Divine Brilliance

Chapter 1000: Discouraged

“This is the income and inventory of Great Gan during these few years as well as all the accumulated materials and items.”

Zong Shou casually picked it up from Hu Zhongyuan’s hands. He knew that most probably it was Renbo and Zhuang Huai who told him to bring it over. He swept across it and started to scroll through. However, in his heart, he didn’t really worry about it.

Zong Shou hadn’t really cared about the Great Gan matters in the Cloud World for several years already.

He had no idea about their income, the situation with their Mind Stone mines, artifact crafting resources, medicines, how much their troops expanded by, etc.

He only roughly knew that they were growing really quickly. After the Blood Cloud Cavalry dug the Blood Hero Metal mine dry, there were already 20,000 of them. Apart from that, there were another 27,000 sets of Blood Cloud Cavalry armor that were stored and still didn’t have a master.

As for the simplified versions of the Big Dipper Sword Soldiers and Big Dipper Crossbow Soldiers, they had reached 360,000.

With the increase of Xiantian cultivators, they had officially started to build Huang Grade Dao Soldiers. Based on Qiu Wei’s intentions, they were prepared to build up to 60,000 people.

At this moment, they were already raising 90 Spirit Realm and 14 Celestial Realm Cultivators.

He really didn’t know how Great Gan was able to afford them?

They invested so much in the military and the Meeting Hall didn’t stop them?

Zong Shou couldn’t help but shake his head. However, the moment all the information in the jade talisman reflected in his mind, he was shocked.

“Low-Grade Celestial Stones, one year 1,700, is that real?”

Celestial Stones needed to be crafted and refined by Spirit Realm cultivators using normal Mind Stones. Millions of Mind Stones were consumed behind one of them.

7,900 Low-Grade Celestial Stones was something that he obtained from the three medium-sized worlds of his added together.

Hu Zhongyuan looked at Zong Shou in surprise.

He remembered that Great Gan would send such talismans to Yuanlian World to report each month.

However, he didn’t think too deeply into it and said excitedly, “It is due because of the Spiritual Wave. During these four years, on just two continents, we found 44 large and medium-sized mines. Now we have a lack of miners. These 7,900 Celestial Stones are all full! Mind Stones will suffer losses when kept which was why the few elders decided to ask the hired helpers to make them into Celestial Stones. Based on what Zhang Huai said, next year’s income should be able to double!”

Zong Shou’s mouth was opened slightly at the start but now it was totally agape.

In other words, just from the Cloud World he was earning 90% of what Great Gan got everywhere else?

He was discouraged. He spent so much effort, fighting to the death to occupy all those territories, and in the end the income was less than the current Cloud World?

Kong Yao and Zhang Huai forcefully took down South Wind Cloud Continent even when the few factions were suppressing them and also expanded tens of thousands of miles in the south of the Central Cloud Continent.

It caused Great Gan to double in land, their achievements weren’t any less than his.

As expected from the top large-sized world, the place known as the Celestial World!

The only thing he felt weird was that based on his memories from his previous life, the spiritual energy and the production amount of the Mind Stines shouldn’t have been so explosive.

Was it also because of him? This Spiritual Wave entered its strongest stage several decades ago?

He, as a butterfly just flapped his wings a little to try to change his own fate, but in the end, he caused such a huge storm.

With Mind Stones increasing, the crafting materials and herbs naturally explosively increased too.

However, as time was just too short, the natural treasures and materials weren’t fully grown.

But from the various kinds of names and amounts listed on the jade talisman, Zong Shou was still really shocked!

Compared to the Cloud World, Tianfang World wasn’t even worth mentioning.

No wonder so many outer region alien races craved this place so much.

There was a huge amount of infomation within the talisman. However, with Zong Shou’s cultivation, he was able to finish it all with just a sweep.

He couldn’t help but mock himself. For a Country Ruler to act and behave like himself, that was truly unique.

“Before you came, the Country Protecting Duke told me to hand it over to you. He wants to expand another 500,000 troops next year. 100,000 Huang Grade Dao Soldiers, increasing the Blood Cloud Cavalry by 5,000 and building another 15,000 Black Fox Iron Cavalry!”

Hu Zhongyuan said while carefully looking at Zong Shou’s expression.

“Seeing that the Cloud World is about to be in chaos, if we don’t increase troops we won’t be able to protect our land. At this moment, our Great Gan can support it, but this was rejected by the Meeting Hall and wasn’t passed. Although Prime Minister Ren supports it, he wasn’t able to persuade those people. As such, this plan could only be shelved.”

15,000 Black Fox Iron Cavalry? 100,000 Huang Grade Dao Soldiers?

Zong Shou sucked in a deep cold breath, Qiu Wei really was generous…

However, on close calculation, if the number of Mind Stones produced did double in the next year.

They might really be able to support it…

At this time, in just the Cloud World alone, he had 160 Big Dipper Sword and Crossbow Soldiers and 50,000 Xuan Grade Dao Soldiers.

This military might was already not weak. That year when Xiang King used 200,000 soldiers to sweep the world, he was just this strong!

To use these troops to destroy Great Shang was just too easy!

However, the moment such a thought rose up. Zong Shou shook his head.

Since it was like this under his rule, then in Great Shang and those vassal states that it ruled, it was a full 10 times that of Great Gan.

They would definitely benefit more from the Spiritual Wave than Great Gan!

The number of Dao Soldiers they added would only be more.

After building the Great Gan Celestial Dynasty, he thought that he had the ability to fight against Great Shang.

Who knew that in just a few years their country power had increased by at least 10 times!

He was really emotional and without even thinking much about Qiu Wei’s expansion plan, he agreed to it.

He was really clear that the Cloud World was just half a step away from chaos. Only a spark was needed.

For Qiu Wei to have such foresight to plan ahead, that made him really happy.

They had no choice but to temporarily focus on the military…

“The expansion plan is feasible! However, the details need to be discussed.”

After Zong Shou said this, he threw a jade pendant to Hu Zhongyuan. “Take this item to see Yiren and she will arrange it.”

Hu Zhongyuan’s face was filled with inexpressible joy and he knew that this matter was already settled.

In Meeting Hall matters, Zong Shou could decide a third of things.

This was also the reason why Qiu Wei told him to come over.

After Zong Shou left, the one who was in charge of the meetings was Xuanyuan Yiren, who was devoted to pill refining and pretty much never asked about governance.

To be able to have this support, the expansion plan would definitely not be stopped anymore.

※※※※

He then asked about the situation within the Cloud World and knew that apart from Central Cloud Continent where there were still some rebellions in the south, there were basically no other military operations.

Even in South Wind Cloud Continent, due to the proper rule of Great Gan and the relaxed taxes, the situation there had slowly calmed down.

For now, there were no worries there. As such Zong Shou abandoned Hu Zhongyuan in the World River while he drove the Royal Demon God Shuttle and left. He flew while praising.

“Father really wasn’t wrong about Zong Yuan…”

While everyone was taking big strides to enter Spirit Realm, only Zong Yuan was patient enough to stop himself and allow others to chase up and overtake him.

He improved his spiritual cultivation step by step and in a few years he managed to reach Grade Nine.

Then, during a war, he grasped Spirit and Martial Arts Merger, using that to break into Spirit Realm in one go.

Although he was several years later than others, his potential was limitless.

At this moment, due to his accumulations, he was seeing huge improvements.

Compared to him, although the other people were improving quickly, they lost their luster.

The Royal Demon God Shuttle had already become Zong Shou’s symbol. After he got close to the Cloud World, he didn’t dare to use it anymore. He rode a sword and changed into Tanqiu.

The Magical Treasure that Wei Xu gave to him was already too weak.

However, now Zong Shou himself was a master of illusions. He had the Sky Fox abilities and the Blood Eyes illusionary techniques and also the Illusionary Heart Mirror.

After changing his looks, if an End Realm Saint Venerable wasn’t paying attention, he might not be able to find out.

The moment he got slightly closer to the Cloud World, he could sense dozens of Spiritual Senses sweeping around him.

After confirming his identity, a portion of them retracted, but there was still a portion that wrapped around him.

Most of them were cold and evil and he could also sense the pity and mocking intents from some of them.

Zong Shou didn’t worry about any of them and headed toward the Common People’s Vast Habitat.

“Since Senior Master Yuanjing and Fanmeng have already returned back to the Cloud World, then that brat should be back right? Not seeing her for a few years, I really miss her…”

The person he missed was Su Chuxue. Without this brat by his side to tease and mock, he felt like he had lost a huge joy in is life.

When he reached the area around the Vast Habitat, he could sense the tense atmosphere all around.

All the restrictions and formations were opened up. Outside, there were also many cultivators patrolling.

Even Zong Shou was stopped outside of the restrictions.

Luckily, there were many people who still recognized the Common People’s Palace First Seat. After confirming he wasn’t a fake, they let him through.

When Zong Shou was about to step in, a few people were waiting for him outside.

Two of them were Zhao Yanran and Xuan Yunlan who returned before him

The other three, one was Hanfang whose white hair had now changed into black and was now brimming with life.

It was obvious that he had passed his tribulation and was already in the Saint Realm. One of them was the current Common People’s Path head, the Revered One Wei Xu. The last one was Mingyu who he had seen before.

Three Saint Realm Venerables here, the Revered One personally welcoming, this was already the highest treatment.

“Junior Brother, you really shouldn’t return this time!”

When Zong Shou arrived, Wei Xu turned around and walked along with him, his expression was filled with unhappiness.

“Your thoughts are good and I am really grateful. However, there is no need to. Yuanlian World is the only way out for Common People’s Path and we need you to take care of us, nothing can go wrong. Why did you have to enter this storm now?”

Zong Shou frowned when he heard this. Was Wei Xu really so discouraged?

How could he even go through his tribulation like that?

He was frustrated and his tone also turned cold.

“Do you have no confidence at all? You don’t even have the courage to fight? You have given up”

Wei Xu was stunned when he heard this and he looked closely at Zong Shou.