Ashen released Huan Shou and his army from the formation's agony in a few more minutes.

Kui Long and the others were a bit resistant at first, not accepting their defeat without a fight; however, after Huan Shou accepted that they were released because of their opponent's mercy, he surrendered.

Lang Zhen was a big help in explaining to them about how Ashen was the one who trapped them in his formation, and it was only after Lang Zhen pleaded to Ashen to release them that they were released this early.

He even reminded them that if it weren't for him, Huan Shou and his army might have been left in the endless darkness for more than a day.

As this stark realization seeped into their minds, any thoughts of resisting vanished from their hearts.

However, the truth was that Ashen couldn't hold them in the sphere of Darkness for more than an hour due to the limited amount of qi that the qi stones provided. Even then, he intentionally kept this fact hidden from everyone.

~

The next day, a ceremony was organized by the matriarch herself, where she crowned Fanrong as the deputy leader of the tribe, giving her command over everyone in the tribe except for a chosen few.

The prince was indignant and unbelieving of his defeat. Moreover, after learning that his army had lost without even engaging the enemy, he was more baffled and resistant.

He tried to protest; however, since the matriarch and the minister had seen all of the battle with their own eyes, his protests were dismissed as a loser's tantrum.

With the unanimous agreement of the ministers, Fanrong was crowned the deputy leader of the Zhuji tribe.

The prince, however, didn't attend the ceremony and went into close cultivation to escape the ridicule and embarrassment of being defeated and ordered by his incapable younger sister.

Everyone who had witnessed the battle knew that it was only because of Ashen that the prince lost.

He alone was enough to turn the tables of a disadvantageous battle.

It wasn't Fanrong whom everyone was willing to follow; instead, it was the royal child of the matriarch who was supported by Ashen, whom everyone followed without any question.

If Ashen were to leave her side, the prefecture lords would instantly refuse to follow her since she hadn't shown much leadership ability till now.

However, since Fanrong was clearly the winner of the Conqueror's Battlefield, she should receive her reward as promised.

With Fanrong becoming the deputy leader, the first phase of Ashen's plan was complete. Now, he was in control of all the prefecture lords through Fanrong.

Using Fanrong as his puppet, he could command them however he wanted.

Ashen rested peacefully that day, letting Fanrong enjoy the glory and respect she was receiving at the moment.

It was necessary for a leader to become close with the influential people.

He planned to begin the next phase of his plan in a few days; however, something significant occurred that very night, as if the heavens were opposed to his intentions.

It was the middle of the night with two blue moons illuminating the sky.

Everyone was either resting or cultivating in their respective abodes.

It was sudden, very sudden, that the earth began to shiver, sending earthquakes in the northern part of the empire.

Almost all of the eight tribes in the north were affected by this as cultivators rushed out of their mansions to check the reason.

A sudden thickness in the qi around them could be felt in the moments that the earth shook under their feet. It was as if somewhere qi had erupted out of something.

As the onlookers gazed in the direction from which the sudden qi burst came, their eyes widened.

A Golden Pillar Of Light—!

"W-What is that??" A guard of the Zhuji Tribe's matriarch's palace yelled in awe and shock, asking for an answer.

He didn't understand what he was looking at.

It was as if a golden light erupted out of the ground that seemed to connect earth to the heavens.

It was only there for eight to nine seconds, the same time that the earthquake lasted.

However, everyone who witnessed it can testify that it was present.

This phenomenon sent the tribes into an uproar the next day.

A discussion took place the first thing in the morning in the throne halls of each tribe, be it demonic or righteous.

A similar discussion was taking place in the Zhuji tribe in front of the matriarch.

The court had been set, and several individuals, more than thirty, were standing in the middle of the hall.

The ministers had taken their respective seats, the supreme minister was the host, and the matriarch sat on the throne.

However, what was different today was a new throne placed to the left of the matriarch. On it sat the new deputy leader, Zhuji Fanrong.

It was only a little smaller than the matriarch's throne.

Ashen sat among the ministers. The matriarch offered him a position and a throne of his own; however, he asked for a little time to think about it.

For now, he simply sat among the ministers. The time he asked for was simply to postpone being tied to the tribe.

He didn't plan on staying in the Zhuji tribe for a long time. It was only a means to an end.

Moreover, there was another secret problem he had that made him want to leave.

But, for now, he focused on the ongoing discussion about the phenomenon that occurred the previous night.

The supreme minister pointed at the individuals gathered in the middle of the throne hall.

Addressing everyone, he introduced them:

"Everyone, these are the witnesses who saw the phenomenon that took place last night. We have interrogated them and gathered as much information as we could. They have been gathered just to answer the questions everyone has."

He then bowed to the matriarch, showing proper respect. It was only after the matriarch nodded in acknowledgement that he continued:

"Matriarch, I, your servant, will now report what I have gathered."

Everyone curiously leaned forward, interested in listening to what came after from the supreme minister's mouth.

-----------------------------------

(A/N - Thanks for reading. ^..^)