‘I need to gather the sect elders and those closest to us. They deserve to know the truth’

Zhang Dong muttered aloud while his wife nodded a few times. The two had decided to start their plan with the main sect. They needed to awaken everyone to this truth and then empower them. The plan was straightforward: bring more people into the immortal realm, provide them with a simplified system, and enlist their help to take over the other stations alongside the other Zhang Dong clones.

At this juncture, Zhang Dong didn't feel confident enough in his current realm to pursue the truth. His power fell short compared to the godlike being that created all of this. He could only hope that whoever made this would remain preoccupied with other matters and not shorten his life. Nothing indicated that he was on the verge of being discovered by anything or anyone. Perhaps creating such a vast multiverse of small worlds had its drawbacks, and the person responsible was unable to govern it fully.

“Should I go get little Xiu?”

“Hah, she hates when you call her that but sure, I’ll have a word with our little Jun. Has he been doing well lately?”

“I’m not sure, after you left he had been working hard to keep the peace in the empire.”

“Were there some troubles?”

“Oh you know, the usual things that happen after a grand ancestor leaves.”

“I see…”

Zhang Dong smiled at his wife, who gave him one last hug. He could sense her distance, likely still apprehensive about the fact that he was a clone of her husband. Though this saddened him somewhat, he comprehended the peculiarity of their situation. Nevertheless, he needed to be strong and overcome the decrease in affection from his wife. Soon, he departed in the direction of his son, who was surprisingly not within the confines of any city.

‘I guess, there has been some trouble?’

His speed was tremendous, so it would only take him a few minutes if he pushed himself to reach the distant location where his son was situated. Even from afar, he could sense some commotion. As he drew closer, he discovered that his son was at the helm of their sect's armada, poised to clash with a large group of cultivators. The assembly was a mixed bag of individuals, including some demonic cultivators who had nearly been hunted to extinction.

‘I see, so these idiots think that after I’m gone, they can bully my sect and children into submission?’

Zhang Dong observed the situation from a distance, his eyes narrowing as he perceived the imbalance of power. Despite the odds seemingly stacked against his son and their sect, Jun stood confidently at the forefront, his eyes ablaze with determination. He presented himself with grace and looked like a proper Emperor.

‘Hah, my son sure is a sneaky little guy… he is pretending to be weaker, did he set this up to get rid of possible revolts in the future?’

Initially, it might have seemed like the opposing group held a certain superiority. They boasted more nascent soul masters in the great circle of the nascent soul and had effectively encircled the armada of ships belonging to his sect. The ambush was evident, and there was a suspicion that it was orchestrated, perhaps even by his own son. It was one of the oldest tricks in the book - appearing weak while, in reality, remaining the most powerful cultivator in the vicinity.

‘Should I let it play out? Even if Jun is probably going to win, some of our people will still die…’

His senses surpassed anyone else's, allowing him to discern all the formations and hidden soldiers strategically positioned. The other group unwittingly walked into a trap, despite their considerable numbers. Despite the meticulous preparations, it was likely that some of their sect members would end up dead or gravely injured. While he would have appreciated giving his son a moment of glory, this minor battle paled in significance compared to the real stakes at hand.

“Without that monster protecting you, there is nothing to fear from you Zhang Jun. Surrender and we will guarantee you a painless death!”

“Mmm, how magnanimous of you… but I’ll have to refuse, lay down your weapons and you might walk away with a severed dantian.”

“Hah, damn welp! Without your father you are nothing!”

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As he surveyed the scene, a conversation between his son and the coalition of some sects was unfolding. Among the group, he identified members from the old Long Clan and also some from the Heavenly Crane Sect. These two giants of the past seemed intent on reliving their glory days and establishing a new rule. After his sect took over, they were stripped of most of their power and became their vassals.

Zhang Dong couldn't help but find the situation amusing. It seemed like some remnants of the old power structure were attempting to rise again in his absence. It seemed a bit strange that they had already forgotten the grandeur of his ascension. However, this forgetfulness was also a part of the system governing this planet. It generated conflict whenever there wasn't much to gain, and after spending time on the administrative console, he realized that it was an integral part of the lives of the people here. There was nothing he could do for those who were already born, but he discerned that it was possible to disable this effect for newborns.

He decided to intervene before the conflict escalated any further. The two armies were starting up their spirit cannons and the attacking formations were primed for carnage. With a thought, he appeared in the midst of the battlefield, standing between the two opposing forces. With a wave of his hand, he disabled every formation and cannon in the vicinity. The spiritual bolts that had already been fired simply vanished into nothingness.

His sudden appearance silenced the commotion, and all eyes turned towards him. The shock and awe on their faces were palpable as they recognized the man who had once ruled over this world. The form that he took was exactly the same as always and the power that he radiated was that of a true immortal being, something that these people here could not go against.

“Father!”

Zhang Jun's eyes widened, as a mix of surprise and relief washed over his face. Zhang Dong knew his son well, even if he was playing his role of the Emperor well, his true character was different. It was clear that he disliked fighting and conquest. The only reason he was out here was for the greater good as if the enemies of the sect continued without being stopped, many innocent lives would probably be lost.

Zhang Dong's gaze swept over the assembled cultivators. There was a mixture of fear, awe, and confusion in their eyes. He raised an eyebrow at the representatives of the Long Clan and the Heavenly Crane Sect, two factions that seemed to be leading this rebellion. Some of them were men that he even interacted with from three hundred years ago, now they were trembling in fear after he appeared.

“Well, well. It seems like some people didn't get the memo that my sect is not to be trifled with. What's the meaning of this rebellion?”

He asked, his voice carrying the weight of authority. The representatives from the opposing factions exchanged uneasy glances. One of them, a middle-aged man with a Long Clan insignia, stepped forward, trying to maintain a facade of confidence.

“Um… G-great Ancestor, we w-were merely testing the strength of your sect in your absence. We had no intention of rebellion. We're loyal servants of the Golden Empire and The Emperor!”

Zhang Dong's eyes narrowed, and a smirk played on his lips. He could hear them whispering with each other to get down on their knees and beg for forgiveness. Their lies were apparent and somewhat amusing to a being of his current power.

“Testing, huh? Seems like a rather aggressive way to test someone's loyalty. I'm quite disappointed in you. I thought you had learned your lesson. But alas… there is no time for this, surrender yourselves, your lives will be spared but your cultivation will be lessened.”

To no surprise, some of the old masters didn’t like that trade. To a lot of them, having their cultivation stripped or restrained was akin to dying. Zhang Dong was floating close to the flagship of the enemy army and suddenly a group of cultivators charged at him.

“Don’t let them fool you, Zhang Dong has passed on to the other realm! This is probably some elaborate ruse, a fake! Attack with me brothers and sisters, we will rule the Empire, it is our time!”

A group of around fifteen great circle nascent soul masters charged at him. Behind them an explosion of spirit bullets and other elemental attacks. Zhang Dong sighed inwardly. It seemed that the rebellion was more deeply rooted than he initially thought. These cultivators were willing to risk everything for a chance at power, even if it meant going against the man who had once united the entire world under the banner of the Golden Empire.

With a wave of his hand, a powerful gust of wind emanated from him, extinguishing the approaching attacks like candles in a storm. The rebels were sent flying backward, their bodies battered and bruised. The fear in their eyes intensified as they realized the futility of their resistance.

“Enough of this foolishness!”

He declared, his voice resonating with authority.

“I have returned, and any attempts at defiance will be met with consequences. Surrender now, and perhaps you'll be given a chance at redemption.”

The rebel cultivators, now lying on the ground and nursing their wounds, exchanged glances. The reality of their situation had sunk in, and the allure of rebellion had faded in the face of overwhelming power. After a moment of tense silence, the leaders of the rebellion gritted their teeth and reluctantly dropped to their knees.

“We surrender, Great Ancestor. We were misled, and we beg for your mercy.”

There was no way of fighting overwhelming power and he disliked the fact that he was forced to act. The trembling men and women below didn’t bring him joy but just saddened him instead. None of them was aware of the bigger picture and all of them continued to murder each other for a little bit more prestige. He hoped to finally be able to break this cycle.

“My son you did well but we must have a few words, we will be returning to the main sect, I want you to assemble our most trusted sect members, there is something that I need to show all of you…”

The battle was over but a new war was on the horizon. Zhang Jun looked quite confused but he nodded.

“Yes, Father!”