192: Fourth Generation: Overlord (88)

The joint petitions from the Tianshui and Qingmu Imperial Dynasties, sent through special channels across endless mountains and rivers, were finally presented to Li Beichen, who sat in a Secret Realm somewhere in the Eastern Region, detached from the world.

Within the Secret Realm, clouds and mist swirled as immortal cranes gathered.

Li Beichen sat cross-legged on a green stone, his entire aura harmonizing with the Heaven and Earth.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over several Jade Slips floating before him, each emitting various spiritual lights; his brow furrowed slightly, almost imperceptibly.

His Divine Sense swept through the contents of the Jade Slips. Even with his Late Golden Core Stage cultivation and a state of mind accustomed to great storms, he couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

"This Wang Yuan... he really is a master who cannot bear loneliness."

He muttered to himself, a trace of helplessness in his tone.

In the petitions, Tian Yin, Kumu, and the others described Great Shang's 'new policy' as a predatory beast, using alarmist phrases like 'drawing the firewood from under the cauldron,' 'cutting flesh with a blunt knife,' 'shaking the national foundation,' and 'triggering internal strife.' They depicted Great Shang as the very root of instability in the Eastern Region.

What kind of person was Li Beichen? How could he not see how much exaggeration and selfish intent were mixed in?

It was simply that Xu Yuan's rise had touched the vested interests of these established Imperial Dynasties, making them feel threatened. Unable to suppress him within the rules, they wanted to borrow the 'blade' of the Dao Lineage to eliminate their rival.

Personally, he didn't really want to intervene in this kind of 'soft power' competition.

The Dao Lineage was transcendent; it maintained the 'baseline balance' of the Eastern Region—ensuring no large-scale wars or catastrophic upheavals. As for how each country was governed internally, how talent flowed, or how businesses competed, as long as it didn't trigger massive warfare, the Dao Lineage generally didn't bother to ask.

Survival of the fittest was, after all, the Heavenly Dao.

But... the commotion Xu Yuan was causing was indeed a bit too large.

By relying on its unique institutional appeal, Great Shang had drained nearly half of the potential middle and lower-level talent from the surrounding countries!

Its goods swept through the markets of various countries with low prices and excellent quality, leading to the decline of many traditional industries and a rapid outflow of wealth.

The speed and depth of this 'peaceful evolution' had indeed begun to substantially change the power balance of the Eastern Region, breaking the delicate equilibrium that had been maintained for thousands of years.

If it truly went as the petitions claimed, and internal conflicts within the surrounding Imperial Dynasties intensified over time to the point of large-scale internal strife, it would indeed violate the Dao Lineage's original intent of maintaining 'overall stability.' Moreover, with several Imperial Dynasties pressuring them together, ignoring it completely would damage the Dao Lineage's prestige.

"Fine... I shall make another trip to give him a warning."

Li Beichen sighed, and his figure slowly dissipated from the green stone.

A few days later, a plain yet supremely majestic voice once again resounded over the Imperial Capital:

"Emperor Shang, come out for a talk."

Li Beichen's figure appeared, still in those simple grey robes, his eyes calmly watching Xu Yuan as he stepped out from the deep palace.

"Envoy Li's presence is a great honor. May I ask what guidance you have for me?"

Xu Yuan's expression was calm, as if he had expected this.

"The Emperor Shang's new policy is quite impressive," Li Beichen said, getting straight to the point with a neutral tone. "However, too much is as bad as too little. The stability of the Eastern Region is not achieved in a day; it also requires checks and balances from all sides."

"Your absorption of talent and circulation of trade are beyond reproach in themselves, but there must be a limit. Do not drain the pond to catch the fish, lest you trigger a calamity that plunges the common people into misery."

He did not directly accuse him but pointed out the potential consequences of 'excess,' giving both sides a way out.

Xu Yuan sneered inwardly, but on the surface, he showed a 'receptive' expression: "The Patrolling Envoy is absolutely right. I implement the new policy only to strengthen my country and benefit my people; I have no intention of disrupting the Eastern Region. Since the Patrolling Envoy believes my actions may be too hasty, I shall naturally make adjustments."

Xu Yuan's answer was flawless.

"That is for the best." Li Beichen gave Xu Yuan a deep look. "I hope the Emperor Shang conducts himself well and does not lead himself astray."

With that, his figure dissipated once more.

His goal for this trip was achieved—to show that the Dao Lineage was paying attention and to issue a warning.

As for how exactly Xu Yuan would 'adjust,' he did not want to interfere too much.

Seeing the Dao Lineage step in, Xu Yuan followed advice readily and indeed 'restrained' himself somewhat.

He ordered a temporary halt to large-scale talent recruitment and commercial dumping against the Imperial Dynasties like Tianshui and Qingmu that had complained the loudest. He shifted his primary focus toward internal consolidation and deepening cooperation with neutral or friendly forces.

This strategy of 'avoiding the solid and striking the hollow' made the efforts of Tian Yin, Kumu, and the others feel like punching cotton.

The Dao Lineage had stepped in, and the other party had given them 'Face.' If they continued to pester him, they would be the ones appearing unreasonable.

Although they still felt it was a pity they couldn't use this opportunity to completely crush Xu Yuan, they could only quit while they were ahead for now, turning their energy back to internal rectification and dealing with the impact brought by Great Shang.

As for those Dynasties heavily affected by Great Shang's 'soft power' but without a Golden Core True Person and thus no voice before the Dao Lineage?

Their wails and protests never reached Li Beichen's ears and were naturally selectively ignored by Tian Yin, Kumu, and the rest.

Weak nations have no diplomacy; this was just as true in the world of cultivation.

Thus, time flew by, and another hundred years passed.

During these hundred years, external pressure on Great Shang decreased, allowing it to gain a precious period of strategic development.

Xu Yuan devoted his primary energy to internal cultivation. Compulsory education bore fruit, Workshop technology underwent iterative upgrades, and the national power continued to soar at an astonishing speed!

The brilliant National Fortune grew like a rolling snowball, becoming increasingly vast and majestic!

Under this unprecedented feedback from the National Fortune, combined with Xu Yuan's own profound understanding and tireless cultivation of the Imperial Dao, on this day, a phenomenon appeared once more above the Imperial Capital!

Purple Qi came from the east for thirty thousand miles, and a vast Imperial Authority swept across the eight directions!

From Xu Yuan's place of seclusion, the sounds of Dragon and Phoenix cries emerged. A terrifying aura far exceeding the Middle Stage of the Golden Core—enough to change the color of the mountains and rivers—soared into the sky, drawing the light of the stars in the heavens!

Late Golden Core Stage, achieved!

Xu Yuan emerged from his seclusion and stood atop the clouds. Feeling the vast power surging incessantly within him, as if he could take charge of a corner of the world, his eyes shone with divine light, and his Imperial Authority was as heavy as a prison!

Now, with his Late Golden Core Stage cultivation and the terrifying strength he gained from the National Fortune's blessing within Great Shang's borders, he truly stood at the Peak of the Eastern Region!

Even facing someone like Li Beichen, a Late Golden Core Stage cultivator from the Dao Lineage, he was confident he had the strength to fight!

"A hundred years of lying low, and I have finally entered the Late Stage!"

Pride surged in his chest as Xu Yuan looked down at this unprecedentedly powerful Imperial Dynasty beneath his feet. The landscape was like a painting, and the National Fortune was like a dragon; this was the foundation he had built with his own hands!

However, at this moment of extreme satisfaction and world-swallowing ambition, a subtle yet incredibly clear sensation quietly seeped into his mind like ice water.

He stood at the Peak of power, yet he felt as if he had touched an invisible and resilient 'dome'.

Hmm?

Xu Yuan's brow furrowed imperceptibly as his mind sank into his body.

That Purple-Gold Imperial Dao Golden Core was currently radiant with light, spinning incessantly as it swallowed massive amounts of National Fortune and Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, emitting a majestic power that suppressed the eight directions.

On the surface of the Golden Core, the phantom images of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and the people became increasingly clear, as if it contained a complete world of a Dynasty.

But... Xu Yuan could feel that the 'growth' of this Golden Core was slowing down, even... approaching a kind of 'saturation'.

It wasn't a lack of National Fortune, nor was it a scarcity of Spiritual Qi.

Great Shang's National Fortune was currently flourishing, providing boundless energy.

The problem lay in... the Golden Core itself, which seemed to be approaching a 'critical point'.