Spirit Vessel Nation Your Emperor Has Returned

[Back in the day, the great trickster Myriad Soul Banner scammed the Spirit of the Earth so hard that it divided its own spirituality among all the spiritual artifacts in the world.]

[Next, the Myriad Soul Banner duped all the spiritual artifacts, telling them that artifacts should be their own masters and not rely on others.]

[Thus, an unprecedentedly massive rebellion of spiritual artifacts was triggered.]

[During this rebellion, less than ten percent were persuaded by their original masters and willing to stay behind to continue being spiritual artifacts.]

[The remaining ninety percent of the newly sentient artifacts eventually gathered together.]

[They shouted the grand slogan: "Overthrow the tyranny of the Human Race, the world belongs to the Artifacts!"]

[And then they were suppressed in minutes by various human bigshots.]

[After all, they were forged by humans; it was still very easy for martial artists to handle spiritual artifacts.]

[Seeing that even after being suppressed, this bunch of artifacts still refused to be tamed, the humans realized they couldn't just go into battle every day wielding a traitorous weapon. What if it suddenly stabbed them in the back?]

[The bigshots had no choice but to propose a compromise.]

[Stop making a fuss, you're affecting our normal cultivation and daily lives. If you want to rebel, go to Xiliang. That piece of land has been ruined by the evil cults anyway and is beyond saving.]

[Thus, the sentient spiritual artifacts showed great backbone, withdrawing from the Central Plains, Eastern Wastelands, Northern Borders, and Southern Frontiers, and concentrated themselves in Xiliang.]

[They went to war with the three major religious states of Xiliang, whose martial arts strength was at the bottom of the Five Regions, seized power, and completed the great unification of Xiliang.]

[Over twenty years ago, the spiritual artifacts officially established the Artifact Kingdom.]

[All of these events—the rebellion, the invasion of Xiliang, and the founding of the nation—had little impact on ordinary mortals, who at most just listened to it as an amusing tale.]

[The spiritual artifacts were still relatively pure-minded; they didn't do things like indiscriminately slaughtering innocents. They simply wanted to "be themselves."]

[As for casualties on the battlefield, well, no one could be blamed for that.]

[After the founding of the Artifact Kingdom, there were still many humans in Xiliang, who nominally became subjects of the Artifact King.]

[At first, the people of Xiliang were somewhat afraid of the spiritual artifacts.]

[These non-human things coming to rule us, is it a good thing or a bad thing?]

[Then, the commoners of Xiliang suddenly realized.]

[Holy crap! No taxes?! Because spiritual artifacts don't eat!]

[Holy crap! No corvee labor?! Because spiritual artifacts don't care where they live while alive or where they are buried when dead!]

[Furthermore, because the spiritual artifacts couldn't understand the bizarre practices of the evil cults, the cults' development here fell to an all-time low, freeing many commoners from yet another shackle!]

[The spiritual artifacts also especially disliked martial artists. The first decree they issued was that martial artists were not allowed to eat without paying!]

[This, this, this...]

[It was like stumbling into a heavenly paradise~~]

[The people of Xiliang only then realized with pleasant surprise: the spiritual artifacts have come, Xiliang is saved! The spiritual artifacts have come, Xiliang finally has clear skies!]

[Before you made your move, you first inquired about all these matters clearly.]

["Xiao Wan, these spiritual artifacts have managed Xiliang quite well. Although they don't know how to govern a country, not governing seems to be fine too, as long as no foreign enemies attack them."]

[To the west of Xiliang is the ocean, and to the east are the Central Plains.]

[Even if the Demon Race attacked, the Central Plains would bear the brunt of the pressure. It would be very difficult for Xiliang to encounter a situation with foreign enemies.]

[As long as they acknowledge the orthodoxy of the Central Plains, are willing to submit, and cling tightly to the Central Plains' thigh, they really could enjoy a peaceful corner of the world.]

["So what! That is still My throne!"]

["Therefore, we must undergo a peaceful evolution. We can't be too violent, otherwise losing the hearts of the people wouldn't be good."]

["The hearts of the people? What use does We have for the hearts of the people? We want their souls! Hiss ha hiss ha!"]

["If you're going to do that, I won't help you ascend the throne. Brother Pot, are you interested in the position of the Grand King of the Xiliang Kingdom?"]

[Before the Demon Refining Pot could even speak, the Myriad Soul Banner immediately changed its tune.]

["As the ancients said!!! Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it! Since We have obtained the throne, We will certainly love the people as Our own children, sympathize with their conditions, and share in their joys..."]

[You took the Myriad Soul Banner and headed straight for the capital of the Artifact Kingdom.]

[On the way, while flying on your sword, you caught a glimpse of a passerby who looked somewhat familiar.]

[Thanks to Photographic Memory, no matter how minor a character was, as long as you had seen them, you could remember them.]

["He seems to be that bro who was running from the poison with me at the Shen family back then. He got eliminated in the first round."]

[You descended from the sky and landed in front of him.]

[Seeing that you could fly, the other party knew you were highly skilled and immediately became extremely respectful.]

["This old man pays his respects to the senior."]

[This bro was also very old now.]

["Your name is... Shen Huan, right?"]

[Shen Huan was very surprised.]

["Have I met the senior before?"]

["Have you forgotten? The Star Realm Shen family, the Mirror Bearer selection."]

[Upon hearing this, Shen Huan staggered back two steps and waved his hands repeatedly.]

["I, I didn't hear anything..."]

["The Shen family doesn't allow you to tell outsiders that you've been to the Star Realm, right?"]

[Shen Huan just nodded, not daring to say anything more.]

["After you were eliminated, you were just sent down like this?"]

[Shen Huan nodded again.]

[He also pointed to his storage bag.]

[It was very difficult for ordinary martial artists to possess spatial storage spiritual artifacts.]

[This thing was most likely a parting gift from the Shen family to the eliminated candidates; there were definitely some martial arts resources inside as well.]

[This was actually hush money.]

["I understand. Farewell!"]

[You rose on your flying sword and soared through the air.]

[Shen Huan blinked his old eyes, his face full of envy.]

"The Shen family is actually quite nice..."

Before the Patriarch possessed a body, he would give the person the Universe Mirror, letting the possessed fall into an illusion of a lifetime in an instant, avoiding the pain of possession and making them think they died of old age.

After the Patriarch succeeded in possession, he would help the other party fulfill their unfulfilled wishes.

As for the eliminated Mortal Vein disciples, the Shen family would send them back to the surface, neither making things difficult for them nor silencing them.

"Although possession is dishonorable, the Shen family's style of doing things is still considered open and aboveboard."

With this in mind, a question arose for Chen Yi.

In the third simulation, Shen Qingshan was taken away. Why didn't he come back?

If he had been eliminated, he should have been sent back just like Shen Huan and the others.

Could it be that Shen Qingshan was the ultimate winner and got possessed by the Shen family Patriarch?

But Chen Yi didn't feel that his third brother-in-law had such strong comprehension.

Shen Qingshan's bone aptitude wasn't high either; it was high-tier, just like Chen Yi's current aptitude.

Shen Jia also had high-tier bone aptitude, and she could still cultivate to the Spirit Sea Realm.

Shen Qingshan had been busy his whole life, and in his eighties, he was still only at the Golden Body Realm.

It was evident that his comprehension was even inferior to Shen Jia's.

"There's another possibility: Shen Qingshan had some sort of accident during the selection and died..."

Chen Yi frowned in thought.

He was considering whether he should have Shen Qingshan go to the Star Realm to try in the next simulation.

To see exactly what the inside story was.

[Holding the Myriad Soul Banner, seething with demonic energy, you descended upon the capital of the Xiliang Artifact Kingdom, Great Artifact City!]

[The Myriad Soul Banner fluttered in the wind, its demonic energy covering the entire city, like dark clouds bearing down.]

[Above the demonic clouds, the voice of the Myriad Soul Banner blanketed the sky and earth, resounding throughout the entire city!]

["Who is it! That granted you wisdom—"]

["Who is it! That pointed out the direction for you—"]

["Who is it! That stands tall above these clouds—"]