Chapter 3: Hakimi, Oh, Northern and Southern Mung Beans

Xiao Tingbai was meeting the National Teacher for the first time.
When she first heard that the National Teacher was a woman, her heart was filled with astonishment.
She couldn’t fathom what kind of extraordinary woman could serve as the National Teacher of the Great Han Empire for 286 years.
But when she finally saw the National Teacher in person, she felt at ease.
It wasn’t just her breathtaking appearance but also her languid, serene demeanor, as if the person standing before them wasn’t the renowned National Teacher but an ordinary woman.

Baizhu already knew the purpose of their visit.
Liu Jun, the ruler of the empire, sat upright with solemnity, while Xiao Tingbai held her breath, her attention fixed. This was because their not-yet-one-month-old sixth princess was currently cradled in the National Teacher’s arms.
Baizhu had publicly declared that, in principle, she did not take disciples, but her standards were based on spiritual affinity.
What use was a disciple without true destiny?
To do chores? That could be handled with a single thought.
To fight in groups? As long as no old monsters from the upper realms were involved, she wasn’t intimidated.
To… ahem, get intimate? She’d tried it herself, and it was just so-so.
To raise treasure-hunting rats? She didn’t believe there were any treasures in the lower realms worth her attention.

Speaking of rats, though, she did enjoy giving them a foot massage to relieve their fatigue when they were preparing to flee with millions.
As for payment…
Hehe!
But this emperor had truly given her a surprise, and that surprise was the sixth princess in her arms.
Baizhu had seen through the sixth princess completely, inside and out, with a single glance.
And that’s where the strangeness lay.

Brothers, a no-prize quiz:
Given that a person has mediocre qualifications but their destiny shines as brightly as a lightbulb in the dark, the question is: are they a reincarnator or a transmigrator?
This question was easy to answer. An infant’s body might not speak, but their soul could.
So, Baizhu employed a small technique, establishing a mental communication channel with the sixth princess.
The channel was formed smoothly, without the expected resistance.
On the other side was darkness. After a moment of thought, Baizhu spoke her first words:
“Social security is mandatory, rent is taxed, but your wages haven’t increased…”
No response…
“Hakimi, oh…”
Still no response.

Seeing that gentle methods yielded no results, Baizhu had no choice but to try the next approach.
She examined the quality of the soul.
A soul doesn’t lie; its quality grows with the body and experience.
Whether a reincarnator or a transmigrator, the soul’s quality would surely not match.
But the result disappointed Baizhu.
It proved that this was a native-born person, neither a reincarnator nor a transmigrator, but someone genuinely favored by destiny.
Yet, there was something odd about this soul, though she couldn’t quite pinpoint what.

The disappointment was quickly overshadowed by joy.
After all these years, she had finally found someone barely qualified.
Baizhu opened her eyes and returned the sixth princess to Xiao Tingbai.
Liu Jun couldn’t wait any longer and eagerly asked:
“National Teacher, how is Yan’er’s condition?”
Baizhu’s gaze lingered on the sixth princess for a moment, meeting the expectant eyes of Liu Jun and Xiao Tingbai:
“This girl, though currently of average qualifications, has great potential and a promising future.”

Xiao Tingbai’s heart trembled, her voice urgent:
“Then, regarding taking Yan’er as your disciple…”
Baizhu spoke again:
“In principle, I do not take disciples, but with such raw jade in hand, I feel a sense of compassion. I can offer some guidance and see how her comprehension fares.”
Liu Jun and Xiao Tingbai’s eyes lit up instantly, and they spoke almost in unison:
“We beseech the National Teacher to guide Yan’er!”

Baizhu didn’t refuse. As she had said, she extended a finger and lightly touched the sixth princess’s forehead.
Considering the princess was still an infant, Baizhu only transmitted some basic characters, no more than 100 in total.
The speed at which the sixth princess absorbed these 100 characters would reflect her comprehension.
She had expected it to take some time, as an infant’s brain wasn’t fully developed, but to her surprise, the 100 characters vanished without a trace in just a few breaths.
Baizhu thought: ‘This young one!’

She tried increasing the amount, sending 200 characters this time.
This time, the sixth princess took a bit longer, but it still impressed Baizhu.
She tried adding more, but this attempt failed.
The princess’s capacity had reached its limit; any more would turn her into a blank slate.
Baizhu withdrew her finger, already forming a plan. The sixth princess was worth keeping an eye on.
Moreover, she didn’t think this was an isolated case. Perhaps the truly destined individuals she’d been waiting for would appear one after another, starting with this princess.

“The sixth princess has good comprehension.”
Baizhu’s tone carried a rare lightness:
“She is worth nurturing carefully. When she turns three, bring her to see me again.”
Liu Jun and Xiao Tingbai’s joy was almost uncontainable, and they hurriedly bowed:
“Thank you, National Teacher, for your guidance!”
Baizhu nodded lightly, then issued a dismissal:
“I’m a bit tired. You may leave.”

Liu Jun’s eyes wavered. After hesitating, he mustered his courage and spoke:
“National Teacher, I… have one more request. I hope you can lend your aid!”
Facing Baizhu’s displeased yet curious gaze, Liu Jun steeled himself and briefly explained the Jingwu Sect’s demand for Baihe City.
He carefully observed Baizhu’s reaction, and seeing her expressionless face, he pressed on, his neck stiff:
“National Teacher, the cultivation sects are numerous, and the number of cultivators is growing. Some ministers have reported that the spiritual energy concentration in the world is rising. The Great Han Empire stands at the cusp of a new era.”

Baizhu gave a soft “hm,” agreeing with the assessment.
In truth, she had long sensed the rising spiritual energy in the lower realms. As the saying goes, the era creates the hero, and this was why she believed the “truly destined individuals” would begin with the sixth princess.
“What do you plan to do?”
“Of course, not yield an inch of land!”
Liu Jun’s words rang with conviction, but then his tone shifted:
“But those sects have already banded together, and our empire’s cultivators are always at a disadvantage…”
“Heh…”
Baizhu’s light chuckle carried mockery and disdain:
“Ants banding together are still ants. Their only use is to make themselves more noticeable, so they can be wiped out in one fell swoop.”

Liu Jun’s spirits lifted, and just as he was about to speak, a book suddenly appeared in his hand.
He hurriedly looked down, and Baizhu’s voice came from above:
“This is the initial version of the Qi Introduction Record. As long as there’s enough spiritual energy, even a pig could reach the Qi Refining stage. The better the qualifications, the more effective it is. This technique has side effects and may harm one’s foundation, but for the current situation, it’s sufficient.”
Liu Jun thanked her profusely and, without further disturbing Baizhu, left the National Teacher’s residence with the empress and the sixth princess.

The moment they stepped out of the vermilion gates, Liu Qingyan’s mind buzzed with activity:
“Aaahhh, Host, wake up already!”
“Wuwuwu, why is there such a powerful ascended being? Even though I hid so well, I was almost discovered…”
“Boss, didn’t you say this was an easy job? Wuwuwu, the boss set a trap, and the employee’s headed for the guillotine!”
Despite the clamor in her mind, Liu Qingyan didn’t react. Her brain, forcibly infused with 300 characters by BaizhuDl, was in a protective sleep state.

Upon returning to the palace, Liu Jun immediately summoned the commander of the imperial guards, Zhang Jingfeng.
“Your subject, Zhang Jingfeng, pays respects to Your Majesty!”
Liu Jun, brimming with confidence and exuding an air of commanding the realm, declared:
“Commander Zhang, this is the Qi Introduction Record, a technique I obtained from the National Teacher. It can help soldiers quickly embark on the path of cultivation, with greater results for those with better qualifications! I order you to begin at once, using this secret manual to forge an imperial guard that will shake the heavens. I want those cultivation sects to see that the Great Han Empire is not to be trifled with!”