Yet Zhou Yao was confident, holding a hostage in his own hands: “Yang Hao, you can only lose. This trap was set for you today. Your woman and child are surrounded by the Ten Sword Flow. If you dare to resist, she will die.” Zhou Yao’s words struck the mark. Although Xuan Lan wasn’t present, Ling Ziyan was indeed completely surrounded amidst the ranks of the Ten Sword Flow. That had been precisely the reason the Ten Sword Flow had encircled the arena from the very beginning.
Though Ling Ziyan herself possessed martial skills, she was pregnant and certainly unable to withstand attacks from so many sword masters. Moreover, several senior elders of the Ten Sword Flow, such as Haiwang Gong of the Wang Clan and Qilian Cultivator from the Cultivator Lin, stood no more than a hundred steps from Ling Ziyan. With their strength, killing her would be effortless.
Could Yang Hao move? He owed Ling Ziyan deeply. Back when the three crystals were involved, Ling Ziyan had nearly died for Yang Hao. After she was captured by Elder Rong Li, Yang Hao hadn’t even tried to rescue her.
It was easy to imagine how much sacrifice and effort this woman had made to protect the child in her womb—Yang Hao’s child.
How could Yang Hao allow her to die?
Zhou Yao seemed to see through this. Deep in his heart, he truly admired Princess Xuan Lan’s brilliant strategy. That woman’s use of such a plot was indeed unparalleled in the world.
The sword of dazzling starlight flashed again. The wounds shaped like the Big Dipper on Yang Hao’s body spurted blood, causing gasps of horror from the spectators.
This reversal was something no one could have foreseen. Just moments ago, Yang Hao’s fiery explosion had made everyone believe he had already won. Yet within a short time, Yang Hao seemed like a puppet, standing motionlessly, as if feeling nothing even when pierced by swords.
In fact, Yang Hao was furious. His rage surged like violent waves within his chest.
Yang Hao wasn’t a bloodthirsty man, but over this long period, he had come to realize how many people truly deserved to be killed—how many were absolutely necessary to eliminate.
People like Zhou Yao, like the entire Ten Sword Flow, were all deserving and necessary targets.
Zhou Yao finally prepared to unleash his ultimate sword strike. He had sacrificed his uncle and was even willing to use four divine swords, all for this single strike aimed at Yang Hao.
The Sky Circus had studied this for centuries, claiming it could rival even the legendary Dragon Sword.
“Star’s Descent and Destruction!”
The sky darkened again. The countless stars reappeared, their brilliance completely overshadowing the sunlight. Suddenly, all the starlight erupted, silver chains of light shooting forth and converging into the Star Sword in Zhou Yao’s hand.
That sword had gathered the power of countless stars—the energy left behind by the fall of stars from the Creator himself.
As Zhou Yao released that strike, a primordial and majestic atmosphere filled the air. It was as if countless stars were raining down all at once.
And the starlight enveloped Yang Hao.
Anyone could see that Yang Hao now faced his greatest danger.
Yet he seemed oblivious, not even bothering to look closely at Zhou Yao’s ultimate sword strike. He seemed to have given up.
Zhou Yao thought the same. In truth, he had already won. When Xuan Lan decided to use Ling Ziyan as a hostage, they had known Yang Hao would never resist again.
Now, just as expected, Yang Hao stood there, showing no resistance, as if he had already decided to trade his life for Ling Ziyan’s.
But Yang Hao sighed, “Why?”
Why?
“Why must you force me to kill?” Yang Hao’s gaze suddenly turned icy cold.
Zhou Yao, flying in the air, felt a chill in his heart, but he couldn’t stop anymore. He didn’t even intend to stop. He believed that even if Yang Hao acted now, it would be impossible to block “Star’s Descent and Destruction.”
Yang Hao raised one hand. His fingertip trembled.
Suddenly, thousands of cold blades appeared in the air. Almost effortlessly, over a hundred sword beams pierced Zhou Yao’s body. The brilliance of Star’s Descent and Destruction vanished in an instant. Zhou Yao’s Saint Domain power slowly drained away through countless wounds.
His body was as if flayed alive, cut into countless pieces. Only a headless corpse remained, falling to the ground.
But the sword beams did not stop. As Yang Hao’s fingers trembled, the sword light rapidly expanded, spreading in all directions. The sword masters of the Ten Sword Flow around the arena had no time to react before being torn apart by Yang Hao’s sword beams.
“This is the ultimate sword technique, the masterpiece of Situ Hai, the greatest swordsman in this universe!” Yang Hao roared in fury. “Now you shall learn that a sword god is unbeatable—forever unbeatable!!”
The endless sword technique expanded in the air, devouring all life around. Yang Hao unleashed it without restraint. Since Situ Hai had passed this technique to him, this was Yang Hao’s first and only time using it at full power.
Zhou Yao collapsed. His life had reached its end. He hadn’t even found the chance to face Yang Hao in a full-power duel before being crushed.
“Kill her!! Kill her!!! Kill her!!!” Zhou Yao shouted with all his might. He realized Yang Hao was trying to wipe out the Ten Sword Flow in one go while no one was paying attention, rescuing Ling Ziyan. So with his last bit of strength, he warned the Ten Sword Flow’s experts to kill her.
But soon, Zhou Yao witnessed a shocking sight—the last surprise of his life.
Ling Ziyan had escaped!!
This woman, who seemed oblivious to the surrounding danger, had seized the moment Yang Hao unleashed his sword technique. While the nearby sword masters were distracted, she darted toward Lan Ling.
This was completely beyond the Ten Sword Flow’s expectations, and absolutely outside Xuan Lan’s plan.
Xuan Lan had believed she had Ling Ziyan completely under control. Ling Ziyan had almost obeyed her every command. Today, when she arranged for Ling Ziyan to come see Yang Hao, Xuan Lan had planned everything meticulously, surrounding Ling Ziyan with the Ten Sword Flow. It was an airtight plan.
But Ling Ziyan had escaped. When the defenses around her faltered for just a thousandth of a second due to Yang Hao’s attack, she fearlessly rushed toward Dan Ding Sword Sect.
Lan Ling noticed her too. Shocked and furious, Lan Ling led the Snow Night Star Lion Corps and Dan Ding Sword Sect members in a frantic charge to intercept Ling Ziyan.
Under the cover of Yang Hao’s sword technique, the distance between them grew smaller and smaller, almost converging.
But the actions of a few people changed everything.
Several clan leaders of the Ten Sword Flow acted. They didn’t rush to kill Ling Ziyan but gathered around Yang Hao, intercepting most of the sword beams from his ultimate technique.
As a result, the Ten Sword Flow sword masters suddenly felt relieved. They shifted their focus, directly surrounding Ling Ziyan. Though Ling Ziyan ran fast, her pregnancy slowed her down. Surrounded by the Ten Sword Flow all along, she couldn’t reach Lan Ling before being driven back by several great sword masters from the Wang Clan.
“Ziyan!!” Yang Hao roared. Riding Shadow Moon, he shot forward like a madman.
“Ziyan!!!” Lan Ling cried out, her silver spear already at maximum power, blasting people around her into bloody chunks.
“Kill her! Hurry!!” Qilian Cultivator shouted desperately. “Kill her!!!”
Yang Hao and Lan Ling gave their all, but they couldn’t outpace the Ten Sword Flow. Two great sword masters had already raised their blades, aiming directly at Ling Ziyan’s abdomen.
A moment of peril.
In imminent danger!
Just then, Ling Ziyan made a strange move. She stopped, clapping her hands three times.
Right beside her, two bursts of black mist exploded.
Two Purple-Rank assassins from the Míngsè Assassination Group suddenly appeared. With lightning-fast strikes, they unexpectedly killed the Ten Sword Flow sword masters.
Then, gripping Ling Ziyan, they shot into the crowd of Dan Ding Sword Sect members at miraculous speed.
The situation had completely reversed.
When Yang Hao finally reached Ling Ziyan’s side, the Ten Sword Flow had already lost control of the entire situation. They could only gather at the periphery of Dan Ding Sword Sect’s crowd, watching helplessly as Yang Hao and Ling Ziyan reunited.
“Ziyan, you scared me to death!” Lan Gang embraced Ling Ziyan and burst into tears. This woman had never known who was good and who was a rival.
Ling Ziyan wiped the sweat from her forehead, casting a sideways glance at the awkwardly standing Yang Hao:
“Stupid man, if I waited for you to rescue me, we’d both be dead by now. If you don’t want me, at least you should care about your son.”
Yang Hao nearly fainted. This woman, as usual, never let up with her sharp tongue.
Hearing about the son, Lan Ling loosened her embrace, glancing between Yang Hao and Ling Ziyan, wisely choosing not to speak.
“What happened?” Yang Hao was still confused.
“Do I look like someone so stupid to be held hostage?” Ling Ziyan grinned mischievously. “That day when Xuan Lan said she wanted me to see you, I already knew she had a plot. But I played along and came with her, otherwise how could I escape from the Elder Mountain?”
Yang Hao’s mouth opened wide enough to fit a fist. He had seen bold people before, but never someone so recklessly fearless. To escape from the Elder Mountain and defect to Yang Hao, she had dared to risk being held hostage.
But clearly, Ling Ziyan wasn’t someone who acted without preparation. While everyone thought she was in danger, she had secretly arranged for help.
The two Purple-Rank assassins standing beside Ling Ziyan remained silent. Lan Ling was still somewhat wary of them.
But Ling Ziyan proudly said, “Don’t worry, they’re my people.”
“Your people?” Yang Hao was stunned. Isn’t Ming Se one of the Ten Sword Sects?
“Stupid!” Ling Ziyan’s slender finger poked Yang Hao’s forehead. “Didn’t I used to be the leader of Mingse? Do you really think I wouldn’t have any loyalists?”
At this, everyone finally understood Ling Ziyan’s brilliant plan.
Xuan Lan intended to use her to blackmail Yang Hao, but Ling Ziyan had outmaneuvered her, using Xuan Lan as a means to escape from Elder Mountain. Although she had been taken hostage by the Ten Sword Flow, she seized the chance to break free. If escape hadn’t been possible, she still had two Purple-Rank assassins from Mingsheng ready to assist her.
What a brilliant plan from this female strategist.
With the people here now safe, it was Yang Hao’s turn to settle scores with the Ten Sword Flow.
Zhou Yao, who had become a mere supporting character, had already been torn apart on the arena. Today’s battle, though full of twists and turns, had been an almost complete victory for Yang Hao. The arrogant display of the ultimate sword technique had already been broadcast to every corner of the universe via live transmission.
Now, the crisis had shifted to the Ten Sword Flow.
After settling Ling Ziyan, Yang Hao coldly turned back, walking toward the trembling sword masters of the Ten Sword Flow. Shadow Moon circled above him, emitting a chilling killing intent that forced the Ten Sword Flow members to retreat repeatedly.
“W-what are you going to do?” Qilian Cultivator, completely losing his composure as an elder, asked hoarsely.
“I won the duel. Now I’m claiming my prize.” Yang Hao didn’t even look around, walking calmly into a forest of swords. He returned to the arena to retrieve the four divine swords embedded there.
“Stop!!!” This time, it was the Ten Sword Flow’s turn to panic. Almost everyone shouted at once.
Yang Hao sneered, “This bet was your idea. You willingly offered the divine swords as stakes. Now Zhou Yao is dead. Do you want to renege?”
Whoosh! Five figures flashed like lightning, blocking between Yang Hao and the divine swords.
These were the remaining five clan leaders of the Ten Sword Flow—the highest-ranking and most powerful individuals in the Ten Sword Flow. They all clearly understood that today’s bet could fail. They could even lose Zhou Yao. But no matter what, they could not lose these four swords.
The Ten Sword Flow had already lost six divine swords to Yang Hao. If these four were also lost, the Ten Sword Flow would no longer exist. They would be abandoned, mercilessly discarded by the Elder Council and the nobility of this universe.
All past glories would vanish.
“Yang Hao!” Haiwang Gong leaned on his cane. “You won, but you cannot take the swords.”
“Oh?”
“Even if we must give our five lives, we won’t let you take the swords!” Qilian Cultivator screamed.
“Only if your five lives can stop me!” Yang Hao’s overwhelming aura sent a tremor through everyone’s hearts. Then, Shadow Moon appeared in a shocking manner.
It split into five forms, transforming into five shattering waves that surged toward the five clan leaders, the five elders.
“Thousand Li Killing Waves!!!” Yang Hao roared.
The five clan leaders desperately combined their strength, summoning their swords.
Clang!!!
Four of the Qi Li Sha waves became illusions. The only real killing intent was extinguished by the combined strike of the five.
But Yang Hao himself had become a sword—a sword capable of piercing the sky. The sword light was magnificent, shooting straight up.
“The sword is still in my hand!” Yang Hao shouted.
The sharp sword technique struck the five clan leaders.
Waaah!!!
The five peerless experts spat blood and were blasted away. Their disciples scrambled to catch them, but the five clan leaders were already barely breathing, their faces deathly pale.
The Yan Clan members quickly rushed forward to heal them, barely saving their lives.
But on the arena, Yang Hao had already pulled out the four divine swords, raising them high in front of all the onlookers.
Silence. The silence lasted only a moment before thunderous cheers erupted. Some nobles even knelt, venerating Yang Hao in the arena as if he were a war god, majestic and awe-inspiring. The power Yang Hao had unleashed was simply too immense, too震撼 (震撼 translated as overwhelming), leaving every martial artist filled with nothing but admiration.
In this battle, Yang Hao had officially become a miracle figure known throughout the universe. The power of his sword technique was displayed before every viewer watching the live stream.
Today, Yang Hao had defeated none other than the top experts in the universe. Zhou Yao was already at the peak of the Saint Domain, which had already caused a stir at the beginning. Yet Zhou Yao was almost helpless against Yang Hao, killed without resistance. The five clan leaders were the last remaining experts of the Ten Sword Flow. Their combined strike could likely rival even the Elder Council members. But Yang Hao easily forced them into a desperate situation.
What did this mean? It could only mean that Yang Hao’s strength had surpassed the Elder Council members. This scene was broadcast in full to the people.
From this battle onward, Yang Hao was regarded as the undisputed top expert in the universe. His reputation had even approached that of the Zun.
A new day had dawned, a new idol was born.
That night after the decisive battle was unbearably hard for the Ten Sword Flow and the Elder Council.
But for some people, it was a night of ultimate happiness.
For example, within the Dan Ding Sword Sect, laughter rang out from the entrance to every building, especially the狂laugh of Zhuge Jian, which seemed to nearly reach the ninth heaven. It turned out that the biggest beneficiary of this duel was none other than the Dan Ding Group led by Zhuge Jian. This old man had secretly become the外围 bookmaker for the duel, even acting as the largest bookmaker betting on Yang Hao’s victory.
Originally, he wouldn’t have earned much money because most people bet on Yang Hao winning. Zhuge Jian had closed the betting early, ensuring at most a break-even.
But who could have predicted that the accursed Zhou Yao would end up being so helpful? That guy’s flaunting of his Saint Domain’s brilliance changed the betting outcome at the very last moment.
After watching the live stream, people across the universe frantically shifted their bets to Zhou Yao. Zhuge Jian seized the opportunity to massively close the betting positions. In the end, when the results were announced, the Dan Ding Group swept all the bookmakers, earning hundreds of trillions of imperial credits in one fell swoop.
Undoubtedly, after this night, the Dan Ding Group would become the number one commercial entity in the universe.
Zhuge Jian had struck it rich and was naturally excited, so he spent several billion imperial credits on a celebration feast, making the entire Dan Ding Sect drunk and joyous.
However, the celebration’s main guest, Yang Hao, wasn’t present. At this moment, he was busy doing something important with Lan Ling.
Pacifying a pregnant woman!
Ling Ziyan was sobbing in Yang Hao’s room. When it came to playing pitiful, Ling Ziyan and Princess Xuan Lan were truly evenly matched. But Ling Ziyan’s weeping had a real basis.
While crying, she clearly accused him, “I went through so much to escape for you. I’m carrying your child for ten months. I miss you so much I can’t sleep… And you, you’ve been flirting with my sister. You pervert, you heartless, unfaithful man…”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Yang Hao was sweating all over, only able to bow his head and admit fault.
“Xiao Ling…” Ling Ziyan grabbed Lan Ling’s hand, scaring her so much she almost pulled out her silver spear. But Ling Ziyan still wept like a plum blossom in the rain, “Xiao Ling, I know you’re the most innocent. You must have been deceived by that guy. He’s been deceiving one after another…”
Lan Ling was stunned, then nodded firmly, “Right, I was deceived by him.”
“Uh…” Yang Hao was about to speak in defense.
But Ling Ziyan immediately ordered, “Don’t speak! I haven’t finished crying yet.”
Yang Hao pouted, his face contorted in a comical expression.
“Now what should I do? I’m a pregnant woman with a big belly, all alone and helpless. Do you want me to beg for food in the universe?” Ling Ziyan sobbed heavily.
“He dares!” Lan Ling looked righteous, “Ziyan, don’t worry. I’ll make sure he takes responsibility and marries you. If he dares not to take care of you and the child, I’ll make him pay.”
“Marry me?” Ling Ziyan covered her face with her hands, peering through her fingers secretly, “Then what about you?”
“I…” Lan Ling just remembered herself. She suddenly realized that after enduring hardship, there was no sweetness, only more bitterness. “I… I’ll naturally leave him. You two are meant to be together. You even have his child.”
Lan Ling felt uneasy inside, but this seemed to be the only solution. Unlike Xuan Lan, whose engagement could be broken off, Ling Ziyan’s child was Yang Hao’s own flesh and blood. That couldn’t be casually discarded.
Lan Ling’s family had always been dissatisfied with Yang Hao. They wouldn’t even agree to him marrying just one woman. If he married two, the Lan family would go crazy. Plus, Lan Ling’s personality was proud and aloof. How could she bear to share her husband with someone else? So when she saw Ling Ziyan, she had already decided to step back.
“Hey!” Yang Hao couldn’t help it anymore.
“Shut up!” Both women shouted in unison.
Yang Hao shut up.
Ling Ziyan burst into loud sobs again, “You two are trying to kill me! You want to kill me and my child! I don’t want to live anymore!”
“What’s wrong?” Lan Ling was at a loss, “Ziyan, don’t cry. What’s wrong now?”
Ling Ziyan cried even louder, “You’re forcing me! I have prenatal depression and will become crazy. The universe will have another madwoman!”
“Please, don’t do this.” Lan Ling was so anxious that tears fell, “Ziyan, what exactly do you want? I really won’t be with Yang Hao anymore.”
“Even if you’re not with him, what will others think of me? They’ll definitely say I stole your man. How can I face people in the future?” Ling Ziyan kept crying without stopping, speaking fluently despite her tears, truly admirable.
“Alright, alright.” Lan Ling completely surrendered, “Then tell me what to do. Whatever you say, I’ll do it.”
“You said so, right?” Ling Ziyan’s crying stopped abruptly.
“Right, right.” Lan Ling sniffled. She already expected Ling Ziyan to ask her to never see Yang Hao again, to cut all ties with him, and so on.
But Ling Ziyan grinned mischievously again, raising her finger and saying, “Then I want… you and I to marry Yang Hao together!”
“What?” Yang Hao and Lan Ling shouted together.
“You don’t agree?” Ling Ziyan’s tears fell like pearls again.
Yang Hao hurriedly wiped her tears, “Agree, agree.” He quickly signaled Lan Ling with his eyes to agree as well.
In fact, everyone already understood at this point that Ling Ziyan’s performance was just to ease the awkwardness between the three. She was truly the most cunning apprentice trained by the elders, with a sharp mind.
Ling Ziyan had already seen Yang Hao and Lan Ling’s feelings for each other, but she had grown up with Lan Ling and understood how stubborn the girl was. If she suddenly returned to Yang Hao’s side, Lan Ling’s only outcome would be to withdraw and never look back.
So Ling Ziyan used herself and her child as leverage, forcing Lan Ling to agree to marry Yang Hao together.
In the end, it was Ling Ziyan’s meticulous thinking and consideration for Yang Hao that made this happen.
This made Yang Hao feel both surprised and delighted, with a bittersweet feeling in his heart.
“You… you don’t agree.” Ling Ziyan looked at Lan Ling, who stood silently with red eyes, and promptly got out of bed. “If you don’t agree, I’ll jump with my son.”
She really started to climb onto the windowsill.
Yang Hao kept his mouth shut and didn’t move.
Lan Ling finally couldn’t bear it anymore, rushing over and hugging Ling Ziyan, crying together.
“I agree, I agree. Ziyan, I agree to everything you say.”
While hugging Lan Ling and crying, Ling Ziyan secretly made a V-sign toward Yang Hao. Truly hilarious.
After the two women finished crying, the three sat together on the bed. After all, Yang Hao’s bed was big enough to sleep several more women.
Lan Ling alternated between listening to the baby’s movements by pressing her ear to the belly and complaining about Yang Hao not taking care of the mother and child for so long, making Ling Ziyan happy.
The two women had reconciled, but Yang Hao was the unfortunate one. He hadn’t even held his own child yet.
Finally, Lan Ling showed mercy, “Come on, you can listen too.”
Yang Hao was overjoyed, rushing over and first kissing Ling Ziyan’s belly, then pressing his ear against it. The baby was already about seven months old, fully developed, and moving around inside. Probably feeling the noise outside was too loud, as soon as Yang Hao’s face touched the belly, the little one kicked him several times through the womb.
“Master, did you hear?” Yang Hao hurriedly called out to Mi Guan Hun Yuanzi.
“I heard, I heard.” Hun Yuanzi laughed uncontrollably, “This is my beloved disciple’s disciple, my cherished徒孙, the Dan Ding Sect finally has an heir.”
“What?” Both Ling Ziyan and Lan Ling shouted, “Our son has to learn the Spring Medicine Sect’s techniques? No way!”
Hun Yuanzi quickly returned to his retreat. This elderly immortal clearly understood that the situation of “three mothers teaching a child” was no joke.
After the commotion gradually calmed down, the room slowly returned to peace.
Ling Ziyan began to recount her experiences after being captured by Elder Rong Li and taken back to the Elder Mountain.
Originally, Ling Ziyan, Xuan Lan, and Lan Ling had all been raised and taught together by Elder Rong Li as childhood companions. Later, Lan Ling was taken by her family to join the Imperial Guard Corps and was taught by Master Qin. But Ling Ziyan had continued serving the Elder Council, acting as a special envoy stationed in various regions.
When the Elder Council learned that Ling Ziyan was pregnant with Yang Hao’s child, they were furious. After Elder Hei Feng and other elders captured Ling Ziyan, they wanted to execute her and extract Yang Hao’s child for a grand sacrificial ritual—an extremely sinister magic that required the blood of a relative.
At the critical moment, Elder Rong Li couldn’t bear to see his apprentice die and protected her, locking her inside the Elder Mountain’s meditation chamber. No one could see Ling Ziyan except Xuan Lan.
When Xuan Lan asked Ling Ziyan to come out and meet Yang Hao that day, Ling Ziyan had already known Xuan Lan harbored a secret plot. So she played along, pretending to be taken hostage, waiting until the crucial moment of the duel to suddenly execute her escape plan.
Hearing this, Lan Ling was somewhat puzzled, “You said Xuan Lan had a plot. What plot? Why did she want to harm you and Yang Hao? How did you know?”
“Because…” Ling Ziyan mysteriously hesitated, unwilling to say more.
“Because Xuan Lan is the yaoji,” Yang Hao ruthlessly revealed, “the yaoji who controls the Ten Sword Flow and serves as the Elder Council’s spy—she is Xuan Lan.”
“What?” Lan Ling gasped.
“How do you know?” Ling Ziyan was also perplexed.
“What’s strange about me knowing?” Yang Hao was now smug, his feet propped up on both Lan Ling and Ling Ziyan, “Not only do I know, but I’m certain even Emperor Ying Lie is aware. How could such a secret message from the Qianlong Pavilion reach the Elder Council without a spy inside the palace?”
“That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s Xuan Lan.”
“It is Xuan Lan,” Ling Ziyan confirmed. “Xuan Lan has always regarded the Elder Council members as her teachers. Although she later returned to the palace, in reality, she has been the yaoji cultivated by the Elders for many years. Many affairs within the royal family were orchestrated by her.”
“Why?” Lan Ling still couldn’t believe it at this point.
“I don’t know.” Ling Ziyan answered bluntly.
But Yang Hao had some understanding of Xuan Lan’s mindset: “This enchantress probably grew up alongside the Elders from a young age, witnessing their power firsthand. Therefore, she believes the royal family stands no chance against the Elder Council and seeks to protect the royal family’s last hope by currying favor with the Elders.”
“In other words, she’s still doing this for Emperor Ying Lie’s good?” Lan Ling anxiously asked, hoping Xuan Lan still had a conscience.
“I hope so.” Actually, Yang Hao wasn’t sure either. He looked out the window, holding both women’s hands, “I hope so.”
The Great Selection was coming soon.
In fact, this was the first time Yang Hao had heard the term “Great Selection,” but this time, he would become one of the key organizers.
In the Galactic Empire, all officials stationed in star systems served five-year terms. After five years, the Imperial Central would release a list of the Great Selection, assigning new postings to officials at all levels.
In other words, the entire empire was arranged and divided using this method. The Great Selection would determine the fate of billions of planets, with the core thousand star systems being the main axis.
The list of governors for these core star systems was the top priority of the Great Selection—the focal point of power struggles among various factions over the years.
According to past conventions, regardless of other lists in the Great Selection, the list of governors for the core star systems would be half nominated by the Imperial Emperor and half by the Elder Council, evenly distributing interests.
The Imperial Emperor usually occupied the strategic points between star systems, while the Elder Council occupied the resource-rich star systems to compensate for their own cultivation and the consumption of their sword sects.
But this time, everyone knew the situation was different. In the past, the Elder Council was arrogant, barely respecting even the Imperial Emperor. Only allowing half of the nominations was already considered giving face.
Now, with the Ten Sword Flow nearly defeated and the Elder Council repeatedly defeated by Yang Hao, even two elders severely injured, the situation had completely changed. Therefore, how the power would be divided between the royal family and the Elder Council in the new Great Selection attracted everyone’s attention.
Yang Hao’s most hated court meeting began again.
Almost every court meeting he had attended ended with Yang Hao being attacked by various ministers. However, now that Yang Hao had become the Western Grand Governor, managing a quarter of the universe, even the ministers within the empire, despite their unfriendliness, dared not offend him casually.
Emperor Ying Lie’s favor toward Yang Hao was also openly displayed. Even after Yang Hao broke off his engagement with Xuan Lan, the imperial favor remained unchanged. Now, he was even allowed to stand alongside Feng Feng on the golden steps.
That was an honor nearly equivalent to being granted a royal title. Yet this Yang Hao still嫌 standing累, casually sitting on the golden steps while watching the ministers speak.
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