Late at night.
Wu Ming, wrapped in a thin robe, silently descended from his bed and stepped outside to gaze into the distance from a high vantage point.
As a celestial immortal with the supernatural ability to observe auras, very few things in this world could escape his eyes.
“Every day at midnight and noon is the best time for observing auras!”
He looked around and saw a clear sky with a bright moon and sparse stars, the air pure and serene. The earth’s energy surged, and the entire Dingzhou shimmered with colorful lights. Various auras gathered within the city under the net of laws, hovering over the Prince’s Mansion and forming auspicious and noble energy.
“Generally speaking, the method of observing auras can easily perceive a single place or person, but to see the entire nation’s fortune is extremely difficult!”
Such national fortune is already a heavenly secret. If ordinary humans insist on prying into it, they will provoke heavenly jealousy and rarely meet a good end.
Moreover, there is also the issue of being too involved to see clearly.
Even fortune tellers and immortals are part of the Zhou Dynasty’s world. To see the direction of the world clearly is extremely difficult, as they themselves are the biggest variables and disturbances.
However, Wu Ming, who possesses the Main God’s Hall, is different!
The power of Da Luo is a universal position and transcendent, allowing him to step out of this world and observe it more clearly from the perspective of an observer. This is the meaning of “True Vision.”
Therefore, when it comes to the big picture, Wu Ming at this moment could see even more clearly than some celestial immortals.
“In the direction of Qingzhou and Taizhou… one has a fortune as fiery as flames, with a hidden red dragon rising amidst five-colored auspicious clouds. That must be Lü Xiang’s fortune!”
Wu Ming gazed toward Qingzhou, his face solemn.
The dragon’s aura transforming into a jiao is already extraordinary, not to mention the five-colored clouds indicating support from other powerful factions. Within them, a hint of purple suggests there is even a celestial immortal behind it!
From this perspective, Lü Xiang’s unification of Qingzhou should not pose a major problem. Should I eliminate this flood dragon while it is still in its infancy?
Wu Ming pondered for a moment and then shook his head: “The dragon’s aura has already taken form, and with the backing of a cave dwelling immortal, even if he hasn’t fully seized Qingzhou, he’s very close. If E Xu goes now, even if she wins, it would only be a Pyrrhic victory—a mutual destruction that ultimately benefits the Wang family first!”
He turned his head and looked toward Taizhou.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A gentle breeze blew, and the illusions of Dingzhou and Qingzhou automatically dissipated. Then, scattered spots of light—some dark black, some pure white—gathered and transformed into several streams of fortune, each supported by their own foundations, competing and clashing with each other.
“This province is still manageable. Several feudal lords have similar strengths, so there’s a chance to defeat them one by one!”
When power is divided, it dissipates. With the strength of one province, it’s naturally advantageous to confront the fragmented feudal lords of Taizhou.
Although Zeng Yu’s strategy is excellent, it is somewhat risky. Wu Ming prefers to accumulate strength and overwhelm them decisively.
“Heh… talking about not losing the hearts of scholars is nothing but a one-sided view, a self-serving statement driven by class instinct to protect their own interests…”
Thinking of this, he sneered again.
Of course, in the eyes of the scholars in this world, no matter who becomes the emperor, they would still rely on their assistance. Perhaps Zeng Yu advised Wu Zhi to treat the aristocratic families kindly and win the hearts of the scholars, believing himself to be acting in the best interest of his lord. However, he had unknowingly planted the seeds of future instability in the foundation of governance.
Perhaps compromising with the aristocratic families could indeed help seize the empire, but without establishing authority, it would eventually lead to the dominance of powerful clans and the weakening of imperial power at the county level.
The Western Han Dynasty suppressed the local strongmen, and Emperor Wu’s militarism kept the country peaceful without any major uprisings. Even in his later years, a single decree of self-reproach was enough to regain the people’s loyalty to the Han dynasty.
In contrast, the Eastern Han Dynasty relied on the aristocratic families to revive Han rule, thus giving rise to the gate-valve aristocracy. These families privately maintained their own armies, and when imperial authority weakened, Cao Cao could rally thousands upon returning home, and Yuan Shao could easily take control of an entire province—all due to the power of the aristocratic families.
Although Wu Ming knew that governing the country still required the assistance of scholar-officials at this time, he was unwilling to make too many compromises with this class, as it would leave hidden dangers for the future.
“If we don’t take Lingzhou and Taizhou, it might still be a viable option!”
Wu Zhi had been waging wars continuously for years. Although she had now fully captured Dingzhou and established herself as a queen, it had greatly drained the province’s fortune. Now was the time to recover gradually.
However, in the struggle for the empire, a single delay could lead to continuous setbacks. There was no room for complacency.
“Rather than taking risks in Lingzhou, it would be better to take Taizhou. This province is prosperous and culturally flourishing. If we can assimilate it, it would be a great help. Holding two provinces and becoming a king—this was the same situation as the founding emperor of the Zhou Dynasty, Ji Yi!”
Wu Ming’s eyes gleamed with determination.
But suddenly, he furrowed his brows.
Among the several streams of fortune in Taizhou, a flash of purplish-black color passed by, giving him a chilling sensation.
“Purplish-black?”
Almost instantly, he recalled the black talisman he had seized from Tianxian Jinyu at the previous gathering of immortals.
But the purplish-black flash vanished in an instant, and when he tried to look again, it had disappeared.
“No… something is wrong!”
Wu Ming gritted his teeth. “Hall of the Main God!”
Boom!
A light from the Main God’s Hall flashed between his eyebrows. The Origin Pool trembled slightly, and a surge of Da Luo power surged forth, causing a layer of transcendental brilliance to appear in his eyes.
This light pierced through the mist, allowing him to see the truth, and he couldn’t help but inhale sharply.
“These feudal lords in Taizhou, although seemingly at war with each other, actually have intertwined roots. They almost originate from the same source, bearing a striking resemblance to that overseas devil immortal I encountered last time… It’s a trap?!”
Clearly, if Wu Zhi were to step into this province, the outcome would be unpredictable.
Even though Wu Ming was a prodigy, his current essence was still that of a celestial immortal. If a Grade-7 Golden Immortal had laid a trap in Taizhou, it would be very difficult for Wu Zhi to emerge unscathed.
Looking at Lingzhou, although it was shrouded in gray energy with many black snakes entangled, they were all severely wounded and easily defeated. The same was true for Xuzhou behind it.
“Unexpectedly… under such a complex situation, E Xu was directly guided by Zeng Yu’s words to choose the easiest path—could this be fate?”
He gritted his teeth and suddenly sneered: “Heavenly will is also man-made! How much fate can there really be in the world? There must be someone secretly helping, using Dingzhou as a surprise move to strike unexpectedly… the Celestial Court!”
The earthly emperor is the son of heavenly mandate, closely connected to the position of the Jade Emperor.
If there was anyone who could subtly exert influence, it would undoubtedly be the mysterious Jade Emperor in the Celestial Court!
Wu Ming looked up at the sky, his gaze seemingly piercing through the nine layers of heaven, seeing the Celestial Court high above.
…
Above the Nine Heavens.
This was an extraordinary void, seemingly located at the highest point of the Zhou world. A cluster of jade palaces and pavilions was enveloped in a glowing immortal aura, like clouds and mist. Within, celestial cranes cried out, and dragons soared. In terms of grandeur and majesty, it surpassed even the imperial palaces of any dynasty on earth.
Suddenly, a deity stepped out from the highest palace.
He wore a robe embroidered with nine dragons, with twelve strings of pearls made from oriental pearls hanging down, obscuring his face. Yet, his presence exuded supreme nobility, as if the entire heaven and earth were resonating with him.
If the earthly emperor was the supreme sovereign of the nine-five position, then he was the ultimate sovereign of the nine-nine position, the emperor of emperors ruling the three realms!
The Jade Emperor!
This was the supreme ruler of the Zhou world, long rumored but never seen, who had always remained hidden in the Celestial Court. Now, he had finally emerged.
With the world’s position inherent in his being, he could instantly teleport anywhere within the Zhou world.
With a mere thought, he arrived before a void.
Crash!
The void shattered, revealing a world constantly plagued by disasters and calamities, seemingly on the brink of destruction. A pair of blood-red eyes flickered with various lights, symbolizing death, decay, corruption, and annihilation—everything that marked the end of the world. Looking at them was like witnessing the end of existence itself.
Even immortals drawn into this world would face the Five Decays of the Celestial Being, unavoidable and inescapable.
“Jue Tian!”
The Jade Emperor smiled, his voice surprisingly youthful and crisp.
Each word he spoke was crystal clear, smooth and round, yet carried an irresistible will, as if every word he uttered was the truth of the world!
His words carried divine law; his voice contained heavenly decrees!
This was a realm long sought after by countless legalist scholars and word-casters but achieved naturally and instinctively by him, as if it were his innate nature.
You and I are not the orthodox fruits of cultivation. We only obtained our positions through fortunate circumstances, gaining the essence of the world. Your cave heaven has not yet evolved into a true world!
The Jade Emperor said slowly: “But I did not expect you to take an unconventional path, deliberately going against the norm by destroying your own cave to grasp the mystery of the world’s decline—the Great Calamity of the Epoch and the Five Decays of the Celestial Being. When they truly erupt, no one can escape unless they reach the level of Da Luo!”
“Launching an attack from the four regions to reclaim the Central Plains, interfering in the human struggle for supremacy, triggering the Great Calamity of Destruction! Your plot has been fully understood by me.”
“I govern in tranquility, administering rewards and punishments fairly, already in harmony with the heavenly Dao, without any fear of losing my position. Yet you, unwilling to accept defeat, dare to destroy the entire world. How utterly reckless and insane!”
“Considering that you also possess a position, I will give you one last chance: submit to me, and I can still grant you a celestial title, allowing you to roam freely and transcend, coexisting with the world.”
…
“What I cannot obtain, you shall never possess either!”
After a long silence, the owner of the blood-red eyes finally spoke, his voice echoing like wind.
“In our past struggle for position, I was defeated by you, but fortunately, I managed to escape with a fragment of my primordial spirit, leaving room for a comeback. Unfortunately, you have already seized the dominant trend, with the divine path overshadowing the immortal path. I cannot resist you, but I can drag you down with me into destruction!”
“The Great Calamity of the Epoch and the Five Decays of the Celestial Being—no immortal, not even a Golden Immortal, can escape them… Let us return together to the primordial chaos. Would that not be a great joy? Hahaha…”
The final negotiation collapsed. The Jade Emperor remained silent and instantly vanished.
Both Jue Tian Xianzun and the Jade Emperor possessed world positions, differing only in strength. However, completely annihilating each other was utterly impossible.
Moreover, this time, Jue Tian had sacrificed his洞天to destroy it, somehow acquiring the path of the apocalypse—the energy of the Five Decays of the Celestial Being—which had already polluted the four regions of the Zhou Dynasty, launching a counterattack on the Central Plains, taking an unconventional route.
The Jade Emperor had already merged with the Dao, possessing immense divine powers but also more restrictions, nearly allowing his opponent to succeed.
“At this critical moment, the chosen dragon is in grave danger… Only hope for an unexpected variable!”
A vision appeared before the Jade Emperor, clearly showing the landscape of Dingzhou. After a moment of silence, he pointed his finger, and a thread of purple light vanished into the vision.
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