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"Zi... Ziyue?"

A group of people were dumbfounded. All these top elders knew that Ziyue was a forbidden character who had escaped from the Sorcerer Dynasty and had always been on the surveillance list. To their surprise... he had now become a High Priest Elder?

"What... what’s the current situation?" Zhou Tianlie asked anxiously: "Isn’t Ziyue from Jiangnan? Who’s in charge of Yundu now? And what’s this about the Imperial Court proclaiming that everyone can move to Jiangnan?"

Everyone also turned their gaze towards the Murong Family’s Grand Elder. What was happening presently was a bit too much to process at once, but it was crucial to figure out who held real power in Yundu now.

"Yundu should now... ostensibly be under the Great Jin Emperor’s control."

"Should?" The crowd frowned, for they were not here to listen to such noncommittal answers.

Grand Elder Murong gave a wry smile and said, "The situation is complicated, and I’m also somewhat unclear about it.

As far as I know, the Great Jin Emperor has formed an alliance with Chen Qing from Jiangnan.

Mister Ziyue, on the other hand, is taking the remaining Four Holy Army back to Jiangnan.

The Emperor has now given everyone two choices. "

"Everyone..." The people understood that Yundu, while under the Emperor’s control, probably couldn’t handle Jiangnan, which is why some agreement must have been struck with Jiangnan.

"What choices?" Someone asked.

"Either stay in Yundu and be forever bound to the Siao Family, or... move to Jiangnan. Whoever stays must accept the blessings of the Mother and Child Ghost Temples, coexist with the evil spirits under King Gui Xiang’s command, but the terms offered are generous.

Any willing families from our spectrum can stay and will be granted dukedoms, hereditary and unreplaceable, sharing prosperity or decline with the nation! "

"Oh?" Several people were stunned, quickly weighing their options in their minds.

Great Jin, though only established for twenty years, has always been dominated by warriors.

Apart from the initial Duke of Song, Liu Yu, the eight dukes were all of martial descent.

Such noble treatment was rarely given to civil officials, and if Sorcerer Families could receive dukedoms from the Imperial Court, this would guarantee an abundance of resources.

Hereditary titles were indeed a significant benefit.

Yundu was good, but after all, it was just a vassal. The power of Emperor Siao was not small; he could even kill a High Priest of Ancient Gods with one punch, so subduing the entire world later was not impossible. There were definitely risks, but the potential rewards were not small either.

"And the second path? Is it to move to Jiangnan?" Someone asked with a frown: "Is Jiangnan ruled by that person called Chen Qing? Has he offered any terms?"

"None..."

"Hm?"

Everyone was stumped upon hearing these two words.

"No... none?"

Seeing the crowd’s reaction, Elder Murong also offered a wry smile: "At the time, I thought I had heard wrong too. How overbearing is Emperor Siao? He would at least begrudgingly offer us a way to descend with dignity, putting out an olive branch; regardless of whether the promise of sharing the nation’s fate is true or not, at least we were given respect.

But there was nothing of the sort from Chen Qing. .."

"This..." One of the elders asked with a frown, "Exactly what did he say?"

"His exact words were that those wanting to go to Jiangnan would have to register like ordinary households. He clearly stated that no official positions would be offered, and that progeny would be able to study at schools only if they can pass an assessment. Elders too can study, but likewise must pass an assessment... At my age, I really don’t have the face to take a test.. ."

"This..." A group of people were infuriated. Was Chen Qing being too arrogant?

They were also aware that Jiangnan Academy had the Dragon Palace legacy and a path to transcendence, but so what?

People from their spectrum families had also received legacies from Ancient Gods; they weren’t lacking a path to transcendence.

Chen Qing’s haughty attitude might work against the Noble Families of the Central Plains, but to treat their spectrum families the same way, did he really think they coveted what he had to offer?

"What about Mister Ziyue then?" Zhou Tianlie furrowed his brow and asked.

"Mister Ziyue did not make an appearance, but the leaders of the Four Holy Army were right by Chen Qing’s side. Whatever Chen Qing says is most likely Mister Ziyue’s intention."

"This..." Several people became anxious at once: "What the High Priest had promised us..."

"It no longer counts." Elder Murong said with a bitter smile and a shake of his head.

"It no longer counts?" The faces of the group turned ashen in an instant.

The Ancient God tribe could coexist with humans, and once they did, their potential was extraordinary, with the chance to become an Ancient Great Sovereign. What else had these old folks worked so hard for all these years if not for such an opportunity?

And now this newcomer girl says it doesn’t count?

What kind of joke is this?

"No, we have to go and demand an explanation!" One of the elders couldn’t help but speak up.

"Ask for an explanation?" Elder Murong said with a laugh: "Although you were not present, you should at least be able to feel it, right? What level of spiritual energy is within the Imperial Palace? An explanation? What kind of explanation do you want?"

From what he saw, let alone Chen Qing with a large army, even if it was just Chen Qing alone, he doubted that he and this group of old men could demand any explanation...

"Are we just going to accept this?"

"What else can we do?" Elder Murong looked at the Zhou Family: "The most talented of your family, Zhou Yuntao, is dead, killed by a disciple of Chen Qing. Has Chen Qing given you any explanation? Everyone... it’s best to recognize the situation. The High Priest Elder is already dead, struck down by the Emperor with a single punch, and that Chen Qing is an existence that can even make the Emperor give way. Don’t be frogs in a well, we must admit, right now. .. we are the weaker party!"

The crowd fell silent, how could they not feel it?

The spiritual energy of the floating Imperial Palace surged into the sky, and from a thousand miles away those astonishing auras were enough to terrify any heart. The final victors who had emerged from that kind of environment, how could they possibly have the strength to contend against them?

Not being slaughtered at will was already fortunate.

"What does Brother Murong plan to do?" Zhou Tianlie asked.

Murong glanced at this corpulent elder of the Zhou Family, silently calculating.

This old man seemed reckless, but in reality, he was someone who could keep his composure very well.

His own most outstanding junior had died a terrible death, yet he showed no intention to pursue the matter.

Just with this, he certainly wouldn’t offend the newly risen Chen Qing.

"His Majesty aims to pacify the world and has already made it clear to me that after moving the capital to Yundu, he will prepare for war and will not rest until the Northern Territory is reclaimed..."

Upon hearing this, a few elders’ complexions changed at once. That stuff from the north, ordinary people might not know, but they knew a bit of the closely guarded secrets. It looks like this Emperor Siao is planning to turn the heavens!

"Staying in Yundu carries no small risk, but His Majesty has promised many things. In the face of danger lies the chance for riches and honor. The Murong Family certainly does not cower from the fear of death, I have decided to remain in Yundu!"

Everyone was startled, hesitated, and looked at the resolute Elder Murong, then looked at one another. For a moment, the atmosphere quieted down.

The implication was clear: once the Emperor moved the capital, he would expand the military forces in preparation for war, serving as the primary force against the demons from the North. In other words, if you stay, you must join the war without any excuse.

Jiangnan, on the other hand, was different. There were no titles of nobility or official positions, not even any promise of resources—yet there was one advantage, you were not forced to join the war!

To stay meant the entire clan was bound to the war chariot, sharing the nation’s fate - if defeated, it would mean the end for everyone collectively!

Choosing to go to Jiangnan, even though you had nothing, at least...it was safe!

For a moment, the rest of the elders hesitated. This decision... directly affected the survival and prosperity of their families, and truly left them in a profound dilemma...