Han Dynasty, Heaven Gate Headquarters.
"Damn it! I underestimated the Ming Emperor. He's actually at the God Demon Realm?"
"Damn it all! In this world, only I have the right to call myself a god. Who else is worthy?"
"I must kill you!"
"The people I sent to wipe out the remnants of the Netherworld City... it must have been him who secretly killed them!"
Staring at the name on the ranking, Di Shitian's eyes burned with jealousy.
Why could someone barely in his twenties achieve what he had strived for over thousands of years?
Why did the heavens favor him so greatly?
Born into royalty, named Crown Prince without effort, and ascended to the throne without any competition.
He enjoyed the highest status in the world, and yet the heavens also blessed him with peerless martial talent?
It was as if all the blessings in the world had been bestowed upon him alone.
"This man must die, or I'll never have peace!"
A calculating glint flashed in Di Shitian's eyes, as though another devious plan was brewing.
Meanwhile, Luo Xian's heart surged with excitement.
She hadn't expected her master to be in any way inferior to Di Shitian.
Compared to her master, Di Shitian wasn't even worth mentioning.
In fact, her heart grew more and more disdainful of Di Shitian.
==========
Divine Search Palace.
"Damn him! He ruined everything. Sooner or later, I'll make him pay the price!"
The Longevity Immortal God, who was still sealed, glared with hatred at the name in the sky ranking.
For years, he had sailed through life smoothly. He even once tricked the Demon Lord Bai Suzhen into apparent death.
But now, the hunter had become the prey.
He had been outmaneuvered by the newly-emerged Zhu Houzhao.
Worse yet, he had been sealed away and lost his precious freedom.
To add insult to injury, it was done in collaboration with the one person he least wanted to see.
The shame of it only deepened with time instead of fading.
"You should give it a rest. You were already outmatched by him years ago."
"Now, you're even more pathetic."
The Demon Lord Bai Suzhen sneered from the side.
"Why did you cooperate with him?"
"What happened to your grand plan? Why did you abandon it midway?"
"Why are you always watching me instead?"
"Am I more important than your ambitions?"
The Longevity Immortal God looked at her with confusion.
"You will never understand why I did what I did."
"Explaining it to you would be like playing music to a cow."
"If you manage to live long enough, one day you'll understand why I chose to side with him."
The Longevity Immortal God snorted in disdain.
"Hmph, he's a schemer. Be careful not to fall into his trap."
"Just like what happened between you and me."
"Spare me your concern."
"I have my own thoughts."
==========
Qin Dynasty, Land of Hundred Yue.
Hundred Yue City.
"To think he's already grown to this level?"
Eastern Monarch Yan Fei's expression was complicated.
"The God Demon Realm! A realm no one expected?"
"Yan Lingji, did you see this coming?"
Yan Lingji couldn't hide her shock either, and let out a wry smile.
"I had some suspicions, but I wasn't sure."
"For him to help me, Zi Nu, Nong Yu, Hong Lian, and even you Fei Yan, all advance to the Land Immortal Realm so easily, he clearly isn't ordinary."
"Especially me, the Hundred Yue Queen, becoming a Mythical Realm cultivator."
"If he weren't far stronger than I am, how could he do that?"
"I only now truly confirm it."
"But even so, it's still hard to believe."
"The gap between the God Demon Realm and the Mythical Realm is enormous."
"It's no longer something talent alone can achieve. It takes endless time and accumulation. How did he do it?"
Eastern Monarch Yan Fei said nothing.
Having spent time with him, she knew that man was extraordinary.
Anything was possible with him.
"No matter his achievements, it doesn't change the fact that he let us down!"
"Agreed. If I were strong enough, I'd march to the Ming Imperial Palace and beat him to a pulp."
Yan Lingji chuckled.
"Zi Nu and the others wrote back. They seem reluctant to leave now."
"After a few sweet words from that scoundrel, they've all forgotten themselves."
"Even Zi Nu couldn't resist his tricks."
"If you were there, I bet you'd be the same."
"Don't act like you're above it all, Eastern Monarch Yan Fei. If that scoundrel comforts you just a little, I bet you'd change instantly."
"I've figured you out during these days together."
"We're all in the same boat."
"All right, stop bickering in front of Xiaoyue."
==========
Qin Dynasty, Dao School Heaven Sect Headquarters.
"Master, is this what the world's top-tier genius looks like?"
"Compared to the Ming Emperor's martial talent, my past accomplishments are nothing."
Master Xiao Meng rarely made such self-deprecating remarks.
"Every era has a heaven-favored child who surpasses all."
"Their actions are beyond what ordinary geniuses can match."
"Before, it was the Qin Emperor Ying Zheng, whose achievements lay in conquest, not martial arts."
"But the current Ming Emperor Zhu Houzhao displays supreme martial talent."
"In terms of imperial ambitions, he's accomplished much, but still a bit lacking compared to Ying Zheng."
"His martial prowess is unmatched, but as an Emperor, he lacks the desire to dominate."
"I've investigated. This Emperor doesn't care much for politics. Even his daily memorials are handled by ministers and Empress Wu Zhao."
"Compared to Ying Zheng's diligence, he falls short."
Bei Mingzi shared the intelligence he had gathered over recent days.
"But I think the Ming Emperor's way isn't necessarily inferior to Qin Emperor Ying Zheng's."
"For an Emperor, the most important quality is the ability to use capable people."
"And the Ming Emperor excels at that."
"Even in the Qin Dynasty, Ying Zheng faced resistance from nobles, philosophers, and elders."
"But in the Ming Dynasty?"
"On the surface, it seems the vassal princes, border generals, and court officials are at odds."
"But it all appears to be the Emperor's design."
"With his strength and influence, he could easily suppress them."
"Beneath the surface, the truth is clear. The entire Ming Dynasty is already under his complete control."
"What we see as problems, to him, are insignificant."
Although usually focused on cultivation, Master Xiao Meng could see through to the heart of things.
In her eyes, Zhu Houzhao's imperial path was completely different from that of Ying Zheng.
One couldn't say which was better.
What suited them was the right way.
Bei Mingzi stroked his beard and nodded in satisfaction.
Though his disciple couldn't compare to Zhu Houzhao in talent, he didn't mind.
As long as she held onto her Dao heart, she could one day catch up to that peerless hidden dragon.
No, he should say true dragon.
"Master, I want to go to the Ming Dynasty!"
"Oh? Why?"
"I want to discuss the Dao with the Ming Emperor. I need to understand the gap between us."
"It concerns the path I walk in the future."
"Good. You may go. With me here, nothing will happen to Heaven Sect."
"Yes. Farewell, Master!"
Xiao Meng was decisive by nature.
Once she set her mind to something, she acted immediately.
"My disciple, remember my words. The mundane world is seductive. Never lose your Dao heart."
"Yes, I will remember your teachings!"
Watching Xiao Meng leave, Bei Mingzi suddenly felt uneasy.
As if the Xiao Meng who returned would no longer be the same person.
He fought the urge to call her back.
With a sigh, he murmured.
"Let fate decide."
==========
Han Dynasty Territory.
Xue Yuan, Divine Mother Xiao Qing, Huang Rong, Wan Wan, and Shi Feixuan were traveling together.
After spending time together, the tension from the Divine Search Palace incident faded.
The women's relationship grew closer.
Wan Wan and Huang Rong especially got along well.
Shi Feixuan and Xue Yuan also enjoyed their conversations.
Even the grudges from the kidnapping incident gradually disappeared.
From Wan Wan's perspective, Xue Yuan, while strong, lacked experience.
Some of her ideas could even be called naive.
In Wan Wan's words.
"She's even more idealistic than that nun."
"Xue Yuan, did you already know that scoundrel is in the God Demon Realm?"
Wan Wan asked curiously.
"Of course. Otherwise, how could he have sealed the Longevity Immortal God?"
"To someone at that level, even the Mythical Realm is easy to handle."
"Unless you're ambushed or suppressed, only another God Demon Realm can fight one."
"Xue Yuan, why don't we form an alliance?"
Wan Wan suddenly proposed.
Xue Yuan, Huang Rong, and Shi Feixuan all looked at her in confusion.
What did she mean?
Divine Mother Xiao Qing, however, had a knowing smile.
"Can't you see? That scoundrel has many women, and none of them are ordinary."
"If we don't stick together, we might get schemed against by them without even knowing it."
Trained by the Yingui Sect, Wan Wan was highly vigilant.
She always watched for threats.
Before, it had been the nun.
Now, both had moved beyond the good-versus-evil struggle.
And her next great rival?
Empress Wu Zhao.
Knowing that woman well, she knew she couldn't beat her alone.
Even with Shi Feixuan and Huang Rong, it might not be enough.
But with the addition of a Mythical Realm cultivator like Xue Yuan, things would be different.
She had come to understand that while Xue Yuan was strong, she wasn't threatening.
She was the perfect ally.
"You three are my friends. Of course I'll help you."
Xue Yuan replied matter-of-factly.
Divine Mother Xiao Qing shook her head.
This girl was too naive.
Fortunately, Wan Wan and the others didn't have any ill intent.
But was Xue Yuan really so innocent?
Not quite.
She simply didn't care about small things.
But when it came to the big picture, she was never careless.
No one could reach the Mythical Realm while being truly naive.
==========
Snow Moon City.
Snow Moon Sword Immortal Li Hanyi stood atop a high tower with Great City Lord Baili Dongjun.
"So that's the person you've been thinking about all this time?"
"I never imagined you had such a connection with the Ming Emperor."
Baili Dongjun chuckled bitterly.
He had long sensed something weighing on his Junior Sister's heart.
No matter how he asked, she wouldn't tell him.
But after the Myriad Sword Diagram incident, she had changed.
Her mood brightened, and the gloom between her brows vanished.
He began secretly watching her.
Through guesswork and deduction, he finally learned who she was thinking about.
Ming Emperor Zhu Houzhao.
No.
More likely one of his aliases.
Azure Lotus Sword Immortal Su Yi?
Or perhaps Longevity Sword Bai Yujing?
But without a doubt, it was Zhu Houzhao.
"Senior Brother, I only learned his true identity after the Golden Ranking appeared."
"I've kept this from you for years. Please don't take offense."
"There's nothing to forgive. If not for you, Snow Moon City might have vanished from the Martial World."
"God Demon Realm!!"
"What terrifying talent!"
"We used to talk about how the Ming Emperor was a foolish tyrant."
"Looking back, how ridiculous we were!"
"If he's a foolish Emperor, what does that make the others?"
"Azure Dragon Association! Hahaha..."
At this point, Baili Dongjun laughed out loud.
He took a swig from his wine gourd.
"Senior Brother, all we need to do is protect Snow Moon City."
"With your strength and that of Junior Brother Sikong, it's enough."
"As for me, I'll continue honing my swordsmanship."
"One day, I will reach the God Demon Realm!"
Looking at the ranking in the sky, Li Hanyi's fighting spirit ignited.
As long as she grew stronger, she would never be left out of that man's life.
She believed in herself.
She wasn't fighting for a moment of glory, but for a lifetime.