Lu calmly eyed the floating dragon pill Golden Core and dragon soul.
Myriad silver blades and phoenix plume swords coalesced into Thousand Blade Chair behind; Lu sat slow—black robes to white.
Lifted hand—pill floated to palm.
Fake pill—not true Golden Core.
Besides reforging black dragon, Lu planned dragon soul to dragon qi—affect dynasty shifts fate means.
Human emperors gather dragon qi cultivate—deter evil filth.
Less influenced by evil.
A cultivation path.
Lu Thousand Blade sat—pill quiet front; wails roars within.
Devoured souls—tempered pill; but souls barred true Golden Core—fake only.
Mind stirred.
Spirit pressure chessboard emerged—before body.
Pill floated.
Lu set game.
No Mountain River, no Storm—chose Yi Heaven Momentum third, Human Realm.
In human world—who lives not hell.
Lu calm—placed pieces.
Black white heavy—fell like shifting mountains.
With placements.
Faint—pill souls resentment purified—black light vanished heaven earth.
Dragon soul wrapped pill—purer under game.
Little Yinglong watched board—bored, wings flapped away.
High sky.
Wings clamped—cannonball dive.
Splash—lake dive.
Fish scattered, gulls flew.
Yinglong excited swam—sought something.
Soon claw pinched black carp—carp terrified tail slapped.
Yinglong disinterested tossed—continued.
Circle no target black scale.
Head surfaced—sprawled gate, pouted squirted arrow—played pigeon joy.
...
Great Zhou fallen.
Former officials no resist—no struggle no flee—all knelt exiting Purple Gold Palace Tantai Xuan.
Tantai Xuan scanned kneeling—brows slight cluster.
Sight fell afar—palace gate lean silver armored Jiang Li.
Overlord exited palace—ignored kneeling.
Hooves slow.
Carriage halted palace front.
From Beiluo Mo Beike lifted curtain—slow out.
Saw Jiang Li, full ground kneeling, standing Overlord Tantai Xuan.
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Mo Beike complex eyed Overlord.
Overlord no warmth—glance, Qianqi back—led Xiang army out palace.
Passed Mo Beike—Mo bowed slight.
Overlord nodded—brushed past.
Familiar strangers.
Zhou ministers officials—Overlord lazy handle; deliberate left.
"Ju Zi, returned."
Tantai Xuan steps down—rushed Mo Beike side, supported.
Mo Beike heavy bags twitched—light laugh: "Old man Beiluo trip, chatted much Young Master Lu—missed events."
"Urgent—no wait Ju Zi; launched attack—fortunate won."
Tantai Xuan aided—Yuwen Xiu end taught good aides vital.
Like Zhou—if Master lived—different.
Overlord had Xu Chu Xiang army garrison palace.
Self war chariot to gate—let Xiliang army enter.
Army in—black pressed Xiliang cheered sky.
Overlord dismounted—Qianqi to attendant, rapid to awaited carriage.
Carriage graceful emerged.
Luo Mingsang slow out—eyes soft Overlord.
Overlord no mention letter.
Supported Luo Mingsang—slow imperial street walk.
Promised painted empire... soon.
...
Purple Gold front—Zhou ministers knelt.
Dared not move—no change; fallen ministers awaited fate judgment.
Tantai Xuan aided Mo Beike—slow walk.
"Ju Zi, next how?"
"These Zhou officials handle?"
Mo Beike heavy bags—eyed snow palace, kneeling full—smiled shook head.
"King, old minister suggest—only lead army exit palace."
"Capital matters—no interfere."
"Officials—ignore."
Mo Beike said.
Tantai Xuan stunned.
Unexpected such advice.
"Still old minister knows Overlord—cautious Mo Ju perhaps Yuwen suicide instant exit."
Mo Beike serious.
"Power in strong hands; Daxuan not weak—but strength vs Xiliang inferior."
"If King indulges capital glory power—thinks contest qualification... wrong."
Mo Beike said.
"Daxuan no Overlord peer... clash now—80% defeat; King prisoner—all ambitions smoke."
Afar.
Helmet off Jiang Li—silver spear walked.
"King, Ju Zi right."
"Minister suggest immediate withdraw palace."
Jiang Li said.
Knew decision hard—but only path.
"Conquered palace—Daxuan soldiers lives blood... retreat unwilling!"
Tantai Xuan gritted.
But knew right.
Recalled garden Overlord calm gaze—cold sweat.
Power...
Tantai Xuan sighed.
Eyed behind Xuanwu—gritted: "Organize—withdraw palace!"
Mo Beike eyes flashed—smiled.
Jiang Li deep eyed Tantai Xuan—perhaps not wisest king—but listened, adopted advice, analyzed decided.
Precious.
Overlord even weak—no retreat.
Do it.
Conquered—Xiliang paid much.
Temper—no abandon.
"Of course... before leave, one place."
Mo Beike said.
Tantai Xuan stunned.
Mo Beike eyed snow Purple Gold—inhaled: "Zhou library."
Fear no visit—regret.
...
Daxuan army withdrew.
Before—from Zhou library hauled box box bamboo slips books.
Much—took third.
Then Xuanwu Daxuan exited palace.
Daxuan soldiers unwilling—generals indignant.
Especially Xiliang mocking gazes—humiliation.
But king order—no defy.
Officials knelt palace front ground—snow thick.
Overlord hands back came—settled Luo Mingsang rest.
Handle palace matters.
Tantai Xuan exit—unexpected but expected.
Mo Beike return—correct decision; knew Overlord too.
No retreat—Overlord free hand attack Daxuan main force leave all.
"What took?"
Overlord asked behind Xu Chu.
"Zhou library—much Hundred Schools qi blood methods ideas, Zhou laws etc—five carts."
Overlord smiled.
"Mo Beike idea."
"Knows this king."
Overlord said.
"Remaining library organize—Hundred Schools..."
Paused.
Xu Chu puzzled glance.
Overlord eyed kneeling ministers: "Burn all."
Xu Chu stunned—unexpected.
"No issue—Mo took much; burn rest—statement; said abolish schools—done."
"Library all change cultivation methods; black dragon gate develop."
"Strength fundamental—master power, dynasty stands."
"Know why Daxuan withdrew?"
Overlord smiled.
"Their power weak."
Xu Chu scratched head—nodded.
Brain-twisting—fighting simple.
"King, these Zhou officials?"
Xu Chu asked.
Overlord scanned—sharp cold eyes; kneeling trembled.
"Check—corrupt kill."
"Clean—exile."
Xu Chu frowned: "King, no retain aides plan?"
Overlord lips curled: "No need... if plan—Zhou fall?"
Xu Chu—reasonable; nodded.
"Yes."
Below officials chilled.
"Majesty mercy..."
"Mercy!"
"Willing submit!"
Wails.
Overlord ignored—hands back, turned; burly snow vanished.
Entered Purple Gold—eyed high dragon throne.
Slight frown—turned past to garden black dragon gate.
Than gate—throne less appeal.
...
Daxuan army exited—to one six guard cities Yuan Chi—remote capital, confront.
Actually Daxuan held grudge.
Both entered—why Daxuan exit, Xiliang occupy?
Exit—abandon contest; families powers support Xiliang?
But king decision—no say.
Smart generals guessed.
News spread.
Unexpected—should support occupiers families no immediate decide.
Watched.
No fool—sniffed unusual.
Sure.
Shocking news South County—many families pot exploded.
Tang Xiansheng no found nation—spread favor Daxuan.
World thought Zhou fall—triad.
But...
South abandon—Xiliang Daxuan duel.
Families stunned.
Yuan Chi city.
Tantai Xuan flipped Mo Beike Zhou library books—Hundred Schools culture, Zhou governance laws etc—huge value.
Admired Mo Beike—first thought books.
Fortunate Overlord no value.
Jiang Li no remove silver armor—entered.
Mo Beike chair hot tea—saw Jiang Li stunned, thought—smiled Jiang Li.
Rose cup—hunched out.
Space to Tantai Xuan Jiang Li.
Tantai Xuan sensed—put books, eyed Jiang Li.
"General Jiang, no rest? War hard."
Jiang Li calm—eyed Tantai Xuan, exhaled.
Cupped fists—slight bow: "Thanks King trust."
"Now Zhou fallen—minister weary body mind."
"Minister... retire armor fields."
