After the Yang Sui Uprising, the national title and imperial system were abolished, and the world fell into chaos, naturally giving rise to numerous power contenders vying for supremacy.
The heavenly prides desiring to snatch the new position of Human Emperor can be described as a continuous stream, never ceasing.
Most of them wouldn't amount to much, at best they could only dominate a local area as a warlord, and those slightly stronger were nothing more than having a larger territory, a few major cities, or perhaps a dozen counties.
To be recognized across the world and accepted by all people and the cultivation world as having the potential to be Human Emperor, one at least had to seize control of a province.
Otherwise, who would look up to you? Who would join you?
Such heavenly prides and warlords could be counted on one's fingers.
Special sects like the Divine Ear Sect, Ting Di Sect, Ten Thousand Miles Sect and others jointly launched related leaderboards and records.
The Primordial Sect also had many experts assess the heavenly prides of the seventy-two provinces, which were recorded in the "Primordial Human Record".
At the current stage, the four believed to be most likely to seize the throne of Human Emperor were:
Yu Yanshi!
Si Xixin!
Zhang Jinluan!
Hong Fu!
The fourth, namely the Devil God Third Princess, had seemed powerful, but with the rapid fallout from the marriage news with Si Xixin, her support had drastically fallen off a cliff.
Of course, her chances still far outweighed those of brutal warlords like Song Tiecheng and Yelü Lushan, since she controlled more than one province, not to mention a host of formidable powers backing her.
As for the other three, each of them controlled more than five major provinces and were backed by the Twelve Daoist Sects and super-sized Buddhist temples.
Everyone had already accepted that the new Human Emperor would arise from among these three.
However, in a fleeting moment, when Master Tao Qian put forth his request to Sui Chaozi, everyone understood.
A new twist had unfolded for the destiny of Tian Chao.
Tao Qian!
The significance this name represented was absolutely extraordinary.
One could say that the current situation of the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty was almost single-handedly pushed by this individual.
Once everyone realized this, those Spirit Mirror Crystal Balls exploded with billions of thoughts.
"Huge news! Truly massive news!"
"Quick, send this urgent message to the seventy-two provinces, 'The number one heavenly pride of the Daoist world, Master Tao Qian, is about to join the world and seize the Human Emperor throne.'"
"No need to fight, no need to compete anymore, if Master Tao Qian is willing to step forward, there's no second thought about who the Human Emperor will be."
"Well said, in terms of territory, Tao Master begins with three prosperous major provinces… in terms of support, if Spirit Treasure Sect decides to make a move, who in the world could resist… in terms of personal talent and wisdom, starting from the Demon City incident, followed by the Yang Sui Uprising, the New Moon Rebellion, Tao Master has long since proved himself."
"It should've been this way earlier, I've long considered that the most suitable person to be the new emperor in this world is none other than Master Tao Qian."
"Tao Master's reputation is known to all; not to mention the year he forwent the great malice of the Zhu Dynasty, sacrificing the supreme treasure 'Mountain and River Map' with great determination. Every major event he participated in afterward, was aimed at saving all people, such disposition within both the cultivation world and the secular world, is truly rare."
"If Master Tao Qian were to make a call to arms, regardless of north or south, the response might far exceed the other heavenly prides."
"There are indeed many shortcomings. Tao Master started too late, and just on the aspect of 'army', this alone might be enough to stump him."
...
The turmoil outside did not affect the ongoing conversation in the province city.
Hearing Master Tao Qian's request, Sui Chaozi turned to look at him, and his seemingly murky eyes easily penetrated Master Tao Qian's inner thoughts.
He did not expose these thoughts, however, and instead nodded gravely, responding accomodatingly:
"My coming here was originally to ensure your survival, but if you wish to substitute it with this request, it can also be done."
"This object is a fine artifact embryo; it is conceivable that my teacher would also be willing to take action once."
"After the old man received the origin of the 'Golden Star God Monarch', his blessing deepened, and then he successively obtained the Divine Origin Qi of several Mechanical Evil Gods; if he were to craft another Governance Divine Machine, perhaps its power and utility would even surpass the one the Ancestor Dragon crafted."
"Not to speak of managing three provinces, even ten provinces or a dozen or so provinces, there should be more than enough ability."
Having said these few sentences,
Sui Chaozi's gaze shifted and unexpectedly fell upon Lian Jing'er.
He nodded and also revealed a secret:
"We share no small fate, now that you have made a decision, I will grant you another benefit."
"When the Ancestor Dragon swept across the wilderness and vanquished divine tricksters, his mechanical army was highly meritorious. Although I cannot offer you an army of that caliber, it is not difficult for me to help you obtain some of the Ancestor Dragon's legacy."
"Before the Ancestor Dragon left this realm, he scattered and buried the army, with many falling into the hands of Alchemists, a few obtained by those with affinity, and some experienced mishaps."
"This Mechanical Alien Species from your command named 'Lian Jing'er' indeed comes from one of the Ancestor Dragon Tombs, which still holds an intact Bronze Divine Army. Since this little thing has attained Dao and activated its Wisdom Spirit God, if I give it another portion of Divine Qi Origin, it will naturally be able to restore its wisdom library, return to that tomb to subdue the army, and then come to assist you."
After Sui Chaozi finished speaking, it was like adding fuel to the fire—the world was once again fiercely excited.
Everyone was in shock and awe.
Just how favorably did Tianzhi Gong's lineage view Master Tao Qian; offering not just one Governance Divine Machine but also a Bronze Divine Army, a remnant of the Ancestor Dragon?
While everyone thought this was Master Tao Qian's starting point to vie for supremacy in the Central Plains,
suddenly, an additional significant commotion emerged at the scene.
A series of shrieks sounding as if from ancient times echoed, emanating from the previously much-anticipated and later neglected old site of Han Mountain Temple.
Atop Han Mountain, the Biwu Divine Tree.
There, the Devil Concubine Yuan Mingzhen—bird-bodied and human-faced—let out a stirring cry.
She then easily broke free from the "Jiangshan Xiangyun Cage," a treasure that the Gao family had used to trap her. With a spread of her wings, she soared into the sky, quickly reverting to her human form, transforming back into the world's greatest beauty, the final Empress.
She, adorned in a phoenix robe, came to Tao Qian's side with her bewitching grace.
Then, in a clear voice, she uttered the kind of words that made both men and women under the heavens green with envy.
"Brother Tao!"
Just these three words, this form of address, was enough to send shivers down most people's spines, leaving them overwhelmed with emotion.
They could not help but wish to replace "Brother Tao" with their own names, or terms of endearment like "darling brother."
The words that followed were even more infuriating to those warlords and demons who wanted to snatch the Devil Concubine away.
"Although Mingzhen was far off in the Imperial City, her divine communion with Brother Tao had long been established."
"Now that we have met, I also understand Brother Tao's aspirations; Mingzhen has no further regrets and deeply knows that you and I are truly kindred spirits."
"The talk of the Devil Empress concubine ends here."
"From today onward, Mingzhen wishes to serve by True Master's side, to embark on great endeavors together, and to protect all people."
...
When her voice, which was incomparably soft and captivating, ceased,
The seventy-two provinces were in total uproar.
Compared to other major events, what still drew the most attention were the romantic scandals.
Even though Mingzhen had resorted to using the proper title of "True Master" in her last sentence,
But with her previous words, calling him "brother" this and "brother" that, who could not be perplexed?
Most would not ponder the implications of the Devil Concubine's alliance with Tao Qian, or the ties behind it.
They saw this scene and only entertained two thoughts:
First, Master Tao was extremely fortunate.
Second, Master Tao truly was destined to receive such fortune, being one with great destiny, and thus fit to possess a beauty of the Devil Empress concubine's caliber.
Logically, in such a blessed situation, he, Master Tao, should be joyful and enjoy it.
Sadly, that was not the case.
When Mingzhen emerged to make her presence felt, Tao Qian knew something was amiss.
Her speech had indeed been arranged in advance.
But those calls of "brother" were most certainly not part of the plan.
Tao Qian had just sensed trouble when his premonition proved true.
Suddenly, in the assembly, the ringing of bells echoed throughout, and then, the sky changed as a series of soul-shuddering pale rainbow lights burst forth.
That tinkling Spirit Sound, using the Spirit Mirror Crystal Ball as a medium, spread across the seventy-two provinces.
Everyone trembled to their core, drenched in cold sweat.
In a daze, they all saw that by Master Tao's side, a mysterious woman had appeared out of nowhere.
This woman's aura was so dreadfully enigmatic and terrifying that it compelled Mingzhen to give up a place by his side.
Then, the woman spoke.
Surprisingly, while dominating, her words once again kindled jealousy towards Master Tao.
"My name is Yunrong, of the Kitten lineage from Jade Ring Mountain, and I am also the wife of Tao Qian."
"Whatever my husband wishes to do, he shall do."
"My Jade Ring Mountain will fully support him; if anyone under the heavens disagrees, they can come to Jade Ring Mountain and speak to my Master, Grandmother Taizhen."
Upon the final word's echo, an uproar ensued.
Nothing else, the statement was extremely dominating.
As more and more powers tuned into the events at Qiantang heard this, their expressions turned solemn.
Especially those Ultimate Happiness Realm experts rushing to confront Tao Qian, they couldn't help but halt in their tracks.
Ordinary people might not grasp the significance of the names "Jade Ring Mountain" or "Grandmother Taizhen," but those from major forces were crystal clear.
They understood that Jade Ring Mountain was not a force to be trifled with lightly.
The Cultivators from the Divine Ear Sect and Ting Di Sect, responsible for overseeing the Spirit Mirror Crystal Ball, as if fearing the world wouldn't know the weight of the Kitten Demon who had just stepped forward, immediately spread the secretive news.
"Jade Ring Mountain!"
"A Cultivation World lineage that is quite detached, neither Daoist nor Buddhist, neither demon nor part of any heresy and heterodoxy."
"That mountain belongs to a special female fairy, Grandmother Taizhen."
"This female fairy is not only extremely powerful, possessing the Supreme Treasure, Haotian Divine Mirror, but behind her is a terrifying lineage rumored to be from an Ancient Tribulation Immortal, an Innate Divine Spirit, of the Outer Realm."
"Even forces like the Twelve Daoist Sects, if not necessary, would not provoke Jade Ring Mountain."
As these messages spread across the provinces,
People's view shifted from admiration to jealousy of the Great Master Tao.
Not to mention the Tianzhi Gong lineage, assumed to be Master Duobao convening support from behind.
And what to make of Devil Concubine Yuan Mingzhen voluntarily offering allegiance, even seemingly propositioning herself?
That aside, yet another from Jade Ring Mountain, claiming to be Tao's rightful consort, emerged, offering full support and even dragging her own formidable Master into the fray.
In just a few breaths' time, the audience's opinion of Tao Qian began to shift.
Terms like "hero" and "patriot" remained, but slurs like "pretty boy" and "sponger" were rapidly on the rise.
PS: I'll be pushing for more updates in the next two days, getting restless with my hands.