Struggling to Survive with Regression Power in the Primordial Saint Sect

Jiangdong, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍outside Tianwu City.

A vast army formation towered beneath the overcast skies. Looking around, all one could see was a sea of people and a forest of blades and spears. At the forefront stood a valiant man.

The Southern Suppression King, Wu Taian.

Ever since receiving the urgent letter from the Junior Mentor, Li Taian, and hastily leading his troops to Tianwu City, Wu Taian’s mood could be described as riding high.

However, he kept these emotions well concealed. On the surface, he wore an expression of grief and indignation. With his divine sense, he surveyed the chaotic Tianwu City, which had been thrown into turmoil by the fighting tournament. Yet it brimmed with vitality, all things thriving. He couldn’t help but sigh, then clapped his hands forcefully:

“Damn it, how did the Dao Court end up like this!”

Despite the rebuke, Wu Taian did not forget to mutter inwardly:

‘Good. Keep fighting!’

Although he now stood in alliance with the Junior Mentor, Junior Tutor, and Junior Preceptor, he was still of the Tianwu royal clan. A temporary alliance could not change his fundamental stance.

Therefore, though he had actually arrived much earlier, he deliberately waited. Only after estimating that about forty to fifty percent of the officials had been killed or crippled—leaving plenty of vacancies for him to place his own men into the central administration—did he leisurely give the order to enter the city.

But the next second—

A series of formation lights soared into the sky, sealing off his path into the city. The sudden change made Wu Taian frown deeply.

“What audacity!”

Wu Taian’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he soon spotted a familiar figure among Tianwu City’s formations—it was the demon cultivator Xiao Shan, the first to side with Lü Yang.

“What are you doing there? The Royal Guard Division isn’t responsible for city defense, is it?”

Wu Taian felt secretly delighted, though his face remained righteous and stern. “Bring Du Huan out to meet me! Immediately cease the Royal Guard Division’s brutal acts!”

“The Royal Guard Division is acting impartially, all for the safety of the Dao Court.”

With a slight smile, Xiao Shan spoke gently: “Lord Du Huan is handling other matters. Why don’t you remain outside the city for now, Your Highness? He’ll come explain everything to you later.”

“Outrageous!”

Wu Taian flew into a rage, bellowing: “You brain-addled fools! You’re caning court officials out of concern for the Dao Court’s safety?”

“You traitors—stay right there! I’ll use my divine powers to send each and every one of you to the heavens!”

With those words, Wu Taian activated his cultivation. Divine arts surged forth, and the army formation behind him moved into position—clearly preparing to force entry.

But just then, Tianwu City’s bright protective formation suddenly trembled. In the blink of an eye, its mighty aura collapsed like water without a source.

Standing on the wall, Xiao Shan turned to look—three streams of light were approaching. It was the Junior Mentor, Junior Preceptor, and Junior Tutor!

“Welcome the Southern Suppression King into the capital!”

Li Taian, the Junior Mentor, was the first to call out loudly. He had also undone the city’s formation—a pivotal move, decisive for the situation.

‘Now that the Royal Guard Division and the Capital Garrison have clashed with the officials, that demon dragon must’ve completely lost the trust of the Crown Prince and Empress. As long as we let the Southern Suppression King into the city and secure the Emperor’s Talisman, the situation will be sealed. No matter how that demon dragon struggles, it’ll be a dead end!’

With that thought, Li Taian’s excitement surged.

The next moment, his gaze turned icy as he looked toward Xiao Shan and the Royal Guard Division cultivators on the wall: “Your Highness, please act now and execute these rebels first!”

At those words, Xiao Shan’s gaze turned sharp.

In the past, he might’ve fallen to his knees begging for mercy. But after experiencing the authority of the Royal Guard Division—and receiving all kinds of stipends and red envelopes from Lü Yang—

His knees simply refused to bend.

If he were to kneel, it would only be to one person!

With that thought, Xiao Shan shouted: “Royal Guard Division, swear your loyalty!”

“Loyal! Ty!”

Voices rose and fell across the ranks. Except for a few cultivators who fled, the majority of Royal Guard Division members stood firm.

Wu Taian’s eyes flickered with surprise, which swiftly turned into an intense killing intent.

Five divine arts swirled—about to descend.

Just then—

“Imperial Edict—!”

A sharp voice pierced the tension. All present froze in shock and turned to face the incoming group.

“.Palace envoys?”

Li Taian looked surprised. But as soon as he saw who led them, that surprise turned to horror—and inexplicable panic:

“Du Huan!?”

“Greetings, my lords.” Lü Yang smiled and cupped his hands in salute. He then looked at Wu Taian and nodded. “Your Highness, it has been a long time.”

“Rumble!”

Before Lü Yang finished speaking, Li Taian struck without warning. Divine light burst forth and engulfed Lü Yang in an instant.

His instincts screamed that he must not let Lü Yang continue speaking—else everything he’d painstakingly plotted, even the entire Dao Court and Jiangdong, would be thrown into chaos! At that point, not just him, but every civil and military official would be completely overturned!

But it was already too late.

Facing the divine art, Lü Yang didn’t even resist. He simply drew a brilliant golden talisman from his robes.

The Emperor’s Talisman!

Around the talisman, the titles of the Five Capital Garrison Commanders encircled like stars around the moon—merging into a single authority that overrode everyone present:

【As if in My Presence】!

“Thud!”

The next instant, Li Taian, the Junior Tutor, the Junior Preceptor, Wu Taian, and all Dao Court officials present collapsed to their knees!

Lü Yang smiled in satisfaction, then took out a scroll.

“Edict from Her Majesty the Empress. All officials, heed the decree!”

The scroll unfurled, golden light spilling out. From it came a voice that sounded as though it had just finished a great battle—feeble, languid, yet laced with allure:

“All matters have concluded, Junior Mentor Li Taian.”

Li Taian’s eyes widened. “Your Majesty the Empress! You—!?”

Before he could say more, Empress Xiao continued: “Because of your selfish ambitions, blood was shed in the royal court. My heart cannot bear it…”

Before she could finish, Lü Yang tapped the edict and whispered, “Stronger tone.”

“Oh, fine~”

Her voice paused briefly, then turned stern: “I have reached an accord with Minister Du. All officials are to return to their residences at once.”

“Furthermore—Li Taian, Zheng Pingyi, and Kong Xingxiao—your titles of Junior Mentor, Junior Preceptor, and Junior Tutor are hereby stripped. Do you understand? From this moment forward, you are nothing! No longer disciples of the Three Dukes. All officials are to follow the commands of the Royal Guard Division and Capital Garrison.”

“And the Southern Suppression King, Wu Taian.”

“For mobilizing troops without authorization into the capital, you are charged with treason and suspected collusion with the Jiangbei Demonic Sect. Arrest him immediately and deliver him to the Royal Guard Division for interrogation!”

As her voice ended, the glow of the edict gradually faded.

Lü Yang grinned. “The Royal Guard Division shall obey Her Majesty’s decree. The Junior Mentor, Junior Preceptor, Junior Tutor, and Southern Suppression King are all spies of the Demonic Sect.”

“By imperial order—strip their titles!”

With that, the light of 【As if in My Presence】 atop Lü Yang’s head burst forth like a blazing sun, instantly removing the titles of Li Taian and the others.

The situation was now sealed!

‘Took quite some effort… but at last, Jiangdong is mine!’

At that moment, Lü Yang looked up. Above the firmament, the faint twinkle of starlight had grown, brightening to the intensity of a lamp flame.

【Heavenly Fire】!

With Lü Yang fully in control of the Dao Court, this supremely discerning fruit-position had finally cast upon him a gaze—weak, yet undeniably real!