Young Hero Guo's Plan to Claim the Throne

Within Changping Commandery, outside the Kang Household.

As an envoy of the Great Yan...

No, they are envoys from the Great Yuan!

Before leaving the Divine Capital, Fan Shuo was full of vigor and ambition, setting off for Northern Plains with the determination to accomplish great things.

In his view, with the Xie Household gone, the Northern Plains were leaderless. The young man who overthrew the Xie Household had no foundation to Dominion the entire Northern Plains. Once he, representing the will of the Great Yuan, arrived in the Northern Plains Northern Plains, wouldn't all the families rush to him, vying to kneel before him?

But when he arrived in Northern Plains, he found that everything was quite different from what he had learned in the Divine Capital.

Wherever he went, people flocked to him, vying to offer him tributes. Instead, they avoided him like the plague, refusing to even see him.

Just like right now.

Fan Shuo, who was in the carriage, was not even welcomed into the Kang Household; he could only wait for the guards to go in and report.

After quite a while, the Kang Household finally arrived, their manner of speaking being no different from the previous families he had visited.

Upon hearing that the head of the Kang Household had unfortunately caught a cold and was temporarily unable to receive guests, Fan Shuo slammed his fist on the window frame, his expression filled with hatred, and exclaimed, "A bunch of traitors!"

Are you really that afraid of that Yu Tunzhou?

"No matter how strong that Yu Tunzhou is, can it possibly be an enemy of my Great Yuan?!"

"The Gold-Wielding Guard are a bunch of useless fools. Can't they function without Feng Xu? They didn't even notice and report such a huge change in Northern Plains in time. Otherwise, how could I be in such a passive position!"

Fan Shuo was furious and wished he could beat these useless people who only took money and did nothing to death along with the traitors and rebels of Northern Plains.

He glanced one last time at the Kang Household's gate, then coldly ordered the driver to drive away.

Even the Kang Household, with its Immortals and Gods backing, refused to see him, which made him completely abandon his idea of supporting a certain family to compete in the arena in Northern Plains and Xuanbei Commandery.

As expected, the vast Northern Plains were completely terrified by the Yu Tunzhou!

"Go to Heaven's Edge Valley," Fan Shuo said coldly.

In the Divine Capital, Emperor Tianshun is still working with the three families to suppress the rebels. If I were to write back to ask for help, I would only be rebuked for being incompetent.

Fortunately, His Majesty granted him sufficient "autonomy" on this trip.

Upon arriving at Heaven's Edge Valley, three hundred miles away from the Kang Household, Fan Shuo straightened his clothes, his expression cold and composed. He stepped down from the carriage and walked into the depths of the valley, where he found his destination.

"An envoy from the Great Yuan requests an audience with Mr. Zhang!" Fan Shuo announced loudly. "Does Mr. Zhang still remember our agreement?"

A burst of laughter echoed from the valley:

"Mr. Fan, you've come here again to ask me to serve your Great Yuan Dynasty?"

Fan Shuo cupped his hands in greeting from afar and said with a smile, "If Mr. Zhang truly had no ulterior motives, why would he have remained hidden in the Northern Plains? In my opinion, he was simply waiting for the right opportunity, and now that I have arrived, the opportunity has naturally come."

A man dressed in black emerged from the valley. He appeared young, but his aura was deep and enigmatic. He smiled and said:

"What kind of generous terms can Mr. Fan offer me, a celestial being from the Alliance of Immortals, and how many of them can he promise?"

Fan Shuo smiled slightly. If this person can talk, then there's no problem.

"On behalf of the Great Yuan, I, Fan, can invite Mr. Zhang to become the Great Yuan's Guardian Immortal Master. In this way, Mr. Zhang will be recognized by the Great Yuan's Human Dao Fortune and will naturally not be suppressed by Heaven and Earth. This is one of the conditions."

"Oh?" Zhang Xiuzhu said, surprised. "Mr. Fan has such authority?"

He had heard of similar positions before. They were popular in High Antiquity times and were created by a Sage Emperor after the Human Emperor. They allowed immortals from all walks of life to improve their cultivation by drawing on the Human Dao Fortune, which attracted many reclusive immortals to come and serve.

But this person before us is merely an envoy; how could he possess such authority? "Mr. Zhang, you are unaware," Fan Shuo laughed loudly, "His Majesty has long harbored the ambition to unite all the immortals under heaven, and possesses the magnanimity to accommodate all schools of thought from all directions to pay homage!"

Zhang Xiuzhu's gaze was indifferent. Although the Central Plains royal family was indeed illustrious, it was rather presumptuous of them to say such a thing with their current foundation.

After all, the Central Plains today...

She is far too weak.

There isn't even a single Golden Immortal on the surface.

If it weren't for the limitations imposed by heaven and earth, all the extraterrestrial powers would have already flocked in and reshaped the world's order.

Fan Shuo suddenly smiled and said, "The Emperor I am referring to is not the current Emperor Tianshun; he is merely a puppet chosen by His Majesty."

Zhang Xiuzhu's expression changed slightly.

Could the rumors be true?

Before he could probe, Fan Shuo said arrogantly, "Since Mr. Zhang comes from beyond the heavens, he should have heard of His Majesty's illustrious name. If it weren't for the limitations of heaven and earth four thousand years ago, the beyond the heavens and the Central Plains would have long been inseparable."

Zhang Xiuzhu's expression changed drastically. Was it really the Peerless Imperial Lord from four thousand years ago?!

The Central Plains of four thousand years ago was not as weak as it is now. The Daoist and Buddhist sects had profound foundations and extended their influence beyond the heavens, yet they were ultimately overthrown by one person, and all the immortals perished. At that time, the nearest heavenly sects all fled at the mere mention of the news, even moving their mountain gates, fearing they would become the next targets of annihilation.

That one even attained the position of Dao Lord, becoming the first and last Dao Lord in the world since High Antiquity times!

Was the Great Yuan really founded by this person?

Zhang Xiuzhu's expression was solemn; he had long heard of this man's ruthless methods.

Fan Shuo smiled faintly and said, "Mr. Zhang, there is no need to worry too much. His Majesty once told me personally that four thousand years of slumber have allowed him to understand the way of being a ruler, and now he has the magnanimity to embrace all people under heaven."

Zhang Xiuzhu's expression was uncertain as he continued to weigh the gains and losses in his mind.

Fan Shuo pressed his advantage, saying, "Besides the position of Protector of the Nation, as long as Mr. Zhang can achieve merit, you can choose any cultivation manuals, insights, Divine Ability at the True Immortal and Golden Immortal levels. These were all collected by His Majesty from Daoism and Buddhism in the past."

Zhang Xiuzhu was instantly moved when he thought of that person's heroic deeds back then.

He knew that these Divine Ability texts were probably obtained from those Daoist and Buddhist sects that had been destroyed.

"Even the direct lineage of Dao Lord is not nonexistent." Fan Shuo threw out the final bait, laughing loudly, "Mr. Zhang, are you now convinced of my sincerity?"

Even Zhang Xiuzhu couldn't help but take a deep breath to suppress the shock in his heart.

Dao Lord... The lineage of Dao Lord has always been passed down only by the most prestigious families.

For example, the Three Pure Ones' temple in Daoism, the Great Thunderclap Temple in Buddhism, or even the Demon Emperor Palace or the High Antiquity Heavenly Court of the Demon Race...

The rest, even the legacies left by some beings who were fortunate enough to reach the Dao Lord level, cannot be called Dao lineages, but are merely inheritances.

Only when at least two Dao Lord emerge within a single lineage, proving that this is a replicable path, can it be qualified to be called a [Dao Lord Lineage].

Zhang Xiuzhu quickly made a decision in his mind.

The other party claimed it was for meritorious service, so it inevitably seemed vague at the moment, but at least it revealed the background and attitude of the Great Yuan behind this person.

The benefit before us is that we gain recognition from the Human Dao Fortune and escape the oppression of heaven and earth.

That alone was enough to make him interested.

"Whom does Mr. Fan intend to use us to deal with?" Zhang Xiuzhu suddenly asked. "Could it be the current lord of Northern Plains, Yu Tunzhou?"

Fan Shuo said decisively:

"Your Majesty sent me here for only one purpose—all land under heaven belongs to the Emperor!"

"As long as the Alliance of Immortals is willing to join His Majesty's cause, this vast Northern Plains can be given as a reward, as a fiefdom for various extraterrestrial sects to establish themselves in the Central Plains in the future!" Zhang Xiuzhu fell silent.

The terms offered by the other party were... incredibly generous!

However, the price was not cheap; it meant that the Alliance of Immortals would have to deal with Yu Tunzhou and the current Northern Dark Sea Faction.

The latter is not even worth their attention.

The only troublesome one is that successor of that Daode Lineage.

This person is practically a hot potato...

"Does the Great Yuan intend to kill Yu Tunzhou, or does it want to disrupt this person's plans in the Northern Plains?"

Zhang Xiuzhu asked the question.

Fan Shuo said calmly, "Mr. Zhang still doesn't understand His Majesty's meaning. His Majesty doesn't care who is in charge of the Northern Plains, he only cares whether that person is his subject."

Zhang Xiuzhu asked again, "When will the Emperor return?"

His Majesty is on his way back.

Zhang Xiuzhu looked at him intently. "Twenty years?" Fan Shuo didn't react at all.

"Ten years?"

Fan Shuo smiled.

Zhang Xiuzhu said directly, "Alright! The Northern Plains will be taken over by our Alliance of Immortals!"

"Mr. Zhang truly lives up to his reputation as a strategist of the Alliance of Immortals," Fan Shuo praised. "Then I will immediately go and seek the position of Guardian Immortal Master for Mr. Zhang."

Zhang Xiuzhu said slowly, "I want ten spots."

Fan Shuo shook his head. "That's too many. I can decide to give three to the Alliance of Immortals, and each Guardian Immortal Master will have two additional guard positions. Although they won't receive the Human Dao Fortune, it will be enough to offset the suppression and targeting of heaven and earth."

"Okay," Zhang Xiuzhu readily agreed.

Fan Shuo left satisfied.

After the man left, a woman suddenly appeared beside Zhang Xiuzhu, frowning and saying:

"I won't stop you from becoming an enemy of the Grand Purity Lineage until that Dao Lord of Heavenly Court appears."

"But now it's been confirmed that the Grand Purity Lineage isn't extinct; there are still top-tier Dao Lord behind the scenes. Do you still wish to be their enemy? Do you want to drag the Alliance of Immortals down with you?" Zhang Xiuzhu asked instead of answering.

"Are you aware that the Heavenly Court is currently undergoing changes, and various sects from beyond the heavens are all seeking a way to enter the Central Plains?"

Even though the Heavenly Dao is suppressing things severely now, True Immortal and Golden Immortal can still reap enough benefits just by entering the arena.

"But that's still not the most crucial point."

He said, enunciating each word clearly, "The true masters of this world have always been those Dao Lord!"

The woman frowned and said, "Just to obtain the Dao Lord's lineage that person mentioned? This thing is indeed incredibly precious, but as you can imagine, it's not something that's easy to get."

"Do you know how many more years it will take for the Dao Lord of the World to return to this world?" Zhang Xiuzhu asked dismissively.

"Haven't all the Dao Lord already returned?" the woman asked, puzzled. "Several Dao Lord at the Great Sage level have returned from the Demon Race, and they even sent down power from beyond the heavens not long ago."

"I'm talking about freely roaming the world, even the Central Plains!" Zhang Xiuzhu said in a deep voice. "According to everyone's estimates, it will take at least twenty years! But I just asked Fan Shuo, and that emperor might only need ten!"

The woman's face showed astonishment. "This is impossible! How could he possibly be so far ahead of the other Dao Lord!"

Ten years is enough time for that emperor to gain the upper hand and bring the entire Central Plains under his control!

"It should be related to the Human Dao Fortune," Zhang Xiuzhu said, not delving deeper into the topic.

"The Alliance of Immortals may seem powerful in the heavens, but in reality it's a disorganized mess, each member harboring their own ulterior motives. It has no chance of resisting the Dao Lord. You and I must also plan our own future."

"This will be an opportunity. Although you and I have attained Immortals and Gods in this Age of Dharma Decline, this is, barring unforeseen circumstances, our limit."

Upon hearing this, the woman sighed softly. Given their status, they deserved to be addressed as "Ancestors" no matter where they were. But what good were Golden Immortal if they couldn't become Dao Lord?

They remain merely chess pieces that cannot be played on the chessboard.

"I'm afraid the Dao Lord lineage that person holds isn't so easy to obtain. Even if it were given to us, it might not be suitable for us." The woman shook her head, still feeling that the risks and rewards were disproportionate.

Although that emperor was able to seize a ten-year advantage, there was still a gap between Dao Lord. And this emperor was only a newly entered Dao Lord when he was sealed away.

She didn't think that this person's cultivation could improve much during the sealing period.

On the contrary, the one from the Daode Lineage, his performance in the Heavenly Court is enough to prove that he is among the top ranks of the Dao Lord.

Even if the Great Yuan emperor is not afraid of that person's return in the future, what about them?

I fear it will become a form of "compensation" for compromises between Dao Lord.

"I'm not after the Daoist lineage of the Dao Lords," Zhang Xiuzhu said, emphasizing each word, "But rather the divine positions on the Investiture of the Gods!" "You mean... the Investiture of the Gods of the Heavenly Court, or the Investiture of the Gods of the Human Emperor?" the woman suddenly asked incredulously. "Was that rumor from back then true? Was it really the ancient Human Emperor who suppressed that emperor four thousand years ago? Because he touched the Human Emperor's Investiture of the Gods?"

Zhang Xiuzhu nodded and said, "I only learned about this from that person at Five Villages Temple not long ago."

"Did he succeed?" the woman asked, her eyes burning with desire.

Zhang Xiuzhu looked up at the sky and said calmly:

"It doesn't matter anymore. A ten-year advantage. So what if we didn't succeed last time? Last time, even the Human Emperor blocked our way. Who can stop this one this time?"

"That man didn't have many subordinates back then, which is actually an advantage for you and me now. If we can join his ranks and gain his trust, we'll likely have a place when the Investiture of the Gods is established in the future."

"At that time, why would we need Dao Lord or Daoist tradition?"

"With just the Investiture of the Gods, you and I can ascend to the heavens in one step!"

This time, the woman did not refute again. After a moment of silence, she said:

What are you planning to do?

"No rush."

Zhang Xiuzhu calmly said, "We can only act freely after we invite that person to bestow the title of Protector of the Nation Immortal Master."

"I've researched the history of that Yu Tunzhou."

"To deal with this kind of person, we must go all out and kill them in one fell swoop, leaving them no room for maneuver!"

Xuanbei Commandery.

Another month has passed.

Now that the year is over, the harsh winter of Northern Plains is also coming to an end.

Judging by the current name of the country, it should be the first year of the Great Yuan Dynasty, the beginning of the third month.

Yu Tunzhou, who was stationed in Xuanbei Commandery and devoted himself to cultivation, was greeted by an unexpected old friend.

Feng Xu, formerly the Commander-in-Chief of the Gold-Wielding Guard, is now a wanted criminal of the Great Yuan.

Yu Tunzhou, who was originally in seclusion, personally came out of his seclusion to welcome this person after learning that he had come to Xuanbei Commandery. The Gold-Wielding Guard token that this person had given him in the past had provided him with a lot of help.

Having a high-ranking official position often makes things much easier.

In addition, Yu Tunzhou was also very Divine Capital the situation in the capital, and why this person had fallen from the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Gold-Wielding Guard to a wanted criminal of the Great Yuan.

"Senior Feng!"

Yu Tunzhou entered the inn where Feng Xu was resting, and greeted him with a smile and a cupped-hand salute.

Looking at the young man, who was completely different from before, whose every move exuded the air of Grandmaster and whose aura was so profound that Feng Xu couldn't even sense it, he couldn't help but feel a moment of disorientation.

"Memories are still vivid in my mind. I remember seeing you a few years ago when you were only in your Form Refinement, about to go to the Northern Plains for the autumn hunt..."

He murmured.

now?

The young man who was rejected by the Xie Household and lost his spot, and could only enter the Human Emperor Grotto-Heaven by taking the place of the Luo Household member through the channels of the Gold-Wielding Guard, has now stood at the top of the entire Northern Plains.

The Xie Household was forced to flee to the lower realms because of him.

Under his intimidation, the various families of Northern Plains dared not even meet with the Great Yuan's envoy in private. He had considered the possibility of this day coming, after all, he was the person chosen by Lu Huaiqing.

But no one expected this day to come so soon.

He shook his head, unsure how to praise her, and finally cut to the chase:

"When the Old Wang was still alive, he paid close attention to your news. Before he passed away, he left a message for both me and Anguo Ji Clan."

"My instructions were to leave the Divine Capital immediately after the change of dynasty in the Great Yan, or I would be killed. This has now proven true."

Yu Tunzhou asked, "Did that Old Wang reach the Golden Immortal level before he left?"

"Yes!" Feng Xu said confidently, "Otherwise, how could they suppress the world!"

"He's only one step away from becoming Dao Lord, but as the Old Wang said, he could never take that step in his entire life."

"Therefore, he chose to leave with the Martial Ancestor."

Feng Xu sighed.

Before leaving, the Old Wang had foreseen that he probably wouldn't return. He believed that he would either break through to a higher level or perish on this journey, so as not to be ashamed of his own Martial Dao.

"Where exactly did the upheaval in the Divine Capital begin?" Feng Xu thought for a moment and asked, "Do you remember the Fallen Immortals you encountered in the Eastern Wilderness?"

"Nature!"

"The Fallen Immortals portals of the Eastern Wilderness amount to less than one percent of those within the Divine Capital!"

"And now, one of the portals to the Fallen Immortals has been opened by the royal family. Inside lies Dao Lord has been suppressed for four thousand years. The entity behind the royal family has chosen to cooperate with him and support him in taking control of the Central Plains."

Yu Tunzhou's expression changed.

If the Fallen Immortals Gate is a "time bomb," then are the capitals of every dynasty situated atop a cluster of time bombs?

"This is a tradition that existed during the reign of the Human Emperor."

Feng Xu noticed his confusion and explained.

"Most of these portals originated from the Immortals and Gods, and monsters that the Human Emperor banished back then."

"I have come to you today seeking your help. I wish to invite you to either the Star Palace or the Jixia Academy to compete for the Human Emperor's Three Rankings!"

"The Human Emperor's Three Rankings?"

Yu Tunzhou instantly recalled An Ruyu's previous scheme in the Eastern Wilderness. "Star Palace..."

A bald head suddenly popped into his mind.

Wasn't that bald Daoist priest from Luofu, also surnamed Mo, from the Star Palace?

Speaking of which, my ranking on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking and Tiger List and the Earth Ranking, as well as my most important nickname, are all thanks to this person.

Yu Tunzhou nodded and said, "I can handle this matter."

He couldn't possibly miss the changes in fortune involved in the Human Emperor's Three Rankings alone.

Feng Xu said in a deep voice, "It's good that you're willing to help. I still need to try to get Master Liaose and the others to intervene, so I won't stay any longer."

"When should we make our move?" Yu Tunzhou asked.

"Will you be available two months from now?" Feng Xu paused. "We must get here before the turmoil in the Divine Capital ends, otherwise, once the Xiao Household has the resources to spare, they might very well beat us to it."

The Xiao Household...

Yu Tunzhou and Immediately Realizes--

The Human Emperor's Three Rankings are also the only divine weapon in the Central Plains that can counter the Xiao Household's [Heaven-Monitoring Codex]! "Senior Feng, have you sought out the Incense-Smelling Cult?"

Yu Tunzhou suddenly asked.

"The Incense-Smelling Cult?"

Feng Xu was taken aback, then shook his head and said, "They do indeed claim to be from the Human Emperor's lineage, but I can't see through their style of doing things. Moreover, they now belong to the Six Paths of Evil and Demons, and we didn't contact them for this project."

Yu Tunzhou nodded.

He thought to himself that An Ruyu had long been eyeing the Three Rankings, and with the Luo River Diagram in her possession, he probably wouldn't need to look for her; she would just show up on her own.

Feng Xu arranged a time and place with him, then hurriedly said goodbye, as he still had to persuade the others to participate.

Yu Tunzhou continues to deduce the rudimentary form of the Dharma Domain.

This step was more complicated than he had anticipated, but progress was exceptionally smooth.

Now only the final step remains.

This final step is stuck on [Dominion].

And it seemed that whatever he uttered came to pass. Three days after Feng Xu left, a secret letter was delivered to him in some inexplicable way.

This time, it didn't come with the wind.

But through a series of coincidences, she finally appeared before him.

Yu Tunzhou thought to himself that this demoness's use of the Luo River Diagram was clearly becoming more and more refined.

The River Diagram within his own Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth still did not cooperate with him.

Such a top-tier divine weapon is something you'd be lucky to have with him; you can't force it.

I wonder how this enchantress managed to control the Luo River Diagram so freely.

Huntian, however, believes that this reflects An Ruyu's significantly enhanced understanding and application of cause and effect and the way of destiny.

Yu Tunzhou opened the secret letter, and as expected, what was written on it was also related to the Human Emperor's Three Rankings.

The agreed time was also two months later, and the location was the Star Palace.

Upon reading the details of the letter, Yu Tunzhou couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"Young Hero Guo's plan to become emperor begins with: seizing the Three Rankings, beheading Tianshun, and annihilating the Xiao Household!"