Chapter 727: East Wilderness Nineteen Prefectures

Pure Nine-Lotus Lamp: One of Man, Nine of Man, One of Pin, Nine of Pin, One of Sou, Nine of Sou, Two of Sou, Three of Sou, Four of Sou, Five of Sou, Six of Sou, Seven of Sou, Eight of Sou.

Although the Xing Tian Dao Sect was the overlord of Dongyue, it was a superpower in the Eastern Region, surpassed only by the three great Sacred Lands. However, they found themselves powerless when faced with the Flower Kingdom's royal family opening its gates and surrendering. After all, their ability to cultivate tens of thousands of acres of Coiled Dragon Spirit Rice in the Eastern Barrens relied entirely on the personnel from Returning Heaven Valley.

Currently, Yan Shaoyin was entirely focused on refining Infant Nurturing Pills; he had even conceded his own native Xia Kingdom. It would be utterly fanciful to expect him to confront the formidable Five Elements Sect merely for the sake of the mortal Flower Kingdom. Without Returning Heaven Valley's intervention, the Xing Tian Dao Sect simply could not control the entire Flower Kingdom.

While they might use their immense power to coerce the Flower Kingdom against surrender, doing so would entangle them in mundane worldly affairs. The mere thought of complex governmental tasks, the survival of tens of thousands of people in every city, and similar concerns made Lou Xuelong shake his head. Once cultivators transcend mortal life, they generally avoid letting worldly matters disturb their tranquility. Managing such affairs might be acceptable for a short period, but if it stretched on for decades or centuries, it was unlikely that any cultivator from the Xing Tian Dao Sect would agree.

Thus, confronted with the unstoppable trend of the Eastern Barrens' unification, Lou Xuelong pondered deeply, ultimately letting out a long sigh and abandoning any thought of forceful obstruction. Even so, he still aimed to secure as many benefits as possible from the Five Elements Sect. Jiang Zongheng lacked the authority, so Lou Xuelong came directly to Beiyuan City.

Although the negotiations regarding the Heretical Golden Core had not reached a conclusion, this did not sour Chen Mobai's relationship with the Xing Tian Chamber of Commerce. Furthermore, for the future development of the Eastern Barrens, it was essential to maintain good relations with these major powers that spanned all six realms. Upon Lou Xuelong's arrival, Chen Mobai immediately took him to the Heavenly Feast Pavilion, where he offered a lavish reception with excellent food and wine.

"Sect Master Chen," Lou Xuelong began, "there's something you might not be aware of: unifying the Eastern Barrens has infringed upon a taboo of the Sacred Lands."

After they had a drink together, Lou Xuelong, with a worried expression, uttered words that caused a slight look of surprise to appear on Chen Mobai's face.

"Why is that?"

Lou Xuelong sighed and, without hesitation, directly explained the reason. "Once the Eastern Barrens are unified, a mortal dynasty far grander than the ancient Flower Kingdom will emerge. If this dynasty endures for over a thousand years, an unprecedented and colossal dragon vein will develop, spanning the entire Eastern Barrens."

"Such an enormous dragon vein can easily birth spiritual essence, which is the most superior cultivation resource. In ancient times, the 'Six Dragons Controlling Heaven Scripture of Timely Ascent' from the Eastern Earth Imperial Court relied on the spirit of dragon veins for cultivation. It was precisely this reliance that enabled successive Human Emperors to control dragons, govern the heavens, and suppress the four cardinal directions and eight wildernesses."

"However, when the Human Emperors governed the Eastern Continent, the various Sacred Lands did not prosper. Thus, after the Eastern Earth Imperial Court fractured, although there was no explicit agreement among the Sacred Lands, they developed a strong, tacit understanding to prevent the rise of a second Eastern Earth Imperial Court."

"Consequently, should a dragon vein on the Eastern Barrens land ever manifest spiritual essence, the Daode Sect's Heavenly and Earthly Xuanji Instrument will react, and the 'World Walker' of that Sacred Land will promptly arrive to sever the dragon vein."

After Lou Xuelong finished speaking, despite his inner gravity, Chen Mobai's expression, paradoxically, relaxed. "A millennium from now, I might not even be alive. There's no need to worry about something so distant at present."

Realizing he hadn't swayed Chen Mobai, Lou Xuelong sighed inwardly. After clinking glasses with him, he then brought up the primary reason for his visit to Beiyuan City.

Lou Xuelong stated, "Sect Master Chen, to be frank, my visit today is primarily to discuss a significant business deal with your esteemed sect."

Chen Mobai replied, "Please proceed."

Lou Xuelong explained, "If the dragon vein were to mature and strengthen, it would draw the attention of the Sacred Lands. My proposal is that your esteemed sect could preemptively sell the dragon vein to our Xing Tian Dao Sect. Our sect possesses a unique secret method capable of dispersing the dragon vein's energy to cultivate spirit fields; this is how the tens of thousands of acres of Coiled Dragon Spirit Rice in the ancient Flower Kingdom came to be. By consistently depleting the dragon vein, the Daode Sect's Heavenly and Earthly Xuanji Instrument would never react, thereby preventing your sect from incurring the wrath of the Daode Sect's 'World Walker'."

What he said made it sound as if Lou Xuelong was genuinely considering Chen Mobai's interests, but Chen Mobai fully grasped the hidden implication of his words. This was a clear attempt at colonization. Previously, the Xing Tian Chamber of Commerce had targeted Returning Heaven Valley for colonization, but now they seemed intent on shifting their focus to the Five Elements Sect. Chen Mobai couldn't help but admire Lou Xuelong's business acumen. The Eastern Barrens had only just unified, yet he had already devised a strategy that would maximally benefit his Chamber of Commerce.

Raising the wine glass that Gu Yan had just refilled, Chen Mobai clinked glasses with Lou Xuelong once more, then inquired about the price the Xing Tian Chamber of Commerce was willing to pay to pre-book this dragon vein.

Lou Xuelong proposed, "We can first sign a letter of intent representing both parties. The Yan Kingdom already has a history of three hundred years; in approximately another three hundred years, its latent dragon spirit vein will expand throughout the Eastern Barrens as the dynasty extends its rule. At that point, we can begin cultivating spirit fields upon the dragon vein. I will arrange for our Chamber of Commerce's geomancers and spirit planters to come, and once the spirit fields are established, we will commence paying the spirit stone fees for their acquisition."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai's expression stiffened slightly; this was clearly an attempt to acquire something for free. He couldn't help but ask, "Can the payment be advanced?"

Lou Xuelong hesitated, then, considering the formidable strength of the Five Elements Sect, decided to make a small concession. "Sect Master Chen's reputation must certainly be honored. According to our Chamber of Commerce's rates, we will pay ten thousand spirit stones for every acre of third-tier spirit field. I can advance the payment for one thousand acres."

Chen Mobai clarified, "Ten thousand high-grade spirit stones per acre?"

Lou Xuelong chuckled, "Sect Master Chen, you jest. We're referring to low-grade spirit stones."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai inwardly lamented how unscrupulous these major Chambers of Commerce truly were. To propose a buyout at the price of a single high-grade spirit stone was truly outrageous. If he recalled correctly, the Five Elements Sect had paid one high-grade spirit stone per acre for the Grand Sun Purple Rice seeds.

Chen Mobai politely declined, offering a tactful reason: "The dragon vein ultimately belongs to the Yan Kingdom dynasty, and it wouldn't be appropriate for me to make decisions on their behalf."

Lou Xuelong countered, "Sect Master Chen is being too humble. Everyone knows it was your disciples and grand-disciples who orchestrated this grand unification of the Eastern Barrens. Perhaps you feel the price is too low? We can certainly negotiate further."

Chen Mobai replied, "Three hundred years is far too long. The Yan Kingdom dynasty might fall apart much sooner. Let's discuss this matter once the dragon vein has fully formed."

Lou Xuelong persisted, "Sect Master Chen is in his prime; you can easily safeguard this Yan Kingdom dynasty for at least another four hundred years, which is more than sufficient time for the dragon vein to emerge. If this deal goes through, our Grand Elders will undoubtedly be delighted. At that point, your Five Elements Sect will become an ally of our Xing Tian Dao Sect, and I can pull some strings within our sect to secure you an invitation to the Big Dipper Grand Assembly."

The Big Dipper Grand Assembly was an auction hosted by the Xing Tian Dao Sect. To attract major powers for trade, it guaranteed at least one portion of Three Radiance Divine Water. Consequently, an invitation to the Big Dipper Grand Assembly was highly coveted by Core Formation cultivators seeking to form a Nascent Soul. Lou Xuelong understood that for Chen Mobai, the Five Elements Sect Master who governed the Eastern Barrens, only items related to Nascent Soul formation could truly impress him now. Therefore, seeing Chen Mobai's apparent disinterest, he immediately revealed his trump card.

Chen Mobai inquired, "Can an invitation to the upcoming Big Dipper Grand Assembly be secured?"

The Big Dipper Grand Assembly was held every sixty years. Aside from the items prepared by the Xing Tian Dao Sect itself, its primary purpose was to offer a trading platform for the Eastern Region's elite cultivators, drawing only those at the peak of Core Formation or those who had already reached the Nascent Soul stage. For such individuals, only spirit materials, medicinal herbs, and similar items of the fourth tier or higher could capture their attention. Chen Mobai wasn't necessarily seeking to purchase Three Radiance Divine Water; he merely wished to broaden his horizons. If luck favored him, he might even discover some top-tier spiritual materials that were being undervalued or misused there.

"That might not be possible," Lou Xuelong admitted. "Invitations for the Big Dipper Grand Assembly three years from now have already been entirely distributed. Currently, only a few Grand Elders are authorized to issue additional invitations. However, if Sect Master Chen genuinely desires to attend, you could join our Xing Tian Chamber of Commerce, and I could then bring you under an internal quota." Lou Xuelong's proposal was made with genuine sincerity. The Xing Tian Chamber of Commerce frequently recruited exceptional cultivators from the six realms of the Eastern Region, like Yan Shaoyin. Although Chen Mobai didn't particularly excel in the myriad cultivation arts, he was at least a genius in sword cultivation and the Sect Master of the Eastern Barrens' most prominent sect. Appointing him as an honored guest would guarantee the Chamber of Commerce immediate access to a share of all resources produced throughout the Eastern Barrens.

"If I join your Chamber of Commerce, would I be able to exchange for Three Radiance Divine Water?" Chen Mobai inquired. Chen Mobai pressed further. For him, this was the only item from the Xing Tian Dao Sect that held any true allure. If it could be exchanged, he would be willing to exert a minor effort.

"Our Chamber of Commerce internally lists one portion of Three Radiance Divine Water every one hundred and twenty years," Lou Xuelong explained, "and the honored guest with the highest contribution at that time will be eligible to exchange for it." Lou Xuelong explained, noting that this was a similar strategy to Chen Mobai listing the Golden Liquid Jade Return Pills in the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, designed to foster intense competition among those seeking it.

Next, Chen Mobai inquired about how to accumulate contribution points within the Xing Tian Chamber of Commerce, and the backgrounds of the cultivators who had previously exchanged for Three Radiance Divine Water. After learning the details, Chen Mobai politely declined: "My mind is already preoccupied with various sect affairs; I genuinely have no additional energy to spare." Although the Three Radiance Divine Water was highly tempting, Chen Mobai knew he could still gather many other resources for Nascent Soul formation. There was no need to expend immense effort on an item that the entire Eastern Region fiercely competed for.

"Sect Master Chen, won't you reconsider?" Lou Xuelong pressed. "If you become an honored guest of our Chamber of Commerce, I can entrust the management of the Flower Kingdom's tens of thousands of acres of Coiled Dragon Spirit Rice to your Five Elements Sect. Furthermore, isn't your esteemed sect planning to refine Heretical Golden Cores? I can speak with Elder Wang and persuade him to offer you a discount on the fees." After all, Returning Heaven Valley had amassed considerable wealth solely by cultivating Coiled Dragon Spirit Rice. However, spirit rice was precisely what Chen Mobai had in abundance, and with Zhuo Ming's expertise, third-tier spirit rice would be continually produced. Thus, he shook his head, refusing once more.

As for the Heretical Golden Core, was Chen Mobai truly concerned about the cost of its refinement? No, he disliked the Xing Tian Dao Sect's tendency to transfer all risks onto him, the client.

The conversation concluded on an unsatisfactory note for both parties. However, Lou Xuelong proved to be quite sagacious. At the very least, before departing, he and Chen Mobai reached a consensus regarding the Flower Kingdom. Since the trend of Eastern Barrens unification was unstoppable, it was better to simply acquiesce. After all, the succession of mortal monarchies would not affect their tens of thousands of acres of Coiled Dragon Spirit Rice.

The Xing Tian Dao Sect did not obstruct the Flower Kingdom's surrender to the Yan Kingdom, and thus, a grand unified dynasty was formed!

Year 6531 of the Yuan Era!

Following the triumphant return of Jiang Zongheng, Grand Tutor of the Yan Kingdom, who, accompanied by General Duan Shuyu, accepted the surrender of the Flower Kingdom, King Zhao performed the Fengshan ceremony outside Beiyuan City. Immortal Venerable Chen, parting the clouds, personally descended from the mountain peak to the mortal realm, bestowing a golden seal, a jade crown, and a royal sword, symbolizing the divine mandate of the monarch's rule. As per the Immortal Venerable's decree, the Yan Kingdom was renamed the Great Zhao Dynasty. It was then divided into nineteen prefectures, using the boundaries of the original nineteen Eastern Barrens states, with their names remaining unchanged.

King Zhao became the shared ruler of the realm and sought the art of immortality from Immortal Venerable Chen. However, those without spiritual roots cannot cultivate immortality. Immortal Venerable Chen then bestowed three immortal pills, which, when consumed by mortals, would strengthen their bodies and allow them to live a full natural lifespan. After the Fengshan ceremony concluded, King Zhao returned to the capital, feeling despondent.

After the unification of the Eastern Barrens, Jiang Zongheng had initially intended to return to the Longevity Academy to resume teaching. However, as the Great Zhao Dynasty was the first unified dynasty in the Eastern Barrens, and with reforms needed across the board, Chen Mobai instructed him to remain in the mortal realm. His task was to perfect the newly established prefecture and county system and usher in an era of peace and prosperity. Jiang Zongheng accepted the command and subsequently petitioned the sect to establish garrisons in each of the nineteen prefectures. The original seven states in the Eastern Barrens, formerly under the Divine Wood Sect, already had established garrisons with veteran figures like E Yun and Zhou Wangshen. However, the newly subjugated territories remained entirely unmanaged. Since the previous garrisons in the various states had performed commendably, Chen Mobai decided not to replace them. According to regulations, a tenure as a garrison was an indispensable part of the resume for anyone aspiring to a high position within the sect's Three Halls and Twelve Departments. Conveniently, with the increase in prefectures and counties, Chen Mobai simply allowed the Three Halls and Twelve Departments to recommend candidates they wished to cultivate.

Of these, the most crucial appointment was undoubtedly the garrison for the former Ming Kingdom, now known as Ming Prefecture. This was because the Primordial Immortal City was located there. Although the Five Elements Sect was now unified, Chen Mobai's relationship with Zhou Ye remained highly delicate. Furthermore, with Chunyu Su, an undercover agent from Bathing Sun Sea, present, the individual chosen as garrison for this location had to be adaptable and exceptionally versatile. After careful consideration, Chen Mobai finally chose Song Huangda. This grand-disciple had undergone a period of training in the Formation Department and had already received the Five Elements Sect's formation master inheritance. The next step was to apply his knowledge. Due to the ongoing war in Yunmeng Marsh, it was temporarily impossible to construct the Myriad Transformation Thunder Pond there. Thus, it was an opportune moment to send Song Huangda to Ming Prefecture for ten years of practical experience. Of course, before finalizing the appointments, Chen Mobai also sought Song Huangda's opinion. The latter expressed that he had no objections to any arrangements made by the Ancestral Master.

With Song Huangda's placement secured, Han Zhiling was naturally not overlooked. Chen Mobai assigned her to the Xia Kingdom, not only because of its numerous volcanoes and abundant fire veins but also because he wanted her to keep a close watch on Returning Heaven Valley. If Yan Shaoyin were to begin his Nascent Soul formation, no matter how he tried to conceal it, the disturbance caused by the Heavenly Tribulation would be impossible to hide. Of course, Yan Shaoyin could always abandon Returning Heaven Valley, which he had managed for centuries, and attempt his Nascent Soul formation at the Xing Tian Dao Sect in Dongyue. However, doing so would significantly reduce his chances of successful Nascent Soul formation. Research by the Immortal Sect indicated a higher success rate for breakthroughs achieved in familiar surroundings. This was also one of Chen Mobai's overt strategies.