Tide-Listening Kingdom, the State-Founding Verification Offering Method

The Heavenly Melody River surged onward, winding down from the Jade Court Mountain Range through countless lands before suddenly turning within Cloudridge Circuit and branching into another tributary—the Singing Sand River.

At this moment, a large boat over twenty zhang long and several zhang wide was traveling downstream along the Singing Sand River.

The vessel looked ordinary, but azure seal-script characters flickered upon its sails, stirring the "wind currents" above the river and greatly increasing its speed. It raced forward far faster than any mundane ship.

"Fellow Mystics, once we pass the Singing Sand River, we will have left Immortal Cult territory."

"Then, after another eight hundred li and across the Blackstone Wasteland, we will reach the Tide-Listening Kingdom."

At this time, a burly middle-aged man with graying temples stood aboard the boat. With a respectful cupped-fist salute, he called out to the eight elegant Daoists on deck.

These eight were none other than Lu Xuan and the others.

That day, Ning Wanqing had mentioned some news.

Civil unrest had broken out in the Tide-Listening Kingdom. Its borders were unstable, and many lesser demons had emerged, devouring men and drinking blood, plundering the trade routes.

There were wicked demons there to be slain.

Yet because of the kingdom's internal strife, numerous Qi Refining cultivators were locked in endless conflict. Even Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivators had entered the fray, making the place rather dangerous.

But after discussing it among themselves, they still decided to give it a try.

Compared to the many perilous places, the Tide-Listening Kingdom was the closest to the Immortal Cult. It was also a small nation where Foundation Establishment cultivators were rare. They did not need to venture deep into its territory—merely hunt demons along the border trade routes.

It was relatively safe.

Still, to guard against every possibility, they had all come together.

After all, a single inner disciple of the Heaven-Gazing Sect might not carry much weight, but eight inner disciples gathered together constituted a "group incident."

If they encountered an enemy they could not defeat, the weight of eight of them standing together might perhaps frighten off that great foe.

Once they had made their decision, they wasted no time. Through Ning Wanqing's arrangements, they boarded this "Treasure-Gathering Boat."

"Uncle Yuan, there is no need for such formality. My fellow students are all easygoing people. You may simply address them as fellow Daoists. It is no matter," Ning Wanqing said to the middle-aged man with a smile.

This Uncle Yuan was also a Qi Refining cultivator.

The Heaven-Gazing Sect was vast, and it believed in the Life-Valuing Principle. Naturally, many Qi Refining cultivators under its rule were not direct disciples of the sect. However, the methods they cultivated were far less profound than those of the Immortal Cult, and the qi they gathered was mostly turbid Mixed Qi, with Clear Qi rarely seen.

Even fewer could break through to Foundation Establishment. Their prowess in battle was also ordinary, far inferior to the Immortal Cult's Golden Armor Jade Body Method.

Moreover... they had to earn all their cultivation resources themselves. They could not devote themselves solely to cultivation.

What Uncle Yuan gathered was Mixed Qi. He had acquired this Treasure-Gathering Boat in order to transport spirit ore for sale, earning Spirit Stones to support both his own cultivation and his Lineage.

Hearing Ning Wanqing's words, Uncle Yuan immediately shook his head again and again. "That will not do, that will not do. You Mystics are all immortal seeds of the Immortal Cult. I am merely a Mixed Qi cultivator who runs ships—how could I compare with you? It will not do."

Zhan Qingyang smiled at that. "Uncle Yuan, you are Junior Sister Ning's uncle, so naturally you are our uncle as well. Why be so distant?"

Before boarding the Treasure-Gathering Boat, Lu Xuan and the others had also learned of Ning Wanqing's relationship with Uncle Yuan.

When Ning Wanqing's Lineage had suffered disaster years ago, she had fled alone to the Singing Sand River. Uncle Yuan was the one who rescued her, brought her into Immortal Cult territory, and later she caught the eye of a teacher, allowing her to enter Hibernation Academy.

It was precisely because of this relationship that Ning Wanqing was naturally close to Uncle Yuan and visited him often. That was also how she had learned of the Tide-Listening Kingdom's situation, setting this demon-slaying journey in motion.

"Uncle Yuan, do you know why the Tide-Listening Kingdom has fallen into civil unrest?" Lu Xuan asked.

During his cultivation at Hibernation Academy, he had read many records and miscellaneous chronicles, gaining quite some understanding of the situation around the Immortal Cult. Yet those accounts mostly concerned grand events and were likely already outdated. When it came to specific details, they certainly could not compare to someone like Uncle Yuan, who had spent years running ships. That was why he asked.

Uncle Yuan first tried to decline the form of address "Uncle Yuan." Only after seeing that he could not refuse it did he answer, "To inform you Mystics, this unrest in the Tide-Listening Kingdom is, nine times out of ten, inseparable from the Great Yan Kingdom."

The Great Yan Kingdom?

Lu Xuan and the others exchanged glances, all astonished.

Yan was an exceptionally powerful immortal dynasty, rich in strength. Its conduct was domineering, and it put profit first; it was difficult to say whether it was righteous or evil.

The Heaven-Gazing Sect, the Great Yan Kingdom, and the Woodflower Sect had even established a Three Alliances Office to handle matters involving the three powers.

This tiny Tide-Listening Kingdom was actually connected to the Great Yan Kingdom?

"You Mystics are immortal seeds of the Immortal Cult, so you should know that the Great Yan Kingdom's [Verification Offering] method is to found a nation."

"Found a nation and establish a dynasty name, and such a Grand Rite may be completed, allowing one to break through a realm."

"But founding a nation is hardly so simple. Population, court, institutions, and all manner of affairs are immensely complicated and have their own established rules. It is not something that can be done merely by embroidering an imperial banner."

"Thus, the Great Yan Kingdom devised a clever scheme. Among the various small nations, it supports a Lineage, letting it contend against that small nation's ruler. Once it seizes the throne and establishes a new dynasty, the Grand Rite is completed. The various institutions are preserved as well, and there is also a Lineage for it to command and operate the nation."

"Of course... this is only hearsay. I have never truly seen it myself. It is said that the Great Yan Kingdom's [State-Founding Verification Offering] method has many restrictions. As for the specifics, outsiders cannot know them."

"But in recent years, the Yan Kingdom's [Verification Offering] method seems to have spread beyond its borders. That is why the surrounding small nations have become so turbulent."

Uncle Yuan told them everything he knew, though he did not dare claim certainty.

Lu Xuan and the others immediately frowned.

Naturally, they knew of the Yan Kingdom's State-Founding Verification Offering Method. Indeed, the Great Yan Kingdom itself had been founded through this rite.

But the Yan Kingdom was a vast and mighty nation. After so many years, it had long possessed its own complete "Verification Offering method." The small tributary nations under its loose control lay scattered like stars across the sky, too numerous to count. Why would it need to come to the Tide-Listening Kingdom?

And given the Great Yan Kingdom's power, how could its Verification Offering method possibly spread outside?

"From what Uncle Yuan says, the Tide-Listening Kingdom currently has one rebel army and one royal army battling each other, causing order to collapse?" Lu Xuan asked again.

Uncle Yuan nodded. "Exactly. Those two sides are fighting until the skies are dark and the earth is black. They have drawn away the forces stationed in various places, giving many lesser demons strange thoughts and allowing them to begin plundering travelers."

"If I had not fled quickly last time, I might have perished there."

Speaking of that previous encounter, Uncle Yuan still showed lingering fear.

He was merely a Qi Refining First Layer cultivator who gathered Mixed Qi. How much fighting strength could he possess? Including the guards aboard the ship, there had only been three Qi Refining cultivators. Facing the siege of more than ten Demon Race members, escaping with his life was already thanks to the speed of his dharma vessel.

"Uncle Yuan, rest assured! With us here this time, we will certainly keep you safe and sound!" Zhang Xuange shouted.

Zhan Qingyang shook his head instead. "Uncle Yuan, please tell us more about these wicked demons, so that we may prepare ourselves."

Naturally, Uncle Yuan agreed, immediately recounting everything he had encountered and everything he had heard over these past days.

And just then, the boat sailed out of the Singing Sand River and passed beyond Immortal Cult territory.

From that point onward, there were no longer any formations protecting either bank of the river, nor were there cultivators patrolling them.