Huangfu Ji and Qi Xuansu returned to Tianfu Palace, and the two began discussing the topic of suffering.

Qi Xuansu shared his view. The Daoist Order advocated frugality and valued grassroots experience, which was hardship in effort. Suffering and hardship differed in the sense that the former was not noble.

Huangfu Ji soon shifted his attention to maritime trade. The Daoist Order’s thriving sea trade was inseparable from its openness and inclusivity. The Southern Continent remained largely conservative, so its development was extremely difficult and heavily reliant on the Daoist Order’s support.

Each generation had its own responsibilities and mission.

For Tantai Zhenxiao’s generation, the primary goal remained resisting the Steam Evangelical Sect and securing independence.

But Huangfu Ji’s generation was to find a development path suited to the Southern Continent and to usher in a new era.

Qi Xuansu advocated bold innovation, equality, mutual assistance, and harmonious development. Compared to the Three Prodigies, his ideas better matched the needs of Huangfu Ji and the Southern Continent. Thus, Huangfu Ji’s closeness to Qi Xuansu was not mere instant rapport. It also had a deep practical significance.

Of those principles, equality and harmony were especially important to Huangfu Ji.

If Li Changge were to rise to power and intervene too forcefully in the internal affairs of the Western Daoist Order and the Southern Continent, it could easily lead to conflict between the two sides, causing serious complications.

In truth, the moment one chose a side, one’s friends and enemies were also predetermined.

It had little to do with Qi Xuansu’s personal character.

Huangfu Ji’s repeated goodwill subtly boosted Qi Xuansu’s influence. Although the Western Daoist Order could not interfere in the Golden Tower Council’s major decisions, that did not mean the Daoist Order could ignore its stance. The Western Daoist Order’s mere existence could shift the balance, like a mountain that permanently altered the surrounding landscape.

With their interests aligned, both Qi Xuansu were inclined to maintain and even deepen this relationship, so their personal rapport naturally grew strong.

By the time they returned to Tianfu Palace, Zhang Yuelu had also come back with Little Yin. Lin Yuanmiao had recently been less attentive to her, spending most of his time with Ji Jiaozhen and Pei Xiaolou, drinking and whale-fishing. Of course, he would never say that aloud. He would only claim that Little Yin should focus on her studies and not spend all day fooling around.

Qi Xuansu invited Huangfu Ji to a private family dinner.

This had nothing to do with official matters. It was purely to strengthen personal ties.

The dinner consisted of just four people: Qi Xuansu’s family of three and Huangfu Ji.

Little Yin was not a timid child. She had roamed Jianghu, and the Three Yin Beings had watched her grow up. Old Lin was her close friend, and Sage Qingwei had personally granted her the fourth rank. She had even fought Wu Guangbi and Sun Heyu, both Pseudo-Immortals. Huangfu Ji himself was only a Pseudo-Immortal, so she did not find him special.

Huangfu Ji, on the other hand, took quite a liking to Little Yin. As a radical by nature, he was bold and fearless, so he naturally favored children with courage.

During the dinner, Zhang Yuelu recounted some of Little Yin’s exploits. This included her bravery when encountering Sun Heyu, where she rushed forward and bit his thigh, only to be stabbed in the mouth in return. She had also thrown herself in front of cannon fire to shield Qi Xuansu and captured Li Tianzhen.

That was not even including her battle with the Goddess Society.

Only then did Huangfu Ji realize that Little Yin was not Qi Xuansu’s biological daughter. But he also understood why Qi Xuansu cherished her so much. He would have felt the same if he were Qi Xuansu.

Having taken a liking to Little Yin, Huangfu Ji gave her a gift. Of course, knowing the Daoist Order’s rules, Huangfu Ji did not give her an expensive gift. It was a signet ring.

In the past, Western nobles always carried a seal wherever they went. But carrying it separately risked loss. Since it symbolized authority and identity, it needed to be visible. Thus, they began wearing seals on their fingers, which gradually evolved into signet rings. But unlike ordinary rings, the seal replaced the gemstone setting.

This signet ring belonged to a cardinal deacon of the Steam Evangelical Sect who had died at Huangfu Ji’s hands. He had no interest in the rest of the spoils, but he kept this ring because the seal bore the emblem of an ancient lineage that had endured for over a thousand years. It held great commemorative value.

Another child might not care for such an item. But Little Yin was different. She already understood the significance of power. Even in play, she practiced formal gestures of deference. If power were to be embodied in an object, nothing would fit better than a seal.

Little Yin turned the signet ring over in her hands, examining it from every angle. Delighted with the gift, she immediately started to address him as Old Huang.

Since her finger was too small to wear the ring, she threaded it with a thin string and wore it as a pendant around her neck. One could already imagine that certain places in Tianfu Palace and the Fire Palace would soon bear inexplicable stamps to make her mark.

The family dinner ended with everyone thoroughly satisfied.

Although Huangfu Ji wished to spend more time exploring Nanyang, his schedule did not permit it. He had to proceed to Jade Capital, where the Imperial Preceptor, who was the Great Sage Lunzhi, awaited him. The Three Daoist Heirs and the Golden Tower Council would also meet him.

Qi Xuansu could not linger long in Poluo either. He needed to accompany Huangfu Ji to Jade Capital. After all, his primary mission this time was to report on his duties, not to visit home.

On the morning of the third day, Qi Xuansu and Huangfu Ji returned to Thanglong Prefecture. After bidding farewell to the others, they led the delegation aboard the Solar Ark, which slowly ascended into the sky.

Qi Xuansu and Huangfu Ji stood on the deck, gazing down at the vast land stretching below.

Leaning against the railing, Qi Xuansu sighed. “Wealth and honor are what most people desire. But if they are not obtained by rightful means, they are not worth having.”

Huangfu Ji stared intently at Poluo and murmured, “What counts as rightful means?”

After successive incidents involving flying ships, the Daoist Order had become highly vigilant about the safety of delegations. Along the route, various Daoist Mansions dispatched escort vessels to guard them.

Huangfu Ji showed little interest in these inland Daoist Mansions and only made brief stops.

Though important, the functions of these Daoist Mansions differed. Economically, they could not compare to the coastal prefectures.

Huangfu Ji remained focused on the Southern Continent’s future development, intending to learn first from the coastal prefectures.

After his visit to Jade Capital, he planned to travel to Zhongzhou, Qizhou, and Jiangnan. Zhongzhou housed the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, making it ideal for studying the Daoist Order’s talent development system, while Qizhou and Jiangnan were key economic pillars like Poluo.

The Solar Ark proceeded without incident into the territory of the Kunlun Daoist Mansion.

This was the most unique Daoist Mansion, as its primary function was to safeguard Jade Capital in every possible way. Its secondary role was absorbing Jade Capital’s excess population. Jade Capital was well-known as a city of Daoists, and these Daoists had families, but not all could settle there. Most Daoist believers were relocated to the Kunlun Daoist Mansion.

Besides that, the Kunlun Daoist Mansion was where many criminal high-ranking Daoists served their sentences, building temples and monumental works.

The Solar Ark made a brief stop in the Kunlun Daoist Mansion, mainly to transfer custody of the prisoner, Du Juanzhi.

Li Wuji, the Kunlun Daoist Mansion Master, personally received the delegation from the Western Daoist Order.

Li Wuji hailed from the Li family of the Taiping Sect, from the You-generation.

After Sage Qingwei changed his name to Li Wugou, many in the Li family followed suit, which greatly displeased the elders.

But Sage Qingwei was a man who defied convention. Since he insisted, no one could really stop him.

Li Wuji belonged to one of the senior generations of the Li family, as the You-generation was only one generation after the Imperial Preceptor. Once the Imperial Preceptor ascended, they would become the highest authority within the Li family.

The Li family’s external strategy of limiting the autonomy of the Western Daoist Order conflicted with Huangfu Ji’s interests. Thus, Huangfu Ji and Li Wuji maintained only surface-level politeness, with little real ground for discussion. Their positions were fixed, since it was unrealistic for the Li family to suddenly change course.

Even if Huangfu Ji wished to negotiate, he would more likely seek out the more unconventional Sage Qingwei, as there would at least be a greater chance there.

Kunlun’s scenery was magnificent for sightseeing. Beyond that, there were the newly constructed satellite cities.

The Daoist Order planned to establish five subsidiary cities, named Qingshi City, Haohuang City, Danzhen City, Wuxuan City, and Xuanhuang City.

At present, Xuanhuang City, Haohuang City, and Qingshi City had already been completed, while Danzhen City was still under construction. The Kunlun Daoist Mansion was located in Xuanhuang City.