Chapter 570

He bowed deeply and carried it forward to Ximen Wudi's presence.

Ximen Wudi picked up the crown, casually placed it on his head, then sat down lazily upon the Long Yi.

All of Yunzhou's Imperial Guards immediately bowed low.

"Long Live Your Majesty! Long Live Your Majesty! Ten Thousand Years, Ten Thousand Years, Ten Thousand Ten Thousand Years!"

Even the Emperor of Wuchang followed the crowd in bowing.

Ximen Wudi's expression was cold and stern; he nodded slightly, acknowledging their homage.

Thus, the ceremony was complete.

He was just about to rise and exchange pleasantries with the representatives of various factions,

when suddenly, a figure in deep blue robes appeared atop the palace eave.

"Good disciple, you've finally become Emperor of the Central Plains—so may I now call myself the Retired Emperor?"

"Grand Master…"

The warriors of the Yin Jian Liu gasped in shock upon seeing him.

The man was none other than the Grand Master of Xuanhua Hao—the current guest advisor of the Qinglong Society, Xiao Aoshi!

Yet Ximen Wudi remained calm, still seated upon the Long Yi.

"I was wondering why the ambition to seize the Yunzhou throne—your lifelong dream—was fulfilled today, yet you did not appear."

"Did you truly believe that betraying Xuanhua Hao meant you were no longer connected to You Dongying or my Yin Jian Liu?"

Ximen Wudi was, in fact, Xiao Aoshi's disciple!

"Betrayal? You people of You Dongying are barbarians, beyond cultivation."

"Back then, if not for me and my elder brother, pitying your ignorance and teaching you the Way of Martial Arts—"

"How could You Dongying have ever possessed the Yin Jian Liu, Yi Wu Dao, or Quanmenzheng Sect?"

"As for Xuanhua Hao—it was created by my own hands; how can you speak of betrayal?"

Xiao Aoshi remained perfectly calm, utterly unmoved by Ximen Wudi's words.

"Regardless, today, You Dongying has taken control of the Central Plains."

"From this day forward, the Supreme of Wu Lin in Yunzhou shall be Ximen Wudi."

"Master, since you've come, why not come down and share a cup of tea?"

As he spoke, his subordinates actually set up a tea table before him and began brewing tea.

As he spoke, his subordinates actually set up a tea table right before him and began to brew tea.

Xiao Aoshi, confident in his skill, flickered forward in an instant and sat down.

He casually picked up a cup of brewed tea and drained it in one gulp.

"Though the tea ceremony of You Dongying originated in the Central Plains, it has its own unique charm—excellent tea!"

"To receive praise from my Master fills me with boundless joy,"

Ximen Wudi immediately offered another cup of tea, humble and obedient.

"Master, if you wish, the Supreme of Yunzhou can be yours at any moment—what do you say?"

"Your vision is too narrow; I have no interest."

Xiao Aoshi sneered dismissively and asked directly,

"I am deeply curious: Yunzhou's imperial court is filled with martial experts."

"Though the Yin Jian Liu has many strong warriors, why did you come here so openly to stage this abdication? What is your true purpose?"

The Thousand Autumns Cataclysm had originally been orchestrated behind the scenes by Xiao Jingtian and Xiao Aoshi.

After being stunned by Ximen Wudi's sword from beyond the heavens, the two brothers achieved sudden enlightenment and abandoned their pursuit of the Thousand Autumns Cataclysm.

They returned to Jiuzhou and joined the Qinglong Society.

They left—but the plan for the Thousand Autumns Cataclysm was never abandoned.

This seizure of Yunzhou's supremacy was a move laid by Xiao Aoshi during his tenure as Grand Master.

Yet that move had been shelved due to many objective reasons.

Now, with Ximen Wudi appearing in person, it clearly signaled that the Thousand Autumns Cataclysm was still being carried out.

Now that Hayato Tianyin has appeared in person, it clearly represents that the Thousand Autumn Tribulation is still being pushed forward.

"First step: unify You Dongying's Wu Lin, gathering all possible strength."

"Second step: feint east, strike west—destroy the Dragon Vein!"

"Third step: advance with overwhelming force and crush all major Men Sects of Yunzhou."

"Final step: use Yunzhou as a base, with Xuanhua Hao's hidden agents scattered across Jiuzhou as internal allies."

"Overthrow every faction—including the Qinglong Society—and seize Jiuzhou outright!"

"This… is the full plan for the Thousand Autumns Cataclysm you once personally devised, isn't it?"

Ximen Wudi, seeing the doubt in Xiao Aoshi's eyes, openly revealed the very plan Xiao Aoshi had once drafted.

Below, the representatives of various factions sneered at the first half of the plan.

After all, what did Dragon Veins or crushing Yunzhou's Men Sects have to do with them?

Since Wu Lin in Yunzhou had been devastated by Wu Ming's sweep long ago, it had never recovered.

Later, Tianxia Hui was dismantled by Xiao Aoshi; Wushuang City was destroyed when Nie Feng fell to demonic influence.

Thus, among the spectators, besides the Three Imperial Courts, only the original Jiuzhoumen Sects remained.

But when they heard the latter half of Ximen Wudi's plan, everyone erupted in shock.

It turned out that Xuanhua Hao had already planted hidden agents across Jiuzhou even after Yunzhou's return.

It turned out that the Xuanhua had already gone to the former Nine Provinces to plant hidden agents right after the return to Yunzhou.

From Hayato Tenyin's tone, it seemed that even Qinglong Society had Xuanhua House moles?

But how could that be!

"In the end you still found out, but so what?"

Xiao Aoshi still didn't care.

Previously, this plan had indeed been drafted by him with great effort.

Planting moles was, moreover, the ongoing key work of Xuanhua House ever since the return to Yunzhou.

But after joining Qinglong Society, Xiao Aoshi finally understood.

How laughable this so-called Thousand-Year Tribulation plan was.

All other forces might be wiped out according to his own plan.

But Qinglong Society was completely not what he had imagined, alright?

Not to mention the Great Dragon Head, even the other six Dragon Heads, and guest retainers like Di Shitian and Dugu Jian—

Even if the Xiao brothers joined forces, they wouldn't dare claim a sure victory!

It could be said that the Xiao brothers before were frogs at the bottom of a well.

Now this role had been taken over by Hayato Tenyin, and other ambitious people from You Dongying!

"First step! After the return of His Majesty the Heavenly Locust today, we of Gedamen Sect—"

"Whether it be the Hidden Sword Style, or the Xuanhua House you founded and so on, all will be placed under his command."

"Even a Yinshimen Sect from the Central Plains has joined His Majesty the Heavenly Locust's camp."

Hayato Tenyin spoke slowly and methodically, quite smugly.

"Oh! And then? That Heavenly Locust should be Lian Chengzhi, right?"

When the Heavenly Dao Golden List had exposed Lian Chengzhi earlier, Xiao Aoshi had already known that if this man returned to You Dongying, he might be able to unify all the various factions.

He hadn't expected that his own speculation was actually true.

"Exactly!"

Mentioning Lian Chengzhi, Hayato Tenyin's face was full of reverence, and he immediately continued,

"The second step is currently being carried out!"

So they were still following their own plan, going to destroy the Yunzhou dragon vein!

But was this dragon vein really that easy to destroy?

Moreover, his meaning of "make a sound in the east, strike in the west" should be to tie down himself, as well as the attention of other forces,

Even including Qinglong Society's attention.