Chapter 244: The Immortal Artifacts' Gathering

Thanks to Jiang Li’s heartfelt persuasion, the Sect Master and the three elders of the Luban Sect now felt a certain arrogance that comes with wisdom. They saw themselves as high-minded intellectuals and forgave the fools of the outside world.
Relocating the sect just because of some petty squabble with a bunch of old fossils? Only an idiot would do that.
The four reached a consensus and decided to abandon the plan to relocate. They would stay in the Tianyuan Dynasty.
“Problem solved,” Jiang Li said to Yu Yin.
“You sure are good at bullshtting.”
“How is that bullshtting? Come on, hand on your heart—did I say a single false word?” Jiang Li glared.
“I don’t have a heart,” Yu Yin replied with a blank expression, leaving Jiang Li speechless.
“I feel like I’m forgetting something.” Once Jiang Li relaxed, he had this nagging sense that he was supposed to be doing something.
“Oh, I remember—I forgot to tell Ji Zhi about the Luban Sect.” Jiang Li smacked his forehead. Ji Zhi was probably still busy rewriting the marriage law.
Jiang Li flew toward Great Zhou.
He could’ve just used a Remote Communication Talisman to tell Ji Zhi, but he wanted to study the Dao of Time from him, so he went in person.
Who knows, maybe he’d figure it out this time.
Yu Yin looked up at the Desolate Heaven Halberd in the distant sky.
She had been sold to the Crown Prince by her parents when she was a child in exchange for wealth and power. She didn’t like her family.
Back then, the Crown Prince didn’t see her as a fiancée either—only as a tool for becoming the Human Sovereign, a plaything.
Growing up in that environment, Yu Yin spoke little, was solitary by nature, her gaze cold and emotionless.
She longed for companionship, but as someone who was once the Crown Princess and now the Empress, those two identities doomed her to a life with few friends. If not for Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu—those two cheerful types—she probably wouldn’t have had any friends at all.
Yu Yin felt pity for the Desolate Heaven Halberd. She thought it had been abandoned by its master, left all alone, pitifully crying in a corner somewhere. Too sad.
Yu Yin decided to care for it on Jiang Li’s behalf.
She flew above the Nine Provinces Continent to the core of the Barrier Formation.
“Come on, everyone play as you like! This is my turf, no rules here!” the Desolate Heaven Halberd shouted.
Nine flying dancers twisted their waists gracefully, stepping like lotus petals, floating like orchid vines, dancing the Rainbow Skirt Dance.
A hundred songstresses struck bronze bells, singing softly with melodious voices and distant chimes.
“I just love how bold and forthright Heaven’s Desolation is. Those Confucian folks are always so fussy—drives me nuts.” The Great Scholar’s Manuscript swayed its form to the rhythm, tearing itself until only the cover was left.
The dancers and songstresses were its creations.
The Four Seas Dragon Pearls and the Other Mountain Stone banged into each other, sparks flying.
“Ha! Competing in hardness? All four of you can’t beat me!” the Other Mountain Stone laughed.
“Brother Stone, go easy! We’re not built for rough impact!” The Four Seas Dragon Pearls cried out in pain, then, without learning their lesson, bumped into each other again. The atmosphere was lively and joyous.
The few Immortal Artifacts and External War Armaments were having the time of their lives.
Yu Yin felt this scene didn’t quite match what she had imagined.
“Ruyi, you’re here too? Come play!” the Desolate Heaven Halberd called out when it saw Yu Yin and the Wishful Gourd arrive.
“We Immortal Artifacts and Heaven’s Desolation occasionally have gatherings,” the Wishful Gourd whispered.
……
Jiang Li arrived in Great Zhou and found Ji Zhi in the middle of a heated argument with several ministers.
“What’s wrong with using the term ‘person’? Why not? If we define marriage with ‘person’ as the subject, we avoid the issue of marrying spiritual treasures!” Ji Zhi slammed the desk, making the memorial scrolls bounce.
“‘Person’ means the human race! If Your Majesty uses ‘person,’ how are the demon race and spirit creatures supposed to marry in Great Zhou? Are they not also citizens of our empire?”
Great Zhou wasn’t made up of just humans—there were occasional demons and spirit creatures too, though in small numbers.
“Who says ‘person’ only refers to humans? Humans, demons, and spirit creatures all fall under the category of ‘person.’ Is the Human Sovereign only the sovereign of humans? Don’t demons and spirits fall under the Human Sovereign’s jurisdiction too? Go ask Jiang Li how he understands the ‘human’ in Human Sovereign!”
“Your Majesty, you—”
“You lot—”
The shouting was so intense the roof was about to blow off. Jiang Li was startled. Anyone who didn’t know better would think this was a battle drum exchange between two warring armies instead of a legal debate.
“Pardon me, the Luban Sect has already agreed not to relocate to Great Zhou. No need to argue so fiercely,” Jiang Li said, appearing suddenly.
“This has nothing to do with the Luban Sect! And we’re not arguing!” Ji Zhi shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Yeah, this isn’t about the Luban Sect. This concerns the rigor of the law. Even the emperor can’t arbitrarily broaden definitions!” The veteran ministers refused to back down. They had studied law all their lives, were highly authoritative, and not afraid of Ji Zhi.
“Jiang Li, you tell us—what does ‘person’ mean?”
As the Human Sovereign, Jiang Li had his own understanding of “person.” The Human Sovereign doesn’t just protect humans—but all sentient beings in the Nine Provinces: humans, demons, spirit creatures, and even spiritual treasures.
He governed the Baize Dynasty. Commander Liu was a spirit creature and still became a commander—wasn’t that enough proof?
In Jiang Li’s view, anything sentient but not “immortal” belonged in the category of “person.”
“I’ve got stuff to do, you all carry on.” This bunch could argue over a single term for a month straight. Jiang Li had no interest in getting dragged into it.
Jiang Li found Ji Kongkong, who had taken on the form of a white fish, practicing the Dao of Time. Her older sister was tutoring her.
“Uncle Jiang,” the Second Princess of Great Zhou greeted him quickly.
“I remember your name’s Ji Huayu, right?”
“Yes.” Hearing the Human Sovereign remembered her name, Ji Huayu was a little excited.
“Studying the Dao of Time, huh? You two go ahead—I’ll just watch,” Jiang Li said cheerfully.
Ji Kongkong was about to turn back into human form and get dressed to greet Uncle Jiang, but upon hearing this, she changed her mind and continued her time practice.
Ji Huayu also gave it her all to instruct Ji Kongkong.
“Cultivating the Dao of Time lets you witness all past and present events. But what you can see depends on your cultivation and talent. For example, Father—his cultivation’s now high enough that he can see things from 280 years ago. But when it comes to the future, he can still only see about one month ahead. It’s much harder to see the future than the past.”
“Kongkong, you’ve probably noticed—you can see things from nine hours ago, but only see three minutes into the future.”
“And even being able to see the past and future only counts as a small achievement in the Dao of Time. Ancestor Shun once said that time across all realms manifests in a single independent space—that place is the River of Time. It’s space, yet not in the ordinary sense. Being able to reach the River of Time is considered a minor mastery.”
“But you’re still young. The River of Time is far off for now. Usually, entering it also requires a specific incantation. I’ll teach you that later.”
Ji Kongkong leapt out of the water and landed in Jiang Li’s palm, boasting, “I think I’ve grasped a bit of the River of Time’s essence. Second Sister, see if this is right.”
Ji Kongkong and Jiang Li’s figures gradually faded, their presence vanishing until they disappeared.
Ji Huayu watched in disbelief at the scene before her.
Ji Kongkong just took Uncle Jiang into the River of Time!?
She doesn’t even know the incantation yet!