A Cultivation Method Worth Fifty Trillion

Hearing Edward Zhao’s suggestion, Ian Song couldn’t help but look thoughtful. Back when he disrupted the duel with the Immortal-Dao cultivators and fought a fierce battle with those Foundation Establishment experts, he even beheaded Realman Qingxu and Liaoyin, the two Foundation masters. Afterwards, he forced the Immortal-Dao side to sign an extremely favorable agreement for the Yanhuang Republic, earning a massive achievement for the nation.

Afterwards, he was summoned to the Inner Palace for a meeting with the Head of State and the nine Grand Elders. Not only did he receive a promotion, he also gained unrestricted harvesting rights in the Secret Realm. In the following conversation, he learned about the subtle relationship between the country and the Immortal-Dao world directly from the Head of State.

Although the Head of State and the nine Grand Elders never said it outright, Ian Song could tell they were deeply dissatisfied with Immortal-Dao cultivators who stood above the nation.

But the Foundation Establishment experts among the Immortal-Dao cultivators were simply too powerful. If the country turned against them rashly, it would likely suffer enormous losses.

If he offered up Immortal-Dao cultivation methods, allowing the country to train its own Immortal-Dao cultivators, then once the nation produced enough Foundation Establishment experts, it would no longer have to fear those people from the Immortal-Dao world.

It’s important to know that every year, the country has to pay the Immortal-Dao world tribute worth trillions in various metal resources.

Elder Qi once sighed to him in person, saying that if all those trillions were spent on people’s livelihood and infrastructure, it would benefit countless citizens. Elder Qi’s lament was probably a hint for him to offer up cultivation methods, but Ian hadn’t caught onto it at the time.

Now, Edward Zhao’s suggestion to donate a cultivation method to the country might well be a result of hints from the Head of State and others.

What Edward Zhao hadn’t expected was that before he could even ask for Ian Song’s cultivation method, Ian had already offered it to him. So Edward simply went with the flow and suggested presenting the method to the country, which both satisfied the high-level leadership and solved a small problem for himself.

With that analysis, Ian Song wasn’t sure if he was right, but it didn’t matter anymore—he had already agreed to donate the Origin-Nurturing Scripture to the country. Of course, what he was offering was only the part that could be cultivated up to late Foundation Establishment.

"Ian, what do you think of my suggestion?" Seeing Ian Song lost in thought, Edward Zhao couldn’t help but press for an answer.

"Let’s do as godfather says." Ian Song looked up and replied.

Seeing Ian Song agree, Edward Zhao couldn’t help but smile with relief. In fact, Ian’s analysis just now was pretty much spot on—the higher-ups had indeed hinted for him to get Ian’s cultivation method. Of course, he also had his own motives.

On the surface, the Ten Great Families seem mighty, but in reality, if the country wanted them gone, they’d have little power to resist.

The leadership never said outright what benefits the Zhao family would get for donating a cultivation method, but if they really managed it, the rewards would be huge. The Zhao clan’s current first-place ranking looks impressive, but it’s all just for show—only with the country’s backing can they turn that into real power and secure their spot as the top family.

Ian Song suddenly said, "By the way, godfather, I should remind you—these spirit crystals contain a huge amount of spiritual energy, which makes them incredibly convenient for cultivation."

"How do you use it for cultivation?" Edward Zhao picked up a top-grade spirit crystal and examined it, but couldn’t figure out how to start.

"Try channeling a strand of true qi into it. Then you’ll be able to draw out the spiritual energy inside!" Ian Song explained.

"Alright, I’ll give it a try."

Following Ian Song’s instructions, Edward Zhao sent a strand of true qi into the spirit crystal. Instantly, he sensed the incredibly dense spiritual energy within.

Instinctively, he guided a wisp of that spiritual energy into his body.

Once that wisp of energy entered his body, he realized it was dozens of times purer than his own true qi. After one full cycle, he refined the energy and was delighted to find his true qi had increased noticeably—at least equivalent to half a month’s worth of training.

"Amazing! This is practically a sacred treasure for cultivation!"

Edward Zhao praised with a flushed face, already planning to distribute the ten spirit crystals to ten Innate Eighth-Layer experts in the Zhao family. With the pure energy inside, they could all break through to Innate Ninth Layer within a year.

If the Zhao family added ten more Innate Ninth-Layer experts, they’d become the undisputed number one clan even without state support.

Thinking of this, he grew more and more excited, his face flushing deeper.

Fortunately, as someone who’d lived nearly eighty years, he quickly calmed himself and bowed to Ian Song. "Ian, your kindness to the Zhao family is truly immense!"

"Godfather, you’re too formal!" Ian Song quickly helped Edward Zhao up.

Looking at Ian Song’s young face, Edward Zhao couldn’t help but feel emotional. When he adopted Ian as his godson, he was thinking of the Zhao family’s future. He’d expected that, even with Ian’s monstrous talent, it would take a decade before Ian could repay the family.

He never imagined Ian would repay the Zhao family so quickly, and with a force ten or even a hundred times greater than he’d hoped. Thinking about it, he felt that making Ian his godson was the smartest decision of his life.

Half an hour later, Ian Song and Edward Zhao arrived at the Inner Palace to request an audience with the Head of State.

The Head of State’s secretary personally greeted them.

Led by the secretary, Ian Song and Edward Zhao entered the Head of State’s office.

To their surprise, the Head of State was actually waiting outside the office to greet them. Instantly, Edward Zhao felt a surge of pride.

"So, what brings you two here today?" The Head of State warmly welcomed them into the office and personally made tea for them. You had to admit, he really knew how to win people over.

After some brief small talk.

Edward Zhao looked at Ian Song and said, "Ian, it’s better if you say it."

Ian Song was briefly surprised, then understood Edward Zhao’s intention—to let him take full credit for donating the cultivation method. Although it was natural for Ian to claim the honor since he provided the method, Edward’s gesture genuinely moved him.

"Head of State, the Zhao family has something we’d like to offer to the country!" Ian Song said with a smile.

Hearing Ian Song present the cultivation method in the Zhao family’s name, Edward Zhao felt quietly gratified—he hadn’t misjudged Ian.

"Oh? What is it?" the Head of State asked with a smile.

Ian Song smiled and presented a booklet—the detailed Origin-Nurturing Scripture, up to late Foundation Establishment.

"What is this?" the Head of State asked, his expression growing serious. He was already guessing what the booklet contained.

"Immortal-Dao cultivation method." Ian Song uttered the four words softly.

Instantly, the Head of State’s eyes narrowed, and even his breathing grew rapid. Although he had guessed the booklet was a cultivation method, hearing those words still sent a shock through him.

Half an hour later, the nine Grand Elders once again gathered in the Head of State’s office.

When they learned Ian Song had actually donated an Immortal-Dao cultivation method to the country, all nine Grand Elders were visibly excited. The nation had tried many times to buy a Foundation Establishment method from the Immortal-Dao world—even offering up to twenty trillion—but they’d always been refused.

Everyone knew the Immortal-Dao cultivators relied on their cultivation methods. Even if you offered two hundred trillion, they still wouldn’t sell.

But Ian Song had donated a method that could be cultivated up to late Foundation Establishment—a method you couldn’t buy even for fifty trillion.