Yang Hong's best cultivation technique at present is undoubtedly the "Great Bright Buddhist Scripture."
However, it would be too dangerous for Song Yuzhi and the others to cultivate the "Great Bright Buddhist Scripture," as it could attract the peril of national destruction at any moment.
Then there are the "Fiery True Art" and the "Mystic Water True Art."
But these two techniques not only have distinct sect characteristics, making them easily recognizable once cultivated, but also have very strict attribute requirements.
This makes them unsuitable for general use.
Therefore, Yang Hong had to find other cultivation techniques.
In fact, "Lion Tiger Roar" was also a good choice. It's a technique primarily focused on body refinement, with qi cultivation as a supplement. Moreover, the version Yang Hong possessed was complete and could be cultivated directly to the Mahayana realm.
However, considering that "Lion Tiger Roar" not only provided no bonus to cultivating true qi but even had a significant weakening effect, Yang Hong was reluctant to have Song Yuzhi and the others cultivate it.
After all, Yang Hong needed Song Yuzhi and the others to cultivate and refine their true qi together.
"Why not synthesize and evolve a new cultivation technique?"
Recalling the cultivation techniques he had already mastered, Yang Hong found the idea increasingly feasible.
"The 'Thick Earth Virtuous Depository Art' primarily cultivates true qi, with the body as a secondary focus, a Profound-tier mid-grade technique.
The 'Ethereal Wood Spring Revival Art' primarily cultivates true qi, with the spirit as a secondary focus, a Profound-tier mid-grade technique.
The 'Xinjin Sword Art', 'Floating Fire Technique', 'Great Marsh Heart Method'..."
Yang Hong identified twenty Profound-tier mid-grade cultivation techniques in his mind and prioritized them for灌顶 (guàn dǐng - a form of spiritual transmission/bestowal).
This was because to evolve a Profound-tier technique, twenty Profound-tier techniques of the same quality were required for synthesis and evolution.
And the Profound-tier techniques Yang Hong possessed in his mind were only Profound-tier mid-grade, which was just enough to gather twenty.
The synthesis and evolution of Yellow-tier techniques were much simpler, requiring only ten techniques of the same quality.
Yang Hong had an abundance of Yellow-tier techniques, but he disdained their low quality.
Out of the twenty techniques, Yang Hong had already mastered some. This time, only five had not reached their full level.
Therefore, in just one month, Yang Hong completed the cultivation.
However, his mood was anxious.
After all, fifteen of these techniques had already been involved in synthesis.
"Ding~ You infused the Pure Heart Lotus with 480 days of true qi, receiving a thousandfold cultivation return, returning 480,000 days of true qi cultivation."
"Ding~ You cultivated the 'Great Marsh Heart Method' for 480,000 days, and the Great Marsh Heart Method has advanced to level 99."
"Ding, you have reached the full level of cultivation for 20 Profound-tier mid-grade techniques, and they can be synthesized and evolved. Do you wish to synthesize?"
"Haha~ Synthesize!"
His luck was excellent; the techniques could indeed be synthesized independently.
Yang Hong chose to synthesize without hesitation, and he already had more ideas forming.
"Ding~ Technique synthesis successful. Congratulations on obtaining the 'Lesser Five Elements True Art'."
As soon as the prompt ended, a massive surge of information flooded Yang Hong's mind.
This time, Yang Hong spent a full half-hour fully receiving the information.
"87 martial art attributes, Earth-tier top grade? And a complete technique!"
"Hahaha~ As expected, when luck strikes, even the city walls can't stop it!"
Yang Hong's first synthesis and evolution of a cultivation technique brought an unexpected surprise.
The "Lesser Five Elements True Art" could cultivate all five elemental attributes simultaneously, or a single attribute.
Furthermore, its cultivation did not require a specific spirit root attribute; any spirit root could cultivate it.
It was truly a versatile technique.
"This is the one. And as long as I synthesize and evolve another 30 Earth-tier top-grade techniques, this Lesser Five Elements True Art can continue to be synthesized."
"Having the system is such a cheat."
...
Although having the system was a cheat, cultivation was still quite monotonous.
Especially when one couldn't see their cultivation increasing, it was maddeningly tedious.
Over the next two years, Yang Hong not only taught the "Lesser Five Elements True Art" to Song Yuzhi and the other ten disciples but also taught the "Lion Tiger Roar" to the other girls in the Reclusive Pavilion.
After all, there was a distinction between close and distant relations, and a degree of favoritism was natural.
The cultivation resources could only be the spirit stones earned by Yang Hong and Song Yuzhi's group in the Hongdong Secret Realm.
Yang Hong's spirit stones were naturally acquired through robbery.
Song Yuzhi and the others had surrendered all their gains from the secret realm. The Ten Great Immortal Sects gave them a total of 7921 spirit stones.
From this perspective, spirit stones were quite valuable.
Consider that Song Yuzhi and the others had surrendered over 300 various magical artifacts alone.
Of course, earning spirit stones was still fastest through robbery.
As the saying goes, killing and arson bring golden belts~~
Ahem~ That's incorrect. We must resolutely resist such notions.
Therefore, for the next three years, Yang Hong focused on stockpiling high-yield seeds.
He had a grand plan, a very, very ingenious plan.
However, as the saying goes, plans can't keep up with changes.
"Imperial Grandfather, you mean you want me, Zi Xuan, and the others to go on an envoy mission to the Great Ming Dynasty to participate in this year's Five Directions Heavenly Pride Competition?"
Hearing Yang Zhong's words, Yang Hong felt a surge of excitement. If he could leave the Great Sui Imperial Palace openly, his plan could be executed more quickly and easily.
"What are you thinking? You cannot participate. You are only going along to observe the competition.
Participation is out of the question."
Yang Zhong gave Yang Hong a huge eye-roll.
"Heh heh~ That's fine too. It would be good to get out and relax.
By the way, can I bring Song Yuzhi and the others?"
"Of course, you can. You can even take all the women in this small courtyard with you."
Hearing this, Yang Hong's eyes shone even brighter.
"Alright! I'll take everyone from the Reclusive Pavilion with me. We can just treat it as a group outing."
"Ah~ You're serious?"
"Completely serious! More serious than pearls!"
"Then what about your courtyard?"
Seeing Yang Hong's genuine intention to take everyone on an outing, Yang Zhong felt like slapping himself.
'Serves you right for being so glib.'
"Imperial Grandfather can just arrange for someone to look after it.
After all, it's widely speculated in the outside world that I am the one who cultivated the high-yield grain, and I am an aspiring immortal who has apprenticed under an immortal. Who would dare to lay a hand on my Reclusive Pavilion?"
"That's true. Then it's settled."
Listening to Yang Hong's confident words, Yang Zhong, who had already recovered his Grandmaster cultivation, nodded with equal confidence.
"Heh heh~ Since we're going out to have fun, Imperial Grandfather, won't you support us a little?"
Yang Hong made a money-counting gesture, causing Yang Zhong's eyelids to twitch, and he turned to leave.
However, a eunuch later delivered a bank note worth 100,000 taels of silver.
"Little ones, I'm treating you all to a good time~"
Seeing so much silver, Yang Hong was quite pleased.
These bank notes could purchase a large quantity of items, which would make his plan proceed more smoothly.
"Imperial Brother~ Imperial Brother~ I want money too. Imperial Grandfather gave you a lot of money, I want some too."
As soon as Yang Hong finished speaking, Yang Zi Xuan, who was already 21 years old but still looked like a loli, came rushing over.
"Imperial Brother, give me half."
Reaching Yang Hong, Yang Zi Xuan extended her small hands, asking for money.
"No way, this is mine. If you want money, go ask Imperial Grandfather or Father Emperor yourself.
You're a Grandmaster at 21, Imperial Grandfather and Father Emperor dote on you incredibly. They'll definitely give you money."
Yang Hong flipped his wrist and pocketed the bank note.
With his secret assistance, in just five years, Yang Zi Xuan had advanced from a first-rate martial artist to a Grandmaster martial artist.
And she was a martial artist whose physical body was stronger than her internal energy.
"Imperial Brother, I just came from Father Emperor. He only gave me ten thousand taels,
which isn't enough to spend."
Yang Zi Xuan complained verbally, but her face was beaming with smiles. Clearly, ten thousand taels was more than enough for her. She was just trying her luck.
"Imperial Sister, look, my Reclusive Pavilion has over 70 people and only 100,000 taels of silver. You already have 10,000 taels. How about~ you give me some?"
"Hmph~ Imperial Brother is a bad person. I'm ignoring you."
Saying that she was ignoring Yang Hong, Yang Zi Xuan pocketed the bank note and dashed off.
Judging by her direction, she was heading to seek donations from the Retired Emperor Yang Zhong.
"Heh heh~ this girl."