The Northern War has drawn to a close, yet within the Realm of Qingyang Immortal Kingdom, there is no sense of joy.
The reason is simple: in this battle, the kingdom suffered heavy losses among its many cultivators.
Millions perished in the ancient wastelands, their remains hard to find, a heartbreaking sight.
This war did not only devastate the kingdom's court; cultivators and sects across the land also suffered grievous losses.
Especially those sects with weak foundations: they threw themselves into battle, their strong members nearly depleted, their lineages henceforth severed.
In the city of Wanqing, a few elders of the Immortal Kingdom—Yang Yan, Shangguan Hong, Mu Chang, Wan Changqing—gathered.
Looking at the many empty seats among them, their faces were filled with grave concern.
This battle not only resulted in heavy casualties among ordinary cultivators but also claimed several elders of the kingdom.
Fortunately, the five ancient trees still exist in the world, having retreated back to the Qingyang Realm without breaking through the encirclement.
They now guard the five cities, fortifying the defenses against incursions from otherworldly demons.
At this moment, apart from Wanqing City, the other four ancient cities also have ancient trees guarding them, hence this meeting involves only a few.
Yang Yan spoke solemnly, "Several elders have fallen in this battle. Elder Gu Fang and Elder Ji Xuan managed to escape but their fates are uncertain. Our kingdom's strength has been greatly diminished. As senior officials of the kingdom, what are your thoughts on the aftermath of this war?"
Although this battle has temporarily concluded, both sides have paid a heavy price.
Yet some cultivators of the Qingyang Immortal Kingdom still hold their ground in the ancient wastelands, refusing to admit defeat.
However, the suspension of hostilities does not mean the end of everything.
The loss of millions of cultivators has shaken the entire Qingyang Immortal Kingdom.
With the current population of the kingdom barely reaching a billion, the sudden loss of so many highly skilled individuals will undoubtedly have profound consequences.
Mu Chang pondered, "In my opinion, the immediate priority should be to comfort those affected by the aftermath of the war. Compensation should be provided to both the wounded and the fallen. The key to governing lies in securing the hearts of the people. If their hearts are in turmoil, everything is at risk."
Shangguan Hong nodded in agreement, "Elder Mu's words are wise. I have no objections."
Although Wan Changqing remained silent, his intentions were clear.
Yang Yan ultimately decided that this matter should be reported to the kingdom's ruler, Lord Lu Qingyang, as he holds the fate of the kingdom in his hands and such decisions cannot be made independently.
Before long, Lord Lu Qingyang's divine thoughts reached them, expressing agreement with the proposal.
He further ordered the construction of the Tianling Temple in the kingdom, where all who fell in battle could be worshipped by the people.
Upon hearing this, Yang Yan and the others were deeply moved. They immediately understood the intentions of their ruler and began to organize the implementation accordingly.
News spread throughout the Qingyang Immortal Kingdom, stirring discussions about the causes and consequences of this battle, eliciting various opinions, both favorable and critical.
However, as the policies for compensation and the construction of the Tianling Temple were successively announced, doubts gradually dissipated.
...
[Name: Lu Qingyang]
[True Form: Celestial Wood of the Heavenly Dao]
[Lifespan: Eternal]
[Cultivation: Sixth Stage Initial ( / )]
[Heavenly Court: Fifth Stage ( / )]
[Heavenly Dao Origin: 58]
[Divine Abilities: Heavenly Dao Root (Sixth Stage), Heavenly Dao Spiritual Fruit (Sixth Stage), Heavenly Dao Spirit Eye (Sixth Stage), Heavenly Dao Domain (Sixth Stage), Heavenly Dao Extraction (Sixth Stage)]
"The Heavenly Dao Origin has increased to fifty-eight, slightly more than what was gained from the battle thirty years ago."
Lu Qingyang gazed at his own data panel, noting that his Heavenly Dao Origin had risen from seven to fifty-eight, revealing the gains from this battle.
A Heavenly Dao Origin of fifty-eight indicated the intensity of this battle.
It should be noted that a fifth-stage expert could only provide about zero point one of the Heavenly Dao Origin.
The number of enemy cultivators slain in this battle provided clear evidence of this.
Furthermore, the power of the Heavenly Court's incense and fire was greatly reduced.
The reasons for this were both the earlier consolidation of incense and fire spiritual power, as well as the post-war rewards and distribution of treasures for exchange by cultivators, which made the power of incense and fire even more scarce.
Fortunately, after the Northern War, Lu Qingyang gained many devout believers.
This barely maintained the power of incense and fire, enough to exchange treasures for believers.
Subsequently, Lu Qingyang closed his eyes and rested, recovering his spiritual power with the help of the spiritual power of heaven and earth.
The battles in the ancient wastelands and the Northern War had greatly depleted his strength, and now he urgently needed to recover his spiritual power to deal with unforeseen changes.
...
A month later, while Lu Qingyang was practicing, he suddenly sensed a slight movement of stars within the Heavenly Court.
As if being pulled by a powerful force, they began to leave the domain one after another, transforming into streams of light heading towards the direction of the Eastern Imperial Capital.
There, a majestic palace had risen from the ground, exuding an ancient aura, much like an ancient temple.
Inside the palace, empty and vast, there were neatly arranged plaques inscribed with names and achievements.
This was the Tianling Temple, the final resting place for all those who sacrificed themselves for the Qingyang Realm.
Lu Qingyang realized that the stars within the Heavenly Court were actually the lingering souls of the fallen warriors.
They were also the foundation for future reincarnation.
At this moment, they were responding to the call of the plaques in the Tianling Temple, descending on their own and merging into them, nourished by the faith of the people.
They were transforming into guardian spirits protecting the Qingyang Realm.
Using his Heavenly Dao Spirit Eye, Lu Qingyang comprehended everything.
...
[Name: Wei Lin]
[True Form: Guardian Spirit]
[Cultivation: First Stage Initial]
"Guardian Spirit!"
Lu Qingyang murmured softly, understanding it all.
The Tianling Temple, honored by the people, had undergone a transformation: those stars had turned into guardian spirits, nurtured day and night by incense and fire, and their cultivation could advance.
At critical moments, they could even manifest in the mortal world to protect the Qingyang Realm.
If someone could bond with these guardian spirits, they would receive their blessings, greatly advancing their cultivation.
This... seemed like divine intervention!
4o