After Xu Fu finished speaking, he was completely stunned.
"You... what kind of sorcery did you use?"
"Why... why was I unable to control myself?"
Xu Fu looked at Ying Zheng in terror.
Upon his return, seeing the transformation of Xianyang's military, the changes in the imperial court, and the terrifying power that Ying Zheng now wielded, Xu Fu was utterly horrified.
The Qin Dynasty had turned into something he no longer recognized.
"Xu Fu."
"Did you truly believe that the Qin Dynasty would remain unchanged?"
"Did you truly think that I still needed you to obtain so-called immortality?"
Ying Zheng sneered as he looked at Xu Fu.
Xu Fu was already marked for death in his mind.
Back then, Xu Fu had presented him with poisonous pills in an attempt to kill him.
And now, he dared to return and offer him another deadly poison.
If he did not die, Ying Zheng's fury would not be appeased.
"I... I serve a true immortal!"
"King of Qin, if you kill me, the immortal will not spare you!" Xu Fu cried out in desperation.
At this moment, his only hope for survival lay in that immortal.
"An immortal?"
"What do I have to fear?"
"What does the Qin Dynasty have to fear?"
"If the immortal you speak of is truly so powerful, why does he not dare set foot in the Divine Land?"
"Is it that he doesn't dare, or that he simply cannot?" Ying Zheng sneered.
Hearing this, Xu Fu's heart filled with even greater fear.
He realized that Ying Zheng knew far more than he had imagined.
That immortal could not enter the Divine Land…
That the Divine Land was protected by fate itself…
It seemed that Ying Zheng understood everything!
"Guards!"
"Carve Xu Fu into pieces!"
Ying Zheng waved his hand and coldly issued the order.
"As you command!"
The imperial guards responded in unison and rushed toward Xu Fu.
"I am an envoy of the immortal! Who dares kill me?"
Xu Fu had no choice but to fight for his life. He channeled his spiritual energy, forming a protective barrier around himself.
"Kneel!"
Ying Zheng glared at Xu Fu and let out a cold shout.
In an instant, an overwhelming imperial might surged forth, accompanied by the terrifying mobilization of the nation's fortune.
"Ahhh!"
Xu Fu screamed in agony.
The spiritual energy he had gathered instantly dissipated.
An invisible force crushed down on him, forcing him to his knees, completely immobilized.
The imperial guards immediately restrained him, pinning him to the ground.
"Here and now, carve him to pieces!"
"I want him to die in endless agony!" Ying Zheng declared, his voice filled with icy resolve.
The guards pulled out their knives and prepared to act.
"Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty… it wasn't me who wanted to harm you! I was merely following the immortal's orders! I was forced! Your Majesty, please spare me! Have mercy!"
Xu Fu pleaded desperately.
At this moment, facing imminent death, he could only beg for his life.
But his pleas meant nothing.
"Wait."
A voice rang out from outside the hall.
Hearing this, the imperial guards halted their movements.
A look of hope appeared on Xu Fu's face as he hurriedly turned to see who had spoken.
A young man, dressed in the crown prince's ceremonial robes and wearing a jade coronet, slowly walked in.
"The Crown Prince has emerged from seclusion!"
The moment Zhao Feng appeared, every official in the court revealed expressions of deep reverence.
"We pay our respects to the Crown Prince!"
The entire court of ministers bowed.
Atop the throne, the fury on Ying Zheng's face eased slightly upon seeing Zhao Feng.
"The Crown Prince?"
"He is neither Fusu nor any other son of the Qin King I have ever seen before."
"Who is he?"
Seeing Zhao Feng for the first time, Xu Fu was filled with confusion.
"You may all rise."
Zhao Feng lifted his hand and walked forward unhurriedly.
He stopped in front of Xu Fu.
"I ask, you answer."
"For every lie, I will ensure your soul is utterly annihilated."
Zhao Feng gazed down at Xu Fu coldly.
"Y-yes, yes!"
Xu Fu nodded frantically.
"Where is the Penglai Immortal Island you speak of?" Zhao Feng asked.
"It… it is east of the Divine Land, beyond the four Wō (Japanese) islands," Xu Fu answered immediately.
"How many so-called immortals are there? What are their strengths?"
"One."
"There is only one."
"He feeds on human flesh, refining the blood of young boys and girls into pills. He claims that the fate of the Divine Land is too powerful, preventing him from entering."
"He said that the destiny of the Divine Land is already set and that one day, its fortune will fade. Furthermore, he said that in the future, the Divine Land will merge with the Earthly Immortal Realm."
"This time, he ordered me to return not only to poison His Majesty but more importantly, to capture young boys and girls."
"The children of the Divine Land, untouched by external calamity, are of great use to his cultivation."
At this moment, Xu Fu dared not conceal anything.
He knew that Ying Zheng possessed a power that could strip him of control, forcing him to speak the truth.
Thus, he confessed everything.
"Has the western frontier of the Divine Land, or even the lands beyond, already been infiltrated by these so-called immortals?" Zhao Feng asked again.
"I… I don't know."
"But… but I once heard the immortal mention that the West belongs to the Buddhist domain, and is beyond his control," Xu Fu replied nervously.
"Good."
"You have been honest."
Zhao Feng nodded in satisfaction.
"Royal Father."
"I have finished questioning him." Zhao Feng turned to look at Ying Zheng.
"Since you are done."
"Proceed." Ying Zheng waved his hand.
"Wait! Crown Prince, I have told you everything I know! Why must I still die?"
Xu Fu's face turned deathly pale once more.
"You plotted against my Royal Father."
"You sought to sever the fate of my Great Qin."
"Do you think you deserve to live?"
"Did you believe that I am some merciful fool?" Zhao Feng sneered coldly.
A Wave of the Hand
The imperial guards no longer hesitated.
With blades in hand, they lunged directly at Xu Fu.
In an instant
Screams echoed throughout the grand court hall.
Yet no matter how much Xu Fu struggled, he could not change his fate.
His flesh was sliced away piece by piece, enduring pain beyond human imagination.
Seeing this,
Even the court officials felt their scalps tingle, but Ying Zheng merely watched coldly, a sense of satisfaction in his gaze.
Xu Fu had plotted against him for years. If not for his son, he might have died without ever realizing the truth.
Today's events were nothing but rightful retribution.
Under Xu Fu's prolonged wails of agony
At last
His life force was extinguished.
"Throw his corpse out to the dogs."
Ying Zheng cast a glance and ordered coldly.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The imperial guards immediately cleared away the body.
Meanwhile, above the hall
Xu Fu's soul floated in the air.
"Ying Zheng."
"The immortals will claim your life sooner or later."
Xu Fu's spirit glared at Ying Zheng with hatred, letting out a soul-shaking roar.
However
He failed to notice.
The eyes of the entire court, including Ying Zheng and Zhao Feng, were fixed upon his spectral form.
"Do you think I have no means to deal with your soul?" Ying Zheng sneered.
With a wave of his hand
The Imperial Seal of State appeared.
It radiated an overwhelming pressure of national fortune.
"Hear my decree!"
"Xu Fu's soul shall be eternally bound to Great Qin, never to transcend."
Ying Zheng's voice rang with authority.
The Imperial Seal hovered midair.
Bringing forth a terrifying surge of national destiny, it pressed down upon Xu Fu.
Above the void
Xu Fu had no chance to resist. His soul was completely suppressed by the vast might of the empire, locked in place, and ultimately vanished within the great hall.
He had been permanently sealed beneath Qin's national fate.
At this moment, Ying Zheng had already mastered the Dao of National Destiny. He was one with the nation, and his soul had ascended to divinity, transcending the mortal flesh.
Thus, he could naturally perceive spirits.
"Feng'er."
"Your recent seclusion seems to have yielded great results?" Ying Zheng smiled as he looked at Zhao Feng.
"The gains weren't bad. My strength has grown somewhat." Zhao Feng responded with a smile.
After nearly a month in seclusion, his attributes had naturally increased across the board. Moreover, the martial techniques, divine abilities, and spiritual artifacts obtained from opening treasure chests had all been refined and mastered.
"What do you make of Xu Fu's words?" Ying Zheng asked again.
Although his tone was calm, the anger on his face made it clear that this so-called 'immortal' had truly enraged him.
"If he seeks to end Father's life and destroy Great Qin, then I will not let him go." Zhao Feng's expression turned cold.
"And what do you intend to do?" Ying Zheng's brows lifted slightly.
"I plan to go and confront him directly."
"I'm rather curious about this so-called 'Demonic Immortal.'" Zhao Feng chuckled.
"Very well." Ying Zheng nodded.
"But before that, I must visit Ghost Valley to invite Master Guigu to descend the mountain."
"After all, I once promised him that once Great Qin was unified, I would personally ask him to come down." Zhao Feng said with a smile.
"Your Highness."
"May I accompany you?" General Wei Liao asked eagerly.
"Of course." Zhao Feng smiled.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Wei Liao's face was filled with excitement.
At this moment
Wei Liao suddenly recollected something and reported loudly:
"Your Majesty, Crown Prince."
"I have just received a message from General Li Mu Tu'an has surrendered completely. Their Grand General Jin Feng has fled to Goryeo, and Great Qin has already begun its invasion of Goryeo. We have broken through several border cities, and their destruction is expected within one to two months."
Ying Zheng nodded.
"Good. Once these two nations fall, their young men shall serve as laborers for Great Qin, building roads and working for the empire their entire lives."
As for these foreign tribes
Ying Zheng had no intention of granting them any favors.
In the future, they would be bound to Qin's labor system, supposedly for five years but in reality, it would be much longer.
Human resources were meant to be fully utilized.
"Your Majesty, Crown Prince."
"Since the discovery of the first spiritual stone mine, I have assembled a specialized team to explore further. As of now, we have discovered thirty-eight spiritual stone mines across Great Qin."
"All of them are abundant in resources."
Xiao He stepped forward to report.
"Excellent."
"Thirty-eight spiritual stone mines… Hear my decree: extract them at full capacity and deliver all harvested stones into the Heavenly Profound Mirror."
"Furthermore, the search for more mines must not cease. Great Qin's vast lands surely contain more than just a few dozen veins."
"Did I not assign formation masters to aid in the search? With their assistance, the process should not be too difficult." Zhao Feng smiled.
"I understand."
"However, during our exploration, the formation masters noticed something strange."
"It seems as though these spiritual stone mines were deliberately concealed. Each mine appears to be shrouded by a natural cloaking formation as if someone intended to keep them hidden from Great Qin." Xiao He reported respectfully.
Hearing this
Zhao Feng nodded.
"There's no need for undue concern, Minister Xiao. Just focus on finding more mines. With Great Qin's national destiny flourishing, these concealment formations will gradually be dispelled."
Zhao Feng already knew the hidden truth.
Across the land of Shenzhou,
The so-called immortals had long been scheming, seeking to control the continent's fate and its people.
Spiritual stone mines were essential for cultivation, so they had deliberately hidden them.
Fearing the rise of cultivators in Shenzhou.
"I understand." Xiao He replied respectfully.
"Father."
"Now that Great Qin has acquired such an abundance of spiritual stones…"
"I have an idea." Zhao Feng said thoughtfully.
"Speak, Feng'er." Ying Zheng smiled.
"Let us link spiritual stones with the Heavenly Profound Mirror's contribution points, as well as with the salaries of Great Qin's officials."
"In the future, our officials' salaries can be issued in contribution points, allowing them to exchange points for spiritual stones through the Heavenly Profound Mirror." Zhao Feng proposed.
"What do you all think of the Crown Prince's suggestion?" Ying Zheng turned to the gathered officials, smiling.
"We fully support it!" The officials responded in unison.
The ministers all responded in unison.
The Heavenly Profound Mirror had already been implemented in Qin for nearly two years. The contribution points system had been fully integrated into the empire and was personally overseen by Lü Buwei, who was responsible for managing currency matters, further refining the system.
It could be said that contribution points had truly become the mainstream currency of Qin.
Not only could contribution points be exchanged for Qin coins, but they could also be used to purchase anything within the empire. They had become widely accepted and commonly used. Perhaps one day, traditional currency might disappear from Qin entirely, and contribution points would become the sole medium of exchange.
"Since that is the case,"
"Salaries will be issued in contribution points, effective immediately," Zhao Feng declared.
"His Highness is wise!" the ministers responded in unison.
"Father, once Tuan and the other two nations are completely conquered, it will be time to bring Baiyue back under Qin's rule as well," Zhao Feng said with a smile.
"Naturally,"
"I have already dispatched Wang Ben to mobilize the troops."
"However, Baiyue is a land of wilderness, covered in toxic miasma and plagued by venomous creatures."
"Wang Ben is still considering how best to launch the campaign," Ying Zheng replied with a slight smile.
"Clearing the miasma is simple. We will construct a spiritual canal and divert water into Baiyue. The flowing waters will cleanse the toxic fog."
"As for the venomous creatures, the Pill Hall can refine medicinal repellents to ward them off."
"Now that Qin is no longer an ordinary mortal nation but one of martial cultivation,"
"Even warfare can no longer be measured by conventional standards," Zhao Feng stated.
"Generals, do you understand?" Ying Zheng asked as he turned to Wang Jian and the others.
"We understand," the generals responded in unison.
"Very well,"
"Let the ministers continue their discussions."
"As for today's council meeting, I have only one decree: expand our military forces and amass provisions with full effort."
"When I return, Qin will begin its full-scale expansion."
"The world beyond Shenzhou Qin must explore it as well," Zhao Feng declared to the entire court.
His tone was filled with unconcealed ambition.
"We heed your command!" The ministers were visibly excited as they responded.
"Shaofu,"
"I am heading to Ghost Valley now."
"You will accompany me," Zhao Feng said as he turned to Wei Liao.
"I will prepare the carriage immediately," Wei Liao responded at once.
"No need for a carriage."
Zhao Feng smiled and walked up to Wei Liao.
Then, with a wave of his hand,
The once calm void suddenly rippled, then shattered like a mirror.
Zhao Feng placed a hand on Wei Liao's shoulder and stepped directly into the broken space.
The two of them disappeared instantly.
Seeing this,
The entire court was left stunned.
"This… is the power of an immortal?"
"He vanished into thin air…"
"His Highness has truly reached the realm of immortals."
"So powerful…"
Watching Zhao Feng perform such a divine feat, the ministers became even more in awe of him.
Meanwhile, Ying Zheng remained seated on his throne, smiling.
…
Ghost Valley
"Oh?"
Seated atop a mountain peak, Ghost Valley Master suddenly sensed something and turned his gaze behind him.
The void rippled and then shattered.
Two figures stepped out from within.
Upon seeing them,
Ghost Valley Master's face lit up with a smile.
"Zhao boy, you finally came." Ghost Valley Master chuckled.
"Ghost Valley Master, it has been a long time." Zhao Feng greeted him with a smile.
"Disciple greets Master."
Wei Liao knelt and performed a formal bow toward his teacher.
"Oh?"
Ghost Valley Master's gaze fell upon Wei Liao, his face showing surprise.
"How do you possess such powerful national fate energy?"
"Moreover, this energy seems to have completely merged with your being," Ghost Valley Master asked in astonishment.
"Master,"
"This is the Cultivation of Ministers bestowed upon us by His Highness."
"All officials of Great Qin may cultivate this technique strengthening their souls, drawing upon national fate, and receiving its protection."
"At high levels, one can exist with the nation itself, and even if one perishes, they may be reborn through the empire's fate," Wei Liao explained honestly.
"To exist with the nation… reborn through national fate?"
Hearing this,
Ghost Valley Master's expression revealed even greater astonishment.
"Isn't this essentially the same as the Heavenly Court's True Gods?" Ghost Valley Master remarked in amazement.
"Indeed."
"If Great Qin's national fate grows stronger, its officials will truly become like the True Gods of the Heavenly Court even if they die, they can be resurrected through the Fengshen List."
"However, Great Qin's national fate system is far more flexible than the Fengshen List."
"True Gods are limited in growth, whereas my Qin officials grow stronger as the empire grows," Zhao Feng said with a smile.
Once officials cultivated the Cultivation of Ministers, they would be bound to Great Qin.
If the nation perished, so would they.
National fate granted them strength and longevity, but they, in turn, dedicated their lives to the empire.
It was a fair exchange.
"For Qin, this is indeed a system where all prosper together."
"And for many who lack talent in cultivation, this is an excellent path to power." Ghost Valley Master nodded approvingly.
However,
His tone suddenly shifted.
Ghost Valley Master turned to Zhao Feng with a piercing gaze.
"Zhao boy, how do you know about the Fengshen List?"
"And how do you know about the Heavenly Court's True Gods?"
"A fortunate coincidence," Zhao Feng answered with a smile.
"You're full of secrets, aren't you?"
"An unheard-of martial cultivation path, and now a national fate cultivation system…"
"Either of these alone would shake the Celestial Realm to its core, yet you possess both. You are a truly intriguing young man," Ghost Valley Master said with admiration.
"Ghost Valley Master,"
"I have come today to fulfill my promise."
"I wish to ask: Will you descend from the mountain to aid Great Qin?"
"Will you assist me in strengthening my empire?" Zhao Feng's eyes locked onto Ghost Valley Master's as he solemnly asked the question.
This was his true purpose for coming.
To recruit Ghost Valley Master into Qin's service
This was both an opportunity for Qin and an opportunity for Ghost Valley Master.
"If I join Qin," Ghost Valley Master asked, staring intently at Zhao Feng,
"What will I gain in return?"
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