Longevity by Picking up Attributes in the Battlefield

Chapter 1160: Chapter 496: Imperial Decree Seals Northern Territory’s Thousand State Governors! Emperor Dao Authority!

In a single State, the population had already surpassed Shenzhou back when Qin was still merely a mortal kingdom.

Moreover, as governance took hold, the population of each State would only increase all the faster.

"A State Governor shall hold the military and political authority over one entire State."

"After you arrive at the States to which you are appointed, I require you to abide by Daqin Law and fulfill your duties with utmost diligence."

"Implement Qin Law as swiftly as possible, and push the Tianxuan Mirror across all territories."

"As for the officials of the State Governor Mansion, and the various Prefectural Governors of all counties, once you return to your respective States, you must actively recommend talents and submit them for review by the two Chancellors."

"I expect that all of you will not disappoint Me." Ying Zheng declared in a voice of majesty, a tone imbued with unquestionable authority.

As his voice rose and fell, it was as though the might of Heaven descended.

"We, your ministers, shall by no means fail Your Majesty’s expectations." The assembled officials replied in unison, each voice firm and resolute.

"In that case, you all should hasten to depart and assume your posts."

"As for the governance of the Northern Territory, everything shall be done according to the law." Ying Zheng did not speak further; with a single wave of his hand, he indicated for them to withdraw.

Once these State Governors were enfeoffed, the matter of administering the Northern Territory could finally be settled.

"Your minister takes his leave." All the State Governors who had received imperial investiture, holding the Holy Decree and Great Seal close to their breasts, withdrew from Heavenly Palace Square with a deep, inexpressible excitement.

Their steps were hurried; all of them were impatient to rush to the Northern Territory, to embark upon a new journey of governing their respective States.

"Qi’er." Ying Zheng turned his head and looked toward Zhao Qi, saying, "The Northern Territory has already been completely conquered, and the State Governors shall shortly take office. I grant you direct authority to oversee all military and political matters within the Northern Territory."

"If any State Governor has any affair, all must pass through you first."

"Should you find yourself unable to resolve it, only then are you to come and report to Me."

Upon hearing this!

"Your grandson-minister shall by no means fail Grandfather Emperor’s expectations." Zhao Qi responded at once, his eyes filled with firmness and confidence.

These matters were, by now, already trifles.

In the Qin Capital, within the bustling marketplace, the streets were thronged with passersby.

As the very heart of Qin’s Capital, it differed greatly from the other State and County Mansions scattered across the Qin Heavenly Court Territory.

The Capital covered a vast expanse of land, accommodating over tens of millions of people, and was divided into Outer City and Inner City.

The Outer City was prosperous; the Inner City, even more so.

At this moment, Zhen Yuanzi and the Queen Mother of the West had already arrived together at the location of the Qin Capital.

They strolled along the streets, the surrounding clamor rising and falling. Shops lined the roadside in dazzling array; cries of vendors and bursts of laughter intertwined.

This was a place of even greater splendor.

"Compared to the other cities under the Qin Court, this Capital is a thousand times more flourishing."

"Furthermore, the Transmission Arrays here seem to connect together the entirety of the Qin Court Territory."

As the Queen Mother of the West walked, she took in all that lay within the Outer City of the Qin Capital.

She narrowed her eyes slightly as her Divine Sense unfurled like a tide; everything around them unfolded clearly within her perception.

"It is, after all, the seat of the Qin Court’s Capital."

"Moreover, the Spirit Race here is far more numerous than in the cities we previously traversed."

"To allow the Spirit Race to emerge openly and upright—within the entire Earth Immortal Realm, apart from their own hidden lands, only this Qin Capital can accomplish such a thing."

Zhen Yuanzi could not help but sigh in admiration. He gently flicked the horsetail whisk in his hand, his gaze calmly sweeping across the scene around them.

"Now that we have arrived at the Qin Capital, we must also seek an audience with the Qin Emperor."

The Queen Mother of the West spoke slowly. She halted her steps and lifted her gaze to the heavens, as though through layer upon layer of clouds she could see the Daqin Heavenly Palace suspended high upon the Void Summit.

Upon these words, Zhen Yuanzi smiled. "It seems Daoist has now thought this through."

"The Heavenly Court has long wished to bring West Kunlun completely under its control; toward the cultivators of West Kunlun, it would gladly slaughter them to the last. Such a fate, however, may not befall us under the Qin Court."

"Rather than choosing this already unjust Heavenly Court, it is better to choose the Qin Court."

"This is also to win for West Kunlun a single thread of survival." The Queen Mother of the West replied with a faint smile, that smile bearing a trace of helplessness, yet likewise a hint of resolute determination.

After all.

Within the Earth Immortal Realm, West Kunlun perhaps truly had no other path to take.

This, then, was the road that lay ahead for West Kunlun.

Between the Heavenly Court and the Qin Court, one must be chosen.

"What Daoist says is precisely what lies in My heart."

"Indeed, it is time we meet the Qin Emperor."

Zhen Yuanzi lifted his head to look upon the Daqin Heavenly Palace hanging above the Qin Capital, high atop the Void Summit.

At this moment, sunlight poured down upon the Heavenly Palace, reflecting dazzling rays of light.

"Then let us go." The Queen Mother of the West smiled.

In an instant, the Daoist robe upon her body flashed with radiance and transformed into palace attire.

The palace dress was primarily white, embroidered with golden patterns; it fluttered in the wind, appearing noble and elegant.

The Daoist robe upon Zhen Yuanzi likewise became imbued with richer Dao Yun, a faint halo of light enveloping his form.

The two of them both resumed their true appearances.

With but a single movement, the two instantly rose to stand within the Void above the Qin Capital.

However.

At the very moment their auras had just appeared, a thunderous boom erupted; high above in the Void, the Nine Provinces Barrier manifested directly.

That Barrier resembled a vast curtain of light, emanating waves of mighty power.

An invisible pressure surged forth, locking firmly onto Zhen Yuanzi and the Queen Mother of the West.

Along with it, a giant cauldron emerged, carrying a power of suppression.

That giant cauldron was ancient and heavy, its surface covered in mysterious runes; the aura it released stirred a tremor in the heart.

Even though only a single cauldron was manifest at this moment, not all of them, it still bore an indescribable oppressive might.

"The Nine Tripod Cauldrons." Zhen Yuanzi gazed calmly upon it, without the slightest panic.

His expression remained composed, his eyes fixed upon that manifested Cauldron of the Nine.

As the Barrier surged with abnormal movement—

The next instant.

Boom, boom, boom!

A series of auras surpassing even the Martial Arts Supreme Realm burst into view in the Void.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of figures appeared at that very spot.

These figures were wreathed in powerful qi and sharp gazes; all were top-tier Qin powerhouses stationed to guard the Qin Capital.

Once the Northern Territory had been settled, they had already returned to the Capital.

Now that the Nine Provinces Barrier had detected such formidable auras, these guardians of the Qin Capital Xianyang naturally sensed it at once.

"Who dares to fly within the Void above the Capital?"

"You are not Qin subjects and bear no Qin Heavenly Fortune upon your bodies; you must surely harbor intent to offend Qin."

"Descend at once, or be exterminated."

"Descend at once."

"Descend..."

Dozens of Qin powerhouses appeared, hemming Zhen Yuanzi and the Queen Mother of the West in on all sides.

They spread out in a fan-shaped formation, enclosing Zhen Yuanzi and the Queen Mother of the West at the center.

From each body emanated a ferocious killing intent; they had only recently returned from the Northern Territory Battlefield, their hands stained with the blood of many Immortals and Gods.

Such a concentration of powerhouses appearing at once naturally caused the entire Void to be shrouded in a suffocating atmosphere; even the air seemed to congeal.

Yet Zhen Yuanzi and the Queen Mother of the West remained utterly calm. After all, they were both top-tier experts of this era—Zhen Yuanzi being at Quasi-Saint Great Perfection, and though the Queen Mother of the West was slightly inferior, she was still in the Late Quasi-Saint stage.

Their strength within the Earth Immortal Realm was such that they could go almost wherever they pleased.

"I must trouble you to transmit word to the Qin Emperor or the Crown Prince of Qin."

"Zhen Yuanzi of Wuzhuang Temple has come to pay his respects."

Zhen Yuanzi lightly shook the horsetail whisk in his hand and spoke with great composure.

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly spread in all directions, carrying a steady, weighty force.

"From West Kunlun, the Queen Mother of the West has come to pay her respects."

The Queen Mother of the West likewise spoke slowly.

Her voice was clear and pleasing to the ear, yet it held the imposing dignity of one in a high station.

Upon hearing their names, the faces of the Qin powerhouses in the Void all changed slightly.

Clearly, while ordinary Qin Elite Soldiers of the army might not recognize them, men of a rank comparable to Daluo Golden Immortals naturally had some understanding of the many Quasi-Saint strong persons and top Great Divine Ability Practitioners within Heaven and Earth.

And Zhen Yuanzi and the Queen Mother of the West were precisely such top Great Divine Ability Practitioners; how could they not know of them?

"All of you, withdraw."

A voice suddenly echoed through the Void.

Though gentle, this voice carried a power that brooked no resistance.

Immediately thereafter, Guiguzi stepped forth, walking leisurely through the air. He wore a plain gray long robe; his hair was white as frost, his countenance kindly.

As the Great Qin Master, his standing within Qin ranked among the top ten; his position was lofty, his strength formidable.

"We shall obey the command of the State Preceptor."

Upon seeing Guiguzi arrive, all the Qin powerhouses bowed deeply in unison, their movements uniform and precise, then swiftly withdrew.

...