"Second Brother."

"Second Brother!"

"Why did you call us here?"

Fan Ming, Fan Chun, and Fan Yuehua entered the Dragon God Palace with smiles on their faces.

"Uh..."

Fan Li was feeling rather dejected.

Originally, he had intended to have the three of them prepare for the establishment of the Great Jin.

However, he hadn't expected that Wang Ban alone would be able to handle most of the work in the early stages of nation-building.

The Fan family, with its extensive connections in the Great Chu, couldn't even offer any assistance?

"There's something I need to tell everyone," Fan Li said weakly, "I have... outside..."

"A woman?" Fan Yuehua interjected.

"Yuehua!" Elder brother Fan Ming glared at her, and she playfully stuck out her tongue.

Fan Li smiled wryly, about to explain. But Fan Ming patted his shoulder first. "Second Brother, I've known for a while. You seem to have something going on with that little emperor, Xiang Ning? And you're also quite close to Sage Rulers Qing Qiu and Han Yue of the Brahma Sound Pure Land? Not to mention Princess Chang Le of the former Han and the former Empress of our Great Chu, who are probably already yours?

Recently, I heard you even took away the former Imperial Consort Lu Fubao. It's alright. As Confucius said, food and sex are basic human desires. I understand your behavior, Second Brother."

Fan Li was shocked. "Elder Brother, you misunderstand. I was trying to say..."

Fan Ming shook his head. "No need to explain. With your status and the strength of our Fan family, why hide such things? In my opinion, you shouldn't keep women outside. It's just the former Imperial Consort Lu Fubao. Just bring her home openly. Who in the Great Chu would dare to gossip?"

Fan Li almost wanted to cry. Not from being touched, but from frustration. Leaving aside Princess Chang Le, that time he was completely passive. The rest were just rumors, tarnishing his reputation!

"Elder Brother, I was going to say something else!" Fan Li said urgently, "I've claimed some land outside and established a dynasty called the Great Jin!" He blurted it out in one breath and then looked at his family with a wry smile.

The expected shock didn't appear. Instead, he was met with puzzled looks.

Fan Ming turned to Fan Chun. "Third Brother, what's going on? Are your two hundred thousand Imperial Guards no longer useful? Why did you let Second Brother go out and become emperor instead of simply rebelling?"

Fan Chun protested his innocence. "How would I know? Second Brother never told me! If necessary, I can take my sword and enter the palace right now, and take care of both Xiang Chong and Empress Dowager Li!"

Fan Yuehua, however, was delighted. "Second Brother, our family can finally rebel?"

Fan Li was truly at a loss for words. He tried to explain as concisely as possible about subduing the third-generation Guiguzi and founding a nation.

"The land south of Mount Yunmeng is unclaimed territory outside the influence of the various nations. Even the Great Ming has no interest in it. By founding a nation there, it won't attract much attention in the short term. If we were to change dynasties within the Great Chu, Wei, Han, and Wu might accept it, but the Great Ming and Brahma Sound Pure Land would likely invade immediately."

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Ultimately, the Fan family followed Fan Li's lead, and everyone accepted his explanation.

"Elder Brother!" Fan Yuehua said excitedly, "Can I go see the Great Jin?"

Fan Li shook his head. "It's still under construction, just wilderness. What would you do there?"

Fan Yuehua pouted. "Second Brother is the emperor, so I'm considered the Princess Royal of the Great Jin, right? I want to see it! Especially that Wang Ban. The third-generation Guiguzi is actually that kind of person?"

"This..."

"Second Brother," Fan Ming intervened, seeing his hesitation, "Yuehua has nothing to do anyway. She can go and supervise the construction. If the third-generation Guiguzi needs anything, he can also communicate through Yuehua."

Fan Li couldn't refuse this reasoning. He had originally intended to do so, but his elder brother was busy with the Fan Clan Trading Company, and his third brother commanded the army.

Fan Li had considered leaving one of his clones in the Great Jin but was reluctant to slow down his cultivation progress.

"Alright. Younger Sister, depart as soon as possible."

***

At the foot of Mount Yunmeng. Yan Yuan and Lu Fubao had been waiting for a long time but only saw Fan Li return alone.

"Where is Master Guigu?" Yan Yuan asked in surprise.

Fan Li shook his head and said vaguely, "He's staying on the mountain. He won't be returning to Peng City with us."

Yan Yuan was one of his own, and Lu Fubao was also trustworthy. But secrets were best kept to as few people as possible unless absolutely necessary.

Moreover, Lu Bu was also among the guards. He had pledged allegiance to Fan Li for some time now, but even after a hundred years, Fan Li would never truly trust Lu Bu.

"General Lu, lead the way. We're returning to Peng City," Fan Li ordered.

"Yes, sir." Lu Bu was in high spirits. He didn't care about Guiguzi. This leisurely trip was exactly what he wanted.

Fan Li was generous. He rewarded Lu Bu with three times the amount that Dong Zhuo had given him each month. If nothing unexpected happened, Lu Bu wouldn't mind serving Fan Li for the rest of his life.

However, the unexpected did happen.

Fan Li's convoy had only traveled for half a day after leaving Mount Yunmeng when a sharp whistling sound pierced the air, causing pain in Lu Bu's eardrums.

"Protect the Duke!" he roared.

The spiritual energy of a Unity Realm expert at the peak of Great Completion surged into the sky!

Lu Bu transformed into a beam of light and shot towards a certain point in the air.

A loud clang of metal against metal!

Lu Bu fell back down, creating a crater nearly ten meters deep upon impact!

"General Lu! What happened?!" Yan Yuan exclaimed.

It was clear to everyone that Lu Bu had been defeated in that exchange.

"A... Great Vehicle Realm expert..." Lu Bu struggled to climb out of the crater. His helmet was destroyed, his hair disheveled, making him look like a wild man. An arrow had pierced through his armor and his chest.

"Where is the enemy?" Fan Li asked urgently.

"I don't know..." Lu Bu's face was grim. "A Great Vehicle Realm expert using arrows? I've never heard of such a thing. They must be at least ten miles away."

Ten miles?! Fan Li's eyelids twitched. How could they fight back? It was simply unfair!

Whoosh!

"The second arrow is coming, be careful!!!" Yan Yuan shouted, spotting something in the sky.

Lu Bu reacted even faster, leaping into the air. With the experience from the previous arrow, he successfully blocked the arrowhead with his halberd.

Clang~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!

Another deafening clang of metal echoed through the air!

Lu Bu coughed up blood in mid-air, barely managing to deflect the arrow with his halberd, sending it crashing to the ground.

"General Lu, take this medicine!" Fan Li threw him a bottle of pills without hesitation.

Lu Bu opened the bottle and was surprised to find it filled with Heaven-grade pills.

"Thank you, Duke of Jin!" Lu Bu was both grateful and furious. "Duke of Jin, this is not sustainable. I've already figured out their approximate location. Why don't I charge forward and engage them in close combat?"

"They are a Great Vehicle Realm expert. Are you confident, General Lu?" Fan Li asked.

"Hmph! A Great Vehicle Realm expert using a bow and arrow must be weak in close combat." Lu Bu boasted, but then added, "If Master Yan joins me, our chances of success will be even greater."

Fan Li looked helplessly at Yan Yuan. In a battle far beyond his cultivation level, he had no say.

Yan Yuan nodded. "Duke of Jin, General Lu is right, but your safety..."

"Go!" Fan Li's eyes grew cold. He knew this wasn't a random accident but a premeditated assassination attempt. This conspiracy might have been planned even before he left Peng City!

"But what about you?" Yan Yuan was still worried.

"I, Miss Lu, and the guards will immediately return to Mount Yunmeng and seek help from Guiguzi!" Fan Li made a quick decision.

Returning the way they came, he hoped they could escape into Mount Yunmeng...