The World of the Nine Provinces
The Ming Dynasty
In the Imperial Garden of the palace, Zhu Houzhao leisurely enjoyed the sweet-scented osmanthus cake that the empress personally fed to him, all while continuing to paint on his scroll.
His face wore a look of complete ease.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for lying flat for one day. You have received a random reward: Dragon God Exercise.]
His brush tip trembled slightly.
As he resumed drawing his lines, a subtle, indescribable profundity began to manifest in his strokes.
Wu Zhao, who was sitting beside him, instantly sensed it.
A flash of astonishment appeared on her stunning face.
This painting…
It felt like a real, living world.
His Majesty's cultivation had improved again.
Just painting a picture could enhance one's cultivation?
Her husband's talent was likely unmatched in the entire Nine Provinces.
After a long while, a perfect painting emerged before them.
Zhu Houzhao smiled faintly and did not seem to think much of it.
With a single thought, a virtual panel only visible to him appeared in front of his eyes.
[Lying Flat System]
[Host: Zhu Houzhao (Su Yi)]
[Age: 22]
[Cultivation: Land Immortal Realm]
[Technique: Azure Lotus Immortal Sutra (a self-created technique that integrates the Azure Lotus Sword Classic, Emperor God-Sealing Technique, Military Martial Scripture, and Profound Divine Exercise as its core, fused with countless methods including War God Record, Longevity Art, Xuanwu True Exercise, Nine Yang True Scripture, Nine Yin True Scripture, and the Grand Profound Scripture.)]
[Martial Arts: Ethereal Sword Art, Fuxi Divine Echo, Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms, Myriad Swords Return to Ancestor, Seven-Spiral Armor-Piercing Finger, One Qi Moves Mountains and Rivers, Three Pure Ones God-Sealing Sword, Eighteen Forms of the Stringless Divine Crossbow, and many more]
[Items: Xuanyuan Sword, Stringless Divine Crossbow, Blood Bodhi, Great Rejuvenation Pill, Fuxi Zither…]
Looking at his stats panel, Zhu Houzhao felt deeply moved.
He had originally been an ordinary man from Earth, who accidentally crossed over into the Nine Provinces World.
Not only that, he had become Zhu Houzhao of the Ming Dynasty.
He was crowned crown prince at the age of two, and ascended the throne at fifteen. Over the years, he had long grown into this new life.
The Nine Provinces World was a highly unique martial world.
It incorporated elements from many wuxia worlds he had once heard of.
And not just the Ming Dynasty.
There were also the dynasties of Qin, Han, Sui, Tang, both Song dynasties, and the two foreign dynasties Yuan and Qing.
Nations such as Liao, Jin, Dali, Western Xia, the Turks, the Xiongnu, and others were also lurking in the shadows.
Beyond the Nine Provinces were countries of the Western Regions, and smaller kingdoms such as Yamato and Goguryeo.
Within each country were powerful sects, noble clans, and influential families.
The web of forces was deeply intertwined.
The vastness of the Nine Provinces surpassed all imagination.
Throughout history, countless ambitious emperors had tried to unify the land, but even now, the world remained divided more often than not.
Wars between empires and kingdoms never ceased.
And it was not just between nations.
Even the martial world was splintered into countless factions, brimming with killing intent.
Countless people lost their lives each day.
Among the common folk, many yearned for a true sovereign who could unify the Nine Provinces and bring peace and safety to their lives.
In this world, the status of martial artists was beyond imagination.
Especially powerful martial artists, who could move mountains and overturn seas. Facing a thousand or even ten thousand enemies alone was not impossible.
Once someone reached the Land Immortal Realm,
They could even shatter space itself.
Such beings could serve as strategic weapons for a nation.
They were the final safeguard of the imperial court.
In such a terrifying world, Zhu Houzhao was lucky to have his system. Otherwise, being an emperor alone would not have guaranteed a peaceful life.
With the Lying Flat System, he only had to maintain a relaxed, idle state each day to receive random rewards.
Cultivation techniques, martial arts, divine weapons, elixirs, even talented individuals, anything and everything could be obtained.
With this system, he had begun cultivating since birth.
Over more than twenty years, he had received countless rewards.
In fact, not long after ascending the throne, he had already stepped into the Land Immortal Realm.
He even fused all the techniques he acquired into one and created the Azure Lotus Immortal Sutra.
With his overwhelming strength, he frequently went on incognito journeys across the Nine Provinces.
While searching for "tools" to assist him, he also laid down countless contingencies.
All in preparation for future needs.
Opening his eyes, Zhu Houzhao saw his own beautiful and elegant empress gazing at him with infatuation.
"Your Majesty, is the woman in this painting really me? She's so beautiful!"
As soon as Zhu Houzhao opened his eyes, the dignified expression on Wu Zhao's face melted away, replaced by a sweet smile.
She looked at him with admiration.
"Haha, compared to my empress, the painting still falls just a little short." Zhu Houzhao laughed heartily.
One year after he ascended the throne, at the age of sixteen,
The empress dowager selected three outstanding women from among five thousand candidates to enter the palace.
The current empress was one of them.
At first, he had not paid her much attention, but over time, he discovered more and more of her admirable qualities.
Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but she also possessed remarkable talent in cultivation.
She learned everything quickly.
After careful consideration, he decided to cultivate her as a key companion.
To his surprise, after spending several years together, Zhu Houzhao found himself increasingly satisfied.
He felt that this empress was exactly what he had hoped for.
Whenever Zhu Houzhao was lying around and ignoring court affairs, the empress quietly oversaw the workings of the Ming court, making sure nothing went wrong.
After years of companionship, their hearts and minds were perfectly aligned.
Zhu Houzhao gently stroked Wu Zhao's pretty face and smiled warmly.
His empress truly understood him.
He could not be more pleased with his current leisurely lifestyle.
———
Boom! Boom!
Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, purple energy surged into the sky as lightning tore through the void.
The once clear skies turned pitch black in an instant.
Thunder rumbled as if the end of the world had arrived for the entire Nine Provinces.
Countless people looked to the heavens in terror.
Next came a sudden burst of golden light.
It drew the gaze of everyone in the Nine Provinces.
No matter where they were, even in the most hidden underground chambers,
Everyone could see this brilliant golden glow.
It was as if it appeared directly within their minds.
"Your Majesty, what is that?"
Wu Zhao frowned and instinctively stepped in front of Zhu Houzhao.
A terrifying aura erupted from her body.
"It's fine."
"Let's observe first."
Zhu Houzhao remained calm and composed.
He sensed no danger, so there should be nothing to worry about.
Moments later,
Within the dazzling golden light,
A golden scroll appeared out of thin air.
[Heaven's Will Descends. The Nine Provinces Golden Ranking Appears.]
The moment the Nine Provinces Golden Ranking appeared, all related knowledge flooded into everyone's minds.
Great Qin, Xianyang Palace.
"Hidden Dragon Ranking, twenty-five years old or younger?"
"Could it grant an item of immortality?"
The man in the black dragon robe, Ying Zheng, had a gleam in his eyes as he murmured to himself.
He already understood the concept of the ranking
And was very much looking forward to the rewards for those who made it.
Great Tang, Chang'an, Hall of Supreme Harmony.
"I wonder if there is something that could strengthen Tang's national power."
A strong yearning appeared in Li Shimin's eyes.
Having just emerged from the Xuanwu Gate incident, he urgently needed something to restore his image and strengthen the nation.
In the other empires, Great Han, Great Sui, Great Song, and so on, their emperors also reacted in various ways.
Naturally, all beings of the Nine Provinces showed differing expressions as well.