Chapter 574 - Dugu Xiao's Small Zhoutian

The courtyard, long unvisited, was surprisingly bright and immaculate, not at all like a house that had been uninhabited for an extended period.Clearly, someone often came to tidy up.

Jiang Wang stepped into the courtyard and nodded in approval.

“Let’s talk in the living room,” he suggested.

Dugu Xiao hurried into the room ahead of him, swiftly setting out tea and arranging the cups with practiced ease.

In reality, it was she who personally cleaned the courtyard, making sure to sweep and tidy it every three days, regardless of how busy she was with duties for the town.

But she wouldn’t boast about this in front of Jiang Wang.

She always considered herself Jiang Wang’s maid.

Even though she had become transcendent and was entrusted with the administration of Qingyang Town, making her a prominent figure within Jia City.

A maid cleaning rooms for her master was simply the natural order of things.

With a stir of the breeze through the half-open window, Jiang Wang knew that Yin Guan had gone to rest in his room, a signal for him and a gesture that he wouldn’t eavesdrop on their conversation.

Xiang Qian moved forward listlessly, seemingly oblivious to everything around him.

But Jiang Wang knew he was aware.

The swordsmanship he once wielded at the absolute pinnacle of his era was terrifyingly formidable.

The three of them took their seats separately in the living room, where normally there would be four.

However, Zhu Bijing’s “exploitative contract” had expired, and she had already returned to the Near Sea Archipelago.

Jiang Wang felt a twinge of regret at not being able to bid her farewell in person.

After sharing so many efforts for the benefit of Qingyang Town, they had developed a certain bond.

Yet Zhu Bijing’s return to the Near Sea Archipelago meant she was off to enjoy good fortune and there was no need to worry.

In the Near Sea Archipelago, Diao Hai Building might not be the most influential power, but it was among them.

With Hu Shaomeng dead and their great revenge secured, her future wouldn’t be bad as long as she continued her cultivation methodically.

Jiang Wang sat casually, half-listening to the report.

One’s posture could reveal aspects of their personality.

For instance, Dugu Xiao only occupied half of her chair, ready to stand at a moment’s notice.

While reporting on the town’s affairs, her eyes constantly watched Jiang Wang’s expressions warily.

Her loyalty to Jiang Wang was undoubted, but she also sought to please him, as he was the master of her fate.

As for Xiang Qian, he had turned his chair into another bed, sprawled out like a lump of mud, and Jiang Wang wouldn’t have been surprised to hear him snoring the next moment.

After briefly listening to the report, Jiang Wang trusted Dugu Xiao, but such reports were still necessary.

Trusting Dugu Xiao and needing to supervise her were not contradictory—the former was personal, the latter a required protocol.

Do not underestimate such protocols; they are the foundation of any power.

Having struggled in the great vortex of the prominent Zhong Xuan Family in Qi Country, Jiang Wang was no longer unfamiliar with these matters.

“Not bad,” Jiang Wang nodded in approval after Dugu Xiao finished her report: “You’ve done very well.”

Dugu Xiao smiled happily, as Jiang Wang’s praise meant more to her than anything else.

“Snap!”

Having finished speaking with Dugu Xiao, Jiang Wang slapped Xiang Qian’s thigh and jolted him out of his heavy drowsiness.

Xiang Qian awoke abruptly, glaring at Jiang Wang in annoyance.

But those half-asleep eyes hardly carried any real threat.

“And you?

What have you been up to lately?” Jiang Wang asked deliberately, pretending to count on his fingers, “Remember, I pay you in Path Origin Stones every month.”

Xiang Qian responded lazily, “You wouldn’t hope for me to have done something.”

For his role in Qingyang Town, having no incidents to report was his greatest contribution.

Jiang Wang certainly understood this logic but enjoyed teasing him, “Wipe off your drool.”

Xiang Qian reached to wipe his face and found nothing, realizing he’d been tricked.

He sighed, “You’re really quite bored nowadays.”

Jiang Wang smiled, “Shall I find you something more interesting to do?”

“No thanks!” Xiang Qian protested, raising both hands, “Qingyang Town is small, and I’m a waste of space; it’s better to be bored.

Being bored is the spice of life.”

Jiang Wang caught his hint.

A powerful man hiding in the shadows and staying by Jiang Wang’s side would never attract good fortune.

Xiang Qian had a strong attachment to Qingyang Town, or he wouldn’t have stayed.

Otherwise, he would’ve left as soon as the Unique Sword Dao was exposed.

He was reminding Jiang Wang that Qingyang Town couldn’t withstand too much risk.

Jiang Wang didn’t respond immediately but turned to Dugu Xiao, “Xiao Xiao, how is your cultivation going?”

“Not very well at all!” Xiang Qian interjected with rare criticism.

With his character, he never cared how others fared, it was none of his business.

Back when he muddled along in the mine alongside Zhang Hai, did he ever comment on Zhang Hai’s mediocre pill concocting, despite Xiang Qian’s hidden strength and discernment?

But as for Dugu Xiao, she had fought side by side with him.

Moreover…

he could never forget the expression on Hu Shuanzi’s face just before he died.

So, after Zhu Bijing left, Xiang Qian took up the task of guiding Dugu Xiao’s cultivation.

If such a self-indulgent man as he called her progress unsatisfactory, it truly must be lackluster.

Caught off guard by these words, Jiang Wang asked, “What do you mean?”

He understood Dugu Xiao well.

This little maid was no fool—in fact, her experiences had sobered her to a deeper understanding of the world.

She possessed a tenacity and a willingness to endure hardship, unlike Xiang Qian who was all too prone to inconsistency.

They say that hard work is rewarded by the Heavenly Dao, so even with modest talent, Dugu Xiao’s cultivation shouldn’t be so disappointing.

“She…” Xiang Qian was about to say something, looked at Dugu Xiao, and swallowed his words.

Finally, he muttered, “Ask her yourself.”

At this moment, the joy on Dugu Xiao’s face had vanished, replaced by panic.

She quickly lowered her head to hide her eyes, which had reddened in an instant.

She was truly frightened!

Afraid of being useless, afraid of losing her worth to Jiang Wang, afraid of being abandoned once again.

Noticing her emotions, Xiang Qian couldn’t bring himself to say anything more.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Wang smiled.

“Xiang Qian has become like this, so long without any progress, yet he seems to be sleeping soundly.

What are you doing?”

He softened his voice, adopting a more amiable posture.

“If you have any cultivation issues, speak up quickly.

The renowned genius of Linzi is right here, aren’t you going to seize the opportunity to resolve them?”

Xiang Qian glared at him resentfully, vexed at being used as a verbal target.

But Dugu Xiao suddenly felt less panicked.

Her tumultuous heart steadied.

She even felt a sense of satisfaction.

Because she realized that to “Master Jiang,” she wasn’t a completely insignificant character.

“Master Jiang” was even willing to take the time to comfort her!

“My Small Zhoutian has been constructed, but it’s a mess,” Dugu Xiao whispered.

“Big Brother Xiang said it’s hopeless…”

“Oh?”

Jiang Wang now became curious.

The Small Zhoutian is the will of a cultivator taking shape, and it can be seen as the cultivator’s preliminary exploration, conception, and even the answer to ‘Dao’.

The Small Zhoutian is just the foundation; after establishing it, you merely advance further.

Generally, after initially building the Small Zhoutian, you slowly enrich the details and even extend and expand it.

There’s no saying it’s hopeless at the stage of the Small Zhoutian.

But Jiang Wang had no reason to doubt Xiang Qian’s vision.

The latter possessed a legacy that was the pinnacle of the era.

Although his current level of cultivation had been surpassed, his insight into cultivation was undoubtedly no less than Jiang Wang’s.

“What is your Small Zhoutian condensed from?” Jiang Wang asked.

“It’s…” Dugu Xiao bowed her head, her voice as meek as a mosquito’s.

“Alright, alright,” seeing her like this, Jiang Wang said.

“Relax, I’ll take a look myself.”

Dugu Xiao didn’t understand his intention, but obediently relaxed.

Then in the next moment.

Into her Tongtian Palace, a black snake suddenly intruded!

Dugu Xiao was in the midst of alarm when she suddenly “heard” Jiang Wang’s voice.

“Don’t be afraid, it’s me.”

The black snake stopped inside Dugu Xiao’s Tongtian Palace and spoke human words.

In a way, this was also an invasion.

It’s just that Jiang Wang would not harm her.

To Jiang Wang, Dugu Xiao’s Tongtian Palace seemed a bit cramped, but this was the typical scale for most ordinary cultivators’ Tongtian Palaces.

The only thing that surprised Jiang Wang was that he didn’t feel any resistance from the Tongtian Palace itself.

Perhaps Dugu Xiao was too weak, and her slight resistance was negligible.

Jiang Wang didn’t think much of it.

After soothing the emotions of the host, the black snake raised its head to observe this place.

The Zhoutian construction of every cultivator must certainly start from themselves.

It represents the past and the future, a summary as well as a prospect.

For instance, Jiang Wang’s own Tongtian Palace is divided into three layers, consisting of nine grand Star River Dao Spirals.

Three Star River Dao Spirals form one Small Zhoutian: Sun, Moon, and Stars.

Sun, Moon, and Stars represent Heaven; mountains, rivers, streams represent Earth; and the vast sea of humanity represents Man.

Three Small Zhoutians form one Grand Circulation: Heaven, Earth, and Man.

The concept is grand and awe-inspiring.

Within Dugu Xiao’s Tongtian Palace, three Dao Spirals hung from the dome, endlessly rotating.

It appeared that the Small Zhoutian was established.

But from the Zhoutian concept, Jiang Wang couldn’t discern anything special, only a weird sense of familiarity.

Between the Dao Spirals, a skinny earthworm struggled to climb.

This was Dugu Xiao’s Dao vein True Spirit.

It lacked any sense of spirit.

It couldn’t even muster any additional reaction, let alone defend the Tongtian Palace or repel the “intruder” Jiang Wang.

Within the black snake, Jiang Wang manifested his true appearance and flew to the dome of Dugu Xiao’s Tongtian Palace, observing her Small Zhoutian from a close distance.

And at this very moment, a change occurred.

Whether it was stirred by Jiang Wang’s spirit or not,

Each of the three Dao Spirals at the dome of the Tongtian Palace generated a phantom, which was the exact manifestation of the concept Dugu Xiao had condensed.

They were not Sun, Moon, Stars, or gold, silver, copper…

Each phantom was instead a human figure.

One figure faced left, another right, while the one in the center faced Jiang Wang directly.

Jiang Wang doubted his own eyes.

Because the three figures before him…

were all himself!