Chapter 415: "The Inter-World Friendship Treaty"
To be fair, Jiang Li thought these people were being overly afraid of Black and White Impermanence.
He believed that while Black and White Impermanence might employ somewhat rough methods, they were ultimately reasonable entities. The Underworld probably wouldn’t reclaim these people.
However, judging by their current state, even if he explained this, they likely wouldn’t listen—they were dead set on clinging to the Nine Provinces’ coattails.
Originally, Jiang Li had planned to follow the same approach as with Mingzhong World—starting with small-scale talent exchanges and mutual communication before gradually expanding interactions, ultimately establishing formal relations with the Nine Provinces.
But now they’d skipped straight to the third step.
Even Mingzhong World was only at the second stage currently.
Since they wanted to establish good relations with the Nine Provinces, Jiang Li decided to accommodate their wishes.
“Don’t rush. Let me draft some regulations and treaties first.”
Formal ceremonies and documents were necessary when establishing connections between worlds.
“After formal relations are established and spatial channels created, would you two siblings like to go to the Nine Provinces to develop further?”
Luo Ying hesitated: “But I still need to continue teaching people how to cultivate immortality.”
Luo Zhu, however, saw things more clearly: “Brother, once cultivators from the Nine Provinces arrive, there will naturally be tutors and similar figures coming to our world to take over your duties.”
Jiang Li nodded: “Exactly so.”
This put Luo Ying at ease.
The Nine Provinces offered far greater growth potential—if they could go there, they certainly should.
…
When Jiang Li found Ji Zhi, the latter had just finished morning court.
“You look exhausted—what troubles have you encountered now?”
Ji Zhi glanced enviously at the perpetually energetic Jiang Li.
“We’ve been debating whether to amend certain laws.”
As he spoke, Ji Zhi produced something resembling a helmet: “This is a holographic simulator purchased from Mingzhong World. Wearing this makes you feel like you’re in an illusionary realm where you can freely imagine anything. To prevent addiction, it can only be used once per day for no more than two hours.”
“Sounds quite impressive. What’s the issue?”
Recently, as exchanges between the Nine Provinces and Mingzhong World increased, cultivators could increasingly be seen using various high-tech devices.
For instance, when Jiang Li presided over the Human Sovereign Hall, he approved a cultivator tournament jointly hosted by the Great Yong and Wu Yue Dynasties. Later, observing from an unnoticed location, he witnessed some peculiar phenomena.
The tournament rules prohibited using spiritual treasures beyond one’s cultivation level. So some Qi Refining Stage cultivators brought weapons like rocket launchers and grenades, leaving their opponents dumbfounded.
These thermal weapons could only be withstood by Foundation Establishment cultivators—how could Qi Refining Stage opponents possibly block them?
Additionally, there were Foundation Establishment matches featuring depleted uranium rounds, Golden Core matches featuring mecha suits… it became quite the spectacle.
“Originally I thought these holographic simulators were fine too, but then new versions appeared on the market. Wearing these lets users fantasize about romantic encounters with various beauties.”
“How does Mingzhong World handle this?”
“They have all-ages versions and adult versions.”
“Then you could do the same categorization.”
Ji Zhi pointed at the simulator: “This is an adult version. A twelve-year-old child had his two-hundred-year-old great-grandfather purchase it—they share the same device.”
“…”
“The simulator can detect user age, but that’s designed for Mingzhong World. See these runes painted on it? There are always cultivators in the Nine Provinces who can use magic to fool the simulator.”
“…”
Jiang Li found this utterly ridiculous.
“What brings you here this time?”
“Right. I recently communicated with the zombie world—they expressed interest in establishing relations with the Nine Provinces. I wanted to ask your Great Zhou Dynasty to draft a preliminary diplomatic document.”
“That’s simple enough.”
Ji Zhi stopped speaking and instead used his double pupils to gaze into the future.
In the future, he consulted several officials proficient in law and diplomacy to draft the required document.
Ji Zhi rapidly wrote down the future document’s contents.
“Here you go.” Ji Zhi handed over a jade pendant. Scanning it with his spiritual sense, Jiang Li had to admit professionals truly were professional—the wording was meticulous and appropriate.
“One more thing. Recently I visited the River of Time and met your ancestor, Emperor Shun.”
“You met our ancestor?!” Ji Zhi sprang to his feet.
The Ji family’s greatest wish had always been to meet Emperor Shun in the River of Time, but the emperor seemed unwilling to see them, never appearing.
Who would have thought Jiang Li would accomplish in his second River visit what generations of the Ji family had failed to achieve?
The ancestor’s favoritism was just too blatant!
They’d always treated their ancestor well, offering sufficiently precious tributes annually.
“Emperor Shun was quite amiable, sharing many secrets with me. He claimed his mastery of time was supreme—not even the immortal realm contained his equal.”
Jiang Li recounted his encounter with Emperor Shun.
“No wonder our Ji family members who ascended couldn’t find our ancestor in the immortal realm. Even Immortal Elder Changcun didn’t know his whereabouts. So our ancestor has been in the River of Time this whole time since becoming immortal.”
“By the way, why tell me about meeting our ancestor?”
“To brag.”
Ji Zhi slammed the table: “Think you’re so great just because you’re at the Mahayana Stage? Just wait until I reach the Unity Stage—I’ll go back five hundred years and beat you up!”
“Your Majesty, Human Sovereign Jiang has already left.”
Ji Zhi rolled his eyes: “Obviously. You think I’d dare say that to his face?”
He and Jiang Li had met at the Great Zhou Imperial Academy. Since their acquaintance, he’d never once bested Jiang Li—either getting thoroughly beaten or being on the receiving end of a thorough beating.
Under Jiang Li’s relentless pushing, someone as combat-inept as him had risen from the bottom of the class rankings to become second strongest in their year. When the previous Zhou Emperor heard about this, he hosted a banquet for Jiang Li, saying he should “discipline” Ji Zhi more often.
He’d remember Jiang Li for life.
…
Establishing stable spatial channels required a long-term supply of spiritual energy to maintain them. Thus Jiang Li visited the Corpse Driving Sect to explain the zombie world situation.
When the sect elders heard such good news, they immediately pounded their chests, promising to handle the spiritual energy supply.
What could be more wonderful than a world overrun by zombies?
“Zombies everywhere—it’s practically paradise!” The Corpse Driving Sect Leader’s eyes gleamed, itching to visit the zombie world immediately.
Just when their sect lacked materials, Jiang Li delivered them—truly thoughtful.
Jiang Li thought the sect had a point in some ways. Currently, the immortal realm was filled with mortal corpses, earthly immortals turned monsters, and fallen immortals—not much different from a zombie apocalypse.
Next, Jiang Li contacted representatives from Tianji Tower, Brahma Tower, and several other factions to accompany him to the zombie world.
Tianji Tower would publish a special Tianji Report covering the event; Brahma Tower would establish spatial channels; the faction representatives would serve as ceremonial figures.
In year 4810 of the Yan Calendar, the Nine Provinces World and Zombie World formally established relations. The Human Sovereign and Federation Chairman jointly signed “The Inter-World Friendship Treaty,” along with subsidiary treaties like “The Mutual Assistance Treaty” and “The Commercial Treaty.”
The Tower Master of Tianji Tower recorded this historic moment, printing the photograph across an entire page.
At this very moment, the Nine Provinces Earth Vein quietly grew stronger.