Chapter 141: A New Mission
For cultivators, the vastness of the Nine Provinces is a good thing—it gives them a bigger space to grow and a greater stage.
But for the major Imperial Dynasties, it’s not so friendly.
Dynasties are built on military strength, and maintaining them takes not only force, but also economic power.
After tens of thousands of years, every dynasty’s industry has hit a bottleneck.
Domestic demand is saturated. They need to find new sources of demand.
New demand, of course, refers to other dynasties.
For example, the Great Wei Dynasty produces a kind of Vermilion Fruit—cheap, delicious, and highly beneficial for cultivators.
Other dynasties all want Great Wei to export it to them.
But the problem is, within months of picking, the fruit loses its spiritual energy, its flavor becomes mediocre, and it becomes worthless.
Storage Rings can only store items—they can’t stop time.
Another example: the Beast-Taming Sect breeds Spirit Beasts that many cultivators adore, especially female cultivators, who love those cute, fluffy little ones.
But transporting Spirit Beasts to other nations takes several years.
By then, the beasts are fully grown and no longer have that youthful cuteness.
The Nine Provinces is absurdly huge.
Just shipping something to another dynasty takes years.
It takes years just to complete a single deal—whether it’s profitable is unclear, but big profits are impossible.
The cost-to-reward ratio is way off. No faction wants to operate like that.
The major dynasties are aware of the problem, but have no solution.
Getting anxious is useless.
Now, they’ve read in the Tianji News about the existence of spatial portals, and naturally they’re overjoyed.
They’re desperate to secure one.
“Elder Liu, we’ll leave this matter to you.”
Inside the Human Sovereign Hall, Jiang Li spoke with an elder.
Even just sitting there, Jiang Li could feel the elder’s exuberant vitality—it was like spring had arrived.
Among the six commanders of the Human Sovereign Hall, this elder was the most senior, the strongest in cultivation, and the most reliable—
A fearsome man who had endured two rounds of the Immortal Ascension Tribulation:
Commander Liu of the Tribulation Stage.
Commander Liu was a ten-thousand-year-old willow tree, nurtured by sun and moon, blessed by heaven and earth, who cultivated a Wood Heart Furnace and finally awakened spiritual intelligence, beginning his path of cultivation.
Because he was a plant-based lifeform, to other cultivators, he was a priceless tonic medicine.
That made him afraid to join any sect or reveal his identity.
He could only live as a cautious rogue cultivator, struggling to obtain cultivation resources.
The twenty-seventh Human Sovereign discovered the young Commander Liu, saw his roots, and encouraged him to join the Human Sovereign Hall.
After much deliberation, Commander Liu agreed.
A ten-thousand-year willow with terrifying depth of heritage.
And any tree that becomes a spirit must be a natural darling of the world—blessed with supreme talent.
Commander Liu quickly reached the peak of the Fusion Stage.
The twenty-seventh Human Sovereign repeatedly recommended Liu to take on a leadership position.
But Liu always suspected the Human Sovereign had taken him in to nurture him as a medicine for future use.
So he remained guarded.
During one battle against the Outer World Demons, Commander Liu was trapped and nearly killed.
It was the twenty-seventh Human Sovereign who saved him.
Unfortunately, in doing so, that sovereign was wounded, killed the demon, but suffered irreversible injuries—no pill could save him.
Commander Liu believed it was all his fault.
He wept, saying he had a ten-thousand-year emerald wood core, and a thousand-year red dust human heart.
Consuming it could reverse life and death—he offered himself up to be eaten.
The Human Sovereign shook his head.
He said he hadn’t taken Liu in to make him medicine, but hoped Liu would cultivate well and protect the Nine Provinces.
He gave a few final words—then passed away.
From that day on, Commander Liu willingly accepted his role.
In another battle against Outer World Demons, he charged forward, broke through at the brink of death, and reached the Tribulation Stage.
That was six thousand years ago.
In those six thousand years, Commander Liu had seen countless talented and dazzling Human Sovereigns—each one the pride of their age.
But none could compare to Jiang Li.
By Jiang Li’s sixtieth year on the throne, Commander Liu could no longer defeat him.
This generation’s Human Sovereign was monstrously powerful.
“Human Sovereign, rest assured. The matter of the spatial portals is in good hands.”
Commander Liu laughed warmly, the life energy radiating from him causing the door frame to sprout buds.
Jiang Li nodded with confidence.
Of the six commanders, only Commander Liu gave him zero worries—he was a model commander.
All the major factions would soon come to the Human Sovereign Hall, eager to bid for the portal access points.
As for where those portals would be placed—it would depend on how much each power was willing to offer.
Even if Jiang Li didn’t need the resources, he had to consider his subordinates.
Of course, a portion of the proceeds must go to Mount Sumeru, since the portals were built by the Brahma Tower.
Balancing faction interests and choosing the best—this was Commander Liu’s specialty.
Jiang Li handed him full authority over the matter.
He left the Brahma Tower here, telling it it could return to Mount Sumeru on its own after the portals were completed.
With that, Jiang Li left the Human Sovereign Hall.
He was heading to the Great Sui Dynasty.
Just a few days ago, the System had issued a new mission.
At first, Jiang Li had done system missions hoping to unlock spatial teleportation,
so he could be sent directly to the Celestial Realm.
Who would’ve thought the system was such a joke?
It had indeed unlocked teleportation—but it needed Celestial Realm coordinates to work!
What’s the point of you, then?!
For completeness, Jiang Li asked the system again recently:
“Can you obtain the Celestial Realm’s coordinates?”
【They can be obtained as future task rewards. Please be patient, Host.】
That answer reignited Jiang Li’s spirits.
He now looked forward to system tasks again.
Even though the “Find the Stairway to Immortality Fragments” mission was still active,
he had no idea how long it would take to collect them all.
Luo Ying’s case wasn’t something you’d find on the street.
Might as well try both paths.
Maybe he could get the coordinates first and skip the fragments.
【New Task: After graduating from the Great Zhou Imperial Academy as the top student and reaching the Golden Core Stage,
you attracted interest from many factions—including the Great Zhou Royal Clan, who wished to recruit you as a son-in-law.
But you felt it was too early to pledge allegiance, so you refused.】
【You developed the desire to travel across the Nine Provinces,
to experience its cultures and broaden your horizons.】
【Upon arriving in the Great Sui Dynasty, you heard that the Sword Tomb would soon open.
You entered it, only to be mocked by countless sword cultivator geniuses,
who thought students from the Great Zhou Academy only knew theory and didn’t understand Sword Dao.
They told you to go back where you came from.
Your mission: Pass the Three Trials of the Sword Tomb,
reach the final level, and gain the Sword Sovereign’s soul’s recognition.
Leave the Sword Tomb with his soul by your side.】
【This task cannot be abandoned.】
【Task Reward: Soul-Nurturing Ring, a damaged sword-shaped Dao Artifact, and the martial technique Stone-Splitting Mighty Palm.】
【Friendly tip: For this mission, the system has temporarily enabled the Source Point Insight Function—you may use Source Points to aid your Sword Dao comprehension.】
“Sword Tomb… Sword Sovereign…”
Jiang Li muttered these familiar terms, recalling the past.