Back then, I didn’t stop him from forming a golden core, and he still cut with the Heavenly Intent One Knife and killed afterward... Now, I severed his Dragon Pulse, almost causing his Condensing Pill to fail. Given his temperant, he probably regards as an archenemy already, Xu Xing thought, various notions flashing through his mind.
What Deng An said was not without rit, but such matters depended on the individual. So people were narrow-minded, while others were magnanimous. Coincidentally, Song Dao was one of the forr; he was far from magnanimous.
It was just that the current circumstances were beyond his control. Even if he was a mortal emperor, he had to obey the edicts of the Immortal Sect and could not resist them easily. Resisting the edict ant directly challenging the dominion of the illustrious Flying Feather Immortal Palace. The potential loss far outweighed the gain! It would be losing a great deal for a trifle!
If he truly didn’t want to comply with the edict, there was no need to resist it outright. Instead, he should feign agreent for now. Then, working within the Immortal Sect’s system, he could cultivate connections and leverage internal influence to have the edict rescinded.
"When I was a junior official in the Imperial Court, I often read our national histories and most admired heroes like Grand Ancestor Song Dao of Fengxi Country," Xu Xing said. "Emperor Chongming’s muddleheadedness and incompetence... do not detract from the sagacity of Daoist Song."
In a side hall of Ziwei Palace, Xu Xing composed himself, tucked the jade edict into his sleeve, and offered a complint to Song Dao.
Since Song Dao was willing to feign ’benevolence and righteousness’ for the ti being, why not play along? This would ease Song Dao’s wariness of him, allowing him to feign weakness until a suitable opportunity arose to turn the tables.
"Junior Brother Xu speaks wisely," Deng An said with a chuckle, relieved to see Xu Xing accept the edict. "Daoist Song has always enjoyed a pristine reputation within the Immortal Palace for his excellent moral character."
Although with his current Immortal Base cultivation, he could crush Xu Xing with a single hand, Xu Xing was an Immortal Genius highly valued by the Immortal Palace. His status was far above Deng An’s, and his future prospects were limitless. He also didn’t want to offend Xu Xing over the matter of delivering this edict.
Now that Xu Xing had willingly offered Song Dao three years to focus on his Condensing Pill, it was a joyous outco for all involved. Deng An had not only curried favor with Song Dao, an aspiring Dao Pill Daoist, but also with Xu Xing, a future talent of great promise within the sect.
This diplomatic mission was truly a stroke of good fortune!
"I wonder, does Daoist Song have any congratulatory gift for my establishnt of a dynasty and ascension to the throne?" Xu Xing asked. "We are Senior Brother and Junior Brother, after all. Logically speaking..." He paused. "Ah, never mind. ’A swan feather sent from a thousand li; a small gift conveying deep affection.’ Even if Daoist Song hasn’t brought anything, I won’t hold it against him or mind at all."
After a few more pleasantries, Xu Xing changed the subject, asking Deng An about the congratulatory gift from Song Dao.
Since Song Dao wishes to maintain the facade of a courteous and respectful Senior Brother, then I shall play along with his desire... When a Junior Brother establishes a dynasty and ascends the throne, it simply wouldn’t do for the Senior Brother not to make so gesture.
"This..." Deng An faltered for a mont.
Even if grudges from the Mortal World were considered trivial... for Song Dao to present Xu Xing with a congratulatory gift for ascending the throne... no matter how one looked at it, the situation felt awkward and inappropriate. This was true even if Song Dao, the Grand Ancestor of Fengxi Country, truly didn’t care about the Song Family’s loss of the state. Then again... they are now fellow disciples of the sa sect. Junior Brother Xu was willing to concede three years to Daoist Song; it’s only right for Daoist Song to reciprocate the gesture. Right now, Junior Brother Xu is overtly asking for a gift, but perhaps his true intention is to prevent Daoist Song from feeling overly indebted. After all, an overwhelming debt of gratitude can breed resentnt. Deng An mused, gradually feeling a sense of clarity. He believed he had ’guessed’ Xu Xing’s true intentions.
"Senior Brother Deng An ca in a hurry," Deng An said, "he must have forgotten to bring Daoist Song’s gift. Don’t worry, Junior Brother Xu, I will go and fetch it imdiately!"
With these words, Deng An departed on his sword.
Less than the ti it takes to drink a cup of tea after Deng An departed, Xu Xing’s gaze turned cold.
He imdiately penned a secret dispatch and sent it via an eight-hundred-li express rider to Chang Ji and his other generals campaigning externally, ordering them to expedite the complete annexation of Fengxi Country’s territory without delay. Furthermore, he covertly dispatched Jianghu people to issue bounties for the assassination of the Song Family’s imperial clansn.
Deng An had just revealed Song Dao’s thod for restoring the Dragon Pulse: have the princes of the Song Family establish minor imperial courts in various regions. This would allow the severed sections of Fengxi Country’s Dragon Pulse to be reconnected. Although a Dragon Pulse reconsolidated in this manner would be inferior to that of the previous orthodox National Dynasty, it would suffice for Song Dao. He only needed a little more Dragon Luck to succeed in his Condensing Pill.
Song Dao... The Grand Ancestor of Fengxi Country is truly no ordinary figure. His intellect, aptitude, and scheming are all first-rate. Xu Xing mused, seated on the Dragon Chair in the side hall. He glanced at the thick stack of Daily Records piled on the bookcase, shaking his head.
When a forr dynasty falls and a new one records its history, the Daily Records of each emperor are the most crucial historical source. Grand Ancestor Song Dao of Fengxi Country was, naturally, no exception.
However... no matter how cunning your sches, you’ve still made a misstep. I, Xu Xing, am half a step ahead of you! Xu Xing sneered, his consciousness focusing on the Bronze Ancient Mirror in his mind.
[Mirror Master: Xu Xing.]
[Dao Fruit: Bright King Body (Immortal Green), Underground Lord (Half Immortal), Thief Who Stole the Dragon (Purple), Wenchang (Red), Reform (Red), Broad Knowledge and Strong mory (White).]
[...]
[Destiny: Righteous Hero (Yellow), Human King (Immortal Green).]
After establishing the Han Dynasty, he had successfully condensed the Immortal Green Destiny [Human King].
[Human King (Immortal Green): The hearts of the myriad people turn to you; your destiny is linked to Paeonia suffruticosa. Wearing the twelve-tassel imperial crown and emperor’s robes, you govern the state and its people, treading the Way of the Emperor, revered through the ages in the Mortal World. When faced with the sches of external foes, you, bearing the Heavenly Order, have a high probability of attracting good fortune and evading calamity. Even in perilous situations, you can find a path to survival.]
"You have condensed the Immortal Green Destiny [Human King]. This Destiny conflicts with the Emperor Purple Fate [Thief Who Stole the Dragon]. Do you wish to replace the Emperor Purple Fate [Thief Who Stole the Dragon] with the Immortal Green Destiny [Human King] and solidify it as a [Dao Fruit]?"
"This process is irreversible!"
Lines of text materialized on the Mirror Surface.
Once the Human King Destiny is condensed, the entire Dragon Luck of Fengxi Country will be mine. Song Dao... how could you possibly snatch it away? Xu Xing sneered.
Shallow waters cannot nurture a True Dragon.
The lands of Fengxi Country can only support one Human King. After establishing his dynasty and ascending the throne, he received from Xuanji Temple the Flying Feather Immortal Palace’s thod for condensing the Dragon Pulse and transforming Dragon Luck into a Human King physique. But a thod is rely a thod. To truly condense the Human King physique, one must control all sixteen Dao of Fengxi Country’s territory. That is the minimum requirent for transforming into the Human King physique.
However, Xu Xing was different. He had already plundered Dragon Luck in an Instance World. For him, ’once comprehended, eternally comprehended.’ At this mont, having broken through Shenjing, the Dragon Luck he had gathered was sufficient to condense a Human King physique!
He surmised that the [Human King] Destiny was, in essence, the Human King physique. Just like the Bright King Body. And once the Human King physique is ford, all Dragon Luck within the territory will fall under his dominion, to be absorbed by him for the perfection of this physique. After all, power does not manifest from nothing. It was just like the past incident of Praying for Rain. He could sense that Praying for Rain had diminished his own Luck, but this very Luck had then been reabsorbed by the Bronze Ancient Mirror and solidified within his body.
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