Just as the old patriarch forced me to my death, I achieved the unity of Dao and fruition.

When the Xuan King issued his decree, the northern region was shaken.

Before the bloodstains in the council hall had even dried, squads of warriors clad in dark green armor stepped out of the Xuanwang Mansion.

All the places that truly determined the ownership of the Northern Shuo Royal City were taken over by the Grass and Wood Armor Warriors in a very short period of time.

At first, many people thought they were Dao soldiers made by a certain immortal sect.

But soon, everyone realized something was wrong.

"Halt! Martial law is in effect ahead. Proceed around South Street."

A group of armored warriors stopped a merchant's cart. The leader even bent down to inspect the goods on the cart before letting it pass.

The driver mustered his courage and asked a question.

"Sir, isn't South Street currently under renovation?"

The armored warrior made of grass and wood turned his head and glanced at him.

"It was fixed two hours ago."

"You can take West Street, but the Liu family is currently conducting a search and seizure operation, so you'll have to take a detour of at least thirty li."

The driver was stunned for a moment, then thanked him repeatedly.

He only realized what had happened after the carriage had driven far away.

No? What Taoist priest can have a lively and engaging conversation with someone?

These plant-armored warriors can not only speak, but also assess military situations, verify tokens, and even give directions.

In terms of expression, speech, and behavior, they are no different from real humans.

Only the faint veins of leaves visible between their armor, the hint of blue light deep in their eyes, and the extremely rich wood-like aura emanating from their bodies proved that they were no ordinary people.

What terrified the cultivators of the royal city even more was the military spirit they possessed.

A team of ten plant warriors, once they encounter resistance, will form a sword-wielding plant figure several meters tall above their heads when their qi is linked together.

With a single sword strike, ordinary cultivators have no chance to resist.

And this is just a ten-person team!

After the nearly one thousand armored warriors from the Xuanwang Palace took over the royal city, Gu Changjin did not stop.

The spirit of the grass and trees enveloped the royal city, and roots invisible to ordinary people spread outward along the earth, connecting with countless ancient trees, spirit vines and flowers inside and outside the royal city, and the seeds of myriad spirits spread accordingly.

Every day, a large number of plants and trees sprout from the ground, transforming into new armored soldiers who enter the military camp designated by the Xuanwang Mansion.

In just three days, seven large-scale herb armies of a thousand people each were formed.

On the morning of the third day, seven of the nine gates of the royal city were opened simultaneously.

Each of the seven grass and wood armies carried a Xuanwang decree and headed towards the seven prefectures of Beishuo.

When the qi of a thousand grass and wood armor soldiers is connected, they become a military soul at the level of a terrestrial immortal!

This force, if placed on the front lines, might not be enough to sweep across the world.

However, placed in the seven prefectures where the Xuan King and the Crown Prince had just "died for their country" and nearly all 100,000 Northern Shuo Xuanjia soldiers had been wiped out, they were truly invincible.

Some prefects kept the city gates tightly shut, wanting to wait for the imperial decree from the capital before making a decision.

The Grass and Wood Army gathered their military spirit outside the city, and with a single sword strike, they cleaved a crack in the city's protective formation.

Half an hour later, the prefect personally went out of the city and knelt to receive the decree from the Xuan King.

Some powerful families took advantage of the chaos to seize granaries and gather private armies, attempting to support a collateral branch of the Gu family and replace them with a more easily controlled Prince Xuan.

On that day, the main branches of the aristocratic families were completely captured.

Furthermore, military generals instigated a mutiny, claiming that Gu Changjin had not been officially appointed by the capital and was instead plotting a rebellion to seize power.

But when the sword-wielding, plant-and-wood military spirit appeared above the military camp, the soldiers who had followed him in causing trouble put down their weapons first.

When faced with overwhelming circumstances, loyalty is often not as steadfast as one might imagine.

Within a few days, all seven prefectures of Beishuo sent back letters of allegiance.

The generals who remained in the army also sent their trusted confidants to the capital to present the military registers and seals to the new Xuan King.

Chen Xiao quickly became the most sought-after figure in the Xuanwang Mansion.

He was originally just the commander of Gu Changjin's personal guards, but now he was ordered to take over the military orders of the seven prefectures and reorganize the troops in various places. Even the veteran generals in the Northern Shuo army who were far more senior than him had to respectfully address him as Commander Chen when they saw him.

As for the hundreds of personal guards who originally followed Gu Changjin, they were split up and sent to various counties to serve in military camps and key locations.

They may not be the strongest in cultivation, but they are the people the new Xuan King truly trusts.

The imperial decree for the succession to the title in Tianjing was still on its way, but the military and political affairs of the Northern Shuo capital and the seven prefectures had already fallen into Gu Changjin's hands.

At this point, whether the decree existed or not seemed to be of little importance.

Of course, amidst this thunderous purge, one piece of news was also forcibly suppressed by the Xuanwang Mansion.

The Liu family was exterminated.

Princess Consort Liu was even killed by the new Prince Xuan in the middle of the palace with a single sword strike!

This news could not be said openly, but it spread like wildfire in the seven prefectures of Beishuo at an even more terrifying speed.

Some say that the new Xuan King's decisive and ruthless actions are what truly allowed him to protect Beishuo in the chaotic world.

Some people secretly cursed him for being cold-blooded and tyrannical, killing his sister-in-law and exterminating his clan before his father and brothers' bodies were even cold.

But no matter what they thought, as soon as that army of grass and trees appeared in their sight, all sounds would immediately disappear.

Thus, before Tianjing and other parts of the world could react, Beishuo Prefecture had been completely stabilized.

Meanwhile, outside Chensha Plain, Huangtian Camp.

The camps stretched across the plains, and a pale yellow aura gathered in the sky, faintly rivaling the azure sky.

Inside the central command tent, Lu Cheng'an raised his wine cup.

He looked to be only in his early twenties, dressed in a black and yellow battle robe, with handsome features. Although he did not deliberately display his cultivation, he had a convincing demeanor in every gesture.

"The fact that the Xuan King and the Crown Prince were able to see the destiny of the Great Yin Dynasty and abandon darkness for light is truly a blessing for all the people of the world."

"When the Yellow Heaven truly rises, the people of the Northern Shuo will surely remember the choice you two made today."

Gu Cangyue raised his glass in return, his expression solemn.

"The Great Yin royal family has acted perversely. Emperor Yin, for his own selfish reasons, has drawn upon the fortune of the thirteen provinces to build the Nine Heavens Palace, causing war to break out across the land and the people to suffer."

"Although I have been granted the title of Prince of Dayin, I cannot stand idly by and watch the people suffer."

"Young Master Lu has the world in his heart, and my father and I are willing to do our part."

Gu Changming also stood up, his words earnest.

"For the sake of today's situation, Father King bore the infamy and abandoned 100,000 elite troops from the Northern Frontier, which led to the complete defeat of the three armies of the Great Yin Dynasty in one fell swoop."

"I only hope that Young Master Lu will not forget Beishuo in the future."

"Of course not."

Lu Cheng'an laughed and personally poured wine for the two of them.

The three of them spoke frankly and openly, as if everything they did was for the sake of all living beings.

After several rounds of drinks, a map of the thirteen prefectures of the Great Yin Dynasty was quickly spread out in the tent, and they began to discuss how to seize key passes, cut off the government army's supply lines, and gradually advance on Tianjing.

Just then, a monk responsible for gathering intelligence on various states strode into the main tent.

"My lord, an urgent report from the Northern Frontier!"

The people inside the tent paused.

Lu Cheng'an raised his head.

"How about Beishuo?"

"The seven prefectures of Beishuo have been stabilized, and the various offices of the royal city and the garrison troops have all been returned to the jurisdiction of the Xuanwang Mansion. There has been no large-scale turmoil."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Lu Cheng'an's eyes.

"So fast?"

Gu Cangyue simply stroked his beard and smiled, as if everything was within his expectations.

"Although my second son was not good enough, he was at least weak-willed and knew how to follow orders."

"The one who truly maintained the situation in Beishuo was Changming's wife, Lady Liu."

Gu Changming also revealed a slight smile.

"Liu has served me for many years and is skilled in managing the household affairs. She also understands the bigger picture. Even when she suddenly heard the bad news, she was able to quickly suppress the elders and old officials and help my second brother secure his position."

"With her around, Beishuo won't be in chaos."

Upon hearing this, Lu Cheng'an nodded slightly.

Gu Changming asked casually:

"Is Lady Liu currently in charge of the Prince's residence, or is my second brother temporarily holding the royal seal?"

The monk who came to report did not answer immediately.

He looked at Gu Changming, whose face was full of relief, and his eyes suddenly became a little strange, even carrying a trace of pity.

"Your Highness, it is not the Crown Princess who has stabilized Beishuo."

"The one sitting on the throne of the Xuan King now is the new Xuan King, Gu Changjin."

"His wife, Lady Liu, has been personally killed by him."

"The entire Liu clan has been exterminated!"

P.S.: It's the last day of August, all gone! I updated 400,000 words in August. I have no talent, so I can only try harder and repeat the process. ヾ（′▽｀*）ゝ Of course, most importantly, thank you all for your support.

Therefore, the author wishes everyone a happy, healthy, and successful September.