Origin Paradise!

The following day, the six concubines died, causing turmoil in the Three Wu regions. A plague swept through the three prefectures, and more than 7,000 people, regardless of their rank or position, from the direct descendants of the six great families, died suddenly. The military and political system of the Three Wu regions collapsed, and chaos reigned.

Because of the siege of the local Ten Great Sects, the Hundred Weapons Sect, some of the Changling Legion and Anse Legion were stationed around. Given the suddenness of the event, the legion commander Jiang A'er temporarily took over the Sanwu region.

The next day, after discovering that Northern Wei spies had instigated a mutiny, the two allied armies launched a surprise attack on the Sanwu army and began a purge, filling key positions with a large number of vicious soldiers to ensure control.

In just three days, the important assets of the six great families, including their land, servants, residences, manors, and inheritances, were all taken back by the imperial court because there were no direct heirs to claim them. Jiang A'er then privately established a prefecture-level administrative division in the Sanwu region, officially establishing Wuzhou.

The news shocked the world.

Following the smaller aristocratic families and sects, the six great families that were thought to have lasted for a thousand years also withdrew from the historical stage. The Anse, Changling, and Sanwu legions reorganized a large number of military strategists and sorcerers, significantly improving their combat power. At the same time, countless military strategist inheritances returned to the imperial court and were no longer the private property of aristocratic families.

Overnight, all the Jianghu forces that were still struggling to survive in the Southern Liang Dynasty fled north. By the time they crossed the natural barrier of the Qingxu Army, only one in ten remained. The Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Chief Minister Pei overstepped the imperial authority and issued an order to destroy the temples and reclaim all temple properties. With the intervention of the Emperor Wuzong and his deputy, Tianchan Temple, the most prestigious of all temples, was reduced to nothing.

For a time, the people of Southern Liang were in dire straits, and countless scholars denounced the treacherous officials in the court. This was truly a time of crisis and survival, but the emperor was still kept in the dark.

……

Seven days after the Emperor's wedding.

The Imperial Palace in the capital, the Xianbin Pavilion.

This is where royal guests are entertained. The pavilion is exquisite and magnificent. A group of eunuchs and palace maids carry food boxes into the pavilion. A middle-aged scholar sits in the pavilion with disheveled hair. The food box at his feet is untouched. He is drunk and hazy.

"The Empress has arrived."

Surrounded by a group of female officials, the Empress herself arrived at the Immortal Pavilion. Upon seeing her father's utterly dejected state, she covered her mouth in shock. It was utterly unbelievable that a dignified immortal could be so withered.

"Father is well."

"Yun'er," Xie Anan murmured, his manners impeccable.

The Empress sat down nearby, opened the food box, and said softly, "Why is Father so emaciated?"

Xie Anan hesitated for a moment, then lowered his head and said, "Are you aware of the epidemic that recently swept through the Wu region?"

The Empress's eyes narrowed.

Xie Anan sighed, "I originally thought that His Majesty was young and, although invincible on the battlefield, once he entered the capital, the world would still belong to our aristocratic family."

The Empress corrected, "The world belongs to His Majesty."

Xie Anan waved his hand, looking dejected, and said, "It's just you and me here. He's a cruel and ungrateful tyrant. The six great families have pledged allegiance to the new emperor, but before they can enjoy their wealth and honor, they're wiped out in an instant."

"After taking over the Three Wu, the next step should be to recover the Five Prefectures of Pingxi. His Majesty should not take action against the Pei and Xie families in the short term. Now, only you and Consort Pei are left in the palace, so you must be extremely careful."

Upon hearing this, a shadow fell over the Empress's brow. For seven whole days, His Majesty had spent the nights in Dongyang Palace. When she sent people to inquire, the answers she received were ambiguous. She did not believe that anyone could enjoy pleasure for seven days; that would be deliberate neglect.

"Father, rest assured. His Majesty can tolerate even the Grand Commander of the State, so the Xie family clan will not fall."

"I hope so." Xie Anan remained noncommittal. Jiang Danglu had once been the head of the Imperial Guard of the Prince of Yong's Mansion, which meant he was one of the emperor's own people. As for those who came later, including Pei Shi, the emperor clearly showed them no favor whatsoever.

The Empress took her leave.

Xie Anan slowly took out the dishes from the food box. The imperial decree forbade him from leaving the capital during this period. He was certain that as soon as he stepped out of Xianbin Pavilion, he would see the emperor holding a silver spear and fight him to the death. He had no chance of winning.

……

Dongyang Palace.

Consort Pei was petite, but her appearance was extremely charming.

Behind the curtain, Consort Pei sat in Jiang He's lap, but he was clearly more focused on the ancient book of fortune in his hand.

"The essence of Fushi Ancient Books lies in the utilization of the world."

"The masterpiece of the ages, the Heavenly Garment, is made by refining a great river to serve as armor. Enemy attacks will consume the river water, but physical attacks cannot cause any real damage until the river water is exhausted."

"The Heavenly Robe can make up for my lack of defense."

"Sub-legendary quality; once mastered, one becomes a near-master alchemist."

Jiang He pondered. There are two major rivers that meet the criteria for conquering the world: one is the Tianhe River within the territory of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and the other is the major river that now serves as the boundary between the two countries.

Given its strategic importance and main mission, the first choice is naturally the Northern Wei Tianhe. Once the defenses are in place, a full-scale war can begin. Even if he faces the worst-case scenario of fighting two powerful beings who have achieved the status of ordinary heroes, he doesn't care.

The four essential elements of alchemy—carrier, symbol, element, and original formula—are clearly recorded in the inheritance. As for the vast amount of basic materials, the treasures plundered from all over the world and the royal treasury can solve the problem, and they have all been transported to the blessed land of the Heavenly Realm, ready at any time. The masterpiece of the world, the Heavenly Garment, to some extent represents the national strength of Southern Liang.

As for the element, it is undoubtedly "water" corresponding to rivers, or blood. The carrier is the current immortal armor, the White Immortal Robe. The original formula is the fusion of the past Heavenly River and the current White Immortal Robe to form the future Heavenly Robe. In the field of alchemy, every piece of original formula knowledge is a closely guarded secret.

The only problem lies in the symbolism of the "Lord of the Milky Way".

Becoming the nominal master of a great river is clearly not a simple problem to solve.

"The Fushi Ancient Book provides three methods: first, to swallow the target river whole; second, to use great supernatural powers to uproot it; and third, to obtain an imperial edict from the emperor of the dynasty to which the river belongs, which is the Great River Sacrifice Ceremony."

Jiang He thought to himself, in short, it was about having Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei hold a grand sacrificial ceremony for the Milky Way and then bestow titles upon the nobles in charge of the Milky Way. However, since he and the other party were both emperors, he would not be the one to receive the title. But as long as it could be implemented, he could activate the legendary life-stealing technique to take away the destiny and fate of the "Lord of the Milky Way".

"I wonder if the Northern Wei emperor has woken up yet. It seems I might have to go there in person."

Suddenly, the Fushi Ancient Book trembled violently.

Consort Pei clung tightly to the person in front of her.

After a while, she became as limp as a dead fish, but as she circulated her energy, she immediately became lively again.

“Continue,” Jiang He said.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Consort Pei's eyes lit up with love.

After seven days of cultivation, Jiang He cultivated a "Yin-Yang Dragon-Tiger Golden Core" within his body. The Jade Chamber Secret Records were not heretical or unorthodox, but rather the orthodox Yin-Yang Great Dao. This kind of golden core could act as a "second blue bar" after it shattered, playing a crucial role at critical moments.

Jiang He didn't care about the Empress and the Imperial Noble Consort at all. If she could obtain the Southern Liang Blessed Land after the battle ended, the two of them would probably die of old age as time went by.

[Hint: An exclusive side quest for the Executive has been released]

[Quest Name: Origin Hunter]

[Mission Requirement: Kill violator 2399]

[Mission Brief: In the first year of the Kaihuang era, the world was in turmoil. The Sixteen Prefectures of Jiangnan, the most prosperous region for martial arts, began to suppress the martial arts world, causing countless martial artists to flee north. The Central Plains were once again engulfed in war, with various emerging sects clashing constantly. After mediation by the Moral Sect, all parties sought to elect a leader of the martial arts world. Among them, the Three Mountains Daoist was a strong contender (this player, due to the overwhelming disparity in numbers on the battlefield, ultimately chose to join the End).]

[Quest Reward: Immortal-grade Armor Smash Gem +17 (provides 100% additional Armor Smash damage)]

[Task Time Limit: 30 calendar days]

[Note: The leader of the martial arts alliance holds a prestigious position, equivalent to the emperors of various kingdoms, and is subordinate to the emperor of a unified empire. A true leader of the martial arts alliance naturally possesses great achievements and can be used to advance to a fully-fledged hero.]

Boo!

Jiang He pushed Consort Pei away.

After leaving the special state, the seven consecutive days of cultivation had finally accumulated a lot of fatigue, and Consort Pei fell into a deep sleep on the dragon bed.

“Aya.”

At the head of the dragon-shaped bed, a small white snake opened its eyes.

"Tell Wuhe to appoint A'er as the General Who Conquers the West, in charge of the three prefectures' legions and the Anse legion. He is to depart immediately for Xiangyang to take command and await orders to prepare for the attack on the five western prefectures."

“Recall Ah San and let him lead the Changling Army to guard the capital, control Zhao Shukui, and take charge of Emperor Wuzong’s extermination of Wu. There’s no need to deal with Si Ning.”

“A-Da is dismissed from his post. I will take him to Northern Wei.”

Zhuang Ya nodded, seemingly understanding, "Okay."

Jiang He stood up and pulled on his bright red dragon robe. A phantom of an ancient savage dragon, exuding a violent aura, surrounded him. He stretched out his hands and tore the space in front of him apart. Then, he activated his spatial power and disappeared from the spot.

……

Outside Dongyang Palace.

The Empress stood in the sun, her figure elegant, but fine, glistening beads of sweat had appeared on her forehead.

The female official next to her wanted to come over with an umbrella, but the Empress turned her head and stared at her, "shooing her away".

After a while, a young palace maid quietly ran out of Dongyang Palace. She didn't say anything, but simply shook her head at the Empress.

The old nanny approached the Empress and whispered, "Your Majesty, His Majesty has left Dongyang Palace directly."

"Your Majesty?" The Empress gave a self-deprecating laugh: "Does he even remember that he has a wife? I haven't even seen him for seven whole days after the wedding. I've become a laughing stock in this vast inner courtyard."

The old nanny's expression changed slightly. "Your Highness, please be careful what you say."

"It's nothing. I was just complaining to you a little. His Majesty might not even remember me. It's not an offense to the Emperor."

Just as the two were talking, a eunuch rushed in to report that he was a member of the Xie family who had come from the palace to serve as an attendant.

"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! His Majesty has taken the head of the family away!"

"what!"

The Empress's expression changed. "Do you know where they were taken?"

"Your Majesty, this humble servant truly does not know."

The young eunuch shook his head anxiously. He wondered when the once-powerful Xie family, which had "co-governed the world," had fallen into a precarious state. Now, the Xie family head was the biggest support for the entire Xie clan. If something unexpected happened, the entire empire might collapse.

After a moment of contemplation, the Empress made a decisive decision: "Send the Phoenix Guards to search. Even if they can't find them, let others know that the Xie family is looking for the head of the family. Go quickly!"

The old nanny received the token and withdrew. Given the prevalence of martial arts across the country, the Empress also had her own personal guards, called the Phoenix Guard, with a full complement of 5600 men, all of whom were currently the private soldiers of the Xie family.

Chapter 593 Fishing for Destiny

Dongyongzhou of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

As the final region where the Fen River flows into the Tianhe River in this era, the water conditions here largely determine the water flow of the middle and lower reaches of the Tianhe River. Especially after the Tianhe River passes through the loess plateau, the combination of silt and water can sometimes be a synonym for destruction.

Therefore, in recent decades, Dongyongzhou has been the absolute focus of flood control. When the Northern Wei Dynasty entered the Central Plains, the various clans did not pay much attention to it at first, but after experiencing several "unprecedented" attacks from the Tianhe River, they eventually became obedient.

Dongyongzhou City is bisected by a large tributary of the Fen River, with waves splashing on the riverbanks irrigated by molten iron. Restaurants line both sides of the river, and singing and dancing never stop. It has long been known as "Little Yangzhou".

In front of the riverside tavern, a man in simple clothes sat by the river, his silver fishing rod subtly extending, the fishing line of fate dangling into the river surface, occasionally creating ripples that gently echoed around him.

Xie Anan, dressed in a scholar's robe, looked somewhat haggard. He squatted down, reached into the river, and scooped up the slightly murky water.

"Your Majesty, in the end, governing the country still requires scholars." Xie Anan stared at the river water in his hand and said sadly, "Just as controlling floods is the destiny of a dynasty, why kill the six great families? Even with Your Majesty's formidable military strength, you can't wipe them all out."

“Land,” Jiang He said calmly.

In his eyes, Nanliang was already his reserve blessed land. The abundant population was potential, but the land was concentrated in the hands of aristocratic families, and the people had less and less information. Their reproductive tendency had decreased significantly, which directly affected the amount of golden living material produced by the blessed land after they died of old age.

From the emperor's perspective, as the leader and representative of the landowning group, land was the emperor's natural attribute. Therefore, the floods that damaged the land had to be controlled, and territorial expansion was the most crucial factor in evaluating an emperor's achievements.

When facing powerful landowning families, imperial power can easily destroy individuals within them, or even surpass a considerable number of them. However, when confronting the whole, it will always encounter the fiercest resistance. And because of the source of power, major reforms often end in failure.

Unfortunately, while the emperor of Southern Liang was Jiang He, Jiang He was not merely the emperor of Southern Liang. From the perspective of the entire world, the landowning group, including the emperor, was only a part of it.

“But this is far too drastic, and it only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause,” Xie Anan sighed. “I believe that the matter of the false emperor is perhaps only the beginning.”

It was ostensibly advice, but in reality, it was a threat.

If this continues, even the Pei family will have no choice but to stand on the opposite side, and the Xie family will have no other option either.

"Intense, isn't it?" Jiang He said indifferently, "If you're not satisfied, then come and kill me. Once you kill me, the government will naturally end. To be honest, I didn't expect to solve the root cause. I just want to kill everyone in the forty states in the north and south every one or two hundred years until it becomes a kind of historical pattern, and then the Great Liang will naturally last for thousands of years."

Jiang He remained calm. He certainly didn't think there was anything wrong with others resisting him. Just like when he faced the sea dragon, if the outcome was that the dragon killed him, he would accept it. Life and death depend on one's own abilities.

"Your Majesty is drunk. I will pretend I never heard what you said today." Xie Anan bowed his head tightly.

His Majesty is unwilling to compromise, so the only outcome is war. However, this prince seems to have never lost since he was enfeoffed. Neither the Pei family nor the Xie family has any confidence in winning. In particular, the newly appointed Pei Yuye has recently been claiming illness and not coming out of town.

"Never heard of it?"

Jiang He scoffed, "You mean you can just ignore what I say if you want?"

Xie Anan's face paled slightly upon hearing this.

He finally understood why he, a dignified terrestrial immortal, could never hold his head high in front of this other person. It was not just a difference in strength, but the violent nature that the other person could not hide in his bones. It was something that any of his kind would fear and even be afraid of, more like a primal evil.

Wow!

An ordinary carp took the bait.

Behind the two, Ah Da jumped into the water and scooped out the carp, his face beaming with a simple and honest smile. In fact, the one who feared the Great Khan the most was not the Zhu Lu family, but the most loyal Evil Fiend Legion. This was something Xie Anan only now understood, something the Great Khan had never hidden.

Only core members are exceptions.

Jiang He waved his hand and said, "Give it to him. He still needs to have his last meal before he's executed."

Xie Anan silently accepted the carp. He knew clearly that when he would die depended on when he made his move. With the "disappearance" of the land-based immortal combat power, the Pei-Xie clan had reached the precipice.

Ah Da withdrew without saying a word. In fact, there was indeed a way out, but unfortunately, the head of the Xie family did not realize that if he could get any one of the three core members to come forward and advise him, he could probably solve the current deadlock with just one sentence.

In contrast to this coldness is an almost limitless indulgence.

"Let's drink, let's drink, and then we'll see who's the best!"