[Name: Liu Yuan (Lin Yuan)]
[Identity: Guardian of the Gate of Myriad Realms]
[Bound Talent: Unrivaled Insight]
[Current State: Conscious Descent]
[Remaining Residency Time: 154 years]
In the Eastern Palace, Lin Yuan glanced at the panel of the Gate of Myriad Realms. Unconsciously, he had spent six years in this world.
During these six years, Lin Yuan had enjoyed an incredibly comfortable life, getting whatever he wanted.
With the Emperor Liu Shi's favor towards him, if Lin Yuan asked for the stars in the sky, Emperor Liu Shi would probably consider it.
After a moment of contemplation, Lin Yuan walked out of the Eastern Palace and arrived in front of a wooden tower deep within the imperial palace.
The tower appeared extremely ordinary, but there were numerous imperial guards patrolling nearby. Lin Yuan did not hesitate and walked straight toward the entrance of the tower.
"Greetings, Crown Prince."
"Greetings, Crown Prince Your Highness."
When the patrol guards saw Lin Yuan, they immediately saluted respectfully. As the sole heir of the current emperor, Lin Yuan had been conferred the title of Crown Prince at the age of five, an extremely rare occurrence in the history of the Great Yan Dynasty.
Even legitimate eldest sons usually received such a title only after reaching adulthood, and even then, they were often subject to the emperor's caution.
If not for Lin Yuan's young age, Emperor Liu Shi would probably have Lin Yuan serve as a regent to familiarize him with imperial duties.
Lin Yuan entered the wooden tower. This was a forbidden place within the Great Yan Dynasty, containing the most powerful martial arts and secrets.
A few years ago, Lin Yuan had requested Emperor Liu Shi's permission to explore the tower. Emperor Liu Shi readily agreed, thinking that Lin Yuan's curiosity would wane after a short time.
However, Emperor Liu Shi could never have imagined that, in less than two years, Lin Yuan would comprehend and master all the martial arts and secrets stored in the tower, even innovating upon them.
"The cultivation system of this world."
Lin Yuan found a place to sit down, his expression entering a brief contemplation. In the Great Yan Dynasty and the entire Central Plains with its thirty-six states, the essence of the cultivation system was similar.
It was divided into seven stages: Flesh Refinement, Tendon Cultivation, Skin Refinement, Bone Refinement, Organ Cultivation, Marrow Refinement, and finally, Blood Refinement.
Corresponding to these stages were the realms: Martial Novice, Martial Disciple, Martial Warrior, Martial Master, Innate Martial Master, Grandmaster, and Martial Saint.
In simple terms, 'Flesh Refinement' corresponds to Martial Novice, 'Tendon Cultivation' to Martial Disciple, 'Skin Refinement' to Martial Warrior, 'Bone Refinement' to Martial Master, 'Organ Cultivation' to Innate Martial Master, 'Marrow Refinement' to Grandmaster, and 'Blood Refinement' to Martial Saint.
According to Lin Yuan's judgment, the strongest 'Blood Refinement' Martial Saint, whose qi and blood were fully integrated, was equivalent to the second-rank pinnacle level of the main world.
However, Lin Yuan sensed that something was amiss.
That is the cultivation system of the Central Plains' thirty-six states at its core, merely refining the physical body and strengthening the blood and qi. As for the soul and spirit, there is not the slightest involvement.
It's worth noting that even in the first world Lin Yuan traversed, spiritual powers were being developed at the Grandmaster level. It didn't make sense for a 'Blood Refinement' Martial Saint, comparable to a second-rank pinnacle, to completely ignore such powers.
"Warrior Commander."
Lin Yuan muttered to himself.
The cultivation system from Martial Novice to Martial Saint was just the common path for regular people. In this world, there was another system of cultivation - becoming a "Warrior Commander."
A Warrior Commander could activate divine weapons, and these divine weapons were the most powerful "existences" in this world. Each of the thirty-six states in the Central Plains had a Guardian Divine Weapon. The power of divine weapons was unstoppable by mere mortals.
When a Warrior Commander activated a divine weapon, even a slight trace of its power could easily crush tens or hundreds of Blood Refinement Martial Saints.
This was the reason Emperor Liu Shi, upon learning of Lin Yuan's potential to become a Holy Emperor, was much more excited than when Lin Yuan first showed signs of robust physique and constitution.
No matter how strong the physical body and constitution were, it would only lead to becoming a Blood Refinement Martial Saint in the future. What impact could Blood Refinement Martial Saints have on the overall situation in the face of a Warrior Commander?
However, not everyone could become a Warrior Commander. To become one, one needed the recognition of a divine weapon. Additionally, the lifespan of each Warrior Commander was not long, and very few could live past forty years.
This situation led the thirty-six states in the Central Plains to always have a reserve of potential Warrior Commanders. Even so, occasional periods of vacancy among Warrior Commanders could still occur.
Currently, the Great Yan Dynasty was facing such a situation. However, with divine weapons in place and the treaties signed among the thirty-six states, there would be no major issues in the short term.
"The strength of a Warrior Commander comes from the divine weapon. Just a slight release of aura can easily crush tens or hundreds of Martial Saints. The power of divine weapons is at least at the third stage, perhaps even quasi-fourth stage."
Lin Yuan speculated in his mind. With his discerning eyes, he naturally saw that the so-called "Warrior Commander" was just a puppet. The real powerful entity was the divine weapon itself.
Lin Yuan stood up and walked to a bookshelf deep within the wooden tower. He took down an ancient and worn-out scroll.
The scroll recorded bits of information about divine weapons. This was one of the few sources Lin Yuan had on understanding divine weapons.
As for directly asking Emperor Liu Shi about it, it would be straightforward, except when it involved divine weapons. Emperor Liu Shi seemed to be reluctant to let his son know too much about divine weapons at such an early age.
Lin Yuan slowly flipped through the ancient scroll. Even though he had memorized the contents long ago, it still stirred ripples in his heart.
"The thirty-six states in the Central Plains each have a Guardian Divine Weapon.
Although it seems peaceful, every divine weapon requires a large number of living sacrifices. If it cannot be satisfied, all thirty-six divine weapons will actively 'revive' and seek sacrifices.
At that time, it will be a calamity for all living beings. I wonder if these are divine weapons or..."
The last part of the content in the scroll seemed to have been erased. But combining the context above and below, Lin Yuan easily deduced what had been erased.
"I wonder whether these are divine weapons or demonic weapons."
Lin Yuan closed the scroll and placed it back on the bookshelf. The tower housed tens of thousands, if not millions, of scrolls and books. This particular one was tucked away deep inside, making it highly unlikely for ordinary people to stumble upon it.
Only Lin Yuan, with his Unrivaled Insight, had the time to explore these miscellaneous records after comprehending all the martial arts secrets in the wooden tower.
"Divine weapons."
Lin Yuan furrowed his brows. There was no specific record about the origin of divine weapons in the books within the tower. It seemed that they were somehow related to the ancient era tens of thousands of years ago.
All divine weapons were said to have originated during that time. However, the details of their creation and how they shaped the current situation were unknown.
The passage of ten thousand years made it difficult to trace the past.
While the main world was relatively stable, having entered the space age with the ability to pass down information through data, the world Lin Yuan currently found himself in was different. Even a slight disturbance or catastrophe could lead to 'discontinuity.'
"This world..."
Lin Yuan's face revealed a hint of curiosity. Divine weapons required living sacrifices, and the more abundant the life force, the better.
However, the mainstream cultivation system in this world solely focused on refining the physical body and enhancing blood and qi.
Each aspect, individually, might not be peculiar, but Lin Yuan immediately sensed something else when they were combined.
"This world's people should be confined by the so-called 'divine weapons.'"
"The thirty-six states in the Central Plains are like thirty-six enclosures, and all the people are livestock waiting to be consumed by the 'divine weapons.'"
Lin Yuan thought to himself. He almost confirmed that the cultivation system, from Martial Novice to Martial Saint, was undoubtedly influenced by the 'divine weapons.' Otherwise, it wouldn't be so 'abnormal.'
...
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