Jiang Ding pondered many things as he dealt with the Northern Plains' administrative affairs, delayed for more than three hundred years.
Before he knew it, he had slipped into cultivation. He began drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the light of primordial magnetism. A vast tide of spiritual energy, equivalent to that of a peak fourth-tier spirit vein, roared toward him and poured into his meridians and dantian, where it was refined bit by bit.
He did not know how much time passed.
Drip.
A drop of deep-blue magical power fell into his dantian, sending out ring after ring of tiny ripples.
The magical power in his dantian had nearly reached its peak. Only a little more, and it would overflow.
"Another thirty-five years, and I'll reach the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. My cultivation won't be able to advance any further."
Jiang Ding silently calculated for a moment.
He had lost too much time lying low in the Horn Nether Domain. Otherwise, he would have reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage long ago and could have begun his plan to enter dormancy.
But he was nearly there. A few decades would pass quickly.
"It's time."
Jiang Ding opened his eyes. Space flickered around him, and he teleported to another palace, one less solemn and imposing, more relaxed and free.
Inside a spacious, simply furnished palace.
Many Nascent Soul Cultivators sat upright, stealing glances at the empty seat of honor. Their eyes grew distant as they recalled the bold spirits of their youth, their feelings too tangled to name.
A square table stood before each of them, arranged in rows stretching back. The tables held every sort of fruit and vegetable, dragon liver and phoenix marrow, vermilion fruits and spirit ginseng.