"The Divine Emperor?" Shi Yue paused for a moment, then let out a wry laugh. "The legend from ten thousand years ago, the one who supposedly unified the Cloud Realm and conquered myriad worlds. But seriously, some people still believe such ridiculous rumors? In this world, who can truly predict the future?"

"Just because you, Shi Yue, do not believe, doesn't mean everyone else is the same," the middle-aged military general sighed softly. "Moreover, since these words came from that person's mouth, they might not be entirely baseless. After all, many things that person said have already come true."

Shi Yue was taken aback again, then nodded slightly. "It seems I was narrow-minded! But what does this matter have to do with our Shi family?"

The middle-aged man answered evasively. "Do you know that just half a month ago, His Majesty stripped Feng Yu of his official post? Demoted from the Second Rank, Senior General, down to Second Rank, Junior Commander?"

"I only just returned; how would I know about that?" Shi Yue frowned in concentration. "The Feng family? Is this because of Feng Taiji? Does His Majesty suspect that Feng Taiji is the future Divine Emperor?"

"His Majesty's decree stated that Feng Yu performed poorly in the northern campaigns, leading to battles with the Northern Barbarians that resulted in stalemate rather than victory, thus needlessly depleting military supplies. So, the pretext is sound, but His Majesty might indeed have this intent! You and I both know the strength of those Northern Barbarians. Feng Yu is a veteran general, resisting three times his force with less than a million troops in one province. To achieve a state of neither victory nor defeat is already quite commendable—"

The middle-aged general spoke vaguely, then his tone shifted with a hint of helplessness. "His Majesty has always been wise, yet I don't know why he is so short-sighted this time. I feel a kinship with misfortune, mourning the fate of others as if it were my own. I am also worried, because compared to the Feng family, our Shi family possesses far greater strength to usurp this Great Shang! Aside from you, your two brothers all hold crucial posts, having reached the rank of Titled Marshal, commanding tens of thousands of elite troops. And I, Shi Qianli, have even sired a freak like you!"

Shi Yue paid the last sentence no mind, his expression hardening. "Father worries that I am more likely to be the future Divine Emperor than Feng Taiji? Even if not, perhaps I am one of the candidates for Divine Emperor?"

Shi Qianli remained silent, but his expression clearly affirmed it. Shi Yue chuckled, a hint of self-satisfaction in his voice. "So, I am indeed somewhat superior to that Feng Taiji. To receive such expectations from Father—I hardly know whether to be pleased. As far as I know, the Divine Emperor foretold in the ancient prophecies must be of the orthodox Human Race, sprung from noble and prestigious lineage, unmatched in martial prowess, invincible in all directions! That Feng Taiji is far too ostentatious; the Feng family has brought ruin upon themselves. However, with the protection of the Sword Sect, I surmise His Majesty is hesitant to go too far. But now, among the descendants of the Great Shang's major noble families, ours is not the only one with outstanding talents. I imagine the others are trembling right now—"

Shi Qianli nodded slightly, his eyes showing increasing gratification, his tone laced with resignation. "That is precisely true! Several of my colleagues now speak with much more caution, even in casual conversation. Although His Majesty is known for benevolence now, the ruthlessness of his methods at the beginning of his reign is still terrifying to this day. Everyone fears incurring His Majesty's suspicion!"

"I suspect the same! The Spirit Tide is approaching, and signs of chaos are already emerging within the Great Shang court. His Majesty is growing anxious—" Shi Yue narrowed his eyes, an inexplicable gleam flashing deep within them. "Then Father, what are your plans? Please, tell me the truth!"

Shi Qianli gazed deeply at the youth opposite him, then spoke with a placid expression. "Our Shi family has received great favor from the Imperial Family through generations; we cannot betray our trust. If His Majesty can still trust me, Shi Qianli, then our Shi family remains loyal to the Great Shang. If he cannot, we will make other arrangements. In short, we will preserve the Great Shang if we can; if we cannot, we will replace it!"

Shi Yue smiled soundlessly, then rose and bowed again to Shi Qianli. "Father is wise! Since that is the case, please grant me a detachment of elite soldiers to conquer the Outer Realms!"

Shi Qianli was stunned, his face a mask of utter astonishment this time. Shi Yue then stood up and explained with a smile, "Does Father wonder why? I have always been contemplating: why can only the alien races from the myriad realms invade our Cloud Realm, yet we cannot strike out? Things are different from the Cloud Wasteland Era. Back then, the martial arts and spiritual techniques of the Cloud Realm were all weak. But by the end of the Cloud Wasteland, there were several figures at the Zenith Realm, reigning supreme in this domain. Ten thousand years of recuperation have fully restored the vital energy within the Cloud Realm. Are there not ancient prophecies? That Divine Emperor is destined to be the ruler of a million worlds; surely, this entails conquering the myriad realms. If so, why don't I, Shi Yue, take the initiative to fight in the outer domains? While traveling in the outside world before, I discovered a world. Though barren, it has no master. Obtaining it could increase our Shi family's annual income nearly twofold. Furthermore, we could use its territory to raise a great army."

Shi Qianli looked distracted, the most powerful of the few dozen figures in the Cloud Realm, his deep reserve shaken by Shi Yue's words. But as the head of the family, he quickly calmed down after a moment. "Yue'er, why this sudden thought? And how certain are you?"

"Father! This Great Shang court probably no longer has room for a great fish like me. Since I do not wish to remain idle, I must go and test my might in the outer domains." Shi Yue smiled, clenching his fists with absolute confidence. "The Spirit Tide is coming; some ancient rifts in the Cloud Realm have opened. I have control over a Spirit River leading to an outer domain, and I possess seven treasure ships capable of transporting a hundred thousand men. We only need to find an Immortal Realm cultivator to breach the barrier of that world! That world has fewer than three million cultivators. Ten garrison towns of ten thousand men would suffice to occupy it! Moreover, it is extremely remote, safe from detection by others!"

"Truly?" Shi Qianli's eyes brightened momentarily before fading instantly. "We shall discuss this in a few days; I need time to consider carefully. The Shi family's current situation allows neither advancement nor retreat. It might be better to focus our energy on the outer domains. However, this kind of undertaking sets a precedent for the Cloud Realm; it must be handled with extreme caution. Being careful will never hurt."

※ ※ ※ ※

Sunk in the Sea of Oblivion, Zong Shou sat cross-legged in the void, his gaze as distant and unfocused as when he first saw the Book of the Ultimate Destiny of Worlds.

But it was no longer confusion about his lineage or origins, or about the Book itself. The moment Zong Weiran cast that blue booklet into his Sea of Consciousness, Zong Shou understood everything. He truly was Zong Shou, and also Tan Qiu.

Zong Weiran stood nearby, smiling, stroking his head as he had in childhood.

Zong Shou was speechless. He was nearly fifty or sixty years old, fifty-plus in total, no longer a child. You may be my father, but this is truly too much! I must rise up and resist! He was, after all, a Demon King; what face would he have if seen by others?

He intended to struggle, his limbs tense, but he could not break free. Zong Weiran stood beside him, making no visible move, yet holding him pinned, unable to budge. He could only allow this 'father' to stroke his head.

He felt incredibly awkward inside, yet it was also a warmth, like a fine spring, flowing through his chest, making him yearn for it, as if he finally had an anchor. In this world, he still had family.

Zong Shou's eyes grew warm, nearly shedding tears. For over a decade, ever since his 'former life's' mother died, he had lived like this—utterly alone, facing everything by himself. He couldn't help but curse himself for being so weak. It's just gaining an 'old man' as a father; is it necessary to be this emotional? He should be sad and dejected instead—in this life, he was no longer truly free.

"I didn't expect Shou'er to recover and join the Blood Cloud Cavalry, nor to have Dragon Shadow as a master and Ao Kun as a friend. The momentum of Qiantian Mountain is established; I estimate it will only take a few months to unify the Cloud Continent! Within the Cloud Realm, nothing can stop it now. Things are much better than I originally anticipated—"

Zong Shou opened his mouth and found he could speak, but he sounded listless. "When you return, I'll give the position of Demon King back to you!"

He still couldn't force the word 'Father' out. Qiantian Mountain was never his true goal; the Dao of the Sword was. It was only because of the obsession of the other 'Zong Shou' that he had invested some effort here. Being able to cast off this burden was the best outcome. But just how had Zong Weiran cultivated these past few years? How could he have reached the Great Immortal Realm in only a few years? Was it because of that Book of the Ultimate Destiny of Worlds? Well, that book now belonged to him. If Zong Weiran tried this again in another year or two, he definitely wouldn't let it slide.

Zong Weiran smiled serenely, completely unconcerned by the disrespect in Zong Shou's words.

"The Lu Family of Burning Heaven Continent claimed dominion over eight hundred worlds, but that was a thousand years ago! The Lu Family has always been fighting and conquering alien races across the myriad worlds. Now, their power might have increased, or they might be declining. Against such a behemoth, I always desired to fight it but could never conceive of a way to topple it."

Speaking to himself, Zong Weiran casually waved a sleeve. Zong Shou's pupils contracted slightly. There seemed to be no change in their surroundings, yet Zong Shou felt the flow of time here had slowed down by a colossal factor of dozens! If he were fighting an opponent, this technique alone would be enough to sweep aside anyone of the same rank—his combat strength could even surpass his actual realm—

"If I continue down that path, I might even stand a chance against the Lu Family, or perhaps even surpass them!" Smiling, as Zong Weiran finished speaking, the surrounding time flow returned to normal. "I originally intended to use the power of the Universe Book to rush into the Great Sage Realm within a few years. Now that plan is impossible, and I have no choice but to leave this realm. However, the foundation of Qiantian cannot be abandoned. So, Shou'er, why don't you try becoming that Divine Emperor instead?"