Chapter 535: The Second Full Moon Banquet

“Channeling Qi into the body? That might be difficult. Children in our Nine Provinces only begin cultivation at eight years old. Are you suggesting we wait for a clone to live until eight, then have it learn cultivation?”

“The oldest clone is currently one year old. Waiting another seven years is fine—we can afford to wait seven years!” The Machinery King was excited, deeply regretting having driven away the Nine Provinces cultivators out of momentary jealousy.

The Nine Provinces cultivators had found the solution to a problem that had plagued them for ten thousand years in such a short time; they were practically immortals.

“Seven years is too long. Sect Master Huang, can you show me what the poison looks like?”

“Alright.”

A vortex of air appeared in Huang Chengdan’s hand. After removing the impurities, what remained was the granular poison.

“So it’s this kind of thing.” With a sweep of his spiritual sense, Jiang Li immediately identified what the poison hidden in the air looked like.

Jiang Li raised his hand, similarly conjuring a vortex of air. However, this vortex grew larger and larger, forming a hurricane that enveloped the entire city.

The wind was so powerful that it lifted the entire city a few centimeters off the ground.

“He’s gathered all the air in the world here.” Huang Chengdan was astonished; this move by the Human Sovereign had already surpassed the realm of “human.”

The Forge Machinery World was full of robots; they didn’t need to breathe.

“Disperse.” Jiang Li uttered a light command, which sounded like a decree but was merely him stating a fact.

The hurricane dissipated, and a pitch-black pill appeared in Jiang Li’s hand.

“This is the poison that has plagued you for ten thousand years.”

Jiang Li applied a slight force, and the poison pill was annihilated, turning into nothingness.

The Machinery King’s body trembled. Tears streamed down his face as he knelt to thank Jiang Li and the others, repeatedly saying “thank you.”

“Sect Master Huang should have told you about the Nine Provinces World’s foreign policy. If you are willing, you can come with us to the Nine Provinces. Commander Liu of the Human Sovereign Hall will discuss the specific details with you.”

The Machinery King was somewhat confused. What foreign policy of the Nine Provinces World?

Huang Chengdan quietly explained from the side: “Human Sovereign, we hadn’t gotten to that yet before the Machinery King started attacking us.”

Huang Chengdan explained in detail to the Machinery King the current relationships between the Nine Provinces World and other worlds, covering policy guidelines, personnel movement, and economic and cultural exchanges.

As he spoke, Huang Chengdan realized something was off—why did the Nine Provinces World sound like the center of the myriad worlds?

The Machinery King didn’t understand the intricacies, but he felt that the Nine Provinces World was extremely powerful. He also learned that Huang Chengdan and the Great Scholar’s Manuscript had held back; otherwise, a single sheet from the Manuscript could have disabled the mechanical octopus.

Only those with ultimate power have the courage and qualification to maintain such relationships with other worlds.

“You really aren’t from the Immortal Realm?”

Jiang Li said with a laugh, “How could we be? We’re just an ordinary world that loves peace, completely unrelated to the Immortal Realm. Don’t overthink it.”

“Oh, establishing diplomatic relations with other worlds is a significant matter. Could you allow us some time to consider it?”

Jiang Li signaled to Bai Hongtu, who took out a one-time communication talisman.

“If you wish to come to the Nine Provinces, tear this talisman, and someone will come to pick you up.”

Jiang Li summoned the Brahma Tower to send everyone back. He also mentioned the future task of connecting the myriad worlds to the Brahma Tower.

“…Human Sovereign, bringing up such a major matter so casually isn’t appropriate, is it?” The Brahma Tower’s heart trembled upon hearing this. It was merely an immortal artifact skilled in spatial principles; how could it be worthy of the heavy responsibility of transporting people across the myriad worlds?

Nevertheless, the Brahma Tower accepted the task. Sending cultivators to investigate various worlds would help resolve potential crises and save lives.

Being busier to save more lives was a worthwhile trade-off.

Bai Hongtu and the others returned to their respective factions. Jiang Li originally planned to wander around, but as he passed the Human Sovereign Hall, he remembered his diligent self who had passed by three times without entering. He felt he should go in and take a look.

…

Two Human Sovereign Hall guards stood at the entrance, postures as straight as flagpoles, looking imposing and majestic.

The two were communicating via focused sound transmission.

“Brother, don’t you think it’s strange that we’re guards of the Human Sovereign Hall but never get to see the Hall Master?”

“Absolutely. My wife asked me, ‘Since you work at the Human Sovereign Hall, can you see the Human Sovereign every day?'”

“What did you say?”

“I said that’s exactly what I thought when I first arrived at the Human Sovereign Hall.”

“I’m currently considering whether to retire and become a gatekeeper at the Dao Sect. I heard from Dao Sect friends that the Hall Master visits the Dao Sect more often than he comes here.”

“You’ve only been here three years; isn’t it a bit early to be thinking about retirement?”

“This is called long-term planning. I was planning how to cultivate from the Qi Refining Stage to the Spirit Transformation Stage back when I was in Qi Refining. See, didn’t I succeed? Just this morning, I was thinking about where to be buried after I die. I heard the cliffs of the Great Wei Dynasty have excellent feng shui; cultivators are often buried there. I think being buried there is a good choice.”

While they were chatting, Jiang Li landed at the entrance and casually said, “Good work, both of you.”

“Hall Master!” Upon seeing Jiang Li, their eyes lit up, and they immediately stopped thinking about retirement and burial plots.

From the outside, the Human Sovereign Hall looked the same as always, no different. But as he walked towards the main hall, the Hall began to change, gradually becoming decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, filled with a joyous atmosphere.

It was almost as if Jiang Li was getting married.

“Hall Master, you came at the perfect time. I was just about to contact you.” Commander Liu hadn’t expected Jiang Li to return to the Human Sovereign Hall so soon after leaving.

Commander Liu thought this was a sign that Jiang Li wanted to personally oversee the Hall.

“What’s the happy occasion?” Jiang Li hadn’t figured out what was happening yet.

“Commander Ma Zhuo’s child was born. A boy, named Ma Zhongzheng. You’re the one who gave the child his name.”

“The Commander Ma Zhuo couple plans to hold a full moon banquet to celebrate. I suggested holding it in the side hall of the Human Sovereign Hall, so all the commanders can gather. I was just about to notify you when you arrived.”

Jiang Li entered the side hall of the Human Sovereign Hall and saw the Ma Zhuo couple holding their little baby. The infant was wailing loudly, and no matter how Commander Ma Zhuo tried to soothe him, it was useless.

“Here, let me hold him.” Jiang Li gently took the baby.

A surprising thing happened—the baby cried even harder.

Jiang Li handed the baby back and said with a perfectly straight face, “I see this child has great potential for soundwave techniques in the future. I’ll write a soundwave technique manual for him later.”

“…Hall Master, with your baby-holding technique, anyone you hold would cry.” Commander Ma couldn’t help but comment.

Jiang Li glared.

“Haha, look what I found! Watch me show off my skills today!” Zhang Konghu laughed heartily, dragging a net bag behind him.

Inside the net bag were various rare beasts, such as wild boars, scaled fish, mountain-moving chickens, etc.—all creatures without intelligence, known for their delicious taste, and highly sought-after ingredients by spirit chefs.

The beasts were still alive and struggling.

Zhang Konghu knocked on their heads: “Quiet down, all of you. We’re just going to eat you, it’s not like we’re going to do anything else to you. Why all the fuss?”

The beasts couldn’t understand Zhang Konghu and continued to struggle.

“Why is my little nephew crying? Here, Uncle Zhang brought you something good.” Zhang Konghu took a string of candied hawthorns from his storage ring.

The little baby immediately stopped crying as he hugged and gnawed on a candied hawthorn.

Jiang Li: “…”