"An imperial decree from the Human King!"
"Summon the Minister of Revenue, Changsun Wuji, and Lady Ling Xuan of the Holy Origin Dynasty!"
Wei Zhongxian stood before the hall, his voice echoing through the firmament.
"Let us go, Miss Ling Xuan!" Changsun Wuji extended his hand, gesturing forward. Ling Xuan nodded slightly, and the group stepped into the Xuanzheng Hall.
"Your subject pays respects to His Majesty, long live, long live, long live!"
"Ling Xuan pays respects to the King of Han!"
...
"Rise," Yang Hao said softly.
"Your Majesty, the map of the southwestern domain presented by Miss Ling Xuan shows that the Ling family, originating from commerce, has industries spread throughout the region. With the Ling family's guarantee, this map is undoubtedly an authentic depiction of the human lands in the Eastern Wilderness's southwest. We hope Your Majesty will review it!"
Changsun Wuji's expression was excited. Before this, the Han Dynasty knew very little about the Ten Great Dynasties, only some matters concerning the Holy Origin Dynasty. With this map, the Han Dynasty would finally be able to fully understand its surroundings.
Wei Zhongxian hung the map on a wall. As it slowly unfurled, the entire map was divided into two. The upper part and the east were the Ancient Desolation Lands, which completely encircled the human lands in a southwestern corner. Further up from the Ancient Desolation Lands was the unknown!
"King of Han!" Ling Xuan bowed respectfully and approached the map. She picked up a wooden stick and began to explain the human lands of the Eastern Wilderness's southwest to Yang Hao in detail.
"King of Han, from our Han Dynasty's perspective, directly to our east, across the sea, lies the Holy Origin Dynasty. East of the Holy Origin Dynasty are successively the Heavenly Origin Dynasty and the Great Flame Dynasty!"
"Below these three dynasties is the Blood Sun Dynasty, currently the ruler of the Human Emperor Hall. The Blood Sun Dynasty is located to the southeast of our Han Dynasty!"
"To our northeast lies the Great Cloud Dynasty. To the east of the Great Cloud Dynasty are the Cang Mu Dynasty and the Northern Cold Dynasty!"
"And in the northernmost part of the southwestern domain are the Qing Cang Dynasty, the Heavenly Moon Dynasty, and the Wei Yang Dynasty!"
"The yellow-marked area between the Qing Cang Dynasty and the Heavenly Moon Dynasty is controlled by the Human Emperor Hall. North of the Human Emperor Hall lies the sole passage between our human lands and the Ancient Desolation Lands. This is a mysterious ancient seal from time immemorial!"
"Every hundred years, this seal enters a three-month period of weakness. At that time, fierce beasts from the Ancient Desolation Lands will break through the seal and invade our human lands. The duty of the Human Emperor Hall's master at that time is to lead the armies of the Ten Great Dynasties to commence a holy war and repel the beast invasion!"
Ling Xuan meticulously and patiently explained the detailed information of the human lands in the Eastern Wilderness's southwest to King Han, Yang Hao. Yang Hao looked at the map. The entire southwestern domain of human lands, with its Ten Great Dynasties, was surrounded by the sea to the west and south. To the north and east, it was enveloped by this mysterious Ancient Desolation Lands. Strangely, for such a long border connecting the human lands and the Ancient Desolation Lands, there was only one passage – the mysterious ancient seal.
Gazing at the map on the wall, Yang Hao pondered for a moment. Then, he turned to Ling Xuan and said softly, "This great gift of yours is precisely what I need. Speak, what are your requests?"
"Bang!"
Ling Xuan immediately knelt on both knees, her eyes red with tears. "King of Han, this humble one implores the King of Han to help me rescue my father!"
Yang Hao turned and walked back to his throne, listening to Ling Xuan's story carefully, his expression unchanged, still cold.
"Your Majesty, if the King of Han can render assistance, all my commercial ventures in the Han Dynasty will be given to the Han court!"
"How do you wish for me to help?" Yang Hao looked at the tearful Ling Xuan and sighed.
Hearing Yang Hao's words, Ling Xuan felt a slight relief. "Thank you, King of Han. This humble one only requires a few Spirit Sovereign experts!"
"Dong!"
"Dong!"
"Dong!"
Yang Hao continuously tapped the armrest of his throne. The Ling family's businesses were spread throughout the Han Dynasty's territory, and their monthly resource transactions astonished him. Although the ancient heroes had extraordinary talents, acquiring them would greatly enrich the Ministry of Revenue.
"Wei Zhongxian!"
Yang Hao turned to look at Wei Zhongxian, who was bowing his head beside him.
"Your Majesty!" Wei Zhongxian responded with full vigor, as if he had been injected with chicken blood.
"Order Li Bai and Xu Chu to make a trip to the Holy Origin Dynasty!" After careful consideration, Yang Hao decided. The Ling family had been in business for generations, and their martial artists were relatively weaker than other forces in the Holy Origin Dynasty. Xu Chu, at the sixth level of Spirit Sovereign, was sufficient to handle matters. With Li Bai, who was almost at the peak of the Human Realm, present, there would be no worries.
"Furthermore, send Sun Simiao to the Dan Qing Pavilion in the Holy Origin Dynasty to bring him to me!" Yang Hao's eyes gleamed with cold light. In this world, while the density of primal energy was a factor, the art of alchemy was also extremely powerful. The Han Dynasty's primal energy was abundant, and if the Dan Qing Pavilion could be brought into their fold, it would not only allow them to penetrate deeper into the Ten Great Dynasties but also further strengthen the nation's power.
"Thank you, King of Han!"
Ling Xuan's tense nerves immediately relaxed completely. She had never expected King Han Yang Hao to dispatch Li Bai, the Minister of Rites who had sealed the Marquis of Zi Shan with a single sword!
...
The imperial palace of the Holy Origin Dynasty's capital.
"Zizi~~"
"Imperial Consort!"
In the sleeping quarters of the Holy Origin Emperor, Consort Han, dressed in a red gown and adorned with a jeweled crown, entered with a tense expression.
Two days prior, the Holy Origin Emperor had collapsed in bed, unable to rise. All state affairs were handed over to the Eighth Prince, Ying Jia, to handle. The Fourth Prince, Ying Zhong, who had always been the most likely successor, was barred from the gate.
And she, Consort Han, the birth mother of the Fourth Prince Ying Zhong, held power over the harem. With the Emperor critically ill, and a conspiracy among officials supporting the Fourth Prince, they decided to strike first!
"Has the Emperor taken his medicine?" Consort Han feigned composure, looking at the maids and eunuchs guarding the entrance to the sleeping quarters.
"Reporting to Imperial Consort, the Eighth Prince came just now and has served the Emperor the Jade Elixir!" A young palace maid, quick-witted, immediately replied, wanting to impress Consort Han.
"Very good!"
Consort Han smiled with satisfaction. Then, black figures flickered past. The maids and eunuchs guarding the hall had no time to react before they were all covered in blood.
Consort Han's expression instantly turned grim. "Emperor, do not blame Han Fei'er for her ruthlessness. It is you who were disloyal first. How is Zhong'er inferior to that brat born of that whore!"
"Master!" A figure in black, whose gender was indistinguishable, with vacant, lifeless eyes, held a bowl of brown liquid. Under the lamplight, tiny black worms could be seen wriggling within the bowl.
Consort Han took the bowl filled with brown liquid, took a deep breath, looked around, and turned to enter the Holy Origin Emperor's sleeping chamber.