If you can't solve the problem, then solve the person who created the problem

Inside the Council Hall, the air seemed to have frozen solid.

Lin Hanzhou and Lin Batian locked eyes for a full ten breaths, neither willing to speak first.

On one side was a new dragon, its sharp edge just beginning to show, possessing unparalleled vigor; on the other was an old tiger, nearing the end of its days yet still radiating a lingering, formidable power.

In the end, it was Lin Batian's eagle-sharp gaze that slowly softened.

His eyes revealed a complex array of emotions: admiration, astonishment, and a trace of relief that felt like a heavy burden being lifted.

"You are excellent."

"Far better... than I had anticipated."

"I had assumed the ultimate victor would be Tai or Hao, but I never imagined it would be you—a true dragon lurking in the deep waters, ready to soar into the heavens."

Lin Batian spoke first; though his voice was hoarse and aged, it remained full of breath and carried an unquestionable majesty.

As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Lin Hanzhou once more, as if trying to see right through him.

"Xiantian Third Stage... to possess such cultivation at this age, and with such profound internal energy—Hanzhou, you have hidden yourself truly well."

To this, Lin Hanzhou remained calm, responding neither servilely nor arrogantly.

"It is merely waiting for the right moment like flowing water, accumulating strength to break through the grime; how can one call that hiding?"

"Well said! A fine 'waiting for the right moment like flowing water'!"

Hearing this, Lin Batian burst into laughter, clapping his hands.

The laughter held a touch of satisfaction, but it agitated his injuries, triggering a fit of violent coughing.

He waved his hand to signal he was fine and continued.

"It seems I was blind, failing to recognize a heaven-gifted talent such as you. I have let you suffer all these years."

"So, Father Emperor set this trap, letting all the princes slaughter one another to select the strongest?"

Lin Hanzhou spoke faintly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

"That is correct. It was indeed my intention."

Lin Batian nodded without hesitation, his eyes turning sharp once more.

"My time is running out; I am merely clinging to life now by relying on my Xiantian True Qi."

"Therefore, I need an heir with formidable strength, a flexible mind, and sufficient ruthlessness to hold onto the empire I built with my own hands!"

"I know this may seem cruel, but the path of an emperor is paved with bones."

At this, he paused, looking at Lin Hanzhou with an appreciative gaze.

"I am very satisfied with your performance."

"You possess not only extraordinary strength but also the wisdom to endure and the decisiveness to strike with lethal intent."

"I can rest easy... handing the Great Sui empire over to you."

Facing Lin Batian's unreserved praise, Lin Hanzhou remained unmoved.

He had anticipated this long ago, so naturally, there was no great emotional shift.

Lin Batian seemed pleased by his composure, the admiration in his eyes deepening as he continued.

"Next, I shall tell you of the internal hidden dangers within the Great Sui Dynasty: they are the Five Great Clans!"

When mentioning the clans, Lin Batian's emotions surged, looking as though he wished to devour their flesh.

"Back then, when I rose to power and unified the world after destroying two other dynasties, I did indeed rely on the strength of these Five Great Clans."

"They provided money, men, and experts to assist me in ascending the throne."

"But like a gangrenous rot, they have since parasitized the Great Sui, feeding upon its flesh and blood!"

At this point, Lin Batian's eyes revealed deep exhaustion and hatred.

"Today, the Great Sui may appear prosperous on the surface, but in reality, it is already teetering in the wind."

"For sixty years, the Five Great Clans have controlled the government, monopolized official positions, and annexed land, leaving the people of Great Sui in misery."

"Within the imperial court, over seventy percent of the officials hail from these clans. Their roots are buried too deep—far too deep!"

"I have exhausted my entire life, yet I could only manage to maintain a precarious balance with them, unable to eradicate them."

By the end, the voice of this emperor, who had once dominated the world, carried a trace of helplessness and resentment.

He looked deeply at Lin Hanzhou, his eyes filled with expectation.

"What I could not achieve, I can only entrust to you."

"I need you to use your iron-blooded methods to pull these tumors clinging to the Great Sui out by the roots!"

"Do you dare to take on this burden?"

Lin Hanzhou raised his head, his gaze meeting Lin Batian's, his eyes filled with resolve.

"This son accepts the decree."

"Good!"

Lin Batian's eyes erupted with a final flash of brilliance.

He trembled as he retrieved a sandalwood box from beneath the dragon desk and opened it.

Inside the box lay three items, resting in silence.

One was an Imperial Seal of State, carved entirely from mutton-fat jade, with the eight seal-script characters "Having received the mandate from heaven, may one enjoy eternal prosperity" engraved upon its base.

One was a token forged from black iron, engraved with the totem of a ferocious evil ghost.

And the last was a tiger tally cast in gold, engraved with the image of a fierce tiger descending a mountain.

"This is the Imperial Seal of State; to see it is to see me."

"This is the Black Ghost Token, the highest token of the Shadow Guard. Whoever holds this order may mobilize all Shadow Guards, including Xuan Ya; they will clear away all obstacles in the darkness for you."

"This is the Army-Suppressing Tiger Tally, which can mobilize the two hundred thousand Imperial Guards stationed in the capital. With it, the military power of Great Sui will be in your hands."

Lin Batian solemnly pushed these three tokens, which represented the highest authority of the empire, toward Lin Hanzhou.

"Beyond the Five Great Clans, you must also be wary of the remnants of the two great dynasties. They seem to have colluded with the clans; remember, do not trust the clans lightly."

"I am tired. I have written everything else down here..."

Lin Batian pointed to a bamboo scroll on the desk, his breath growing increasingly faint.

He used his last ounce of strength to grip Lin Hanzhou's hand tightly, his eyes revealing the expectations of a father for his son.

"Hanzhou... remember, as an emperor, one must... be decisive in killing, yet... also hold the world in one's heart... the future... of Great Sui..."

Before he could finish his words, his hand dropped powerlessly, and he ceased to breathe entirely.

This monarch, who had once unified the world, passed away at this very moment.

Within the Council Hall, silence returned once more.

Lin Hanzhou stood silently, looking at the still-warm corpse behind the dragon desk, his heart filled with a complex mix of emotions.

He slowly reached out and tucked the Imperial Seal of State and the other items into his robes.

As his hand grasped the seal, a cold and heavy sensation washed over him.

It felt as if he were holding the vast lands of the entire Great Sui dynasty and the fate of its billions of subjects.

He toyed with the Imperial Seal of State in his hand, pondering the words Lin Batian had spoken on his deathbed.

The Five Great Clans control the government? That makes the system he wants to implement later a bit difficult to handle.

But fortunately, in the history of China from his past life, someone had already provided a solution.

That is to kill! Kill them one by one according to their family genealogy!

As the saying goes, if you cannot solve the problem, then solve the person who created the problem; wouldn't the problem be solved then?

A cold arc slowly curled at the corners of Lin Hanzhou's mouth.