Early morning, the imperial palace, Wenhua Hall.

Grand Duke Su sat on a low couch by the window, wearing a faded gray-green robe, his withered fingers holding a white Go stone suspended in mid-air.

Opposite him sat an old official with equally white hair and beard; the two had been playing in silence for nearly half an hour, with no sound in the hall save for the crisp click of pieces hitting the board.

Empress Su Mingyue stood behind Grand Duke Su, as quiet as if there were an extra pillar in Wenhua Hall.

She made no sound to disturb them and showed no sign of impatience, just standing there quietly.

Su Mingli, however, lacked this composure; he tilted his head to peer at the board, then glanced at the white stone in Grand Duke Su's hand that refused to be placed.

Finally unable to hold back, he stepped forward, grabbed Grand Duke Su's sleeve, and began to clamor.

"Grandfather, stop playing! You two are such terrible players, you'll just end up glaring at each other in no time! My sister has something important to discuss with you!"

The old official opposite was quite tactful and didn't take offense at Su Mingli's words.

He chuckled, tossed his black stone into the bowl, stood up to straighten his robes, and led Su Mingli toward the side room.

As he was dragged away, Su Mingli didn't forget to turn back and wink at Empress Su Mingyue, mouthing the words, "Sister, good luck."

Empress Su Mingyue sat down in the spot the old official had just vacated, her skirt sweeping across the edge of the couch as she folded her hands in her lap.

Her back was as straight as a pine, her expression calm and unruffled, and she did not speak first.

Grand Duke Su did not look up at her either, instead picking up the remaining pieces on the board one by one and returning them to the bowl.

White stones went into the white bowl, black stones into the black bowl, the bone pieces making crisp clacking sounds within the rosewood bowls.

It took him a long time to clear the board, after which he looked up at his granddaughter, who wore a moon-white jacket and possessed a demeanor as clear and calm as water.

"Has the outside been pacified?" His voice was very soft, carrying the unique raspiness of an old man.

Empress Su Mingyue nodded.

Grand Duke Su was silent for a moment, then slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. His tone was like an admonition, yet also like he was trying to convince himself: "Since it is pacified, return all military power to Your Majesty."

Empress Su Mingyue gave him a deep look but said nothing, simply waiting quietly for him to finish.

There was no excess emotion in those phoenix eyes, yet it inexplicably made Grand Duke Su feel as though his words had struck an invisible wall, with even the echoes swallowed up completely.

Grand Duke Su sighed, his withered fingers rubbing against the edge of the chessboard, his tone deepening: "The Liu family is the sovereign, we are the subjects."

"This is a rule that has never changed in the six hundred years since the founding of Great Xia."

"It did not change before, and it will not change in the future."

"The Su Family has followed the Liu family for over six hundred years; ever since our first ancestor raised an army with the founding emperor, it has been this way for every generation."

"Regardless of whether the monarch is wise or foolish, the sovereign is the sovereign, and the subject is the subject. This principle cannot change."

Empress Su Mingyue listened quietly until he finished, then said softly: "Is it because of the founding emperor, Emperor Liu Jun?"

Grand Duke Su's fingers paused abruptly, causing the pieces in the bowl to rattle with a clatter.

He looked up at Empress Su Mingyue, a flash of extreme surprise crossing his wrinkled face, before he slowly nodded: "That is correct. The founding emperor, Emperor Liu Jun, is already a person from a different world than us."

"In the six hundred-plus years of Great Xia's history, rebellions have not been absent."

"Over these six hundred years, there have been treacherous officials who held power over the court, vassal kings who amassed armies, and great chaos that nearly toppled the dynasty."

"Yet, every time the empire was on the brink of collapse, someone would always emerge to turn the tide."

"Sometimes it was one person, sometimes a group." As he spoke, he shook his head slightly and continued.

"Do you think those rebel leaders never thought of proclaiming themselves kings or hegemons?"

"They did. But whenever someone attempted to sit on that throne, they would vanish before they could ever take it."

"Vanished?" Empress Su Mingyue's tone held a hint of surprise.

"Correct, just vanished without a trace, for no reason at all." Grand Duke Su paused, lowering his voice further.

"Therefore, for six hundred years, not a single noble family in all of Great Xia has dared to proclaim themselves kings or hegemons after a rebellion."

"Even Great Yuan and Great Yan dared not send troops to set foot on Great Xia's territory, even during the height of its internal chaos."

"The reason lies right here: the founding emperor of Great Xia, Emperor Liu Jun, is still alive."

"A person who has lived for over six hundred years—is that even human anymore? That is someone capable of Immortal Ascension and becoming an ancestor even in the outside world."

Empress Su Mingyue's brows furrowed imperceptibly as she caught the two most crucial words in his speech: "Outside world?"

"Correct. Further north of Great Yuan lies the Endless Forest. Further north of the Endless Forest is another world."

"It is said that it is the world of Immortals, with endless spiritual mountains and beautiful waters, Immortal Caves floating in the sky, sword Immortals who ride swords in flight, and Cultivators who live for thousands of years."

As he spoke, Grand Duke Su looked toward the north with a face full of yearning.

"The people there can fly through the skies and burrow into the earth; moving mountains and severing rivers is nothing to them."

"After the founding emperor, Emperor Liu Jun, unified the world, he passed the throne to his son and went to that realm himself."

"Six hundred years have passed, and not only has he not died, but every fifty years or so, he returns to check on this Great Xia empire."

"He must have been watching this land all along, watching the descendants of the Liu family, and watching us noble families as well."

Empress Su Mingyue was silent for a long time, then asked: "Since there are Immortals, why are there none here?"

"Because your grandfather's grandfather once told my grandfather,"

Grand Duke Su's voice grew lower and lower, so low it seemed he was afraid of being overheard by the passing wind outside the window.

"We do not have something essential for Immortals to Cultivate here, called 'Spiritual Qi'."

"Without Spiritual Qi, Immortals cannot remain here for long, nor can they Cultivate here; that is one reason."

"On the other hand, it is because of the founding emperor, Emperor Liu Jun; he does not allow Immortals to set foot here."

"Some people have appeared here before, but they later vanished. The major noble families speculate that these missing Immortals are all related to Emperor Liu Jun."

Far away at the training grounds outside Yongning City, Zhou Ming stood on the platform with his hands behind his back, watching over a thousand soldiers clumsily trying to conjure fireballs.

Yet, the conversation in Wenhua Hall was being transmitted word-for-word into his Sea of Consciousness.

He maintained a calm, somewhat kindly expression on his face, correcting the soldiers' hand gestures with his mouth, but internally, storm waves were already surging.

North of the Endless Forest was actually the world of Cultivators.

The reason Great Xia had no Cultivators was because there was no Spiritual Qi here.

Zhou Ming closed his eyes and released his Divine Sense, carefully sensing the environment. After a while, he opened his eyes.

It wasn't that there was no Spiritual Qi, but rather that the Spiritual Qi was pitifully thin.

The founding emperor of Great Xia, Emperor Liu Jun, had already lived for six hundred years; his cultivation must be unfathomable.

He was able to drive all the Cultivators out of here, and furthermore, no Cultivators had come here since.

What did this mean?

It meant he was strong—strong enough to make the entire Cultivation world obediently abide by his prohibition.

Zhou Ming lowered his eyelids, concealing the flash of darkness that passed through his eyes.

Now was not the right time for Empress Su Mingyue to ascend the throne.