157: Fourth Generation: Overlord (53)

Within Xu Yuan, the "Purple Zenith Imperial Fate Art" was operating autonomously at an unprecedented, smooth speed.

Inside his Dantian and Qi Sea, that flawless "Purple Extremity Vast Heaven Foundation" emitted a low, pleasant hum, tirelessly absorbing and refining this vast and pure power of the newly born National Fortune.

He could clearly feel that his cultivation was improving at a steady and continuous rate.

This improvement was not the explosive, rapid advancement seen during closed-door cultivation, nor was it the violent impact brought about by swallowing Spirit Pills, but rather a natural process akin to the earth returning to spring and all things growing.

For every bit the National Fortune grew, the power fed back to him became that much purer.

This power gently washed over his Meridians, nourished his Divine Soul, and consolidated his Dao Foundation.

His original Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage Realm was becoming increasingly stable under this day-after-day nourishment of National Fortune; his spiritual power was becoming more condensed and thick, and his perception and control of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi were becoming more subtle and refined.

Although the speed was not rapid and lacked the thrill of ascending to the heavens in one step, this improvement had no Bottleneck and no stagnation, as if it were natural and effortless—a continuous sublimation closely linked to the fate of the Dynasty.

Xu Yuan did not need to deliberately charge through cultivation hurdles; as long as the Great Shang Dynasty continued to move forward under his leadership and the National Fortune continued to grow, his cultivation would naturally increase along with it.

"Using the hearts of the people as firewood, and the National Fortune as a great furnace..."

Xu Yuan slowly opened his eyes and whispered to himself.

This method of cultivation was completely different from the path of his previous three lives.

In his previous life, he pursued the ultimate personal power, the Peak of the Saber Dao.

But in this life, he was walking an "Imperial Dao" that gathered the power of hundreds of millions of people.

Personal cultivation was completely bound to the rise and fall of the Dynasty.

If he was strong, the National Fortune would flourish.

If the National Fortune flourished, he would become even stronger!

This was a virtuous cycle, and it was his greatest confidence in daring to push forward new policies and break the rules that had existed for thousands of years.

And besides his own strength, Xu Yuan had another source of confidence.

That was the complete Legacy of Mo Qianji that he had obtained in his previous life!

Over these three years, on the surface, Great Shang had been calm and peaceful. Xu Yuan had sat firmly in the capital, focusing on the implementation of new policies and his own cultivation, without starting any major wars.

But in secret, Xu Yuan had never relaxed his research into the Legacy of Mo Qianji.

In the side hall of the Nine Dragon Hall, the lights were bright.

Xu Yuan sat in the main seat. Standing below him were the travel-worn yet excited and serious-looking Wang Qingshan and Wang Zhengqing, as well as another core Elder of the Wang Family responsible for the Secret Pavilion workshop, Wang Xuanmo.

Elder Wang Xuanmo had white hair and beard, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. His tone was steady, tinged with pride: "Reporting to Your Majesty, thanks to the Artifact Refining Legacy of the Shen Family from before, our research speed into the Puppet path has accelerated significantly."

"The Secret Pavilion workshop is now able to stably produce 'Black Iron War Puppets' whose core combat power is comparable to the Early Foundation Establishment Stage!"

Upon hearing this, a look of satisfaction flashed in Xu Yuan's eyes.

Do not underestimate Xu Yuan's killing of Foundation Establishment Cultivators, but Foundation Establishment Cultivators only numbered around a hundred in the vast Great Shang.

Even if they were just Puppets comparable to the Early Foundation Establishment Stage, if they could be mass-produced, it would undoubtedly greatly enhance the high-end combat power of Great Shang, especially at the level of mid-level officers and elite squads, effectively making up for the shortage in the number of the Wang Family's direct forces.

"Good." Xu Yuan nodded. "This is a great achievement. The craftsmen and Formation Masters who participated in this matter shall all be heavily rewarded."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wang Xuanmo bowed, but then a thick look of worry appeared on his face. "However... Your Majesty, problems have followed."

Wang Zhengqing sighed and took over the conversation: "Exactly. Refining Puppets of this grade consumes a massive amount of spiritual Materials!"

"Especially the core 'Spirit-Melting Black Iron', 'Star Sand', and the 'Millennium Jade Marrow Fluid' needed to draw high-level spirit patterns; our inventory is rapidly bottoming out. Previously, we could rely on the Wang Family's millennium of accumulation and what we obtained from the destruction of the Xiao and Shen families, but according to the current progress and Your Majesty's plan..."

"At most, we can support it for another half a year before many key spiritual Materials will be completely cut off."

Wang Xuanmo added: "Moreover, this is only the consumption for refining Early Foundation Establishment Stage Puppets. According to the Legacy, if we want to try refining stronger Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage, or even Late Stage Puppets, or even... activate the legendary 'Nine Nether Puppet Killing Array', the core Materials required, such as 'Nether Cold Iron', 'Geng Metal Essence', and so on, are priceless and in short supply. We haven't even been able to collect a single portion yet."

Wang Qingshan took a deep breath, added in a deep voice, and threw out another problem that could not be ignored:

"Not only that, Dashang Academy now covers every prefecture and county, absorbing hundreds of thousands of students."

"Although the cultivation resources and daily expenses given to each student are only the lowest-grade 'Spirit-Nurturing Pills', 'Green Grain Rice', and 'Basic Talisman Paper', the sheer number is just too huge!"

"This is like a bottomless pit, devouring massive amounts of low-grade resources every day. The reserves in the official granaries of each prefecture and county, especially spiritual grain, low-grade Ore, and herbs, are decreasing at a speed visible to the naked eye."

He looked up at Xu Yuan, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness: "In addition, Your Majesty is benevolent. To allow for recuperation and to win the hearts of the people, you have reduced taxes across the country by nearly 30% for three consecutive years... The national treasury's income and expenditure already have a huge gap."

"If this continues, let alone supporting the Puppet plan, even maintaining the daily operation of the Academy and the normal expenses of the imperial court will likely... likely be difficult to sustain."

The inner treasury was about to be exhausted, and the national treasury was tight.

On one side was the Puppet plan concerning future high-end combat power, and on the other was the new policy Academy that maintained the Foundation of the Dynasty and future talent.

Both were like giant beasts waiting to be fed, opening their mouths to devour resources.

Xu Yuan sat at the head, his fingers tapping the black jade armrest unhurriedly, making a steady and rhythmic sound.

The expression on his face did not change much, as if the situation stated by Wang Qingshan and Wang Xuanmo had long been within his expectations and deductions.

The hall was silent, with only the "tap... tap..." sound of the tapping, which seemed to strike at everyone's heart, bringing a strange, reassuring sense of rhythm.

Finally, Xu Yuan stopped tapping and spoke slowly, his voice as steady as a deep pool:

"The inner treasury and the accumulation of the Noble Families are near their limits; this is a fact."

"Reducing taxes to allow the people to recuperate is a long-term national policy to consolidate the Foundation, and it must not be easily changed."

His tone was firm and unquestionable.

The cohesion of the people's hearts and the growth of National Fortune brought about by the new policies were wealth more precious than the resources before him; he would never drink poison to quench his thirst for a moment.

Immediately, his tone turned slightly, and his voice carried a hint of cold sharpness, like a precious sword hidden in its sheath finally revealing a sliver of cold light:

"Since the internal nutrients are no longer enough to support the growth of the giant tree..."

"Then, let us cast our gaze outward."

A few sparse words, yet they carried an unquestionable decisiveness, the domineering will of a monarch opening up new territories and seizing resources!