Tang Imperial Palace.
Taiji Hall.
"Wan Wan?"
"Shi Feixuan?!"
The names of the Yingui Sect and the Cihang Tranquil School were as familiar to Li Shimin as thunder in his ears.
"Master Yuan, are you absolutely confident in subduing these two great sects?"
"With the assistance of the Yingui Sect and the Cihang Tranquil School, toppling the Sui Dynasty would be effortless for the Tang."
Excitement flashed in Li Shimin's eyes.
"Your Majesty, the Yingui Sect and the Cihang Tranquil School are sworn enemies. Subduing both would be difficult. It's better to choose one."
Yuan Tiangang had the same thought and offered his advice accordingly.
"Then choose the Cihang Tranquil School. What I value more is their network and connections."
"Compared to that, the Yingui Sect has a far worse reputation."
"Still, we cannot overlook the Yingui Sect."
"Especially Wan Wan and Shi Feixuan. Both have the potential to become Land Immortals. If they grow powerful and hold a grudge, it would be extremely detrimental to the Tang Dynasty."
A hint of anticipation appeared in Li Shimin's heart.
He had heard that Shi Feixuan was extraordinarily beautiful. If she were brought into the imperial harem, wouldn't he then have complete control over a future Land Immortal?
And if he added Wan Wan as well...
He chuckled.
A trace of lasciviousness appeared on Li Shimin's face.
"Your Majesty, for now, those two are not yet a threat to the Tang."
"But if we try to subdue the Cihang Tranquil School, that one from the Sui Dynasty will not sit by idly."
"What awaits us will be a full-scale war."
"Even the other major dynasties may get involved."
At the mention of that figure from the Sui Dynasty, even someone as powerful as Yuan Tiangang grew extremely cautious.
All the great dynasties of the Nine Provinces had managed to remain unshaken for so long not just because of national strength, but also because of their ultimate hidden forces.
The Sui was no exception.
Land Immortals, as the final trump cards of these nations, would never be mobilized unless absolutely necessary.
But once they appeared, it would be catastrophic.
If Yuan Tiangang made a move, the Sui's Land Immortal would inevitably respond.
Now was not the time for war.
But without Yuan Tiangang, it would be impossible to subdue the Cihang Tranquil School that had Shi Feixuan.
It was a true dilemma.
As long as the moves remained minor, Land Immortals wouldn't intervene.
But the moment they joined the battlefield, it would signal all-out war.
With the current strength of the Tang, it could not guarantee victory in a war of annihilation.
Even if they somehow won, the Tang would be severely weakened.
If other dynasties took the opportunity to strike, the Tang might be destroyed as well.
That was something neither Li Shimin nor Yuan Tiangang wanted.
"Do the Bad People have any Great Grandmasters of considerable strength?"
Li Shimin was unwilling to give up.
"There are, but they can't compare to Shi Feixuan, who made it onto the Hidden Dragon Ranking. Without my personal involvement, Cihang Tranquil School would never agree."
"Then initiate contact and try to negotiate."
"Give me one more year!"
==========
Qin Dynasty.
Heaven Sect of Dao School.
Master Xiao Meng, the sect leader, stared blankly at the ranking list, a thoughtful expression in her eyes.
Late Great Grandmaster!
Before the appearance of the Golden Rankings, Xiao Meng had always considered herself the most outstanding genius in all of the Nine Provinces.
Unparalleled and unmatched.
But once the rankings arrived...
She was thoroughly humbled.
Though making the last twenty spots was decent, she didn't find it impressive.
It was the top ten that truly opened her eyes to the gap between her and them.
The fourth-ranked individual was already in the Late Great Grandmaster realm.
What shocked her even more was that the women on the list were all incredibly young.
Not much older than her.
Some were even around the same age.
For someone as proud as her, it was a tough pill to swallow.
"Xiao Meng, what are your thoughts now?"
Bei Mingzi walked over slowly, smiling as he spoke.
He was very satisfied with this disciple.
But she was often too proud, even arrogant.
That was detrimental to her cultivation journey.
Now that the rankings had revealed individuals more talented than her, it would surely help balance her mindset.
"Master, I won't admit defeat so easily!"
"The Great Grandmaster realm is merely a process of accumulation. Only upon reaching the Land Immortal level does the true path begin."
"What I care about is who will go farther."
"I believe they'll all fall far behind me in the future."
Xiao Meng flicked her horsetail whisk and spoke coldly.
"Confidence is good, but don't underestimate others too easily."
"How do you know there aren't Land Immortals already on the rankings?"
Bei Mingzi stroked his beard and shook his head.
Land Immortals...
Even he had only just reached that stage.
Under 25 years old, and already this strong?
Even he felt that the world was becoming harder to understand.
==========
Ming Imperial Palace.
Empress's Chambers.
"Qing'er, do you have any information on Wan Wan and Shi Feixuan?"
"With the Heavenly Demon Strategy and the Cihang Sword Classic, it's hard to believe those sects could nurture such disciples."
The Empress was curious about the two young women.
"My Lady, our intelligence is lacking. They're most likely hiding something. I will send someone to investigate thoroughly and deliver results soon."
"Interesting. They're quite talented. If the opportunity arises, I'd like to make them my own."
The Empress smiled as she looked at the rankings, anticipation filling her heart.
Both had the potential to become Land Immortals.
If she could bring them under her command, she would have two powerful cards in her hand.
As for whether she could control them, she was fully confident.
They were only Great Grandmasters for now.
Even if they did become Land Immortals one day, she had no fear.
Moreover, her own forces were far more formidable than they appeared on the surface.
"Understood, My Lady."
Qing'er immediately grasped her mistress's intention.
Her mistress had recruited talented individuals before.
It was nothing new.
Without paying further attention to Qing'er's departure, the Empress sank into thought.
Long'er, her younger sister, was at the Great Perfection of the Great Grandmaster realm.
She would surely rank in the top five of the Hidden Dragon Ranking.
When that happened, all of the Nine Provinces would be in an uproar.
For a royal concubine to be so powerful, other dynasties would definitely not remain silent.
And if the Empress herself made the list as well, it would cause a massive stir.
The Ming Dynasty would become extremely lively.
It was both a challenge and a great opportunity.
Perhaps, she needed to act soon.
==========
Inner Palace, Long Bixia's Chambers.
Zhu Houzhao tightly embraced Long Bixia, his face full of tenderness.
"Long'er, have you gotten used to staying in the inner palace these past few years?"
"As long as I'm with you, whether it's the ancient tomb or the palace, I'm perfectly content."
"Hahaha, Long'er, I love hearing you say that. I'll keep you company more often, and you'll never be alone again."
Unlike the Empress, Zhu Houzhao had never underestimated the need to protect Long Bixia.
Even though she was at the peak of the Great Grandmaster realm, in his eyes, she was still someone who needed to be cherished and safeguarded.
Obvious threats could be defended against, but hidden ones were the true danger.
Especially within the deep palace walls, he was particularly cautious.
That was why he had been so enraged at Liu Xi's actions back then.
Once Long Bixia appeared on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, her security would likely need to be strengthened again.
As this thought passed through his mind...
The Hidden Dragon Ranking in the sky updated.
[Hidden Dragon Ranking – Rank 5]
[Long Bixia]