Bai Mei Monk left the Capital and reached a tree in the outskirts where another elderly monk in white robes was waiting, his body frail as if nearing the end of his life, appearing even older than Bai Mei Monk, yet carrying a peaceful composure. He was Bai Mei Monk's second disciple.

"Master, has elder brother already been sent for reincarnation?"

Bai Mei Monk nodded, "Your elder brother's past life was too full of killing. If I had not come myself, some evil spirits would have sought revenge, and he would not have been able to be reborn. Although he has been upheld by several past lives of Meditation and Wisdom, preventing damage to his Primordial Spirit from falling into calamity, what is the point? Killing enemies only adds new hatred to old grudges. Now that he is reborn, with his cultivation, he should not face any confusion from the shadow of yin. I sealed his spiritual wisdom and let him live as an ordinary child in the royal mansion for several years. During this time, other demons may come to probe and test him. You must discreetly protect and take care of them. Once he passes the age of seven and recollects the memories of this life, he will be able to protect himself."

The old monk bowed with his hands together, "Amitabha Buddha, I will certainly protect elder brother as he grows up safely."

Bai Mei Monk continued, "By that time, you should also be ready for reincarnation. I have consulted Destiny Communication about your next life and determined you shall be born in Shandong. After this farewell, we must wait until the next sixty-year cycle before we meet again at Emei Mountain. You must take good care of yourself."

The old monk's face showed an expression of reluctance.

Bai Mei Monk showed some dissatisfaction, "You have followed my cultivation for several lifetimes, yet why do you still cling to the attachments of a common man? Such attachments lead to the suffering of 'love and separation.' Remember, a single thought of ignorance brings endless troubles. Everything has cause and effect; cause is effect, and effect is cause; cause and effect are indistinguishable. Have we ever really gathered or parted? Gathering and parting are just delusions—going and coming are just so, unmovable!"

The old monk quickly refocused his mind, "Amitabha Buddha! I strictly heed your teachings!"

"Someone powerful from the Mysterious Sect has entered the Forbidden City. Since ancient times, when Taoists enter the royal court, rarely anything good happens. Wise and foolish emperors alike have fallen for this folly. If only their dreams of eternal youth were just fancy, that would be one thing, but if it stirs up the world, reviving the eradication of Buddhism, it could harm the Dharma Bodies and lives of wisdom of all beings. I just used the Wisdom Eye to check and saw no such signs yet, but we must be vigilant. While you protect your brother here, also carefully keep an eye on this matter."

The old monk immediately became alert and committed this to memory.

Bai Mei Monk then waved and summoned a pair of black and white eagles, soaring away, leaving the gaunt old monk quietly gazing in the direction of the Forbidden City before closing his eyes and entering deep meditation.

Inside the Imperial Palace at that moment, Shi Feiyang was treating Emperor Wanli.

Emperor Wanli, only in his thirties this year, had numerous ailments. His leg skin was splitting, muscles festering, blackening puss flowing down to the bones, even blackening his leg bones. Furthermore, he suffered from unbearable toothaches causing his head to swell as large as a cartwheel, with intense throbbing that made him take opium for pain relief.

He often told his ministers about his sickness to avoid imperial court sessions, and the ministers accused him of feigning illness to indulge in the pleasures of the harem, continuously writing critiques against him.

In reality, his illness was severe.

Shi Feiyang took out the Five Mountains Soul Suppressing Pill refined by Xu Haiyou from Roc Bay. He had already tested the pill's efficacy—first dissolving one in spring water to cleanse the wound. The pill contained Xu Haiyou's natural musk, along with other Spiritual Medicines, filling the entire Qianqing Palace with a fragrant scent that gave everyone a dream-like sensation.

As the medicinal fluid washed away the decayed flesh, Emperor Wanli felt a refreshing coolness, and all the pain dissipated momentarily. He was about to praise it when he felt an itchy sensation on his leg, as though flesh was regrowing inside the wound.

Shi Feiyang then gave him another pill to swallow. Although the rule was that the Emperor should not consume unknown medications without the Imperial Physician's examination and the eunuch's test, Emperor Wanli truly believed this to be an Immortal Pill that could cure his illness and hesitated no more to ingest it.

Once the Elixir entered his stomach, a rich fragrance rushed to his head, his blood circulation improved instantly, his head no longer felt swollen, and his toothache was gone. His breath and speech exuded a pleasant aroma.

Inhaling such a strong aroma, Shi Feiyang thought that Xu Haiyou was a bit excessive. There really was no need for the musk to be so overpowering to achieve the medicinal effect.

After taking the elixir, Emperor Wanli felt an intensifying itchiness where his flesh was growing back. Looking down, within moments, new tender flesh had already formed. Although he still walked unsteadily, he no longer needed support and, unable to contain his joy, he felt rejuvenated and believed he could walk again!

He was proclaimed Crown Prince at the age of six, taught by renowned mentors since childhood, and had received a solid education in governance. After ascending to the throne at ten, he had been eager to accomplish great things. However, externally he faced Zhang Juzheng, who monopolized power, and internally, the eunuch Feng Bao and his mother controlled the previous court and harem, leaving him powerless and often scolded.

Ten years later, after the death of Zhang Juzheng, he finally began to rule on his own. He was ready to make a mark, but political strife in the court grew even more intense.

His mentor Zhang Juzheng had risen by pulling down his predecessor Gao Gong. Now, with Zhang gone, he quickly purged the Zhang faction. After that, others began to vie for power. Just the ministers fighting among themselves would have been enough, but eventually, an invisible hand united many key ministers and started fighting him.

At this time, Emperor Wanli's health worsened yearly. His legs hurt, his teeth hurt—everything hurt when he exerted effort.

So, he began to slack off. When officials contested him, he left positions unfilled and decrees unsigned. He often neglected his duties, never appearing in court, or attending rituals or audiences.

Yet, he knew how to govern a nation, despite being secluded in the harem. He focused on two things: money and the military. He dismissed memorials from the Prime Minister indiscriminately but scrutinized those from the Ministry of War before issuing orders. Another approach was to send eunuchs to oversee mines and collect taxes, scheming to amass wealth. His ministers advised him repeatedly, accusing him of being greedy and lecherous, self-serving.

Initially, he summoned the ministers to defend himself, questioning, "Who doesn't drink? What's wrong if I drink a bit without getting drunk? They call me lecherous, but I have hardly anyone in my harem. How am I lecherous? They say I'm greedy. I'm the Emperor, wealth of the Four Seas belongs to me. If I were truly greedy, why wouldn't I just seize the assets of those who slander me?"

He refuted each accusation, but as the ministers countered each one, he eventually grew disheartened and stopped arguing. Whatever the ministers said, he just read and ignored.

Later, the conflicts escalated, merchants and officials in various regions colluded, began resisting taxes, and incited uprisings, even killing the tax-collecting eunuchs he sent... The battles between the opposing sides intensified.

Now, Emperor Wanli had two goals: to amass wealth into his private treasury, spending it as he wished without ministerial oversight.

The other was maintaining control over the military yet unbeknownst to him, the military was also being infiltrated. Ministers increasingly defected to the West Pole Sect, pushing missionaries into the court and military, westernizing everything from manufacturing to the use of firearms, even requiring Westerners as gunners...

Shi Feiyang did not intend to interject on how to govern the realm; his current purpose was merely to cure Emperor Wanli's illness and see if he could revitalise himself.

The ultimate reason for the Ming Dynasty's downfall was not due to Li Chuang or the Manchu but internal issues.

Everyone has personal desires, advocating for their interests from their perspectives, always scheming for better arrangements for their relatives. Gathering millions of selfish individuals to form a nation and live together harmoniously over a long period is challenging. Ancient Chinese scholars always studied how to maintain long-term stability and everlasting peace, termed as "Grand Learning" in contrast to all other "Lesser Learnings." After millennia of study, they could only extend the longevity of a unified dynasty to three hundred years.

Shi Feiyang, having contemplated the texts left by the Yellow Emperor and Yu the Great, understood the principles but not the practice, aware that he wasn't nearly as capable as Emperor Wanli.

In the future, he planned to establish the Demon Kingdom on Outer Heaven Divine Mountain in the Bright Realm. Although demons were less scheming than humans, they were far more selfish and instinctual—hunting, consuming meat, devouring one another. In extremity, they could even consume each other, their children, or their partners without distinction. Leading such a vast number of demons to form a complex society would likely be more challenging than managing human affairs.

That evening, Emperor Wanli hosted a grand banquet in his honor and personally toasted him.

Holding his wine cup, Shi Feiyang pondered, "I'm not a True Dragon, and you are no true Emperor. I possess the Dao but lack the method, and you have the method but lack the Dao. We're evenly matched, you strive to govern the human realm well, and I will establish the demon nation later. Let's see who can govern under the heavens and usher in an era of unwavering peace!"

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