Chapter 59: Facing the Door
Chapter 59: Facing the Door
“Are they coming?”
With Zuo Meng’s power, the Astronomical Bureau couldn’t have detected his location unless he allowed it. National Master Zhang He would never have traced him either.
“Enough rest—time to harvest the leeks.”
Zuo Meng poured tea, wearing the contented grin of a seasoned farmer.
The laws had shifted twice now. He’d walked far down this path of deduction, like creating martial arts from scratch. Normally, practicing untested divine skill manuals would be suicide. But Zuo Meng differed—his Transcendent-breaking cultivation method wasn’t just tested by volunteers. An entire world helped refine it. No creator of profound skills ever had such luck.
Worlds had more uses than mere Creation, he realized. Farming approaches worked too—let a world experiment with crops, and you’d get innovations. Same with cultivation methods: crowdsourced refinement through countless trial runs. Bored? Dive into power games or street-level struggles using countless personas.
This was how to play with worlds!
Now, in his third era, Zuo Meng planned a proper harvest—reaping an epoch’s wisdom to perfect external cultivation methods. The golden shadow and wasteland’s schemes? Free laborers tending his fields.
“National Master Zhang He’s talisman arts are interesting. Worth noting.”
Zuo Meng marked the man for later—he’d take both memories and expertise during the harvest. Research himself? Never. As creator, he set directions. Let the leek-field dwellers handle the grunt work.
Night.
Zuo Meng yawned alone in his shop.
No customers meant sleeping here. High cultivation meant no hunger, killing any drive to earn money. Young Hero Zuo had become an utterly lazy fish, sprawled in his chair without twitching a muscle.
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“Uncle Xue?”
Zhi Hua popped in.
Though now an Immortal Palace elder, the girl remained scatterbrained around him. Years together had made him family. Her presence gave this world authenticity—not just NPCs.
“Why visit so late?” Another yawn shook him.
Lazing too long had kept all mortal habits. Without the impending harvest, he’d still be lounging here.
“Uncle Xue! The Dragon Guards absorbed our Immortal Palace!”
She plopped at the counter, chin in hands.
“I was there.”
Zuo Meng sighed. Had his presence become invisible?
“Will they send me to fight barbarians? The court branded Ask Immortal Pavilion and Cold Mountain Temple as rebels! What if we become cannon fodder? Without connections, they’ll sacrifice me, Zhang Tu, and the sisters!”
Zhi Hua always brought worries here. Odd, since everyone believed Uncle Xue just a Foundation Establishment cultivator—she’d surpassed him years ago. Their spies confirmed “Mr. Xue’s” weak cultivation.
They didn’t know creators. Zuo Meng showed whatever cultivation level he chose.
Scared?
He glanced. The Immortal Palace was some provincial company swallowed by a state giant, now thrust into global wars. Capital unrest’s rumors heightened tensions.
“Don’t go if you don’t want to.”
Same answer as years back when she’d feared marriage.
Knock, knock, knock.
After footsteps echoed, two rows of officials in fish-dragon uniforms flanked the shop entrance.
A pale-faced old man in crimson brocade robes entered, his clean-shaven features carrying an icy air.
A eunuch?
“People from the court?”
Zhi Hua’s heart skipped. Were they being sent to the frontlines as cannon fodder already? The weak truly had no rights.
“Mr. Xue, forgive this sudden intrusion.”
The old eunuch’s eyes barely grazed Zhi Hua before fixing on Zuo Meng sprawled like a lazy fish in his chair, the eunuch’s manner deathly serious.
Eh…
Zhi Hua blinked in confusion. Something felt wrong.
Wasn’t Uncle Xue just a lazy fish?
A Foundation Establishment lazy fish? After the second law upheaval, Foundation Establishment cultivators weren’t even rare anymore. Why would this palace eunuch show such respect? There must be some mistake.
“Boil water.”
Zuo Meng sat up and nudged Zhi Hua.
Oh?
Oh!
She scrambled to prepare tea, hands trembling as she served the guests.
The old eunuch finally spoke.
“Was it you who intervened recently?” He cut straight to the point, remembering the intelligence reports about this little shop owner.
The palace?
Intervened?
Zhi Hua gaped at Zuo Meng.
So Uncle Xue really was a hidden powerhouse! But how could such a mighty figure laze about all day? And that “Foundation Establishment” act earlier – what kind of Foundation Establishment cultivator could command this level of respect?
“Any other questions?”
Zuo Meng’s non-answer answered everything.
It’s him!
The old eunuch’s pulse quickened as his eyes darted to the three dirt dogs lounging nearby.
Those Dog Demons saved us!
The court had traced Zuo Meng through the Dog Demon case handled by Si Mo of the Dragon Guards. The archived records provided clear clues – clues Zuo Meng had deliberately left, for no mortal could find him otherwise.
“His Majesty invites you to become Great Chu’s honored guest.”
The eunuch produced an imperial scroll bestowed by the Emperor of Chu himself.