Chapter 15: The Dragon Vein Revitalizes the Cultivation World (15% Progress)

Rong Ling said, "Let them go to a sect you trust to lay a foundation first. Once the academy opens, they don't need to participate in the selection and assessment."

In other words, it was a case of someone with connections getting a guaranteed admission.

As a mortal emperor, Wenren Ji felt a little embarrassed but also secretly pleased that he had openly used back channels.

“I plan to distance myself from the sects that have cooperated with the Southern Kingdom over the years and re-select suitable partners. I will send the two children you have chosen to a sect that I can trust to be well-educated and given the best education and resources.”

As for those geniuses who were being secretly nurtured by their families, he didn't want to interfere; how they were nurtured was their own business.

Rong Ling handed over a small bottle. The celadon pattern was very similar to the bottle that the cooperating sect had used to appease him, but the craftsmanship was clearly more superb and exquisite.

"Didn't you already give me the health-preserving pills along with my birthday gift?" Wenren Ji asked, accepting the bottle.

"Give them the two Marrow Cleansing Pills yourself," Rong Ling said, looking at the row of boys and girls.

Wenren Ji followed her gaze and saw the two children she had chosen.

Rong Ling continued, "They are still young, and I can tell from their faces that they have very little affinity with their families. No matter which sect you support, it is not as good as the children you raise yourself."

Wenren Ji felt a warm current in his heart.

No wonder the teacher didn't choose the most talented child; she had even paved the way for his future, so that he could be a good person and bestow kindness.

“I have observed that cultivators in the cultivation world will offer some protection to their families, but severing worldly ties and cutting off karma is only a matter of time. Will their bias in helping the mortal world affect their cultivation?”

Rong Ling said calmly, "If favoring one's own family would affect one's cultivation, those cultivation families should have disbanded long ago. Forming karmic connections is not all bad. For example, everyone wants to have some connection with the dragon vein. Besides, nowadays, there are quite a few cultivation families that have migrated from the mortal world."

Ten thousand years ago, no cultivator was so cautious, afraid of getting entangled in worldly karma. Which capable person wouldn't protect their own? If they had the ability, they would be eager to feed even the old guard dogs a Saint-grade Transformation Pill.

Ultimately, it is only when cultivation becomes more difficult that people become neurotic and attribute the stagnation of their cultivation to some unrelated trivial matters, such as emphasizing cause and effect all day long.

Furthermore, families that gradually transformed from ordinary people into immortal cultivation families through the "one person attains enlightenment and all their relatives and friends ascend to heaven" method were unwilling to have anyone trace their mortal past, let alone have anyone imitate their path to success and become a large family on par with them.

Once you cross the bridge, you have to cut the rope, which naturally instills in others the idea that "if you want to cultivate immortality, you have to leave your mortal family."

After a moment's thought, Wenren Ji understood the intricacies of the situation, and a hint of mockery appeared in his eyes.

Through his contact with the royal family and his teacher's descriptions, he lost all his prejudice against the powerful clans and families in the cultivation world.

The so-called title of immortal is nothing more than this.

"Wenren Juan and Nan Rongjiao, that's the two of them." Wenren Ji no longer lowered his voice. "Prepare tables and chairs for them, and have them sit below the Grand Preceptor."

Everyone was surprised to hear these two names, including the two children.

The ministers exchanged glances.

Wenren Juan? A being with four spiritual roots? Has His Majesty given up the struggle?

Indeed, instead of supporting a proper major sect, they suddenly announce that they want to select disciples to study at the Imperial Academy. Who would look down on such a small and insignificant sect?

Why should they sacrifice their family's genius when they want to befriend new forces? If they're so capable, let their son join a minor sect!

Oh right, His Majesty has no children.

Wenren Ji sneered at their reactions, feeling a sense of satisfaction that "only I know this secret."

Rong Ling's hearing was exceptionally good; she easily caught some whispers.

"Speaking of which, in the mortal world, twenty-six is ​​the age to form a bond."

Wenren Ji blushed and quickly said, "Please don't let them influence me to rush into marriage. I have no such intention."

Although he knew the hope was slim, he always held onto a sliver of hope for cultivation, strictly disciplining himself according to the universal rules of the cultivation world, and rarely getting involved in karma.

Now, he intends to compete for the possibility of physical ascension, and in the future, he will work hard to revitalize the Southern Kingdom, so it is even less likely that he will marry and have children.

He "saw" a different world through the descriptions of others, and was unwilling to be just an ordinary person. He would not compromise as long as there was hope, and he was destined to pursue that great path alone.

Rong Ling respected his wishes: "Well, although you damaged your foundation when you were young, it's not a problem for you to live for another hundred or eighty years after treatment. If you have a child, he will have to be the crown prince for eighty years. It's better not to have a child, so that no one will want to kill you."

She had witnessed how fiercely Wenren Ji's brothers fought for the throne.

Wenren Ji was both amused and exasperated: "Teacher, you're too direct."

The banquet was filled with singing and dancing, and the master and disciple were enjoying themselves immensely.

Below Rong Ling, Wenren Juan's eyelashes trembled, and he wiped the sweat from his palms with a handkerchief.

He stroked the exquisite and beautiful robe.

His mother died early, and he was not loved by his father. He was abandoned in the village to fend for himself and had never worn such fine clothes before.

In ordinary households, having a spiritual root is a great joy, but in the royal family, having four spiritual roots is considered worthless and unworthy of respect.

He thought he was just going through the motions in place of his brother, but the Imperial Advisor chose him instead.

Does anyone actually think he has the value of being chosen?

Wenren Juan stared blankly at the delicious food in front of him, his hands clenching the hem of his clothes trembling slightly from gripping them too tightly.

Is there still hope for his life?

Wenren Juan thought he was being very careful, but little did he know that his actions were being observed by those above him.

“He looks similar, but he is not as good as me.” Wenren Ji’s gaze was critical. “Even though I was born into poverty, I never doubted myself.”

Even in a precarious situation, he remained arrogant.

Wenren Ji didn't think there was anything wrong with comparing himself to a ten-year-old child.

Rong Ling didn't think anything was wrong; in her eyes, they were all children, and she treated them all the same.

"So you are an emperor," she said objectively.

Wenren Ji took this as praise and was pleased.

Rong Ling openly scrutinized the two newly recruited disciples of the academy: "The sun and moon corners are sunken, an omen of the death of both parents. Your royal uncle is about to die."

Upon hearing her reminder, Wenren Ji smiled knowingly: "Yes."

Seeing that he didn't seem surprised, Rong Ling didn't say anything more.

“Fugui Restaurant has a specialty dish called hot pot. I’ve arranged a family banquet. Would you like to go first, teacher?” Wenren Ji said with a gentle smile.

Sensing that he intended to send her away, Rong Ling glanced at the ministers seated below and left under the guidance of the chief eunuch.

The moment Rong Ling disappeared, Wenren Ji's amiable smile vanished as well.

"Juan'er, Rong Jiao, come here." He looked down at him with the air of a superior.

The two somewhat timid children exchanged a cautious glance and slowly stepped forward.

They didn't understand why His Majesty was so gentle when the Imperial Advisor was around, but changed his attitude as soon as the Imperial Advisor left.

“From this day forward, you will be cultivators raised by the royal family. Cultivators value cause and effect, sever kinship ties with blood relatives, and enjoy royal support. Do you understand?” Wenren Ji said.

His words were clearly contradictory; he wanted to sever kinship ties while simultaneously demanding that they accept royal support.

But the two children did not show any resistance to his perfunctory lies.

When Wenren Juan recalled the hardships he had endured in the Prince's mansion and was stunned at the prospect of finally leaving, Nan Rongjiao resolutely knelt down and kowtowed, saying in a resounding voice, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty. Rongjiao will definitely cultivate diligently to repay the Nan Kingdom."

She knew full well that she was just an abandoned child in her family, an orphan who was looked down upon, and there was no reason not to choose the broad road ahead of her.

She was fed up with a life where she saw no hope.

Wenren Juanman reacted quickly, and bowed down with a serious expression: "Juan'er will obey everything from my imperial brother."

Wenren Ji raised an eyebrow.

According to seniority, Wenren Juan was his cousin, but no member of the royal family dared to claim kinship with him.

That kid knows what's good for him.

Wenren Ji gave a wink to the side, and the two children were taken away.

He picked up the wine glass in front of him, took a sip, and placed the glass back on the table with a soft clinking sound.

"My good uncle and good brother, aren't you going to make a move? I still want to watch your performance before the banquet ends."

The banquet was solemn.

From the moment Su Xiaoyao publicly revealed the secret, Wenren Cong knew he had no choice but to rebel.

The plan was rushed forward in the hopes of catching Wenren Ji off guard, but unexpectedly, he already knew about it.

The assassins, disguised as musicians and songstresses, sharpened their eyes like eagles, smashing their instruments and taking out weapons from them.

"You're still as arrogant as ever, daring to let the Imperial Advisor leave." Wenren Cong sneered. "Then I'll give you the opponent I prepared for the Imperial Advisor, Your Majesty, brother."

Wenren Ji ignored them all and said to the void, "Whether the cooperation can be established depends on your sincerity."

The poisoned arrow aimed at him vanished into smoke.

Wenren Ji took a step back, and several cultivators blocked his way.

He glanced at the banquet, which had descended into complete chaos, and turned away casually: "The noble families that are close to the traitors will cease to exist after tonight."

After so many years of recuperation, it's time to make a show of force, both to the overstepping authority of the imperial court and to the lofty cultivation world.

He had been wondering why the sects of the cultivation world, who looked down on the mortal realm, had cooperated with the Southern Kingdom for over a thousand years. What did the royal family have that the cultivation world would covet? Silver? Delicious food? Fine clothes? Obviously, none of those were possible.

That leaves only the royal family itself.

If a teacher is willing to study dragon veins for ten years in order to improve one's fortune, then that must be a good thing.

If something good isn't being fought over, it means there are restrictions, and it's highly likely that it's the domain of the dragon vein, meaning it has the emperor's approval.

So he carefully selected and contacted the head of a sect, and said directly:

"If you want to establish a karmic connection with the aura of an emperor, then let's make a deal."

As expected, the other party readily agreed.

After testing the waters, he understood the value of the royal family.

The fortune of the cultivation world is scattered, while the merits of emperors in the mortal world are extended due to the existence of dragon veins.

He couldn't help but find it amusing.

Throughout history, emperors have been eager to support and cooperate with the sects, but in reality, the one who holds the initiative is the Southern Kingdom, which controls the dragon vein.

He left in high spirits, as if the rebellion and assassination had nothing to do with him.

"Hurry up, the teacher must be getting impatient."

Rong Ling, who was getting impatient, stared at the bubbling hot pot and put a few dishes into the red broth side.

Looking at the hot pot reminded him of Su Xiaoyao, so he sent a message to 996, asking it to tell him everything that had happened in the capital after Su Xiaoyao left.

The system knows everything.

With a thought, she "saw" the scene in front of her other clone and became somewhat interested.

She sent a message.

[Rong Ling: Why are you saving people again? Have you been bound to the Redemption System?]

The other side quickly sent back a message.

Lin Ming: ...

A note from the author:

----------------------