The dust of the Grand Selection has finally settled, at least in the eyes of Earth’s people. A month of undercurrents and hidden struggles has left the involved families exhausted.
On the surface, the Grand Selection seems to be merely a power struggle between the Senate and the Emperor, but in reality, it is far more complex. Within the Emperor’s faction itself, noble families affiliated with the Ten Sword Sects have been secretly maneuvering and clashing behind the scenes.
Each Star System’s Governor brings with it untold benefits and dazzling political prestige. Nobles who rely on their political careers cannot possibly abandon such a grand feast.
Therefore, for the selection of governors among the thousand core star systems, countless powerful figures are secretly courting and bribing, hoping their candidates’ names will appear more frequently on the lists.
Especially after the Senate’s list was released and the noble families under the Ten Sword Sects had divided the spoils, the competition on the Emperor’s side intensified even further. The Privy Council system, the Domestic and Foreign Affairs system, the Imperial Guards system, and even the established political figures on various colonial planets all got involved.
Among them, the most watched family turned out to be the Lan family from Kanling. Originally part of the Domestic and Foreign Affairs system, they held considerable status in both court and public spheres. However, since having Yang Hao as a prospective son-in-law, people were unsure how to categorize them anymore. Rumors also spread that Princess Xuanlan was quite displeased with the Lan family, so it was speculated that the Lan family might end up at a disadvantage in the Grand Selection.
Previously, the Lan family had at least three governor positions across various star systems. However, this year, Kanling’s father seemed disheartened and unwilling to reach out, already calculating that they would likely end up empty-handed. After all, the Lan family had produced a rebellious daughter, so it was expected that their influence would wane. However, when the final lists of the Grand Selection were announced, those who had been making sarcastic remarks were genuinely shocked. On several lists proposed by various factions, the Lan family was consistently listed.
The Domestic and Foreign Affairs system conventionally nominated three members of the Lan family, which, although consistent with previous years, was quite remarkable considering the current criticism the Lan family was facing. The Ministers of Domestic and Foreign Affairs had clearly shown great favor.
Yang Hao nominated four Lan family members in one breath, leaving Kanling’s father both amused and perplexed. He hadn’t considered Yang Hao as his son-in-law, yet Yang Hao was directing all the benefits toward the Lan family. At this moment, Kanling’s father finally realized that his daughter had not brought trouble, but rather a truly powerful figure in the Empire. The number of people Yang Hao could recommend even surpassed that of the Chief Ministers.
What astonished the Lan family even more was that the Privy Council also nominated a junior member of the Lan family, something unimaginable in previous years. Although the Lan family had produced martial artists, they were primarily bureaucrats and had little interaction with the Privy Council. The Privy Council Minister actually allocated a spot on the fiercely contested list to the unrelated Lan family, likely just to show favor to Yang Hao.
However, what truly made all the nobles in the Empire realize that the Lan family had indeed risen to new heights and had secured a powerful ally was when, on the lengthy list from Emperor Yinglie himself, there were also three members of the Lan family.
This was a tremendous honor, a true honor.
In previous years, Emperor Yinglie’s list only included royal family members and descendants. Even close ministers like Qin Feng were not included. This was the only time in the past twenty years, across four Grand Selections, that non-royal family members were listed.
Three people at once, all from the Lan family.
Everyone understood clearly that the Lan family itself hadn’t changed much in strength. The reason these top figures in the Empire acted this way was simply to curry favor with Yang Hao.
Nowadays, Yang Hao was the Western Governor-General, commanding a quarter of the universe, with over a dozen sword groups and the Dan Ding Sword Sect under his command—truly one of the most powerful forces in the Empire.
With such a powerful figure as a son-in-law, the Lan family no longer needed to go out and build connections; connections naturally came to them.
Now, instead of worrying about his daughter’s marriage, Kanling’s father was troubled by how many descendants the Lan family still had to send to various star systems for appointments.
Eleven members from one family—this was a glory unmatched in the entire Milky Way Empire.
Unexpectedly yet logically, the Lan family emerged as the biggest winner of the Grand Selection.
Even during the Grand Selection’s finale, the “Hundred Ships Departure,” the Lan family received the highest attention, with everyone’s gaze fixed on the Lan family and another group of people.
The “Hundred Ships Departure” was a unique ceremony of the Grand Selection, said to have been passed down for over a hundred years. In the past, such grand scenes were common and did not cause much sensation.
The so-called “Hundred Ships Departure” meant launching over a hundred ships at once from Earth’s largest spaceship launch site. These ships would carry the selected governors to one hundred spatial acceleration stations before heading to their respective star systems for their appointments.
With the development of space technology, ship launches and operations generally occurred at space stations, making such large-scale land launches rare.
Therefore, every few years, the “Hundred Ships Departure” always attracted large crowds.
This scene was also the perfect opportunity for families benefiting from the Grand Selection to show off their glory and prestige. Thus, every family spared no effort to bring relatives and friends to see off their appointees, organizing ceremonies and displays to showcase their family’s grandeur.
The Lan family was naturally the center of attention. Whether people knew them or not, they were all asking where the Lan family’s positions were. Their interest was not in the few governors about to take up their posts, but rather in seeing whether Yang Hao, the “Immortal War God” and the Lan family’s prospective son-in-law, would appear and how Kanling’s father would respond.
Yang Hao had certainly done his best to honor his future father-in-law. Emperor Yinglie had given Yang Hao one hundred and fifty nomination slots, but Yang Hao had only nominated a few members of the Lan family before returning the remaining slots to Emperor Yinglie.
This act had stirred much discussion not long ago, with people saying Yang Hao might have felt his power was too great, fearing he might overshadow the Emperor, thus choosing to act modestly.
If they could have foreseen what would happen later, these people would probably have swallowed their tongues.
Lan Yingbo, Kanling’s father, was dressed in formal attire today, his black and purple imperial bureaucratic robe combined with his short white hair making him particularly striking in the crowd.
Lan Yingbo looked satisfied at the eleven Lan family descendants standing before him. These were the most outstanding young members of the Lan family’s new generation. As the leader of the Lan clan, Lan Yingbo had thought it would take many years of training and effort to expand their influence. Yet, who would have thought that the day of glory would come so quickly?
“Uncle, when will it start?” one of the Lan family descendants asked.
Before boarding the spaceship, families with a history usually held some ceremonies, either to pay respects to ancestors or to thank their mentors.
“Just wait a bit,” Lan Yingbo frowned, looking around.
Although he didn’t say it out loud, deep down, he was still hoping for Yang Hao’s arrival. His view of Yang Hao had completely changed from before. This Grand Selection had fully demonstrated Yang Hao’s power as a new generation of influential officials. Although he didn’t nominate many names, the ways various factions privately showed their respect to him were already enough to draw attention.
If Yang Hao and Kanling could arrive today, the Lan family’s momentum would be even stronger, and the Lan family would officially be riding on Yang Hao’s coattails.
Lan Yingbo didn’t see Yang Hao but spotted another group of people, making his brows furrow even more.
When that thousand-strong group entered the launch site, everyone had already noticed and began whispering. Besides the Lan family, the other star of the day was them.
That nearly thousand people were the noble families and send-offs from the Ten Sword Sects. Whether to show off their strength or demonstrate their power, today, the remaining six sword sects of the Ten Sword Sects brought their masters and experts to see them off.
The surrounding nobles, usually respectful of the Ten Sword Sects, now whispered with some cold remarks.
“At a time like this, they still put on such a show.”
“A bunch of beaten dogs, relying on their numbers?”
“If they hadn’t taken half the spots, I might have gotten one this year,” a young noble complained bitterly.
Those around him tried to console him: “Don’t be upset. Wait and see how the Ten Sword Sects make fools of themselves.”
“Make fools of themselves?”
“That’s right,” a few knowledgeable old-timers said. “Every time the Ten Sword Sects set out, they first display their sect’s sacred swords, then bow before the至尊圣像 to demonstrate eternal loyalty to the Senate, complete the ceremony, and then depart to assume their posts.”
“So what?”
“You’re so slow!” someone obviously delighted in their misfortune said. “The Ten Sword Sects don’t have their sacred swords anymore, right? Those swords were taken by Yang Hao long ago. Wait and see what they bow to. If they pretend to bring out some fake swords, we’ll have a good show.”
These words, though whispered, spread quickly. The crowd here, at least tens of thousands of nobles, had come with the intention of watching the Ten Sword Sects make fools of themselves.
The Ten Sword Sects had already lined up according to the six sword sects, indeed preparing to hold the ceremony, paying homage to the sacred swords and the Supreme Holy Statue.
In a somewhat tense atmosphere, the six sect leaders each brought out their sacred swords, placed them on the altar, and led their disciples in paying respects.
“Thank the sacred swords!” the six sect leaders shouted in unison, kneeling down.
Some people around were stunned: “Are those the real ones?”
A more vigilant person scoffed: “You’re crazy, right? The real sacred swords are with Yang Hao. We all saw Yang Hao take them away with our own eyes.”
“Then…”
“They must be fake.” Excitement spread in the whispers. “The Ten Sword Sects really brought out fake swords. They’re really done for.”
“They’re at their last gasp, yet they still occupy five hundred governor positions. It’s just that the heavens aren’t fair…”
Seemingly hearing the surrounding whispers, Haiwang Gong and Qilian Xiu’s expressions darkened.
They were still kneeling but raised their heads, shouting loudly: “Draw the swords!”
Clang! Six sounds rang out, and the six sacred swords were drawn together. The divine light and the vast energy stored within them flooded out, causing the surrounding people to be shocked beyond comprehension.
These six swords were naturally real, but how could those nobles know about the secret deal between Yang Hao and the Ten Sword Sects? They were so frightened they dared not speak more, thinking that Yang Hao had been defeated again by the Ten Sword Sects and that the sacred swords had been reclaimed.
Just then, the key person in this matter, Yang Hao, appeared.
The experts from the Dan Ding Sect did not come together, only Yang Hao and Kanling came strolling over leisurely, as if they were out for a spring outing. Today, Kanling was a bit clingy, wearing a long dress with a silk scarf around her neck, looking very charming. Yang Hao, on the other hand, was dressed in formal imperial lord attire, and his neat military uniform made him look even more heroic and handsome.
As soon as they appeared, they attracted the gaze of tens of thousands of people, like the biggest stars here. Kanling didn’t care how others looked at her, she pulled Yang Hao to Lan Yingbo.
“Uncle Lan!” Yang Hao respectfully gave a bow.
Lan Yingbo was a bit embarrassed. Officially, he should be the one to bow. However, seeing his daughter’s affectionate behavior towards Yang Hao, he felt a bit more confident and simply nodded in acknowledgment. “Lord Governor!” The eleven Lan family descendants all knelt down in unison, giving the highest salute in the Empire.
Yang Hao had a slight smile on his lips, waving his hand to let them rise: “This time, you are entrusted with the Emperor’s heavy responsibility. You must be diligent and not neglect even the slightest detail.”
“Yes!” everyone answered.
“The Empire’s personnel matters are complex, but they are irrelevant to you. Just remember, today’s favor comes from the Emperor, so you must be loyal to the Emperor.”
“Yes!”
Yang Hao nodded. This loyalty ceremony was simply a formality.
This was just a formality, but the people around watched in amazement. After all, Yang Hao wasn’t even officially a son-in-law yet, and the Lan family’s descendants had already started showing him loyalty. This only indicated that Yang Hao had gained another family’s support.
Other factions didn’t dare to say anything out loud, but they felt a bit sour inside. With Yang Hao being so young, he could already gather such a massive force. If given time, there would be no place left for others in the Empire.
Lan Yingbo was very satisfied with Yang Hao’s performance. He now truly liked this son-in-law, smiling as he said to Yang Hao: “If that’s the case, then let them board the ships.”
Yang Hao raised his eyebrows: “I still have something to do.”
“Still?” Lan Yingbo was taken aback. He remembered that Yang Hao had only selected a few members of the Lan family and returned the rest of the spots to Emperor Yinglie. Although there were many people here to board the ships and perform the loyalty ceremony, there couldn’t be anyone else who was loyal to Yang Hao.
But Yang Hao had already walked towards the Ten Sword Sects’ formation.
Just then, the Ten Sword Sects did something shocking.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, the sect leaders brought out the same painting.
This was originally part of the procedure. After paying respects to the sacred swords, they should enshrine the Most Honored Image.
But the problem was that the person in the painting was not Zun.
This discovery threw the nobles around them into an uproar, as if the world were coming to an end. They could hardly believe their own eyes. The Ten Sword Sects, who always spoke of the Supreme One, had actually mistaken the Supreme One’s portrait.
But some people with clear minds and sensitive political instincts had already sensed something unusual. Coupled with the six sacred swords that had been lost and regained, and Yang Hao slowly walking over, they had already realized that something earth-shattering was about to happen.
Sure enough, the Ten Sword Sects’ subsequent words of worship shook the entire world.
“Kowtow to the Three Purities Dan Ding Zunzhe Hunyuanzi Da Shen. Da Shen grants us strength, Da Shen grants us swords, Da Shen protects our sword sects!”
The onlookers, even those about to board the ships for their appointments, all gathered around. They heard the Ten Sword Sects say it once and didn’t believe their ears. They heard it a second time and began to doubt their brains. By the third time, these people were questioning whether this world was still real and whether it even existed.
“Hunyuanzi Da Shen? Which Da Shen is that?”
In this world, wasn’t there only the Supreme One who could be called a god? How did a Hunyuanzi appear?
This was the question lingering in most people’s minds. However, for the leaders of various factions, what they heard were two other words.
“Dan Ding!”
Wasn’t that the title of Yang Hao’s sect?
If Yang Hao was linked to this, the logic of the matter began to become clear. However, no matter how one looked at it, this matter was simply too incredible. Even if there was some connection, these people dared not make hasty conclusions.
Therefore, when Yang Hao really walked to the front of the Ten Sword Sects’ formation, tens of thousands of people held their breath.
No one dared to imagine what would happen. A great battle? Mutual slaughter?
Or mockery and ridicule?
If it were just that, then today would not be recorded in the Empire’s history as a key turning point and praised for generations.
When Yang Hao stood straight as a spear in front of the six sword sects’ leaders, the six leaders once again led over a thousand disciples of the Ten Sword Sects to kneel down, shouting in unison: “Governor!”
The onlookers’ hearts were like being hit by bullets, shattered and difficult to piece together.
Even some frightened voices with a hint of crying said: “It’s a loyalty ceremony, a loyalty ceremony…”
The senior officials present, especially the Chief of the Privy Council, the Ministers of Domestic and Foreign Affairs, and people like Lan Yingbo, had extremely serious expressions, even a bit cold.
“This time, you are entrusted with the Emperor’s heavy responsibility. You must be diligent and not neglect even the slightest detail,” Yang Hao said.
“Yes!” The Ten Sword Sects answered.
“The Empire’s personnel matters are complex, but they are irrelevant to you. Just remember, today’s favor comes from the Emperor, so you must be loyal to the Emperor.”
“Yes!”
This dialogue was exactly the same as the one with the Lan family just now, but the meaning behind it was vastly different.
The Lan family and Yang Hao had long been considered as being on the same line, no matter how Lan Yingbo felt about it, people in the Empire had already regarded the Lan family as part of Yang Hao’s forces.
But how could the Ten Sword Sects be the same? They were the supreme loyal force entrusted by the至尊 (Supreme One) a hundred years ago, who personally bestowed the Ten Sacred Swords upon them.
In other words, the Ten Sword Sects were the Senate’s tentacles deep within the Empire, the powerful tools of the elders, and the strongest force for the elders to control all planetary resources and resist the royal family.
But now, the Ten Sword Sects were actually pledging loyalty to Yang Hao?
Even the most forgetful people would remember that not long ago, Yang Hao had just eliminated the Star Circus, and a little earlier, the Divine Punishment Sword Group and the Beast Heart Sword Group had both fallen to Yang Hao’s hands.
The Dan Ding Sect and the Ten Sword Sect were the two most famous enemies in the Empire, known as eternal enemies.
But under everyone’s watchful eyes, everyone clearly saw that the Ten Sword Sects were indeed kneeling to Yang Hao, even declaring their loyalty to the royal family.
“Change the flag!” Yang Hao said coldly.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! In a flash, the well-prepared disciples of the Ten Sword Sects took down the flag representing the Senate that was flying high and hung up the flag representing the Dan Ding Sect.
From this moment on, there was no longer a Ten Sword Sect loyal to the Senate in the Empire, only the Six Sword Sects loyal to the Dan Ding Sect and belonging to the Dan Ding Sect.
The onlookers, the leaders of the Empire, finally understood what had happened, but this was indeed too shocking and hard to believe.
In others’ eyes, Yang Hao was indeed an extraordinary genius, indeed possessing incomprehensible power. But no matter what, even the most imaginative dreamers probably didn’t expect that Yang Hao could actually assimilate the Ten Sword Sects.
“Oh!!” The Chief Minister of the Privy Council suddenly exclaimed. He was quicker than others to realize what changes would happen in the Empire after today’s scene.
The Senate lost the Ten Sword Sects and thus lost the tentacles to control the Empire’s political power and resources. In other words, the Senate’s power was weakened to the lowest point.
Yang Hao gained the loyalty of the Ten Sword Sects, which was equivalent to gaining the loyalty of five hundred new governors. Therefore, Yang Hao’s influence in the Empire was not just a little growth, but a leap forward. In fact, it was even close to surpassing Emperor Yinglie.
The Chief Minister of the Privy Council looked at the towering Yang Hao with a complex gaze.
This young man, who looked handsome on the outside, had already grasped terrifying power. The Empire of tomorrow would no longer be what people could imagine before.
But it would belong to Yang Hao, Yang Hao and the future Empire.
Over a hundred spaceships were launched together, the tail flames making it hard to open one’s eyes. Even though people watched the ships carrying the governors fly to various corners of the universe, they still felt uneasy.
It seemed as if they had already seen an unprecedented great blood battle about to begin.
In the following days, the Empire was always filled with a strange atmosphere. Even the traveling merchants were somewhat distracted, closing their shops in groups, using the excuse of purchasing goods to fly out of the Milky Way. The clear-headed nobles were even more so. Within a few days, hundreds of thousands of noble families flew to the Western Territory under the pretext of tourism. The population of Earth decreased significantly.
Everyone was worried about the outbreak of a great blood battle, but the more worried they were, the more it was delayed.
The Elder Mountain was silent, frighteningly silent.
After the Ten Sword Sects changed their allegiance, people thought the Elder Mountain would at least react, showing their power. Otherwise, how could they still stand in the Empire?
So Yang Hao quickly arranged for the key figures of the Ten Sword Sects to escape to the Western Territory, expecting the Elders to vent their anger on no one.
But unexpectedly, several days passed, and the Elders seemed to have done nothing. Except for the four guardian sword sects at the foot of the Elder Mountain where the Elders themselves resided, basically nothing changed.
On the contrary, Yang Hao, after assimilating the Ten Sword Sects and becoming the most powerful person in the Empire, this kind of arrogance even made Emperor Yinglie unable to bear it. The old emperor called Yang Hao over and scolded him severely, roughly saying that with such good news, he didn’t even share a bit with me, and so on, but it ended up being nothing.
Therefore, after Yang Hao firmly replaced the Elder Mountain as the first power in the Empire, the entire capital and even Earth became calm. Although there were some uneasy factors in the calm air, nothing happened under the sunlight.
But it wasn’t really so peaceful at night.
Recently, after Hunyuanzi became the Three Purities Dan Ding Zunzhe Hunyuanzi Da Shen, he worked even harder to cultivate in seclusion. His hope was to be able to live independently, so he could see Yang Hao’s son and enjoy family happiness.
In the Dan Ding Sword Sect, Yang Hao was comfortably lying on his big bed. This guy had already reached the peak of indulgence.
Without a master causing trouble, and with two beauties by his side, Yang Hao could naturally be carefree.
However, he recently seemed to have no such leisure. Looking at his serious expression between the two women, those who didn’t know might think it was a fight between the two wives for his attention.
Yang Hao’s troubles had never been with women. Although he was at the peak of power in the Empire, he felt an even more oppressive chill coming from outside.
“What are the Elders trying to do?” Yang Hao pondered carefully. “Losing these thousand core planets is a fatal blow to the Senate. But they haven’t pursued any of the Ten Sword Sects’ people, nor have they come after me.”
“The Elders seem to have been cornered,” Kanling naturally hadn’t heard of the conversation between Emperor Yinglie and the Zhi Nao Wang, but she had pinpointed the truth. Since the Elders had lost their claws and tentacles, along with the core planets that formed the foundation of their survival, even the daily necessary medicinal herbs could no longer be collected. This was already a situation with no way out.
“This silence shouldn’t be right,” Yang Hao had a headache. “If they did something, I could respond accordingly, but now it’s just difficult to deal with.”
“Silence is what you think,” Ling Ziyang scoffed. “From what I know about the Elders, the Elder Mountain is probably in chaos now.”
“Chaos? How?” Yang Hao turned his head, hugging Ling Ziyang. Now Ling Ziyang had become Yang Hao’s best strategist. With the help of this female strategist, Yang Hao’s career was thriving.
The Elders will never swallow this bitter pill. Think about it—a Senate that has dominated the Empire’s power for hundreds of years, how could they be willing to be defeated by you? And defeated so thoroughly. The legacy left by the至尊 for over a hundred years was swept away by you in just one year, and the Elders have retreated step by step to their very last line of defense.
“That’s because they lost the people’s hearts and did a lot of self-destructive things. The Elders did no shortage of that,” Yang Hao smiled lightly.
“The Elders have no moves, which doesn’t mean they are swallowing their anger, but just planning, planning a big move,” Ling Ziyang gently patted her belly, deep in thought. “The temperaments of several executives are quite explosive.”
“What will they do?” Yang Hao asked urgently.
“You guess!” Ling Ziyang tilted her head, smiling mysteriously.
Yang Hao’s expression became serious. He naturally had some idea in his heart, but it was a matter of great importance, so he couldn’t just speak recklessly.
Ling Ziyang knew that Yang Hao had already guessed, so she nodded meaningfully.
“What are you two talking about?” Lan Gang pouted, she didn’t have so many twists in her mind.
“The Senate has been defeated to this point, and even the three hundred Elders couldn’t gain any advantage. They have few cards left to play,” Yang Hao stroked Kanling’s hair. “The Elders can still rely on their martial power, but this power is not enough to reverse the situation, so they can only do one thing, one thing that can completely turn the tide.”
Kanling was startled: “They want to kill you?”
Yang Hao and Ling Ziyang laughed together. Still holding Kanling’s hand, Ling Ziyang joked, “You, you’re too worried. Is our husband still an ordinary person now? The Dan Ding Sect has been stationed with more than ten sword groups and thousands of people, even harder to attack than the palace. Even if the Elders want to kill him, they don’t have to choose the hard way.”
“Then…”
Yang Hao finally revealed the answer: “What the Elders are going to do is assassinate Emperor Yinglie!”
“A!” Kanling was really scared. In the past, no matter how opposed the Elders and Emperor Yinglie were, at most they just confined the old emperor in the palace, never truly attempting an assassination. Could it really come to that?
“No matter what, Emperor Yinglie is always the Emperor of the Empire. The Elders cannot deny this, nor can others. Therefore, in the anti-Senate forces, Emperor Yinglie is the leader and the banner,” Yang Hao spoke unusually seriously. “As long as the Elders kill Emperor Yinglie, the anti-Senate forces will be leaderless. Although I hold great power, my experience is shallow, and I cannot control the court. When the crown prince takes over, the Elders will naturally have ways to manipulate that weak prince.”
Kanling gasped: “According to what you’re saying, as long as Emperor Yinglie dies, the Elders might completely turn the tide?”
“At least there’s that possibility,” Yang Hao sighed. “I’m afraid the Elders are now preparing for this big event.”
“What should we do?” Kanling jumped up. She hadn’t forgotten her identity as the head of the Imperial Guards. “What should we do?”
“Let it be,” Ling Ziyang shrugged. “Emperor Yinglie is already old. When one is old, one should die. There’s nothing to be sorry about.”
“You’re talking nonsense!” Kanling glared, this woman was beautiful when she was quiet, but when she got angry, it was terrifying. “The Emperor must not die! Protecting the Emperor is our duty as the Imperial Guards.”
“You… you… why are you so angry?” Ling Ziyang pouted and was about to cry. “I even let you have the man. Why are you still saving and rescuing people? Who are you trying to save?”
“I must save the Emperor!” Kanling became stubborn again, almost wanting to put on her armor and rush out right now.
“Ah… ah…” Ling Ziyang held her stomach and cried out in pain. “You’re making me so angry, so angry, my son is going to be hurt because of you.”
“Ahh!” Kanling immediately panicked. She was most afraid of Ling Ziyang doing this. As soon as this move came out, Kanling would definitely give in. It was the same this time, so she had to speak softly and comfort her, even saying soft words.
But Ling Ziyang suddenly laughed, hugging Kanling and being so happy she was almost jumping.
“You’re still laughing,” Kanling pouted, looking unhappy. “The Emperor is in danger, and you’re still laughing.”
“Relax!” Ling Ziyang pinched her nose. “Our husband is also a soft-hearted person. Of course, he won’t let the Emperor be in danger. I’m sure he already has a plan in mind.”
“Really?” Kanling looked at Yang Hao with surprise.
Yang Hao smiled and patted Ling Ziyang’s head. “You’re such a clever girl. How did you know?”
“Of course!” Ling Ziyang scoffed. “You sent the experts from the Ten Sword Sects to patrol outer space, then secretly returned to the capital. You’ve been desperately summoning experts from the Western Territory. You’ve even had your sword groups stationed at the Dan Ding Sword Sect for a long time. And you’ve even secretly issued the *Qianlong Order*. If you didn’t have a plan, how could all of this be possible?”
“Qianlong Order!” Kanling was stunned and took a deep breath.
Perhaps from this, one could truly see how determined Yang Hao was.
The *Qianlong Order* was the highest secret order of the *Qianlong Pavilion*. This organization, hidden for a thousand years, always had batches of *Qianlong* agents secretly stationed in every corner of the universe. These individuals never revealed their true identities. Even if they had already reached the *Holy Domain* level, becoming rare experts, they still lived among ordinary people, enduring hardships far beyond what normal individuals could bear.
They were not destined to live in the shadows forever, but there was a vow within the Qianlong Pavilion.
“Unless summoned, we shall never meet.”
These people would only come out from all directions, from their hiding places, discard their civilian disguises, and resume their identities as Holy Domain experts when they received the Hidden Dragon Order.
Issuing the Qianlong Order was the power and responsibility of the leader of the Qianlong Pavilion. When an organization could endure for a thousand years without being destroyed, every time its authority was exercised, one had to carefully consider whether it would disrupt this legacy.
Simultaneously, even if Situ Haining would rather die, he did not use a single Qianlong, unwilling to recklessly use this power.
Yang Hao understood this deeply, yet this time, he still used the Hidden Dragon Order to summon all the Hidden Dragons from across the universe. This was not for his own sake, nor was it merely to avenge the Dan Ding Sect.
It was the purpose of the Qianlong Pavilion. This massive force of losers had always been pursuing and maintaining a new order, one without oppression or enslavement.
This was the ideal of Qianlong.
Yang Hao felt the time had come. Soon, the day to create a new order would arrive, and at the same time, the day to overthrow the old order and completely remove the Senate, which had ruled the universe for hundreds of years.
Yang Hao sighed, nodding to the two women: “That day is really coming.”
That day of bloodshed, bloodbath, and blood oceans was indeed about to come.
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