[Three: Golden Lotus Daoist, how is your cultivation recovery?]

[Nine: This poor Daoist has recovered to Second-Grade. I’m currently consolidating my realm. Heh, after the Black Lotus will was erased, refining him no longer has any obstacles.]

[Three: Luo Yu Heng is about to undergo tribulation.]

Xu Qi An’s words filled the Heaven and Earth Society members with mixed emotions of surprise, joy, worry, and anxiety.

The joy, naturally, came from knowing that if Luo Yu Heng could step into the Earthbound Immortal realm, Great Feng would gain another First-Grade expert, finally giving them true power to contend with Yun Province.

The worry stemmed from knowing this would trigger a frenzied counterattack from Yun Province’s transcendents. The Garuda Tree and White Emperor alone could steamroll Great Feng, let alone Xu Ping Feng, an Artificer who left no stone unturned in his calculations.

One misstep and the Imperial Teacher could perish in body and dao.

[Three: Golden Lotus Daoist, how much do you know about the Dao School’s Heaven Tribulation?]

[Nine: This is the Dao School’s secret, but well, I’ll tell you.

[Everyone knows the Dao School’s first grade is called “Earthbound Immortal,” but few know the core power of this realm. Earthbound Immortals transcend reincarnation, exist outside the Five Elements, can turn stone to gold, and move mountains and seas.

[This description hints at two core abilities of Earthbound Immortals: an Imperishable Body and the power to Transform the Mundane into the Divine.]

[Three: Imperishable? Is this the same as warriors’ immortality?]

Xu Qi An was particularly sensitive to “imperishable” since he had just learned about First-Grade Great Perfection’s special nature from Shen Shu.

[Nine: Of course not. If we must categorize the Dao School system, there are two paths. Golden Core and Nascent Soul form one path. Yin Spirit and Yang Spirit form one another. Second-Grade tribulation is the process of merging these two paths.

[The Golden Core path at its extreme becomes Imperishable, with the characteristic of immunity to all spells. The Yin Spirit path at its extreme condenses the “Earth, Wind, Water, Fire” four great manifestations into the physical body.

[Dao School classics record that all things in heaven and earth are composed of earth, wind, water, and fire. Thus, at the Earthbound Immortal realm, one gains the power to turn stone into gold and transform the mundane into the divine. Of course, the Artificer system believes that the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth are the true source composing all things in heaven and earth.]]

The Heaven and Earth Society members listened entranced, even Li Na seemed impressed.

Look at that, just look at the Dao School’s first grade, it sounds so sophisticated. In comparison, First-Grade warriors are simply crude… Xu Qi An silently complained.

However, the warrior system was special. Strictly speaking, the warrior system had no Beyond-Grade—the Confucian Saint had forcibly split “Martial God” into two grades.

According to Xu Qi An’s speculation, this was probably because the “Martial God” was unique. Throughout endless ages, all warriors’ ceiling was only the unity of “essence, qi, and spirit,” with advancement beyond that impossible.

While this trinity only fulfilled the conditions for becoming a Martial God, it already matched other systems’ First-Grade, so this stage was simply classified as First-Grade.

But since this was only the beginning of Martial God, the name was left blank.

The reason Shen Shu was called Half-Step Martial God was that he had cultivated this stage to its peak.

[Nine: The Heaven Tribulation consists of five levels. The first is the Golden Core Tribulation, the second is the Wind Thunder Tribulation, the third is the Earth Thunder Tribulation, the fourth is the Water Thunder Tribulation, and the fifth is the Thunder Fire Tribulation.

[The five levels of Heaven Tribulation are divided into two stages, corresponding to the Earthbound Immortal’s two great abilities, lasting thirteen days. Only after passing these five tribulations and merging the Yang Spirit with the physical body can one achieve the Earthbound Immortal realm.]

Thirteen days… everyone’s hearts sank.

Currently, Great Feng has five Second-Grade experts, but Luo Yu Heng undergoing tribulation couldn’t be counted as combat power, leaving only Xu Qi An, Golden Lotus, Asura, and Kou Yang Zhou.

Could four Second-Grade experts hold out against the Garuda Tree and White Emperor for thirteen days?

The answer was negative.

[Nine: Don’t panic. This poor one said the Heaven Tribulation is divided into two stages. After the Golden Core Tribulation, there will be ten days of calm for the tribulation transcender to consolidate their “Imperishable Body.”]

The Golden Core Tribulation and “Four Great Manifestation Tribulation” were different, occurring in separate stages.

[One: Could we request assistance from the Heaven Sect’s Heaven Lord?]

Huai Qing asked.

[Two: Impossible!]

[Seven: Don’t even think about it.]

The Heaven Sect’s rising dragons and phoenixes immediately rejected her proposal.

[Four: But I remember the Heaven-Human Battle is very important to the Heaven Lord.]

[Two: Don’t forget what we cultivate in Heaven Sect—it’s Supreme Detachment. The Heaven-Human Battle is indeed important to the Heaven Sect, but personal emotions and objectives cannot sway the Heaven Lord.]

In other words, if the Heaven Lord would interfere with Luo Yu Heng’s tribulation due to personal emotions or objectives, that wouldn’t be Supreme Detachment.

Detachment isn’t heartlessness, but from a certain perspective, detachment is heartlessness.

The essence differs, but the external manifestation is similar.

They neither punish thieves for murder and arson nor praise good people for accumulating virtue.

The ultimate goal of Supreme Detachment is the unity of heaven and humans.

And heaven and earth are supremely impartial, never punishing the wicked or rewarding the good.

[Nine: These Heaven Sect people, you can’t use them, can’t win them over, so just ignore them.]

Rather, Li Miao Zhen and Li Ling Su might become hidden troubles… Golden Lotus Daoist decided to discuss the matter of the senior disciples privately with Xu Qi An.

It’s quite troublesome.

If Heaven Sect wants to reclaim their discarded goods and Xu Qi An disagrees, conflict will surely arise.

[Seven: If the Gu Tribe’s transcendents can’t help, why not invite the Ten Thousand Beast Kingdom’s Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox and Half-Step Martial God to help?]

[Eight: Once the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox and Shen Shu enter the Central Plains, the Ten Thousand Beast Kingdom would turn to ash in an instant. Think before you speak—understand who your enemies are.]

Those Bodhisattvas were all deeply calculating people, not to mention Xu Ping Feng, who was renowned for his schemes and planning.

After a long silence, one of the Heaven and Earth Society’s strategists, the Top Scholar, spoke:

[Currently, we have only two options—strengthen our forces or weaken the enemy’s forces.

[Let’s exclude the ally option first and try to increase our strength, such as summoning the Confucian Saint’s heroic soul.]

Huai Qing was the first to object:

[One: First, the Director has already summoned the Confucian Saint’s heroic soul once. In the short term, the power of the knife and Confucian cap isn’t sufficient for another summoning. Moreover, Beyond-Grade power is too mighty—summoning the Confucian Saint would put Xu Qi An at risk of perishing. The Minister and Director are examples.]

Perhaps it was a curse—everyone who summoned the Confucian Saint’s heroic soul met a bad end.

Huai Qing had to believe this might be heaven’s backlash.

She didn’t want Xu Qi An to bear this risk.

Chu Yuan Zhen continued:

[Then let’s weaken the enemy. Arrange the Imperial Teacher’s tribulation location in the northern borders. If Yun Province’s transcendent experts dare to come out in full force, we’ll directly flatten Qing Province and Yun Province. Sun Xuan Ji is in third grade, no need to get involved in the tribulation battle.

[Kou Yang Zhou is a warrior, his role overlaps with Number Eight and Number Three, and he doesn’t need to participate in battle. He can join Sun Xuan Ji in sweeping through Qing and Yun provinces.]

Li Ling Su used his finger as a brush and wrote: “Would Xu Ping Feng not see through this strategy? Think before speaking…”

He suddenly froze, then hurriedly erased these words.

He understood Chu Yuan Zhen’s meaning now—it didn’t matter if Xu Ping Feng saw through it because the core purpose of this strategy was to tie down forces.

Ji Xuan alone certainly couldn’t stop Sun Xuan Ji and Kou Yang Zhou, so Xu Ping Feng would have to stay behind.

In other words, on the day of tribulation, they would only face the Garuda Tree and White Emperor.

Excluding some transcendent figures from the battlefield could effectively prevent accidents, especially since Xu Ping Feng possessed artifacts left by the first Director… Asura pondered for a moment, then transmitted:

[Even so, with just our four people’s strength, we still aren’t a match for the Garuda Tree and White Emperor.]

He agreed to remove Kou Yang Zhou from the team, choosing peak Third-Grade Zhao Shou as a teammate. Although a Second-Grade warrior’s combat power was certainly stronger than a Third-Grade Confucian, Kou Yang Zhou’s abilities overlapped with Xu Qi An’s and his own.

The Confucian school’s methods were unreasonably mysterious, making Zhao Shou’s cost-effectiveness higher than Kou Yang Zhou’s.

Moreover, Zhao Shou’s offensive power was insufficient—if he faced Xu Ping Feng, they would at most be evenly matched.

But Kou Yang Zhou was a warrior—if he could seize an opportunity to get close to Ji Xuan or Xu Ping Feng, he might be able to take them down in one combo.

The Top Scholar still had some tricks… Xu Qi An pinched his brow and transmitted:

[See you in three days!]

…

Xun Prefecture, the grand courtyard.

In the east room, Ye Ji placed the bronze fox incense burner on the tea table and lit the black sandalwood incense, taking a deep breath.

As the smoke rose in spirals, she inhaled deeply, drawing the smoke into her nostrils.

Shortly after, her left eye emanated a misty, clear light as a powerful will descended.

“Your Majesty, Luo Yu Heng is about to undergo tribulation.”

Ye Ji got straight to the point, stating her request:

“Please help.”

The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox remained silent for a moment, then sighed:

“Love has clouded your judgment and made you lose your mind. This sovereign is both restraining and being restrained by the Buddhist sect. I cannot help him.”

Ye Ji pleaded: “But if you don’t help him, who can? Yun Province won’t stand idly by while Luo Yu Heng successfully undergoes tribulation. You know best how powerful first grade is—my lord has no chance of victory.

“If he fails, the Ten Thousand Beast Kingdom will also face destruction.”

The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox replied coldly: “Are you concerned for the Ten Thousand Beast Kingdom, or for your lover? Among all you sisters, if just one could advance to transcendent, I would have confidence in breaking through to First. But you were born merely hundreds of years ago, White Ji hasn’t matured, and the gathering of nine tails remains distant—this is fate.”

After the rebuke, her tone softened: “That boy is no simple character, and none of Great Feng’s transcendent experts are ordinary—Zhao Shou, Golden Lotus, Asura, and that Empress… If the sky falls, they will hold it up.

“When did it become your concern, little fox?”

The Nine-Tailed Fox suddenly seemed exasperated: “A concubine’s fate, yet bearing a primary wife’s worries.”

…

Heaven Watching Bureau.

Huai Qing wore casual clothes, leaving her maids and eunuchs downstairs as she climbed alone.

She wore a moon-white robe embroidered with five-clawed golden dragons, white threads outlining intricate cloud patterns, a jade belt at her waist, and a golden crown on her head.

This somewhat androgynous attire suited her perfectly, highlighting both her imperial nobility and her cool temperament.

“What are Your Majesty’s instructions?”

Hearing of the new ruler’s visit, Song Qing, as the current pillar of the Heaven Watching Bureau, reluctantly set aside his alchemy experiment to receive her.

Huai Qing spoke coolly: “Open the secret chamber doors. We wish to see Minister Wei.”

Song Qing immediately retrieved a large bundle of keys, unlocking one by one that iron door that Fourth-Grade warriors couldn’t handle, yet whose walls could be punched through with a single strike—making it ultimately pointless.

“Withdraw!”

Huai Qing commanded.

Song Qing happily returned to his experiments.

Huai Qing entered the secret chamber, passing through the outer room filled with various magical artifacts and experimental items, arriving at the inner chamber where sunlight filtered through the ventilation window. On a soft couch lay a man in cyan robes.

His features were refined, with frost at his temples.

“Minister Wei, when you gave me the Night Watchman’s sleeper agent that day, you were hinting that I should become Emperor, weren’t you?”

Huai Qing sat beside the bed, gazing at the sleeping middle-aged man, sighing:

“You calculated everything, but did you calculate the White Emperor?

“If Great Feng can survive this calamity, you can be revived. If not, you and Mother Empress will have to wait until the next life to reunite.”

…

Arantuo.

Under the Bodhi tree, Bodhisattva Guang Xian sat with palms joined, watching the Garuda Tree’s image projected in the golden bowl, saying:

“The Dao School’s Heaven Tribulation is divided into two stages, lasting thirteen days. It will be extremely difficult for Luo Yu Heng to successfully undergo tribulation. But you must not be careless—avoid being caught in the tribulation.”

His voice was indistinguishable in terms of gender or age.

Bodhisattva Garuda Tree pondered: “You mean they might try to use the tribulation to drive tigers to devour wolves.”

To the side, Bodhisattva Liu Li spoke in an emotionless tone:

“Otherwise, how could they defeat you and that divine demon descendant?”

The Garuda Tree nodded: “Is Du E still in Arantuo?”

Guang Xian responded: “Daily spreading Mahayana Buddhism. His Buddha heart is transparent, unlike Asura.”

At the mention of this traitor, the three Bodhisattvas’ expressions soured.

Guang Xian changed the subject: “This battle determines the success or failure of the Central Plains campaign. Do not be careless.”

Bodhisattva Garuda Tree nodded.

…

Xun Prefecture.

Yang Gong’s calm gaze swept across both sides—on the left were former Qing Province military and civil officials, on the right were Li Mu Bai, Zhang Shen, Second Young Master Xu, the leaders of the four Gu tribes, and the Heaven and Earth Society members Li Miao Zhen, Li Ling Su, Chu Yuan Zhen, and Heng Yuan.

And in the corner stood Yang Qian Huan, stubbornly showing his back to everyone.

“This should be our final council.”

Yang Gong’s tone matched his gaze in calmness:

“Everyone here carries their burden. After this campaign, regardless of whether Yong Province is held, among those seated here, including myself, some will remain forever on the battlefield.”

Anyone could see this battle concerned Great Feng’s survival and would determine the fate of both Great Feng and Yun Province.

“When the war began, Great Feng’s treasury was empty, and the people’s livelihood was in decline. From Qing Province to Yong Province, tens of thousands of elite soldiers were wrapped in horsehide and left on the battlefield. Along the way, we solved the problem of military strength, solved the problem of provisions, and solved the problem of insufficient allies.

“Not long ago, we lost the Director, but we still survived. Now, I hope everyone, hope Great Feng, can survive again.”

Yang Gong placed both hands on the table, his voice deep:

“Silver Constable Xu once wrote in the Lesser Sage Hall of the Cloud Deer Academy. This official didn’t have the fortune to witness it personally but kept it firmly in their heart.

“Establish the heart for heaven and earth, establish destiny for the people, continue lost learning for past lives, open peace for ten thousand generations.”

His voice suddenly rose:

“Living in chaotic times, die when death is due.

“This official implores everyone, for Great Feng, for the Central Plains, to die gloriously!”

…

Ten days had passed since the siege of Xun Prefecture. The Yun Province army was ready to march—cavalry, infantry, artillery, and flying beast riders gathered from various camps across Qing Province.

Qing Province Administrative Office, main hall.

Qi Guang Bo wore full military attire, one hand resting on his sword as he looked around at the assembled officers, saying gravely:

“Success or failure hinges on this one move. Everyone, join this commander in flattening Yong Province.”

Ji Xuan stood first, saying word by word:

“Flatten Yong Province!”

The assembled officers rose one after another, responding loudly:

“Flatten Yong Province!”

…

That day, Qing Province city was filled with thunder and lightning, rain pouring heavily.

The city’s common people and soldiers saw a strange beast with dragon horns, a lion’s mane, crocodile lips, and an ox nose flying over the city.

The White Emperor, Yun Province’s auspicious beast, had returned to the Nine States.

The Yun Province army’s morale soared.