If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1495 Cultivation Plan
Xiaoyu's words of comfort were not empty threats.

Back in Tianmen Town, Sister Peony had already developed a "semi-domain" through her piano playing, often entering a state of harmony between heaven and man, where nothingness existed between self and things, during her performances.

Although I haven't actually heard the performances of musical sages like Shi Kuang and Bo Ya, many of the principles are the same.

With Xiaoyu's current level of understanding, he can deduce about 70-80% of the "Music Saint Realm".

Peony Sister may still be a bit lacking in experience, but she was able to join the "Thousand Sounds Music Troupe" probably because of her own real talent, and the other 20% was due to the status she gained as a "friend of Grand Tutor Yu" and a "distinguished guest of Xianyang City".

“I know my own situation.” Peony said seriously, “Now, just talking about the schemes of the great nobles of Chu, you should really be on guard.”

Grand Tutor Yu shook his head and said, "King Chu and Song Yu are busy doing nothing, it's not worth laughing at."

Peony asked in surprise, "Why would we be busy with something pointless? King Zhuang of Chu even sent someone to the blessed land of the underworld to invite us to a banquet for all the kings and dignitaries."

Such a grand occasion, with so many distinguished guests gathered, how could it not have a significant impact on the situation in the Central Plains?

Grand Tutor Yu said, "If they were to gather together and cause trouble during a peaceful time, they might actually cause a major incident."

During the great calamity of heaven and earth, even so-called noble people were nothing but a bunch of scum.

Seeing that Sister Peony still looked doubtful, Grand Tutor Yu laughed and said, "You've encountered a cognitive obstacle."

She pointed to herself, "Who knows more about this kind of thing than me, Grand Tutor Yu?"

While you were merely listening from the sidelines, I personally participated in and even led many similar gatherings.

The former kings of Qin were far more united than those nobles of Chu, and they took action much earlier.

Their plan was successful.

But how significant was their influence in this cataclysmic event?
I can tell you frankly, the fact that they didn't hold me back is the biggest help they could give me!

Even if the high-ranking officials of Chu disagree, they will definitely hold Xiang Liang and Jing Ju back.

The paths of the living and the dead are separate, the realms of humans and ghosts are different; forcibly interfering in the struggle for power in the human world harms both others and oneself.

Grand Tutor Yu decisively concluded, "Sister Peony, just you wait and see. When this great calamity ends, the Chu royal family will not only fail to recover, but their fate will be ten times more tragic than it is now."

Peony asked in surprise, "The clan fortune bestowed upon you by the former king of Qin is of no use whatsoever?"

Xiaoyu said, "It's not that it's useless, it's just that compared to the grand scheme of destiny, that bit of luck is just a drop in the ocean."

If they can ensure that their own backyard remains intact, the kings of the Ying clan will unite as one.

The benefits brought by this kind of 'harmony among people' are ten thousand times greater than any semblance of clan fortune.

Peony seemed to be deep in thought, and said, "So, Doctor Song's suggestion—to unite and support Lord Xiang Liang—is actually the most rational and correct strategy, and can truly threaten the Great Qin?"

Xiao Yu said, "Song Yu is daydreaming! I can unite the kings of the Ying clan and the former kings of Qin because their core interests are aligned."

Even though I am Hu Hai's father-in-law, and even though Li Si's power surpasses that of Emperor Ying Zheng when he was alive, making him undoubtedly the most powerful minister, there is no hidden danger of a minister usurping the imperial power within the Qin Dynasty.

When the Qin Dynasty fell, the Ying clan suffered the most; when the Qin Dynasty was revived, the Ying clan benefited the most.

When interests are aligned, abilities are directed in the same direction.

What is the current situation of the State of Chu?
Can the interests of Chen Sheng, Xiang Liang, and the descendants of the King of Chu be reconciled?
Unless the Qin Dynasty simultaneously exerts immense pressure on all three parties—"failure to cooperate means death"—they will face the same fate.

But I'm not stupid.

"The Qin Dynasty is clearly protecting Chen Sheng, have you heard?"

Peony nodded and said strangely, "The former kings of Chu all mentioned this. They hated Chen Sheng extremely, saying that he was a 'secret spy' planted in Chu by the Qin Dynasty."

Then, she sighed rather dejectedly and said, "I thought this message would help you."

At that time, they were discussing something inside the hall, and I pricked up my ears to eavesdrop, feeling both nervous and excited.

I didn't expect that even they themselves aren't worth your attention, let alone the news I've heard.

Xiaoyu patted the back of her hand and smiled, "It's enough that you have the intention. If I really relied on you to gather intelligence for me, wouldn't I become the Prince of Qinghe?"

It's fortunate that you encountered a group of dead people this time.

If a powerful immortal like Fuqiu Gong were present, no matter how careful you are, they would still notice you.

That would be bad.

Peony said, "I just feel that the current situation in the Central Plains is too bad for you and for the Great Qin."

You will likely to toil tirelessly, working day and night, only to find rebellions breaking out everywhere, causing you immense worry.

Xiaoyu pointed to her face, "Look closely, do I look like I'm extremely worried?"

“As a Grand Tutor, you certainly have the magnanimity to keep your sorrows hidden in your heart and bear them alone, without letting outsiders see them at all.”

Peony stared at her for a while, then said, "However, you certainly don't look like a high-ranking official of a fallen country; you're even more energetic than Doctor Song."

Xiaoyu wanted to roll her eyes, but she held back.

"The responsibility for those rebel kings in the Central Plains lies with the kings of the Ying clan and the ministers of the court. As the Grand Tutor, I am only responsible for 'the Mandate of Heaven,' that is, guiding them in the general direction."

Even if one day they suffer a crushing defeat, lose Xingyang, and allow the enemy troops to enter Guanzhong and eventually capture Xianyang, I will not lead troops to fight a bloody battle like Grand Tutor Wen did back then.

So you don't need to worry about me at all. No matter how the situation in the Central Plains changes, it won't have much of an impact on me.

After all, the worst outcome would be leaving the Central Plains and returning to the West.

With my current strength, after returning to the West, my life will be even more lawless and carefree.

Peony asked curiously, "You only point out directions, doesn't that mean you don't have to do anything on a daily basis? But you're very busy!"

Xiaoyu said, "I was busy before because time was of the essence. I had to complete the reconstruction of the earth's veins before the territory of the Great Qin became an enemy state."

Now that my work is finished, I no longer need to rush around and 'dig tunnels' everywhere.

If you wish, you can stay in Xianyang and not return to the Underworld.

Peony waved her hand and said, "No need. You're right, the living and the dead are different, I'll just visit you every few days."

"If I were to remain in the mortal realm, it would be detrimental to your reputation, to the reputation of the Qin Dynasty, and to my own good fortune and accumulated virtue."

Then she asked curiously, "Now that we don't need to reconstruct the ley lines anymore, and you're not in charge of military or political affairs, what will you do?"

Xiao Yu laughed and said, "Of course, I'll stay in Xianyang and fully digest and absorb the legacy left by the Emperor's rule."

In fact, after her Purple Mansion was elevated once again during the Tribulation of the Eastern Elixir, she should have taken the time to engage in long-term and focused seclusion.

After the Purple Mansion is upgraded, you can disassemble the skill lists of your "godfathers". The previously laggy methods of killing the Jade Emperor, Lu Ya Daojun, and others can now be broken down, allowing for specialized analysis of the powerful and useful skills.

To fully unlock a skill, she needs to constantly comprehend the Great Dao of Pangu and acquire more "useful big data." After unlocking a supernatural power or Daoist technique, she will gain a wealth of Daoist insights, which she will then need to dedicate a great deal of time and energy to transform into her own Daoist cultivation.

While she was channeling the earth's veins across the Nine Provinces, she clearly couldn't focus on this kind of cultivation. Over the past two years, immortals, including Fuqiu Gong and his group of near-Daluo immortals, believed that her Daoist magic and supernatural powers had improved rapidly, but she was actually far from reaching her optimal state.

"But you are the Grand Tutor of the Great Qin Dynasty, and the situation in China is changing rapidly. Are you only concerned with your own cultivation?" Peony asked worriedly. "If the Great Qin Dynasty really perishes, won't you suffer a backlash from its fate?"

"You came up with this yourself?" Xiaoyu asked in surprise.

Peony shook her head and said, "I heard it from others. They said that once you get involved, you can't escape or break free, and you'll eventually perish along with the Great Qin."

Like Grand Tutor Wen during the Investiture of the Gods period, who cultivated by borrowing the fortune of the Shang Dynasty, he had to be loyal to the Shang Dynasty.

"Ordinary cultivators of the Fulong Court absorb the dynasty's fortune but fail to shoulder or fulfill their due responsibilities, and will certainly suffer a backlash."

"As for me, after the earth vein reconstruction is completed, I can be considered to have accomplished my mission and can now retire gracefully," Xiaoyu said.

The grand strategy set when I first became Grand Tutor has now been largely completed.

Hu Hai will not see the country fall in three years. The fortunes of the Ying clan will begin to turn around, no longer flowing out in large quantities, but instead slowly accumulating.

The course of events over the next few days is beyond her control.

Of course, she wouldn't just stand by with her hands in her pockets and watch coldly.

She only needs to make minor adjustments in the overall direction to avoid major mutations and allow the Qin Dynasty to survive as long as possible.

Only by surviving can there be hope and the possibility of a change in fate.

For "Grand Tutor Yu," completing this step meant he had done his duty wholeheartedly and had a clear conscience.

As for Xiaoyu herself, she would still focus on her own cultivation. Regardless of whether the Qin Dynasty would ultimately perish after only two generations, it could at least extend its reign by a few more years. These few years would be enough for her to digest the Qin Dynasty's resources and allow her own cultivation to undergo a significant transformation.

Thus, even though she was forced to move west with the Ying clan, she had no regrets.

Peony asked in confusion, "You even killed the Great Immortal Lu Ding, your cultivation has almost reached its peak."

Even if one spends several years in Xianyang practicing diligently, how much effect can it have?

Xiao Yu asked curiously, "Everyone knows how quickly my cultivation has improved over the past few years. Why do you think I've reached my peak? I'm still a long way from the 'Golden Immortal Realm'!"

In fact, the core goal of Yu Taishi's "New Five-Year Cultivation Plan" was to fully deduce the methods of annihilation of top-level beings such as the Jade Emperor and Doumu, and to break through to the Golden Immortal realm.

Then comes the ability to survive in front of a Grand Luo Golden Immortal and to directly confront at least two Quasi-Grand Luo Immortals who have not activated their Great Extinction Father.

Peony was also confused. "I heard that you cultivate an ancient method, so where did you get the Golden Immortal realm? The Great Immortal Luding was a Quasi-Great Luo. If you break through again, are you going to kill a Great Luo Golden Immortal?"

Xiaoyu wasn't surprised that she knew about her cultivation progress.

Nowadays, which cultivator in the Three Realms hasn't carefully studied Grand Tutor Yu?

“You’re right. ‘Golden Immortal’ is an exclusive realm of the Celestial Immortal Path. There is no such realm as Earth Immortal or Ghost Immortal.”

My "Whirling Wind Mixture" is an ancient immortal technique, and it does not contain any Golden Immortal realm.

But similar scenery can be found on different roads.

I want to reach a level similar to the Golden Immortal in the Heavenly Immortal Dao in terms of pure cultivation.

That is, to find my own 'Tao' and perfect it into Taoist magic and immortal techniques!

"The Whirlwind Hybrid" is a technique created by Xiaoyu himself. Its principle is very crude: it reverses the process of "one begets two, two begets three, three begets all things", from the Qi of all things to the primordial Qi.

Almost every monk knows this principle, but it is not the path, but the goal, the destination that all paths hope to reach.

Yes, it's not just her "Huifeng Hybrid" that's striving towards this goal; many ancient and modern cultivators regard "Primordial Qi" as the "ultimate point of evolution."

What Xiaoyu needs now is a road leading to the end.

This road must also be very smooth, ensuring that she can walk smoothly and steadily to her destination of "unity of all paths".

This is also why "reaching the Golden Immortal realm" is ranked first in Xiaoyu's "cultivation plan".

The Dao is fundamental; being able to save one's life in front of a Great Luo Golden Immortal is a supernatural power.

If the "Dao" is insufficient, activating the Great Annihilation Father will cause lag in the Purple Mansion, making it impossible to deduce the supernatural power to defeat the enemy.

Peony said, "I don't quite understand the 'Dao' of the Golden Immortal, but since you have a well-thought-out plan, I understand and I'm relieved."

The moon has its phases, so how much more so a person's power and wealth?

Actually, returning to the West wouldn't be bad either.

You have enjoyed great success in China and your name is etched in history, surpassing most of the ancient sages.

“Being forced to return to the West is only the worst-case scenario. I'm not lacking confidence in preparing this escape route for the Ying clan; I'm very confident,” Xiaoyu said confidently.

Peony nodded, completely putting aside the topic of "the situation in the Central Plains".

She said excitedly, "Last year I studied poetry with a master and gained a lot. After returning to the underworld, I talked with the noble people of the Divine Land and easily integrated into their lives."

They don't even need to rely on your reputation.

Are any great scholars coming to Xianyang this year? Since you have the time, you can come with me to visit them.

As the Grand Tutor of Qin, you have no words to speak without studying poetry!

"Without studying poetry, one cannot speak eloquently," is a saying of Confucius.

"Expressing one's aspirations through poetry" was a fashionable practice among the nobility during the Spring and Autumn Period. If you couldn't write poetry, you wouldn't understand what others were saying, and if you spoke plainly, people would look down on you and wouldn't want to talk to you.

However, during the Warring States period, the social order collapsed, and the battle between the various feudal lords intensified, with everyone focusing more on practical interests and military intimidation.

The great benefactors that Sister Peony encountered in the blessed land of the underworld were mostly "remnants and descendants" from the Warring States period, who still retained the old tradition of expressing their aspirations through poetry.

Grand Tutor Yu mostly dealt with modern people.

Modern heroes are even more "rude" than those of the Warring States period.

For example, King Tian Shi of Qi actually used a method of visiting other places to worship at Mount Tai, throwing the ritual system into the cesspool.

Thinking of this, Xiaoyu asked curiously, "Do you know about King Qi's visit to Mount Tai? What do the old ghosts in the underworld think of it?"

"King Qi's Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai is indeed a major event, and I have heard about it."

Peony frowned slightly and hesitated before saying, "I think King Qi's actions are against the rules and overturn the old etiquette."

However, many nobles in China do not think so. They believe that the most important thing is for the Heavenly Emperor to manifest his power at Mount Tai.

Other red tape can be ignored.

(End of this chapter)