On Kunlun Mountain.

Zhong Shenxiu opened his eyes, and three pills suddenly appeared before him.

"This Dan Formation Method has finally been perfected. From now on, the foundation of the Immortal Dao is established!"

A smile appeared on his face, and he first brought out a golden pill, the color of chaos:

"This is the most superior pill, created with the Void as a cauldron, Taiji as a furnace, purity as a wondrous utility, non-action as the foundation, life as lead and mercury, with Meditation and Wisdom as water and fire, using the natural world as the true seed, and the four elements of heaven and earth as the timing of fire. The pill forms by itself with infinite wonders. It is the Pill of the Great Dao. Sadly, no genius in the world can likely forge it even in a billion years..."

Zhong Shenxiu then summoned a translucent Primordial Qi Pill:

"This is a Middle Grade Pill, made with Qi as lead, spirit as mercury, noon as fire, midnight as water, using the liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys as medicinal materials, and with the year, month, day, and hour as the fire timing, utilizing the method of embracing the origin and maintaining unity to turn the fire timing. Three years to form an image... Those with extraordinary talent may be able to refine it."

The final one was truly dazzling with golden light and an impressive appearance, but Zhong Shenxiu couldn't even be bothered to glance at it:

"This Lower Grade Golden Core uses one's own body as the furnace to refine Yin Sha Yang Gang Qi, adding lead and mercury substances. It is certainly the easiest for entry... However, one can never hope to attain immortality!"

"But even the lowest grade Golden Core grants a life span of five hundred years with various divine powers and spells, capable of traversing Qingming, treading on astral paths, and summoning ghosts with talismans... In the eyes of mortals, they are already no different from immortals!"

"Once this pill method is established, it truly lays the foundation for the Seven Luminaries Heavenly Immortal Dao!"

Zhong Shenxiu retrieved the three Golden Cores, calculated with his fingers, and sighed: "Feng Xixi is too stingy; not transmitting the path of immortality is one thing, but not even passing on the methods for 'Qi Refinement' and 'Foundation Establishment'... Otherwise, over the past century, the world could have produced some seeds for immortality."

"Forget it, since you won't come, I'll do it myself!"

He thought for a moment, plucked out a strand of hair, and vanished into the void.

…

Great Zhou, Haojing.

"My Lord? My Lord!"

A group of eunuchs nervously watched their lord sleeping soundly at his desk.

"How long have I slept?"

Zhong Shenxiu stood up, yawned, and asked.

"Reporting to My Lord, you have slept for two hours..."

A eunuch carefully reported.

"And there's still so much paperwork..."

Zhong Shenxiu looked at the bamboo scrolls piled on the desk and couldn't help but hold his forehead. According to legend, Emperor Qin Shi Huang spent his days reviewing countless carriages of bamboo scrolls; it seems the legend wasn't just an exaggeration, this brother might have really worked himself to death.

'I'll have to invent papermaking someday... No, if I invent papermaking, won't those scribes just keep embellishing endlessly? That would turn physical labor into even more grueling mental work...'

Zhong Shenxiu yawned again, and a string of memories came flooding back.

Aha, the body his incarnation had just seized was named 'Ji Man,' the son of Zhou Zhao Wang. Last year, when Zhou Zhao Wang died from drowning, he inherited the throne as the fifth Emperor of Great Zhou.

Then, while he was reviewing memorials and documents late into the night, he suddenly suffered a heart attack, after which Zhong Shenxiu quietly took over without anyone noticing, not even Feng Xixi, who managed the Dragon Veins of Great Zhou.

"No more reviewing, I'm going to sleep!"

Zhong Shenxiu had no intention of being an old ox; he declared directly.

"Yes!"

The eunuchs around immediately approached cautiously, removing the documents before asking, "Where shall My Lord rest tonight?"

"Forget it, I'll sleep on my own!"

Zhong Shenxiu waved his hand and replied.

…

The next day, at court.

Zhong Shenxiu wore the Emperor's Crown Robe, accepting the homage of the officials.

"Recently, I have been reviewing documents and feeling quite annoyed. Why do you civil and military officials insist on bringing everything to me for a decision?"

Zhong Shenxiu vented his anger: "If it were matters of the military, I could let it slide, but why bother me with every little thing? Are you trying to wear me out?"

When the Emperor was angry, ministers below all knelt, saying: "We wouldn't dare!"

After venting his anger, Zhong Shenxiu continued: "I understand, it's not your fault. After all, there's no established law in the land, and you are uncertain about what to do, so you come to consult with me. But this constant back-and-forth is a waste of time."

Below, ministers Bo Guang and Fu Hou stepped forward, saying: "My Lord's words are correct! We are ignorant and ask My Lord to guide us!"

"I shall issue a 'Law'! Law, as the principle of all things! This code will encompass all, henceforth you will handle matters according to the law, only reporting major issues to me!"

Zhong Shenxiu declared.

In his previous life, the first law code was the 'Code of Hammurabi.' Indeed, it was early, but it doesn't matter; in the Seven Luminaries Heaven, the West is still in the era of barbarian tribes. The 'Law' I issue will surely be the first legal code in the world!

"This 'Law' can be divided into three parts: Criminal, Civil, Military..."

Zhong Shenxiu outlined his idea, then pointed at Fu Hou: "You will take charge of this matter!"

As the Emperor, if I handle everything personally, wouldn't I be exhausted?

"Yes!"

Fu Hou accepted the task with a sense that the Emperor seemed different from before, more enlightened and majestic.

…

Zhong Shenxiu didn't bother with them. After court was dismissed, he went to the stables: "Where is Zao Fu?"

"My Lord, here I am!"

The charioteer Zao Fu hurried out to greet him, his elongated face full of flattering, ingratiating smiles.

He was also a descendant of Shang, with ancestors who had driven chariots for the Emperors.

Of course... there were many descendants of Shang, and if you really counted, even the Emperor of Zhou had Shang blood.

However, as time went on, the bloodline thinned, making it less likely for one to become an Innate God or Demon.

"How is the chariot I've asked you to prepare?"

Zhong Shenxiu asked: "Once the legal code is compiled, I'll be free of worries and will want to travel, so good horses are indispensable!"

"Please rest assured, My Lord!"

Zao Fu quickly replied: "I've been seeking fine horses for My Lord, crossing mountains and rivers, and finally in the lands of Taolin, I've found several divine steeds for you to consider..."

He led Zhong Shenxiu to a part of the stable where eight majestic horses stood, each one extraordinary: "In the land of Taolin there resides dragons. The herdsmen let mares graze there, and after a year they give birth to foals with heavenly descent. These eight all have heavenly horse bloodlines, able to travel thousands of miles by day, eight hundred by night... truly fine steeds!"

"Ha ha, excellent, excellent..."

Zhong Shenxiu saw the eight horses with their shiny coats and robust forms and nodded approvingly: "Zao Fu, you've really made an effort."

"May My Lord bestow names upon these fine horses."

Zao Fu's eyes twinkled, and he knelt, requesting.

"You really know how to curry favor."

Zhong Shenxiu created another allusion and then laughed: "Let them be named Chiji, Daoli, Bai Yi, Yulun, Shanzi, Quhuang, Hualiu, and Lver!"

"Thank you, My Lord, for the names."

Zao Fu prostrated himself in gratitude.

"Well, you are my charioteer. Today, I reward you with a hundred gold, and in the future, when I travel, continue to drive my chariot."

Zhong Shenxiu smiled.

Half a year later, Fu Hou completed the 'Zhou Law,' which was promulgated throughout the land.

In the same year, the Mu Heavenly Emperor embarked on his royal journey!