170: Fourth Generation: Overlord (Sixty-six)

In the outside world, the Great Shang Dynasty operated like a precision machine under Wang Qingshan's steady leadership.

In the Northern Border, Wang Zhengqing and Wang Xuanmo worked together seamlessly. One used seasoned tactics and political wisdom to gradually subdue and appease the various tribes of the former Heavenly Wolf territory, suppressing sporadic rebellions and implementing Great Shang's new policies.

The other led the Workshop's master craftsmen and the Puppet army to sweep through fortresses that resisted to the end, prospecting and taking over the rich mineral resources within the Heavenly Wolf borders, continuously converting them into new War Puppets and armaments to bolster Great Shang's strength.

Although the surrounding dynasties were extremely wary of the suddenly expanding Great Shang and secretly plotted while watching from the shadows, they were intimidated by the formidable reputation Xu Yuan gained from slaying Boljin and Xietu, as well as the powerful military force and efficient integration capabilities displayed by Great Shang. For a time, no one dared to be the first to strike, forming a delicate balance.

Ten years passed quietly.

On this day, above the capital of Great Shang, the previously clear sky suddenly surged with wind and clouds!

The vast Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi seemed to be stirred by an invisible giant hand, frantically converging toward the quiet room deep within the imperial palace, forming a massive Spiritual Qi vortex!

At the center of the vortex, a purple-gold light soared into the sky, with the faint sounds of Dragon roars and Phoenix cries echoing through the clouds. Furthermore, a magnificent Imperial Authority that suppressed the eight directions and ruled the four seas spread out, enveloping the entire capital!

Inside the Prime Minister's Manor in the capital.

Wang Qingshan was discussing with several high-ranking officials how to further implement new policies, appease the tribes in the newly incorporated Heavenly Wolf lands, and deal with the increasingly frequent provocative frictions from surrounding dynasties.

Suddenly, his voice paused. He abruptly raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the many barriers of the palace halls to look deep into the imperial palace!

Not just him, but all the officials in the hall whose cultivation had reached a certain level felt it at this moment. Their expressions changed simultaneously as they looked in the same direction!

“This Spiritual Pressure... a phenomenon of Heaven and Earth?!” a Vice Minister of the Ministry of War exclaimed in horror.

“It's the imperial palace! The direction of the quiet room where His Majesty is in seclusion!” another old official said, his beard trembling with excitement.

A flash of surprise and doubt crossed Wang Qingshan's eyes, which was immediately replaced by immense joy!

He perceived it more clearly than the others—that was no simple phenomenon of Heaven and Earth, but a tide of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi triggered by someone breaking through a major Realm!

And that magnificent Imperial Authority spreading from the center of the Spiritual Qi vortex was all too familiar to him!

“It's His Majesty! His Majesty has succeeded and emerged from seclusion!” Wang Qingshan stood up abruptly, his voice trembling slightly with excitement, his face filled with unbelievable ecstasy. “Such power... this is no ordinary Breakthrough! His Majesty must have reached... the Realm of Foundation Establishment Perfection!”

Ten years!

A full ten years! His Majesty has finally broken through and emerged!

Wang Qingshan no longer had any mind for discussing government affairs. After a hurried instruction, his figure flickered and turned into a streak of light, rushing out of the Prime Minister's Manor and speeding toward the quiet room deep in the imperial palace at maximum speed!

When he arrived outside the quiet room, purple-gold light was already soaring into the sky, and Spiritual Qi was pouring down like a tornado. A vast Imperial Authority filled the air, enveloping the entire area, making it impossible to approach while instilling infinite awe in the heart.

Wang Qingshan suppressed the excitement and joy in his heart, standing quietly in the distance to wait, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the door of the quiet room.

After a long time, the startling phenomenon of Heaven and Earth slowly subsided. The gathered Spiritual Qi gradually dispersed, and the soaring purple-gold pillar of light also withdrew and vanished.

“Creak—”

With a soft sound, the door of the quiet room that had been tightly shut for ten years finally opened slowly.

A figure stepped out slowly from within.

Still wearing those black and red imperial robes, yet they were pristine and untainted by dust.

Still that young and handsome face, but it had gained a few more layers of indescribable majesty and depth.

There was no deliberate release of Spiritual Pressure around him, yet he seemed to merge as one with the entire world. Every movement pulled at the surrounding Qi, giving off a profound and unfathomable feeling, as majestic as an abyss or a mountain!

It was indeed Xu Yuan!

At this moment, Xu Yuan's aura was harmonious and flawless, vast as the sea yet as solid as a mountain. He had already reached a brand new, perfect Realm!

Foundation Establishment Perfection!

Ten years of bitter cultivation, refining the wolf god blood crystal and absorbing the remnants of the Heavenly Wolf National Fortune, had finally brought him to this stage!

Xu Yuan slightly felt the surging, vast spiritual power within him that far exceeded before, as well as his exquisite control over the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi as if it were his own limbs. A faint smile played at the corner of his mouth.

“Ten years of time, my painstaking efforts were not in vain.”

With a slight movement of Xu Yuan's Divine Thought, it instantly covered the entire capital like a tide, perceiving everything in the outside world.

The awe-filled cheers of the subjects, the excitement of the officials, and... that familiar and anxious figure outside the quiet room.

“Ten years without seeing you, Father’s presence is as grand as ever.”

Xu Yuan looked at the familiar figure outside the quiet room, a gentle smile appearing on his face.

Only the father and son were here, so there was naturally no need for the formal titles of monarch and subject used before outsiders.

Hearing this, the tense and serious expression on Wang Qingshan's face instantly melted, his eyes revealing undisguised pride and joy. He stepped forward a few paces, carefully observing his beloved son whose aura was as deep as the sea, and couldn't help but laugh and scold, “You brat! You certainly enjoyed your leisure, being a hands-off boss for ten years, while these old bones of your father were exhausted!”

Though he spoke in a scolding tone, the relief and pride in his eyes were almost overflowing.

In ten years, managing a suddenly expanded Dynasty in an orderly fashion while also digesting the newly acquired vast territories and dealing with threats from all sides involved hardships that were beyond words to outsiders.

But seeing that Xu Yuan had not only emerged safely from seclusion but his cultivation had also advanced by leaps and bounds, reaching the Realm of Foundation Establishment Perfection, he felt that all his efforts were worth it!

The father and son smiled at each other, and the slight sense of distance brought by ten years of time instantly vanished.

After a few moments of light conversation, Xu Yuan's expression turned slightly serious as he asked, “Father, during these ten years, were there any thorny troubles within the court or the borders? Those clowns in the surrounding areas didn't cause too much of a stir, did they?”

Although his Divine Thought had swept through and he knew things were generally stable, he still needed Wang Qingshan, who had personally managed the government for ten years, to explain the details.

Wang Qingshan also restrained his smile, pondered for a moment, and said, “There were no major troubles.”

“Internally, relying on the Foundation of the new policies you left behind and the lingering awe of your thunderous methods, plus the dedicated efforts of myself, several Elders, and others, things have been quite stable.”

“Although there were some minor rebellions in the Northern Border, they were all minor ailments. Zhengqing and Xuanmo handled them very well. Now they are basically settled, many mineral veins and resource points have been brought under control, and the Workshop is continuously producing new War Puppets and armaments. Our national strength is growing day by day.”

“As for the external...” Wang Qingshan's tone sank slightly, a cold light flashing in his eyes. “Those surrounding dynasties are indeed clowns. Although they were intimidated by your fierce reputation from back then and the growing strength of our Great Shang military, and didn't dare to openly invade with their armies, their small movements have been constant. They either secretly support some remnant bandits in the Northern Border, create friction at the borders to test our bottom line, or send spies to infiltrate and scout our situation. It's quite tiresome.”

“Especially in the last two years, seeing that you hadn't emerged from seclusion for a long time, their actions have become increasingly frequent and bold. It seems... there are faint signs of them secretly connecting with each other, and even potentially colluding with more distant forces.” Wang Qingshan's tone carried a hint of gravity. “Although I have repeatedly struck back with a firm hand and killed many who dared to cross the border to provoke us, in the end, I haven't been able to completely deter them.”

“Behind them... there should be other forces supporting them!”