"Indeed," Wang Xiao said noncommittally.

Because he always robbed the Spiritual Ores and Spiritual Fields while cloaked in black and masked, the various Immortal Sects had dubbed him the Black-Robed Bandit!

Wang Xiao was rather speechless as to who came up with that moniker.

Liu Yuzhen spoke up. "But, Lao Jiu, I must remind you of something. Your great achievements are making the ruler uneasy. You’ve commanded a large army for years, winning battle after battle, and now you command a million soldiers. It’s inevitable that you’ll arouse Father Emperor’s suspicion."

"Especially since Father Emperor has recently decided that Fourth Brother will inherit the throne. And behind Fourth Brother is Third Brother, secretly pulling the strings. You know you and Third Brother have never gotten along. Now that he sees you’ve become a power to be reckoned with, he’ll surely resort to dirty tricks. You need to make plans soon."

Wang Xiao couldn’t help but look at Liu Yuzhen.

"Sixth Sister, why are you telling me all this?"

For the past few years, he had been busy with his cultivation and Creation Technique, so he hadn’t paid any attention to the situation in the imperial court.

He was even more unaware that Emperor Wenchang had already chosen his successor.

Liu Yuzhen said,

"I simply dislike Third Brother’s methods. The only reason he’s backing Fourth Brother’s ascension is that Fourth Brother is completely obedient to him. Once Fourth Brother becomes Emperor, Third Brother can use him to squeeze the lifeblood out of the common people, forcing more of them to dig for him, plant Spiritual Fields, and support his own cultivation. This offers the people of Wenchang Country nothing but harm."

"Although I am now cultivating immortality, I was born in Wenchang Country. Naturally, I don’t wish to see such a ruler take the throne."

A glint appeared in Wang Xiao’s eyes. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Then, Sixth Sister, you mean to say...?"

Liu Yuzhen said frankly,

"Lao Jiu, I’ve been quietly observing you these past few years. I know you care for your generals, enforce strict military discipline, never massacre cities, and don’t allow your officers and soldiers to harass the common folk. If you ascend to the throne in the future, you will certainly be a good Emperor."

"I can ally with some of the True Disciples from my sect to pressure Father Emperor into changing the succession and naming you as the heir!"

Wang Xiao raised an eyebrow.

"Sixth Sister, those True Disciples won’t help me for no reason. I imagine that if I were to take the throne, I would have to promise them something, wouldn’t I?"

Liu Yuzhen replied,

"It’s nothing more than giving them a larger share of the resources from Spiritual Ores and Spiritual Fields. However, the extent of it is something we can control. It’s been this way for generations of rulers; it’s the rule. It’s still better than letting Third Brother plunge Wenchang Country into misery."

Wang Xiao said flatly, "I think it’s all the same. It’s just a question of more or less. The people will still suffer, reduced to tools for these Cultivators’ cultivation."

Liu Yuzhen’s fine brows furrowed. "Lao Jiu, what are you trying to say?"

Wang Xiao’s expression was calm. "If I want to be Emperor, I will fight for it myself. I have no need for outside help."

"Are you insane? You think you can ascend to the throne with just your million-man army, without the backing of True Disciples from an Immortal Sect? Don’t you know that just two or three Cultivators at the True Form Realm could annihilate your entire army?!"

Liu Yuzhen felt that her younger brother had grown arrogant after all his years of campaigning abroad.

’How dare he disregard Cultivators!’

Wang Xiao just smiled. "You say paying tribute to Cultivators is the rule. But sometimes, rules are made to be broken."

Liu Yuzhen’s eyebrow twitched. "If you want to break the rules, you first need the strength to do so. Otherwise, what’s the difference between that and seeking death? Ninth Brother, you’re still young. It’s inevitable that you’d be proud and arrogant while holding so much power."

"But you also need to understand your place. Without a Spirit Root, you’re nothing but an ant in the eyes of a Cultivator. Think about it carefully!"

Liu Yuzhen said no more. With a flicker of her body, she floated away.

’Heh, an ant, am I...?’

Wang Xiao couldn’t help but chuckle.

Beside him, Shangguan Xiyue asked, "Young Master, are you planning to contend for the throne?"

"Perhaps. It won’t be too late to discuss it after this war is over," Wang Xiao said noncommittally.

Just then,

CLIP-CLOP-CLIP-CLOP!

A Dragon Blood Steed galloped over at high speed. Its rider held up a Gold Medal and announced loudly,

"By order of His Majesty, the Ninth Prince is to immediately withdraw his troops and return to the capital! There shall be no delay!"

Wang Xiao took the Gold Medal and the written edict, glanced at them, and paid them no mind. He said flatly,

"Continue the advance!"

However, for every ten li they advanced, another Dragon Blood Steed would arrive at a gallop, carrying a Gold Medal.

A total of twelve Gold Medals arrived, each one ordering Wang Xiao to immediately withdraw his troops and return to the capital!

Wang Xiao, clutching the Gold Medals in his hand, sighed.

"Right now, we are on the verge of finishing this in one fell swoop, of annihilating the Witchcraft Gu Country..."

"Your Majesty, why must you rebel?"