Shennong Dao Master

The list he had, and the one Cao Qianyue had, were completely different.

What Cao thought was valuable, in Zhao Xing's eyes, wasn't very important.

"Go prepare and make more Boundary-breaking Nails and dismantling materials. We'll leave in two hours; make as many as possible on the way."

Zhao Xing smiled. "You'll have the chance to dismantle when we reach the Royal City."

"Understood!" Cao Qianyue perked up and went to prepare.

Zhao Xing opened the map and began writing and drawing on it.

Bringing so many things and emptying Mengyun City's valuables wasn't for personal use or to take away.

It's for tribute!

However, his tribute target wasn't Mengyun City Lord's superior, the 'Lord of Flame Dragon,' but another dragon.

"The Lord of Flame Dragon is just a lord; offering him tribute won't ever make me a lord, no matter how formidable."

"But if I offer tribute to the Dragon King, not only can I earn a lordship, but I can also grab a few treasures during the Dragon King's reward." Zhao Xing recalled strategies from past lives.

"Once obtaining a City Lord-level status in Gu Ting Kingdom, I can go to the Royal City and seek 'tribute' from a Dragon King level."

"Such a leap in tribute would offend the Lord of Flame Dragon because Mengyun City is his Dragon Clan fief."

"However, who gives a damn, not planning to develop here anyway."

"Currently, in Gu Ting Royal City, there should be only one awakened Dragon King, whose true name translates to 'Yin Li.'"

"He is a descendant of the Great Dragon King, 'Gu Ting the 19th.'

"But Yin Li also has a brother, Dragon King Yin Xiu." Zhao Xing recalled. "The two brothers rule alternately; it's Yin Li's period now."

"Dragon King Yin Xiu is also in slumber, but not deep sleep; he enters a 'light sleep' state every hundred years to prevent being too dead asleep. He can emerge if external threats invade.

"The person awakening him simply needs to offer treasures Yin Xiu favors."

"Yin Xiu will allow the contributor into his Treasure Vault for a one-time blind selection opportunity as a reward."

"Yin Xiu will mix up all the treasures, covering them in dust, making it hard for anyone to benefit; selection hinges on luck."

"But currently, no one knows this hidden plot." Zhao Xing revealed a slight smile. "Tributaries mostly choose Yin Li, who's quite overbearing and greedy, a master of taking ten and retreating one."

Zhao Xing calculated: "In three hundred years, it will be Yin Xiu's ruling period. For the long-living Dragon Clan, Yin Xiu is near awakening; awakening him won't be difficult."

"Treasures gathered from Mengyun City should be ample."

"But acquiring exchange opportunities remains tough; just with Mengyun City's assets, it's hard to earn even one chance."

As Dragon King, Yin Xiu, producing items from Gu Ting Kingdom, what hasn't he seen?

Therefore, securing his rewards proves quite challenging.

"Naturally, I lack treasures and am too lazy to seek them out, only borrowing instead." Zhao Xing's lips curled with a hint of smile.

"Xuantian Sect, Corpse Puppet Sect, Flame Light Royal Court, Purple Feather Royal Court, Yuan She Country... haha, I'll borrow your Treasure Vaults."

Enemies make perfect lenders!

The opening time of Dragon Court Ancient Land dates back to two dynasties before Da Li.

Of course, back then, parties were merely beginning exploration, without established exploration mechanisms.

Added to this, the Dragon Court opens every hundred years; if externally the dynasty changes, large-scale turbulences occur. If Xuanhuang Realm's rules are too chaotic, the Dragon Court Ancient Land won't open.

Take for example the multi-national warfare era preceding Great Zhou, lasting tens of thousands of years,

Thus, after tens of thousands of years, only bits of the Dragon Court map were explored.

Currently, Xuanhuang Realm remains stable, as the Nineteen States decide on its chaos or stability.

As long as a unified dynasty reigns over the Nineteen States land, Dragon Court will undoubtedly open.

So calculating from the Grand Ancestor's period, Dragon Court has stably opened over twenty times.

Entering Dragon Court seeks returns, but naturally requires investments too.

Whether Great Zhou, Sect, Southern Barbarians, Japan, or the Water Clan, they all establish [Storage Vaults] in Dragon Court.

Especially after discovering the [Tribute System], storage vaults proliferated!

Yet here lies a problem; various sects, Southern Barbarian Royal Court, and other forces leave treasures protected by restrictions and seals, how could one easily steal them?

Top-level vaults, Zhao Xing indeed struggles, even if knowing the locations and unlock methods are futile.

Because he is Minister of Agriculture, not an Array Master or Mechanical Master.

Theoretically, the strength is evident, solely relying on oneself makes achieving difficult.

However, theory aside, reality differs.

Consider the periodic hundred-year opening of Dragon Court Ancient Land as a factor.

When time's up, all outsiders are expelled from Dragon Court Ancient Land.

Consequently, formation arrays and mechanisms enjoy a hundred years of no maintenance.

Not only unmaintained, but also consider Dragon Clan's geographical shifts.

No Minister of Agriculture manages time and earth advantages there.

Thus, large-scale geographical shifts are common in Dragon Court Ancient Land.

Moreover, there's the Dragon Clan factor.

Powerful Dragon Clan members might frolic, burrowing, possibly triggering an earthquake.

If conflict ensues, relocation, unforeseen factors increase.

This severely damages vault formations and sealing spells.

"Taking ten thousand steps back, even if those vaults remain in Dragon City, I still have ways to retrieve them."

"On this journey to the Royal City, I can first take some treasures, offer them to Yin Li, and apply for a position change."