As news of Zhang’s achievements and exploits reached the ears of all who reside within the four corners of the Eastern Sea, countless people could be seen arriving on Sea Beast Island, bearing gifts.
Anyone who had a head on their shoulders knew that forging relations with Zhang could only prove to be beneficial in the future. As the only half deity level expert residing within the Eastern Sea, there were few who could possibly hope to resist his will.
Unlike during Long Jieshu’s time, there weren"t any figures such as the Medical Saint or Long Shijie around, now there wasn"t anyone remaking capable enough to stand against a half deity such as Zhang.
As droves of people headed toward Sea Beast Island, the hordes of ancient demonic beasts who were no longer lulled by the Sea Beast Sect’s Primal Frenzy spell began to disperse and thin until it was safety was ensured to all who set out to pay homage to Zhang.
Also with five wyverns and a Lightning Abyssal Dragon a.s.serting their dominance, there were few beasts who dared to remain, lest they did not fear being ripped apart and torn to bits.
Due to the large number of people visiting Sea Beast Island, the beauties had their subordinates basically construct a midsized city over night, a city equipped with restaurants, hotels, casinos and all of the other essentials.
If Zhang were awake then he would definitely applaud how his lovely wives had capitalized upon him becoming a half deity, ama.s.sing a sizeable amount of wealth with little to no effort at all.
“When do you guys think he will wake up?” Ai asked in a bored tone as she playfully poked at Zhang’s cheek as he laid unconsciously upon a large bed within a well guarded chamber.
“Maybe in a few days, maybe a few weeks, maybe a few months or perhaps a few years, who knows.” Lingqi said with a sigh.
“Even if we weren"t saints who are on the verge of ascending into half deities, a decade or two isn"t that long. Although I"m sure it would be very boring, but if the circ.u.mstances called for it, I"m willing to wait on this island until he wakes up.” Yuying said, prompting the other beauties to nod in agreement.
Knowing full well their husband would do the same for them, the beauties felt more then willing to wait on Sea Beast Island until their dearest awoke, be it a few years or a few centuries, as saints the concept of age and time did not mean much to them.
“Madams we bring great news. If you"ll allow us entry.” A chorus of voices sounded out in unison from the other side of the door leading into the chamber that the beauties were currently in.
“Great News?” Ling asked as she stood up from Zhang’s bedside.
“Enter.” Yuying said in a unrushed and slightly bland voice, signaling for two large doors to swing open and four dignified looking figures to proceed inside. As the representatives of the Blood Coral Cove, Xiao Gong, Hai Xing, Nai Fan and Chou Shuo could now be considered fairly influential figures within the Eastern Sea.
Now if they wished for wind there would be wind, if they wanted to whip up a storm then it would only require but a word. Due to this newfound prestige that they had gained overnight, Zhang’s four va.s.sals no extruded an air of n.o.bility.
“Is there anything worthwhile to report?” Yuying asked with a yawn.
“Yes my lady, all of our lord’s treasures have be recollected and accounted for, and when totaled with the tributes that we’ve collected over the past month, there has been fifty percent increase compared to the initial sum.” Chu Shuo said in a respectful tone, not putting up any airs. At the end of the day, regardless of how much influence and prestige he possessed, none of it mattered in front of the beauties, for in all of these aspects they totally trump him.
In the current world order within the Eastern Sea, there were few that could compare to Zhang’s wives, and thus regardless of status, age or gender everyone spoke to them in an extremely respectful manner.
“How"s the reorganization of the Blood Scale Army coming along?” Ling asked.
“Reporting, our regular forces have been bolstered and doubled and our elite forces currently include a one thousand lesser saints, one hundred full saints and an additional four high saints.” Hai Xing said while bowing.
“Has contact been made with Aurora yet?” Lingqi asked as she arrived beside Ling.
“A report had returned not long ago from the envoy that we had sent out, by now they should have just arrived at their a.s.signed destination.” Xiao Gong responded.
“Good, it is but a matter of time before we will be able to bridge our domains together.” Lingqi said with a smile.
“Employ more manpower and speed up the construction of the teleportation arrays as quickly as possible. The sooner we link together with Aurora the better.” Yuying said.
When looking at things from the perspective of a regular person, one could say that Zhang and the beauties now held a ma.s.sive amount of territory within their grasp. Combining together the Aurora Empire, the Blood Coral Cove, the newly reestablished domain around Sea Beast Island and other portions of the Eastern Sea, one could say that their scope of influence now encompa.s.sed a vast portion of the world.
Alone, these various territories were already considered colossal, together there isn"t even an accurate word to gauge their size.
While a normal person would gaze at Zhang"s and the beauties with envy, an experienced ruler would see things for what they were.
With so much territory came the issue of governing, without proper management controlling too much territory at once could prove to be detrimental. Like the age old saying, water afar can not stop a raging fire in front of one’s doorstep. A ruler whose presence does not loom above the land is not a ruler at all.
Hence the need for the establishment of teleportation arrays. Through teleportation arrays, regardless of how far the territory was, enacting reform and pa.s.sing laws could occur efficiently and without delay.
Also the fact of the matter is, with a network of teleportation arrays set up, the beauties and their now comatose husband would be able to travel back home with ease. Once they make it back to Aurora, they wouldn’t have to worry about prying eyes any longer.
Although little is known about the true power of the Siw.a.n.g Empire, ever mysterious Ma Ren Empire, and the lands beyond the Lunar Mountains, surely with
a force consisting of a thousand lesser saints, one hundred full saints and a total of eight high saints, along with the ma.s.sive number of soldiers within of the Blood Scale Army and the Aurora Army, there would be few who could and would contend against them.
“How are negotiations with the Golden Pearl Sect and Starry Sea Sect going?” Ling asked.
“The Starry Sea Sect had agreed to our terms and is willing to trade their portion of territory that aligns with Aurora’s borders to use in exchange for a portion of the Dragon G.o.d Palace’s old territory.” Chu Shou replied promptly.
“As for the Golden Pearl Sect, they are still trying to haggle back and forth with us. However it is only a matter of time before we can come to an agreement.” Hai Xing.
“Is there anything else to report?” Yuying asked in a authoritative tone.
“That is all for today madam. If anything noteworthy occurs we will inform you with due haste.” Xiao Gong said with a how before exiting the room with his three other compatriots.
Overall one could say that the beauties were doing an exceptional job solidifying their control and dominance over the Eastern Sea.
Many many thousands upon thousands of miles away from the Eastern Sea in a familiar land that our heroes had come from, strange events were now occurring.
Under the rays of the midday’s sun atop a tall rampart that overlooked the sea, tens of young man clad in white colored armor could be seen hastily running about with faces filled with panic.
“Is it an enemy ship!?” One of the young yelled in a hasty voice as his gaze was glued toward the horizon.
“Send out all available naval ships to intercept and investigate!” A middle aged man who had off an air of experience and authority said as he too stared into the horizon.
Minutes ago a large ship hoisting blood red sails that looked as if it was made by patching together hundreds of large fish scales had appeared from out of nowhere, riding up from the depths of the sea and catching the attention of all of the guards in a small city that most referred to as Shaleback City.
Waddling majestically atop the ocean’s surface with a setting sun acting as its back drop, the ghostly ship stood magnificently while giving off an aura of majesty.
“We’ve come under the commands of Princess Yuying, Princess Ling, Princess Lingqi and Princess Ai with new regarding crowned prince Zhou Zhang.” A loud and audible voice echoed into the ears of all of the guards scrambling atop Shaleback City’s walls.
“Crown Prince Zhou Zhang?” The middle aged man who had been commanding Shaleback City’s guards mumbled in a slightly confused tone.
“Commander what should we do? Should we inform General Mang Yu?” A man standing adjacent to the middle aged man asked.
“We’ve come under the commands of Princess Yuying, Princess Ling, Princess Lingqi and Princess Ai with new regarding crowned prince Zhou Zhang.” The loud voice originating from the ship hoisting blood red sails said once again, this time with a mix of irritation in it’s tone.
“Tch… Dammit had they arrived two months ago I would have welcomed with with open arms… Now everything is too late…” The middle aged commander muttered to himself as creases appeared on his brow.
“Send an envoy to that ship and inform them that we are under orders from his royal highness the Saint Emperor Liu Bang, that no ships are to be allowed to dock in the ports of Aurora! Tell them to tell Prince Zhou Zhang that the current Aurora is no longer the Aurora that he had known!” The middle aged commander said before a small boat was dispatched from the port.
“Lets pray the crown prince doesn"t return to this mess…” The middle aged commander mumbled in a low inaudible tone while shaking his head as he watched a pair of men rowing a small boat away from port.
“Commander is this the right thing to do? Wouldn"t we have a chance to reclaim the empire if the crown prince returned? Wasn"t he the very reason our empire came into existence in the first place?” The young man who had been standing adjacent to the middle aged commander said as sadness appeared on his face. Sadness that told of a sense of longing for something which had been lost.
“His highness may be powerful, however he alone won"t be enough to stop them and reclaim the empire… You haven"t been to the capital yet so you haven"t seen it but the new emperor has dozens of high level experts at his beck and call. On top of things he himself and a few of his comrades are all high saints… our prince is only but a full saint, even if the four princess combine their strength with his, they won"t be able to do much…”The middle aged commander said with a sigh.
While the middle aged commander spoke in a saddened voice, a pair of figures could be seen soaring through the sky, and piercing through clouds high above the horizon.
“All saints who entire this territory must now seek permission from his highness, Saint Emperor Lui Bang!” One of the figures soaring through the sky, a man wearing long purple colored robes said in a loud voice that rang in the ears of everyone within a ten mile radius.
“Ha! Someone dares to call themselves an emperor of saints? How laughable!” The voice originating from the ship hoisting red sails laughed mockingly.
“Ignorant buffoon! Anyone who dares to speak ill of the Saint Emperor can only look forward to death!” One of the flying figures roared angrily as a bright blue whip appeared from thin air and lashed out like an angry python.
“The only one who"s an ignorant buffoon here is you!” A figure clad in blood red scale armor roared as he leapt into the air from atop the mast of the red ship.
Rising alongside the figure clad in scale armor were a pair of large serpents created from the salty waters of the sea. Lifelike and filled with malice, this pair of water serpents opened their maws and hissed viciously as they sped into the air like speeding arrows.
In a flash the pair of pythons collided with the bright blue whip, causing a loud explosion to occur midair and a thick cloud of steam to cloud everyone’s vision.
“You’ve over reached yourself! You think a lesser saint such as yourselfs can stand against me?! Laughable!” The figure clad in blood red scale armor said as two large serpentine heads pierced out from the cloud of smoke and impaled the man wearing purple robes.
“And where do you think your going?” The figure clad in blood red scale armor said while raising his eyebrows as a man garbed in golden colored robes tried to flee the scene.
“We’ll handle this.” A voice could be heard from the ship hoisting red sails as two icy arrows and two fiery arrows streaked across the sky and imbedded themselves into the back of the fleeing man.
Standing awestruck, the soldiers of Shaleback City couldn"t even comprehend what had just occurred in a heartbeat.
“Th-the those two should have been Dong An and Dong Yang, the two lords that had just been given control of this region…” The middle aged commander said with a gaping mouth and eyes full of surprise.
“What do we do now?” The figure clad in red scale armor said as he landed onto the ship that he had arrived on, speaking to a pair of young men who looked almost identical to each other.
“We should go back out to sea and inform the Cove Master of what had occurred here.” One of the young men said.
“Yes, it seems something had gone amiss and great change had occurred during our master’s absence.” The other young man said.