My Rules Are the Rules

"Patriarch Han, tell us, what exactly is going on with that spirit body of the Shen family?"

Qian Sihai's eyes lit up. He snapped his folding fan shut with a clack and leaned forward, his face full of gossip.

Han Zhentian's mouth curled into a sinister smile, and he deliberately dragged out his words: "Everyone, you might not know this, but that spirit body of the Shen family is not naturally—"

When he reached the word "naturally", his voice suddenly vanished.

It was as if a massive, invisible hand had firmly gripped his throat.

Han Zhentian opened his mouth, his face turning beet red, but he could not spit out a single word.

Veins bulged on his forehead as his entire body began to tremble violently. He frantically circulated his late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, but he could not break free from that invisible restraint at all.

"Patriarch!"

The expressions of several Han family elders changed drastically. They hurriedly stepped forward to support him, only to be repelled by an overbearing force.

Just as Han Zhentian's face turned from red to pale and the veins on his forehead throbbed, an ancient, cold snort echoed from the horizon.

"Old Ghost Shen, attacking a junior, you really are living backwards as you age."

Before the voice faded, a dark figure descended from the sky and landed in front of Han Zhentian.

The newcomer had white hair draped over his shoulders and a burly figure like an iron tower. His black robes fluttered wildly in the wind, and the aura around him surged endlessly like stormy waves.

He reached out and gently patted Han Zhentian's shoulder, and that invisible oppressive might receded like the tide.

Han Zhentian staggered a step, panting heavily. He then hurriedly bowed in greeting, his voice carrying the trembling and lingering fear of having survived a disaster: "Ancestor!"

The entire crowd burst into an uproar!

The newcomer was actually the Han family's Ancestor, a Deity Transformation Venerable, a true old monster!

The Han family's Ancestor stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his tiger-like eyes sweeping across the void: "Shen Cangming, since you are here, roll on out. Hiding in the dark to attack a junior, do you still want your Shen family's face?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a gray figure slowly emerged from the clouds.

The old man wore a long cyan cloth gown. His hair was grizzled, and his face was covered in wrinkles, making him look just like an ordinary elderly farmer from the countryside.

However, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. Wherever his gaze swept, everyone subconsciously averted their eyes.

It was none other than the Shen family's Ancestor, Shen Cangming.

"Han Pojun, what a fine descendant you have taught, without a filter on his mouth."

Shen Cangming said coldly: "Today, on account of your face, I will spare him once. If there is a next time, do not blame me for being impolite."

"Impolite?"

Han Pojun sneered: "Old Ghost Shen, do you think you can hide those filthy deeds you have done from everyone? Sooner or later, your Shen family will face retribution!"

"Retribution?"

Shen Cangming scoffed: "Strength is the Heavenly Dao. My Shen family has produced a spirit body, and this is my Shen family's good fortune!"

The two were at each other's throats, and the auras around them continuously clashed.

The wind and clouds in the sky changed color as lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. The two Deity Transformation stage oppressive mights intertwined, pressing down so heavily that the entire cliff was trembling slightly.

Right at this moment, several more auras arrived from all directions.

"You two, please calm down. It is not worth damaging our harmony over a little verbal dispute."

The Yang family's Ancestor, Yang Xuanji, dressed in a Eight Trigrams Daoist robe and holding a horsetail whisk, arrived treading on the clouds.

"Exactly, whatever grudges you have, it will not be too late to settle them after we obtain the Emperor's inheritance."

A door silently split open in the void.

An old man wearing a gray cloth Daoist robe walked out from within. His face was peaceful, and he had no spiritual energy fluctuations on his body, making him look like an ordinary old Daoist priest.

However, all the Deity Transformation Venerables present slightly nodded their heads in greeting. This was the Jiang family's Ancestor, Jiang Xuan, at the late stage of Deity Transformation.

The existence second only to the royal family among the four great noble families.

In just a short moment, the Ancestors of the four great noble families had all arrived.

Immediately after, Li Qiushui of the Biyang Immortal Sect stepped forward, bowed, and said: "Respectfully inviting Martial Uncle."

A jade green lotus bloomed in the void, and a woman with delicate features, dressed in a cyan shirt, walked out from the center of the lotus.

She looked to be only in her thirties, but only those in the know were aware that this Supreme Elder of the Biyang Immortal Sect, Li Wangxian, had lived for at least eight hundred years and possessed a mid-stage Deity Transformation cultivation.

Sword Venerable Qingming did not speak, merely stabbing the longsword in his hand into the ground.

The blade pierced three inches into the stone, and a peerlessly sharp sword intent soared into the sky, condensing into a translucent sword shadow in the void.

The sword shadow dissipated, revealing the Supreme Elder of the Qingming Sword Sect, Jian Wuchen. He was at the mid-stage of Deity Transformation, with white hair draped over his shoulders and eyes as sharp as swords.

Danyangzi of the Spirit Fire Pill Sect stepped forward: "Respectfully inviting Martial Uncle."

An old man wearing a gray robe with a rigid face slowly walked out from the crowd. His pace was not fast, and the aura around him was as steady as a mountain. It was none other than the Supreme Elder of the Spirit Fire Pill Sect, Master Huoyun, at the mid-stage of Deity Transformation.

As he walked past Qian Sihai, he glanced at the mountain-like pile of silver and let out an extremely faint snort from his nose.

Zhuge Xuan of the Nine Palaces Formation Sect cupped his fists toward the void.

The phantom of an array disk unfolded between heaven and earth, then slowly closed. After the array light scattered, a short and fierce old man appeared. It was the Supreme Elder of the Nine Palaces Formation Sect, Master Zhenyuan, at the early stage of Deity Transformation.

His gaze passed over everyone and landed on the ancient restriction at the entrance of the ruins that had not yet completely collapsed. His eyes were so bright that he did not seem like an old monster who had lived for thousands of years.

Finally, it was the Ancestor of the Ten Thousand Treasures Chamber of Commerce, Qian Tongshen.

Nine figures floated in midair.

Nine Deity Transformation stage oppressive mights weighed down on everyone's hearts like nine massive mountains.

Four great noble families, five major sects, nine Deity Transformation Venerables, all gathered at Mount Qingyun.

The entire world seemed to quiet down.

The wind stopped, the clouds scattered, and even the chirping of insects and birds disappeared.

All the Nascent Soul cultivators present bowed in respect, not even daring to breathe loudly.

Those rogue cultivators were even prostrating on the ground, trembling all over, lacking even the courage to raise their heads.

Below Deity Transformation, all are ants!

This saying was vividly demonstrated at this very moment.

Han Cangsong and Shen Wanshan also temporarily stopped fighting, each giving a cold snort and turning their heads away.

Just when everyone thought that the next step would be the nine Deity Transformation experts discussing how to distribute the ruins.

"Rumble—"

A deafening roar echoed from afar.

The crowd looked up, only to see a massive golden flying ship piercing through the clouds and slowly sailing over.

The flying ship was dozens of feet long, carved with lifelike five-clawed golden dragons. On its sails, a giant character "Zhao" was embroidered.

Wherever the flying ship passed, golden light radiated brilliantly, and an overwhelmingly majestic imperial might swept over like a blanket.

This oppressive might was even more terrifying than the combined might of the nine Deity Transformation experts just now!

The expressions of the nine great Deity Transformation Venerables changed simultaneously.

"It is the royal family's Nine Dragons Flying Ship!"

"As expected! The royal family has also sent someone!"

"And judging by this oppressive might... Could it be that person?"

The Nine Dragons Flying Ship slowly came to a halt above the cliff.

A figure slowly walked down from the flying ship.

The middle-aged man was dressed in a black five-clawed python robe. His face was resolute, and his eyes were profound. Not a single trace of aura leaked from his body, yet he gave off a feeling as heavy as Mount Tai pressing down.

He simply stood there quietly, as if he were the center of heaven and earth.

Upon seeing this person, the expressions of the nine Deity Transformation Venerables completely changed.

"King Kaoshan! Zhao Lin!"

Someone cried out in alarm.

King Kaoshan Zhao Lin, the biological uncle of the Great Qian Emperor.

A Great Perfection Deity Transformation Venerable!

Only one step away from becoming a Titled Almighty.

He was the strongest person in the Great Qian Dynasty, second only to the dying Patriarch.

He was also the person in the entire Great Qian most likely to break through to become a Titled Paragon within ten years.

Once he broke through, the Great Qian Dynasty's reign would be extended for another thousand years.

Zhao Lin's gaze slowly swept over the nine Soul Formation cultivators below, and then over the rogue cultivators and minor factions prostrating on the ground.

His eyes were indifferent, without the slightest ripple.

It was as if he were looking at a group of ants.

"This King announces,"

His voice, calm yet bearing unquestionable majesty, echoed throughout Mount Qingyun.

"From this moment on, a hundred-mile radius around Mount Qingyun is designated as a restricted area of the royal family."

"The ruins of Emperor Cangwu belong solely to this King."

"Everyone is to leave immediately."

"After the time it takes an incense stick to burn, anyone still remaining here will be killed without mercy!"

As his words fell, a dead silence fell over the scene.

Everyone was stunned.

They thought the royal family was at most coming to take a share of the spoils.

They never expected Zhao Lin to swallow it all by himself!

Not only was he clearing out the rogue cultivators, the minor sects, and the minor aristocratic families, but he was actually going to clear out their Four Great Families and Five Great Sects as well!

"King Kaoshan! This is against the rules!"

Han Cangsong was the first unable to hold back, speaking out, "The ruins of Emperor Cangwu are a public treasure of the world, and everyone present should have a share."

"According to the historical conventions of Great Qian, a Three Realms Martial Competition should be held, and the treasures and resources should be distributed based on the rankings of each faction!"

"Exactly!"

Shen Wanshan also echoed, "King Kaoshan, although your strength is formidable, you cannot monopolize such a massive serendipity! If our nine great sects and families join forces, we might not necessarily fear you!"

The other Soul Formation cultivators also nodded in agreement.

Although Zhao Lin represented the royal family, the Emperor's legacy was of grave importance, concerning the very future of their families and sects. They could not possibly back down easily.

Zhao Lin glanced at them, a mocking smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Rules?"

"Within the borders of Great Qian, this King's rules are the rules!"