126: Candy Crush is loading

When Zhou Yan walked out of the Misty Rain Painted Barge, he was completely dazed.

For the first time, he realized that this world of cultivation had such a vast difference from the cultivation system he previously knew.

For example, the Physical Mahayana Heavenly Venerate Niu he heard about from Boss Mei.

That person was named Niu Qi, a down-and-out Lord from the Human Race Dynasty, the first Dynasty in the Human Realm.

However, in the era of old Laws, talent and Bloodline were considered supreme, so a down-and-out noble with a thin Bloodline like him naturally had a difficult life.

Money might satisfy his material needs, but it could never fill the spiritual void.

Until one day, a mysterious powerhouse came to him and told him that new Laws had emerged, and the solidified era was about to end.

Only then did he understand what the new Laws meant for this world.

Eventually, Niu Qi attained the Dao under a crabapple tree, comprehended the true principles of the world, achieved Law Soul Transformation, and transformed from an ordinary low-level Cultivator into a respected founder, later even becoming one of the second batch of Mahayana powerhouses.

Hearing all this, Zhou Yan's worldview almost collapsed, but he could still barely accept it.

After all, this world had already seen many sages from Blue Star's past, so one more 'Lord Niu' didn't seem out of place.

But the news that followed left Zhou Yan utterly speechless.

The Eastern Domain, it was actually a technological era!

When words like 'technology,' 'modernization,' and 'industrialization' came from the mouth of a person dressed in ancient attire, Zhou Yan found it even more absurd than hearing that Niu Qi was a Mahayana Cultivator.

However, he gradually understood later.

Technology is essentially a application of Artifact Refining and Law, except that Cultivators attribute great power to themselves, while technology applies power to all things.

After receiving so much information, Zhou Yan no longer had the desire to continue asking questions.

After confirming that the remaining two pieces of information could be kept, he walked home step by step.

"Sigh." Walking on the way home, Zhou Yan couldn't help but let out a sigh.

The amount of information he received this time was too vast, making his head feel swollen. After pondering for a while, Zhou Yan gradually began to understand some things.

It's not strange for a technological civilization to appear in the cultivation world.

After all, the cultivation world is not static. Having technology in the cultivation world might not be scientific, but it's very metaphysical.

What's more, the cultivation world spans an immense amount of time, with a flick of a finger leading to vast changes, allowing for a very high tolerance for error.

As long as there's an Opportunity, technology could be born, and even under the influence of cultivation civilization, it could blossom with even more dazzling brilliance.

Thinking about the guesthouse and public flying boat in Qingxu Grotto-Heaven, as well as the scenery and Materials, they might just be products of the Eastern Domain's 'technological cultivation integration'.

No, no, the more he thought about it, the more unsettling it became, didn't it?

Now Zhou Yan no longer dared to be complacent; he really should properly understand the history and relevant information of this world.

He just wondered if he could get a comprehensive book that covered the entire world.

Under his past stereotypical impression of another world, he had unwittingly created an information cocoon for himself, and now he urgently needed to break through his existing perceptions.

This could also be considered a lesson for Zhou Yan, helping him to overcome arrogance and impatience.

Zhou Yan's sense of superiority, which stemmed from his origins in a technological civilization, was completely shattered after encountering this even grander civilization.

But strangely, he felt a sense of relief instead.

After that arrogance was broken, the distance between him and this world seemed to have narrowed considerably, and he had fewer stereotypical filters for this world, seeing it more realistically.

As if suddenly remembering something, Zhou Yan paused, taking out a small badge.

This was given to him by the person named Arthur.

He had been surprised by the other person's different race and appearance at first, but now he had a different perspective.

The technologically advanced Eastern Domain? When his cultivation is higher, he should indeed go and see it.

Back home, Zhou Yan gathered Wang Yao and others for a small meeting.

The atmosphere was supposed to be serious, if not for everyone sitting around the dining table.

"Senior Brother, do we have to discuss important matters at the dining table? It feels a bit strange," Shi Suiyan couldn't help but say.

The others didn't have any objections; Xiao Sheng even said that sitting there made it feel more immersive.

"Ahem, there really isn't a more suitable place. This dining table is big enough; everyone just get used to it," Zhou Yan explained.

Then, he placed a large screen on the table.

It was a communication device he had dismantled from a flying boat after his Artifact Refining reached Lv1, using his relevant knowledge.

After being powered by Spirit Stones, the screen quickly lit up.

"In a moment, I will discuss some matters with another Disciple of my master, who is also everyone's Senior Brother. The matters we discuss will be the main purpose of this meeting."

Everyone looked at Zhou Yan's serious expression, and realizing that this meeting was not a simple matter, they all became more solemn.

The call connected, and on the other side was Zhou Yan's nominal Senior Brother, the current Censor-in-Chief.

"Junior Brother, why did you suddenly contact me? Is something the matter?"

Seeing the other party's slightly surprised expression, Zhou Yan cupped his hands, exchanged a few polite words, and then got to the point.

"Speaking of which, this is my first time meeting Senior Brother. First, I want to thank Senior Brother for the gifts and knowledge you sent before; they helped me a lot."

"I originally planned to formally visit Senior Brother after my training took me to the capital, but I didn't expect to encounter some trouble, and our first meeting turns out to be under these circumstances."

"When I arrive in the capital someday, I will apologize to Senior Brother again."

Before Zhou Yan finished speaking, Li Wenbo already understood his meaning.

He's encountered trouble?

Logically speaking, even a seventh-rank official from the Censorate is not someone local officials can easily provoke.

Even the Transport Commissioner of West Jiangnan Circuit wouldn't dare to make trouble for Zhou Yan if he reported his name.

Although he had left a message telling Zhou Yan to find him if he had difficulties, that was more of an emergency measure.

The fact that Zhou Yan was his person had long spread in the upper circles, and influential people below should also know, so they wouldn't be so tactless.

They are all officials; who would be so stupid?

"What difficulties has Junior Brother encountered? What do you need me to do? I will arrange it immediately," Li Wenbo responded without hesitation.

No matter what it is, agreeing first is always the right choice; this is a good Opportunity to strengthen their relationship.

"Senior Brother, if someone schemes against me, or even tries to kill me, do I have the right to kill them?"

Li Wenbo's body trembled.

Good heavens, there really is such a master?

Zhou Yan specifically contacted him, so the person he wanted to kill was most likely an official.

"Murdering an imperial official, especially a Supervising Censor, can be treated as treason. Junior Brother, you can act with full force."

After receiving confirmation, Zhou Yan continued to ask.

"What if many officials are involved?"

"Ah?" Li Wenbo was stunned, hearing the hidden meaning in his words.

If it were just one or a few officials conspiring to harm an imperial official, killing them would be fine.

But Zhou Yan specifically mentioned too many implicated officials... "Junior Brother, what do you mean by that?"

Zhou Yan took out the small booklet he got from the Joyous Union Sect and spread it directly on the table.

Li Wenbo and everyone else clearly saw the contents: a long list of names, all of whom had intentions to act against Zhou Yan.

Wang Yao and the others were very angry, but Zhou Yan was still talking to his Senior Brother, so they had to suppress their rage.

Li Wenbo saw this intelligence and understood the general situation.

This Junior Brother somehow got this list and wanted to use the excuse of someone trying to harm him to clear out all these potential dangers.

The booklet also contained some evidence, proving their malicious intent, which could indeed be used to make a case.

However, the evidence against some people was not enough for a death sentence, and some people's plans had not yet been implemented, making it difficult to act against them as officials.

"Junior Brother, this is indeed a bit tricky. It's not that I don't want to help you; although many people have intentions against you, they haven't taken actual action, so they cannot be directly convicted. If we forcefully deal with them, the national destiny protection they have will backlash against you, which would be counterproductive."

"For the people on this list, at most I can manipulate things, using the charge of attempting to murder a Qingxu Grotto-Heaven True Disciple, and add a few more crimes to deal with a few more. But to clear them all, the national destiny backlash would be very troublesome."

Li Wenbo felt somewhat vexed; his first attempt to help hit a snag, which was truly frustrating.

Are these people out of their minds? They don't even put him, the Censor-in-Chief, in their eyes, and they even gathered together.

If this matter had nothing to do with Zhou Yan and was just aimed at him, he could clear them out in batches.

But this Junior Brother has extraordinary talent; delaying even one day means one day later for him to become a Saint. If Junior Brother becomes a Saint earlier, it would also greatly benefit him.

Seeing this heaven-sent Opportunity about to be delayed was more painful than killing him.

"Wait, Senior Brother, did you just say that attempting to murder a Qingxu Grotto-Heaven True Disciple is also against the Law?" Zhou Yan suddenly asked.