As soon as Zong Zheng left, True Lord Juhui quickly contacted their ancestor in Qingyang Sect, Ancestor Qixia. This ancestor was the highest in status and cultivation among their Liu royal family, a true Nascent Soul stage cultivator.
The very name of Qixia Kingdom.
Originated from his Daoist title.
At the same time, he was the stabilizing force that allowed their family to maintain its royal position, a true ancestor in terms of cultivation, seniority, and age.
Upon receiving the news, Ancestor Qixia was also very pleased. He rarely moved from his place, personally visiting the imperial palace's secret realm. After re-examining the child's physique and confirming it was the Young Yang Spiritual Body, he immediately bestowed numerous life-saving techniques and various natural treasures suitable for the Young Yang Spiritual Body. He then instructed:
"Give these to the child for now, but do not teach him cultivation methods. Yang-attribute cultivation methods are already rare, let alone those suitable for the Young Yang Spiritual Body. While I know a few, most are either incomplete or flawed. Therefore, I will spend the next few years searching for a suitable cultivation method for him.
We must not let him take a wrong path.
Like I wasted so much time in my youth."
Although Ancestor Qixia possessed considerable talent in his youth, his family lacked background and foundation. He was a rogue cultivator in his early stages, his Qi Refining method only allowing cultivation up to Qi Refining, and his Foundation Establishment method only up to Foundation Establishment. Changing cultivation methods was commonplace, and the quality of his Golden Core later was also subpar.
All of this directly caused his breakthrough to Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation to be hundreds or even thousands of years slower than others of similar talent with a strong foundation, and his foundation was not as robust.
Having walked the wrong path and endured hardship himself.
He naturally did not wish for his descendants to suffer the same.
Therefore, Ancestor Qixia specifically instructed True Lord Juhui, and then happily remarked:
"Nascent Soul stage cultivators enjoy a lifespan of three thousand years. I am already over two thousand four hundred years old this year. Coupled with some injuries sustained in my youth and a Golden Core that was not the absolute top-tier, my actual lifespan is unlikely to reach the full three thousand years.
At most, I have less than four hundred years.
Before I must ascend.
I was somewhat worried that if none of my descendants broke through to Nascent Soul before my ascension, my lineage might suffer considerable losses. Now, I have no worries at all. Given the aptitude of the Young Yang Spiritual Body, as long as no accidents occur, four hundred years is more than enough time for him to break through to Nascent Soul. If it weren't for the fact that no one has achieved immortality for tens of thousands of years, I would fear his cultivation speed would be too fast.
Achieving immortality in less than four hundred years.
And ultimately being unable to protect the family.
While not achieving immortality is a regret, if he cultivates to the peak of the mortal realm, he will enjoy a lifespan of thirty thousand years and be able to protect the family for thirty thousand years. This is already an excellent outcome."
It could be said that this child's destiny.
Was sealed the moment he was born.
This is also the characteristic of this era, where no one can ascend to immortality. That is, there is a particular emphasis on descendants and disciples with high talent. In the past, during the era when ascension was possible, talented individuals also received preferential treatment, but that treatment was far from as exaggerated as it is now. Instead, those with above-average talent were cultivated as the foundation of sect inheritance.
Sect leaders and elders.
Were often disciples with above-average talent.
Because in an era where ascension was possible, disciples with exceptionally high talent might ascend to immortality after only a few centuries of cultivation. Most of these few centuries were spent on cultivation. Rather than cultivating disciples for the mortal sect, it was akin to sending disciples to immortal sects.
In reality, the benefits that these genius disciples brought to the sect were far less than those disciples who cultivated more slowly and took thousands or tens of thousands of years to ascend.
While the cultivation world also considers ascension rates, ascension rates cannot be compared to college admission rates. How many Tribulation Transcending cultivators and Integration stage cultivators and Nascent Soul stage cultivators a sect possesses is the key factor in a sect's ability to stand firm.
Even if a sect has people ascending every year, if the rest are all useless, it's of no consequence. After all, immortals in the immortal realm cannot descend to the mortal realm, and mortal sects must rely on themselves!
After settling the future plan for this genius, Ancestor Qixia left the imperial palace and returned to his sect to search for cultivation methods suitable for the Young Yang Spiritual Body. However, he was also quite cautious, only publicly stating that he was searching for cultivation methods suitable for Yang-attribute single spiritual roots. Although single spiritual roots are rare, Yang-attribute single spiritual roots are at most on par with mutated spiritual roots, considered rare but not *that* rare.
After all, which large sect.
Doesn't have dozens of single spiritual root disciples?
No one would want to provoke a Nascent Soul ancestor for the sake of a single spiritual root. But if it's a Young Yang Spiritual Body, it's a different story. After all, spiritual bodies are much more valuable than single spiritual roots, and to demonic cultivators, they are a great tonic. Young Yang is a supreme nourishing item second only to Innate Primordial Yang, effective in repairing foundations and healing damage caused by flaws in demonic cultivation methods.
It is more effective than many eighth or ninth-grade spirit pills.
Some demonic sects even circulate a story about a female demonic cultivator in ancient times who, at the Nascent Soul stage, used a Young Yang Spiritual Body male cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage to cultivate Yin and Yang, directly achieving perfection.
She then broke through the heavenly tribulation and ascended to the demon realm.
Regardless of whether everyone believed it, some surely did. Therefore, a degree of concealment was naturally necessary.
...
Meanwhile, Liu Yunpeng and his mother, upon learning that their child was a single spiritual root and had been kept in the secret realm by the ancestor, felt no worry or concern, only immense joy. Zong Zheng saw this and did not mind, saying:
"You two should return now. Go back and take good care of the child's mother; she is also a meritorious individual. Specific rewards will be discussed with His Majesty when I enter the palace and will be issued within three days. Prepare yourselves at home to receive the imperial decree.
I will not detain you any longer.
Oh, and take a few bottles of Foundation Strengthening Pills, Qi Replenishing Pills, and Blood Replenishing Pills back to help the new mother recover her vitality."
Liu Yunpeng had already been inquiring about the relevant procedures a few months prior and was well aware that this was the legendary standard procedure. Therefore, without any objection, he pulled his mother, bowed, and withdrew. Then, with a beaming smile, as if Fan Jin had passed the imperial examination, he hurried back.
He told everyone he met that his son was a single spiritual root.
He was met with numerous congratulations along the way.
A journey that should have taken less than an hour stretched to over two hours, and it was already dusk when they reached home.
Both the main and branch families invited him to their banquets.
This is what is meant by "one person achieves enlightenment, his relatives ascend to heaven." No matter how much they cursed him privately for "depending on his son for his position," it could not mask their own bitterness, jealousy.
And their desire to trade places.
And then, of course, they rushed home to conceive children.
Hoping they too could give birth to a promising child. Even if not a single spiritual root, even a dual or triple spiritual root could elevate their noble title by one or two ranks.