I Have a Sword

The Great Zhou Emperor looked at Zhou Fan and asked seriously, "Why?"

Zhou Fan responded with a question, "Why not?"

The Great Zhou Emperor was silent.

Zhou Fan smiled and asked, "Father, why not take a big gamble?"

"A big gamble?" The Great Zhou Emperor looked up and remarked, "His enemy is the Evil Dao Alliance!"

The Evil Dao Alliance.

The Great Zhou Emperor was a bit familiar with the Evil Dao Alliance. The alliance had countless top-tier supreme elites, and even he had no idea just how deep and murky were the waters of the Evil Dao Alliance.

All he knew was that the Evil Dao Alliance was strong—extremely strong.

Zhou Fan tucked her hair behind her ear to stop it from billowing out in the air and smiled. "It's exactly because his enemy is the Evil Dao Alliance"

The Great Zhou Emperor was taken aback, and then he laughed boisterously.

Was the Evil Dao Alliance strong? Yes, they were incredibly strong!

The Great Zhou could only hope to compare to them. However, would someone capable of standing against the Evil Dao Alliance be weak? No way.

Zhou Fan looked at the sky, waiting—waiting for the response of the man next to her.

If her father was willing to gamble with her, then the position of heir would undoubtedly become hers. Otherwise, she'd have no chance.

Zhou Fan's decision to stay in the Great Zhou was for the sake of the Great Zhou and herself.

The Great Zhou Emperor asked, "Is he really from the Tianxing Civilization?"

Zhou Fan said, "If I say yes, would you believe me, father?"

The Great Zhou Emperor smiled. "No."

If Ye Guan were truly from the Tianxing Civilization, he wouldn't have been placated so easily.

Ye Guan had tried his hardest to act arrogant and make people believe that he was from the Tianxing Civilization, but his arrogance was lacking.

The Great Zhou Emperor suddenly called out, "Come out!"

An old man in court robes appeared nearby and bowed slightly to the Great Zhou Emperor.

The Great Zhou Emperor said calmly, "From this moment on, Zhou Fan is the thirty-second heir of the Great Zhou Imperial family. She will receive the title 'Grand Marshal of the Empire,' and she's given the right to establish Imperial edicts. She will also receive the Great Zhou's Dragon Seal and the Great Zhou's Shence Army Token..."

Everyone present was stupefied.

The Grand Marshal of the Empire!

Zhou Fan could now command all armies and expeditionary forces located outside of Great the Zhou!

Her right to establish Imperial edicts could allow her to mobilize all the armies within the Great Zhou's territory, including the Imperial City Guards and the Imperial Secret Guards.

The Great Zhou Dragon Seal could mobilize the Imperial family's ancestors. With that seal, Zhou Fan could instantly withdraw all the supreme elites and advisors around the other princes and princesses.

The most terrifying thing was the Great Zhou Shence Army Token!

When the Great Zhou was founded, the Founding Ancestor of the Great Zhou created an invincible army called the Great Zhou Shence Army.

The Shence Army was the most mysterious and most powerful armed force in the Great Zhou, and every single emperor so far had greatly relied on it to subdue their enemies.

The army was so formidable that it was second only to the Great Zhou Emperor in terms of strength.

The Shence Army had always been the primary focus of the Great Zhou's resources. After so many years, the weakest member of the Shence Army was a full divinity expert.

It was worth mentioning that this army wasn't stationed in Great Zhou but outside. However, they would still receive resources from the Great Zhou every year.

They obeyed only the holders of the Great Zhou Shence Army Token, and only the holders of the Shence Army Token could summon them.

The Great Zhou Emperor had just bestowed that token to Zhou Fan...

At this point, it could be said that Zhou Fan was the strongest individual in the Great Zhou, and she was the most powerful heir in the history of the Great Zhou.

Everyone present found it hard to believe.

Was she really an heir? The power she had in her hands was practically equivalent to the Great Zhou Emperor!

Zhou Mu was about to step out and chime in, but Dao Jun stopped him.

Zhou Mu's face was extremely grim. He had schemed for so many years, so how could he accept this result? There wasn't even a struggle. He lost so easily, and just like that!

Zhou Di was one step ahead, and he rushed to the Great Zhou Emperor to speak, but the Great Zhou Emperor merely glanced at him.

However, just one glance was enough to terrify Zhou Di, and he looked as if he had been struck by a hammer. He immediately retreated, not daring to speak.

The old man in court robes walked over to Zhou Fan and handed her a token, a seal, and a dragon seal.

Zhou Fan took a deep breath and accepted the three items.

When Zhou Fan accepted the three items, the old man, who had never bowed to anyone other than the Great Zhou Emperor, suddenly knelt down before her.

Zhou Fan quickly helped the old man up, smiling, "Uncle Awen, you watched me grow up, so please don't do this."

Naturally, Zhou Fan dared not to act arrogantly.

The old man before her was the strongest expert in the history of the Great Zhou. His origins nor his true strength were unknown. The only fact that everyone knew was that he was already alive when the Great Zhou was founded.

He shared the fate of the nation and had been enduring the passage of time along with it.

Most importantly, he obeyed only the holder of the Shence Army Token.

His gesture signified submission to Zhou Fan. Of course, the Great Zhou Emperor had allowed him to do this.

Zhou Fan's cultivation was high, but she wasn't a great talent in the grand scheme of the vast expanse. Without a top-tier supreme elite by her side, she'd easily meet a premature end.

Moreover, the Great Zhou had already made an enemy out of the Evil Dao Alliance!

If Great Zhou were to declare its heir today and that heir was found dead on the streets tomorrow, the Great Zhou would become a laughingstock.

The old man smiled slightly before retreating to stand next to the Great Zhou Emperor.

Zhou Fan knew that they had things to discuss, so she bowed deeply to the Great Zhou Emperor and left.

Once Zhou Fan was no longer around, the old man in court robes said, "Your Majesty, wagering the fate of the entire empire is a massive gamble."

"That Tianxing Flame was being suppressed," replied the Great Zhou Emperor before turning around to leave.

The old man in court robes was stunned, and then he nodded. "It’s worth the gamble, then."

***

Zhou Mu sat on the ground and chuckled. "Scheming for so many years only to fail like this... How hilarious."

Dao Jun shook his head and remarked, "Your Highness, you need to maintain the right mindset."

Zhou Mu's expression twisted. "How am I supposed to do that?"

Dao Jun replied, "His Majesty is gambling with the fate of the empire on the line. You need to know that, or you will be in grave danger."

Gambling with the fate of the empire on the line! Zhou Mu clenched his hands tightly. After a long time, he took a deep breath and stood up.

"Let's go congratulate Ninth Sister," he said with a smile.

Dao Jun nodded, and a hint of relief flashed in his eyes. If Zhou Mu still couldn't see the bigger picture and had remained fixated on his own interests, he'd be beyond saving.

Even His Majesty the Emperor had chosen to relinquish power in the face of the empire's future, so what right did a mere prince have to keep on fighting?

The reason behind His Majesty the Emperor's decision was simple. Since they had decided to gamble, they had to go all in—go big or go home!

Zhou Mu suddenly asked, "Master, is that boy really from the Tianxing Civilization?"

Dao Jun shook his head. "No."

Zhou Mu was taken aback.

"However, his background is perhaps even more formidable than the Tianxing Civilization!"

Zhou Mu turned sharply and stared at Dao Jun with a face full of disbelief.

A complex expression flashed in Dao Jun’s eyes as he remarked, "That Tianxing Flame... was being suppressed."

Zhou Mu trembled. "That's..."

Swoosh!

Just then, an old man appeared before them. The old man bowed slightly and said, "Second Prince, Dao Jun, Her Highness the Heir has requested your presence."

The Heir!

A complex light flashed in Zhou Mu’s eyes as he said, "We will be there shortly."

The old man nodded and retreated.

Zhou Mu was puzzled, "Ninth Sister is summoning us..."

Dao Jun replied, "She plans to deal with the Evil Dao Alliance."

Zhou Mu's expression was grave as he responded, "Is Ninth Sister really in that kind of relationship with that young man?"

Dao Jun said calmly, "If she is, then great. If not, it doesn't matter."

Zhou Mu looked at Dao Jun. "What do you mean?"

Dao Jun explained, "That young man traveled a great distance to save Her Highness, which speaks volumes about his character and sense of justice. Even if they aren't in that kind of relationship, Ninth Princess' actions today will surely be rewarded in the future. Of course, if they are in that kind of relationship, it'll be great."

Zhou Mu was silent.

Dao Jun looked at Zhou Mu and said earnestly, "The Fourth Prince couldn't hold himself back earlier, so His Majesty must be disappointed in him. If one only considers one's own interests, how can one be trusted to rule the Great Zhou? Your Highness, you must learn to see things from the Emperor's perspective."

Zhou Mu was silent for a moment before bowing deeply. "I understand."

Dao Jun nodded. "Let's go!"

With that, the two of them disappeared from the spot.

Meanwhile, Fourth Prince Zhou Di looked despondent as he sat on the ground.

The old monk was standing behind him. The old monk was still blind. For some reason, his wound wasn't recovering at all."

Zhou Di chuckled self-deprecatingly and asked, "Master, don't you think this is unfair?"

The old monk said gravely, "The Emperor’s actions are indeed unjust. My Fantian Temple will never agree to this. Rest assured, Your Highness. When I return, I will have my senior brother, Abbot Ci Tian, seek justice from the Emperor."

Zhou Di hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "The overall situation has been set... I fear that it is too late."

The monk hastily said, "It's not too late. There is still a chance."

Zhou Di turned to look at the monk, who said sternly, "The Emperor's actions have not only broken the rules of succession but have put the Great Zhou in a dangerous position as well. He's become a tyrant.."

Zhou Di quickly said, "Master, watch your words."

The old monk sneered, "What is there to fear? Your Highness, do you trust me?"

Zhou Di nodded slightly. "Of course, I trust you, Master Ci Di. However, the outcome is clear. If we act now, we're only going to displease my father..."

Ci Di immediately said, "Our Fantian Temple has a million monks and hundreds of millions of followers. With our support, even His Majesty must treat you with caution."

Zhou Di still seemed hesitant at the idea.

"Your Highness, can you really accept giving up just like this?" Ci Di asked.

Zhou Di clenched his fists tightly. He was unwilling to give up so easily. He truly couldn't accept this outcome!

Ci Di added, "Moreover, that woman now holds great power. Do you really think that she will spare you and your mother's clan?"

Zhou Di was silent, but his expression had darkened.

Ci Di suggested, "Your Highness, we still have a chance. We must cause an uproar and shake things up."

Zhou Di still seemed a bit worried.

Ci Di grabbed Zhou Di's hand and held it firmly. "Don't worry, just trust me on this. We can do it..."