Chapter 1932: Long-term Stability Methods

The demonic energy needed by Sky Demons cannot be collected individually, nor can it be obtained from rare treasures, elixirs, or profound crystals. However, it can be acquired through collective effort, and they don't demand excessive tribute from their subordinate states like the Immortals of the Immortal Sects do. At least, in the early days of Beijia's founding, the Demon Emperor faced very little pressure in this regard.

He Lingchuan listened in silence. Xin Yi was stating facts, but these were facts from before the Grand Pot manufactured the Dragon Punishment Pillars.

With the advent of the Dragon Punishment Pillars, demonic energy was no longer universally available or equally distributed among Sky Demons from other realms.

How could the greed of Sky Demons be any less than that of Immortals? Previously, they appeared detached from material things simply because they had no means to individually seize demonic energy.

Given the right conditions, everyone is the same.

"So?" He Lingchuan asked directly, "In your opinion, Mr. Xin, how can one successfully establish a nation?"

Here, "success" wasn't merely about founding a country. It had to develop, grow strong, and be able to contribute to the conflict between the Sky Demons and Spirit Mountain.

"As I just said, 'people' are the most important," Xin Yi said gravely. "Actually, stability is paramount. A stable governing philosophy, stable policies, and even stable rulers! Only then can consistency be maintained and original intentions remain unchanged!"

"There's a saying among humans: 'A heroic father begets a worthless son.' This is inevitable and beyond human control. If the ruler of the State of Yu back then had managed to hold on for another thirty or forty years without incident, he might have laid a solid foundation for the nation, ensuring its prosperity for generations." Xin Yi said earnestly, "Look at Beijia. In its six hundred years of existence, how many Demon Emperors have there been?"

"So far, only three..." He Lingchuan immediately corrected himself, "Two."

"Precisely. Dragons have long lifespans, so their Demon Emperors can rule for centuries, ensuring great stability," Xin Yi said. "Their control over the government and their subjects is incredibly firm. If rulers changed every few decades like human monarchs, each succession would carry immense risk. How can you know if the successor will be capable?"

"That's true." For a monarch, a good son isn't necessarily a good emperor; it's largely a roll of the dice.

Following Xin Yi's logic, the Northern Demon Kingdom indeed possessed multiple advantages.

Sun Fuling picked up a peanut He Lingchuan had shelled and ate it, casually remarking, "What about having a Grand Immortal serve as emperor? At least they live long and their word is law. Most of their subordinates wouldn't conspire with other Immortals either, so wouldn't the government be stable then?"

He Lingchuan gave a thumbs-up. "That's a good idea."

Sun Fuling glanced at him, unsure if he was genuinely praising her or being sarcastic.

"Difficult," Xin Yi sighed, almost having exhausted a month's worth of sighs today. "Not to mention True Immortals, even ordinary Immortals cannot remain in the mortal world for extended periods. It's already a strain for True Immortals to manage Spirit Mountain, and they require regular rotations. Even if an Immortal were to govern a human nation, they would soon need to enter secluded cultivation, otherwise their cultivation would gradually fade, and they would weaken and die like humans. See? That's another change in leadership, and who knows the caliber of the successor?"

He Lingchuan feigned seriousness. "What if they just lived on the throne, holding profound crystals?"

"How could an ordinary Immortal govern and command respect? And if we were to ask a True Immortal to rule, what magnitude of profound crystals would be needed to sustain their normal activities in the human world? How could a mere small nation afford that?"

He Lingchuan scratched his head.

That was a good point. The Grandmaster of Illusions had painstakingly set up the Reversing Heavenly Constellations Formation in the Glimmering Gold Plains, using the plains' spiritual energy for himself and the Illusion Sect. While this was partly due to his greedy nature, it also demonstrated that True Immortals' demand for profound crystals was absurdly high!

A fish tank cannot sustain a giant whale.

"So, this problem has no solution?" He Lingchuan lamented. "What a pity for such a good concept."

Xin Yi spun a chess piece between his fingers for a long time, but didn't place it. "Who says it isn't so?"

"This move will decide the game," Sun Fuling said with a smile. "Mr. Xin, please."

By this point, the game was becoming clear. She had not only overturned He Lingchuan's previous disadvantage but had also cornered Xin Yi, leaving him looking thoroughly vexed.

Xin Yi opened his mouth to speak when suddenly a paper crane flew down from outside the wall, flapping its wings before landing in front of him.

He picked up the paper crane, unfolded it, and immediately said, "Oh, Dean Xu is looking for me."

Sun Fuling tapped the stone table. "Finish the game before you go."

Xin Yi quickly stood up, his face serious. "Dean Xu's call sounds urgent, so I imagine something important has come up. Well, business comes first. Let's leave this game for now and continue another day."

The two couldn't force him to sit back down, so they simply saw him out.

Despite his urgency, Xin Yi still found time to wrap some chestnuts and peanuts in oil paper and tuck them into his sleeve. "I'll be off now," he said.

With that, he strode away without looking back.

He Lingchuan leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, watching Xin Yi's retreating back thoughtfully.

It wasn't until a resident nearby greeted him that he snapped back to reality. He turned his head to see Sun Fuling standing behind him, a faint smile on her face. "Mr. Xin left in quite a hurry, didn't he?"

He Lingchuan spoke frankly, "Playing against you would make even Dean Xu flee in haste, let alone him."

"Were you trying to trick information out of him again?"

"Of course not, just friendly chitchat. Do you know any group of men who gather without bragging, complaining, or cursing?" He Lingchuan stretched. "Come on, let's go eat some grapes."

Half an hour later, Hu Min arrived to inform them:

Commander Zhong requested his presence.

He Lingchuan was slightly surprised, as Zhong Shengguang was scheduled to convene a meeting of all generals an hour later. Was he being called for a private talk now?

Zhong Shengguang was as busy as ever. When He Lingchuan entered the government office, Zhong Shengguang was meeting with several merchants, but upon hearing of He Lingchuan's arrival, he quickly concluded the conversation and had someone escort the guests out.

Zhong Shengguang motioned for He Lingchuan to enter his office, and his first words were, "Mr. Xin said he was playing chess at your place earlier?"

The osmanthus flowers here had also bloomed, and the autumn wind carried their fragrance.

"Yes, Mr. Xin is good at chess. He doesn't like playing with Dean Xu but is willing to play with me."

"Perhaps he sees you as an evenly matched opponent." Zhong Shengguang's remark might have been unintentional, but it stirred something in He Lingchuan.

After the pleasantries, Zhong Shengguang waved his hand to cast a barrier, then told him, "Beijia was enraged as soon as we captured Xianyou. According to reports from the east, Beijia's main army can reach the eastern front of Yuheng City within a month."

"A month?" He Lingchuan chuckled. "That slow?"

"Given Beijia's efficiency, it's not slow. They also have to cross the entire Xiluo Kingdom." Zhong Shengguang said, seemingly casually, "Besides, what's their hurry? Xianyou has already fallen to us."

He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow.

"However, this time, their lineup is far stronger than before. In addition to Fushan Lie, the Demon King of Mengshan will also lead the expedition personally. It's said that several other renowned generals will join them in the coming days."

Oh, a powerful lineup, but a leisurely advance?