Longevity: Starting from Refining Gu

"Jiguang Sect had very few production-focused cultivators because their territory was too small."

"It was quite the opposite for Da Yan, which had many production-focused cultivators."

"Heavenly Master Mansion and Immortal Court remained the same because their cultivation resources were gained through tributes from Da Yan."

Chen Qing nodded and said, "I understand."

At least within the area under his control, everything had shifted towards cultivating a large number of Mystic Gate Realm production-focused cultivators.

"Xuan Mang, have you investigated the situation in the Sky-reaching Realm?"

Xuan Mang cupped his hands and replied, "The difficulty for Mystic Gate Realm ascension to the Sky-reaching Realm lies in the heavenly tribulation."

"The heavenly tribulation was extremely difficult. Normally, for Mystic Gate Realm cultivators to cross the tribulation to Sky-reaching Realm, they required at least the second Martial Arts realm, with a complete Gu system, and at least three spiritual item-grade Gu, all needing Harmonization with the Sixth Transformation or higher."

Chen Qing said, "That was not difficult, our Dragon Cavalry all had such capabilities."

"How about in terms of cultivation?"

Xuan Mang said, "The cultivation speed in the Mystic Gate Realm was extremely slow. Normally, it took at least three hundred years to cultivate to the consummation of the Mystic Gate Realm."

"If drinking spiritual elixir and Spiritual Wine daily, it would take a hundred years."

"If using the latest elixir refined by Haoran Temple, it would take thirty years."

Chen Qing slightly frowned, "The Mystic Gate Realm only provided a life span of five hundred years, and most were already a hundred years old upon reaching it."

"In other words, without other resource support, and no mishaps, it required three hundred years?"

However, the chance of no mishaps over three hundred years was virtually zero.

In other words, normally, the Mystic Gate Realm was the peak of cultivation.

Xuan Mang continued, "The current difficulty lies in the fact that there are too few production-focused cultivators in the Mystic Gate Realm, precious elixirs could not be mass-produced, and alchemy materials were severely lacking."

"If materials were abundant, Wen Country could produce at least two hundred Sky-reaching Realm cultivators within thirty years!"

"That quantity was enough to almost catch up with Wu Country, surpassing Iron Country."

Chen Qing turned and looked at Li Changqing, "Left National Master, how was the research on spiritual medicine?"

Li Changqing saw that Chen Qing finally asked about this, and immediately straightened up, "Your Majesty, currently there were quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators, and many Mortal Gu underwent Butterfly Transformation, but there were far too few production-focused spiritual item-grade Gu."

"Normal spiritual medicine fully satisfied the cultivation needs of Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement Realm."

"The difficulty was in large-scale production of precious elixirs."

"Normal precious elixirs took thirty or even forty years to mature; even in Cave Heaven Blessed Land, it required at least ten years."

"The most awkward situation was that our Wen Country currently did not have wide-spread fiefdom, and Cave Heaven Blessed Land only occupied what other countries abandoned during the academy's establishment, which was entirely insufficient."

Chen Qing asked, "Has the State Preceptor figured out the reason Cave Heaven Blessed Land accelerates the growth of precious elixirs?"

Li Changqing said, "It was probably related to spiritual energy density; the higher the density, the faster the growth."

"Another consideration was the five elements' mutual generation and restriction. In wood attribute abundant areas, wood attribute spiritual medicine grew extremely fast, which could be artificially managed."

"Only the spiritual energy density and fiefdom issues trapped us."

Chen Qing slightly leaned back and said, "Hmm, I understand. The biggest problem remains that Water Country has not been eliminated, and we have not obtained large-scale fiefdom."

"Another issue is the spiritual energy density."

"The national fortune of the Water Country had not yet run out, and we could not change the course except to wait."

"As for gathering spiritual energy, some solutions could be attempted."

"In this world, was there no Great Sect that had the means to gather spiritual energy?"

Li Changqing said, "Current Great Sects relied on the Cave Heaven Blessed Land for cultivation. Even if they had means to gather spiritual energy, they likely would not let outsiders know."

Chen Qing asked, "Were there any clues?"

Li Changqing pondered for quite a while and then slightly shook his head.

Qitian Feng said, "Your Majesty, in the Ancient Era, there was a Great Sect known as the Holy Spirit Sect."

"The Sect Hierarch was called the Spirit King, and this Holy Spirit Sect had a method for gathering spiritual energy. At its peak, it could rival Jiguang Sect, a Great Sect."

Chen Qing was slightly astonished. In the Ancient Era, Jiguang Sect was the dominant force, attempting to control entirely one whole realm.

That Holy Spirit Sect could actually stand against Jiguang Sect for a period?

"Unfortunately, at that time, the Jiguang Sect controlled almost half of the world's territories. The two sects waged a thousand-year battle, eventually leading to the defeat and complete destruction of the Holy Spirit Sect by Jiguang Sect."

"Shortly after the complete destruction of the Holy Spirit Sect, Jiguang Sect itself suffered significant losses, leading to a division that affected the entire era."

"Internal chaos erupted within Jiguang Sect, competing for the position of Sect Hierarch, until Da Yan seized the Heavenly Destiny and emerged as the final victor."

"Strictly speaking, what we know today as Da Yan and Jiguang Sect were outcomes of Jiguang Sect's split in the Ancient Era."

"However, Da Yan overthrew the Jiguang Sect rule, so it never acknowledged inheriting the Jiguang Sect's Heavenly Destiny, instead claiming that Jiguang Sect lost the Heavenly Destiny."

"Due to the subsequent internal strife and battles, the Gu and many techniques and divine skills of the Holy Spirit Sect were buried and lost in the river of history."

Chen Qing said, "So, this Holy Spirit Sect could no longer be found."

While feeling the loss, Ting Yun said, "Your Majesty, I do have some insights."

"Do not forget, I hail from the Ancient Era as an ancient dragon!"

Chen Qing's eyes gleamed with a hint of brilliance, "Speak quickly."

Ting Yun said, "At that time, Jiguang Sect aimed to fully control the Death Realm, intending to use it as a pathway for Ghost Face Realm ascension to the Mystic Gate Realm, wanting to force other Great Sects into submission so that Jiguang Sect alone dominated the heavens and earth."

"Many Great Sects refused. Under the Holy Spirit Sect's leadership, they embarked on a thousand-year conflict with Jiguang Sect."

"The longest dispute was the three-hundred-year war over the Death Realm."

"That was also the first recorded appearance of the Six Dao Ghosts."

"We only recently learned how the Six Dao Ghosts manifested."

"During the three hundred years of conflict, numerous King Gu emerged, and the Six Dao Ghosts changed hands three times."

Chen Qing interrupted, "You mean the Six Dao Ghosts changed hands three times?"

Ting Yun nodded, "Yes, the intensity of that war exceeded the current King Chasing Battle in the Death Realm."

"Even possessing the Six Dao Ghosts, one was not invincible in the Death Realm."

"First, Jiguang Sect seized the Six Dao Ghosts, then the Holy Spirit Sect, and in the third instance, they fell back to Jiguang Sect."

"Ultimately, in a fierce battle, the Six Dao Ghosts were shattered and reentered a state of gestation."

Oh, only the Six Dao Ghosts and not Emperor Earth.

Then it was fine.

They only had the Six Dao Ghosts, not Emperor Earth, not the fusion of power and authority.

I pondered how with my fusion of power and authority, anyone could challenge me in the Death Realm.

Chen Qing nodded, "Continue."

Ting Yun said, "During those three hundred years of conflict, many Holy Spirit Sect members perished in the Death Sea."

With that, Chen Qing fully grasped, "So there were even deeper secrets to uncover in the Death Sea."

"Bone continued to pile up in the Death Sea, and the Holy Spirit Sect's traces should be buried in its depths."

"Hmm, today's court session ends here. I want to personally visit the Death Sea again to see if there are any greater mysteries."

"Lords, thank you for your service!"

Once he said that, Chen Qing eagerly left the gathering, preparing to take the Undying Dragon Cavalry and Yu Qingshuang to explore the Death Sea once more.

As the meeting concluded, several key ministers exited Prince Wen Palace and stepped onto the street outside. Li Changqing said, "Our Prince Wen today is quite different; he seemed more intent on discovering the world's fundamental secrets."

"The term research is also vast and profound."

Qitian Feng smiled, "Prince Wen, after all, possessed four portions of Cultural Fortune, viewing matters from a perspective different from ours."

"I'll just honestly follow Prince Wen."

Li Changqing laughed, "You differ from me; you have bigger expectations. If your achievements were sufficient, Prince Wen might appoint you as a Six Dao Lord, equipping you with a Six Dao Lord Gu comparable to a King Gu in power."

"Together with your inherent Qilin true blood, breaking through to the Daoist Lord might not be impossible."

Hearing this, Qitian Feng also showed a hint of a smile, "You're not inferior. Your disciple already had a King Gu, and your next head of Dao Origin Land would likely be a Daoist Lord."

"Revitalizing the Mountain Gate glory is only a matter of time."