Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

’Besides, among the Tier Six contestants we’re sending this time, Zhao Xiaowan is the only one with any real fighting ability. It wouldn’t matter if I kicked either of the other two off to make room for Li Chang’an.’

With that thought, Su Ruobing made up her mind.

Li Chang’an, for his part, had caught the unspoken implication in her words.

He reined in his wandering thoughts and looked at Su Ruobing. “What’s the matter? Is the team of Sixth Rank Evolvers already full?”

Each regional tournament required a nine-person squad to compete, consisting of three Tier Four Evolvers, three Tier Five Reincarnators, and three Sixth-rank Reincarnators.

Those selected for these nine spots by the local President of the Reincarnator Association were invariably the strongest combatants of their respective tiers from that region.

This position represented not only honor, but also enormous benefits.

For starters, if a Reincarnator could achieve a reasonably good result and help their local President of the Reincarnator Association earn commendations, the personal benefits were immense.

First, Reincarnators who made an appearance at such an event would gain priority consideration for leadership positions within the Reincarnator Association.

Second, they would receive a wealth of resources as a reward from the local Rebirth Association.

Finally, the Reincarnator Association would grant contestants with outstanding performance increased subsidies and tax exemptions…

And these were just the conventional, tangible benefits.

The intangible, behind-the-scenes advantages were even more numerous.

Of course, this was the scenario if they managed to win a few matches.

If they failed, there were no substantial penalties for the individual Reincarnators.

However, if their own poor performance cost everyone their benefits, causing the President to be penalized and subsidies for all Reincarnators in the region to be cut…

…then even if people were too polite to say anything, they’d likely be too ashamed to show their face in the local community ever again.

Therefore, anyone who was both chosen by the President and dared to step into the ring was invariably a powerful and highly confident veteran Reincarnator.

Hearing Li Chang’an’s question, Su Ruobing nodded. “I originally thought you were a Tier Five Martial Artist at best, so I had a main fighter spot saved for you on either the Tier Four or Tier Five team. I never imagined you’d already broken through to Tier Six. To put you on the team now, I’ll have to kick someone else off…”

At this, she realized she had gotten ahead of herself.

’I shouldn’t be telling Li Chang’an all this.’

So, she promptly shut her mouth and waved a dismissive hand. “You don’t need to worry about any of that. Just make sure you’re reachable for the next half a month. I’ll contact you again in a few days!”

With that, Su Ruobing, who had arrived in a hurry, left even faster, departing without a moment’s delay.

She had many things to prepare for the Association these days.

Her time was precious!

Watching her retreating figure, Li Chang’an said nothing more.

He wasn’t fond of getting involved in complicated affairs anyway. Since she had offered to handle it, he was more than happy to remain uninvolved.

…

Snapping out of his thoughts, Li Chang’an returned to the City Lord’s Mansion.

He first took a long, comfortable hot bath to wash away his fatigue, then happily climbed into bed for a good sleep. By the time he woke again, the sky outside was dark.

However, the sky above Cangxuan City did not grow dark with the coming of night.

On the contrary, the city was ablaze with lights and bustling with activity.

Zhao Xi, dressed in a professional skirt suit, entered the room. She first brought Li Chang’an a tray of freshly cut fruit, then thoughtfully poured him a glass of crystal-clear wine.

The fruit Zhao Xi had prepared was all top-tier produce from an Upper-Grade Spiritual Field. The same went for the wine; both the grapes and the final vintage were cultivated in an Upper-Grade Spiritual Field.

Such items rarely circulated on the open market and their value could not be measured in Rebirth Points.

Once Li Chang’an’s gaze shifted from the neon lights outside the city walls, Zhao Xi spoke with the utmost respect. “Lord City Lord, you’re awake. Is there anything you need me to do?”

Normally, when Li Chang’an was away, she served as the city’s acting City Lord.

Second in authority only to him, and above all others.

But whenever Li Chang’an returned, Zhao Xi would come back to the City Lord’s Mansion at once, no matter what she was doing. After all, she had a very clear understanding of her own position.

The immense authority she wielded came from being Li Chang’an’s secretary—and a secretary in whom he placed great trust.

Without Li Chang’an, or without his trust, she would be worth nothing.

Therefore, in Zhao Xi’s mind, serving Li Chang’an well was more important than anything else.

Li Chang’an picked up the wine glass and took a small sip of the sweet, mellow liquid. He closed his eyes, savoring the taste for a long moment before draping a robe over his shoulders and rising. “Let’s go. Take me on a tour of the city.”

Zhao Xi nodded and quickly moved ahead to lead the way.

The two of them first made their way into Cangxuan City proper.

—Compared to the dilapidated state it was in when Li Chang’an first arrived, Cangxuan City had undergone a world-shaking transformation.

Thanks to the reduced taxes, the city’s once-languishing shops had gradually reopened. Both sides of the streets were now lined with vendors selling all sorts of daily necessities and delicious foods.

Furthermore, the City Lord’s Mansion had been posting recruitment notices all year, drawing a transient population from all over to gather in Cangxuan City.

Now, with Zhao Xi leading the way, Li Chang’an could clearly feel the rich Vitality coursing through the city.