The surface preparation for the coronation ceremony was actually a cover for an execution operation... Even the battle-hardened Lord Chongwu could not help but be shaken upon hearing this news.
One must admit, Fang Yuan's plan was incredibly bold.
Namo had initially infiltrated the Great Xia Kingdom alone, initially to gather intelligence. After confirming the kingdom's weakness and understanding its lack of strength, he dared to reveal himself publicly.
But Fang Yuan? He was clearly aiming for something far more dangerous—taking lives, with the goal of completely eliminating the greatest threats to the Great Xia Kingdom!
"This idea sounds good, but is the risk too high?" Lord Chongwu couldn't help but ask.
"High risk means high reward," Fang Yuan replied with a smile. "This mission might very well lead to the end of the Ice Plains. No matter how you look at it, it's worth the risk..."
The blade of death hanging over the Great Xia Kingdom continued to glint coldly, and Fang Yuan intended to use swift and decisive measures to eliminate all threats in the shortest time possible.
Any country that had ever invaded the Great Xia Kingdom would not be spared, and the first target was the greatest threat—the Ice Plains.
Lord Chongwu nodded slowly. Indeed, if a young person isn't reckless, can they still be called young? Moreover, this young man was the emperor of a country!
But for the ruler of a nation to personally carry out such a covert assassination mission… it seemed only Fang Yuan could come up with such a plan.
"So, who will you bring along?" Lord Chongwu asked again.
"Nobody, just me," Fang Yuan answered bluntly. Compared to other masters of the Flame Kingdom, his strength was so far ahead that it was almost incomparable.
Even if this mission failed, he had the safety net of [Teleportation] and [Rebirth], so he could escape unscathed. If he brought others along, they could end up being liabilities.
"Alright..." Lord Chongwu sighed helplessly. He knew Fang Yuan's temperament too well—once he made up his mind, nothing could change it, no matter how much you tried to persuade him.
"It's a pity I am just a soul now, I can't be of much help to you..."
At present, if he wanted to continue living in the world, he would have to follow in the footsteps of King Dan of Baekje and ascend to godhood.
However, deep inside, he strongly resisted this path because though a soul could continue to exist, it would no longer be able to enjoy the pleasures of life, the taste of food, the enjoyment of human companionship, or even the desires of the flesh, like relationships between men and women—they would all be out of reach forever...
"You won't be like that for long," Fang Yuan said with a mysterious smile, reaching into his storage bag. "Watch as I pull out a big treasure for you..."
"A treasure?"
Lord Chongwu's eyes flashed with doubt, and then he saw Fang Yuan take out another "him" from the storage bag!
Lord Chongwu stared wide-eyed, seeing that the person before him looked exactly like him in size and appearance, but there was an eerie, lifeless aura surrounding him, as though he were a corpse with no breath of life.
However, despite the deathly stillness, Lord Chongwu could feel a strong vitality emanating from this body.
Upon closer inspection, he noticed the detailed wooden texture on the body—this was actually a wooden doll!
"This is a special doll I made just for you," Fang Yuan explained as he gently placed the body on the ground. "Come, Lord Chongwu, try it on and see if it fits."
"Alright..." Lord Chongwu's voice trembled with excitement as his soul cautiously merged with the wooden body. In an instant, the two seemed to fuse together seamlessly.
The lifeless body suddenly came to life, and Lord Chongwu slowly opened his eyes, flexing his hands.
Feeling the tangible sensation, he was overwhelmed with excitement and amazement that words could not describe.
"This vitality is so rich, and the compatibility with my soul is extremely high. The fusion is perfect. In fact, I feel this body is even stronger than my original one," Lord Chongwu exclaimed in awe.
"Naturally," Fang Yuan said with a grin. "I infused the Five Elements power into this body, so to speak, I gave it a special enhancement. It's much stronger than the previous singular body you had."
Fang Yuan explained in detail that the body was made using the Five Elements power, a profound ability that Fang Yuan had only mastered after gaining control over the Five Elements. This made the body stronger than the original one, though it came with a drawback: it couldn't support the cultivation of other body types, and Lord Chongwu's cultivation would have to stop here.
But Lord Chongwu didn't mind this at all. Having a body that allowed him to live on was a huge blessing, and he couldn't be more grateful.
"Well, how do you like it, Lord Chongwu? This is my first time making such a body, so I may have made a few blind spots," Fang Yuan joked.
"Blind spots?" Lord Chongwu hesitated and instinctively looked down, a slightly awkward expression flashing across his face. He quickly cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment.
"I'm satisfied, very satisfied!" he said, stroking his beard and grinning. "This way, I can be human again."
When he had passed on all his knowledge to Fang Yuan, it seemed like the wisest decision he had ever made in his life.
Just as the two were enjoying their conversation, Yin Shiwu rushed into the hall, shouting, "Lord Chongwu! We just received the latest news, His Majesty is preparing for a grand ceremony—something called the Taishan Fengshan..."
He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, as he saw Fang Yuan sitting across from Lord Chongwu.
"Shit, Fang Yuan!"
The moment the words escaped his mouth, Yin Shiwu realized his mistake. His face turned pale, and his legs gave out as he fell to the ground, trembling as he said, "Uh... I misspoke, I mean, Lord Fang, no, no, Your Majesty!"
"Sorry, Your Majesty, I didn't recognize you!"
Yin Shiwu was sweating profusely. He had just called the emperor by his name, and such a mistake could cost him his life!
He hadn't expected Fang Yuan to suddenly return to the Jianghai Palace without notice. In his experience, the emperor always traveled with an entourage and a grand procession.
"It's fine," Fang Yuan said with a smile, reassuring him. "We used to bathe together, so there's no need to be so formal."
Yin Shiwu hurriedly kowtowed, thanking the emperor. "I thank Your Majesty for your kindness! I will certainly amend my ways and never speak recklessly again!"
Fang Yuan smiled, but in truth, if Yin Shiwu acknowledged his mistake, it would be seen as disrespect, and whoever acknowledged it would be doomed.