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Chapter 1160 Ascending the Throne
The arrival of Bei Xuanzhu's delegation in the capital signifies Zhenbei Ge's support for the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven.

The attitude of the six northern prefectures became another heavyweight bargaining chip, further solidifying Lian Feihong's position.

Thus, the grand ceremony to worship Heaven was successfully held amidst great anticipation.

Of course, few people know that Zhou You's eldest son, who is also the next successor of the Zhou Clan's Western Branch, Zhou Ding, was hiding in the Northern Xuan Zhu delegation and went to the capital to return to the Zhou Clan's Western Branch.

The family was reunited and enjoyed themselves immensely. Zhou You was very concerned about his son and asked him carefully how he had been doing all these years.

In fact, Niu Gong did not mistreat Zhou Ding.

The abundant resources of the six northern prefectures and the Zhu clan were all used to support Zhou Ding's expenses from childhood to adulthood.

As for martial arts and academic knowledge, they were personally taught by Zhen Beige, and his sparring partners from childhood to adulthood were either the prefect or the governor.

"Qinghua, if this child stayed with us, she might not be raised any better than she is now!"

Zhou You sighed, saying that he had been too busy cultivating and fighting to pay enough attention to his children, and he felt inferior to Zhou Dingbei in Xuanzhou.

He became even more determined to make up for the years he had neglected his children after the sacrificial ceremony.

Time flies, and the day of the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven arrived in the blink of an eye.

The four gates of the sacrificial palace were opened, and the walls and roadsides were covered with colorful flags that fluttered in the wind, creating a vibrant scene.

This was the largest gathering in hundreds of years, announcing the momentous change of dynasties.

The previous feudal lord died suddenly, and the inside story was secretive and inconvenient to disclose. Therefore, Lian Feihong took over the position of feudal lord, not the abdication of abdication.

He stood out through the nominations of various prominent families and groups, and was a top performer selected by public vote.

The difference between a feudal lord and a hereditary lord is that if the latter commits a misconduct, the previous feudal lord can depose him if he is still alive. However, it is different for a feudal lord unless it causes public outrage and resentment, and all the noble families rise up against him. It is unlikely that he can be deposed by a "referendum".

The former lord had caused a scandal in Putuo Prefecture, killing his own flesh and blood and indulging in the company of a seductive empress, making it extremely difficult to remove him from office.

The more concerted efforts are needed from all sides, the more difficult it becomes; this applies to both successes and failures.

Those who came to attend the ceremony were mainly Lian Feihong's core supporters, the aristocratic families who supported his ascension to the throne.

The Lian family and the Zhou family of the Western Branch were the leading groups, taking the biggest slice of the pie in this dynastic change.

The former is about to become the 'royal family', while the latter has two governors in one family, with no exceptions except for Bei Xuanzhu.

Then there are the influential forces from all sides. Although they do not openly support Lian Feihong, their existence is crucial.

For example, the temple masters of the Buddhist sect, and the leaders of the Medicine Buddha sect, such as Sanwei and Wuwei, etc...

"If Duke Chongyang hadn't..., he would also be qualified to be among them!"

The Five Flavors Pharmacist sighed.

Who would have thought that the supposedly indifferent Golden Immortal Daoist, the number one figure, was actually the mastermind behind everything?

The downfall of Chongyang Gong dealt a huge blow to the Golden Immortal Sect in Dijing, and the Eight Heavenly Henchmen were wiped out.

He not only ruined his own organization, but also severely damaged the vitality of Wulaozhuang, Northern Liangdi, and Western Xuantian Wankushan.

The once universally revered number one figure of the Golden Immortal Path is now hated with a passion whenever anyone in the Golden Immortal Path mentions him.

"Yes, Yuan Quezi, the leader of the Land Measurement Organization, has also arrived!"

Although Yuan Quezi is talented, he is mediocre compared to his predecessor, Xiaoyaozi. However, there is nothing that can be done. The impact of the Putuo Prefecture incident was too great, directly wiping out the top talents of the Golden Immortal Path. Now, all aspects are in a state of desolation.

He was appointed to the position in a time of crisis, and together with Si Xinmochi, they barely managed to maintain the framework of the Liangdi organization.

And... "Hmm, the Cult of Humanity has also sent people."

The situation is delicate. The great battle between Lingyun Palace and Tiannan Divine Sword is not yet over, and the remnants of the Eastern Great Thousand Clan are holed up in Feiyun Prefecture.

It is conceivable that once Lian Feihong ascends the throne, the first person he will need to deal with is this major threat.

The foundation of the Eastern Great Thousand is the religion of race.

"The group that came was from another faction of the Human Race Cult, the one that lent Zhou Daqian the sacred artifact 'Double Pupil'."

It turns out that the cult of human beings has many factions within it, and has plenty of capital to hedge its bets.

The person invited to participate in the sacrificial ceremony was one of Lian Feihong's connections, the owner of the sacred artifact 'Double Pupil'.

That person was a descendant of the Double-Pupil Martial Saint, but he failed to inherit his ancestor's 'double pupil' phenomenon. However, he possessed a sacred artifact and was a very important figure in the Human Race Cult.

His appearance represents a gesture of goodwill from the 'moderate faction' of racism.

There were also envoys from several southeastern states.

After the death of the Great Gentleman, his subordinates scattered, including Ming Wangqiu, Mu Sigui and others, but many locals stayed behind, banding together with the power of the 'Demon Transformation Cauldron' for mutual support.

After several periods of rise and fall, it gradually stabilized and developed a unique industry based on raising monsters.

They formed an alliance with Lihuo Prefecture, connecting the southern border region, and on this trip to Dijing, they took Ao Donglai and his party along.

Ao Donglai, the youngest disciple of the late Lord Shen, is now the only remaining force in the southern border region, struggling to resist the chaotic situation.

He had connections with Zhou You and Lian Feihong, and his purpose in coming here was not only to observe the ceremony, but also to seek military assistance.

All the various factions made an appearance and brought gifts to add splendor to the ceremony.

The tributary system was a direct manifestation of the monarch's control over the surrounding regions. Once the feudal lords from all directions sent envoys to deliver tribute, it was a sign of their submission and recognition.

Judging from the envoys and tributes that came, it was a foregone conclusion that Lian Feihong would ascend the throne as a feudal lord.

The crowd suddenly erupted in commotion; the esteemed figure Zhou Daqian had arrived.

He walked slowly down the Qingyun Road with a large number of personal guards and advisors. Zhu Ruoxuan's seat was originally on his left, but today it was occupied by an unfamiliar young man.

Everyone speculated for a while, but when they saw the boy's face, they understood. His appearance was exactly like Zhou Daqian's.

Before long, the news spread that the boy was Zhou Ding, the eldest son of Zhou Daqian.

Despite the city's ravages and numerous changes, many of those who attended the ceremony on that day are still alive.

They recalled the amazing sights of that day, such as the nine-colored spiritual ink and naturally formed seal script...

Although Zhou Ding never made a public appearance again afterward, he left a huge shock in the capital.

Seeing him appear this time, I realized that Zhou Daqian had deliberately raised his son elsewhere in order to ensure his safe upbringing.

It is conceivable that the third-generation successor of the Zhou family's western branch will soon step into the limelight.

He deliberately chose to bring his son to the public during the sacrificial ceremony, and his intentions were very clear.

"After Zhou Nanwang came Zhou Daqian, and after Zhou Daqian came Zhou Ding."

"This family has lasted for three generations; are they really leaving no way for others to survive?!"

Some people were amazed. Although it was not obvious at the moment, if Zhou Ding continued to follow his father's path in the future, the Zhou family's western branch would very likely become a top-tier family, leaving other families far behind.

(End of this chapter)