Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Path Ahead Uncertain

What is it that prevents us from sitting down and discussing matters calmly? Grand Preceptor, must you be so irritable?

Before Jiang Yuan could respond, Nezha beside him, eyes sparkling, eagerly nodded in agreement, “Yes, yes! Such traitors ought to be killed. Let’s go and slaughter them now!”

Jiang Yuan looked at Nezha with an expressionless face. Did you not realize that you yourself were once such a traitor? Have you ever considered your own words?

Why don’t you start by killing yourself?

“Ahem, Grand Preceptor, there’s no need for such urgency. I have my own plans. I’ve met with several lords recently, and for now, none seem to harbor rebellious intentions,” Jiang Yuan said with a smile.

“It’s best for Your Majesty to be prepared. My strength has almost fully recovered, so I’ll accompany you on this journey,” Wen Zhong summoned his mount, the Black Qilin.

Beneath Nezha’s feet, two Wind-Fire Wheels appeared as he impatiently exclaimed, “I can go with you too!”

Can you not stir up trouble? Just sit back and watch! What should one do when the tempestuous Grand Preceptor is ready to cut people down?

Jiang Yuan glanced at his most loyal follower, Zhang Kui, who, to his surprise, kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, acting as if nothing had happened.

It seems he also believes those traitors from the king’s dream deserve to die.

“If I were to say the whole world had turned against me, Grand Preceptor, would you kill everyone?” Jiang Yuan asked helplessly.

Wen Zhong immediately rejected the notion, “How could the whole world turn against Your Majesty? At the very least, I would not!”

Jiang Yuan was taken aback—was he truly moved to tears by an old man?

Is this the legendary declaration: even if the whole world stands against me, you will stand with me against all?

He quickly suppressed his wandering thoughts; any further and he might kneel and call the Grand Preceptor ‘father.’ It was just too touching.

His expression suddenly grew solemn and heavy. He sighed and said, “Given your cultivation, you must have noticed that the fortune of Great Shang is waning, haven’t you?”

Wen Zhong was startled by the question, hesitated, then asked, “Your Majesty can perceive it as well?”

“Of course. Though my strength cannot compare to yours, since it concerns my own fate as emperor, I can sense some of it,” Jiang Yuan replied calmly.

“What else does Your Majesty know?” Wen Zhong asked with some concern.

“I also know that my Great Shang will inevitably fall. Ultimately, I awoke to this truth a bit too late,” Jiang Yuan said, raising his head in feigned melancholy.

He continued with a self-deprecating laugh, “The schemes of the sages—perhaps I haven’t lost too much after all?”

Wen Zhong grew anxious at this, “Your Majesty must not belittle yourself! Is not the path of cultivation one of struggle against the heavens? What are the sages, what of the Divination Sect? I still have some connections in the Interception Sect. If disciples of the Divination Sect dare descend upon Great Shang, I’ll ensure they never return!”

He was waiting for this very statement. Now Jiang Yuan was completely reassured; indeed, his title as a master of deception was well earned. With the system in hand, how could he possibly surrender so easily?

“Grand Preceptor, are you familiar with the Great Demon Bai Ze?” Jiang Yuan asked abruptly, shifting the topic rather bluntly.

He could not let the previous subject continue; otherwise, Wen Zhong and Nezha, the two brawlers—one old, one young—would surely disregard all restraint and start a fight.

“I’ve heard of him, but never met him. Of the Ten Great Demon Sages, Bai Ze is the most mysterious. Always solitary, no one truly understands his power. Has Your Majesty met him?” Wen Zhong asked curiously.

“I have. I encountered Bai Ze after exterminating the snake demon clan,” Jiang Yuan answered calmly.

“What is his strength?” Wen Zhong inquired.

“Half-sage.”

“What?!” Wen Zhong exclaimed in shock.

“What did he do to Your Majesty?”

“Nothing much. Merely discussed the hidden truths of the world with me,” Jiang Yuan replied casually.

Wen Zhong, seeing the king’s evasiveness, did not press further. Perhaps there was some agreement or transaction between the king and Bai Ze.

“Bai Ze is a unique beast of heaven and earth, knowledgeable in yin and yang and transformations, uninterested in worldly struggles, and bears no significant hatred toward humanity. Your Majesty must have had a good conversation with him?” Wen Zhong asked.

Jiang Yuan nodded, “You will know in time, Grand Preceptor.”

If Bai Ze’s words were true, he would aid Great Shang in the future—a formidable ally, though his true intentions remained unknown.

“Where else has Your Majesty been?”

“I made a trip to the Southern Sea and slew the Dragon King Ao Qin,” Jiang Yuan said in a tone so calm it seemed he’d done something utterly trivial.

This greatly astonished Wen Zhong. His first thought was not that Jiang Yuan acted alone; instead, he looked at the ever-silent Zhang Kui beside Jiang Yuan and asked, “Was this General Zhang’s achievement?”

“If not for the king, I might have perished there myself,” Zhang Kui gently shook his head, denying credit.

Wen Zhong was even more shocked. What had the king done?

“Would Your Majesty share the details with me?”

Jiang Yuan coughed awkwardly, “The Dragon King possessed many treasures. Zhang Kui and I defeated him, but it was hardly a fair fight.”

He certainly couldn’t admit that their victory was due to giving their enemy a laxative.

With so many witnesses, he had to maintain his image.

“It seems Your Majesty has truly grown. When I meet the late king below, I can give a proper account,” Wen Zhong said with satisfaction.

“You’re speaking nonsense again, Grand Preceptor. Without you, how could Great Shang ever rise again?” Jiang Yuan rebuked with a smile.

“The Southern Sea Dragon King’s eldest prince is quite interesting. I’ve placed some bets on him—who knows if they’ll pay off in the future.”

“Oh? Your Majesty values Ao Bai highly?” Wen Zhong asked in surprise.

Jiang Yuan was equally surprised. “Grand Preceptor, you know Ao Bai?”

Wen Zhong chuckled, “I enjoy reading the records of various clans in my spare time. Ao Bai’s situation is unusual; it’s as if he deliberately avoids cultivation. After the Dragon King and other princes secluded themselves, he managed almost all affairs of the Southern Sea, and surprisingly, ran things with remarkable order. The Southern Sea has grown its foundation faster than any of the Four Seas in recent years.”

“If he were human, he would make a capable administrator,” Wen Zhong sighed.

Jiang Yuan frowned. Ao Bai deliberately avoided cultivation? His innate talent must be truly terrifying.

“Don’t underestimate him, Grand Preceptor. Though he scarcely cultivates, his power is at the Golden Immortal realm,” Jiang Yuan said with a smile.

Wen Zhong was taken aback, then lamented, “It’s a pity he’s not human.”

Had he been, perhaps he could have succeeded Wen Zhong’s post in the future.

“The future remains uncertain,” Jiang Yuan said mysteriously.

For example, you don’t yet know that the most loyal-seeming Xiqi will rebel; the entire Investiture of the Gods war is actually a struggle between the Divination Sect and the Interception Sect, with Great Shang as mere collateral.

Nor do you know how powerful the Heavenly Court will become once the Investiture of the Gods is established.

Of course, that’s the original course of history. As long as he survived, Jiang Yuan was determined to tear up the Investiture of the Gods—and Jiang Ziya along with it!

Speaking of which, why hasn’t Shen Gongbao come looking for him? By now, disciples of the Divination Sect should already be descending the mountain one after another.