In the blink of an eye, several more days had passed.

A celestial envoy on a tall horse, leading a detachment of soldiers, finally arrived at Baoying City.

At the city gates, the county magistrate, along with the wealthy residents and local gentry who had long awaited this moment, all left the city together. The moment they saw the flags held high by the envoy’s group from afar, they knelt down and paid their respects.

The eunuch who served as the imperial envoy dismounted swiftly as they neared the gates.

Such behavior was normally unnecessary. In the past, when he delivered imperial edicts, unless the recipient was a border governor or a member of the royal family, he would remain seated on horseback and merely nod in greeting.

But Baoying City was different.

This was the sacred site where the Celestial Maiden under Celestial master Taiyi had manifested celestial  miracles. Before he departed, Emperor Zhao Kuo had personally instructed him to behave with utmost reverence and not to be disrespectful at a Celestial site.

Though this was the Legend of the Condor Heroes world — a martial arts realm — other aspects were no different from real history. Guo Jing had entered the Central Plains from the north in 1219. Now it was 1220, and the Southern Song’s fourth emperor, Emperor Ningzong Zhao Kuo, was on the throne.

This was a time when the Southern Song was slipping into an irreversible collapse.

Imperial power had thoroughly declined, and autocratic chancellors were rising to dominate the court.

The paper currency credit crisis that erupted in the early Jiading years marked the beginning of economic imbalance throughout the Southern Song. The defeat of the Kaixi Northern Expedition and the fiscal strains of the Jiading Campaign foreshadowed their inevitable loss in the upcoming Song-Mongol wars.

The Mongol Empire was rising rapidly, while the Southern Song court remained unaware of the crisis, indulging in dreams and pleasures as always.

After reading the true history of the main world from Nuwa — especially the historical records of this specific period — Huang Rong gave only one assessment:

«Hopeless. Just waiting to die. Goodbye!»

The written records of history had completely torn away the fig leaf of imperial power. From her perch atop the city gate tower, where she had concealed her presence to observe the envoy below, Huang Rong’s eyes were filled with scorn.

Her mind was racing with countless thoughts, conjuring dozens of ideas in an instant, only to immediately snuff out every notion of supporting the Song court.

«Might as well pick someone more pleasing to the eye and help him reunify the realm for Brother Xing.»

«Anyway, Zhao Kuo only has four more years to live. But… can’t let Temujin invade — maybe find a time to blow him up?»

«Wait, no — Temujin didn’t attack the Song. According to the book, he died before the Song-Mongol war even began. That could be useful. I can manipulate the internal strife over the khan’s succession to last even longer, get rid of a few powerful ones, and let the rest of the weaklings fight each other like headless chickens…»

«Really, it’s only because Brother Xing’s current situation doesn’t suit him directly becoming emperor. Otherwise, what’s all this trouble for?»

«Maybe… try that ‘committee-based republic’ idea mentioned in the book?»

In Huang Rong’s view, there only needed to be one supreme being in all of celestial and earth — and that would be her beloved Brother Xing. As for emperors? As someone from the jianghu, she had never trusted them to begin with.

Whoever became emperor would eventually grow unwilling to accept a real, living Celestial above them.

«In the future, Brother Xing will surely manifest in many worlds. If every world has an emperor, that’s unacceptable.»

«Yes, yes. I need to start planning early and design a complete human legal system for Brother Xing. In the future, he shall sit high in the nine heavens, overlooking all beings, with every human in their rightful place, governing their own domains, yet united in worship and faith toward Brother Xing… hehe…»

Xuan Yuan  , meanwhile, had no idea that his darling Rong’er, just by glancing once at the eunuch delivering the edict, had let her imagination run wild, plotting how to steer the Song — and even the entire world — centuries or even millennia ahead of schedule down a path no one had ever imagined.

He had even less idea that Huang Rong had already started secretly studying how to slay dragons…

Compared to Huang Rong, who was busy thinking about how to upend the world— ahem, save all living beings—Li Mochou, who had become increasingly silly ever since being hailed by the masses as a Celestial Maiden, was currently in the ceremonial carriage. Standing beside Xuan Yuan  , she was curiously peeking down at the eunuch delivering the edict.

«So that’s an eunuch! He really doesn’t have a beard! I saw a real eunuch!»

As if possessed, she turned to glance at Xuan Yuan  : «…Brother Shen doesn’t have a beard either—ah!»

Smack!

Xuan Yuan   shot her a sidelong glance and sighed, «Mochou, this doesn’t suit you. You’re easier to look at when you stay silly.».

At least she was happy.

Li Mochou froze at those words, then actually burst into tears.

Out of frustration.

Mu Nianci gently pulled her over and comforted her softly, then cast a playful glare at Xuan Yuan.

When they had first met, Mu Nianci had been very cautious in her words and actions. But Xuan Yuan  ’s lazy, relaxed attitude, and the way he joked with those close to him, gradually helped her relax. Now, she could even joke lightly with him.

But in the quiet of the night, as she thought of the way Xuan Yuan   treated those near him with such gentle ease — and compared it to the celestial , awe-inspiring presence he had displayed that night when he raised the great sun and commanded universal reverence — her admiration only deepened.

Though she appeared calm on the outside, her respect for him grew ever more profound.

Mu Nianci: «——!?»

Li Mochou: «Achoo!»

Mu Nianci was immediately at a loss between tears and laughter. She was a little older than both Huang Rong and Li Mochou. Though she referred to Xuan Yuan   as «Young master» and placed herself in the role of a maidservant, in her heart she regarded the two girls as younger sisters. Seeing Li Mochou flash her a foolishly ingratiating grin, she couldn’t even bring herself to scold her. All she could do was pinch her cheeks with exasperated affection: «You little rascal!»

Xuan Yuan   withdrew his gaze and looked once more toward the city gate.

The imperial eunuch had led his troops and, under the escort of the magistrate and all the officials and citizens of Baoying City, arrived in grand procession at the site of the celestial  miracle on the long street.

In front of the towering Celestial Jade, the eunuch read aloud the edict of Zhao Kuo.

The content wasn’t unusual — if it had been any other Celestial or celestial  figure, a new title might have been conferred. But Taiyi was already an ancient righteous Celestial with an established celestial  name. Thus, the edict only praised Taiyi’s deeds and announced that the court would henceforth honor him as an official object of state worship.

As for Li Mochou, the court placed a grand title upon her as well:

«Xiangguang-Reactive, Marvel-Luo, Demon-Purging, Filth-Cleansing Celestial Maiden.»

At that very moment, Xuan Yuan   looked at his Xuangguang Pendant.

As expected — it was glowing.