From the fake emperor to the concubine

"What suggestion?"

"I think we should consider training more strong individuals," Zheng Tianming said seriously. "Although we won today's battle, it also exposed our manpower shortage. If the enemy had more numbers, we would have had a very difficult time dealing with them."

These words struck a chord with Zheng Tianhao.

Although the Zheng family members are individually stronger, their numbers remain a weakness. They will still struggle against a large-scale siege.

“But cultivating strong individuals is not something that can be done overnight,” Zheng Tianhao said with a wry smile.

“I know, but we can recruit from outside,” Zheng Tianming said. “There are many independent cultivators in the cultivation world. They are quite strong, but lack resources and cultivation techniques. We can consider recruiting some reliable independent cultivators, providing them with cultivation resources, and having them serve the Zheng family.”

“That’s a good idea, but the key is how to determine its reliability,” Zheng Tianhao said, frowning.

“We can take our time; there’s no need to rush,” Zheng Tianming said. “We can start with the rogue cultivators who participated in today’s battle, observing their character and loyalty.”

"Okay, you'll be in charge of this," Zheng Tianhao nodded. "But remember, better to have fewer but better people; we absolutely cannot let anyone with ill intentions infiltrate."

"I see."

The two chatted for a while longer before Zheng Tianming left.

Zheng Tianhao sat alone in the council chamber, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Today's victory brought him comfort, but also immense pressure. The Zheng family has risen again, but the road ahead remains fraught with difficulties.

The Demon Heart Sect is just the beginning; many more challenges await them in the future.

"Ancestor, you must be safe and sound," Zheng Tianhao prayed silently in his heart.

Meanwhile, in a guest room in the backyard of the Zheng family, Zhang Yunfan was recuperating under the care of Wei Siling.

“Master, the Zheng family treats us very well,” Wei Siling said as she changed Zhang Yunfan’s dressing.

“Yes, Zheng Tianhao is indeed a good person,” Zhang Yunfan nodded. “However, we can’t let our guard down, after all, we are outsiders.”

"Should we stay?" Wei Siling asked.

Zhang Yunfan pondered for a moment, then said, "Let's stay here for a while. My injuries need time to heal. Besides, I have a feeling that an even bigger storm is coming."

"An even bigger storm?"

"Yes, today's battle is just an appetizer. The real show is yet to come." A profound light flashed in Zhang Yunfan's eyes.

The Demon Heart Gate, deep within Ghost Valley.

The night was as dark as ink, and the entire valley was shrouded in a thick, eerie atmosphere, so dark that even the moonlight could not penetrate the deathly silence. Strange, black stones were scattered throughout the valley, emanating an unsettling aura, as if countless wronged souls were wailing within.

Inside the main hall of the Demon Heart Sect, Qi Yang sat in the main seat with a gloomy expression, his hands gripping the armrests of the chair so tightly that his nails almost dug into the wood.

Before him knelt several disciples, trembling all over. These were survivors who had escaped from the Zheng family.

"Say it again, what exactly happened to the Zheng family?" Qi Yang's voice was deep and thunderous, every word filled with suppressed anger.

"Reporting to the Sect Master, we followed your orders and cooperated with the Ten Thousand Blades Sect and Flying Eagle Pavilion to attack the Zheng family," a disciple said tremblingly. "At first, everything went smoothly, and we quickly broke through the Zheng family's defensive formation. We thought we could win easily..."

"And then?" Qi Yang urged impatiently.

"Then...then the Zheng family suddenly became incredibly powerful, each of them far surpassing our expectations." The disciple swallowed hard. "Especially Zheng Chengbai, who, despite being just an insignificant member of the family, could easily kill a late-stage Foundation Establishment expert."

“And then there’s Zheng Tianhao,” another disciple continued, “his battle with Ling Xiaoyun, the leader of the Ten Thousand Blades Sect, was like a god descending to earth. In the end, Ling Xiaoyun even summoned the phantom of an ancient demon god, but he was still defeated by Zheng Tianhao.”

"What?!" Qi Yang jumped to his feet, disbelief flashing in his eyes. "Ling Xiaoyun is dead?"

"Yes, Sect Master. Sect Master Ling Xiaoyun is dead in battle, and the Ten Thousand Blades Sect is almost completely wiped out. Although Pavilion Master Yu Xinghai of the Flying Eagle Pavilion managed to escape, he was also seriously injured."

"Damn it!" Qi Yang slammed his hand on the table, instantly turning the hard wooden surface into dust. "How could this be? How could the Zheng family possibly have such power?"

Qi Yang paced back and forth, his expression shifting. He had originally thought this operation was foolproof, after all, the Zheng family had been in decline for so many years, and even if the legendary ancestor really existed, it was impossible for him to transform the entire Zheng family in such a short time.

But the outcome has completely exceeded his expectations.

"Sect Master, there's one more thing," a disciple said hesitantly.

"What else?" Qi Yang looked at him coldly.

"It's said that the ancestor of the Zheng family has truly appeared," the disciple said, his voice trembling. "He used some kind of divine power through Zheng Tianhao to directly suppress the phantom of the ancient demon god. That kind of pressure was simply not a power that should exist in the mortal realm."

Upon hearing this, Qi Yang's expression turned even more unpleasant.

If the Zheng family truly has such an ancestor, then things become extremely complicated.

"You may all leave now, and keep your mouths shut. If even a single word of what happened today gets out, I'll kill you all!" Qi Yang said coldly.

"Yes!" The disciples, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, quickly withdrew.

Once Qi Yang was the only one left in the main hall, he sat heavily back in his seat and fell into deep thought.

"Vice Sect Master, please come in," Qi Yang suddenly said.

As soon as he finished speaking, a middle-aged man dressed in a black robe emerged from the shadows. This man was none other than Chu Yuehua, the vice sect leader of the Demon Heart Sect, Qi Yang's confidant and strategist.

"Sect Leader, the situation is worse than we imagined," Chu Yuehua said with a grave expression.

"You heard it too?" Qi Yang asked.

"Yes, and I also received other news." Chu Yuehua nodded. "The Ten Thousand Blades Sect was almost wiped out, and the survivors have scattered and fled. The Flying Eagle Pavilion suffered heavy losses, and Yu Xinghai is critically injured and on the verge of death; he certainly won't be able to participate in any operations for the time being."

“I know all that, but the key question is, just how powerful is the Zheng family?” Qi Yang asked, frowning.

“Based on my analysis, the changes in the Zheng family this time are definitely not accidental,” Chu Yuehua said in a deep voice. “They must have obtained some kind of powerful inheritance, and the level of this inheritance far exceeds our imagination.”

"You mean that legendary ancestor?"

"Very likely," Chu Yuehua nodded. "To be able to suppress the phantom of an ancient demon god, such strength is at least at the late Golden Core stage, and possibly even a Nascent Soul stage expert."

Upon hearing this speculation, Qi Yang's expression turned extremely ugly.

If the Zheng family truly has a Nascent Soul stage ancestor, then their Demon Heart Sect is nothing more than an ant in comparison.

"No, if he really was a Nascent Soul stage expert, how could he have allowed the Zheng family to decline to this extent?" Qi Yang suddenly realized something. "I think there must be something wrong with this ancestor. Either he was seriously injured, or he has some other limitations."

"The sect leader's analysis makes sense," Chu Yuehua agreed. "Otherwise, with the strength of a Nascent Soul stage expert, they could have swept across the entire Xuanzhou long ago. Why wait until now?" "Then what do you think we should do now?" Qi Yang asked.

Chu Yuehua pondered for a moment, then said, "I suggest we take defensive measures immediately. The Zheng family has won a great victory this time, and they certainly won't let it go easily. We must prepare for their counterattack."

"Defense measures?" Qi Yang sneered. "Do you think our Demon Heart Sect, with its meager strength, can withstand the Zheng family's retaliation?"

"Sect Leader, we're not going to fight the Zheng family head-on," Chu Yuehua explained. "The key is to buy time."

"Buying time?"

“Yes, stall for time.” A glint of light flashed in Chu Yuehua’s eyes. “I suspect that the Zheng family patriarch’s condition is unstable, and his actions today may have been forced. If we can buy some time, the situation might change.”

Qi Yang felt somewhat relieved after hearing this.

“Furthermore, we can also contact other forces,” Chu Yuehua continued. “The Zheng family’s strength this time has been astonishing, which will definitely arouse the suspicion of other forces. We can take this opportunity to unite more forces to deal with the Zheng family together.”

“That’s a good idea,” Qi Yang nodded. “Which forces do you think might cooperate with us?”

"First, there's the Blood Fiend Sect; they've always had conflicts with the Zheng family. Second, there's the Heavenly Serpent Sect; I've heard they're currently looking for new territory. And then there are some independent cultivator organizations; they're willing to do anything for enough benefits."

“Alright, you take care of this,” Qi Yang decided. “Remember, be extremely careful and don’t let the Zheng family discover our movements.”

“Understood.” Chu Yuehua nodded. “What about defense?”

"Immediately activate the sect's grand formation, and all disciples must enter a state of combat readiness," Qi Yang ordered. "Furthermore, recall all the elite troops currently on missions outside."

“Yes,” Chu Yuehua replied, “However, Sect Master, there is something I must remind you of.”

"What's up?"

“Our Demon Heart Sect wasn’t strong to begin with, and we’ve lost a lot of manpower this time. If the Zheng family really comes knocking, I’m afraid we’ll have a hard time resisting them,” Chu Yuehua said worriedly.

“I know,” Qi Yang said in a deep voice, “so I’ve decided to go into seclusion for a period of time to try and break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage.”

"Seclusion?" Chu Yuehua was taken aback. "Sect Master, isn't it too risky to go into seclusion at this time?"

“Not going into seclusion is the real risk,” Qi Yang shook his head. “With my current strength, even if Zheng Tianhao came alone, I might not be a match for him. Only by breaking through to the late Foundation Establishment stage will I have a fighting chance.”

Chu Yuehua thought for a moment, then finally nodded in agreement: "The sect leader is right. How long do you plan to go into seclusion?"

"At most a month," Qi Yang said. "I feel I'm only a hair's breadth away from a breakthrough, and a month should be enough."

"What about the sect affairs during this period?"

"I'm leaving this to you. Remember, prioritize safety above all else; do not act rashly," Qi Yang instructed.

The two discussed some more details before Chu Yuehua left.

Qi Yang sat alone in the main hall, gazing at the darkness outside the door, his feelings complicated.

He originally thought this operation was an excellent opportunity to completely eliminate the Zheng family, a potential threat, and at the same time gain access to the wealth and resources accumulated by the Zheng family.

Unexpectedly, their attempt to steal a chicken backfired, and instead of eliminating the Zheng family, they allowed them to rise to power.

"The Zheng family... do you think you've won already?" A ruthless glint flashed in Qi Yang's eyes. "This is just the beginning."

After saying that, he got up and walked towards the back hall, preparing to begin his secluded cultivation.

The next morning, the entire Demon Heart Sect was on edge.

"All disciples, heed my command!" Chu Yuehua stood in the center of the plaza, her voice booming throughout the valley, "From this day forward, the sect enters a state of high alert!"

"Activate the mountain protection formation! Set up multiple checkpoints at all entrances and exits!"

"Disciples who are out of the sect must be recalled immediately; no one is allowed to leave the sect without permission!"

"Each hall master must immediately take stock of manpower and resources, and prepare for a long-term defense!"

As orders were relayed, the entire Demon Heart Sect sprang into action.

Although the disciples did not understand exactly what had happened, they could sense an impending crisis from the tense expressions of the higher-ups.

"Vice Sect Master, the mountain-protecting formation has been activated," an elder rushed in to report.

“Very good.” Chu Yuehua nodded. “What are the arrangements for the patrol team?”

"Everything has been arranged; each key location is guarded."

"Yes, remember, we must not let our guard down during this period," Chu Yuehua instructed.

While the Demon Heart Sect was preparing for battle, other forces in the cultivation world also began to make moves.

Blood Fiend Sect.

"What? The Zheng family has risen again?" Blood Fiend Sect Master Xue Wuyai's face showed a shocked expression after hearing the news.

"Yes, Sect Master. It is said that the Ten Thousand Blades Sect was almost wiped out, and the Flying Eagle Pavilion also suffered heavy losses," the disciple who came to report said.

Xue Wuyai fell into deep thought. The Blood Fiend Sect and the Zheng family did indeed have some past grievances, but those were things of the past. If the Zheng family truly rose to power again, he wouldn't mind turning hostility into friendship.

"Sect Master, should we..." an elder asked tentatively.

"Let's observe for a while longer," Xue Wuyai waved his hand and said, "It's too early to draw conclusions."

Heavenly Serpent Sect.

"Interesting, truly interesting." The Heavenly Serpent Sect Master, Venomous Serpent Lord, smiled knowingly upon hearing the news. "I never imagined the Zheng family possessed such a hidden strength."

"Sect Master, should we cooperate with the Demon Heart Sect?" the Deputy Sect Master asked.

"Cooperation?" Viper Lord sneered. "That idiot Qi Yang caused this trouble himself, why should we suffer along with him?"

"Then we..."

"Do nothing, just observe," said Serpent King, waving his hand. "Let them fight like dogs."

Each faction had its own agenda, and Chu Yuehua's liaison work did not progress smoothly.

Most factions adopted a wait-and-see attitude, unwilling to take sides at this time. After all, the Zheng family's current strength was far too great, and it would be unwise to rashly antagonize them. (End of Chapter)