I just reached the maximum level, and you want me to be a puppet emperor?

Chapter 720 Li Chen really got all the benefits! (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)
Li Chen was also adept at seizing opportunities. Occasionally, he would appear before the carriage, dressed in a mysterious witch's robe, his face shrouded in a mysterious aura. He would use simple spells and utter a few platitudes about "protecting believers" and "stopping the fighting," which would excite the people and cause their faith to gather wildly.

The scene didn't resemble a life-or-death struggle between two opposing sides at all. Instead, it looked like a powerful overlord, Tian Ce, expressing his high regard and respect for another revered sage, Wu Zu!

Because of the existence of the "Witch Ancestor," the land and people under his protection enjoyed temporary peace.

Hidden in the shadows, Ivan and Romanov watched this scene, which had completely deviated from their script. Their expressions changed from initial anticipation to astonishment, then to lividity, and finally to deathly ashes.

The life-or-death struggle between the two tigers they imagined never happened. Instead, it turned into a one-sided "courtesy" and "recognition" of the "Witch Ancestor" by the Tian Ce Army!
Their painstakingly designed and supposedly unsolvable scheme now appears so ridiculous and clumsy. Not only did it fail to harm the "Witch Ancestor" in the slightest, but it also gave away a large amount of land for nothing. Although it was temporarily occupied by Tian Ce, it was nominally the Witch Ancestor's fiefdom.

This greatly enhanced the prestige of the "Witch Ancestor" among the people and solidified his status as a "guardian deity"!

This is truly a case of losing both wife and army, or even losing wife and land!

As Ivan thought of this, a sweet taste rose in his throat, and he almost vomited blood.

All their scheming and expectations became stepping stones to highlight the unfathomable depth and majesty of the "Witch Ancestor".

Meanwhile, Li Chen, in the convoy, felt immense satisfaction as he sensed the fervent faith around him and the likely exasperated expressions of his two old rivals in the distance.

He, the Emperor of Heavenly Strategy, transformed into the Great Luo Witch Ancestor, and was recognized by all the people as the Witch Ancestor.

He also received fiefdoms "given away" by powerful nobles of the Great Luo Dynasty, won the hearts of the people, enjoyed the company of beauties, and outwitted his opponents. He gained all the benefits and suffered no losses whatsoever. This trip south couldn't have been more perfect.

The news reached Sergei's ears as quickly as it could be.

When Sergei heard the detailed scene of how the Tian Ce Army stopped fighting and the generals bowed in salute wherever the "Witch Ancestor" went, he was deeply moved.

He was taken aback at first, but then he couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter in his study. His laughter was so hearty and unrestrained that all his worries of the past few days vanished.

Seeing this, his adjutant was filled with curiosity and admiration, and couldn't help but ask, "Your Excellency, it seems you had anticipated that Lord Wuzu would respond in this way? The Tian Ce Army really gave Lord Wuzu so much face?"

Upon hearing this, Sergei's laughter subsided, but his face still radiated pride.

He is the direct disciple of the Witch Ancestor!

Although this matter is top secret, and only a handful of people know about it, he must not reveal it to the outside world.

He recalled that his master, Li Chen, had once casually mentioned that he had "some connections" with the Emperor of Tian Ce.

He initially thought it was just a matter of powerful people knowing each other or having some interaction, never imagining that their "friendship" would be so deep!

For the infamous and unstoppable Emperor Tian Ce to cooperate so readily, almost like acting, to promote his master, this goes far beyond just "having a good relationship".
They were practically bosom friends, or rather, the Emperor of Tian Ce had great fear and even respect for his master.
Sergei could never have guessed that his revered master, whom he regarded as a god, was the same person as the powerful Emperor Tian Ce, who dominated the continent.

Seeing the curious and expectant looks in the eyes of his adjutant and several trusted generals around him, Sergei cleared his throat, a mysterious smile appearing on his face, and began to add fuel to the fire for his master's "greatness":
"I had the honor of meeting the Great Ancestor of the Witchcraft and receiving his teachings. My master was a benevolent and wise man, whose wisdom was as vast as the sea. His realm had long transcended worldly struggles. His actions were in harmony with the Way of Heaven, and his words and deeds had their own profound meaning."
Although Emperor Tian Ce was the ruler of an enemy state, he was no foolish man to command such a powerful army. Perhaps it was precisely because he sensed his master's overwhelming power and benevolent heart that he felt respect and did not wish to confront him directly, thus ordering a retreat as a sign of respect.

His words were half true and half false. They both elevated Li Chen's status as the "Ancestor of the Witches" and explained his actions as benevolent influence, while also subtly implying that Emperor Tian Ce was "pragmatic." His adjutant and generals were captivated, and their reverence for the "Ancestor of the Witches" deepened. Riding this wave of inspiration, Sergei no longer hesitated and immediately took action.

Using his power and influence as a local duke, he began to win over local tyrants, nobles, and military generals, openly and secretly building a powerful force group that leaned towards "Witch Ancestor".

This force gradually became public, beginning to rival the old regime's central leadership controlled by Ivan and Romanov, thus creating a de facto standoff.

Within the "fiefdom" under Li Chen's name, the changes were even more significant.

In the central square of almost every city, construction began on a tall and majestic statue of the "Witch Ancestor." The statue's face was blurred and shrouded in a halo, adding to its mystery.

In various places, many places called "Wuzu Temple" or "Prayer Hall" were built like mushrooms after rain. These were similar to ancestral halls for handling affairs and receiving offerings, and they were very popular.

In these places, the prestige of the "Witch Ancestor" reached its peak, and his name held a far greater place in the hearts of the common people than the distant and obscure royal family.

When people pray for favorable weather and the safety of their families, the first thing they think of is the "Wuzu" (ancestral shaman), not the emperor.

Meanwhile, in a secluded stronghold far from the hustle and bustle, Ivan's face was ashen. He slammed his fist on the table, making the cups and saucers rattle: "Ancestor! What on earth is going on?! Has the Tian Ce Army gone mad? Why are they treating that Witch Ancestor with such courtesy?! This is illogical!"

Romanov's face was so gloomy it could drip water. He remained silent for a long time before slowly exhaling a breath of stale air, his voice hoarse and carrying a barely perceptible sense of defeat: "We overlooked something, or rather, we underestimated that person's judgment."

"Who?" Ivan asked, puzzled.

“Li Chen,” Romanov spat out the name through gritted teeth. “Emperor Tian Ce, Li Chen! I should have known! This boy is as cunning as a fox, with great talent and ambition. He must have seen through our intentions, knowing that we wanted to use the Tian Ce army to eliminate the Witch Ancestor.”

He's determined to prevent us from getting our way! He ordered the army to cooperate with the shaman in this charade, precisely to thwart our plans and render all our schemes futile! He's waging a game against us from afar, deliberately opposing us at every turn!

Ivan was furious but helpless, and could only say bitterly, "Damn Li Chen! He's like a persistent ghost, always going against us!"

They were completely unaware that the "Li Chen" they spoke of and the "Witch Ancestor" who had left them helpless were the same person.

They transitioned perfectly from initially outwitting "air" to outwitting "Li Chen," an imagined adversary.

Li Chen didn't actually do anything special; they could fill in the blanks of cause and effect, motivation and strategy in their minds and believed it without a doubt.

Ivan and Romanov were deeply anxious and began to rack their brains about how to proceed with the next move, how to break the deadlock, and how to deal with the two "great enemies" of "Witch Ancestor" and "Emperor Li Chen of Tian Ce" at the same time.

However, unlike them who were racking their brains to figure out the "next step," Li Chen, far away in the south, sat in a magnificent carriage, feeling the immense power of faith gathering, listening to the intelligence coming from all sides, and a smile of complete control appeared on his lips.

He was no longer thinking about the next move, but rather how to close the net.

(End of this chapter)