"Wu Qi, dead again?"

Chen Shi was stunned. Wu Qi had separated from him only half a day ago, and now he was dead?!

Not long ago, Wu Qi was lively, saying he sensed the presence of his tribe and went to find them. Who would've thought this was a permanent farewell?

"No wonder another Wu Qi has appeared on the tree!"

Chen Shi thought to himself, "But who killed Wu Qi? Could it be that Immortal Monarch Qin hunted him down here?"

He couldn't help but feel a chill. He had seen Immortal Monarch Qin's methods of killing Wu Qi—just a few moves were enough to kill Wu Qi, and with a wave, he could destroy the body to prevent resurrection.

If Immortal Monarch Qin had found his way here, even Lady Houtu wouldn't be able to stop him!

Wu Qi frowned slightly as he saw no response, feeling a bit displeased.

Beside him, another version of himself hung on the tree, calling Chen Shi 'grandfather,' which annoyed him greatly.

"However, if Immortal Monarch Qin had found his way here, he would've acted immediately and eliminated me too. So, the one who killed Wu Qi must be none other than Heavenly Venerate."

Chen Shi couldn't fathom it, wondering how Wu Qi could coincidentally encounter Heavenly Venerate?

Even the exceptional Child Scholar couldn't have imagined that Heavenly Venerate had been tracking the Great Sacrificial Officer, trying to lure out the mysterious and elusive Demon Emperor hidden in the shadows. By chance, he encountered the resurrected Wu Qi and mistook him for the Demon Emperor, thus eliminating him.

Wu Qi asked in displeasure, "Who are you?"

He used his mana, causing Chen Shi's eardrums to buzz.

Chen Shi finally snapped out of it, coughed, cleared his throat, and smiled, "I am Chen Shi, the True King of West Bull New Continent. Now it's the Great Ming era. You Great Shang have been extinct for sixteen thousand years. I searched the battlefield of Da Shang Heavenly Court, found your remains, and revived you with Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures... I know you want to repay my kindness and cooperate with me against Heavenly Venerate. I only need you to do one thing for me, and the life-saving grace will be written off."

Wu Qi listened, bewildered, unaware that so much had happened over the years since his death. Back then, the slaves had become the rightful rulers of the world and extended to the Great Ming Dynasty.

Was Great Shang just gone like that?

Though he was reluctant, he distinguished between gratitude and grievances. Chen Shi used the Purple Heaven Vine, such Heavenly Materials, and Earthly Treasures to resurrect him, and he intended to repay this Slave King first and then overthrow him, re-establishing the orthodox rule of Great Shang.

"At worst, I'll ease up when roasting Slave King," he thought.

His mind retained all punishments from Great Shang, knowing all techniques used against the Qiang people.

"What does Your Majesty require of me?" Wu Qi inquired.

Chen Shi pondered, then smiled, "I haven't decided yet; be patient."

His heart stirred, sensing information from his Skull Body, and he smiled, "The Cui Family has been destroyed! The Thirteen Families have finally vanished, so I can rest easy."

His mind was elated, he laughed heartily, striding outward.

Wu Qi followed behind him, suddenly feeling something, looked up at the sky.

He sharply detected people using the void, rushing to Xinxiang Imperial City from all directions. What others deemed mysterious Little Heavenly Realms, even to Mahayana Realm cultivators who attained them, still held many unknowns. But to a master like Wu Qi, practicing both Witch and Immortal arts, Little Heavenly Realms held little mystery.

Chen Shi quickly headed toward Taihe Palace, while Red Mountain Hall's Hall Master had already hurried to Taihe Palace, kneeling on one knee, raising a Heavenly Court Token.

The Heavenly Court Token glowed in the air, illuminating a gateway.

Chen Shi quickly arrived in front of Taihe Palace, stepped onto the stairs, nearly slipping due to his excited mind.

He steadied himself and walked up, step by step.

Behind him, countless Red Mountain Hall soldiers seamlessly exited the Heavenly Court gateways, lined up neatly, filling the square in front of Taihe Palace.

They stood quietly, unmoving, looking up at Taihe Palace, watching their True King walk toward the peak.

Sunlight shone on the faces of these young Talisman Masters, making them look bright and vigorous.

Chen Shi ascended Taihe Palace, turning to face the grand army of Talisman Masters he had cultivated, feeling overwhelmed with emotion.

People continued to emerge from the gateways in the square, appearing in front of the Talisman Master army.

Chen Shi's gaze swept across the scene, recognizing among them Chen Yindou, Chen Tang, Du Yiran, Creation Little Five, Scholar Zhu—some of the skilled kin, as well as Dragon Traveling Wanderer, Mu Daozi, Madame Hua Li—independent cultivators, Daoists like Yu Lingzi and Qiongyang Ancestor, experts from the Demon Domain like Black Pot, Ghost Clan elites like Lei Qu, and ghost gods like Zhong Kui and Tie Chi.

But what gratified Chen Shi the most was the young generation of strong figures like Li Tianqing, Yu Tiancheng, Zhuge Jian, Fu Leisheng, and Tian Yue'e.

These young ones can finally stand alone!

Li Tianqing stepped forward, bowed, and said, "We, leading officials of the six ministries of administration, households, rites, military, punishment, and works, have conquered the rebellious, punished the unlawful, and quelled the traitors over thirteen days, annihilating the twelve families of Li, Xia, Zhang, Yang, Ma, Gao, Xu, Jiang, Fei, Zhai, Gu, and Cui, destroying their factions, and delivering countless severed heads for the True King's celebration!"

Behind him, thousands of cultivators spoke in unison, their voices echoing across the cosmos: "Congratulations to the True King! Congratulations to the True King!"

Chen Shi felt a surge of emotion, raised both hands, and laughed loudly: "Congratulations to the common people! Congratulations to all beings!"

Below, the crowd was thrilled, their voices merged into a torrent of shouts: "Congratulations to the common people! Congratulations to all beings!"

Tears welled up in Chen Shi's eyes, spinning in his sockets, as he murmured: "From today, there are no more thirteen families, nor will there be any more large or small families; from today, the impoverished youths can pursue learning and cultivation without fear of having their Divine Embryo stolen; from today, no one will suffer ruin for failing to pay taxes, dying under the dry mother's tree seeking vengeance; from today, the imperial exam will no longer be a game for the powerful, but anyone who sincerely studies will have a bright future; from today, we change the dynasty!"

His chest was burning, as if aflame: "Changing the dynasty requires bloodshed, so let the thirteen families be the sacrifice for all under heaven! May the nation's fortune prosper, the country remain safe and peaceful, sweeping away evil, clearing the universe!"

He scanned the crowd, a sudden pause in his heart: "Where is Yang Bi? Why hasn't Yang Bi appeared?"

Yang Bi was the greatest hero in flattening the twelve families. Were it not for his orderly command, even if Chen Shi's new dynasty won, casualties would have been severe.

Yet, all court officials were present, except for Yang Bi, the one with the most merit, which greatly puzzled Chen Shi.

North Alliance Province, Tianyu County.

Yang Bi stepped out of a Heavenly Court Token portal, weary in both body and spirit, yet wearing a smile, returning to his own home.

His wife was already there with their child, waiting. The couple exchanged smiles as Fang'er led him into the house.

"Husband, you've achieved greatness. Why didn't you attend the celebration? If you had gone, His Majesty would have surely bestowed great rewards upon you."

"No reward from His Majesty can surpass the Yang Family of the thirteen families. As a Yang family son, having done something as rebellious as leading the army to destroy the Yang Family and other families, what face do I have to receive any reward? Best to not go."

"Do you think His Majesty will remember you?"

"He probably will. He knows that in leading troops, he cannot surpass me. He's rather petty, so he'll surely think of me."

...

In the court, Chen Shi was awarding the generals who achieved great merit this time—a tedious task—and the naming was delegated to the young eunuch Xiao Chengzi. Despite Yang Bi's absence, he was included in the rewards.

The awarding brought joy to some and distress to others, inevitably leaving not everyone satisfied. Chen Tang accepted the position of Minister of Rites, while Chen Yindou, Du Yiran, Sha Qiutong, and Scholar Zhu instead remained independents, carefree and unconstrained.

Chen Shi's four major disciples also declined official positions; Chen Shi forcibly assigned them the role of National Sacrificial Officer.

As for Little Dun Fairy, Chen Shi bestowed the position of True Princess, though it was unclear if she accepted, as there was no refusal.

When the court meeting concluded, True King Chen immediately went to find True Princess, intending to consummate the marriage, yet despite searching for a long time, she was nowhere to be found.

Wu Qi stood atop the city tower of Xinxiang Imperial City, gazing at the vast Sea of Darkness, pondering for a moment, and said, "As a Da Shang imperial daughter, the princess must make reviving Da Shang her duty and cannot slacken. Da Shang is now sparsely populated, few remain."

Little Dun Fairy faced the wind, also looking towards the sea, and said, "Master, I have married the Emperor and fulfilled the role of a wife."

Wu Qi frowned slightly, saying, "Where does the princess place Da Shang? Where do the ancestors stand? Da Shang must rise even if there is only one person left! The princess has pledged herself to Chen Shi and should remain in Great Ming while her heart stays with Shang. Once I make preparations, after eliminating the Heavenly Venerate, I'll slay Chen Shi, seize the throne, and restore Da Shang orthodoxy!"

Little Dun Fairy thought for a moment and suggested, "By sharing myself with Chen Shi, my son will become the next True King, thus returning the realm to the hands of the imperial family. If I then urge Chen Shi to train diligently, striving to soon dissolve the malevolent changes afflicting Shang citizens, would it not revive the Da Shang golden age? Apart from the name not being Da Shang, it would be akin to the Da Shang Era. What does Master think?"

Wu Qi's eyes lit up, praising, "This is truly a strategy of replacing a nest with an egg; very clever, very clever!"

Little Dun Fairy departed.

Wu Qi felt something seemed amiss, yet inexplicably rational.

Despair Slope, Feng Ruotong, literary Daoist, and others followed Qing Yang Daoist to the forbidden area of Despair Slope, which was a hillside where Qing Yang Daoist buried the Shang Minister years ago. Back then, when Chen Yindou's Creation Little Five infiltrated Despair Slope and encountered the Heavenly Gods' patrol, they hid amidst this burial mound.

Under Qing Yang Daoist's guidance, Feng Ruotong unearthed several skeletons, which still bore Witch Sacrificial Dao Patterns, accompanied by jade ornaments of the Shang Ministers.

A group of Heavenly Dao Immortals gazed at these skeletons and ornaments, silent for a long time.

Feng Ruotong remained silent, buried the skeletons and ornaments back in their original spot, then stood and said, "Let's go, quickly leave Despair Slope, don't let the Heavenly Venerate notice."

The group hastily flew away with Qing Yang Daoist, and upon departing Despair Slope, arriving in Heavenly Dao City, they each breathed a sigh of relief.

At this moment, the Heavenly Venerate's voice came from behind them, "Ruotong, why are you here?"

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