After so many years and so many trials, Wu Tao's personality, already leaning towards the gray, had gradually descended into darkness.
Accustomed to a life of schemes and calculated interests, Wu Tao's heart grew colder, his inclination towards the dark side more pronounced.
Moreover, Wu Tao lived with a deep-seated hatred, which profoundly altered his way of thinking, setting him apart from ordinary people.
These ordinary people included so-called geniuses; it had little to do with intelligence and everything to do with a different perspective.
Fueled by hatred, Wu Tao would instinctively consider only the short-term results of any situation he encountered.
In other words, he only cared if a matter could yield immediate benefits for him. Long-term consequences were never on his mind.
As the saying goes, "He who does not plan for a millennium cannot be called a hero." In this sense, Wu Tao was neither a hero nor a formidable figure.
However, viewed from another angle, this made Wu Tao's actions incredibly focused, greatly increasing his efficiency.
Although this approach generated numerous hidden dangers and sowed the seeds for future trouble, for Wu Tao, these were not as significant as they might seem.
Wu Tao's sole focus was on how to gain more power as quickly as possible, and how to strengthen himself and his influence.
The years of suppressed hatred in his heart had made this approach of prioritizing rapid growth over future repercussions almost instinctual for Wu Tao.
Or rather, Wu Tao was not a qualified politician who wielded power. Strictly speaking, he was only half a politician and half a cultivator.
Therefore, after a single battle where he overthrew the rule of the Liu imperial clan and the four great families, seizing supremacy and authority over the Purple State's cultivation world, Wu Tao immediately secured the capital, Chang'an. He then dispatched messengers holding command flags to inform all one hundred and eight regions.
Facing the established fact of Wu Tao's dominance over the Purple State's cultivation world, most regions remained silent, evidently observing the situation. Only a handful of first-tier families responded.
A smaller portion of families directly raised the banner of rebellion, aiming to seize the opportunity while Wu Tao's foundation was unstable to declare themselves kings.
Against these families, Wu Tao showed no leniency. He suppressed them with all his might, a brutal display of force to warn others.
...
To be frank, after this earth-shattering war, the so-called "peace and stability" did not descend. Instead, smaller-scale conflicts, even more intense than before, began to erupt throughout the regions.
The first to fall into turmoil were the regions outside the thirteen central territories. Numerous small families, who had previously lived quietly, began attacking each other, annexing territories.
Many families seized this opportunity to nearly double their land holdings. The temporary disappearance of the original order presented a golden opportunity for powerful factions.
The ambitious individuals who had been suppressed by the established order and rule of the Purple State's cultivation world began to emerge.
In an instant, the one hundred and eight regions of the Purple State, deprived of the deterrent force of the central government, plunged into unprecedented turmoil.
As the ultimate victor in the struggle for supremacy in the Purple State's cultivation world, Wu Tao and his Ascending Immortal Sect, while proclaiming their authority to the world, also purged some of the most unruly families.
As the Ascending Immortal Sect's pacification efforts progressed, the chaos gradually subsided. However, the process was slow, especially given the vast territory that was simply unmanageable.
Upon discovering the unyielding might of Wu Tao's blade, a considerable number of families chose to yield and align themselves with Wu Tao.
Once a part of the families declared their allegiance, the rest of the process became much simpler.
As Wu Tao's foundation grew increasingly stable, more and more families surrendered to him.
...
As if destined by history or the cycle of fate, Wu Tao's name spread throughout the one hundred and eight regions. In the end, when fame and power returned to a single individual, order and rule were ultimately restored to the realm.
...
The capital city of Chang'an, an ancient and now paramount city, had suffered under the tyranny of the Liu imperial clan and the four great families. Subsequently, Wu Tao's Ascending Immortal Sect waged another series of fierce battles, resulting in considerable destruction overall.
Fortunately, the defensive formations of the capital city were exceptionally strong, preserving it in a relatively intact state.
As the final victor in this struggle for supremacy, Wu Tao and his high-ranking subordinates were exceptionally busy.
Compared to the vast armies of hundreds of thousands of cultivators previously mobilized, the current forces had suffered significant personnel losses. Even numerous Sky-Piercing Battleships had been destroyed, a heavy toll indeed.
However, all these losses meant nothing to Wu Tao. His heart was as cold as ice, and the deaths of these cultivators were of no concern to him.
The vast chessboard of the Purple State's cultivation world now had only one player: Wu Tao. How the board moved was, naturally, entirely up to him.
The former imperial palace of the Liu imperial clan, now the new headquarters of the Ascending Immortal Sect.
This day became exceptionally lively. The lords of numerous newly allied families, along with veteran powerhouses who had long joined the Ascending Immortal Sect, all gathered at the new headquarters.
Many powerful individuals were engaged in fervent discussions, their spirits exceptionally excited, clearly anticipating the events to come.
"The meeting is about to begin. Please return to your designated seats, esteemed lords."
Attendants, tasked with serving refreshments, seemingly acting on orders, rushed about to inform everyone as the appointed time arrived.
The high-ranking members of the Ascending Immortal Sect, who had already prepared themselves mentally, tacitly ceased their conversations and returned to their seats with practiced solemnity.
As exquisite spiritual dishes and spiritual wine were brought forth, attendants served each high-ranking member at their tables.
Seeing that all his subordinates were seated, Wu Tao, positioned on the former imperial throne of Liu Xie, knew it was time to explain the main purpose of the assembly.
"Quiet down, everyone!"
Wu Tao's voice, infused with potent spiritual energy, resonated clearly in the ears of all present.
As his words fell, all eyes in the hall turned in unison towards Wu Tao seated on the imperial throne.
"Today is a profoundly important day for all of us!"
Wu Tao spoke slowly, meeting the gazes of those before him.
"From this day forward, the Purple State's cultivation world belongs to us. We are now the masters of the Purple State's cultivation world!"
"The promises I made to you will be fulfilled after my imperial enthronement ceremony. Your blood spilled on the battlefield will not have been in vain."
"You shall receive vast fiefdoms, much like the noble families of the past. Within your domains, you may do as you please, and no one shall interfere!"
Wu Tao swept his gaze across the crowd and stood up, speaking with passionate fervor.
As Wu Tao's words concluded, as if they had been waiting for this day for a long time, the numerous high-ranking members of the Ascending Immortal Sect rose in excitement, some even kneeling in their fervor.
"I, You Meng, I, Ye Yu, I, Ye Qingyi, I, Nangong Nan, I, Nangong Xing... and other direct subordinates, pledge our loyalty!"
"We swear to defend the Immortal Emperor with our lives. Should we ever betray this oath, may we suffer ten thousand years of torment by demonic fire, a fate worse than death!"
Resounding, powerful shouts echoed throughout the venue, igniting the passion in the hearts of many.
Even though each person harbored their own subtle intentions, at this moment, under the atmosphere of shared emotion and infection, an unusual sentiment spread through the hearts of everyone present.
Seeing that everyone had expressed their loyalty, Wu Tao gradually announced the date of his ascension to Immortal Emperor.
"In half a month, I will hold the ceremony for my ascension to Immortal Emperor here in the capital city of Chang'an!"
...
"Hahahaha, the Sect Master has finally decided? We've been waiting impatiently."
"I knew it, I just knew it would be a matter of days!"
"Congratulations, Sect Master, congratulations!"
With Wu Tao's brief words, he not only won over hearts but also pushed the meeting to its climax.
Everyone has their dreams, or rather, their ambitions. To delve deeper, it is desire.
Everyone possesses desire; even sentient beings without intelligence cannot claim to be devoid of it.
Desire is the most primal, the most fundamental instinct. From a rational perspective, it is the root of motivation for intelligent beings, for only yearning generates the drive and propels continuous progress.
From a wild or instinctual viewpoint, desire is the foundation of survival for living beings, the pursuit of continued existence.
...
Perhaps, the dreams of these individuals were also to become Immortal Emperors. However, as cultivators with known limitations, they understood that such ambitions were impossible to achieve, mere unrealistic fantasies.
Therefore, they could only place their hopes in others, hoping that someone else would fulfill their inner ambitions, and they would unconsciously obey that person's commands.
Perhaps, in a sense, this is how power originally emerged, and it's possible.
High above on the imperial throne, gazing at the dense crowd of subordinates below, Wu Tao felt a surge of emotions.
To have risen from the status of a lost dog to his current position was indeed a difficult journey.
Not everyone possessed Wu Tao's luck and opportunities. Of course, Wu Tao's own efforts were also crucial, but luck and opportunity were the most significant factors.
Having traversed the Nine Provinces' cultivation world, the underground cultivation world, and the Purple State's cultivation world, Wu Tao's thoughts differed greatly from those of other cultivators. Moreover, he had a crucial task to complete: resurrecting Lü Yuehua.
Although Wu Tao had been focused on seizing dominance over the Purple State's cultivation world in recent years, he had never given up on finding a way to resurrect Lü Yuehua.
Unfortunately, after so many years, so much time, and so much effort, he had found nothing.
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