Chapter 64: Six Years

Zhang Shen reached out, his mana steady and profound, soothing Li Shuang’s restless spirit. The fatigue that had been masked by days of excitement suddenly overwhelmed Li Shuang, who yawned incessantly as he took his leave.

Zhang Shen sat on a stone bench in the shade of a tree.

“The gains this time were beyond expectations,” he mused.

“Within The Little Blessed Land Bottle, aside from heaven and earth treasures ranging from the Innate grade to the ninth layer of the Law Manifestation, there were also various inheritances from the Vanishing Mountain Sect. Like inheritances of alchemy, artifact crafting, talisman drawing, formation laws, and spiritual plant cultivation. It’s all there. A portion must be sorted out and handed over to the Ancient Covenant. But care must be taken not to reveal anything too profound, to avoid covetous glances. I have no interest in constantly dealing with those annoyances.”

This task was bound to consume some time. Only by reviewing the inheritances himself could Zhang Shen discern which were suitable for release at the moment.

“Then, there’s the matter of Li Shuang and his son. In the following period, my physical cultivation is bound to rapidly advance, and some plans can be set in motion ahead of schedule. It’s just a matter of whether they’re willing or not.”

He wouldn’t force the father and son. The place he needed them to go to was no ordinary place. If they were unwilling, he would find another way.

Li Shuang slept for two days before awakening, his body not fatigued, but his spirit had been excessively exhilarated and spent.

Zhang Shen conveyed to Li Shuang the task he hoped the father and his son would undertake.

“You don’t need to decide now. Go back and discuss it with Li Li and Li An, after all, this isn’t just about you.”

Li Shuang nodded. His daughter, Li An, had married years ago, and the Li family already welcomed the next generation. If it were just him, he could make the decision on his own.

“Go ahead, and make sure no one sees you.”

Li Shuang slipped away quietly.

Zhang Shen once again plunged into the bustling routine of his cultivation practice. This time it was even busier than before. There was much to be done.

For this reason, aside from regularly consuming heavenly materials and earthly treasures to ensure the rapid advancement of his physical cultivation level, he devoted the rest of his time to sorting through the Vanishing Mountain Sect’s inheritance.

In just six years, and at no small cost, Zhang Shen’s physical cultivation level leaped from the seventh layer to the ninth and complete progress of the True Core stage.

He was now entering another phase of accumulation for a breakthrough.

“Finally, it’s been repaired,” Zhang Shen murmured while chewing on some spent spirit iron, simultaneously placing the core into the chest cavity of the guardian puppet he had just opened.

Beside him stood the only puppet that had remained intact.

In the span of six years, not only had his physical level progressed, but his martial cultivation had also correspondingly reached the second layer of the True Core with 3% progress. During this lengthy time spent organizing the inheritances, he had managed to sort through all of the Vanishing Mountain Sect’s Innate grade inheritances.

This was due not only to the sheer volume of the inheritances but also because he spent part of his time comprehending the puppeteer’s tome, which was an inheritance stored on the third floor of the treasured pagoda, which indeed contained the methods for refining and repairing guardian puppets.

After some enlightenment, Zhang Shen easily repaired the internal array of the intact puppet.

However, fixing the two puppets from the damaged one took up a considerable amount of his time.

Picking his teeth, Zhang Shen began to activate the reassembled puppet.

“The craftsmanship is subpar, and the materials are leftovers from the destroyed one, so the puppet’s strength has decreased from the True Core seventh layer to the True Core fifth layer. But they’ll suffice.”

Having refined these two puppets with the Blood Refinement Method, they could be fully commanded by him to exert their due strength, no longer the clumsy and dull entities they were when they faced him before.

Zhang Yu and Li Zhong, who were dealing with the affairs of the Ancient Covenant, received a telepathic message from Zhang Shen.

“It seems the Leader has emerged from seclusion,” Li Zhong said, rubbing his eyes tiredly after a prolonged period of mental exertion.

Zhang Yu stretched languidly, the ever-growing responsibilities of the Ancient Covenant leaving him equally exhausted.

“Let’s go see what the Leader needs.” 

Although they were relatives, Zhang Yu usually addressed Zhang Shen with his official title, only adopting the more familiar term of uncle during family banquets.

When the two arrived, Li Zhi, Zhang Miaohao, and Li Wu were already at the Shanshui Residence. Li Zhi was summoned by Zhang Shen, while Zhang Miaohao and Li Wu came on their own initiative.

Zhang Miaohao had hit a snag in his heart cultivation and had come seeking advice, with Li Wu accompanying him. The subtle romance between the two was evident to any discerning eye.

However, since they were both focused on their cultivation and their relationship had not yet progressed to a more serious level, nobody else urged them forward.

“Miaohao, you’re too anxious,” Zhang Shen said. “The path of the Innate is not like that of the Acquired. Eagerness for quick success only leads to failure. Even if the journey is slow, as long as each step is solid, just keep moving forward before your lifespan ends. You’re now at the third layer Innate stage, with over a hundred years of life remaining. Ample time to proceed.”

Zhang Shen handed over a dictionary-sized tome of Clear Heart Sutra to Zhang Miaohao.

“Read it day and night. It can calm the mind and nurture the spirit. Be persistent, and it will be beneficial for you.”

Zhang Miaohao was not a stubborn fool. After Zhang Shen pointed out the issue, she recognized the problem within herself.

He took the Clear Heart Sutra, silently conceding that indeed, it was time to cultivate his mind.

Zhang Shen had summoned Li Zhi to see the progress his disciple had made in recent times. But just then, Zhang Yu and Li Zhong arrived, so he decided to postpone this matter for the moment.

“How is the Ancient Covenant faring lately? Are there any problems that you can’t resolve?”

Zhang Yu and Li Zhong exchanged a glance.

“Covenant Leader, there is indeed a matter that’s proving difficult to resolve. In recent years, under your encouragement for the people to multiply, the population within the territories governed by the Ancient Covenant has more than doubled. Thanks to the continuous improvement of crop varieties, there’s no shortage of food. However, there is a significant shortage of administrative personnel. Especially at the higher levels, where the shortage is most acute. Li Zhong, Uncle Zhang Si, and the rest of us have been diligent in our duties, yet we’re still overwhelmed.”

Zhang Shen nodded. Zhang Yu and Li Zhong indeed looked worn out.

“As for administrative talents…” Zhang Shen tapped his finger on the stone table.

He had anticipated this issue. Although the ruling families were numerous, they were a drop in the bucket compared to the entire population under the Ancient Covenant’s control.

Moreover, not everyone from the families was cut out to succeed, and if you further subtracted those without managerial abilities and those dedicated solely to the martial path, the number dwindled even more.

It would be surprising if they could manage. In fact, this situation was precisely what Zhang Shen had intentionally created.

“Uncle, Li Zhong, I intend to open up the training system and spread basic education to all the children under our rule.”

A simple statement and the faces of Zhang Yu and Li Zhong changed dramatically.

“Covenant Leader, this must not be done,” Li Zhong said in horror, truly not expecting the Alliance Leader to entertain such a notion.

“Shen’er, this cannot be done. They are but commoners under our rule, subject to our governance. What virtue or capability do they possess to receive an education?” Zhang Yu abandoned the strict hierarchical respect he had always upheld.

Li Zhi and the others beside him also showed signs of shock, but they did not interject. Clearly, this was not the time to voice their opinions.