As Sect Master Heavenly Access stood on the floating island, he coldly watched everything take place at the Divine Yan Hall and showed a cold smile.
Lin Waner and Jingwei were in the same body? Heavenly Access roughly guessed what had happened. Since Lin Waner was here, Gu Hai was definitely here. Since she could not run away, there was nothing to worry about. Furthermore, Ji Dihong and Jiang Gautama were here for some reason. Heavenly Access felt incredibly curious about this.
Sect Master Heavenly Access watched quietly, wanting to see what in this declined Yan Heavenly Dynasty was worth the attention of this group of people.
Divine Yan Hall’s plaza:
Everyone waited patiently.
When Jingwei stepped out of the palace hall, she looked around coldly.
The Present Buddha, Jiang Gautama, stood on the left with the Future Buddha, Di Shitian, and three people with strange appearances behind him. These three wore only a piece of tattered cloth, which looked like kāṣāyas but, at the same time, not, draped over their bodies. The three were directly behind the Future Buddha, apparently having a higher status than Di Shitian.
Di Shitian is the leader of the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s Eight Heavenly Dragon Tribes. Where did these three come from? They are more important than Di Shitian? Why have I never met them before?
“Jiang Gautama, these three behind you seem unfamiliar?” Jingwei said with narrowed eyes.
“Do you know everyone from the Spirit Mountain Holy Land?” Jiang Gautama countered with palms held together.
“How should I address these three?” Jingwei asked solemnly.
“The ceremony is about to start. Perhaps Princess Jingwei should succeed the Yan Heavenly Emperor first?” the Future Buddha said.
Jingwei narrowed her eyes. “Hah! I am speaking with Jiang Gautama. Is it your place to interrupt?”
“You!” The Future Buddha immediately felt displeasure.
However, Jiang Gautama waved it off, stopping the Future Buddha. “Jingwei is my younger sister, after all. She is just asking out of curiosity; there is nothing wrong with that. However, after your questions, you need to succeed the throne immediately. It would not be good to miss the auspicious time.”
“Humph!” Jingwei snorted coldly.
The three strange-looking people stepped forward.
“Brahma!”
“Vishnu!”
“Shiva!”
The three reported their names. However, this was the first time anyone had heard of them.
[TL Note: The three names are the names of the three Hindu principal deities. Together, they are known as the Trimūrti or the supreme triple deity. They are the personifications of creation, maintenance, and destruction. Here is the Wikipedia entry on the Trimūrti: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimurti.]
“These three are the guardian deities of my Spirit Mountain Holy Land!” Jiang Gautama held his palms together. His gaze seemed to pressure Jingwei to hurry up.
Jingwei was in no hurry. She turned her head to look at Ji Dihong’s group in the right column.
Some officials stood behind Ji Dihong, most of whom Jingwei recognized.
“Oh? Ji Dihong, the Eastern Sea Dragon King is not here? I recall that he used to be loyal to the Yan Heavenly Dynasty, but you poached him? What’s wrong? To think he is not here for such a major event of my Yan Nation?” Jingwei said coldly.
“Princess Jingwei, the auspicious time has arrived,” Ji Dihong said indifferently.
Ji Dihong did not indulge Jingwei in conversation. After all, while Jingwei was very scheming, it was useless to him.
“Humph!” Jingwei snorted coldly and turned to look at the Yan Nation’s past officials in front: the Flame Monarch, Lifespan Dongfang, the White Emperor, and the Scarlet Emperor.
“Mister Dongfang? Hah! Eminent Father treated you well when he was alive. I only asked you to deliver a letter to my elder sister, but you kept making excuses. Hahahahaha! How excellent of you, Mister Dongfang!” Jingwei said frostily.
Lifespan Dongfang did not get angry. Instead, he said indifferently, “Princess, you forgot that I am loyal to only His Holy Eminence. Since His Holy Eminence died, I will not help any of you.”
“Hah! If you are not helping any of us, why are you still in the Yan Nation?” Jingwei asked coldly.
“I have my reasons for staying. You don’t have to bother with that,” Lifespan Dongfang said coldly.
“Humph!” Jingwei ignored the rest and turned her head to the White Emperor and the Scarlet Emperor.
“Imperial Lords!” Jingwei called out solemnly.
The White Emperor and the Scarlet Emperor showed somewhat complicated expressions.
“Jingwei does not want to say much here. I only want the two imperial lords to know this,” Jingwei said solemnly.
“Princess, please speak,” the Scarlet Emperor said with a frown.
“You saw Eminent Father stay behind; he did not come back with you. However, did you see Eminent Father die?” Jingwei said coldly.
“Huh?” The two’s faces sank.
“If you two betrayed the Yan Heavenly Dynasty and disobeyed Eminent Father’s decree, I wonder, how would Eminent Father deal with you when he returns someday?” Jingwei smiled.
“His Holy Eminence has already died,” the Scarlet Emperor said with a frown.
“Hah! That is just your opinion. Eminent Father is a great talent capable of great things. Everything he does has a reason. I’m sure you were aware of his various plans over the years. Do you really think Eminent Father does not have a backup? Also, you traitorous officials! Humph! How dare you betray Eminent Father? When Eminent Father returns, none of you can escape!” Jingwei shouted.
“Huh?!”
The countless Yan Nation officials’ expressions changed as they broke out in a cold sweat. They immediately hesitated in their traitorous intentions.
At the very least, no official would dare to get involved in Jingwei’s upcoming conflict with Jiang Gautama and Ji Dihong from here on.
Jingwei looked at the Flame Monarch. “Uncle Flame Monarch, you were the most loyal to Eminent Father. Eminent Father will correct any wrongs done to you when he returns.”
The Flame Monarch suddenly bowed respectfully. “Thank you, Princess!”
The Flame Monarch’s bow was extremely strange. He did not bow directly toward Jingwei but slightly off.
The surrounding people found this somewhat strange. Has the Flame Monarch gone blind? The princess is clearly in this direction. You are bowing in the wrong direction.
However, Jingwei narrowed her eyes.
Only Jingwei understood what the Flame Monarch meant. Sect Master Heavenly Access was in the direction the Flame Monarch’s back faced.
“Uncle Flame Monarch, I got it. There’s no need to stand on ceremony.” Jingwei smiled.
The Flame Monarch nodded.
“Princess, it is about time. Please succeed the throne,” Ji Dihong said with a cold expression.
Jingwei snorted coldly and slowly stepped onto a large platform.
While standing on the platform, she took out a decree from the box she held.
Holding the decree, she raised her head and looked at the blessings in the sky.
Although the Yan Heavenly Dynasty’s previous blessings had returned, there was no blessings incarnation or golden dragon. It was just a chaotic clump of golden clouds. While the quantity had not changed, there was no sovereign’s will.
The Divine Dao Shaman Canon was there, but no one could obtain it. One could take the Divine Dao Shaman Canon out only by reforming the sovereign’s will.
Everyone watched patiently.
Jingwei slowly unfurled the decree.
“The Yan Heavenly Dynasty’s Jingwei, under instructions from His Holy Eminence’s personally penned Nation Overseeing Mandate, will take over the Yan Heavenly Dynasty in the time His Holy Eminence is absent. Vast blessings, heed our command!” Jingwei roared.
Buzz!
Some blessings immediately emerged from Jingwei’s body and entered the Nation Overseeing Mandate. Then, the Nation Overseeing Mandate gave off a beam of golden light at the churning blessings cloud sea.
Rumble…!
The blessings cloud sea quickly spun, surging and churning intensely. The golden light from the blessings lit up the entire Divine Farmer City.
Jingwei seemed to control the blessings cloud sea.
Everyone held their breath in anticipation.
The blessings cloud sea churned for a while before she said, “Announcing to the nation via the blessings!”
Roar!
A dragon’s roar suddenly came from the blessings cloud sea. Then, rumbling rang out, instantly reaching the ears of all the Yan Heavenly Dynasty citizens.
“Yan Heavenly Dynasty citizens, I am His Holy Eminence’s daughter, Jingwei. Eminent Father has been absent for a long time, and bandits are causing trouble in my nation. Eminent Father has yet to return, but our nation is about to no longer be a nation. This is the Yan Nation’s territory; no outsiders can be allowed to snatch it away! Eminent Father’s work cannot be permitted to fall into the hands of outsiders! The Yan Heavenly Dynasty will forever be the Yan Heavenly Dynasty! Now, we are on the verge of collapse! As Eminent Father’s daughter holding Eminent Father’s Nation Overseeing Mandate and trust, I will take over the Yan Nation. However, the Yan Nation is in grave danger! I sincerely ask the Yan Nation citizens to aid me and let me succeed the throne temporarily to obtain the power of the Yan Nation and push back the bandits! When Eminent Father returns, I will hand the throne back! If I go back on this declaration, the blessings shall completely scatter!” Jingwei shouted.
Jingwei’s voice reached the ears of all Yan Heavenly Dynasty citizens.
“What? The princess is succeeding the throne?”
“Is she snatching power?”
“That’s not right. His Holy Eminence appointed her. She is His Holy Eminence’s most trusted person. How could she betray His Holy Eminence? She must be doing this to resist bandits!”
“The princess said she would immediately return the throne when His Holy Eminence returns. If she goes back on her word, the blessings will scatter?”
“I believe His Holy Eminence will return. His Holy Eminence will take revenge on those bandits in the future!”
“Lend your energies to the princess! I support the princess in succeeding the throne temporarily!”
“Long live the Yan Heavenly Dynasty! May the Yan Heavenly Dynasty last for ten thousand years!”
The citizens were restless and fearful. Many rumors said the emperor had died. The Yan Nation was in chaos, with battles breaking out everywhere. Countless citizens had suffered and died. Who would not want a stable environment? Who did not want the emperor to return? Just think about the previous prestige of the Yan Nation!
Naturally, the citizens would support Jingwei if she could preserve the original situation.
Jiang Gautama and Ji Dihong had already sent men to take control of the surrounding city lords. These had already received their orders and went with the flow.
Although Jingwei called Jiang Gautama and Ji Dihong bandits, the two did not stop her. They only narrowed their eyes and waited. Simultaneously, they remained wary of each other.
“Yan Nation citizens, please raise your right hands and lend me the power of the Yan Nation! Announce your support for Jingwei succeeding the throne to heaven, letting Jingwei manage the Yan Heavenly Dynasty temporarily and control the Yan Nation’s blessings!” Jingwei shouted.
Jingwei’s voice reached the ears of the citizens.
The various citizens immediately raised their right hands.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
The citizens sank to the ground, feeling tired. They had informed heaven of their intentions, informed the blessings cloud sea. The will of the citizenry was heaven’s will. From the moment the citizens unanimously took Jingwei as their sovereign, the churning blessings cloud sea changed its will, from recognizing Jiang Lianshan as its master to recognizing Jingwei.
Buzz!
A beam of golden light shot out of the blessings cloud sea at Jingwei, the acknowledgment from the blessings.
Roar!
A thunderous dragon roar came from the blessings cloud sea. The golden dragon that had gone missing in Jiang Lianshan’s absence reformed in the churning blessings cloud sea.
As the golden dragon roared, more golden light encased Jingwei, making her glow with a bright golden light.
As everyone watched in anticipation, a dragon head emerged from the blessings cloud sea.
The dragon head was indistinct, but Ji Dihong’s and Jiang Gautama’s eyes lit up when it appeared, as they could see a clump of black mist in the mouth of that massive dragon head.
Black mist? That was right. That was the Divine Dao Shaman Canon.
