Chapter 2948

"The Battle of the Earth Mother Plains ended over half a month ago—why hasn't it been reopened?" He Lingchuan asked in surprise. "I remember many statues had backups."

After saying that, he realized he had even remembered such a minor detail.

"Because once opened, believers would kneel on the stone steps of the Pantheon and these exclusive temples, wailing and crying to heaven. The number of mourners is simply too great—half of Mount Xushan echoes with their weeping. The temples can't drive them away, nor can they leave them be, so they simply shut the doors, keeping everyone out."

This scene had already played out once twenty years ago when Miao Zhantian fell. But back then, fewer gods had fallen, and the scale was nowhere near what it is now.

If the related temples were opened this time, tens of thousands, even over a hundred thousand people kneeling and unable to rise would clog the narrow mountain paths—bad enough, but Mount Xushan is the heavenly gods' earthly abode—how could we allow them to wail day after day, disturbing the peace of the Holy Lord of the Spirit Void?

"Had it not been for the disappearance of the artisan families beforehand, and the slaughter of the Jia Lou Tian and other heavenly demons by you and the Red General afterward, I might even have thought these artisans were taken by the Heavenly Palace to repair the damaged statues." Du Shan rarely joked in front of the emperor, "In any case, the Heavenly Palace's actions have further confirmed the fact of the gods' downfall, shaking Spirit Void City and the Between Between Between Beijia realm—nowadays, street talk everywhere is about this."

The repercussions of the Battle of the Earth Mother Plains in Between Between Between Beijia are no less than those within Cang Yan domestically. The difference is that within Cang Yan, people feel invigorated, while Between Between Between Beijia's people feel only bewilderment and panic.

"And the second matter?"

"Instigated by Between Between Between Beijia, Bo Guo, originally in constant conflict with Xuan Yi Guo, has fought seven or eight battles on the border, both sides suffering heavy casualties. Half a month ago, there was a trend toward full-scale war." These were dynamics the Great Emperor had already grasped; Du Shan merely mentioned them in passing, "But five days ago, Bo Guo canceled that night's raid, withdrew the front lines fifteen li, and sent a letter to Xuan Yi Guo requesting negotiations."

He Lingchuan stretched lazily: "Bo Guo unilaterally de-escalated—it seems they finally understood how to write 'those who know the times are the true talents'."

Xuan Yi borders Cang Yan, and their relations are as close as iron. From monarch to common folk, the two countries interact frequently. Some matters Cang Yan finds inconvenient to handle personally, Xuan Yi willingly takes the lead as a vanguard. In fact, over the past decade or more, Cang Yan's "friendly states" have rapidly increased—aside from Shen Guo and those nations close to Lingshan, most lie along Cang Yan's overseas routes and trade paths.

The Nine Abyssal Emperor just likes to make as many friends as possible, even if it requires some cost.

Between Between Between Beijia often exploits this point, constantly stirring trouble in these friendly states. Bo Guo originally had decent relations with Xuan Yi, but after the new ruler ascended, friction and conflict began. Between Between Between Beijia very much hopes Cang Yan will intervene to mediate or even send troops to fight, but Cang Yan refuses.

Now, however, Bo Guo has voluntarily withdrawn—coincidentally, right after the Battle of the Earth Mother Plains ended.

Du Shan produced several dozen documents: "In these past ten-odd days, twenty-seven states have sent letters to Ju City, hoping to dispatch envoys soon for visits—Bo Guo is among them."

"I still have over a month before I can return—you handle it." These delegations are for visits, exchanges, and study; ninety-nine percent won't even see the Nine Abyssal Emperor, nor need Du Shan to appear personally—lower-level officials can meet.

Over the past decade or more, although Cang Yan's growing prosperity has drawn global attention, other countries only see that it is indeed wealthy—whether it is strong enough still requires factual cases to test.

The Battle of the Earth Mother Plains is Cang Yan's resounding slap across the face of the world:

See? Even killing a major god is child's play for me!

(If slaughtering weak humans is so easy, isn't it even easier?)

Those who once paled at the mention of great gods and devoutly worshipped them now look upon Cang Yan with changed eyes.

As He Lingchuan said, those who know the times are the true talents—even countries once oppressed by Between Between Between Beijia have become lively in thought.

"Yes!" Thinking of how Ju City will soon be a bustling scene of foreign envoys and ministers flocking in, Du Shan couldn't help but break into a smile.

Although the emperor and the Red General's battle was extremely perilous, the profits after victory are truly inexhaustible.

He steadied his mind and continued reporting:

"The third matter occurred in Between Between Between Beijia: these past few days, the Spirit Void Academy has been in turmoil. Students from many countries have publicly lectured and discussed the truth of the ancient war and the 'heavenly gods,' claiming Between Between Between Beijia's people have been deceived for six hundred years, serving demons as lackeys and enemies of the world. Believers are deeply dissatisfied, leading to violent clashes that escalated into large-scale brawls."

He Lingchuan only shook his head in disdain.

He and Cang Yan have raised the banner against the heavenly demons for over twenty years. To this day, those who still do not believe in the truth of the heavenly demons' descent, who still revere the heavenly demons as supreme, Between Between Between Beijia is absolutely one of the largest such nations.

It has a thick wall of faith separating it from the outside world—such information, once inside, gets filtered out.

Breaking through this wall requires immense strength.

What happened inside the academy is truly twenty years behind the outside world.

But having something is better than having nothing.

At least this budding new thought has pierced the hard wall of the old barrier.

"However, these students have all received warnings—those who don't listen either vanish outright or are immediately sent back to their countries."

He Lingchuan laughed: "What freedom of speech?"

The openness and inclusiveness of the Spirit Void Academy are world-renowned, but he knew even back then that it was limited. Moreover, Between Between Between Beijia was once strong, and the strong naturally adopt an open mindset. Now, with divine faith wavering and confidence gone, the Heavenly Palace, to preserve Between Between Between Beijia as a land of faith, can only tighten its grip further.

"The upper and middle strata of nobles and wealthy clans in Spirit Void City and the various demon vassal states are also divided over this. Just in Spirit Void City, brawls caused by speech and insults have risen by over seventy percent recently—and they are still increasing dramatically."

Even within Between Between Between Beijia, the conflict between faith and reality is intensifying. Even if the Heavenly Palace wanted to control it, it would struggle to go against the tide—let alone with a demon emperor secretly fanning the flames.

He Lingchuan pondered and then said: "If the demon emperor wishes to lead Between Between Between Beijia in rebellion against the heavenly demons, now is indeed a good opportunity."

With Jia Lou Tian fallen and the Spirit Void masses heavily wounded, Between Between Between Beijia's rule is more unstable than ever. If the demon emperor fails to seize this chance, he will henceforth only obediently obey the Holy Lord of Spirit Void, with no need to harbor rebellious thoughts.

Du Shan suggested: "Why not invite the Jia Emperor of Between Between Between Beijia for a meeting at a suitable time?"

"Excellent!" He Lingchuan clapped and laughed, "This way, I haven't yet met the demon emperor—this invitation need not be modest. Well, let's call it a three-way summit, a peak discourse on the Dao."

"Three-way?" Du Shan immediately understood, "You want to bring in the Mu Emperor as well?"

(End of Chapter)