Establish Your Authority! The Family Compromises!

"Ancestor."

As soon as Zhou Linglong saw Zhou Huangye, she immediately rose from the dragon throne and respectfully bowed.

Ancestor?

Hearing Zhou Linglong's address, the courtiers were immediately stunned on the spot. What? The ancestor of the Great Zhou Dynasty had come out of seclusion?

All eyes quickly shifted toward the visitor. There stood Zhou Huangye, clad in green, with a somber expression. He radiated a palpable pressure without uttering a word or making a move.

"Haha... What a performance!"

"Has the imperial edict of the Great Zhou Emperor lost its authority?" Zhou Huangye's cold gaze swept across the room. His voice, resonant and authoritative, echoed through the chamber.

In recent years, all the strong practitioners of the Great Zhou Dynasty had withdrawn to the Dragon Court for cultivation, becoming detached from worldly affairs. This left space for the aristocratic families to slowly accumulate power. Their influence grew steadily, but Zhou Huangye and his peers turned a blind eye to it, as long as the families did not overreach. But now, as the empire faced a dire crisis, these same families were refusing to act for their selfish reasons. Zhou Huangye's patience was gone.

Boom!

Before the ministers could process what was happening, the elderly minister who had been evading responsibility was struck by Zhou Huangye, exploding into a mist of blood.

The air thickened with the scent of blood, making everyone retch.

"Greetings to the ancestor!" The entire court, terrified, knelt as one, their legs giving way under the oppressive force of Zhou Huangye's presence.

"Hmph! We've tolerated you for long enough, and now you dare make things worse?" His voice dripped with anger. "You seem to have forgotten—this is not your Da Zhou; it belongs to the Zhou family!"

With that, Zhou Huangye unleashed his formidable aura. The courtiers, including some of the half-saints, were forced to the ground under its pressure. Those with weaker cultivation levels disintegrated into blood mist.

Zhou Huangye was making his stance clear: I do not need a reason to kill.

"In all the land, who dares defy the emperor's orders?" Zhou Huangye's voice reverberated. "If anyone dares defy the emperor's will, I will wipe out their entire clan!"

Faced with the cold truth, the court bowed their heads in submission. They were half-saints at best, and against a Martial Saint, they had no choice but to comply.

With Zhou Huangye's display of power, the court session quickly became a monologue of Zhou Linglong's decisions. The ministers, terrified of further repercussions, agreed with everything she proposed. No one dared object, not with the Grand Ancestor watching and ready to punish any sign of rebellion. In fact, a third of the court had already been eliminated.

Zhou Linglong, noticing the fear that had settled over the ministers, couldn't help but feel pleased. For once, she faced no opposition—those who had previously criticized or obstructed her were now silent.

"Now that we understand each other," Zhou Linglong said with a triumphant smile, "go home and prepare your troops. By tomorrow morning, I expect to see you all at the Imperial Military Academy."

The courtiers, pale and trembling, could do nothing but comply. They left the throne room to return to their respective families. For them, the next challenge was not just mustering soldiers, but explaining to their ancestors that they were expected to fight.

In the Yang family estate, Yang Yan arrived at the sacred retreat behind the family's mountain.

"Ancestor..." Yang Yan called softly, waking the two ancestors who had been in deep meditation. Both were peak-level half-saints, though one was nearing the end of his life unless he could break through to the Holy Realm.

"Yan'er, what is it?" The two ancestors greeted Yang Yan with affection, knowing he was the family's future hope, likely to break through to Martial Saint one day.

Yang Yan relayed the entire ordeal that had occurred in court. Upon hearing it, the ancestors exchanged knowing glances. The eldest sighed deeply.

"Yan'er, this is no ordinary matter. If the royal family and the Dragon Court have been stirred, we must act cautiously."

"I'll take the lead," the eldest said with a resigned sigh. "I have little time left, and breaking through is beyond my reach now. Let me go."

The old ancestor's eyes reflected the wisdom and weariness of many years. He understood the gravity of the situation—if even the secretive Dragon Court was involved, the stakes were higher than ever.

"Ancestor..." Yang Yan began, but the elder cut him off.

"There is no point in protesting. We cannot avoid this fate. Better to make a smaller sacrifice now than face a greater one later."

With that, Yang Yan was instructed to gather the family's private army and practitioners. As part of the empress's faction, they had to set an example.

As Yang Yan left to carry out the orders, Zhou Huangye watched in silence from a distance. He nodded in approval. The Yang family, it seemed, was worth cultivating.

Although Zhou Huangye had already dispatched three half-saint masters from the Dragon Court to oversee the families, he wasn't completely at ease. Many aristocratic families had semi-saints among their ranks, and if they resisted, things could get complicated.

So, for the most powerful families, Zhou Huangye decided on more direct, covert surveillance.