"Long live His Majesty!"
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Inside the imperial palace, Deng Gang sat upon the dragon throne draped in imperial robes, accepting the mountain-shaking bows and worship of his assembled ministers. Amidst his excitement, he even felt somewhat dazed.
Ever since childhood he had been all alone, bearing the heavy responsibility of restoring his fallen nation.
The first half of his life could be called an utter failure. Day after day, he wasted his years in the immense gap between grand ideals and cruel reality, living a life worse than death, sustained only by a thread of hatred.
Deep down, Deng Gang had even faintly resigned himself to fate.
He truly was a mediocre and incompetent person, with not the slightest possibility of successfully restoring his nation in this lifetime.
In all likelihood, he would still have to marry and have children, then pass down the glorious past of the Deng clan, along with the heavy responsibility of national restoration, to his offspring.
Just as his uncle had instructed him back then.
Yet affairs of the world were like a game of chess, unpredictable and ever-changing.
Who could have imagined that in just a single year, his life would undergo an earth-shattering change?
The precious blood of the flood dragon was obtained smoothly.
Raising the banner of rebellion brought a hundred responses at a single call.
Heroes and valiant generals bowed their heads in submission.
Noble daughters of immortal clans threw themselves into his arms.
Even the sect master of the immortal sect Qingyun Sect had now voluntarily bowed his head, accepting the position of National Preceptor.
That was a 【Foundation Establishment】 cultivator!
After the enthronement ceremony.
In the inner palace, Deng Gang laughed heartily and exclaimed high-spiritedly to Empress Qiao Yuniang, "Yuniang, everything has gone so smoothly for me! Truly too smoothly!"
...
With the Deng Kingdom newly founded, a general amnesty was declared across the realm, alongside an exemption from taxes for three years.
The common people rejoiced, while the ministers sang praises.
For a time, Deng Gang felt somewhat lost and empty, indulging in wine and women every day, muddled through his days.
Since childhood, he had been filled with hatred, taught that he must revive his fallen homeland.
Now that the nation had been restored, what was he supposed to do next?!
At bottom, Deng Gang was merely a pure martial artist. He was quite adept at marching troops, fighting, and charging ahead, but completely ignorant when it came to court strife and governing the realm.
Fortunately, Qiao Yuniang, who hailed from a prominent family of an immortal sect, was by his side to assist, holding the situation together.
"Your Majesty!" Having finished dealing with the official memorials, Qiao Yuniang rubbed her brow exhaustedly and spoke softly, "The court's general affairs can safely be left to this humble woman to handle."
"However, Your Majesty must also rouse yourself!"
"Rouse myself?!" With drunken, hazy eyes, Deng Gang leaned against the dragon throne while holding a wine flask, laughing carelessly, "Now the world is at peace, and all people are submissive. If I rouse myself, what am I to do?!"
Qiao Yuniang stood up, her face solemn as she reminded him in a deep voice, "Has Your Majesty forgotten our national hatred and clan grudges?!"
"National hatred and family grudges!" Deng Gang shuddered in his heart, instantly snapping fully alert. He unconsciously said, "Of course I haven't forgotten!"
Not only had he not forgotten, it was carved into his very bones.
When the hope of restoring the nation was bleak.
What truly supported Deng Gang through the hardship of the first half of his life was that deep-seated hatred.
The Chu family, the royal house of the Huang Kingdom, bore the brunt of it!
And of course, the true culprit... the Taixuan Demonic Sect!
As if having rediscovered a purpose in life, Deng Gang's eyes burned brightly: "Has the old Emperor of the Huang Kingdom, who abandoned his nation and fled, been found?!"
Qiao Yuniang breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "Some traces have been found. He likely fled toward the west."
"Fled to the west..." Deng Gang raised his head to look into the distance, his gaze seemingly piercing through the imperial palace, crossing mountains and rivers, pursuing that old Emperor of the Huang Kingdom, before finally settling on a certain location as he whispered, "...the Taixuan Demonic Sect!"
Qiao Yuniang nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "The Chu family is said to be relatives of Mount Taixuan's previous sect master. It is only natural for them to flee to Mount Taixuan seeking asylum."
Deng Gang glanced at Qiao Yuniang and remained silent.
The origins of the Qingyun Sect were not hidden by the Qiao family.
Although Deng Gang was grateful for the Qiao family's full assistance, he was no true fool. Naturally, he faintly caught wind of the open and covert struggles between the Qingyun Sect and Mount Taixuan.
Just as the Chu family was a puppet front for the Taixuan Demonic Sect to govern the mortal realm, was he not likewise a pawn of the Qingyun Sect?!
During the downfall of the Huang Kingdom and the destruction of the Chu family, the Taixuan Demonic Sect showed almost no reaction whatsoever.
Every indication showed that the Taixuan Demonic Sect was at its weakest point in a thousand years.
If he wanted to exact revenge, right now was the best opportunity.
And yet...
Deng Gang felt somewhat reluctant to seek revenge.
Now that the nation had been successfully restored, his greatest obsession had been resolved. If his uncle and the Deng family ancestors had spirits in heaven, they should also be thoroughly satisfied.
Going after the Taixuan Demonic Sect for revenge seemed somewhat excessive.
Setting aside the fact that the Taixuan Demonic Sect had governed the world for a thousand years and stood unshakeable, it undoubtedly possessed formidable trump cards.
Behind the Taixuan Demonic Sect was the Nanya Immortal Alliance, an entity even less to be provoked.
More importantly, the bone-deep hatred in Deng Gang's heart had faded significantly with the success of restoring his nation.
The grudges between the Deng family and the Taixuan Demonic Sect had occurred tens or even hundreds of years ago.
Not to mention Deng Gang, even his uncle had never personally experienced them.
Although claimed to be carved into his bones, there was actually very little genuine emotional weight to it; it was more like an obsession playing tricks on him.
What was more, there was Liu Zhijian...
"As for the remnants of the Huang Kingdom's Chu clan, continue pursuing them; we must eradicate them root and branch." Deng Gang made up his mind and said in a deep voice, "As for campaigning against the Taixuan Demonic Sect... the Deng Kingdom has just been established, and the people's minds desire stability. It is inadvisable to cause unnecessary complications. Let us set it aside for now and speak of it later."
Qiao Yuniang wished to persuade him further, but looking up and meeting Deng Gang's scrutinizing gaze, she could only bow her head and say, "Your Majesty is wise!"
...
Late at night.
Deng Gang woke up with a start, his entire body aching faintly from the lingering hangover.
Scanning his surroundings slightly, he saw several beauties lying nearby with fair bodies exposed, arms and necks intertwined in sound sleep.
Deng Gang let out a soft laugh.
What national hatred and family grudges could compare to the allure of wine and women?!
"Deng Gou'er!" A shrill, furious shout caused Deng Gang to shudder violently.
He had not heard this name or this voice for fully twenty years.
"Uncle!" Deng Gang raised his head, his face filled with horror as he saw his uncle—who had been dead for twenty years—standing a short distance away, retaining the clothing and appearance from when he died horribly back then, resembling a hideous ghost.
"Deng Gou'er!" His uncle's face was fierce and twisted, his eyes filled with disappointment. "How could you indulge in wine and women, sinking to such a state?!"
Deng Gang's fear and awe toward his uncle were engraved into his very marrow. Feeling as if he had returned to his childhood, his body trembled involuntarily: "Uncle... Gou'er has already successfully restored the nation... Is that still not enough?!"
"Not enough! Of course it is not enough!" His uncle loudly refuted, "Have you forgotten our national hatred and family grudges?!"
Earlier today, Qiao Yuniang had spoken the exact same words.
In his heart, Deng Gang had not actually taken it to heart.
Now, hearing his uncle ask him in person, Deng Gang felt a lump in his throat and shook his head repeatedly, "Gou'er would not dare forget!"
Hearing this, his uncle became even more enraged: "Then why do you not crusade against the Taixuan Demonic Sect and wipe away a century of disgrace for our family?!"
Deng Gang froze for a moment, left speechlessly unable to answer.
His uncle asked coldly, "Are you afraid?!"
"Gou'er is not afraid!" Deng Gang steeled his heart and shook his head, "It is just that Gou'er feels the situation at Mount Taixuan is unclear, and the time for revenge has not yet arrived."
"Foolish!" His uncle said, his face brimming with disappointment as he instructed in a low voice, "Right now, the Taixuan Demonic Sect has only a Qi Refining sect master; it is at its weakest in a thousand years. On the other hand, you are already at late-stage Qi Refining, possess your family's secret arts, and have the support of the Qingyun Sect and numerous rogue cultivators. This is precisely the best time to crusade against the Taixuan Demonic Sect!"
"If you do not act now, once the Taixuan Demonic Sect catches its breath, they will bound to destroy the Deng Kingdom once more and exterminate the Deng family to the last!"
Deng Gang naturally understood this truth, yet he faintly felt something was amiss, leaving him hesitant and undecided for a moment.
Seeing this, his uncle sharply broke open the truth: "You are of the White Dragon lineage, bearing the bloodline of the flood dragon! You and the Taixuan Demonic Sect are locked in an irreconcilable feud—this is the mandate of heaven!"
"If you remain hesitant, your death and the extermination of your clan are right before your eyes!"
"Gou'er, why have you not snapped awake?!"
Deng Gang sat up abruptly, drenched in cold sweat, feeling only an alien blood boiling within his body as his eyes burned.
So it was a dream!
"Ah!"
Several terrified screams echoed around him.
The several beauties who had shared his bed looked at him as if seeing a monster, cowering at the foot of the bed in sheer terror.
Unsure of what was happening, Deng Gang looked down and was taken aback.
His arms had doubled in thickness, sprouting ferocious gray scales.
His palms had grown broad, his five fingers curling into claws that gleamed with an eerie light.
Looking at his torso and lower limbs, they too had transformed into those of a flood dragon.
"White Dragon lineage, bloodline of the flood dragon..." Deng Gang felt only a surge of fiery rage welling up into his heart, burning away his sanity completely. "So what Uncle said was real! My Deng family truly possesses an extraordinary bloodline, noble by birth!"
"Husband, what happened?!" Qiao Yuniang rushed over, her brows furrowing the moment she cast her eyes on him. She waved her hand and barked, "Get out, all of you!"
The trembling beauties on the bed paid no heed to their exposed skin, stumbling as they fled outside.
Deng Gang admired his flood dragon claws and asked softly, "Wife, how do you find this body of mine?!"
Qiao Yuniang bowed gracefully, "Your Majesty is the True Dragon Son of Heaven!"
"Wrong." Deng Gang's flood dragon eyes glowed with red light as he looked at Qiao Yuniang, shaking his head and saying coldly, "This is merely a flood dragon, not a true dragon!"
Qiao Yuniang choked back a breath, lowering her head once more: "Your Majesty need only assemble your grand aura and augment your destiny to transform from a flood dragon into a true dragon!"
"Oh?!" Deng Gang asked with great interest, "How to transform into a dragon?!"
Qiao Yuniang was indeed worthy of her Central Continent origins, possessing broad knowledge, and answered smoothly: "In the Central Continent, there was once an immortal dynasty that swept away a hundred kingdoms and unified the realm under heaven. The ruler of that immortal dynasty possessed the destiny of the Black Dragon."
"If Your Majesty wishes to transform into a dragon, you should emulate the ancient affairs of the Black Dragon: tour the world, perform the Feng and Shan sacrifices, and offer worship to Heaven!"
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