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Chapter 540: A Lingering Concern

"Yes!" Lin Xiao responded with excitement.

"Do you want me to retrieve the Imperial Seal?" Sha Po asked.

"No need. It's a source of chaos. Its presence will better cover our actions. Let the other city lords fight over it. When they finally notice us, the world will have changed drastically!" Lin Xiao said, a glint of wisdom in his eyes.

Zhong Shan nodded in satisfaction, pleased with Lin Xiao's increasing maturity.

From this point, things became easier. Under the banner of the emperor, Lin Xiao began his campaign of 'stirring up the world.' For city lords who could be subdued, he chose to incorporate them; for those who couldn't, he dealt the strongest blows and offered rewards to pacify the silent city lords.

The Imperial Seal passed from one new owner to another. Luo Ye was long dead, and the Imperial Seal had a new possessor. But no one who seized it was willing to hand it over to the court. Thus, wars continued. When someone claimed the seal and declared themselves emperor, Lin Xiao would summon the world to attack them in the name of the emperor.

So, three years passed in the blink of an eye.

Zhong Shan's control over his territory solidified. Lin Xiao, now not only a military genius, had also become a seasoned politician.

Three years later, as the fortune within the Imperial Seal dissipated due to its separation from the emperor, the remaining city lords realized the world had changed.

Out of the thirty city lords, only nine remained isolated. The others either allied with the 'court' or were defeated and replaced by new city lords. Zhong Shan now controlled seventy percent of the land.

Could the nine isolated city lords still achieve anything?

In Changcheng, at the altar of heaven, Emperor An Jianyuan held an edict and read it aloud. Below, the officials stood solemnly, bowing to the emperor.

"Heaven's mandate is constant, and it bestows upon the worthy. The Great Xian Dynasty's decline has brought chaos and rebellion. The nation has been saved by King Zheng's martial prowess, who has restored order and peace. Therefore, I, An Jianyuan, abdicate in favor of King Zheng, passing the imperial seal and the mandate of heaven. From now on, King Zheng shall be emperor, ruling with virtue and wisdom."

This was the abdication of Emperor An Jianyuan to King Zhong Shan.

It was time to reap the final rewards. In matters of governance, who understood the Great Xian Dynasty better than Zhong Shan?

Zhong Shan stepped forward, took the Imperial Seal, and looked proudly at the officials below.

"Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor!" the officials chanted, bowing to Zhong Shan.

With the strategy of 'holding the emperor to command the vassals,' Zhong Shan had captured the world and the mandate of heaven. In just six years in the underworld, he had bypassed the status of a dynasty to become the ruler of an empire.

"I inherit heaven's will and the great mandate. From today, the nation shall be called Great Zheng, with Changjing as the capital," Zhong Shan declared loudly.

As Zhong Shan's voice echoed, the fortune in the sky above Changjing began to slowly disappear, reappearing over Xuanning in the Yang Realm, surging and increasing. Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, it was fully refined and then disappeared again.

In the underworld above Changjing, the lost fortune reappeared, radiating a faint golden light that illuminated Zhong Shan, making him appear like a supreme deity.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor forever!" The shouts of loyalty echoed continuously as Zhong Shan officially established the Great Zheng Dynasty in the underworld, renaming Changcheng to Changjing and proclaiming it to the world.

After securing Xuanning, Lin Xiao was appointed the first legion commander of the Great Zheng Dynasty and was bestowed the title of Grand General. Next, it was time to consolidate the rear and eliminate any remaining dissenters.

Of the nine remaining city lords, six directly acknowledged Zhong Shan's authority and the Great Zheng Dynasty. The other three attempted to resist but were either forced to kneel and surrender or met their end on the battlefield.

The Great Xian Dynasty was now consigned to history, and the Great Zheng Dynasty firmly rooted itself in the underworld. Henceforth, the underworld had a new dynasty: the Great Zheng Dynasty.

Regarding the Imperial Seal, Zhong Shan had the Fangtian Jade Seal, but he had not brought it to the underworld. There could only be one imperial seal for the Great Zheng Dynasty, but that did not prevent the issuance of decrees. Zhong Shan had brought countless blank decrees stamped with the Fangtian Jade Seal from the Yang Realm.

Over these years, Zhong Shan had also come to understand their current location. They were in the extreme east of the underworld. The mountain range where the Yin-Yang Hall was located was a forbidden zone, once a massive battlefield where countless armies from the Great Thousand World met their demise. It was both a forbidden zone and a holy land in this small world. It was universally accepted that no force could enter that mountain range, providing the Yin-Yang Hall with excellent defense. With the Skeleton King Wang Ku guarding it, the safety of the Yin-Yang Hall was assured.

The Great Zheng Dynasty in the underworld was a human dynasty surrounded by various ghost and non-human dynasties. In the underworld, establishing a dynastic fortune was not limited to humans.

The region where the Great Zheng Dynasty was located had three major dynasties: the Great Zheng Dynasty in the east, with two others, Great Xun and Great Ying, to the west. These three dynasties shared the land outside the forbidden zone.

Changjing was undergoing extensive construction, with various palaces and pavilions rising from the ground.

In the study of the imperial palace, Zhong Shan sat at his desk, looking at two purple-gold invitations. Xianxian, unrestrained, sat on the desk, crossed her beautiful legs, and picked up the invitations Zhong Shan had just read.

Standing before the desk were Lin Xiao, Mr. Corpse, and several newly promoted ministers.

"A land wager between three dynasties?" Zhong Shan showed a playful smile.

"This Great Xun Dynasty, their national beast is a wolf?" Xianxian's eyes sparkled.

"No, it's a blood wolf," Zhong Shan corrected.

"Same thing!" Xianxian laughed.

"Your Majesty, the land outside the forbidden zone has always had this tradition of a land wager every hundred years among the three dynasties. Inviting our Great Zheng Dynasty this time is an acknowledgment of our status. Your Majesty, will you attend?" a minister asked.

"Of course, we'll go! A land wager? How interesting!" Zhong Shan laughed.

"Interesting? How so?" The minister was puzzled. This kind of land wager was common in the underworld. Of course, the minister couldn't know that Zhong Shan was comparing it to the Yang Realm.

Zhong Shan had effective methods for governing, and within just two years, the Great Zheng Dynasty in the underworld had returned to a state of prosperity. The court officials had been thoroughly vetted, ensuring their absolute loyalty to the Great Zheng Dynasty.

The three-dynasty land wager was a traditional event in the area outside the forbidden zone, involving a major reshuffling of territories among the dynasties in this vast region.

Zhong Shan sat on his dragon throne, leading his grand army from Xuanning, marching majestically towards the center of the three dynasties.

In the human realm, on the Shenzhou continent, in the Land of Longevity, stood a simple thatched hut.

Nian Youyou stood before her master, Nu Qinghui.

"I didn't expect you to sort out your thoughts so quickly. Truly, you are my disciple," Nu Qinghui said with satisfaction.

"Master!" Nian Youyou called out with a distant expression.

"Sigh!" Nu Qinghui sighed softly upon seeing Nian Youyou's expression.

"I hope you won't blame me!" Nu Qinghui shook her head and sighed.

"I don't blame you!" Nian Youyou's voice was somewhat stiff.

"Zhong Shan is not dead."

"I know."

"Can you still kill him?"

Hearing Nu Qinghui mention killing Zhong Shan again, Nian Youyou's pupils contracted, a fierce glint flashing in her eyes. Her golden pupils shone brightly for a moment before dimming.

"I knew it, you don't want to kill him anymore," Nu Qinghui sighed.

Nian Youyou bit her lip, saying nothing.

"I will send you to the underworld! Maybe you won't meet Zhong Shan again, and you can sever your lingering thoughts," Nu Qinghui suddenly suggested.

"Uh? To the underworld?" Nian Youyou frowned.

"Hehe, in the land of Shenzhou, the four great sacred grounds of the past—do you know which was the first? It wasn't the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss; its strength only expanded for a short time. The first sacred ground should be our Land of Longevity. The depth of its heritage is beyond your imagination. If I hadn't reached the Sky Extreme Realm, I wouldn't have known many of its secrets," Nu Qinghui said, shaking her head.

"You can send me to the underworld?" Nian Youyou stared intently at Nu Qinghui.

"There's only one opportunity every thousand years. If you want to go, I'll help you secure a spot," Nu Qinghui offered.

Nian Youyou fell silent.

"Are you still unable to let go of Zhong Shan? Do you still want to return to his side?" Nu Qinghui frowned.

With a bitter smile, Nian Youyou shook her head, "What face do I have to see him again? Master, please help me!"

Seeing the pain on Nian Youyou's face, Nu Qinghui felt a pang of heartache. She didn't offer further comfort, just nodded silently.

After speaking, Nian Youyou returned to her small room, feeling incredibly heavy-hearted. Emperor Extreme Realm? True Monarch Nian Youyou? She didn't care about such worldly titles. Although Zhong Shan was safe, Nian Youyou knew that she would never be happy again.

In the small room, her ancestral spirit beast, Xiao Qing, was napping by the window, basking in the sunlight and patting its full belly, looking extremely satisfied.

Nian Youyou walked over and looked at Xiao Qing, a rare nostalgic smile appearing on her face. Xiao Qing? Darling? Husband? Zhong Shan?

As she thought, her initial smile gradually turned bitter. Nian Youyou couldn't forgive herself for her past actions.