Clouds Plains was unified soon. Tu Ni brought Qu Cheng to the territory of the Palace of Sun. Families there, big and small, surrendered quickly.
Apart from annihilation, no benefit would come out from them being resistant with Human Sovereign Realm warriors already surrendering. The families would have to follow lead and it made no difference who the boss was.
But some senior warriors of the Palace of Sun were unyielding. They would not surrender and accused Qu Cheng of lack of integrity. However, they all quieted down after some of them were killed by Tu Ni.
The southwest side cleaned up fast as well. Over half of that territory was owned by the three forces. The other half was divided among many other families and forces. Hu Lang, Master of Silver Wolf Mountain went in person and slayed anyone that would not surrender.
Since the armies all teleported their way over, they were fast and efficient. In just 20 days, there had been reports of success from all fronts. The Clouds Plains was unified basically. Some minor families had run away but they posed no threat.
Lu Ling sent out a notice for all family patriarchs of families over the fourth rank to gather at the Drifting Clouds City to discuss the matter of establishing an emperor. It was more of listening to Lu Ling's order than discussion. Nobody else could get a word in edgewise.
Lu Ling decided to establish the Empire of Clouds Prowess, echoing the name of Empire of Godly Prowess at the Northern Desert.
Instead of assuming the position of empress herself, Lu Ling made Tu Ni the emperor, the first ever of the Empire of Clouds Prowess. She remained to be the Saintess, from one of the Drifting Cloud Hall to the Empire of Clouds Prowess. What surprised many was at Lu Li was appointed the State Councilor.
At first, Lu Li was inclined to refuse the title of State Councilor. But on second thought, he understood her intention.
The 12 Royal Families of the Central Plains had their pact but nobody would say anything when anyone of them in private did something. An example in case would be Samsara Palace controlling the Palace of Sun.
By assuming the position of the State Councilor, it indicated that the territory was his as well. The families that wanted the Clouds Plains harmed would have to think it over.
After all, the connection behind Lu Li was Grand Master of the Demon-slaying Hall.
It was understandable that Lu Ling wouldn't take the position of empress. She was only of the Noble Lord Realm. If she forcefully took the position, many would not be convinced. Some local forces at the Serenity Plains and Frost Plains would cast their greedy eyes on the Clouds Plains.
Anyhow, all the Human Sovereign Realm warriors worked for Lu Ling. It made no difference which of them was the emperor. She would take the lion share of the resources of the Clouds Plains and her orders would not be disobeyed.
Lu Li was shocked to see the amount of resources of the Clouds Plains. Many Mystical Materials were turned in. All at the Palace of Sun were handed over. They used up the space of hundreds of Interspatial Rings. The total value was beyond calculation.
Clouds Plains was dozens of times larger than the Northern Desert and the Palace of Sun had always been the overlord of the Clouds Plains. They accumulated a large amount of resources over the years. After the Pavilion of Delicacy stopped trading with the Northern Desert, Lu Li was worried that the Mystical Materials he had could only last for a couple of years. Now, he had enough supply for a century.
"I have an idea!"
Lu Li thought that Lu Ling would not let Clouds Plains go. This was a land of treasure so he wouldn't want her to do that, anyways.
In this case, he and Lu Ling would have to go between the Clouds Plains and Northern Desert quite often. They would have to enter the Deserted World via the passage at the Serenity Plains. For the time being, the passage would remain a secret. But in the long term, it could be a cause for potential problems.
Lu Li asked Lu Ling to send someone to occupy the region where the passage was at. There was only a fifth rank family. Some Noble Lord Realm warriors could manage.
Lu Ling didn't send just anyone. She found two warriors at the peak of the Palace of Sun and forced them to take the Fire Phoenix Soul Pellet. They were sent to secretly conquer that region.
Clouds Plains and the Serenity Plains were close in distance but the two places would not interfere with each other's affairs. If Lu Ling had sent Noble Lord Realm warriors of the Drifting Cloud Hall, major forces of the Serenity Plains might notice, thinking that she was going to invade. If the major forces over there were to rally together, it would not bode well for Lu Ling. After all, there was quite a number of Human Sovereign Realm warriors at the Serenity Plains.
But two Noble Lord Realm warriors from the Palace of Sun would not bring so much trouble.
The way forces of the Serenity Plains saw it, the Palace of Sun was the defeated party. The two Noble Lord Realm warriors probably escaped and were looking for a place to prolong their last grasp.
The number of Noble Lord Realm warriors mattered as well. Two of them would still maintain the force as a fifth rank one. If three were sent, the force would be turned into a sixth rank one, which could invite undesired attention.
Clouds Plains wasn't stabilized yet. Serenity Plains to the south and Frost Plains to the north hadn't sent any response yet, neither had the Central Plains. Lu Ling could not leave the Clouds Plains for now.
Nothing was happening at the Northern Desert so Lu Li thought he might just as well stay and cultivate. He told Third Patriarch to tell Ye Cha to go back to the Northern Desert and that he would leave later.
After half a month, the Clouds Plains was unified. Lu Ling had been busy. She wanted to impose an iron-fist measure over the Clouds Plains. Anyone that disobeyed would not be met with mercy.
Lu Ling set up a Shadow Corps, similar to the one Lu Li set up at the Northern Desert. The Shadow Corps would monitor the entire Clouds Plains. Anyone against the current regime would only invite destruction.
The outside didn't know that the Human Sovereign Realm warriors were Lu Ling's slaves. Lu Ling didn't care to explain. After all, Tu Ni was the emperor and the other Human Sovereign Realm warriors were made generals. But the families affiliated with the Drifting Cloud Hall and the three forces were having doubts and discontent. None of them profited after the establishment of the empire. Almost all the resources were turned into the national reserve controlled by Lu Ling.
Five days later, a piece of good news was sent back from the Serenity Plains.
The region where the passage was at had been taken over by the two Noble Lord Realm warriors of the Palace of Sun. They didn't assume the position of master themselves. They supported a puppet master while they controlled everything secretly.
A Teleportation Formation was being built over there secretly. It was connected to the Drifting Cloud City directly. From now on, Lu Li didn't have to travel long distances to go to the Serenity Plains. They could be teleported directly over.
Lu Ling notified the major forces at the Serenity Plains and Frost Plains at the establishment of the Empire of Clouds Prowess. Not long afterwards, the major forces sent over messengers to extend congratulations. Lu Ling sent Tu Ni to receive them.
Lu Li was relieved. Serenity Plains and Frost Plains had acknowledged the Empire of Clouds Prowess and they all expressed hopes for future peaceful coexistence.
There were no empires at the Serenity Plains and Frost Plains. Similar to the past situation at the Clouds Plains, several major forces divided up the territory. Not only did the Serenity Plains and Frost Plains not have any greedy intention, they were afraid that the Clouds Plains would invade.
Lu Ling had no such plans for the time being. It would be the best if they could coexist in peace and didn't interfere in each other's affairs.
After another half a month, Lu Ling and Lu Li decided to set off. Clouds Plains was settled. It was time for them to return to the Northern Desert so they could get to the Ice Abyss to save Lu Renhuang.
Lu Ling planned to bring four Human Sovereign Realm warriors with her and leave two behind to assume command. They had left secretly. Tu Ni and You Ping would be enough to control the Clouds Plains as long as there weren't any invaders.
"Whoosh~"
Now that they were leaving, Lu Li would not let God of Meng and the others stay behind. Lu Li asked Lu Ling to bring them to the Drifting Cloud Hall secretly. The Teleportation Formation to the Serenity Plains was built in one of the castles at the Drifting Cloud Hall.
"God of Meng, Ke Mang, l will make a brief introduction."
God of Meng was looking at the four Human Sovereign Realm warriors behind Lu Ling with alarm. Lu Li explained with a smile, "This is my sister Lu Ling. They are in her employ."
"Um…"
God of Meng and Ke Mang were not clear about the situation in the city. They were only notified that everything was settled and they didn't have to worry. But they never knew that Human Sovereign Realm warriors of the Clouds Plains were all under the control of Lu Ling.
"Weirdos!"
God of Meng and Ke Mang looked at each other, exclaiming privately. The bother was already a freak and the sister was even more so. They were both incredible.