Chapter 189 Let the Substitute Fighter Come!
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuan could only offer a bitter smile and respond with silence.
Chu Xingchen looked at Zhao Xuan's miserable expression and chose to skip over this topic for the moment, saying:
"When I arrived, I heard several ministers arguing incessantly in a room. It is said Elder Wang has come up with a strategy."
"That is indeed the case." Zhao Xuan nodded in response.
"I heard the gist of that strategy, and it makes some sense." Chu Xingchen tapped the table lightly and asked in a low voice,
"I just don't know what you think about it?"
Zhao Xuan felt his heart sink slightly upon hearing this. He looked at Chu Xingchen's calm face, but there was a hint of questioning in his gaze.
Since he heard the strategy, he must also know about his choice.
Bringing up the past now, combined with that questioning look.
It was obvious that this High Immortal from the Central Plains did not approve of his decision.
Is there truly a separation between immortals and mortals after all?
Zhao Xuan took a deep breath and made a decision in his heart—mortal matters must sometimes be resolved by mortals themselves.
He should have understood long ago that immortals stand high above; how could they ever feel pity for ants?
He stood up, cupped his hands, and replied: "Since I am the monarch, I must act as the monarch."
Chu Xingchen's expression was calm as he spoke indifferently: "Your resolve is quite high."
Having received an answer, Zhao Xuan straightened his body and said calmly:
"It is getting late. I will not disturb you further. If you need anything, just order the palace servants."
As long as he asked for nothing, he would not be controlled by others.
Chu Xingchen did not try to persuade him to stay upon hearing this; he only nodded lightly.
After cupping his hands again, Zhao Xuan walked away with his chest held high, and Lin Wen followed closely behind him.
Chu Xingchen glanced at him a few times; compared to his panicked fluster when he arrived, the current Zhao Xuan truly had some air of an emperor.
As Zhao Xuan left, only the sound of Li Yingling gently turning pages remained in the side hall.
A moment later.
Li Yingling, having finished flipping through the entire history book, raised her head to look at Chu Xingchen and asked somewhat confusedly:
"Master, will doing this make him hold a grudge against us? Then some time will be wasted again."
"That naturally will not happen."
Chu Xingchen glanced at the tea in front of him that he had only lightly sipped, then looked at the palace maid brewing tea nearby.
He sounded like he was asking if she had eaten breakfast:
"This female official, what do you think?"
The maid raised her head in surprise upon hearing this, looking at Chu Xingchen's expression which seemed to rely on her.
Her voice trembled slightly, and her tone was full of doubt as she said:
"Me...?"
Chu Xingchen nodded and said: "Although you don't brew tea very well, I will give this opportunity to you."
The maid seemed to understand something instantly upon hearing this, and hurriedly bowed to pay her respects.
The next day.
The Royal Archives.
Chu Xingchen was currently flipping through the files starting from the chaos of the Monster Kingdom.
Chu Xingchen would naturally trust Xie Lingyu's reminder.
After all, she came from a proper sect in the Central Plains and learned top-tier knowledge.
He himself had something of a late-start amateur feel. Although his cultivation had surpassed Xie Lingyu's, there were still many issues Chu Xingchen hadn't encountered; there were actually many deficiencies.
The foundation of the Black Tortoise Kingdom is not weak; they support dozens of Golden Core cultivators, and there should be those in the Nascent Soul realm, though the quantity cannot yet be confirmed.
In such a life-or-death moment, the Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators in the hands of the Black Tortoise Kingdom cannot be released to slaughter indiscriminately.
This is not because these cultivators supported by the Black Tortoise Kingdom fear any entanglement of karma.
The fundamental reason is that the Black Tortoise Kingdom cannot do so.
In this world, once a nation is established, there is such a thing as National Destiny. This is not some vague, nonsense talk.
It is something tangible and practical; the Founding Jade Seal in Zhao Xuan's hand can perceive the state of National Destiny.
The root of National Destiny depends on the people. Generally speaking, where the people's hearts lie, the National Destiny prospers.
Losing the hearts of the people means losing National Destiny entirely.
Therefore, any nation will try to take the people as the foundation; this is truly the foundation within the foundation.
For a nation, the restrictions on cultivators are even greater. It is not just that the monarch cannot break through to Foundation Establishment.
Cultivators beyond Foundation Establishment cannot condense National Destiny, and even a cultivator's puppets cannot condense National Destiny.
The Heavenly Dao is particularly harsh in this regard.
National Destiny even views cultivators as pests.
Usually gnawing on leaves is fine, but once they move against the foundation, the speed of collapse is extremely fast.
And this foundation is the mortals.
After National Destiny completely collapses, as it flows everywhere, it represents that this nation has lost its legitimate status.
And has lost the power of protection.
Meanwhile, the supported cultivators who slaughter mortals indiscriminately will quickly be defined as Evil Cultivators by cultivation sects after the National Destiny collapses.
After all, most sects are not like the Eighteen Immortal Sects which monopolize Immortal Veins; most sects still need to draw nutrients from mortal nations.
Therefore, taking action to eliminate these Evil Cultivators who slaughter mortals might not be a favorable inclination toward a new dynasty.
Looking at these patterns, it is obvious that this world intends to separate mortals and cultivators.
It is just that even if the Heavenly Dao set many restrictions, it underestimated humans' ability to find loopholes.
Nations are still inextricably linked to cultivators in an alternative way, giving rise to institutions like the Demon Suppression Division.
Therefore, the Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators supported by the Black Tortoise Kingdom can only target malicious Evil Cultivators and other cultivators.
However, there are exceptions to everything—as long as one is fierce enough.
The reason Zhao Xuan was so excited about the arrival of someone from the Heaven Derivation Sect is that the Heaven Derivation Sect is simply unreasonably formidable.
As long as the Heaven Derivation Sect dares to speak, the Black Tortoise Kingdom will stand tall and unyielding.
What nonsense rebellion or not? If they want money, give money; if they want grain, give grain; if they want people, give people. Then kill a few blind cultivators.
For such a remote small nation, there is no turmoil that the Heaven Derivation Sect cannot quell.
Naturally, Chu Xingchen cannot represent the Heaven Derivation Sect. For some things, ugly truths must be stated at the very beginning.
To prevent Zhao Xuan from thinking he has a backer and starting to act without restraint.
As for his cold attitude toward Zhao Xuan yesterday, it was also to make this kid calm down a bit.
If Zhao Xuan had been dressed properly yesterday and spoken calmly, Chu Xingchen wouldn't have needed this extra step, wasting a day's time.
Chu Xingchen roughly flipped through all the files and thoroughly understood the current situation.
After reading, he understood why Zhao Xuan had lost all composure.
The current situation of the Black Tortoise Kingdom can be summarized as—there is simply no surrender button to press.
However... it is not that there is no chance at all.
Chu Xingchen closed the files and looked at Li Yingling, who was looking up Black Tortoise information nearby:
"Let's go, see what bad ideas that group of elders has come up with again."
"Coming."
The Imperial Palace is not big; if it is big, it's only big in the harem.
The Archives are not far from the Council Hall. After all, when searching for materials, one cannot waste a lot of time running errands.
Chu Xingchen led Li Yingling to the entrance of the Council Hall, and he could clearly hear the noise of arguing inside.
"Foolishness! A strategy for a ruined nation!"
"The national situation is like this! How can we suppress the rebellion without using risky plans?"
"Does this qualify as a risky plan? This is clearly a pig squealing!"
"Who are you calling a pig squeal?!"
"With this strategy, only a pig's brain could think it up. If what you say isn't a pig squeal, then what is it?!"
Chu Xingchen stepped into the hall and first glanced at the few elders who were arguing red in the face.
The elders, who had been arguing, instantly fell silent and looked at the calm-faced young man before them, and the little girl following behind him.
At this moment, the look of helplessness on Zhao Xuan's face, sitting on the dragon throne, quickly faded. He stood up and asked, cupping his hands:
"I do not know what instructions the senior has?"
Chu Xingchen walked quickly toward Zhao Xuan while speaking:
"Time is critical, swap them out. Send in the substitute fighter!"
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