"Uncle Ping, has the Great Sui encountered trouble again?"
Yang Hong asked after Yang Ping had calmed down.
"Alas~ Ever since the battle six years ago, our Great Sui has been in a difficult situation.
Although our nation's strength is considerable due to the high-yield seeds you cultivated, when it comes to high-end combat power, especially above Grandmaster level, our Great Sui is almost nonexistent.
The strongest in the Great Sui now is this old bone of mine."
As he spoke, Yang Ping sighed inwardly.
"That's not right, isn't it? Don't we have many disciples who have joined immortal cultivation sects? Won't they come to help?"
Yang Hong immediately retorted.
Not to mention others, there were over a hundred girls who had left his [Pavilion of Deliberate Ignorance].
"Hong'er, you're thinking too simply. Our Great Sui has citizens who join immortal cultivation sects, but doesn't the Meng Yuan also have them?
They are an empire, and their citizens joining immortal cultivation sects are tens or hundreds of times more than ours.
If it weren't for the rule that cultivators must not interfere in mortal affairs, our Great Sui would have been destroyed hundreds of times over."
"Oh~ That's right."
Yang Hong slapped his forehead, suddenly enlightened.
He had indeed overlooked this point and immediately returned to the main topic.
"Then what kind of difficulty is the Great Sui facing now?"
"This... let His Majesty tell you."
At this point, Yang Ping seemed hesitant and did not say it directly.
"Alright.
Uncle Ping, are you thirsty? Have a peach, I grew it myself."
Seeing Yang Ping's hesitation, Yang Hong decided not to press further and instead offered him a juicy peach.
"I am indeed a bit thirsty. I must say, Hong'er, your farming skills have not diminished.
So fragrant~ So delicious~ So..."
Yang Ping finished the peach, which was as big as an infant's fist, in just a few bites.
However, as he was exclaiming, he could no longer continue. A violent surge of heat coursed through his entire body.
"Uncle Ping, cultivate according to your usual techniques. I will help you break through."
Seeing the excited look in Yang Ping's eyes, Yang Hong nodded and said calmly.
He then raised his right hand, and a stream of spiritual energy shot out, protecting Yang Ping's internal energy as it circulated rapidly.
"Roar~"
In just half an hour, Yang Ping broke through directly from the late Grandmaster stage to the Heavenly Human realm, and the heat continued to circulate.
Early Heavenly Human,
Mid Heavenly Human.
The heat only transformed into a warm current and gradually calmed down when it reached the mid Heavenly Human realm.
Yang Hong shook his head inwardly. Yang Ping's aptitude was somewhat lacking. With a third-grade spiritual fruit and his guidance of spiritual energy, an ordinary person could have broken through from having no cultivation to the Qi Refining realm.
Yet, Yang Ping, a late Grandmaster, could only break through to the mid Heavenly Human realm and could not advance further.
"Thank you, Your Highness, for the gift of a new life!"
After waking up, Yang Ping was extremely excited and knelt down to thank Yang Hong.
This time, Yang Hong did not stop him. He had indeed bestowed a great favor upon Yang Ping.
For an ordinary Grandmaster, no matter how well they maintained themselves or cultivated, their lifespan limit was 120 years.
Upon advancing to the Heavenly Human realm, their lifespan could be extended to 150 years, and with good care, even up to 180 years.
"Uncle Ping, search within the imperial family. See if there are any clan members who are old, have lower cultivation, but are loyal to the royal family. Find them all, and I will bestow upon them a stroke of fortune."
"Alright! I'll go now!"
Saying that, Yang Ping turned to leave, but Yang Hong called him back.
"Wait, Uncle Ping, also help me find a place outside the imperial city with mountains and water. I want to build a manor."
"Your Highness, you won't live in this imperial palace?"
Hearing Yang Hong's request, Yang Ping was stunned.
"No, this place is not suitable.
By the way, where is Dugu Galuo?"
Yang Hong had no idea how much the negative soul had influenced him and feared he might do something immoral.
At this moment, he thought of Dugu Galuo and inadvertently spoke her name.
"Ah~ Royal Sister-in-law also went to that battlefield six years ago and died bravely fighting alongside Royal Brother."
Speaking of Dugu Galuo, Yang Ping's tone was filled with admiration.
Back then, Dugu Galuo was only at the early Grandmaster stage, but she still went to the battlefield without hesitation and accompanied Yang Jian in death.
"Is that so? She truly went through a lot."
Upon hearing that Dugu Galuo was dead, Yang Hong felt a sense of pity mixed with a deep sigh of relief.
It was good that she died.
"Hmm~ Yang Guang is here."
As they spoke, a tall and sturdy figure ran over quickly, with two identical girls behind him.
"Sixth Brother! It's really you, you're back!"
As soon as Yang Guang arrived, he rushed over to hug Yang Hong and gently patted his back.
The Yang family always greeted each other in such a bold and intimate manner.
"Cough cough~ Second Brother, there are juniors present. Please mind your image."
After patting Yang Guang's back, Yang Hong gently pushed him away.
"Yes~ Yes, second brother got excited.
Come, come, you two, meet your Sixth Uncle."
Yang Guang stood up straight and beckoned to those behind him.
"Qing Ping / Qing Lian greet Sixth Uncle."
The two girls curtsied gracefully and called out "Sixth Uncle" in clear voices.
"Get up. You're twins, that's truly rare.
Are you the first twins in the history of our Yang family?"
"Hahaha~ Sixth Brother, am I amazing? These are indeed the first twins in our Yang family's four hundred years."
Hearing Yang Hong's praise, Yang Guang burst into laughter.
The Yang family was an imperial clan with numerous descendants. In four hundred years, there must have been at least eighty thousand to a hundred thousand offspring, yet there had never been twins. These two girls were truly rare.
"Second Brother is indeed amazing.
Qing Ping, Qing Lian, is it? Come, I have a gift for you."
The two sisters looked to be around eighteen years old. They were not breathtakingly beautiful but possessed a gentle and refined charm that made them appear noble and approachable.
They could be considered 80% beauties.
With a flip of his hand, Yang Hong produced a pair of red jade pendants.
"This is a pair of Fiery Bird jade pendants, refined from a sixth-grade Crimson Flame Jade and imbued with the Nascent Soul of a sixth-tier Fiery Bird, then tempered by heavenly lightning.
Upon dripping blood to recognize ownership, they can protect their owner, withstanding an hour of continuous attacks from a sixth-tier Soul Splitting cultivator. Cultivators below the sixth-tier need not worry at all."
"Hiss~"
"Immortal artifact!"
"Magic treasure!"
"Sixth Uncle, we can't accept them~"
Before Yang Hong could finish speaking, the four of them began to exclaim in amazement. The two sisters repeatedly waved their hands, refusing to accept them.
"Take them. These things are no longer useful to me. Have them for fun."
Yang Hong smiled and waved his hand. The two jade pendants flew directly into the hands of the two sisters, and Yang Hong personally dripped a drop of blood from each to help them recognize ownership.
The sisters exchanged glances, then suddenly knelt down and said in unison.
"Thank you, Sixth Uncle, for bestowing the treasure, but your nieces hope to exchange the treasure for your help with one matter."
"Hehe~ We are family, no need to be so serious. Just tell me what it is, and I will help if I can."
With another wave of Yang Hong's hand, the two stood up naturally.
"Please ask Sixth Uncle to speak with Father Emperor and tell him not to send us for a political marriage."
"Hmm~ Political marriage?"
Upon hearing about the political marriage, and that it involved them, Yang Hong immediately became enraged. He then understood why Yang Ping had been hesitant to reveal the troubles of the Great Sui.
"Alas~ Sixth Brother, I am useless. The glorious Great Sui left by Father Emperor has, in my hands, resorted to selling daughters for honor."
Yang Guang's previous excitement and joy vanished, replaced by shame and melancholy. Tears began to fall like raindrops.
"However, the seventh prince of the Meng Yuan specifically requested the Qing Ping sisters. Otherwise, they will launch another invasion south."
"If they are not sent, thousands of citizens will die because of them."
As he spoke the last words, Yang Guang beat his chest and stamped his feet.
Yang Hong stepped forward and patted Yang Guang's shoulder.
The matter of political marriage for peace was not uncommon in the history of the Great Xia, and on the Taiyuan Continent, it was the most conventional of operations.
However, with Yang Hong present, it was entirely unnecessary.
"Second Brother, how can a woman of the Han be paired with barbarians?
With me here, that Meng Yuan will not be able to stir up trouble."