Qin Renhuang just became an immortal, and you told me this is the prehistoric time

If it were one of those emperors in history who were extremely suspicious of their princes, such as... Emperor Taizong of Tang, who was later known as the "Heavenly Khan" but in reality also had many schemes against his brothers and nephews, Ying Xuan would probably have been recalled, imprisoned, or even "died of illness" long ago before he had fully established his power.

His smooth ascension to the throne was largely due to the First Emperor's paternal instincts of protecting and tolerating his children. Even his unconventional policy experiments bore the mark of the First Emperor quietly cleaning up the mess and stabilizing the court.

Ying Xuan remembered this kindness. But it was precisely because he remembered it that he understood the First Emperor's "weakness" even better—his emphasis on blood ties far outweighed his adherence to the rules of pure power.

This reveals a human side of the First Emperor, but it could also be a "flaw" in his imperial strategy.

Ying Xuan composed himself and sat back down on his throne.

He thought the discussion about improving the qualifications of the princes and princesses was over, and that the First Emperor should have accepted his decision.

However, he underestimated the persistence and foresight of a father, especially one who had once ruled the world and now deeply understood the importance of power.

The First Emperor never actually left the palace.

He stood for a moment under the eaves outside the hall, and the desolation and weariness on his face were gradually replaced by a deeper and sharper look.

He straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and his eyes became firm and imposing again. He turned around and strode into the hall once more!
Ying Xuan looked up in surprise.

The First Emperor returned, his face devoid of the previous earnestness and expectation, replaced by a solemnity and reverence befitting an emperor, even carrying a hint of unquestionable questioning.

"Your Majesty, I have something else to say."

The First Emperor's voice regained its usual calm and powerful tone, and his gaze met Ying Xuan's directly, without the hesitation of a subject.

"speak."

Ying Xuan raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.

"Your Majesty's words, after careful consideration, are indeed reasonable. Resources are limited and should be used wisely."

The First Emperor spoke slowly, but his tone suddenly changed.

"But has Your Majesty ever considered that the path of cultivation is not only about personal strength, but also about... lifespan and inheritance!"

He took a step forward, his tone becoming more forceful.

"Under His Majesty, breaking through to the so-called 'Level One Life' seems effortless, because His Majesty possesses the resources and mysteries of several worlds, and casually bestows opportunities that ordinary people can only dream of. The soldiers in the army are able to break through by being nourished by the blood and qi of the otherworldly monsters in the wasteland, and by being forcibly enhanced in life-and-death battles!"

But Your Majesty, look at the rest of Qin! Apart from a handful of truly top geniuses, how many can break through to the first level of life and condense their primordial spirit in a short time without external help? The primordial spirit cultivation method Your Majesty has passed down has never truly circulated outside the world!
In the Great Qin Dynasty today, those who can break through the shackles of the mortal realm, besides the high-ranking officials who have received His Majesty's favor, are the nearly ten million Imperial Guards who have experienced bloody battles and are imbued with murderous aura!

The First Emperor's voice echoed in the empty hall, carrying a cold detachment that seemed to have a deep understanding of the ways of the world.

"What does this mean? It means that the true, reliable core of military power and the hope for immortality of the Great Qin are almost entirely concentrated in these two groups that His Majesty has personally shaped—the top echelons of the court and the army!"

He looked at Ying Xuan, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"Based on my own experience."

When Your Majesty first ascended the throne, the Lü Buwei faction held considerable power in the court, secretly hindering your progress. Who stood firmly behind Your Majesty at this crucial moment, even resorting to using their family's last remaining influence in the army to suppress the situation for Your Majesty? It was a member of the imperial family's collateral branches!

It's those blood relatives connected to His Majesty! Because they understand that only with the throne in the hands of the Ying family do they have a future; if the throne falls to someone of a different surname, they will be the first to be purged! In times of crisis, those willing to risk their lives to protect the foundation of the royal family are often first and foremost their blood relatives! This is human nature, and also driven by self-interest!

"Your Majesty's strength is now unparalleled in this world, I have no doubt about it."

The First Emperor then shifted his focus, pointing to something deeper.

"But Your Majesty frequently travels to other worlds, and should know that there are heavens beyond heavens, and countless powerful beings! What if... I mean, what if, Your Majesty encounters misfortune in other worlds, or is unable to return for an extended period of time for some reason..."

His voice lowered, yet every word was like a hammer blow.

"Within the royal family, apart from Your Majesty, no one else possesses the power to suppress everything! At that time, the important officials in the court may have their own thoughts, and those arrogant and fierce generals in the army... who can guarantee that they will not have ulterior motives? If someone takes advantage of the situation to rise up, the Qin Dynasty may have to change hands!"

Ying Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly, but he did not interrupt. Although the First Emperor's words were sharp, they were not alarmist.

He did consider this issue, but it wasn't a high priority.

Seeing that Ying Xuan had taken it to heart, the First Emperor continued his analysis, his tone becoming even more incisive.

"Does Your Majesty know how diverse the backgrounds of the generals in the army are today? There are families of generals like Wang Jian, descendants of generals from the former six states like Zhang Han and Meng Tian, ​​and heroes who rose from humble beginnings like Han Xin and Ying Bu."

And then there are prodigies like Li Jing and Xu Shiji, who carry memories of the previous dynasty… I do not doubt their loyalty, but I believe even more that the power held in one's hands is far more reliable than vague, ethereal loyalty!

He paused for a moment, then posed a more pointed and core question.

"Your Majesty, do you know what your greatest weakness is right now?"

Ying Xuan raised his eyes and met the First Emperor's gaze.

"Oh? What are my weaknesses?"

"No heir!"

The First Emperor spoke with unwavering resolve, his voice suddenly rising in volume.

"Your Majesty, as the Emperor of Qin, has no sons or princesses! This is a grave taboo for an emperor and the greatest hidden danger and problem facing Qin at present!"

He took a deep breath, as if to expel all the pent-up emotions in his chest.

"I have read history books extensively and I understand one principle deeply."

When an emperor has no heir or his heir is young and weak, the one who controls the military often determines who inherits the throne! Behind Wang Jian lies a powerful royal family! I have read in the records of other worlds that in some worlds, royal families can even preserve their lineage and choose their lord after the fall of their kingdom! If Wang Jian, or any of his generals, were to follow suit… to whom would the fate of Qin fall?

The First Emperor's eyes were sharp as knives.

"As the Grand Secretary, I am more aware of the current state of the Imperial Guards than anyone else! After the bloody battle in the wasteland, the acquisition of monster blood essence and the subsequent suppression of evil energy by His Majesty, almost all of the more than nine million Imperial Guards have broken through to the first level of life and cultivated their primordial spirits!"
Previously, I could comfort myself with the thought that "the murderous aura is bewitching and ultimately a hidden danger." But now, Your Majesty's divine might has resolved most of this hidden danger! What does this mean? It means that Great Qin now possesses a terrifying army of nearly ten million, each with individual strength far exceeding that of ordinary people, a tightly organized force, and forged in the crucible of blood and fire!

His voice trembled slightly, a tremor he himself was unaware of, a natural fear of this overwhelming, potentially out-of-control force.

"Yes, Your Majesty has decentralized military power, with each general directly commanding no more than 100,000 troops. But Your Majesty must not forget that in the army, the strong are always respected!"
"Given Wang Jian's prestige and the abilities of those eight deputy commanders, if they truly wanted to, how long would it take them to collude and control the entire army? If His Majesty is absent for an extended period, and no one in the court can control them, who can guarantee their eternal loyalty?"

The First Emperor looked at Ying Xuan, his face dark with suppressed anger. The anger was not directed at Ying Xuan, but at the unsettling reality and Ying Xuan's "ignorance" of it.

"Today, I am not speaking as a father seeking benefits for my children, but as the Grand Secretary of the Qin Dynasty and as a former emperor, I am offering this advice to Your Majesty! An emperor must consider the worst-case scenario and leave room for the nation to survive!"

Your Majesty, ask yourself: with tens of thousands of beauties in the palace, why has not a single one given birth to a prince? This unresolved matter is a sword of Damocles hanging over the head of the Qin Dynasty!

He spoke almost word by word.

"There is no successor, and Your Majesty is often away from this realm. If Your Majesty is away for a long time, who in this Great Qin can suppress those nine million arrogant and fierce soldiers who have experienced blood and fire and whose strength has increased dramatically? I have already abdicated, and those old ministers and veterans from back then have either surrendered to the new emperor or retired from the army to live out their retirement."

If anything changes, the Great Qin will surely fall into the control of the Imperial Guards! While the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot's inner guards are elite, their numbers are insufficient; how can they possibly contend with an army of nearly ten million divine cultivators?!

As the First Emperor finished speaking, his face flushed slightly with excitement. He stared intently at Ying Xuan, his gaze a mixture of worry, urgency, and even a hint of unyielding stubbornness.

"Your Majesty! This matter concerns the very foundation of the Great Qin! Today, I must demand a definite answer from Your Majesty! If Your Majesty does not agree to leave behind a bloodline for the Great Qin to secure its foundation, then... I fear that the Great Qin's prosperity may be like some short-lived dynasties recorded in history, perishing after only two generations!"

The four words, "died after two generations," resounded like thunder in the hall.

This is the First Emperor's deepest fear, and the fundamental reason why he is now setting aside all scruples and speaking out against the emperor.

Ying Xuan's brows finally furrowed slightly.

He wasn't intimidated by the First Emperor's harsh words, but rather because these words truly touched upon some aspects of his plan that had been deliberately ignored or postponed.

The Pure Yang Body... Once the transformation he is about to undergo is complete, his physique will be completely extraordinary, and the possibility of him having offspring with an ordinary woman will be extremely slim. He may even need to find a Daoist partner of the same realm or with a special physique.

As for cultivating his imperial concubines to achieve immortality? He had no such plans for the time being. Although the energy environment of the Great Qin world had improved, its foundation was still insufficient.

He was able to cultivate to his current level because he plundered the benefits of multiple worlds and was able to mobilize the resources of the entire Qin world to support himself.

Without these external "nutrients," relying solely on the Qin mainland, it would probably take a thousand years of painstaking effort to complete the transformation into a pure Yang body! By then, his own realm would be unknown, and there would be too many variables.

Moreover, while the First Emperor's analysis of the Imperial Guards reflected the traditional emperors' fear of military power, it was not entirely without merit. The growth rate of the Qin Imperial Guards did indeed exceed his initial plans.

His original intention was to use the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot as the "sword" and "eyes and ears" of the emperor to directly control and balance the world, while the army was more of a blade for external operations.

However, the "blood and qi gift package" sent by the Goblin World in the battle of the wasteland, coupled with the subsequent transformation of evil qi in the Qin Imperial Palace, has sharpened this "knife" to an excessively sharp level! Now, the Imperial Guards and the Inner Guards combined are probably not enough to defeat any of the deputy commanders of the Imperial Guards on the main battlefield.

This is the objective reality of the comparison of strength.

Fortunately, he had dispersed military power beforehand, preventing any one person from commanding an army of more than 100,000. But as the First Emperor said, in the army, the strong are respected, and with prestige and power at the level of Wang Jian and his ilk, the possibility of them colluding and controlling the entire army should a change occur could not be ruled out.

A legitimate and recognized successor is indeed the best solution for maintaining current stability and preventing potential future situations such as a "young ruler and a suspicious state" or a "ruler who has been away for a long time."

This is like a stabilizing force. As long as this force remains, even if Ying Xuan doesn't return for decades, as long as the successor is recognized by the core of the court and the mainstream of the army, the Qin Dynasty will not descend into chaos. Those generals who hold military power will lack the most direct reason for usurping the throne and the popular support.

Seeing Ying Xuan frowning and deep in thought, remaining silent for a long time, the First Emperor grew even more anxious. He took a few steps forward, almost reaching the foot of the imperial steps, his voice filled with a desperate resolve.

"Your Majesty! I have said all I have to say today! If Your Majesty does not agree, I... I will kneel here until Your Majesty changes your mind!"

Seeing that the First Emperor was really about to kneel, Ying Xuan raised his hand to stop him.

A brief silence fell over the hall.

Ying Xuan's gaze swept out of the palace, as if piercing through the palace walls, and he saw the nearly ten million Imperial Guards who were recuperating and resting in various parts of the Qin Dynasty, yet possessing terrifying power. He also saw the figures of generals such as Wang Jian and Qi Jiguang, and he saw the possibility of him being stranded in other high-level worlds for a long time in the future.

Finally, he spoke slowly, his voice returning to calm, yet carrying a sense of relief and acceptance.

“What Father said…is indeed true.”

Upon hearing this, the First Emperor's spirits lifted, and a glimmer of hope shone in his eyes.

"The Great Qin Dynasty truly needs a successor to secure the foundation of the nation and stabilize the hearts of the people."

Ying Xuan looked at the First Emperor and gave a clear answer.

"I agree."

His quick agreement surprised the First Emperor, who was then overjoyed! He hadn't expected that Ying Xuan would actually be persuaded!
Ying Xuan, however, had a different set of considerations. Although the First Emperor's words carried the inertia of traditional political thinking, they also reminded him of a real-world problem.

He is about to undergo a complete physical transformation, making it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for him to have offspring in the future. Rather than waiting for a potential power vacuum crisis in the future, it's better to leave behind a legitimate bloodline now.

This is not for the sake of so-called family succession, but for the stable continuation of the Qin Dynasty as a "world foundation". With this recognized successor, even if he spends the next few decades exploring and cultivating in other worlds, the Qin Dynasty will have a relatively stable power core, and will not fall into internal strife due to his long-term "disappearance".

Even if Wang Jian and other generals had their own ideas, they dared not act rashly when faced with a legitimate heir and the entire court system.

This is indeed the most cost-effective option under the current circumstances. Trading an offspring for potential long-term stability is a worthwhile "deal."

As for who the offspring's mother was, and how to cultivate their aptitude… these details were not issues for him. There were many women in the palace; he could simply choose one who was physically and mentally healthy, had a simple background, and was easy to control. Aptitude? With him there, and with the resources he had plundered, why would he fear failing to raise an infant properly? (End of Chapter)