"Thank you so much," said Nong Yu.
"No need to be so polite. Feel free to stay here for as long as you need. As for Zilan Xuan, someone will come to handle that later," Daniel Davis replied with a slight shake of his head.
In this chaotic era, there wasn't much he could do, and his influence was limited to Xinzheng in Korea. When Qin moved to conquer other nations, he wouldn't be able to help as much. Initially, Daniel had planned to bring Zinu over from Zilan Xuan, but the matter with Han Fei had left Ying Zheng displeased. As a result, he didn't bring Zinu to Xinzheng and would wait for Yingge to arrive to handle Zilan Xuan's affairs.
Zilan Xuan would no longer function as a brothel. Instead, it could evolve into something like his own property, the Sun and Moon Pavilion in Xianyang. In this period of rebuilding, there were many opportunities to choose new paths. Given the geographical location of Xinzheng, it was certain that it would become highly prosperous in the future, possibly rivaling the commercial hub of Songhai in Qi.
Korea's capital, Xinzheng, was located at a critical intersection of trade routes. While merchants were currently scarce due to the war, commerce would undoubtedly bloom once peace returned, with traders emerging like mushrooms after a rainstorm. One of Daniel's reasons for coming to Xinzheng was to reduce the violence, but another reason was to secure the future of his estate, Lanxiu Villa. In time, much of his business operations would shift to this area.
The Gongshu family would also send many people to Korea, as the nation had abundant iron ore reserves, which were crucial for the Gongshu clan's operations.
Daniel planned to reside in Korea after its annexation by Qin, and Ying Zheng had agreed to this. Since Korea was newly conquered territory, Daniel's presence would help stabilize the region. Of course, there would no longer be a "Korea"—it would simply become Yingchuan County.
"Master," Zhao Gao greeted Daniel with a bow as soon as he arrived at the ruins of the Han royal palace, accompanied by several of his men.
"So, it's you, Lord Zhao. How many members of the royal family have been captured?" Daniel asked, acknowledging Zhao Gao with a nod.
"Please forgive me, Master. So far, we've captured all but the former Crown Prince Han Yu and Princess Honglian, who remain at large," Zhao Gao responded humbly.
"What about Ghost Valley's Wei Zhuang?" Daniel asked with a calm expression.
"Ghost Valley's Wei Zhuang and Princess Honglian were severely injured but rescued by unknown forces."
"Oh? Who could possibly rescue them from under the noses of the Web? Who are they?" Daniel inquired.
"Master, although the rescuers concealed their identities, from their methods, we believe they belong to the Hundred Schools of Thought. It's almost certain that the Human Sect of Daoism was involved," Zhao Gao explained.
While Daniel had no intention of pursuing Wei Zhuang personally, Qin wouldn't let him go unchecked. The Web, Qin's most formidable secret organization, had played a pivotal role in Qin's march toward unification. Whether it was spreading rumors, inciting revolts, gathering intelligence, bribing high-ranking officials, or assassinating key figures, the Web was always involved. Their influence had been indispensable in Qin's success in warfare, which had evolved significantly from the more straightforward battles of the Spring and Autumn period. Now, victory was pursued by any means necessary, using cunning and deception.
Even the famous Battle of Changping had been influenced by the Web, whose disinformation campaign led Zhao to replace its general and forced its army into a decisive battle with Bai Qi. In Korea, Wei Zhuang had not been given significant responsibilities, partially due to the interference of Han Yu and other nobles, but the Web had also played a role in sidelining him.
Zhao Gao, as the leader of the Web, was essential to its operations. While Daniel held no particular fondness for him, Zhao Gao was a tool too useful to discard. If Zhao Gao ever became too ambitious, Daniel wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him, but for now, he had no reason to take action.
"The Human Sect of Daoism, huh? Understood. You may leave," Daniel said dismissively, having pieced together the identity of the rescuers. Likely, the Mohist leader Yan Dan and members of the Farmer's School had also been involved.
"Yes, Master," Zhao Gao replied, bowing respectfully before retreating.
"This fire Wei Zhuang set may have brought him some satisfaction, but he's clueless about the amount of wealth he's wasted," Daniel sighed as he surveyed the ruins of the Han palace.
Destruction was always easier than construction. What could take years, even decades, to build could be wiped out in a single night.
"I should make time to visit Daoism's Heaven Sect. This endless battle between Heaven and Man has dragged on long enough; it's time to end it," Daniel mused, reflecting on the internal strife within Daoism. While he had no particular objection to the sect splitting into branches, he found their ongoing disputes tiresome.
From his perspective, the Heaven-Man Conflict brought little benefit. The only reward for the victor was the possession of the Xueji sword, ranked sixth among the greatest swords. While this was the supposed symbol of Daoist leadership, it had no real power to command either the Heaven Sect or the Human Sect.
Perhaps the Daoist sages who initiated the Heaven-Man Conflict intended to reunite the two branches, but after so many years, the philosophical divide between them had become too deep. There was no realistic chance of reunification, much like the division between the Quanzhen and Zhengyi sects.
"Han Yu fled quickly, but thinking Zhao, Wei, or even Chu would exhaust their resources to help you reclaim Korea is naïve," Daniel remarked when news of Han Yu's whereabouts reached him again. The former crown prince had fled to Wei, his in-laws, and raised the banner of restoring Korea, calling Qin a land of wolves with insatiable ambition.
Initially, Zhao, Wei, and Chu had supported Han Yu's cause, but after engaging Qin's army in battle, they quickly lost momentum. Qin's defenses were too strong for these countries to mount a serious counteroffensive, and they weren't willing to sacrifice too much for Korea.
Moreover, Qin's diplomats had been hard at work, offering bribes and assurances that the invasion of Korea was merely a response to previous slights from Han. Despite the flimsy excuse, money talks, and many officials within the Three Kingdoms began to speak in favor of withdrawing from the conflict.
"Short-sighted fools. Haven't they heard of the proverb 'the lips perish, and the teeth grow cold'?" said Yan Dan, the Crown Prince of Yan, his voice filled with frustration. He stood in a seemingly ordinary estate in the now-Qin-controlled city of Xinzheng, fuming over the retreat of the Three Kingdoms.
"Your Highness, the other states had little choice. The power of Qin's mechanical beasts was too overwhelming. Without a way to counter them, continuing the war would have only increased their losses," Tian Guang, leader of the Farmers' School, said with a grave expression.
The formidable power of the Mohist mechanical beasts was well-known, as the Mohists had earned their reputation in the Hundred Schools not just through their philosophy but through countless battles where their machines had proven invaluable.
"When it comes to the battlefield, a single mechanical beast can be more valuable than several master warriors. The sight of those terrifying machines is enough to crush the morale of any army," Tian Guang continued, shaking his head in frustration.
"Based on the current situation, only the Mohist School can challenge the Gongshu family's mechanical beasts. The Gongshu family has begun producing Mechanical White Tigers and Vermilion Birds in bulk. If this continues, not only will the Mohist School lose its standing, but Ying Zheng might soon control the entire world," Tian Guang warned, his voice grave.
Yan Dan fell silent, clearly troubled. If Ying Zheng was allowed to dominate with his mechanized army, it wouldn't just be Korea at risk—every state in the known world would eventually fall.
"I'll return and speak with the Juzi," Yan Dan finally said, determination filling his voice.
"But our most pressing issue isn't just this—it's that National Master of Qin," Yan Dan continued, causing Tian Guang to fall silent once more.
The reason for Qin's drastic advancements was well known to all. The person the Six States and the Hundred Schools of Thought most wanted dead was no longer Ying Zheng, but Daniel Davis, the National Master of Qin. His overwhelming strength had made him a target for assassination, but so far, all attempts had failed miserably.
Daniel's power was simply too great. Even the strongest warriors couldn't last a single round against him. Combined with his heavy security, assassinating him was nearly impossible. Despite the numerous assassination attempts organized by the Six States and the Hundred Schools, none had even come close to succeeding.
For the moment, neither Yan Dan nor Tian Guang could think of a viable plan to deal with Daniel. The only solution seemed to be using overwhelming force—perhaps surrounding him with armies until he could no longer resist.
But for now, that idea remained a distant dream.
"It's better to take our time and plan carefully," Yan Dan suggested, nodding to Tian Guang. They were in agreement. Though Daniel was an insurmountable obstacle at present, he was not invincible. Someday, the right opportunity would arise.
While the restoration of order in Korea proceeded, Daniel traveled alone to Daoism's Heaven Sect. There,
he presented the Daoist elders with several martial arts manuals from his time in One Hundred Thousand Years of Cultivation's world, including many advanced techniques from the Daoist arts.
Of particular interest to them was the Tai Chi technique, created by Master Zhang, which offered profound insights to the likes of Northern Master Beimingzi and Xiaomeng, leaders of their respective factions.
For Beimingzi, however, the most valuable gift was not the martial arts techniques but Daniel's descriptions of cultivation at the level of Feathered Ascension—an entirely new realm of power. Beimingzi had already reached the peak of what could be achieved in this world, and with Daniel's guidance, he saw a new path forward.
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