Replacing the Human Emperor in the Long River of Time

Divine Capital, countless people gazed at those towering pillars of Tongtian. Regardless of their cultivation level, their hearts trembled, and some even knelt down involuntarily, filled with reverence.

It is an instinct that originates from the depths of one's blood, a submission to the highest position of Human Dao.

Within the imperial capital.

Dressed in white, Kou Ziling smiled and said, "Your Majesty, it's time to change our ancestors."

Emperor Tianshun's face twitched, his complexion alternating between pale and bluish, his eyes revealing a mixture of joy, sorrow, and perhaps both.

Kou Ziling suddenly turned his head to look.

Emperor Tianshun remained deeply immersed in his own emotions, unable to extricate himself.

Suddenly, a figure appeared beside the dragon throne, which symbolized the highest authority of the Great Yan, dressed in a black imperial robe.

The emperor's robes hung down, embroidered with mountains, rivers, sun, and moon, and their colors have not faded even after four thousand years.

The man gazed at the dragon throne before him. He had sat on this throne four thousand years ago, enjoying boundless glory and the kowtow of all people, but also ultimately becoming deserted by everyone.

Four thousand years later, the chair is still there, and he is still there, but the landscape of four thousand years ago is no longer the same.

The world is no longer the same as it used to be.

The landscape has long since Mortal Realm.

But the enemy remains the same.

He looked up at the outside of the hall. A pillar of light pierced through the clouds. Beyond the heavens, beyond the void, countless terrifying, ancient, enormous, and indifferent figures cast their gazes upon the Mortal Realm, and upon him.

"Are you all waiting for me too?"

The man spoke, his voice authoritative and deep, yet tinged with a hint of mockery, "But I will not let you have your way."

Kou Ziling pulled Emperor Tianshun aside at the opportune moment and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, on gaining another ancestor."

Emperor Tianshun's expression was blank.

The man lowered his head, looking down at the Great Yan Emperor and the contemporary Martial Dao Dharma Aspect, and said indifferently, "From this day forward, I bestow upon you the surname 'Lü,' and the Jiang Clan and Xiao Clan will become your allies."

Kou Ziling's eyes flickered slightly.

It seems the rumors are true.

This Peerless Imperial Lord from four thousand years ago was once a collateral disciple of the Luo River Jiang Household.

The Luo River Jiang Clan once produced a Sage Emperor, who was the High Antiquity Human Dao of Human Emperor. One branch of his bloodline was enfeoffed in the Lü Territory, where the Lü Kingdom was established, and his descendants took the name of the state as their surname, thus becoming the Lü Clan.

However, the Jiang Household had already declined, let alone the Lü Clan.

Unexpectedly, after High Antiquity, the Lü Clan produced an Peerless Imperial Lord who had the potential to become the supreme Human Emperor. He rose to power alone and swept across the Central Plains.

Now, the roles have been reversed. The Jiang Household, which was originally the direct line, has to bow down and serve this emperor who comes from a collateral branch.

As for the Xiao Clan ----

The Yuanjun behind the royal family has indeed completely abandoned the Great Yan and chosen this emperor instead.

Emperor Tianshun lowered his head and after a long while said, "I thank you—Ancestor."

The man paid no attention to Emperor Tianshun's absent-mindedness, his gaze falling on Kou Ziling.

Compared to this adopted descendant, he was more interested in Kou Ziling: "Are you interested in becoming my son?"

Kou Ziling paused, then immediately praised, "To be able to disrupt my Daoist mind with just a few words, Your Majesty truly lives up to your title of Emperor."

"If you become my son, you will be the Crown Prince of the Central Plains Human Dao," the man said with a faint smile. "The throne Dao Lord grasp one day."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty." Kou Ziling bowed slightly and said regretfully, "It's just a pity that I have chosen the path of Martial Dao, which is ultimately different from the Human Dao."

"Human Dao kindness and compassion far exceed your imagination, but if you are unwilling, I will not force you," the man said meaningfully. "Since you are unwilling, then you should diligently assist my adopted grandson."

"When the world undergoes a great upheaval, and I return to the world, and find the Investiture of the Gods the Gods, if you still haven't found the path to Dao Lord, I can still allow you to cultivate the Divine Dao."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty." Kou Ziling smiled and bowed in thanks.

The man withdrew his gaze and slowly said, "Although I have not fully returned, the name of this country can be changed."

"His Majesty and I have already prepared the new name for the new dynasty," Kou Ziling said with a smile. "The Book of Changes says: 'Great indeed is the Qian principle, the origin of all things, which governs the heavens. Clouds move and rain falls, all things flow and flourish, the great light shines from beginning to end, the six positions are established in due time, and one rides the six dragons to rule the heavens.'"

"The new name of the country shall be [Great Yuan]. I wonder if Your Majesty is satisfied?"

The man's expression remained unchanged; he simply said, "My escape was largely due to the Yuanjun's efforts. Since this is the Yuanjun's wish, I will grant her this request."

Kou Ziling's smile deepened as he bowed deeply, saying, "Congratulations to Your Majesty on your re-ascension to the pinnacle of Human Dao!"

The man, whose real name had long been lost in the Long River of Time, remained noncommittal, looking up at the magnificent Mortal Realm outside the palace, his eyes filled with an ambition that had not been extinguished for four thousand years.

Behind him.

A halo of light slowly rotated, within which mountains and rivers, the sun, moon and stars, and the illusory images of all people could be seen, forming a world of its own.

At this moment, this world seemed to leap out and merge with the entire Central Plains, replacing the illusory figures within it with the real people.

One more step----

He slowly raised his head.

As far as the eye can see, there is a long, illusory river.

Only by replacing the Human Emperor in the Long River of Time can one truly reach the pinnacle of Human Dao!

Kou Ziling bowed and stood up, gazing at the Great Dao World behind the man.

His eyes also held an undisguised burning passion and ambition.

There's no reason why men wouldn't realize this.

But after four thousand years of dormancy, he had developed a magnanimous heart to accommodate these ambitious successors.

Even if----

It was the Martial Ancestor, Lu Daolin.

Or perhaps it's those young people who Daode Lineage.

The Jiang Household Divine Capital.

Luo River Grotto-Heaven.

A clan meeting that had lasted for several days finally came to an end on this day.

"From this day forward, Wentao will officially assume the position of clan leader, having previously served as acting clan head, and will be in charge of all clan affairs."

An elderly man in a terrifying Daoist robe sat at the head of the table, giving the impression that he was the master of heaven and earth, the core of this grotto-heaven.

o

This was none other than an immortal who had long resided in a grotto-heaven to cultivate.

Below the stage, Jiang Hongjin, an elder who had guarded the Luofu Grotto-Heaven for many years and had recently returned to his clan, looked disappointed.

The Jiang Household has come to this point, allowing someone like Jiang Wentao to sit in the position of clan leader.

After the final results were announced, the old man in the Daoist robe disappeared from the spot.

After he left, a middle-aged man took the seat of honor, looked at everyone, and smiled warmly.

He is Jiang Wentao.

His gaze fell on Jiang Hongjin, and he launched the first attack, saying calmly, "Elder Hongjin, you brought Lu Huaiqing into the clan in the past, causing considerable losses to the clan. Even Wenxuan, who had a bright future, was affected by him and gradually drifted away from the clan. The clan has not forgotten this debt."

Jiang Hongjin sneered, "Just say what you have to say."

Jiang Wentao said calmly, "Brother Wenxuan, as Dharma Aspect of this era, has become increasingly estranged from the clan and is reluctant to return to the clan and serve it. Elder Hongjin, you bear the responsibility for this matter."

"Therefore, Elder Hongjin, you should persuade him. Whenever Wenxuan if he is willing to return to the clan, the elder will return."

Jiang Hongjin frowned deeply. Was he being exiled to the Northern Dark Sea?

Hehe, I couldn't be happier!

"Previously, the martial arts and profound energy of the lineage to which Elder Hong Jin belonged was reduced by 50%, and the number of immortal cultivation slots for those entering the grotto heaven was reduced to 30%, with the reductions being used to subsidize other branches."

"At the same time, no one, from top to bottom, is allowed to leave the Jiang Household."

Jiang Hongjin suddenly looked up. "Jiang Wentao! Are you trying to settle scores with me?!"

"Elder Hongjin has misunderstood," Jiang Wentao said calmly. "This is a warning to Brother Wenxuan."

"Wenxuan, in your pursuit of martial Martial Dao, you will inevitably follow the old path of that Martial Ancestor, who revered himself above all others, having no regard for his clan or his ancestors."

"The Jiang Household can tolerate his mistakes, but not his disrespect for our ancestors."

Having said that, he swept his gaze across the representatives of each branch, his eyes filled with warning. "Please remember this, everyone: whether it's the External Scenery or the Dharma Aspect, only those who are useful to our ancestor are what the Jiang Household needs now!"

These words were spoken.

The room fell silent.

Ancestors?

The representatives of each branch were all expressionless, with deep, penetrating gazes.

Was that person considered an ancestor of the Jiang Household?

However, even the venerable Immortals and Gods and gods within the celestial realm are unwilling to oppose him and have chosen to support Jiang Wentao's ascension to power.

What can they do?

All we can do is remain silent.

Jiang Wentao's expression suddenly changed, as if he had heard some news. He suppressed his smile and became respectful.

After a moment, he looked at the crowd and laughed loudly, "The new name of the country has been decided!"

"Starting tomorrow, the Great Yan will change its national title to the Great Yuan, and my Jiang Household will completely replace the Anguo Ji Clan, becoming the foremost aristocratic Aristocratic Clan in the world!"

"No coup, no great war, not even bothering to change the person on the dragon throne, and the transition from the Great Yan to the Great Yuan was completed just like that—is a true change of dynasty really just a transaction between big shots?"

"Is this... Dao Lord?"

Tantai Qingfeng, the current patriarch of the Tantai Household, looked towards the capital and felt a chill run through his body and soul.

Beside him stood an elderly man who looked like a wealthy man, currently ranked third on the Earth Ranking. Tantai Yinghu calmly said, "Some things were destined long before the founding of the Great Yan Dynasty, and that is the authority of you Dao Lord."

"Qingfeng, you don't need to worry about this. Just think about how to get through the rest of this time."

Tantai Qingfeng took a deep breath and said, " Of the Four Great Households of the Divine Capital, the Anguo Ji Clan is already in disgrace and is no longer a threat."

"And as expected, both the Jiang Household and Xiao Household will likely stand behind the new royal family."

"Our Tantai Household alone remains isolated. As expected, the royal family will soon send someone to contact us."

He looked at the old man beside him and said in a deep voice, "When Yinglong emerge from seclusion?"

Tantai Yinghu slowly said, "In another half month, my elder brother will be able to emerge from seclusion. This seclusion has lasted for thirty years, and my elder brother has not only suffered Dao injuries..."

Healed, his path to Dharma Aspect has advanced further, making him a worthy True Immortal Dao.

At this point, he sneered, "If it weren't for Lu Huaiqing's scheme, my elder brother would have had a chance to break through thirty years ago!"

A glint flashed in Tantai Qingfeng's eyes. "In that case, Ancestor Yinglong is more than capable of becoming the pillar of my Tantai Household going forward!"

Compared to other Immortals and Gods who are unable to leave their celestial realms, the Martial Dao Dharma Aspect is the true "weapon" that currently intimidates the world!

Tantai Qingfeng looked towards the Xiao Household's direction and whispered, "The latest decree from the Divine Lord is for us to investigate who the powerful figure behind the Xiao Household really is, but judging from the current situation—"

"The Xiao Household family clearly has an unclear and ambiguous relationship with that person in the royal family!"

When this matter was mentioned, Tantai Yinghu also became solemn.

This matter has already involved a power struggle between Dao Lord!

Suddenly, Tantai Qingfeng's expression changed. He looked to the east and snorted coldly, "It seems the royal family was prepared all along; they arrived so quickly!"

"Those who are kind don't come; you'd better handle things carefully," Tantai Yinghu instructed. "I'm going to see my elder brother."

Tantai Qingfeng, straightened his clothes, and went alone to meet the envoy from the palace.

The shocking events originating from the imperial palace spread and impacted the Divine Capital with astonishing speed.

For example, at the headquarters of the Gold-Wielding Guard.

When a group of experts from the imperial palace stormed into the headquarters of the Gold-Wielding Guard, intending to capture the former Commander-in-Chief Feng, they found the room empty, with only a resignation letter left on the table.

The leader glanced at the contents, snorted coldly, and turned to say, "Traitorous scoundrels, you run fast!"

"Go! Go and arrest the traitors of the Anguo Ji Clan!"

On this day, bloodshed was inevitable in the Divine Capital.

And then on the very next day...

The last day of the third year of the Tianshun.

To everyone's surprise, the Great Yan Imperial Family announced to the world that the country's name "Yan" would be abolished and changed to "Yuan".

Emperor Tianshun acknowledges his ancestry and returns to his original family, changing his name to Lü Jingde.

The world was shaken.

The day the imperial edict spread throughout the Central Plains.

A Divine Capital.

The white expanse covered the red walls and yellow tiles, as if it had covered up an old era.

When Yu Tunzhou, who was in seclusion in Xuanbei Commandery, received the news, it was already half a month later.

He was still one crucial step away from establishing the rudimentary form of the Dharma Domain, but he was already close to the agreed-upon date with An Ruyu.

On this day, he stepped out of the secret room, intending to clear his mind and also to learn about the changes in Northern Plains and Great Yan over the past month.

Unexpectedly, as soon as they came out of the pass, they heard this news that was both expected and unexpected.

The Great Yan —as Master Lu had predicted—failed to survive past the third year of the Tianshun.

But no one expected that a new national name would be established on the same day, namely the Great Yuan.

The royal family remains unchanged.

Even the Emperor Tianshun on the dragon throne remained unchanged.

Yet, in an absurdly extreme way, it accomplished a change of dynasty.

"----Recognizing his ancestry and returning to his roots, Ji Jingde changed his name to Lü Jingde?"

Yu Tunzhou hadn't felt so lost in a long time.

He hesitated and asked, "Is this... unofficial history?"

Even if it's unofficial history, it's still far too unofficial!

"Where is Senior Jiang?" Yu Tunzhou couldn't help but ask.

Liu Qiandao said solemnly, "You don't know the details. The one whom Emperor Tianshun recognized as his ancestor was actually named Lü Bairen. Four thousand years ago, he unified the Central Plains and single-handedly brought a great calamity to both Daoism and Buddhism."

"According to Huaiqing's investigation back then, he was expelled from the Central Plains by both Daoism and Buddhism, so he shouldn't have been able to return."

"But now that the Ji Clan has 'recognized their ancestors and returned to their roots,' it shows that their power has already spread into the Central Plains."

"As the ruler of Human Dao four thousand years ago, he will return sooner than other Dao Lord!"

"The reason Wenxuan left was because he came from a collateral branch of the Jiang Household. Now that he has returned, a great change is bound to happen within the Jiang Household. One of his elders from the main branch has been expelled to the Northern Plains, and he has personally gone to welcome him."

Yu Tunzhou pressed further, "Is this person Dao Lord attained enlightenment after the High Antiquity?"

"Indeed, he is the last Dao Lord since the High Antiquity times!"

Yu Tunzhou asked thoughtfully, "How did the Daoist and Buddhist sects expel and suppress him back then?"

What kind of foundation could suppress a Dao Lord of this era, assuming no being of equal rank descends upon him?

"Strictly speaking—it wasn't Daoism or Buddhism that suppressed him back then," Liu Qiandao said in a low voice. "According to Huaiqing, it was the Human Emperor who truly suppressed him."

"The Human Emperor?" Yu Tunzhou's expression was shocked.

"Based on the few words Huaiqing once revealed, this person seemed to have gone against the flow of time, attempting to replace the Human Emperor in the Long River of Time, but was ultimately severely injured by the Human Emperor's mark."

Upon hearing this, Yu Tunzhou fell silent and contacted Huntian.

"After achieving the Primordial Dao Fruit, Forming a Heaven of One's Own, independent of external things."

Huntian said solemnly, "And if you want to advance to the level of Sect Master Sage, you must sever your past and future selves."

"First, cut off the past, so that no one can reverse the flow of time and deal with their past self; then cut off the future, so that the future has infinite variables and can evolve from the past to the future."

"This person has clearly reached the first hurdle and begun to sever ties with their past."

"But----"

"This guy is too greedy and too stupid!"

Huntian snorted coldly, "He actually tried to replace the Human Emperor in the Long River of Time, to take over the Human Emperor's achievements, and thus ascend to the heavens in one step!"

"With such actions, he will inevitably have to face the Human Emperor at his peak. It's unclear whether this person was unaware of this beforehand, or whether he knew there was a tiger in the mountain and thought that the Human Emperor would give way to him!"

In short, this person is not only greedy, but also foolish!

Yu Tunzhou asked, "What will happen if he succeeds?"

"If he truly succeeds, then he will be the Human Emperor!" Huntian said in a deep voice. "He needs to replace the previous Human Emperor, complete all the great achievements of the former Human Emperor in the Long River of Time, face all the enemies of the former Human Emperor, and retrace the path of the former Human Emperor."

But that's almost impossible!

"Because the Human Emperor has already risen above the Dao Lord, reaching the level of Sect Master Sage!"

Yu Tunzhou looked grave.

There's actually this road.

Speaking of which, this person's name also caught his attention.

Lü Bairen ----

Could this person be the third True Spirit of Haotian that he saw in the True Spirit Pool?

Just then, Yu Tunzhou looked towards the Northern Dark Sea.

In the Northern Plains Northern Sea Forest, where the North Plains and the Northern Dark Sea meet, the grotto-heaven that concealed the Human Emperor's Temporary Palace has reappeared from the Void at this moment!

Is it An Ruyu?

It was supposed to be a month-long deadline, but there were still three days to go.

Yu Tunzhou immediately turned around and returned to the secret room.

He must complete the initial formation of the Dharma Domain within the next three days!

A strong wind swept through the Northern Sea Forest, lifting the hem of the woman's skirt.

"This is the grotto-heaven where the Human Emperor's Temporary Palace is located."

The woman had a half-smile, a captivating beauty; she was none other than the Incense-Smelling Demoness An Ruyu.

Beside her, Xue Wuya gazed at the entrance to the cave, his eyes filled with a thirst for greed.

The grotto left behind by the Human Emperor must undoubtedly contain many treasures.

Perhaps, the Human Emperor's Tomb is hidden here!

To date, the true Human Emperor's Tomb has not been discovered.

Are you sure Yu Tunzhou will follow us?

Xue Wuya turned around and asked, his gaze dangerous.

If it weren't for the Blood Spirit Venerable Mother's decree, he would have already refined this woman into a blood corpse.

"Rest assured, Dao Master." An Ruyu smiled. "Yu Tunzhou entered this place before and received the Human Emperor's inheritance. He already has a subtle connection with this grotto-heaven. He will definitely sense the grotto-heaven's appearance and come here immediately."

"Then how can you guarantee that Jiang Wenxuan won't show up?" Xue Wuya sneered.

"The Dao Lord is unaware?"

An Ruyu tilted her head slightly, her black hair falling down, and smiled faintly, "The Great Yan has now been renamed the Great Yuan, Jiang Household family's status has risen accordingly. Jiang Wentao has officially taken over the clan. This man is vicious; he forced Lu Huaiqing away back then, and now he is threatening Jiang Wenxuan, who is a direct descendant, to return to the clan."

"While that person may not care about the Jiang Household, they cannot ignore an elder named Jiang Hongjin."

Xue Wuya looked at him intently. "Can I understand that you already knew about the great changes that the Great Yan was about to undergo a month ago, including the details?"

"Is this what your twelve elder mothers of the Incense-Smelling Cult told you?"