Chapter 70

Weapons possessing spiritual nature did not surprise Lin Yuan.

In the Dragon Tiger World, the True Martial Sword itself possessed spirituality.

However, in this world, the Divine Weapons started to domesticate humans, consuming them periodically.

This was no longer mere spirituality, but spiritual wisdom.

The thirty-six Divine Weapons were equivalent to thirty-six nearly Fourth Rank or genuine Fourth Rank powerhouses.

If they united, slaughtering the entire Human Race would be a piece of cake.

But these thirty-six Divine Weapons did not do so.

Instead, they planned for sustainable development.

They even found their own spokespersons.

That is, the royal families of the Central Plains Thirty-Six Kingdoms.

They supported spokespersons from among the livestock.

Then let the spokespersons manage the multitude of livestock.

Every now and then, they would select suitable livestock to consume.

This had already formed a complete system.

From this alone, Lin Yuan had already determined that the Divine Weapons not only possessed spiritual wisdom,

but their spiritual wisdom was not low.

“However, I am not in danger for now.”

Lin Yuan thought silently to himself.

Even if regarded as livestock for food,

there were levels even among that.

As a chosen spokesperson of the ‘Divine Weapon’ from the Greater Yan Imperial family, like Lin Yuan,

his status was undoubtedly the highest.

Even if he couldn’t escape the fate of being consumed,

he would be the last to be consumed.

“Power, as long as the power is strong enough, even a Divine Weapon can be shattered with one punch.”

Lin Yuan let out a breath lightly and walked out of the wooden building.

The cultivation system of the beings in this world was influenced by the ‘Divine Weapons’.

No matter how brilliant one was, the endpoint was merely Martial Saint.

In the face of the sublime ‘Divine Weapons’, they were merely a delicious food.

But Lin Yuan was different.

His cultivation foundation did not originate from this world and was completely unaffected by the ‘Divine Weapons’.

Returning to the Eastern Palace,

Lin Yuan sat cross-legged.

“Today, I can recover to full strength.”

Lin Yuan’s eyes lowered.

Having shuttled to this world six years ago, Lin Yuan naturally did not idle away as he consumed various supplements daily.

He had secretly almost completely restored his strength very early on.

In fact, with the speed of Lin Yuan’s cultivation,

he could have regained full strength in at most five years.

However, the cultivation system of this world had given Lin Yuan quite a bit of inspiration.

Body Refining, Tendon Refinement, Skin Refinement, Bone Refinement, Organ Refinement, Marrow Refinement, and finally, Blood Refining—although somewhat abnormal,

indeed perfect in forging the body.

It allowed every aspect of the body, inside and out, to be tempered.

This was exactly what made Lin Yuan integrate this set of cultivation systems perfectly into the Martial Tao Cultivation System, taking him an additional year more.

“Almost there.”

Lin Yuan’s eyes slightly closed.

Inside his body, a dramatic transformation was occurring.

Half a day later.

Lin Yuan successfully recovered to Third Rank strength.

At this moment, his combat power even surpassed that of his peak period in the Main World.

After all, Lin Yuan had now fully cultivated the physical transformation technique learnt from Loulan He,

and he had perfectly assimilated the physically honing methods of this world.

In terms of the physical body, he naturally exceeded that of the Main World by a lot.

“Take it slow.”

Lin Yuan’s gaze was calm.

According to his estimation, the Nation-Protecting Divine Weapons of the Central Plains Thirty-Six Kingdoms,

each possessed at least near Fourth Rank, or even genuine Fourth Rank strength.

Compared to these Divine Weapons, the current Lin Yuan definitely fell short.

…

That day,

Lin Yuan finished his cultivation

only to see his seventh sister waiting for him.

Lin Yuan’s seventh sister… to be precise, Lin Yuan’s half-sister,

was the seventh princess of the Greater Yan Dynasty.

However, the relationship between the two was quite good,

and they often met to chat.

“Xiaoyuan, I am about to go to the Divine Weapon Ancestral Grounds with the other sisters…”

The seventh sister’s tone suddenly turned somewhat anxious.

“Divine Weapon Ancestral Grounds?”

Lin Yuan’s expression remained unchanged.

The Divine Weapon Ancestral Grounds were where the Nation-Protecting Divine Weapon of the Greater Yan Dynasty slumbered.

As for why the seventh sister and the other princesses were going to the Divine Weapon Ancestral Grounds, it must be related to the cultivation of ‘weapon bearers’.

To become a weapon bearer, one must first be recognised by the Divine Weapon.

This inevitably involves approaching the Divine Weapon.

According to past practice,

the candidate for the weapon bearer of the Greater Yan Dynasty would definitely be selected primarily from among the clan members.

After all, the fact that weapon bearers have short lives is no secret.

If the current Emperor had a choice, he definitely would not send his own children.

But now the Greater Yan Dynasty faced a generation gap in weapon bearers.

All clan members had been tested, yet none were chosen by the Divine Weapon.

In such a situation, Emperor Liu Shi could only send his own children to try.

Of course, only daughters; Lin Yuan, as the Crown Prince, was absolutely impossible to become a weapon bearer.

Because soldier-makers did not live long and needed to stay close to the Divine Weapons for extended periods.

They were destined to have no claim to the throne.

“There shouldn’t be any problems,” he said.

Lin Yuan offered a few words of comfort.

“I hope so.”

His sister’s eyes were somewhat reddened.

Although no one knew what exactly would happen to a soldier-maker.

But every three to four decades, the Greater Yan Dynasty would select a soldier-maker.

It was likely that the previous soldier-makers had died.

Otherwise, there would be no need to select new ones.

…

Half a day later.

His sister, crying, came to find Lin Yuan again.

“Brother, I, I have been chosen…”

His sister’s voice was hoarse, tinged with fear.

Shortly after.

The Imperial Guard entered.

They respectfully bowed to Lin Yuan.

Then they took his sister away.

She did not resist.

Once chosen by the Divine Weapon, her fate was already sealed.

Even the Emperor could not change it.

Her appearance here was solely to see Lin Yuan one last time.

After all, once one becomes a soldier-maker, unless you activate the Divine Weapon, you hardly get a chance to leave the Divine Weapon Ancestral Grounds.

“Do Divine Weapons… prefer people with strong souls?”

Lin Yuan watched his sister leave, his mind racing.

Compared to other members of the Imperial Clan, his sister’s spiritual soul was innately powerful.

Specifically manifesting as a good memory and needing only a short sleep to feel refreshed.

As for why it prefers them… perhaps because they are ‘tastier’?

Perhaps, for the Divine Weapons, those cultivators with vigorous vital energy are just ordinary food.

But a person with a strong soul is like a feast they want to savor slowly, which is why each soldier-maker’s life is not long.

Lin Yuan’s thoughts churned.

At this moment, he also guessed why the Divine Weapon did not simply remove constraints on the spirit within the cultivation system.

If both the physical body and soul were cultivated together, there was a chance to give birth to beings surpassing Martial Saints. Over time, that might challenge the ‘dominant’ position of the Divine Weapons.

…

“Yuan’er, it is an honor for your sister to be chosen by the Divine Weapon, and it is also good for our Greater Yan Dynasty,” Emperor Liu Shi told Lin Yuan softly.

Though this resolved the crisis of a ‘break in succession’ of soldier-makers for the Greater Yan Dynasty.

Emperor Liu Shi was not in high spirits.

He was well aware of what it meant to be a soldier-maker.

If it had been any other royal family member, he might have turned a blind eye.

But because it was his own daughter…

Even so, Emperor Liu Shi did not regret it.

Even if the Greater Yan Dynasty was short of a soldier-maker for a while due to the pact.

It would not have caused any dire consequences.

But a dynasty with a soldier-maker and one without are not the same at all.

In dealings with other dynasties of the Central Plains, without a soldier-maker, the Greater Yan Dynasty was bound to be at a disadvantage.

Then, when facing other powerful dynasties, the Greater Yan Dynasty would definitely suffer various disadvantages and might even have to sign some humiliating treaties.

A soldier-maker could activate the Divine Weapon, though there was basically no need to, but it also served as a significant deterrent.

It might not be necessary to use.

But it was essential to have.

Now that the seventh princess had become a soldier-maker, it was akin to mending the Greater Yan Dynasty’s greatest flaw.

For the next three to four decades, there was unlikely to be any trouble.

As for the personal emotions of the seventh princess…

As a princess of the dynasty, from the moment she was born she was clothed in silk and precious stones, exalted above tens of thousands.

Having enjoyed so much, now that the Greater Yan Dynasty faced a crisis, what was wrong with making a sacrifice?

“Yuan’er, I know you have a good relationship with Xiaoyuan,” Emperor Liu Shi said.

“But if we can cultivate a ‘soldier-maker,’ any sacrifice is worth it,” he comforted.

He had specifically come over because he was worried Lin Yuan might be entertaining wild thoughts.

After all, he knew about the relationship between Lin Yuan and the seventh princess.

“Father, actually…”

Lin Yuan fell silent for a moment.

“Actually what?” Emperor Liu Shi’s spirit slightly jolted.

He indeed wanted to know Lin Yuan’s thoughts on this matter.

This was also Emperor Liu Shi putting Lin Yuan to the test in a way.

If Lin Yuan was still unable to let go of the seventh princess.

Then Emperor Liu Shi would be very disappointed.

Ordinary people can cherish sibling affection.

But an emperor cannot.

If an emperor wavers because of personal feelings.

It would be a disaster for the entire nation.

As the future Emperor of Greater Yan, the sovereign of billions.

Lin Yuan’s perspective should be based on the broader interests of the Greater Yan Dynasty.

If it could ensure decades of stability for the Greater Yan Dynasty’s future, not just one princess.

Even ten, a hundred, Liu Shi would not hesitate.

“Actually, there’s no need to cultivate soldier-makers…”

Lin Yuan looked toward Emperor Liu Shi.

“Give me time, and I will surpass a soldier-maker.”