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

Wuyashan?

Lin Ye was slightly surprised upon hearing this.

This is where his imperial tomb is located.

Was Gongsun Yan's decision to establish the Dan Palace here unintentional or...intentional?

But if Gongsun Yan had such intentions, what was he after?

Under Gongsun Yan's gaze, Lin Ye did not respond immediately. Instead, he leisurely picked up the jade teacup on the table, his face perfectly veiled with a thoughtful expression, and brought the teacup to his lips.

Regardless of their purpose, it is the other party who is anxious right now.

Since that's the case, he only needs to make the other party more anxious... anxious to the point of losing their composure, anxious to the point of revealing the tip of the iceberg hidden underwater in just a few words.

Upon seeing this, Gongsun Yan's eyes flashed with surprise. He hadn't expected Lin Ye to remain so calm at this moment.

This could be very detrimental to their plan of pressing forward step by step and achieving a swift victory.

The longer it drags on, the more variables there will be.

Gongsun Yan's expression remained calm and composed, but his mind was in turmoil.

Since the other party didn't move, he decided to throw out a bait and show off his own skills as well.

Having made up his mind, Gongsun Yan's lips curled into a faint, all-knowing smile as he slowly asked, "Is Your Majesty troubled by the fact that the imperial mausoleum is also located in Wuya Mountain?"

Lin Ye's hand holding the teacup seemed to pause for a moment at these words, then he put down the teacup as if in a daze and said, "Daoist Master, your Taoist magic is indeed profound and your wisdom is divine."

"The imperial mausoleum is not merely the place where I will rest in peace after my death; it is the lifeblood of the nation and the cornerstone of the country."

"I wonder if the Grand Master could choose another location as the site for the Pill Palace?"

Gongsun Yan shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, the purple aura of Wuya Mountain soars to the sky, which is compatible with Your Majesty's destiny. If you build the Pill Palace here, you can use the power of the dragon vein to sense the weak energy of heaven and earth. It is also the place where you can most easily absorb the energy of heaven and earth when the time is about to arrive. There is really no substitute."

After speaking, Gongsun Yan gave Zhou Ru a subtle look.

"Your Majesty," Zhou Ru said, turning her alluring eyes to look at Lin Ye, "I think it would be wonderful if the Dan Palace were built in the same place as the Imperial Mausoleum."

Lin Ye asked leisurely, "What do you mean by that, my beloved consort?"

Zhou Ru's voice was clear and bright, tinged with just the right amount of concern. "Didn't His Majesty worry yesterday that building the Pill Palace would be a waste of manpower and resources?" She paused, then continued with a smile that seemed to have fallen from the sky, "If the Pill Palace and the Imperial Mausoleum were built together, wouldn't they be able to share manpower?"

"The craftsmanship, materials, and even the supervision and scheduling can all be combined into one, and the money, grain, and labor saved will be no small amount."

At this point, Zhou Ru glanced at Lin Ye with a hesitant expression.

Lin Ye took in her expression and said slowly, "My dear consort, if you have anything else to say, please speak freely."

Zhou Ru then continued, "Your Majesty, please forgive my boldness in speaking so frankly."

"In my humble opinion, while the matter of the imperial mausoleum is indeed of paramount importance concerning the national dignity..." She paused briefly, emphasizing her words, "but compared to Your Majesty's invaluable body, it is utterly insignificant!"

She took a deep breath, her eyes gleaming with an almost fervent light, as if depicting a beautiful dream within reach: "Your Majesty, if you could obtain the elixir of immortality and attain the Dao of eternal life, ruling the land for countless ages... then, no matter how magnificent and splendid this imperial mausoleum may be, wouldn't it ultimately become... become a useless thing for you?"

"In my humble opinion, it would be better not to build this imperial mausoleum."

Having said that, Lin Ye understood everything.

Imperial tombs are related to the fate of the nation, and this is likely part of their efforts to undermine the human spirit and destiny.

However, this was exactly what Lin Ye wanted. He had already planned to postpone the construction of the imperial mausoleum and transfer the skilled craftsmen to the construction of the Dan Palace.

"What my beloved consort says..." Lin Ye's eyes narrowed slightly, and he paused for a moment as if he were considering the pros and cons. Finally, Zhou Ru and the other woman heard him say in a calm and unhurried tone, "Indeed."

As he spoke, Lin Ye turned his gaze to Gongsun Yan opposite him, and said in a deliberately fluctuating tone, "If the Daoist can refine this elixir of immortality, then I... would not need this imperial mausoleum."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ru and Gongsun Yan's eyes met briefly, almost imperceptibly, in the air.

They were clearly delighted with the result.

Lin Ye took in the expressions of the two men and secretly plotted his own scheme.

"Daoist Master," Lin Ye's voice rang out at the opportune moment, carrying a perfectly measured solemnity reflecting his profound concern for the cause of immortality, "Now that the matter of the Pill Palace has been settled, I wonder what ingredients are needed to refine the elixir of immortality? I will immediately order the entire nation to gather them and ensure that you have everything you need!"

Gongsun Yan then said, "Your Majesty's desire for the Dao is sincere, and I will certainly do my utmost."

"The ingredients required to refine such a powerful elixir, which rivals the creation of heaven and earth, are not ordinary, but they are not elusive either."

"First and foremost, you need nine 'old ginseng' plants that are over a hundred years old and fully formed. They must have intact roots and clear rhizomes. The older the plant, the better its efficacy."

"Secondly, there is a hundred catties of the finest 'cinnabar,' which is bright red like a rooster's comb, heavy to the touch, and free of impurities. This is the foundation of the elixir."

"Furthermore, ten bushels of powder ground from deep-sea 'luminous pearls' are used to extract their ultimate yin essence, harmonizing yin and yang;"

"There are also a hundred jars of 'rootless water' formed from the 'ice' that has remained frozen for a thousand years atop Kunlun Mountain. It must be collected at midnight on the winter solstice and stored in jade vessels to preserve its purity and clarity..."

Lin Ye frowned slightly as he listened. He had heard of some of these medicinal ingredients, but most of them were completely new to him.

He couldn't help but sneer inwardly: It seems these cultivators are finding all sorts of ways to drain his nation's strength.

but......

Lin Ye's mind stirred slightly, and the plan he was still pondering took shape.

"What the Daoist Master requires are indeed rare treasures of the world." Lin Ye feigned amazement, his face perfectly displaying an unwavering desire for immortality that overwhelmed everything else, before exclaiming with emotion, "Though they are hard to find, I will spare no effort for the sake of the Great Dao of Immortality!"

With a wave of his hand, displaying his imperial power, he declared: "Tomorrow I will arrange for manpower to be mobilized, emptying the imperial treasury and drawing upon local officials to search for the items listed by the Taoist priest! Whoever obtains them will be richly rewarded!"

The atmosphere inside the palace seemed to grow even more fervent because of the emperor's determination.

Both Gongsun Yan and his companion were overjoyed upon seeing this.

However, the next moment, the two heard Lin Ye say, "But..."

His gaze fell on Gongsun Yan. "However... these many rare items are probably unheard of by ordinary people. Therefore, I'm afraid I'll need the Daoist Master to put in more effort in finding the ingredients for the elixir."

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yan suddenly had a bad feeling.

Then Lin Ye's deep and gentle voice rang out: "Then let the Daoist personally lead the troops to retrieve these precious medicinal materials for me."

Gongsun Yan: "..."

Zhou Ru's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. While Lin Ye was unaware of the truth, she was certain that many of the medicinal herbs Gongsun Yan had mentioned simply did not exist in this world.

Their actions were merely intended to cause Lin Ye to waste its national strength on these impossible-to-collect "elixirs," thereby weakening its humanitarian fortune.

But now...