Eternal Life: I Have the Favor System

"In that case, Your Highness, how can you so brazenly suggest we could overthrow Yuanchu Mountain together?"

Chu Lingguang countered.

"Have you ever heard of the three-hundred-year cycle, Commander Chu?"

the Seventh Prince asked.

"I have not."

Chu Lingguang shook his head.

"An Immortal Vine grows beneath Great Yuan. Legend says it was cultivated with Immortal Power by an Immortal from the Upper Realm to commemorate his dao companion. It undergoes a cycle every three hundred years. When that time arrives, its vines and roots will break through the soil across the entire Great Yuan territory, even here in the snow-covered mountains beneath our feet.

That day will be the perfect opportunity for every Practitioner to merge with these bizarre entities. There are millions upon millions of Great Yuan Cultivators, but those who can reach the Qi Refining Realm are exceedingly rare.

As long as people merge with these bizarre entities, Yuanchu Mountain—no matter how powerful—will be brought to its knees!"

the Seventh Prince declared, his voice ringing with conviction.

Chu Lingguang was utterly shocked.

He couldn’t help but glance down at the ground beneath his feet.

’An Immortal Vine!’

’There’s actually an Immortal Vine beneath Great Yuan... one cultivated by an Immortal.’

"The vine that merged with Qin... was that also part of the Immortal Vine?"

Chu Lingguang asked.

"Precisely."

The Seventh Prince nodded and continued, "The Immortal Vine’s aura is deeply hidden, so ordinary people can’t detect it. It’s usually the Great Demons in the Hundred Thousand Mountains who perceive it ahead of time. The vine that merged with Qin Yu was, in fact, first discovered by the Mother Wolf Empress. Unfortunately, she failed to merge with it and even left her heart behind within the vine."

"The Court didn’t originally establish the Demon Suppression Bureau; it was single-handedly created by Yuanchu Mountain. Many departments within the Court are controlled by Yuanchu Mountain from behind the scenes."

"The fact that Qin Yu was able to find the vine and successfully merge with it was because of your help, and mine as well."

"Otherwise, as the man guarding Wolf Valley Pass, how could you have simply left your post on a whim!"

the Seventh Prince said slowly.

"I see."

Chu Lingguang came to a sudden understanding. The importance of Wolf Valley Pass was self-evident. Back when the men from the Demon Suppression Bureau had sought him out to rescue Qin Yu from Blood Wolf Cave, he had assumed the Bureau was simply very powerful. Now, it was clear that the royal family had been pulling the strings behind the scenes.

He also finally understood why the royal family wanted to overthrow Yuanchu Mountain.

It wasn’t just because the royal family was a mere puppet of Yuanchu Mountain. It was also because multiple departments of the Court were under their control. On the surface, it seemed the royals held absolute power, but in reality, every major decision had to first be approved by Yuanchu Mountain.

’Who could possibly endure having their authority completely stripped away?’

"The Court wishes to establish an entirely new order for cultivation, one where everyone has the chance to reach the Qi Refining Realm. We hope you will stand with us on this front, Commander Chu."

the Seventh Prince said, cupping his hands in a salute.

"Your Highness, Yuanchu Mountain must surely be prepared for this three-hundred-year cycle. Even if the vine’s tendrils and roots were to appear across the entire Great Yuan Territory, it would be far from easy to form a bond with them, awaken the latent power within oneself, and use that chance to break through to the Qi Refining Realm."

Chu Lingguang wanted to stand against Yuanchu Mountain, but he didn’t think it was a battle they could win.

After all, he was only hearing about this three-hundred-year cycle for the first time today.

He had been the Captain of Black Bear Island and then the Vice Commander of Wolf Valley Pass. His master was the Martial Arts Grandmaster Guo Wei, and the brothers-in-arms at his side were all exceptional talents. Yet, in all that time, he had never heard a single one of them mention anything like this.

Besides, over so many years, people must have tried this before, yet no one had ever succeeded.

Yuanchu Mountain controlled the entire Court.

They had ensured that any talk of a "three-hundred-year cycle," even written descriptions, was erased from public knowledge. The whole world was under Yuanchu Mountain’s control. Trying to help every Martial Artist stuck at the peak of the True Martial Realm awaken their latent power, right under the sect’s nose? It was easier said than done.

"Where there’s a will, there’s a way!"

the Seventh Prince said.

"I dared to come and find you, Commander Chu, because I am willing to gamble the throne and the entire world!"

the Seventh Prince reminded him.

Chu Lingguang froze.

’He’s right!’

’If the Prince failed, he would lose the throne and the entire world. Even as a puppet emperor, his position was one that most people couldn’t even dream of.’

’Without some degree of confidence, the royal family would never dare make such a move.’

’This was a monumental gamble!’

"Does Your Highness represent the entire royal family, or only yourself?"

Chu Lingguang inquired.

"I represent the millions upon millions of Practitioners who, for lack of a proper Cultivation Technique, will never be able to reach the Qi Refining Realm in their lifetimes!"

the Seventh Prince corrected.

Chu Lingguang was speechless.

He thought back to the scene of Eunuch Liu’s death and recalled the words of Liu Ziyun and Lin Shirong. So many people yearned day and night just to feel the power of a Qi Refining expert. If, on the day the cycle began, people discovered the vine beneath their feet could help them awaken their power, break through their cultivation, and step into the Qi Refining Realm... he suspected no one would be able to resist the temptation.

"I am willing to try."

At this thought, Chu Lingguang bowed deeply to the Seventh Prince.

"Excellent!"

The Seventh Prince was overjoyed. He rushed forward, grasping Chu Lingguang’s hands, and said excitedly, "With every cycle, Yuanchu Mountain does everything in its power to stop Practitioners from merging with the vine. If we want to overthrow them, we must find a way to provide people with the optimal method for merging with it!"

"Please give me your instructions, Your Highness!"

Chu Lingguang said respectfully.

"This matter requires careful, long-term planning."

the Seventh Prince said with a smile.

Chu Lingguang paused, realizing that the Seventh Prince didn’t have a concrete plan either. Still, the man dared to oppose Yuanchu Mountain, and was even determined to overthrow it. Even if he wasn’t the perfect, enlightened ruler, that ambition alone was worthy of admiration.

If he could help, Chu Lingguang was willing to give it a try.

"I have a map here. The location marked with a red dot is where a part of the Immortal Vine is awakening. It’s near the West Warehouse. Commander Chu, you must find time to go investigate. Try to find a way to merge with it, and record the secret to the process."