Lighting Lanterns in the Mountains and Seas

He left swiftly, Manxi departed in a fit of rage. This is not a situation where he could just 'sit and wait for death.' Even if he couldn't change the outcome, he had to try; how could he know if the result couldn't be changed unless he tried first?

This is the normal reaction when a person is pushed to such a desperate situation.

Now he understands that the competition for leadership during the Battle of Great Pardon was not less intense as he had thought; in fact, it was extremely fierce. His ability to stand out was indeed not easy, but now it's proven from another perspective that the real competitors never actually contended with him. If they wanted to compete, it wouldn't have been his turn. Anyone with real power could still contend with him if they wanted to.

As Mo Hei followed him out of the hall and watched the Domain Master's figure disappear into the distance, he sighed helplessly, knowing that the forces capable of turning this into a Heavenly Court decree were not something Manxi could easily overturn.

The outcome is almost predetermined, and being a close associate of Manxi, he naturally has to follow suit and leave.

But he is certain about one thing: the people backing Manxi are not weak either. Removing someone from the Domain Master's position like this without offering some form of compensation wouldn't work. Even if they don't allow another Domain Master position elsewhere, they would most likely give a corresponding position as consolation.

Following Manxi, he would naturally receive an arrangement too, while the truly unfortunate ones should be those like Shi Chun who fought bloodily for Heavenly Domain ownership.

Being unfortunate is unavoidable; this is historically challenging...

Shi Chun, Tong Mingshan, and Wu Jinliang refuse to sit idly and wait for such fate. With their orders, people from the Southern, Western, and Northern regions who have any ability to move were quickly sifted out for one purpose: find ways to bring people, and there would be rewards for achievements.

Actually, Shi Chun truly wanted to tell everyone that if no people were brought in, nearly half of the workforce might be kicked out of the Heavenly Court for various reasons by those taking over later, relatively stimulating everyone's motivation to bring in people.

However, previously when discussing this with Young Master Nan, Nan warned him, saying that in the Heavenly Court, such things couldn't be played out recklessly. Predicting unoccurred events based on conjecture is akin to spreading rumors, and if blamed, your background strength wouldn't be able to withstand it.

Dingdong Mansion is grandly constructed. Deep within its pavilions and towers, Dongguo Shou sat by a vat, soaking his severed arm in a vat of purple liquid.

His Right Guard Captain arrived, saluted, and reported: "Sir, it's been tallied; from the Southern, Western, and Northern regions, nearly ten thousand troops were sent out in various stages."

"What a grand gesture..." Dongguo Shou bitterly smiled as he leaned against the vat.

When hearing the buzz, he deliberately contacted Shi Chun and the others, asking what was happening. Knowing their past successful experiences, he wanted to learn from them. Though the Sect promised assistance, asking him not to worry, he still wished to help ease the Sect's pressure a bit, knowing just passively watching wouldn't be a good look.

However, not learning was fine; learning led to self-inflicted humiliation when realizing certain things couldn't be learned.

The desire to imitate them by dispatching large troops to bring people? It's fortunate if his subordinates didn't demand back pay from him.

Once orders were issued, cries of poverty emerged immediately, with a simple claim of lacking travel expenses shutting down any response.

Are they unreasonable for being impecunious without travel expenses?

The travel costs for so many people aren't child's play, truly not a small amount. In fairness, the current Dingdong Mansion simply couldn't afford it.

The key is, Shi Chun and the others also couldn't afford such travel expenses, yet a simple request to have subordinates bear the costs temporarily and reimburse later had everyone surprisingly buy into it, whereas Dongguo Shou's similar approach met with disbelief and derision instead.

Now he realizes that without money, even commanding his troops normally is impossible.

After a long silence, he asked again, "With so many people going out, hasn't the Domain Master Mansion said anything?"

The Right Guard Captain sighed, "Nothing has been said. The Domain Master Mansion also wants to imitate Shi Chun and the others but, like us, lacks funds, fails to mobilize people, and those with connections seem to know the Domain Master's precarious position, resulting in evasive responses."

Dongguo Shou chuckled self-deprecatingly and then sighed toward the sky, "Three years, one billion people!"

He truly doesn't know how the Sect intends to solve this problem.

Soon, about half a month later, under the workings of the Carefree Sect, tens of thousands of people began entering Heavenly Domain one after another within days, starting to officially settle in Dingdong Mansion.

These are just the people who arrived initially.

The Carefree Sect not only introduced population but also replicated industries. As people arrive, industries for survival naturally accompany them; otherwise, this barren place would be hard to inhabit long-term.

This scale and intensity are far more efficient than the ten thousand troops dispatched by the other three regions.

With so many people needing a place to stay, the demand for all kinds of housing construction is huge, immediately attracting numerous craftsmen.

How much would it cost to construct housing for tens of thousands of people?

Thus, it is evident that it's not merely a population relocation issue but a financial one; bringing associated industries is a wise decision.

Due to the ten thousand troops constantly bustling, the Southern, Western, and Northern regions experienced a downturn in businesses like brothels and taverns, with complaints pouring into the three departments. Meanwhile, suddenly such a large influx of people in the Eastern region attracted businesses to set up branches there.

Back then, Wu Jinliang painstakingly convinced these merchants to come, yet now Eastern regions attracted them without needing a word.

Even the brothel girls temporarily transferred there to respond to the situation.

The commotion attracted Shi Chun, who went over to take a look and talked to Dongguo Shou. It turned out that these were merely the first wave of introduced population. Once the issue of settling these people was resolved, there would be a massive influx of more people.

There was no choice; even with many skilled craftsmen available, house construction still took time and needed some digestion.

The sudden arrival of hundreds of thousands was excessive, but it was intentionally orchestrated by the Carefree Sect to build momentum for Dongguo Shou. The shops proactively opening branches there were the result of this momentum...

Manxi, the Domain Master who had soaked in the Heavenly Capital for a long time, finally returned to the Domain Master Mansion, sitting back in the main seat with a stern face.

Mo Hei, who had arrived upon hearing the news, hurried over to pay his respects and tentatively asked, "Sir, what did the Star Lord say?"

Manxi's face showed a wry smile as he sighed, "The celestial decree has been issued and cannot be changed; fair competition. If we win, Dongguo Shou will step down. If Dongguo Shou wins, then we leave."

Mo Hei was astonished, "You're the Domain Master, and Dongguo Shou is a Commander. If you compete, what proper order is there?"

Manxi: "The celestial decree has been issued. The task is a given, and the Heavenly Court originally intended to have everyone who couldn't complete the task be removed. However, how could the task of one billion population in three years possibly be completed? Dongguo Shou can't complete it, and neither can we. We don't want to give up the Domain Master position, and the Carefree Sect doesn't want to give up the Commander position. Therefore, it became simple: the Heavenly Court used us both, forcing us each to take a step back. The baseline is fifty million population; above this, whoever has more wins. The winner retains their current position, and the loser is ousted. In essence, whoever ranks first in the competition stays. First, after all, loosens at least a little for all parties involved. This is the best result the Star Lord could fight for us in anger."

Mo Hei hesitated, "What about Shi Chun, Tong Mingshan, and Wu Jinliang?"

Manxi scoffed, "What does it have to do with them? It's fair competition. Nobody's stopping them. Can they gather a billion people?"

Mo Hei nodded slowly, "True enough. Now, it seems to have become a contest between the Star Lord and the Carefree Sect… Sir, if we lose, where will we go?"

He was quite worried; can they win? Among the disciples of the Carefree Sect, those who could achieve a level similar to the Star Lord, there is more than one.

Manxi: "It's not over yet. Don't give them too much credit. By the way, what's Shi Chun up to?"

Mo Hei said: "He has already left the Heavenly Domain, probably trying to find a way for this matter all over the place…"

At the Stargazing Pavilion, among the pavilions and terraces, Shi Chun and Mulan Qingqing stood side by side, facing Mulan Jin across the desk, who was staring at Shi Chun with a rather unkind expression.

Shi Chun was helpless. He sent so many people under his command without bringing in a single soul whereas Dongguo Shou's momentum on the other side really had him cornered.

In a great battle, those who died were dead, and those who were wounded were injured. He managed to turn around with great difficulty. How could he easily give up?

For this reason, he went again to find the Red-clothed Woman, but her uncle couldn't come up with any good methods either. Not only did he not find a way, but he was also tormented by the Red-clothed Woman, with no one to blame but himself for offering himself up.

He then came to Mulan Jin because he knew very well that if Mulan Jin was willing to intervene and help, those who wanted to mess with him would have to think twice.

However, Mulan Jin was not willing to intervene at all, so he refused to meet.

Forced, Shi Chun went straight to the Su Yuan Sect and found Mulan Qingqing, hoping she could persuade the Su Yuan Sect to provide some support first.

In the end, he did not get support but was almost kicked down the mountain. People spoke bluntly, saying you killed our disciples of the Su Yuan Sect, and now you want us to help you—isn't it bullying our sect for being helpless?

Besides, the Su Yuan Sect's sect is within the sphere of influence of the East Victory Royal Court, how could they rashly transfer a massive population to the Heavenly Court territory?

Shi Chun could only retreat with shame, then accompanied Mulan Qingqing here. It was because Mulan Jin wouldn't see him, so this scene unfolded.

They finally met, but Mulan Jin said he couldn't help. One sentence, that the Stargazing Pavilion cannot intervene in this matter, dashed Shi Chun's hopes. Even Mulan Qingqing's pleas for help didn't work.

The more they pleaded, the more Mulan Jin became angry, the more his gaze at Shi Chun burned with fury.

Neither willing to help nor able to provide any good solutions, Shi Chun, who was somewhat at his wit's end, could only lament in despair, "Didn't we win the Heavenly Domain position as a reward for the Battle of Great Pardon? Now we haven't even warmed the seat, and the Heavenly Court acts like this; how can it win the public?"

Mulan Jin sneered, "How long does it take to warm a seat? Isn't someone using brute force to snatch it away? The reward from the Battle of Great Pardon was merely your qualification to enter this stage. The opportunity is given, but only if you can handle the difficulty, then you're qualified to sit in that position. If your people are useless, no matter how many, they will still be snubbed."

Shi Chun refused to accept, "Could it be that His Majesty is deaf? Could it be the Left and Right Ministers are blind, that they can sit back and do nothing?"

Mulan Jin warned him, "Be careful with your words! You're no longer the small-time thug in the Mingshan Sect. It's not only things favorable to you that count as intervention. The Heavenly Domain being deserted is a fact, and making it prosper quickly is the Heavenly Court's responsibility, what the Heavenly Court should manage. If you can't achieve this, why should you continue hogging the seat without contributing? How long should we wait for you for it to be fair? If someone more capable and forces can take over this duty, if they can quickly give the Heavenly Court an answer, if they can quickly prosper the Heavenly Domain through competition, imagine if you were the Left and Right Ministers, how would you handle it? By not giving it to them directly but giving you a chance to compete, isn't that enough? If it weren't for your merits, you wouldn't even have the qualifications to compete! Which of those who hold high positions hasn't accomplished more than you?"

This stern reprimand left Shi Chun dumbfounded, stunned and speechless for a moment.

Even Mulan Qingqing fell into silence after hearing those words.

Mulan Jin glanced at their reactions. If it weren't for his daughter's involvement today, he wouldn't have said these things. Then he hammered in one more resounding strike: "If you win, someone will come forward to uphold justice for you; someone will control their greed, and no one can snatch away! If you lose, no one will sympathize with you; it would only be a laughingstock over meals in others' eyes. This is the basic price you pay for suddenly ascending to this position. If you lose, accept it; if you can't handle it, leave. The reasoning is only for yourself, and irrelevant to others…"

In a daze, Shi Chun didn't even know how he left the Stargazing Pavilion, with Mulan Jin's words echoing repeatedly in his ears, clear and deafening.

As for Mulan Qingqing, she could come to visit her father, but she couldn't leave with Shi Chun. After all, Su Yuan Sect was accompanying her, so she was directly escorted back.