Leaves Fall in Ying Prefecture, Two Sides Forge Alliances

---- Ying Prefecture Fei Household, outside Core-Embracing Terrace

The spiritual lamps cast a bluish glow on the stone walls, and beyond this Core-Embracing Terrace Grotto, there were three more gates filled with spiritual barriers.

The few Golden Core of the Fei Household who remained in the clan territory, regardless of what important matter they were doing, were all standing solemnly here, surrounded by a large number of Fei Household.

If these Fei Household patriarchs were located in other prefectures or counties, they would be considered respectable figures. However, at this moment, they even breathed very softly.

The reason was that the spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from the Dan-embracing Platform were too terrifying, enough to make even these Foundation Establishment and Pseudo-Dan masters feel their hearts tremble.

In the center of the Core-Embracing Terrace, Fei Ye Shui sat cross-legged on a cold jade futon, with a bronze cauldron about a foot tall with black patterns hanging in front of him. The cauldron was mottled, but it faintly shimmered with a precious light.

Although the Ying Prefecture Fei Household has not produced Nascent Soul True Person, in terms of the length of its lineage, it ranks among the top in the entire Great Wei Immortal Dynasty.

This cauldron was originally from the imperial treasury of the previous dynasty. It can only be activated by the spiritual power of Nascent Soul Cultivator. The cauldron contains a wisp of "Innate Sha-Suppressing True Qi", which can shatter Spirit Vein and break the Dharma body.

Given the Ying Prefecture Fei Household, it would normally be difficult for them to acquire this treasure. However, fortuitous opportunity to a change of the Immortal Dynasty, they were fortunate enough to obtain it by chance.

The Fei Household ancestors were extremely cautious. This treasure had been in the clan for two or three thousand years, but it was only passed down through the mouths of successive family heads.

However, since none of the Fei Household family heads in successive generations had achieved the Nascent Soul, they could only suppress its spiritual light and place it in the ancestral land, which could be considered as a precious pearl being covered in dust.

Only after Fei Ye Shui inherited the family headship did this glimmer of hope appear, allowing him to see the light of day again.

To be honest, this old cultivator hadn't even formed Middle-Grade Golden Core. Even among the past heads of the Fei Household, he couldn't be considered a person of extraordinary talent.

But as Emperor Taizu once said, "The Dao Foundation and the quality of the elixir can only determine temporary gains; only a steadfast mind and character can lead to long-term success."

Although Fei Ye Shui's path to Nascent Soul Formation was extremely tortuous, the Ying Prefecture Fei Household flourished under his leadership, firmly establishing itself as the "most powerful family in the world."

Not only were there nearly twenty Golden Core cultivators alive at the same time, but Fei Nanying Middle-Grade Golden Core, and they made the right bet on Kuang Liuting of Duke of Qin.

To be precise, this is arguably the most prosperous period in the history of the Fei Household.

However, the rise and fall of a dynasty is an established fact of the world. Since Fei Ye Shui failed to break through the shackles and lead the entire Ying Prefecture Fei Household to a higher level, the calamity that followed would naturally come at a suitable time.

According to the old man's own opinion, perhaps it is right now.

Fei Ye Shui lowered his eyes and looked at the bronze cauldron with mysterious patterns in front of him. The cauldron was inscribed with the four characters "Zhen Yuan Ding E" on its body, and cloud patterns were carved on its three legs. A star array was faintly visible on its belly. A wisp of "Innate Sha-Suppressing True Qi" was sealed inside the cauldron. If it was activated by "Spiritual Guidance", it would be enough to shatter the Nascent Soul Dharma Body.

"My two or three, guard the sacred place well."

Fei Ye Shui's voice came through the Core-Embracing Terrace cave abode, carrying a metallic tone. Upon hearing this, the Golden Core cultivators standing outside hurriedly retreated as instructed, their fingertips gripping their magical Law Artifact, fearing that their inner spiritual power might go out of control and damage their clan's territory.

Suddenly, the faint sounds of hand seals echoed from within the Core-Embracing Terrace.

Fei Ye Shui sat cross-legged on the cold jade futon, his left hand resting on the cauldron's handle, while his right hand continuously changed spells.

First, perform a hand seal to draw out the dormant spiritual energy within the cauldron, then form a mudra to channel the spiritual power of the Golden Core throughout your body into the cauldron like a gentle stream.

The mottled bronze cauldron patterns seemed to come alive and glowed with a ghostly light as soon as they came into contact with spiritual energy. A wisp of mysterious mist rose from the mouth of the cauldron, and there was a hidden Sha Qi aura in the mist, but it was firmly locked by the star array on the body of the cauldron.

This is the Innate Sha-Suppressing True Qi! It is so ferocious that it can erode the nascent Nascent Soul. Without the spiritual guide to neutralize it, even though Fei Ye Shui's cultivation is only half a step away from Nascent Soul Formation, he will still be devoured by the evil power.

"The Mani Treasure Leaf can serve as a spiritual guide." Fei Ye Shui took out the emerald green leaf from his sleeve. This leaf had clearly been refined by various precious items that he had painstakingly searched for. The Buddhist light flowing between the veins of the leaf was even stronger than when he first saw it. As soon as it appeared, it forced back the Sha Qi in the mysterious mist at the mouth of the cauldron by three points.

He held the precious leaf between his fingertips and slowly pressed it against the star array on the belly of the cauldron.

That place is the nexus of the seal of the evil spirits, and also the place where the spiritual guide should land.

As soon as Bao Ye touched the bronze cauldron, Fei Ye Shui suddenly bit his tongue, and a mouthful of Essence Blood seeped into Bao Ye through his fingers. The blood droplets mixed with Buddhist light seeped into the cauldron, and with a soft "sizzle" sound, the star array on the cauldron suddenly lit up. Light patterns like the Milky Way spread along the cauldron, covering the entire cauldron in a bluish-gold color.

"With my Essence Blood as the guide, and the Buddha's light as the medium, the Origin-Suppressing Cauldron opens, and the evil power manifests its might!" Before Fei Ye Shui's shout had even finished, his right hand formed the "Calamity-Suppressing Seal" and pressed it hard on the cauldron's handle.

This hand seal fell into the hands of the Fei Household's ancestor along with the Origin-Suppressing Cauldron, and was created specifically to activate the cauldron. However, no one in the past generation could activate its power to suppress evil spirits. Today, however, it has revealed its true power under the blessing of the Mani Treasure Leaf.

With a muffled "hum", the Origin-Suppressing Cauldron suddenly rose into the air. Instead of sporadic black mist rising from its mouth, a beam of azure-gold light, about ten feet thick, surged out.

Inside was the Innate Sha-Suppressing True Qi had been tamed by the Buddha's light, no longer a malevolent and ferocious aura, but with a greater sense of weight and power to suppress heaven and earth. The beam of light struck the stone dome atop the Core-Embracing Terrace without causing any damage. Instead, the High Antiquity the stone dome were activated, echoing the star array on the cauldron, which constricted the beam of light to a thickness of about a foot, and kept it steadily above the mouth of the cauldron.

Fei Ye Shui's forehead, and the spiritual power of his Golden Core burst out like a dam breaking, flowing down his arm and into the cauldron's handle.

He knew that this was not a normal activation of a spiritual treasure; it was a drain on his life force. Every moment he held on, he would lose a bit of his chance of survival.

The news of their failed attempt to Nascent Soul Formation stage should have leaked out long ago. The "wolves" surrounding the Ying Prefecture Fei Household are probably already gathered a hundred miles away, and there might even be Nascent Soul Cultivator hiding among them. At this point, why would they care about their own safety?

"Freeze!" Fei Ye Shui shouted, his right hand seal changing again to form the "Sha-Locking Seal".

The cyan-gold pillar of light at the mouth of the cauldron instantly solidified and stopped shaking. The suppressing power and Buddhist light within it intertwined more tightly, and countless tiny runes could be faintly seen flowing within the pillar of light.

That is the mark of the fusion of the star array on the cauldron and the Buddha light of the Mani Treasure Leaf, which is specifically designed to Protect Body light of Nascent Soul Cultivator.

The suppressing power within the cauldron was now completely under control. With just a thought, the pillar of light could break through the hole and burst forth. Even a Nascent Soul Early Stage would have their Protect Body aura shattered and their Spirit Vein damaged if struck head-on. If the impact were more severe, even the Nascent Soul dharma body might be shredded by the suppressing power.

The star array on the cauldron suddenly shone brightly to its maximum, Fei Ye Shui suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, which splattered onto the belly of the cauldron.

The blood seeped into the cauldron along the star patterns, and the cyan-gold beam of light at the cauldron's mouth increased by three-tenths. The stone wall of the Core-Embracing Terrace Platform was shaken by the pressure emanating from the beam of light, causing dust to fall.

The outer spirit-restricting gate emitted a bluish light, and layers of spiritual patterns lit up, barely managing to block the aura that could make even Golden Core cultivator's heart tremble.

"It's done." Fei Ye Shui said in a low voice, letting out a long sigh of relief, but a tearing pain shot through his chest.

He knew in his heart that he had completely lost his chance of survival. Even if the "pack of wolves" did not come within a month, his depleted vital energy and the backlash from the evil energy on his meridians would not allow him to live for more than a few days.

But when he looked up at the Origin-Suppressing Cauldron suspended in mid-air, at the solid cyan-gold pillar of light, there was not a trace of regret in his eyes.

The Innate Sha-Suppressing True Qi within the cauldron, enveloped in Buddhist light, was as docile as a tamed beast. The oppressive aura emanating from the cauldron made even this seasoned cultivator tremble.

"Nascent Soul Cultivator, what can you do about it?" Fei Ye Shui stroked the ancient patterns on the cauldron's handles, his tone ambiguous, neither envious nor sighing, but the resolute look in his eyes gradually deepened.

At the same time, outside the Core-Embracing Terrace, the Spirit Forbidden Gate suddenly emitted a golden light, echoing the cyan-gold pillar of light from the Origin-Suppressing Cauldron inside the platform.

The Fei Household outside exchanged glances, all seeing relief in each other's eyes. However, they couldn't show any disrespect in front of the younger generation, so they had to suppress their excitement.

Fei Ye Shui slowly withdrew her hand from the cauldron's handle, and some frosty white hairs fell from her temples.

The previous exertion had depleted most of his vital energy, and even his Golden Core seemed to be sinking heavily in his Dantian, each pulsation accompanied by intense pain.

He raised his hand to wipe the blood from his lips, but his gaze did not leave the Origin-Suppressing Cauldron suspended in mid-air. The cyan-gold pillar of light at the mouth of the cauldron stood steadily, like a sword hidden in the shadows, exuding a reassuring aura of power.

The golden light from the outer spirit-restricting gate was still flowing, and the auras of the several Golden Core cultivators had become much more stable, but they still dared not relax.

Although they did not know what their ancestor was doing inside, they could sense from the outward-leaning pressure that it was something that would be difficult to resist.

Although they were all curious, no one dared to make a sound and disturb them. They simply stood guard quietly, even breathing more lightly than before.

However, if either Fei Ye Shui or Fei Tianqin were here, they would definitely be able to see that Fei Dongzheng, who was in charge of the west side of the Spirit Forbidden Zone, seemed to be acting strangely.

His fingertips unconsciously rubbed the Storage Bag at his waist, his gaze constantly glancing towards the Core-Embracing Terrace. The sense of security he felt with his clansmen was gone, replaced by a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.

Just now, when the spirit barrier gate emitted a golden light, a communication talisman in his sleeve suddenly became slightly hot, but he pressed it firmly in his palm, not daring to inject even a trace of spiritual power into it.

Only Fei Dongzheng himself knew that his secret thoughts were like a tiny crack in the spiritual barrier of the cave, which could burst open at any moment.

However, he was unaware that even though Fei Ye Shui was at a critical juncture, she still managed to spare a sliver of her Divine Sense for him.

Several days later, in Great Abyss Capital and Mystic Firmament Palace

The flickering candlelight illuminated the dragon-carved pillars of the Mystic Firmament Palace. Memorials were piled up like a small mountain on the desk. Emperor of Wei held a vermilion brush, his eyes lowered, and his fingertips caressed the words "Ying Prefecture Fei Household" on the memorial. The ink was still wet, but the words concealed secret reports from local spies.

His brows furrowed slightly, the vermilion brush hovering in mid-air. "It's said that all the Nascent Soul have gathered in Ying Prefecture, but why hasn't Fei Ye Shui made a move yet?!"

Upon hearing this, the Prince of the South, Kuang Shenzhi, replied softly, "It seems a bit odd that the Baili family of Luochuan could so easily plant spies in their home. If Fei Yeshuo's abilities are limited to this, how could the Fei family have controlled Yingzhou for so long?"

"The Luochuan Baili Household, the Wen Mountain Cult, and the Yuelu Su Household are rather impatient." Emperor of Wei did not hide the dissatisfaction in his words, after all, these Nascent Soul forces in the capital region were not actually as close to the Great Wei family as they appeared on the surface.

"Has the Yukun Han Household also made no move?" Emperor of Wei put down his vermilion brush and asked again.

"The Golden Core within their clan have all gone their separate ways, but the two True Person have not yet made a move."

The Grand Eunuch Wei seemed to be hidden in Emperor of Wei's shadow, and only when he spoke did people realize that a True Person was standing in that corner.

"It's really strange," Emperor of Wei said, a rare look of surprise on his face. He couldn't figure out how the Ying Prefecture Fei Household had any other methods to deal with the Nascent Soul from various families.

It wasn't that he didn't care about the Ying Prefecture Fei Household at all; after all, compared to the arrogant aristocratic Aristocratic Clan, Fei Ye Shui was considered loyal to the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty.

In fact, Fei Ye Shui was the first horse bone that Emperor of Wei chose in his early years.

Moreover, if it weren't for his constant promotion and indulgence, the Ying Prefecture Fei Household might not have achieved its current prosperity.

Knowing the abundance of Ying Prefecture, even Nascent Soul Grandmasters coveted it. If it weren't for Emperor of Wei's intervention, could Fei Ye Shui and Fei Tianqin, two powerful Golden Core, have gradually brought this fertile land of Ying Prefecture under the Fei Household's control?

But times have changed. Fei Ye Shui has given up hope of Nascent Soul Formation, Fei Tianqin's bloodline is noble, but who knows when he will be able to Nascent Soul Formation?

If the Fei Household were to continue to possess Ying Prefecture, it would be a gross underestimation of their worth.

Fei Ye Shui was a clever man. In his early years, he had already presented to Emperor of Wei that he wanted to sort out his Lineage's lands and put them under the direct control of the Kuang Household clan, so that his descendants would be safe.

However, none of the officials of different surnames in the court agreed with this advice. Even the Chancellor Gui Nianzhi, whom Emperor of Wei had always relied on, remained silent.

Although Emperor of Wei remained silent on the surface, he was inwardly deeply disappointed. However, this did not mean that he could simply shrug off the issue of Ying Prefecture's ownership and grant everyone's wishes.

Although Ying Prefecture was considered wealthy, it was not worth the enthusiasm of several Nascent Soul. Emperor of Wei must have played a significant role in this.

In his opinion, once Ying Prefecture is turned into a vortex, even if a winner takes it over, many will be lost due to the successive battles. The families that were originally closely allied may turn into enemies.

Moreover, it would be best if these Nascent Soul could still emerge dead or injured, as the Kuang Household clan could then make a big fuss about it.

According to their plan, the Ying Prefecture Fei Household would bring in the Yukun Han Household, a relative by marriage, to oppose the other families. Afterwards, they would use some tricks to make the Nascent Soul of each family truly unleash their power.

The Fei Household will inevitably be affected, but they still have Fei Nanying has attained the Middle-Grade Golden Core, who is still alive and can be used. Emperor of Wei will not sit idly by and watch their lineage perish.

Therefore, even if the Fei Lineage's business were to be lost, the lives of most of the clan members would still be safe.

After all, Liangxi and Haibei, the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, had plenty of uncultivated lands that needed cultivators and mortals to cultivate and defend the borders. Although they were somewhat harsh and cold, there was certainly nowhere for them to go!

As Emperor of Wei was pondering, Grand Eunuch Wei received a brief report. After glancing at it, the look of shock in his eyes lingered for a long time.

The latter was quickly presented, and Emperor of Wei glanced at it, quite surprised, and said:

In the autumn of the 583rd year of the Qianfeng reign, war broke out suddenly near Ying Prefecture.

Su Qingxuan, the head of the Yuelu Su Household, Shi Yankong, the leader of the Wenshan Wen Mountain Cult, Baili Cangming, the head of the Luochuan Baili Household, all harbored wolfish ambitions. They led their disciples to invade Ying Prefecture without cause. They claimed to have three Nascent Soul and dozens of Golden Core cultivators, and they wanted to seize the fertile land of Ying Prefecture and destroy the Lady Fei.

Although Ye Shui, the head of Nascent Soul Fei Household, had not reached the Origin-Suppressing Cauldron stage, he possessed the power to suppress the Yuan Ding and was quick to detect the signs of treachery. He noticed that Fei Dongzheng of the clan was constantly stroking his Storage Bag and frequently glancing at the Core-Embracing Terrace out of the corner of his eye. The transmission talisman in his sleeve was faintly glowing with spiritual light, so he knew that Fei had betrayed the clan and colluded with the enemy.

Ye Shui remained calm and collected, instead allowing the treacherous villains to spread the false news that "the spiritual power of the Core-Embracing Terrace is about to be exhausted and the spiritual barrier is gradually weakening." He also took precautions near the Core-Embracing Terrace: burying the Nine-Turn Spirit Gathering Pattern underground and drawing water from the spiritual spring to accumulate power.

The seven-star formation was arranged around the perimeter to trap the enemy, and the shape of the rocks was used to block the path;

An external channel is set up to guide the evil energy within the cauldron, allowing it to spread along the channel—this is the complete strategy to lure the enemy. First, the cauldron's light is concealed, feigning exhaustion; then, the Spirit Awakening, pretending to be afraid of battle.

The three bandit leaders were indeed misled by Dongzheng's false information. Su Qingxuan, relying on his Nascent Soul cultivation, brandished his sword and rushed straight to Core-Embracing Terrace, intending to seize the cauldron and destroy its foundation. Shi Yankong chanted evil scriptures to attract evil spirits, while Baili Cangming drove his spirit boat to set up an array, attacking from both inside and outside, with unstoppable momentum.

As Ye Shui waited for the enemy to penetrate deep into the Seven Stars Formation, he suddenly pinched the "Calamity-Suppressing Seal," causing the Origin-Suppressing Cauldron to soar into the air. A burst of blue light suddenly emanated from the cauldron's mouth, like a celestial river pouring down; the star array on its belly suddenly lit up, like a silver river hanging down to earth.

The Innate Sha-Suppressing True Qi emerged wrapped in Buddhist light, flowing along the evil channel and amplified by the gathering spirit pattern, condensing into a pillar of light over ten feet long, piercing straight into Su Qingxuan. Caught off Protect Body, Qingxuan's protective spiritual light shattered instantly, the evil qi penetrated his body, and his Nascent Soul body was instantly torn apart, causing him to die on the spot.

Shi Yankong Baili Cangming were shocked by the situation and tried to escape, but their path was blocked by the Seven Stars Formation rocks. Ye Shui urged his Essence Blood to flow into the cauldron again, and the pillar of light intensified by three times, sweeping across the two of them along the momentum of the gathering spirit pattern.

Yankong's left arm was injured, and his evil scripture fell to the ground; Cangming's right rib was pierced, and his spirit boat collapsed. The two thieves, wounded, broke through the formation and fled. The allied forces, leaderless, collapsed like birds and beasts.

However, the Origin-Suppressing Cauldron suffered a backlash from the evil energy, its Essence Blood were overloaded, and its spiritual power was exhausted when it borrowed the power. With a loud bang, it collapsed into dust. Ye Shui was exhausted and died while bathing in the dust of the cauldron. His eyes were still looking towards the Mystic Firmament Palace.

In this battle, the Ying Prefecture Fei Household killed one Nascent Soul, wounded two Nascent Soul, and repelled the armies of three other families. The Ya Mountain Lu Household and the Guanglin Xin Household successively went to their aid, using the name of the Office of the Duke of Qin Great Abyss Capital jointly protect Ying Prefecture with the Fei Household. I, your humble servant, have respectfully reported the battle situation to Taiyuan Capital for His Majesty's review.

"The Origin-Suppressing Cauldron?!" Emperor of Wei sighed inwardly, "What a pity, we forgot that Ye Shui is quite resolute."

"How could I have imagined that the Ying Prefecture Fei Household would actually possess such a treasure?! If they had been willing to offer up the Origin-Suppressing Cauldron back then, perhaps..." Emperor of Wei suppressed this thought. Even so, it was just a decent Fourth Tier spiritual treasure; he probably wouldn't have gone to Fei Household.

"Fei Ye Shui is truly a remarkable person. So, the Mani Treasure Leaf that Kang Dabao sought from Gada last time must have ended up in Fei Household's hands?!"

However, Emperor of Wei murmured this question to himself and then paid it no further attention.

Fei Ye Shui was not Nascent Soul after all, so his life or death was unlikely to concern someone like Emperor of Wei for long.

Now, the Nascent Soul forces of the Luochuan Baili Household, Wen Mountain Cult, and Yuelu Su Household in Luochuan have all been severely damaged. Undeterred by the backlash, the Yukun Han Household sent two vassal families under its jurisdiction to seize Ying Prefecture.

These are the things that truly deserve his consideration, however...

"No, no, even if Fei Ye Shui has some skill and cunning, he's still no match for the combined forces of three Nascent Soul cultivators. He must have someone helping him! But the Han Household hasn't made a move, so who's helping them?!"

After thinking for a while, before he could even speak to the two people in the hall, Emperor of Wei received another silk scroll from Grand Eunuch Wei:

"A letter from Han Yonghe?!"

Let's look at it in more detail:

"Your subject Yonghe respectfully reports on the matter of Ye Shui, the head of the Lady Fei family of Ying Prefecture, sacrificing his life for his country and offering up land. I am writing this report at the risk of my life."

I humbly believe that Ying Prefecture is a fertile land of the Great Wei, which the Lady Fei has guarded for decades. Ye Shui from the Golden Core stage but has not yet reached the Nascent Soul stage, yet he has received the favor of Emperor of Wei in promoting him and cherishes the ambition to secure the country and stabilize the land.

He pacified the common people and encouraged agriculture and sericulture to ensure sufficient granaries; he defended against bandits and trained soldiers to fortify the borders. In the past, when bandits threatened the territory, Ye Shui led his clan to repel them, and the people of Ying Prefecture were able to live in peace.

In recent years, Aristocratic Clan have coveted it, but Ye Shui has relied on Origin-Suppressing Cauldron to defend it, thus ensuring the safety of the imperial clan's territory.

This autumn, three families attacked. Knowing his time was near, Ye Shui still used his remaining body to fight them off: he exhausted his Essence Blood to activate his spiritual treasure, luring and killing Su Qingxuan; he exhausted his vital energy to collapse the Zhen Ding, severely injuring Yankong and Cangming.

As the allied forces retreated, Ye Shui, on his deathbed, held the hand of his nephew Tianqin and said, "Ying Prefecture is not my family's private property, but His Majesty's territory. After my death, quickly present the map to the Mystic Firmament Palace, lest the Lady Fei's selfish desires burden the sovereign and the nation."

After he finished speaking, he passed away without closing his eyes.

Looking at his life: he Nascent Soul a region without having reached the Nascent Soul stage, and brought peace to the people without attaining a high position;

His last wishes were: to cherish the memory of his country even as he faced death, and to be free from the constraints of his domain once his soul returned to the netherworld.

Loyalty shines like the sun, its light reaching heaven and earth; righteous deeds flow like a long river, their influence illuminating the past and present.

Your Majesty, I respectfully request: First, grant Ye Shui's last wish and bring Ying Prefecture under the direct administration of the imperial clan; second, provide relief to the descendants of the Lady Fei, sparing them the hardship of border service and granting them land and houses to settle down; third, honor Ye Shui's loyalty and righteousness by establishing a shrine in Ying Prefecture, so that the people may know of his achievements and future generations may emulate his virtues.

Your subject Yonghe is filled with trepidation and bows twice, humbly beseeching Your Majesty's wise judgment.

Right Chancellor and Head of the Yukun Han Household, Han Yonghe, respectfully reports.

"Heh, the Right Chancellor's tone is as polite as ever," Emperor of Wei chuckled, then asked, "What else? Bring it all up."

Grand Eunuch Wei's tone was grim. "Furthermore, the two prime ministers jointly submitted a memorial claiming that Su Changde of Yuelu Prefecture, had died in battle while accompanying Su Qingxuan on a private invasion of Ying Prefecture. Yuelu Prefecture is a crucial location in the Capital Circuit, and it is appropriate to select capable individuals from the imperial clan to guard the area and stabilize the overall situation."

"The two prime ministers jointly submitted a memorial?!" Emperor of Wei's tone was full of surprise and doubt. Even though the right prime minister Han Yonghe was far less senior than the left prime Gui Nianzhi, the two were still from different factions and were rivals.

This is amazing that they were able to submit a joint petition.

Emperor of Wei had been the lord of Great Wei for so many years, yet this was the first time he had ever witnessed such a strange phenomenon.

"Has someone from the Gui Household recently gone to Ying Prefecture?"

With a tone of deep regret, Grand Eunuch Wei, reported, "Your Majesty, Chancellor Gui Wulin, made a brief appearance in Ying Prefecture a month ago."

"Oh, in that case, it makes sense that Fei Ye Shui was able to accomplish such great things." Emperor of Wei's expression was a half-smile, "But I wonder if Fei Ye Shui, now that the Han and Gui families have bestowed such a great title upon him, can truly bear it!"

"Ha," after a sneer, Emperor of Wei suddenly raised his voice and rebuked:

"The Yuelu Su Household, the Wen Mountain Cult, the Luochuan Baili Household, and the Ying Prefecture Fei Household —these four families control a total of sixteen prefectures, all fertile lands spanning the Guanxi, Guandong, and Jingji regions! And I only possess one of these sixteen prefectures?! And it must be registered under the name of the Office of the Duke of Qin?!"

Emperor of Wei understood perfectly well that at this point, it was no longer important whether the three families had been obedient or content to submit to the rule of the Great Wei royal family. There was no better way to please the Great Wei royal family and all the officials than to label the three families as Supreme Unity Temple.

As for whether this will cause widespread panic in the future, that is a matter for the future; Emperor of Wei currently has no time to worry about that.

At this point, Emperor of Wei's smile suddenly turned cold, and he asked in a chilling voice, "Have the remaining fourteen provinces been allocated to each family as well?!"

Grand Eunuch Wei could clearly tell that Emperor of Wei was furious, but he dared not remain silent. He simply replied in a low voice, "Your Majesty, the two prime ministers mean that they will consult with the wise men of the court during next year's court session before making a final decision."

Emperor of Wei was taken aback, clearly not expecting the Gui and Han families to be so arrogant. He was secretly furious. "With Supreme Unity Temple its banner outside, which of these Nascent Soul will behave themselves?!"

Even in his fury, he was powerless to stop it. In the court of the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, the two prime ministers were in cahoots, their thoughts aligned, and they were no less powerful than he, the nominal ruler of Great Wei.

Upon closer examination, Fei Ye Shui's actions may have been coordinated with the two True Person of the Han Household.

These sixteen fertile provinces are enough to feed the top three Aristocratic Clan families in the land: Kuang, Gui, and Han. The Gui Household may not protect the Fei Household's descendants afterward, but at least they won't hinder the Kuang and Han families from taking action, and that's enough.

Emperor of Wei certainly didn't think that he would only be able to gain a single province afterward, but seeing the two prime ministers so in sync made him wary.

"When did those two families become so close?! Why has your Demon Correction Office never reported this?! Are you really only focused on those trivial matters of subduing demons all day long?!"

Grand Eunuch Wei, dared not answer for a moment, but mustered his courage and asked evasively, "Yes, Your Majesty, may I ask about the three petitions written by the Right Chancellor?"

Fortunately, Emperor of Wei did not dwell on it much, and said in a deep voice, "All is granted. In my name, I will send the Prince of the South to comfort the descendants of the Fei Household, so that other families will know not to make things difficult for them."

However, since they have already adopted the banner of the Office of the Duke of Qin in Ying Prefecture, they should not remain here for long. The authorities should draft a plan, bestow generous gifts and compensation, and quickly send the Ying Prefecture Fei Household to the Mountain North Circuit to settle down and take root.

After hearing this, Prince Kuang Shenzhi of the South felt that Fei Yeshuo's death was truly deserved, and calmly replied, "Yes."

Emperor of Wei turned to Grand Eunuch Wei and instructed him, "Send letters to the residences of the Ninth Prince and the Duke of Qin, explaining today's events clearly. Say nothing else! They will understand the gravity of the situation."

Grand Eunuch Wei, hurriedly kowtowed and accepted the decree. "This servant will immediately send word and urge the relevant authorities to draft the relief regulations, without daring to make the slightest mistake." As he rose, his sleeves lightly brushed against the gold bricks, making no sound whatsoever, and in an instant, he disappeared into the shadows outside the palace.

Prince Kuang Shenzhi of the South stood below the steps, noticing that Emperor Wei's fingertips were still tapping on the silk scroll on the table. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Your Majesty, the two prime ministers this time..."

Emperor of Wei raised his eyes to look at the dragon pillar; the candlelight cast flickering shadows on the dragon patterns on the pillar.

"Shenzhi and I are thinking the same thing. If the two prime ministers can jointly petition the emperor today, they will dare to jointly obstruct the government tomorrow. If we don't make arrangements soon, when the court discusses the ownership of the sixteen prefectures next year, I'm afraid the imperial clan will not even be able to hold onto this one prefecture."

He raised his hand and rolled the silk scroll into the jade scroll, his gaze falling on the deep night outside the window:

"If you two or three still don't realize the urgency of the situation, I might be forced to personally go to the Billowing Dream Palace as the head of the direct line and bow down to that Dragon Spawn. Only by uniting the two lineages can we possibly protect the Kuang Household's rule!"

But if he's not in the outer sea, who can guard those four Nascent Spirit Transformation there?!

"Alas, the nation is in dire straits, stirring up murderous intent in some."