Li Ao received the same rewards for his Formation Championship, minus the imperial edict.

Qing Yan managed to get fourth place in the Alchemy segment.

As she returned to them, her feet brisk, she held the bag with a strange gaze. There was no pride to be found in her.

The proceedings went as usual; a congratulatory talk, some pleasant comments, and the signal for the banquet to begin.

Before the judge’s voice died, the large gates of the halls flew open and a sea of servants poured in. In but a few moments they carried large tables and trays and silverware, as well as pots and bowls and cups and bottles of wine.

It took them five minutes to establish a lavish banquet. The brimming Spiritual Qi within the meat and vegetable dishes formed a thin aquamarine mist.

People flew down their seats to the ground floor and began partaking without reservation. Peers met in large and small groups, and elders all gathered near Imperial Ancestor’s throne to discuss.

‘’The floor is for you brats.’’ Fan Yueyin said. ‘’Make connections, if you can.’’

‘’Xu Liao, talk with your elder cousin.’’

The trio bowed at her, and she flew up to land near Imperial Ancestor’s side.

‘’Okay, let’s eat good food!’’

Sun Jian led Qing Yan away, so Li Ao walked towards Zhu Qiu’s surrounded figure.

A crowd formed around him in a crescent formation. His back to the wall, and his front obstructed, the fellow seemed dejected as he tried to talk with fellows trying to curry favor.

‘’Elder cousin!’’ Li Ao shouted and dove into the crowd. His shoulders pushed away a dozen people.

Even as they grunted and frowned, when the young fellows noticed his identity none of them spoke a word.

Some even apologized?

‘’Here, here, come and take a look! Let’s make a counting of my rewards!’’

Zhu Qiu’s eyes lit up. ‘’Friends, if you would excuse us.’’

Even if there were people tempted to hear them make inventory, none had a face thick enough to stand behind.

The crowd dispersed, and both of them retreated to a quiet corner. Li Ao constructed a small silencing formation around them; a silver barrier flashed as they talked.

‘’Master told me to talk to you.’’

Zhu Qiu nodded. ‘’She wanted me to explain your rewards.’’

Saying so, Zhu Qiu sighed.

‘’What is there to explain? The edict?’’

‘’No. It is self-explanatory.’’ Zhu Qiu said. ‘’It is just a show of their good-will. Also, I suspect they want to make you an Imperial Consort to one of the princesses. That way, they can create a branch of the Imperial Family free of Six-Fold Immortal Sect’s influence.’’

Li Ao scratched his head.‘’...I’m not interested in these things.’’

‘’Liao, you need to realize that you are very attractive right now.’’

‘’I’m always handsome.’’

‘’...’’

‘’...’’

‘’Another thing. Your deed of land.’’

‘’Right.’’ Li Ao crossed his arms and rested his shoulder on the wall.

‘’Any unclaimed territory means anything within the Dynasty’s territory. Northern Border is always expanding outwards to the Demon Lands, so there are more discoveries of ancient mines and lands rich with resources.’’

‘’If I use it well, I can even snatch those?’’

Zhu Qiu nodded.

‘’The Bai indirectly wants you to develop two new territories. Thousands of spirit beasts, all of them livestock, and spirit pearls that can improve the Qi of the land...’’

‘’...ah, right!’’

Now that Zhu Qiu pointed it out, Li Ao found it obvious.

With two deeds to his name, and almost ten thousand Spirit Livestock, what could he do with them except develop a territory? He could sell the animals, indeed, but that would put him in a negative light in the eyes of the world.

He was made a noble in an instant, yet Li Ao only considered it a pity.

There were too many strings attached to his position.

Furthermore, this was a position he wouldn’t be able to enjoy.

The developmental potential of his current wealth was something few people could gather.

Who knew if he could have the chance to gather such a capital again?

Zhu Qiu, noticing his down-cast look, slapped his shoulder. ‘’Don’t upset yourself. First, anything you want to do with them?’’

‘’Can I do anything with them?’’

‘’If you can think.’’

‘’Rude.’’

‘’Idiot.’’

Li Ao cast his eyes down for a moment.

‘’...can you carve a place before Servant Mountain?’’

‘’Where is this before? The mountain range is hundreds of kilometers wide.’’

‘’At its foot. Between North and South.’’

‘’...are you thinking of making an estate there?’’

‘’No. I’m thinking of making an outpost.’’

‘’It is too risky. You should know it.’’

‘’You know why I want to do it.’’ Li Ao cast him a glance. ‘’You know how unreliable Communication Talismans are. A wrong wind, a random beast, or a spike in Qi can destroy them. Any distance above a hundred kilometers, they will fail.’’

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

‘’The land between South and North is too wide. I don’t know why this dynasty of yours didn’t do anything to help it. But it is wrong!’’

‘’...remember how I talked about where I came from.’’

Zhu Qiu nodded.

‘’In my grandpa’s day, it wasn’t anything unusual for cities to be destroyed overnight. No one could traverse lands in fear of beasts and demons. They could only travel in airships. There was no way to talk with someone away.’’

‘’That is what caused the most destruction. No one could ask for help if they needed it.’’

‘’It might be wrong of me to think this grand, but instead of getting involved with politics, it will be better for cultivators as a whole to have a place to rest between North and South.’’

‘’That would help you as well, wouldn’t it?’’

‘’...I see.’’ Zhu Qiu thought for a moment, then shook his head. ‘’I doubt it will be any easy.’’

‘’I don’t claim it should be. We saw it all together.’’

Glancing at the walking and talking figures, Li Ao spent a few minutes in silence.

‘’I can try, at least.’’ Zhu Qiu sighed. ‘’I didn’t expect you to think it, of all people.’’

‘’I’m not stupid.’’

‘’It isn’t about intelligence. It is about order of priority.’’

‘’I hold life over wealth, that’s it. But what is more important to them?’’

‘’Who knows? Imperial Family is an outsider, after all.’’

‘’...outsider?’’

Zhu Qiu glanced at the Imperial Ancestor. ‘’Why would an Imperial Family form after countless disasters caused by them? Why should sects and families, some on par with the Bai, allow them to act as the head of a state? Why should they heed to their orders?’’

‘’They come from the Outer World. If not for Six-Fold Immortal Sect’s interference, would those parasites stay in the government? If they weren’t outsiders, would they not hesitate to make a deal with demonic cultivators?’’

Li Ao felt his heart drop.

‘’You didn’t talk about them this way.’’

‘’I learned.’’

‘’From whom?’’

‘’Your master.’’

For a moment, Li Ao couldn’t help but glance at his master.

She was looking straight at him.

He waved a hand, then she no longer glanced at their position.

‘’This is what she wanted to explain?’’

Zhu Qiu nodded. ‘’You are already an attractive target. The edict and the deeds further incentivize people to think of you as a part of their scheme. So don’t get tangled up with them.’’

The rewards, in the end, weren’t rewards.

It was only a trap for him to fall in.

Still, Li Ao laughed.

‘’Unfortunately, I’m not interested in them. I’ll let you deal with whatever comes up.’’

‘’You are a ruthless idiot.’’

The duo talked some more, and Li Ao gave him the two deeds, the spiritual pearls, half of the spirit stones, and the token of ownership for the Spirit livestocks. He kept the ores to feed Bubbles.

‘’Right, what about others?’’

Li Ao pointed his neck towards Yun Fanghe and Zhen Zedong’s position.

‘’They are a bit different. For them, it is enough to narrow their vision.’’

‘’Of what?’’

‘’Reality. It isn’t so terribly important. I suppose the forces behind them will take on the work of managing their lands in their stead.’’

Saying so, he waved a hand and the silencing formation disappeared. Flicking his wrist, Zhu Qiu put the formation flags in Li Ao’s hands.

‘’Try to enjoy your time here. Before you decide to leave, come find me. I have some stuff for you.’’

‘’More pills?’’

‘’What else?’’ Waving his hand, he disappeared into the crowd towards Bai Chengyun.

After a while, Li Ao let out a sigh.

‘Do I need to get this much involved in the future?’

He didn’t make sense of anything.

No, he understood some things. He understood that there was a Dynastic struggle, that there were people hoping to incense it, and that his master might, perhaps, be one of them for a particular reason.

The Bai were outsiders, that he understood. They wanted to become true rulers, instead of one assigned by the Six-Fold Sect, that he also understood.

But what was his master’s stake in this?

What was Zhu Qiu’s position in this?

Why was there even a struggle, anyway?

Li Ao couldn’t say with certainty that The Great Wei was a united nation.

Yet, it was nothing as shattered as this place.

Didn’t both of these nations face demons for their survival?

Why was there a need to bicker among themselves?

His thought was a simple thought. Li Ao didn’t truly understand, as he thought, and also didn’t understand why he thought so.

It seemed right to him that men and women should be harmonious. But he didn’t question why it was right, nor why people weren’t harmonious.

His was a case of inexperience. It was a long time before he could question why things were as they were, and an even longer time how these whys came to be.

Shaking his head, sighing again, Li Ao watched Jie Mentai approach him.

The girl had a peculiar gaze. Crossing her arms, her steps hurried, she stopped a few centimeters in front of his face.

‘’What did you need?’’

‘’One question.’’

Li Ao took a step back and nodded.

She took a step forward.

‘’Want to marry me?’’

Li Ao gazed at her serious face.

‘’Do you have a concussion?’’

‘’No? What’s the deal?’’

‘’Did your medicine have a side-effect?’’

‘’I didn’t take any medicine.’’

‘’You should take one.’’

‘’You should answer my question.’’

Li Ao took two steps behind, his back to the wall, and cleared his throat.

‘’No!’’

‘’Why?’’

‘’Why? I should ask you why—who asks something like that out of blue!?’’

‘’Is it so abnormal?’’

‘’Of course it is. Do you even know me enough?’’

‘’You are strong enough.’'

‘’...is that your only condition to marry?’’

She blushed for a second.

‘Well, I am handsome as well.’’ Li Ao thought.

‘’...you are a bit funny as well.’’

Li Ao coughed.

‘’Look, you are a good girl, you are beautiful, but I don’t want to marry someone I don’t know.’’

She blushed again. ‘’I am beautiful?’’

‘Why is she like this? Is she really retarded?’

‘Did she grow up in a cave or something?’

''Yes, yes, but I still don't know you.''

Her face turned thoughtful‘’My name is Jie Mentai!’’

Her shout attracted some gazes on them. Qing Yan and Sun Jian were also close enough to see what was going on.

‘’I am twenty-five years old!’’

‘’I like fighting, strong people my age, swimming—’’

‘’Stop, stop! I didn’t ask for an introduction! Don’t dump character exposition on me!’’

She stopped, her face blank.

‘’Oh...’’

A loud slap echoed.

Li Ao’s head lurched forward. Seething, rubbing the swelling he rocketed around to find Qing Yan with her hand raised.

‘’Qing—’’

‘’That is senior sister for you! Also, act like a proper man! Don't you see she is sincere?’’

Jie Mentai started sobbing with her words. ‘’Sister-in law!’’

‘’Uh? What? Let’s not get that close so suddenly...’’

Li Ao looked left and right to the chattering crowd, then at the crying girl.

‘How did things turn out this way?’

‘Which god did I anger!?’