The crowd looked at one another. After a brief moment of thought, realization dawned on them.
An immortal, of course, would never explicitly say they would protect them.
Some things were meant to be understood, not spoken aloud!
With this realization, they exchanged knowing glances.
Seeing that everyone's expression had shifted, they knew their guess was correct.
Since they could not worship her openly, they could easily do so in the privacy of their own homes. However, they did not know the Goddess's name.
Naturally, they felt quite vexed about this.
The Imperial Capital—
Jiang Lu looked at the magnificent, golden city in the distance and let out a soft laugh.
As expected of the imperial capital, the draconic qi here was incredibly potent, shimmering with a golden light. Demonic cultivators and evil spirits wouldn't dare step foot inside.
Even she felt her strength slightly suppressed after entering.
This was the destiny of the nation protecting its ruler. However, it was subtly trembling.
“Immortal, the Bright Moon Pavilion is the largest courtyard in the Grand Princess's Manor. How about you stay there?”
Gong Chenyue had gone to the palace to pay her respects to the Emperor, so Jiang Lu followed her arrangements and went to settle in at the Grand Princess's Manor first.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Lu waved her hand.
“That will do.”
She then followed the maidservant.
After the maidservant withdrew, she sat alone in the courtyard, watching the koi fish nearby. Resting her chin on one hand, she tapped her fingers lightly on the stone table with the other.
Sensing Jiang Lu's restless mood, the White Tiger lay flat on the ground, not daring to disturb her.
Along the way, the closer they got to the imperial capital, the more prosperous the commoners became.
But no matter how prosperous they were, it was still far inferior to her previous life.
However, from her observations along the journey, the marketplaces were full of life.
There were sweet soup shops, pastry stalls, clothing and shoe stores, and every other kind of shop imaginable.
Fresh fruits and vegetables were displayed on the stalls at reasonable prices, well within the reach of ordinary people.
In the academies, boys and girls were taught in separate classes; there was no rule forbidding girls from receiving an education.
Seeing her curiosity, she had called over a maidservant to explain.
Jiang Lu was slightly surprised. Regardless of gender, children were required to enter school at the minimum age of five. Funded by the government, they would study literacy and arithmetic for two years before they could leave. The enrollment numbers were even tied to the performance evaluations of local officials.
Wasn't this basically compulsory education?
If the students wished to pursue further studies, they could continue. Moreover, the imperial examinations did not focus solely on political essays; they also tested various subjects like astronomy and geography.
For instance, the Directorate of Astronomy managed astronomy and geography, and its members possessed the art of geomancy.
There was also the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, which oversaw farming and harvests for the commoners.
In addition, there was the Academy of Inventions, the Chamber of Commerce, and so on.
Like the Directorate of Astronomy, these were all government institutions, just with different focuses.
In the cities and towns, there were medical clinics, as well as specialized clinics for women and animals.
The living conditions here were no different from rural areas in modern times. The historical dramas she used to watch were indeed full of lies. Just because people lived in ancient times didn't mean they were fools.
If she hadn't known that the various vassal kings were planning to rebel, she would have simply been amazed that the current ruler was such a wise monarch.
Everything Jiang Lu had seen and heard along the way allowed her to truly understand this world.
At the same time, she pondered. No wonder cultivators were not permitted to easily enter the mortal realm.
But...
Her expression grew bewildered. Was she really just here to slay demonic cultivators?
Everything she had witnessed was real. Under normal circumstances, if the vassal kings rebelled, the commoners would be displaced and destitute. This was not a scene she wished to see.
But if she were to interfere with the karma of the mortal world...
Her brows furrowed tightly. She took a Heart-Clearing Pill, walked over to a nearby tree, and sat down to meditate.
Spiritual energy surged within her body, causing the flowers and leaves on the tree to flutter down.
With her eyes closed, Jiang Lu felt as though she could hear the calling of the underground dragon vein.
She opened her eyes, a trace of curiosity flickering in them. Turning around, she headed toward the source of the call.
The White Tiger opened its eyes, glanced in her direction, and then lowered its head to rest again.
Before leaving, the maidservant had mentioned that it would have a grand feast tonight.
The call of the dragon vein came from the northeastern corner of the imperial capital. Jiang Lu made her way there using an Invisibility Talisman.
It turned out to be the Altar of Heaven, the place where the imperial family performed sacrifices.
The area was heavily guarded, and the palace behind the Altar of Heaven housed the ancestral tablets of the imperial family.
Standing above the Altar of Heaven, she spread her divine sense outward.
There!
Jiang Lu vanished and flew further past the Altar of Heaven, arriving at a mountain range.
After scanning her surroundings, she released a burst of spiritual energy. In an instant, she arrived deep within the mountains.
The depths contained a significant number of spirit stones, emitting waves of spiritual energy.
The spiritual vein was located above, faintly manifesting the shape of a dragon.
“Are you the one calling me?” Jiang Lu asked.
A wave of aura swept toward her, carrying a sense of supplication.
Jiang Lu crossed her legs and sat on the ground, focusing to perceive what it wanted.
“Why have you called me here?”
“I... have a request... I bear the will of the Heavenly Dao... The barriers between the mortal realm and other realms have cracked. You could come, demonic cultivators could come, and demons from other realms can also enter...”
“The Heavenly Dao is currently mending the Great Dao and cannot spare any attention. Meanwhile, the destiny of my nation is about to fade. The Heavenly Dao sent me a message, praying that you would come to save this world.”
“First, slay the evil spirits from other realms. Second, prevent this impending chaotic era. Third, mend the loopholes between the mortal realm and the other realms.”
“In exchange, the Heavenly Dao will not punish you for coming here, and none of this karma will cling to you. Not only that, but the Heavenly Dao is willing to bestow all the power of merit from this endeavor upon you, along with a blessing of the Heavenly Dao.”
As it finished speaking, Jiang Lu felt a trace of the Heavenly Dao's aura.
She remained silent, falling into deep thought.
Was this right?
Her?
Saving the world?
Isn't this the script for a world-saving male or female protagonist?
Why was it given to her?
“How do you know I can do it? My cultivation is not high—just a Golden Core cultivator. How could I possibly obstruct the arrangements of fate?” Jiang Lu asked, filled with curiosity.
Although she was talented and relatively strong, saving the world was not something she could easily accomplish.
“Sigh—”
The voice let out a deep, helpless sigh and slowly explained the reason:
“I am ashamed to admit it, but this is not a conventional world-saving mission. It is merely guiding fate back to its original track...”
Hearing this, Jiang Lu felt a bit speechless.
So it was the Heavenly Dao's own doing!
According to the original logic, there would be a struggle in a chaotic era, leading to the formation of a new regime and continuous development.
Who knew where the Heavenly Dao had learned its tricks, but it insisted on choosing a new child of fortune. However, that child of fortune was incredibly foolish and turned the entire world upside down.
The Heavenly Dao had exhausted all its strength, sacrificing its own power to rewind time to before the chaotic era.
But with its power depleted, the barrier cracked, allowing other realms to take advantage of the vulnerability.
As a result, the original logic was disrupted once again.
The Heavenly Dao could only watch helplessly. It thought there was no hope left, but then Jiang Lu arrived.
She came bearing her purple-gold fortune.
With a single glance, the Heavenly Dao knew she was its savior, which was why it guided her to the imperial capital, leading to this conversation.
Jiang Lu agriculture with a brief moment of thought, then agreed.
After all, the other party was offering far too much!
All of the power of merit! Under normal circumstances, nine-tenths of the merit would return to the Heavenly Dao to maintain the operation of the Great Dao, and she would only receive one-tenth.
Now, giving it all to her was enough to prove the Heavenly Dao's sincerity.
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