In fact, half a month after the Southern Conference ended, the teleportation array in Sifang Prefecture was completed, and Lin Qian quietly transported himself back to the Initial Province without alerting anyone, eventually returning to Linhai Province.
Sometimes, keeping a low profile is the best strategy. Letting others believe that you are still trapped in a relic world can be advantageous.
All along, Lin Qian had been quietly observing the conflict between the Qin Dynasty and the four factions.
He even had scouting beasts monitoring the border conflict between Twin Extremes Hall and the Qin Dynasty.
To the outside world, Linhai Province seemed like a remote and insignificant place, with fewer than a handful of Life and Death Realm experts.
However, outsiders were unaware that this perception was entirely under Lin Qian's control. The entire Linhai Province was guarded by the Imperial Army, with the Hua Xia formation array monitoring everything. No spies from outside could penetrate its defenses.
Even Qingfeng Sect and Ying Mountain Sect, who had established cooperative relations with Linhai Province over the past year, had no idea of Linhai's true strength.
When Lin Qian received the transmission from these two sects, he was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected them to reveal the Qin Dynasty's intentions and seek a discussion with the Hua Xia Empire.
At that moment, Lin Qian decided it was time to meet the sect masters of these two sects.
In the region where Fengzhou and Lianshan Province bordered each other, there stood a solitary peak with a council hall on it. This was where Lin Qian currently resided.
When Feng Huabin and Jia Gong received word from the Hua Xia Empire that someone wanted to meet them, they were curious. But upon seeing Lin Qian in person, they were utterly shocked.
It was widely known that the Emperor of the Hua Xia Empire was a young man, and many ridiculed Lin Qian for his self-proclaimed title of Emperor. They believed it was arrogant for a small country to dare call itself an empire, and even more audacious for Lin Qian to combine the titles of Emperor and Sovereign.
But seeing Lin Qian, who was supposed to be trapped in a relic world, standing before them left Feng Huabin and Jia Gong in disbelief.
After some discussion about the current situation, both sect masters found themselves in a dilemma.
If they didn't comply with the Qin Dynasty's demands and the four factions were eventually defeated by the Qin Dynasty, they would suffer the consequences.
Moreover, given the current state of affairs, it seemed that the Qin Dynasty had the upper hand. After all, it was a powerful dynasty with a long history, and even if the four factions—Twin Extremes Hall, Xiaoyao Sect, Blood Spirit Valley, and the Eight-Armed Sea Tribe—joined forces, they would still struggle against the Qin Dynasty.
"Why don't you both merge your sects into the Hua Xia Empire and become part of the empire?" Lin Qian suggested when the two sect masters were at a loss for what to do.
Feng Huabin and Jia Gong were initially taken aback by Lin Qian's proposal.
They had come to the Hua Xia Empire out of goodwill, hoping to discuss a solution. However, the young emperor boldly suggested that they submit to him.
This proposal didn't sit well with them. While they acknowledged that Lin Qian's achievements at such a young age were remarkable, they didn't believe his strength was sufficient to justify their submission.
In the end, Lin Qian suggested that they both challenge him in combat. If he could defeat both of them, they would submit to him.
Annoyed by what they perceived as Lin Qian's arrogance, both sect masters accepted the challenge, eager to teach him a lesson.
But it wasn't long before they were left battered and bruised, hanging their heads like defeated roosters.
Not only did they lose to Lin Qian, but they were also easily overwhelmed by him, unable to put up any resistance.
Greatly humbled, the two sect masters, who were men of their word, honored their promise and agreed to submit to Lin Qian.
Of course, they didn't realize that as soon as they made their decision, Lin Qian's imperial aura had already taken effect, binding them to the Hua Xia Empire with unwavering loyalty.
Lin Qian wasn't someone who accepted followers indiscriminately. He recognized the talents of Feng Huabin and Jia Gong.
While Fengzhou and Lianshan Province might not be as resource-rich as Linhai Province, they were far more powerful, thanks to the two sect masters who had unified their respective provinces.
The two sect masters, hailing from different provinces, had worked together, helping each other conquer rival forces within their provinces, ultimately unifying Fengzhou and Lianshan.
The close relationship between the two provinces allowed for the exchange of resources, and they regularly held competitions to inspire the younger generation.
Their ability to elevate their resource-poor provinces to a level several times greater than Linhai Province spoke volumes about their capabilities.
Moreover, by winning over these two sect masters, Lin Qian could gain control of Fengzhou and Lianshan without bloodshed—a prospect he found highly appealing.
It was worth noting that these two provinces were slightly larger than Linhai Province. Although they had more Life and Death Realm experts, their population was much smaller.
During the unification of Fengzhou and Lianshan, many lives were lost, leaving the provinces with a smaller population than Linhai Province.
Failing to utilize this vacant land would be a waste.
To further reassure the two sect masters, Lin Qian took them on a tour of the Hua Xia Empire in Linhai Province.
When Feng Huabin and Jia Gong saw a small city garrisoned by ten thousand Life and Death Realm soldiers, they nearly collapsed in shock, falling to the ground with trembling legs and looking at Lin Qian with newfound fear.
As they visited more cities and witnessed the power of the Hua Xia Empire, their legs never stopped shaking.
It wasn't that they were cowards; it was simply that the power displayed by the Hua Xia Empire far exceeded their wildest expectations.
By the time Lin Qian returned, the Imperial Army stationed in Linhai Province and Initial Province had been completely replaced with basic Life and Death Realm soldiers, along with advanced intermediate units.
After seeing the strength of the Hua Xia Empire, Feng Huabin and Jia Gong were filled with fear.
If they had followed the Qin Dynasty's orders and attacked the Hua Xia Empire, they wouldn't have needed to fear retaliation from the Xiaoyao Sect—the Hua Xia Empire would have wiped them out with ease.
What frightened them even more was how the Hua Xia Empire had concealed such overwhelming power without anyone noticing.
When Lin Qian explained his plan to hide his strength and intentions, both sect masters couldn't help but admire him. They raised their thumbs in approval, deeply impressed by his foresight.