The Heavens: A Qing, the Yue Girl at the beginning

"Bloodline?" Tang Xin frowned slightly and couldn't help but speak. Although she didn't quite understand the ancient language of Tianliang, it was obviously from the same language family as the Wu clan. Many words had similar pronunciations and could be deduced from the context, so she understood a little.

Zhan Mohe temporarily suppressed his disappointment and listened intently: Bloodline talent, isn't that the foundation of Tian Liang's strength?

At Zhao Qing's prompting, he hesitated for a moment before taking on the role of translator for Tang Xin in the Liang language, which could be considered as building a good relationship.

Although theoretically the two sides have a lot of enmity, the other side is almost guaranteed to reach the eighth realm, or at the very least, a grandmaster at the half-step eighth realm. Unless necessary, it is best not to be hostile to each other.

Moreover, although this behavior is embarrassing, it can win the favor of two important figures, Zhao Qing and Wushuang Fengyujian, so why not do it?
"good."

Tuoba Wuchou nodded, a hint of reminiscence and regret flashing in his eyes. "Blood ties are a bond, but also a barrier."

He spoke in a deep, resonant voice, each word like a hammer blow:
"This method of taming beasts and fusing bloodlines grants us an extraordinary starting point and power, but it also naturally defines our limits."

“Different bloodline talents, different innate beast sources, and different levels of hidden bloodline purity and awakening have all become invisible benchmarks for distinguishing closeness and dividing circles.”

"The Yuan clan revered 'ancestral blood,' boasting themselves as divine descendants and placing themselves above all other clans. The Tuoba, Zhen, Lan, Zhan, Wei, Hou Chong, and Kong Tong clans were next in rank, each with their own emphasis on bloodline, some skilled in attack, some adept at defense, and some adept at adaptability."

"Next are the generals and tribal leaders of different surnames who obtained 'blood bestowal' through marriage and military merit and integrated part of the bloodline, such as the Wu clan and the Yue clan... Finally, there are those purely subordinate tribes. Although they are ruled by Tianliang, they find it difficult to truly integrate into the core of the bloodline system."

"These layers of bloodline hierarchy, like invisible barriers, divide the empire into natural factions."

"The Yuan royal family is high above, attempting to maintain its absolute authority through the deification of 'ancestral blood'. The core families each have their own demands, some wanting to improve the purity of their bloodline, others wanting to expand their territorial influence. Generals from other clans yearn to obtain higher-level 'blood bestowals' to enhance their family's status. The subordinate tribes both revere and distance themselves from this system."

"When the empire was newly established, surrounded by powerful enemies, and under immense pressure to survive, these contradictions could still be suppressed by a common goal. Everyone shared a common hatred for the enemy, and the power of blood was the bond that united them."

“However…” Tuoba Wuchou’s voice suddenly turned cold, “As the empire reached its zenith and external threats weakened, internal resource allocation and power struggles became increasingly fierce. The sense of closeness brought by blood ties became the natural basis for forming cliques to exclude outsiders and compete for interests.”

"Loyalty often comes before blood ties and before empires."

"The direct line of the major clans, including the dependent branches and servants, has a total population of only tens of thousands. Yet they control the empire's core power, the richest resources, and the most powerful forces. This huge power disparity and population disparity mean that once a disagreement erupts within the ruling class, there is no room for maneuver."

"Inflated desires...and the fear of survival."

He continued his analysis: "Perhaps it is because the years of uncertainty and struggle for survival in Beiming left too deep an imprint. After Tianliang was officially established, both the older and younger generations had an almost pathological desire to acquire power and compete for authority."

"It's like...a person who has almost starved to death, once they see abundance, often suffers from retaliatory overeating, wishing they could devour all the delicacies in the world and never be satisfied!"

"The cumulative effect of bloodlines further exacerbates this 'greed'."

A complex look flashed in Tuoba Wuchou's eyes: "As you all know, every kind of hidden bloodline originates from cultivators at the seventh realm or above, who fuse their life essence with beast taming."

"Then, will the second person born into the seventh realm among the descendants of this bloodline be able to 'fuse blood with their natal essence' again?"

"The answer is yes."

"Moreover, its 'bloodline imprint' does not cover previous generations, but rather... is added on top of them! It's like adding bricks and tiles to the foundation of ancestral heritage!"

"If the father takes the 'Azure Wolf' as his destiny and merges his bloodline with it, and the son takes the 'White Bear' as his destiny and successfully merges his bloodline, then his bloodline will simultaneously carry the marks of both the 'Azure Wolf' and the 'White Bear'! He will possess the former's 'speed and tenacity' as well as the 'White Bear's' immense strength and cold resistance... The starting point will be higher and higher!"

"In fact, I myself inherited more than ten kinds of bloodlines, such as the Cold Dragon, Wind Dragon, Heavenly Wolf, and Snow Hou. I even need to merge and unify them later in life in order to control them freely, stabilize my life energy at the peak of the seventh realm, and finally step into the eighth realm."

"However, problems also arise."

Tuoba Wuchou changed the subject: "The power of bloodline is not omnipotent. It has a fatal weakness—adaptability to the environment!"

Zhan Mohe felt a slight chill, as if he had made a connection to something.

Zhao Qing blinked, indicating that compared to the problems here, the "merging and unifying" method mentioned earlier was the research project he was concerned about. It might bring some inspiration in terms of law endowment and Dao pattern weaving. With all rivers flowing together, it might be possible to create a supernatural power with endless variations.

Ultimately, it is nothing more than the application and transformation of one's vital energy, all of which fall under the category of "divine interference".

This bloodline sounds to be largely in line with the basic principles of genetics. Theoretically, it can be broken down to the level of "genes" or "base pairs," and then reassembled and synthesized to be used in all things, and incorporated into her newly created "True Explanation of the Transformation of Heaven and Man into All Things."

Originally, this technique only consisted of the "Heavenly Dragon Transformation" and a series of fragments of dragon transformation and molting, which Zhao Qing deduced based on the ancient Heavenly Dragon endowment he had already obtained. Now, if he can obtain Tian Liang's legacy in this regard, he can quickly follow up, complete it, and thoroughly master it.

"Simply put, it is the power of bloodline, which is closely related to the place of its origin. What kind of environment nurtures what kind of talent, and they match each other. This is the principle of 'survival of the fittest'."

Completely unaware that he was being targeted, Tuoba Wuchou continued to explain, "The bloodlines of exotic beasts like the Azure Wolf, Snow Hou, and White Bear that exist in the Beiming region, once refined and inherited by cultivators, can only reach their full potential in their original habitats..."

"Once you leave the Arctic ice circle, the problem isn't too big for wolves, because they are distributed in most grasslands, deserts, and wastelands, and their populations are widespread. However, the polar bear's talent bonus begins to diminish significantly once you reach the northern grasslands."

"If we go further south, into the warmer southern desert, the Central Plains with its distinct four seasons, or even the hotter regions, the benefits will not only be greatly reduced, but may even become a burden!"

"The bloodline of the polar bear can cause people to feel hot and restless in the sweltering heat; the snow lion's ability to resist cold is useless in warm places, and may even interfere with the perception and control of fire elemental energy!"

"With clouded spiritual awareness, decreased clarity of vital energy, and sluggish cultivation speed, both combat strength and talent are greatly diminished!"

"A seventh-realm general who can unleash 120% of his combat power in Zushan might struggle to maintain even 80% of his strength in the humid and hot southern lands! This is not an isolated case, but a widespread phenomenon!"

"Essentially, this is the inevitable result of the uneven distribution of the types and proportions of vital energy and the laws of vital energy under different climates and terrains... Just like a plant rooted in a specific soil, if it is forcibly transplanted to an unsuitable environment, it will not only fail to thrive, but will also wither and die."

"The empire's territory is vast, stretching from the far north ice plains to the southern steppes, and later to the conquered warm river valleys, as well as the humid coastal and island regions, with vastly different climates." "This means that no single bloodline talent can maintain peak combat power across the entire empire!" Tuoba Wuchou emphasized, "...whether it's maintaining combat strength for external conquests or cultivating internal powerhouses, it's a fatal limitation!"

"Our expansion halted at the Yinshan line, and our momentum came to an abrupt end. We were unable to launch a large-scale southward advance, partly due to factors such as the presence of powerful enemies in the Central Plains and logistical pressures. However, the 'bloodline shackles'—the implicit suppression of bloodline talents by the laws of primordial energy and the environment—are the deepest and most insurmountable barrier!"

"Unless this problem is solved, in the eyes of many people, the limit of the cold weather... will forever remain the overlord of the grasslands, unable to truly conquer the Central Plains and recreate the glory of the unified You Dynasty."

"Moreover..." His tone suddenly turned somber, carrying a lingering gloom, "Although the end of the Dharma era and the depletion of spiritual energy have passed and the vital energy is gradually recovering, who can guarantee that this terrifying calamity that buried the past golden age of cultivation will not come again?"

"The nightmare of the Spirit Wasteland Era is like a sharp blade hanging overhead! It could fall at any moment!"

"We must plan ahead!"

Tuoba Wuchou's gaze swept over the crowd: "We have already experienced... prosperity... splendor... and enjoyed the abundance and tranquility under the warm sun. No one, no one wants to be forced back to that frozen hellish Northern Darkness again! To relive the nightmares our ancestors endured, to eke out a living amidst resource scarcity!"

"This concerns the fate of the nation and the survival of future generations!"

His account delves into the core of the court struggles of that time: "Thus, the imperial leadership gradually split into two sharply opposing factions over how to solve these two major problems—'environmental constraints' and 'the threat of the Spirit Wasteland'!"

He raised two fingers, like two sharp swords pointing in different directions: "The first faction, I call the 'Unification Faction'!"

Its core principles are: centralization! secrecy! strengthening imperial power! unification of all laws!

"They believe the solution lies in concentrating the empire's most valuable resources, most outstanding talents, and most powerful bloodlines into the hands of the Yuan royal family! Led by the royal family, the entire nation's resources will be mobilized to research how to push the 'ancestral bloodline' to its limit and break through to the theoretical realm of 'supreme divine bloodline'!"

"They dream that if they could cultivate a 'Supreme Divine Blood' that surpasses all their ancestors, can disregard environmental differences, and can even draw energy directly from the stars or the void, then all problems would be solved! Tianliang would truly be invincible under heaven!"

"However, this path is extremely arduous! The concept of 'Supreme Divine Blood' is ethereal and its difficulty and time commitment are immeasurable! What's even more terrifying is that the more concentrated, pure, and powerful the bloodline power is, the higher the requirements for the bearer, and the lower the fertility will be!"

"The Yuan clan is already small in number. If they continue to pursue the ultimate purity of their bloodline and merge and unify it, it may lead to the extinction of their bloodline and the interruption of their inheritance! At that time, not only will the 'Supreme Divine Blood' be lost, but even the existing royal family may perish, causing the empire to disintegrate and all previous efforts to be in vain!"

"The second school, I call the 'Boyan School'!"

Its core principles are: Diversification! Separate training! Multiple pathways! A broad approach is worse than a narrow one!

"They believe that instead of placing all their hopes on the ethereal 'supreme divine blood,' it would be better to distribute resources and encourage various families and regions to establish their own kings. Based on the environmental characteristics of their fiefdoms, such as cold, warm, dry, or humid conditions, they should integrate, cultivate, and optimize 'regional bloodlines' that are compatible with them!"

"For example, families stationed in the northern border can focus on strengthening ice-type and cold-resistant bloodlines; families stationed in the southern border can research heat-resistant, fire-loving, or moisture-adapted bloodlines. They are even encouraged to try fusing with some non-traditional exotic beasts, such as the poisonous viper adapted to swamps and the earth lizard adapted to deserts."

"They believe that only through 'broad exploration' can one 'survive'! Through extensive experimentation, one can always find a bloodline that excels in a specific environment. The empire doesn't need a single 'omnipotent' or 'supreme' bloodline; it only needs to ensure that in every piece of land, there are 'local strongmen' who can unleash their strongest combat power! Everyone can give full play to their strengths!"

Tuoba Wuchou paused, his tone tinged with helplessness: "This faction seems pragmatic, but it is fraught with hidden dangers. The biggest problem is—the division of fiefdoms and the resulting powerlessness!"

“Once local kings and nobles have gained control of their unique ‘regional bloodlines’ and passed them down through generations, they can easily become powerful and influential, which challenges the authority and cohesion of the royal family and weakens their control over the entire empire.”

"This is a calamity that shakes the very foundation of the nation! Tianliang, which was forcibly united by many tribes, simply cannot withstand such a risk of division! If we allow it to develop into numerous states within states, internal strife will intensify, and the nation will become a disorganized mess. How can we then resist external enemies? How can we cope with the possible 'Spirit Wasteland' calamity that may descend once again?"

“Speaking of which, I would like to ask a question,” Tuoba Wuchou sighed, looking at Zhao Qing with a hint of inquiry:
"I have been asleep for hundreds of years, unaware of the changes in the world. May I ask you, Your Excellency, what is the current state of the world? The Liang Dynasty has been gone for so many years. Have the kingdoms on the grasslands ever given birth to a powerful dynasty capable of unifying the four directions? In the Central Plains, are the same old faces of Zhou, Song, Xu, and Qiang still fighting each other?"

"Did the founder of the Yin Ghost Path ever settle things with the so-called 'Anti-Witch Alliance'?"

His question was certainly abrupt, but for an ancient person who was isolated from the outside world and had little access to information, it was perfectly normal to have such curiosity.

Zhan Mohe glanced at Zhao Qing, noticing that she seemed to be deep in thought, and replied on her behalf:

"The grasslands are basically still the same. The Wu, Yuezhi, Donghu and other countries coexist, all of which regard Tianliang as their source and the ancestral mountain as a sacred place. However, their military strength is weak and they no longer have the former glory. They have also lost their inheritance of beast taming. The highest level of the gray wolves tamed by the Wu can only reach is the fifth level."

"As for the area south of Yinshan, there are currently four dynasties standing side by side. All the small countries have been annexed. Qin and Chu are stronger, while Qi and Yan are slightly weaker. Of the eight known regions, only Emperor Ying Wu of Qin remains... The 'Alliance Against the Witches' has long been disbanded and disappeared without a trace. As for that Witch Ancestor, although there is no news of him... the Qi Dynasty is the legal system he left behind."

"As expected... Although there has been a prophecy since the You Dynasty that 'what is divided for a long time will unite, and what is united for a long time will divide,' the reality is that power is scattered and people's hearts are divided. It is as difficult as climbing to heaven to restore the grand goal of unification. The harm of enfeoffment is evident."

After listening, Tuoba Wuchou sighed and said, "Let's get back to the point! The two factions are locked in a fierce battle, irreconcilable!"

"As for me..." Tuoba Wuchou sighed, weariness washing over him like a tide: "I should be considered a neutral party. I mediated between 'Guiyi' and 'Boyan,' trying to reconcile the two. I hoped to find a way to balance things out, both to resolve the bloodline issue and to prevent the empire from collapsing. I acted as a middleman, doing many thankless tasks..."

"However, probably because I am not a direct descendant of the royal family and have been guarding the frontier for many years, dealing with many local generals, I was implicitly regarded as a member of the 'Boyan' faction without explicitly stating my position. I was secretly relied upon as an ally and had a near-commanding position, and was also regarded as a thorn in the side by the 'Guiyi' faction."

Zhao Qing's heart stirred: This stance is just like that of Feng Qingyang, who was caught in the conflict between the Qi Sect and the Sword Sect of Mount Hua and eventually retreated into obscurity.

"However, regardless of the faction, despite differences in methods and goals, they all agree on one fundamental principle: Tianliang needs to more broadly integrate new and powerful alien beast bloodlines! This will increase the 'repository' and provide more possibilities for the final choice, whether it is 'unification' or 'expansion.' For this, no price is too high!"

"Thus, the empire was swept up in an unprecedented 'blood-seeking' frenzy!" Tuoba Wuchou added, "Countless 'blood seekers' and 'blood testers' were dispatched, both openly and secretly, to the deep mountains and marshes of the Central Plains, and to the remote and dangerous places of the West and overseas, to search for everything known and unknown!"

"Besides rare and unusual creatures like the Bluebird, Black Tortoise, Dragon Bat, and Winged Serpent, it also involves ancient remnants such as the Six-Winged Golden Cicada, Chaos Insect, Taotie, and Taowu, and it doesn't stop there!"

“Star creatures, extraterrestrial ‘demons’?” Zhao Qing asked calmly.

She was also quite interested in Tianliang's initial encounter with it. Besides Tai Sui, what other strange life forms exist?
"Yes! You may have already guessed what happened next, but I still need to add some information not recorded on the stone tablet." Tuoba Wuchou replied solemnly, "Have you heard of Youjiao, Yanling, Chentu, Taisui, Bingyi, Xingsun, Yanmu, Yunzhao...?"

...(End of chapter)