Chapter 445: Emperor Xia's Lifespan

Emperor Xia was in a good mood, as the matter concerning Jizhou had garnered support from the Five Immortal Sects.

He then brought up another matter: "You must have heard that the sect master of the Corpse Driving Sect was originally going to be possessed. However, his soul lamp is kept at the Dao Inquiry Sect. The cultivators from the Great Yu Dynasty feared being discovered by the Dao Inquiry Sect, which is why they didn't completely possess him, leaving his soul intact."

"Yes, when I was cleaning up in Hanshui City, that scoundrel Lu Baqian survived, and he kept showing off his Tribulation Transcendence stage body in front of me. Utterly despicable!" Qiu Jin'an scoffed.

Emperor Xia acted as if he hadn't heard Qiu Jin'an and continued, "Can we learn from this experience and arrange for other sects' soul lamps to be placed with the Five Immortal Sects and the imperial court? This would provide a safeguard."

"As Daoist Yun just mentioned, the Great Yu Dynasty still has at least four Tribulation Transcendence cultivators. While an Integration stage cultivator possessing another Integration stage cultivator would certainly lead to a detectable fight, a Tribulation Transcendence cultivator possessing an Integration stage one is far too easy, succeeding silently."

"If something like Sect Master Lu's situation happens again, having a soul lamp system in place would make the Great Yu cultivators hesitant, thus preserving a part of the possessed individual's soul."

"This measure is feasible." Yunzhi nodded, being the first to agree with Emperor Xia's proposal. She had thought of a similar method on her way here, intending to propose it at the meeting, but Emperor Xia had beaten her to it.

"I also think it's fine."

"The Prison Suppressing Sect also finds it feasible."

The abbot of Hanging Temple remained silent, tacitly agreeing.

Seeing that everyone had reached a consensus, Emperor Xia continued, "After the meeting, I will have someone draft a list to give to you all, and then notify the sects on that list."

The sects in Great Xia operated under a registration system. As long as they reported to the government, providing basic information such as the sect's number of members, scale, address, and sect master, the registration was considered successful, without requiring review or approval. Subsequent matters, such as a change in sect master, still needed to be reported to the government. Thanks to this system, Great Xia had a very clear understanding of the number and locations of sects, and officials could quickly draft the list according to Emperor Xia's requirements.

With the important matters concluded, the five individuals walked out of the main hall chatting and laughing, while the abbot of Hanging Temple also exited with a smile. The atmosphere was harmonious.

The eunuchs and palace maids stood respectfully outside the main hall, ready to bid farewell to the five sect masters.

"Cough, cough—" Emperor Xia, who was discussing the path of silence with Qiu Jin'an, suddenly began to cough violently. He covered his mouth and nose, revealing a few spots of blood on his palm. A wisp of white hair appeared on his forehead, starkly contrasting with his thick black hair.

"Your Majesty!" The chief eunuch was terrified at the sight, rushing forward in a few quick steps to support Emperor Xia. "Summon the imperial physician, quickly!" Other eunuchs and palace maids frantically scrambled, clearly frightened.

"What's wrong with you?" Qiu Jin'an frowned, grabbing Emperor Xia's wrist with a backhand, his expression shifting slightly. "Why is your body so weak?!"

Logically, this shouldn't be happening. Even provincial governors are protected by the power of national destiny, making them immune to poisons and illnesses. As the Emperor of Great Xia, who wielded supreme control over the power of national destiny, his body should be even less likely to have issues.

Emperor Xia smiled bitterly and waved his hand, clearly unwilling to elaborate. The abbot of Hanging Temple silently recited Amitābha and said nothing.

Yunzhi, with the highest cultivation, instantly saw through Emperor Xia's condition: "His lifespan is exhausted."

"Lifespan exhaustion?" Luohongxia was astonished, never expecting Emperor Xia to face such a sudden and critical issue.

Emperor Xia looked at Yunzhi, equally surprised. He was always protected by the power of national destiny, so no one should have been able to discern his condition. Yet, Yunzhi had seen through his problem with a single glance. Knowing he couldn't hide it, he had no choice but to say, "After all, I am only at the Soul Transformation stage."

Among the six, Yunzhi had the highest cultivation, and Emperor Xia had the lowest. Whether one became emperor had no direct correlation with cultivation; after all, no matter how high an emperor's cultivation, they couldn't suppress everything by themselves.

"Even so, that's not right. You are only a thousand years old. A Soul Transformation cultivator can live between one thousand five hundred and two thousand years," the Prison Suppressing Sect Master said, frowning in confusion.

Great Xia was currently facing both internal and external troubles. If Emperor Xia's body had problems, especially related to his lifespan, it would undoubtedly lead to political instability, and various troublesome elements would emerge. This was not a good sign.

"When I was the crown prince, I suffered a severe illness and was on the brink of death. To cure it, I consumed many rare medicinal ingredients, including two Medicine King roots and leaves. Unfortunately, my body was too weak to absorb the benefits at the time. My life was saved, but my lifespan was greatly diminished."

The five individuals had all heard about this matter, and the older eunuchs and palace maids in the palace were also aware.

"Our sect has several longevity-extending Medicine Kings, such as the Everlasting Ailanthus and the Myriad Longevity Stone," Qiu Jin'an said. Emperor Xia absolutely could not have a health crisis now.

The Everlasting Ailanthus, with springs and autumns lasting eight thousand years each, was exceedingly rare and an excellent herb for extending lifespan. The Myriad Longevity Stone was a type of stone that grew annually, though its growth was incredibly slow, imperceptible to the naked eye. After ten thousand years, it would only grow by a single circumference. Scraping off some of its flakes yielded a longevity treasure even Integration stage cultivators coveted.

Emperor Xia's eyes lit up upon hearing Qiu Jin'an, but then quickly dimmed. He gently shook his head: "It's no use. I've consumed too many heavenly treasures before. The imperial physicians say my body has developed a resistance, and no Medicine King will work."

The issue of lifespan was fatal; even the power of national destiny could hardly compensate for it. The only solution was to become an immortal and gain endless lifespan.

"How much longer can you live?"

"About ten years." He knew his own body best.

Silence fell upon the group. Ten years was fleeting for cultivators; it was simply too short. Was Emperor Xia to close his eyes just as he witnessed the grand era unfold?

Since his ascension, Emperor Xia had diligently worked for the nation and its people. Great Xia's national power had steadily grown, and the power of national destiny had become increasingly robust. He was a rare and wise monarch, ranking among the top three in Great Xia's history. Was it jealousy of talent that would cause him to die at such a crucial moment, unable to even witness the true grand era?

This was unfair. But even if it was unfair, what could be done?

The Prison Suppressing Sect Master couldn't help but say, "There's still plenty of time. I'll go back and discuss it with the other elders. The world is vast; there must be other solutions." He refused to believe that if they couldn't fully compensate for Emperor Xia's lost lifespan, they couldn't at least extend it by a few decades or a century.

The five sect masters of the Immortal Sects left the Imperial City, soaring into the sky, silently sighing in their hearts as they flew back to their respective sects to search for solutions.

"By the way, the crown prince hasn't been established yet, has he? This will surely lead to another storm."

"The Great Yu Dynasty, the Great Gan Dynasty, the Demon Realm, the East Sea—internal and external threats. Now, with his lifespan exhausted, it truly is a tumultuous time."

After everyone had left, Emperor Xia declined attendance and walked towards the ancestral grounds of the imperial palace, hoping that the ancestors might have a solution.