Qin Dynasty, Xiangyang City.
Imperial Palace, Grand Hall.
Ying Zheng and a middle-aged scholar stood in silence, gazing at the ranking in the sky, their hearts filled with complexity.
Everyone across the Nine Provinces now knew that the Azure Lotus Sword Immortal Su Yi was actually the avatar of the Ming Emperor, Zhu Houzhao, when traveling incognito through the Martial World.
Great Perfection God Demon Realm.
Even someone as proud as Ying Zheng couldn't help but feel a tremor in his heart at the thought of such power.
The Heavenly Human Realm was already considered a vital pillar of any dynasty.
The Mythical Realm was the true foundation of a dynasty's security.
But the God Demon Realm... across the entire Nine Provinces, there were only a handful.
Each one was practically an ancient monster that had lived for countless years.
Yet now, the Ming Emperor, Zhu Houzhao, had completely shattered this boundary.
Great Perfection God Demon Realm.
Apart from that terrifying Sage Realm figure, almost no one could stand against him.
In other words, if Zhu Houzhao wanted to kill someone, there would be no one capable of stopping him.
Not even Ying Zheng, Qin Emperor himself.
Though Ying Zheng understood that Zhu Houzhao, as an Emperor, would never resort to assassination, even the slightest possibility was too risky to ignore.
"Master, what path should the Qin Dynasty take from here?"
"I seek to unify the Nine Provinces. The Ming Dynasty and Zhu Houzhao are obstacles I must overcome. In the future, there will inevitably be a battle of life and death between the Qin Dynasty and Ming Dynasty."
"Now, with Zhu Houzhao's strength, we are completely powerless against him. What is your advice?"
Though the situation was troubling, Ying Zheng had not lost hope.
Zhu Houzhao's personal strength might be terrifying, but the struggle for imperial dominance was never solely about martial might.
Was the nation's power strong?
Were the armies formidable?
Was the economy prosperous?
All of these determined the true strength of a nation.
Ying Zheng believed that while no one could rival Zhu Houzhao's personal power, when it came to governing a nation, he was second to none in the Nine Provinces.
Even Li Shimin, whom he somewhat admired, was only barely worthy of his notice.
"Your Majesty, please do not be anxious. The Ming Emperor is indeed formidable."
"In fact, it is fair to say that the Ming Dynasty will be our greatest enemy in the future."
"However, it is not yet our concern."
"The Yuan Dynasty should be the most worried party at the moment."
"Moreover, the Ming Emperor is not completely beyond restraint."
"We should be thankful that the one who reached the Sage Realm is not the Ming Emperor. That means the Qin Dynasty is not without hope."
"Before anything else, we must strengthen our national power and unite the entire Qin Dynasty as one."
"Conquering other nations and growing stronger is the best course of action."
"Everything else, no matter how much we talk or worry, is meaningless."
The middle-aged scholar quickly reassured him.
"Oh? So we are just to sit and watch the Ming Dynasty and Zhu Houzhao continue to grow unchecked?"
Ying Zheng was visibly displeased.
"Of course not. We can secretly incite the Heaven Palace and Earth Mansion to target the Ming Dynasty and Zhu Houzhao."
"We can also sow discord between the Ming Dynasty and the most powerful forces."
"Let the top cultivators from these forces clash with the Ming Dynasty."
"Whether they win or lose, it would benefit the Qin Dynasty immensely."
"For instance, within the Ming Dynasty there is the Sword Control Manor. From the Han Dynasty, the Divine Search Palace. Then the Heaven Gate. It is not impossible for us to form covert alliances with them."
"And don't forget the mysterious masters of the Forbidden Lands."
"All of them are fearsome entities."
"But the most important thing is this. What are the intentions of that terrifying Sage Realm cultivator?"
"With someone like Zhu Houzhao emerging who might surpass him one day, there is no way that Sage Realm master will sit idly by."
"If he takes action, the Ming Emperor will surely die."
"Even if he survives, he will be gravely weakened."
"This is our opportunity."
The scholar laid out one plan after another.
At first, Ying Zheng was skeptical, but as more and more strategies were proposed, he began to smile.
"Very well. Let all this be handled in secret under your direction."
"On the surface, the Qin Dynasty will continue its campaign against the remnants of the Six Kingdoms and the Hundred Schools of Thought. In the shadows, we will unite with any and all potential allies."
"Reducing the national power of the Ming Dynasty would be ideal."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
==========
Sui Dynasty.
"Impossible! Great Perfection God Demon Realm? How could a mere twenty-something brat be so powerful?"
"How does he cultivate?"
Jealousy burned in Yang Guang's eyes.
For most people, reaching the Great Grandmaster Realm in their twenties was already extremely rare.
To enter the Heavenly Human Realm would make one a once-in-a-century prodigy.
But now?
Zhu Houzhao had advanced to the Mythical Realm and then the God Demon Realm at an absurd pace.
He was just one step away from reaching the legendary Sage Realm.
Calling him terrifying no longer sufficed.
Zhu Houzhao alone could be considered the combat power of an entire nation.
"Supreme Master Yuwen, could this brat Zhu Houzhao be the reincarnation of an immortal?"
"Otherwise, how could he be so monstrously strong?"
"He's surpassed the limits of humanity!"
Yang Guang turned to ask Yuwen Tuo.
In the past, some had considered Yuwen Tuo himself a reincarnated immortal.
Only people like them truly understood what that meant.
"Your Majesty, in my opinion, the Ming Emperor must have inherited the legacy of an ancient cultivator."
"Only then could he progress at such a ridiculous pace."
Yuwen Tuo answered calmly.
"Oh? Similar to how you inherited the Xuanyuan Sword?"
Yang Guang mused.
"Most likely far stronger than me."
"I am no match for the Ming Emperor."
Yuwen Tuo forced a bitter smile.
He had cultivated for so many years and had barely managed to reach the God Demon Realm, surpassing many of his peers.
He had believed himself to be a true prodigy.
But compared to Zhu Houzhao, he amounted to nothing.
The two of them fell silent.
If only they knew the identity of that mysterious Sage Realm master, things would be different.
Then they could find ways to form an alliance.
Perhaps they could even convince him to deal with Zhu Houzhao in the future.
Unfortunately, they had no clue who the Sage Realm cultivator was.
Was it the Lord of the Heaven Palace?
Or the Lord of the Earth Mansion?
Once again, suspicion returned to those two.
The only silver lining was that Zhu Houzhao himself was not the Sage Realm cultivator.
Otherwise, they would be in complete despair.
At least now, there was still a sliver of hope.
==========
Elsewhere in the Sui Dynasty.
Empress Xiao Meiniang Palace.
Empress Xiao Meiniang's beautiful eyes stared intently at the ranking, gleaming with sharp brilliance.
He was still as strong as ever, giving no one else even the slightest chance.
Strong enough to plunge his enemies into utter despair.
Strong enough to be completely unbelievable.
Those who saw Zhu Houzhao as an enemy, rival, or imagined foe must be feeling terribly bitter right now.
"Tsk tsk. That Ming Emperor is just too powerful. I, Kou Zhong, rarely admire anyone, but he's the first."
"To be both an Emperor and a cultivator beyond compare. It's enough to make anyone jealous!"
Kou Zhong clicked his tongue and praised him without reservation.
"No matter what, he will one day become an enemy of the Sui Dynasty." Xu Ziling said with a frown.
"Enemy? Young Master Ling, unless we reach the God Demon Realm ourselves, we don't even qualify to be his enemies."
Kou Zhong smiled bitterly.
He was no longer a clueless fool.
With Empress Xiao Meiniang as their master, their worldview had long surpassed that of ordinary people.
Battles between top cultivators often ended in an instant.
If opponents weren't in the same realm, they would not even last a few moves.
Fortunately, their master, Xiao Meiniang, still had a chance to reach the God Demon Realm.
That, at least, was a surprising bit of hope.
==========
Tang Imperial Palace, Taiji Hall.
"Your Majesty, I believe we should take official action now."
"If we keep waiting, the gap between our Tang Dynasty and Ming Dynasty will only grow wider."
"Now that the Sword Immortal Ranking has emerged, the Ming Emperor's reputation will surely skyrocket, and it will inevitably drive the overall national strength of the Ming Dynasty to rise."
"If this continues, the Ming Dynasty will soon leave behind all other dynasties, including Tang Dynasty and Qin Dynasty."
"In terms of top-tier cultivators, we cannot compete with the Ming Emperor. But in terms of governance and national strength, our Tang Dynasty still has the ability to surpass the Ming Dynasty."
Yuan Tiangang was clearly agitated.
He felt that if no action was taken soon, both he and the entire Tang Dynasty would become like frogs slowly boiling in warm water, inching toward doom.
"Very well, carry out the plan as discussed."
==========
Tang Martial World.
Illusion Sound Pavilion, Grand Hall.
The Empress, while stroking a cat, gazed at the ranking floating in the sky.
"Azure Lotus Sword Immortal, a disguise."
"So this is your true strength?"
"It is definitely not your full power. You must have more hidden cards yet to be revealed."
Understanding that man deeply, the Empress did not believe the ranking had fully exposed his capabilities.
She was eager to see what surprises he would bring on future ranking.
Just then, Ji Ruxue stepped forward.
"Empress, I've found out that Bad Marshal Yuan Tiangang seems to be making a move."
"And the target might be you."
Upon hearing this, the Empress showed no fear. Instead, an amused smile appeared on her face.
"Finally losing patience, are we?"
"This time, we'll see who ends up victorious."
"I have waited long enough to avenge my brother, Yuan Tiangang."
Her voice carried deep hatred.
==========
Sui Dynasty, Song Clan Mountain City.
Song Que stood outside the Sharpening Hall, eyes fixed on the ranking.
"When will there be a Blade Immortal Ranking in the Nine Provinces?"
"Forget it. With my current strength, I probably wouldn't make it onto the ranking anyway."
In the past, Song Que would have confidently considered himself one of the top blade users in the Nine Provinces.
But as more Land Immortal Realm cultivators were revealed, he increasingly felt his own insignificance.
Great Grandmasters, once revered, now couldn't even qualify for certain ranking.
Previously, during the Sword Ancestor Ranking tournament, many Great Grandmasters competed on stage.
But the Nine Provinces Golden Ranking gave it little attention.
Clearly, the Sword Ancestor Ranking wasn't taken seriously.
Compared to the Sword Immortal Ranking, its prestige was worlds apart.
The Sword Ancestor Ranking's Heaven Dao Reward was merely a Sword Grass, handed out with little fanfare.
Meanwhile, the official ranking offered rewards of incredible value.
"Big Brother!"
At that moment, Song Zhi arrived and requested an audience.
"What is it?"
"How should our Song Clan respond to Yuhua becoming a Consort of the Ming Emperor?"
"No need to worry about it. Just focus on our own affairs."
Hasn't the ranking already made it clear?
Great Perfection God Demon Realm.
Could the Song Clan really storm the Ming Imperial Palace and take Yuhua back?
Did they think the Ming Emperor would remain calm?
To someone like him, the so-called Song Dynasty Clan was probably no different from ants.
He needed to reach the Land Immortal Realm as soon as possible.
Otherwise, as the so-called Daoist Song Que, he would have no standing in the Martial World.
==========
Northern Song Dynasty, Imperial City Division.
Huang Shang looked at the name ranked 1st on the Sword Immortal Ranking and could only shake his head with a bitter smile.
Great Perfection God Demon Realm.
Fourth Cycle with 50% mastery of Sword Dao Comprehension.
How terrifying was that?
Just one strike could easily kill him.
From now on, he would have to be extremely cautious in matters involving the Ming Dynasty.
Otherwise, even if he did everything right, Emperor Zhao Ji would likely still use him as a scapegoat.
He would be hated from both sides.
It was better to focus on martial cultivation.
After all, his own Emperor was hardly someone capable of contending for dominance over the world.
In the future, he would do his best to at least preserve Zhao Ji's life. That would be the extent of his loyalty.
The Former Emperor's favor toward him had already been repaid in full.
Even if Zhao Ji had shown a bit of competence, he would have offered his full support.
Unfortunately, he hadn't.
Through and through, he was a total failure as an Emperor.
Shaking his head, Huang Shang stopped looking at the ranking. Out of sight, out of mind.
==========
Song Martial World.
Huang Yaoshi and Hong Qigong sat at a wine table, both sighing and shaking their heads.
"Old Evil Huang, your daughter has become a Consort of the Ming Emperor. Why don't you look happy at all?"
"So the one that girl had always been thinking about was the Ming Emperor?"
"Sigh, this Old Beggar really doesn't know what to say anymore."
"But if Rong'er has found happiness, this Old Beggar is genuinely happy for her."
"Too bad I won't get to eat her cooking ever again."
Though Hong Qigong might not be a top-tier cultivator in the Nine Provinces, his intelligence network was quite extraordinary.
Even the details about the Ming Emperor's Consorts were within his grasp, which was no small feat.
"I'm just worried about whether Rong'er will be safe in the Ming Imperial Palace."
"Safe? If even we are safe, she will be just fine. That little girl is clever."
"Not only is she strong, she also knows how to forge alliances."
"Think about it. The Saintess of Cihang Tranquil School from the Sui Dynasty, Shi Feixuan. The Saintess of the Yingui Sect, Wan Wan. And the Master of the Divine Search Palace, Xue Yuan. Which of them is simple?"
"Compared to you and me, they are on an entirely different level."
"Her allies are strong, but so are her rivals."
"Don't worry. With the Ming Emperor around, the palace squabbles are probably just minor distractions."
"As long as she doesn't do anything taboo, there won't be any problems."
"Rong'er is a sensible girl. She'd never do anything insane. This Old Beggar's judgment of people is still pretty accurate."
"Old Evil Huang, are you telling me you don't trust your own daughter?"
"Hmph!"
==========
Yuan Imperial Palace.
Bang!
"National Master, we can't wait any longer. We must take down the Southern Song Dynasty immediately."
"Order Prince Ruyang to lead troops and attack Xiangyang."
"And bring me that fool Guo Jing alive. He dares betray me?"
"I raised him, and now he wants to be my enemy?"
With the growing power of the Ming Dynasty, even someone like Temujin was starting to feel uneasy.
He had to strengthen the Yuan Dynasty by conquering the Southern Song Dynasty.
Only then would he stand a chance against the Ming Dynasty.
Otherwise, forget conquering the Ming Dynasty. Simply not being wiped out by them would be considered a blessing.
"Khan, it appears Guo Jing has recently inherited some powerful legacy. His strength has increased dramatically."
"Ordinary Great Grandmasters are no match for him."
"Then send someone in the Half-Step Land Immortal Realm."
"If that doesn't work, I'll personally send a true Heavenly Human Realm cultivator to capture him."
"Haha, that brat really is worthy of the Hidden Dragon Ranking."
"He might be foolish, but he is no ordinary man."
"If we can subdue him, he might one day reach the Heavenly Human Realm or even the Mythical Realm."
Even now, Temujin had not given up on the idea of recruiting Guo Jing.
Only he, Temujin, could see Guo Jing's true potential.