It's time to become a fairy.

Only when the appointed time arrived did the master of ceremonies announce in the hall: "The ceremony has begun. Silence!"

In an instant, the entire ceremony site fell silent, even the sound of telepathy disappeared. Ancient and solemn ceremonial music began to play, and everyone's face was filled with solemnity as they followed the procedures arranged by the Ministry of Rites to carry out the pre-coronation ceremony.

The description of the late emperor's achievements, the condemnation of the traitorous Emperor Taihuang's deeds... By the time the previous steps were completed, an hour had already passed.

"The formalities are complete, the new emperor ascends the throne!"

A loud and authoritative voice rang out from the officials behind, and one after another, the voice echoed throughout the entire Lingxiao Palace.

The ceremonial music that resounded from all directions grew even brighter and more magnificent. One after another, strongmen stood on the high walls, blowing huge horns that were half a head taller than themselves. Strange phenomena were faintly emerging on the horizon. The water of the Jade Pool outside the Lingxiao Palace gurgled, and the scales on the pillar dragons in the main hall shimmered... Changes flashed from all directions of the Heavenly Court, waiting for the moment when the new emperor officially ascended the throne, when countless strange phenomena would erupt as a gift.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Ye Qingge, dressed in the imperial robes, strolled out from behind. Behind her was a long, floor-length bright yellow cloak, engraved with the special symbols unique to the Emperor. Two maids stood on either side of the red carpet on the ground, closely following behind Ye Qingge as she walked towards the center of the Lingxiao Palace.

Having experienced the Empress's ascension to the throne and Feng Lingxiu's rise to the position of sect leader, Ye Qingge was already quite adept at the matter of ascending the throne. With a dignified expression, she walked step by step on the red carpet toward the center.

Compared to her previous two coronations, the ceremony for the former emperor's ascension was much more elaborate. When she arrived at the foot of the throne, countless celestial officials at the back knelt down to pay their respects, while those at the front, according to their rank and status, displayed different ranks and shouted in unison, "The auspicious time has arrived! Please, new emperor, ascend the throne!"

"The late emperor's mother died young, and the rebellious Emperor Taihuang wreaked havoc on the court, burying all the concubines and other members of the royal family left by the father in order to consolidate his throne... His actions are simply outrageous and unforgivable!"

Ye Qingge ascended the steps one by one. When she arrived in front of the throne, she turned around and, following the pre-arranged procedure, said with a sorrowful expression: "In this era, there is the rebellious Taihuang causing chaos outside. First, he plotted to usurp the throne, and then he declared himself emperor, completely disregarding the legitimacy of the Heavenly Court; inside, there are countless hidden dangers and contradictions left by the traitor Taihuang during his usurpation."

"Beset by external and internal troubles, and with the court in chaos, I, though of meager talent and virtue, have been entrusted by the late Emperor and loved by all my ministers, which has given me the opportunity to inherit the throne. Before ascending to the throne of the Heavenly Emperor, I made a promise to Heaven and Earth, and to all living beings, that as long as I remain on the throne, I will fight for the legitimacy of the Heavenly Court, fight for the death of the late Emperor, quell internal hidden dangers and conflicts, and suppress the rebellion of the Taihuang rebel, so as to rectify the Heavenly Court's order... Heaven and Earth bear witness to this, and I will not rest until my death!"

Solemn voices echoed throughout the venue, and Ye Qingge's aura gradually became imposing. The Heavenly God Transformation was quietly activated, and under its majesty, her aura became stronger than ever before. Combined with the imperial robes she wore, the fusion of their auras gave people a feeling of being a sovereign who could not be looked at directly.

Below, countless celestial officials wore solemn and moved expressions, preparing to continue to invite Ye Qingge to ascend the throne according to etiquette, when a sudden voice rang out: "Your Majesty speaks eloquently of pacifying internal conflicts and hidden dangers, but how can we be sure that Your Majesty will not treat us as you did with Taihuang?"

This voice was extremely abrupt and completely outside the established protocol, instantly attracting the attention of countless celestial officials.

The speaker was a burly leader of the Zhu Yan clan, with a face resembling an ape, whose cultivation had reached the third level of the Dao Realm. Facing the countless gazes of people, some angry and some amused, his expression remained unchanged. He simply looked at Ye Qingge calmly and said, "During the reign of the traitor Taihuang, he used ruthless methods against all the races of heaven and earth!"

"Your Majesty forced all races to sign unequal treaties and established countless discriminatory Heavenly Rules. If Your Majesty's actions are consistent with those of the traitor Taihuang, how can you be considered a true hidden threat of internal conflict? I wonder if Your Majesty can give us an explanation and an answer!"

Ye Qingge looked over and saw that the leader of the Zhu Yan clan spoke with firmness and strength, and his eyes were unusually resolute, as if he had gone all out. Immediately, the voices of the clan leaders of the myriad races echoed in support, causing the officials who were about to reprimand him to swallow their words and look at the Zhu Yan clan leader who had made the move with suspicion and uncertainty. This was obviously premeditated!

If it were just one or two people, it would be fine; they could be suppressed on the grounds of disrupting the ceremony. However, there are too many clan leaders who have spoken out. If there is no suitable explanation, the matter may escalate and affect the normal conduct of the entire ceremony.

"Is the contingency plan left behind by Taihuang finally starting to take effect?"

Ye Qingge watched this scene calmly. Under the perception of the Heavenly God Transformation, the clan leaders who took the lead revealed a strange aura that was deeply hidden. Combined with their current actions, it was not difficult to guess their motives.

A murderous intent gradually rose in her heart, but on the surface she showed a cheerful smile and spread her palms: "So this is what Chief Zhu Yan and the other chiefs are worried about. If that's the reason, you don't need to worry."

"Although my father is the Heavenly Emperor, my mother is a member of the Qingqiu Fox Clan, and I also have the blood of the demon race flowing through my veins. During the rebellion of the traitor Taihuang, he slaughtered the entire Qingqiu Fox Clan and framed my father's death by pinning it on my mother."

"You have suffered injustice, but have you ever faced the calamity of your clan's extermination? You have faced the suppression of heavenly soldiers, but have you ever faced the despair of being framed and hunted down by all races of heaven and earth? Can the things you have described compare to what I have experienced?"

Fox tails quietly appeared behind Ye Qingge, adding an eerie aura to the sacred and majestic imperial presence. However, under Ye Qingge's display, the two conflicting auras were perfectly blended, giving people an indescribable sense of amazement.

She looked up at the sky, her eyes ethereal: "As for the actions of the traitor Taihuang, I am far more resentful than you. Today, thanks to the favor of all the celestial officials and my father, I have the opportunity to ascend the throne. How could I possibly repeat the actions of the traitor Taihuang and commit such acts that anger both heaven and man?"

A strange light flashed in the eyes of the Zhu Yan clan chief. He had thought he could use this opportunity to make things difficult for Ye Qingge, or at least use this reason to negotiate with Ye Qingge, thereby dividing more autonomy and weakening the Emperor's control over the myriad races, thus paving the way for Taihuang's next plan. He did not expect Ye Qingge to refute him from this angle.

He took a deep breath, countless thoughts flashing through his mind, and continued, "Your Majesty's past experiences are indeed heartbreaking, but this answer is not enough. It is not uncommon in the myriad realms for victims to oppress even more severely after they have come to power. I beg Your Majesty to give us a clear explanation. Otherwise, we will find it difficult to have peace of mind, and we fear that what happened during the usurpation of the throne by the traitor Taihuang will happen again!"

These words are quite sharp!

The gazes of countless celestial officials toward the Zhu Yan clan chief had changed. An invisible killing intent enveloped the Zhu Yan clan chief, but he showed no fear on his face. Instead, he became even more determined as he stared at Ye Qingge.

What he didn't know was that his words, which he intended to use to negotiate with Ye Qingge, were exactly what Ye Qingge wanted to hear.

She smiled and said, "The matters concerning Chief Zhu Yan are also the focus of my discussion next!"

Chapter 104 Establishing a Destiny for the People, a Sage Ruler for All Ages

Chief Zhu Yan felt a sudden jolt in his heart. His keen intuition told him that something was wrong; he might have fallen into Ye Qingge's verbal manipulation, but it was too late to correct him.

"It is because I have personally experienced prejudice between different races that I know how powerful prejudice can be; it is because I have suffered unfair treatment due to prejudice that I know how agonizing and difficult it is to break free from such treatment..."

Ye Qingge stood with her hands behind her back, gazing at the vast sky. Her face revealed a complex expression, a mixture of reminiscence, grief, and resentment. Her calm voice resounded in the Lingxiao Palace, yet it gave the immortals a deafening feeling.

"Prejudice in people's hearts is like a mountain, especially racial prejudice. Different races define other races in a narrow way, but this narrow definition tends to generalize. Once they know the narrow definition, they apply it to everyone in their race and assume that everyone is like that."

"For many years, such prejudices and biases have led to racial conflicts and countless injustices. One should not advise others to be magnanimous without experiencing their suffering; many superior races are unaware of this, pointing fingers and drawing conclusions without ever having witnessed others' experiences, ultimately escalating the conflict to the point of racial conflict..."

"Since Chief Zhu Yan mentioned this matter, let me tell you what I will do after I ascend the throne."

Ye Qingge suddenly turned his gaze from the sky to the leaders of all races and said, "From the day I ascend the throne, I will dedicate myself to eliminating conflicts and prejudices among all races. The Heavenly Court will be open to all races under heaven, and people will be appointed according to their abilities."

"We welcome ambitious individuals from all races to join the Heavenly Court. Those with ability, regardless of race, will have the opportunity to enter the halls of power and hold high positions. This is one of our priorities!"

She then turned her gaze to the patriarch of the Zhu Yan clan and said, "The patriarch of the Zhu Yan clan once said that when Taihuang was imposing iron-fisted oppression on all races of heaven and earth, he forced them to sign unequal treaties. From this day forward, all treaties signed by Taihuang will be abolished. From this day forward, all intelligent beings of heaven and earth will be treated equally and will jointly abide by the laws of the Heavenly Court!"

"On this basis, a leader will be selected from among all races to act on behalf of the Heavenly Court in managing the laws of their respective races. They can promulgate corresponding laws for all races based on the laws of the Heavenly Court, but the laws they implement cannot exceed the laws of the Heavenly Court. They can only be implemented after obtaining the consent of the Heavenly Court. The Heavenly Court will send an inspection team to check this matter from time to time to ensure absolute fairness and openness. This is the second point."

Taking a deep breath, Ye Qingge finally turned her gaze to the doctors and celestial officials in charge of education in the Heavenly Court, and said, "Anyone with ambition from all races can join the Heavenly Court, but whether they can become a celestial official in the Heavenly Court still needs to pass the examination."

"From this day forward, the imperial examination system will be implemented. Whether human, demon, ghost, or any other race in the world, anyone who wishes to join the Heavenly Court and become a celestial official must pass the imperial examination system in order to be ranked among the immortals. This is the third point!"

"However, since this is an assessment, there must be a unified and suitable standard. This standard will be established through future deliberations, and I will personally participate in its formulation, providing a standard that all races in the world can work together towards. But once this standard is established, all races in the world must base their actions on this standard; otherwise, they will be considered to have forfeited their opportunity to become celestial officials..."

"..."

Ye Qingge recited the regulations one by one, most of which were measures to allow all races to enter the Heavenly Court, as well as related restrictions.

In the current environment of the Heavenly Court, although Su Qing'er inherited the throne and gained the support of most people, the Northern Emperor Heavenly Court established by the traitor Taihuang should not be underestimated. Although the overall strength of the Heavenly Court is not as strong as that of Su Qing'er's Heavenly Court, it has the advantage of unprecedented cohesion!

Every member was a trusted confidant personally trained by the traitorous Emperor Taihuang. In comparison, although Su Qing'er's Heavenly Court was much stronger than Taihuang's, its cohesion was not high. The Underworld Lord only helped Su Qing'er because of Consort Su's backup plan. Afterwards, because of Ye Qingge's words, the Underworld Lord regarded Su Qing'er as a like-minded friend and could be considered Su Qing'er's person.

As a legitimate member of the Heavenly Court, Su Qing'er can rely on Consort Su's backup plan among the celestial officials, as well as the celestial officials left behind by the late emperor. However, the situation is uncertain regarding the remaining neutral celestial officials, and the myriad races of heaven and earth that could potentially cause chaos at any time pose considerable trouble.

If it were simply to quell the calamities of the myriad races of heaven and earth, it wouldn't be difficult for Ye Qingge. However, given Su Qing'er's current situation, it's uncertain how long it would take for her to free up her resources to deal with Taihuang. If she could truly take control of the myriad races of heaven and earth and significantly enhance the cohesion of the Heavenly Court, then things would be different!

Once Su Qing'er truly masters the immense power of all races in the world, she won't even need to lift a finger in the future. If Taihuang makes the slightest move, all races in the world can tear Taihuang apart by joining forces!

When the last sentence of the regulation was finished, the patriarchs and leaders of most of the myriad races were already breathing heavily.

The reason why the myriad races of heaven and earth are frequently in turmoil is because Taihuang has established too many unequal treaties, and coupled with the instigation of the remaining direct descendants, many races have developed resentment towards the Heavenly Court. However, when Ye Qingge presented sufficient reasons and expressed her willingness to accommodate all races, many people's thoughts changed.

On one hand, there was the risk of extermination that they might face if they resisted the Heavenly Court; on the other hand, there were the generous conditions offered by Su Qing'er, who symbolized the legitimacy of the Heavenly Court, and the possibility that the outcome might even be better than their resistance, which was enough to make them suppress their little thoughts.

Compared to the others, among the leaders of all races, the resolute expression on the face of the Zhu Yan clan chief finally crumbled, turning deathly pale.

The reason he dared to bring this up openly was because the Heavenly Court's busy schedule over the past month had occupied the full attention of Su Qing'er and countless celestial officials. He believed that even if Su Qing'er and the Heavenly Court officials had made arrangements for all races, they wouldn't be particularly detailed or impressive.

If he could bring this up now, standing on the side of all races and gaining their support, he could easily win over the clan leaders to his side temporarily. This would allow him to negotiate with Su Qing'er and obtain more favorable terms. If successful, he would become a hero of all races. Even if his current actions were outrageous, at least for the time being, Su Qing'er wouldn't dare to act rashly against him. But later… there would be no later!

If things had gone wrong, he would have already led his people to flee to the Northern Heavenly Court of Taihuang. It would have been too late for Su Qing'er to make a move.

To his surprise, Su Qing'er, under Ye Qingge's control, directly proposed such a bold and amazing arrangement. In doing so, his actions actually benefited Su Qing'er, allowing her to gain the moral high ground and elevate her reputation to an unprecedented level!

Many clan leaders shared similar thoughts with Zhu Yan. As Taihuang's hidden agents among the leaders of all races, those who stood up to support Zhu Yan's clan leader now looked grim. This time, without the protection of righteousness, and having openly offended the new emperor who held the moral high ground… the outcome was already predictable!

Taking in the expressions of Zhu Yan and the other clan leaders, a cold glint flashed in Ye Qingge's eyes, which she quickly concealed. She took a deep breath and concluded her speech: "To establish a heart for heaven and earth, to establish a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of the past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations... This is my life's philosophy, and I will uphold it throughout my life. I hope that you, my beloved ministers, will lend me your assistance!"

She clasped her hands together as if to bow, but before she could even make a move, all the celestial officials below had already prostrated themselves in unison.

"Eliminating racial prejudices and ushering in an era of lasting peace... This is an unprecedented feat in history. Your Majesty's magnanimity is the greatest I have ever seen. This action and this deed deserve the title of a great ruler for all time!"

The Underworld King bowed deeply to the ground, his words filled with emotion, and respectfully said, "From this day forward, this old minister will do his utmost to help Your Majesty realize your ideals and clear away any obstacles in Your Majesty's path!"

Among the doctors, one doctor, with tears streaming down his face, murmured: "To establish a heart for heaven and earth, to establish a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of the past sages, to usher in an era of peace for all generations... These are sacred words, these are sacred words. Your Majesty will surely become a wise ruler for all ages. Your subject will dedicate your life to helping Your Majesty and to making this a world that Your Majesty envisions."

"It is rare for anyone to understand the plight of our myriad races. Based solely on Your Majesty's words, I will lead my race to follow Your Majesty to the death and obey Your Majesty's every command from now on." A patriarch of the myriad races with a human head and a snake's body said excitedly, his eyes filled with shock and excitement.

In an era rife with prejudice and discrimination, weakness is the original sin.

Without sufficient cultivation techniques and abundant resources, a race cannot even cultivate a second Dao Realm expert; any resistance is no match for a casual crush. In such an era, the emergence of a Heavenly Emperor who dares to pave the way for advancement for all races is enough to garner the support of countless races.

One by one, the chieftains and leaders of various races, and the celestial officials, all bowed in respect. Nearly 30,000 immortals and gods in the entire Lingxiao Palace did the same, creating a magnificent scene. Perhaps some immortals and gods had their own thoughts, but with the situation already settled, they dared not reveal their intentions.

啪踏

The clan leaders, including Zhu Yan, who had previously only been pale-faced, suddenly collapsed to the ground. When Ye Qingge finished speaking, they knew it was utterly irreversible.

This statement and the final action were like a final, decisive blow, integrating everything said before and unleashing unprecedented power. This could be seen from the reactions of the celestial officials in the Heavenly Court and the countless clan leaders who came to the Heavenly Court. Su Qing'er had gained the upper hand and successfully seized the moral high ground. If no accident had occurred that revealed a flaw, the hearts of the people in the Heavenly Court would never have been shaken!

"It's over, completely over. The opportunity to put pressure on the Emperor has been missed. So... is that the only option left?"

Chief Zhu Yan murmured to himself, glancing at the other chiefs and leaders of the major clans who shared the same expression.

They were all clan leaders of the Taihuang faction, among the first group of people from all races to be gathered by Taihuang upon his ascension to the throne. They had received many benefits promised by Taihuang and had even practiced the same cultivation techniques as Taihuang. They were already deeply imprinted with Taihuang's mark and could not possibly submit to Ye Qingge like other clan leaders and chiefs.

Since the plan has failed, the only option left is to try and combine the two plans to make a comeback!

A fierce glint appeared in the eyes of the dozen or so clan chiefs and leaders. Taking advantage of the crowd's excitement, they concealed their auras one by one, gradually diminishing their presence.

At this moment, the celestial officials had recovered from their initial shock. One of the officials was the first to react, and he shouted, "Your subject, Cha Hexuan, will swear to support Your Majesty to the death. I humbly request Your Majesty to ascend the throne!"

"Your subject, Wei Gaoyi, will become Your Majesty's blade, vowing to defend Your Majesty's ideals to the death. I beseech Your Majesty to ascend the throne!"

"Your Majesty, I beseech you to ascend the throne!"

"..."

With the etiquette official Cha Hexuan taking the lead, countless celestial officials realized that Ye Qingge had only reached the stage of promoting his ideas before ascending the throne, and the most crucial step of ascending to the throne had not yet taken place!

The immortals and gods quickly returned to their original positions and postures, their faces solemn, and their eyes no longer held the previous disdain, truly acknowledging Su Qing'er's status as the Empress.

The myriad races of the heavens have always been a major force that the Heavenly Court finds difficult to control. Even the two previous Heavenly Emperors could only try to appease them and suppress them with powerful force to prevent them from rebelling, and restrict them with heavenly rules and laws. This reached its extreme during the reign of the rebellious Emperor Taihuang, when they were simply blatant. There was no one like Ye Qingge who had gathered the hearts and minds of the people.

Of course, the previous emperors also played a part in this, but the new emperor Su Qing'er, who has gathered the hearts and minds of most of the myriad races in the world, is enough to make any celestial official no longer look down on her and truly solidify her position as emperor.

Taking in everyone's expressions, Ye Qingge smiled slightly and calmly took her seat on the throne of the Heavenly Emperor.

In an instant, all the previously unseen phenomena erupted. The entire Heavenly Court was covered with auspicious clouds, colorful phoenixes danced in the sky, and birds and beasts symbolizing good fortune followed closely behind; countless aquatic beasts leaped out of the Jade Pool, and dragon turtles and black tortoises poked their heads out, letting out deep roars of celebration.

Purple clouds rose from the east, stars danced, and vast celestial light descended upon the Lingxiao Palace, forming a seven-colored aurora. The extraordinary celestial phenomenon finally descended upon the entire Lingxiao Palace; the dragon pillars and the celestial beasts on the beams within the palace also let out joyous cries of celebration.

The solemn and majestic celestial music, under the direction of the Heavenly Court's officials, gradually transformed into light and bright melodies, changing the overall atmosphere of the Heavenly Court's Lingxiao Palace from the solemnity before the coronation to the jubilation after the coronation, with all beings celebrating together!

The most solemn and dignified ceremony has passed; now it's time for the celebrations.

As Ye Qingge sat on the throne, celebrating with his ministers, a murderous glint suddenly flashed in his eyes when he glanced at the clan leaders, including the Zhu Yan clan leader, who were gradually disappearing into the shadows. He then concealed his murderous intent.

"This tune is not cheerful enough. I recently learned a tune, so let me play a truly celestial melody for you all."

She revealed a hearty smile, waved her hand, and the ancient zither from the Demon-Slaying Sacred Weapon appeared on the imperial desk in front of the emperor's throne.

The celestial music that had been resounding throughout the entire Lingxiao Palace suddenly stopped. Countless celestial officials curiously turned around, and the Underworld King exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty can also play the guqin?"

"On the way to the Heavenly Court, I played a tune. I can't say I'm an expert, I only have a basic understanding... So I'll make a fool of myself with it!"

Ye Qingge smiled slightly, and with a thought, the Heavenly God Transformation that had already been activated in her body suddenly reached its limit, but it remained stuck at the peak of the seventh level and never stepped into the eighth level.

A phantom halo appeared behind his head, and the transformed divine power gathered at his fingertips, coalescing into divine armor plates. With a gentle touch of the guqin, a melodious tune echoed throughout the Lingxiao Palace.