Upon hearing Zhao Feng's words, the ministers fell into deep thought.
For many civil officials, especially those already advanced in age, though it was presented as a choice, they truly had no alternative if they wished to go further.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness,"
"This old minister wishes to choose [The Duty of the Ministers]." Lü Buwei declared loudly.
"I choose the same!"
Many ministers stepped forward and spoke in unison.
"I shall bestow the technique. Every official of my Great Qin may receive the inheritance of the technique through the Tianxuan Mirror according to their rank."
"Martial Dao or [The Duty of the Ministers]"
"All officials of my Great Qin are free to choose."
"However,"
"The future of my Great Qin will be different."
"The martial techniques granted by the Tianxuan Mirror cannot be cultivated by those without the blessing of Great Qin's national fortune. Anyone who attempts to do so will suffer from Qi deviation and perish." Zhao Feng's voice was solemn, carrying a tone of warning.
As his words fell, Zhao Feng turned toward Ying Zheng.
"Father."
"Mm."
Ying Zheng nodded, his gaze turning sharp.
"By imperial decree"
"The martial techniques bestowed by the Tianxuan Mirror those without Great Qin's national fortune shall not practice them. Violators shall suffer Qi deviation and die."
Summoning the power of the national fortune, a decree took shape in the air as Ying Zheng spoke.
A decree, formed out of thin air.
The next moment
The Imperial Seal of Transmission floated into the air before Ying Zheng, exuding the overwhelming might of the national fortune, the authority of the state.
It pressed down upon the decree that hovered in midair.
"Mandated by Heaven, long shall it endure."
The decree was established!
It was recorded within the national fortune.
"An imperial decree formed out of thin air."
"The Imperial Seal stamping in midair."
"His Majesty's power now resembles that of gods and immortals…"
The ministers looked on in reverence.
"Your Majesty is wise!"
"Your Highness is wise!"
Suppressing the astonishment in their hearts, the ministers all raised their voices in praise.
The court session was dismissed.
"Now that Great Qin is stable and the people are united in heart and mind,"
"We can finally begin our expansion."
"But those rats lurking in the shadows… it's difficult to root them all out." Ying Zheng frowned slightly.
"Those people are mere rats now, street rats, despised by all."
"With the widespread implementation of the Tianxuan Mirror, their days will only grow more difficult."
"However…"
Zhao Feng's expression became contemplative.
"However, what?" Ying Zheng asked.
"This time, our Great Qin has gathered its national fortune perhaps we have already drawn the attention of certain others." Zhao Feng said gravely.
"You mean… the immortals?" Ying Zheng immediately understood whom Zhao Feng was referring to.
"Father,"
"The lands beyond the Divine Continent are vast, but they are far from simple."
"Or rather, not just the Divine Continent, but the entire mortal realm, even the Earthly Immortal Realm, follows the same principle."
"In the future, our Great Qin may face gods, immortals, and buddhas enemies across the entire world." Zhao Feng spoke with utmost seriousness.
"Does the Divine Continent harbor some forbidden secret that provokes the ire of the immortals?" Ying Zheng frowned.
"Perhaps, at its core, it's simply four words the law of the jungle." Zhao Feng chuckled.
"But Father, you need not worry."
"Right now, the national fortune of the Divine Continent is flourishing, and our Great Qin has also gathered national fortune. There will be no disturbances within our lands for now, and the immortals cannot enter." Zhao Feng reassured him.
Ying Zheng nodded, his expression thoughtful. "From your words, these immortals will move against our Great Qin and the Divine Continent. To prepare for this, we must accelerate the growth of our national fortune and spread martial cultivation more widely."
"We should first promote basic martial cultivation in the academies, screening for talented martial students and providing them with greater training. Once we have conquered Baiyue, Tu'an, and Goguryeo, we will then extend the basic cultivation method to all citizens under our rule." Zhao Feng proposed.
"Mm," Ying Zheng nodded. "That is feasible."
"Additionally, we can now promote spiritual rice across Great Qin."
Ying Zheng smiled.
"With the national fortune gathered, Father, you may now bind chains upon it spiritual rice shall not grow beyond the borders of the Divine Continent. From now on, we need not fear its seeds spreading beyond our control." Zhao Feng laughed.
Hearing this
Ying Zheng did not hesitate.
"By imperial decree"
"From this day forth, the high-yield spiritual rice shall be distributed across all Great Qin's territories. However, only the people of Great Qin may cultivate it. If taken beyond the coverage of our national fortune, it shall wither and die, leaving the land barren."
"By my decree, the national fortune shall enforce it!"
Ying Zheng's voice boomed.
A decree appeared in the void, written in golden script.
Then
The Imperial Seal of Transmission stamped upon it from midair, finalizing the decree.
Meanwhile, beyond Xianyang
At the many grain-producing sites under the jurisdiction of the Yan Court, a mysterious force imbued itself into the spiritual rice fields, locking down their growth.
Beyond the borders of the Divine Continent, beyond the reach of Great Qin's national fortune
Spiritual rice would no longer sprout, nor survive.
Ying Zheng's cultivation of the Dao of National Fortune, the Dao of the Emperor, had allowed him to issue decrees that wielded the power of the people's will.
It could be said
The formation of Great Qin's national fortune had begun to shape the framework of the human Dao, enabling the enforcement of laws as tangible forces.
"With these chains in place,"
"Spiritual rice shall belong to Great Qin alone. From now on, our empire shall never suffer from food shortages."
"Our people shall have enough to eat, always."
"In the future, as Great Qin expands and our national fortune grows, we shall fully implement the planting of spiritual rice across all our lands." Ying Zheng laughed heartily.
It was as if he had already glimpsed a prosperous future.
"The applications of national fortune are limitless it aligns with the human Dao."
"This will be our reliance, our strength in facing the immortals." Zhao Feng smiled.
"Mm." Ying Zheng nodded.
"By imperial decree"
"All officials of Great Qin, regardless of rank or civil/military distinction, so long as they serve Great Qin, shall receive the blessing of the national fortune to aid in their cultivation. The higher the rank, the greater the bestowed fortune. The more loyal to Great Qin, the deeper the fortune's support."
"Now"
"With Great Qin's stability secured, the people shall begin their spring planting. Our empire has long cultivated high-yield spiritual rice, capable of producing fifty stone per acre. Today, the Tianxuan Mirror shall oversee its distribution to all provinces, commanderies, counties, and villages."
"From this day forward, every citizen of Great Qin shall claim their seed grains through the Tianxuan Mirror as proof of identity."
"Henceforth, I shall ensure that the people of the world shall never again suffer the calamity of famine."
"The Divine Continent of Great Qin shall flourish!"
Ying Zheng gazed into the void and once again issued an imperial decree.
As his voice fell, the Imperial Seal of the Nation was pressed down.
This was the golden decree of the ruler of the Great Qin Dynasty his words were law.
The vast land of Great Qin stretched endlessly, with its officials governing all corners of the empire.
As the decree was proclaimed
Above Xianyang, a mystical black bird appeared.
Rays of national fortune radiated toward the heavens, spreading in all directions.
Every subject of Great Qin received the blessing of the nation's fortune. The strength of this fortune depended on one's rank in the government, but even more so on their loyalty.
At the moment when the national fortune descended
The decree issued by Ying Zheng was transmitted through this connection, allowing every official of Great Qin to hear it.
"We, your humble subjects, express our deepest gratitude for His Majesty's divine grace!"
"We, your humble subjects, express our deepest gratitude for the Crown Prince's grace!"
Countless officials of Great Qin knelt in unison.
And in the next moment
Every official could tangibly feel the power of the national fortune enveloping them.
Especially within the military, where martial cultivation had already been widely promoted.
"With the blessing of national fortune, I am about to break through!"
"Me too! I'm advancing to the Seventh Level of the Postnatal Realm!"
"Hahaha! I was stuck at the peak of the Postnatal Realm, but today, I will ascend to the Innate Realm!"
"National fortune descends this is the blessing of the First Emperor and the Crown Prince!"
"This opportunity must not be wasted!"
Excitement surged through the ranks of Great Qin's officials and elite warriors.
With the descent of national fortune, the empire's administration and military where martial cultivation was already widespread entered an era of unprecedented breakthroughs.
Meanwhile, among the common people
As Ying Zheng's decree was relayed, the provincial governors of the Nine Provinces swiftly announced the edict, followed by the governors of the Thirty-Six Commanderies.
"Edict from the First Emperor!"
"Our Great Qin has successfully cultivated a new variety of grain, capable of yielding over fifty stone per acre. Every citizen of Great Qin may use the Heavenly Profound Mirror to claim grain seeds for cultivation from the village elders, county offices, and commandery government offices."
Throughout Great Qin, the decree was proclaimed.
"His Majesty is wise! The Crown Prince is wise!"
"Fifty stone per acre such a harvest is unimaginable! If this is true, my family will never have to worry about hunger again. With six acres of land, we could yield three hundred stone! Even with a fifty percent grain tax, we'd still have plenty left!"
"That's right!"
"This must be real!"
"Being a subject of Great Qin is truly a blessing!"
"Life is truly getting better! The court has distributed land, and now they are providing grain seeds this is a golden age!"
"Great Qin shall last for eternity! His Majesty shall reign for ten thousand years! The Crown Prince shall reign for ten thousand years!"
The entire empire erupted in cheers.
If someone had claimed such a high-yield grain existed before Great Qin unified the land, few would have believed it. It would have sounded like a fantasy. But with an imperial edict now in place, none dared to doubt it.
The people of the empire placed absolute trust in the Great Qin court.
Crown Prince's Manor
"Thirteen fourth-tier treasure chests, and one fifth-tier treasure chest."
"If I'm lucky, I might obtain divine weapons, magical treasures, or cultivation techniques."
Zhao Feng's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
"Open all fourth-tier treasure chests!" he commanded without hesitation.
The system responded:
"Opening thirteen fourth-tier treasure chests…"
Obtained: Divine-Grade High-Tier Martial Art - Gale Evasion Technique
Obtained: 10,000 Supreme-Grade Spirit Stones
Obtained: One Supreme-Grade Spirit Vein
Obtained: Immortal-Grade High-Tier Protective Armor
Obtained: Divine-Grade High-Tier Growth Martial Art - Heaven-Imprisoning Finger
Obtained: Postnatal Low-Grade Spiritual Treasure - Nine-Petal Blue Lotus
Obtained: Divine-Grade High-Tier Growth Spiritual Flame - Blood-Burning Flame
Obtained: Ten Postnatal Low-Grade Spiritual Roots - Heavenly Peach Trees
Obtained: Growth Martial Art - Creation Medical Technique
Obtained: One Supreme-Grade Spirit Vein
Obtained: Postnatal High-Grade Spiritual Treasure - Soul-Severing Bell
Obtained: Sixth-Tier Alchemist Inheritance
Obtained: Divine-Grade High-Tier Cultivation Technique - Dragon Elephant Body Refining Art
In the blink of an eye
All thirteen treasure chests were opened.
The sheer wealth of rewards left Zhao Feng overwhelmed with excitement.
"Gale Evasion Technique Divine-Grade High-Tier!"
"This will drastically enhance my speed!"
"Right now, I can already cross a thousand feet in a single step. With this technique, who knows how fast I will be?"
"Heaven-Imprisoning Finger this technique can grow stronger as my cultivation advances!"
"Blood-Burning Flame another mystical flame, just like my Netherworld Flame! This is invaluable!"
"Heavenly Peach Trees legendary spiritual roots! These will undoubtedly enhance cultivation! I never imagined I'd get the chance to taste a heavenly peach!"
"Creation Medical Technique should be a healing-focused technique. My mother and Ying'er aren't suited for combat-oriented martial arts, so this will be perfect for them."
"Supreme-Grade Spirit Veins I can embed these into my miniature world to further enrich its spiritual energy. This miniature world will be my family's final sanctuary if we ever face an insurmountable enemy like the Demon Immortals or Gods."
"A Sixth-Tier Alchemist Inheritance this is excellent! With Great Qin advancing at such a rapid pace, alchemists and artifact refiners will be essential!"
"Nine-Petal Blue Lotus a defensive spiritual treasure. Even a postnatal low-grade one is highly valuable."
"Soul-Severing Bell is a postnatal high-grade spiritual treasure that targets the soul. A fine addition!"
"Dragon Elephant Body Refining Art could this be an upgraded version of the Dragon Elephant Technique? If so, it would be perfect for the elite warriors of Great Qin's military!"
"Once I refine these treasures and techniques, my strength will soar to new heights!"
Satisfied with the rewards from the fourth-tier treasure chests, Zhao Feng turned his gaze toward the final prize.
A Fifth-Tier Treasure Chest.
"A fifth-tier chest… If I'm lucky, I might even get an Innate Spiritual Treasure!"
"May my luck explode today!" Zhao Feng whispered, then commanded, "Open the treasure chest!"
Higher-tier treasure chests had a greater chance of yielding extraordinary rewards.
Fourth-tier chests guaranteed treasures of at least the Heaven Grade. Fifth-tier chests, at minimum, yielded Immortal-Grade items but with luck, there was no upper limit.
Previously, Zhao Feng had even drawn a miniature world, albeit a damaged one. Yet, even that was an incredibly rare fortune.
"Opening Fifth-Tier Treasure Chest…"
"Obtained: Innate Spiritual Root - Sapling of the World Tree."
Seeing this
Zhao Feng's eyes widened in shock, an uncontrollable surge of exhilaration washing over him.
"This… This is truly beyond belief!"
"An Innate Spiritual Root… And not just any Innate Spiritual Root it's the World Tree!"
Zhao Feng murmured to himself, his voice filled with indescribable joy.
The World Tree!
This was the key to a world's growth. Of course, not for a great thousand world, but for worlds below that level. With the World Tree, the world could continue to expand. The larger the tree grew, the larger the world would become, holding infinite potential.
Now that Zhao Feng already possessed a small world, adding the World Tree meant that its potential was boundless.
Even though it was only a sapling, he had time!
With that thought, Zhao Feng, filled with excitement, sent his divine sense into his small world.
The Small World's Growth
A long time had passed, and the small world had undergone significant changes.
At first, villages were established one after another. Now, several cities have emerged within the small world.
Over time, the population had grown as well. Originally, there were only a little over a hundred thousand people, but now it had nearly doubled to two hundred thousand, with thirty to forty thousand newborns.
In the small world, everything operated on a merit-based supply system.
The people lived without worries, free from the threat of war.
Thus, the population grew rapidly.
Within a few more years, the population was expected to reach five hundred thousand or more.
Zhao Feng was naturally pleased with this development. People's living beings were the foundation of any world.
Besides the growing population, the animals in the small world had also begun to evolve.
Under the influence of the world's dense spiritual energy, many wild beasts transformed, becoming demonic beasts, some even developing intelligence.
As the ruler of the small world, Zhao Feng was fully aware of these changes.
This made him ponder the situation in Shenzhou.
The world was rich in spiritual energy, yet wild beasts remained ordinary animals there were no demonic beasts.
There was some hidden reason behind this.
Planting the World Tree
At the center of the small world, near the spiritual spring, stood numerous vermilion fruit trees.
A black dragon had made its home beside the spring, its massive black-scaled body exuding an overwhelming presence.
Every day, people were assigned to bring it food, and the black dragon greatly enjoyed this treatment.
Although it was a ferocious beast, after being tamed by Zhao Feng, it behaved itself in the small world.
"The World Tree sapling..."
"It should be planted at the center of the small world."
"With this tree, the small world will have infinite growth potential!"
With great anticipation, Zhao Feng willed his divine sense.
At the side of the spiritual spring, the earth shifted, creating a pit.
"Extract the World Tree sapling."
At his command, a surge of world law energy flowed forth.
A small sapling, no taller than half a person, descended into the pit.
As soon as it touched the ground, the soil covered it.
A golden glow flickered from the World Tree sapling, its roots spreading rapidly, extending deep into the earth and reaching out toward all corners of the small world.
With the World Tree taking root, endless spiritual energy from the small world began converging towards it.
At the same time, the Five Spirit Pearls which had resisted fully merging with the small world for so long began circling the World Tree sapling.
The pearls' five elemental laws seemed to be drawn in and absorbed by the sapling.
In an instant, the Five Spirit Pearls fused directly into the World Tree sapling.
The tree rapidly doubled in height, growing to over one meter tall, with lush green branches and leaves beginning to sprout.
A True World Begins to Form
"The Five Spirit Pearls have merged with the World Tree."
"The small world is transforming!"
"It now possesses the foundation of five elemental laws."
"This is the embryonic form of a real world!"
Zhao Feng was thrilled as he sensed the changes.
At that moment
A golden halo appeared atop the World Tree.
"Detected an attribute fragment: [Heavenly Dao Authority - Blue]. Would you like to pick it up?"
A system prompt suddenly appeared.
"Heavenly Dao Authority?"
Zhao Feng's eyes gleamed with excitement. His heart pounded as he gazed at the golden halo infused with five elemental laws.
Indeed, the World Tree had triggered a massive transformation in the small world.
"Pick it up!"
He wasted no time in making his choice.
If he didn't, the Heavenly Dao Light Wheel would integrate into the small world, potentially giving birth to an independent Heavenly Dao consciousness.
This was his small world his private domain!
Zhao Feng didn't want an autonomous Heavenly Dao to exist within it.
By taking control of the Heavenly Dao Authority, the World Tree would still govern the world's laws, but he would be the true ruler.
He would no longer need to micro-manage everything.
"Successfully acquired [Heavenly Dao Authority - Blue]."
A powerful law-based energy fused into Zhao Feng's body, merging into his very soul.
At the same time, the attributes of the Heavenly Dao Authority were fully revealed before his eyes:
[Heavenly Dao Authority - Blue]
Effect: Grants control over the Heavenly Dao of a world.
Power: Allows manipulation of world laws and protection through world law energy.
Soul Integration: By fusing with the soul, one gains immense benefits whenever the world ascends in rank.
Concealment: With soul integration, one's origins become completely undetectable no prophecy or divination can reveal them.
Seeing this, Zhao Feng's excitement reached its peak.
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