After a long while, the ironworkers finally accepted this shocking news.

In their eyes, this was also the reward for successfully completing the quest!

It's estimated that their task completion rate was so high this time, all kinds of rewards were pouring down on them, leaving them dizzy and overwhelmed.

"Chief of Urban Management!"

"Scaly Gate!"

"Wow! Managing a city from afar?"

"Even if it's a data-driven text adventure, it's very cool!"

...

They happily discussed it with more enthusiasm.

Ning Zheng was also taken aback, wasn't Dizzy supposed to praise the Manor Master, erect a tombstone for Scaly Gate, and build a Living Temple for this living person?

How did it suddenly turn out like this?

Ning Zheng carefully listened to the accounts and found it mind-boggling.

The Patrol Envoy usually didn't have any work, it was a leisurely position.

After all.

The Ghost People of various professions in the city operated within their own circles.

But now, all the ghosts of the Scaly Gate had died and it would be some time before they revived.

So Dizzy, the living caretaker of the city, became busier!

Across from The Shop, Su Yuniang was very excited:

"Now Dizzy is very busy, planning plots of land, have you ever played this type of city simulation game?"

"It's something like that now!"

"Building plots in advance, waiting for the revival of each NPC resident."

"For example, [Changfeng Tavern], I placed it here, and when the time comes, the shopkeeper inside will be revived!"

"Those Sacred Land Outer Sect disciples in the tavern, I placed them in the toilets, when they revive, they'll charge visitors for toilet tickets..."

"Tavern plots, inn plots, living areas, government office plots..."

"This is in the planning stages."

"When the ghosts are revived, they can enter these places."

"Now, as the caretaker of the family tomb, Dizzy is responsible for planning, holding an NPC list and preparing to rebuild the city."

"Although once he's done, he'll return to his leisurely position, the city will run itself again, with daily patrols...but if he competes for performance, he might just increase his management authority and hold real power!"

"If he can please the revived tomb owner, becoming a true caretaker isn't impossible."

"Ahem, ahem, although we still don't know how this tomb owner will be handled, after all, considering what they've done..."

...

Everyone thought it was interesting.

This game's plot was too tight-knit.

New plot developments appeared so quickly, with Scaly Gate city management!

This was clearly a major plotline, if done well, they might become caretakers of a tomb! Helping the owner, building city blocks, and ensuring the owner's pleasure.

But of course, if they don't do well... they'd revert back to a leisurely position after it's all over.

But what counts as doing well?

The foundation of Scaly Gate is very poor, with few guests.

The NPCs generally hold hostility towards guests, how can they be valued by others?

That's a huge issue!

Ning Zheng, upon hearing this, was greatly shocked, and still decided to head to Xinyi State City.

After all, the rewards here were almost distributed, sorting such trivial matters wasn't something he wanted to oversee, naturally, there would be an audience perspective to help monitor all around.

....

Scaly Gate.

When Ning Zheng passed through the teleportation array to arrive here, he found it very lively, it had vaguely become one of the three thousand most bustling city gates.

Endless traffic.

Constant flux of people.

Originally, due to historical reasons, the natives were hostile, and there were never so many living people.

Now, not only was it under construction, requiring a lot of manpower, but it's also likely that travelers from various cities came here because of that battle.

However, it's estimated that once things calm down, Scaly Gate will return to its desolation.

When Ning Zheng crossed the street, he happened to see Dizzy.

He wore official robes embroidered with beautiful, delicate Xinyi Flowers, a hair crown on his head, discussing something with several scholars, pointing and gesturing, seemingly planning the reconstruction of the streets.

Beside him, Embers Jiucai Rong was also assisting.

Ning Zheng stood at a distance for a while, and silently walked to a nearby tavern to sit down.

"That battle was truly rare in a lifetime."

"Indeed, I saw it clearly at the time."

"Your courage is so small, you didn't dare to come, yet we were all safe in the city walls."

Listening to the chatter around him, he gradually learned about some post-war situations, the ratio of casualties between the Evil Cult and Righteous, and through conversations here, he also got hold of a piece of news:

Xinyi State City is preparing to send troops to attack several No-Life Sect bases, having gathered their forces to set off.

After all, having been attacked once, if the Court doesn't respond, where is the dignity?

A counteroffensive is inevitable.

And they selected the most audacious No-Life Sect as the target of attack.

Ning Zheng listened, looking puzzled, "They're counterattacking the No-Life Sect...?"

The Xinyi State City, worthy of being the capital of a continent, quickly returned to calm after the assault.

An unbreakable wall indeed lives up to its name.

As long as the wall remains intact, an enemy attack won't touch its roots, the "City Wall Cannon" fires periodically, who can withstand it?

It's said that these evil cults prepared for a long time, bringing out their most powerful divine weapons from the bottom of their chests, breaking more than ten, just to withstand two waves of the wall's assault.

Yes, they only blocked two waves.

The third wave of cannon fire didn't come, and they fled because they couldn't hold on anymore.

That battle, in fact, only lasted more than two hours.

Now the citizens of Xinyi State City act like nothing happened, continuing to chat and brag in taverns; this stems from their immense confidence in the city's strength.

However, he was soon attracted by another piece of news.

The team including the Sword Fairy, headed to the capital, activated the State City prince's mansion teleportation array just this morning and set off directly!

They are said to be resting for three days, tidying up their attire, learning etiquette, and directly facing the emperor!

"The Sword Fairy... is now in the capital city?" Ning Zheng took a deep breath, gazing at the sky outside the tavern window, "It never seems to stop."

To face the emperor, the capital city!

He felt he needed to prepare well.

Our manor's first big client might indeed be the current Saint.

Moreover, accepting the task together with him are renowned divine craftsmen from all over the world, various masters.

He felt like a little kitten mingling among a group of tigers, having to pretend to be very calm, very knowledgeable, striking a pose like a fierce tiger, so they wouldn't discover he's a fake.

Amidst the hustle, panting, he would give a few suggestions, pretending to be very capable...

But practically, it's very difficult!

"Feeling a bit pressured...," Ning Zheng muttered, downing a cup of wine, his face showing worry.

He wasn't as carefree as the blacksmiths.

...

...

Whoosh.

A flash of white light.

The Sword Fairy accompanied Jian Xin in front of a vast city gate wall.

Surrounding them were high-tier professionals from the team heading to the capital.

Up to seven or eight pieces of unusual treasures akin to the Sword Fairy, with ages unknown, significance unknown, including black jars and ancient bells.

Some of these items are archaeological finds from ancient eras, some are heirlooms from some ancient secluded families in the depths of the mountains... unknown from what ancient epoch, even the high-tier professionals couldn't easily comprehend them.

The Sword Fairy is merely one among them.

"We finally reached the capital city."

"Indeed."

Many smiled, their faces showing yearning.

Even these secondary profession Great Cultivators from one continent, many had never been to the capital city; after all, reaching high tiers requires dedication, in other words: homebodies.

And for most cultivators, the journey to the capital city is extremely long.

The energy level of Great Cultivators is very high, ordinary teleportation arrays can't bear it, they can only reach the capital through the State City's teleportation array.

If not using the teleportation array, they would need to traverse mountains and rivers.

But that's something combat-type cultivators can do; for them, non-combat professionals, traversing mountains and rivers is courting death.

"This is the capital city!"

Like other non-professional cultivators, the Sword Fairy was full of excitement at the sight of the city, "I want to make a name for myself, and do it with style!"

At this moment, they stood before a massive city gate.

On a towering black stone tablet at the hundred-meter city gate, ancient and simple characters written, seemingly standing eternal, welcoming travelers from across eras.

[Welcome to the capital city, esteemed guests, for your safety, please abide by the following rules of the capital city.]

[1, Do not mention the color of the lanterns, and do not discuss matters of life and death with anything in the city.]

[2, If you see someone in attire not conforming to the era, or wearing strange clothes, please ignore them, do not converse, and do not accept any invitation to leave the city from them; you do not wish to know where you might end up following them.]

[3, The whole land inside and outside the city is covered with vibrant flowers, full of vitality, but remember, all normal flowers have three petals; please preserve the normal ones, immediately pick those with fewer than three, and stay away from those with more, notifying relevant personnel promptly.]

[4, If any special abnormal phenomenon occurs in the city, no matter how strange, please ignore it and quietly move away.]

[5, Within the boundaries following the rules, inside the city walls is absolutely safe.]

...

The Sword Fairy's expression subtly changed, standing at the city gate.

She inexplicably felt a chill run down her spine.

Inside was still bustling, countless cultivators walking about, very prosperous, a huge bustling city.

But originally thought this place was similar to a Nine-State city, or even larger, more prosperous; who knew its structure seemed entirely different, and the rules stirred a vague unease in her heart.