Chapter 1 The Morning

A luxurious carriage came from the main road and stopped in the square outside the Tianji Building. The twelve riders following it reined in their horses.

Zheng Wenhan, wearing a scarlet robe, stepped out of the carriage with the help of a wooden stool and instructed his attendants, "Wait here!"

With that, he lowered his hands and walked towards the Tianji Building with his sleeves fluttering.

The Tianji Building was a pagoda, with a pointed top and eight floors. Each floor had upturned eaves and observation corridors. Back then, the late Emperor obtained an elixir and was so pleased that he spent a huge sum from the national treasury, summoning skilled craftsmen to build this building for the Imperial Advisor.

On the day of its completion, the late Emperor wrote with his own brush: "Understanding the mysteries of creation, predicting all heavenly secrets."

It was named: Tianji Building.

Ascending the white jade-carved stone steps and entering the main building, Zheng Wenhan saw a middle-aged man in a Taiji Taoist robe, holding a horsetail whisk in his hand, standing there quietly with a smile on his face: "Prime Minister Zheng, the Imperial Advisor has been waiting for a long time."

Zheng Wenhan raised an eyebrow: "The Imperial Advisor knew I was coming?"

The middle-aged Taoist smiled and said, "Everything in the world is under the control of the Imperial Advisor."

Does the Imperial Advisor know where Zhao Shun is hiding? Zheng Wenhan nodded slightly and said, "Please lead the way, I want to see the Imperial Advisor."

The middle-aged Taoist shook his head: "The Imperial Advisor is in seclusion practicing his skills. It is a critical moment. Before the ritual of offering sacrifices to heaven begins, he will not see outsiders." Zheng Wenhan frowned: "I have an urgent matter."

The Yang family has already noticed his plot. In the past two days, they have been constantly petitioning the court officials to protest, demanding to see the Emperor. At the same time, the Yang family's guards, the retainer they raised, and the city defense army under their control are all actively taking action, seemingly looking for something.

This makes it difficult for him to use the city defense army and soldiers to search for Zhao Shun.

If this drags on, the Zheng family will have to rebel by force.

He must kill Zhao Shun before the ritual of offering sacrifices to heaven, and then launch a mutiny in the name of clearing the Emperor's inner circle, and kill the puppet in the palace, so that the great event can be settled.

But now Zhao Shun cannot be found.

The middle-aged Taoist smiled and took out a brocade pouch from his sleeve and handed it over: "The Imperial Advisor knows everything."

Zheng Wenhan opened the brocade pouch, took out the paper inside, and unfolded it. The words "Shen Rui" were written on the paper.

His pupils shrank slightly.

The middle-aged Taoist still smiled: "In the past two days, Prime Minister Zheng has asked the city defense army to keep an eye on the inner and outer cities. Wherever there is a conflict, the army will surround it and kill them without mercy! Three days later, it will be the ritual of offering sacrifices to heaven, don't delay it."

Zheng Wenhan put away the brocade pouch: "I understand."

After Zheng Wenhan walked out of the Tianji Building, the middle-aged Taoist took out another brocade pouch: "Junior Sister, go."

A woman in a Taiji Taoist robe, with a sweet appearance but a cold expression, appeared, took the brocade pouch, and disappeared again.

…

[Ding! Congratulations on completing the side quest: Survive for 72 hours.]

[Ding! Quest reward, unlock Saint realm spiritual power and items.]

[Ding! Activate side quest: Rescue Wang Xiu!]

[Ding! Activate side quest: Subdue the Qinglong Gang.]

Zhang Yuanqing, lying on the simple bed, felt a burning sensation on his forehead. The Taiyin mark appeared and turned into a dazzling nebula. A majestic and pure force of stars and Taiyin power poured into his body.

His body was like a parched sponge, greedily absorbing the two forces until it stopped at the peak of level 4, still wanting more.

Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes. His eyes, which had been dimmed by illness, became bright and energetic, like stars.

"I'm back to the peak of level 4!" After feeling his physical condition, he opened the item bar and took out a Saint-quality elixir and swallowed it.

The bacteria in his body were spread by a level 6 Saint. With the Night Wanderer's healing power, supplemented by elixirs specifically for treating diseases, he could only barely save his life and lose all combat power. Even if he returned to the level 4 Saint realm, he could not rely on his own immunity to heal himself.

Then, he opened the item bar to check. The low-quality props of the Saint realm were unlocked, while the medium and high-quality props were still sealed. The former corresponded to level 4, and the latter corresponded to level 5 and level 6.

"Fortunately, I collected a lot of low-quality props during my time in New York County. Otherwise, a prop master like me, who has nothing but top-quality props, would be dumbfounded in this situation." Zhang Yuanqing was glad for a moment, then closed the item bar and examined the dungeon quest.

The main quest remained unchanged, and the notes remained unchanged.

The side quest has changed from surviving for a certain amount of time to a clearly directed task.

This is a good thing. As long as he completes a side quest, he can unseal part of his strength and no longer have to endure the time like the previous two times. Enduring the time is a rigid rule, which is not conducive to exerting his strength. This kind of targeted task can show the operation of a high-level player.

"Two side quests, rescue Wang Xiu: subdue the Qinglong Gang. Can the Qinglong Gang be allies? Well, the Qinglong Gang is on the side of righteousness, which is completely different from the Zheng family. They hate Zhao Shun because the fatuous ruler is incompetent and brings disaster to the country. In essence, what the Qinglong Gang hates is the people who harm the country."

"But it's a bit difficult to subdue the Qinglong Gang... Let's rescue Wang Xiu first."

Zhang Yuanqing silently made a dungeon strategy in his heart.

He sat up, threw aside Jiang Jingwei's thigh, which was placed on his belly, and woke her up with a slap.

Jiang Jingwei had a big temper when she woke up, and got up to fight him to the death, but Zhang Yuanqing suppressed her on the bed with one hand, and she couldn't resist no matter how much she struggled.

Jiang Jingwei suddenly stopped and said in surprise, "You've recovered? You've recovered your level!"

She immediately said angrily, "My side quest is still not completed."

"There's no need to be too anxious about this kind of long-term plot dungeon," Zhang Yuanqing lifted the quilt and got out of bed, put on a coarse cloth coat, and strode out of the room into the courtyard. Wang Beiwang was holding a bundle of dry grass and feeding the horse. Seeing him come out, he said lightly, "I've already thought of a way. It's rumored in the market that the Zheng and Yang families are at odds with each other. Since the Zheng family wants to rebel, then seek help from the Yang family. I'll find a way to take you to see the Yang family.

"The Zheng family must have expected this, so next, we have to think carefully about how to safely meet the Yang family."

He thought of many ways last night. The best choice is to ask for the help of the elders and gang leader of the Qinglong Gang, but considering that the gang leader hates evil as much as life, he would probably slap the fatuous ruler to death directly when he sees him.

Elder Xu can still be communicated with, but the gang leader cultivates fire-attribute skills. He has been in the martial world for many years and is known as the "Reckless Fire God".

So, as a second choice, go to see the Yang family.

"What about after seeing the Yang family? You all know that the Zheng family must be secretly watching. If I enter the Yang family, the Zheng family will have no choice but to fight to the death and launch a formal mutiny. Don't forget that most of the city defense army is controlled by the Zheng family. The Zheng family's cronies are all over the court, and there is also the Imperial Advisor backing them up. I have no chance of winning if I break with the Zheng family over this matter," Zhang Yuanqing flatly rejected.