Origin Paradise!

Jiang He left behind the Blood Spear and activated the position swap, his figure moving from the Qingdu Palace in the Imperial City to the mining camp in the Jianchi Mountains of Yizhou.

He spread his blood wings and climbed to the top of Jianchi Mountain, a place he had visited before. The Soul Daoist had already been annihilated, and the Sword Tournament was now a thing of the past.

"The field unfolds."

Theoretically, a complete domain exclusively belonging to the golden beings unfolds.

A transparent sphere with a diameter of 100 meters surrounds the mountaintop. In the process of evolving from simplicity to completeness, the volume of the domain has undergone a qualitative change through compression.

Behind Jiang He, a black sun rises.

He reached out and gently grasped, and suddenly an immense devouring force erupted from the black sun, causing the summit of Jianchi Mountain to collapse with a deafening roar.

Pieces of rock flew into the black sun, then turned into dust, and were completely annihilated.

When the domain dissipated, the mountain range looked as if it had been bitten by a giant beast, with its top resembling a crescent moon and the fractured surface smooth and flat.

“The Black Sun Domain is essentially a manifestation of your Gluttony Lord’s power.” Lilith took his arm and continued, “The Golden Domain also has a guaranteed hit effect within its range.”

"In other words, once you are enveloped by the Black Sun Domain, you cannot escape the grasp of its devouring power. Of course, this refers to the situation at the same level. There is a confrontation between domains, and higher-level beings can also use force to overcome skill."

"In addition to its impressive offensive capabilities, your Black Sun Domain also boasts top-tier growth potential. Gluttony can devour extraordinary factors. Simply put, the Black Sun Domain can be strengthened by hunting extraordinary beings and consuming extraordinary items."

Jiang He was absorbing this invaluable information. If he were to figure it out on his own, the result might be similar, but it would definitely take some time and effort.

Black Sun Territory:

Domain wall strength - Ultimate level.

Coverage area – 100 meters in diameter.

Black Sun Devouring Power - Undying Level (determined by the level of five energy properties)

Jiang He summoned the Overlord Armor, then activated the Dragon Turtle Scales, followed by transforming his domain into armor to cover his body, and finally donned the Wild Hunt Armor.

Seeing this, Lilith couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand, and said with a bright smile, "It's a pity that there's no skill similar to God Hunter to integrate these abilities, so let's just call it Turtle Shell Mode."

"Holy Martial Mode," Jiang He rejected the other party's teasing.

[Note: The Battle for the Ember World will officially begin in 15 natural days. You have received the Origin's Call. This mission contains a large amount of experience points. Players with World Access have been detected. Do you agree?]

“Agreed,” Jiang He replied, as he had originally planned to participate in this competition.

The Ember World possesses a unique superpower system. Although it is not comprehensive among those of the same level, its combat power develops very quickly. It can basically be regarded as a training ground for cannon fodder of bronze beings and has undeniable value. Even if superpower crystals are sold to the void, there is no need to worry about finding a market for them.

Strictly speaking, the Ember World belongs to the first-order Bronze World, and Silver beings cannot descend there, but it is not without loopholes.

Leaving aside the right of passage, advancing from the peak of Bronze to Silver in this world grants global recognition and, in effect, special privileges for subsequent arrivals. Advisor Gu of the Order Bureau and the top fighters of the battlefield are among them.

Given the importance of this world, the other three battlefields will inevitably send their true elites to compete for it, making the intensity incomparable to that of the Remnant World.

"Peace of mind."

Lilith reached out and hooked her arm around someone's neck, then pressed her cheek against his in a seemingly intimate gesture, her breath sweet as orchids, and said:

"The three major battlefields can certainly use the great powers as their trump card to win, but they probably don't have a hegemon. Lacking the great sin of gluttony that can unify and sublimate, it is as difficult as a mayfly trying to reach the pinnacle of hegemony that dominates an era."

Jiang He glanced sideways and said, "You mean, I've become the Silver Overlord now?"

He did not hear the Origin's prompt.

Lilith nodded and shook her head, replying, "It should be, but unlike the complete sublimation of the Bronze Age last time, you haven't significantly surpassed the baseline of the overlord this time. Once the body of the Martial Saint is forged and the extraordinary spear technique is practiced, the word 'should' will definitely be removed."

"As for the title of hegemon, if you had the means, you could probably kill several great powers in one go, but the real challenge is finding multiple great powers."

"It is worth noting that when you are a Bronze Overlord, you can fight to the death with Silver Elites, but a Silver Overlord can only fight to the death with ordinary Gold, and at most you have a good chance of winning. After all, becoming Gold means that you were not an ordinary person before."

Jiang He nodded. The higher the era, the more difficult it is to become a hegemon, and the gap between the two eras becomes more and more significant. This was something he already knew.

"Once the nine provinces are pacified, the fate of the nation will belong to you."

Lilith smiled and said, "The emperor resides in the Purple Star in the center of the world. If you infuse the imperial city with the power of the elixir, then relying on symbolism and alchemy, it won't be too difficult to upgrade the original Rock Town into an imperial city. This requires a complete domain containing the power of gluttony. Don't blame me for not reminding you before."

"I'm back." Jiang He remained noncommittal. After pausing his comprehension, his previously dry and pale face gradually recovered.

……

Imperial City, Qingdu Palace.

The blood spear that had been standing before the throne disappeared.

Jiang He appeared out of thin air and sat down, still wearing a gold-embroidered dragon robe.

"The giant snake is hungry."

Zhuang Ya walked over with her head down; she had been standing guard obediently for several days.

"You've worked hard." Jiang He praised without reservation. These past few days had truly been difficult for the gluttonous and sleepy little one.

Zhuang Ya came to the throne, hugged the giant snake, closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep. Hunger was just an illusion; drowsiness was her true state.

"Your Majesty." Jiang He stood up and left the throne to the little one. The imperial city was full of vicious knights and vicious soldiers, as well as a rabble of avian legions, so there was no need to worry about safety.

"Your Majesty, I am here."

The empress, dressed in a Taoist robe, bit her lip, feeling a deep bitterness in her heart. The short man in white was simply outrageous, resting on the throne. Even with her extensive reading, she had never heard of such a thing. The empress should have been the most honored woman in the inner palace, but this man had stolen the imperial favor and status that should have belonged to her.

"Before the Daoist Master went north, did he hand over the Five-Peck Elixir Formula to you?" Jiang He asked as he descended the steps.

Upon hearing this, the Empress's shoulders trembled slightly. The Supreme Elder had privately said that the Five-Peck Pill was the Dao Palace's greatest asset in front of the Emperor. If the pill formula were lost, the Dao Palace lineage might immediately fall from its current position. This thing was passed down orally and was highly confidential.

"Your Majesty, my father often complains that I am dull-witted. In the entire Dao Palace, only the Supreme Elder can see my father directly. As his only daughter, I have no chance to know this."

"A nineteen-year-old Grandmaster, and even the Daoist Master doesn't think much of him?" Jiang He continued to press.

The empress lowered her head, the curves of her Taoist robe becoming increasingly pronounced. It was highly likely that the Taoist leader would entrust his inherited elixir formula to his only daughter before heading north to fight the Grandmaster.

The two people present knew this conclusion perfectly well, but she could not give up the very foundation of her survival, especially given that her position as empress was in grave danger.

The Empress calmed her breathing, curtsied, and said in a mournful tone, "I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness, I truly did not know."

"Ignorance is no excuse. Accompany me to Kunning Palace."

Jiang He wasn't very interested in pressing for the recipe. Even if he got the recipe, he wouldn't have time to refine it himself right now. His priority was to study martial arts and dye the imperial city with the pills. As for the Empress, she was stubborn and dishonest, and also somewhat jealous.

When the emperor and empress set off, the empress's personal lady-in-waiting almost burst into tears of joy. The Directorate of Ceremonial immediately dispatched men to carry the sedan chair, and the Imperial Horse Administration sent a total of two hundred vicious soldiers and vicious knights to escort them.

……

Meanwhile, in Donghai City.

On the city wall, which was covered with swords and weapons, a middle-aged man in plain clothes suddenly opened his eyes. He saw an old eunuch in a red robe walking shakily up the steps, holding a bright yellow imperial edict in his hands.

Countless peddlers and laborers in the city, as well as wandering knights, cast their gazes toward the city walls. For decades, without exception, every person who went up there became a victim of the sword.

But this time, things have changed.

The middle-aged man in plain clothes stared intently at the trace of true energy on the imperial edict. He was familiar with the small withered sword finger, but what was truly noteworthy was the extremely refined withered aura on it.

A perfect withering indicates a high price for silver.

The old eunuch in red robes stood with difficulty, then spread out the imperial edict with both hands and proclaimed loudly, "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I have recently punished those who have wronged the four seas and pacified the nine provinces. Now, having no equal, I am about to hold a hunting party with the city lord in the capital. I will bear the consequences of my actions..."

The announcement spread, and people whispered among themselves, causing an uproar throughout the city. The new emperor was actually going to have a decisive battle with the Lord of Donghai City in the capital. For the people of Donghai County in Yangzhou, the Lord of Donghai City was the symbol of an unshakeable force. Even the three major sects of the prefecture were not far away, just to share in the remaining power.

The reading is not yet finished.

The Lord of Donghai City stood up, and the ordinary iron sword at his waist hummed softly.

He took a step forward, landing on the city wall, ignoring the endless stream of people on the street ahead, and went straight to a skilled groom.

"Three hundred taels of silver, send me to the capital."

The coachman was bewildered, yet knew this was an incredible opportunity.

"Lord of the city, I don't want money, I only ask that you teach me a sword technique."

The Lord of Donghai City thought about it carefully. The Emperor was at least as strong as himself, and there was indeed a possibility that he might not return. He had no disciples so far, let alone any successor.

"How much you can learn depends on your ability."

The coachman immediately knelt down and performed the disciple's salute, drawing envious glances from countless onlookers. Some were amazed, while others were filled with jealousy.

Chapter 352 The White Lotus Demonic Cult

Southeast corner of the Imperial City, the Grand Hall of the Cabinet.

As night fell, Lao Hei and Wu He gathered around the table, where a group of vicious soldiers from the Imperial Horse Stables delivered case files.

Since the transformation mission and the proof of the strong were launched, all the government affairs of the three states have been handed over to Old Black.

The imperial court has a systematic talent selection system, and there are many talented clerks. The cabinet is composed of chief minister Yue, Prince Anbei, the eldest son of the Zhu family, and others. They maintain a high degree of consistency in their orders to thoroughly investigate the wrongful convictions of the past twenty years through the petitioning platform.

"A'er borrowed 5,000 fierce soldiers from the Imperial Horse Administration and, with Emperor Wuzong's Martial Guard and the recently gathered remnant of the Regent's defeated troops, barely managed to assemble an 80,000-strong Eastern Expeditionary Army. The previous two field battles had consumed a lot of the court's resources, but as long as the wealthy Yangzhou is captured, the difficulties will be easily resolved."

Old Hei flipped through the report submitted by Ah Er. Generally speaking, as long as the proportion of vicious soldiers in the army reaches one-tenth, a very high level of loyalty can be guaranteed. The effects of absolute loyalty and fearlessness are exceptionally significant. Combined with Ah Er's strength, which is slightly better than that of an ordinary Grandmaster, it is only a matter of time before Yangzhou is pacified.

"The cabinet rejected the imperial decree regarding the conversion of rice paddies to medicinal herbs in Jingzhou. Chief Minister Yue requested an audience with the emperor. At this time, Xiao He is either practicing martial arts or comforting the concubines in the backyard. She may not have time."

Old Hei hesitated.

Wuhe looked up from the heavy case files and began to thoroughly investigate the past twenty years. The task was extremely demanding. Fortunately, the imperial court had drawn scholars from the Hanlin Academy and the Daoist Academy to form a "special task force" of more than three hundred people.

Among them were promising students who passed the imperial examinations in their teens, as well as prodigies with photographic memories who could compose poems at a young age, greatly reducing the difficulty of the task. More than half of these talented individuals were arrogant and conceited, and it would have been difficult to make them submit without the strong support of the imperial power.

"Second brother, pass the memorial to Aya. She's with the eldest brother, so she should be able to manage the time."

Old Hei nodded. Aya was just a little dull, but definitely not stupid. Besides, the female official in charge of the seal was known as the "Nine Thousand Years Old," and her duty was to communicate between the inside and outside.

"The final batch of Five-Peck Pills is being refined at the Dao Palace..."

"The Lord of Donghai City has left the city walls..."

"The grand ceremony to worship Heaven will be held as scheduled..."

"Who brought up the draft?"

Old Hei silently counted: Empress, Princess, County Princess, Lady Zhu, Lady Changsun, Lady Shan. That made six consorts. He couldn't remember any of their names, and he couldn't even match their appearances or identities.

However, the current number is indeed not in accordance with etiquette. There were already some criticisms against Aya in the previous dynasty. The emperor favored the female official in charge of the seal. If the new dynasty had not just been established, there would probably have been a lot of criticisms.

Among the officials who dared to speak out in the imperial court, there were countless individuals who were willing to risk their lives just to leave a mark on history. Even if a legendary figure descended, let alone a silver overlord, some officials would probably still die without a fight, thus leaving behind a reputation for integrity, uprightness, and fearlessness in the face of power.

"Then let's have a talent show. The Empress has already been established, and the Imperial Noble Consort and Noble Consort will probably have to be left to the local forces in the other six states. The six consorts and nine concubines will be filled this time, but we can forget about the beauties and gentlemen," Old Hei muttered.

This time, it is expected that most of the six imperial concubines and nine concubines will be given to the forces of the three prefectures, in order to consolidate the rule of the court and pave the way for the upcoming rice reform in Jingzhou.

Wuhe interjected, saying, "The Emperor dotes on female officials. This news was leaked by the eunuchs of Kunning Palace through the Dao Palace. The Empress is dissatisfied with Aya."

Old Hei unexpectedly revealed a ruthless look, "Give Dao Palace a lesson, and it's time to clean up the palace. I've been taking care of Aya for so long, how could she possibly provoke the Empress? This time, we can't afford to be soft-hearted."

Wuhega responded, but remembering the proof of strength, he could only lower his head and continue working. However, he had already completed the conversion mission of assassinating fifteen grandmasters. There were quite a few grandmasters suffering in the Martial Sect prison. He could secretly deliver a Black Feather attack without anyone noticing.

……

June 21st, the first year of the Shengwu era.

Just as the people of the capital were looking forward to the arrival of the Lord of Donghai City, the 80,000-strong expeditionary army led by Jiang A'er, the Minister of War, set off. Passing through Tongguan, they marched straight to Yangzhou in the southeast, overcoming all obstacles and defeating all enemies. The power of the Grandmaster was unstoppable.

At the same time, a half-month-long imperial talent selection was held in Jingzhou, with most of the spots being decided internally.

The Dao Palace exhausted its last reserves to refine a batch of one hundred Five-Peck Pills, which it then presented to Jiang Danglu, the governor of the two prefectures.

The emperor decreed that Daotian was exempt from taxes for three years and that he would spend many days sleeping in Kunning Palace. However, he also ordered the Imperial Horse Administration to arrest 56 Daotian disciples who were spying on the imperial city. This combination of reward and punishment left the officials of the outer court bewildered.

Fulu Street in the Imperial City.

In the mansion of a wealthy merchant, more than a dozen elders and disciples of the White Lotus Demonic Cult gathered.

"Welcome, Holy Maiden."

As soon as she finished speaking, the barefoot woman stepped over the wall. Dressed in black, she was very elegant, with a broad mind and a pretty face.

"Esteemed seniors, please do not stand on ceremony."

Upon hearing this, the elders straightened up, and the former Yin Saint was among them. The White Lotus Demonic Sect has always had two candidates, Yin and Yang, to compete for the sole position of the sect leader.

Five years ago, after the Sword Tournament ended, Madam Chen, the Holy Maiden of Yang, was killed by the current emperor. The Holy Son of Yin originally thought he had it in the bag, but unexpectedly, this generation of Holy Maiden appeared out of nowhere with high cultivation.

Ultimately defeated, the Holy Son of Yin could only occupy the position of elder.

The White Lotus Saintess looked around at everyone and said, "I came to the capital this time on the orders of the sect leader. The emperor and the Lord of Donghai City are about to have a decisive battle. Both of them are unparalleled experts at the peak of the Grandmaster level. The difference is that the Lord of Donghai City is a martial arts fanatic, while the emperor's mind is on the Nine Provinces."

"If we miss this opportunity, the new dynasty will inevitably recover Jing and Yun prefectures in the future. We will face the emperor's military might directly. At that time, the situation will be in jeopardy and the Holy Church will be in danger."

The White Lotus Saintess suddenly smiled, her beauty captivating. She sweetly said, "All of you here are pillars of the Holy Sect, so I will speak frankly. The Sect Leader has formed an alliance with the Tantric Zen Master and the Flood Dragon Demon King. Once the Emperor and the City Lord are both severely weakened, the great undertaking can be accomplished."