After the peaches were eaten, the Yaochi fairies still took away the peach pits. The Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady then ordered the Qingyan boy to serve spiritual tea to Fang Jian, saying, "You must practice diligently in the Cave God Hall. It will be of great help to you in your future."

Fang Jian was drinking tea and immediately responded, "Yes."

The Lady of the Nine Heavens nodded and said with a smile, "We've eaten the peaches and talked. If you want to go somewhere else, go ahead. There's no need to sit here with me."

Upon hearing this, Fang Jian immediately stood up, walked away from the jade table, and bowed, saying, "Fang Jian will take his leave."

The Lady of the Nine Heavens smiled and said, "Go ahead. If you have free time in the future, you can come to Taishi Xiandu more often."

After saying this, the Lady of the Nine Heavens said to the Qingyan boy beside her, "Pass on my decree: from now on, when Fang Jian comes to Taishi Immortal Capital, he does not need to report in advance and can come and go freely at any time."

The Qingyan boy immediately accepted the order and sang in obedience, "I will obey the Queen's order."

Fang Jian thanked her again, then bid farewell to the Queen Mother of the West and left the Taiyuan Hall.

After eating three nine-thousand-year-old peaches, Fang Jian felt that his cultivation level and physical body had improved a lot. Moreover, as they both had innate spiritual roots, the power of the peaches was also extremely beneficial to the growth of the innate thunder spirit tree.

After Fang Jian walked out of the Taiyuan Hall, he stretched his body. Then, a burst of purple lightning flashed by, and he looked even more ethereal and radiant.

After leaving Taishi Xiandu, Fang Jian went all the way to the Thunder Department. Now there were more than three hours before the next sermon at the Cave God Hall, which was enough time for him to have a good cup of tea at the Thunder Department.

Fang Jian was an old acquaintance of the Thunder Department. He went directly to the Heaven Department Court and was warmly received by Ji Hong, the Prime Minister of the Heaven Department Court.

"The magpie was calling early this morning. It turns out that Master Hongqing was coming." Ji Hong said with a smile after ordering someone to serve tea to Fang Jian.

Fang Jian was surprised to hear this and asked, "Can magpies be seen in heaven?"

Ji Hong laughed and said, "There are all kinds of things in Heaven, but they are all immortal creatures, not ordinary creatures. This magpie is naturally also an immortal bird."

At this point, Ji Hong sighed and said, "Master Hongqing is truly young and promising. After completing his training at the Cave God Hall, he will become a super-grade immortal official."

As he spoke, Ji Hong personally brewed tea for Fang Jian and said, "But now I have to address Master Hongqing as my superior."

Who would have thought that Fang Jian, who was only a fifth-rank immortal official not long ago, became a first-rank immortal official in the blink of an eye, and would soon become a super-rank immortal official.

"There's no need to make such a clear distinction. We are all colleagues in Heaven. Why should we insist on ranking who is superior and who is inferior?" Fang Jian said.

Ji Hong nodded and said, "That's true. It's all for the welfare of all beings in the three realms. What difference does it make to be high or low?"

At this point, Fang Jian asked Ji Hong, "Is the winter thunder about to begin?"

Ji Hong nodded and said, "Around the winter solstice of the Earth calendar, what's the matter? What does Master Hongqing have in mind?"

Fang Jian asked, "Where will the winter thunder strike this year?"

Ji Hong took a sip of the spiritual tea and said, "There are sixty-three states in the Southern Continent, thirty-seven states in the Eastern Continent, eight states in the Northern Continent, and sixteen states in the Western Continent."

"Why are there so many in Jambudvīpa?" Fang Jian asked with some confusion.

Ji Hong smiled and said, "You'll know if you go and see. The Daoist, Buddhist, and Xuanjiao sects in Southern Jambudvīpa are fighting each other with blood flowing like rivers. If they don't send down more winter thunder, I'm afraid it will cause a great disaster."

"Then my Xiniu Hezhou is too small. Dongsheng Shenzhou is so peaceful and has thirty-seven states. Why does Xiniu Hezhou only have sixteen states?" Fang Jian asked doubtfully.

Ji Hong immediately explained: "Master Hongqing, please don't misunderstand me. This is actually a common practice."

Then Ji Hong explained to Fang Jian why there were so few winter thunders in Xiniu Hezhou. It was because before Fang Jian took office in Xitian Mansion, Xiniu Hezhou was completely the territory of Buddhism, and the power and faith of the Heavenly Court were difficult to penetrate.

Therefore, because the faith of the Heavenly Court could not completely cover Xiniu Hezhou before, it was useless to send so many winter thunders. Instead, it helped the Buddhist sect to spread its faith.

"The situation has definitely changed now," Fang Jian said. "Xiniu Hezhou is now completely under the rule of Xitianfu. The majesty and faith of the Heavenly Court can cover every inch of Xiniu Hezhou."

When Ji Hong heard this, he immediately understood Fang Jian's purpose in coming to the Thunder Department. "Master Hongqing wants to expand the area where the winter thunder of Xiniu Hezhou falls?"

"Yes." Fang Jian nodded and said, "The bigger the better."

Ji Hong pondered for a moment and said, "The number of winter thunders has been set by the Tianbu Tingsi. If we want to change it, we must re-plan it."

Fang Jian looked at Ji Hong, who lowered his head and pondered in his mind, "To re-plan the number of winter thunders, not only must we discuss it with the thirty-six Thunder Gods, but we must also submit a petition to the Divine Thunder Jade Palace. However, the Divine Thunder Jade Palace may not agree."

"Why?" Fang Jian asked.

Ji Hong said, "Because every time the Heavenly Court sends down divine thunder on the mortal world, it needs to plan ahead and then submit a report to the Divine Thunder Jade Palace. Once the Divine Thunder Jade Palace approves it, the Five Thunder Emperors will issue an edict to allocate the various treasures, talismans, and other items needed for the thunder from the Grain and Material Court. If the plan is changed at the last minute, it will not only affect the Divine Thunder Jade Palace, but also the accounts of the Grain and Material Court."

At this point, Ji Hong looked at Fang Jian and said, "If we temporarily add five or six more states, we can use the remaining supplies and treasures in the Tianbu Tingsi warehouse to make up for it, but too much won't work."

Fang Jian asked, "What if we want to cover the entire territory of Xiniu Hezhou?"

"An entire continent?!" Ji Hong exclaimed in shock, then looked at Fang Jian and said, "Master Hongqing, are you kidding?"

"I'm not kidding." Fang Jian said, "Now that Xiniu Hezhou has been initially established, and the divine might of Heaven has begun to take shape, it's not enough to just have might; grace is also needed. That's why I want to bring down the entire Xiniu Hezhou this winter."

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