Chapter 170: Founding the Great Wasteland, the Heart of the Martial Ancestor

Chapter 170: Founding the Great Wasteland, the Heart of the Martial Ancestor

Outside Tieshan County, the Evergreen Pavilion was brightly lit.

A giant tiger arrived under the cover of night, its presence unnoticed by anyone outside the pavilion.

Li Xuan and his group entered the inner domain, neither hiding nor making a grand entrance, leaving their origins in the borderlands a mystery.

Xu Junhe, Kou Ruozhi, and the others were already waiting for them.

The Red Cat strode into the manor and headed straight for the innermost courtyard, a serene and elegant space prepared for Li Xuan.

"Do what you need to do," Li Xuan said, stepping down from the cat's back and gesturing towards the chairs and tables in the courtyard beneath the large tree.

"Yes, Master!"

Su Lingxiu began making arrangements for the Evergreen Pavilion, including how to sell the pills and maximize profits.

"Master, my senior brother and I need to make a trip," Xu Yan said respectfully as he approached his master.

"Go ahead. With me here, those so-called Grandmasters and Great Grandmasters are nothing but tiny ants!" Li Xuan nodded.

Xu Yan and Meng Chong's upcoming trip would involve killing another Great Grandmaster, which would benefit Li Xuan through the feedback from his Golden Finger. Furthermore, Xu Yan's adventures in the martial arts world would help him gain insight and improve his strength.

"Thank you, Master!"

Xu Yan was eager, thinking about the treasure site and the fifth-grade spirit herbs it held. Indeed, killing the black-robed man could make them rich!

In addition to the black-robed man's treasure site, there was also the Fire Slaughter Demon Lord on Canglan Island, who had dared to make reckless remarks. He needed to be dealt with as well—he had grown too bold.

"Senior brother, should we go to Canglan Island to kill the Demon Lord first, or should we check out the black-robed man's lair?" Meng Chong asked after they had left the Evergreen Pavilion.

"Canglan Island can wait. Let's go take a look at the black-robed man's lair first and see if it's truly their headquarters. We might even make a fortune while we're at it," Xu Yan said.

"As for Canglan Island, let's let the Fire Slaughter Demon Lord live a few more days. Besides, as one of the Nine Great Demon Lords of the Demon Sect, he should have quite a fortune, right? I can't just kill him for free; I'll have him prepare a million spirit crystals before I take him out!" Xu Yan laughed.

The Fire Slaughter Demon Lord would surely offer the million spirit crystals for his life, and there might be more than one Demon Lord on Canglan Island.

The more eager they were to kill him, the more they would be willing to pay.

"I wonder if the Fire Slaughter Demon Lord has a storage bag," Xu Yan said curiously.

The Nine Great Demon Lords of the Demon Sect were renowned and influential. Perhaps they possessed storage bags?

"Before we make our move, we'll have him put down all his belongings. That way, we won't accidentally destroy anything valuable if we strike too hard," Meng Chong said excitedly.

He had long coveted a storage bag but had never come across one.

In a small courtyard within Tieshan County, Meng Shushu was thrilled. After refining the Sky Marrow Pill, he discovered that his talent had increased.

Some of his family's secret techniques, which he had previously struggled to understand, now came naturally to him.

"So this is the power of pills!"

Just one Sky Marrow Pill had caused his talent and comprehension to soar. Even consuming an entire Sky Dripping Marrow plant wouldn't have yielded such dramatic results.

As the heir to a spirit herb scout lineage, Meng Shushu was well-versed in the effects of the Sky Dripping Marrow.

"Are there pills for cultivation as well? If so, I might be able to break through to the Great Grandmaster realm quickly!" Meng Shushu exclaimed, filled with excitement.

"We can't slack off in our search for spirit herbs. We must keep striving and exploring for more spirit herbs, the rarer the better!" Meng Shushu was like a man on a mission at that moment.

"Alright, our family, it's time to set off," Meng Chong's voice came from outside the house.

"Coming, coming!" Meng Shushu, brimming with enthusiasm, hastily opened the door and stepped out.

"Senior brother Xu, Meng brother, do you have any cultivation pills?" Meng Shushu asked, his eyes sparkling with fervor.

Seeing Meng Shushu's fervent enthusiasm, Meng Chong grinned and tossed him a bottle, saying, "This is the Yun Qi Pill, which aids in cultivation. From now on, you'll need to work hard. The more you contribute, the more pills you'll get. Remember, these pills are difficult to refine."

Meng Chong began to tantalize Meng Shushu with promises of future rewards, causing the younger man's blood to boil with anticipation. Meng Shushu couldn't wait to get started on his spirit herb hunt, driven by a relentless zeal.

Xu Yan patted Meng Shushu on the shoulder and said, "Pill refining is not easy, and it consumes a lot of spirit herbs. The higher the grade of the spirit herb, the rarer it is, so you'll need to put in extra effort. The more sixth-grade and fifth-grade spirit herbs you can find, the better."

"Rest assured, senior brother Xu. From this day forward, I, Meng Shushu, will never slack off again. I'll strive day and night and won't let you down!" Meng Shushu vowed, his chest heaving with excitement.

"Good, I'm glad to see your determination. Keep it up," Xu Yan said with satisfaction, nodding his head. He then added, "I'll give you a special discount. One sixth-grade spirit herb in exchange for one bottle of Yun Qi Pills, and three fifth-grade spirit herbs for a pill of the same grade as the Sky Marrow Pill!"

"Thank you, senior brother Xu!" Meng Shushu was overwhelmed with gratitude.

In the royal palace of Qi, the emperor had embarked on the path of martial cultivation, though his progress was slow due to his advanced age. Even with the aid of precious elixirs, he felt the challenges of cultivating the martial way.

Especially during the initial stages of Bone Refining, the tingling pain was almost unbearable for those with weak willpower.

Martial cultivation was not for the faint of heart.

However, the setbacks and challenges the emperor had faced in recent times had tempered his will, allowing him to endure the discomfort. He had already begun the Bone Refining stage.

His progress could be considered slow.

Among the princes, the first prince displayed the strongest will and the most aptitude for martial cultivation. He endured the pain of Bone Refining with remarkable ease.

The third prince, on the other hand, fell far behind. He couldn't withstand the process for long and thus, his progress was sluggish.

Currently, the first prince had successfully refined his Copper Bones and was now advancing to the Organ Tempering stage.

Having endured several punishments, he had developed a high tolerance for pain, far surpassing his pampered siblings.

In the royal study, Guo Rongshan arrived late in the night, holding a box in his hands.

"Brother Guo, what brings you here at this hour? Is there an urgent matter?" Qi Emperor asked with curiosity.

Guo Rongshan placed the box on the table and opened it, revealing three jade bottles within.

"Your Majesty, these are the elixirs required for cultivation: Bone Tempering Dan, Organ Tempering Dan, and Qi and Blood Dan."

The Qi Emperor looked at him with a puzzled expression. He was aware of the existence of the Guo family's elixirs, gifted by Xu Yan, but considered them the property of the Guo family, and thus, no one dared to covet them.

Today, however, they were being offered to him.

"Brother Guo, speak your mind. I will not oppose your wishes," the Qi Emperor said carefully.

Guo Rongshan maintained a calm demeanor as he replied, "People from the outside world praise me as a virtuous and moral man, and such reputation brings me great pressure. I constantly wish to do something practical for the people of the borderlands and bring prosperity to our land..."

The Qi Emperor's expression turned solemn as he listened.

Guo Rongshan was not speaking about the nation of Qi, but the borderlands as a whole!

This meant that his ambitions were not limited to Qi but extended to the entire borderlands region!

Guo Rongshan continued, "The term 'borderlands' is a derogatory label given by those from the inner lands. Our land may be barren and wild, but why should we remain content with this label? My honorable son-in-law, Xu Junhe, has already entered the inner lands to establish himself. Should we not strive to rise above our humble beginnings?

"We, the people of the borderlands, must unite. Only then can we gain a foothold in the inner lands and spread the martial path bequeathed to us by the Martial Ancestor.

"We must embrace the belief that it is our duty to carry on the Martial Ancestor's legacy and spread his teachings throughout the inner lands.

"Therefore, to unite the hearts of the people of the borderlands, I propose that the nations of Qi and Wu unite as one. Let us rename our land 'Great Wasteland' instead of the derogatory term 'borderlands.'"

The Qi Emperor stood up abruptly, his face filled with shock. "Brother Guo, do you intend to annihilate my nation of Qi?"

"Your Majesty, why cling to the name of Qi? It is but a small nation in the borderlands. The path to true greatness lies in establishing ourselves in the inner lands. Even if the name of Qi ceases to exist, you will still be the ruler of this land," Guo Rongshan replied calmly.

In the quiet of the study, the Qi Emperor's expression shifted as he pondered these words.

After a long pause, he took a deep breath and asked, "Will the Wu Emperor agree to this proposal?"

"He will," Guo Rongshan stated confidently.

"If neither Qi nor Wu remains, who will rule this 'Great Wasteland'?" the Qi Emperor inquired gravely.

"In the establishment of the Great Wasteland, the realm shall be divided into two empires. You, Your Majesty, shall be the Northern Emperor, while the Wu Emperor shall be the Southern Emperor. We shall establish a Great Wasteland Cabinet to govern and harmonize the north and south, and I humbly offer myself as the first Cabinet Elder," Guo Rongshan explained as he placed a memorial on the table for the emperor to peruse.

The Qi Emperor pondered whether he should secretly contact the Wu Emperor. After a long silence, he finally closed the memorial and remained silent for a while longer.

"The Great Wasteland unites the hearts of the people of the borderlands," Guo Rongshan said, interrupting the silence. "We should spread the name of the Great Wasteland far and wide, and proclaim that we, the people of the borderlands, are the true heirs of the heavens and the earth. We are the orthodoxy!"

Guo Rongshan continued, "Your Majesty, this is the trend of the times! It is inevitable with the emergence of the martial path."

The Qi Emperor sighed. He knew he couldn't refuse. With the rise of martial cultivation, the tide was turning, and there was no going back.

Guo Rongshan, and perhaps even Xu Junhe, had likely been working behind the scenes to make this happen.

The Qi Emperor's suspicions grew, and he wondered if Xu Junhe was the mastermind behind the founding of the Great Wasteland.

"After the establishment of the Great Wasteland and the two emperors, how will the future emperor of the Great Wasteland be determined? Will it always be divided between the north and the south?" The Qi Emperor asked gravely.

"The second generation emperor of the Great Wasteland will be chosen between the original royal families of Qi and Wu," Guo Rongshan replied calmly. "Whoever gains the recognition of the people of the Great Wasteland and the support of the Cabinet will become the emperor ruling over the Great Wasteland."

The Qi Emperor fell silent once more. This arrangement meant that the emperor of the Great Wasteland would be restricted by the Cabinet and would not be able to truly reign supreme.

It was a balance of power.

Seeing the Qi Emperor's hesitation, Guo Rongshan assured him, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I am inclined to support you. As long as the Wu Emperor does not object, I will not stand in your way."

"As long as the Wu Emperor doesn't oppose this, I will not stand in the way either," the Qi Emperor said solemnly.

"Have no worries, Your Majesty. The Wu Emperor will not object," Guo Rongshan smiled.

A few days later, news spread throughout the borderlands like wildfire.

The Wu Emperor announced the abolition of the nation of Wu, merging it with Qi to create the Great Wasteland.

The following day, the Qi Emperor made a similar announcement, abolishing the nation of Qi and merging it with Wu to establish the Great Wasteland.

Concurrently, the Great Wasteland Cabinet was formed, with Guo Rongshan as its first Cabinet Elder.

Several high-ranking officials from Wu also joined the Cabinet, contributing to the governance of the unified realm.

The Qi Empire's Divine Might Army was renamed the Great Wasteland Divine Might Army, falling under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet and tasked with safeguarding the stability of the Great Wasteland.

Likewise, the Wu Empire's Celestial Guard was renamed the Celestial Army, also under the Cabinet's command, sharing the responsibility of protecting the Great Wasteland alongside the Divine Might Army.

Soon after, the Great Wasteland Cabinet issued new laws, mandating that all martial artists in the Great Wasteland must revere the Martial Saint and the Martial Ancestor, the founder of the martial path.

It established guidelines for the martial arts community, outlining forbidden actions and emphasizing the importance of strengthening the Great Wasteland. The spread of martial arts techniques was encouraged, with the belief that cultivating the martial path was a duty for all.

A new era had dawned in the borderlands.

Everyone embraced the martial path, grateful for the teachings of the Martial Ancestor and striving for the rise of the Great Wasteland.

Gradually, a sentiment spread throughout the Great Wasteland: "The Inner Domain does not only belong to those from the Inner Domain, but also to us, the people of the Great Wasteland. We have a right to a place in that realm!"

"The Great Wasteland is the original land of the heavens and the earth, and we, the people of the Great Wasteland, are the true heirs of this legacy!"

In Tieshan County, Li Xuan had just exited the Tianbao Pavilion, marveling at their business acumen. They were undoubtedly a major player in the Inner Domain.

As he returned to the Evergreen Pavilion and sat down, a golden light appeared before him.

"The martial path you created has spread throughout the Great Wasteland, and you are revered as the Martial Ancestor. You have gained the Heart of the Martial Ancestor and the Appearance of the Martial Ancestor."

Li Xuan was astonished. He had just left, and already, the borderlands had undergone such a significant transformation?

The Great Wasteland?

Had the borderlands been unified?

"Heart of the Martial Ancestor?" Li Xuan's heart raced with excitement as he realized why his golden finger had reacted.

The borderlands had entered a new era because of the martial path he had taught, and he was revered as the Martial Ancestor.

The Heart of the Martial Ancestor enhanced his ability to create and master martial arts, and its power would increase with his cultivation level.

The Appearance of the Martial Ancestor, on the other hand, instilled a deep sense of reverence in those who practiced his martial arts, causing them to bow before him and hold him in the highest regard.

"This is huge!" Li Xuan thought, a little overwhelmed. "I'm truly the Martial Ancestor now!"

He wondered if Xu Junhe had a hand in the founding of the Great Wasteland.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end