The greatest saint of all time!

Chapter 31 Birthday Gift

Wei Jiuqian was stunned for a moment, not expecting that the topic of the Third Prince had come up again.

However, he quickly answered.

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Xiaoyao has been keeping a low profile lately and has not shown any unusual behavior."

Upon hearing this, Lu Tianxing's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

"Does she live a secluded life?"

"The timing of this pill's appearance is too coincidental."

"Moreover, that old fox Shen Qiansan has been a bit too active lately."

"I feel that there is always a hand behind the scenes, constantly pushing everyone forward."

"And this person..."

At this point, Lu Tianxing stood up and walked to the window.

He issued the order decisively and efficiently.

"By imperial decree, all secret guards shall strengthen their surveillance of the Prime Minister's residence, and continue to send people to protect the Third Prince."

……

Inside a secret room in the Prime Minister's residence.

This is the most core forbidden area of ​​the Lin family. The surrounding walls are made of basalt, which can block divine sense from probing.

Outside the door, two peak Spirit Sea Realm assassins guarded the area day and night, ensuring that not even a fly could escape.

At this moment, the secret room was filled with spiritual energy, and a rich medicinal fragrance was almost tangible.

Lin Ruofu stood to one side with his hands behind his back, quietly watching the man sitting cross-legged on the futon in front of him.

This person's name is Lin Pojun.

He is the most talented person in the collateral branch of the Lin family in this generation, and has been stuck at the peak of the Spirit Sea Realm for five years.

He was extremely loyal to the Lin family and was in his prime, making him the best candidate to take this Soul Condensation Breakthrough Pill.

"Po Jun, I won't go into the details of the price your family paid for this pill; you should know it in your heart."

"Three and a half million taels of silver, that's several years' worth of savings."

"So this time, success is the only option; failure is not an option!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Pojun suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with determination.

"Rest assured, Patriarch! Po Jun is determined to break through to the next level and will not let you down!"

Having said that, he didn't hesitate any longer and put the pill directly into his mouth.

The elixir melts instantly upon entering the mouth.

A surge of powerful medicinal energy exploded within him instantly, like a river bursting its banks, constantly washing over his limbs and bones.

Then, a strange force rushed straight into the sea of ​​consciousness, drawing the originally chaotic soul together, and then slowly condensing it, faintly showing the potential of a soul platform.

Lin Ruofu watched this clearly from the side.

After all, he was a Heavenly Origin Realm expert, and he was very clear about the process of breaking through from the Spirit Sea Realm to the Soul Platform.

He could clearly sense that Lin Pojun's aura was rising at an astonishing speed.

The once impregnable barrier is now crumbling little by little.

really……

Its effects are extraordinary.

Lin Ruofu was overjoyed.

"It's done!"

If Lin Pojun can successfully break through, the number of Soul Platform experts in the Lin family will be comparable to that of the royal family.

Furthermore, given his Heavenly Origin Realm cultivation level, he would have the confidence to stand up to the royal family even if they were to face them directly.

After all, the royal family has a reclusive ancestor, and so does the Lin family; the only difference is the number of Soul Platform Realm experts.

However, neither he nor Lin Pojun noticed...

Deep within Lin Pojun's sea of ​​consciousness, as his divine soul coalesced, a faint, almost imperceptible black aura, like a maggot clinging to bone, quietly merged into his newly formed soul platform.

This was Lu Xuan's backup plan.

……

Three days later, at the Prince Xiaoyao's Mansion.

Lu Xuan, still dressed in a plain-colored long robe, lay leisurely on a deck chair under the tree.

He was playing with a very ordinary black stone in his hand.

Shen Qiansan strode into the courtyard.

Even though he is now a Soul Platform Realm expert, he still maintains a respectful attitude in front of Lu Xuan.

"Your Highness, today is His Majesty's fiftieth birthday. The banquet in the palace is scheduled for noon. Shouldn't we... prepare to set off?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xuan nodded slightly, but showed no intention of getting up.

Seeing this, Shen Qiansan hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't help asking a question.

Regarding the birthday gift...

"Although Your Highness said before that you had made preparations, this old servant has not seen Your Highness purchase any items in the past few days."

"Today's birthday banquet is a day of great celebration for all, with envoys from various countries and elders of various sects gathered together."

"Especially Elder Chi Huo from the Ziyang Sect."

"It's fine if Your Highness is not particular about details normally, but if Your Highness goes empty-handed today, or if the gift is too meager, I'm afraid you will be ridiculed..."

Shen Qiansan's concerns were not unfounded.

After all, in occasions that emphasize pomp and circumstance, birthday gifts are not only a token of goodwill, but also a symbol of power and status.

Even the Crown Prince went to great lengths and made a huge effort to acquire a thousand-year-old blood coral.

Needless to say, the Lin family's collection must contain rare and precious treasures.

If His Highness cannot produce something decent, he will inevitably give others something to criticize and be looked down upon in front of everyone.

Lu Xuan chuckled and stopped what he was doing.

"Old Shen, you've become so vulgar, unbearably so."

"Who says I wasn't prepared?"

As he spoke, he slowly sat up and handed the seemingly inconspicuous black stone in his hand to Shen Qiansan.

"See this? This is the grand gift I've prepared for my father."

Shen Qiansan took the stone and was taken aback.

The stone was heavy to the touch, cold to the touch, and had a pitted and dull surface.

No matter how you look at it, it looks like a stubborn rock picked up casually from the roadside.

He immediately widened his eyes, picked it up again and examined it carefully, but still couldn't find anything unusual about the stone.

If His Highness hadn't said those words, he would have even considered throwing it away.

"Your Highness, could this... be some kind of ancient, wondrous stone? Containing a secret within?"

After staring at it for a while without figuring it out, Shen Qiansan tentatively asked.

Lu Xuan smiled and shook his head: "No, it is indeed just an ordinary stone."

"but……"

Lu Xuan stretched out a finger and touched the stone.

"...I will inscribe an array pattern on this."

"Array patterns?"

Shen Qiansan was even more puzzled.

In this world, although there is a tradition of array formations, most of them are massive structures like mountain-protecting arrays, and very few people can inscribe arrays on such small objects.

Moreover, even if an array is carved on it, it's still just a stone, so what use is it?

"This formation is called the Spirit Gathering Formation."

Lu Xuan uttered three words calmly.

"A spirit-gathering array?!"

Shen Qiansan was startled and almost dropped the stone in his hand.

As a Soul Platform Realm expert, he naturally knew what the Spirit Gathering Array meant.

That is a supreme formation that can gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and increase the speed of cultivation.

Typically, only the most prestigious sects' cultivation sanctuaries possess spirit-gathering arrays.

And the small spirit-gathering array that one carries with them?

That's... something that only exists in legends.

"Your Highness, are you saying... that this stone can gather spiritual energy after you inscribed the array patterns on it?"

Shen Qiansan's voice began to tremble.

"good."

Lu Xuan nodded.

"Although it is only the most basic spirit-gathering array, it is enough to double the concentration of spiritual energy within three feet around the wearer."

"Moreover, it can subtly nourish the wearer's body and prolong life."

"For a Heavenly Origin Realm expert like Father, the effect of improving cultivation is limited, but the effects of nourishing the body and prolonging life are what he needs most."