Chapter 603: An Absent King

It took Yun Bing quite a while to process Zhang Lie's words. As she ruminated over them, she couldn't help but grow more impressed by him.

She was dedicating all her resources and time to managing this kingdom with Zhang Lie, and she boasted great power within Limit as a result. If not for Zhang Lie's words that resounded like a bell in her head, she might have been satisfied at making this her endpoint.

What was wrong with having Limit be the end of her journey? Indeed, Yun Bing might even have thought this a grand accomplishment, one worthy of her clan.

Zhang Lie, however, had no such intention. He intended to keep moving forward no matter what, despite being an emperor who boasted immense power, who could dominate the entirety of the second realm if he wanted to.

And yet he continued progressing ever onward, inexorably.

To be honest, if Zhang Lie hadn't ascended to the third realm in his past life and gained important perspective about cultivation, he might feel the same way about Limit as well—but what his reincarnation had taught him was that power and authority were far less important as they seemed.

The kingdom of Limit would be just one of many accomplishments in his life; perhaps a larger one among thousands, but nothing more. No matter how grand the accomplishment, it wasn't something worth sacrificing the rest of his future for.

He had helped free humanity from the perils of the second realm and defeated the sura once and for all, toppling their hegemony over the realm. He had built up a new force, a new kingdom, one that would allow new hunters to progress and ascend in a stable fashion. That was all.

The past would remain the past; he would have to move ever onward. Grander sights and a more glorious future awaited him.

Yun Bing lowered her head. "I had almost lost myself. Thank you for your pointers, Zhang Lie."

Zhang Lie smiled. "Don't be. You've done very well for yourself. I hope you'll be able to keep up with us—the third realm is far more exciting than this one."

Yun Bing nodded, then asked, "Right, how will we select the members of the lower level of parliament? Surely not by the same test of strength?"

"We'll prepare thirty seats in the lower level for now, to be elected by members of the higher level of parliament and accepted or rejected based on a simple majority vote. In the future, members will be elected to the higher level of parliament by the votes of the lower level, again by a simple majority vote."

Yun Bing nodded. There was always the possibility of corruption among their ranks due to the influence that the upper level had in selecting the lower level, but that was true no matter the system. This was a method that would be worth testing for the moment and later adapted or modified depending on its performance. Luckily, Zhang Lie was around, and he would be able to resolve any disputes or loopholes immediately.

Yun Bing continued, "How would you like to apportion authority between you and the highest level of parliament?"

Zhang Lie shrugged. "I don't see a need to do that. Preserve the authority of the monarchy—but Hanxiang and I won't participate in the daily operation of the parliament."

This wasn't a democracy, but Zhang Lie didn't see a problem with it. He would quickly ascend to the third realm, as would Zhang Hanxiang.

Once they had both departed, the monarchy that Zhang Lie had set up would be a vestigial organ, nothing more. Even if Zhang Lie and Zhang Hanxiang were to have children, that would be a matter for generations in the future.

That Zhang Lie had been crowned king was more a symbolic gesture than anything else; if the monarchy didn't participate in simple affairs of parliament, then it might as well not be present.

Zhang Lie retained power over the entire kingdom, but he wouldn't exercise it. Instead, he delegated that responsibility to the parliament that he would set up—a standard technique that he had now grown very accustomed to.

"Who will be prime minister?"

Zhang Lie blinked. "You?"

"Didn't you say that you wanted me to follow in your footsteps?" Yun Bing retorted. "We need to be training a successor immediately."

"Very well," Zhang Lie sighed.

The parliament would rule over day-to-day affairs. The monarch could choose the prime minister and had veto power over parliament, but with Zhang Lie's laissez-faire attitude, the prime minister had de facto authority over the entire kingdom.

"Have the monarchy choose the prime minister. If all members of the monarchy are in absentia, the choice shall be made by the upper level of parliament. Let that be the standard law for all such decisions."

"I'll leave you to polish the flaws in this system—just let me know what you end up changing," Zhang Lie said, waving Yun Bing off.

"My goodness—you're going to throw all this at me, too? It's your system!"

"I very much admire your efficiency and administrative abilities, Yun Bing—they're far better than mine!"

"Watch out—one day, I might sell this entire kingdom away!" she gritted.

Zhang Lie smiled again. "Try it. Would anyone be as daring as to buy it?"

Indeed, no one in the second realm would now dare to countermand Zhang Lie's authority.

Yun Bing clutched her head; her workload had just increased once again. Suddenly, she thought of an interesting nugget of information. "There's something unusual happening in Renhuang."

"What is it?"

"A new race arrived in Renhuang recently, apparently called the Baimei. They're promoting a new religion in the city."

The Baimei? That name sounded familiar.?Zhang Lie frowned. "Let them go as they please, as long as their religion doesn't promote discrimination."

Everyone had their own beliefs, even the alien races, and Zhang Lie felt it wholly inappropriate to strip that away.

"As long as they're not cultists, let them be."

"Nothing untoward has happened yet, no."

"Do you know anything about their background?" Even so, Zhang Lie had to be concerned—if he didn't handle it well, it might spread like a pandemic across the entire kingdom.

"No, just that they come from far, far away. There haven't been any problems yet, but I thought this to be an issue worth raising."

Zhang Lie frowned again. "Aren't you being rather incautious? You don't seem to have done much research about them despite their unusual background."

Yun Bing grinned. "It's because of their god, you see."

Had Yun Bing become a convert, too??"Tell me more." Zhang Lie didn't believe in deities; any lifeform that promoted itself as one and tried to start a cult surely had to be evil.

"I was given a portrait of their god. Please, have a look." Yun Bing's smile grew even wider.

With a flick of Zhang Lie's hand, the portrait flew over .

The martial god stood towering above the skies, an aura of strength and force billowing around him. He stood atop eight gigantic dragons, a honed blade lifted high above his head.

All depictions of deities boasted something similar; no cult wanted to disparage their deity on the basis of appearance.

"This deity... seems rather familiar somehow?"

"Take a closer look," Yun Bing suggested, snickering.