Chapter 138: The First Step the Nine Provinces Takes Toward the Outside World
Back when he parted ways with Ming Zhong, Jiang Li had promised him that once he found the Brahma Tower, he would visit Ming Zhong’s world again.
In truth, Jiang Li could have visited Ming Zhong anytime. But he made this promise for two reasons.
On one hand, the Ming Zhong World contained a Dao Ancestor’s Immortal Corpse, which was hugely significant to the Dao Sect. But Bai Hongtu couldn’t traverse the void, and although Immortal Elder Changcun could, it would drain his celestial energy. Jiang Li had advised him there was no need to rush—they could go after the Brahma Tower was found.
On the other hand, the Ming Zhong World was technologically advanced. If a zombie crisis ever broke out there, they wouldn’t be afraid of Tier 4 zombies—their mechas could easily handle them.
The Ming Zhong World and the Nine Provinces followed two completely different paths of development. Jiang Li wanted the two worlds to connect, share knowledge, trade resources, and grow together.
He was also concerned about the safety of the Ming Zhong World. If Outer World Demons could transform A Qing and cause humanity’s extinction, they might show up again.
When the plan to visit the Ming Zhong World was announced, Bai Hongtu and Immortal Elder Changcun were overjoyed. They notified all the Fusion Stage Elders in the Dao Sect, telling even the normally disheveled ones to tidy up—no embarrassing the Nine Provinces in another world.
The Dao Ancestor had died in another world. Even if it was due to inner conflict in the Celestial Realm, news of it would cause panic. To avoid unrest, Bai Hongtu and Immortal Elder Changcun hadn’t told anyone about the corpse—not even the sect’s own elders.
Although they didn’t want the elders to know the truth, they still wanted them to visit that world. It was a bit contradictory.
After all, “another world” was an incredibly novel idea for everyone in the Nine Provinces—even Fusion Stage powerhouses felt that way.
The Dao Sect elders had previously seen that world through a Remote Communication Talisman and found it fascinating. The idea of moving objects without spiritual energy? What an imaginative concept.
Yin-Yang Heaven Seal was still deep in thought, trying to develop a complete Spiritual Treasure cultivation system. According to the Brahma Tower, if big bro Yin-Yang Heaven Seal succeeded, even Immortal Artifacts like them could cultivate, and more spatial channels could be sustained.
So no one disturbed Yin-Yang Heaven Seal.
The Ming Zhong World and the Nine Provinces had the same time flow rate. It had been four and a half years since Jiang Li last left.
After Jiang Li departed, Ming Zhong instructed all citizens to reawaken their emotions. Jiang Li had already eliminated the most dangerous fierce beasts, and the remaining ones were like kittens—mechas could handle them without a single casualty.
When people realized the fierce beasts were no longer a threat and that thousands of years of survival pressure had lifted, the entire world celebrated for a whole year.
Ming Zhong was hailed as the greatest President in history.
Had it not been for the pursuit of ultimate weapons and higher-level science, people in this world wouldn’t even need to work. Their productivity was terrifyingly high, everything was automated. People worked purely out of interest—want to draw comics? Go ahead. Want to be a teacher? No problem. Don’t want to study? Too bad, education was still mandatory.
Once the survival issue was resolved, President Ming Zhong discovered a new one: hedonism was becoming rampant.
Fortunately, it wasn’t an urgent problem—something that could be dealt with slowly.
Ming Zhong also faced another new issue. Not a big one—but very annoying.
“President Ming Zhong, please tell us truthfully, how exactly was the fierce beast threat resolved?”
One senator asked. He had asked the same question countless times, and always got the same answer.
“No comment,” Ming Zhong replied impatiently. “I’ve written the full account in a classified file. It’s sealed as top secret. Barring any major incidents, it will be declassified in a hundred years.”
Ming Zhong wasn’t sure if Jiang Li wanted the whole “saving the world” thing made public, so he didn’t dare decide for himself.
During the battle between Jiang Li and Yin-Yang Heaven Seal, the commotion had been huge. Even though it happened on the other side of the continent, humans on this side still felt it. They knew something had happened—but not what.
Only Ming Zhong knew the truth: the man who could flip an entire continent upside down—he might look like a nice guy, but Ming Zhong didn’t dare bet on Jiang Li’s temperament.
If he did something Jiang Li didn’t like… well, the consequences could be unimaginable.
But people are naturally curious—especially about major events. As President, Ming Zhong had to consider public opinion. So he compromised.
Declassify the file in 100 years.
Clearly, the senators weren’t thrilled about their descendants learning the truth a century later.
They wanted to know now.
“Ming Zhong, there’s no need to keep it secret. You can tell them—I don’t mind.”
A familiar voice reached Ming Zhong’s ear, and joy surged through him.
“Mr. Jiang Li!” Ming Zhong called out, startling the room. The senators exchanged glances, unsure why the president was suddenly so emotional.
Did they push him too far? Was he having a breakdown?
Some of them started feeling a little guilty.
“That’s the supreme leader of the human race? Kinda underwhelming.”
“Shhh, use Sound Transmission, don’t blurt it out. That’s so rude.”
“Relax, it’s not like he understands us anyway.”
“Fair point. Still feels underwhelming though.”
A group of mostly middle-aged and elderly people suddenly appeared in the parliamentary chamber, throwing the senators into disarray.
All of them were Fusion Stage elders from the Dao Sect. Their divine sense was vast and powerful—they swept it across the entire city, quickly piecing together the local language rules, and learned the language in no time.
Even so, while they could speak the local tongue, they still preferred to talk in their own Nine Provinces dialect.
“This leader isn’t that strong. Not much cultivation either. How’d he end up on top?”
“I heard something about genetic selection before birth?”
“Genes? That’s new.”
Although divine sense picked up plenty of information, fully grasping everything would still take time.
“So, what’s going on? You getting impeached?” Jiang Li chuckled.
“Nothing that serious. Just the usual political bickering.” Ming Zhong relaxed completely the moment Jiang Li arrived. “You all wanted to know how the fierce beast crisis was resolved, right? Well, Mr. Jiang Li here is the one who handled it.”
“An alien? So it was handled by some alien organization?”
Just like when they first heard his name, the senators assumed Jiang Li was an alien.
Ming Zhong recounted the entire event, though he omitted parts—like them being Celestial Realm survivors, or that the continent was the corpse of some mighty being.
Even so, the senators were still in disbelief. The truth was just too wild. How could a single person be that powerful?
But the moment Jiang Li lifted them out of gravity’s pull, they believed.
“Mr. Ming Zhong, we meet again.” Bai Hongtu cupped his hands politely. He had seen Ming Zhong before via the Remote Communication Talisman, and had been shocked that a world like this couldn’t even fend off a Fusion Stage beast.
“Sect Master Bai.”
“Allow me to introduce—these are high-ranking elders from the Nine Provinces’ second-largest power, all of them at the Fusion Stage.”
Each elder gave Ming Zhong a courteous cupped-fist salute, acting as though they weren’t the ones talking smack about his “underwhelming” leadership just moments ago.
Ming Zhong inhaled sharply and quickly returned the gesture. He knew exactly what Fusion Stage meant. Back then, if Jiang Li hadn’t intervened, just one Fusion Stage beast would’ve wiped out all of humanity.
And these were all Fusion Stage—two realms below Jiang Li.
Ming Zhong felt a little sheepish. Sure, he was technically the top leader of the human race, on equal footing with Jiang Li in title—but the gap between them was massive.
With guests from afar, Ming Zhong naturally rolled out the red carpet.
He brought them to the finest restaurant in the city. Compared to when Jiang Li first arrived, the food here had undergone a revolution. People now pursued flavor, and the taste was surprisingly exquisite. The elders enjoyed themselves immensely.
The senators joined in, chatting with the elders about the customs and traditions of the Nine Provinces, and were left stunned by its vastness and might.