters by casually giving away secret manuals.

She moved among the powerful and wealthy, amassed wealth through modern knowledge, and founded a business empire that was richer than a country. Countless men were captivated by her, and even robots and eunuchs couldn't forget her.

That's pretty outrageous.

The female characters, on the other hand, mostly envy, are jealous of, and hate her.

However, Joy of Life is still essentially a male-oriented world.

Ye Qingmei fantasized about changing the times, but she only knew how to do business and fall in love, and never cultivated a real armed force of her own.

Once the bottom line of imperial power was crossed, he was plotted against by Emperor Qing and ultimately chopped into pieces to be used as fertilizer, dying a gruesome death. It can only be said that he brought it upon himself.

To put it bluntly, he was too self-righteous.

If she encounters a ruthless person who doesn't respect her, she'll be doomed.

However, although Ye Qingmei is dead, the "sycophants" and the legacy she left behind are still incredibly rich.

Fan Xian was able to thrive precisely because of his mother's influence.

Otherwise, relying solely on memories of a past life, one could at most become a "poet immortal" or a wealthy merchant.

There is basically no hope for martial arts or a career in government.

It can be said that Ye Qingmei made Fan Xian who he is.

I wonder what level a Grandmaster is considered in this world?

Lin Mu was quite interested in the so-called "radiation true qi".

In this world after the restart of civilization, the so-called "primordial energy of heaven and earth" is actually the radiation energy generated by nuclear explosions.

Logically speaking, radiation shouldn't last this long, but that's just how the world works.

The author set the most!

Through a long process of evolution, the people in the world of Joy of Life have gradually adapted their physiques to the radiation environment. Some people can even absorb radiation to strengthen themselves and become martial artists.

The martial arts ranks in this world range from rank one to rank nine, with the ultimate being Grandmaster.

Once one reaches the Grandmaster level, they possess terrifying combat power capable of single-handedly defeating an entire nation. Human wave tactics are essentially ineffective; only a Grandmaster can contend with another Grandmaster.