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Chapter 1218: Chapter 1078: Dealing with
After acquiring a brand new Secret Realm, the members of the Li family became exceptionally busy. Large numbers of clansmen entered the Secret Realm and, under the guidance of the Spiritual Plant Cultivators, opened up numerous Spirit Fields and planted suitable Spiritual Objects.
At the same time, there were some clansmen tasked with clearing out the remaining Devil Beasts in the Secret Realm to prevent the Spirit Fields from being damaged.
Over several years, tens of thousands of clansmen worked tirelessly before completing the development of the entire Secret Realm.
To care for the high-grade Spiritual Objects, the family stationed a significant number of Spiritual Plant Cultivators in the Secret Realm.
Everything was prepared, and now they just had to wait for the Spiritual Objects to mature.
Li Zhirui did not concern himself with these matters. After leading his clansmen back to Mount Wanxian, he retreated into his Cave Mansion for closed-door cultivation.
He had not long broken through and had yet to encounter any bottleneck, so he wouldn’t consider venturing out for training. Spending his time on focused cultivation to achieve the next breakthrough as soon as possible was a better choice.
Yet, as they say: "The tree desires calm, but the wind does not cease!"
Back when Qian Kang elevated the Daqian Kingdom into a Human Dao Dynasty, he did not directly execute those brothers, noble families, and great clans who sought to overthrow his rule. Instead, he sent them away with great courtesy and even handed them the complete methods of forming a Human Dao Dynasty.
Qian Kang was by no means a benevolent or soft-hearted person; his actions were merely an effort to have them establish dynasties elsewhere and help share the pressure exerted by cultivators.
At that time, the Daqian Dynasty had already reached an understanding for peaceful coexistence with the nearby Immortal Dao influences.
However, agreements are only effective when both sides find them mutually beneficial. The moment one party sees no value, the agreement is nothing more than a worthless piece of paper.
Qian Kang’s intentions were simply a matter of foresight.
Although the Human Dao Law Net constructed by the dynasty could profoundly suppress the strength of cultivators, the Immortal Dao—having inherited countless generations of legacy—possessed methods and foundations far deeper than anyone could imagine.
Furthermore, the Daqian Dynasty stood alone as the sole Human Dao Dynasty. If relations soured, the Immortal Dao could concentrate all its power to target them.
At that point, the Daqian Dynasty would face immense danger, possibly even annihilation.
As for those "mortals" who departed from various corners of the Daqian territory, most managed to settle somewhere and establish their own dynasties.
The reason they could traverse the perilous East Continent, and even venture tens of thousands of miles without mishap, was that they were no longer mere mortals—each now possessed extraordinary powers!
Reading classics, gaining insight and self-awareness, developing a trace of Righteous Qi—these were known as Confucian Cultivators. Strengthening the body through battlefield slaughter and mastering formations—you could call them Military Family cultivators.
Additionally, there were Legalist cultivators who practiced justice and made decrees with their words, and Mo Family cultivators skilled in mechanics and material knowledge, among others.
Though their cultivation methods relied on Human Dao Fortune to improve, they were no longer pitiful mortals destined to await death in fear when faced with Devil Beasts.
That brings us back to the point!
The royal clans and noble families who departed from the Daqian Dynasty were no fools. They understood Qian Kang’s motives, so each chose the most distant locations possible.
Among them was one powerful noble family that arrived at Slaying Jiao State, which lies just two thousand miles south of Wanzhu State.
Slaying Jiao State was a domain with relatively weak cultivator strength, primarily due to the rampant Flood Dragons that had once wreaked havoc in the region. Eventually, their arrogance led to their demise when several Integration influences from Wanzhu State banded together to eliminate them.
The intense and brutal battle cost heavy casualties on both sides, resulting in shattered landscapes, broken Spirit Veins, and a dramatic drop in Spiritual Energy, rendering the area undesirable to strong Immortal Dao influences.
Yet, several thousand years later, Slaying Jiao State welcomed the arrival of the Liu family—a prominent clan from the Daqian Dynasty!
With their extraordinary powers, many Liu family members swiftly eradicated the Devil Beasts in the region, earning the admiration of the majority of local mortals.
Thus, it didn’t take long for the Liu family to naturally establish the Liu family Dafeng Kingdom, with Liu Chiyang, the clan leader of his generation, as king. Past clan leaders were posthumously honored, and Fengyang City was chosen as the capital.
As one of the noble families with roots tracing back to the founding of the Daqian Dynasty, the Liu family had served as officials for many generations, accumulating extensive governance experience. Their administrative skills were exceptional, resulting in prosperous livelihoods and flourishing Human Dao Fortune across the kingdom’s territory.
The extraordinary individuals who left the dynasty, stalling at progress due to a lack of fortune, began achieving breakthroughs and growing stronger under the newfound surge of luck.
But soon enough, the Human Dao Fortune proved insufficient!
More precisely, internal development within the Dafeng Kingdom had reached its limits.
After all, Slaying Jiao State was merely a domain of approximately a thousand miles in size. Before the Liu family arrived, mortals led cruel lives in dire conditions, naturally resulting in a relatively small population.
"Everyone, our Liu family has been here for decades, steadily accumulating strength. Now, the time has come to expand our borders and establish glory for the Liu family and the Dafeng Kingdom!" Liu Chiyang, now with a head full of silver hair, proclaimed with a voice full of vigor.
Though as an emperor he was unable to cultivate, the nourishment of Human Dao Fortune and imperial Dragon energy kept his body exceptionally healthy. Barring unforeseen circumstances, he should enjoy a natural death in old age.
"Dark Dragon Guards, you are tasked with gathering intelligence on neighboring regions. Are there directions worth expanding into?"
Liu Chiyang’s gaze turned toward his minister wearing the black dragon-patterned mask.
"Your Majesty, two thousand miles north of the kingdom’s borders, the Immortal Dao forces are relatively weak. The kingdom could advance slowly in that direction. However, if we continue heading north, we would reach Wanzhu State, which hosts multiple Integration influences. Meanwhile, to the east, there is another Integration family."
At the onset of Dafeng Kingdom’s expansion, Li Zhirui was still in seclusion, focusing on breaking through to the Mahayana stage and had not yet succeeded.
Yet even if Li Zhirui had already achieved Mahayana, the Liu family might still have chosen to target the east. This was because the regions south and east of Slaying Jiao State, though populated with weaker cultivator states, were all vassal territories of the Cave Abyss Sect!
