281: Golden spears and iron horses to punish the rebellious

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

A golden Dragon chair was set in place, and Zhao Zheng sat askew upon it, exuding an aura of royal dominance.

Zhao Zheng said in a low voice, "Where is Jiang Muyan?"

"Who is Jiang Muyan?"

Zhao Zheng snapped his fingers, and in an instant, a crushing pressure surged forth.

"I... I truly do not know... who Jiang Muyan is..."

Inside the prison cell, A Mian subconsciously wanted to retreat, but he was bound by an invisible force, unable to make any further movement.

Pfft!

A Mian was already severely injured, and this sudden pressure made him unable to hold on any longer, causing him to vomit a mouthful of blood.

"Cough, cough... Your Majesty, please investigate. This humble one... this commoner is not from the Chen family of Wangxuan, but a person from the Tianli Dynasty, your subject."

Once these words were spoken, they successfully piqued Zhao Zheng's interest, and with a wave of his hand, the pressure immediately vanished.

"Oh? To think a dignified Cultivator is actually a subject of this Mortal?"

"Tell me about your background, and the current situation in the Yunting Domain!"

Zhao Zheng's gaze was like a torch, staring straight at A Mian. "I only want to hear the truth!"

"I... I will speak!"

A Mian said tremblingly, "This commoner was originally just a Mortal named A Mian, from the Tianli Dynasty, living in Tinghan Village near Duxiu City. In my early years, I accidentally obtained a Cultivation Technique and began the path to immortality..."

In this strange world, cultivation Realms are divided from bottom to top as: Mortal Transformation Realm, Tongxuan Realm, Lingyao Realm, Life Wheel Realm, Formless Realm, and so on.

As for higher Realms, he did not know.

The entire Yunting Domain is vast.

The current situation is roughly divided into the Righteous Path and the Demonic Path. In addition, there is the giant that dominates the Yunting Domain—the Yunting Holy Dynasty.

The Yunting Holy Dynasty occupies the west, its territory vast and boundless, so huge that one family alone occupies most of the Yunting Domain.

For a long time, it has been in a standoff with a group of cultivation forces that refuse to submit to its rule, a standoff that has lasted for over ten thousand years.

Thinking back to the past, the Yunting Holy Dynasty was majestic and authoritative in the Yunting Domain.

Its power was so overwhelming that with a single stomp, the entire Yunting Domain would tremble.

At its peak, it sent troops deep into the Eastern Yunting Domain three times, destroying many supreme cultivation lineages wherever it went.

Eventually, it forced the Righteous Path and Demonic Path of the Eastern Yunting Domain, along with all large and small forces, to unite and resist with all their might.

The various forces of the Eastern Yunting Domain exhausted everything, and after hundreds of years of bloody battles, they finally drove all the power of the Yunting Holy Dynasty out of the Eastern Yunting Domain.

The Yunting Holy Dynasty paid a heavy price for this, with many powerhouses lost and its vitality greatly damaged.

Helpless, it could only retreat to various strategic points in the Eastern Yunting Domain, thus forming a long-term standoff between the two sides.

But time has passed, and ten thousand years have gone by.

Today's Yunting Holy Dynasty is declining day by day, with constant internal strife and endless infighting.

The glory of the past is long gone, and the deterrent power that once made all parties fearful has been greatly reduced.

Because of this, the nerves of the Eastern Yunting Domain, which had been tense for ten thousand years, gradually relaxed.

"Yunting Holy Dynasty?" Zhao Zheng raised his eyebrows slightly, a flash of doubt in his eyes.

Apparently, this was the first time he had heard this name.

"What is the current state of this Yunting Holy Dynasty? Speak quickly."

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Yunting Holy Dynasty is now in a precarious situation."

"Rumors everywhere say that this generation's Holy Master's Lifespan is coming to an end."

"Dozens of heirs are fighting openly and secretly for the position of Holy Master."

"The vassals below have also taken sides, splitting into dozens of factions, attacking each other."

The above matters are mostly based on rumors and speculation from the outside world. After all, the two places are too far apart, and it is difficult for low-level Cultivators like them to know the specific situation.

A Mian noticed that the other party seemed quite interested in this news, and he pondered in his heart that performing well might save his life.

Thinking this, his speaking speed unconsciously accelerated slightly.

Originally, the Yunting Holy Dynasty controlled some resource lands in the Eastern Yunting Domain, but now they have all been encroached upon by the Righteous Path and Demonic Path.

The Tianli Dynasty is also located in the Eastern Yunting Domain.

However, this place is located in the extreme south of the Eastern Yunting Domain, where the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi is extremely scarce, and there is almost no value worth occupying.

Even if strong people were sent to forcibly enter, they would find it difficult to stay for long due to the lack of sufficient Spiritual Qi.

Gradually, the Yunting Holy Dynasty and the Eastern Yunting Domain completely let it go, letting the place develop on its own, ignoring it.

Precisely because of this, this small territory escaped many wars.

Here, there are about ten thousand large and small Dynasties, known as the [Ten Thousand Dynasties of the Eastern Wasteland]!!!

Zhao Zheng leaned back slightly, resting on the golden Dragon chair, his fingers tapping the armrests rhythmically, his mind rapidly calculating the complex situation of this Yunting Domain.

Eastern and Western Yunting Domains, that sounds interesting.

Isn't this like the Holy Roman Empire?

"Then, what is the structure of the Eastern Yunting Domain?"

A Mian did not dare to be slow and continued to explain.

The Righteous Path is headed by the Tianxuan Sect, and the Sect Head of the Tianxuan Sect, Su Jiezi, is rumored to have cultivated to the Formless Realm.

There are many Disciples under the various Righteous Path sects, spread throughout the Eastern Yunting Domain, always claiming to slay demons and eliminate devils and maintain the order of the Righteous Path.

The Demonic Path is respected by the Moshang Hall, and the cultivation of the Hall Master, Old Ancestor Duan Shang, is also in the Formless Realm.

The various Demonic Cultivators under the Demonic Path are all eccentric people.

They burn, kill, and loot, doing all kinds of evil, and wherever they go, life is devastated, and the people suffer unspeakably.

The Righteous Path and the Demonic Path have always been incompatible like fire and water, with constant fighting.

If it weren't for the invasion of the Yunting Holy Dynasty, they could never coexist peacefully.

Now, the deterrent power of the Yunting Holy Dynasty has dropped significantly, and the tense nerves of all parties have relaxed slightly.

The Righteous Path and the Demonic Path naturally pointed their spears at each other again, and the old grudges and contradictions were instantly reignited.

Zhao Zheng nodded slightly, a flash of joy in his eyes, "In this way, the Eastern Yunting Domain seems to be a big melting pot, with various forces intertwined."

It would be a lie to say he wasn't happy, because such a situation is favorable to him, allowing him to quietly develop for a long time.

"Do you really not know who Jiang Muyan is?"

As he spoke, Zhao Zheng snapped his fingers, and a powerful pressure was immediately released from behind him, surging towards A Mian.

A Mian felt his body being tightly pressed, and breathing became extremely difficult.

"Your Majesty, spare my life! This commoner really does not know who Jiang Muyan is."

"This commoner was forced to follow along and really knows nothing about the related matters."

Zhao Zheng snorted coldly and waved his hand, letting the Famous Minister behind him withdraw the pressure.

"What you said is about the same as what the others said."

"You pass!"

Once these words were spoken, A Mian felt as if he had walked through the gates of hell.

He secretly rejoiced that he had not hidden anything; otherwise, with the power of that pressure just now, he would have died on the spot and turned into a puddle of flesh.

Afterwards, Zhao Zheng briefly asked about the situation of the Mingwu Sect, and then walked out of the prison.

"My Beloved Ministers, do you have any brilliant ideas?"

As soon as Zhao Zheng stepped out of the prison, he asked the many Famous Ministers who had been standing respectfully behind him.

Many Famous Ministers came forward one after another to give their insights.

Among them, the strategies of Yao Chong and the Famous Minister were the most satisfying to Zhao Zheng.

Simply put, this strategy is: annex the Ten Thousand Dynasties of the Eastern Wasteland, and secretly infiltrate forces into the Eastern and Western Yunting Domains.

While expanding territory, increasing population, and exploiting the people, also quietly lay out the Yunting Domain.

After hearing the two's exposition, a look of appreciation flashed in Zhao Zheng's eyes.

"My Beloved Ministers, I have decided to adopt the strategy of Beloved Minister Famous Minister and Beloved Minister Yao Chong."

"The plan to conquer the disloyal ministers remains unchanged, and as for Jiang Muyan and the Mingwu Sect, they can just serve as an entry point for implementing the infiltration plan."

Zhao Zheng's gaze was deep as an abyss, staring into the distance, having already made a decision in his heart.

He wants to charge ahead in this Yunting Domain and forge a new world of his own.

After speaking, he stood up abruptly, his magnificent Dragon robe fluttering in the wind, showing the dominance and majesty of a generation of kings.

"No time to lose, send troops immediately!"

Soon, the preparations for the expedition were completed.

The Famous Minister, wearing heavy armor with a cold, flashing sword hanging from his waist, together with half of the Eight Colonels of the West Garden, led the majority of the White Pole Soldiers and a mighty army of miscellaneous soldiers to embark on the road to conquer the disloyal.

The army set out, military flags fluttering, the sound of horse hooves shaking the earth slightly.

On this day, iron cavalry and galloping horses went to subdue the disloyal.

Hearing that the Tianli court had sent troops to conquer, the disloyal ministers who were carving out their own territories in the Tianli Dynasty were all dismissive.

"Ignore them, continue the music, continue the dance."

In a luxurious palace in the territory occupied by a certain disloyal minister, decadent music echoed, and fine wine and delicacies filled the long table.

The disloyal minister Du Guang bared his chest, his eyes blurred with drunkenness, and singing girls danced beside him. He laughed wantonly, drank the fine wine in his cup, and did not take the court's expedition to heart at all.

Just then, a light sound of footsteps came, and his beautiful and elegant wife walked slowly into the hall with light steps.

The wife was wearing a gorgeous dress, but her pretty eyebrows were full of worry.

She walked to the disloyal minister's side and whispered, "My Lord, I heard that the court's army has already approached. How can you still enjoy yourself like this?"

The disloyal minister reached out and pulled his wife into his arms, his hands moving up and down, laughing indifferently, "My beloved wife, don't worry. Those troops of the court are just a rabble."

"I have been operating here for many years, with strong soldiers and sturdy horses. What can they do to me? Come, accompany me to drink and have fun."

"Wife, be good~"

"Later, let's do that and that with you, like this and like that~"

After speaking, he was about to pass the wine cup to his wife's red lips.

The wife turned slightly to avoid it, her expression becoming increasingly anxious, "My Lord, do not be careless. Now that the situation is unclear, we should make preparations early."

"Chancellor Su Yuanqing was able to kill Zhao Guodong with thunderous means; there must be something strange behind it."

The disloyal minister waved his hand impatiently, "What does a woman like you know! I have my own ideas; no need to say more."

After speaking, he cast his gaze back to the dancers in the hall, continuing to indulge in this life of debauchery.

The wife sighed helplessly, feeling worried in her heart.

These days, she and other concubines have been uneasy, often dreaming of giving themselves to strangers and becoming others' wives and concubines.

And at this moment, the army led by the Famous Minister was rapidly approaching...