Xu Liang had filed exactly three documents before realizing his entire department was on fire.
Not literally—although, given the precarious state of the Cultivation Administration Bureau's record-keeping enchantments, he wouldn't rule it out. But bureaucratically, his new workplace was in complete, irreparable disaster mode.
The stack of complaint forms on his desk was growing at a rapidly accelerating rate, as if some unseen force was deliberately multiplying them when he wasn't looking. He had rejected three fraudulent reimbursement claims, reviewed two duel petitions, and filed a spirit stone tax dispute—yet every time he completed a task, five more appeared.
"…This system is cursed," he muttered.
No reasonable organization operated like this.
Then again, he supposed cultivators weren't reasonable people.
"Excuse me, Official Xu Liang!"
A voice far too chipper for his rapidly fraying patience called out, dragging him from his thoughts.
He turned to see a second visitor, this one an Inner Disciple clad in pristine silk robes, standing at the threshold of his office. Unlike the previous frazzled Outer Disciple, this man carried himself with undue arrogance, as though simply breathing in his presence was a privilege.
Xu Liang sighed. Cultivator arrogance. Another department hazard.
The Inner Disciple threw a scroll onto Xu Liang's desk.
"I require an urgent duel authorization," the disciple announced.
Xu Liang glanced at the scroll and instantly regretted his life choices.
---
Duel Request: Inner Disciple Shen Mu challenges Senior Disciple Lin Yao over 'irreconcilable philosophical differences regarding the Dao.'
Cause for dispute: Accused of making a poorly worded argument about sword cultivation techniques.
Compensation request: 5,000 spirit stones and formal apology inscription.
---
Xu Liang massaged his temples.
"So just to clarify," he said slowly, "you want to duel someone because of an argument about cultivation philosophy?"
"It was highly offensive," Shen Mu sniffed.
Xu Liang glanced at him. Sword cultivator. The overly proud kind. Definitely the type to get into petty philosophical feuds.
Suppressing years of corporate exhaustion, Xu Liang flipped through the official duel petition guidelines.
"Standard processing for duel requests requires a review period of two weeks and approval from three officiators," he recited automatically. "Additionally, sect hierarchy mandates that Inner Disciples cannot challenge Senior Disciples without permission from an elder—"
"I have Elder Wen's approval!" Shen Mu slammed another scroll onto his desk, looking immensely pleased with himself.
Xu Liang's expression did not change, but internally, he was screaming.
Elder Wen.
The same Elder Wen whose celestial furnace theft claim he was currently investigating.
This was already political nonsense.
Xu Liang took a very deep breath, resisting the urge to simply set the entire petition on fire.
Fine. Fine. If Elder Wen was involved, that meant this duel petition wasn't just about sword cultivation arguments—it was about influence.
A sect elder supporting an Inner Disciple meant power plays were happening behind the scenes.
And power plays meant Xu Liang had to tread carefully.
Years of surviving corporate wars kicked in.
Xu Liang stamped the petition, marking it for Delayed Review, before leaning forward with a perfectly neutral, passive-aggressive smile.
"Approval granted for deliberation," he said pleasantly. "If the case is deemed valid, the duel will proceed in one month's time, once all officiators review the claim."
Shen Mu looked deeply offended.
"But I need to fight him now!"
Xu Liang pretended to look sympathetic.
"I understand your concerns," he said smoothly, "but sect regulations prevent immediate duel approvals without additional documentation. You're welcome to submit an Expedited Authorization Form, though it requires—"
"Fine! I'll get the paperwork myself!" Shen Mu stormed out, robes billowing dramatically.
Xu Liang sighed, slumping against his desk.
---
Cultivation Bureaucracy Rule #2:
Every minor inconvenience would somehow escalate into a major disaster.
---
Xu Liang barely had time to recover before another request landed on his desk.
Literally.
A paper spirit—a tiny enchanted creature made entirely of scroll parchment—flew through his open window and smacked him in the forehead before unfurling in midair.
Xu Liang glared at it.
"Really? No messenger birds?"
The paper spirit ignored him.
---
Urgent Notification:
Sect Elder Wen has formally escalated his celestial furnace theft claim. A tribunal hearing has been requested.
---
Xu Liang closed his eyes.
A tribunal hearing.
Already?
He hadn't even finished his damn morning tea, and he was already being dragged into immortal court proceedings.
Xu Liang exhaled slowly, tapping his fingers against his desk.
Fine. Fine. He would handle this nonsense, just like he had handled every absurd workplace catastrophe before this one.
But first—
He glanced at the stack of unfinished paperwork, glaring at him like an angry spirit beast.
A familiar weight pressed against his hip—the cold steel of his hidden sword, tucked within the folds of his robes.
Ah.
Right.
His real strength.
Xu Liang's lips curled into a slow, exhausted smirk.
For now, he would pretend to be just another overworked bureaucrat.
But he was not going to let cultivator nonsense ruin his day.
Not without a little retaliation.
He tapped his fingers against his desk, exhaling.
Time to make everyone else's day miserable, too.