The Programmer Cultivator

Zhang Deming smiled. ”Mm. With this wave of people in the lower echelons of the Cabinet, we won’t have to get involved no matter how the Sect infighting goes. The mortal world is still largely under our control.

As for the Cabinet Master and the Monarch, let them fight amongst themselves. We just need to control the low-level officials who actually get things done; in doing so, we control the entire situation.”

On hearing this, Qin Shizhong was lost in thought for a long moment before sighing. ”You’re always so thorough, Martial Uncle, thinking of everything in advance. My own vision is far too short-sighted.”

Zhang Deming shook his head. He only knew this because he was aware of the impact a unified mortal nation would have on the so-called ”Age of Resources,” which was why he could be certain the Sect would intervene. It had nothing to do with foresight; it was simply something he had witnessed firsthand.

As the two men spoke, Wang Qian listened quietly from behind. Being exceptionally bright, she had already learned a great deal in the half-month she’d been following them.

She could now understand their conversation, no longer finding it obscure or profound. Thus, with two of them chatting and one listening quietly, the trio arrived back at Pann City.

Due to the needs of the previous battle in the Secret Realm, Zhang Deming’s Bean Soldier Huang Lao had completely dissipated. However, the remaining Martial Artist rebels in the mortal world had now all vanished, leaving behind only insignificant individuals, with scarcely even a few Innate masters among them.

The Apprentice Disciples who had been following him were more than capable of handling the situation. Furthermore, with the Canon in place and the initial phase of disaster relief in Panzhou complete, there were no major issues.

······

Next, Zhang Deming used his Official Seal to direct the disaster relief efforts in the cities to extend out to the surrounding villages and towns. In truth, much of the recent turmoil hadn’t even reached these smaller settlements.

Afterward, Zhang Deming began to emulate the methods used in Panzhou, using a Jade Disc to command the disaster relief efforts across more than a dozen of the Sect’s provinces.

Thanks to the convenience of the Teleportation Gates, Zhang Deming had Qin Shizhong train a large number of City Lords, just as he’d done before, and dispersed them throughout the Sect’s territory.

······

「More than half a month later.」

Although the disaster relief efforts were still underway, the work had become formalized and streamlined.

The basic framework for the seventeen provinces, divided into Four Domains and One Independent State, was now complete. All that remained was to fill in the details according to the established template.

Moreover, with the repair of the Sect’s communication center, the pace accelerated dramatically. He estimated that all the work would be fully completed in another two weeks or so.

That day, just after Zhang Deming finished setting up the entire general framework, his Identity Token began to flash with Spiritual Light.

Zhang Deming tapped the Jade Pendant at his waist, and an Array Light Screen appeared.

”I hear you’ve pretty much wrapped things up with the mortal affairs?

------Gan Zili”

Zhang Deming read the message and replied, ”Yes, the broad strokes are finished. The finer details just need time to sort themselves out. Is something wrong, Senior Brother Gan?”

”Then hurry back. The Sect is holding the Exchange Conference in three days, and your official announcement as Peak Master hasn’t even been issued yet.

Although your promotion ceremony will certainly have to be postponed until after the two conferences, the announcement must be sent out in advance. Otherwise, your seating at the Outer Realm Exchange Conference will be awkward, and our peak can’t afford that embarrassment.

------Gan Zili”

Zhang Deming paused for a moment. ”Then why don’t you just issue it, Senior Brother? It’s only an announcement, isn’t it?”

”It’s not that simple. The Inner Sect rarely sees a change in Peak Master, perhaps once in a century. And our peak, specifically, hasn’t had a new Peak Master in over six hundred years.

Do you think this is some simple, sect-wide mission bulletin? You need to come back, try on the Peak Master’s Dharma Robe, and work with the disciples from the Array Department to create a memorable Liuying. Only with that can we issue the official, sect-wide announcement.

That’s the only way for the entire Sect’s disciples to clearly remember that a new Peak Master has risen. If it weren’t for the imminent Exchange Conference, the ascension of every new Peak Master would be a grand occasion for the Celestial Spirit Sect.

Frankly, making the announcement now is doing you a bit of a disservice. But for the sake of our peak’s prestige at the conference, we’ll have to ask you to bear with this slight inconvenience.

Don’t you dare drop the ball on this. I let your casual attitude slide most of the time, but there’s no room for that here. Not one bit. Back in the day, your Senior Brother Guk raised hell, but even he dutifully went through the entire promotion ceremony.

------Gan Zili!”

’So I have to shoot what, a promotional video for this?’ He’d never paid any attention to this sort of information before. Plus, since no new Peak Masters had emerged in all these years, no one in the Sect ever talked about it. So... he genuinely hadn’t given it a second thought.

”Alright, I’ll be there shortly,” Zhang Deming replied.

”Good. I’ll go inform the disciples from the Etiquette Department to get ready. That’s all for now.

------Gan Zili!”

With that, the messages on the Light Screen vanished.

······

Zhang Deming pondered for a moment before tapping the Light Screen. Qin Shizhong hurried in, bowing to Zhang Deming. ”Martial Uncle, what are your orders?”

Zhang Deming looked at Qin Shizhong and said, ”The foundational structure for the mortal realm is now complete. I’ll have to trouble you with the subsequent work of perfecting it.

I had planned to stay and see this through with you, but... Senior Brother Gan wants to send out my promotion announcement for Peak Master before the Exchange Conference, so I must return to the Sect to take care of matters.”

Qin Shizhong paused for a beat, then immediately bowed. ”Congratulations, Martial Uncle!”

Zhang Deming smiled. ”There’s nothing much to congratulate. Life goes on. I’ve effectively held this position for a while now; it’s just being formally announced.

Alright, you’re dismissed. Go on with your work.

Oh, right. I’ll be taking Wang Qian with me, so you’ll need to find another assistant. I have to attend the Exchange Conference, after all. I’m not going to get a whole entourage of Children, but I’ll at least need a Child Attendant or two by my side.

If I don’t, and the Sect Leader seizes the opportunity, he’ll likely saddle me with a whole group of them. That would be a massive headache.”