Chapter 461

"Interesting... interesting."

Di Jiang Zu Wu's eyes drooped slightly, and a subtle smile touched the corner of his mouth.

But soon, that smile faded, replaced by an icy, murderous glare; his peripheral glance swept over Gonggong, mingling sympathy and hostility.

— Regarding your successful coup, forcing the Houtu emperor's mental technique to rise in rank, ultimately the stone fell and struck your own foot, leading to future opponents in the Pangu Dao struggle being harder to deal with, I deeply sympathize.

But!

— You digging your own grave is one thing, but you also added to our workload; that's your fault!

His mood was subtle and complex; Di Jiang Zu Wu casually glanced over the entire hall, taking in all the high-ranking officials with voting rights, roughly calculating the vote share… Instantly, his composure returned, calm and steady.

"Hmm… not nervous."

"The situation is still roughly under control."

"Besides, I still have…"

Di Jiang Zu Wu looked at the pair of Houtu Ancestral Witches undergoing changes, somewhat surprised, yet Fengxi still bowed and obeyed; his gaze grew deeper, quite thought-provoking.

……

"Xi understands."

Fengxi proclaimed loudly: "It will surely glorify the entire human race; under the leadership of Mother Nüwa, the clan's clear rewards and punishments, and the dragon clan's fearless sacrificial spirit, we will establish a radiant dragon covenant!"

"If one day the dragon covenant collapses, revealing its tyrannical, domineering side, it will surely be despised and rejected by humanity—then it will be a false, fake, evil dragon. When the masses rise up, the whole world turns against it, the eight corners and six unions move as one, carrying out the grand plan to slay the dragon, the ancestral dragon will perish and the earth will split!"

Fengxi's words were spoken with refreshing decisiveness; Houtu listened, feeling pleased and at ease, a smile touching his lips, his eyes glistening, greatly approving that his trusted minister could grasp his intentions.

Naturally, Gonggong the Ancestral Witch was not pleased about this, giving Fengxi a cold stare—

Such shamelessness—directed at this dragon… Did this dragon dig up your grave? Or did it insult your kin?

Damn!

However, although Gonggong felt stifled inside, he did not erupt immediately.

"No big problem."

He is a wily dragon; back then he also mingled in society.

Although most of the time he was getting beaten up by society, he strongly suspected that his top lieutenant had backstabbed him, sending him to prison and inheriting his business.

But after taking so many beatings, his experience naturally grew a lot.

As for tricks and the like, he figured them out on his own.

"Dragon covenant collapsing?"

"Heh! As long as I manage it well, there will surely be no trouble!"

"When I return, I will establish a 'Dragon Clan Charitable Foundation' among humanity, promoting the great goal of truth, kindness, and beauty, caring for the weak and giving back to society."

"However, for this foundation, only members of my dragon clan faction can hold office… As for how much we donate each year, that's still up to me to decide, right?"

"Hmm."

"By then, I will again manipulate and hijack public opinion in reverse."

"You weren't supposed to erect a dragon covenant for me?"

"Then… shouldn't our truth‑kind‑beauty conscience faction be allotted a certain percentage of tax exemption?"

"Otherwise, I fear it would chill the hearts of people everywhere!"

Gonggong gave it a little thought and came up with a clever plan.

He's a veteran player!

What demons and monsters, what evil spirits—has he not seen them all?

As for things like the dragon covenant, he has a thousand ways to get around it.

Image and face? They can't even touch his core interests!

Gonggong succeeded in self‑regulation, his mindset settled, and he intended to keep watching the show as steadily as an old dog.

But at this very moment, Fengxi smiled at him, his eyes shining bright—like a blazing bolt of lightning tearing through all gloom, as if it could shatter every defense, laying bare every dark thought lurking in Gonggong's heart, exposed in stark clarity.

Gonggong's face shifted slightly… the smile he saw on Fengxi seemed to be silently saying something——

"Don't get happy too soon."

"The good show… has only just begun."

An inexplicable chill rose in Gonggong's heart, prompting him to seriously examine this Fengxi, who is about to assume supreme authority over humanity as the candidate for Wind Empress and the human sovereign.

No longer looking down on him as an elder senior, he now faced an opponent who could match him in certain fields as a worthy chess player.

This special feeling was quite wonderful… yet the Dragon Ancestor also felt a sense of familiarity, as if they had met before, the memory fresh.

"That person……"

For some reason, he thought of a person.

That person, when he first joined his dragon clan's corporation and, as a newcomer, participated in proposals and votes at major meetings, was much the same.

He possessed an indescribable bearing, not hindered by seniority or strength, grasping the trend and pushing it forward!

—Donghuang Di Jun!

Gonggong the Ancestral Witch's expression turned exceedingly solemn, with no trace of contempt left.

As expected, his premonition proved correct.

Fengxi smiled; his mischief was predictable.

Although he is currently the human king, his actions have nothing to do with humanity.

"Does Mother Nüwa have the guts? To wager this vast Honghuang? To wager this Pangu Dao fruit?"

Fengxi asked Houtu with a smile.

Houtu tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, pondered a moment, then suddenly laughed, "Of course."

"Then we can offer Donghuang Di Jun a price he cannot refuse." Fengxi's tone rose passionately, "We promise him a status and authority in humanity equal to that of the human royal court."

One can obtain a Supreme Emperor title over a region, and be permitted to freely recruit troops!

Set up a government office and establish an administration; all governmental affairs autonomous!

Engage in trade and commerce; financial authority autonomous!

The human royal court now agrees with him only on the ultimate goal: victory for the entire human clan's heavenly-earth main undertaking!

Going forward, if the paths differ, they will not interfere with each other!

Fengxi spoke an astonishing statement, causing an uproar throughout the hall.

No way!

Cannot!

Granting him such great power is the most unforgivable split of the human clan's overall strength!

Too many primordial Wu opposed.

Indeed.

Putting out such a huge price—finance, politics, military, all orders emanating from a single person… this is utterly absurd!

Ordinary primordial Wu simply lack the qualifications!

While they opposed, they also looked toward Houtu… yet they saw this true leader of the Wu Clan, whose fundamental lifeline had been touched, showing no overly agitated expression.

Houtu's eyes flashed with spiritual light, as if calculating something; after a moment he said, "Go on."

"Yes." Fengxi nodded, then surveyed the surroundings, saying, "Everyone, do not be startled."

Such great authority is naturally not given recklessly.

What we grant is title and righteousness… as for the actual substance, it still depends on his own performance.

"Troops, he must recruit them himself."

"Wealth, he must earn it himself."

"Governance, he must build his own team."

These things, the human royal court can at most offer friendly assistance to allied forces, and cannot give much more—our giving to people is already a huge sacrifice, right?

Fengxi said faintly, "If he wants troops, he should proactively recruit them… but these troops cannot be conscripted recklessly, and their treatment cannot be worse than the regular treatment of the human royal court."

"If he wants to gather wealth, he must also strive for it himself, and agree with us on three articles, not engaging in vicious competition with our own people."

"As for governance… after working for years in the Heavenly Court, wouldn't he have his own trusted team?"

Moreover, what we can truly surpass the Heavenly Court on is this governance—we can recognize the legitimacy of his faction, thereby becoming independent, rather than first having to challenge Di Jun and Taiyi in the Heavenly Court, and finally face the trial of the Heavenly Dao.

"Without legitimacy, one cannot become independent, and will forever be unable to escape the suppression of tax extraction."

"The Way of Fate is profound and inscrutable; title and righteousness ultimately hold value… if the title is not in your hands, the more you do, the more the superior will siphon off from you."

"As you grow stronger, those behind you also grow stronger—you might profit bloody, but they never lose!"

"So… then we will give Donghuang this opportunity."

Fengxi's smile was radiant, "As long as we agree on the three articles in advance, there will be no cutthroat competition."

"Then the Donghuang Emperor can become the sharpest blade!"

"Because humans cannot be cut… then he can only cut the Heavenly Court, right?"

"Expand the territory! Enfeoff kings!"

"How much territory he can seize from the Heavenly Court determines how large his faction can be, and how strong his authority can become!"

"Even finally, one can ask you, Mother, about the weight of the Heaven-Earth Cauldron, laugh at the vast heavens and earth, and ask who is the true sovereign!"

Contend for the Central Plains, vie for the cauldron of the world!

Fengxi adjusted his attire, saying, "Whether this strategy succeeds or not rests entirely in your thoughts, Mother."

"After all, it is extremely perilous… fire is born from wood, disaster inevitably overcomes."

"Recognizing that the Donghuang Emperor's power in the human clan possesses an independent attribute, and can no longer be suppressed by rank… if his demonstrated talent and the vast territories he conquers ultimately surpass you in the final calculation, then all of yours will have been made for his benefit!"

"He will replace you, seizing Pangu's first opportunity!"

"Of course, there are benefits as well."

"The minimal cost is to split it from the Heavenly Court and devote oneself wholeheartedly."

"Moreover, this actually amounts to drawing pies… only if the human clan wins can we discuss how to distribute the victory's fruits."

"Finally…"

Fengxi paused, then said, "You have now gathered power to this extent, unafraid even of the Heavenly Court; will you be wary of Donghuang's potential?"

"If you are wary, then let us not speak of it any further."

"If you are not wary, with a broad mind… then in this world there is no one unusable, nor anyone who cannot be suppressed!"

Fengxi spoke as he pleased, "As for the dragon clan, I am not too fond of them; they always cause me trouble."

"However, regarding some related matters, I still think there is some sense to them."

"In some small worlds, amidst the red dust and wild grasses, heroes contend for supremacy; when the timing aligns, they transform into flood dragons and true dragons, competing within the universe, ultimately becoming the sole true dragon, unifying all under heaven… when dragon meets dragon, it is king meets king, and one must die."

"But what if an ancestral dragon figure walks the world?"

"What of a true dragon? When the ancestral dragon appears, surveys the four directions, even true dragons must submit and kowtow; at most, behind their backs they mutter, 'I will surely replace you,' 'A true man ought to be thus,' merely acting as a loud-mouthed tyrant."

"If the ancestral dragon does not die, the world will not be chaotic… thus, this is the strongest hero!"

Fengxi's voice resonated loudly and powerfully.

Houtu listened, laughed, and said, "What you say makes sense."

"I command troops as numerous as rain, with the eleven primordial Wu led by Di Jiang at the forefront; the human royal court also has countless strategists, with a group of top advisors led by you, Fengxi."

"With such a great advantage, what harm could come from indulging Donghuang?"

Nüwa also had heroic ambition.

Fengxi has spoken to this extent; how could she possibly retreat?

The human race has no advantage against the Heavenly Court… but now the main force, when facing a Donghua, if they are all hesitant and afraid to make a move…

Confidence has run dry to this extent—how can we still play?

Houtu reflected, she probably isn't that bad yet.

Holding a strong hand, yet can't even play against Donghua?

Just wash up and go to sleep, and stop shouting about humans conquering heaven, about a war to overthrow heaven.

Let's reason.

Nüwa asked herself.

All her life, she's only been timid toward her brother Fuxi!

Donghua…

In a one-on-one contest of wit and strategy, she is no match.

But!

The numbers she rolls by her own skill, the people she summons, the teams she form—on what grounds should she duel you one-on-one?

"Give Donghua a chance to contend with me for supremacy over Honghuang and to compete for Pangu—it would be quite interesting."

Houtu curled the corner of her mouth into an arc, "The Heavenly Dao faction holds the advantage; it won't cede power to him, so I will grant power!"

"I only hope he can bring me enough surprises."

She gave the final approval.

Among the human race, her word is law; other Ancestral Witches have no room to interject.

"Regardless of whether he brings surprises, having the chance to guide a Heavenly Court core member to defect is never a bad thing." Fengxi smiled faintly, "When the time comes, we will announce establishing diplomatic relations with Donghua's faction, recognizing his independent sovereignty, making him a strategic partner of the Human Royal Court, and an ally of the same world under the same ideal and social system."

"Under the highest ideal of the human race, they will reach a mutual understanding, respect each other, exchange resources equivalently, lift technological blockades, and allow population movement."

"Let's see in the end who has the ability to become the most important force in defeating the evil Heavenly Court."

Fengxi made the arrangements clear.

"At that time, we will still need the Lady to sign an agreement with him, jointly swearing the Human Dao oath, not to betray trust, and not to actively dissolve the opposing side's power structure until the war between the Witch and Demon sides ends."

Fengxi said, "Give Donghua a calming pill."

"That is fitting." Houtu nodded in agreement, "Then, according to your opinion… what should his royal title be?"

"West!"

"West? That could work… are we trying to communicate with the Western Dao lineage?" Houtu had some doubts.

"No… that's just giving Donghua a Western title." Fengxi shook his head, "We have arranged his settled development location… east of Buzhou!"

"The title in the West, the territory in the East?" Houtu was silent at first, then her eyes brightened as she understood, "Very good, not bad at all."

At the same time, on the other side, Gonggong Ancestral Witch's expression was as if she had eaten a dead child, very unsightly.

The Dragon Clan's sphere of influence is focused on the east!

Fengxi ignored him and said to himself, "To distinguish Donghua Emperor's forces from our Human Royal Court's orthodoxy."

"For his forces, I think we should use a different name."

"For example… Eastern Barbarians!"

"We respect the sovereignty of Donghua Emperor's forces, but that doesn't mean we aren't leaving some hidden dangers."

Fengxi smiled, "After Paoxi Majesty retires, he can go east to recuperate."

"By the way, some troops of the Dragon Master and such can also go over."

"Gather together, playing a game would also be nice."

(End of chapter)