Before Yang Hong's return, the Great Sui dynasty saw rapid population growth due to high-yield grains, leading to the emergence of many geniuses. However, their numbers were limited, and their potential had an upper bound.
But after he fully popularized the introductory cultivation technique, "Ten Martial Arts," while it couldn't directly create spiritual roots, it allowed existing spiritual roots to grow slightly. Furthermore, because the ten martial arts were easy to learn, the martial cultivation of young people advanced more rapidly. Any sect would call such individuals geniuses.
If only a few dozen or a hundred appeared, it could be attributed to the prosperity of the nation. But if hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands emerged, wouldn't the immortal cultivation sects go mad? Therefore, Yang Hong had to ensure Yang Guang restricted the emergence of these "geniuses" and prevented too many from being discovered by the immortal cultivation sects.
"Sixth Brother, rest assured. Even if you hadn't said anything, I've already sent out notifications. After deliberation, our royal family will send fifty people, the martial arts sects will send a hundred, and aristocratic families and commoners will send fifty to participate in the immortal cultivation sect's assessment." Upon hearing Yang Hong's intention, Yang Guang smiled and explained his arrangements.
"Mm, that's good. While I personally don't fear those immortal cultivation sects, most of you are still mortals. The Five Regions are of great importance and cannot afford any accidents. If an accident occurs, it will be you mortals who suffer." Yang Hong briefly explained, and this was indeed his sincere thought.
His cultivation reached the Nascent Soul stage, granting him a lifespan of two thousand years. Another breakthrough would extend it to four thousand years. While he could not, nor would he, abandon worldly affections, they had already faded considerably. Otherwise, he wouldn't have uttered the word "mortal," which he had always disliked.
"Sixth Brother, I understand. Having been emperor for so many years, I've met some cultivators and understand that cultivators can barely perceive mortals, viewing human lives as insignificant. Therefore, I will be even more cautious."
"It's good that Second Brother understands." Yang Hong nodded, quite approving of Yang Guang's governing ability, at least more so than his own.
"By the way, Sixth Brother, you said before that you wanted the younger generation of the Yang family to start cultivating. Is that true?" Yang Guang, rarely seeing Yang Hong, quickly asked another question.
"It's impossible for everyone to cultivate for now. The spiritual energy of this world is insufficient. In fact, there's hardly any spiritual energy in the entire Five Dynasties. To cultivate, we must first solve the problem of spiritual energy. Although I have a way to resolve this, it would lead to the death of billions, even tens of billions of beings. I cannot bear the karma involved."
"However, you can select thirty children with excellent character and have them begin cultivation at my villa. Their aptitude is not important; only good character matters."
"Alright, after this Five Regions' Prodigy Competition concludes, I will begin the selection." Hearing Yang Hong's words, Yang Guang's eyes gleamed. However, his expression immediately dimmed.
"Sixth Brother, do you think I still have a chance?"
"Second Brother, you have no chance." Looking at Yang Guang's expectant gaze, Yang Hong hardened his heart and shook his head.
Although Yang Hong had a way to guide Yang Guang onto the path of cultivation, after cultivating for so long and having read the memories of the Four True Demons, he knew that under the Heavenly Dao, there was a strict rule: unless an immortal dynasty was established, mortal emperors could not cultivate. This was because if a mortal emperor began to cultivate, the destiny of the dynasty or kingdom would assist the emperor in rapid cultivation, and their progress would be exceptionally fast. However, the destiny would also be consumed rapidly. The consequence of consuming a nation's destiny was continuous natural disasters and widespread suffering! Only by establishing an immortal dynasty and using special methods to bear the backlash of destiny consumption could the suffering of living beings be avoided. Unfortunately, Yang Hong did not understand such methods.
Bidding farewell to the disappointed Yang Guang, Yang Hong returned to Clear Breeze Villa to continue enjoying his tea. However, a sense of unease would still arise in his heart from time to time.
...
The Five Regions' Prodigy Competition began as scheduled and concluded smoothly, without any incidents. However, on the first day of the sixth month, Yang Hong's heart suddenly began to beat abnormally fast.
"Sixth Brother... Sixth Brother..." As he was wondering, a familiar voice reached Yang Hong's ears. It was Yang Guang, his voice sounding somewhat excited.
"Sixth Brother, see who I've brought!" Accompanying Yang Guang to the villa today was not the familiar Yang Ping, but a girl who seemed both familiar and strange.
"Husband, long time no see."
"Mm..." Hearing the address "Husband," Yang Hong's mind raced. After a while, he remembered who this person was. He asked with some uncertainty, "Li Lizhi?"
"Hehe... Husband, you still remember me." The girl, carrying a scent of fragrance, ran to Yang Hong's side, reaching out to hold his arm.
Unfortunately, Yang Hong dodged her with vigilance. He stared at Li Lizhi suspiciously, his divine sense scanning her back and forth. "Are you truly Li Lizhi?"
"Authentic and not a fake!" Li Lizhi spread her arms and even twirled around to show herself.
"But... but how could you possibly..." Yang Hong didn't finish his sentence. He couldn't be sure if this Nascent Soul stage cultivator before him was truly Li Lizhi. Li Lizhi was three years younger than Yang Hong, making her fifty-six years old this year. A fifty-six-year-old Nascent Soul cultivator? Even the sons of the sect masters of the Ten Great Immortal Sects in the Central Continent wouldn't dare to cultivate so fast! In the cultivation world, a cultivator forming a Golden Core within a hundred years was already considered a genius among geniuses. A hundred-year Nascent Soul cultivator hadn't appeared in tens of thousands of years. This made Yang Hong seriously suspect that the person before him was not Li Lizhi, but an old monster who had taken over Li Lizhi's body! Only those old monsters could achieve such rapid progress after a successful possession.
"Husband, are you puzzled by my cultivation? Indeed, my husband's cultivation is also not simple!" Li Lizhi approached Yang Hong again, but this time she didn't try to grab him. Instead, she stared intently at Yang Hong and scanned him with her divine sense. "Eh? You actually have no cultivation fluctuations on you, just like an ordinary mortal! Your breath-concealing technique is truly amazing!" As her divine sense probed, Li Lizhi almost mistook Yang Hong for an ordinary person, but the formation outside was proof that Yang Hong had cultivation, and at least at the fourth-tier Golden Core stage.
"I'll ask you one more time, are you truly Li Lizhi?" Yang Hong didn't lower his guard. The divine sense Li Lizhi swept over him was much stronger than that of an ordinary early Nascent Soul cultivator, comparable to a late Nascent Soul cultivator.
"I am indeed Li Lizhi. When we got married, the four of us didn't let you enter the bridal chamber. You killed a large black dog, possibly a demonic beast, and cooked a dog meat hot pot for us. The next day, Zhu Yu Yan, Wan Wan, and I even packed up your medicinal garden." To Yang Hong's doubt, Li Lizhi patiently explained, then asked. "Husband, what level do you think my cultivation is? And what is your own cultivation?"
Hearing Li Lizhi's words, Yang Hong temporarily put aside some of his wariness. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I can see through your early Nascent Soul cultivation. Your displayed cultivation is early Golden Core, but you have another layer of disguise, concealing your cultivation as mid-Golden Core." Yang Hong didn't reveal his own cultivation but exposed Li Lizhi's true cultivation.
"Mm... As expected, my husband is extraordinary. Being able to discern that I am in the Nascent Soul stage, then my husband must be at least in the Nascent Soul stage."
"Then, my plan will be foolproof." Hearing Li Lizhi mention a plan, Yang Hong became wary again.
"What plan?"