Upon hearing Zhao Feng's words, Ying Zheng burst into laughter.
"Feng'er, before reuniting with you, I was nothing more than a mortal, with a lifespan barely reaching a century. Now, bound to the nation's fate, I have already surpassed all previous rulers."
"The celestial gods seek to destroy my Great Qin and turn my people into livestock for slaughter."
"How can I endure this?"
"If they want my life, if they want the lives of my people, then I shall fight them to the end."
"Even in death, I will have no regrets!"
Hearing this, Zhao Feng smiled. "Father, don't worry. As long as the fate of the Divine Continent remains intact, they cannot do anything to us for now. We still have enough time."
"And now is the time to begin the era of Martial Great Qin."
"All of my Huaxia people shall have the right to cultivate martial arts."
Ying Zheng nodded. "Very well. Everything shall be as you say."
"By the way, what of Penglai? How powerful was that so-called celestial?" Ying Zheng asked curiously.
Zhao Feng smiled. "That so-called celestial envoy was not a true celestial, merely a wandering immortal."
"I have already slain him."
"But I have preserved his soul."
As he spoke, Zhao Feng waved his hand.
The Nation-Sealing Cauldron appeared, and the soul of the celestial envoy was trapped within it.
Upon emerging once more, the celestial envoy's eyes burned with hatred as he glared at Zhao Feng.
"I ask, you answer."
Zhao Feng looked at the celestial envoy and spoke.
"I am a celestial from the Heavenly Court. If you dare to destroy my soul, the Heavenly Court will condemn your soul to the Nine Hells, where you will suffer eternal torment." The celestial envoy's expression was venomous as he glared at Zhao Feng.
Seeing this, Zhao Feng couldn't be bothered to waste words.
He raised his hand, and a wisp of Netherworld Flame gathered at his fingertip before he unleashed it upon the celestial envoy.
"Ahhh… ahhh…!"
The moment the Netherworld Flame touched the celestial envoy's soul, Zhao Feng controlled it to burn slowly.
Unlike physical pain, this agony tore directly at the soul, forcing the celestial envoy to scream in utter torment.
"The spiritual flames I control can incinerate souls. If you refuse to speak, I will burn you for a thousand years, ten thousand years until you suffer an eternity of pain and are reduced to nothing." Zhao Feng spoke coldly.
The torment continued for a long while.
"I'll talk! I'll talk!"
"What do you want to know?"
The celestial envoy could endure no longer and begged for mercy.
Seeing this, Zhao Feng finally withdrew from the Netherworld Flame.
"Where have the Sages gone?" Zhao Feng asked directly, his voice firm.
Beside him, Ying Zheng looked puzzled.
Sages?
Did he mean wise men?
This was something beyond Ying Zheng's understanding.
"You know of the Sages?"
The celestial envoy stared at Zhao Feng in shock.
"I ask, you answer. No nonsense."
"Don't assume my patience is limitless." Zhao Feng's voice was icy.
"In ancient times, after the Investiture of the Gods, all the Sages ventured into the depths of Outer Heaven, never to return."
The celestial envoy answered immediately, his gaze filled with fear.
"The depths of Outer Heaven… that must be the Chaotic Void."
"All the Sages have gathered in the Chaos. But for what purpose? And why did the entire world enter an era without Sages after their departure?"
"This differs from what I know about the Primordial World."
"If I recall correctly, after the Investiture of the Gods, the world progressed into the Journey to the West calamity where everything was still under the Sages' control."
"But now, the Sages are no more."
Zhao Feng wore a contemplative expression in his heart.
However, he did not dwell on it for too long. After all, information regarding the Sages was likely only known to the great divine beings of the Immortal Realm. A mere wandering immortal like this celestial envoy could not possibly know much.
"Which is the strongest faction in the Immortal Realm?"
"Are there any forces that can rival them?" Zhao Feng asked.
"In the Immortal Realm, the strongest factions are the Western Buddhist Lands and my Heavenly Court."
"After the Investiture of the Gods, my Heavenly Court gained countless divine officials, and the Buddhist Lands also gained significant power." The celestial envoy immediately replied.
"Have all those in the Heavenly Court consumed the so-called Spirit Root Pill?"
"Where exactly does the Spirit Root Pill come from?"
"In the entire Immortal Realm's Four Great Continents, have all factions taken the Spirit Root Pill?" Zhao Feng asked another crucial question.
"I... I don't know where the Spirit Root Pill comes from. The ones we consume are all granted by the Heavenly Court." The celestial envoy replied, his voice trembling.
"Do you have any Spirit Root Pills on you?" Zhao Feng asked.
"The Spirit Root Pill is an extremely precious treasure, only granted to those who serve the Heavenly Court with absolute loyalty."
"I... I served the Heavenly Court in the lower realms for a thousand years before I was granted one Spirit Root Pill. Such a precious item is incredibly rare." The celestial envoy answered at once.
"So, not everyone in the Heavenly Court has taken the Spirit Root Pill?"
"And those who haven't taken it… are they mostly blood livestock?" Zhao Feng said slowly.
The celestial envoy looked at Zhao Feng in astonishment.
"You even know about blood livestock?"
"Who exactly are you?"
"Could you be from Wuzhuang Temple or Western Kunlun?"
"No…"
"There is no immortal energy on you, and the techniques you wield are not immortal arts. Just what kind of person are you?" The celestial envoy's eyes widened in disbelief.
"I ask, you answer. This is not a conversation."
Zhao Feng shot him a cold glance and continued questioning.
"Wuzhuang Temple, Western Kunlun… do these two factions also lack the Spirit Root Pill?"
As he asked, Zhao Feng turned his gaze toward Guiguzi.
"Your Highness,"
"I was merely a wandering cultivator in the Immortal Realm back then. I do not have deep knowledge of it." Guiguzi replied helplessly.
"The Spirit Root Pill is a great fortune, available only to the Buddhist Lands and the Heavenly Court."
"If everyone had the opportunity to consume the Spirit Root Pill, where would they get their blood livestock?"
"Wuzhuang Temple and Western Kunlun are simply factions that were denied the Spirit Root Pill and thus remain secluded." The celestial envoy scoffed, his tone carrying an air of superiority.
"So, according to you, the strongest forces in the Immortal Realm are the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Lands?"
"How strong are their mightiest figures?"
Zhao Feng ignored the celestial envoy's arrogance and continued his questioning.
"This… this…"
The celestial envoy hesitated as if he did not know the answer.
"That makes sense."
"At the end of the day, you're just a lower-realm cultivator. You wouldn't know much about the Immortal Realm."
"But even the information you have given me is already quite valuable."
"Now tell me how many cultivators exist in the mortal realm?"
Zhao Feng shifted the topic away from the Immortal Realm and focused on the mortal world.
"There are no cultivators in the Divine Continent."
"The Heavenly Court issued a decree forbidding the existence of cultivators in the Divine Continent, severing its path to cultivation and cutting off its spiritual veins."
"Outside the Divine Continent, cultivation still exists, but not in great numbers. I serve the Heavenly Court, while the Western Region is home to Buddhist cultivators."
Now trapped, the celestial envoy had no choice but to reveal everything he knew.
"Buddhist cultivators, huh?"
Zhao Feng nodded in understanding.
Neither the Heavenly Court nor the Buddhist Lands allowed cultivators to exist in the mortal world.
They refused to let the Divine Continent's fate grow stronger.
They refused to allow the Divine Continent any chance of transcendence.
Thus, they severed the path of cultivation in the Divine Continent.
As long as no cultivators emerged, and no strong human warriors arose, there would be no vessel to uphold the Divine Continent's fate.
Over time, the fate of the Divine Continent would wither away.
One day, when the Divine Continent merged into the Immortal Realm, they could effortlessly take control, turn it into a spiritual farm, and devour its fate.
On this point, the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Lands shared the same goal.
"Enough."
"You have answered truthfully I shall spare your life."
Zhao Feng nodded in satisfaction.
"Release me into reincarnation, and I will bear no grudges." The celestial envoy immediately said, though hatred burned in his heart.
As long as he could enter reincarnation, he could return to the Heavenly Court and report the rise of a powerful cultivator in the Divine Continent.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Feng laughed.
"Do you take me for a fool?"
With a wave of his hand, the Nation-Sealing Cauldron pulsed with the nation's fate, sealing the celestial envoy once again.
Then, Zhao Feng put the cauldron away.
"Father."
"Did you understand what we have learned from this man?" Zhao Feng turned to Ying Zheng.
"The Immortal Realm is not entirely controlled by the corrupted immortals."
"There are still many factions besides them."
"And these factions oppose both the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Lands."
"With this in mind, even if Great Qin becomes their enemy in the future, we will not stand alone."
Ying Zheng spoke calmly, analyzing the situation as a ruler should.
Back in the Warring States Era, Great Qin had followed the strategy of forming distant alliances and attacking nearby enemies.
Perhaps in the Immortal Realm, they could do the same.
The Immortal Realm was vast.
Even the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Lands could not extend their power everywhere.
"Indeed."
Zhao Feng nodded, a smirk of mockery appearing on his lips.
"Heavenly Court, Buddhist Lands…"
"The scriptures that have been passed down speak of merciful immortals and compassionate Buddhas."
"But in truth, they are nothing but demons."
"They sure know how to paint themselves in glory."
Snapping out of his thoughts, Zhao Feng turned to his father.
"Father."
"Next, we must…"
"Fully implement martial cultivation across Great Qin."
"Additionally, we must accelerate our conquest of the mortal world."
"We must take the Western Region as soon as possible."
"Only by completely unifying the mortal world and controlling its fate, will Great Qin have a chance." Zhao Feng said solemnly.
"We have already devised the method for spreading martial cultivation."
"It can now be put into action."
"All citizens of Great Qin may receive martial body refinement techniques."
"Once they reach the Postnatal Realm, they can register with the government to obtain Innate Realm techniques, and so forth."
"Furthermore, the Imperial Academy shall select those with exceptional martial potential and nurture them as top talents."
"Now that Guiguzi, the National Advisor, has arrived besides martial arts, we can also introduce Immortal Dao cultivation."
Ying Zheng looked at Guiguzi and smiled.
"I have already joined Great Qin, so I shall naturally serve Great Qin."
"My disciples have all begun cultivating immortality and have reached the Nascent Soul stage, making them fully capable of teaching the inheritance of the Immortal Dao."
"However, while the Martial Dao created by the Crown Prince can be cultivated by anyone, the Immortal Dao is different it requires spiritual roots to draw in Qi and step onto the path of immortal cultivation," Guiguzi explained immediately.
"Is there a treasure that can test for spiritual roots?" Zhao Feng asked.
"A tool for testing spiritual roots is easy to forge I can refine one without difficulty. However, immortal cultivation requires significant resources, especially spirit stones," Guiguzi said.
Zhao Feng smiled. "Master Guiguzi, you need not worry about resources. The Celestial Court and the Buddhist Lands severed the inheritance of cultivation in Divine Continent, rendering it devoid of spiritual veins and cultivators!"
"This move was indeed formidable, cutting off Divine Continent's cultivation path for countless years."
"For thousands of years, Divine Continent's resources have remained untouched but that only benefits Great Qin now."
"Now that Great Qin has gathered its national fate and transformed it into national fortune, many hidden spirit stone mines across Divine Continent have begun to reveal themselves. The mines have already yielded countless spirit stones."
"The resources are endless."
Zhao Feng spoke with a smile.
"Perhaps this is also fate's will," Guiguzi sighed with a smile.
"The Celestial and Buddhist factions severed Divine Continent's path to cultivation, never expecting that Great Qin would rise in response."
"Master Guiguzi, you may begin refining the spiritual root-testing treasure at full capacity."
"Additionally"
"You may also spread the fundamental technique for drawing Qi into the body among the people. If someone possesses spiritual roots, they can begin cultivating without delay. This will prevent unnecessary delays in testing for spiritual roots," Zhao Feng said with a smile.
Hearing this, Guiguzi's eyes lit up. He immediately said, "The Crown Prince is wise this method is indeed feasible."
"By granting the technique for drawing Qi into the body, we can more effectively determine who possesses spiritual roots. Then, by using the treasure to measure the strength of their roots, we will be able to select numerous immortal cultivation talents across Divine Continent."
Zhao Feng smiled faintly.
"Immortal cultivation and martial cultivation"
"Both are paths of cultivation."
"There is also the path of cultivating through national fortune."
"Since we are spreading them, let us spread all three."
"Martial Dao and Immortal Dao shall be available for all Great Qin citizens."
"But the path of national fortune shall be reserved for Great Qin's officials."
"From today onward"
"We shall begin."
"The celestial deities have already taken action, and their remnants have been purged. Now is the time for universal cultivation." Zhao Feng declared solemnly.
"Indeed," Ying Zheng nodded.
Then
"Today"
"With the world unified and Great Qin's national strength flourishing, the prosperity of Huaxia shall rise."
"We, the Emperor and the Crown Prince have decided to grant the people of Great Qin the foundation for longevity."
"We shall spread the teachings of the Martial Dao and the Immortal Dao among the people."
"The Martial Dao, created by the Crown Prince, is available to all. Cultivation will enhance one's vitality, extend one's lifespan, and grant the power to split mountains and shatter stones hard work can make up for innate deficiencies."
"The Immortal Dao, passed down by the National Preceptor of Great Qin, requires spiritual roots to cultivate. Those who practice it will achieve supernatural abilities and soar through the skies like true immortals."
...
Ying Zheng immediately issued an imperial decree.
The laws of cultivation were to be spread among the people.
Through the Heavenly Profound Mirror
Ying Zheng directly uploaded the foundational internal cultivation techniques he had long prepared. After the decree was delivered to the thirty-six commanderies of the Nine Provinces of Great Qin, every citizen who possessed the Heavenly Profound Mirror could receive the techniques under the blessing of the county magistrate, prefect, or governor.
Furthermore
Guiguzi also immediately uploaded Immortal Dao's fundamental technique for drawing Qi into the body into the Heavenly Profound Mirror.
"Today!"
"The day Great Qin spreads the path of cultivation."
"Shall mark the beginning of a new era for Great Qin."
"I hereby establish a new calendar the Great Qin New Era."
"The first year shall be known as the Year of the Transmission of the Dao."
"All citizens of the realm shall bear witness."
Ying Zheng's powerful voice echoed.
Soon after
The governors of the Nine Provinces
Received the imperial decree
And issued it across the thirty-six commanderies.
The entire Great Qin empire was about to undergo an earth-shaking transformation.
In Xianyang, the imperial capital
The imperial decree was delivered from the Prime Minister's residence.
Officials from the Chancellor's Office emerged, escorted by city guards.
"The imperial decree has arrived."
"All citizens of Great Qin, heed this decree."
As the officials from the Chancellor's Office stepped forward, holding the decree, they called out loudly.
Countless citizens across the capital turned their attention toward them.
Not just in Xianyang
But in every county across the thirty-six commanderies of Great Qin
The imperial decree arrived.
Countless Great Qin citizens, with curiosity in their eyes, gathered in crowds.
"The imperial decree has arrived."
"This must be a major event."
"The last time His Majesty and the Crown Prince issued a decree, they reduced taxes, granted farmland, and bestowed new grain seeds upon us, ensuring that every household had enough to eat."
"I wonder what great matter it is this time."
"Indeed."
"It must be something significant."
"Let's hurry and listen."
"Hahaha, now we don't just have to listen we can also see."
"Thanks to the grace of His Majesty and the Crown Prince, I have even learned the new script of Great Qin…"
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