Chapter 13: The Revitalization of the Heavenly Evolution Realm (Progress 13%)

Wenren Ji walked hurriedly until he entered a small garden, at which point he slowed down.

This place is secluded, with only neatly trimmed pines and cypresses in the garden. While the gardens in the palace are not filled with rare and exotic plants, they are at least decorated with some bright colors. But this place is all alone, without a single beautiful flower or plant in sight.

This is because the person living here has long been detached from worldly affairs and dislikes being disturbed, so there are no plants around that require meticulous care.

Passing through the small garden, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a magnificent palace hidden within the forbidden grounds of the imperial palace.

When the maid standing guard at the door saw him about to announce his arrival, he waved his hand slightly to stop her and signaled the others to step back.

The chief eunuch and personal guards who had accompanied him bowed and respectfully withdrew, leaving him alone outside the door.

At this moment, Wenren Ji, the emperor of the Southern Kingdom and the ruler of the entire mortal realm, showed a hint of nervousness. He lowered his head to carefully check whether his clothes were neat and tidy, smoothed out the folds of his clothes and straightened his crown before pushing open the heavy palace door.

He had just finished meeting with his court officials and hadn't even had time to change into his everyday clothes when he saw the dragon god appear. He rushed over, afraid that his inappropriate attire would displease the person in the hall.

The creaking sound of the palace door being pushed open seemed particularly abrupt.

Wenren Ji paused for a moment, then stepped inside.

A bronze incense burner placed in the center of the spacious front hall emits wisps of steam, and the faint fragrance can be smelled upon entering the room, calming the mind and spirit.

Wenren Ji walked around the rosewood table with several ancient books on it and went straight into the inner room.

The inner room was even more spacious than the front hall. He looked up and saw the ancient sword with a green pearl tassel hanging above the main seat. His gaze calmed down, as if he was at ease as long as this person was still there.

"Teacher," he called softly, his dark pupils reflecting the woman's back through the barrier.

The graceful figure behind the screen was aware of the commotion outside but did not react, thus leaving the monarch to his own devices.

Wenren Ji was used to it and waited there without saying a word.

Behind the magnificent embroidered screen, a woman dressed in pure white had a slightly cool expression, her calm eyes fixed on the screen in the void, invisible to others.

Rong Ling was browsing the forum, but in reality, she was controlling the flow of the discussion.

Once the main body saw that the test system was basically stable, it went to design the future academy. Jun Feibai was improving the forum search function and creating a large number of posts while the taskers had not yet fully grasped the forum information. The other clones were all busy with their own things, and she was the only one who was most free.

Therefore, she assisted Jun Feibai in controlling the forum.

Most of the task participants are carefully selected geniuses who are very bold, and they occasionally post some borderline content on the forum to test the waters.

For example, the post in front of us is Jun Feibai's pinned anonymous forum rules. To prevent misinterpretation, he specifically gave a vivid example below "Content involving real-world information will be automatically converted".

For example: I killed the two monsters from the Scorpio Palace who wanted to kill me in the Silent Forest.

This will automatically be translated as: I killed Wang Ergou, who wanted to kill me, in the reeds.

It seems like there's no problem, but a tasker replied below:

[Tasker 250: But my name is Wang Ergou!]

He accidentally sent it out, and the not-so-intelligent system took about ten breaths to trigger the automatic conversion.

[Tasker 250: But my name is Li Tiedan (replaced)]

The comments below were numerous.

[Tasker 996: Witnessing Er Gou's Name Change History]

[Tasker 2023: +1]

[Tasker 007: +2]

...

【Tasker 10086: +Mermaid Calendar】

[Task Taker 007: Mermaid Era? It's not hard to guess the species mentioned above, which means there are demon cultivators among the task takers?]

Another ten or so breaths later.

[Tasker 10086: +Southern Calendar (Replaced)]

The entry for Tasker 007 was deleted.

[Tasker 648: This can be changed?]

[Tasker2023: This can be modified too +1]

[Tasker 5656: This can be modified too + Southern Calendar]

There were many instances of this kind of loophole-exploiting behavior, and the forum was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

But the temporary moderator, Rong Ling, was not happy and directly imposed a twelve-hour ban package on each user.

Given the intelligence of these taskers, it's impossible for them to make repeated mistakes; they are taking the opportunity to test the limits of the forum's content.

While monitoring the system and patching the forum, Rong Ling refreshed the page and saw the latest post.

The poster was Su Xiaoyao, who had miraculously survived the ordeal.

Su Xiaoyao has a great attitude. Despite experiencing two life-or-death situations in a short period of time, she is still thriving in the forum. It's as if she treats the tasker exchange forum as a sharing software from her previous life, and she has to say something about everything.

[Tasker 996: I was terrified! I didn't know there were cultivators in the mortal realm too!]

The mortal realm refers to a wide area and cannot pinpoint the true information, therefore it was not blocked.

She then posted another message.

[Tasker 996: My hometown is still the safest place. Anyone from there? Let's exchange a code: Imperial Jade Liquor?]

Rong Ling deleted the message and sent a warning.

[Your post contains prohibited words.]

At the same time, she heard Jun Feibai, who was busy operating in the Mustard Seed Space, say: "The forum's automatic word recognition function needs improvement. In addition to automatically converting all content that reveals real information such as place names, personal names, and occupations, there are still many words that need to be added to the list of words to be blocked."

The main body remaining in the space lazily said, "There must be some punishment."

Rong Ling, who was in the mortal realm, casually silenced Su Xiaoyao for twelve hours. Even though she had only recently come out of seclusion for this girl, she was still ruthless when it came to silencing her.

Like Lin Ming, Rong Ling is one of Jun Huilian's clones. More than ten years ago, she came to Yongzhou to explore the world's fortune. While traveling through the mortal world to explore the dragon vein, she accidentally discovered that demonic cultivators were causing trouble for the world.

Demonic cultivators wreak havoc on the world and deserve to be killed by everyone. However, the major sects in the cultivation world are slowly using the excuse of checking disciples and coordinating teams to shirk their responsibilities and refuse to waste resources to go down to the mortal realm. The energy left by the Golden Dragon to protect the mortal realm ten thousand years ago is almost gone. So she borrowed the Golden Dragon's faith in the mortal realm and used violent means to quell the chaos.

After restoring order, she didn't plan to stay too long. However, the emperor of the Southern Kingdom died, and the royal family fought fiercely for the throne. Beset by internal and external troubles, the dragon vein developed cracks. If the mortal realm collapsed, the world's fortune would decline another level. Therefore, she suppressed her cultivation and stayed in the mortal realm, serving as a goddess under the Dragon God to oversee the Southern Kingdom and study the emperor's merits and fortune, as well as the formation and operation of the dragon vein.

Later, the new emperor appointed her as his national advisor. This title made it easier for her to study the dragon veins and the emperor's fortune, so she did not refuse.

There are also differences between Rong Ling and Lin Ming's alter egos.

Lin Ming has a gentle personality, while Rong Ling amplifies the cold side of Jun Huilian's personality, while also inheriting her stubbornness. Once her mind is set on something, she doesn't look back, showing a kind of indifference that only sees herself.

However, this drawback is not only negative; it also brings boundless patience, allowing one to consistently persevere once committed to a goal.

Jun Huilian suffered hardships in her youth, but she was essentially a hedonist. If she were asked to stay in a small room for ten years without cultivating, eating, drinking, speaking, or doing anything, she could endure it, but her mood would definitely be depressed. Rong Ling, who amplified a certain personality trait of hers, could remain calm and composed.

Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. The mortal realm is at peace, and under the rule of the new emperor Wenren Ji, there are signs that it is moving towards a golden age.

After studying the imperial dragon vein and repairing the broken parts, she learned how to imitate and gather fortune. So, taking advantage of protecting her own mission members, she suppressed the evil intentions of some people who wanted to disrupt the world. She planned to leave behind a deterrent before returning to the cultivation world to prepare for the establishment of a cultivation academy.

Thinking of this, Rong Ling realized that she hadn't told Wenren Ji about this plan yet.

Perfect timing, the person has arrived.

"Bring me my sword," Rong Ling said calmly.

Wenren Ji was taken aback. He slowly looked up at the sword that was suspended in mid-air but remained motionless, and a sense of unease suddenly welled up in his heart.

Ten years ago, Rong Ling used this very sword to slay three thousand demons, lifted him from the ruins, threw him onto the throne, and asked him—

"Do you want to be the emperor of the Southern Kingdom?"

He eventually managed to persuade the man to stay, and the sword remained hanging for ten years.

Is he finally leaving?

He guessed what Rong Ling was going to say next, and felt a void in his heart. He took down his heavy sword and went behind the screen.

Meeting Rong Ling's indifferent gaze, he was slightly taken aback and unconsciously raised his hand to touch his cheek.

Ten years have passed, and the teacher's appearance has not changed at all; he still looks like he is twenty years old. He looks older than the teacher.

This is the difference between mortals and cultivators.

"Teacher, your sword." He composed himself, presenting the sword with both hands.

Rong Ling took the sword and glanced at him: "I haven't taught you anything, so I can't be a teacher."

Wenren Ji stubbornly called out "Teacher" again: "You guided me onto the right path and prevented me from becoming a victim of the struggles of the previous dynasty. I acknowledge you as my teacher from the bottom of my heart."

Rong Ling's eyes were unreadable, not understanding his persistence: "You have the greatest fortune, and only you can ascend to the throne."

“But you’ll lose a lot, won’t you? You won’t be so at ease,” Wenren Ji said with a gentle smile.

He appeared gentle and mild-mannered, but he knew very well what he used to be like.

A child who grows up being bullied in a cold palace cannot be kind and virtuous. Even if he ascends the throne, he would be a tyrannical ruler. He hides his true nature to this extent simply to avoid disappointing the person who dragged him out of the darkness.

Rong Ling did not refute.

When she arrived in the mortal realm, the Southern Kingdom was on the verge of collapse, and she saw three lines of fate.

First, the collapse of the great edifice and the reshaping of order in the chaos will bring suffering to the people, and it will take at least twenty years for them to catch their breath. She suppressed her power and came to the mortal realm to study the royal dragon vein, and she did not want to wait long. Besides, if the mortal realm is in chaos, there will be fewer talents to send to the cultivation world, which is something she does not want to see.

The second storyline is that Wenren Ji ascended the throne, but unfortunately, he was tyrannical and the Southern Kingdom still headed towards its end. After a period of fierce competition among heroes, a new empire was re-established, and the chaos lasted for fifty years.

The last path, uncertain, corresponds to her fate after she intervenes.

She figured the worst-case scenario wouldn't be worse than the first two options, so she made the decision without thinking.

As it turned out, she was right. By ending the chaos ahead of time, the fortunes of the mortal realm stabilized, and she no longer had to listen to the daily lamentations of the Heavenly Dao.

Of course, Rong Ling's personality didn't consider whether what she did was right or wrong; she only wanted the result.

"Teacher, are you going back?" Wenren Ji asked.

"Hmm." Rong Ling lowered her eyes and picked up the green beaded tassel at the end of the sword hilt, smoothing it out.

“Indeed, you do not belong to the mortal realm.” Wenren Ji smiled bitterly.

He was sixteen years old at the time. He had heard that in the cultivation world, anyone under a hundred years old was considered a teenager, and only those two or three hundred years old could be called young adults. He also overheard her casually mention that "the cultivators sent down by the major sects of the cultivation world to fight against demonic cultivators are all children under thirty years old."

When he first met Rong Ling, he found her to be stubborn and thought that in her eyes he was probably still a newborn child. So, taking advantage of his young age, he begged and pleaded, saying that he had the title of emperor but no one to support him and was very panicked, so that he was forced to stay.

Now that she's returning to the cultivation world, he can no longer act coquettishly and foolishly.

"Will you return to the mortal realm?" he asked.

Rong Ling replied without hesitation, "Of course."

She also needs to find the next batch of task takers for the system, and wants to see if there are any overlooked talents in the mortal world.

With the collapse of fortune, the probability of geniuses emerging is generally low. It is very possible that a cultivation prodigy will become just an ordinary person because he has never had his spiritual root tested since childhood. Therefore, she plans to travel around a few more times after a period of time.

Wenren Ji pursed her lips: "Around when will we meet again?"

"I don't know," Rong Ling replied honestly.

The testing system has just been deployed, and its effects have not yet been seen.

Back then, Fang Tieyan cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage in just twenty years with the help of the system, and that was in an environment with very little spiritual energy. The first batch of mission takers shouldn't see the effects too slowly.

It's impossible to know exactly how long it will take.

Wenren Ji was conflicted.

Cultivators often seclude themselves for ten or twenty years, but Rong Ling suddenly had the idea to refine a weapon and secluded himself for two years without coming out.

Perhaps when we meet again, he will be all white-haired.

He suppressed the bitterness in his heart, took out a blue-and-white porcelain bottle containing elixirs from his sleeve, and said with hope, "They say these are elixirs that can help me transform myself and cultivate into an immortal."

Rong Ling glanced at her coldly: "If you can't die from eating that, you must be a god."

A pile of pills made from medicinal herbs, good for cultivators to strengthen their bodies, but can they be given to mortals?

After becoming radiant and feeling like an immortal, one's inner self is completely depleted.

Sensing the chill in her words, Wenren Ji's refined mask cracked for a moment, revealing the dark side hidden beneath the facade.

“Don’t believe those people in the cultivation world,” she said.

Wenren Ji crushed the elixir: "Teacher's teachings are correct."

Since the mortal realm and the cultivation realm are interconnected, it is impossible for the two to be completely unconnected. Throughout history, royal families have supported and cooperated with sects in the cultivation realm.

For the past ten years, the mortal realm has been recuperating and focusing on governance. Unlike previous emperors, he did not offer tributes to those high-ranking cultivators. These guys were so audacious that they actually dared to plot against him.

Fortunately, although he was eager for immortality, he still retained his rationality.

Do they really think they can decide who becomes emperor?

A look of disgust and ruthlessness flashed across Wenren Ji's eyes.

With Rong Ling in front of him, he temporarily suppressed his anger and decided to settle the score properly later.

The Imperial Preceptor, being straightforward, neither understood nor cared about the subtleties in the words. He simply asked, "Does this student still have a chance to achieve immortality?"

Rong Ling was puzzled: "Ten years ago I told you that everything has its constants, and there is gain and loss. From the moment you sat on the throne, your immortal destiny was severed. Unless you create a great achievement that benefits generations to come, emperors have no chance to ascend to immortality. In the history of the mortal world, only the first emperor who achieved unification had this ability."

The merits of an emperor and the path of cultivating immortality are in conflict. Wenren Ji knew the answer ten years ago, but he still clung to a sliver of hope.

There's no such thing as having it all in this world, so he could only smile bitterly: "Ten years have passed, and I've forgotten some things. Ordinary mortals always have bad memories."

Rong Ling nodded in understanding.

Wenren Ji bit his tongue, took a deep breath, and said with a hint of pleading, "Please stay until after my birthday."

Not caring about the short time, Rong Ling agreed: "Sure, I missed your birthday banquet last year because I was refining a weapon, so I'll give you a gift this year."

Wenren Ji lowered his eyelashes: "It wasn't there either the year before last."

Rong Ling looked puzzled: "Really?"

"Yes, I'm twenty-six years old this year."

Rong Ling frowned: "Oh, I have a bad sense of time."

Losing track of time is a common problem among cultivators.

"If I sever my path to immortality, is it possible for the children of the imperial clan to cultivate?" Wenren Ji asked knowingly.

Rong Ling looked at him strangely.

She was thinking, what would the clan members you send to the cooperating sects every year be doing? Sweeping and cleaning?

However, seeing the adoration in his cheap apprentice's fox-like eyes, he swallowed his words.

Well, she knew that Wenren Ji was young and lacked love, and had a deep dependence on her. It was normal for a child to talk nonsense in front of an adult.

"Yes," she replied.

Wenren Ji's smile widened: "On the Emperor's birthday, could I please ask you, Master, to take a look and see if there are any children in the imperial clan with decent aptitude, and what cultivation path would be suitable for them?"

"You want me to give royal relatives special treatment and send them to trustworthy sects?" Rong Ling raised an eyebrow.

Wenren Ji replied readily, "Is that alright, Master?"

He said with a sense of grievance, "As you know, the sects that the Southern Kingdom has supported for many years have long looked down on ordinary people. They even dare to give me random medicines, so they certainly don't care about the royal family. I need time to find the next sect to cooperate with."

Rong Ling knew that he had connections with far more than just the sects that had been supported by the Southern Kingdom over the years, but she was leaving, and this human child had called her teacher for so many years.

Furthermore, although the university is still under construction, it would be too late to promote and recruit students once it is completed. It is better to release some information in advance.

So she nodded: "Perfect timing. My master is about to open his sect and spread his teachings. If there are suitable people, they might be able to attend classes after a few years of training. However, there are limited spots, so we need to select some good candidates."

Wenren Ji was slightly taken aback: "I've heard you say that your academy has been secluded for many years and no longer accepts disciples, and it's forbidden to mention it to outsiders..."

Rong Ling gazed into the distance: "With the revival of fortune, the mountain gate will soon open."

Wenren Ji's eyes lit up.

To be able to teach a disciple like the Imperial Preceptor, how powerful must this secluded academy be!

He straightened his body and slowly bowed in greeting, solemnly seeking guidance as the emperor of the Southern Kingdom in the mortal realm.

"May I ask which academy the Imperial Preceptor studied at?"

Rong Ling's voice was calm and steady: "Tianyan Academy."

Wenren Ji's pupils suddenly contracted, and he lost his composure, saying, "Who in this world dares to use the title of the Heavenly Dao Ancestor to name an academy?"

A fleeting, absurd guess gripped his heart.

Rong Ling's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile, and the coldness on her face dissipated like a gentle spring breeze.

"Of course, it is my teacher himself."

A note from the author:

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