Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 516: Founding a Dynasty by Decree, the Sun and Moon Illuminate Ming

East, Celestial Wu City.

Dawn was breaking. The transition between night and day created a strange and marvelous sight: the sky was split in two, the moon setting on one side, the sun rising on the other.

After more than a month of turmoil, Celestial Wu City had finally stabilized.

The unrestricted fighting tournament that had taken place in the East over a month ago was long forgotten, and officials of all ranks had packed the dungeons of the Imperial City Department to the brim.

But if there was one thing the Dao Court did not lack, it was people. In fact, the tournament had caused so many officials to either die suddenly or be demoted that it ironically solved the Dao Court’s severe problem of bureaucratic bloat. A large batch of Advanced Scholars from the imperial examinations joyfully took up their new posts, promptly swearing their allegiance to Lü Yang.

By now, everyone had accepted reality.

The time for a new dynasty had come.

The Imperial City Department had mobilized in full force, hunting down remnants of the old dynasty. They didn’t even spare the ever-neutral Observatory, which specialized in divining the nation’s Fortune.

It was said that the current Commander of the Imperial City Department, Xiao Mountain, had led the charge. He had taken a portrait of Lü Yang to the Observatory and asked its director if this man could become Emperor. As it turned out, the director was a man of spine. Faced with the encirclement by the Imperial City Department, he bluntly stated that Lü Yang’s facial features were inauspicious.

He even said that becoming Emperor was out of the question.

The result, naturally, goes without saying. Xiao Mountain’s expression soured on the spot. He ordered the Imperial City Department Cultivators to seize the man and haul him off to the dungeons for brutal torture.

Within three days, the Observatory had changed its tune.

With the Observatory serving as a cautionary tale, and with the fact that Lü Yang had spent the night in the Dragon Bed now common knowledge, the officials of the Dao Court were thoroughly convinced of his power.

After all, if the man dared to sleep with the Empress, was there anything he wouldn’t do?

Even officials loyal to Emperor Jia You could only choose to protect themselves. They placed portraits of Lü Yang in their homes and shouted a few words of loyalty each day.

’Forgive me, Your Majesty. My heart has always been with you.’

’But the villain’s power is too great now, and we have no choice but to bend the knee... We can only pray for Your Majesty’s eventual return to quell the chaos and restore the rightful line of succession...’

Thus, while apologizing to Emperor Jia You in their hearts, they began arranging Lü Yang’s accession ceremony.

「Celestial Wu Hall, Kunning Palace.」

Having finished another cultivation session, Lü Yang stood with his hands behind his back, allowing Empress Xiao to change him into his ceremonial robes. Finally, she draped a Profound Cloak over his shoulders.

At that moment, a complex look filled Empress Xiao’s eyes.

"After today, I will have truly rebelled alongside you. When Emperor Jia You returns, we will both be guilty of treason. I fear we won’t even have intact corpses left."

The ultimate reason she had chosen Lü Yang was the trace of Qi he had revealed to her that day... She had no doubt it was the Qi trace of a Perfection-stage Seven Luminaries Heaven, a complete Outer Dao Fruit Position! It was for the sake of that Fruit that she had resolved to help Lü Yang without reservation.

For the sake of Seeking Gold, she had courage.

But now that it had truly come to this, Empress Xiao couldn’t help but feel a sliver of fear. After all, this wasn’t ordinary Seeking Gold.

This was to manifest the Fruit of Celestial Fire!

Even sacrificing the entire East wouldn’t be enough. The chances of success in Seeking Gold were twenty percent at best. And because her Intentional Appearance was incomplete, those odds would be reduced by another thirty percent.

"Are you confident?"

Empress Xiao murmured. It was this fear that had driven her to help Lü Yang cultivate almost to the point of death recently. Even now, her legs were still weak.

Hearing this, Lü Yang shook his head with a light chuckle and said, "Success depends on human effort."

As his voice fell, he straightened his robes and strode out of Kunning Hall. He walked onward until he reached the front of Celestial Wu Hall, where he stood at the top of the Dan Chi.

He lowered his gaze, looking down upon the scene below.

What met his eyes was a vast, dense crowd. Every official in Celestial Wu City was present. Not only that, but the entire East could feel it.

In every province, county, and city, officials great and small all saw Lü Yang standing before Celestial Wu Hall through their Official Positions. They then bowed in unison. Their movements, in turn, stirred the populace under their governance. The trillions of people in the East moved as one, their collective action merging into a world-shaking thunderclap.

BOOM!

This roar was transmitted to Lü Yang through the Immortal Dao Law, making him feel as if a colossal mountain was pressing down on him.

This was the weight of the ’East’.

The vast East, with its two capitals and thirteen provinces, now rested upon his shoulders. Any ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator would have been instantly crushed by this burden.

But Lü Yang was different.

Faced with this immense, formless pressure, his Bright Spirit Mutual Light Dao Foundation not only remained unshaken but grew even stronger, like a fish returned to water!

The Fruit of Celestial Fire delights in authority!

The heavier the burden, the more favor the Fruit of Celestial Fire bestowed. Thus, not only did Lü Yang feel no discomfort, he felt power surging through his entire body.

In the next moment, he turned his gaze to the side of the Dan Chi. He saw Crown Prince Longxing, who looked as if he were mourning his parents, and Xiao Mountain and the other followers of the One Heart Association who had backed his ascent. The former held a large Seal, symbolizing the current authority of the Celestial Wu Daoist Court, while the latter collectively unfurled a Dragon Robe.

"The weather has turned cold. My lord, you should put on another layer."

Seeing this, Lü Yang shook his head and feigned reluctance. "My dear ministers, you truly put me in a difficult position. How could I possibly take on such a great responsibility?"

At these words, no one spoke.

Instead, they all turned their gazes to Crown Prince Longxing. The Crown Prince nearly ground his teeth to dust, but in the end, he lowered his head in cowardice.

"I recognize that the Celestial Wu dynasty has reigned for over four hundred years. Its cycle of fortune has reached its end, its heavenly mandate is exhausted, the heart of Heaven has shifted, and the hopes of the people are lost. Now, the great destiny has found its new home; the divine vessel ought to belong to one of sacred virtue. The Mandate of Heaven cannot be long delayed, and the will of the people cannot be long ignored. I humbly beseech you, fellow Daoist, to perform the rite of abdication, to accord with the will of men and gods, and to fulfill the wishes of all, within and without."

This was the speech the Imperial City Department had taught him with the imperial rod.

Lü Yang watched Crown Prince Longxing with a calm expression. The latter did not dare to meet his gaze and could only bow his head, raising the large Seal high above his head with both hands.

"...Very well."

With that, Lü Yang took the Seal decisively. In the next instant, his voice spread throughout the entire East via the Immortal Dao Law.

"Today, We inherit the imperial line. We shall decree a new calendar, change the color of the official robes, establish a distinct dynastic title, and unify the laws and measures. We shall inherit the virtue of the Fire Element, follow the will of the people, and establish a new dynasty to begin a great new era..."

The celestial voice was clear and resonant. At first, everyone thought nothing of it, but soon, some realized something was wrong.

Lü Yang’s voice was not confined to the East. It spread out, crossing the Great Dragon River, traveling all the way to the North, and even reaching far Overseas!

"What’s happening?"

"The Immortal Dao Law... is expanding!"

"The North and Overseas... Impossible! The North is the territory of the Demon Sects, where karmic links are interwoven and Fortune is already settled. How could the Immortal Dao Law possibly spread there?"

"And Overseas! The Overseas Demon Cultivators have never submitted to imperial rule. How could they possibly surrender?"

At this moment, it wasn’t just the Dao Court Cultivators who were stunned; even the Cultivators in the North and Overseas were completely bewildered. But the relentlessly spreading Immortal Dao Law did not lie.

During this process, Lü Yang’s vision also seemed to traverse thousands of mountains and rivers. He saw the maps of the East, the North, and even Overseas materialize before his eyes, merging with his Innate Ability, the Mountain and Sea Map of the Imperial Decree. At this moment, his Qi trace grew ever more transcendent.

At the same time, the crowd saw the source of this strange phenomenon.

On the Dan Chi, two figures appeared one after the other. One was, of course, Celestial Python, who had rushed over from Overseas. The other was Minor Metal, his expression resolute.

One represented Overseas, the other, the North.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Although it was just a single spoken phrase, the intent of their submission was crystal clear. Coupled with the expansion of the Immortal Dao Law, the truth was undeniable.

Only then did Lü Yang part his lips and utter the final line:

"...The sun and moon now share the sky. We shall call this the Radiant Dawn."

BOOM!

In the next second, everyone in Celestial Wu City raised their heads in unison to watch the spectacle of the sun and moon sharing the sky, their eyes fixed on the brilliantly shining stars above.

The East, the North, and Overseas.

’Of the five great regions, I now have three. If I were to attempt Seeking Gold now, my chances of success would be sixty percent!’