The Han Imperial Dynasty was established.
Gu Hai looked down on everything as he stood on the altar. The citizens cheered. The officials had resumed their respectful salute, feeling very awkward.
“Chen Tianshan!” Gu Hai called out.
“This official is present!” Chen Tianshan said respectfully.
“How many cities did our Han Nation lose while we were not around?” Gu Hai asked indifferently.
“Reporting to Your Reverence, the Wu Imperial Dynasty captured ten Han Nation cities in the past five years. The Everlasting Governance Royal Dynasty captured eight cities. The Glorious Night Royal Dynasty captured eight cities. Incense Burning Valley captured six cities. The Azure Cloud Sect captured five cities. The Patron Sect captured seven cities. We have lost a total of forty-four cities!” Chen Tianshan replied respectfully.
“Forty-four cities? Haha! First Corps commander, Gao Xianzhi, receive your orders!” Gu Hai shouted coldly.
Gao Xianzhi and the others had been maintaining their salute, not daring to get up. They felt happy over Gu Hai’s return but also nervous. After all, their faith in the Han Nation had wavered over the past few years. They had not even wanted to obey Chen Tianshan. When they saluted earlier, they felt incredibly guilty and hoped they could make up for it with contributions. Now that Gu Hai had issued a call, Gao Xianzhi was shocked alert.
“This official is present!” Gao Xianzhi replied excitedly.
“We appoint Gao Xianzhi as the Nation Protecting Supreme Commander. You are to lead the First Corps and recapture the twenty-six cities lost to the royal and imperial dynasties. Moreover, march your soldiers to the Everlasting Governance Royal Dynasty and the Glorious Night Royal Dynasty. All those who assaulted my Han Nation will repay a hundredfold!” Gu Hai said.
“Yes, Your Reverence!” Gao Xianzhi immediately answered.
His voice was thunderous with delight. Is His Reverence giving me a chance to compensate for my offenses with contributions?
“Fourth Corps commander, Mo Yike, receive your orders!” Gu Hai shouted.
“This official is present!” Mo Yike took a deep breath and stepped forward.
“Incense Burning Valley, the Azure Cloud Sect, and the Patron Sect challenged our Han Nation and attacked our cities, hurting our officials and citizens. They are to be destroyed as a warning to other evildoers. We appoint Mo Yike as the Nation Rousing Supreme Commander! You are to take charge of destroying the three sects. All those who assaulted my Han Nation will repay a hundredfold!” Gu Hai instructed.
“This official obeys! I will not fail Your Reverence’s command!” Mo Yike shouted.
“Chen Tianshan!”
“This official is present!”
“Announce to the world: The Han Imperial Dynasty is taking revenge for our nation and attacking the three sects and two dynasties. Anyone who dares to ally with them will be treated as enemies by the Han Nation. We will kill without mercy!” Gu Hai instructed.
“This official obeys!”
Gu Hai nodded, then looked to the fearful officials.
“Our dear officials, rise!” Gu Hai said.
“Thank you, Your Reverence. Long live Your Reverence! May Your Reverence live for ten thousand years!”
Gu Hai put away the Heaven Suppressing Divine Imperial Seal and the Investiture of the Gods only after this. Then, he left the altar.
Far away, Sima Changkong and Ao Sheng flew quickly. No one pursued them anymore.
Ao Sheng looked at Sima Changkong after taking human form. “Mister Sima, that was quite unlike you earlier. There’s no need for you to fear Gu Hai, right?”
Sima Changkong smiled bitterly. “I’m not afraid of Gu Hai. In fact, he would not kill me even if he captured me.”
“Then, why did you do that?” Ao Sheng asked with misgivings.
“I am worried about His Reverence,” Sima Changkong said bitterly.
“The Wu Imperial Emperor? Why are you worried about His Reverence?” Ao Sheng raised his eyebrows, appearing confused.
“Hah…,” Sima Changkong sighed.
Ao Sheng’s expression suddenly changed. “Are you referring to your family?”
Sima Changkong nodded.
“If Gu Hai captured you, it would be over for your family? No, it would be over for the Sima Clan? Back then, your father, Sima Zongheng, betrayed His Holy Eminence. Now, countless Qian Nation nobles and experts hate you to the bone. If not for His Reverence protecting your clan with his strength, they might have died long ago. His Reverence appreciates your abilities. That’s why he protects your clan. If Gu Hai were to capture you, they would die? Even if they didn’t die, they would be detained? As long as there are any signs of you defecting to Gu Hai, your clansmen would immediately suffer a calamity? You fled only to keep them safe?” Ao Sheng speculated with a frown.
Sima Changkong nodded. “Crown Prince Ao Sheng—no, Prime Ao Sheng—is wise.”
“It must be quite hard for you to survive until now.” Ao Sheng shook his head.
“However, Gu Hai has captured and killed your dragons. I have caused you great damage,” Sima Changkong said with a bitter smile.
“Them? Hah! That’s nothing much. If they are dead, so be it. My dragon race will have a strong army of dragons soon. We will be stronger than the Northern Sea Dragon Palace of the past. We will have a vast army of strong dragons,” Ao Sheng said nonchalantly.
“Oh? A strong army of dragons? What do you mean? Speaking of which, I found it strange as well. I recall that you used to be in the peak Middle Heavenly Palace Realm. How come you are in the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm already?” Sima Changkong asked with surprise.
“It seems like you know quite a lot. Do you think I could gain the Northern Sea dragons’ loyalty so easily? Hehe! You have no idea. His Reverence is marvelously capable. He opened the Nether Realm Dragon Burial Mound!” Ao Sheng replied excitedly.
“The Nether Realm Dragon Burial Mound?” Sima Changkong parroted in confusion.
“That’s right. My dragon race’s Nether Realm Dragon Burial Mound. That is where the mortal souls of my dragon race go after they die. Aside from my father, who had entered once, no one else could enter. However, His Reverence opened the Nether Realm Dragon Burial Mound and released the mortal souls of the ancient dragons. Countless nether dragons were brought back to life. I am the dragon race’s new prime and have the power of the Nether Realm Dragon Burial Mound. This is just the beginning. I will grow stronger in the future,” Ao Sheng explained excitedly.
“Congratulations, Prime Ao!” Sima Changkong congratulated with a frown.
Buzz!
As the two spoke, they saw colorful light appear on the horizon.
Countless Han Nation citizens gave off multicolored lights into the sky. The entire Han Nation shone with rainbow light.
“This is?” Ao Sheng goggled.
“An imperial dynasty? Gu Hai is advancing to an imperial dynasty? That makes sense. That makes sense. Gu Hai had killed His Holy Eminence and gained boundless blessings. The Han Imperial Dynasty? This is bad!” Sima Changkong’s expression changed.
“Immediately report this to His Reverence!”
Gu Qin and Prime Feng Yue flew quickly. They could no longer see Borderless Heavenly Capital.
“Gu Qin, what are you afraid of? I am an Upper Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator. What cultivation realm is that Gu Hai in?” Prime Feng Yue demanded with a glare and frown.
“Are you more incredible than the Azure Emperor?” Gu Qin asked coldly.
“The Azure Emperor? Haha! What is he?!” Prime Feng Yue retorted coldly.
“I’m referring to your current strength. Not when you were at your peak eight centuries ago,” Gu Qin said seriously.
Prime Feng Yue’s expression congealed.
“The Azure Emperor did not win at all previously, right? Can you deal with Gu Hai? When Gu Hai appeared earlier, did he just return? No. Given my understanding of him, he definitely had not just returned. He must have already laid traps in Borderless Heavenly Capital. Had we not fled, we would not have been able to flee,” Gu Qin said.
“Humph! When I recover my cultivation—”
“Then, wait until you recover your cultivation to do something about it. Something major is about to happen in the Heavenly Go Pavilion. Nothing must go wrong at this time,” Gu Qin interrupted.
Prime Feng Yue gave Gu Qin a curious look. “That Gu Hai is your adoptive father. Don’t you want to acknowledge him at all?”
“Hah! My life was given to me by the pavilion master. Furthermore, all emotions in my heart have been cut off. Now, I am loyal to the pavilion master alone. If you ask this question again, you will only be mocked in the Heavenly Go Pavilion,” Gu Qin said with a cold smile.
Buzz!
Just at this moment, iridescent light appeared everywhere.
“It advanced? The Han Imperial Dynasty?” Prime Feng Yue’s expression suddenly changed.
“The Han Imperial Dynasty. There is going to be trouble.” Gu Qin frowned slightly.
Borderless Heavenly Capital:
After the Han Imperial Dynasty advanced, Gu Hai did not hold an imperial assembly. Instead, he stationed himself in his study and looked at the various memorials to the emperor.
Gao Xianzhi and Mo Yike mobilized their soldiers to counterattack the royal dynasties and lower-tier sects that attacked the Han Nation. The Han Nation had righteousness on its side. Furthermore, the citizens, soldiers, and officials had been holding their resentment for a long time. Now that Gu Hai had issued the command, nearly the entire nation responded, preparing to send soldiers out.
Gu Hai read the memorials in the study. Only one person stood before the desk: Meng Tai.
“Your Reverence, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has been monitoring the officials. Some secretly cast their support outwards, some wavered, and some conspired with other nations and sects to destroy the Han Nation. They are all recorded here. Some swore to defend the Han Nation to the death, like Duke Tianshan. I have already organized them and await Your Reverence’s review of them,” Meng Tai reported solemnly.
The master of a royal dynasty was addressed as Your Majesty. The master of an imperial dynasty was addressed as Your Reverence.
Gu Hai flipped through the documents, going through pages of names.
Gu Hai carefully looked at the names of the officials who had sworn to defend the Han Royal Dynasty to the end. Then, he extremely gravely placed them to the side of the table.
Although Gu Hai had not said anything, Meng Tai understood that these officials would be promoted and rise in ranks.
A nation could not lack capable people, wise people, and even people with special abilities. However, a sovereign still valued the loyal the most. Not every position required people with great wisdom. It would be best if the most loyal held such posts.
Meng Tai did not dare to make false reports in these name lists, as he knew there was another secret monitoring system besides his own. There was no need to incur the emperor’s doubt in exchange for minor benefits from some officers.
Then, Gu Hai looked at the name list of officials who wavered. This made up most of the names.
“We were not around for five years. Wavering is reasonable,” Gu Hai said indifferently.
He placed these name lists in another pile of memorials. Clearly, he did not intend to reward or punish them.
Then, Gu Hai looked at the last batch of name lists.
“These are people who betrayed the nation. Some conspired with enemies but did not do anything. Some have already harmed the Han Nation’s interests. Some even sold out the nation, opening the city gates for the enemies. I suggest executing the entire clan of those city lords,” Meng Tai said respectfully.
“Humph!” Gu Hai snorted coldly. Then, he tossed that batch of name lists into a brazier, burning them.
Although Gu Hai did not say anything, Meng Tai understood. Meng Tai bowed respectfully and did not mention it again. The rest would be left to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
“Previously, we told you to control Lu Ya City and bring Crown Prince Ao Shun back to Borderless Heavenly Capital, right? Where are Lu Ya City and Ao Shun now?” Gu Hai looked at Meng Tai.
“Reporting to Your Reverence, the Heavenly Go Pavilion snatched away Lu Ya City. Crown Prince Ao Shun had entered closed-door cultivation in Lu Ya City. I do not know if the Heavenly Go Pavilion’s people have discovered him,” Meng Tai said bitterly.
“Oh?” Gu Hai raised his eyebrows.
“My Borderless Heavenly Capital used to be the Nine-Five Island of the Thousand Islands Sea. The Thousand Islands Sea is a large Go board. Since the Go stone that is Nine-Five Island went missing, the Heavenly Go Pavilion used Lu Ya City to replace it. Back then, Crown Prince Ao Shun was in closed-door cultivation underground. This subordinate failed to call him out in time,” Meng Tai explained.
