The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

Within Linhai Prefecture, at the former Wanshan Mountain Range, now known as the Gate of Beginning, a crowd had gathered at the foot of the mountain, engaged in lively discussions.

Among them were Feng Huabin, the Sect Master of the Qingfeng Sect, and Jia Gong, the Sect Master of the Eagle Mountain Sect. Surrounding them were numerous elders from their respective sects.

"This Linhai Prefecture has undergone tremendous changes. Look at the spiritual trees planted all over the mountains—they're incredibly valuable!" one elder exclaimed, marveling at the sight of the lush vegetation.

An elder from the Eagle Mountain Sect nodded in agreement. "And those peculiar soul-powered vehicles we saw on the way here were just as astonishing."

"Indeed. Those long, strange vehicles glided swiftly along two steel rails embedded in the ground, without any soul beasts pulling them. They were fast, smooth, and stable."

"But what truly amazes me," Feng Huabin continued, "is that when Jia Gong and I explored Linhai Prefecture, we discovered that the entire Huaxia Empire has developed a network of well-paved roads connecting cities, towns, and even villages."

"Although the surrounding dense forests remain, the roads are protected by formations that prevent soul beasts from attacking travelers. Huaxia Empire soldiers constantly patrol these routes, keeping a vigilant eye," Feng Huabin said, his tone filled with admiration.

Jia Gong nodded in agreement, his voice tinged with respect. "This means that even ordinary citizens with little to no cultivation can travel freely without fearing soul beasts, a significant improvement in their lives."

"And that's not all," Jia Gong added. "Lin Qian has invented a fascinating transportation device with only two wheels. With just a single low-grade soul crystal, it can run for ten days straight, and even a ten-year-old child can easily operate it."

Upon hearing this, the other elders' eyes lit up with curiosity, and they eagerly asked Jia Gong for more details.

"Lin Qian named it the 'Huaxia Soul-Powered Vehicle.' If there's no soul crystal available, you can pedal a unique mechanism to move it using manpower. It's truly ingenious."

Feng Huabin and Jia Gong's praise for Lin Qian, combined with the various innovations in Linhai Prefecture—all originating from this young emperor's mind—only deepened everyone's curiosity about Lin Qian.

While they might not fully understand what kind of person Lin Qian was, they were beginning to grasp the extent of the Huaxia Empire's power.

Before arriving, some of them had harbored doubts, suspecting that the Double Extremes Hall, the Carefree Sect, or the Blood Spirit Valley might have secretly aided the Huaxia Empire.

However, after arriving in Linhai Prefecture, all such suspicions vanished, leaving the elders filled with trepidation.

Feng Huabin and Jia Gong had informed them that the army that had annihilated Qizhou, Tiaoshunzhou, and Nanyingzhou was merely a low-ranking force within the Huaxia Empire. The more powerful and elite units hadn't even participated, yet they had utterly decimated the three sects, leaving no invaders alive.

Surrender? The Empress overseeing the battlefield had ignored such pleas without a second thought.

Feigning death? The archers from the Huaxia Empire made sure to fire a final arrow into every fallen body.

Fleeing? The unfortunate attackers soon discovered that the enemy's arrows were faster than their legs!

As the group ascended the mountain path, they grew increasingly tense. Despite repeatedly assuring themselves that Lin Qian was kind to his own people, Feng Huabin and Jia Gong's words did little to calm their nerves.

The once chatty group fell silent as they climbed the mountain, wary of causing any disturbances.

Lining both sides of the mountain path were heavily armored soldiers, standing at regular intervals. Glancing up the path, the elders saw that the soldiers formed two long lines, resembling metallic dragons.

The aura emanating from each of these soldiers pressed heavily on the elders, making it clear that these warriors were far more powerful than they were.

Many of the elders felt a bitter sting in their hearts. Once, they had been elders of sects that ruled entire regions, but now, they were weaker than a mere soldier of the Huaxia Empire.

"Is this what they call a 'tiny nation'? How blind can people be?" The elders shook their heads, recalling how the Southern Region had dismissed the Huaxia Empire.

When they reached the end of the mountain path, a grand hall came into view. Inside, they found it already filled with people.

Upon entering, Feng Huabin and Jia Gong exchanged greetings with the attendees. After all, with Lin Qian having been away for nearly a year constructing war installations, they had become well-acquainted with the people of the Huaxia Empire.

However, they remained particularly respectful toward two individuals in the room: Qin Wushuang and Mei Yuexia. These two were not ordinary figures; they were the uncles of both the Emperor and the Empress of the Huaxia Empire.

Suddenly, Zhao Long appeared in the hall, causing everyone to fall silent and focus their attention on him.

"The Empress has arrived!" Zhao Long announced, his presence exuding a powerful pressure that commanded respect, even from Qin Wushuang and Mei Yuexia.

In Zhao Long's eyes, it didn't matter that they were the Emperor and Empress's uncles. Protocols must be followed, and in matters of governance, hierarchy must be observed.

Dressed in a starlight-white gown, Ye Xin gracefully entered from the rear of the hall and took her seat at the head of the table. The seat beside her remained empty, naturally reserved for Lin Qian.

Once seated, Ye Xin smiled at the assembled crowd. "Now, let us begin discussing the matters concerning Qizhou, Tiaoshunzhou, and Nanyingzhou."

As the discussions within the hall heated up, Lin Qian, far away in the Two States Water Forest, had entrusted everything to Ye Xin, fully confident that she would handle matters perfectly.

"Wanxiang Sect and Shenjian Sect have also joined the Huaxia Empire. Qizhou and Tiaoshunzhou have been renamed Wanxiangzhou and Shenjianzhou, respectively, and will be governed by those two sects," Lin Qian mused, slightly surprised by the news conveyed to him by Zhuge Ming.

He hadn't expected Wanxiang Sect and Shenjian Sect to integrate so quickly. With Linhai Prefecture's rising spiritual energy density and Lin Qian's plans to build a sophisticated transportation system already underway, the lives of the Huaxia Empire's citizens were steadily improving.

However, all of this was internal to the Huaxia Empire. Lin Qian knew that the two sects joining the empire was only a matter of time.

"A capable partner is a blessing," Lin Qian thought, smiling. With Ye Xin managing the affairs behind the scenes, he could focus on dealing with the Qin Dynasty.

Several days later, news spread throughout the Southern Region that the Huaxia Empire had annihilated Qizhou, Tiaoshunzhou, and Nanyingzhou. Fengzhou and Lianshanzhou had surrendered without a fight, voluntarily joining the Huaxia Empire.

The entire Southern Region was in an uproar!