124: High official position, generous salary, and fief of 10,000 households

The next morning.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Jiang Lan, for his meritorious service to the Dragon and his exceptional talent and virtue, is hereby enfeoffed as a Pillar State Duke, granted a fiefdom of ten thousand households, awarded ten thousand taels of silver, one thousand bolts of silk and cloth, one hundred household servants and maids, and several properties in the Inner City, to recognize his achievements. This is a 欽此!"

Standing before Jiang Lan was a tall, pale, beardless eunuch, holding a golden imperial edict, solemnly reading aloud.

Behind the eunuch, there were several carriages filled with large chests.

It was obvious that the chests were full of gold, silver, and jade artifacts.

However, Jiang Lan wasn't particularly interested in these things.

It was just that the Emperor was quite good at handling people.

He said he wanted a residence, and the Emperor didn't just give him a residence.

So many treasures probably emptied at least half of the Great Yan national treasury.

"Thank you."

Hearing Jiang Lan's thanks, the eunuch closed the imperial edict and repeatedly said:

"Pillar State Duke, there's no need for such humility; this humble one is truly flattered."

Jiang Lan had no intention of wasting words with him; his previous remark was merely a courtesy.

He continued:

"Just leave the things."

At this moment, he was already in the Inner City courtyard bestowed by the Emperor.

The luxuriousness of the courtyard had made Jiang Lan a little speechless when he first arrived.

It was a nine-courtyard, four-layered grand residence of astonishing scale, complete with rockeries and flowing water, epitomizing extravagance.

The eunuch began to direct the coachmen to place the large chests in the courtyard.

Immediately after, nearly a hundred people entered from the courtyard gate, all women, not a single man, and all of them beautiful.

From the looks of it, they were likely palace maids from the imperial palace.

Jiang Lan glanced at the group but said nothing.

After all, such a large courtyard would indeed be too empty without some human presence, and it would also be inconvenient.

Even if he knew that many of these people were undoubtedly spies planted by the Emperor, he didn't feel there was anything wrong with it.

Anyway, he wouldn't be returning home often.

Moreover, if the Emperor knew nothing about his situation, he would surely be restless.

After half a day of bustling, once the items were unloaded, the eunuch respectfully bid farewell to Jiang Lan and left with his people.

Inside the courtyard, Chen Heguang had not yet recovered from his shock.

"Great Nephew, these... are all for you?"

"They are for you all." Jiang Lan shrugged, "I'll be leaving in a while, and I can't take these things with me. You should use them as you see fit; don't be stingy."

Now, wealth was truly an external possession for Jiang Lan.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he could have as much as he wanted.

So he naturally wouldn't be petty.

"That won't do!" Chen Heguang waved his hands repeatedly, "Yours is yours. At most, we'll look after them for you and discuss it when you return."

Jiang Lan showed a smile.

"Do you mean that you will also bear the daily expenses of these hundred household servants?"

"This..."

Chen Heguang's scalp tingled.

A hundred people's food and clothing.

His meager monthly salary was barely enough to support his own family; how could he afford to support a hundred mouths?

Even if everyone ate coarse food, it wouldn't be enough.

Jiang Lan stepped forward and patted Chen Heguang's shoulder, "Alright, Uncle Chen, what's there to be polite about between us? Go arrange the people; I'm not good at this."

With nearly a hundred servants suddenly in the household, Jiang Lan had no mind to manage them.

Chen Heguang no longer stood on ceremony, nodded, and began to call for people.

Meanwhile, Jiang Lan walked into the main house.

Gu Yan was sitting inside and quickly stood up when she saw Jiang Lan return.

Jiang Lan waved his hand, signaling her to sit down.

"I came to tell you that I'm going out. I don't know when I'll be back, so just rest assured and stay here."

"I'll wait for you." Gu Yan nodded obediently.

Jiang Lan continued:

"Those gold and silver valuables, you can take them as you please; don't consider anything else."

After a few more instructions, Jiang Lan returned to his room alone.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, a light screen appeared before him... [Name: Jiang Lan]

[Cultivation: Mortal Shedding Sixth Layer (Peak)]

[Cultivation Technique: Golden Essence Spirit Cultivation Art]

[Martial Skills: Blazing Sun Demon Suppression Blade (Return to Simplicity), Flood Dragon Swim (Return to Simplicity), Hidden God Art (Return to Simplicity), Shadow Blade Art (Return to Simplicity)]

[Remaining Lifespan: Two thousand eight hundred ten years.]

[Can infuse Lifespan into Cultivation Techniques and skills to increase strength.]

[Can increase Lifespan by suppressing or slaying demons.]

...Originally, he had only planned to return to Great Yan for a visit, but unexpectedly, there were unforeseen gains.

That Crow Demon had provided him with nearly two thousand eight hundred years of Lifespan.

Such a long Lifespan was enough for him to advance to the Peak of Mortal Shedding.

However, to achieve Core Formation, it was not enough.

Although the Golden Essence Spirit Cultivation Art was a Fusion of two Cultivation Techniques, it could only Cultivate to the Peak of Mortal Shedding.

If he wanted to reach the legendary Core Formation Realm, he would still need a corresponding Cultivation Technique.

This Cultivation Technique certainly didn't exist within Great Yan.

The Zhenwu Pavilion did have it, but it required exchange with contributions.

Shaking his head, Jiang Lan no longer dwelled on it.

There would be a way when the time came; there was no need to fret.

"Golden Essence Spirit Cultivation Art, full."

Before him, the text on the light screen scrolled rapidly.

[Year one, you began to Cultivate, just a step away from Breakthrough.]

[Year three, you accumulated enough, and your Martial Dao Realm successfully broke through to Mortal Shedding Seventh Layer.]

[Year three hundred fifty-two, through your unremitting efforts, you broke through again, and your Martial Dao Realm advanced to Mortal Shedding Eighth Layer.]

[Year eight hundred, you practiced day and night, and your Martial Dao Realm broke through to Mortal Shedding Ninth Layer.]

[Year one thousand three hundred, your Realm successfully advanced to the Peak of Mortal Shedding Ninth Layer. Although your accumulation was profound, you were hindered by the lack of a method for Breakthrough, and your Cultivation stopped.]

Feeling the surging True Qi within him and the power far exceeding before, Jiang Lan closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Mortal Shedding Ninth Layer, Peak.

He could even feel the abundance of True Qi within his body.

He only needed a suitable Cultivation Technique, and he would naturally succeed in compressing his True Qi and stepping into the legendary Core Formation Realm.

Currently, he still had one thousand five hundred ten years of Lifespan remaining.

If he had a suitable Cultivation Technique, after entering the Core Formation Realm, he might even be able to Breakthrough several minor Realms consecutively.

Opening his eyes, Jiang Lan lightly gripped the hilt of the long blade beside him, his heart growing more eager.

In fact, normally, his long blade, having been used for so long, should have long since dulled.

If an ordinary person used it, it would probably have been chipped and become a piece of scrap metal long ago.

But perhaps due to the Blazing Sun Demon Suppression Blade and the nourishment of True Qi, the standard long blade in his hand had not only not dulled but had become capable of cutting through iron like mud and was so reflective it could be used as a mirror.

Ordinary Sharp Weapons were far inferior to his long blade.

Looking at the long blade, Jiang Lan suddenly remembered his scabbard.

Before, when he brought back the Jiao Demon's scales, Bai Yu said he would find someone to help him forge a scabbard. Now that so much time had passed, it was probably ready.

Thinking of this, Jiang Lan stood up.

First, he would go to the Demon Suppression Division to retrieve the scabbard, and then he could leave Great Yan and go to the border of Ling Country to take a look.

Kill demons, exchange for Cultivation Techniques, enter Mortal Shedding!