Promise!

Chapter 316, Unexpected Change

The five powerful clans were caught in a dilemma. They left behind their respective resources to form a large formation to block the core of Songling. They also planned to invest in building territories on the edge of the red zone to guard against the three great Vajra beasts, the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, the Qilin, and the Xuanwu. However, they were unwilling to let the aristocratic families stand aside. Ying Xue promoted his idea to recruit them to join him in developing the brown, green, and purple zones.

To strike while the iron was hot and accomplish this in one fell swoop, the five major clans led the Daqian court to quickly pass a resolution to hold a celebration and a grand ceremony to worship Heaven and bestow fiefs on the first day of the eighth lunar month, and to establish feudal territories in Songling according to contributions.

To quell the beast tide and reclaim the land of Songling, the contributions of powerful families and humble clans varied, and they were granted different levels of reclamation orders in the three districts of brown, blue, and purple, with different locations and sizes.

Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang's contributions can be exchanged for a top-tier land reclamation token, which is already top-tier among the powerful clans. Naturally, they were invited to this grand ceremony.

……

This celebration and grand ceremony for bestowing titles and honors to Heaven was held near Songling and on the banks of the Luo River, and consisted of three parts.

First, to celebrate victory.

Looking back on the past, recounting our achievements, and looking forward to the future.

Secondly, offering sacrifices to Heaven.

We proclaim to our ancestors, with the Luo River as our oath, that the development of Songling will be a national policy, unwavering for ten thousand generations, and will endure alongside the nation.

Thirdly, enfeoffment.

The distribution of imperial edicts and certificates established feudal territories and clarified political legitimacy.

Before the ceremony began, the powerful and influential people of the capital gathered here, and the representatives of the aristocratic families and their Yin spirits came together. Since the incident of clearing out the strange beasts of the Great Vajra Realm in the core of Songling that day, they have been traveling in unison and advancing and retreating together.

Just as Zhuang Jin had predicted, with the territories yet to be developed, the powerful clans, and no immediate threat of conflicting interests, the Kyushu aristocratic families were relatively able to cooperate sincerely.

Even though Meng Duangui and Yuwen Shentong were exchanging glances, and some aristocratic families were secretly passing messages to Shi, Mu, and Gongshu, it was because the five major clans were powerful and wanted to leave themselves a way out. However, most of them were still on the same side as the aristocratic families, just like Meng Duangui concealed things from Yuwen Shentong about the Spirit Lord and the Spirit Realm Walker.

At this moment, Yuwen Shen came over and tentatively inquired about the phoenix that had escaped that day.

"That Great Vajra Realm Phoenix did not catch up with us, or perhaps it was afraid of the divine power of the great formation and fled far away after it came out."

Zhuang Jin used the same words he had given to the other Yin spirits, being cautious and not revealing anything. Apart from stating the facts, he spoke with a tone of speculation and doubt, and then asked in return, "Is there some problem here?"

"It's alright, I was just asking."

Yuwen Shentong didn't say anything more.

He withheld information during the transaction of the 'Phoenix Rebirth Blood' and plotted against Zhuang Jin. This matter was never something that could be brought to the table. This time, he was indeed just asking and testing the waters, and he did not believe that Zhuang Jin could do anything to that phoenix.

—That phoenix, in a one-on-one fight, even Yuwen Shentong himself would have a hard time defeating it, let alone Zhuang Jin, a Yin God.
Even if Zhuang Jin were to break through to the Yang God realm by sheer luck, a newly awakened Grandmaster of the Yang God realm would still be no match for that phoenix. Moreover, such a battle would undoubtedly have caused a huge disturbance, which could not have been concealed.

'Perhaps it really was that phoenix that fled for its life, not caring about the 'Phoenix Rebirth Blood,' and simply disappeared into the distance? This kid... is truly lucky!'

Yuwen Shentong thought to himself, not lingering here any longer, for he had more important matters to attend to today.

The grand ceremony then began, recounting achievements, offering sacrifices to Heaven and ancestors, swearing oaths at the Luo River, and bestowing titles and iron certificates.

Everything went extremely smoothly until the very end, when suddenly something unexpected happened.

"Fellow Daoist Shi, please wait!"

Yuwen Shentong suddenly called out to Shi Yongnian, his aura surging and connecting with him, using some special method to immobilize him.

Just then——

Xuanyuan Nanshan acted tacitly, producing a mirror that was half black and half white, which he then waved at Shi Yongnian.

This is another secret of the royal family, called the 'Yin-Yang Mirror'. This realm has the power to disrupt Yin and Yang and determine life and death, and is infinitely mysterious.

The black side represents death and has an extremely strong killing power over flesh and blood, as well as the spirit; the white side represents life and has the power to heal and restore.

Swish!
The black light arrived instantly, landing on Shi Yongnian. It was then blocked by a light barrier formed by countless golden tadpole runes, causing ripples to spread. This was the power of the Kunlun Mirror protecting his body.

However, the mirror's true form was not there. It merely distorted and deflected this beam of light, yet some of its power still fell upon Shi Yongnian, causing him to scream and a surge of golden mist above his head.

More power was refracted and deflected, falling downwards. Zhuang Jin, seemingly out of fear, happened to take a step back, just in time to avoid the beam of light. This caused a Yin spirit from the Hanzhou family behind him to suffer the consequences, evaporating directly in the light.

This unexpected turn of events shocked the hundreds of thousands of people in the audience.

At the heart of this event, the five Yang Gods, besides Yuwen Shentong and Xuanyuan Nanshan, also showed expressions of shock on the faces of Mu Tianyuan and Gongshu Yuheng. Shi Yongnian, severely injured and screaming, still had disbelief on his face.

Their first thought was: How dare Yuwen Shentong and Xuanyuan Nanshan?
The three Great Vajra Realm beasts were sealed off in the core red zone of Songling. Yuwen Shentong and Xuanyuan Nanshan went mad and attacked them... uh, Shi Yongnian—it doesn't make much difference. The Shi, Mu, and Gongshu clans have always been united. Do they want to release those three beasts and destroy everything?
The Five Elements and Five Directions Grand Array that is now sealing off the Songling Red Zone is based on the treasures of the five clans: the Xuanyuan Sword, the Kunlun Mirror, the Eight Trigrams Formation of Gods and Ghosts, the Azure Dragon Mechanical Beast, and the Boundary Stone. Like the Imperial Xuanyuan Sword, the treasures of the Shi, Mu, Gongshu, and Yuwen clans are also bound to their bloodlines.

At the same time, only the five great yang god ancestors of the five clans can fully activate the treasure array and maximize its power. Even when they are not present, they will inject power into it every now and then.

It was precisely because of this that Shi Yongnian, Mu Tianyuan, and Gongshu Yuheng subconsciously believed that even if their resources were now all contained in the great formation, the royal family and Yuwen Shentong would not dare to attack them. However, this impossible thing has now actually happened!
Xuanyuan Nanshan didn't explain, but just stared at Shi Yongnian making another move, the Yin-Yang Mirror in his hand flashing once more.

Swish!
A black beam of light, filled with the aura of destruction and decay, shot out and arrived in the blink of an eye. This time, Shi Yongnian no longer had the protective power of the Kunlun Mirror, and he had already been severely injured, so he could hardly dodge it.

However, at this crucial moment, a figure stood in front of the other party.

It's Yuwen Shentong!
hum!
An invisible force of heaven and earth surged, transforming into a gigantic furnace. The black light from the Yin-Yang Mirror entered it, but was instantly refined without even causing a ripple.

After blocking the black beam of light, Yuwen Shentong took a step forward. At this moment, he made no attempt to conceal his presence. The pressure of the second level of the Yang God Realm and the Grandmaster of the Saint Realm enveloped the entire area. He stared intently at Xuanyuan Nanshan and said, "Xuanyuan Zongzheng, what are you doing? Are you trying to rebel?"

—Indeed, by taking advantage of his position as regent, he has refined the power of all living beings' thoughts and has now broken through the second level of the Yang God realm, and his inner furnace is finally revealing itself!
The Heart Furnace of the Second Stage of Yang God is praised as "a heart as bright as a candle, a will as fuel as firewood, a body transformed into a furnace to forge the soul." The World Honored One, "a Grandmaster of the Saintly Realm," awakened the Yang God characteristic—the Heart Furnace. This allows the ethereal realm to unfold a furnace of heaven and earth, refining all external forces that do not exceed one's own limits, achieving a degree of invulnerability to all laws. Moreover, it can also use the furnace of heaven and earth to forge a wisp of the immortal true meaning of the Yang God.

If the immortality of the second level of the Great Vajra Realm of the Mythical Beast is the immortality of the physical body, then the Heart Furnace of the second level of the Martial Yang God Realm is the immortality of the soul. With the birth of this wisp of the true meaning of the immortality of the Yang God, even if the soul is injured, it can refine resources to recover quickly and condense a seed of the divided spirit. Even if the main body is killed, it can seize another body and quickly recover its strength.

Of course, this kind of possession cannot transcend the limitations of lifespan.

At the same time, by adding this wisp of immortal true meaning to the void realm, the power of the Yang God void realm can be greatly enhanced.

At this moment, the 100,000 people present felt the real and undeniable pressure of Yuwen Shentong's second-level Yang God realm, their minds buzzing with shock at his realm and his perplexing behavior.

First, let's talk about realm. That's fine. The other four clans besides the Yuwen clan know their own affairs. Yuwen Shentong is probably different from them. His ancestral origin, which he refined, is extraordinary. The Yuwen family managed to deceive everyone and hide this fact.

This kind of situation is understandable.

But Yuwen Shentong stopped Xuanyuan Nanshan and blocked Shi Yongnian. What kind of nonsense is this?

Shi Yongnian, Mu Tianyuan, and Gongshu Yuheng were confused. Weren't Yuwen Shentong and Xuanyuan Nanshan on the same side? How could they have blocked this attack? Had the two of them turned on each other?
"you……"

Xuanyuan Nanshan paused, looking at Yuwen Shentong's cold expression and the undeniable pressure of the second level of the Yang God Realm, and suddenly understood something.

I've been tricked by Yuwen Shentong!
Because he is old and his lifespan is short, the Kunlun Mirror of the Shi family is his nemesis. Yuwen Shentong secretly found him and said that he was not prepared for the three families at today's ceremony, so he could take action against Shi Yongnian and eliminate this major threat. At the same time, he would put pressure on the three families and completely balance the strength of both sides.

As for the five-clawed golden dragon, qilin, and black tortoise sealed in Songling, that's not a problem either. The Five Elements and Five Directions Grand Array, composed of the foundations of the five clans, actually has an advantage against the three beasts. It's just that whenever they're about to secure victory, they get annoyed by the methods left behind by the immortals, causing all sorts of trouble.

Thus, even if Shi Yongnian is removed, the remaining four clans' resources, forming the Four Symbols Grand Array, can still maintain the blockade.

With the Shi family gone, a share of their profits could be used to appease the Mu and Gongshu families. Given the pressure from the three Vajra Realm beasts at the core of Songling, and considering the bigger picture, everyone is in the same boat. With a combination of soft and hard tactics, the Mu and Gongshu families are unlikely to break ties and will likely accept the situation.

Xuanyuan Nanshan had no idea that Yuwen Shentong was now at the second level of the Yang God realm and would save Shi Yongnian. In that case, the other party's plan was definitely not to kill Shi Yongnian, and he had been used as a tool.

What exactly is Yuwen Shentong trying to do?

Xuanyuan Nanshan was on guard and instinctively moved away.

"What I want to do? Naturally, it's to undermine the prestige of the royal family, to put pressure on the Shi, Mu, and Gongshu clans, to split the possibility of a four-clan alliance, to balance the two sides, to seize control of the court, and to better refine the collective power of all beings, thus breaking through to the third level of the Yang God realm and becoming a Grandmaster of the Divine Realm."

Yuwen Shentong was very clear that while his direct display of the second level of the Yang God realm could make the other four clans wary and respectful, it was not enough to directly subdue them.

—Even if they outwardly submit, they are only superficially compliant but inwardly resentful, which will only create more constraints, and they might even join forces to deal with him.

Politics is not a dinner party, but a life-or-death struggle that involves bloodshed. However, the methods left behind by that immortal may not allow it. The current situation is also special. Under the pressure of the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, Qilin, and Xuanwu at the core of Songling, it is even more difficult and impossible to take action against the other four clans.

The key is to strike a balance: to divide the royal family from the other three powerful clans, making them feel fear and thus back down, without causing the situation to collapse.

Therefore, Yuwen Shentong secretly instigated Xuanyuan Nanshan to take action, but also saved Shi Yongnian, splitting the royal family from the other three clans, balancing the two sides, and intending to advance further.

He wasn't afraid of messing things up.

Even if there is an unexpected event, there are immortal methods to back it up. The spirit of the Suspended Mirror and the methods of immortals are unknown. However, they also hope to maintain the balance of power, so as not to let the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon be killed, nor to let the five major clans perish and the Great Qian Dynasty collapse.

Zhuang Jin frowned, pondering the beam of light from the Yin-Yang Mirror: 'Was it a coincidence, or...?'

He narrowed his eyes slightly, suppressing his thoughts for the moment, and recalled the present matter: 'Yuwen Shentong obtained my *Nine-Nine Heaven and Earth Technique*, using it as a blueprint to deduce secret methods and refine the power of all living beings' thoughts. Now he has broken through to the second level of the Yang God Realm and become a Grandmaster of the Saint Realm. His influence is second only to the five great clans. The great demon king I envisioned being pushed to the forefront has come to pass!'

'Yuwen Shentong has instigated a conflict between the royal family and the Shi, Mu, and Gongshu clans, creating a system of checks and balances. Barring unforeseen circumstances, he should be able to advance further today.'

He gave Yuwen Shentong a deep look, waiting to see how the other party would perform next.

"Thank you, Regent, for saving my life! That old scoundrel Xuanyuan attacked me from behind. I beg you, Regent, to uphold justice!"

Shi Yongnian was saved by Yuwen Shentong blocking his way. Then, the other party revealed the second level of the Yang God Realm. Shi Yongnian vaguely understood something and spoke at this moment.

"Please, Regent, uphold justice."

Mu Tianyuan and Gongshu Yuheng also followed.

This scene is quite interesting. The Imperial Clan Head, Xuanyuan Nanshan, Empress Dowager Yuwen, and even the young emperor are all here today, yet they are asking Regent Yuwen Shentong to uphold justice.

'Look, he's even thanking me!'

Yuwen Shentong glanced at Shi Yongnian and said in a clear voice, "Fellow Daoist Shi, rest assured, I will take charge of this matter for you. Today, I will make sure that the Xuanyuan Sect Master gives you an explanation."

As he spoke, he turned around, took a step forward, and forced Xuan Yuan Nanshan to look at him: "I had already sensed that Xuan Yuan Zongzheng intended to harm Fellow Daoist Shi, so I warned him. I did not expect that Xuan Yuan Zongzheng would be so audacious and incorrigible, and still attack Fellow Daoist Shi."

"Although Xuanyuan Zongzheng is of royal lineage and is the head of the royal clan, the emperor is subject to the same laws as commoners, and should be punished according to the law. What do you think I should do?"

'According to Yuwen Shentong, one of the five great clans can be eliminated. Could it be that this person isn't targeting the Shi clan, but rather my royal family? If that's the case, I'd rather self-destruct and destroy my most precious treasure than let this person get away with it.'

'No, if this person wanted to do that, he could have secretly allied with the Shi, Mu, and Gongshu clans. Why would he need to instigate me to attack Shi Yongnian? It's pointless and unnecessary.'

'I understand. This is an attempt to sow discord between my royal family and the other three clans, to prevent us from joining forces, and to undermine the prestige of the royal family today… What a vicious scheme!'

Xuanyuan Nanshan understood this, but his expression remained unpleasant.

……

(End of this chapter)