So what if I have a few billion concubines while I'm cultivating immortality?

Zichen Palace.

Qin Xiao's figure appeared quietly in the hall.

"His Majesty!"

Luo Qingluan noticed immediately and quickly came forward, "How did things go in Jiangnan?"

"Everything is fine."

Qin Xiao briefly recounted the events: "The King of Wu has been executed, and the Taoist Qingyang has also been beheaded by me. The officialdom in Jiangnan is currently undergoing a purge."

Upon hearing this, Luo Qingluan breathed a sigh of relief and then asked, "How strong is Daoist Qingyang?"

"At the third level of Qi Refining, it's utterly vulnerable."

Qin Xiao shook his head. "However, it was a pleasant surprise that he obtained several ancient books."

As he spoke, he took out "An Introduction to Alchemy", "An Introduction to Formations", and "An Introduction to Weapon Forging" and handed them to Luo Qingluan.

Luo Qingluan took the books, quickly flipping through them, her beautiful eyes revealing a look of delight. "Your Majesty, these classic texts are exactly what we need right now!"

"good."

Qin Xiao nodded, "With these, we will have clear rules for alchemy, array formation, and weapon crafting in the future, and we will no longer need to blindly explore."

"When does Your Majesty intend to begin your studies?"

"No rush."

Qin Xiao looked outside the palace and said, "I need to go to Cloud Mist Mountain first to explore the ancient cultivator's cave."

Luo Qingluan was taken aback: "Your Majesty intends to go alone?"

"Take Qingyi with you."

Qin Xiao pondered for a moment and said, "Her cultivation is the highest, having reached the seventh level of Qi Refining, and she also has the Cold Water Sword in hand, so she is quite useful. Besides, she also needs practical combat experience."

"Then this concubine..."

"You will remain in the palace."

Qin Xiao said, "Jiangnan has just been pacified, and there may be some turmoil in the court. I need you to stay and oversee things. Also, you can study these volumes of classic texts with Ziyan and Fengling first. If you gain any insights, write them down and we will review them when I return."

"Yes, Your Majesty understands."

Luo Qingluan agreed.

Qin Xiao gave a few more instructions and then turned to find Yu Qingyi.

He paused slightly as he passed the side hall.

Inside the hall, Li Anning and Li Changle were cultivating.

After several days of recuperation, Li Anning's complexion improved significantly. At this moment, she sat cross-legged, surrounded by a faint aura of spiritual energy.

Although Li Changle was not as focused as her sister, she managed to enter a meditative state.

Qin Xiao scanned the area with his divine sense and nodded slightly.

As expected of Li Anning, who was rated as having a Heavenly Qualification of 3500 points by the system, he successfully guided Qi into his body and stepped into the first level of Qi Refining in just a few days.

Li Changle was slightly inferior, but he had also reached the threshold.

"Indeed, exceptional talent."

Qin Xiao was satisfied.

These two promising seedlings will be a great help in nurturing them in the future.

He left quietly without disturbing the two of them.

……

Changchun Palace.

Yu Qingyi was practicing her sword in the courtyard.

The Cold Water Sword moved with ease in her hands; as the sword light flowed, a chill permeated the air, and the grass and trees in the courtyard were covered with a thin layer of frost.

Hearing footsteps, she sheathed her sword and turned around.

Upon seeing Qin Xiao, she paused slightly, then bowed and said, "Your Majesty."

"No need for such formalities."

Qin Xiao walked up to her, his gaze falling on the Cold Water Sword. "How's the sword?"

"I can do it with ease."

Yu Qingyi twirled her sword, and the Cold Water Sword emitted a soft hum. "This sword resonates with my spiritual power, and its power far surpasses what it once was."

Qin Xiao nodded: "Now that your cultivation has reached the seventh level of Qi Refining, it's time for you to go out and gain some experience."

Yu Qingyi's phoenix eyes brightened slightly: "Your Majesty, are you taking me out?"

"Um."

Qin Xiao said, "I have discovered an ancient cultivator's cave dwelling, located deep within the Cloud Mist Mountain. You will come with me."

Yu Qingyi replied without hesitation, "Your Majesty, I am willing to go!"

She was worried that cultivating in the palace was too comfortable and lacked practical experience.

Being able to go out and gain experience with Qin Xiao was exactly what he wanted.

"Pack your things, just bring some changes of clothes. I have pills and talismans here."

Qin Xiao said, "We'll set off immediately."

"yes!"

Yu Qingyi accepted the order and hurried back to the palace to prepare.

Qin Xiao watched Yu Qingyi's retreating figure, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The attitude of this Empress of Yu is no longer what it used to be.

Good, it seems she has figured it out.

Half an incense stick later, Yu Qingyi changed into a neat moon-white outfit, her black hair tied up high, carrying the Cold Water Sword on her back, exuding a heroic aura.

Qin Xiao glanced at her and nodded: "Let's go."

A crimson light surged forth, enveloping the two figures, and they soared into the sky.

In the blink of an eye, it disappeared into the horizon.

……

High in the sky, the wind howled fiercely.

Standing beside Qin Xiao, Yu Qingyi looked at the mountains rushing past below and felt a surge of pride.

The path to immortality is indeed profound!

Flying through the sky and traversing the earth, roaming the North Sea in the morning and Cangwu in the evening.

This is the world she truly yearns for!

"Your Majesty, what is the origin of that ancient cultivator's cave dwelling?"

Yu Qingyi asked.

Qin Xiao briefly recounted the story of Qingyang Daoist.

"Level three of Qi Refining, completed in half a year..."

After listening, Yu Qingyi frowned slightly. "This person's talent is not bad."

"Um."

Qin Xiao said calmly, "It's a pity that his heart is wicked; he cannot be kept alive."

"Oh, by the way, this is for you."

Qin Xiao suddenly remembered something, took out a replica jade slip from his pocket, and handed it to Yu Qingyi.

Yu Qingyi took it and probed it with her divine sense.

The jade slip contained the contents of three volumes: "An Introduction to Alchemy," "An Introduction to Formations," and "An Introduction to Weapon Forging."

"This is……"

"Ancient books obtained by Qingyang Daoist".

Qin Xiao said, "Take a look first; it might give you some inspiration."

Yu Qingyi read through it carefully, and the more she read, the more alarmed she became.

These three volumes of classic texts are complete in system and clearly explained.

"So, alchemy requires controlling the heat and identifying the properties of the herbs..."

"The formation draws in spiritual energy..."

"There are so many techniques involved in weapon crafting..."

"Thank you for the honor, Your Majesty!"

She carefully put away the jade slip, her gratitude towards Qin Xiao deepening even further.

Without Qin Xiao, she would probably have spent her entire life trapped in the fallacies of the "Water Element Technique".

"Consider this carefully."

Qin Xiao said, "In the future, we may have to rely on you for alchemy, array formation, and weapon crafting."

"Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail your expectations!"

Yu Qingyi solemnly replied.

The two talked as they flew.

Qin Xiao occasionally offered some pointers on the key points of cultivation, and Yu Qingyi listened attentively, benefiting greatly from them.

Before they knew it, a continuous mountain range appeared ahead.

The mountains are majestic and shrouded in mist.

It resembles a giant dragon coiled on the earth.

We've arrived at Yunwu Mountain!

Qin Xiao pressed down on his escape light and landed on a mountain ridge on the outskirts of Cloud Mist Mountain.

Ahead, the sea of ​​clouds churned, and the mountains appeared and disappeared, with visibility less than ten feet.

"The fog is so thick."

Yu Qingyi looked around and spread her divine sense.

"This place is shrouded in mist all year round, making it a suitable place to hide in a cave."

Qin Xiao's gaze swept across the area, recalling the cave dwelling that Qingyang Daoist knew about. "The cave dwelling is deep in the mountains. Let's go!"

As they spoke, the light of escape rose again.

The deeper you go, the thicker the fog becomes.

The mountain road is rugged, with jagged rocks and towering ancient trees.

The forest was completely silent; not even the chirping of birds, beasts, or insects could be heard.

"This place is a bit eerie."

Yu Qingyi gripped the hilt of the Cold Water Sword tightly, cautiously observing her surroundings.

Qin Xiao spread his divine sense, covering an area of ​​dozens of miles.

"It's alright, it's just a naturally formed illusion, there's no trace of an array."

"However, it's always better to be careful."

The light continued its journey.

Before long, a bottomless cliff appeared ahead.

Below the cliff, clouds and mist churned, their depths unfathomable.

"The cave is somewhere on the opposite cliff face!"