Rong Lu and Chu Jiao had been close friends for over thirty years. As two of the four generals of the Taicang Cangshou Army, they often gathered to discuss cultivation and chat about everyday matters. Although their bond was deep, they had starkly different views on certain issues. Before Ji Xia ascended to the throne, General Rong Lu believed that the Crown Prince, Ji Xia, was merely a bit mischievous. After all, like father, like son—Ji Xia was of the former monarch's bloodline, so how bad could he be?
Chu Jiao, however, thought differently. He was a calm, composed man, and hated evil with a passion. His cultivation focused on body refinement, developing a strong and upright character. He had heard many troubling stories about Ji Xia from the people of Taicang and from noble families who had once worked closely with him. Chu Jiao had a deep disdain for Ji Xia and believed that under his rule, Taicang would face inevitable ruin. Even though Ji Xia had summoned the Yin Army to save Taicang from collapse, even though the soul of the former monarch had recognized him, and despite Ji Xia showing signs of redemption, Chu Jiao still thought it unwise to entrust the country to such a reckless and spoiled prince.
As it was, just before the impending war, this immature monarch had summoned over a thousand Cangshou soldiers to mine stones and build a reservoir. He had wanted to ask the newly crowned monarch what the purpose of building a reservoir so close to the Haixiu River was, but it all seemed pointless. Was it a waste of manpower and resources? Did it delay the soldiers' cultivation plans? Was it just another embarrassing act for the people of Taicang to laugh at?
Yesterday, he had been complaining about the monarch's erratic orders to Rong Lu. But today, he understood the reason behind it.
Chu Jiao had witnessed Ji Xia take a black crystal the size of a head and toss it into the reservoir, instructing everyone to drink from it. After drinking a full cup, he felt a warm flow of energy rise within him. Although the sensation was small and subtle, it was noticeable. The warmth flowed through his limbs and bones, heading towards the Great Snow Mountain, making him feel incredibly comfortable. Most astonishingly, this flow seemed to purify the impurities within his body and accelerated the gathering and refining of his spiritual essence!
Could it be that the water from this reservoir had the ability to cleanse the body and gather spiritual energy?
"No! It's not the water, but the effect of that black crystal!" Chu Jiao thought to himself, trembling with excitement. "How powerful would the Cangshou army become if they drank from this water every day, year after year?"
In cultivation, aside from innate talent, accumulated impurities in the body often obstruct the flow of spiritual energy, severely slowing cultivation speed. Before the Heavenly Obstacle, neither Taicang nor neighboring countries like Zhouqing, Jiukou, or Ejie had methods to fully clear these impurities.
Thus, in Chu Jiao's eyes, the water from this reservoir was incredibly precious. But his understanding was limited; the true power of the black crystal was far greater than he realized. Not only could it cleanse impurities and speed up spiritual energy accumulation, but it also had the ability to elevate a person's innate talent!
"This... This kind of miraculous spirit water... I've never heard of anything like it!" Rong Lu said, his face flushed with excitement, just like Chu Jiao's.
Ji Qianqing couldn't help but smile. For the first time, a rare smile appeared on her face. She turned to the Cangshou soldiers who had consumed the water and asked, "Did you feel any effects from drinking this water?"
One of the soldiers replied, "Yes, General Ji. After drinking it, I can feel my spiritual energy moving more freely. Even the speed of its circulation has increased slightly!"
Several other soldiers nodded in agreement.
Ji Qianqing nodded. She knew that these soldiers, whose cultivation was only at the Fourth Heaven, could only sense minor changes in their bodies. But the effect of the spirit water was evident—it worked on all types of bodies and cultivation levels.
Ji Xia watched their reactions with satisfaction. He too had consumed the spirit water and was well aware of its effects. For someone like him, who had started cultivation at over twenty years old and whose body was already clogged with impurities, the spirit water's effect was even more pronounced.
"If I drink this every day, my cultivation speed will greatly increase! Even without the Gathering Spirit Glyphs, I should be able to catch up to children who are eleven or twelve years old and free of impurities."
He muttered to himself.
Chu Jiao looked at the water in the reservoir, deep in thought. "If the soldiers drink this spirit water every day, over time, the strength of the Cangshou army will rival that of the Cangwei army!"
"After the battle with the Jiukou army, we have six thousand Cangshou soldiers, and Cangcheng will send another three thousand! That's twelve thousand soldiers, equal to the Cangwei army's strength! Even if Jiukou, Zhouqing, and Ejie team up, they won't be able to threaten Taicang!"
Ji Xia suddenly spoke up. "Every soldier should drink just a small cup a day?"
Chu Jiao immediately understood, his face darkening slightly. "I was too greedy. If each soldier only drinks one small cup a day, the reservoir will run dry in a month."
Ji Xia nodded. "One month is too long. The soldiers' daily consumption should be enough to accelerate their strength. We can't afford to let this precious water be used up too slowly."
Chu Jiao hesitated. "But one day's worth of water for every soldier... that's an awful lot."
Ji Xia raised an eyebrow. "Do you think the Cangshou army will drink all the water from the Haixiu River?"
Rong Lu was stunned. "You mean... the water can regenerate after it's used up?"
Ji Xia smiled and said, "The water is just ordinary water from the Haixiu River. What matters is the black spirit crystal from my homeland. As long as the spirit crystal isn't completely dissolved, the spirit water will never run out."
The generals stood stunned for a moment before their faces lit up with excitement. Chu Jiao, in particular, asked eagerly, "How long can this spirit crystal last? Will it last for fifteen days? If it can last that long, I believe the Cangshou army will improve dramatically."
Ji Xia ordered, "It can last for a month. Send the order down: Have the six thousand Cangshou soldiers in Taicheng, as well as the three thousand soldiers from Cangcheng, brew and drink the water from this reservoir every day. The ministers of Taicang can also use the spirit water to improve their cultivation and strengthen their bodies."
All the generals kneeled and accepted the command, their eyes filled with excitement.
Suddenly, Chu Jiao spoke up. "Your Majesty, this spirit water is so extraordinary, why not give this reservoir and the spirit water a name?"
Ji Xia was intrigued. "Since you suggested it, General Chu Jiao, why don't you name it?"
Chu Jiao smiled warmly, "Why not call it 'The Royal Gift Spirit Water'? It comes from Your Majesty's hand, so it should be named after you."
Rong Lu chuckled and nudged Chu Jiao, teasing, "I didn't expect the usually quiet General Chu to flatter the monarch like this!"
Chu Jiao remained unfazed. "I always speak the truth."
Ji Xia sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I'm revoking your naming rights. The name is too plain and direct. General Ji, you come up with a name."
Ji Qianqing thought for a moment and then looked up at the others. "This water represents the hope of Taicang. Perhaps, with the help of this spirit water, Taicang can survive this calamity. From despair to hope—how about 'Tai Lai Spirit Water'?"
Ji Xia clapped his hands and smiled. "Tai Lai Spirit Water? Good! Let it be called Tai Lai Spirit Water!"