Longzang

Chapter 1084 No War in the Azure Sky

King Zhao's successful ascension to the throne shook the entire land. The rulers of the other eight kingdoms, in particular, were filled with excitement. However, the eight crown princes were all trembling with fear.

During the advancement ceremony, Wei Yuan's astonishing sword strike that intercepted the heavenly tribulation became a topic of conversation.

Wei Yuan's rapid rise and great achievements gradually became known to the world, and unknowingly, he gained millions of strange and unusual fortunes.

The reason it is considered strange and unusual is that, as Wei Yuan's cultivation level advances, the six great grotto-heavens slowly grow, and the prosperity of the various realms continues to improve. He can now see the subtle differences between the fortunes and vaguely sense the situation of the source of the fortunes.

These millions of fortunes all come from some strange and unusual people.

Among them were reclusive Daoist masters, both old and young, some talented but unappreciated, some lacking talent but unrecognized, some pursuing unconventional paths, and some with abstract artistic styles. But what they all had in common was that they considered Wei Yuan a lifelong confidant, someone of their own kind. And to have such a person among their kind was a source of pride. So from then on, when they went out drinking and boasting, they would start by saying, "Let me tell you, I have a friend, and he's just like this and that..."

Since receiving this strange batch of luck, Wei Yuan felt no joy whatsoever. For the first time, he realized that he might have some bottom line and wasn't actually that fond of luck. At least, receiving this batch of luck didn't bring him any happiness.

The King of Zhao's ascension to the imperial palace and the attack by extraterrestrial monsters are two far-reaching events that have drastically altered the course of events beyond the predictions of many powerful figures. The current situation is undoubtedly chaotic, and all parties must re-strategize and make new moves. Perhaps only a handful of powerful figures, including Wang Fo, truly understand the situation.

This time, Wei Yuan did not resist getting close to Wang Fo for the first time.

This matter is of utmost importance. If King Zhao dies, not only will Immortal Zhao Li perish along with him, but the Martial Ancestor's scheme will also crumble, and who knows what kind of turmoil will ensue in the world. Moreover, Immortal Ancestor Zhao Li has always stood by Wei Yuan's side, which is tantamount to the loss of a heavyweight immortal on their side.

At the crucial moment, Wang Fo intervened, breaking through the illusion and allowing Wei Yuan to see the powerful being's moves clearly. The significance of this event lies not only in the present but also in the fact that if Wei Yuan were to ascend to immortality in the future, he would gain an understanding of the powerful being's strategic methods and be able to deal with them with ease.

Furthermore, Wang Fo did not exert any influence in this process, nor did he use any means to force Wei Yuan to make a definite choice. Instead, he allowed Wei Yuan to choose according to his own heart.

Perhaps it could be said that Wang Fo understood Wei Yuan and believed that he would definitely choose to fulfill Zhao Wang's wishes. But at least this time, Wei Yuan felt respected and deeply experienced the immense responsibility of making a choice at a critical juncture.

At that time, the fate of the world rested entirely on Wei Yuan's shoulders. At such a crucial juncture, where he could influence the course of events, Wei Yuan felt not the power to make choices, but the heavy responsibility and consequences that came with those choices. In that moment, a thought flashed through Wei Yuan's mind: if one's talent were limited, and one's entire life could be meticulously planned by a powerful figure, it might not be so bad.

Regardless, Wei Yuan's offering of incense at that time was truly heartfelt.

With all parties now readjusting their strategies, there should be a period of calm. King Zhao's ascension to Yujing will also have a profound impact on the royal families of other kingdoms, including the Tang dynasty. The aftershocks have already spread throughout the land, and no one can remain uninvolved.

Wei Yuan took advantage of this peaceful time to make further adjustments to Qingming.

At this time, there were already seventy million people in the Azure Nether Realm, including more than ten million criminals and military slaves. These people belonged to the lowest rank in the Azure Nether military merit system, and were required to follow orders and perform various kinds of labor, while Azure Nether was only responsible for their basic needs. Of course, in the eyes of the migrants, the mere prospect of food and clothing was enough to make them pay any price.

At this time, small groups of refugees from the Western Jin Dynasty and the Zhao State were spontaneously fleeing towards Qingming. Both states turned a blind eye to this, while Wei Yuan set up multiple supply points a hundred miles away from Qingming. Once the refugees reached these points, it could be said that they had already arrived in Qingming.

In just over a decade, all the refugees from both countries who could reach Qingming had arrived, leaving few others. The distances that refugees could migrate were limited, and the vast majority could not travel more than a thousand miles.

Because of its welfare system, the State of Zhao, located near the Qingming region, cultivated mulberry and cotton extensively and produced abundant spiritual wood and medicinal herbs, becoming increasingly wealthy. As a result, the local people settled down and were no longer willing to migrate.

Because Zhao Li Xianren also needed to collect human fortune, Wei Yuan no longer targeted the Zhao Kingdom for recruiting refugees. The population growth in Qingming now mainly relies on refugees from the Western Jin Dynasty and natural population growth. Regarding natural population growth, the original Xu family youths, after multiple rounds of reproduction, now number nearly 500,000! The number of template Dao foundations alone exceeds 30,000. The vast majority of the Xu family youths are combat templates, forming the core of multiple armies.

At this time, the new round of the Immortal Sect Examination had ended. Wei Yuan's Water Moon Palace had such an outrageous demand that the Tai Chu Palace reduced the number to one hundred formal disciples, but there was no limit on the number of outer disciples. As a result, people all over the world rushed to join in, and the palace ended up taking in ten thousand outer disciples in one go!
Wei Yuan transferred all these children to Qingming to begin receiving systematic, intensive early education and body-building training. In just a few years, these children will become the backbone of the new generation in Qingming.

For the past five years, Qingming has held the Dao Foundation Ceremony every year. Candidates from the Mountain People's Domain are transported to Qingming to participate in the ceremony and then return to the Mountain People's Domain.

In the most recent Dao Foundation Ceremony alone, more than 40,000 template Dao Foundations were generated, of which 30,000 belonged to Qingming. Over the past five years, Qingming has accumulated more than 100,000 templates. Now, Qingming has tens of millions of body forgings and nearly 300,000 Dao Foundations, making it extremely powerful.

As the number of template-based Dao Foundations increased among the major aristocratic families, the prevailing sentiment gradually shifted. Template-based Dao Foundations were already subject to considerable discrimination, and since most disciples who achieved them came from collateral branches, they were initially disliked within their families.

However, as the lower limit of the template Dao Foundation developed by Qingming becomes lower and lower, the number of template Dao Foundations in various families has exploded accordingly. For example, the Ji Zhao Cui family has been developing template Dao Foundations from the first generation to the latest generation without missing a single one. Now, the entire family has more than 9,000 template Dao Foundations, which is ten times more than ordinary Dao Foundations.

All the template cultivators originated from Qingming. The reality of discrimination and oppression naturally brought them together, resulting in their growing influence and increasing power, which even the elders dared not underestimate. Moreover, while direct descendants often had lofty ambitions but lacked practical skills, the template cultivators had the concept of solidifying their Dao foundation ingrained in their bones, making each one of them as capable as several direct descendants.

The template's contributions to the family were substantial, and its obedience and usefulness gradually allowed it to gain control over many minor powers at the lower levels. This series of changes was exactly what Wei Yuan wanted to see.

Over the years, Xu Shiba has reached the Perfection of the Dharma Aspect realm, and Wei Ying has also successfully advanced to the Dharma Aspect realm, possessing a pure Taiyin Dharma Aspect with limitless potential. The overall strength of the Water Moon Palace has naturally risen accordingly, flourishing day by day. Along with its increased strength, the disciples' wallets and tempers have also grown.

At this point, Wei Yuan felt that if the Demon Lord Su Chan were alive, he would be pleased to know that he had so many disciples.

With the Dao Foundation surging, the Dharma Aspects were not idle either. Every year at a fixed time, Wei Yuan would take them to the Desolate Realm for a vacation. Now, they didn't just sunbathe anymore; they also fought alongside the Power Witches to resist the Flame Demons, and many of them became good friends with the Power Witches.

Two minor incidents occurred during this time. First, Wei Yuan unexpectedly encountered Yao Lan. Upon their reunion, Yao Lan was overjoyed, her large hands sweeping down to grab and fondle this adorable Wei Yuan!
How could Wei Yuan let her catch him at this moment? He dodged left and right, barely escaping her clutches.

After much difficulty, Yaolan finally came to terms with reality and gave up her wicked thoughts, allowing the two to sit down together and reminisce.

Wei Yuan then learned that during the battle with Tianzhu, the Molten Dragon had perished. After he returned to the human realm, Yao Lan thought he was dead. Overwhelmed with grief, she resigned from all her positions, including deputy city lord, and went to Fengmang Fortress. She fought against the Flame Demons every day, vowing to dismantle Tianzhu, kill all the Flame Demons, and avenge Wei Yuan.

Yao Lan's actions caused a stir throughout the entire Li Wu community. Everyone was puzzled as to why someone as beautiful as Yao Lan would be so resolute for a clown witch.

Only the powerful witch of the Sharp Edge Fortress knew a little about the story, so she gladly accepted Yao Lan, and recently she even became the lord of the Sharp Edge Fortress based on her battle achievements.

After years of bloody battles, Yao Lan's temperament has undergone a complete transformation. Wei Yuan sat before her like a kitten facing its master, exuding a fiery, savage, and murderous aura, as if facing an ancient tyrannical dragon. At this moment, Yao Lan's combat strength was firmly among the top ranks of the Wild Witches.

Yao Lan has grown larger, and her exposed skin is covered in scars, but her eyes remain as bright as ever. The man and the shaman reminisce and drink wine.

In the distance, three suns merge into one, dyeing half the sky a molten gold-red, casting long silhouettes of themselves on the red earth, like two black threads weaving the crimson wilderness into a painting.

(End of this chapter)