Yin Fengqi had his own thoughts.
Whether it was Consort Xuan's favor or her rewards to Yin Changli, it was all just a way to bring his own son into the limelight.
Yin Fengqi was well aware that his actions would make Yin Changli a target for many, but that was precisely Yin Fengqi's intention.
If one couldn't survive in such an environment, how could they ever become a true ruler?
Besides, with Li Changqing by Yin Changli's side, Yin Fengqi wasn't worried at all.
If he could tie Li Changqing to the North Cold Country's ship through Yin Changli, that would be an excellent outcome.
And just as Yin Fengqi had anticipated, Yin Changli's emergence had caught the attention of many princes.
To these princes, the sudden appearance of the eleventh prince posed a great threat.
Before long, their subordinates had already started to act, quietly gathering around Changli Mansion and setting up small stalls, keeping a constant watch on the mansion's situation.
Li Changqing had anticipated this as well, but he chose not to intervene, allowing Yin Changli to handle the situation himself for the time being.
He had more important matters to attend to.
It was time to replace Xie Yunsun. Intelligence work was urgent, but to replace Xie Yunsun, he would need to go to Tianhai City, as Xie Yunsun worked at Cangyuan Pavilion and sold fried dough on the streets of Tianhai City.
Li Changqing had never been to Tianhai City before.
It was the territory of the Cangyuan Realm Master, where the Yue family was also located.
There was a man named Yue Hanjun who was imprisoned in the Endless Prison.
Li Changqing had a feeling that his trip to Tianhai City would be fruitful.
Moreover, this trip to Tianhai City wasn't just for him; he would bring Mu Qingge and Zhen Wanshou along.
Before leaving, Li Changqing wrote a letter to Li Hengsheng.
He informed his son that he was going to Tianhai City to seek an answer.
Li Hengsheng, upon receiving the letter, was somewhat baffled.
What did it mean to seek an answer?
What was he looking for?
His father was becoming more and more mysterious.
But Li Hengsheng found that the mysteries surrounding him were also increasing. He had unexpectedly met the Cangyuan Realm Master, who seemed intent on finding something on him.
What could he possibly have?
Luo Xiaochuan had left without a word, adding to Li Hengsheng's confusion.
Now even his father was playing riddles with him.
Li Hengsheng could only shake his head and continue to deal with the matters of White Snake Path.
Most of the affairs of White Snake Path had been settled, and Li Hengsheng was not in a hurry to move against the Hua family and Caohe Manor.
Instead, he prioritized the development of White Snake Path.
Wu Santong, who was by Li Hengsheng's side, played a significant role, proposing policies that greatly aided the construction of White Snake Path. The common people were very satisfied with the new policies of the Inspector's mansion, which improved their lives.
The dark times had passed.
In the river town outside Tushan City on White Snake Path, the sun blazed down, and the weather was exceptionally good.
Nearby, a vast expanse of rice paddies stretched out, with many farmers busy planting rice.
Smiles were on everyone's faces.
For them, having land and a harvest, being able to eat their fill, was the happiest thing.
Everything else was secondary.
At this time, several figures were also working hard in the fields.
Wearing straw hats, they bent over to plant seedlings.
"Inspector, come have some water."
At this moment, several villagers came over, holding water bottles to pour water for Li Hengsheng.
"Thank you, everyone." Li Hengsheng smiled as he took the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.
Li Hengsheng had brought people from the Inspector's mansion to help the villagers with their work. His intention was for them to experience life from the villagers' perspective, to understand what the people needed.
Except for a few who were from farming backgrounds, most of the officers recruited later came from relatively well-off families.
So Li Hengsheng wanted them to understand the hardships of the common folk.
Thus, he personally led his men to help the villagers plant rice.
"Inspector, you're working too hard. Please go and rest," the villagers urged.
"Don't worry, I'm a martial artist; this work isn't tiring at all," Li Hengsheng laughed, bending over to continue.
A little farm work was nothing compared to battling in the Prenatal Realm.
"Brother, let's take a break and sit over there," Wu Santong suggested, walking over to Li Hengsheng.
"Junior Brother Wu, you shouldn't be like this. You've only done a bit of work and you're already tired. It seems I need to supervise your cultivation more closely," Li Hengsheng frowned and said, "You've really been neglecting your training lately; you haven't made any progress."
Wu Santong gave a wry smile but still pulled Li Hengsheng away.
"You really are…"
Pulling Li Hengsheng to a haystack, Wu Santong laughed and said, "Let the others finish the farm work. You should just rest here."
"Having my subordinates work while I, an Inspector, rest here, what kind of message does that send?" Li Hengsheng criticized, "Junior Brother Wu, you can't have such a bureaucratic mindset!"
"Brother, do you want to hear what the villagers are saying?" Wu Santong helplessly pointed to the villagers who had just brought water to Li Hengsheng.
Li Hengsheng, curious, perked up his ears. With his current perception, it wasn't difficult to hear what the villagers were saying from afar.
"Ah, what should we do?"
"The Inspector is helping us with the work, which is good, but he's clearly never done farm work before. He's too strong, and the seedlings are all crushed in his hands. Plus, after planting, they're all crooked and unusable."
"Yes, but the Inspector is well-intentioned, and we can't say anything since he's sincerely trying to do good."
"Yesterday, the Inspector helped Wang Lao San's family plant rice, and after he left, the whole Wang family had to uproot the seedlings and replant them, working until midnight to fix them."
"Keep your voice down, don't let the Inspector hear. It's okay, we'll just come out and replant them tonight after the Inspector leaves."
"Don't worry, I'll help you tonight too."
Hearing the villagers' private conversation, Li Hengsheng's face turned red.
He had intended to set an example, but instead, he had caused trouble for everyone. He didn't know what to say for a moment.
No wonder they had told him to rest.
He had been completely unaware.
Seeing Wu Santong covering his face and laughing, Li Hengsheng couldn't help but say, "Indeed, I never did such work back at Peak of Ten Thousand Slaughters."
"Peak of Ten Thousand Slaughters, huh."
Wu Santong sighed, "It's been a long time since I've been back to Dao Mountain Ancient Land. Suddenly, I'm feeling nostalgic."
"The resources here certainly aren't as good as in Dao Mountain Ancient Land. Look, your cultivation speed has obviously slowed down."
Li Hengsheng patted Wu Santong's shoulder and said.
"Brother, it's not that my cultivation is slow," Wu Santong said with a wry smile, "It's just that my potential has reached its limit."
"Hmm?"
Li Hengsheng was taken aback.
Wu Santong looked up and said, "My talent was never outstanding. Becoming an outer disciple of Mu Haifeng was already quite an achievement. Reaching the Great Perfection of the Postnatal stage is my limit. Advancing further to the Pinnacle of the postnatal realm is uncertain, and it might happen when I'm fifty or even sixty years old. By then, my path of cultivation will truly come to an end. Dreaming of entering the Prenatal Realm is just a fantasy."
"But you're different, brother. You have great potential. You will go far in the future. I can feel it. Ever since you disappeared for a few days and came back, your potential has grown even more. The Prenatal Realm is definitely not your endpoint."
"It's just a pity that by the time you reach that point, I'm afraid I won't be by your side to help you anymore," Wu Santong said, looking down.
Hearing this, Li Hengsheng wanted to comfort Wu Santong, but he didn't know what to say.
According to his previous potential, Li Hengsheng thought that reaching the Pinnacle of the postnatal realm would be his limit. Entering the Prenatal Realm would require a miracle, but he never expected the miracle to actually happen. Not only did he survive after being killed, but he also obtained the Divine Phoenix Bone.
Li Hengsheng wanted to ask his master where he got this phoenix treasure.
He believed it definitely wasn't Xu Muhai's.
Such a treasure, Xu Muhai couldn't afford to give.
There must be a big shot supporting him behind Xu Muhai.
Li Hengsheng had suspected his father Li Changqing, but after thinking about it, it seemed unrealistic. Where could his father get such a treasure?
Li Hengsheng didn't speak to comfort Wu Santong but just leaned against the haystack, feeling the breeze, and quietly watched the distance.
"Junior Brother Wu, go to Changqing Trading Company in a few days and buy some new seeds to distribute to these villagers on behalf of the Inspector's mansion," Li Hengsheng said to Wu Santong.
"Go to Changqing Trading Company?" Wu Santong was surprised, "Just to buy seeds, couldn't you just buy them in Tushan City? Why bother going to Changqing Trading Company?"
Wu Santong didn't understand Li Hengsheng's intention.
"It's not about buying seeds for crops like rice," Li Hengsheng said indifferently, "Authorize some land on behalf of the Inspector's mansion and buy vegetable seeds or fruit tree saplings from Changqing Trading Company for them to plant. I remember there's a particularly delicious fruit in Changting Town that isn't found anywhere else."
"Give it to them. After they plant it and harvest it, they might be able to sell it for a good price. Then, the Inspector's mansion will take a ten percent tax, and the rest will be for them to live on," Li Hengsheng shared his plan.
"That's a good idea," Wu Santong's eyes lit up.
If they did this, it would give the villagers some extra money to do more of what they wanted, like sending their children to school or starting small businesses.
It would also enrich the agriculture of White Snake Path.
With many benefits.
"Alright, leave this matter to me," Wu Santong promised, patting his chest.
Li Hengsheng could see that Wu Santong was feeling down about his cultivation, so he wanted to send Wu Santong out to take his mind off things.
Besides, visiting Changqing Trading Company might reveal something that could help Wu Santong break through his limitations.
***
Two days later.
The large ship sailed through the clouds, and it was Li Changqing's first time on such a vessel, which he found fascinating.
Li Hengsheng, Mu Qingge, and Zhen Wanshou were nearing Tianhai City.
However, the three of them did not reveal their true identities on this trip. Li Changqing was cloaked, hiding his face, and carried a large box on his back, which looked somewhat odd. Mu Qingge still appeared old and frail.
Zhen Wanshou had also disguised herself slightly, and the trio did not attract much attention.
In the Cangyuan Realm, especially in Tianhai City, what kind of people weren't there?
All sorts, strange and bizarre, even members of various races.
Even the Ghost Clan could appear openly in Tianhai City.
Such a situation was unthinkable elsewhere.
Finally, the ship arrived at the gates of Tianhai City.
Li Changqing looked up at the enormous city and was inwardly astonished, "Tianhai City is so vast!"
"Tianhai City is the largest city in the Cangyuan Realm, and its reputation is well-deserved," Mu Qingge said with a smile.
"It is said that Li Xuanxi almost split Tianhai City in two with a single sword strike. I wonder how he did it."
Zhen Wanshou also expressed disbelief.
Such a vast city, towering into the clouds, stretching for millions of miles, and Li Xuanxi nearly split the entire Tianhai City with one sword.
Such terror was unimaginable.
"One reason is that Li Xuanxi wielded the Heavenly Maiden Sword, ranked fourth on the Divine Weapon List. The other is Li Xuanxi's strength!" Mu Qingge explained, "There were many terrestrial immortals among the human race, but Li Xuanxi was one of the Four Sages of the human race, known as the Heavenly Maiden Sword Immortal. That's not an empty title."
"Although I'm not clear on how the realm of terrestrial immortals is divided, it's obvious that Li Xuanxi was one of the very top experts in the world. So, it's not impossible for one sword to split Tianhai City."
"Even if Li Xuanxi is not at her peak now, she is still formidable enough to dominate the world!" Mu Qingge said, her eyes revealing a hint of admiration.
"The name Li Xuanxi is a goal for all female cultivators in the world!"
Clearly, Mu Qingge felt the same.
But Li Changqing, looking at the huge city, was amazed, "But there are no signs that Tianhai City has been split!"
"Of course."
Zhen Wanshou said, "Tianhai City was not built by humans but was born from heaven and earth. It has existed since the emergence of the Cangyuan Realm. Rumor has it that there is an unparalleled treasure in Tianhai City, the Cangyuan Seal!"
"The Cangyuan Seal controls the entire Tianhai City, and to control the Cangyuan Seal, one must become the Cangyuan Realm Master. Such a treasure, if seriously contemplated, can lead to immortality!"
"Immortality?"
Li Changqing blinked, thinking that he would like to see what the Cangyuan Seal looked like.
If possible, after seeing it, what if he carved a replica of the Cangyuan Seal?
He wondered if it would have any effect.
But how could ordinary people hope to see the Cangyuan Seal?
At that moment, everyone began to disembark, and Li Changqing and his companions slowly entered Tianhai City.
The wide streets made Li Changqing feel as if he were walking in some vast wilderness.
Tianhai City was truly enormous.
At the city gate, there were many spirit beasts waiting because everyone who arrived there needed to go to one of Tianhai City's four districts.
Orient Loong God, Basalt, Rosefinch, Black Tortoise.
If one walked, it was unclear how far it would be. Only by riding a spirit beast or taking a spirit beast-drawn carriage could one quickly reach their destination.
Cangyuan Pavilion was located in the Orient Loong God district.
These four major districts were also each overseen by extremely powerful experts.
For example, the person in charge of the Orient Loong God district was none other than one of Jiang Tianyun's confidants, Lin Qingyi.
Thinking of Lin Qingyi, Li Changqing felt that this person was both mysterious and terrifying. He had heard from Zhang Fuguang that even he had not gained any advantage in front of Lin Qingyi.
Xue Qianbai had also mentioned that Lin Qingyi was very dangerous.
So, knowing that the Orient Loong God district was under Lin Qingyi's charge, Li Changqing became somewhat vigilant.
Fortunately, in his current disguise, Lin Qingyi probably wouldn't recognize him.
Riding a spirit beast, the three of them headed to the Cangyuan Pavilion in the Orient Loong God district.
Li Changqing, based on the intelligence provided by Bai Tu, also knew where Xie Yunsun set up his stall to sell fried dough.
Li Changqing planned to capture Xie Yunsun after he finished selling his fried dough and then replace him with one of his own people.
There was still time, so after arriving in the Orient Loong God district, Li Changqing took the opportunity to stroll around.
The prosperity here was beyond imagination.
Li Changqing couldn't help but think that if he could open a branch of Changqing Trading Company in Tianhai City, he would surely make even more money.
"Opening a shop in Tianhai City is not that simple," Zhen Wanshou said, dousing Li Changqing's enthusiasm after learning of his idea, "Nearly all the shops in Tianhai City are monopolized by the large families within, with nineteen powerful families dominating eighty percent of Tianhai City's business, led by the Yue family."
"As for the rest, they are also monopolized by smaller families, and then there are the businesses of Tianhai City's city lord's mansion, belonging to Jiang Tianyun himself. Outsiders have little chance to break in," Zhen Wanshou explained to Li Changqing.
"It seems it's not easy after all."
Hearing Zhen Wanshou's explanation, Li Changqing was somewhat moved, but he didn't give up hope. If it wasn't possible now, it didn't mean it wouldn't be possible in the future.
Once Changqing Trading Company truly grew, there would always be a chance to share in the prosperity here.
The pavilions, high-rise buildings, and bustling businesses gave Li Changqing a feeling reminiscent of a major city.
The variety of businesses dazzled Li Changqing, and when he saw a residential area in the distance, he was also surprised.
"They sell houses here?" Li Changqing couldn't help but ask.
"Yes, living in Tianhai City is a good option," Zhen Wanshou said with a smile, "The public order in Tianhai City is actually very good. Few people cause trouble here. Moreover, the many family businesses here provide ordinary people with many opportunities to make money. They also run schools and even recruit talents into their families."
"If you have a place to live here, even if your cultivation talent is lacking, your skills might be needed by someone, leading you to the pinnacle of life," Zhen Wanshou said enviously.
Hearing this, Li Changqing couldn't help but approach the nearby housing agency.
Li Changqing was curious about the housing prices here.
The environment was indeed nice, and if he could buy a house here, it would be a good backup plan.
Inside, people were busy, and Li Changqing saw many house listings posted on the wall.
The housing agency's listings were all for the Orient Loong God district.
Which street, which courtyard.
Everything was clearly listed.
When Li Changqing looked at the prices, he saw that one house was only 150,000 taels.
"Quite cheap," Li Changqing thought to himself.
But when he saw that the 150,000 taels were not in silver but in gold, he promptly excused himself!
Even though he could afford it, it was too expensive.
Indeed, houses are unaffordable for the poor in any world.
As the day turned to evening, Tianhai City remained bustling.
Even the carriages of various families could be seen racing through the streets. Li Changqing, sensing their power, couldn't help but marvel at the strength of these families.
Prenatal Realm experts were merely serving as coachmen.
It seemed likely that each family had several Grandmasters at the helm, and the presence of a Great Martial Sect was entirely possible.
The three sat at a tea stall, quietly waiting for Xie Yunsun's arrival.
Because Li Changqing had heard from the tea stall's shopkeeper that Xie Yunsun would arrive in about a quarter of an hour.
"He's here."
At that moment, Zhen Wanshou whispered.
Li Changqing looked up casually and saw a man pushing a small wooden cart coming over. His appearance was unremarkable, and his apron was covered in grease stains, giving the impression of an ordinary fried dough vendor.
It was hard to imagine that this man could be a manager at Cangyuan Pavilion.
Xie Yunsun arrived and began to get busy.
Soon, the fragrant scent of fried dough wafted over.
Shortly after, customers started to gather for the fried dough, and Li Changqing and his companions silently waited.
As it got late and Xie Yunsun was about to close up, unexpectedly, another person arrived.
The girl had silver hair and wore a pink dress, giving off an ethereal air as she sat down. Her voice was soft, "Shopkeeper, I'd like two pieces of fried dough."
Xie Yunsun looked at the newcomer and cheerfully said, "It turns out to be Miss Yue. I'll prepare them for you right away."
"A troublesome person has arrived."
At this time, Zhen Wanshou whispered to Li Changqing after seeing the newcomer.
"Who is she?" Li Changqing looked at the girl, feeling a very familiar sensation.
"You don't recognize her?" Zhen Wanshou whispered in Li Changqing's ear, "She's the beloved pearl of the Yue family, Yue Qingwu!"
"Yue Qingwu…"
Li Changqing felt the name was very familiar.
"She's Yue Hanjun's sister. Have you heard of Yue Hanjun, the once-genius Painting Sage?" Zhen Wanshou reminded him.
Proofreader & Editor: Lotas