"Why is such a poisonous substance not banned by the Shangqing Dynasty?" Chen Xuan asked, somewhat perplexed.
Meng Shanren shook his head. "Attempts to ban it have failed time and again. Originally, the Emperor Chongzhi strictly prohibited the use of poppy incense, but eventually, he became addicted himself. Moreover, inhaling poppy incense is said to enhance one's cultivation. Every subject in the Shangqing Dynasty dreams of ascending to higher realms while living in blissful, god-like intoxication. Since then, the entire Shangqing Dynasty has been shrouded in a haze of smoke, leading to physical and mental decay, administrative corruption, national decline, and a massive drain of local cultivation resources toward the Western Sacred Realm. The toxic influence is truly boundless!"
"In recent years, however, a group of virtuous individuals within the Shangqing Dynasty, led by Imperial Envoy Xu Huan, began to reflect on this tragedy. They have vigorously pursued the eradication of poppy incense. This time, after seizing over two hundred thousand crates of incense tributes across all the provinces of the continent, Minister Xu and a group of patriots planned the largest 'incense burning' ceremony in history, set to take place today on the shores of the Nanling Sea."
Chapter 4017