The golden flames burned, illuminating a thousand li of territory. At this moment, Xiaori blazed like a miniature sun, suspended in the void.

Zong Shou felt a surge of perfectly pure, utterly pristine Yang energy pouring into him, enveloping his entire being. This infusion instantly neutralized a staggering forty percent of the chilling, malevolent aura clinging to him.

However, the red jade necklace shattered regardless. Consequently, the wicked energy, sharp as needles, pierced inward toward his heart.

But the moment it breached his physical form, Zong Shou heard a sound like the clash of a dragon and a phoenix, resonating like a roar from the very Will of Heaven and Earth.

Immediately, a pillar of pure white Qi surged upward from within his body.

Not only did this blast utterly obliterate the lingering chill of the malign forces, but it expanded seventy-seven zhang, soaring directly into the high heavens, causing the surrounding spiritual energy of the world to writhe in tumult.

Around this pillar of light, indistinct forms of mighty dragons coiled, and vibrant, multi-colored phoenixes danced.

“Is that… a Qilin?”

With the shattering of the Yin-Yang Heart-Nailing Curse, Chong Xuan suffered an immediate backlash, vomiting a mouthful of black blood. His eyes held an extreme dread mixed with utter disbelief.

“The breath of a Sainted King, the resonance of dragon and phoenix. You are the Living Sage Monarch? How is this possible? How could this be? You are the enemy of the Ru, the Lord of the Barbarian Lands. You have neglected governance for seven years, acted wildly, scorned propriety, and disregarded hierarchy—I refuse to believe it—”

Muttering to himself, Chong Xuan’s skin visibly withered, turning ashen at an observable rate.

Even as he denied it, Chong Xuan understood that the Zong Shou before him was truly inviolable against all evil, shielded and protected by the Way of Heaven.

If he were not the Living Sage Monarch, how could this be achieved?

That True Man of the Cloud Terrace had lost half his body, though he had recovered somewhat by now. With the Blood Moon Blade artifact wielded by his Chu Xue palm, his combat strength rivaled that of the Saint Realm, yet he still remained outmatched. Catching his breath, he slowly began to turn the tide of the engagement.

Seeing this display, the Cloud Terrace True Man could not help but let out another long sigh.

“A Qilin attending him, the Saintly Aura saturating his frame—he truly is the Living Sage Monarch—”

He had been informed via mental transmission by Daoist Qing Xuan earlier, but witnessing and confirming it personally now was immeasurably more shocking!

He realized that the number of times he had sighed mournfully today even exceeded the total from the past millennium combined.

The Scholar of the Snow Retreat, Liu Li, wore an expression so gloomy it seemed ready to drip water. He glared toward Zong Shou, his gaze shadowed and resentful.

In his heart, he felt an overwhelming absurdity! This ruler of the lawless, whose very existence seemed to fly in the face of Confucian teachings, was simultaneously acknowledged by Heaven and Earth as a sage and an enlightened monarch. Was this the Will of the Heavenly Dao of the Cloud Realm delivering a denial of Confucian doctrine?

A sliver of doubt pierced his own conviction: was what he was doing now truly right?

Perhaps the Ancient Sage Zhu Zi had indeed been too willful and reckless in his judgment.

Even if this person had uttered words calling for the destruction of Ruism, there was no need to be so hasty in branding a monarch whose state was at its apex as the ultimate foe of the school.

He also understood that regardless of the outcome of this battle, from this day forward, the Ru sect would face its most arduous and trying era!

Meanwhile, Yin Yu was simply stunned. He hadn't processed the deeper meaning; he didn't recognize the Sainted King's aura or the dragon-phoenix resonance until moments later, when he finally realized the beast wreathed in flame was the legendary Auspicious Beast, the Qilin.

“That insignificant boy is actually a Sage and Enlightened Ruler—”

Only then did he finally comprehend why the sixty thousand-plus Purple Qilin Flame Lancer cavalry of the Daoist sect had suddenly lost control of their mounts, resulting in their complete annihilation.

Why the strange demeanor of Scholar Liu Li and True Man Cloud Terrace. He had been certain that Chong Xuan's Yin-Yang Heart-Nailing Curse would fail, as he had indeed heard whispers that the Three Sovereigns of the ancient Cloud Wilderness era possessed the Saintly King's body, making them immune to all evil. After this momentary shock, a flush rose across Yin Yu’s face.

Jealousy, resentment, insubordination, envy, incomprehension—a storm of complex emotions flooded his mind.

“This Heaven is unjust!”

He, Yin Yu, had labored diligently from dawn till dusk, governing tirelessly for a century without missing a single morning court session. Yet, Zong Shou idled away his days, pushing all political affairs onto his subordinates.

Yin Yu had strictly adhered to all rites and laws, followed Confucian teachings, treated scholars with great respect, and dared not make a single misstep. He spent his entire life battling aristocratic families, powerful ministers, and the Six Sects, nearly exhausting his strength just to maintain the nation’s destiny.

But Zong Shou lived leisurely every day, delegating authority entirely to others. He knew well the powerful sects and enormous merchant guilds within the state but offered no restraint; instead, he actively fostered them in multiple ways.

This allowed the sects, martial artists, and merchants within his domain to become overwhelmingly powerful, sowing countless hidden dangers for the future.

How could he possibly be compared to that man? Why was Zong Shou granted recognition by Heaven and Earth, suffused with Saintly Qi? While he, Yin Yu, could only struggle bitterly, now facing the omens of national collapse after this very battle?

His face ashen, thin streaks of black blood wept from the corners of Yin Yu’s lips.

At this moment, the entire battlefield fell suddenly silent. Not only did the armies of Qian cease their slaughter, but even the remaining hundreds of thousands of Grand Shang soldiers halted their resistance, looking up toward the sky.

“Is that really a Qilin? I didn't see it wrong?”

“A Qilin! The legendary Auspicious Beast Qilin—”

“It feeds on benevolent Qi and manifests only when a sage and enlightened monarch reigns during an era of supreme prosperity! Wherever it passes, there will surely be timely rain and bountiful harvests.”

“Our Lord actually has the Saintly Beast Qilin attending him?”

“In legends, didn’t only the Three Sovereigns of antiquity possess such companions? That’s why those stuffy Confucian scholars always claim the ancient Three Dynasties represented the peak era for humanity in the Cloud Realm—”

Initially, it was only a few murmurs, but soon the discussion spread throughout the entire army. “So, what those Ru scholars said about our Sovereign being a tyrant, a foolish ruler—that he subverted natural order and corrupted rites—was all nonsense?”

“It’s absolutely true! They call him the enemy of the Ru, but what evil has our Lord ever done?”

“How could His Highness possibly be a foolish ruler? All the people in the world have been deceived by those scholars!”

“Do you think the Ancient Sage Zhu Zi was wrong, or is Heaven itself mistaken?”

“Under the Lord’s rule, every directly administered city in East Lin has food and warmth for everyone. My own income is fifteen or sixteen times what it was before! Even though goods are a bit expensive now, life is truly far better than before.”

“East Lin used to be plagued by constant warfare; we couldn't even guarantee a full meal. But now, since His Majesty unified East Lin, the prosperity of these cities makes even people from the Central Lands envious.”

“The Central Lands are at war, and countless wealthy merchants have settled in Great Qian. It’s clear where the people’s hearts lie—”

“Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has been invincible, conquering lands by the billions of li, bringing peace and prosperity to the nation.”

“Isn’t that the credit of Prime Minister Zhang and Marshal Consort Yao?”

“To have such capable ministers and virtuous generals serving Great Qian—wouldn’t that prove him a Sage and Enlightened Ruler?”

“It is said His Majesty has already expanded his territory to seventy-six worlds outside, establishing the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty. What magnificent ambition and achievement—”

“Our Great Qian merchants are currently building cloud ships, preparing to take their trade into the outer domains! Life will likely become even more prosperous then.”

The entire battlefield shifted from silence to an uproar in a mere instant. Then, the vanguard of the Qian army noticed that many of the enemy soldiers ahead were laying down their weapons one by one, kneeling to the ground.

“Those merchant troops are actually surrendering—”

“This battle was already a desperate situation; what choice did they have but to surrender?”

“They are fighting a war without righteousness, rebelling against a Sage Monarch—they are making an enemy of Heaven and Earth. If they die, their souls won't even reach the underworld!”

“Since he is a Sage Monarch, he certainly won't treat these surrendered men harshly!”

“Our Lord has won a great victory today; he will surely sweep across the Cloud Realm, crush the Grand Shang, and establish a foundation that lasts for ten thousand generations! If I were them, I would surrender to His Lordship too—to serve a Sainted King, to expand territory!”

More and more soldiers of the Shang army completely gave up their resistance, casting aside their weapons and armor onto the ground. This even extended to the twenty legions privately owned by the aristocratic clans. “Have any of you heard of the oath the Lord made in the Azure Life Dome a few months ago?”

“Such a thing happened? I am so ignorant, I never heard of it.”

“I vaguely recall some whispers—‘Though I am a monarch chosen by the people, I understand that water can capsize a boat as well as carry it. Therefore, I grant power to the populace and govern by effortless action. In my domain, there may be differences between rich and poor, strong and weak, but there is absolutely no distinction between noble and base. The nation shall be ruled by law, ensuring the strong do not bully the weak, and the ruler stands with the people. Law-breakers shall be executed!’”

“‘—I cannot equalize wealth or balance power, but I vow to treat all subjects under my reign with equal footing! I vow to protect all living beings in this world!’”

“‘I hold this sword and vow to become the Heavenly Emperor! To become the Lord of the Thirty-Three Heavens, the Sovereign of the Myriad Peoples! The Master of All Immortals! In my domain, regardless of race, all myriad peoples and immortals shall be treated impartially! I may not achieve a world of true equality, but I can grant my subjects a realm of fairness and laws of justice—’”

“‘By the position of the Sovereign of Great Qian, I swear, with this sword, to protect the people of the Cloud Realm from the suffering of foreign enslavement, and prevent the return of the wars and disasters of the ancient Cloud Wilderness era—’”

Everyone listened quietly, engraving every word deep within their hearts.

“Lord of the Thirty-Three Heavens, Sovereign of the Myriad Peoples? Master of All Immortals? Our Lord has such magnificent spirit!”

“Governing by law, ensuring the strong do not bully the weak, the ruler standing with the people, executing those who violate the law? If he can achieve that, he would indeed be a sage lord unseen for millennia.”

“Even now, Great Qian is not far from that ideal! Officials are elected by the people; which noble dares to treat common folk like us as insignificant now?”

“To be born in this era, to follow our Lord in expanding territory, sweeping the Cloud Realm, and even conquering the outer regions, is truly our greatest fortune!”

“Since our Lord holds such a vow, we must embrace it even unto death! We will wade through fire and water, willingly giving our lives a thousand times over!”

A wave of overwhelming emotion swept through them, their spirits lifted beyond control.

“I remember the Lord also said that the rites and teachings of Ruism have caused countless harms. The doctrine of relatives protecting relatives often harms the national law. Perhaps one day, he might reinstate the burning of books and burying of scholars.”

“Relatives protecting relatives? That doesn't sound entirely wrong.”

“Hmph! If relatives protect relatives, then officials will naturally protect officials. If that continues, the national law dissolves, and where is the path for us humble ants to survive?”

“So, it’s because the Ru sect grew afraid that they branded our Lord as their enemy?”

“Did that Ancient Sage Zhu Zi not foresee that our Lord is the Living Sage Monarch?”

Discussions erupted below, and Scholar Liu Li’s face grew even paler.

The general consensus revealed where the hearts of the people lay, a factor that could not be ignored.

Zong Shou took a deep breath, then slowly let it out.

“All of you, you have truly angered this lonely one this time!”