Longevity begins with slaying demons and eliminating demons

Chapter 764 The Queen Mother comes to court
Gu Xu and Lu Shiyao sat side by side on the railing of the stone bridge, watching quietly as the coffin was slowly carried into the mausoleum and then covered with thick soil.

A complex and indescribable feeling surged in his heart.

He understood that this moment marked another end of his life - a second death in terms of his interpersonal relationships, after his physical death.

From then on, in the eyes of the world, he will no longer be "Your Majesty", but "the late emperor", a late emperor who "died halfway through his career".

“It would be great if I were a ninth-level expert,” he smiled and said with emotion, “With so many people remembering me, I’m afraid I can’t even die if I want to.”

"In fact, you are only one step away from the ninth realm," Lu Shiyao beside him said softly, "How about giving it a try here and see if you can take this crucial step?"

"Is this okay?"

"If it were someone else, I'm afraid it wouldn't work. But you have ascended to the Formless Heaven after all, and once transcended the level of ordinary life. Although you didn't succeed in staying there, you have become different from ordinary people, and you can't guess with ordinary eyes."

"Sublimation..." Gu Xu muttered the word silently.

To this day, he still hasn't fully understood what the "Colorless Heaven" is.

By intuition, he vaguely felt that it might be a higher-dimensional world beyond the universe he lived in.

If the "colorless heaven" is compared to a library, then everything that happens in this universe is like the stories recorded in the books in the library. And those who are in the colorless heaven can read these stories at will, and even rewrite them.

When Gu Xu returned from the "Colorless Heaven", his mind was filled with complex and profound knowledge, and he also had many new insights into the great principles of heaven and earth.

Although due to his approaching death, he was unable to further comprehend these profound mysteries.

But he knew very well that once he thoroughly comprehended these mysteries, he would be able to break through the shackles and reach an unprecedented level of power.

There was just one thing that puzzled him.

"Ms. Lu, how do you know about 'Colorless Heaven'?" He stared at Lu Shiyao's beautiful eyes, and said with a hint of seriousness, "I have never mentioned these things to you."

"Because I am not the real Lu Shiyao, I am just a part of your longing in your heart!" Lu Shiyao sighed softly, her eyes as soft as water, looking straight into his heart.

…………

time flies.

After being silent for a long time in the haze of sadness, the Great Wilderness World finally gradually recovered its vitality under the leadership of Zhao Yan, and everything began to get back on track.

She sat at the desk that originally belonged to Gu Xu, reading memorials, summoning ministers, and handling government affairs, just like he did when he was alive. After all, she was once the King of Yan, and even though she still had some grief in her heart, her brows showed more calmness and decisiveness.

Gu Xu had long anticipated that he might end up dead, so he used the authority of "cause and effect" to modify the usage rights of the horoscope.

Now, Zhao Yan can also use the power of the star chart to gain insight into the affairs of the world.

This gave her a subtle feeling, as if she was looking at the world through his eyes.

However, Zhao Yan's road to governing the country was not smooth.

Youzhou, the former location of the Great Yan Kingdom, is Zhao Yan's hometown and the foundation of the Zhao family's power.

When the late emperor was alive, several of Zhao Yan's distant relatives - Zhao Hui, Zhao Fu and Zhao Tao - behaved well and honestly under Gu Xu's tough suppression. They even took the initiative to donate money to build roads and bridges for poor villages, winning some reputation.

However, with the passing of the previous emperor, the mountain that was pressing on them collapsed, and their true colors gradually revealed themselves.

Having been suppressed for a long time, they unscrupulously used the name of the Zhao family to commit crimes in Youzhou. They occupied farmland, bullied men and women, and ran rampant in the countryside without any scruples.

These people were lucky enough to think that the current queen mother, who was also a member of the Zhao family, would turn a blind eye to their evil deeds or even protect them. However, after Zhao Yan learned about this, she did not hesitate to order a thorough investigation and personally supervised the Youzhou case.

In the end, Zhao Hui and others were sent to the gallows and executed to thank the world.

When the news spread, the whole country was shocked.

No one could have expected that Zhao Yan would be so ruthless in attacking the Zhao family's relatives.

And it’s far from over.

Zhao Yan then announced an even more unexpected decision - she voluntarily gave up the title of "Duke of Yan" and officially changed Youzhou to "Youzhou Prefecture of Daxia", announcing that Youzhou would henceforth be no different from other provinces of Daxia and would no longer be the private territory of the Zhao family.

Zhao Yan's move undoubtedly shocked the government and the public.

During the Great Qi period, there were originally four major clans in Dahuang.

The Lu family was executed for the unfounded crime of "treason" during the reign of Emperor Tianxing.

The Chen and Shen families were raided in the first year of Gu Xu's accession to the throne, and all their properties were taken over by the government.

Only the Zhao family, who were heroes in the founding of the country, were able to survive and continue to enjoy the same treatment as before.

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

However, Zhao Yan resolutely deprived the Zhao family of their privileges and incorporated Youzhou into Daxia's local administrative system.

Although this move caused resentment within the Zhao family, it won the sincere admiration of the people of Dahuang.

Zhao Changying once found his daughter and said with a deep sigh, "Yan'er, do you really want to leave no way out for yourself?

"You don't have the world-shaking cultivation of the previous emperor yet, but you have already offended too many people. When the young master comes of age, if a new saint or true lord appears in the Great Wilderness and stands against you and settles accounts with you, how will you respond? After all, the family is your way out!"

Hearing her father's advice, Zhao Yan looked calm, but her tone was full of unshakable determination: "The existence of aristocratic families is no longer suitable for this era.

“If he wants to make Dahuang run efficiently and develop rapidly according to his vision, he must completely eradicate the local clans, bring local power and resources back to the court, and unify them under the control of the central government.

"The Zhao family has done him a favor, and he cannot do it himself out of consideration for their old friendship. But I can complete this unfinished mission on his behalf.

"Besides, if it weren't for him, the Zhao family wouldn't even exist in this world."

As she spoke, Zhao Yan's thoughts drifted back to thousands of years ago.

At that time, she was still a girl named "Xi". She witnessed her master descending from the sky, killing ghosts and monsters, and leading her on the path of cultivation.

However, not long afterwards, the master's figure finally dissipated in her arms like smoke - this scene became her eternal nightmare.

That is why, after meeting him again in this life, she was determined to hold on to him at all costs, fearing that he would leave again and throw her into endless loneliness.

Unexpectedly, he finally chose to go away, leaving her alone in this world.

"If Qingyan grows up and can take charge of the country, I will just go with him and reunite with him in another world." Zhao Yan often thought like this silently when she was alone.

The world without Gu Xu is too desolate and lonely.

Even though she was a fire spirit, she often shivered in the endless darkness.

The "Holy Fire Totem" on her body was a mark left by him personally.

So she often hugged herself at night, feeling the last warmth he left in the world.