“Oh?” Gu Hai said, feeling suspicious.
“Speaking of which, Mister Gu recalls that I led three thousand oceanic animal spirits to Nine-Five Island in my true form, right?” Yao Zhengtian smiled.
“I do. I often wondered, why did Mister Yao cause such a huge commotion since you could take human form? You had three thousand oceanic animal spirits paving the way for you in your main form. Wherever you went, thunderclouds covered the sky for five hundred kilometers around. You announced yourself, but…” Gu Hai frowned slightly.
“It was too ostentatious?!” Yao Zhengtian smiled.
Gu Hai did not answer, but his expression betrayed his agreement.
“It was not that this humble one wanted it to be that way, but I had no other choice!” Yao Zhengtian smiled bitterly.
“Oh?”
“I was born about eight hundred years ago. My father was an animal spirit king ruling over a region of the east sea. While he was not the strongest in the world, he reigned supreme for millions of kilometers around. My family lived a contented life in the underwater palace. However, that year, a Heavenly Go Pavilion disciple barged in, and my father ate him. At first, he thought that no one knew about it, but it ended up bringing a great disaster!” Yao Zhengtian said bitterly.
“A great disaster? That baxia shell in the Great Feng Mafia Family?” Gu Hai’s expression changed.
“Yes! That was my father’s shell. If one does not want anyone to know, then don’t do the deed in the first place. My father could not escape. Later on, Old Mister Guan Qi found him and forged him into a spiritual item to seal the dragon vein. Not long ago, I transformed into my true form to use that body to sense my father’s aura through the cosmic connections. That was how I eventually reached the Great Feng Mafia Family and obtained what my father left behind!” Yao Zhengtian said gravely.
“What does that have to do with you seeking me out?” Gu Hai asked, feeling bewildered.
Yao Zhengtian nodded. Then, he smiled bitterly as he said, “An Innate Realm cultivator can live for two hundred years. A Golden Core Realm cultivator can live for four hundred years. A Nascent Soul Realm cultivator can live for eight hundred years. However, the Nascent Soul Realm is also a great dividing line. At the limit, one can achieve a lifespan of one thousand years. This old man is eight hundred forty-six years old this year. As I managed to cross the third stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, I have surpassed the normal lifespan of eight hundred years. However, the limit of one thousand years is fast approaching. Left without a choice, I needed to find my father’s shell.”
“Oh? That shell was useful to you?”
“Yes. It could aid me in making further breakthroughs. Before we baxia die, we can channel our life’s efforts into the shell to leave to the latter generations. The latter generations can use the accumulations of our fathers and ancestors to go further in our cultivation!” Yao Zhengtian did not hide anything.
“That…”
Gu Hai looked at Yao Zhengtian dubiously.
Yao Zhengtian suddenly stood up, and his figure wavered.
A shell slowly appeared on Yao Zhengtian’s back. That shell had a Go puzzle on it.
“Mister Gu, you see it, right? Twenty-Nine Line-Pair World Go Puzzle is a lock. Although I obtained my father’s shell and merged with it, the Go puzzle is still on it. This Go puzzle is like a seal, locking me up. During this time, I tried all sorts of ways but could not release it. Some of my subordinates tried solving the puzzle for me. However, the Go puzzle’s offensive power is too strong. More than ten of my subordinates died trying. When the news from the Dragon Pinning Sect spread, I learned of Mister Gu’s incredible Go skills. I beg for Mister Gu to help me out here!” Yao Zhengtian bowed to Gu Hai gravely.
“Mister Yao, there’s no need for this!” Gu Hai immediately stopped Yao Zhengtian.
“Mister Gu, what request do you have? Just tell me. I will definitely do my best with what I can help with!” Yao Zhengtian said seriously.
“There’s no need. Mister Yao, it’s just a deed in passing. Let me see the Go puzzle!” Gu Hai smiled.
Yao Zhengtian felt slightly surprised. However, he turned his back to Gu Hai, showing him the Go puzzle.
The Twenty-Nine Line-Pair World Go Puzzle?
“Huh?” Gu Hai felt slightly startled.
“What’s wrong? Mister Gu?” Yao Zhengtian asked worriedly.
“It is also the Twenty-Nine Line-Pair World Go Puzzle, but it is different from the one in the Dragon Pinning Sect?” Gu Hai said, raising his eyebrows.
“Ah? It’s different?” Yao Zhengtian said, suddenly worried.
“There’s no need to worry, Mister Yao. Although it is different, the solution seems more obvious than the one in the Dragon Pinning Sect,” Gu Hai said, shaking his head.
Yao Zhengtian showed a complicated expression.
Gu Hai studied the Go puzzle for about thirty minutes.
Clack! Gu Hai finally picked up a black Go stone and played it.
Clack! A white Go stone automatically played.
Clack! Clack! Clack!
The black Go stones and white Go stones alternated continuously. As time went by, Gu Hai became more engrossed. The change in the Go puzzle also affected Yao Zhengtian. Yao Zhengtian’s back suddenly started to hurt. However, Yao Zhengtian endured the pain in silence while beads of sweat appeared on his face.
Clack! Clack!
Gu Hai played for an hour.
Boom!
The Go puzzle suddenly exploded and shattered, turning into a dense mist. Then, the mist rushed into Yao Zhengtian’s body.
Buzz!
Yao Zhengtian’s body emitted a blue light as a loud report echoed in the surroundings.
Gu Hai, on the other hand, immediately sat down and closed his eyes, entering deep thought.
Gu Qin and the others waited patiently at the side, not saying anything.
After a while, Yao Zhengtian’s entire body trembled, radiating a strong aura. An intense gale erupted from him and turned the surrounding furnishings topsy-turvy.
“Huh?” Mister Yao?!” Gu Qin’s expression changed.
Yao Zhengtian suddenly recovered his wits, instantly stopping the gale with the wave of his hand.
“First Young Master, there’s nothing to worry about. When Mister Gu solved the Go puzzle earlier, some energy gushed into my dantian, helping me break through. I could not stop that in time and wreaked havoc. Sorry about that!” Yao Zhengtian immediately apologized with a smile.
“It’s fine. There was no harm done anyway. Mister Yao, has the Go puzzle’s influence been completely removed?” Gu Qin asked with a frown.
“It was all removed. Furthermore, Old Mister Guan Qi seemed to have expected this day to come. When the Go puzzle scattered, it fed me extremely nourishing energy. The future is really hard to predict, but everything seems to be within Old Mister Guan Qi’s calculations!” Yao Zhengtian smiled bitterly.
“Oh?” Gu Qin revealed some shock.
Everyone looked at Gu Hai. At this moment, he had his eyes closed in deep thought. Although he had solved the Go puzzle, he focused on the earlier Go puzzle, only opening his eyes after a while.
“To think that it is a chain puzzle!” Gu Hai exclaimed with a trace of admiration.
“What’s a chain puzzle?” Yao Zhengtian asked in confusion.
“The Twenty-Nine Line-Pair World Go Puzzle should not be one puzzle but three. It is a sequential chain of puzzles. Yours is the simplest one and can only be considered of low difficulty. The one in the Dragon Pinning sect is of medium difficulty. There should be one more, of high difficulty!” Gu Hai marveled.
“Low, medium, high? How different are they?” Yao Zhengtian asked in shock.
“The medium-difficulty Twenty-Nine Line-Pair World Go Puzzle is ten times more complicated than your low-difficulty Twenty-Nine Line-Pair World Go Puzzle,” Gu Hai replied seriously.
“Ten times? Then, won’t the high-difficulty Twenty-Nine Line-Pair World Go Puzzle be…”
“I don’t know. It should at least be ten times the difficulty. I’m not sure if I can solve that,” Gu Hai said bitterly.
Yao Zhengtian forced a smile. “To think that the Go puzzle is so difficult! I wonder, why did Old Mister Guan Qi set this up? The dragon tail is the low difficulty, and the dragon body is the medium difficulty. So, the dragon head at the Peony Sect should be of high difficulty, right?
“Perhaps!” Gu Hai nodded.
Suddenly, Yao Zhengtian showed a solemn expression as he bowed to Gu Hai. “Mister Gu, many thanks for this!”
“Mister Yao, there’s no need to stand on ceremony. It was just something of minor effort!” Gu Hai smiled.
“To Mister Gu, it might just be a minor effort. However, to this humble one, it is akin to saving my life. Mister Gu, if you need any errands done in the future, just call on me. I will send my subordinates to cooperate fully with your instructions!” Yao Zhengtian said gravely.
“Mister Yao, you are too polite.” Gu Hai smiled noncommittally.
“I see an indistinct golden light around Mister Gu. That is providence, right? Furthermore, I heard that Mister Gu is currently subduing this mundane region. Is Mister Gu planning to start a nation?” Yao Zhengtian asked out of curiosity.
“I do have that plan!” Gu Hai did not hide anything. After all, nearly everyone outside guessed it already.
“It’s good to establish a nation. You can store providence that way. At least the collected providence will not scatter with no benefits!” Yao Zhengtian smiled.
“Oh?” Gu Hai’s eyes lit up.
“However, it would be better if Mister Gu could collect Ninth-Five Island’s dragon vein. A dragon vein can anchor a nation’s providence.”
These words immediately piqued Gu Hai’s interest. “Mister Yao, do take a seat. Would you mind telling me more about it?”
“If Mister Gu does not consider it beneath your notice, then this humble one will just run his mouth. Does Mister Gu know about the Divine Continent?” Yao Zhengtian took a seat while smiling.
“I’ve heard about it many times.” Gu Hai nodded.
“The Divine Continent makes up the bulk of this world. Although our Thousand Islands Sea looks big, it is a piece of insignificant barren land in comparison!” Yao Zhengtian said seriously.
“An insignificant barren land?” Gu Hai felt startled.
“That’s right. Take this dragon vein, for example. Not even one has appeared in our Thousand Islands Sea in the past eight centuries. However, the Divine Continent—a bountiful place—produces new dragon veins every decade or so,” Yao Zhengtian said seriously.
“Oh?”
“It might even be faster than that. All who want to establish a nation need a dragon vein, as it can anchor the nation’s providence. Hence, the emperor of every dynasty needs to nurture a dragon vein in their territory!” Yao Zhengtian explained.
“Raising a dragon? Raising a dragon vein?” Gu Hai felt slightly startled.
“That’s right. Sects use spiritual treasures to anchor providence. Nations use imperial seals. The imperial seal rules over the dragon vein. Doesn’t Long Wanqing have a Dragon Luring Jade?” Yao Zhengtian explained.
“That’s right. I’ve seen that Dragon Luring Jade.” Gu Hai nodded.
“A Dragon Luring Jade is the material for making an imperial seal. Mister Gu can use the Dragon Luring Jade to collect the dragon vein before forging it into an imperial seal. Then, you split a strand of your consciousness into the dragon vein to refine it. After that, you place the dragon vein in your nation’s ground and use the earthen energy and providence to nourish this dragon while it is underground. The dragon vein will then grow increasingly stronger. It can help you anchor even more providence. When you amass a large amount of providence, that will be your nation’s blessings,” Yao Zhengtian explained.
“Refine a dragon vein and nourish it in my territory?” Surprise flashed in Gu Hai’s eyes.
“This is just the beginning. A royal dynasty is only an inferior nation. As a nation flourishes, the dragon vein will continuously evolve, and the nation will grow stronger. It will slowly transform from an inferior royal dynasty into a middling imperial dynasty and finally become a superior heavenly dynasty. Right now, there are only three heavenly dynasties!” Yao Zhengtian explained.
“A royal dynasty is only a start, and it is an inferior nation? In that case, what are these mundane nations considered? Like the previous Chen Nation, Song Nation, Cai Nation, and so on?” Gu Hai asked.
“Those? They can’t be considered as cultivating a dynasty; they are just small states. How can they compare to a royal dynasty? Do they have dragon veins? No! Even if they collected providence, it would just be one hundred eons at most. A royal dynasty’s providence is in the tens of thousands. Only then can providence be called blessings. With a dragon vein to anchor the blessings, the nation will flourish!” Yao Zhengtian explained.
Gu Hai’s eyelids twitched. A royal dynasty’s blessings? A royal dynasty needs at least ten thousand eons of providence?
“After establishing a dynasty, not only can the emperor use the providence, but the emperor can also allocate it to his officials, aiding the officials in cultivating quickly. When a nation has blessings, all the officials will benefit. Spiritual energy will gather, allowing an exponential acceleration in cultivation!” Yao Zhengtian explained.
Shock appeared in Gu Qin’s and Chen Tianshan’s eyes. Only Shangguan Hen’s expression was unchanged as he remained seated at the side, appearing to have long known this.
“Those who want to establish a dynasty need to nurture a dragon vein of their own?” Gu Hai’s eyes narrowed.
