The Dapan Dynasty divided the world into counties, which changed constantly during the period, but eventually it was reduced to 42 counties, covering the original states of Pan, Zheng, Bai, Li, Min, Shao, and Gao as well as the territory that originally belonged to Dahuan. The vastness of the human territory once again reached its peak.
Panchao Yangjing was established for more than a hundred years, and the emperor of Panchao has also been in power for more than a hundred years. The countryside, originally named Yangshe, has gone through a hundred years of vicissitudes and has gradually acquired the atmosphere and heritage of a capital of a dynasty.
The former Gongzi Chao, the young emperor who unified the world in just a few years after taking over the throne of King Pan from his father, is no longer as good as he used to be and is now very old.
Now he can only teach the young Crown Prince Panxi while lying on his sickbed. He can only handle government affairs for a few hours every day. Panxi is Chao's great-grandson, and one of the few royal descendants who have awakened the Xuanyuan clan's bloodline over the years. His lifespan can at least reach two hundred years, the same as Chao's. However, all of Chao's sons and even grandsons have died.
Emperor Pan held the Nine Dragon Seal in front of the throne. The nine dragons on it were like little snakes in his palm, swimming and moving freely on the seal. It was extremely magical: "Xi! Do you know what this is?"
Prince Pan Xi said with a cupped hand, not daring to look at the Nine Dragon Imperial Seal: "This is the Imperial Seal!"
Everyone in the world knows that this imperial seal is a weapon that suppresses the fortune of the Dapan Dynasty and is a national treasure. Only the emperor can use it.
Emperor Pan shook his head repeatedly: "No! This is destiny, the destiny of the emperor! It is also my destiny!"
"My life span is coming to an end! From now on, the fate of the Son of Heaven will fall on you. In the past, Master Tang Li once told me privately that there were nine people who had the same fate as me. They were King Shao Che Yan, King Hong E Hong, Prince Ji Gu, King Min, King Zheng, and several generals under my command in the past. They all had the same fate as me, but I was the one who won in the end."
"So even if there is this destiny, it cannot overcome the will of the people and the overwhelming trend."
Emperor Pan looked at his chosen successor with a burning gaze and said, "You must remember in the future that you are not only the emperor, but also the Son of Heaven of the millions of people in this great Pan."
"If one day I, Da Pan, cannot keep the people's hearts, the fate of the Son of Heaven will be divided into nine parts again and scattered among the people. I, Da Pan, will also repeat the mistakes of Da Huan in the past."
Prince Panxi seemed to have heard everything: "Grandson, I'll remember it!"
Emperor Pan then changed the subject and asked casually, "I heard that you have been very close to the so-called Buddhist sect recently?"
When Pan Xi mentioned this, he suddenly lost his expression and said, "Yes, great-grandfather!"
"Master Hongyuan has a great Dharma. I once saw a Buddhist disciple who became enlightened overnight and achieved a golden body on the spot. He entered the Dan realm within a few days. He was just like a reincarnation of a god or demon. My grandson thinks that if such a great Dharma can be used by my Dapan, it will definitely be able to..."
Before Prince Panxi could finish his words, he was interrupted by Pan Dichao: "Expel this evil monk from Yangjing, and issue a decree to prohibit the Buddhist sect from preaching in our Great Pan territory."
Prince Pan Xi was stunned for a moment, but facing the indifferent gaze of Emperor Pan, he dared not say a word, and immediately lowered his head: "Yes!"
Everyone knows that the current emperor is in poor health, and the day of his death is getting closer day by day. However, no one dares to underestimate this emperor, let alone think that he is old and foolish. Instead, they respect and honor him more and more.
Because everyone knows that this Pan Emperor was the Son of Heaven in the world of the living, and after his death, he would be the Emperor of the underworld. He would hold the power of killing in the world while he is alive, and would rule over the souls of all living beings after his death. Such a terrifying existence, even some fourth-level great men who had achieved immortality in their early years did not dare to despise him, and they had to pay their respects obediently when facing this emperor.
Pan Di's old body coughed a few times and stood up. There was no emotion in his voice: "Think about it carefully when you go back. Why did I do this? What did you do wrong?"
But this situation made Pan Xi, the prince, tremble even more: "Xi knows!"
The Buddhist sect suddenly appeared in the Dapan Dynasty in recent years, but it has not developed smoothly among the people in the countryside. Not only have the various land gods, city gods, mountain gods and water gods joined forces to exclude and suppress the Buddhist sect, but all the major sects of cultivation have also joined forces to attack the Buddhist sect. Even the various aristocratic families are hostile to the Buddhist sect, viewing it as a scourge and a barbaric sect.
The Buddhist monk Hongyuan therefore went to Yangjing in person to seek for an opportunity. He wanted to use this opportunity to break new ground in the capital of Dapan and glorify the Buddhist sect. He once wanted to meet the Emperor of Dapan, but in the end he failed and could only turn his attention to the Crown Prince Panxi who was about to inherit the Dapan Dynasty.
However, Emperor Da Pan is not so easy to fool. The Buddhist sect's tricks may be very tempting to other people, but they have no effect on Pan Di Chao, who has already achieved the throne of emperor. He has seen through the Buddhist sect's thoughts and plans.
You should know that this Dongzhou of Mountains and Seas is full of mountain gods and river gods, and the famous rivers and big rivers each have their own masters and each has their own position. There are many immortal sects and they occupy the Lingshan Palace.
Behind each major clan and sect stands a deity. Every civil and military official in the court is blessed with good fortune and merit, and behind them stands the protection of their ancestral gods. The Tianshi sect has sorted out the Shinto order, and academies and Confucian temples are spread all over the world.
The entire Dapan is like a dense net, covering the world with the help of the Shinto and monks' system. Everyone in the Pan Dynasty can be connected to this big net.
These powerful men, monks, and gods have already divided up all the incense and luck of the human race in Dongzhou. At this time, it is almost impossible for the so-called Buddhist sect to jump out and compete with these powerful men, major clans, and even Emperor Changyue for the incense and luck.
Emperor Pan Chao watched Crown Prince Pan Xi gradually go away, and leaned back on the throne somewhat exhausted. A waiter beside him stepped forward, but was stopped by Emperor Pan Chao with his hand raised.
"It's still too immature!"
"What a pity! Time is running out!"
After saying this, Emperor Pan actually lay down on the dragon throne and fell asleep.
A few days later, the Night Emperor Star slid down from the sky, and Emperor Pan died.
That night, throughout Yangjing, one could see a golden dragon roaring out from the imperial palace and circling Yangjing. At this moment, a ray of light followed from afar and transformed into a bright moon, dancing with the golden dragon and rushing towards the sky.
This magical scene made all the stars in the sky pale in comparison.
An edict from gods and demons came from thousands of miles away, hanging above the sky. Grand music and rituals sounded, and thousands of ghost officials jumped out of the gate of the underworld to welcome Emperor Changyue back to the throne.
The whole country was in mourning, and the emperor who founded the Dapan Dynasty also came to an end in the world of the living.
—————-
Bu County is now the richest city in the world. Although it is not as grand and magnificent as Yangjing, the taxes collected from Bu County every year are enough to cover half of the north. An endless stream of merchant ships pass through the river and dock in Bu County, and merchants from all over the country gather here.
There is a river in the city called Qiu River. If you take a boat from Qiu River through Bu County, you can see numerous buildings on both sides of the river, brightly lit. The prosperous scene makes people linger, as if they have come to a fairyland.
People flowed endlessly from both sides of the river, and on the ancient stone bridge, scholars and friends were looking out at the view, and bursts of seductive sounds could be heard from the red-light district.
Because the Shangxian Academy was established here, for more than a hundred years, generation after generation of students from the academy have walked out of here. Some have served as officials and benefited the people, some have entered the court and wielded power, and some have made great contributions and left countless poems for the world.
Countless elegant scholars wrote about the prosperity of Bu County in their poems.
Inside the Shangxian Academy, bursts of reading sounds were heard, and rays of righteous energy turned into white light and rushed up to the sky. Inside the Shangxian Academy alone, one could see nearly ten disciples who were comparable to third-rank cultivators. The righteous energy surged throughout the Shangxian Academy, suppressing the city of Bu County and giving it a hint of a mighty aura.
Tang Li walked back and forth hunched over in the library of Shangxian Academy. Even though he had achieved great cultivation, the righteous energy of the academy had no ability to transform his body. Now, Tang Li's body was no different from that of a dying old man.
Gai Cang was wearing a white gown and following behind Tang Li. Compared with the elderly Tang Li, he looked more like his grandson rather than someone of the same age.
Tang Li was constantly tidying up and wiping the volumes in the library. He did not look like a world-famous scholar or a living saint, but more like a country bumpkin. Although his body was kept clean, his face was covered with age spots and his eyes were cloudy.
"Gai Cang! After all these years, you finally come back to the academy!"
Gai Cang had a blank expression on his face, as if this expression had never changed from nearly two hundred years ago to now: "I'm here to see you off!"
Tang Li nodded: "Fuhou has already entered Xundu Academy, and now it's my turn. This is all I can do. The rest will be left to the next generation!"
He looked out the window with cloudy eyes, at the bustling banks of the Qiu River at night, and the willow trees swaying in the wind, and suddenly he sat down, without any movement.
A moon-like being emitting endless light burst out from the body and headed towards the sky.
Gai Cang turned around and looked into the distance. At this time, the Yangjing Emperor Star in the distance fell and a golden dragon swam out.
A Yin Emperor's edict stood across the sky, covering the sun, moon and stars: "The Emperor of the Dapan Dynasty has established his rule over the world. Today, his merits are fulfilled, and he is conferred the title of Emperor Changyue!"
The underworld opened wide, and countless ghosts, gods, and underworld officials came to welcome Emperor Changyue back to the throne. Amid the sound of mighty rituals and music, he disappeared into the world of the living.