The envoy from Da Han country had already received the imperial edict from their capital to search for a cultivator named Zhang Lei. Once found, he must be detained and all of his needs must be met. They must do everything possible to invite him to visit the capital of Da Han country. This edict left the envoy completely perplexed; he didn't understand who Zhang Lei was or where he came from. It wasn't until he heard rumors today that he finally realized that Zhang Lei was the younger brother of Fu Chongbi. The envoy immediately reported the news to the royal transmission array. Soon after, the emperor issued a decree for the envoy to visit Zhang Lei and awarded him the title of Duke of Valiant Courage of Da Han country, urging him to come to the capital.

When the envoy arrived at the Shengwang mansion, Zhang Lei was truly at a loss. He had no merit, yet both countries were vying to give him official titles. He didn't know what to do. It was ironic that the feeling he had now was similar to the one he had on Earth when he wanted to flee from being caught for murder. Although Zhang Lei also wanted to go to Da Han country and accompany Fu Shan to Fengyuan Star, there were two things he had to do first. Zhang Lei had an idea and smiled, "Your Excellency, I have something to do in the old Song country, and I may need your help. Do you think..."

The envoy interrupted, "Your Lordship, as a decree has been issued, I will do my best to assist you. Please do not hesitate to tell me."

Zhang Lei was overjoyed. "Thank you, Your Excellency. I will go to the old Song country first."

After the envoy left, Zhang Lei couldn't help but shake his head and laugh. Maimai giggled, "Brother, you don't seem to want to be an official. Many envy and are jealous of you."

Zhang Lei smiled wryly. "Don't tease me, sis. I'm really annoyed."

In the evening, Cheng Zizhong and an official rushed to the mansion. The official was also a cultivator of the Supply Hall. He specialized in collecting and analyzing intelligence, and had a second-ranked official rank. His name was Tan Chigong. After they sat down, Zhang Lei began to ask in detail about the relationship between the two countries. He first roughly understood the economic, military, and the relationship between the monarch and his subjects of Li Tang country. What he was most interested in was the recent commercial situation, including the fluctuation of prices, the number of merchants, and the consumption of the common people.

Although Tan was surprised, he didn't dare slack off. He immediately ordered people to report the situation, and through the royal transmission array, a large amount of intelligence was gathered and sent to the mansion. When Zhang Lei was on Earth, he was a successful businessman. He had earned millions of assets in just a few years. He had a habit of collecting and analyzing commercial information. In the era of information explosion on Earth, there were various kinds of information. To find valuable commercial information among the mixed-up information, one must be good at organizing and summarizing. Tan Chigong and Cheng Zizhong provided specific and accurate intelligence, which provided Zhang Lei with the best basis for logical reasoning after summarizing and organizing.

Listening to Zhang Lei's analysis, Tan Chigong was impressed and amazed. It was the first time he realized that intelligence could be used in such a way. Hou Pijing was also surprised. He had prepared to use Zhang Lei's dual identity to suppress the envoy from Li Tang country, and he thought Zhang Lei was just a puppet. But after listening to Zhang Lei's analysis of the situation, he realized that he had underestimated Zhang Lei. He could infer the military situation of the country from the fluctuation of prices in the Li Tang market and the amount of commercial activities. Hou was truly impressed by Zhang Lei's insights.

According to Zhang Lei's analysis, the Litang Kingdom was completely incapable of carrying out this war and the carefully planned situation was actually a scam. It was purely the result of a power struggle within the Litang Kingdom, and there seemed to be some other purpose behind it that he couldn't identify. Zhang Lei felt that he had already grasped the biggest card in the negotiations, which made him relax a lot. He asked everyone if they had different opinions, and Tan Chigong said: "Sir, your analysis is meticulous. I will consult you more in the future. I will immediately organize the situation and report it to the Emperor." Since Tan Chigong, who was responsible for collecting intelligence, had no objections, the others had nothing to say either.

After seeing everyone off, Zhang Lei and Hou Pijing went up to the platform on the second floor of the study. Both of them didn't need to eat or sleep. After a moment of silence, Zhang Lei said: "Old Brother, I plan to quit my official position after negotiating with the Litang Kingdom. Old Brother, you won't blame me, will you?" Hou Pijing looked up at the stars and said faintly, "Laozi knows that true cultivators are not interested in fame or fortune. However, Laozi will be crossing tribulation in a hundred years. If I can't get through this hurdle, I will never have the opportunity to take care of my motherland again. Brother, Laozi has no close relatives, so I treat you as the closest person. Don't quit your official position. You can go wherever you want, and Laozi won't let you stay in the Song Kingdom forever. Even if you come to visit often in the future, is that okay?" Hou Pijing's attachment to his homeland touched Zhang Lei. He said, "Okay, I promise you." Then he asked, "Is Crossing Tribulation period very dangerous? It seems that when we were on Mars, Fumei Niu mentioned that Big Brother Fu was also about to reach Crossing Tribulation period."

Crossing Tribulation is the biggest difficulty for cultivators. If there are one hundred cultivators who reach Crossing Tribulation period, less than thirty of them will be able to cross it safely and ascend to another realm called the Immortal World. Those who fail to cross will perish, and not only their physical bodies but also their Nascent Souls will disappear, which is a real death. The arrival of the Crossing Tribulation period is natural with the accumulation of one's cultivation and cannot be controlled by the cultivators themselves, Hou Pijing explained.

Zhang Lei asked, "Isn't there any other safe way to get through Crossing Tribulation?" There are two slightly better ways, Hou Pijing said, holding up two fingers. The first is to "dismantle the army" and let the Nascent Soul go to practice before reaching Crossing Tribulation period. The advantage of doing this is that one will never have to worry about Crossing Tribulation period, but the disadvantage is that because there is no physical body, the loss of strength is tremendous. One must rely on other cultivators for care, and if it is discovered by those with malicious intent, they can be refined into a deadly weapon that will prevent one from ascending to the next life. The second method is to have the help of other high-level cultivators during the Crossing Tribulation period, which is extremely effective for Crossing Tribulation. The difficulty lies in finding such high-level cultivators who are willing to help, and even if they are willing, it will greatly damage their vitality. Only extremely close friends are likely to be willing to lend a hand, and it is difficult to find such high-level cultivators.

Hou Pijing sighed, "I have always been a loner, unwilling to resort to violence and without anyone to help, that's why I need my brothers to look after my homeland." Zhang Lei, moved by this, said, "Brother, when you reach Crossing Tribulation, please let me know and let me help." Hou Pijing was touched, shaking his head in his heart, "A hundred years have passed in a flash, although Zhang Lei has the intention to help, unfortunately he has not reached the required level within a hundred years." With a question lingering in his mind, Zhang Lei asked, "Brother, last time when you fought the Golden Crystal Horned Beast, why were you able to catch it and leave it helpless even breaking off its horn with your bare hands? I didn't see you using any magical treasure, what was the reason?" Hou Pijing smiled and said, "I thought you would never ask, let me explain the different schools of cultivation in the world of spiritual cultivation. The Heavy Profound Sect emphasizes on weapon making to enter the path of spiritual cultivation, relying on tools to lead the way from the outside to the inside. You should have a deep understanding of this from the experience of cultivating several weapons in Hanlin City." Zhang Lei nodded and said, "Yes, that's true. I've only cultivated a few weapons, but I feel that my skills have improved a lot." Hou Pijing continued, "Right, that's the advantage of Heavy Profound Sect, one can cultivate spiritual power while also making divine weapons. On the other hand, the method of cultivation in the Yuan Shi Sect is completely different. It starts with martial arts and then enters the path of spiritual cultivation. The advantage of the Yuan Shi Sect's method of cultivation is that it does not depend on magical treasures, but cultivates oneself into a magical treasure. However, it is difficult to enter the sect." Zhang Lei pondered, "Oneself as a magical treasure? Oneself as a magical treasure..." There seemed to be an idea turning in his mind that he couldn't grasp. He scratched his head and said, "Brother, can you teach me some martial arts?" Hou Pijing was silent for a while and then handed Zhang Lei a jade slip and said, "Well, since people in Heavy Profound Sect practices both martial arts and spiritual cultivation, I'll give you this. How much you can understand is up to you. I can't explain it all." Before Zhang Lei could reply, there was a flash of white light and Hou Pijing was gone. Hou Pijing thought that Zhang Lei wanted to learn their own method of cultivation which was taboo for a cultivator. Fortunately, Hou Pijing didn't care too much and gave him their sect's classics, but that was all he could do. How Zhang Lei chose to cultivate was up to him. It was a half-foot long, three-finger wide, smooth and ancient looking jade slip. Zhang Lei tried to enter his spiritual power and found that it was a jade eye slip that recorded the Yuan Shi Sect's method of cultivation. His heart pounding, Zhang Lei only wanted Hou Pijing to teach him some martial arts, never imagining that he would be given the secrets to the cultivation methods of the Yuan Shi Sect. The Jade Eye Slip did not contain much information, only about one-third of what was contained in the Heavy Profound Sect's Jade Eye Slip given to him by Fu Shan. It contained only the methods for cultivating the body and the primordial spirit, and the method of establishing roots was very simple - with just one sitting, one standing, and one lying posture, although the positions were a bit strange.

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Zhang Lei felt very curious and jotted down three postures and techniques for exercising before putting away the Jade Eye Manual. The sky was already turning light when he stretched lazily and walked down the stairs. The night guards immediately greeted him and a group of palace maids rushed forward to help him wash up and change clothes, making him very uneasy. He thought to himself that he must find a way to leave here as soon as possible, it was too uncomfortable.

Zhang Lei asked the housekeeper of the Wang Mansion to bring Zhao Hao and the others, saying, "Today we're going out for a stroll and have some fun." Strolling around was Meijingjing's favorite pastime and she ran towards the door with excitement. Upon reaching the main street, Zhang Lei stopped the guards from following and took a stroll with Zhao Hao leading the way.

The air in the early morning was cool and the thin mist shrouded the surroundings. The houses along the street were mostly two or three-story wooden structures with white walls and black tiles. The street was deserted with occasional early risers heading out to buy breakfast. Some chimneys have already emitted trails of smoke, and some of the small shops in the early market have already opened their doors and started a day's work.

Zhang Lei had a feeling of being transported to an ancient town in China. Zhao Hao smiled and said, "Master, it's still early. Let's find a place to eat breakfast and then move on." Cheng Zizhong said, "I know a small shop that makes great meat buns. Just follow this street towards the east." The group turned around the street corner and arrived at the door of the bun shop, which had a banner skewered onto its door with the words "Truly Grass Buns" written in bold characters.

Zhang Lei didn't understand and asked, "Why choose such a weird name for the shop?" Zhao Hao hurried to reply, "Truly Grass is a local specialty herb. When steaming the buns, it can be placed in the steaming baskets to give the buns a distinctive flavor. Just try it, Master." The shop owner greeted them cheerfully and said, "Please, sirs, go upstairs to sit down!" A hot steaming basket was brought up, and the fragrant aroma quickly filled the air. Upon opening the steaming basket, the buns were small with very thin skins, semi-transparent, one could see the soup inside clearly. The buns were laid beneath the green, hand-sized leaves. Zhang Lei couldn't help but exclaim, "Good, crystal clear and delicately crafted. I can hardly believe that buns can be made so beautifully."

Zheng Peng was not happy and said, "No good, too small, not big enough to fill in the gaps between my teeth! Hey, shopkeeper, give me a big meat bun!" This sentence frightened Meijingjing, who was so scared that she accidentally dropped her buns onto the table. Meijingjing cursed, "You naughty, scary guy! You would scare Niuniu to death!" Zheng Peng grumbled and dared not say another word. This little young lady, when she gets angry, even Zhang Lei would need to give her some respect.

Zhang Lei tried the buns and put down his chopsticks, asking Cheng Zizhong, "Old sir, what exactly is the purpose of the Temple of Worship?" Cheng Zizhong smiled and replied, "If the master wishes to know, the humble one would explain it. The Temple of Worship is a royal department dedicated to the cultivation and education of the royal family and the nobility. Therefore, the Temple of Worship also oversees the city's schools, including the Academy for Cultivation, the Imperial Academy, the Chongwu Academy, and the National Academy. Its main tasks include guarding the royal family, protecting the emperor, going on foreign missions, reconnaissance, and espionage."

The Academy of Cultivation is a reserve force for the Supply Hall. Regardless of one's background, as long as they have a certain ability and a clear family history, they can apply to join. It is a school that only asks for ability and not birth.

The Hanlin Academy and Chongwu Academy only enroll children from the imperial and noble families. The National Academy has the broadest scope and accepts children of officials and commoners, as long as they have money to pay for it. Every country in the Tian Ting Star has its own Supply Hall, added Cheng Zizhong.

"Old Mister, which school did you graduate from?" Zhang Lei asked curiously. "I graduated from the National Academy in the Bingzi year and became a juren (an official who passed the imperial examination) in the second year, ranking 73rd," Cheng Zizhong answered proudly.

"Old Mister is amazing. Only a few people who graduate from the National Academy can become a juren, and even fewer can pass the imperial examination. Surely you must have outstanding talents," Zhao Hao complimented.

Cheng Zizhong humbly replied, "I cannot accept such a high praise. It was just a coincidence."

Zhang Lei was confused. "You and the governor of Hanlin City, Feng Kaiyun, are both jinshis (a higher-ranked official who passed the imperial examination). Why did you become his mentor when you graduated from the same school?"

"I am the emperor's patrolling envoy, and one of my responsibilities is to inspect officials," Cheng Zizhong explained.

Zhang Lei now understood that the emperor had arranged many secret agents.

Mei Jingjing clapped her hands and said, "I'm full now. Old Mister, you are most familiar with the capital. Can you take us to some interesting places?"

Cheng Zizhong smiled and suggested, "Let's go to the temple street first. There are many shops and stalls there. Then, we can go to the biggest restaurant in the capital, Baifan Tower, for lunch. What do you think, Mr. Li?" Without waiting for Zhang Lei to answer, Mei Jingjing interrupted, "That's great. Let's go to the shops first."

Zhao Hao threw a silver coin and the group got up and went to the Temple Street. It was the busiest and most prosperous area in the ancient capital of Song. Although Zhang Lei was a bit surprised, he had seen places ten times more crowded. Cheng Zizhong and Zhao Hao were not impressed, and Mei Jingjing had lived in the capital of the Litang country and had seen similar places before. But it was different for Zheng Peng. He had never seen such a bustling place as it was a novelty to him. He looked around with wide eyes, like a wave drum, and found everything new.

In the morning, more and more people came to the Temple Street. The sound of gongs echoed from the corner of the street, and Zhao Hao suggested, "Maybe it's a street performer. Do you want to go and see?" Zheng Peng immediately replied, "Let's see!"

Cheng Zizhong said, "It doesn't seem like a street performer. Let's take a look." They walked closer and found out that it was not a street performer but a man auctioning off himself. It was a middle-aged man with thin and tired-looking body. He wore a straw mark on his head and had two burly men behind him. One held a small gong and banged it loudly, while the other held the man's collar and shouted, "There's a man who voluntarily sells himself to pay off his gambling debts cheaply. It will only cost ten taels of silver. Does anyone want to buy it?" Someone nearby said, "Isn't that Qi Jia Er, the second son of the Qi family? He gambled so much that he lost everything, even his wife and children. Now, he's selling himself too." Another said, "Serves him right! Who told him to gamble?"

More and more people gathered, all watching the commotion, but no one made a bid. Two big men grew increasingly angry as they called out with no response. They began hitting the middle-aged man, who simply covered his head and whimpered. Mei Jingjing couldn't stand it any longer. This young girl had once played the role of a bandit and had a sense of authority. She pulled out her whip from her storage belt, snapped it in the air, and caused a sharp crack. The two big men were startled by the sound. Looking up, they saw a charming young girl with a white, coiled whip in her hand, staring at them with a sense of righteousness. One of the big men sneered and cursed, "Damn, you scared me! What? Do you want to buy a guy to take home? You can have him for ten taels of silver. Haha." The other big man silently cursed his companion: "After so long in the capital, you can't even tell what's going on." This young girl must have either been very powerful or had a backer to stand up like this. He had guessed correctly, but unfortunately, she had both. Crack! The whip lashed across the face of the big man. Mei Jingjing's Shadow Trace Whip was a treasure of a whip that even Zhang Lei couldn't figure out how it was made. She hadn't even used her true elemental power, and yet this ordinary whip caused the big man to howl in pain, writhing: "You little bitch! How dare you strike your lord! I'll kill you!" "Brother, help me catch this rotten woman!" His vulgar insults were too much for Zhang Lei to ignore, so he strode over.