Chapter 204 - 155 Emperor Mingtian of the East Sea, the Four Great Sacred Lands, the Great Ancestor is getting married again!_1
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, five days had passed.
During these days, the Da Qian Empire underwent another massive change.
The Da Qian Empire withdrew all its forces from the Outer Twelve States, ceding them entirely to the four invading powers.
The Da Jing Empire’s southern armies engulfed the three northern provinces of the Da Qian Empire. While assimilating the territories of the three provinces, they stationed troops on the borders, waiting for the next opportunity to set their sights on the Mid Six Province.
The Buddhist soldiers of the Kurong Sect occupied the three western provinces of the Da Qian Empire. In just half a month, many temples had been constructed in these three provinces to worship the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Buddhist Sect.
The Kurong Sect normally had two True Martial Realm Emperor Wus stationed there. Being granted the title of Kong when in the True Martial Realm, after Kurong Kong and the supporting Tuoshan Kong were trapped in the Sacred Dragon Secret Realm, the Kurong Sect was left with only one Kong.
This Kong, being only in the early stages of the True Martial Realm, was quite wary of Chu Dingqian and did not dare to pressure the Da Qian Empire too much. For the time being, he stopped advancing his troops, intending to stabilize the occupied territories until the Kurong Kong and Tuoshan Kong emerged.
In the Eastern Three Provinces, the troops of the Da Qian Empire also retreated, taking away everything they could. Fengbo Pavilion stepped forward to control the territories, beginning the process of absorption.
Although the mysterious forces behind Fengbo Pavilion were eager to swallow more territories of the Da Qian Empire, their lack of strength hindered them. The cloaked elder who presided over the overall situation was trapped in the Sacred Dragon Secret Realm.
For the time being, the mysterious forces did not dare to send another True Martial Realm Emperor Wu there. They had been warned that the territories held by Fengbo Pavilion in the Xuan Domain could only be governed by one True Martial Realm Emperor Wu.
The mysterious forces from the Chaotic Domain, known as Emperor Mingtian, were originally a power from the East Sea. However, Emperor Mingtian had long been scheming in the Chaotic Domain, slowly eroding and ultimately swallowing up numerous forces in the domain, seizing control of one-third of its territories. This was their limit.
Although what Emperor Mingtian did was covert, it didn’t escape the eyes of the major sacred lands, who were manipulating the overall structure of the Qianyuan Divine Province.
The Chaotic Domain was inherently chaotic, with forces from various domains settling in. The major sacred lands allowed Emperor Mingtian to enter the arena because they wanted to ease the relationship with the East Sea. After all, the East Sea was a part of the Qianyuan Divine Province, and there was the Penglai Immortal Sect deep within the East Sea, which was not much weaker than the major sacred lands.
The Chaotic Domain could not be unified; this was the consensus of the major sacred lands. One-third of the Chaotic Domain was to be controlled by Emperor Mingtian, and that was their bottom line.
Within Emperor Mingtian, there was one Divine Yuan Realm Emperor, and several True Martial Realm Emperor Wus. Although they were dissatisfied with the decision of the major sacred lands, they did not dare to cross the red line. Otherwise, Emperor Mingtian would be doomed, and all their efforts would be ruined overnight.
The major sacred lands might lack the glory of ancient times, but they still had powerhouses in the Tongxuan Realm to uphold them, and they also possessed Emperor-grade Immortal Artifacts. If Emperor Mingtian dared to defy their resolutions, the consequences would be unbearable for them.
Emperor Mingtian’s entry into the Xuan Domain was the same. The major sacred lands were watching and gave their tacit approval, but they also set clear boundaries. Emperor Mingtian must tread carefully.
After the Da Qian Empire withdrew from Leizhou, Qingzhou, and Huozhou in the south, the Yinyang Sect assimilated them and also temporarily ceased expansions, silently digesting the three provinces.
Their Sect Hierarch, Chen An, was trapped in the Sacred Dragon Secret Realm, and another powerful True Martial Realm Emperor Wu, Dugu Bing, was severely injured and had yet to recover, not daring to provoke the Da Qian Empire further.
Now the Da Qian Empire held firm to the Mid Six Province, and most of the troops that had withdrawn from the Outer Twelve States were stationed on the borders of Tangzhou, Jizhou, Liangzhou, and Guzhou. The rest were withdrawn to Yuanzhou. Yuanzhou, due to its unique geographical location, was not defended.
Chu Dingqian had been striving to stabilize the situation these days, seeking to prevent the collapse of the vast empire he had founded. He still harbored hope and didn’t want to witness the empire he had built with his own hands perish.
Although he knew that the Yinyang Sect, Kurong Sect, and Fengbo Pavilion either lacked or had only one weaker True Martial Realm force, he still didn’t dare to provoke them.
Firstly, he wanted to settle down and find a True Martial Realm to preside over the Da Qian Empire while he focused on nurturing the Devil Fetus Possession, as his life was not much longer.
Additionally, both the Yinyang Sect and Kurong Sect had the Demon Clan and Buddhist Sect behind them. Among the Four Sacred Lands of the Human Clan, the Demon Clan and Buddhist Sect accounted for two, and they were the ones who set the rules.
If Chu Dingqian schemed to disrupt the Yinyang Sect and Kurong Sect, by launching destructive attacks and assassinating True Martial Realm warriors, and slaughtering a large number of people from the Myriad Phenomena Realm and Hollow Void Stage, these two forces would instantly violate the consensus and directly annihilate the Da Qian Empire.
Generally speaking, the Four Great Sacred Lands care a lot about face, and they will abide by the rules they have set, honoring the consensus and giving other forces a chance. However, if their interests are seriously compromised, they can put aside their dignity.
Chu Dingqian dreaded the Buddhist Sect and Demon Clan and did not dare to cause destruction. He wanted to live to see a third life and then continue to contend with forces like the Yinyang Sect and Kurong Sect.
If handled well, for instance, if the Daqian Empire were to have several individuals reach the True Martial Realm or the warriors in the Divine Yuan Realm, they could counterattack the Yinyang Sect and Kurong Sect, the Da Jing Dynasty, etc., and seize more territories, which the rules permit.
This is also an opportunity for development given by the Four Great Powers to other forces in the Qianyuan Divine Province. They wish to maintain their status as sacred lands, preserve the big picture of the Qianyuan Divine Province, and also desire that the affairs within the Human Clan are not stagnant like dead water.
Yuanzhou, Chengsheng Mountain.
As the Daqian Empire retreated to the Mid Six Provinces, and after the Four Great Forces swallowed the Twelve Provinces and then rested their banners, the situation suddenly eased, and the people of Han Mansion breathed a sigh of relief.
Although many major forces had moved into Yuanzhou, from those at the God Refining Realm to the Hollow Void Stage, and even the Myriad Phenomena Realm, Han Mansion on Chengsheng Mountain remained, quietly existing in its corner, becoming low-key.
These past few days, Han Li spent half his time with his senior sister Gongsun Yue, and the progress was satisfying. He had finally captured Gongsun Yue’s heart completely, and she agreed to marry him.
However, Gongsun Yue wanted to inform Gongsun Yun and invite him to participate in such a significant event. Han Li refused, feeling that now was not the right time to inform Gongsun Yun.
On one hand, he did not want to expose his identity just yet; on the other hand, he had stolen Gongsun Yun’s beloved little cotton-padded jacket, and it had been only five or six days since Han Li took Gongsun Yue away.
Gongsun Yun treasured Han Li, but with his precious daughter’s heart conquered by Han Li within just a few days and ready to marry him, he surely wouldn’t be pleased.
In preparation for the grand wedding to be held at Chengsheng Mountain two days later, Han Li only invited the forces from Yonchang Manor; he did not invite the major forces from other manors in Yuanzhou.
With these forces just having moved in, and the situation being chaotic and prone to troubles, it could cause endless problems. If you fight the small ones, the big ones come; if you fight the big ones, the elders come. It never ends and doesn’t fit with his wish to lie low and develop safely.
Although many major forces had relocated to Yuanzhou, none in Yonchang Manor had reached above the God Refining Realm. Why? Because the spiritual energy in Yonchang Manor was too sparse.
They preferred to settle in other manors, seizing the mountain gates of smaller forces, and after setting up Spirit Gathering Arrays, the effect was certainly much better than in Yonchang Manor.
This also led to small forces from several nearby manors flocking to Yonchang Manor. In order to establish a foundation, they needed to seize the territories and interests of other forces, plunging Yonchang Manor into a comparatively chaotic situation.
But no one dared to provoke Han Mansion on Chengsheng Mountain. The spiritual energy on Chengsheng Mountain was the sparsest, with hardly any cultivation resources nearby, and Han Mansion was still the only God Refining Realm force in Yonchang Manor.
The grand wedding took place as scheduled. The newly arrived forces all sent representatives, showing great respect for the old ancestor of the Han Family. They had just relocated and encountered the old ancestor of the Han Family getting married.
It was only after the Han Family’s old ancestor’s wedding that the various forces of Yonchang Manor came to a realization—there was still a God Refining Realm old ancestor in Yonchang Manor.
This God Refining Realm old ancestor was very low-key. Apart from taking wives and concubines, he was almost unnoticeable in both Yonchang Manor and Yuanzhou.
When the festivity concluded, and the wedding ended, all the forces withdrew, returning to their own sects. Only the banks of the three large rivers remained bustling and lively.
Every time Old Ancestor Han took a wife, he would set up a banquet along the riversides, serving lavish food for the common people near Chengsheng Mountain in the Mortal World to eat and drink for free for seven days.
Because of Lu Tianxiang, Han Li specifically took this opportunity to spread her beliefs in secret, earning him heaps of gratitude and move from the Sect Hierarch Lu Tianxiang. Han Li clearly always kept me in his thoughts.
As the golden crow set and the bright moon hung high, Han Li once again entered one of the four happiest moments in life: the wedding night in the bridal chamber.
This time, his companion for the wedding night in the bridal chamber was his long-pined-for innocent and pure senior sister, Gongsun Yue.
Old Ancestor Han entered the bridal chamber and saw the stunning beauty sitting on the edge of the bed. He did not rush but slowly savored the sight before him.
Tonight, Gongsun Yue wore a long red dress that trailed across the wooden floor. Her delicate, plump jade feet peeked out, bound in red embroidered shoes with thin red silk ribbons, outlining an exquisite and tempting sexiness.
With just a fleeting glance under the red bridal veil, Han Li caught sight of the flawless, beautiful face, and his heartbeat inadvertently quickened.
Even though he had admired many peerless beauties like Lu Tianxiang, Jiang Baiye, and Yun Miaoyi, he was still moved by the beauty of his senior sister Gongsun Yue.