Uncle Ma said, "Productivity determines production relations, and the economic base determines the superstructure."

If it were in a previous life, science relied on the collective intelligence of humanity, which would inevitably be led by governments and nations.

If it were a cultivation world, driven by individual prowess and wisdom, it would inevitably be dominated by cultivation families and religious sects.

But in this world where demons and evil spirits rampage without the suppression of major cultivation sects, the role of the nation is elevated once more, so millennial dynasties are not uncommon.

...

It has been nearly a thousand years since the founding of the Qian, and the Imperial Capital Haojing is naturally a scene of prosperity, with even a random bluestone brick on the ground exuding ancientness and vicissitudes.

Looking around, the streets are filled with intersecting pavilions, flying eaves and intricate beams standing quietly in the wind and snow. Pedestrians walk on snow, bustling and crowded, with patrol soldiers and officials' sedans passing by from time to time...

Zhang Kui rode a tiger, inevitably drawing attention, but it wasn't noisy.

Many commoners merely watched silently and then turned back, eyes filled with confusion.

Zhang Kui remained silent.

Although the great plague has passed, almost every household in the Capital City has casualties, and some were even completely wiped out.

Commoners, like duckweed, how could they withstand chaos? Even if they saw the changes in fortunes of the nobles, they could only worry about the food in their mouths, ultimately drifting with the flow.

Just like the many vacant houses left behind during this period without owners, soon to be filled by newcomers, who would remember the laughter and joy that once filled those houses...

Zhang Kui, in his previous life, was just a commoner. Even with fortuity, he didn't think highly of himself, but sometimes he couldn't help but feel a deep-seated anger, wanting to seek justice for those nameless souls in grievance.

Fatty Tiger was naturally unaffected by these matters, his face cheeky as he said, "Taoist, why don't we head to Xinghua Square first?"

"Fool, someday your gluttony will lead to trouble!"

Zhang Kui frowned and reprimanded, but then swallowed his saliva, "Hmm... what's special over there?"

Fatty Tiger immediately perked up, licking his lips as he said, "There's plenty, like roasted lamb ribs, braised pig intestines, clear beef stew, roast suckling pig..."

Fatty Tiger described them drooling, and Zhang Kui, hearing this, also felt hungry, so man and tiger headed towards Xinghua Square at once.

They had just found an old lamb shop to sit down in when they noticed a man in a black robe on the street whose eyes lit up and ran over.

"Taoist, do you still remember me?"

"You look familiar, you are..."

"I am Guo Huai, the constable of Pingkang County."

"Oh, right."

Zhang Kui suddenly remembered the man in front of him.

Back in Qingzhou, Lian Chengzi of the Great Yu Dynasty's Langya Pavilion schemed for a thousand years, hoping to share longevity with his beloved, but ended up with nothing, inadvertently causing the fall of Pingkang County and the death of its people. This man was the constable who escaped.

"How come you're in the Capital City?"

Zhang Kui asked with a smile while eating meat.

"Taoist, you instructed me to report the news, and thanks to Lord Wu's appreciation, I was recommended to the Ministry of Justice for a position."

Guo Huai suddenly knelt and kowtowed,

"Taoist, you avenged the people of Pingkang County and are my benefactor. Please accept my bow as a gesture of rebirth!"

"Rise, rise..."

Zhang Kui laughed heartily, "It was your opportunity, not much to do with me. Meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land is delightful, come, sit down and have a drink."

Guo Huai waved his hands, smiled respectfully, and said:

"If it were in Pingkang County, I'd definitely accompany the Taoist for enjoyment. But the Capital City is strictly governed; if seen by colleagues, it might bring embarrassment to Lord Wu and the Taoist."

"Alright, as you please..."

Zhang Kui chuckled and didn't mind, "Where are you headed?"

Guo Huai looked around, pulled a stool over and sat down, whispering mysteriously:

"Taoist, have you heard of the Capital City Gu Poison case?"

Zhang Kui's eyes shifted slightly, "Of course, I've heard. Some say it's the work of the Ghost Rong Kingdom."

"Taoist, there's something you might not know..."

Guo Huai smiled slightly, "This case is definitely not done by the Ghost Rong Kingdom. Poisoning one's own people, is the Golden Tent of the Grassland a bunch of fools?"

"Of course, the Court knows it too, but they can't find the culprit, so they can only find a scapegoat to vent their anger."

"Indeed."

Zhang Kui nodded in agreement. If he were a high-ranking official in the Ghost Rong Kingdom, he would have done it stealthily instead of making a mess.

"What, did you find something out?"

Zhang Kui asked with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Guo Huai smiled proudly.

"Although the other party silenced many people, leaving seemingly no flaws, there are always oversights. I heard that the Ghost Rong merchants secretly kept a woman, who vanished before the incident. I'm planning to investigate along this line."

Zhang Kui shook his head in silence, "You sure are bold. Do you know who you're up against?"

"I do, definitely a powerful cultivator."

Guo Huai smiled wryly, "Taoist, after experiencing life and death, I no longer wish to live a dull life. I want to fight for a future and must take some risks."

"As long as you understand the severity."

Zhang Kui no longer persuaded him, "If you discover something, I can inform the National Guardian True Man, and your contributions won't be overlooked."

"Thank you, Taoist!"

Guo Huai joyfully clasped his hands in farewell and quickly left.

Zhang Kui slightly shook his head, and after eating and drinking with Fatty Tiger, headed toward Grand Profound Lake...

...

Haojing City sits on the most expansive plain of Central State, connecting north and south, with a superior geographical location.

During the Great Zhou, it served as the capital city, later destroyed by war, and was re-established during the founding of the Qian.

Grand Profound Lake is located in the southeast corner of the Capital City, once the religious site of the Great Zhou, and with the Astronomical Bureau situated here, it serves as the most important government office of the Qian.

Showing Elder Huayan's token, and passing through a heavily guarded tall archway, there were no residential houses around.

On both sides of the road were towering ancient pine forests, thick with snow cover, and amidst the forest occasionally appeared old, mottled ruins.

The core of the Astronomical Bureau was a small island in the center of the lake, connected by a straight, ancient stone bridge. On both shores of the lake were various buildings, with the Court's Inner Treasury among them.

Upon entering through the archway, a guide was assigned, and black-clothed Profound Guards and white-robed heralds could be seen everywhere, hurrying with serious expressions.

Fatty Tiger became well-behaved upon arriving here, walking with his head down and tail tucked, very obedient.

Zhang Kui opened the Cave Abyss Skill, looking around casually, and discovered that this place was indeed full of hidden mysteries.

Underground within the dense forest, qi mechanisms of various sizes were hidden, with Enlightenment Realm and even Grain Avoidance Realm among them.

The underground spirit veins were dense and orderly, seemingly part of some grand array, with some complex and difficult-to-detect spaces.

Zhang Kui glanced at the lake and was shocked in his heart, seeing three enormous black shadows lurking at the lake's bottom, indistinct in shape, with deep and terrifying auras more fearsome than Elder Huayan.

The small island in the lake's heart was enveloped in a layer of Spirit Light, rendering it indistinct and obscure.

One cannot underestimate the foundation of an ancient power.

Suddenly, Zhang Kui felt his scalp tingle as he gazed toward a remote desolate mountain on the lake's right side, where a hundred-meter-tall ancient stone statue stood, fiercely menacing like an Evil Ghost.

Within the desolate mountain, the aura of blood and grievances surged skyward, with countless eerie wails faintly reaching his ears, growing louder and louder.

"Taoist Zhang, please this way."

The voice of the black-clad guide awakened Zhang Kui, and all the anomalies vanished instantly.

Zhang Kui quickly put away the Cave Abyss Skill, looking at the desolate mountain and asked, "What place is that?"

"Oh, that place..."

The guide smiled respectfully, "That is where the Sealed Demon Cave is located, only the National Guardian True Man can approach it."

Seeing that this guide clearly couldn't perceive the horror within, Zhang Kui nodded, not asking further questions.

The guide's attitude, however, was friendly, proactively introducing the names and origins of the various buildings.

Within the government office, information spread rapidly.

This Taoist Zhang was no ordinary cultivator. Having slain several Grain Avoidance Realm Old Demons while in the Enlightenment Realm, he was fierce and much valued by True Man Yuhua, already being a point of focus for the Astronomical Bureau, as a potential candidate for a future National Guardian True Man.

Should he guard a region in the future, any promotion would mean immense fortune for them.

Just then, the sound of chaotic footsteps suddenly arose, with several black-clad Profound Guards of the Astronomical Bureau rushing hurriedly, carrying an injured person toward the lakeside medical house.

Zhang Kui casually glanced and felt a chill.

The person on the stretcher had their head wrapped by a fleshy pillar the width of a bowl, with lotus-like sharp teeth deeply embedded in the flesh, blood flowing uncontrollably.

At the end of the fleshy pillar was clearly a severed portion by a sharp blade, oozing pus continuously, yet it still twitched and contracted, seemingly gnawing at the injured person's head...

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.