Chapter 374 - 173: Capital City Reset, Survival by Any Means
Under the Sword Casting Manor, in a room.
Ning Zheng's face quickly turned pale, as if severely injured, for the Three Flowers that were plucked belonged to him.
Plucking the Three Flowers of the Three Elements Realm is essentially an inevitable process that cultivators at this stage must undergo.
If the Three Flowers are not plucked once, a life in the Three Elements Realm seems somehow incomplete.
Previously, Ning Zheng's "luck" was too good, and now he experienced this kind of attack for the first time, and it was self-inflicted.
"This developed divine technique is a bit masochistic."
Ning Zheng sighed deeply, feeling the loss in his body, with essence, qi, and spirit withering.
Luckily, he just broke through a small realm, so the withering wouldn't cause a regression in realm.
He poured out some pills for the Three Elements Realm, many of which were for nourishing the soul and restoring the Three Elements.
This is the most common medicine in the Three Elements Realm.
In the nursery, it's necessary to have some healing elixirs to prevent oneself from being plucked.
Whoosh!
With a few pills swallowed, he felt his body recover: "It's still somewhat insufficient. I need to stop cultivating for a week to fully recover from the injuries."
At this moment.
Ning Zheng realized the dangers of the Three Elements Realm.
Not to mention healing injuries for a week, if he were cultivating midway and suddenly got plucked, most of his previous cultivation would be wasted, and he would have to start over again.
Loose cultivators who are unlucky might be stuck at one realm for a lifetime, nearly achieving it, only to be plucked again and again.
Who could endure this?
This mindset would collapse.
It's you, Adoptive Father Ancestor Qi, robbing on the road, cutting off people's path like killing one's parents; it's all your doing that our manor has such enmity.
After recovering from his injuries, Ning Zheng felt the connection with Princess Xin'e.
It felt like an extra Embers Void Bubble, allowing him to observe above Princess Xin'e's head as if watching an Embers Avatar.
After all, he was the one who planted the spiritual root in her.
"Using her as a medium, in the future, when I enter the nursery, having a location... it should not cost 20,000 Qi Fortune Value each time."
Ning Zheng mused.
No need for a ticket, this feels like a big win.
He could also let these Hairpin Ladies and Embroideresses open new scenarios every day and go play with Princess Xin'e.
Ning Zheng glanced at them, his expression suddenly changing slightly:
"Inviting people to play cards?"
"It's just that this group of Hairpin Ladies and Embroideresses have no ambition, going to make friends, truly playing around, mostly pure entertainment and sightseeing."
"They even vaguely suggest that Princess Xin'e play embroidery and sew clothes with her Three Flowers watching beside her."
The female players, compared to the male players, are truly a bunch of little slackers.
Do they really take it as some kind of 'Nuan Nuan' dress-up game?
If it were male blacksmiths, they would be calling for world domination, stirring up trouble crazily.
Ning Zheng thought about it and felt it wasn't a bad thing, just let nature take its course.
Accompanying Princess Xin'e to play a little card game, chatting and cultivating, is also a pleasant leisurely day.
Having just started cultivating, what else can be done by not honestly cultivating?
If one ventures out foolishly, they will die.
She indeed is an Earth-bound Spirit, but after death and resurrection, would the spiritual root still be there?
Ning Zheng felt that most likely it wouldn't be.
Because after resurrection, one resets to the moment of death-turned-embers, not bringing along current memories or the current spiritual root...
"Once she dies, there's nothing left."
"A non-dead embers, this is indeed a flaw."
Of course, not being able to die doesn't mean she can't be pulled out and implanted elsewhere.
Generally speaking, in her identity as Princess Xin'e, no one would kill her, so this flaw, at least in the short term, doesn't matter.
By the time her identity as 'Mother of Non-Life' is exposed, she might have already reached a high level, and with the undying nature of high-tier powerhouses, no one would easily kill her.
He withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes to nurture himself, and continued to recover from his injuries in the room.
"At the very least, I have an insider in the Emperor's Tomb."
"It's a pity that this Saint has already entered the tomb, a Saint of the previous dynasty, otherwise, the function might have been greater."
...
...
Capital City.
Empty buildings, the people having nothing.
But there are many people in the capital city.
Numerous Three Flowers from various factions, planted in the capital city, acting as ubiquitous 'cameras' to monitor the city's movements.
With the Saint's demise, everyone is secretly observing.
Even some small Three Elements families from the local areas are planting the Three Flowers, trying their luck here to join in on the excitement since there's no risk of death.
Everyone comes to watch the 'historical grand scenario', gathering for a glimpse.
Back in the day, the Saint Jiu Shui invaded the capital city, and it was also these ubiquitous 'camera' Three Flowers, where countless cultivators came to 'watch the live broadcast', witnessing that historical nation-building moment.
It seems the number of common folk has decreased.
In reality, there are actually more pedestrians on the streets.
Numerous Dharma Aspect figures walk back and forth, serving as the residents here, all preparing to explore the anomalies of the Capital City.
"Is that... the Crown Prince Consort?"
Someone suddenly spotted a figure on the streets of the Capital City.
Elegant and dignified, with a noble and graceful demeanor, dressed in female court attire, wearing a phoenix-patterned hairpin crown, striding down the street.
"Is that... heading towards the city gate?"
"This one's true form should be those two eyeballs, right?"
"Yes, not human, but an Artifact Spirit, essentially a Sun Moon inspecting the nursery, surveying the world."
...
Many whispered conversations took place.
Most of the true forms of people in the Capital City had retreated; they were all Dharma Aspects surging into the Capital City.
Even some ancient entities, wearing historical attire from various dynasties, sat in taverns, coldly watching this scene.
"Hmph, is the Saint truly dead?"
"Allowing a youngster to handle his affairs?"
"Where has the Royal Race gone? Have they secretly retreated? Could it be that they all entered the Imperial Mausoleum, sealing themselves away forever? That's interesting."
"Hmph, the Saint is dead, his Royal Race won't face reckoning? Bringing them into a tomb is the best way to preserve the family."
Ancient tomb entities discussed.
Some even attempted to make moves on Dao Yueniang, who managed the Capital City; she must know all the secrets.
But she was a difficult target, so they turned their attempts towards the team forging the Sun Moon of the Xirong Divine Craftsman.
The Saint recognized this Eternal Sun and Moon, it must have immense potential!
Of course.
Some thought seeking out the Xirong Divine Craftsman was inappropriate.
Once the Saint received the weapon, he would surely inspect and cleanse any possible marks or contingencies.
Finding the forger was no longer useful.
However, undoubtedly, the Xirong Divine Craftsman quietly gained some prestige in the eyes of the people.
They thought this technology had just begun, not yet matured, merely a seedling, to be fully beneficial for them thousands of years later.
Unexpectedly, the Saint valued it so highly.
Amid the discussions, Dao Yueniang arrived at the gate of the Capital City; to everyone's shock, she gently wiped the stone tablet [Capital City Regulations].
"What is she doing? Erasing the rules?"
"These are the Capital City's regulations, passed down through several dynasties, a stone tablet from each era."
"Is she changing the Capital City's safety laws?"
Amid the astonished gazes of the crowd.
Dao Yueniang wrote a line of new text:
[Welcome to the Capital City, esteemed guests, for your safety, please follow the Capital City Regulations below.]
[1. Please do not mention the color of the lanterns, and do not discuss life and death matters with anything in the city.]
[2. Please do not enter the Capital City in your true form, as it has already fallen into decay. An unprecedented source of Capital City pollution has heavily polluted this place.]
[3. Whether inside or outside the city, the entire land is covered in vibrant blooming flowers, full of life, but please remember: if you encounter living flowers with three petals, pluck them immediately. For dead flowers with less than three or more than three petals, protect them.]
[4. Special anomalies may appear in the city. No matter how strange, please ignore them, quietly distance yourself, and behave as if you are a dead person.]
[5. Do not wear contemporary attire within the Capital City; dress in the fashion of former or ancient dynasties, and speak in the manner of ancient people. Do not let them discover you are alive.]
[6. Within the rules, inside the city walls is relatively safe.]
The crowd was shocked.
How had the Capital City's safety regulations changed to this?
"This is the Saint's final goodwill to the people before passing."
Dao Yueniang glanced at the bustling crowd around her and calmly said, "In the future Capital City, be safe, follow the regulations."
With that, she departed.
The crowd looked at the tombstone, their expressions subtly changed; the other regulations were understandable.
But regular Three Flowers must be plucked?
On the contrary, the Ghost's incomplete Three Flowers must be carefully protected?
"How is that possible?"
Someone's expression subtly shifted:
"The Capital City is the only safe zone for the Human Race in the nursery. Our various forces bought property in the Capital City, secured land, all to usher in their successors for safe cultivation."
From now on, once Three Flowers enter, they will be plucked.
Where will their Three Elements Realm cultivators practice?
No place to cultivate!
Capital City's real estate is so expensive, they are sizable local forces across the Nine-State, striving hard to buy houses in the Capital Circle, luxury homes from One Ring, Two Ring, Three Ring, and now they are gone?
The future properties, all reset, need to be purchased again?
Everything in the Capital City is gone!
Reshuffling, purchasing properties and shops in this new Capital City will depend on the means of each power.