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

As night deepened, Gu Changming finally awoke from his unconsciousness in a side tent of the Huangtian camp.

The Heart-Protecting Pill had dissolved, but the surging blood in his chest did not subside much.

Whenever he closed his eyes, the image of Liu Shi falling under the sword would appear in his mind.

And that line, "The entire Liu clan shall be exterminated!"

Gu Changming's eyes gradually turned bloodshot.

He looked at Gu Cangyue sitting beside the bed, and said through gritted teeth:

"Damn it! Father, I told you we shouldn't have kept that bastard alive. If only we had gotten rid of him sooner..."

Snapped!

Before he could finish speaking, Gu Cangyue slapped him across the face.

Gu Changming turned his head, and a clear palm print quickly appeared on his face.

"Shut up!"

Gu Cangyue stared at him coldly.

"How dare you say such things so casually?"

A hint of defiance flashed in Gu Changming's eyes.

Seeing his father's gloomy face, he finally shut his mouth and did not continue to argue.

The tent fell silent again.

Gu Cangyue slowly withdrew his hand, his expression becoming somewhat complicated.

A lowly bastard?

Gu Changjin is indeed not his biological son.

But the blood flowing in that child's veins was still that of the Gu family.

To be precise, Gu Changjin is the son of his younger brother, Gu Cangwu.

Many years ago, Gu Cangwu traveled and met a proud young woman from the Wenren clan of the Taicang Immortal Sect.

The woman's name was Wenren Zhaoxue.

She possessed exceptional talent and came from a noble family. The Wenren clan had been a part of the Taicang Immortal Sect for ten thousand years, and had even participated in many important events such as the founding of the Great Yin Dynasty and the forging of the heavens.

When the two became Daoist partners, it caused quite a stir in the area.

However, this happy period did not last long. Later, an unexpected event occurred: Gu Cangwu died, and Wenren Zhaoxue was forcibly summoned back to the sect by the Taicang Immortal Sect, and there has been no news of her since.

Young Gu Changjin became an orphan with no one to care for him.

At that time, the Wenren clan was in turmoil.

A group of high-ranking immortals had no interest in this child who had been living away from home and whose bloodline was mixed with that of a vassal king.

In the end, it was Gu Cangyue who took him back to the Xuanwang Mansion.

To the outside world, it was only said that the princess gave birth to two boys.

From that day on, Gu Cangwu's son became the second young master of the Xuanwang Mansion, and Gu Cangyue's nominal second son.

At first, Gu Cangyue really didn't have any malicious intent.

After all, that was the only bloodline left by his own younger brother.

The Xuanwang Mansion is not short of food, nor is it short of cultivation resources.

Why not support a wealthy idler, let him live a peaceful life, and at the same time use his bloodline to leave a trace of ancestral ties between the Xuanwang Mansion and the Wenren Clan of the Taicang Immortal Sect?

However, people's hearts will eventually change.

The situation is constantly changing.

Emperor Yin used the fortune of thirteen provinces to build the Nine Heavens Palace.

The constraints imposed by Heaven on the kings and officials are deepening day by day.

Lu Cheng'an and Huangting Dao Palace gave Gu Cangyue another chance to change his allegiance and break free from the heavens.

Thus, the nephew who originally only needed to live a life of wealth and honor gradually became the most suitable pawn in his century-long plan.

All the princes of the Great Yin Dynasty possessed a Heavenly Register. By accepting the Heavenly Register, they could cultivate themselves by borrowing the power of the mountains and rivers of their fiefdom, the wishes of the people, and the fortune of the dynasty. When commanding a large army, they would also receive the assistance of Heaven.

But this convenience is also a chain that will keep tightening.

The longer one is ordained, the deeper the karmic connection becomes with their fiefdom, army, and court, and the stronger Heaven's control becomes.

Having been the Xuan King for so many years, Gu Cangyue could no longer simply leave whenever he wanted.

If he were to directly lead 100,000 Northern Shuo Xuanjia to Huangtian, he would probably have his luck stripped and his cultivation locked by the heavens before he even met Lu Cheng'an, and would then suffer a backlash from the military formation.

Therefore, the 300,000-strong rebel army at Chensha Plain must be defeated.

Among them, the 100,000 Northern Shuo Xuanjia soldiers who belonged to him must also be destroyed.

The royal flag was broken, the direct line was wiped out, and the Xuan King "died in battle".

Only by paying such a price and using the Yellow Heaven Secret Method to conceal the secrets of heaven can the heavens believe that this generation of Xuan King has truly died, thus giving Gu Cangyue the opportunity to remove the Heavenly Talisman that has been entangled with him for hundreds of years.

As for Gu Changjin, he will inherit the new Xuanwang Heavenly Register.

To maintain the nominal stability of Beishuo for him.

To bear the gaze of Tianjing for him.

He will also bear the full responsibility for the Xuanwang Mansion's collusion with the rebel army when things happen in the future!

But now, this piece has not only jumped off the chessboard, but has also crushed all the backup plans he left in Beishuo.

"They really hid it well..."

Gu Cangyue murmured softly.

The last trace of complexity in his heart gradually transformed into a chilling killing intent.

Since this piece refuses to obey, it has no choice but to be destroyed.

Suddenly, Gu Cangyue remembered a piece of news he had received not long ago.

The Wenren clan of the Taicang Immortal Sect has been engaged in an extremely fierce battle recently.

The bloodline left behind by Wenren Zhaoxue seems to be related to a certain inheritance qualification within the clan.

If those people knew that Wenren Zhaoxue's son was not only still alive, but had even awakened extraordinary abilities and taken control of the entire Beishuo Prefecture...

Someone will definitely want to take Gu Changjin back and turn him into their puppet.

There will definitely be people who want him to disappear forever!

Neither of these options would be detrimental to Gu Cangyue.

"Changming, you should rest first."

Gu Cangyue left a message, got up and walked out of the tent.

The night wind blew across the Huangtian camp.

He stood outside the tent, looking up at the starry sky, and remained silent for a long time.

It seems it's time to let those people from the Taicang Immortal Sect know Gu Changjin's true identity.

……

The Great Yin Dynasty, Tianjing.

This majestic city, standing at the heart of the thirteen states, is the true core of the entire divine dynasty.

The city walls stretch for thousands of miles, the floating fairy islands hang in the clouds, and golden dragons of fortune shuttle between the palaces, carrying the heritage of the Great Yin Dynasty for more than 18,000 years.

In the very center of Tianjing, an unprecedentedly massive building is slowly taking shape.

Nine Heavens Palace!

Millions of laborers and monks worked day and night.

Countless spiritual materials, immortal gold, and the fortune drawn from the thirteen states were poured into it.

Now, with only the bottom three levels completed, it already surpasses all the palaces in Tianjing. From afar, it resembles both a celestial palace inhabited by immortals and a grand temple where people worship.

A middle-aged Taoist priest dressed in a dark blue robe slowly walked out of the imperial palace outside the Nine Heavens Palace.

He is the Grand Preceptor of the Great Yin Dynasty, Sikong Xuan, and also a powerful figure from the Taicang Immortal Sect.

At this moment, his face was extremely pale.

The 300,000-strong army at Chensha Plain was annihilated.

King Xuan and his crown prince died in battle.

The situation in Beishuo is unclear.

He had thought that after Emperor Yin learned of the news, he would at least temporarily suspend the construction of the Nine Heavens Palace, redistribute the fortune of the heavens, and stabilize the situation in the thirteen states.

Emperor Ke Yin only asked one question: when will the next army to quell the rebellion be formed?

As for the Xuanwang Mansion, Gu Cangyue's second son will inherit the throne.

Sikong Xuan proposed that since Gu Cangyue was already "dead," the old Xuanwang Heavenly Talisman had naturally dimmed. Gu Changjin, who inherited the throne, should re-form a Xuanwang Heavenly Talisman.

When the Heavenly Register was first created, its control was not very strong.

However, as long as Gu Changjin continues to govern Beishuo, command the army, and accept the wishes of the people, the Heavenly Records will become increasingly entangled with him.

At that time, with a single thought, the imperial court could use the heavens to diminish his fortune and lock away his cultivation.

This is the true method by which the Great Yin Dynasty controlled the princes.

The Xuanwang Heavenly Talisman can be reconstituted, but it requires the consumption of the Heavenly Fortune.

Emperor Yin was unwilling.

In his view, the second young master of Bei Shuo, who only knew how to loaf around and wait for death, was not capable of causing any trouble.

Issuing an imperial decree to inherit the title would be enough to secure Bei Shuo's legitimacy.

As for the Heavenly Register, it's not too late to replenish it after the Nine Heavens Palace is completed and I successfully extend my lifespan.

"He's gone mad..."

Sikong Xuan glanced back at the enormous heavenly palace that was constantly devouring fortune.

This emperor has truly gone mad.

If even the emperor doesn't care about his empire, why should the imperial advisor continue to worry about it?

Sikong Xuan shook his head and took out a pale blue imperial edict.

Above all imperial decrees, there is only the legal principle of bestowing the title of Xuan King.

There is no newly formed Xuanwang Heavenly Register.

"Go."

With a casual toss, the azure imperial edict instantly vanished into the sky, merging with the azure heavens that covered the thirteen states.

The next moment, a dazzling streak of light pierced the sky above Tianjing.

Like a pale blue shooting star, it instantly flew south across the vast territory shrouded by the sky.