His name was Xu Xuan. He was a Jinshi, a top scholar who emerged from the imperial examinations of Great Yi.
In the Ten Imperial Subjects of the exam, his results were outstanding across the board. After a comprehensive evaluation, he earned the title of Jinshi—an official status indicating he was qualified to govern.
In Great Yi, a Jinshi was more than a scholar.It was a title reserved for those deemed capable of governing an Immortal City (仙城)—a candidate for the position of City Lord.
Whenever a new city was founded, the City Lord would be chosen from the Jinshi pool,with priority given based on exam performance.Those with talent but certain flaws would still enter the bureaucracy, just in other roles.
For example:
Those with literary talent might enter the Ministry of Personnel,
Legal experts the Ministry of Justice,
Engineers the Ministry of Works,
And diplomats or orators into the Ministry of Rites.
In any Immortal City, the City Lord held the highest authority.
Beneath him were the six essential departments, also known as the "Lesser Six Ministries (小六部)", which included:
Ministry of Works (工府)
Ministry of Justice (刑府)
Six Doors Bureau (六扇门) — law enforcement
Ministry of Revenue (户部)
Censorate (御史台)
Celestial Records Hall (天籍殿) — census and documentation
These six offices formed the core of a city's administration.
There were also non-interference agencies, where even the City Lord held no authority:
Calamity Hall's spy networks,
Defense units from the Military Affairs Pavilion (军机阁),
And more.
Taking the Six Doors Bureau as an example:
Basic Constables: Ninth rank
Then come: Iron Badge, Bronze Badge, Silver Badge, and Gold Badge Constables (up to Fifth rank)
Above them are the elite: Named Constables and Title-bearing Constables (Third & Fourth rank)
At the top is the rare title of Capture God (捕神) — a Second Rank official.
In most Immortal Cities, the highest Six Doors officer was typically a Gold Badge Constable.
Every time a new city was founded, officials from all departments would arrive alongside the City Lord.
On the surface, Xu Xuan appeared scholarly and delicate, but in truth,he was a cultivator of the Path of Literature (文道修士)—one who cultivated Righteous Qi (浩然之气).Wisdom sparkled in his eyes, and his demeanor exuded professionalism and competence.
"Everyone," Xu Xuan addressed his fellow officials,"this will be our Immortal City from now on.The court has reviewed and approved the name: Dawnstar City (启明城).Our mission is to bring it into full operation immediately,and prepare to receive a continuous influx of new citizens."
He continued:
"As per the latest decree, we will calculate population by households (户).Each city must settle at least 500,000 households,registering their identities, assigning homes, uploading records to StarNet,and filing them in the Celestial Records Hall (天籍殿)."
"This is urgent. I trust you all to act with unity and resolve."
"By the City Lord's command!" everyone responded in unison.
Excitement was in the air.
Many of these officials had trained their entire lives for this opportunity.Now, they could finally contribute—to the expansion of Great Yi and the strengthening of the Empire.
"Soon, Bounty Hunter Hall will dispatch elite warriors to help defend the city," Xu Xuan added."Combat is their domain—we must not hinder them with slow logistics."
With that, he turned toward the City Lord's Residence,and the other officials each headed to their own government offices.
Personnel needs beyond this minimal setup would be filled from among the incoming civilian population.
What defines a "household" (户)?
A household could be:
A couple and their children,
A single individual (also counted as one),
If two singles married later, two households would merge into one,and the extra household quota would be revoked.
Each household received one residential unit.
Ownership, however, remained with Great Yi—citizens only held temporary occupancy rights.
To gain full ownership, one had to purchase the property, and the price was not cheap.
This ensured that early waves of settlers remained committed—and gave many civilians an incentive to relocate,since older cities had become crowded,and property was hard to obtain.
Soon, as the teleportation arrays activated,streams of light shimmered—and entire families stepped out.Their eyes were filled with hope and determination.
"So this is our new city… Finally! We'll get our own house and maybe even buy it someday!"
"We must protect this place. It's our home now. I'm heading straight to the city walls!"
"If beasts attack, they'll find me waiting!"
Citizens were processed swiftly:
The Celestial Records Hall handled registrations,
The Ministry of Revenue issued housing,
All of it was organized and smooth.
Great Yi had practiced this process countless times.Everyone involved had been trained for city operations.
Some civilians didn't even wait—once settled, they grabbed weapons and climbed the walls,volunteering for guard duty.Archers shot down flying beasts without being told.
This wasn't a job. It was instinct.
"This is our home. We protect it."
The human instinct to guard one's home was stronger than any royal decree.
"Excellent," Zhou Yu observed."Dawnstar City is operational. This island is temporarily secure."
"Let's move to the next one. There are many in this area—we call it the Thousand-Island Sea (千岛群海).No island must be left behind."
With that, Zhou Yu led the Blue Skyship Corps to the next island.
These islands ranged from:
A few hundred li across
To the largest, over 1,000 li wide
All scenic, resource-rich, and near the sea—
A paradise for bounty hunters, beast-hunters, and treasure seekers.
City after city fell like nails into these islands.There weren't any significant powers here—no resistance to speak of.
Thousands of Immortal Cities landed,and the Thousand-Island Sea quickly came alive with activity.
And not just here.
Across the Vast Sea Realm, other legions of Great Yi appeared—accompanied by Rainbow Bridges, shimmering like auroras.
On Flying Fish Island, the Azure Dragon Legion arrived.A city was planted beside the shore—With the sea at its back, it was easy to spot enemies and hard to ambush.
Immediately:
City Lords arrived
Officials deployed
Civilians surged in
And in mere hours—a thriving city was born
On Huazhou, Banyan Tree Island, Wasteland Prefecture, Forest Prefecture, Stone Prefecture, Sand Prefecture, Monkey Island...
In more than forty locations simultaneously,Great Yi's cities fell like nails into the world, embedding themselves into the land.
Wherever a city stood, so too did:
Great Yi's fate and will
Heavenly Laws and Imperial Order
From each city, Great Yi's influence spread,quietly reshaping the entire region.