The Sovereign Rules His Subjects, His Authority Granted by Heaven

South-Pacifying City, the Ye Clan's temporary headquarters.

Yin Huan knelt before the city wall, sincere and devout.

The Tai'e Sword was held horizontally in both hands.

The sword was not drawn, yet its blade trembled slightly.

It wasn't fear, it was anger.

The domineering sword intent sensed its master's humiliation and instinctively stirred, but was firmly suppressed by its master.

Behind him, there were no armored soldiers, no attendants, no ceremonial guards; he stood alone, an emperor in his own right, yet dressed in the manners of a commoner.

No one greeted them, no one informed them, and no one stopped them.

He stood there like that, from dawn till dusk, and from dusk till twilight.

The three-day deadline was approaching, and as the sun began to set and his temper had worn off, one person finally emerged.

Ye Anlan's expression was indifferent, and her tone was flat.

"Young Master requests your presence."

Yin Huan passed through courtyards, layers of restrictions, and countless prying eyes, both overt and covert.

At this moment, Qing Lingxi was gently massaging Ye Jinyu's temples with the Spiritual Qi at her fingertips, and the cool aura of the Azure Luan made him feel calm and at peace.

Ye Jinyu closed his eyes to rest, his expression languid, as if all the earth-shattering events that had occurred in the Great Yin had nothing to do with him.

"Young Master, Yin Huan has arrived."

Ye Anlan reported in a low voice.

Ye Jinyu slowly opened her eyes, her gaze calm and undisturbed, only offering a faint smile.

"You've been grinding away for so long, you should understand by now. Let him in."

"Alright, you can go now."

He patted Qing Lingxi beside him and said.

Before long, a figure dressed in plain clothes slowly walked in.

Yin Huan was dressed in plain clothes, his back slightly hunched, showing no trace of imperial arrogance.

He walked down the steps, bowed deeply, and his posture was so humble that he seemed to touch the dust.

"Yin Huan greets Young Master Ye."

Ye Jinyu did not get up, but leaned against the main seat, looking down at him.

"You've finally arrived. This meeting has kept me waiting for quite some time."

His tone was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger, yet it carried an inherent air of superior authority.

Yin Huan lowered his head, his voice low:

"Yin Huan is a sinner, but he is not a fool. Young Master, if you have something to say, please speak frankly."

"Excellent! If you had done this earlier, I wouldn't have gone through all this trouble, would I?"

"Since that's the case, I, the young master, will not waste any more words."

Ye Jinyu chuckled softly, her fingertips lightly tapping the armrest.

"The celestial beings said that in this game of chess, you are indispensable."

"From this day forward, all territories, military power, fortune, and sects under the jurisdiction of the Great Yin shall be at the command of the Ye Clan."

You are still the ruler of the Great Yin, but your every word and action must prioritize the interests of the Ye Clan and Cangxuan.

"This Tai'e Sword is yours, but who it strikes is not up to you."

Yin Huan closed his eyes.

So it turns out I've offended Heaven?!

Oh.

It's just a humble attempt to survive.

Surrender in exchange for survival; once you kneel, standing up becomes incredibly difficult.

The emperor's domineering power and authority are no longer possible.

After pondering for a long time, Yin Huan slowly opened his eyes, the last trace of pride in them completely extinguished.

"Great Yin obeys the order. From this day forward, Great Yin is willing to follow the lead of the Ye Clan. We beseech the young master to keep his promise."

"Promise?"

Ye Jinyu smiled upon hearing this.

"In Cangxuan, strength is the guarantee. If you obey, the Great Yin will survive. If you disobey, this young master doesn't mind replacing you with another obedient emperor."

"However, I, the young master, always keep my word. In any case, the Great Yin and the Ye Clan have been saved."

He raised his hand, and a beam of azure light fell into Yin Huan's hand.

It was a jade token with the character "Ye" engraved on it.

"Take this order and return to the Great Yin. Within a month, prepare the army for war. I, the young master, am going to have a good fight with that Sima Ruiming."

Yin Huan gripped the jade token tightly; it was icy to the touch, yet incredibly heavy. Even the smallest details were transmitted into his Divine Sense.

Yin Huan bowed deeply.

"Yin Huan, I obey your command, even at the cost of my life."

"Young Master, rest assured, the sword... will surely be completed."

After Yin Huan left the camp, Qing Lingxi spoke softly.

"Master, are you letting him off so easily? Could it be...?"

"I'll spare him? That would be acquiescing to him."

Ye Jinyu closed her eyes, a cryptic smile playing on her lips, tinged with bitterness.

"He's a smart man, a useful pawn, and like me, he's caught in a bind."

One day, I will rise above others and control their destinies, instead of being like a puppet on a string!

Sima Ruiming, this game of chess is one that only I, the young master, can play with you. Whether you like it or not, you have to play.

Let's see who ends up benefiting whom in the end.

In the Cangxuan Ancient Realm, in the Central Continent, the sea of clouds stretches endlessly.

The gnarled pine tree has branches and leaves flourishing on one side, full of vitality, while the branches on the other side are as hard as iron, with not a single leaf growing.

There is a temple suspended in the sky, untouched by the mortal world, detached from worldly affairs, overlooking the birth and death of heaven and earth.

That is Great Peace Temple.

Zhang Chen [Radiant Dawn Heaven That Saves the World].

Today, however, he was dressed in a plain robe, his long hair tied up, his face was delicate and handsome, but his brows did not seem otherworldly, but rather showed signs of worldly life, with a touch of melancholy.

He held a Daoist-style brush in his hand, standing before a blank scroll.

As the brush touched the paper, the mountains, rivers, and dynastic territories of the Wind Abyss Ruin Realm were revealed on the scroll.

The myriad aspects of human life, the rise and fall of dynasties, and the struggles among cultivators were, in his eyes, nothing more than a painting on a canvas.

"Junior brother, you seem to be in quite a good mood today."

A gentle, calm voice came from outside the door.

[The Heaven of Withering, Flourishing, Life and Extinction] Zhang Xuan walked in slowly, his body radiating Daoist energy, blending with heaven and earth, showing no sharpness whatsoever, only a fleeting glimpse of desolation in his eyes.

Zhang Chen did not turn around; his gaze remained fixed on the painting.

With a gentle touch of the pen, the four lines of the Ye Clan, the Sima Clan, the Great Yin family, and the Da Great Qi intertwine, like a chessboard.

Ye Jinyu and Sima Ruiming stood out prominently in the center of the chessboard.

Zhanlu and Tai'e also complement each other.

"Senior brother is late."

He spoke softly, his voice not loud, yet it resounded throughout the entire Great Void.

"This game has already reached the middle stage."

Zhang Xuan approached, his gaze falling on the painting.

A single point of blue light appeared in the Southern Region, seemingly gentle, yet it silently stirred up the water's flow.

"That Ye Jinyu? She's utterly vicious and cunning, doing all sorts of underhanded things, and yet she wants a good reputation?"

The methods used are far from sophisticated; they're rather crude.

However, this kid is quite a match for me... He has a similar air to me. If I kill you, you'll have to thank me!

Let that brat Sima Clan take the blame, break the pride of the Great Yin, and then pretend to clean up the mess with the help of the Ye Clan.

Killing two birds with one stone, wanting both material gain and reputation? No one in the world is that foolish. They simply see through it but choose not to speak out, out of fear of overwhelming power and influence.

"Senior brother, why be so harsh? Going with the tide is the way of nature; ordinary people wouldn't be so foolish as to go against it..."

After Zhang Chen finished speaking, Zhang Xuan remained silent, seemingly burdened by unspoken thoughts and frustration.

He glared angrily at his junior brother and said, word by word.

"Since you know this, why do you still go against the tide?!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen shook his head.

With a soft laugh, the brush tip lifted lightly, ink flowed, and slowly outlined the seated figure of an emperor in the center of the scroll.

The emperor, wearing a crown and holding a scepter of power, was a figure of immense stature.

"What my junior brother desires has never been the gain or loss of a single realm, or the rise and fall of a single race."

As he put pen to paper, golden light emanated from the tip, forming eight large characters that stretched across the sky.

The ruler governs below, and power and fame are bestowed by Heaven.

"Emperors of the world all believe that power is in their own hands and the country is in their grasp. Power struggles and changes of power occur, but alas, the common people suffer. What have they done to deserve this?!"

Zhang Xuan True Lord's eyes flickered slightly:

"Junior Brother's scheme offends far more than just the Sima Clan," Zhang Chen muttered to himself.

"Shackles? Restrictions?! The power of a ruler to govern his subjects is divinely granted! The world has nurtured us, not so that we may only take from it!"

"This image, though it was a happy accident, showed me the future."

If this success is achieved, my Dao will flourish! In the Cangxuan Ancient Realm, how could all living beings not be full of vitality and prosperous!

"The oppressive rule of the Sima Clan clans brings suffering to the world. Shouldn't Aristocratic Clan Sima family's path to imperial power also be limited, senior brother?!"

The world was filled with fields and cities, with smoke rising from chimneys, but it was all surrounded by high walls and barriers erected by powerful clans and immortal families, especially the Sima Clan!

They have created two worlds that separate heaven and earth.

Zhang Chen finished painting, and on the scroll, the emperor's figure became even clearer, his power and fame reaching the heavens, and his Daoist aura flowing.

Yet they bow their heads in reverence to the heavens; such is the Dao Path.

"I am also trying my hand at this game of the Wind Abyss Ruin Realm!"

When the two swords merge into one, our fortunes unite, our authority unites, and my Dao fruit is confirmed, I can achieve another step towards perfection.

"From this day forward, the Emperor shall be the Son of Heaven! Heaven has granted him power, I will spread teachings and enlighten people's hearts."

In a peaceful world, the ideal is one where the elderly are cared for, the young are supported, the poor rise up, and the common people no longer suffer from hunger and cold.

He raised his eyes and looked into the Great Void, his gaze seemingly piercing through layers of barriers. His eyes shone with golden light, and it was as if the True Lord was looking down upon Cangxuan.

All living beings suffer, and even small, Rogue Cultivator have no peace of mind. Meanwhile, the immortals live in extravagance and indulgence, wielding the power of life and death.

The Sima Clan fueled the flames, and within their domain, the world became corrupt and decadent.

"Senior brother, I remember asking you this when I was learning the Dao."

"All living beings possess spiritual awareness, All Things Live. Why is it that only we are high above, while all other living beings must kneel and worship in devotion?"

The senior replied: Because of them, they are not as good as you and me.

I say this is causing chaos and confusion, mistaking cause for effect.

Throughout history, the Taiping lineage has experienced periods of decline and prosperity, periods of engagement with the world and periods of inaction. How many can truly remain detached from worldly affairs, genuinely forget the mundane world, and have a heart as still as water?

Zhang Xuan clenched his fist, then released it, and said, "In your eyes, life is in utter devastation, death and decay, and all living beings suffer."

You must know that this world is like this; it has no room for compassion. Even the Buddhists, don't they collect gold leaf and manipulate people's hearts to create golden statues? All this is folly and delusion...

"We are not Buddhists, after all."

"I, Zhang Chen, wish to forge a sword so that I may use it to vanquish injustice throughout the land."

I have a method: when the Fusang Radiance, the golden crow Grand Brightness and peaceful, bringing the world to its fullest light. Why can't I cultivate the Greater Yang?

It cannot be taken! It cannot be refined!

My heart desires to change the heavens, to bring peace and prosperity!

Even if my long-cherished wish is not fulfilled, it would be good if I descended the mountain and saved one or two lives, in the name of maintaining peace.

Zhang Xuan watched silently, suppressing the urge to attack, and then let out a deep sigh.

"Cultivating Heavenly Position is difficult, but attaining the Dao fruit is even more difficult. If this time, I am gone and never return, and all that remains of peace and prosperity is desolation, how will I explain this?!"

"The glory of Great Peace Temple is gone forever. When my soul returns and I see my master, will he blame me for not taking good care of my junior brother...?"

Hearing his senior brother's open and honest words, Zhang Chen naturally understood the implied compromise in his words and knew that his senior brother would not hinder him.

He then cleared his mind and laughed with exceptional ease.

"Then I will never return! My senior brother need not worry about this rebellious person; it was all my doing, and has nothing to do with the Great Peace Temple..."

"As for Master, he won't blame me! Nor will he blame Senior Brother. It was all my own thinking and actions."

"If one day, the sun rises over Fusang, the golden crow shines, and the Yellow Heaven is at peace, then it will be accomplished."

"If the water flows vast and boundless, and spring sprouts forth, then the rain and dew from the heavens are all the grace of the sovereign."

Senior brother is stationed at Great Peace Temple. Next year, he will take on disciples according to the celestial opportunities. If you see that unruly and foolish child sitting blankly under the rotten tree, lost in thought, then it means junior brother has returned...