Become a king right from the start, beginning with receiving rewards from all the heavens.

Five years is but a blink of an eye for a cultivator.

Just as he was sighing with emotion, the guard rushed in.

"Your Highness, the Prince of Ling is requesting an audience outside the residence!"

Ling Wang Xia Lingxiao? My youngest imperial brother.

"Let him in!"

The guards hurriedly left, and at that moment, Stone Guanyin stepped forward.

"Your Highness, it seems this person can't hold on any longer and is probably preparing to retire!"

Xia Zhaoyan reached out and pinched the other person's cheek. "You're so smart!"

In his sight, Shi Guanyin's face instantly turned red with embarrassment.

"Ugh~"

This immediately drew a few chuckles from the others!

Just then, everyone heard footsteps coming from the front yard.

They immediately stopped smiling, and Xia Zhaoyan turned around and sat lazily in a chair.

Soon after, Prince Ling appeared here, followed by his guards.

"Xia Lingxiao greets Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Five years can really change a person's personality. Xia Lingxiao today is no longer the same person he was five years ago.

He had matured considerably, and his gaze no longer wandered aimlessly.

Finally, a gentle voice rang in my ears.

"Please rise, Your Majesty!"

The address of "Imperial Brother" left Xia Lingxiao momentarily dazed.

This is my first time visiting this mansion, and it will also be my last.

After calming his emotions, he stood up and said.

"Brother, I intend to withdraw from the struggle for the throne."

"To be honest, these past five years have been incredibly agonizing. I knew I didn't have the talent, but I just couldn't give up!"

He no longer needed to compete with the Crown Prince, and at this moment he finally let go.

"You are like a mountain, pressing down on all of us."

"Five years of struggle were of no use; instead, they made me realize my own limitations."

Having said that, he picked up the wine glass in front of him and drank it all in one gulp!

This personality, which was different from that of the other princes, caught Xia Zhaoyan's eye.

It is said that it is easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature, and Ling Wang's true personality does not seem to have changed much.

I really enjoy dealing with people who aren't very calculating.

Then he said, "Ling Xiao, congratulations on making the right choice."

"Honestly, your personality isn't suited to be an emperor!"

You are the kind of general born for the battlefield.

"Really!" Xia Lingxiao exclaimed with delight.

Xia Lingxiao himself didn't realize that he was actually very happy to have gained the approval of his elder brother, the emperor.

Xia Zhaoyan nodded.

Let's not talk about those imperial sisters anymore.

Among us brothers, your talent is quite good; you're already at the Grandmaster level.

"Now you are a captain of the Golden Dragon Guard."

"If you wish, I will suggest to my father that you remain in your position within the Golden Dragon Guard!"

Xia Zhaoyan actually liked this younger brother of the emperor quite a bit; he didn't have any deep-seated scheming.

He followed King Wu around aimlessly in the early days, but after King Wu withdrew, he focused solely on cultivation.

As far as Xia Zhaoyan knew, the reason why the Prince of Ling persisted for five years was entirely because his maternal clan was unwilling to give up!

At this moment, Xia Lingxiao had a look of surprise on his face, and he immediately stood up and clasped his hands in a salute.

"Brother, to be honest, I really enjoy life in the army."

"I thought I'd spend my whole life in this ancestral land, but I never expected... I never expected..."

Goodness, he's so excited he can't even speak properly.

Xia Lingxiao's face turned red with anxiety, which finally made the other girls chuckle.

No one can dislike someone who is so innocent and naive.

"Okay, okay, don't get agitated."

Xia Zhaoyan waved for the other person to sit down.

Then he deliberately started rambling on about military and war-related matters.

...

After Ling Wang left, Xia Zhaoyan asked without turning his head.

"How is it?"

The stone Guanyin behind him said softly, "Your Highness, it's alright."

"To put it nicely, your younger brother is simple-minded and puts all his energy into cultivation and military affairs."

"To put it bluntly, they lack ambition."

Xia Zhaoyan smiled upon hearing this.

"It's good that he has no great ambitions; it's just a pity about his imposing name."

He was completely relieved.

Having secretly tested the combat power of the Stone Guanyin in the Dragon Transformation Realm with his divine sense, he still believed in the result.

He then returned to his seat and once again enjoyed the massage from the young master.

He said lazily, "That's fine too. I feel more at ease letting him stay in the Golden Dragon Guard."

Having said that, he himself knew the doubts that the women were now having.

So before they could ask, he took the initiative to explain.

"Leaving him outside will also offset the impression that I am too domineering."

"This is a promising talent, but he's wasting his life staying in his ancestral homeland."

Besides, I will assign him several deputies in the future.

Despite believing it, Xia Zhaoyan would never actually hand over the Golden Dragon Guard to the other party.

As the sun rose the next day, Xia Lingxiao's voice of withdrawal echoed throughout the city.

By this time, the people outside had become numb; in the past five years, far too many princes had withdrawn from the society.

No one was surprised by Ling Wang's departure!

However, just one day later, everyone suddenly realized that something seemed wrong.

"What's going on? Why is Prince Ling still in the Imperial Guard?"

All the factions looked surprised and confused!

At this moment, a message began to spread throughout the capital...

"Hiss... Prince Ling has really struck gold! He's actually been appreciated by the Crown Prince and will continue to serve in the Imperial Guard?"

This news was shocking to most people.

But those who are clever understand it after a little thought!

...

Inside the Crown Prince's residence, Xia Zhaoyan paid no attention to the discussions outside.

Instead, he looked at the information compiled by the women, which detailed the current situation of the forces under his command.

First, there are changes in the cultivation levels of the women. Shi Guanyin is now at the peak of the Shattered Realm and her combat strength is at the early stage of the Dragon Transformation Realm.

Wanwan and Xuanxuan are both at the peak of the Dharma Aspect Realm and have combat strength at the mid-stage of the Celestial Realm.

The Great Master of Fate has also reached the perfect state of the Dharma Realm.

He then looked at the eldest son of the Heavenly Master, "You two are about to undergo your tribulations, aren't you?"

The two women nodded. Li Zhu picked up a spiritual fruit and fed it to Xia Zhaoyan before replying.

"Yes, Qingzhi and I have both sensed the aura of the Heavenly Tribulation recently."

"Anyone can undergo tribulation at any time if they wish."

Xia Zhaoyan, however, had a serious expression on his face.

"Don't underestimate the tribulation; this is the first time you two are undergoing it."

"Although it is highly likely that you are facing the Sixty-Nine Heavenly Tribulation."

Xia Zhaoyan deduced that among the women around him, only Shi Guanyin was the most outstanding.

Wanwan and Xuanxuan have the aptitude for the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, while the rest are only capable of the Six-Nine Heavenly Tribulation.

But none of that matters.

Once I destroy that Heavenly Dao, I can still become a Human Immortal Realm expert even after the Six-Nine Heavenly Tribulation.

Finally, there's Li Mochou, whose current cultivation level is the mid-stage of the Dharma Aspect Realm.

Xia Zhaoyan had no requirements regarding the cultivation levels of the women around him, since he didn't expect them to fight for him anyway.

However, everyone continued to cultivate diligently, and their progress was just as fast as that of the others under their command.

At this moment, his gaze fell upon the information about the underworld.

A genuine look of joy appeared on his face!

Xiang Yutian, Shangguan Jin Hong, and Ye Gucheng have all recently passed the Heavenly Tribulation of the Dragon Transformation Realm!

Although they were all facing the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, it did not stop the three of them from breaking through.

Now, the three of them have reached the true Dragon Transformation Realm!

When he saw the three men's fighting strength, a glint of light flashed in his eyes!