130: Fourth Generation: Overlord (Twenty-Six)

The morning light in the Nine Dragon Hall remained solemn and majestic. Xu Yuan sat high upon the Dragon Throne, listening to the Minister of Revenue report on the passive resistance encountered by the new policies across various regions.

Qinglan County reported land acreage that matched the records of the previous Dynasty perfectly, while the output of the mineral veins in Heishui County had shrunk by thirty percent out of thin air. All were dismissed with excuses such as "accumulated wear and tear over the years" or "surveying errors."

In the imperial court, several officials from the old Noble Families looked at their noses and their noses looked at their hearts, acting as if the matter had nothing to do with them.

Xu Yuan's fingertips tapped lightly on the warm jade armrest, his expression calm.

He was not angry; all of this was within his expectations.

Overthrowing an old Dynasty was easy, but uprooting the deeply entrenched power of thousand-year-old Noble Families required careful unraveling, and perhaps... the use of some extraordinary power.

“I understand.” He interrupted the Minister's lengthy presentation, his voice not loud but carrying an unquestionable decisiveness. “The new policy is a national strategy; passive resistance will not be tolerated. Order the Inspectorate to conduct a secret investigation. Anyone found guilty of fraud or concealment, once evidence is conclusive, shall be dealt with strictly according to the law.”

He did not give a specific time limit as he usually did. This slightly vague handling caused a faint, imperceptible sense of relaxation to flash in the eyes of several veteran ministers below.

It seemed this young emperor was not blindly forceful and ultimately understood the need for balance and compromise.

After the court session adjourned, Xu Yuan did not return to the Imperial Study. Instead, he dismissed his attendants and walked alone into a side hall in the deep palace that was enveloped by multiple Formations.

This was the "Secret Pavilion," newly constructed by the core strength of the Wang Family after the establishment of Great Shang.

Deep within the Secret Pavilion, in a brightly lit secret room, several core high-level Elders of the Wang Family had long been waiting.

Floating before them were several Jade Slips emitting a soft luster. Recorded within them were the core methods for Puppet refinement from the Mo Qianji Legacy that Xu Yuan had obtained in his previous life.

“Your Majesty.” Seeing Xu Yuan's arrival, several people bowed in greeting, their expressions unable to hide their excitement and solemnity.

“At ease.” Xu Yuan waved his hand to set up another layer of soundproofing barrier, his gaze falling on those Jade Slips. “Is there any new progress in the research?”

Third Elder Wang Zhengqing took a deep breath and stepped forward, his tone carrying an uncontrollable shock: “Reporting to Your Majesty! This Puppet Dao Legacy you provided is far too profound. The pinnacle work of this Puppet technique, if we can find legendary core Materials such as 'Star Nuclei' or 'Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Jade' and drive it with supreme Divine Thought and special energy, its finished product... could theoretically rival a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Cultivator!”

Xu Yuan nodded slightly; this was indeed the Peak of the Puppets within the Mo Qianji Legacy from his previous life.

However, what Xu Yuan valued was not the Puppet techniques he taught to the Wang Family Elders, but... the Nine Nether Puppet Killing Array!

“Refining a single Puppet has great potential, but the required Materials are hard to find and cannot be achieved overnight.” Xu Yuan spoke, steering the topic toward the core. “I am more concerned about the basic research on constructing large-scale Formations based on Puppets mentioned in the Legacy. How is the progress? Can it be initially applied?”

Hearing this, Grand Elder Wang Zheng Yuan's excitement faded slightly, replaced by a more pragmatic expression. He lightly waved his sleeve, and a half-person-high stone platform nearby lit up with spiritual light. Upon it appeared dozens of metal spider and bird models, only the size of a fist, with precise but fragile structures. They vibrated slightly, emitting weak fluctuations of Qi.

“Your Majesty, these are the models we imitated based on the 'Spirit Pivot Puppets,' the basic units in the Formation chapter.”

The Grand Elder's tone carried a hint of helplessness.

“To our shame, based on our current abilities combined with the Family's Artifact Refining heritage, we can at most stably produce Puppet units capable of carrying a Mid-Stage of Qi Refining level of power. Furthermore, the consumption of spiritual Materials is immense, and the structures are not stable enough. We are far from forming an effective Formation, especially the kind of world-shaking array you mentioned.”

“We cannot even successfully refine a Puppet core capable of carrying Foundation Establishment Stage power.”

Xu Yuan looked at those exquisite but weak models, his eyes deep and without much disappointment.

The Dao of Puppetry was as vast as a sea of smoke. Even with a complete Legacy, thoroughly understanding it and achieving a leap-forward Breakthrough was by no means an easy task.

Although the Wang Family's Foundation was thick, in the face of such skills that were close to the 'Dao,' they still needed time to accumulate.

“No matter.” Xu Yuan's tone was peaceful. “I know well that this path is difficult. Being able to lay a Foundation and clarify the direction is already no small feat. Continue to invest resources into research, especially the purification of basic Materials and the stable engraving of spirit patterns; these are the Foundation.”

His gaze swept over the Elders, carrying encouragement: “This technique concerns the future of the National Fortune. Elders, you must put in more effort.”

“We shall certainly do our utmost!” the Elders responded in unison. Feeling that Xu Yuan did not blame them for the slow progress, their hearts eased slightly, while they also felt the weight of their responsibility even more.

The next day, the court session opened again.

This time, he no longer took a roundabout way and directly proposed the concept of establishing the "Dashang Academy" and allowing outstanding Mortal students to serve as local assistant officials or even in some primary positions after passing examinations.

As soon as the decree was issued, the court instantly boiled over!

“Your Majesty! You absolutely must not!” An Imperial Censor from a branch of the Xiao Family immediately stepped forward, his voice impassioned. “The distinction between Immortals and Mortals is the fundamental principle of Heaven and Earth!”

“Allowing Mortals without any Spiritual Root to handle government affairs, or even govern Cultivators? This is a path to disaster that will surely lead to local unrest and the collapse of social order!”

“I concur!” Another Vice Minister of Rites, originally a retainer of the Shen Family, followed closely. “Governing a country requires Qi for protection and Divine Sense for insight. Mortals live for barely a hundred years; their energy is limited and their knowledge shallow. How can they handle complex matters involving Spiritual Veins, mineral deposits, and even disputes among Cultivators?”

“If Mortals are allowed to stand above Cultivators, would that not be the greatest joke in the world?”

“Your Majesty, this move might chill the hearts of all Cultivators in the world!”

The crowd was furious, almost unanimously opposing the move.

It wasn't that they completely failed to see the benefits of this move in breaking the monopoly of the Noble Families, but the conceptual barriers of thousands of years, as well as the fear that their own privileges would be shaken, made it impossible for them to accept.

Many officials who were originally neutral also showed hesitation, feeling that this move was too shocking and unorthodox.

Xu Yuan sat on the Dragon Throne, coldly watching the ministers below as they spoke passionately or remained silent, his face showing neither joy nor anger.

He had long expected to face immense resistance.

Just as the argument reached a fever pitch and several representatives of the Noble Families were secretly exchanging glances, preparing to apply joint pressure—

“Report—!!!”

Outside the hall, a shrill and urgent long cry tore through the clamor!

Two messenger Cultivators, covered in blood and with shattered spiritual armor, practically rolled into the hall, holding high the eye-piercing crimson Jade Slips!

“Urgent report from the northern border! General Wusut of the northern Heavenly Wolf Dynasty is leading a hundred thousand Azure Wolf Iron Cavalry to attack the pass!”

“The three outer satellite cities of Iron Wall Pass have fallen! General Xuanwu is desperately defending the pass and requests the imperial court to send reinforcements immediately!”

“Urgent report! In the Southeast, the Xiao Family of Qinglan County and the Shen Family of Heishui County, together with thirteen large and small clans, have openly raised the banner of rebellion, claiming to 'Purge the court of evil.' They have occupied the county seats and cut off the Southeast Spiritual Veins and water transport!”

The two military reports were like thunder from the Nine Heavens, striking hard upon the Nine Dragon Hall!

The ministers who had been arguing until their faces were red just a moment ago were instantly silenced.

However, in the dead silence, those officials from Noble Families, although their faces wore expressions of "panic," had a hint of coldness or even... schadenfreude flashing deep in their eyes.

They wanted to see how this young emperor, who was determined to reform and attempted to shake their Foundations, would deal with this crisis of internal and external troubles and the smoke of war rising from all sides after losing the support of their "pillar" Noble Families!

Some secretly exchanged glances, while others subconsciously looked at Xu Yuan above the Imperial Steps, trying to find a trace of panic on the young emperor's face.

Amidst the commotion and whispers, Xu Yuan slowly stood up from the Dragon Throne.

His movement was not fast, but it carried an invisible pressure that caused the noise in the hall to instantly subside.