Only after unifying the world did I realize that immortals existed in this world.

Xie Cangrong shook his head and sighed softly, "If what she said is true, then people like us with such deep thoughts will probably find it difficult to achieve anything on the path of cultivation."

Despite this, there was no trace of regret on his face; it was as if he were joking.

Cultivation is about cultivating the mind.

This is the most resounding slogan in another world.

Cultivators practice Buddhism, Taoism, or demonism, advocating enlightenment and transcendence, and pursuing the ultimate truth of this world; they are simply interpreting these concepts differently.

Each sect has its own heart sutra and its own wisdom for cultivation. Cultivators pursue a clear and enlightened mind, gaining insights and elevating their state of mind. Only then can their cultivation be aided by divine intervention, leading to rapid progress.

Chu Xiangyun is praised as a genius, partly because of her excellent aptitude, but more importantly because she has an innate Daoist heart and is not bound by worldly ties.

Qi Xiu frowned and asked, "Is this person trustworthy?"

This is clearly not good news.

It wasn't that he was worried about the difficulties of his cultivation.

The key point is that if, as Your Majesty has obtained, cultivators pursue a state of complete detachment from worldly affairs and transcend the bonds of the mortal realm... then such people are very difficult to control, and such a pursuit is not conducive to the governance of the country.

This is not a good thing for a dynastic system.

On the other hand, the political climate where the Dharma King is more powerful than the Human King may also be determined by such innate conditions.

"Believable!"

Thinking of that unique girl, Xie Cangrong couldn't help but smile: "There's no one in the world more trustworthy than her."

Then, he narrowed his eyes slightly and changed the subject: "However, everyone's thoughts and ideas stem from their own inherent perceptions. Although she did not intend to deceive me, she may not necessarily be right."

"Please enlighten us, Your Majesty."

Qi Xiu needs to prepare for future national changes and formulate laws. Every piece of intelligence is crucial, and Xie Cangrong's attitude as the ruler will determine the direction of the dynasty's development. He needs to communicate with Xie Cangrong to further understand the essence of cultivation and the ruler's thoughts.

Xie Cangrong thought for a moment and said, "First of all, cultivation is about cultivating the mind, which should be correct. Based on the existing intelligence, I believe that a cultivator's power comes from their inner convictions, and your own will and understanding are extremely important."

Throughout the entire Great Xia Dynasty, Xie Cangrong, as its leader, had access to the most information and undoubtedly possessed the clearest vision. Based on intelligence gathered from various sources, Xie Cangrong has now reached a rather preliminary conclusion.

It is true that magical powers and supernatural abilities require diligent practice to improve, but fundamentally they come from within the heart and are all power of the mind. To cultivate oneself, one must sincerely accept these powers beyond comprehension while exploring the world and gaining enlightenment, and only then will there be a chance for the seed of power to sprout.

Only those who can see and feel these powers are qualified to cultivate immortality.

The monks call this stage "enlightenment".

The four continents of immortals and demons have been inhabited by cultivators for millions of years, and they have long since formed a mature cultivation system and hierarchical structure.

The concept of spiritual practice and enlightenment has long been deeply ingrained in people's minds, and the stage of "opening wisdom" is not difficult to achieve.

But the Great Xia was different.

This vast continent, through the ages, has witnessed the rise and fall of dynasties and the changing winds of time. It is filled with charlatans and sorcerers, yet not a single one possesses supernatural powers or magic. This land of extinction is devoid of cultivators. Though many fantasies and legends exist, their absence is their absence; there is no beginning, and the possibility is severed at its very root.

Some things may simply exist objectively, but people cannot perceive them. Just as people need eyes to recognize colors and ears to perceive sounds... if people didn't have these senses, would they still be able to recognize these qualities in things?

【Enlightenment】is to endow with cognition.

On the Great Xia side, everyone was stuck at the first stage of "Enlightenment". No one could open their eyes, and they could not perceive anything, so they could not begin, let alone breathe in the spirit of heaven and earth, climb the realm, and advance in cultivation.

Now that cultivators have crossed over into other realms, everything may be different.

Xie Cangrong's perception shifted after seeing the floating ship, and he then felt the power of the dynasty and the destiny of the nation within him.

"Have conviction, have aspirations, be resolute and unwavering! If you have the potential, you will receive a response through a certain opportunity."

"However, if everyone pursues transcendence and forgetting oneself, perhaps that's not right."

"The pursuits are broad; one should not be confined to a single path."

Scholars live, while their kind perish.

Xie Cangrong wanted to learn the power of cultivators to strengthen Great Xia, but he wouldn't blindly accept all of their concepts and techniques. He needed to think critically, discern their essence, and discard their misleading traps.

If Great Xia were to adopt and accept everything wholesale, it would mean leading Great Xia down the same developmental path as others. On the same track, Great Xia could never catch up with the millennia of accumulated development of the Immortal and Demonic Realms. Without making changes, Great Xia would ultimately become a vassal state of sects, just like the dynasties of the Immortal and Demonic Realms.

Cultivation is about cultivating the mind—a profound truth that Xie Cangrong agrees with.

However, he did not accept the explanation given by the cultivators regarding how to cultivate one's mind. Everyone has their own pursuits, and it's inappropriate to say that one side is the only truth and the other is wrong...

As a ruler, he was naturally sensitive to the management of thought. He viewed it as a trap of ideological shackles.

For thousands of years, these ideas have been deeply rooted in the world of immortals and demons, perhaps without their own awareness.

This is a bold conjecture made by Xie Cangrong.

The Great Xia Dynasty has the opportunity to start over. It needs to take the helm, extract the essence and discard the dross, and forge a path of cultivation with Great Xia characteristics.

"Qi Qing, what are you pursuing?"

They had just been talking about those ethereal matters of cultivation when Xie Cangrong suddenly asked this question, which surprised Qi Xiu.

He paused for a moment, then solemnly declared: "The law is the standard, and order must be maintained! What I seek is a Great Xia with strict laws and a well-ordered system. Merit must be rewarded, and crime must be punished. Right and wrong must be judged according to the law! The law shows no mercy, and the authority of the law cannot be desecrated! Even if the emperor breaks the law, he shall be punished the same as the common people."

Xie Cangrong smiled, offering no comment on Qi Xiu's pursuit, but simply teased, "Are you trying to impress me?"

The saying goes that the emperor is subject to the same laws as the common people, but how many people have truly lived up to that?

Xie Cangrong couldn't do that either. If he were truly judged according to the law, he would have been beheaded a thousand or eight hundred times over.

Legalists were his subordinates; law was the tool of his rule, not a belief, nor a rein to control him.

Of course, he wouldn't violate the dignity of the law, and he wouldn't let others know that he couldn't do it.

Qi Xiu lowered his head: "Your subject dares not!"

Xie Cangrong shook his head and smiled, not pressing the matter further: "Cultivation is about cultivating the mind... When it comes to unwavering willpower, no one in the world can surpass you."

He lowered his eyes, gazing intently at Qi Xiu before him, his voice low and deep, a question tinged with a sigh: "Tell me, wouldn't you call this cultivating your mind?"

"We are both people with aspirations; perhaps... we've already embarked on the path of spiritual cultivation?"