"So you are Murong Bingyun?"
"Greetings, my lord!"
Murong Bingyun was in a state of complex emotion. Chen Qing acted as if he were meeting her for the first time, proving that the other party had never secretly observed him. Such a person would not lie to him, but the problem was...
To entrust such a great responsibility to someone who has never even met them—is that really so casual?
"What are you here for? Did they tell you what to do over there?" Chen Qing asked, looking at the somewhat uneasy child.
She's really too young.
But there really wasn't a better candidate.
To win over the powerful families of the Northern Wasteland with the position of Grand Underworld, he had to show them that he would indeed appoint members of the Northern Wasteland as Grand Underworld. Otherwise, if he initially appointed a person from the Central Plains as Grand Underworld, his credibility would be greatly reduced, and it would be easier for him to later usurp the power of the young emperor of Northern Yan.
However, the choice of candidate cannot be arbitrary. Nowadays, any family head could be a spy secretly planted by those guilds, and they are difficult to control. To choose someone who cares about Jiangnan and has a Northern Wasteland identity, there are currently only two options: Beiyu Jing and Murong Bingyun.
As the person who persuaded the emperor to submit to Jiangnan, appointing Bei Yujing as the Grand Underworld would immediately arouse the emperor's vigilance. She is only relatively suitable but not the best choice. Beiyu Jing Murong Bingyun is different.
As the first heir of a prominent family to die a violent death in Jiangnan, Jiangnan appointed him as the Grand Underworld as a form of compensation, and also to show the people of the Northern Wasteland that his office truly had the power to elevate people to godhood after Underworld.
Moreover, during this period, Mr. Five Poisons had observed the child for a long time. He admired the culture of the Central Plains and highly praised the Jiangnan. He was a relatively easy person to control.
However, the requirements for ability are also very high, because there is another very important task for the Great Underworld here!
"The gentleman told me something, it seemed to be about the souls from beyond the heavens?"
Chen Qing nodded. "The situation in the Northern Wasteland is quite different. You should have heard that some things happened here recently."
"I've heard about it." Murong Bingyun nodded, then asked with a puzzled look, "But I don't understand, the Northern Wasteland has always been looked down upon by the Central Plains, so why are those mysterious forces so eager to control it this Northern Wasteland?"
"Because it is indeed very important!"
Chen Qing had no intention of hiding it from the other party. As the Grand Underworld, he would have to assist in the affairs of the Northern Wasteland from now on, otherwise there would be many inconveniences.
"Since ancient times, the spiritual energy in this world has fluctuated. Whenever the spiritual energy diminishes, some powerful creatures will withdraw from this world or hibernate in some corner of this world, sealing themselves away. This is what your families have recorded about the ancient times."
"Once Spiritual Energy Revival, these ancient beings will return in force. However, the more powerful an ancient being is, the more essence blood it needs to help it recover quickly upon awakening. Therefore, in the era of Ancient Revival, high-grade jadeite containing pure natural energy and Blood Essence Stone refined with high-level essence blood are the most important resources for various ancient forces."
Upon hearing this, Murong Bingyun suddenly realized what was going on.
I see!
No wonder jade became the hard currency of Jiangnan!
"Does the Lord mean that those ancient beings cannot be resurrected without sufficient energy and Blood Essence Stone?"
"It's possible," Chen Qing laughed. "Once the spiritual energy of this world recovers to a certain level, they can weakly revive on their own. If there's no danger, they can even recover to their peak condition on their own. But this world isn't that easy. If you're slow, others won't be as leisurely as you, will they? Once a creature of the same level recovers before you, guess what will happen?"
Murong Bingyun immediately realized that if she were from the ancient era, once she awakened ahead of time, she could find the other ancient beings before they awakened and eliminate them in advance to prevent any future troubles.
"But the Northern Wasteland doesn't produce much jade." Murong Bingyun was still puzzled. Besides cattle, sheep and horses, the Northern Wasteland didn't have much to offer. If jade were abundant, the region wouldn't have been so poor back then.
"But it's rich in high-quality blood essence." Chen Qing pointed north. "The Arctic region is where most high-level demons hibernate. It will be the best place to collect blood essence before the Spiritual Energy Revival."
"The Arctic region." Murong Bingyun looked north and immediately understood everything. No wonder those mysterious cultists went to such great lengths to control the countries of the Northern Wasteland, and the countries they controlled were not the most geographically advantageous ones in the Northern Plains, but rather the relatively barren countries near the Arctic.
So that's the reason.
"For such an important position, did the Lord send those extraterrestrial spirits because they are more trustworthy?"
"No, that's not it." Chen Qing shook his head. "They are the least trustworthy, and probably the most likely to cause trouble."
"Then, my lord, what else do you want?" The other party was taken aback.
"That's why we brought them here," Chen Qing said calmly. "I have some agreements with them, so they have the privilege of retaining their memories through Samsara. But the prerequisite is that they are honest enough. If they are found to have revealed their identities or committed acts of betrayal, they can be executed according to the law!"
"Does the Lord mean—" Murong Bingyun took a breath—" "He wants them to make mistakes?"
"I'm just giving them enough opportunities," Chen Qing said with a smile. "This place offers significant benefits and great opportunities. All beings from beyond the heavens possess far superior aptitude compared to ordinary people. If they are willing to follow the righteous path after reincarnation, they can naturally make great strides here. But if they harbor wicked intentions, then I will have a reason to act. Do you understand?"
"Understood."
Murong Bingyun bowed again. He understood that the other party's words were not only directed at those so-called extraterrestrial souls, but also at him!
"You have all come from afar, and you must be tired. However, this Underworld has just been established, and we must Underworld establish order here. Therefore, you will not have much time." Murong Bingyun stood on the pavilion, looking down at the so-called extraterrestrial souls, and said loudly, "This land of the Northern Wasteland will be a battleground from now on, and we greatly need your service. Those who wish to stay here can arrange for reincarnation at any time!"
With that, he waved his wide sleeves, and the mansions of prominent families from the Northern Wasteland appeared in various places in the sky.
"Although our Northern Wasteland doesn't have the same resources as Jiangnan, its potential is definitely not lacking. The earlier you reincarnate, the higher your starting point will be. Currently, the major families in the Northern Wasteland are dwindling in number, leaving many vacancies. If you can stay as soon as possible, we will recommend you for reincarnation into a major family based on your aptitude!"
"A powerful family?" Upon hearing this, the group of people from the Federation were all taken aback.
In the Jiangnan and Southeast regions, they also learned some information. Although the powerful families in Jiangnan had been suppressed many times, their foundation and starting point were still incomparable to ordinary children. If they joined the army, children born into powerful families would definitely be more capable than those from ordinary families.
Even if one chooses the path of a sorcerer, although this place is remote, the educational resources that large families can enjoy are incomparable to those of ordinary children, and if one inherits a certain sorcery, it will be of great use in the future.
Suddenly, the group of people felt that coming here might not be such a bad thing after all.
"How are qualifications determined?" Zhang Zhengyuan looked up and asked the question that everyone was concerned about.
"Of course, it depends on the quality of your current spirit body," Murong Bingyun replied with a smile. "The higher the level of the spirit body, the better the path to reincarnation will be if you are willing to stay in this Underworld. For example, this gentleman, you should have been at least Second Rank martial artist in your previous life. If you are willing to stay now, I can arrange for you to obtain the status of a legitimate heir in one of the four major bloodlines of Northern Yan. If you can successfully inherit the bloodline with such a status, you will be highly valued by the family. Before joining the Fighter Army, you will also receive the family's attention and training, and your foundation will be far superior to that of your peers."
"Can I think about it?" Faced with such generous terms, Zhang Zhengyuan did not agree immediately, but asked this question instead.
He knew, of course, that being from a bloodline family would give him a good starting point, and the resources of a large family would allow him to be trained before joining the army, with a higher potential in the future. However, once someone like him made his decision, almost all those who followed him would be bound to this place.
"Of course," Murong Bingyun smiled. "However, I must clarify that there aren't many positions available in large families; it's first come, first served!"
These words immediately caused an uproar, but Zhang Zhengyuan's expression turned serious.
He sensed it; this seemingly childlike guy was pressuring them and trying to divide them!
As Murong Bingyun gazed at the surging celestial souls below, she recalled Chen Qing's words to her.
The first step is to differentiate them!