The entire world was illuminated by this light, as if it were daylight, yet in the face of the boundless darkness, this light appeared so small, so fragile.

"Good!"

The voice of the Black Mountain Old Demon echoed once more, as though it came from the Nine Netherworld Hell, carrying with it an endless chill.

The dark aura suddenly intensified several times, suppressing the light of the copper mirror instantly. The light of the copper mirror flickered incessantly in the darkness, teetering as if it were a dying candle in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

However, at this moment, Xu Qing revealed a slight smile of satisfaction.

"Elder Ji!"

He shouted lowly, his voice carrying a hint of expectation and resolve.

A gigantic net emitting lightning appeared out of thin air, enveloping both the bronze mirror and the dark aura together.

At the same time, two Demon Kings stepped forward, hugging the darkness tightly. The Qi-blood of the Martial Saint and the Yin God Power of the Thunder Tribulation Ghost Immortal clashed like water and fire, forming a terrifying vortex, with a strange Thunder Net Treasure sealing the void on the periphery.

Simultaneously, the cannons at the Old Port, under the blessing of tidal resonance, aimed their barrels at the bronze mirror in the void.

Xu Qing knew well that what the Black Mountain Old Demon valued most was surely the bronze mirror. With it as bait, the old demon was bound to be intrigued.

Nevertheless, he still had one concern, which was the old demon's ability to perceive Heavenly Secrets, unsure if it would fall for the trap.

But at this juncture, the arrow was on the string and had to be fired. Moreover, the importance of the bronze mirror was self-evident. Once the old demon appeared, the likelihood of it taking a risk was very high.

Amidst the booming sounds, the dark forces began to dissipate.

In the starry sky, the light of the Ziwei Star once again occupied the Ziwei Constellation, like the abode of the gods, illuminating the night.

Xu Qing slowly descended onto the dock of the Old Port, looking at the night sky where the astral signs were gradually returning to normal, his heart filled with many emotions.

Although this confrontation with the Black Mountain Old Demon achieved a temporary victory, he knew that the road ahead was long and that more challenges awaited him.

And this renewed clash with the Black Mountain Old Demon gave him a deeper appreciation of the powers in this world. He realized that the path he needed to walk was still far.

Ji Changxi came to Xu Qing's side and softly said, "This task we undertook together has come to a complete end, and I should be leaving."

She had seen the bronze mirror and knew that it must be a huge secret of Xu Qing's, otherwise it could not have tempted the Black Mountain Old Demon, providing them the opportunity to repel it.

However, Ji Changxi did not pursue the matter. At their level of existence, who didn't carry enormous secrets?

Meanwhile, Ji Changxi was more concerned that Xu Qing had gained another Thunder Tribulation Ghost Immortal level Demon King Protector.

This young lad is becoming increasingly formidable.

Just, Xu Qing had better not let success get to his head.

Ji Changxi knew deep down that His Majesty was far from as simple as outsiders assumed. The previous battle at Taihe Mountain left a very terrifying impression on her of His Majesty.

Even at the most critical moment, His Majesty did not intervene.

She still had a terrifying premonition in her heart that His Majesty's strength was underestimated by everyone.

This Great Yu Dynasty, the one truly hiding deeply was His Majesty.

But this matter, she had never mentioned to anyone.

…

…

The Capital, an ancient city bearing the rise and fall of the Great Yu Dynasty for a hundred years, was now under the tight control of Prince Yu.

Ever since obtaining the chance to act as Regent, Prince Yu's power soared like the sun in the sky, with the entire North Zhili under his command. From this center point, his influence spread like an invisible net to the northern provinces, even reaching the renowned Nine Border Towns.

Recalling the times before this dynasty, if someone could control these key areas, they would indeed be recognized as the master of "China." So-called "China" refers to the central nation of the world.

The taste of power is like fine wine; once tasted, it intoxicates and ensnares the heart, making it difficult to part with.

After Prince Yu took over the power of the Capital, he made significant moves. With the support of a lama from the Snow Domain, with the Dharma Bell name, Shanzhi, he carefully constructed a terrifying intelligence organization—the Blood Drops.

This organization operated covertly, with ruthless methods, surpassing even the Inner Factory, and for a time, the entire North was shrouded under the invisible shadow of the Blood Drops, allowing Prince Yu's will to be carried out.

As Regent, the manpower and resources Prince Yu could mobilize were far from what he could access as an ordinary prince.

Moreover, under the diligent management of the old Grand Secretary Zhang Tai'a, a solid foundation for reform had been laid in the North, allowing the Clear Land Policy and the Single Whip Method to be smoothly implemented.

Coupled with the Court's vigorous push to mint Longevity Silver Coins, for a time, silver coins were abundant in the Great Yu Dynasty's northern and southern capitals.

However, the Northern powerful and noble families faintly sensed an unprecedented sense of urgency.

With the rapid development trend in the South, various mechanical techniques and firearms were constantly innovating, causing the North's once-proud military power to gradually lose its advantage against the South.

Although many new mechanisms sprang up in the North, the wealth accumulated by these mechanisms was vastly different compared to the South.

The South, with its favorable geographical location, dominated maritime trade and was also the largest consumer market in the Great Yu Dynasty.

The prosperity of commerce allowed southern wealth to accumulate like a rolling snowball.

In contrast, although many workshops were established in the North, the commercial atmosphere was far less mature than in the South, with the circulation of goods and the accumulation of wealth subjected to numerous restrictions.

The Northern powerful and noble families' hearts were filled with worries. This wave of reform initiated by the North, promoted by the old Emperor and Xu Qing, was quietly shifting its focus to the South.

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