Loan Wusheng

Chapter 212 Five Elements United, Half-Step Yuan Dan!
"If I become emperor, Grand Commander... Grand Commander, you will be granted nine additional honors, be appointed Grand General, granted the authority to act on behalf of the emperor, granted the same rank as the Three Excellencies, and be appointed Commander-in-Chief of all military affairs, both inside and outside the capital. You will be allowed to wear a sword and shoes in the palace, and will not have to hasten your steps when entering the court, nor will you be allowed to be addressed by name during audiences!"

King Jing's voice had become hoarse. He had been doing his utmost to persuade Zheng Jun to support him as emperor.

It's a last-ditch effort, a desperate gamble.

Zheng Jun's expression, however, was somewhat strange.

Prince Jing, Li Yue, is already thirty-five years old, yet he wants to acknowledge me as his "adoptive father"?
There was an eleven-year age gap between him and King Jing; he was only twenty-four years old.

This is a bit too much.

However, Zheng Jun liked it very much.

Upon realizing this, Zheng Jun immediately smiled and stepped forward to help the extremely excited Prince Jing, Li Yue, to his feet, saying with a smile, "Your Highness, please rise."

King Jing stood nervously to the side, awaiting Zheng Jun's decision.

"Your Highness, please go back and rest. Do not make this public."

Zheng Jun smiled and watched as Prince Jing left the carriage. Then he looked at Liu Hu, the Minister of Revenue, who was standing in the shadows of the carriage.

Liu Hu also emerged from the shadows.

"What does Minister Liu think of this boy?"

Zheng Jun tapped the table lightly with his fingers, looked at Liu Hu, and casually asked, "Could you be the Emperor of the Great Zhou?"

He has already made his decision; now it's up to Liu Hu to say it.

They're still testing the waters.

After all, some loyal ministers can pretend for a long time, and Zheng Jun still wants to see what Liu Hu really thinks.

Liu Hu slowly stepped forward from the shadows, bowed and cupped his hands, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Your Highness Prince Jing is filial and sincere. Your remarks about being a 'father-in-law' were truly excellent. I have checked the records of the Imperial Clan Court. Prince Jing has been a prince for a year now, and he can't even recognize all the officials in his palace. However, he is quite knowledgeable about Cuju (ancient Chinese football) and cockfighting, and he also enjoys calligraphy and painting."

Zheng Jun laughed loudly upon hearing this: "Good! Such a filial person should inherit the state of the Great Zhou."

Cockfighting, Cuju (ancient Chinese football), and a fondness for calligraphy and painting?
Emperor Huizong of Song has arrived, hasn't he?

Great, this is the one I want.

Zheng Jun would only be unhappy if he were given an ambitious figure like Prince Ziying of Qin, Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei, Emperor Jing of Wu, or Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou.

Even if Prince Jing were a ruthless character similar to Yuwen Yong, it wouldn't be of much use in the world of high-level martial arts.

When Yuwen Hu entered the palace, he was killed by the axemen ambushed by Yuwen Yong; when Erzhu Rong entered the palace, he was also hacked to death by the warriors ambushed by Yuan Ziyou.

But Zheng Jun wouldn't.

Because he was a martial artist at the peak of the Qi Opening stage, the strongest Qi Opening martial artist in the entire world.

He is also currently the most advanced martial artist in the world who has reached the level of Yuan Dan Martial Saint.

What kind of ambush could have killed Zheng Jun?

Did they summon the Martial Saint Yuan Dan?

Moreover, even if a Yuan Dan Martial Saint came, Zheng Jun felt he wouldn't die!

This is the charm of the fantasy world: powerful ministers are not so easily overthrown by puppet emperors.

Throughout the history of this world, in the past three to five thousand years, there has never been a powerful minister who was overthrown by a puppet emperor!

Zheng Jun felt that if he were to be overturned, there was no point in fighting for the world anymore; he might as well go home and take care of his kids.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Jun immediately asked, "What should we do with the Crown Prince Li Jing and Marquis Li Feng?"

Zheng Jun's idea was to kill them.

At this point, bringing the Virgin Mary into the picture would only create more trouble and could lead to some unexpected problems.

"Both of these men are following your lead, Your Excellency."

"We cannot release or kill the Crown Prince Li Jing. Since the death of Emperor Yongchang and the fall of the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince has been the most legitimate successor of the Yongchang faction. If he falls into the hands of others, it will be troublesome."

Liu Hu cupped his hands and said, "As for Marquis Chunsheng Li Feng, nobody cares... There are plenty of princes and grandsons like him in the capital, and the Prince of Qin probably has a lot of them."

After saying that, Liu Hu paused for a moment and continued, "But... my lord, this Marquis Chunsheng, Li Feng, is also of some use. We can send an envoy to Chuzhou to show our intention to befriend the King of Chu."

"What's the use of this?" Zheng Jun looked up at it.

“My lord, Prince Li Hong of Chu is currently at war with Emperor Xiao Luan of the Liang Dynasty. Although Chu Prefecture is nearby, he is powerless to confront you. Therefore, we should try to win over Prince Li Hong. If he agrees to jointly support Prince Jing as emperor, we can also divide the Li clan from within,” Liu Hu said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Jun immediately asked, "Even so, would the King of Chu agree so easily?"

"As long as the King of Chu takes in Marquis Chunsheng, we can, in the name of righteousness, proclaim to the world that the King of Chu will be granted the authority to act as an imperial envoy, establish his own government with the same rank as the Three Excellencies, oversee the military affairs of the eight southern states, wear a sword and shoes in the palace, enter the court without hastening, and be honored without being named!" Liu Hu said without hesitation.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Jun couldn't help but feel that they were being a bit shameless.

This is a bit too much like Emperor Gaozu of Han. What if the King of Chu suddenly goes mad and abandons the Xiao Liang dynasty?
There are too many variables.

"I know what you're thinking, Your Excellency. If the King of Chu really gets angry, we can just issue another edict to give him the title of 'Imperial Uncle,' and that's it," Liu Hu said nonchalantly.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Jun looked at Liu Hu with icy eyes.

You wouldn't happen to be one of the King of Chu's men, would you?

Once I establish Prince Jing as heir, you can find an opportunity to kill him. At that time, the title of Imperial Uncle will automatically take effect, and the legitimate title will become that of Prince Chu. This way, everything will benefit Prince Chu.
Sensing the change in Zheng Jun's gaze, Liu Hu immediately realized he had misspoke and was about to apologize when Zheng Jun suddenly waved his hand and said, "Whether or not to establish an emperor is not up to me. We still need to discuss it with Senior Lu and Senior Cai."

"You should go back first. The most urgent task now is to resist the Qin rebels. We can discuss the matter of establishing an emperor later," Zheng Jun said. "Go and find Vice Minister Zhou of the Ministry of Rites to determine a temple name and posthumous title for Emperor Yongchang."

"promise."

Upon hearing this, Liu Hu immediately bowed and took his leave.

After Liu Hu took his leave, Zheng Jun let out a breath, lost in thought.

Establishing King Jing was what Zheng Jun desired.

However, if they wanted to win over loyal ministers of the Great Zhou like Duke Yue Guo, Shu Weiyuan, establishing Prince Jing would be useless. The only option was to establish the Crown Prince Li Jing, so that these loyal ministers would come to support him.

but……

“Even loyal ministers of the Great Zhou can cause me trouble. If I want to depose the emperor, they will definitely oppose me.”

Zheng Jun thought to himself, "Now, the loyal minister of the Great Zhou, Duke Yue, Shu Weiyuan, is fighting against the two kings of Wei and Han in Pengzhou, and Wu Liyang is restraining the King of Zhao in Suzhou. It is said that Tang Feng, the military governor of Lingzhou, is also a loyal minister, but Lingzhou is 108,000 miles away from here, so he is useless."

"As for Wang Chengdong and his son Wang Ruzhu in Yunzhou... although they seem like loyal ministers, I always feel that they are not that loyal."

Zheng Jun thought to himself, "But it doesn't matter. They are in the north of Yunzhou, and the Prince of Yan is in the south of Yunzhou. According to the current intelligence, the Wang family and the Prince of Yan have some disagreements, so they should not be birds of a feather."

From this perspective, Zheng Jun doesn't feel that much pressure.

King Zhao had Wu Liyang.

The two kings of Wei and Han, along with the two ancestors of the Yang family, included Cai Kang and Shu Weiyuan.

The King of Chu had Emperor Xiao Liang.

The King of Yan had a father and son surnamed Wang.

King Qi had Qin Cunhai, a notorious bandit from Jiaodong.

When the King of Yue returned to Jiangzhou, he still had to face the Lu Wu regime, which had been raided by sea.

Everyone has something to do.

Only the King of Qin and the King of Jin seemed to have nothing to do.

As long as you win over one faction and attack the other, there won't be any problems at all.

How could there be no pressure when vying for supremacy?

It's done!

Zheng Jun took a deep breath, took the initiative to lift the carriage curtain, and looked at the majestic horizon, his eyes filled with burning ambition.

"Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny? Who says that the title of 'ruler of the world' can only be given to those princes of the Li clan?"

"I want this Dharma form. I want this world too!"

Driven by ambition, Zheng Jun recalled many secrets about the unity of the five elements, and then said to Wei Quan, who was driving for him, "Little Wei."

"Grand Governor."

Wei Quan immediately replied, "Any instructions?"

"We are to find seven generals of the Outer Gang Cavalry, each with ten men, to set off under the cover of night, and to travel between the Zhao family of Longzhou Prefecture, the General Wang of Zhenbeisai in Yunzhou, the Jiedushi's Mansion of Yanmen County in Suzhou, the Liu family of Pingzhou Prefecture, Zhang Bengong's troops in Shu, the Yue King's Mansion in Jiangzhou, and the Chu King's Mansion in Chuzhou!"

Zheng Jun took a deep breath and said, "Have them go to Liu Hu, the Minister of Revenue, to get a letter and inform them."

"You and Dugu Yuan should set off immediately to visit Cai Kang, the patriarch of the Cai family, in Bozhou, and Lu Zhenglin, the patriarch of the Lu family, in Xuanzhou. Invite them to come to Lanzhou for a chat. Tell them that I have found a great treasure here, comparable to the Imperial Seal of the State. Anyone who wants to support an emperor should come quickly."

"Finally...find a few fearless individuals to go to Liangzhou and seek out Li Hun, the governor of Liangzhou. The imperial court is willing to bestow upon him the title of king, and together we can launch a pincer attack on the King of Qin!"

Upon hearing Zheng Jun's words, Wei Quan immediately tensed up.

He drove Zheng Jun's carriage, and during this time, he had brought Chun Shenghou and Jing Wang with him, so he naturally knew what the conversation inside the carriage was about.

He also understood that the Grand Commander was about to do something big.

"promise!"

After receiving the order, Wei Quan immediately appointed a personal guard commander to continue driving Zheng Jun's carriage, while he himself quickly left to organize manpower for Zheng Jun.

Apart from Zhang Bengong from Sichuan, all the people Zheng Jun selected were Yuan Dan Martial Saints!

Apart from the King of Chu, all of them were Yuan Dan Martial Saints from outside the royal family.

Especially Li Hun from Liangzhou.

Although his surname is Li, he is not the same Li as the one in the Great Zhou royal family. He is not a member of the royal family. The fact that he can occupy the powerful Liangzhou region shows that he is extraordinary.

If we could attack the King of Qin from both sides, that would be the best course of action.

As for Zhang Bengong...

Although Zheng Jun killed his nephew, uncle, brother-in-law, and a series of other relatives, Zhang Bengong would likely choose to forgive him in the face of personal gain.

Zhang Bengong's advancement to the Yuan Dan realm should not be a problem.

After all, the spirituality he obtained belonged to the founding emperor of the ancient Xia Dynasty, which was easily attainable.

After exhaling, Zheng Jun stopped thinking, his eyes now burning brightly.

All he had to do next was one thing.

This is something that even the rulers of a state are doing in this era.

Suck blood fiercely!

"Exchange the wealth and resources of the entire Lanzhou for rare and precious treasures!"

Zheng Jun needs to break through to the Yuan Dan realm as quickly as possible!

……

In the capital city, demons are running rampant!
The King of Qin stood with his hands behind his back on the steps, his black royal robes fluttering in the bloody wind.

He gazed at the thick smoke rising from the palace, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Behind them, the black-robed demon king was tearing at the arm of a former emperor's favorite concubine, the sound of flesh and bone separating mixed with screams piercing the sky.

"Report——!"

A black-armored captain rushed into the hall, knelt before the King of Qin, and reported: "Your Highness, the rebels in the eastern city have been completely wiped out! The leaders Zhang Duan, Chen Fu, and Wang Yang have been executed, and their heads are here!"

After saying this, he picked up the lacquer tray, and the eyes of the three heads were still frozen in shock and anger.

The rightmost head, which belonged to Zhang Duan, had its lower jaw completely torn off, revealing jagged bone fragments.

Upon seeing the three heads, King Qin Li Xun sighed and said, "Zhang, Chen, and Wang, you three are veteran generals who fought alongside me from Guanzhong. After I conquered Shenjing, I will naturally reward my meritorious officials. Why did you go to such lengths to incite tens of thousands of soldiers to rebel against me?"

Upon hearing Prince Li Xun's words, the black-armored captain dared not utter a sound.

Zhang Duan, Chen Fu, and Wang Yang were all skilled generals who entered the city with the King of Qin.

Chen Fu was even the commander of Xuanwu Guard. Most of the rebels were 30,000 elite soldiers from Xuanwu Guard, plus some county soldiers from various parts of Guanzhong.

They rebelled because after entering the city, they saw demons burning, killing, and looting in the capital, which aroused their indignation.

They thought they could just endure it and it would pass, but a rat demon with supernatural abilities mocked the Qin soldiers for being incompetent in front of Xuanwu Guards and even devoured civilians right in front of them.

Upon seeing this, Chen Fu could no longer bear it. He immediately formed a battle formation on the spot and killed the rat demon. Then, the army advanced all the way, killing any demons they encountered. Along the way, they killed a total of four powerful demons who had reached the Qi Condensation Realm.

Then, it attracted the attention of the King of Qin, who declared these troops a rebellion. Then, taking advantage of their unpreparedness, the black-robed demon king directly killed Chen Fu from a distance, and the rebellion was quelled.

What I just reported was only the follow-up result.

Most of the 30,000 Xuanwu Guards were killed.

Of the remaining 10,000 or so county soldiers who followed, several thousand died in battle, and the rest were all demoted and given the same treatment as the garrison of Shenjing.

This incident greatly upset the King of Qin, washing away the joy he had felt just moments before when he had seized the capital and killed his nephew.

He didn't understand why the people in his own Guanzhong region were also opposing him.

King Li Xun of Qin recently heard military reports that two counties in Guanzhong had experienced popular uprisings and rebellions, and that the governor of one of the counties had even joined in, wanting to go to Qizhou to welcome the King of Jin, who had made a mistake.

How could the King of Qin tolerate this?

What's so special about the Prince of Jin?

Why did you provoke your father's wrath in the first place?
The Prince of Jin committed a terrible crime back then; he stole his stepmother and took one of Emperor Shenwu's concubines!
After this matter was leaked, Emperor Shenwu was furious.

They directly ordered the execution of the concubine's entire clan and even considered demoting the Prince of Jin to a commoner.

However, considering that Prince Jin was also a Yuan Dan Martial Saint, and that deposing Prince Jin would not be conducive to his policy of guarding the borders as a prince, and would not prevent the dynasty from becoming unstable after his death if he could not break through to a higher level, he held back and first reassigned Prince Jin to Longzhou, and then moved him to Qizhou.

Qizhou was the front line of the Great Zhou against the Buddhist Kingdom in the far west. It was a territory in the Western Regions that the Great Zhou had occupied. The gentry there were not very friendly to the Great Zhou, and the opposition forces in the various countries of the Western Regions had been surging under the cover of time.

During the ancient Xia and Wei dynasties, Qizhou was not even on the map of the territory. It was only captured for a period of time during the Dayu period, and then lost again when the world was in chaos. It was not until Emperor Shenwu unified the world that he sent troops to recapture it.

Sending the Prince of Jin to Qizhou to oversee the region is tantamount to exile.

Moreover, the Western Regions are not without Yuan Dan Martial Saints.

Thinking of this, King Li Xun of Qin couldn't help but feel extremely depressed.

"Go down."

The King of Qin sighed, waved his hand, and dismissed the black-armored captain.

Upon hearing this, the black-armored captain breathed a sigh of relief and then bowed to take his leave.

After the black-armored captain took his leave, King Li Xun of Qin turned to look at the demon king who was completely hidden in his black robe and couldn't help but laugh, "Aren't deer supposed to eat grass? How come you're so familiar with eating meat?"

"Humph."

Upon hearing this, the black-robed demon king slowly lifted his hood, revealing a face that was neither human nor inhuman.

He casually tossed the half-eaten limb aside, letting out a hoarse laugh: "Your Highness, the King of Qin, is joking."

Having said that, the black-robed demon king picked up a piece of bloody breast meat from the plate, put it in his mouth and chewed it in front of the King of Qin, his scarlet blood flowing all over his body: "The unintelligent beasts of my clan eat grass because they can't get meat. If they could eat meat, they would naturally choose to eat meat."

Having said that, the black-robed demon king grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth, and said, "The spiritual energy in human flesh is much richer than that of plant essences, especially the flesh and blood of martial artists."

As he spoke, the black-robed demon king licked his fingertips with a hint of lingering satisfaction, his gaze sweeping over the trembling palace maids outside the hall: "These mortals may not be as nourishing as martial artists, but they are fresh and tender."

Just as King Li Xun of Qin was about to say something, the Demon King suddenly raised his hand and grabbed an old eunuch who was slumped on the ground.

The eunuch's neck was gripped by an invisible force, and his face quickly turned purple. Meanwhile, black mist rose from the demon king's palm, drawing out the old eunuch's life essence into strands of red blood, which he then swallowed whole!

"Hmm, the eunuchs in this palace are surprisingly delicious."

The Demon King sighed with satisfaction: "If Your Highness finds my eating manners unsightly, you might as well send more warriors."

"That captain just now had very vigorous blood and energy."

A hint of coldness flashed in the King of Qin's eyes, but he suddenly laughed heartily: "Easy, easy! However, there is something I need to discuss with the Deer Demon King. Although I have occupied this capital city, I am now besieged on all sides! To the east is Zheng Jun, to the west is the King of Jin, to the north is the King of Zhao, and to the south is the rebel. Demon King, which side do you think I should attack first?"

"It's Zheng Jun, of course!"

Upon hearing the name 'Zheng Jun,' the black-robed demon king's killing intent surged forth: 'This boy killed my demon general Crocodile Peak. I have come down the mountain to assist you for two reasons: first, the Great Sage's decree; and second, to suppress and kill this Zheng Jun!'

This black-robed demon king was none other than the Deer Demon King, one of the three great demon kings of the Northern Demon Court, whose subordinates Zheng Jun had killed many of!
Upon hearing what the Deer Demon King said, the King of Qin nodded, a hint of killing intent flashing in his eyes.

Of the three guards of the Prince of Qin's mansion, Xuanwu Guard had just been wiped out by him, and the entire Xuan Bird Guard had been captured in Lanzhou. His only true direct subordinate was the Jinglong Guard.

Later, Bi Fang and the other two powerful demons under his command were also killed by Zheng Jun.

Gongyang Jin was also trapped in Lanzhou.

Lanzhou originally belonged to the Fang family, but since the Fang family had already pledged allegiance to him, Lanzhou should have been his territory, but it was seized by Zheng Jun.

Such a thing would naturally enrage King Li Xun of Qin.

However, we must also be wary of what might happen in the rear.

He asked the Deer Demon King for confirmation that the Deer Demon King would join him. If he attacked alone, he feared it would be difficult to quickly eliminate Zheng Jun.

It's much easier when you're with the Deer Demon King.

Thinking of this, Prince Qin, Li Xun, chuckled and said, "Good, good, good! Zheng Jun has two armies under his command, one called Cangdao and the other Xiaoguo. Once we conquer Lanzhou, the Xiaoguo and Cangdao armies under Zheng Jun's command will all be yours, a full 100,000 men. Don't overeat!"

Upon hearing King Qin Li Xun's words, the Deer Demon King bared his fangs: "Alright, when shall we make our move?"

"Let's rest in Shenjing for a while. Although this Zheng Jun is exceptionally talented, how easy is it to break through the bottleneck of the Yuan Dan Martial Saint? Moreover, he has only just reached the fifth level of the Tongqiao realm. Breaking through to the Yuan Dan realm is too much of a pipe dream. In two months, I will launch a major offensive!"

King Li Xun of Qin had his reasons for making it take two months.

On the one hand, having captured the capital, it was natural to reward the meritorious officials and let the soldiers enjoy themselves.

On the other hand, there was the rebellion in the rear. King Li Xun of Qin always needed to use this time to deal with the rebellion in his Guanzhong territory.

Otherwise, if we don't resolve this issue, what if the Prince of Jin really comes?
Compared to the impoverished border region of Qizhou, wouldn't it be wonderful to enjoy life in Guanzhong?
Compared to the Prince of Jin, Zheng Jun is nothing.

I'd rather give it to Zheng Jun than to a relative!
……

A month later, deep within the earth's veins of Lanzhou, a rich spiritual energy permeated the air.

Zheng Jun sat cross-legged on a jade platform, surrounded by a five-colored halo.

He had been sitting here in meditation for thirty-seven days, his clothes covered with crystallized spiritual liquid dripping from the cave ceiling, shimmering faintly in the dim light.

"Grand Governor."

Before Zheng Jun, Mushuhar directed his soldiers to bring in several more boxes of clearly sized pills, and respectfully said to Zheng Jun, "All the pills you requested are here."

"Well, let's go down."

Zheng Jun slowly opened his eyes, his gaze seemingly sparkling with stars. He looked at the mountain of pills before him, nodded, and dismissed Mushuhar and the others.

After the others left, Zheng Jun looked ahead.

In front of Zheng Jun was a small mountain of elixirs.

All kinds of pills are available, from the 'Glazed Spiritual Light Pill' used in the Opening Aperture Realm to the 'Blood Nourishing Pill' used in the Blood Refining Realm, there are more than 100,000 pills of all kinds.

It can be said that all the pills that could be collected in Lanzhou in a short period of time have been collected.

Even the army's supplies were cut in half.

Given Zheng Jun's situation, all the martial artists under his command who had reached the Qi Condensation Realm wanted to offer him some advice.

After all, even if one consumes so many elixirs, it is impossible to perfectly refine the spiritual energy within them, and there is also a possibility of being poisoned by the elixirs, which would be a losing proposition.

But Zheng Jun insisted on this, so we had no choice but to give up.

After all, Zheng Jun is quite different from them.

With the 'Great Dao Martial Arts Manual' in his possession, Zheng Jun doesn't need to worry about the massive spiritual energy impact causing delays in refining the energy.

Having a cheat code makes all the difference.

Zheng Jun exhaled, and his true essence surged. Enveloped in spiritual energy, many of the pills in the small mountain of pills in front of him began to glow.

The 'Glassy Spiritual Light Pill' is crystal clear and emits a seven-colored glow; the 'Mysterious Water Condensed Dew Pill' is like a pearl in the deep sea, and one can faintly hear the sound of the tide.

More than 100,000 pills, each containing enough pure spiritual power to make ordinary cultivators fight tooth and nail for them.

Zheng Jun took a deep breath, and the 'Tai Xu Ning Yu Pian' within his body began to operate wildly.

His chest rose and fell slightly, and the pores on his body opened up, making him seem like a bottomless black hole!
"swallow!"

With a soft shout, Zheng Jun opened his mouth and inhaled.

In an instant, a fierce wind arose inside the cave, and more than 100,000 pills transformed into a five-colored torrent, surging into his mouth like rivers flowing into the sea.

"boom--!!!"

The moment the elixir entered Zheng Jun's body, a thunderous roar resounded within him. At Zheng Jun's dantian, the five spiritual roots lit up simultaneously, and the power of the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—surged through his meridians.

"What powerful pill energy! But it's not enough to break through. Earth vein energy, activate!"

Zheng Jun formed hand seals, forcibly drawing upon the power of the earth's veins.

The entire Lanzhou Prefecture began to tremble slightly, and countless spiritual energies converged from all directions, forming a huge vortex of spiritual energy above his head!

"The Five Elements revolve, and all things return to one!"

As Zheng Jun activated his cultivation technique, the five elements of spiritual energy within his body began to merge with each other.

Golden sharpness intertwines with blue gentleness, crimson fire nourishes with verdant wood, and the weighty virtue of earth harmonizes in the middle.

The five elements of spiritual energy formed a perfect cycle in his dantian.

Next, we just need to wait for time to allow it to slowly form a pill shape within the cycle of the five elements.

Once the elixir takes shape and the five elements unite, it becomes a half-step Yuan Dan!
Hopefully, this won't take too long.

……

A month later, Lu Zhenglin stood in the void, his clothes fluttering like flowing clouds, and with a light wave of his feather fan, he stirred up gusts of wind.

Although Lu Zhenglin is one of the oldest Yuan Dan Martial Saints in the world, his face is as handsome as a young man's. Only his deep eyes reveal the sharpness of time, showing the old monster under his youthful appearance.

At this moment, the Lu Clan's Yuan Dan Ancestor was rushing towards Lanzhou City, his mind churning with thoughts.

"Zheng Jun has risen to power in just a few years, yet he already controls ten prefectures and dares to plot to establish a puppet emperor... He is truly arrogant!"

Lu Zhenglin frowned slightly, his feather fan unconsciously tightening: "But now that Yongchang has passed away, the capital has fallen, and the Prince of Qin has colluded with the demon court to wreak havoc on the world, the situation in the world has changed drastically. I'm afraid that in another thirty or forty years, I will have to leave and return. Without me, Xuanzhou will be difficult to protect."

Lu Zhenglin recalled the secret letter sent by Cai Kang.

Zheng Jun proposed to unite with the Lu and Cai families to support King Jing as emperor, in order to win people's hearts under the name of "restoring the Zhou dynasty" and then take the opportunity to strengthen themselves.

Although this plan is risky, it is also a rare opportunity in chaotic times.

"Cai Kang is a cunning old man, yet he's willing to gamble with this brat..."

Lu Zhenglin snorted coldly, but he had to admit the fact that the Lu family was facing a generational gap and there was no one among the younger generation who could carry the torch.

But if Zheng Jun's proposal is accepted, what can the descendants of the Lu family do?

As Lu Zhenglin pondered, in the distance, the majestic city walls of Lanzhou stood tall, with black-armored soldiers patrolling like a forest, their banners fluttering in the wind, carrying an air of impending doom.

Lu Zhenglin stopped abruptly, hovering in mid-air. His gaze swept over the rising spiritual light of the earth veins within the city, and he was suddenly alarmed: "The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is restless. Is Zheng Jun breaking through his realm again? It seems he is in the process of unifying the five elements."

Seeing this, Lu Zhenglin slammed his feather fan shut, his eyes flashing with a sharp light: "Enough! Rather than waiting to die, we might as well take advantage of his power!"

Before coming, Lu Zhenglin was still hesitant.

But upon arrival, Lu Zhenglin realized the truth.

With Zheng Jun's talent, breaking through to the Yuan Dan realm is a sure thing.

He is only twenty-four years old this year, and will be twenty-five after the New Year.

At twenty-five years old, the Yuan Dan Martial Saint is the youngest being to exist in the Northern Frontier in ten thousand years!

The last time such an existence appeared was in the ancient mythological period, in those stories of 'innate beings' who were born with a primordial core.

If that's the case, then there's no problem with the Lu family investing in Zheng Jun.

Moreover, Lu Zhenglin remembered that he had a great-granddaughter who was Zheng Jun's concubine.

"Zheng Jun comes from a humble background, not even from a poor family. He's just a street sweeper in the county town. He has no relatives and needs to cooperate with powerful families like ours to rule the country. He can forget about the Empress's position. Cai Kang has been planning this for so long, the Empress's position will definitely belong to the Cai family. But the position of Imperial Noble Consort, my Lu family might be able to try."

"If that's the case, the members of my Lu family can gradually be given important positions through the position of Imperial Noble Consort. Moreover, if this Imperial Consort from the Lu family gives birth to a prince in the future, my Lu family can unite around that prince, get through the period of decline, and wait for the rise of the Lu family's prodigy."

Lu Zhenglin thought to himself, while also thinking to himself, "Besides, with Zheng Jun's talent, even if he fails to obtain the Dharma Image of the 'Lord of the World', he can still condense a Dharma Image within two hundred years and become one of the True Martial Dharma Image True Persons in the world if he switches to cultivating other Dharma Images."

"With the protection of the Dharma Aspects, even if the new emperor dislikes my Lu family and the Cai family, he will be reluctant to take action because of the True Martial Dharma Aspects."

As for Lu's investment being relatively late, how did it attract Zheng Jun's attention?
It's very simple; Lu Zhenglin plans to offer up a treasure before he dies.

The secret passed down through generations of the Lu family.

Eight thousand years ago, there was a highly accomplished person in the Lu clan who attained enlightenment and attained the Dharma form.

This secret, passed down through generations, is the method left behind by that master, a hidden path unknown to people for five thousand years.

Only the Yuan Dan Martial Saint of the Lu family knows the secrets of this formula.

Unfortunately, since that ancestor passed away, no matter what, the descendants of Yuan Dan have been unable to achieve the True Martial Dharma Image through this path, and to condense the Dharma Image of the 'Yellow Millet Dream'.

How tragic!

However, for the sake of the Lu family's long-term survival, Lu Zhenglin felt that there was nothing wrong with using this to exchange for the Lu family's wealth and status.

Since even seven generations of Yuan Dan Martial Saints from the Lu family haven't figured it out after thousands of years, let's use this information to exchange for wealth and status.

With this thought in mind, Lu Zhenglin stopped near Lanzhou City, waiting for Zheng Jun to finish unifying the five elements before going to pay him a visit.

It's not a good time to come to your door now.

A few days later, Cai Kang arrived from Bozhou on a cloud, surrounded by pale golden aura, his robes fluttering in the wind.

Cai Kang had a commanding presence between his brows, and as he looked into the distance at the vortex of spiritual energy swirling above Lanzhou City, he stroked his long beard and said, “Young Zheng, you actually managed to draw upon the power of the earth’s veins to break through. It seems that the unification of the five elements is now a certainty.”

The five elements are about to be united.

Seeing this, Cai Kang decided not to wait outside any longer.

Just as Cai Kang was about to enter the city, a long howl suddenly came from the northwest: "So it's Brother Cai who has arrived."

The sound was like a grand bell, shaking the clouds and causing them to churn.

Cai Kang squinted and saw Lu Zhenglin walking through the air with a feather fan in hand, his white robes fluttering like a banished immortal.

This old ghost is over two hundred years older than me, yet he looks like a teenager. He's shameless!

After cursing inwardly, Cai Kang still cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "Brother Lu, how have you been? I didn't expect that Xuanzhou is a thousand miles away from here, yet you arrived even faster than I, a man from Bozhou."

"Brother Cai, you flatter me. How could it be a thousand miles away? Xuanzhou is adjacent to Lanzhou. I came here as soon as I received the news, so it was naturally much faster."

Lu Zhenglin waved his feather fan lightly, a half-smile on his face: "Besides, having heard of the important matter concerning Governor Zheng, I naturally had to come and see for myself. After all, my great-granddaughter is still a concubine in the Zheng household, so I must keep an eye on things for the younger generation."

As the two were exchanging pleasantries, they suddenly noticed dark clouds rolling in the southwest sky.

A large black banner pierced the clouds, and the five gilded characters on the banner, "Wu, Military Governor of Suzhou," shone brightly in the sunlight.

Wu Liyang arrived clad in heavy armor, riding on clouds. The ancient bronze sword hanging at his waist hummed, causing the spiritual energy within a ten-mile radius to become chaotic.

"Wu Liyang?"

Cai Kang's expression changed slightly, and he exchanged a glance with Lu Zhenglin.

The fact that this loyal subject of the Great Zhou is now in Zheng Jun's territory is truly intriguing.

After all, Zheng Jun's secret letter mentioned that he was only informing Wu Liyang and did not intend for him to come.

And this military governor actually came in person...

What is he trying to do?

Wu Liyang stopped a hundred feet away, clasped his hands and said, "Greetings, seniors. I received a secret letter from Zheng Lanzhou informing me that His Highness Prince Jing had escaped. I came here immediately to discuss important matters with Zheng Lanzhou."

When military governors address each other, they naturally use the area under their jurisdiction as the form of address. That is why Wu Liyang addresses Zheng Jun as Zheng Lanzhou.

Similarly, Zheng Jun would also refer to Wu Liyang as Wu Suzhou.

This Wu Liyang is only a little over 160 years old and is a rare genius. Compared to Cai Kang and Lu Zhenglin, he is naturally much younger.

Lu Zhenglin chuckled, covering his face with his feather fan: "Commander Wu's loyalty is indeed beyond question, but now that the capital has fallen and Emperor Yongchang has passed away, instead of seeking out the Crown Prince, General, you've come to find Zheng..."

Before he could finish speaking, suddenly the city of Lanzhou resounded with the sound of bells and drums.

"boom--!"

A five-colored beam of light shot into the sky, swallowing up the vortex of spiritual energy that enveloped the city.

The ground of the entire city of Lanzhou began to tremble, but the black-armored soldiers on the city walls remained motionless, instead shouting in unison, "Congratulations to the Grand Commander on his great achievement!"

The governor's mansion in the center of the city suddenly exploded, and Zheng Jun's figure slowly rose amidst the flying debris.

Zheng Jun suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils shimmering with five-colored light.

Zheng Jun slowly rose to his feet, his robes fluttering even without wind, and his every move exuded a suffocating aura of power.

Surrounded by the radiance of the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—Zheng Jun left behind dazzling spiritual patterns in the void with every step he took.

What is most alarming is the faint phantom of the dantian, which, though not fully solidified, already exudes a pressure that would make even a Yuan Dan Martial Saint take notice.

"A half-step Yuan Dan?!"

Sensing the aura emanating from Zheng Jun, Wu Liyang's pupils contracted sharply, and the veins on the back of his hand, which was resting on the hilt of his sword, bulged.

He came here to test Zheng Jun's stance, but unexpectedly witnessed this twenty-four-year-old monster break through to the half-step Yuan Dan realm.

He's already halfway to the Yuan Dan stage; he's just one step away from reaching the Yuan Dan stage!

Zheng Jun laughed loudly, his voice shaking the clouds: "The three seniors have come from afar, I have failed to greet you properly!"

As he spoke, he had already arrived, his gaze lingering on Wu Liyang for a moment longer.

What is he here for?

Zheng Jun was somewhat puzzled. He hadn't invited Military Governor Wu; he had only given a notification.

Wu Liyang took a deep breath and took out a gilded battle report from his bosom: "The Prince of Qin colluded with the Demon Court to break through the capital and slaughter the royal family. I have already discussed this with the Duke of Yue and we are willing to form an alliance with the military governor of Zheng to jointly establish the grandson Li Jing as emperor!"

Upon hearing this, Cai Kang and Lu Zhenglin's expressions changed slightly.

They had been plotting against King Jing for a long time.

"The Crown Prince is still young. If he ascends the throne, he will inevitably face assassination attempts by villains."

Zheng Jun's lips curled into a meaningful smile as he spoke, "It would be too dangerous to enthrone the Crown Prince... How about we first enthrone Prince Jing as Emperor, bestow the title of 'Imperial Nephew' upon the Crown Prince, and posthumously confer the title of Emperor upon His Highness the Crown Prince? In this way, His Highness the Crown Prince's right of succession will not be lost. What do you think?"

“His Highness Prince Jing is thirty-five years old now. His martial arts cultivation was achieved through initiation, not through a breakthrough on his own. His lifespan is at most one hundred and fifty years. In my opinion, His Highness Prince Jing has lost all his desires for wine, women, wealth, and power. He will probably only live to be eighty or ninety years old. When his time comes, we can let His Highness the Crown Prince ascend the throne. What do you think?”

Zheng Jun spoke slowly and deliberately, trying his best to make sure Wu Liyang could understand what he was saying.

This is the limit Zheng Jun can achieve.

Give these loyal ministers of the Great Zhou some face and let the Crown Prince Li Jing become the 'Crown Prince Nephew', and let him take over after Prince Jing passes away.

As for the King of Chu's "Imperial Uncle", let's leave that aside.

Instead of trying to win over a King of Chu, it would be better to try to win over Wu Liyang and Shu Weiyuan first.

After all, two is greater than one.

Zheng Jun is very good at math.

If Wu Liyang and Shu Weiyuan are still not satisfied, then Zheng Jun will have no choice but to tell them to get lost and go talk to the King of Chu.

As for whether or not to actually allow the Crown Prince Li Jing to ascend the throne?

Just kidding, who can say for sure what will happen in fifty years?

Fifty years later, Zheng Jun felt that he either had to unify the world or be killed.

That's a different story about Li Jing~
Upon hearing Zheng Jun's words, Wu Liyang frowned.

He also realized the meaning behind Zheng Jun's words.

but……

That seems like a viable option.

Wu Liyang thought to himself.

Although he was originally from the Imperial Guard and was promoted by the Divine Martial Emperor, and was deeply favored by the emperor, he also knew that Zheng Jun's behavior was no different from that of a traitor, and that he was also an ambitious person.

But there's no need to fall out with Zheng Jun now.

After all, he had already figured it out.

The two old foxes in front of him, Lu Zhenglin and Cai Kang, had already agreed to join Zheng Jun's scheme, and it was clear that Zheng Jun would not only send the letter to them.

In other words, Zheng Jun's plan is clearly recognized by many people.

If I were to compete with Zheng Jun at this time, I would be at a significant disadvantage.

“In that case, I, Wu, agree to let Prince Jing ascend the throne as emperor.”

After a moment of deep thought, Wu Liyang said, "However, it will only be after the world is at peace..."

"Commander Wu, this matter is a bit too far in the future."

Zheng Jun shook his head, his gaze fixed intently on the west: "Now... perhaps we should first discuss how to deal with that Qin rebel who led the Demon King north?"

(End of this chapter)