I can increase my power through breathing.

Chapter 98 Heading to the Nine Yang Sect

time flies.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

For the past three days, Zhou Qing has been wholeheartedly refining the Great Xuan Dynasty's national treasure, the Chilong Sword, and integrating it into the Human Emperor Banner.

Now that the Great Xuan Dynasty has perished, the national treasure, the Chilong Sword, has completely merged with the Emperor's Banner, making the Emperor's Banner even more powerful than before.

The Emperor's Banner itself had refined the dragon vein, and then refined the Xuan Bird Seal, one of the national treasures of the Great Xuan Dynasty, which was that large blue seal. Now it has been integrated with the Chi Dragon Sword, which means it can mobilize all the national fortune. The power it unleashes is comparable to a Mahayana-level spiritual weapon.

If Zhou Qing could integrate all the countries in the Mountain and Sea Realm into the Great Zhou Dynasty, not as vassal states, but as true territories of the Great Zhou Dynasty, then the nation's fortune would increase several times over.

Zhou Qing immediately left the pass and began to summon civil and military officials.

He had not forgotten that he was poisoned with the life-threatening poison. Three days had passed, and his lifespan had been reduced by three years.

Therefore, the most important thing now is to collect spirit stones. Once he has collected a million spirit stones, he can activate the space teleportation array and go to the Land of Saints.

"Your Majesty intends to collect a million spirit stones?"

"That's impossible. Even if all the top-tier and elite forces in all the states of the dynasty were combined, it would be difficult to raise 100,000 spirit stones, let alone a million."

"Even a reclusive sect could not possibly come up with a million spirit stones."

"..."

All the civil and military officials shook their heads.

Even though Zhou Qing's strength is outstanding, making him the number one in the world, obtaining a million spirit stones is by no means an easy task.

After all, spirit stones are formed from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Even though the original Great Xuan royal family occupied a superior spiritual land, the amount of spirit stones they produced was limited, only about 10,000 spirit stones a year.

No matter how strong Zhou Qing's martial arts are, he cannot conjure spirit stones out of thin air.

"Your Majesty, the Nine Yang Sect and the Xuanhuang Sect still occupy more than twenty states in the western and southern territories. What should we do next? Send troops or negotiate peace?"

At this moment, the Minister of Rites stepped forward and spoke.

"Nine Yang Sect, Xuanhuang Sect?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing frowned slightly.

The Nine Yang Sect seems to be the hidden sect behind Lin Nantian, while the Xuanhuang Sect is the hidden sect behind the Great Xuan Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, if you wish to negotiate peace, the court can send envoys." The Minister of Rites continued, "Both the Nine Yang Sect and the Xuanhuang Sect possess Mahayana-level spiritual weapons and have annihilated hundreds of powerful demons at the Celestial Realm in a single battle. Their strength is formidable. If we were to force a war, I fear it would result in mutual destruction, which would be detrimental to our Great Zhou Dynasty."

"A Mahayana-level spiritual weapon?"

Zhou Qing muttered to himself, pondering to himself.

Although the Emperor's Banner he possessed had not been upgraded to a Mahayana-level spiritual weapon, it still had an advantage: it could mobilize the nation's fortune.

Therefore, the Human Emperor Banner can also be considered a Mahayana-level spiritual weapon.

If we can subdue the Nine Yang Sect and the Xuanhuang Sect, then the other hidden sects will be no match for us. Moreover, taking action against the Nine Yang Sect and the Xuanhuang Sect will be justified.

After all, these two major sects occupy the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty, so it is perfectly reasonable to send troops to attack them.

At this thought, a glint of light flashed in Zhou Qing's eyes.

"The Nine Yang Sect and the Xuanhuang Sect have offended my Great Zhou Dynasty. Today, I, Zhou, will personally go to these two sects to demand an explanation!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Qing disappeared from the sight of the civil and military officials.

"This……"

Upon seeing Zhou Qing disappear, the civil and military officials exchanged bewildered glances.

In the past, although monarchs also practiced martial arts, it was mainly to prolong their lifespan. When facing rebel enemies, they would sit in the court and strategize, rather than personally taking risks.

Now, Zhou Qing, the monarch who founded the Great Zhou Dynasty, is actually going to the Nine Yang Sect and the Xuanhuang Sect in person, which has shocked all the civil and military officials.

This made them realize that Zhou Qing was different from the monarchs of the past. Or rather, Zhou Qing didn't consider himself an emperor at all. He knew he wouldn't stay in the Mountain and Sea Realm for long, so his actions were completely unrestrained and entirely based on his own will.

Even changing the name from Da Xuan to Da Zhou was merely to make it easier for him to control the fate of the nation and mobilize its power.

A few hours later.

Zhou Qing arrived outside the blessed land where the Nine Yang Sect was located.

He did not conceal his presence, but appeared openly outside the Nine Yang Sect's cave, and then released his aura.

A powerful pressure enveloped the Nine Yang Sect.

"What's going on? Have demons descended again?"

The disciples of the Nine Yang Sect all looked up at the outside of the blessed land.

"Not a demon!"

"This person seems familiar; I feel like I've seen him somewhere before."

"I remember now, when I was in Yan Kingdom, King Lin Nantian showed me a portrait of this person, he is Zhou Qing!"

"What? He is Zhou Qing, the number one person in the world."

"It is said that Zhou Qing killed nine powerful demons at the Nascent Soul Realm all by himself without the aid of spiritual weapons. I don't know if it's true or not."

"It's definitely fake. Feng Manlou has already submitted to Zhou Qing. What battle achievements he has are just made up by Feng Manlou at will."

"It's probably true that Zhou Qing killed nine Nascent Soul Realm demons, but whether he used any external objects is uncertain."

"Whether it's true or not, Zhou Qing's arrival at the Nine Yang Sect is probably not a friendly visit."

"So what if the visitor is hostile? Our sect possesses a Mahayana-level spiritual weapon, which has now been revived and is not yet dormant. Why would we fear Zhou Qing?"

"Indeed, a Mahayana-level spiritual weapon, it killed hundreds of powerful demons at the Celestial Realm in a single strike. Even if Zhou Qing is strong, could he possibly be stronger than hundreds of powerful demons at the Celestial Realm?"

"With a Mahayana-level spiritual weapon, what is there for my Nine Yang Sect to fear? In the entire Mountain and Sea Realm, only a few other reclusive sects can compare with our sect."

"..."

The disciples of the Nine Yang Sect were abuzz with discussion.

At this moment, the sect leader of the Nine Yang Sect learned of Zhou Qing's arrival and immediately flew out of the cave, bringing with him the Great Ascension-level spiritual weapon, the Great Sun Burning Heaven Ruler.

In the event of a conflict, the Great Sun Burning Ruler can intervene immediately.

In the void.

Zhou Qing and the Nine Yang Sect Master faced each other from a distance, the atmosphere extremely heavy.

The Nine Suns Sect Master held the Great Sun Burning Heaven Ruler in his hand, while Zhou Qing tightly gripped the Human Emperor Banner in his right hand. Both of them exuded a powerful aura.

"The first level of the Celestial Realm?"

At this moment, the Nine Yang Sect Master also sensed Zhou Qing's true cultivation level, which seemed to be only at the first level of the Celestial Realm.

This surprised him greatly. Killing nine powerful demons at the Nascent Soul Realm with only the first level of the Celestial Realm cultivation sounded incredibly fantastical.

However, the Nine Yang Sect Master did not underestimate Zhou Qing because of this.

Regardless of the truth, Zhou Qing ultimately killed Li Xuantong of the Great Xuan royal family, occupied the capital city, and changed the country's name to Great Zhou.

"I wonder what brings you here, Mr. Zhou?"

The Nine Yang Sect Master was the first to break the silence.

"The more than ten states in the southern region occupied by the Nine Yang Sect are the territory of the Great Zhou. I have come today to take them back. If the Nine Yang Sect knows what's good for them, they should withdraw on their own initiative."

Zhou Qing's expression was calm, but his tone revealed an undeniable domineering aura.

(End of this chapter)