Chapter 946: Chapter 52: Promotion in Rank, Heading to Shangluo Academy! (12,000 Words) _6
"What urgent matter is there?"
"Tianyang True Monarch promised to give me a gift and said I must hurry, otherwise it will be gone. What it is exactly, he didn’t say."
King Heavenly Destiny nodded: "I see."
Zhao Xing said: "Do you know what it is?"
"I don’t know," King Heavenly Destiny shook his head. "I don’t concern myself with matters of the Yin Realm."
Zhao Xing was speechless.
If you don’t know, why did you look like you had a sudden realization?
King Heavenly Destiny said: "It has been some time, the Dragon Court Ancient Land will open in three years."
Zhao Xing said: "Actually, I’m not taking this long to rest, mainly to figure out some problems."
"The drawbacks of the Ten Thousand Skill Avatar?"
"Yes."
King Heavenly Destiny said solemnly: "You do need more time for that, on this journey to Shangluo Academy to meet Xu Xing, be sure to understand thoroughly with Liu Tianning. In these three years, you don’t need to come to the Star Palace."
Zhao Xing was a bit surprised: "Why did you change your mind so quickly?"
King Heavenly Destiny’s expression stiffened: "Xu Xing is terrifying when he goes mad. We were in the same period, and you... you have no idea how frightening that old fellow really is."
Zhao Xing was also puzzled, just how frightening is Xu Xing to leave a mental shadow on someone like King Heavenly Destiny, who claims to have seen through life and death.
But King Heavenly Destiny didn’t want to bring up those past experiences.
"In any case, solving this issue should be prioritized over the Dragon Court Ancient Land."
"If you go mad, nothing else can be discussed."
...
Ultimately, he didn’t visit the Star Palace. Once King Heavenly Destiny learned of the situation, he promptly sent Zhao Xing to meet up with Liu Tianning.
The master and disciple agreed to meet on the third of May at the Li Fire Taoist School in Tianyuan Prefecture.
"There are still a few days left."
Zhao Xing withdrew from the Earth Realm and began contacting Xia Jing and Long Xiao, and other old acquaintances.
Buzz~
A glow appeared, casting an illusion in the Earth Realm, projecting the image of Long Xiao.
"Zhao Xing."
"Long Xiao, did you receive any rewards?"
"Yes, I was promoted to a Second-class Marquis, with the title Long Wu, and my official rank was raised to Standard Fourth Rank, with both loose and merit grades improved," Long Xiao said.
"Still, I could not attain third rank," Zhao Xing felt a bit regretful.
"It’s alright," Long Xiao said. "I’m quite satisfied; I can work my way up myself."
"That is true," Zhao Xing nodded.
Being the dragon-riding son-in-law of the Bai Family, one of the three great Water Clans of the East Sea, Long Xiao’s promotion was already swift.
His path to advancement was already open.
Back then, Bai Yunwu had already promoted this grandson-in-law to Standard Fourth Rank, but the titles and honors needed to be bestowed by the court.
Third rank, Bai Yunwu did not have the authority to confer.
"There are too many strong individuals, and the Bai Family is also redeeming itself. Moreover, one Hong Yuanba still escaped."
Zhao Xing was somewhat regretful. After all, there would be no more good opportunities for Long Xiao after this.
Of course, it wasn’t a major problem. Both he and Long Xiao were still very young.
"And you?" Long Xiao asked.
"I’m also Fourth Rank," Zhao Xing said, outwardly declaring himself as a Fourth Rank official pending reassignment, "but I made it to First-class Marquis, with the title Duke Divine Might."
"What?!" Long Xiao was startled, then overjoyed. "That’s wonderful! Hahaha."
Since the Divine Might Army was dismantled in the Ping Man War, Zhao Xing being granted the title of Marquis Divine Might naturally gathered those people together.
Long Xiao was, of course, delighted.
If he hadn’t already settled down and established his career in the East Sea, Long Xiao would have jumped at the chance to serve Zhao Xing as an Assistant General.
"However, I don’t have the opportunity to form the Divine Might Army at the moment," Zhao Xing said, "It might take a long time."
"No worries, no worries," Long Xiao said. "There’s no rush."
"Alright," Zhao Xing nodded, "but I’ll first transfer Liao Rulong to the old place, secure our old position, so it’s not troublesome to mobilize later."
"Yes, that’s how it should be."
This good news was soon relayed to Chen Shijie as well.
"Duke Divine Might?" Chen Shijie was briefly lost in thought, then nodded: "The court is considerate of us old generals’ feelings."
"Old Chen, have you received any decrees?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Not yet," Chen Shijie shook his head, "my position as Pingyuan Prefecture is still temporary."
"Being confirmed in the official position itself would be good, nothing more to ask for."
Old Chen was quite open-minded.
Xia Jing, however, was a bit unnerved.
When Zhao Xing contacted him, Xia Jing was still speaking with lingering fear about the incidents at the beginning of the year.
"Mr. Zhao, just as you predicted, many of the long-standing aristocrats in the Military Realm have disappeared."
"Whoever had even a trace of guilt barely escaped the fate of having their homes raided."
"Among my father’s frequent associates, over a dozen have died, it’s terrifying..." Xia Jing still found it terrifying to bring it up.
"Many involved in the asylum plan were also stripped of their positions and territories."
Zhao Xing shook his head and said: "I already advised them, if they didn’t listen, nothing can be done."
Whether they were doing good deeds to protect the people or trying to win over hearts, lay at the whim of Emperor Jing.
If they sought personal gain, there was no escape from ruin.
The usual outcome was supposed death.
Being stripped of positions and having homes raided was merciful, not being exterminated was a gain.
"My father’s military power has been greatly reduced," Xia Jing said, "from a hundred thousand to just five thousand."
"What was the reason?"
"Because my father received an invitation from Prince Liang, although he never attended the banquet!"
"And the territory?" Zhao Xing asked.
"The territory was untouched, my father proactively requested to lower his tax collection rate, and narrowly escaped disaster."
"But I was conferred a Second-class Marquis title, Marquis Jingwu," Xia Jing said, "with the position of Cave Heaven General of Standard Fourth Rank, but I’ve yet to receive orders to reorganize the army, only three thousand mid-to-low rank generals."
"The territory is rather small, the lowest standard for a Second-class Marquis in a thousand years."
Zhao Xing nodded: "That’s already quite good, you are indeed the hope of the Xia Family."