The Xiang family had been lying low for over two hundred years, constantly hunted by the Sima family. They hadn't dared to show their faces, but they couldn't just sit idly by and squander their resources, unbecoming of descendants of the Xiang family.

Thus, over a hundred years ago, the Xiang family began searching for suitable individuals.

Back then, Liangshan was merely a small, struggling force. However, ever since the Xiang family began assisting Liangshan, it embarked on a true path of expansion.

Today, it could even contend with the Seven Kill Hall, one of the Ten Great Immortal Sects!

The Xiang family had invested not only resources but also a great deal of effort.

As Liangshan grew stronger, the Xiang family's trust in Song Lun waned. Therefore, they sent a family elder, disguised as Lu Guangsheng, to become the second-in-command of Liangshan.

His status was second only to the White-Clad Scholar Song Lun.

Over the years, Lu Guangsheng had been steadily increasing his influence and attracting other powerful figures. However, Liangshan was ultimately created by Song Lun himself.

The Liangshan warriors still trusted him the most.

His influence was far greater than Lu Guangsheng's.

Xiang Qianqiu's eyes flickered, and he said in a deep voice:

"If Song Lun has contacted Jingtai, I'm afraid the Xiang family has already been exposed."

"Then we…"

A murderous intent flashed in Lu Guangsheng's eyes. He wanted to strike first and eliminate Song Lun. Afterward, the Xiang family could seize control of the eight hundred miles of Liangshan Marsh with lightning speed!

"This matter…" Xiang Qianqiu's gaze sharpened, and he continued, "We cannot act first, and we cannot reveal the Xiang family's name."

"Why?"

Xiang Qianqiu explained, "The world may seem to be on the verge of collapse, but the Sima family's foundation is still solid. It hasn't completely fallen into chaos yet. If the Xiang family launches an uprising, Jingtai, even if he doesn't want to, will have to gather all the court's forces to besiege Liangshan…"

Ordinary rebellions and rebellions by remnants of the previous dynasty are two different concepts. The Sima family, in order to maintain its legitimacy, must spare no effort in exterminating all members of the Xiang family.

This is evident from the relentless pursuit that has continued for over two hundred years!

"If we launch an uprising and the heroes of the world follow suit, perhaps the Sima family wouldn't dare to bet everything on one throw." Lu Guangsheng frowned, expressing his own view.

"The Xiang family has been lying low for so many years. We can't gamble on something uncertain. We must preserve our strength. The time is not yet ripe," Xiang Qianqiu said sternly.

"Time, time, what exactly is the time that the patriarch keeps talking about?" Lu Guangsheng frowned deeply. He didn't like the feeling of being kept in the dark.

"The real opportunity is a chance to instantly divide the world. The last invasion by the Northern Barbarians accelerated this process. Recently, the unrest in the world has been gradually accelerating this process. But… it's not enough! Not nearly enough!"

Xiang Qianqiu's face darkened. He wasn't afraid of anything else; his only concern was the group of people who truly destroyed the Xiang family back then!

Without the Immortal Realm, it would be impossible to even contend with them.

"Then are we just going to sit back and watch Song Lun contact the Sima family's dogs? If he thinks the time is right, I'm afraid that's when the court's experts will descend upon Blood Province."

Lu Guangsheng continued.

Xiang Qianqiu raised his hand to stop Lu Guangsheng, his eyes narrowing. He pondered the somewhat inaccurate information he had received earlier, and after a long silence, he said:

"We don't need to kill Song Lun."

"Does the patriarch have other plans?"

"Do you remember the Kirin Demon Lord who shook the South a few days ago?" Xiang Qianqiu asked in a deep voice.

"Is he also a member of the Xiang family?"

"He has some connection with us…"

"But a Kirin Demon Lord doesn't have the strength to directly kill Song Lun, does he?" The Ascending Immortal Pavilion ranked the Kirin Demon Lord at around thirtieth place.

Song Lun, on the other hand, was ranked in the teens. The difference between them was significant.

"This person also has helpers." Xiang Qianqiu smiled faintly, seemingly knowing much more than just a superficial amount.

"It's good that the patriarch has a plan."

"You don't need to worry about this matter. Song Lun rose to prominence using the Xiang family's resources, and now he dares to betray us. He must pay a bloody price. Closely monitor all of his family members. Don't let them escape Blood Province."

"Don't worry, patriarch. Song Lun probably doesn't know that we've already detected his intentions. He's not on guard against me yet."

"Don't be careless. Song Lun is also a remarkable figure. It's a pity that he's not obedient."

A faint hint of killing intent flashed in Xiang Qianqiu's eyes.

"By the way, what's the progress on the matter I asked you to investigate earlier?" Xiang Qianqiu suddenly changed the subject and asked.

"We've made some progress in tracking down the traces of the Unborn Church, but… our Xiang family doesn't seem to have ever interacted with the Unborn Church. Why does the patriarch want me to investigate these demonic people?"

"Naturally, it's for a great purpose. Continue to pay close attention, and don't let these demonic people detect anything unusual. Jingtai is playing chess, and so am I." Xiang Qianqiu's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

"Yes."

"Alright, go back first. In a few days, it will be Song Lun's one hundred and twentieth birthday. Then… there will be a big gift for him."

After saying that, a ripple appeared in the void in front of Xiang Qianqiu, and he stepped one leg into it.

"Is the patriarch returning to the secret realm?"

"No, I'm going to meet the Seven Kill Hall Master. He stopped at this time, no doubt waiting for me. Coincidentally, there's also an old acquaintance I haven't seen for many years. Hehe…"

Inside the imperial study in the capital.

Jingtai was still the same as always, with a calm face and an imposing presence. Beside him was a cup of spiritual tea steaming with heat, and on the table was the latest issue of the Supreme Ranking published by the Ascending Immortal Pavilion.

His gaze swept over the many names on it, lingering for a moment on the Asura Demon Lord, a flash of killing intent in his eyes. Then, he turned his gaze to the Kirin Demon Lord, who had just ascended to the Supreme Ranking.

"Has the true identity of the Kirin Demon Lord been investigated?"

Jingtai raised his head and asked Cao Zhengxian.

"Uh… Your Majesty, not yet," Cao Zhengxian replied, lowering his head.

"Not even a little?"

"This subordinate and the Sky Patrol Department are already investigating with all our might, but this person seems to have suddenly appeared out of nowhere. After comparison and judgment, he is not similar to any of the experts who have disappeared in the past.

Therefore, this old servant dares to guess that this Kirin Demon Lord may be a solitary cultivator who has lived in the deep mountains of the Southern Wilderness for many years, and this is just a chance encounter."

"Continue to investigate. Even if you can't find out his true identity, you must track down his current whereabouts. I'm already looking for rare beasts. If I can obtain the Kirin Divine Blood from him…"

Jingtai narrowed his eyes, not finishing his sentence.

"This old servant will definitely do my best."

Cao Zhengxian immediately expressed his loyalty.

"Also, have you found the traces of the Dao God Palace? It's been almost a year since the imperial ancestral sacrifice. What's the use of just catching some demonic heretics?

I want to regain the face of the court and the imperial family!"

Jingtai's tone was not good, directly rebuking Cao Zhengxian for his incompetence.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. This old servant is guilty, but this Dao God Palace is really difficult to deal with. That Old Ghost Elder has not shown his face since the battle in the imperial city…"

On that day, the Evil Ghost Dao Lord, Yang Huatian, had taken the initiative to reveal his identity, so the court had also focused its efforts on him. Unfortunately, they had not found his whereabouts to this day.

It was indeed appropriate to say that he was incompetent.

"The Dao God Palace has a mysterious origin and ambitious goals. It is a major concern for me and must be completely eradicated. I will give you another half year. No matter what method you use, you must find Yang Huatian's whereabouts. I want to see him alive, or his corpse!"

Jingtai issued an ultimatum.

"This old servant understands!"

Finding the traces of a Refinement God True Person in the world was like searching for a needle in a haystack, but under the emperor's anger, he had to agree and mobilize all the secret agents to investigate his whereabouts.

"Have Duke Wei and the Grand Marshal left yet?" Jingtai took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and quickly changed his expression.

His moods were ever-changing, more than ever before.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, yesterday this old servant gave Your Majesty's personal decree to Duke Gu and Duke Li. If there are no accidents, they have already left the capital!"

Cao Zhengxian said quickly.

Jingtai nodded slightly, casually picked up the spiritual tea on the table and took a light sip, a layer of inexplicable expression in his eyes. In order to stabilize the court and the Sima family's empire, he actually used many methods.

For example, this time with Liangshan!

If Song Lun hadn't taken the initiative to contact him, he really wouldn't have noticed that the Xiang family was actually supporting Liangshan behind the scenes, using the banner of Liangshan to attract warriors and train troops.

All for the sake of restoring their country one day.

It's a pity that no matter how the Xiang family plots, the power accumulated by Liangshan over many years will now be taken over by the court, and the Xiang family will be weakened again.

After the country is destroyed, they should honestly eke out an existence, instead of always thinking about reviving Great Chu.

Now, it is the world of their Sima family!

With Liangshan surrendering, the court's strength will be further enhanced, and it will also be able to truly regain most of the territory of Blood Province, increasing its prestige in the world.

In this way, it would be much easier for him to do what he wants in the future.

Of course, the premise is that Song Lun doesn't play any tricks and honestly works for him!

"Go down, I'm a little tired." Jingtai waved his hand.

Cao Zhengxian hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice:

"Your Majesty, this old servant actually has one more thing to report to you."

"Speak."

"The secret agents below sent news that something is not quite right in Tangshan Prefecture."

"Tangshan…" Jingtai frowned:

"I remember that this seems to be the prefecture where Marquis Wu'an used to serve as the Azure Envoy, right?"

"That's right, exactly."

"What's wrong?"

Cao Zhengxian thought about the messages that had not been confirmed as true or false, and continued in a low voice:

"The secret agents discovered that the people of Tangshan Prefecture only know about Marquis Wu'an and not about Your Majesty. In addition, recently, in Tangshan Prefecture and even the surrounding prefectures, many young adults have disappeared for various reasons…"

"Hmm?"

"Moreover, not long ago, a dragon's turn occurred deep in the Tangshan Mountains. Secret agents entered to investigate, but no matter how many people entered, they were like mud cows entering the sea, with no news at all…"

"Why hasn't there been any news from Qing Province?"

Jingtai frowned.

"This… this old servant doesn't know."

Did Cao Zhengxian really not know?

Of course not, but if he said everything, what would the emperor say?

Sure enough, after he said he didn't know, Jingtai's next sentence came out:

"I heard that Jiang He, the Gold Envoy of Qing Province, is very close to Marquis Wu'an?"

"According to what this old servant knows, when Marquis Wu'an's cultivation was weak, he offended many Jianghu enemies, and Jiang He came forward to resolve these grudges for him."

"It seems… my Marquis Wu'an has some small thoughts." Jingtai's eyes were slightly cold, a faint killing intent flashing in his eyes.

Being able to become an emperor and lay out so many plans, Jingtai was naturally not stupid. Although these messages Cao Zhengxian said were temporarily unknown to be true or false, sometimes the truth or falsehood was not important.

What was important was that Chen Yuan was indeed not a peaceful person.

He didn't think that Chen Yuan dared to have the idea of rebelling, but he probably still had the idea of ​​separating one side and wanting to bargain with the court.

"Marquis Wu'an is young and energetic after all, Your Majesty should be more considerate." Cao Zhengxian flattered him appropriately.

"It's okay to have some small thoughts, as long as the thoughts are not too big." Saying this, Jingtai turned his gaze to Cao Zhengxian and asked:

"In Cao Qing's opinion, how should Marquis Wu'an be dealt with?"

"Your Majesty, the secret agents are just guessing, and there is no real evidence. It is not appropriate to arrest Chen Yuan based on these things, and it will make the officials below have other thoughts.

This old servant believes that there is a way to determine whether Marquis Wu'an has other thoughts."

Cao Zhengxian said in a deep voice.

"What method?"

"Summon Marquis Wu'an to the capital to report on his duties! He has been in the South for several months and has made a lot of achievements. With his cultivation speed, he can reach the divine capital in a few days. As long as Marquis Wu'an dares to come, it proves that he has no other thoughts, but if he procrastinates with various reasons, then… I am afraid that Your Majesty should prepare early."

Jingtai nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this:

"Just follow Cao Qing's opinion, but suppress this matter for the time being and wait until this period of time has passed."

He was not in a hurry, even if Chen Yuan really had other small thoughts, it was not worth a few months, and besides, he could not pull up a climate force in a few months.

"Your Majesty is right"

"Okay, retreat first, remember to handle the things I told you."

"This old servant obeys the decree!"

Tangshan Prefecture, border of Shu Province.

Since leaving Nanping Prefecture, Chen Yuan had been leading Su Ziyue all the way in this direction, and they were discussing how to transfer Song Lun out of the Liangshan base camp with her.

If they directly attacked, even if they had three True Monarch combat powers on their side, they might not be able to gain any advantage.

The century-old Liangshan, although it seems that it has not been established for a long time, and is not even comparable to a family like the Shangguan clan, the strength is very different. The Shangguan clan is a family name.

But Liangshan is actually accepting warriors from all over the world.

On the bright side alone, there are two True Monarchs and a handful of Huayang True People. If Senior Moro is excluded, then Liangshan's strength is only stronger than the Dao God Palace.

The most important thing is that behind Liangshan there is also the Xiang family whose depth is unknown.

Breaking into Liangshan alone is no less than entering a dragon's pool and a tiger's den.

It is completely undesirable.

The only right way is to find a way to lure Song Lun out.

"If you want Song Lun to show up in a short period of time, I am afraid that the news of the Yuanjing mineral vein in the Black Blood Mountains needs to spread." Su Ziyue said after thinking for a while.

If you want to lure out a True Monarch, ordinary methods will not work. It is best to have a temptation that the other party cannot refuse.

It's just that once the Yuanjing mineral vein is exposed, the competition will probably not only be for Liangshan, and other Blood Province forces will definitely intervene. If he wants to protect it, he needs to send more forces to be stationed in Blood Province.

"Let me think about it"

Chen Yuan had also thought about this matter before, but he had not made up his mind, because in this way, it was really not worth it, but as far as the current situation is concerned, this is the only way.

It is no longer feasible to kill a strong man like Guan Hai like last time and force Song Lun to come out. Liangshan is confronting the Seven Kill Hall, and Song Lun cannot fail to consider this.

"Tangshan is indeed a good place."

Chen Yuan and Su Ziyue were walking in the air, looking down at the scenery below. Even if it was not a prefectural city or a county town, there was still a constant flow of people on the official road, a prosperous scene.

"Located at the junction of three provinces, it is a must-争之地 for military strategists, but at the same time it is also attacked on all sides. To hold this place, you need to rely on a province as a backing."

"What do you think I am sitting in Shu Province for?"

Chen Yuan smiled softly when he heard this.

How could he not know the advantages and disadvantages of Tangshan?

"Shu is mountainous, rugged and difficult to walk, but the resources are indeed the best among the thirteen states in the world, better than Qing Province, which is a plain." Su Ziyue commented.

Don't think that the terrain is not important. Except for the top figures in the Jianghu, that is, the True Monarch strong, the rest, whenever they encounter a large army pressing down on the border, they can use the terrain to lay down a killing array, which is definitely a dangerous pass.

Human power has its limits, but the world does not.

And Chen Yuan's plan has always been like this, first control the fertile land of Shu Province, and then slowly plan for other prefectures and gradually control the South.

When the time comes, you can march north to the Central Plains!

"Let's go, go see your army!"

Su Ziyue became quite interested, and of course, she also wanted to have a judgment on Chen Yuan's strength in order to judge the situation and control the situation.

Chen Yuan naturally would not refuse, and led Su Ziyue into the small woods.

No, into the Tangshan Mountains.

With the things in his memory, avoiding the mountain protection formation, Chen Yuan and Su Ziyue did not alarm anyone, and soon came to the military camp in the depths of the mountains.

There are formations around to isolate them, and no sound can be heard outside, but the movement here is really not small.

The drums of war were loud, and the iron hooves were roaring.

The huge mountain range was leveled, and it was expanded several times more than when Chen Yuan first came. At a glance, there were all black-robed iron cavalry with complete armor, practicing cavalry charges and the methods of linking Qi and blood.

"How many soldiers are there here?"

Su Ziyue could only have a rough guess, but this was shocking enough. She never expected that Chen Yuan would quietly train such an elite cavalry here!

Although they have not actually fought, it is clear from their military appearance that this is definitely an elite cavalry.

"There are 30,000 cavalry here, and they are still recruiting soldiers and warriors."

"How much do you plan to expand?"

"100,000 iron cavalry is almost enough!"

"Can the Yuanjing mine afford it?"

"How many forces in the vast South have accumulated for hundreds of years? Not to mention 100,000, even 300,000 or 500,000 can afford it!"

(End of this chapter)