Chapter 455: The Nine Divisions of the Empire
Chapter 455: The Nine Divisions of the Empire
The disappearance of Emperor Ji Yong Zhao of the Great Xuan Jing Tai Dynasty!
The Heaven and Earth Cauldron chooses a new ruler, and the final decision falls upon Prince Hanzhao, the King of Han!
In just half a month after this, Prince Hanzhao inherits the imperial throne, becoming the new ruler of the Great Xuan, and is titled Emperor Hongzhi.
"The King of Han becomes the new ruler of the Great Xuan? That's interesting, it seems the Mystic Pavilion has indeed guessed right about their so-called Heavenly Mandate."
After listening to Flower Play Moon's account, Chen Mu is not at all surprised by the disappearance of Ji Yong Zhao and other matters, after all, Ji Yong Zhao had died at his hands. Now it seems that Ji Yong Zhao went to the Outer Sea to find him, and should have done so quietly, avoiding any disturbances and not alerting anyone. As a result, after falling into Chen Mu's hands, he disappeared without a trace, leaving no clues behind.
The only thing that slightly surprised Chen Mu was the succession of the King of Han. After all, although he had no interest in the struggle among the eight princes, he had some understanding of it in the past. Whether it was in terms of influence, background, or power, the King of Han should have been one of the furthest from the imperial throne.
Yet, it was the King of Han who succeeded to the throne.
It could be said that if Ji Yong Zhao had successfully cultivated that soul-stealing demonic art and achieved perfection, he would have re-stabilized the chaotic empire, and none of the eight princes would have had a chance to ascend the throne. But if he had failed, he would have made prior arrangements. However, after achieving perfection, he quietly left the palace, hid all traces of his movements, and came alone to find Chen Mu. As a result, he met his demise in the Outer Sea, causing the situation to spiral out of control!
When Ji Yong Zhao perfected his secret art, he almost believed himself to be invincible in the world. Thus, he didn't make any further arrangements, and it was precisely because of this that the struggle among the eight princes escalated to a fever pitch, completely out of control. Ultimately, they had to use the Heaven and Earth Cauldron to determine the new ruler, and for reasons unknown, the cauldron chose the King of Han.
It could be said that if any single mistake had been made, the King of Han would never have ascended the throne.
From the fact that the Mystic Pavilion had decided to support the King of Han long before, it seemed that their divination of the heavenly mandate was indeed somewhat accurate. However, fate is often like a single leaf blocking the view of a great mountain!
Those who attempt to control fate will ultimately be toyed with by it.
Perhaps the Mystic Pavilion had indeed divined the King of Han's succession, but they didn't see the existence of Chen Mu. The fate they glimpsed, though correct, was ultimately just a small part of the whole picture!
"Even though the Heaven and Earth Cauldron acknowledged the King of Han, the other eight princes may not accept it."
Chen Mu looked at Flower Play Moon and Flower Play Shadow.
The struggle for the throne was as intense as fire and water. If Prince Jin had gained the recognition of the Heaven and Earth Cauldron, his succession would have been highly likely, and the other seven princes would have found it difficult to challenge him. The following events would have stabilized the imperial court within a short time.
But the King of Han was different. As one of the lowest-ranked among the eight princes and having offended Chen Mu, he had three Blood Transformation Realm experts killed by Chen Mu, damaging his power. He was probably one of the weakest among the eight princes, and the higher-ranked princes like Prince Jin and Prince Chu would not have submitted to him.
"Your observation is correct, sir."
Flower Play Moon spoke crisply. "After the King of Han's succession, Prince Jin, Prince Chu, and the other princes formed an alliance. In the Central Region, they clashed several times, but although the King of Han couldn't do much in a short time, they also couldn't change the court's situation. In anger, they each left, staying away from the Central Region, dividing the territories, and establishing their own rule."
As Flower Play Moon spoke, she held Flower Play Shadow's left hand with her right and waved lightly. A ripple appeared on the seawater, and where the ripples intersected, the seawater turned black and white, quickly forming a pattern.
This was a map of the Great Xuan Empire's ninety-nine provinces.
The once-unified ninety-nine provinces of the Great Xuan Empire were divided into nine regions, each containing eleven provinces. However, the map that Flower Play Moon presented was vastly different from before. Except for the Central Region, which still belonged to the Great Xuan court, the other regions had all split into distinct territories!
The Upper Yong Region, which was closest to the Central Region, was no longer named as such on Flower Play Moon's map. Instead, it was labeled with a single large character—Jin!
The Southern Border Region below it was designated as Chu!
"Half a month after the King of Han's succession, except for Prince Liang, the other six princes all left with their forces, dividing the empire into six regions, establishing their own rule, and naming them Jin, Chu, Yan, Zhao, Qing, and Qi. Although nominally still under the Great Xuan court, they were, in fact, completely independent."
Flower Play Moon continued to describe the changing situation.
Prince Jin, Prince Chu, and the other princes originally had their own territories, but in terms of size, their territories were relatively small. Now, they returned to their territories, establishing their rule over an entire region, each becoming a sovereign nation.
With the new King of Han's succession, the other princes could not overturn the established order, even if they joined forces, due to various reasons like insufficient foundations. As a result, the new King of Han's control was limited to the Jingji Dao region.
Regarding the other princes' territories, he was temporarily powerless.
"The six princes each control a region, while the court holds only the Jingji Dao. The remaining regions are the Hanbei Dao and Xiguan Dao. In the Hanbei Dao, the Mystic Pavilion had already relocated to the Central Region, and the Blood Concealment Tower's whereabouts are unknown. Moreover, the 'Sky Blade' chose to support Prince Zhenbei Yuanhong, so the Hanbei Dao is practically under his rule."
"As for the Xiguan Dao... That region is in the far west, rarely visited, even more remote than Hanbei. Most of the territory is desert, and none of the princes are interested in expanding there. Recently, a new force has risen, led by six major sects, known as the 'Six Paths Alliance'. They are now the de facto rulers of the entire Xiguan Dao."
As Flower Play Moon explained, the current situation in Great Xuan became clear to Chen Mu.
In just two short years, the entire world had undergone drastic changes!
With the succession of the King of Han, the split of the six princes, and the emergence of Prince Zhenbei Yuanhong and the Six Paths Alliance in Xiguan Dao, the once unified Great Xuan Empire had fragmented into nine different territories!
"The world's trends are such that unity will eventually lead to division, and division will eventually lead to unity."
Chen Mu muttered to himself as he observed the current map and power distribution of Great Xuan that Flower Play Moon had presented.
Flower Play Shadow gently approached and leaned against Chen Mu's side, her eyes gleaming with a hint of hope. "With the split of the world, Great Xuan has gradually lost the hearts of the people, and the dynasty's stability is wavering. Just like a thousand years ago, during the chaotic era, with your current abilities, you can sweep across the world, unify the four seas, and reorder the heavens and earth."
Since Emperor Ji Yong Zhao, the Great Xuan court had been acting in reverse, leading to conflicts among the eight princes and chaos throughout the empire. Now, with each prince ruling their own territory, the empire was divided into nine parts, resembling the chaotic era of a thousand years ago.
Amidst this turmoil, Chen Mu suddenly emerged, rising to prominence within the realm.
Just as Ji Hao had once pacified the chaotic era and established the Great Xuan Dynasty, ruling over the world for a thousand years, she and her sister had no doubt that Chen Mu possessed the same capability to quell the chaos and reunify the empire!
When that time came, whether it was to rule the world under the name of Great Xuan or to reorder the mountains and rivers, recreating the heavens and earth, it was all just a thought away for Chen Mu. Such thoughts inevitably stirred a sense of longing in his heart, especially for Flower Play Shadow.
Leaning against Chen Mu's left shoulder, she felt his aura and recalled their first meeting many years ago in a small corner of Yujun in Yuzhou. Her eyes shone with a hint of infatuation as she remembered that time when Chen Mu was just beginning to make a name for himself in a small area. He wasn't even able to truly catch her attention as the inheritor of the He Huan true transmission. But time flew by, and now Chen Mu was no longer just an official in Yujun; he stood at the pinnacle of martial arts in the present era, a peerless figure with the ability to change the world! Recalling this now felt like a dream.
"Reorder the heavens and earth?"
After hearing Flower Play Shadow's words, Chen Mu pondered for a moment but didn't respond. Instead, he turned his calm and profound gaze towards the distant, boundless sea, taking in the vast waters.
Unifying the empire and ruling with supreme authority had never been his ambition. If he had heard such words many years ago, they might have stirred some emotions within him, but now he regarded them with indifference.
Compared to transcending the world and stepping into the Divine Realm, these mundane matters were no longer as important in his eyes.
However, if the world were in turmoil and the people suffering, he wouldn't hesitate to intervene and reorder the world's affairs. After all, for him, it was no longer a difficult task.
"Let's return to Hanbei first."
Chen Mu finally spoke.
For the current him, the world's situation was within his control, and he could change it at will. Instead of feeling an urgent need to address it, after two years, he wanted to return to Hanbei, to Yuzhou, and see how things were there.
After that, he would settle matters with the Mystic Pavilion, the Blood Concealment Tower, Prince Hanzhao, Prince Liangzhen, and even the Tianyao and Tianshi Sects. He would settle all the past grudges one by one!
...
It was during Chen Mu's return to Great Xuan with Flower Play Moon and Flower Play Shadow that news of his reappearance in the Outer Sea, his visit to the Listening Tide Cliff, and his discussion with the Heaven Person Supreme Elder spread across the vast sea and the vast territory of Great Xuan, reaching the Central Region.
In the Central Region, the capital, within the Imperial City.
The grand palaces, resplendent in gold and jewels, exude an aura of supreme dignity. The sight alone instills a sense of awe and reverence, making one involuntarily bow their head.
Walking through the corridors outside the palaces, eunuchs and palace maids move with their heads lowered, taking small, quick steps. Despite their hurried pace, they are extremely cautious, not daring to make even the slightest sound, thus maintaining a tranquil atmosphere throughout the palace.
Deep within this tranquil palace complex, in a grand and spacious study room, rows of bookshelves line the walls. The pillars supporting the palace are intricately carved with golden dragon patterns, symbolizing the authority of the emperor, the center of the ninety-nine states of this vast world.
As the sky grew darker, the study room remained resplendent and brightly lit. White jade beads, intricately carved with dragon motifs, were embedded in various places, emitting a gentle white light that intertwined within the palace.
At this moment, in the deepest part of the imperial study, on a low, beige couch, a figure draped in a black dragon robe sat. His youthful face exuded an imperial dignity with every gesture, making the entire study room solemn and respectful.
He was Prince Han, or to be more precise, the current Emperor Xuan, Ji Xuanchu. At this moment, Ji Xuanchu's eyes were filled with a suppressed and somber expression, and his body continuously emitted a deep and heavy aura, causing the eunuch kneeling before him to feel a chill down his spine, breaking out in cold sweat.
This aura was not due to anger but because his martial realm had just advanced, and he was still unable to fully conceal his own aura. This was the aura of the Blood Transformation Realm.
Indeed, after inheriting the throne and obtaining the support of the Heaven and Earth Cauldron, he had finally crossed the threshold from the Bone Marrow Washing Realm to the Blood Transformation Realm, reaching the eighth realm of Body Tempering Martial Art.
To his knowledge, neither Prince Jin nor Prince Chu had yet entered the Blood Transformation Realm. Although he was not the last among the princes to achieve the Grandmaster Level, he had gradually surpassed them, ascending to the throne and even surpassing them in martial cultivation, which had greatly changed his demeanor and spirit.
However, even after reaching the Blood Transformation Realm, as the emperor of Great Xuan, Ji Xuanchu could not hide the shadow of worry on his face. He had received news, the last thing he wanted to hear: Chen Mu had reappeared.
"This man has finally taken this step."
Ji Xuanchu's gaze was cold.
According to intelligence, Chen Mu's reappearance was extremely audacious. He showed no signs of concealment in the outer seas, openly bullying his way through, demonstrating a mindset of looking down upon the world and all its people after achieving Blood Transformation.
Chen Mu's strength was formidable. Even before reaching the Blood Transformation Realm, he could fight seven people, including the Mystic Pavilion Master, and defeat them. Now, having achieved Blood Transformation, his personal combat power had truly reached an invincible level in the world.
If Prince Jin, Prince Chu, and others had not opposed him but instead united the court's forces, then even if Chen Mu were to reappear and dominate the world, as the mighty Emperor Xuan, he could face it calmly and without fear.
However, Prince Jin, Prince Chu, and others preferred to carve out their own territories and establish their own rule, which was truly infuriating!
A man like Chen Mu, who relied on his personal strength to dominate the world, would not let past grievances go simply because he had ascended to the throne. If given enough time, he could gradually deal with Prince Jin, Prince Chu, and others, unifying all the forces and ultimately ruling over the ninety-nine states. In that case, even if Chen Mu were the most powerful warrior in the world, he could not shake the stability of Great Xuan.
But now, the world was divided into nine parts, and the fragmentation was a significant problem.
Just as he could not deal with Prince Jin and others, he now found it difficult to mobilize sufficient forces to counter Chen Mu. Although in the Central Region and within the Imperial City, he possessed the strength of Great Xuan and feared no one, it was much harder to handle things outside.
"Your Majesty."
"The old grudges of the past were merely the result of the times. Cough, cough. Now that Your Majesty has ascended to the throne and holds the supreme position, you are different from before. Why fear a mere martial artist? Send a letter to explain the benefits and harms, and perhaps peace can be achieved."
The Mystic Pavilion Master, draped in a dark robe, appeared beside Ji Xuanchu, bowing and speaking softly. His face looked much older than before, but his eyes were sharp and clear.
(End of Chapter)
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