After receiving the fifty million taels of silver, Yan Ge took out another fifty million and bought the Foundation Building Pill recipe. Various spiritual materials required for refining the Foundation Building Pills were also purchased from the system’s store, but they were relatively small expenses compared to the pill recipe. Once all the necessary materials were gathered, Yan Ge called Yan Jin, “Little Jin, are you ready?”
Yan Jin appeared immediately, “I’m ready.”
In the next moment, he transformed into a white light and disappeared from Yan Ge’s sight. The light screen in front of Yan Ge kept changing, and under Yan Jin’s manipulation, a panel with blank boxes was filled in with the names and illustrations of various spiritual materials. Following that, an “synthesize” option jumped to the forefront and was activated by an invisible hand, mixing all the spirit materials together.
The light screen continued to flicker, leaving Yan Ge feeling dizzy. He decided not to continue watching and asked Yan Jin, “How long will it take?”
In his heart, he chuckled dryly, ‘As expected of the system, it can refine the pills with just the pill recipe and spirit materials.”
Yan Jin replied, “It will take one hour. The materials prepared this time can produce approximately 1000 pills in one batch. We can synthesize multiple times to meet the required quantity.”
“Alright, I’ll leave it to you. Deduct whatever amount of silver you need,” Yan Ge had discussed with Huangfu Yuchen and they decided to select ten thousand elite soldiers for cultivation. As long as these elite soldiers had high enough cultivation levels, they would play a decisive role in battles. Managing a large number of people would be troublesome for the young Crown Prince in the future.
Yan Ge handled the Foundation Building Pill matter, while Huangfu Yuchen focused on selecting the elite soldiers. They were to be selected from all over the kingdom, taking into account not only their physical qualities but also their character. Even though Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen had sufficient cultivation levels to control them easily, having soldiers with good character could prevent many troubles.
A month later, nearly ten thousand carefully selected elite soldiers from all over the kingdom arrived in the capital city. Huangfu Yuchen’s elite guard of 19 was also among them.
Gathered in the desolate and uninhabited mountains, everyone was curious about why the Emperor had summoned them here, but their military discipline dictated that they should ask as few questions as possible. Therefore, all soldiers stood tall with unwavering discipline, gazing straight ahead, not allowing their eyes to wander, as if competing to see who could maintain their position the longest.
When Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Ge arrived, they saw this scene and nodded in satisfaction.
“His Majesty has arrived! Huang Guiqing has arrived!”
“Long live Your Majesty! Long live Huang Guiqing!” echoed the shouts.
Huangfu Yuchen waved, “No need for formalities.”
The size of the crowd was enormous, yet they could hear the Emperor’s voice clearly, even though he stood at the forefront of the formation. This demonstrated the Emperor’s profound inner strength. People always admired and respected strong individuals, especially those skilled in martial arts. Huangfu Yuchen’s display had already impressed all the soldiers.
All the soldiers shouted at the highest volume, “Thank you, your Majesty!”
Huangfu Yuchen said in a calm tone, “Take a seat.”
The soldiers were puzzled but didn’t hesitate to sit on the ground.
Only Yan Ge, Huangfu Yuchen, Gao Feng, Gao Yun, Jun Xiang, Lu Fei, and Deng Mande remained standing.
Huangfu Yuchen drew his spiritual sword and aimed it at a small mountain behind him, then swung it.
A bright white light flashed before everyone’s eyes, streaking like lightning towards the small mountain. After a short while, a deafening roar erupted from the ground. The soldiers were in dumbfounded, rubbing their eyes in disbelief. The mountain had been split in two, with a clear trench visible when viewed against the morning light. The two sides of the mountain were now several feet apart. Wouldn’t the gap be even wider when they approached?
The soldiers were in a daze for a long time before they knelt down and proclaimed, “Long live the Emperor!”
Huangfu Yuchen waved his hand and said, “The power I just used was not inner energy but a kind of hidden force, the power of true qi.”
He signaled to Gao Feng.
Gao Feng loudly declared, “The power of true qi comes from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth—if cultivated to the highest level, it can reshape the world.”
After giving the crowd some time to digest Gao Feng’s words, Huangfu Yuchen began, “You all are the elites among elites. I’ve gathered you here to forge you into an elite army. In case of foreign invasions, you will defend our nation and protect our homes.”
The soldiers hadn’t expected such a great opportunity and couldn’t help but feel excited. Their hearts raced, their eyes reddened, and they all rose and knelt down, saying, “We are willing to serve the emperor, devoting ourselves fully, and we won’t hesitate to give our lives!”
Huangfu Yuchen continued, “Since you’ve all agreed, I’ll impart cultivation techniques to you. However, along with that comes a restriction. If you have no rebellious intentions, the restriction will automatically fade after a hundred years. But if you harbor treasonous thoughts, it will self-destruct, causing your demise. You can still withdraw now, and I’ll erase your memories; it won’t affect your future lives in any way.”
Once again, the soldiers unanimously declared their determination, with not a single person withdrawing. Who wouldn’t desire immense power? Even with the restriction inside them, as long as they didn’t betray the emperor or the nation, it was as good as non-existent. To exchange a restriction for the potential to become powerful, who wouldn’t be willing? They might even wake up from a dream with a smile.
“Very well,” Huangfu Yuchen said with a satisfied smile. “Xiao Ge.”
Together, Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Ge projected their spiritual consciousness, dividing it into dozens of strands and transmitting the first two layers of the Heavenly Demon-Annihilation Technique into the minds of the ten thousand soldiers.
The soldiers felt that their minds were suddenly enriched with profound knowledge.
“Gao Feng, Gao Yun, Jun Xiang, Lü Fei.”
The four men stepped forward, “Yes, Your Majesty!”
“Lead them to the base to cultivate their foundational and explain the rules they need to follow.”
“Yes!”
With this major task completed, both Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen felt a sense of relief. Up to this point, everything had been set on the right track.
Three years later, on Mingxia Mountain, a flock of birds suddenly burst out from the forest, flapping their wings to flee in all directions. Immediately after, two figures in white robes appeared on a tree branch. Surprisingly, they balanced on branches as thin as chopsticks, as if standing on solid ground.
These two individuals were naturally Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen.
“Late Nascent Soul stage. Haha!” Yan Ge laughed heartily. “Next time we cultivate, we can reach the Tribulation stage. By then, we can break through the fabric of time and attempt to return to my previous world!”
The “Fengyun Immortal Records” had shown them great favor. Since reaching the Nascent Soul stage, Yan Ge had an infant Nascent Soul seated in his dantian. Even when they had no time for cultivation, the infant Nascent Soul would continue practicing day and night, which benefites their physical bodies and increased their cultivation. During deep seclusion, the role of the infant nascent soul became even more pronounced, tirelessly aiding in the absorption of spiritual energy from heaven and earth. Could the rate of cultivation be anything but fast?
In his previous world, his biological parents were still alive. Given the chance, he certainly wanted to see them again. Even if his parents didn’t see him anything better than a stranger.
Huangfu Yuchen curled his lips. “Not only that, when the time comes, we can explore more dimensions. However, the higher our cultivation, baby, the greater the difficulty and time required for the next upgrade. Based on this trend, the next upgrade will probably take at least a year.”
“It doesn’t natter.” Yan Ge said nonchalantly, “We’ll reach the Tribulation stage sooner or later. I’m not in a hurry.” His current life was blissful and fulfilling, a perfect blend of love and career. So his attitude was quite positive.
After spending time with an optimistic person like Yan Ge, Huangfu Yuchen’s mindset had also became more serene. He smiled at Yan Ge’s words, hugging him tightly before touching the ground.
“Master,” Yan Jin called Yan Ge secretly.
“Little Jing, what’s the matter?”
Yan Jing said, “Master, your side mission has been completed. Check what rewards are in the golden chest.”
“Oh, right.” Yan Ge realized.
This time, the seclusion had been quite lengthy, so the system likely sent a notification. However, he didn’t hear it while in seclusion. On opening the system panel, he saw that the gold and silver quantities in his inventory had increased. Moreover, a golden chest had appeared.
He promptly opened the golden chest.
–“Ding! Congratulations, you’ve obtained 10,000 low-grade spirit stones, 10,000 middle-grade spirit stones, 10,000 high-grade spirit stones, and 10,000 top-grade spirit stones.”
Spirit stones! These were valuable resources for formations and cultivation! The system was truly like a caring mother. Yan Ge’s face curved into a delighted smile.
Huangfu Yuchen leaned over to give him an affectionate kiss on the corner of his mouth.
“Yuchen, we’re rich!” Yan Ge hugged him and returned the favor with a kiss.
After a long time without indulging in their favorite activity, Huangfu Yuchen’s self-control waned. He pressed Yan Ge against a tree and kissed him passionately, his heart surging with excitement. In one swift movement, he carried Yan Ge and disappeared into their cultivation chamber.
When the two reappeared, nearly an hour had passed. In the span of a single breath, they had returned to the palace.
After tidying up, Huangfu Yuchen went to the imperial study. He wanted to see if the court had remained calm during this recent period.
Yan Ge called Yan Jin back to the Tenglong Palace, and meticulously inquired about the matter concerning the spirit stones.
“One top-grade spirit stone is equivalent to 100 high-grade spirit stones, 1 high-grade spirit stone equals 100 middle-grade spirit stones, and 1 middle-grade spirit stone equals 100 low-grade spirit stones, Master, you’ve struck it rich.” Yan Jin was also excited. However, now at the age of fourteen, he had lost interest in acting cute, and he had become quite composed.
Yan Ge was also excited. With these spirit stones, setting up a Gathering Formation during cultivation would undoubtedly result in rapid progress.
“Reporting to Huang Guiqing, the Crown Prince requests an audience.”
Yan Ge had long treated the young Crown Prince as his own son. He hastily said, “Please, let him in.”
After a few moments, a handsome youth with a regal demeanor entered. The youth’s eyes were serene, and he exuded a calm and majestic aura. This was none other than Huangfu Yunxi.
Upon seeing Yan Ge, Huangfu Yunxi smiled faintly and took a few steps closer. “Yunxi greets Second Master.”
“Come, take a seat.” Yan Ge playfully ruffled his hair.
The Crown Prince appeared somewhat embarrassed but he was smiling, which showed he liked Yan Ge’s intimate gestures. “I heard that you and Father both came out of seclusion today, so I came to see you.”
As expected of father and son. Whether it was personality or the way they handled things, Huangfu Yunxi now resembled Huangfu Yuchen by about seventy or eighty percent. Due to his maturity and understanding of matters, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen had told him about their cultivation journey about a year ago. Additionally, Huangfu Yunxi was also cultivating now, practicing the “Heavenly Demon-Annihilation Technique.”
However, with Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen personally guiding him, his progress was faster than that of the ten thousand elite soldiers. He had already reached the early golden core stage.
“Yes, your father went to the imperial study. How have things been during this period?” Yan Ge inquired with concern.
Huangfu Yunxi reported, “Thank you for your concern, Second Master. I’m doing well. Ever since Father went into seclusion, I’ve been presiding over the court. A few ministers have assisted, and everything has been smooth.”
The three chatted for a while until Huangfu Yuchen returned. Upon seeing Huangfu Yunxi, he generously praised his recent performance. Although the praise was delivered expressionlessly, Huangfu Yunxi was genuinely pleased. Getting acknowledgment from his father was more important than anything else.
“Xiao Ge, let’s have a meal first, then go to the base.” Huangfu Yuchen said.
“Alright,” Yan Ge nodded. “Yunxi, you can come along as well.”
Huangfu Yuchen nodded and looked at Huangfu Yunxi. “Yes, regardless of the circumstances, listening and observing more will be beneficial for you.”
A resolute light flickered in Huangfu Yunxi’s eyes. “I understand, Father.” He had a premonition that both his father and Second Master were soon stepping back and entrusting the entire nation to him. Therefore, he needed to work even harder.
Yan Jin also went along. He had come out of seclusion just a few days earlier than Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen. Moreover, now that Huangfu Yunxi could stand on his own, there were many occasions where he didn’t need his company so he was feeling somewhat bored.
