The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 308 Changes
Zhao Ti returned along the same route he had come from, traveling for several days and nights, during which he constantly observed the state of the Dipankara Buddha's lineage within his body.

Although the mark was sealed by the Illusionary Yin Scripture and seemed safe, Zhao Ti could sense that deep within the true energy, the seed of the mark still wanted to bloom, attempting to transmit the inner power.

He had already used all of his Illusory Yin True Qi, using a small portion to seal the inheritance of the Great Free God King and the majority to seal the lineage of the Ancient Buddha of Burning Lamp.

This is equivalent to a reduction of more than 80% in one's power, rendering the Illusionary Yin Scripture unusable.

But one advantage is that this way, he can find another lineage to inherit.

Moreover, the seal of the Great Free God King will soon be opened, as he needs to cultivate and release this portion of the Illusory Yin True Qi.

The so-called "seed of inheritance" refers to the foundation of the lineage and the essence of the practice, which can be absorbed and used directly for cultivation.

While one can still practice without this foundation, it is extremely difficult to even begin. Given the lifespan of people in this era, they may never even get started before they die. Even if they do get started, they will have wasted precious time and fear that they will grow old and frail.

This is, after all, a divine technique, not an ordinary martial art. It is a cultivation method that leads directly to the Dao Palace and Purple Mansion, and it possesses supernatural powers.

Even those with exceptional talent need years of honing their skills. Zhao Ti estimated that even he himself, without using the inherited seed for cultivation, would need one or two years to establish a solid foundation and gradually move forward.

With the imprinted seed and being on the twelfth floor, one can directly start striving for a higher realm.

The cultivation methods passed down by the Great Free Heaven require at least twelve levels of cultivation. The lineage of the Ancient Buddha Dipankara is estimated to be no lower than that of the Great Free Heaven. Even if the conditions of other gods and arhats are not quite as good, they are still considered limitations.

This highlights the importance of the imprinted seed, since cultivation is a race against time, a life-or-death struggle. It requires meeting prerequisite requirements and putting in the effort to get started, both of which take a lot of time.

As Zhao Ti walked and pondered, he returned to the vicinity of the Eight Gods King's palace by noon that day.

He pondered for a moment. Since he could still obtain a legacy, he might as well choose from among the Eight Heavenly Dragons. He wondered if all eight temples had been occupied in the past few days.

At this moment, music and beautiful chants filled the hall, intertwining in the air and faintly forming auspicious clouds that changed into various shapes, like a celestial dragon breathing and stirring up wind and mist.

Zhao Ti squinted and looked around. He saw that almost every hall was lit up, and sounds were coming from all directions, making it extremely lively.

Even though he had previously refused, and then rejected the Dragon God Temple, grand music drifted over, clearly indicating that the inheritance was underway.

For reasons unknown, the Indra God King's Palace, which resisted his entry, seems to have already chosen a successor.

Even in the Yaksha King's palace, the lights were bright and the music never stopped.

His gaze swept across the area, finally settling on one spot, and a smile crept onto his lips.

Only one temple remained silent, with a slight air of loneliness; it was the temple of the Gandharva King.

I don't know if this hall has been waiting for me all along, or if no one has chosen it and it remains vacant until now.

Zhao Ti couldn't help but smile, and strode towards the Gandharva King's Hall...

Tokyo, Imperial City, Funing Palace.

Inside the secret room, Zhao Xu sat cross-legged on a white jade couch, breathing deeply.

A faint, translucent aura seeped from the ground around the jade couch, and then, as if drawn by him, it was drawn in and seemed to enter his body.

He remained motionless, circulating his internal energy for a full cycle before opening his eyes.

"I see!" Zhao Xu sighed softly.

"Emperor Taizu intended to move the capital several times, but eventually gave up. Emperor Taizong also had this idea, but did not carry it out, because there was a spiritual cave beneath the imperial city where Kaifeng was located."

Zhao Xu shook his head: "Otherwise, how could a place where the Yellow River flows, where several rivers crisscross, and where floods occur every few years, large or small, be chosen as a capital..."

He got off the white jade couch, stood on the ground, and observed his surroundings. The wisps of air rising from the ground were very faint, perhaps because he had been desperately absorbing them just now.

“The world has already begun to change.” A mixture of loneliness and sorrow appeared on Zhao Xu’s face.

"If one were to begin learning the Thirty-Three Heavens Creation Divine Fist now and deduce the thirty-third form, one would not damage one's foundation, shake one's fundamental nature, or cause irreversible damage."

He sighed again, his eyes gleaming like snowflakes: "But who can predict when the great changes of heaven and earth will occur? How can we not learn the Creation Divine Fist? For the sake of the Zhao royal family, for the fate of the Song Dynasty, and for the prophecy left by the founding emperor..."

Zhao Xu sighed and slowly walked towards the door of the secret chamber, muttering, "In the end, it's all about timing and luck..."

In Jiangnan, at Qingliang Mountain in Jiangning Prefecture.

Xiaoyaozi stood atop a peak, gazing into the distance with a look of shock on his face—an expression he rarely displayed.

"Great-grandfather, what's wrong?" Wang Yuyan asked from the side.

"It's a major change in the world! I never expected that the conjunction of the seven luminaries would cause such a transformation." Xiaoyaozi said, emphasizing each word.

"A great change in the world?" Wang Yuyan was quite puzzled upon hearing this.

"The words carved in the cave behind Lingjiu Palace are actually true. It's a shame that I angrily denounced the person who left the words as talking nonsense back then." Xiaoyaozi shook his head with self-deprecation.

“Great-grandfather…” Wang Yuyan blinked her beautiful eyes.

"Yan'er, look." Xiaoyaozi pointed into the distance, but Wang Yuyan couldn't see anything.

“You may not be able to see it clearly, but there is a thin layer of spiritual energy rising from those places,” Xiaoyaozi said.

"Spiritual energy?" Wang Yuyan asked, puzzled. "What is spiritual energy?"

Xiaoyaozi said, "It is found in the Taoist classics as the primordial qi. Cultivating according to this can achieve twice the result with half the effort. In the past, this qi was so scarce that it was almost invisible. According to the Taoist teachings, it was difficult and arduous, and it was hard to succeed. This is the degenerate age."

"I see, it seems that Buddhism also has the term 'the end of Dharma'..." Wang Yuyan nodded, her pretty face showing surprise.

"I didn't believe these claims at first, thinking they were just fabrications by Taoist priests since ancient times to entice people to follow them," Xiaoyaozi pondered.

"Later, in the cave behind the Lingjiu Palace on the Misty Peak of Tianshan, I saw that an ancient person had left behind thousands of words, all of which expounded on the path of cultivation of the mechanism between heaven and man, and there were also several secret methods. I was not impressed, and after learning those secret methods, they were completely useless. I even scoffed at the matter of cultivation."

“Great-grandfather, now…” Wang Yuyan said.

"One of those secret techniques is called the Qi Observation Technique, which is said to be able to distinguish the level of spiritual energy in a place. When I learned it, I observed the mountains and rivers, but let alone the level, I could not see any spiritual energy at all."

Xiaoyaozi slowly said, "But since then, I have noticed something different. Some high mountains have started to show signs of mist, and Qingliang Mountain is no exception. When I first arrived, I noticed a slight mist, but now it seems to have increased."

“What my great-grandfather meant was…” Wang Yuyan said, “Now that the world has changed drastically and spiritual energy has revived, it is possible to… cultivate immortality?”

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyaozi frowned, seemingly extremely averse to the words "cultivation of immortality," and after a long pause, he said, "I'm afraid that's difficult too."

Wang Yuyan asked in confusion, "Great-grandfather, since spiritual energy has revived, why do you say it's difficult?" Xiaoyaozi replied, "So-called spiritual energy is nothing more than an ancient legend. Whether it's truly useful has not yet been verified. Besides, where are the cultivation techniques and mental methods? How can we talk about cultivation without anything?"

Wang Yuyan thought for a moment and said, "Shouldn't there be some records in those ancient Taoist scriptures?"

"The records do exist, but it's hard to say whether there have been any errors or omissions over the years. Cultivation is a very important matter, and it's difficult to predict whether those things can be used, whether they are effective, or whether using them will cause any problems."

Wang Yuyan said, "My great-grandfather is right."

Xiaoyaozi continued, "Moreover, there is no prior experience at this moment. Even if there are some recorded techniques in ancient scriptures, no one will teach them. They have to rely on their own enlightenment. There are also differences in talent and other factors, which are even more difficult to explain. That's why I say it's difficult."

Wang Yuyan pondered, "If that's the case, wouldn't the world be thrown into chaos? And how would the imperial court respond?"

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyaozi snorted coldly: "Whether it's the Great Song or the Liao Kingdom, they can deal with it however they want. However, if they don't deal with it properly, then a dark and chaotic world will come, and the people of the world and all living beings will suffer."

Wang Yuyan fell silent for a moment, her face showing some anxiety. Her bright eyes blinked, as if she had thought of something important.

Seeing this, Xiaoyaozi said, "Are you thinking about that kid surnamed Zhao again?"

Wang Yuyan whispered "Yes," then looked up and asked, "Great-grandfather, when are we going to Tokyo?"

Xiaoyaozi put his hands behind his back and looked at the distant mountains: "How is your practice of the Boundless Sea Treasure Talisman?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yuyan quickly replied, "I have finished practicing everything, and there is nothing I don't understand. I just need to master it..."

"Go to Tokyo after your skill reaches the twelfth level," Xiaoyaozi said leisurely.

"Huh?" Wang Yuyan was stunned upon hearing this. Xiaoyaozi had told her about martial arts realms, and she knew what the Twelve-Story Tower meant. Xiaoyaozi was only at the third level of the Twelve-Story Tower, the Azure Dragon Spine Realm, while she was still far from the first level, the Heavenly Pivot Lock.

"Great-grandfather, I... I'm afraid I won't be able to break through the twelfth level in a short time," Wang Yuyan said, biting her lip gently. "But I have to go to Tokyo now."

Xiaoyaozi glanced at her: "So eager?"

Wang Yuyan nodded emphatically: "That's how anxious I am. I haven't seen Your Highness for so long. I left a message with Your Highness and returned to Tokyo soon after. I've broken my promise for far too long now. I can't wait until I advance to the twelfth level. It might take several more years."

“Although your martial arts are still quite far from the twelfth level, it seems that advancement is no longer as difficult as it used to be.” Xiaoyaozi changed the subject.

Wang Yuyan asked, "What does my great-grandfather mean by that? He told me that there are only a handful of martial artists in the world who have reached the twelfth level of the martial arts realm. Why did he then say that advancing to the next level is not so difficult?"

Xiaoyaozi gazed at the distant mountains and slowly said, "I'm not sure if the revival of spiritual energy will allow for cultivation, let alone becoming an immortal or a god. However, it will greatly benefit martial arts."

"Greatly beneficial to martial arts?" Wang Yuyan asked in surprise.

Xiaoyaozi nodded: "This kind of Qi can nourish muscles and meridians, and it is also very beneficial to the cultivation of internal energy. If you breathe in it in a place with rich spiritual energy, the speed of accumulating internal energy will be several times that of the past. You have extremely high talent in martial arts. If you find a place to cultivate seriously, it will probably not be long before you reach the twelfth level."

“I see…” Wang Yuyan murmured, “No wonder my internal energy cultivation seems to have progressed much faster lately.”

Xiaoyaozi said, "Tomorrow I will explore the distant mountains, find a place with abundant spiritual energy, build a thatched hut there, and then move there to practice my skills..."

Xingzhou, Northwest Pacification Commissioner's Office.

Murong Longcheng, carrying a blue cloth bundle on his back and leading a tall horse, was looking towards the main gate of the yamen (government office).

The horse was a Qingtang warhorse, and the bundle contained silver coins given to them by Zheng Fu when they left the Prince of Yan's residence in Tokyo.

In addition, he also had travel permits and other items that proved his identity. His surname was Li, his given name was Longcheng, he was registered in Tokyo, a retainer of the Prince of Yan, and his address was registered under the Prince's residence.

Murong Longcheng had a strange expression on his face, and he felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was strange.

He kept recalling the events along the way, but couldn't recover any of his memories. He pondered what Zheng Fu and the others had said, but couldn't find anything wrong with it. He figured that this must be what happened, but he still felt that something was strange and dreamlike.

After a moment's thought, he led his horse forward, and the soldiers on the steps of the Pacification Commissioner's Office immediately asked, "Who goes there?"

“Hmm…” Murong Longcheng said, “I am Li Longcheng, a retainer of the Prince of Yan’s mansion in Tokyo. I have come to Xingzhou specifically to seek refuge with Your Highness.”

"Ah..." Upon hearing this, the soldiers immediately exchanged glances, and one of them said, "Wait a moment, I'll go inside and inform them."

After saying that, he ran into the office, and a moment later, Bai Zhan walked out quickly.

"Senior Li?" Bai Zhan asked in surprise, hurriedly descending the steps. "It really is Senior Li. Has Senior Li fully recovered from his qi deviation?"

Murong Longcheng felt a little embarrassed upon hearing this. He could tell from the other person's voice that they were familiar with him, but he didn't recognize them because of his amnesia.

"It's recovered, it's recovered, but it left some aftereffects." Murong Longcheng sighed.

"I wonder what kind of aftereffects this is?" Bai Zhan asked, puzzled.

"This..." Murong Longcheng stroked his beard sheepishly, "I have amnesia. I have forgotten many things, including who I am. If it weren't for Steward Zheng's explanation and the letter left by His Highness, I wouldn't even remember my own name now."

"Amnesia..." Bai Zhan was stunned for a moment: "Senior Li, you haven't forgotten me too, have you? We often drink and chat together."

"Ah..." Murong Longcheng felt extremely ashamed and cupped his hands in apology: "I really forgot. I didn't know you were..., young master..."

Bai Zhan raised his hand in return: "Senior Li, I am Bai Zhan, His Highness's personal bodyguard."

"So it was Guard Bai." Murong Longcheng wiped his slightly feverish face. "I don't know when this illness will get better, so I really don't remember Guard Bai. In fact, I've forgotten everyone I know, except for Your Highness, Your Highness..."

"Senior Li, you haven't even forgotten His Highness, have you?" Bai Zhan asked, looking surprised.

"I forgot, I forgot." Murong Longcheng shook his head: "Guard Bai, please take me to His Highness to apologize."

"Your Highness..." Bai Zhan looked at Murong Longcheng and took a breath. The people from Jin Feng Xi Yu Lou had informed him of everything, and he had already made arrangements on his side.

"His Highness is out on business and is not in the city at the moment."

"His Highness is not here?" Murong Longcheng was taken aback.

Bai Zhan nodded and said, "But he should be back soon. Senior Li, please come with me into the office to rest. I'll have a welcome dinner for you tonight."

As he spoke, he pulled and dragged Murong Longcheng into the office.

The Great Snow Mountain, within the kingdom of Shambhala.

Zhao Ti walked out of the Gandharva Temple with a slight smile on his face, for he had obtained the divine lineage.

At that moment, the temple doors closed, and a joyful chorus of chanting and bells and drums rose from behind, soaring straight into the sky…

(End of this chapter)