You marveled with admiration: "This thing is quite fascinating!"

You could sense that as long as you wished, you could store any part of your memories inside it and review them anytime.

It then occurred to you that since you could access the memories stored by previous emperors of Great Qian, this meant the jade book's stored memories could be viewed by others.

Your eyes immediately lit up: "If I store my own memories about my good friend in here, then show it to her, wouldn't that completely blow her mind?!"

It then occurred to you that since you could access the memories stored by previous emperors of Great Qian, this meant the jade book's stored memories could be viewed by others.

You instantly became delighted. You could even bring this thing into the real world and show your good friend - whom you've never met in person - how miserable she appears in your memories.

You'd directly give her a CD from the past, letting her see what your love was like back then.

You felt this trip was truly worthwhile, bringing tremendous gains.

Nearby, Li Jiang saw you cackling strangely to yourself for no apparent reason and quickly moved aside, fearing you might infect him with whatever you had.

Ignoring Li Jiang, you turned the jade book over and over in your hands, eventually naming it the Book of Years.

You somewhat understood why the Li imperial clan of Great Qian had managed to be passed down for so long.

Because the Book of Years recorded the most valuable experiences and principles that previous emperors of Great Qian wanted their descendants to understand, providing some reference value for future emperors.

This truly was the wisdom left by their ancestors.

The Book of Years was essentially the Li imperial clan's little cheat.

However, this little cheat ultimately couldn't escape the clutches of a major cheater like you.

You searched through the inner treasury several more times, thoroughly confirming there were no other items of value to you.

You approached Li Jiang and patted his shoulder: "Kid, guard my inner treasury well. I might return someday!"

Li Jiang's face lit up with joy. He understood you wouldn't stay here, that you would truly leave, and the throne would still be his.

Li Jiang trembled with excitement, nearly wetting his pants.

Li Jiang nodded vigorously: "Great Hero Shangguan, rest assured! I won't touch a single thing in the inner treasury!"

You somewhat understood why the Li imperial clan of Great Qian had managed to maintain their lineage for so long.

But Li Jiang called out from behind: "Great Hero Shangguan, please wait!"

Because the Book of Years recorded the most valuable experiences and principles that previous emperors of Great Qian wanted their descendants to understand, providing some reference value for future emperors.

Li Jiang shook his head with animated expression: "No, Great Hero Shangguan. I have a presumptuous request and beg for your approval!"

"How presumptuous exactly?"

Li Jiang's face twisted in misery as he said with full emotional intensity: "As Great Hero knows, I've recently lost both my imperial grandfather and my father..."

You interrupted roughly: "Get to the point."

Li Jiang's aged face wrinkled as he dropped to his knees with a thud and said: "Great Hero Shangguan, if you don't find me unworthy, I wish to acknowledge you as my sworn father!"

You said with surprised tone: "Quite the character!"

This old fellow Li Jiang was already over forty years old, yet he cast aside his pride to bow and pay respects to twenty-one-year-old you.

You searched through the inner treasury several more times, thoroughly confirming there were no other items of value to you.

His path to inheriting the throne wouldn't be smooth by any means.

So Li Jiang adopted the mindset of "whether there are dates or not, give the tree a couple of shakes," testing whether he could rely on you as his powerful backer.

If it worked, excellent;

if not, no matter - he wouldn't lose anything anyway.

Although he had knelt to you, a man's knees contain gold, and this was the moment to cash in - consider it like entering the wrong password this time.

You smiled faintly: "Why didn't you kneel to me earlier outside?"

"Great Hero Shangguan, there were too many people outside just now!"

"You old fellow have thicker skin than even me, quite resembling my style. However, I don't want any sworn sons."

Li Jiang still didn't give up: "Great Hero Shangguan! May I instead acknowledge you as the Great Qian State Preceptor?!"

You thought about it and found it seemed rather good, because the Li imperial clan, as Great Qian's largest social organization, had numerous Earth-aligned Ultimate Grandmasters.

You could have Li Jiang help collect information about Earth Source - the Li imperial clan's intelligence network was surely extensive.

Moreover, serving as Great Qian's State Preceptor would only be in name, helping Li Jiang deter those restless imperial uncles and brothers during his early reign.

Having figured this out, you immediately beamed with joy and warmly helped Li Jiang up: "Your Majesty, please rise quickly!"

Li Jiang's face instantly showed pleasant surprise as he stood up with respectful tone: "State Preceptor, you're too kind!"

After exchanging some mutual compliments, you conveyed your requirements to Li Jiang.

You told him you couldn't be bothered to attend the State Preceptor investiture ceremony, instructing him to properly deliver the imperial decree to the Palace of Ten Thousand Dreams, where your disciples would receive it, which would count as your tacit acceptance.

Li Jiang naturally agreed excitedly.

You then instructed Li Jiang to report any strange locations throughout Great Qian's territory.

You suspected there were more than one light barrier like the one on Sea Snake Island and wanted to find them all.

Li Jiang didn't quite understand your purpose but similarly agreed repeatedly.

You nodded and were about to leave when you glimpsed an imposing long spear placed in the corner of the inner treasury.

With a gentle motion, the spear flew into your hand.

Seeing this, Li Jiang immediately explained: "State Preceptor, excellent eye! This was the personal spear of one of my Li clan's Ultimate Grandmaster ancestors, extremely powerful!"

You nodded, thinking that barring unexpected events, Lin Mo would be born in three years, and you planned to give this spear as a gift when attending his one-month celebration banquet.

Li Jiang's aged face wrinkled as he dropped to his knees with a thud and said: "Great Hero Shangguan, if you don't find me unworthy, I wish to acknowledge you as my sworn father!"

"Leaving." You bent your knees and soared into the sky.

Li Jiang hurried a few steps on the ground, waving a handkerchief to see you off: "Beloved State Preceptor, fly slowly!"

You flew far away in an instant, only storing everything in your spatial inventory when no one was around.

This old fellow Li Jiang was already over forty years old, yet he cast aside his pride to bow and pay respects to twenty-one-year-old you.

You had already viewed all the memories left by previous emperors in the Book of Years.

Whether their martial insights or governance philosophies, these things held no meaning for you.

However, one memory from an Ultimate Grandmaster emperor made you somewhat curious.

In that memory, the emperor had encountered an extremely powerful person who could exchange blows with an Ultimate Grandmaster with complete ease, appearing to use little effort.

Strangely, that person couldn't fly, meaning they weren't an Ultimate Grandmaster, yet their strength surpassed ordinary Ultimate Grandmasters - quite absurd.

You suspected that person was a monster on Lin Mo's level.

But regardless of how monstrous they were, they had surely been lost to the river of time, as that memory was from long, long ago.

Besides this memory, the others were ordinary, tedious daily routines that immersed you in being emperor.

Like casually flipping name plates to visit two beautiful concubines.

Or executing two corrupt officials to relieve boredom when in a bad mood.

Occasionally traveling incognito to enjoy time with common people, calling for the Eight Prefecture Inspector to rescue you at the last moment during dangers, then putting on a grand show.

In short, it was tedious, extremely tedious.

Two months later, you returned to the Palace of Ten Thousand Dreams.

The palace's population had now exploded, growing from three people to four.

Sang Yi had somehow acquired a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old apprentice.

Sang Yi kept the young apprentice by his side all day, diligently teaching him martial arts.

You didn't concern yourself with whom Sang Yi had apprenticed - as long as the Palace of Ten Thousand Dreams wasn't so deserted and had more human presence.

Spotting Sang Yi from the air, you descended directly beside him.

Sang Yi, who was still teaching his apprentice, quickly bowed: "Sect Leader!"

The young apprentice gaped in astonishment at your descent from the sky.

Sang Yi kicked the boy's rear: "Still not greeting the Sect Leader!"

"Oh! Oh!" The apprentice stumbled and immediately kowtowed three times with loud thumps.

With a flick of your hand, you tossed a bottle of Blood Qi Pills into the apprentice's arms.

"Thank you, Sect Leader!!" The apprentice fumbled to catch it.

You directly instructed Sang Yi: "Soon the new Great Qian emperor will deliver an imperial decree. Just accept it."

Having figured this out, you immediately beamed with joy and warmly helped Li Jiang up: "Your Majesty, please rise quickly!"

Then Sang Yi hurriedly handed you a letter: "Sect Leader, another secret letter has arrived!"

Li Jiang's face instantly showed pleasant surprise as he stood up with respectful tone: "State Preceptor, you're too kind!"

With surprised expression, you thought to yourself: "Another Earth Source? That damned place is somewhat sinister!"