Not only the barbarian soldiers, but even a significant portion of their elders now advocated surrender.

They all believed that against such overwhelming strength, even if their entire clan fought to the last man, it would still be futile. Since all surrendered barbarians were treated as subjects of the Willow Forest Dynasty rather than enslaved, there was no need for a desperate last stand.

Yet, some barbarians remained resolute in their defiance, especially their chieftain, Wei Zhen. His son, Wei Man, had been slain in the previous battle, and whether for public duty or private vengeance, he refused to bow to the Willow Forest Dynasty. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

But with most elders opposed, if Wei Zhen insisted on fighting, civil strife might erupt before they even faced the enemy.

In the end, both sides compromised.

Those who wished to fight could gather willing warriors and soldiers to intercept the enemy in the distant reaches of the cosmos—but only volunteers, no conscripts.

Those unwilling could stay behind and await surrender.

Chieftain Wei Zhen still commanded some influence, rallying a host of elite fighters and over two million warriors, marching in a formidable tide toward the stars.

Yet, mere days later, grim news returned. The entire force—over two million, including Wei Zhen himself—had been annihilated, not a single survivor.

Ye Liuyun, knowing this was the final battle, led his most powerful warriors personally. Their initial strike devastated Wei Zhen’s forces. Then the demonic legions surged forward, seizing the chance for a merciless slaughter.

Liu Yunyao’s three hundred thousand troops followed, cutting down the remnants, while border forces flanked and encircled the fleeing barbarians. The demonic armies even released hunting falcons to track down escapees, leaving none alive.

After this crushing defeat, the barbarians were utterly broken, their will to resist shattered. When Liu Yunyao’s army arrived at their stronghold, the remaining elders and commanders lined up in surrender.

Rather than entering the city immediately, Liu Yunyao followed Ye Liuyun’s instructions, first laying down the new order. The elders were informed that the barbarian council would be dissolved, their governance stripped away, and their lands administered like the rest of the Willow Forest Dynasty.

Then came the finer details—garrison sizes for each planet, city administrators, and other terms of submission.

The main army remained stationed outside the city. On the barbarian side, all the gathered martial cultivators were sent back to their respective planets to await the elders’ announcement of surrender.

Once Liu Yunyao and the elders reached an agreement, both parties signed a treaty. She ordered the Grand Commander to dispatch envoys carrying the barbarians’ surrender documents and the treaty back to Liu Qianzhong, while she temporarily stayed behind to oversee the barbarians and prevent any internal unrest.

And so, with relatively minimal losses, Liu Yunyao subdued the barbarians and unified the Two Dynasties Star System. Now, no one would dare question her qualifications when she ascended the throne. This monumental achievement was something even Liu Qianzhong had failed to accomplish.

Meanwhile, Ye Liuyun and his companions were also recuperating and organizing their resources.

Liu Yunyao’s army, after the final battles, had dwindled to just 120,000 soldiers. Yu Xiaofeng and Qin Peng relinquished their military authority and returned to Ye Liuyun’s spatial realm to cultivate.

During their downtime, Ye Liuyun and Liu Yunyao discussed their future—whether to stay or leave.

With the throne now within her grasp, Liu Yunyao was reluctant to simply walk away with Ye Liuyun. Understanding that this had been her lifelong ambition, he encouraged her to claim the throne first.

She also handed over all the origin energy she had obtained from the barbarians’ treasury to Ye Liuyun.

"Keep it," she said. "You have many people relying on you, and resources are always in demand. You’ve taken care of me all this time—now that I have more than enough, let me help you for once."

Seeing her sincerity, Ye Liuyun couldn’t refuse and accepted the gift. There were only about two hundred units of origin energy—not an overwhelming amount, as most of the barbarians’ resources had been distributed among their various tribes. Still, it was the thought that counted, and Ye Liuyun deeply appreciated the gesture.

He wasn’t in a hurry to leave, wanting to stay long enough to attend Liu Yunyao’s coronation ceremony in case any complications arose.

Before long, word came from Liu Qianzhong. Recognizing Liu Yunyao’s merit in subduing the barbarians, he summoned her back to the royal capital to ascend the throne and hold the coronation.

With the barbarians pacified, Liu Qianzhong had no further concerns. Whether in governance or martial prowess, Liu Yunyao had proven her capability beyond doubt. With unanimous support behind her, he had no reason to delay his abdication any longer.

After all these years as the Willow King, he had long grown weary of the burdens of rulership. Now that an opportunity to smoothly pass the torch had arisen, he naturally wouldn’t let it slip by.

Liu Yunyao immediately returned to the royal capital, accompanied only by the four maids and two thousand guards she had brought with her. Ye Liuyun, dressed in martial attire, followed closely behind her.

Upon their arrival, Liu Qianzhong ordered the Grand Preceptor and the civil and military officials to welcome them outside the city in his stead—a gesture of utmost grandeur.

The moment Liu Yunyao stepped off the warship, the crowds lining the streets erupted in cheers. Right behind her descended Ye Liuyun, followed by her maids and guards.

Though the Grand Preceptor was ostensibly there to receive Liu Yunyao, his attention was far more fixed on Ye Liuyun. However, the man’s attire and appearance were entirely different from before, and the fact that he had disembarked right after the princess only deepened the Grand Preceptor’s suspicions.

There was an undeniable air of nobility about this man—he was clearly no ordinary person. The Grand Preceptor couldn’t fathom why the princess kept such outsiders by her side.

But Lin Fengzhi recognized Ye Liuyun at a glance. "Huh? Isn’t that Mr. Ye?" he murmured under his breath.

Standing close to the Grand Preceptor, Lin Qiwen overheard him immediately.

"You know that man beside the princess?" Lin Qiwen pressed Lin Fengzhi without delay.

"His name is Ye Liuyun—he’s a beast tamer!" Lin Fengzhi replied.

"What? What did you say his name was?" The Grand Preceptor’s voice rose sharply, his tone laced with shock as he sought confirmation.

"Ye Liuyun!" Lin Fengzhi repeated, baffled by the Grand Preceptor’s reaction.

The Grand Preceptor stared at Ye Liuyun, his gaze clouded with confusion.

By then, Princess Liu Yunyao and Ye Liuyun had already approached, yet the Grand Preceptor remained frozen, forgetting even to greet them.

Both the princess and Ye Liuyun could tell from his expression that he was puzzling over Ye Liuyun’s identity. So, with a faint smile, Ye Liuyun took the initiative and greeted him first:

"Grand Preceptor, it’s been a while."

Upon hearing the voice, the Grand Tutor confirmed it was the same as before: "You... that guard..."

"That guard last time was him in disguise!" Liu Yunyao quickly explained, finally making Lin Qiwen see the light.

"So that means it was the princess who defeated the barbarian tribes..." Lin Qiwen still wanted to confirm with Ye Liuyun.

"All credit goes to Her Highness!" Ye Liuyun immediately chimed in. With so many people present, he couldn’t let Lin Qiwen spill the truth.

Lin Qiwen caught on at once and remembered his mission: "Yes, yes, yes. What an old fool I am! Today we’re here to welcome the princess back. After you, Your Highness!"

He then fell into step beside the princess, accompanying her as she gracefully entered the city amidst the crowd’s cheers and blessings.