The significance of the first boundary stone embryo was irreplaceable. With a boundary stone embryo in hand, several paths opened before him.
Apart from the Ancient Full Moon, preliminary data from the other great grotto-heavens had also come in. Surprisingly, the one closest to success was the Evil Sun Heavenly Pillar, followed by the Dharma God Grotto-Heaven.
Even with the Ancient Full Moon, the success rate was not a hundred percent, but under twenty percent. Wei Yuan had simply experienced a burst of phenomenal luck, succeeding on his very first try.
Yet even without the aid of the Splendor of the Many Realms, relying solely on his divine sense, his success rate would continue to climb as his proficiency improved. To Wei Yuan, boundary stone embryos were a matter of either having the first or having countless ones.
Wei Yuan considered this period of seclusion a resounding success. He proceeded to refine the remaining two sets of materials using the Evil Sun Heavenly Pillar. As a result, the pillar's estimated success rate rose slightly from five percent to nearly ten percent.
The reason he used the Evil Sun Heavenly Pillar was that he had discovered something: successfully enlightening a boundary stone embryo permanently consumed a tiny sliver of the fundamental source of power he employed. A single boundary stone could transform heaven and earth ranging from dozens of li to as much as ten thousand li; how could that come without any cost?
The moment he realized this, Wei Yuan decided to use the Evil Sun Heavenly Pillar to refine boundary stone embryos for the foreseeable future. This manner of depletion happened to resolve a dire trouble that weighed heavily on his mind.
Although the final two experiments failed, his proficiency saw a noticeable increase, proving the viability of this path. As long as the refined boundary stones carried no severe hidden flaws, Wei Yuan would never have to worry about boundary stones again.
Having solved the embryo of the boundary stone, what remained was painstaking, slow grinding. Refining a boundary stone involved over a hundred thousand steps, an obstacle that seemed insurmountable, but for Wei Yuan—capable of dividing his divine sense into thousands of threads—accumulating enough proficiency was merely a matter of time.
However, Wei Yuan calculated that without resorting to blood refinement at all, refining a commandery-scale boundary stone would consume roughly one billion units of human luck. In other words, under the karmic luck method, a full year's accumulated karmic luck across all of Great Tang was barely enough to produce a single commandery-scale boundary stone. Looked at another way, Great Tang could only expand its territory by one commandery per year.
In reality, Great Tang's territorial expansion fell far short of one commandery a year—it could not even manage one commandery every ten years. There had to be a reason. Wei Yuan immediately set this as a task. The Splendor of the Many Realms would naturally sift through the vast sea of data for clues to uncover the true cause.
In the blink of an eye, it was the first month of the ninth year of Zhaoning. Good news arrived from both the Shaman Domain and the Domain of the Mountain Folk.
Tianyu's competence was undeniable; in one go, he had purchased over a million members of the Shaman Clan. Eager to redeem himself through merit, Hule Gao'en had also displayed formidable ability, purchasing nine hundred thousand Mountain Folk slaves in a single stroke, far exceeding Wei Yuan's expectations. Yet it remained unclear whether such capability belonged to Hule Gao'en himself or to the remnant divine sense of the ancient immortal.
The first month was when the spring cold bit deepest, and Li Zhi arrived treading on snow.
Having not met in quite some time, Li Zhi had grown a short, neat mustache, appearing wise and capable. The divine brilliance in his eyes was restrained, making him look no different from an ordinary person.
Seeing him again brought countless memories of the past flooding into Wei Yuan's mind. Smiling, he stepped forward and gave Li Zhi a brief embrace. Li Zhi froze, seemingly not expecting such a reaction from Wei Yuan. A moment later, his body gradually relaxed.
Once the host and guest took their seats, Wei Yuan said with a smile, "It feels like the unified examination of the immortal sects was just yesterday, yet decades have passed in the blink of an eye. Are you preparing to take another step forward?"
Li Zhi sighed and gave a wry smile. "I'm still missing a bit of imagery. But that slight missing piece is crucial—I cannot do without it, which is why I'm stuck here. Truth be told, lacking it wouldn't be fatal; it would merely leave a slight flaw in my Dao heart. But I simply can't bring myself to accept that."
"What imagery?" Wei Yuan asked with concern.
Taking a deep breath, Li Zhi said, "Ruler of a state."
Wei Yuan was taken aback. "You've already reached this stage? What happens if you can't achieve it? Would the impact be severe?"
Li Zhi replied, "Not too severe, really. It's just a pity my Zhenshan Fief is too far from the State of Ji. Otherwise, combining the two territories and taking a bit more from the Mountain Folk and Ji would just about suffice."
Wei Yuan pondered for a moment before saying, "Pardon my bluntness, but the word 'state' lies in the land, yet even more so in the people. A territory of sufficient size is likely only a basic prerequisite. The number of people under your rule is far more important, but the most crucial element is the love of the populace and the convergence of karmic luck upon you. None of those regions had many people to begin with. Even merged together, they barely surpass a hundred million. That many people cannot sustain a state; you must proceed step by step."
Li Zhi gave a wry smile. "I know. Allow the people to recuperate and develop slowly. I have the patience for that—rest assured."
Yet Wei Yuan pointed upward and said, "You must remain patient. As long as you develop steadily, even a single commandery can hold tens of millions of people. But if you act in haste, things could turn out badly."
Li Zhi naturally knew Wei Yuan was referring to the Martial Ancestor's designs. Without speaking it aloud, he nodded solemnly.
Wei Yuan smiled and asked, "What brings Brother Li on this sudden visit? How may I assist?"
Li Zhi said candidly, "I am reorganizing my armies and wish to upgrade their firepower and armaments. I need your strong support, worthy brother."
"No problem. Equipment for how many men?"
"Five hundred thousand!"
Wei Yuan frowned slightly. That was no small number. Although Li Zhi's Zhenshan Fief was rich in resources and backed by Southern Qi, Qingming's equipment was entirely different from that of the Nine States. Outfitting a single warrior cost several times more than equipping a soldier of the Nine States, and the ammunition consumption in particular was immense—expenditures on ammunition exceeded traditional crossbow bolts and arrows by more than a hundredfold.
Pouring such a massive sum into military spending would inevitably drain the military coffers of the Zhenshan Fief and crowd out funding for other areas.
According to Wei Yuan's vision, Li Zhi currently had vast lands and few people, with most resources left undeveloped. There was simply no need for military expansion and war preparations right now. Instead, he ought to concentrate his strength on building workshops, reclaiming land to grow grain, and educating the populace. After a century of this, Zhenshan Fief would surely leap to become a powerful fief capable of rivaling the State of Zhao and Southern Qi.
However, since Li Zhi had stated that he lacked the imagery of a ruler of a state, Wei Yuan refrained from offering further suggestions, leaving Li Zhi to act as he saw fit. Wei Yuan had also studied the Path of the Human Sovereign; the crux of this path was personal endeavor. The less outside assistance one received while founding a state, the greater one's accomplishments upon attaining the Dao.
Therefore, regarding how Li Zhi should allocate his domain's funds, Wei Yuan did not utter a single word.
Next, Li Zhi and Wei Yuan finalized the details of the military procurement, and Li Zhi handed the list to Wei Yuan. When Wei Yuan accepted it, Li Zhi visibly sighed in relief.
Once relaxed, Li Zhi asked, "Is Master Zhang here? I'd like to pay her a visit as well to seek some guidance."
"That's easy enough. Let me check if she is in seclusion." With a shift of his divine sense, Wei Yuan said after a moment, "She's free right now. I'll take you over."
Li Zhi cupped his hands. "Many thanks, worthy brother!"
A moment later, Li Zhi walked toward the meditation retreat where Zhang Sheng cultivated. He looked up at the four large characters—"Where Ten Thousand Swords Converge"—before stepping inside. The moment he crossed the threshold, the Sword of the Lord of Men within his dharma idol sank, clearly suppressed.
Li Zhi felt a chill run through him. By all rights, although the Sword of the Lord of Men was subordinate to the Sword of the Human Sovereign, it was still a sword of the Son of Heaven, anchored by the Ancient Hall of the Human Sovereign, and should not have been suppressed by the Dao of the Sword. Yet now, the Sword of the Lord of Men was still suppressed by Sword Masters of All Under Heaven, its status clearly inferior.
"Come in," Zhang Sheng's voice drifted out from within the retreat.
Li Zhi stepped inside and saw a bamboo hut within the grounds, its bamboo leaves all resembling sword edges. Apart from the single hut of green bamboo, there was no other sign of life in the courtyard—only chilling sword intent.
Inside the bamboo hut sat a wooden couch, upon which Zhang Sheng sat cross-legged, her black hair draped loosely over her shoulders.
"Sit."
Li Zhi bowed first before taking a seat on the stool placed near the doorway.
Wei Yuan did not follow inside; instead, he closed the courtyard gate and waited outside.
Zhang Sheng cast a glance at Li Zhi, and he suddenly felt as though she could see right through him!
Startled, his heart grew uneasy, and he wondered whether she had even seen that object in the Ancient Hall of the Human Sovereign.
Her expression serene as ever, Zhang Sheng asked, "It seems you have gained new insights. What do you wish to say to me?"
Li Zhi could discern nothing from her expression and had no idea whether she had truly seen through the Ancient Hall of the Human Sovereign. Surely, it shouldn't be possible, right?
Hearing Zhang Sheng's question, Li Zhi respectfully replied, "Some time ago, Elder Master Gu summoned me, saying the opportune time had arrived. Straining himself and sacrificing his cultivation to veil heavenly secrets, he allowed this disciple to glimpse some past events concerning the ancient Human Kings, from which I have drawn a couple of deductions."
Zhang Sheng's expression remained detached; she did not speak.
Receiving no inquiry from her, Li Zhi had no choice but to continue on his own. "The first major matter is that Great Tang's karmic destiny has run out!"
Zhang Sheng maintained that calm, impassive demeanour, showing not the slightest tremor or surprise.
Li Zhi only felt increasingly tense before her, realizing that playing coy was utterly useless against her. He continued, "The second matter is that the Human Sovereign is the Lord of All Under Heaven, bearing all the provinces and thousand commanderies of the realm on his shoulders. Yet the world today is no longer the world of antiquity; human karmic luck surges vigorously, and the burden is heavier than anything in ancient times. Thus, the Lord of All Under Heaven... has a lifespan of no more than five hundred years."
Zhang Sheng finally spoke. "You forgot the third matter: the Martial Ancestor's designs."
Li Zhi was greatly shocked. "You... how can you speak of that?"
Zhang Sheng said, "I am in Qingming, and this place is where I have cultivated the Dao for many years. Naturally, I can speak of it here. However, only within this hut. Step outside it, and even I cannot speak of it."
So that's how it is... Li Zhi let out an inexplicable sigh of relief. That made sense. For a moment, he had almost thought Zhang Sheng's status had drawn near to the Martial Ancestor's. Had that been true, it would have been terrifying.
Outwardly composed, Li Zhi said, "The Academy has long prepared for this. The Sub-Sage's treasure in Duke Yansheng's hands is meant to counter the Martial Ancestor's contingency. However, neither Elder Master Gu nor Duke Yansheng is an Immortal Lord, so they cannot unleash the full might of the Sub-Sage's treasure. If this disciple truly triggers the Martial Ancestor's contingency, surviving will likely be a struggle at best. Losing a century of lifespan would be the lightest penalty."
Zhang Sheng said slowly, "Yuan'er has other grand aspirations and great undertakings; of that you need not worry. There are some matters in the future where we will need your help."
Li Zhi hurried to his feet and said, "Should Master Zhang have any command, I will go through water and tread fire to see it through!"
Zhang Sheng finally showed a faint smile and said, "There is no need to exaggerate so. We will speak of it when the time comes. I will offer just one more word of caution: the Martial Ancestor's contingency is not so easily handled. A Sub-Sage's treasure of insufficient power will likely fall short."
"Thank you for the guidance, Master Zhang."
Knowing Li Zhi had not taken her words to heart, Zhang Sheng said no more. She simply nodded, and a streak of sword qi bore Li Zhi up, setting him down gently outside the courtyard.
Seeing Li Zhi emerge, Wei Yuan smiled and asked, "Finished talking?"
Li Zhi replied, "I gained a great deal! If not for Master Zhang's reminder, I might well have lost my life."
Wei Yuan paused in surprise, then chuckled. "Could it really be that severe? There are still plenty of treasures in your Academy. Are you afraid they won't let you use them?"
"True enough!" Li Zhi laughed as well.
"Come, I'll see you off to the flying boat."
Li Zhi flew with Wei Yuan to the flying boat and boarded it, bidding him farewell.
Only when the flying boat had departed Qingming's territory did a faint gloom settle over Li Zhi's face. That affectionate address—"Yuan'er"—lingered ceaselessly in his ears.
Chapter 1343