"This Tianyuan Pill, for example, is a mere healing elixir, but it also has some effect in consolidating one's foundation and refining spiritual energy purity."
After speaking, Wu Tao tossed the Tianyuan Pill in his hand to Zhang Heng, saying with a smile, "It's yours, take it!"
...
Zhang Heng never expected Wu Tao's demeanor to be so magnanimous. He fumbled to catch the Tianyuan Pill.
Before he could express his thanks, he heard Wu Tao's words.
...
"You are the county magistrate of Tianshui County. Millions of people in Tianshui County obey your command. Ordinary spiritual herbs and elixirs are but a matter of your word..."
"I won't waste any more words. You are responsible for the spiritual herbs and elixirs, and I will provide you with the elixirs you need in the future. This is a mutually beneficial transaction. Do you agree?"
Wu Tao cut straight to the chase.
...
Hearing this, Zhang Heng was ecstatic.
How could he possibly refuse?
...
Next, Zhang Heng and Wu Tao exchanged pleasantries and finalized the matter.
Afterward, Zhang Heng respectfully presented the gifts he had prepared with both hands.
Old housekeeper Huang Bo, aware of the situation, secretly resolved to assist his young master in collecting a large quantity of spiritual herbs and elixirs.
He had his own methods for this matter.
For instance, when collecting taxes from the populace, a single spiritual herb or elixir could reduce the annual silver payment by thirty percent, or exempt them from labor service for the year.
Through such legitimate official means, ordinary mortals would be compelled to brave mountains and rivers, fearlessly venturing to cliffs, precipices, deserts, and deep forests where spiritual herbs and elixirs were rarely found.
Old housekeeper Huang Bo, having served the Zhang couple for many years, was knowledgeable.
He could discern the profoundness of Wu Tao's cultivation.
...
An official serving in a foreign post, encountering such a master in a small place like Tianshui County, was a fortune for his young master.
To put it bluntly, in a prosperous prefecture or a major city in the Chu Domain, a alchemist of Wu Tao's caliber would not deign to associate with a wastrel like his young master.
Any accomplished alchemist, upon reaching a noble family or even a sect, would be treated as an honored guest, their status and position absolutely unquestionable.
...
Huang Bo guessed that this master might have offended someone, or perhaps sustained an injury, which led him to settle in Tianshui County.
...
Meanwhile, although Wu Tao was unaware that this old fox Huang Bo had guessed his situation with remarkable accuracy.
...
However, due to the scarcity of cultivators in Tianshui County, and most of them being frogs in a well who had never seen the greater world and possessed limited perspectives, Wu Tao's understanding of the Zi Zhou cultivation world was ultimately lacking.
This time, having finally encountered a scion of a prominent family who had some knowledge of the upper echelons of the cultivation world...
And moreover, he was the nominal master of Tianshui County. Wu Tao was happy to converse with him and gain some insight into the Zi Zhou cultivation world.
...
In his delight, Zhang Heng harbored no defenses against Wu Tao, revealing whatever he knew without any reservations.
...
"The cultivation methods of us noble families are all passed down from our ancestors. Because they are never taught to outsiders, they are called family techniques, also known as ancestral scriptures."
"Our Zhang clan of Yao Prefecture inherits the Daoist techniques of our ancestor Zhang Xianguang. When the first Immortal Emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty established the nation, our ancestor Zhang Xianguang rendered great service, which is why the Zhang family became a noble family."
"The other noble families are similar, most originating from the enfeoffment at the founding of the nation."
"Today, the noble families of the Great Jin either trace their lineage back to the founding of the nation or are newly emergent powers. In any case, noble families are divided into six ranks."
The most supreme, top-tier families must have a cultivator at the Purple Mansion stage to preside over them, capable of leading numerous noble families against imperial authority, and are known as Throne families.
Throne families typically control several great domains, forming a state within a state. The commands of the Great Jin imperial court are virtually null and void within the spheres of influence of such families, much like feudal states.
Slightly inferior are the First-rank families, which also require a cultivator at the late Nascent Soul stage.
First-rank families can essentially control a region, akin to grand governors. Although they dare not openly oppose imperial authority,
They constantly pay lip service while defying in practice, rarely heeding royal decrees, and possess considerable autonomy and freedom.
...
Next are the Second-rank families.
Second-rank families must have a cultivator at the middle Nascent Soul stage to preside over them, otherwise, they cannot deter lesser threats or protect their ancestral territories within a prefecture.
Such families, at the head of a region, can be governed by those in a more assertive position.
Third-rank families, while unable to permanently possess a prefecture as their ancestral land, still have their own territories.
However, to maintain their status as Third-rank families, at least a cultivator at the early Nascent Soul stage is required to secure their position.
Furthermore, the regional superiors exert greater restrictions on them.
...
Further down are the Fourth-rank families. They are not as particular. Cultivators at the late Core Formation, middle Core Formation, or early Core Formation stages can maintain their standing.
However, families below Third-rank have no power to contend with the imperial court or regional governors, let alone the chief executive of a prefecture.
They must comply with the orders issued by the prefecture, as long as they do not infringe upon their bottom line.
...
Finally, there are the Fifth-rank families.
Fifth-rank families are the lowest tier. Even a seventh-rank county magistrate of the Great Jin can deal with them. Compared to ordinary local magnates, their ancestors merely had a more illustrious predecessor.
"The most glorious period of my Zhang family was when we were a Throne family, a top-tier noble lineage."
"Our Middle-興 ancestor, Zhang Daotian, possessed extraordinary talent and achieved the venerable status of the Purple Mansion stage. Alas, his descendants were unfilial, and the family's rank has steadily declined."
Wu Tao was deeply moved upon hearing this vast family history, passed down for tens of millions of years, and learning that the Zhang family had once produced a cultivator at the Purple Mansion stage.
He said, "Oh, to have a Purple Mansion stage cultivator, your Zhang family's heritage is truly profound!"
Zhang Heng, who had been beaming with pride, responded with a wry smile, "That was all tens of thousands of years ago. The current Zhang family is in an awkward, neither here nor there position!"
"Our Zhang family now only has three Nascent Soul stage cultivators. One is my grandfather, the family head, who is at the middle Nascent Soul stage. The other two are uncles of the same generation..."
It turns out that after the Immortal Emperor Liu Haotian swept away various sects and forces, his family and followers received the greatest benefits.
His family subsequently became the imperial family of the Great Jin, while his followers established numerous noble families.
This was the origin of the noble families in the Zi Zhou cultivation world.
During the conversation between Wu Tao and Zhang Heng, it was mostly Zhang Heng speaking, with Wu Tao listening and occasionally interjecting.
As they talked, Wu Tao began to form a general understanding of the upper echelons of the Zi Zhou cultivation world.
Scions of noble families like Zhang Heng, who were not the eldest sons, typically had two possible paths: one was to manage the complex affairs outside the family, and the other was to be assigned as officials.
In any case, they were not as highly valued by the family as the eldest sons, and their resources were relatively limited.
As for the eldest sons groomed to be future family heads, apart from cultivation, they regularly participated in discussions, tea parties, social gatherings, debates on Dao, and networking events to expand their connections and make friends.
This was a common tacit understanding among noble families.
This approach minimized internal consumption and competition, while maximizing the expansion of family influence.
Zhang Heng being dispatched to Tianshui County was, in fact, a form of demotion and exile.
However, Zhang Heng knew his own aptitude was not particularly good, and after leaving the Zhang family, the difficulty of advancing to the Core Formation stage would significantly increase, perhaps even becoming impossible.
It was precisely because of this that the appearance of Wu Tao, an alchemist, had sent Zhang Heng into a state of ecstasy.
For as long as Wu Tao was around, he, as the county magistrate of Tianshui County, only needed to continuously exploit his subordinates and the common people to obtain elixirs.
Under such circumstances, he was confident he could advance to the Core Formation stage.
And once he reached the Core Formation stage, he could leave the Tianshui County, which he had already squeezed dry...
Return to the family and contend for supremacy with his elder brother!
Zhang Heng and Huang Bo, among others, had arrived in a flying ship.
...
A flying ship is a vessel for cultivators to traverse the skies.
And it was not an ordinary flying vessel like a flying sword, but an extremely rare one, only built by major powers.
The flying speed of a flying ship was not fast, but its comfort was extremely high, and it consumed little spiritual energy, equivalent to a luxurious horse-drawn carriage in the mortal world.
Most cultivators traveling preferred speed, stability, strong defense, and affordability; in short, simplicity was key.
Therefore, a flying sword, which could serve for defense, attack, and light-speed flight, naturally became the choice for over ninety percent of cultivators.
Only the scions of major powers would pursue extravagant things, as their flying vessels were not only for travel but also a symbol of their status.
As long as he flew low enough, he likely wouldn't miss such a conspicuous target.
Zhang Heng's stronghold, the magistrate's mansion, was located in the very center of Tianshui County, occupying a vast and grand area, constructed with smooth green jade and priceless purple-gold red bricks, lacquered with gold powder on the surface, appearing extremely luxurious.
At this moment, outside the spacious magistrate's mansion, people were coming and going, delivering gifts and seeking favors. The few guards on duty were also happily accepting bribes.
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