Only three seconds? He's already the Lord of All Realms, so it doesn't matter.

Liu Xiu made simple arrangements for the northern desert region, and the detailed matters thereafter would be handled by officials dispatched from the capital.

He reorganized his troops and returned to the capital that very day!

When the 200,000-strong army of the new nation once again crossed towering mountains and forded rushing rivers, and saw the capital city they had not seen for nearly a year, the soldiers' eyes were filled with tears.

Chang'an, the capital of an old dynasty that lasted for hundreds of years, has always stood on that land.

But the capital of the new nation is changing rapidly.

After the army has settled down in the surrounding counties, all the soldiers can retire and return to their hometowns to visit their long-lost relatives.

Liu Xiu and other military generals followed Ye Xuan into the capital.

As soon as everyone stepped into Xuanping Gate, they saw Wang Mang leading the civil and military officials of the capital, who had been waiting for a long time.

"Welcome, Immortal! Welcome back to the capital, Your Majesty and all the generals!"

Looking at the deafening drums and gongs before them, Zong Tiao and his companions had imagined this scene countless times.

They traversed the eight wastelands and returned in triumph!

Ye Xuan nodded to the assembled officials and also addressed Wang Mang:

"You've all worked hard."

Afterwards, surrounded by the people of the entire city, they returned to Weiyang Palace.

In the present world, the two most dangerous places that posed the greatest threat to the Central Plains, Qiangzhong and Mobei, have been pacified. The next step is to discuss the establishment of a new country.

That's right, whether it's called the New Nation or the New National Army, it's just a temporary name given to the army before it sets off.

Facing this new era of unification since Wang Mang and Liu Xuan, there was still no definite name for the country...

Inside the Weiyang Palace, civil and military officials sat in rows, while Ye Xuan quietly stood on the platform, watching them debate the establishment of the new nation.

Some say, "Since this is a new era, we cannot repeat the mistakes of the past; we should remove the 'new' label from the previous dynasty and find a new name for it."

Some people also said, "The new Nationalist army marched north and won a great victory, so it should retain the name 'New'."

"..."

Inside the vast Weiyang Palace, the discussion about the name of the country was quite heated.

Liu Xiu and Wang Mang, however, tacitly addressed Ye Xuan on the stage:

"The new era has begun, the army has returned in triumph, and the Immortal Venerable has made invaluable contributions. We should obey the Immortal Venerable's decree."

Their words had found a balance, and the ministers in the hall responded enthusiastically, all asking questions of Ye Xuan on the platform:

"Please, Immortal Venerable, decide!"

"Please, Immortal Venerable, decide..."

Gazing at the fervent eyes below the stage, Ye Xuan felt somewhat dazed, his senses beginning to drift uncontrollably outside the hall.

In the early morning, within the bustling capital of Chang'an, he saw the scene of the city's university campus—

The university has more than doubled in size since its initial expansion. It is located at the entrance to the city through Yanping Gate and enrolls more than 3,000 faculty and students.

The college still houses the four departments he established: "Moral Education and Law," "Agronomy," "Medicine," and "Mechanical Engineering."

He saw an older student, about forty or fifty years old, who had come out of the agricultural class and then entered the mechanical class.

Despite studying two subjects simultaneously, his somewhat wrinkled face showed no signs of fatigue, only curiosity about knowledge.

Slogans such as "Equality for all, civilized exchange" were everywhere in the city. Ye Xuan's gaze moved around, arriving at various post stations in the city.

Wang Mang concentrated these official post stations, which sold various daily necessities at low prices, in the West Market.

Ye Xuan saw the people in the city using the still somewhat crude new money to buy various daily necessities, including fuel, at the post station.

While he was still in the long queue, he spotted a familiar figure—Wang Yijun.

This man, who was originally a notorious playboy in Chang'an, returned to the life of an ordinary citizen after experiencing the reforms of the capital and receiving a reward from Wang Mang.

Finally, Ye Xuan raised his perception level and saw the entire capital city.

The people of Chang'an will no longer suffer from hunger, cold, lack of medical care, and lack of education...

He manipulated his senses, allowing his consciousness to roam freely throughout the world.

The Jiangnan region, a thousand miles away from the capital Chang'an, has gradually integrated into this new era since it submitted to the new country a few months ago.

On the drizzly cobblestone path, inside a local inn, local residents often chatted idly after meals:

"I've heard that the Celestial Venerable of the capital city can not only manipulate heavenly thunder, but also possesses many divine powers."

Those landlords in the Central Plains, and I heard there were even Qiang people among them, were all subdued by the Immortal Venerable.

A young man in plain clothes downed his glass of strong liquor and retorted to his friend's words:

I cannot agree with your statement.

I have heard that in the battle of Qiangzhong, the National Army was fully prepared. Even without the intervention of the Celestial Venerable, taking over the Northwest was only a matter of time.

The two drank and ate meat, discussing world affairs...

The gentle tinkling of the wind chimes on the eaves made one feel as if transported to another world, but it was drowned out by the shouts of the dock workers as cargo ships were being loaded and unloaded.

"Authentic Kokusai fragrant rice, produced by the university, arrived today!"

Ye Xuan shifted his gaze again to the southeastern sea area, to Lelang County, which was established by Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty.

Influenced by the previous dynasty, the locals did not resist the new kingdom established by Liu Xiu as its ruler, and like other places in Jiangnan, they submitted to the government early on.

Continuing eastward across the sea from Lelang County, one would reach the territory of the Japanese pirates.

Of course, these Japanese pirates at sea posed almost no threat to the new country compared to the Xiongnu in the north.

Furthermore, after learning that the new country was protected by the Heavenly Immortal Venerable, they attempted to establish contact with the capital through Lelang County, becoming the first place to submit and curry favor.

Ye Xuan surveyed the small islands of Japan. He had a more familiar name for this place, and a sentence involuntarily popped into his mind.

"This place has been an inseparable part of the loess soil of China since ancient times."

China...

His senses receded at that moment, and his consciousness returned to the Weiyang Palace.

Facing the civil and military officials, Ye Xuan began:

"What you see and argue about is all for the new nation, but the name of the nation is not just a name; we should trace its origins and inherit its history."

He raised his hand and gestured towards the distance outside the palace, and everyone looked in the direction of the gate of Weiyang Palace.

"From the northern deserts to the south of the Yangtze River, from Longxi to the East China Sea, all the places where the new nation waged war, reformed, promoted education, and traded were called Huaxia."

Ye Xuan paused, his gaze sweeping over Wang Mang, Liu Xiu, and the assembled officials.

"In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor started the dynasty, Yao and Shun abdicated the throne, Yu cast the Nine Tripods, and the Zhou dynasty established its rites for the world."

Although the Qin and Han dynasties changed hands and Wang Mang's new policies occurred, the people continued to cultivate the land and study diligently. In the end, I and all the people of the world longed for the new country.

Thus, the nation was named "Huaxia," and all peoples under heaven were united as one.

After Ye Xuan finished speaking, there was a moment of silence in the hall. Wang Mang was the first to bow deeply and said:

"We submit to the Immortal Lord's decree!"

Liu Xiu followed closely behind, also placing his hand on his sword with a sigh:

"In accordance with the will of our late father, our new nation shall be named 'Huaxia'."

The officials bowed their heads in unison, and shouts rose like a tide: "China!"

A long wind swept through the corridors outside the palace. In front of the Weiyang Palace in the capital, one could almost smell the scent of the northern grasslands, hear the gentle rustling of rice paddies in the south, and hear the chanting from the Chang'an Academy...

The world will be unified, a nation will be established, and China will be founded!