Chapter 582 347: The War of the Three Worlds, Investigating the Ice Corpse Gathering Place, Nanli Celestial Mandate

The main hall was in a clamorous, unseemly uproar.

Lu Mingyuan knew he couldn't just stand by. He channeled his energy to project his voice.

"Everyone, hear me!"

His voice boomed like thunder from the Nine Heavens, and the might of a Martial Saint erupted from him.

The hall fell silent at once.

Lu Mingyuan had now grown into a figure they were forced to take seriously.

A Martial Saint.

It was a title that held immense weight throughout the entire Central Plains World.

The Human Race hadn't produced a Martial Saint for several hundred years.

His status was impossible to disregard.

Lu Mingyuan's gaze swept across the hall, passing over each and every face. With piercing eyes, he said:

"I thank all of you from the Immortal Families for taking time from your busy schedules to visit my Great Yan. However, regarding the matter of the Princess choosing a sect, I believe it is far too early to discuss. Right now, she is merely an infant, only two days old."

"As for her future, the Princess will make her own decision once she is old enough to do so. I do not intend to force her hand or make arrangements on her behalf. Therefore, for today, I suggest you all take your leave."

The Emperor of Great Yan's dismissal took many by surprise.

They never expected Lu Mingyuan to pass up such a golden opportunity to forge alliances.

Any other dynasty, faced with so many Immortal Influences offering their patronage, would have been desperate to send the princess to one of them.

Lu Mingyuan's refusal now gave some of them pause.

The Great Yan Emperor's stance was the Great Yan Dynasty's stance.

The Great Yan of today was already a formidable power.

Not only had Lu Mingyuan himself achieved a breakthrough to become a Martial Saint, but the dynasty had other strengths. Wen Sheng had opened the Wencan Academy in Shengjing. Qi Xingyan, a descendant of Li Sheng, had become a Confucian Saint. The Yuqing Ancestor Master had pledged their allegiance. Furthermore, the Great Yan Dynasty had recruited a large number of Qi Cultivators from the Taoist Sect to serve as court Tributors.

All signs indicated that the Great Yan Dynasty was not in need of assistance.

With all these trump cards in hand for the Great Yan Dynasty, the reason for Lu Mingyuan's attitude became clear.

This young Emperor no longer had to answer to them.

And so, he had dismissed them all, treating every faction equally.

Every move Lu Mingyuan made exuded an air of confident, commanding authority.

"In that case, Fuyao Sword Palace will take its leave." A Sword Cultivator in green robes said politely, clasping his hands in a salute.

"We of the Celestial Master's Mansion will take our leave as well."

The young, sword-bearing Celestial Master, Xu Changqing, offered Lu Mingyuan a faint smile and a slight nod.

It was a clear gesture of acknowledgment.

He had already anticipated this outcome.

「In days past.」

「The Yong'an Era.」

Emperor Yong'an had allowed the great Immortal Influences to infiltrate the Princes' Mansions, forcing them to side with the Great Yan Dynasty. His goal was to strengthen the Court's authority and centralize power over the realm.

This was the very origin of the disastrous Nine Dragons Struggle for the Throne.

The Immortal Families backed the princes they favored, vying for the Court's patronage to ensure the continuation of their traditions.

That moment in the past was just like this moment in the present.

Except this time, Emperor Longyuan had made a different choice than Emperor Yong'an.

He had refused them all.

After the first faction left, a second followed, then a third...

More and more of the Immortal Influences departed.

Before leaving, Zhenyuanzi left a final message via voice transmission: "When the Princess reaches the age of four and her innate constitution has taken shape, I will still welcome Your Majesty's choice of the Five Elements Daoist Temple. As for the Great Sui Dynasty... with the Crown Prince of Great Sui dead, they have no heir. Their sun is setting. I'm sure Your Majesty knows what to do with that information."

Lu Mingyuan chuckled to himself.

'That wily old fox really knows how to pick a side.'

Still, Zhenyuanzi's words had revealed a valuable piece of intelligence.

The Great Sui Dynasty might seem vast, occupying a southern continent, but they were in the precarious position of having no one to inherit the National Fortune.

They would soon be leaderless.

'Great Sui, Great Wu, Silver Frost... Sooner or later, I'll wipe them all out in one fell swoop.'

"Your Majesty, today's refusal has undoubtedly offended many."

Seeing that most of the people had left, Chen Ke, dressed in his vermilion court robes, came to stand behind Lu Mingyuan and spoke with a wry tone.

Lu Mingyuan stood at the hall's entrance, hands clasped behind his back. His gaze drifted toward the Great Yan Dragon Wall Plaza, his eyes filled with memory as he said, "Times are different now."

"In the past, when I was in the Eastern Palace Mansion, I needed all the help I could get. I even had to make use of masters from the Endless Pavilion. The support of every faction was crucial."

"But now, the Great Yan Dynasty's strength has reached a new level. Not just any faction is worthy of associating with Great Yan. Quality is more important than quantity. Refusing them isn't a bad thing; at the very least, it doesn't single out any one faction to offend."

"If I had accepted one faction's offer, I would have incurred the wrath of all the others. By rejecting them all, they can all breathe a collective sigh of relief. It keeps the situation balanced, and none of them will dare make trouble for Great Yan."

Chen Ke mulled it over for a moment and realized it was true.

Refusing them all was indeed the best course of action.

At the same time, he also realized the Holy Emperor was beginning to move in a new direction.

A future where the Court could hold absolute power, where all living things would be brought under one rule.

Lu Mingyuan sighed. "I must accomplish what my Imperial Father never could."

Chen Ke nodded. His perspective wasn't that of the one on the Emperor's Throne, so of course there were things he couldn't see. "Your Majesty is wise and far-sighted. It is I who was foolish. There is an urgent matter from beyond our borders that I must report."

"Speak," Lu Mingyuan said, slowly raising his gaze.

Chen Ke produced a red-lacquered letter. "Over the past few years, the Holy Netherworld has repeatedly tried to cross the Great Wall and attack our dynasty, but each attempt has fallen short. The defensive lines established by the Taoist Sect are quite solid. However, we've received word that the political situation within the Holy Nether Country has become unstable. The Great Nether Empress is currently purging the old aristocracy."