Only after becoming emperor did he realize he was in a fantasy world of immortal cultivation.

"This... how could this be? The Taoist priest's face looks old one moment and young the next." Zhou Ru tried to widen her eyes to make her surprise more obvious.

Gongsun Yan then explained, "It is because I just used my true energy to control the circulation of the elixir of immortality within my body that I have revealed the appearance that I should have at my age."

Lin Ye: "So, the Taoist priest is actually over seventy years old?"

"No, it's over one hundred and seventy," Gongsun Yan added calmly.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ru exclaimed to Lin Ye with delight, "Your Majesty, the Daoist priest truly can refine the elixir of immortality!"

Lin Ye then asked, "So, the elixir of immortality within you, Master, was refined by your own hands?"

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yan's expression changed slightly, and he said with a hint of shame, "Although it was refined by me, if it weren't for the great effort and research of my grandmaster and master over generations, I wouldn't have been able to refine this one and only elixir of immortality in the world."

"Only one left?"

"Why doesn't the Daoist master refine more of these pills?"

Lin Ye narrowed his eyes, making it impossible to discern his expression.

"Your Majesty, it's simply because it's difficult to refine," Gongsun Yan replied methodically.

"To refine this elixir of immortality, one not only needs many rare medicinal ingredients, but also needs to take advantage of the right time and place to harness the energy of heaven and earth."

"The energy of heaven and earth is difficult to sense; one can only make a rough estimate through calculation, hence it is difficult to achieve."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ye quickly recalled Zhou Wanwan's previous mention of trying to destroy his human destiny.

But what is the connection between refining the elixir of immortality and the destruction of human destiny?

Lin Ye continued to probe, "Since it's so difficult, how can you be so sure that you can successfully refine this pill for me?"

"Because of Your Majesty's humane fortune, it is not difficult for you to borrow the energy of heaven and earth."

"Human destiny? What is this? Why have I never seen it before?"

Lin Ye wanted to figure out exactly what this luck was, and what its strength was related to.

If he knew these things, he would have a clearer understanding of the plans of these cultivators.

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yan paused for a moment, then, after considering his words carefully, continued, "Your Majesty naturally cannot see it. This is an invisible thing, formed because Your Majesty founded the country."

Founding a nation?

Could it be that the strength of humanity's fortune is related to the strength of a nation?

Lin Ye could tell that Gongsun Yan didn't want to say too much about this, so to avoid arousing suspicion, Lin Ye didn't continue the topic.

He merely feigned emotion in his eyes and said, "In that case, I will trouble you, Daoist, to refine an elixir of immortality for me. If I can attain eternal life, I will certainly treat you as an honored guest and grant you all my requests."

Lin Ye naturally didn't expect Gongsun Yan to actually give him an elixir of immortality, but having Gongsun Yan act under his nose would allow him to better plan his scheme.

Gongsun Yan, however, remained unresponsive, adhering to a theory of cause and effect.

Hearing this, Zhou Ru beamed with joy and said, "His Majesty is a man of destiny. If the Taoist priest can refine an elixir of immortality for His Majesty, he will surely have many blessings in the future."

"What my beloved concubine says is true," Lin Ye replied casually.

Then, changing the subject, he asked Gongsun Yan, "The Daoist Master mentioned earlier that he needs some medicinal ingredients. May I ask what kind of ingredients they are?"

Gongsun Yan waved his hand at Lin Ye, "Your Majesty, the elixir materials are not urgent. The most important thing right now is to build an alchemy palace in a strategically located place three months from now."

Before Lin Ye could speak, Gongsun Yan took out several rolled-up sheets of paper from his wide sleeve and handed them to Lin Ye, saying, "Your Majesty, this is the structural diagram of the Dan Palace."

"After Your Majesty has finished reading, you may begin to arrange manpower."

"I will then tell Your Majesty where the terrain is advantageous."

Lin Ye took the structural diagram and opened it.

The more I looked at it, the more my brows furrowed.

Although he didn't know much about building construction, he could tell that such a massive project, to be completed in March, required far more manpower, material resources, and financial resources than could be described in a few words.

"Daoist Master, if we want to complete this Pill Palace in three months, we're afraid we'll need tens of thousands of people, not to mention the financial and material resources."

"Now that the Qin Empire has just been established and the chaos has just subsided, it is precisely the time to recuperate and develop the economy. If we continue to waste resources and manpower in this way, I fear..."

As Lin Ye spoke, he became fairly certain that the strength of human destiny was related to the strength of the nation.

"Your Majesty, I am only concerned with refining the elixir of immortality for you. As for anything else, I cannot attend to it," Gongsun Yan said, looking at Lin Ye with a detached and otherworldly gaze.

Zhou Ru quickly advised, "Your Majesty, a country cannot exist without a ruler. Only if Your Majesty lives as long as Heaven can the country endure. What does a little extra expense and hardship for the people matter now?"

Since Lin Ye had guessed their plan, he was unlikely to let them have their way. He needed to strategize first, and also wanted to whet the appetites of these cultivators, so he pretended to be troubled and said, "Daoist Master, could you allow me to think about it some more?"

Gongsun Yan nodded slightly and said, "Of course."

"However, Your Majesty should consider this matter as soon as possible, since there are only three months left."

......

At night, the bright moon hangs high in the sky.

Zhou Ru's bedroom.

Lin Ye did not stay here tonight because Zhou Ru was "seriously ill".

"Master, Lin Ye said he needs to consider it, could it be...?"

Zhou Ru didn't understand what Lin Ye was still considering at this crucial moment.

I was immediately annoyed.

"It's all because Gongsun Yan agreed so readily..." Zhou Ru said with slight dissatisfaction.

"Fellow Daoist Wanwan, since your spirit fox is so dissatisfied with me, why don't we call off our alliance? What do you say?"

Gongsun Yan's voice drifted into Zhou Wanwan's and her companion's ears on a gentle breeze.

As soon as he finished speaking, Gongsun Yan's figure appeared completely in front of the two of them.

"If you're willing to part with those elixirs you've given me, I don't mind," Zhou Wanwan said calmly to the newcomer.

Gongsun Yan was naturally reluctant to part with it.

Back then, Zhou Wanwan said she wanted to form an alliance with him, and after weighing the pros and cons, he agreed.

Although he had the upper hand in the terms of this alliance, he still had to bleed a little.

This includes elixirs that can heal wounds.

Those were all elixirs specially prepared by the Gongsun family for this selection.

The quality is excellent.

"We are allies, and talking about elixirs would be too much of a blow to our relationship. I think we should talk about the forest instead," Gongsun Yan said with a smile.

Looking at Gongsun Yan's "cunning businessman" appearance, Zhou Ru gritted her teeth and said, "If you hadn't pretended to say 'of course', Lin Ye would probably have agreed long ago."

"Fellow Daoist Ru, you are mistaken. Since I am pretending to be an enlightened master, I must naturally act like one. If I said I couldn't, Lin Ye would probably be suspicious."

After this day of interaction with Lin Ye, Gongsun Yan could naturally see that this emperor was not a weak or incompetent person.

After hearing what Gongsun Yan said, Zhou Ru realized that if they had tried to persuade him, it might have backfired.

"He will definitely agree." At this moment, Zhou Wanwan seemed to have thought of something and said with certainty.