Only after unifying the world did I realize that immortals existed in this world.

Xuan Gu shrugged: "Indeed, it can't be generalized. Xiang Yun didn't bully mortals. Look at the good disciple you've taught! She's truly brought honor to Taihua!"

"You assaulted someone and got arrested. Are you worried about Shi Yu, or about your own reputation?"

"After the disciple bullied mortals, now the master is thinking of bullying them too!"

Xu Yue's eyes widened: "You!"

"alright……"

Seeing the atmosphere between the two growing increasingly tense, Yun Shu, residing in the Star Eye, finally spoke: "Xuan Gu, go and guard the South Sea!"

Xuan Gu was clearly of no use to the meeting, so Yun Shu simply threw him out.

"snort!"

Xuan Gu snorted coldly, and his figure flashed, instantly disappearing from the spot.

He himself did not want to stay long.

After Xuan Gu left, the atmosphere in the entire hall became much quieter.

Xu Yue prepared to speak again: "Sect Master..."

Yun Shu simply looked down at him, his eyes, which held the essence of countless stars, devoid of any emotion. He merely asked, "Are you going to cross the poisonous miasma of the Abyss Sea to save Shi Yu?"

"Forehead……"

That one sentence was enough to put Xu Yue to death.

He choked up, his face turning pale and then flushed.

After a moment of silence, a burly man asked Xiao Zheng, "Elder Xiao, does the Emperor of Great Xia truly intend to become an enemy of my sect?"

Xiao Zheng paused, then shook his head and said, "That's not it. Great Xia has its own rules and regulations. What the monarch wants is for Taihua to regard Great Xia as one of the Immortal Alliances, to treat it as an equal, and to offer spirit stones in return for equivalent value."

"Regard them as one of the same sects? Just like the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons?"

"This emperor certainly has big ambitions! What does he want to do?"

"Doesn't the Great Xia Dynasty have no cultivators? Can they withstand the Demonic Sect?"

"Let's change the emperor..."

A pebble thrown into the lake creates ripples.

Xie Cangrong's drastically different mindset from that of the mortal dynasty of Hemingzhou sparked heated discussions among the high-ranking officials, some with furrowed brows and others with great interest.

Yun Shu didn't expect these people to provide any answers, and the Taihua Sect's current focus wasn't on winning over the Great Xia: "Great Xia has its own destiny, and for now, I must gather the strength of the entire sect to connect the Abyss Sea, clear away the poisonous miasma, and open a passage between Great Xia and Taihua!"

"Connecting to the abyss...this..."

"Sect Master, this is a matter of great importance. Should we invite the Ancestor and the Supreme Elder to make a decision?"

For thousands of years, the deep sea has remained unexplored.

It would be difficult enough to just get through that boundless miasma, let alone clear a path through it. That would require a massive investment of resources and manpower, and success would not be guaranteed.

Is it worth it?

Wouldn't it be better to use these resources to strengthen the sect?

Yun Shu glanced at everyone and said calmly, "No need for further discussion. From today onwards, each peak will allocate 70% of its spirit stones to the Internal Affairs Hall. The Merit Hall will issue an edict ordering Taihua disciples to venture out of the mountains to explore the Abyss Sea. The Pill Cauldron Pavilion will refine the Miasma-Breaking Pill, and the Weapon Refining Hall..."

As orders were issued, sects that had been peaceful for a long time began to mobilize.

……

"Your Majesty, Lord Liu has sent word that they have safely entered Heming Continent, settled in Taihua, and are having smooth communication and all matters are proceeding well."

"Um……"

……

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this is a cultivation method for 'the power of ingenuity' that I devised after studying the methods of cultivators..."

"Good! Let the scholars from the Ordnance Bureau try their hand at cultivation."

……

"Your Majesty, I have completed the drafting of the new regulations for the Great Xia Dynasty. Please review them."

"Hmm... let me see, this part needs to be changed."

……

"Your Majesty, the thirty-four spirit mines in the northern Xiaoshan Mountains have all been completed under the supervision of Lord Gong."

"Good! Order Ning Boxing to send troops to guard the area closely, and no unauthorized personnel are allowed to enter."

……

Time does not stop according to one's will.

The cultivators from Taihua left, and Liu Bingxuan also went to the Immortal Continent.

Meanwhile, the actions taken against Great Xia in another realm were progressing, and Great Xia itself continued to move forward. Xie Cangrong remained firmly seated in his high position, steering the direction of development, maintaining daily affairs, and implementing new policies.

The arrival of monks from across the sea brought changes to the empire, but did not cause chaos.

Amidst the constant flow of intelligence, the implementation of orders, and the breakthroughs in technology... time passed, the autumn wind grew increasingly chilling, goose-feather snowflakes fell, and autumn gave way to winter. A year that appeared calm on the surface but harbored turbulent undercurrents gradually drew to a close.

Snowflakes fluttered in the East China Sea.

A tall, upright man stood by the sea, hands behind his back, quietly watching the ocean.

His subordinates came over and draped an overcoat over him, saying with concern, "Lord Song, the wind is biting cold, please put on another coat."

Song Zhaowen looked away and smiled at him: "Thank you!"

"You're too kind, sir!"

This gentleman is a man of outstanding virtue and is very popular.

"The Lunar New Year is almost here..."

With nothing else to do, the subordinate looked at the vast ocean and couldn't help but sigh, "Isn't my lord going back to Lieyang City?"

Song Zhaowen asked with a smile, "What's wrong, missing home?"

"I do somewhat want to..."

The subordinate scratched the back of his head and chuckled, but then said, "I trust Your Majesty. With Your Majesty guarding Great Xia, my family will live well. It doesn't matter if someone like me wanders far away."

"yes……"

Upon hearing this, Song Zhaowen sighed with emotion.

Why did the Warriors dare to resolutely rush into that unknown land?

Because their rear was well taken care of, they were willing to die for them.

"It's one thing for people like us to stay in the East China Sea! Since we're not going out to sea, why doesn't His Majesty summon you back, sir? You should be in court doing more important things."

The subordinates felt that it was a huge waste of Song Zhaowen's talents to leave such a big shot as to watch the sea.

"Something more important?"

Song Zhaowen smiled and shook his head: "Isn't what we're doing right now important?"

Both groups of cultivators came from him.

The reason Xie Cangrong never transferred him was because he trusted his abilities; he was capable of upholding the reputation of Great Xia and making initial contact with cultivators.

"Forehead……"

The subordinate twitched his lips, about to say something, when suddenly, as if sensing something, he abruptly looked up at the distant vast sea: "Sir, look, what's that?!"

Following the direction his subordinate pointed, Song Zhaowen narrowed his eyes.

The sea surged and the waves rolled.

A single leaf drifts along, treading the waves. In this vast ocean, it appears so inconspicuous; a single wave could easily engulf it. Yet, it simply follows the waves relentlessly.

It appears gentle, but in reality, it moves extremely fast.

One moment they were drifting on the distant sea, the next they were already near the shore.

Song Zhaowen's smile faded, and he said in a deep voice, "Jiang Cheng, immediately order General Zhang to reorganize the troops!"

Jiang Cheng also replied solemnly, "Yes!"

Not long after Jiang Cheng left, the man who had drifted across the sea arrived at the dock.

Song Zhaowen then realized that the "boat" the other party had crossed the sea on was actually just a giant lotus leaf. It was hard to imagine that this thing could carry people across the vast ocean.

A pearl floats on the lotus leaf, radiating a soft light and sheltering it.

Song Zhaowen recognized the bead.

"This humble monk, Cihui, greets the benefactor."

P.S.: Dear godfathers, it's going to be available tomorrow, which is also May 520th. Love you~

It's expected to be around 15,000.

The author's typing speed is just too slow! Too slow! Too slow!!

I used to be able to write 2,000 words in an hour, but now I can only write 2,000 words in two hours, and I still have to go back and revise them. I'm so jealous of those talented writers who can write 10,000 words a day that I want to gnaw on their heads.

I'll try my best to update 8,000 words a day after it's published...maybe.

The author never served as emperor, so he just made up his own assumptions.

(I really want to be the emperor.jpg Hu Hai meme)