Chapter 190: Expand the Territory, Seek the Path to Immortality

Li Chen felt that Pang Jin, whom Zhao Zhao Wenyuan had recommended last time, was quite capable; perhaps he knew who among the officials possessed genuine talent.

Li Chen himself had some understanding of his ministers, but not as deeply as Zhao Zhao Wenyuan did.

Upon hearing this, many court officials felt envious that Zhao Zhao Wenyuan had earned such trust from His Majesty.

With so many positions to fill, appointing a few of one's own students and former subordinates was no problem.

Zhao Zhao Wenyuan was now wondering whether this was Li Chen testing him.

Moreover, many court officials were watching his chancellor's seat closely; if they uncovered any abuse of power for personal gain, they would truly dare to impeach him.

Most importantly, Li Chen was the kind of ruler who actually acted.

So Zhao Zhao Wenyuan was pondering what he should do.

His students and former subordinates certainly had real ability and merit; to avoid suspicion by recommending none of them would seem unreasonable.

The Tian Ce Dynasty rarely experienced such a large-scale reshuffling; everyone wanted promotion.

If he didn't recommend them, his own followers would feel their future under him was bleak.

After a moment's thought, Zhao Zhao Wenyuan stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance; I fear my vision may be limited. Perhaps I may submit a list of candidates for you to personally evaluate."

In his plan, he would recommend two people for each post—one from his circle, one from outside.

Both were capable of filling the vacancy; the choice between them would depend entirely on Your Majesty's preference.

Thus, my students and former subordinates cannot claim I neglected them, and other ministers cannot accuse me of favoritism—the final decision rests entirely with Your Majesty.

These are Your Majesty's own selections, not mine.

It also demonstrates that I have fulfilled the task you assigned me.

"Fine, I'll follow your suggestion."

Li Chen, having said this, assumed today's morning court session was over.

Unexpectedly, the Minister of Rites stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, it appears a military coup has begun within the Tian Wu Dynasty on our borders."

Such events were akin to "international news"—for now, they had little to no impact on the Tian Ce Dynasty.

Ministers often simply reported such matters, like the internal conditions of southern states or the Western Sassanian Dynasty.

Just as internal conflicts within Tian Ce, such as between the Third Imperial Wang Wang Shizi and the Pacifying Southern Wang Wang Shizi, were reported, so too were affairs in other nations.

But when Li Chen heard this, he paused.

Because he had a woman who was, it seemed, the eldest princess of the Tian Wu Dynasty—Pei Pei Wanyu.

Li Chen remembered Pei Pei Wanyu had said she intended to inherit the Tian Wu throne and become its female emperor.

The Tian Wu Dynasty lay in the southeast of the Tian Ce Dynasty, separated from Huju City only by the Zanglong Mountain Range.

The Zanglong Mountain Range was vast, teeming with demonic beasts and hiding ancient sects and noble families.

Thanks to this natural barrier, the Tian Wu and Tian Ce Dynasties had maintained peace for nearly a thousand years.

During Tian Ce's national celebrations, Tian Wu sent envoys to pay tribute.

During Tian Wu's national celebrations, Tian Ce sent envoys to attend and deliver congratulatory gifts.

Relations between the two states had always been peaceful.

The Tian Wu Dynasty was a medium-sized nation—not small, but certainly not large.

After court ended, Li Chen returned to the Imperial Study.

He studied the map compiled by Zhao Yuanhou Peng Zhao, detailing the territory and key cities and passes of the Tian Wu Dynasty.

Li Chen increasingly felt Peng Zhao was a talent.

Looking at the map's many nations, Li Chen felt a strong urge to unify them all.

Perhaps, after ruling so long, he had developed a professional affliction.

Like every emperor, he saw every patch of land and desired to claim it, to become master of the world.

The second professional affliction was the search for immortality.

How could one not cling to such an empire?

Li Chen's second affliction was not yet extreme, mainly because he was still young.

In short, his lifespan was still long.

Only those ancient sages, nearing the end of their years, desperately sought to extend their lives.

In this world, as Li Chen understood, achieving immortality required transcendence—to break free from the limits of lifespan.

But whether transcendence was a blessing or a trap remained uncertain.

Li Chen was a cautious man; he had cultivated to the peak before emerging. So what would await him upon transcending to the higher realm?

In Li Chen's view, every world was brutal.

Those in the higher realm were not necessarily kind.

Perhaps they'd force transcenders to mine ore—that would be the best case.

If they skinned and tendonized them, refining them into cultivation materials, that would be terrible.

So Li Chen devised several transcendence plans.

The first was to transcend alone when his lifespan neared its end—a high-risk option, since no records existed of what awaited.

The second was group transcendence: assembling powerful cultivators to ascend together, offering mutual support on the same plane.

The third was national transcendence: the entire realm ascending directly to the higher realm, gaining greater resources and items that raise life limits.

With such a vast population, exceptional talents would inevitably emerge, greatly reducing Li Chen's risks.

The fourth—and ultimate—plan was dimensional transcendence.

Transcending the entire dimension at once would, at least in part, allow Li Chen to develop rapidly.

But achieving this required Li Chen to first unify this dimension.

And a crucial step: Li Si had to cultivate to the world's peak, as per the system's requirements—only then would the transcendence mission activate.

Li Chen could then use the transcendence mission to gather intelligence.

These were all Li Chen's views on transcendence; he had never rushed it, because he still didn't know what awaited beyond.

Li Chen was young; he had time and ability to achieve unification.

Since a coup had erupted in the Tian Wu Dynasty next door, if Pei Pei Wanyu wished to reclaim the throne, she would need Li Chen's aid.

Li Chen decided he would simply tell her his plan and see whether she supported it.

As Li Chen's woman, if Pei Pei Wanyu supported him, fine; if not, he would subdue her.

But Pei Pei Wanyu was not in the palace—she had gone with Li Chen's other woman, the Void Sword Sovereign Mu Mu Qingrou, to the Zi Yun Immortal Mansion to visit her mother's former cultivation grounds and further her cultivation.

To Pei Pei Wanyu, this was a rare opportunity she must seize—perhaps she could obtain a legacy and enhance her cultivation.

Besides, Mu Mu Qingrou was a Sovereign of the Saint Realm; they both practiced the same sect's arts, so receiving Mu Mu Qingrou's guidance was beneficial.

Li Chen sent someone to the Zi Yun Immortal Mansion to inform Pei Pei Wanyu of the situation and observe her reaction.

Then Li Chen's gaze turned to the Sassanian Dynasty on the map.

In his view, this map would one day show only one dynasty.

When that day came, someone else would need to redraw the map.

As Li Chen pondered, a eunuch entered the door and announced that Crown Princess Yun Chang sought an audience.

Li Chen remembered this woman—she had been highly proactive during the resolution of the Tian Yan Divine Sect and the Nine Abyss Holy Domain.

Yun Chang had always presented herself as capable before Li Chen, aiming to please him—he knew this.

Her obvious attempts to attach herself to him had initially made Li Chen suspect she had ulterior motives.

At the time, the cause of the Crown Wang Wang Shizi's death had not been determined; how could Li Chen risk involving himself?

Now that the Wang family had been seized and former dynasty remnants captured, Yun Chang, as Crown Princess, naturally had grounds to approach Li Chen.

As a victim in this matter, Yun Chang could not be ignored; Li Chen ordered the eunuch to let her in.

Soon after, a woman as ethereal as a figure stepped from a painting entered the Imperial Study.

Merely walking in, her graceful, curvaceous form was revealed—each step exuded endless allure.

When Yun Chang drew near, she knelt to pay homage to Li Chen.

From Li Chen's angle, her full bosom, slender waist, and rounded hips formed a perfect double-S curve.

Most importantly, she did not force this display—she simply revealed her beauty openly, and it was already breathtaking.

When she rose, her melancholic charm and pitiful, delicate aura made one instinctively wish to protect her.

"Your Majesty, I heard the mastermind behind the Crown Wang Wang Shizi's case has been captured?" Yun Chang's voice was lovely—elegant, with a touch of coquettishness.

"Mm, under investigation. If you wish updates, you may consult Pang Jin—he is overseeing this case," Li Chen replied formally.

Yun Chang had no intention of seeking out Pang Jin; if she truly cared about the case, she would have gone to the Ministry of Justice long ago.

This was a rare chance to interact with Li Chen—she would lavish him with attention, especially since she could meet him alone.

She would surely shower him with concern, showcasing every virtue she possessed.

Next, she turned to the Second Army Corps—her father, Yun Xu, was its commander.

Hearing this, Li Chen grew interested and asked about Yun Xu.

Yun Chang, realizing His Majesty favored this topic, began slowly recounting her father's abilities, loyalty, and the Yun family's resources, hoping to assist Li Chen.

She lingered in the Imperial Study for a full hour before departing, thoroughly satisfied.

Nothing had happened, but she felt Li Chen no longer rejected her as before—proof that opportunity still remained.

Back at her mansion, Yun Chang wrote a letter to her father.

In the Second Army Corps' encampment, when Yun Xu read the letter, his head ached.

Yun Xu was currently fighting the Pacifying Southern Wang Wang Shizi alongside the Third Imperial Wang Wang Shizi Li Yu; Li Yu was his student, trained by him.

Yun Xu knew Li Yu had feelings for Yun Chang—he had openly said so before.

!

But the Crown Wang Wang Shizi asked the late Emperor to arrange the marriage, and Yun Shang agreed—there's nothing to be done.

All we can say is that Yun Xu truly likes Li Yu, but he's powerless to help.

Now that the Crown Wang Wang Shizi has been dead for nearly a year, Li Yu has returned before Yun Xu's presence, discussing military matters while casually bringing up his desire to marry Yun Shang.

As Yun Shang's father, he doesn't wish to see his daughter spend her life widowed.

He's considering how to resolve it after the southern campaign ends.

Upon hearing this, Li Yu became extremely excited and fought with exceptional vigor.

But just as the battle began, his daughter sent a letter saying she wanted to cling to Li Chen's leg—and after this period of effort, she'd already made progress.

Yun Xu had just promised Li Yu he'd find a way, and now his daughter pulled this stunt, leaving him utterly flustered.

For matters of emotion and political maneuvering, Yun Xu found them more troublesome than warfare.

The problem was, Yun Xu couldn't tell Li Yu about this.

Li Yu was a bit of a blunt fool—he did whatever came to mind.

If he found out his beloved had taken up with Li Chen,

he might just turn around and attack Li Chen.

Better to wait until this campaign ends, he thought, and burned the letter—he absolutely couldn't let that fool Li Yu see it.

Yun Xu's body was still excellent, his vigor undiminished, yet in matters like this, he felt old—young people's emotions were too complicated; he simply didn't understand.

In the imperial palace, after Yun Shang left, Li Chen's duties were nearly finished.

He understood Yun Xu well—he was already considering another matter.

The southern states are aiding the Pacifying Southern Wang Wang Shizi; if they win, why not let Yun Xu keep fighting, to open up the south?

Each time the Tian Ce Dynasty sends troops to attack other nations, it insists on having a just cause.

Aren't the excuses already delivered? Why not strike?

Thinking this way, Li Chen felt the Tian Ce Dynasty could expand in all directions—east, west, south, north.

Once the Saint Realm's Saint-level cultivators from Jiuyuan arrive, Li Chen plans to personally journey north.

This time, Li Chen doesn't just intend to drive the Snow Eagle Court back to the Great Snow Mountains—he'll go himself, and he'll pierce through the Great Snow Mountains, to lands no emperor in history has ever set foot in!

Returning to the inner palace, Li Chen first went to the palace where Wang Wang Yueyao and her mother Luo Luo Qimeng resided.

Nearby lived three mature beauties: Han Han Yuesheng, Jin Jin Qiaoqiao, and Ling Ling Qianxi.

Li Chen told them about the Wang family's arrest; soon enough, Wang Wang Tengyue, the governor of Yinshan City, would be escorted to the capital.

In any case, Li Chen had avenged them.

They were all tearfully grateful, with no way to repay him—only to serve Li Chen with all their might.

In their eyes, Li Chen was the only reliance in this world.

Living inside the imperial palace was, for them, an unimaginable stroke of fortune.

These mature beauties, if sincerely devoted, required only that Li Chen close his eyes and enjoy.

In the capital's Zui Xian Pavilion, Xiao Ming had long wanted to dine there.

Today, upon waking, Wu Qi and Lin Mo invited him out for a meal.

In a private room at Zui Xian Pavilion, after three rounds of wine, Wu Qi and Lin Mo were curious about what Xiao Ming had experienced last night.

Xiao Ming began boasting wildly about his achievements, even claiming he alone uncovered the Wang family and Crown Wang Wang Shizi cases—despite the Ministry of Justice having dozens of elite investigators who failed for a full year.

At this point, Wu Qi and Lin Mo thought he was exaggerating—but he was actually telling the truth.

Then they congratulated Xiao Ming on his promotion; with his achievements, the position of Ministry of Justice Chief was his for sure.

At this, Xiao Ming remembered something—he'd need to cultivate his own subordinates if he were to become Ministry Chief, to get things done properly.

So he directly asked them if they had any recommendations.

As for theoretical knowledge, his master—the Saint's lingering soul—certainly had plenty, but practical operations depended entirely on Xiao Ming himself.

When Xiao Ming raised this topic, Wu Qi and Lin Mo also considered it—once they were promoted, they too could cultivate their own people; they refused to remain lowly their whole lives, harboring grand ambitions.

Wu Qi spoke up: "You could go to your family's hometown and recruit some promising young talents there."

Wu Qi wasn't deliberately bringing up a sore point—he knew Xiao Ming's family had been wiped out.

Given his character, even if he had a grudge against Xiao Ming, he wouldn't say something so cruel on purpose.

He mentioned it because he himself was a clan member—he believed those from one's ancestral homeland would naturally have close ties to oneself.

For example, people from Huju City coming to the capital, unfamiliar with everything, naturally feel more comfortable with their own kind—people they know well.

Even if you can't find blood relatives, distant kin or former acquaintances would do; at least they'd feel grateful to follow Xiao Ming.

With Wu Qi's reminder, Xiao Ming suddenly remembered his family had been destroyed, that he'd come to the capital driven by vengeance—and yet he'd forgotten.

If the Saint's lingering soul knew his thoughts, he'd be furious enough to die again.

"I kept reminding you every day—you insisted on being a lickspittle. I give up."

Xiao Ming also felt that once he became Ministry Chief, it was time to return home, seek revenge on his enemies, and inquire after his mother's whereabouts.

Lin Mo beside him had no strong opinion—he'd only just arrived in the capital a few days ago and didn't yet understand the situation.

The other two had been here for years.

He merely listened to their constant boasting, hoping to glean some experience.

When it came time to pay, all three insisted on footing the bill.

Xiao Ming had planned to trick them into paying—but he overdid the showmanship and ended up paying himself, losing out on a bonus.

On the way back, Xiao Ming brushed past a mysterious man.

Having served as a Ministry of Justice officer for so long and seen countless criminals, his first glance told him this man was suspicious.

But the man moved with incredible speed; by the time Xiao Ming chased after him, he'd vanished.

This made Xiao Ming even more certain the man was trouble—if he encountered him again, he'd capture him and interrogate him.

The man Xiao Ming remembered was none other than the Fate-Selected One, Tang Shan.

Tang Shan had gained a great opportunity: he saved a member of the Wang family.

Unlike Lin Mo, Tang Shan acted out of intent—he had a plan.

Since he had no support in the capital, he could only choose to take desperate risks.

The Wang family member, severely wounded but not dead, survived thanks to Tang Shan's aid.

He begged Tang Shan to go out and gather information, preferably to find Wang Wang Shizi Li Yang of Jing'an, promising Tang Shan a reward.

Hence Tang Shan's odd expression when he left—he grew nervous upon seeing an officer, which Xiao Ming noticed.

But in the vast capital, how could Tang Shan possibly find Wang Wang Shizi Li Yang of Jing'an?

Li Yang had long fled the capital—he was indirectly responsible for the Crown Wang Wang Shizi's death.

Once Pang Jin investigates thoroughly, he'll be a confirmed fugitive.

Li Yang wasn't arrested last night because the investigation focused on harboring remnants of the previous dynasty; the true circumstances of the Crown Wang Wang Shizi's death remain unclear.

Li Yang knows he'll be found eventually—if he doesn't run now, will he wait to be captured?

He betrayed the Crown Wang Wang Shizi out of necessity; his crime was death regardless of justification.

He fled eastward into the Tian Ce Dynasty.

Li Yang never imagined he'd run into Li Xian here.

The capital had been quiet for several days; all court officials awaited Pang Jin's investigation results.

At this moment, two Saint-level cultivators from Jiuyuan Saint Realm, along with the newly elevated Saint from Huju City, arrived again in the capital.

They came at invitation, to accompany Li Chen northward and pierce through the Great Snow Mountains!

(End of Chapter)