Chapter 482

Just as these great witches had speculated.

The Heavenly Emperor joyfully received a multitude of children, each behaving well, virtuous and kind, considerate of humanity, blessing the masses, and his heart was greatly pleased.

He immediately issued an edict, and from this moment onward the Heavenly Court adopted a new era name, signifying a new beginning. At the same time, a series of pro-natal benefits for humanity were announced, using the Imperial Prince and Imperial Princess as symbolic figures to rally the Demon Race's sentiment.

Encourage the entire Demon Race to bear more children, raise them well, strive to multiply the demon populace, and contribute to the prosperity of the great Heavenly Court!

For a time.

Throughout the Heavenly Court, day and night they hung lanterns and draped banners, boundless celebration; the governed masses, meanwhile, each registered to receive a "Certificate of Many Children," obtained shopping coupons, and then eagerly began spending, with large-scale purchases already arranged by the Heavenly Court using produced cultivation resources, survival resources, and other hard currency—this likewise spurred a wave of economic development among the Demon Race.

A virtuous cycle is being established.

The Heavenly Emperor was pleased, smiling as he watched this scene, feeling the Heavenly Court's aura growing ever more vast and vigorous, lively and surging… the Demon Race's populace was also pleased, having more children and working more, with pro-natal benefits every day…

The immeasurable multitude of the Demon Race's mental force surged, gradually becoming clear and pure, all hearts as one… This is the satisfaction with the era's rapid development; in a short time, it even forcefully suppressed many existing era contradictions, barely veiling the opposition between the clearly stratified high and low clans of the Demon Race, and dispelled part of the call for reincarnation rebirth—

Not many problems cannot be solved with money.

If there are, they are mostly due to not giving enough.

As long as society develops fast enough, the pro-natal benefits can barely let even the lowliest ant receive a minuscule share, giving them a glimmer of survival… Then how many demon spirits could continue to firmly shout—We want to utterly shatter the fetters of destiny, break the cage of clan hierarchy, and achieve the greatest, most thorough transformation!

Do not offer petty condescending charity from on high, but rather equality that springs from the heart!

Those who possess this awareness and determination have already joined the Wu Clan, embarking on the mighty campaign to overthrow Heaven—Survival of the fittest? The strong devour the weak?

Then let us utterly shatter this cruel law of heaven and earth!

The rest… are wavering, fence-sitters, just getting by.

However, for the sake of living, it's actually not that hard.

Of course.

Wishful thinking must not be… The current Demon Race golden age, at its root, is Emperor Donghuang's great reform, himself turned into the sharpest blade, having slain who knows how many former vested interests, thereby fitting the Heavenly Court with this brake pad, allowing minor repairs and adjustments.

But he ultimately could not reach the root—the trend does not allow it!

On one hand, among the Heavenly Court there are far too many demon gods who secretly live off this very bowl of rice… Out of respect for Emperor Donghuang's heaven-shaking, ghost-weeping cultivation achievements, as the Supreme Emperor of the Ultimate Taiyi Great Luo, they dare not overly offend, yet they also have their own limits.

On the other hand, this is still amidst the vortex of the Pangu Dao contention!

The latter is most important!

Because each demon god in the Heavenly Court is not ignorant of reason; the entire divinity has gone awry—they are essentially the essence of humanity gathered across ages of time, so how could they not know what is best and most suitable?

They know it perfectly clearly!

Originally, the Heavenly Court could consider a gradual transformation, bit by bit, slowly phasing out outdated institutions, replacing them with advanced systems, upgrading and renewing… Similar matters, how many times have they been done when updating the Heavenly Dao?

Unfortunately, the timing does not allow it.

As long as the Wu Clan exists for a day, think not of transformation… Otherwise, would it not become an admission that the path they now walk is a failure?

Whether the realm changes color is secondary; losing all one's chips in this Great Dao contest is what's deadly!

Given that.

Might as well first slash the opposing Wu Clan to death, strike them down!

After eliminating the opponent, then feel the Wu Clan's corpses, absorb their essence, and happily embark on the path of transformation—

Just like the Dragon-Phoenix contest of old.

The Phoenix faction thought great unification was not bad… but in the struggle, one must absolutely not take a side path.

Otherwise, those originally supporting middle and lower strata, accustomed to the previously established advancement channels, who have striven for this generation after generation, would suddenly one day hear the leader say—We have changed the game rules; from now on, you will be unemployed upon graduation!

Would their mentality not explode, and would they not become restless?

The foundation cannot be abandoned; clarify who are supporters and who are opponents, then lead the supporters to victory before happily tearing down the bridge… no, that is transformation.

Emperor Donghuang, he did his best.

He barely managed, on the Heavenly Court's vehicle speeding down a certain road, to make a small adjustment, adding lubricant without transformation, which counts as a half-renewal.

But human strength sometimes runs out.

He could precisely excise many external tumors like a scalpel, killing the most useless batch, deterring the hidden batch, grasping the measure just right—neither more nor less, the optimal solution… At the same time, he also gave a moderating scheme, temporarily halting the speeding vehicle, bestowing some sweets, while caring for both the low and high tiers.

But as long as the Wu Clan does not fall for a day, the fundamental problem cannot be solved… the Heavenly Court's path will ultimately revert to its original track.

Then.

At present, those masses enjoying the pro-natal benefits—will they suddenly feel life becoming strained again? Unable to afford so many children, toiling day and night, they might unknowingly accumulate debts of thousands of years… Perhaps someone will stand on moral grounds and proclaim—prices are too low, not conducive to motivating the whole family to strive!

As a young demon, one should be full of vigor, daring to pursue an exquisite, impoverished life of high-end, grandiose taste, shifting between the good life and the purgatory reality, enduring hardships, only then does one have the drive to strive!

"Who knows?"

In the Directorate of Fate, the Grand Minister of Fate, Emperor Donghuang, sipped a little wine, smilingly gazing upon the Honghuang heavens and earth, all the myriad aspects of beings within his sight, yet unable to stir the slightest ripple in his heart.

"Anyway, in a short while it will have nothing to do with me..."

"Sigh."

"Both sides are pressing urgently."

"I… I need to rush the tower!"

"……"

"Donghuang has taken action!"

At the Ancestral Witches' council, Houtu's expression mixed gravity and excitement, clutching a small fist, quite agitated.

"He has already sent me a message!"

"He will soon, at the Heavenly Court conference, solemnly issue his voice, demanding the Heavenly Court's Two Eastern Emperors face history, face the contributions he once made as Grand Minister of Fate!"

"Furthermore, he will angrily denounce Di Jun's recklessness… regarding major clan affairs, how could they be left to the hands of tiny children, a sheer absurdity!"

"It ought to be overseen by all the people, the process supervised, and then taken over by steady, experienced professionals to finely handle the Demon Race's pro-natal benefit distribution grand strategy, rather than becoming a stepping stone for some to polish their political achievements!"

The ancestral witch Houtu sequentially recounted the matters that Donghuang and she had entrusted.

The two had coordinated in advance; Donghuang took the lead in the charge, while Houtu led the Wu Clan in providing support.

For example, mobilizing manpower, creating contradictions, sowing discord—whatever tactics, all aimed at the Golden Crow Imperial Princes who have already begun to hear calls for heir status, to create some "minor" troubles in their profit-distribution work, to carry out criticism.

First, launch a wave of all-net blackening.

When the time comes, Dong Hua takes the stage, and it will be calm seas and clear rivers, wind still and waves calm… In contrast, doesn't that highlight the princes' incompetence?

Incompetence is the greatest denial of a ruler!

As long as that title is held.

Even if one is broad-minded and kind, it's useless.

An ambitious force will not accept such a king, such as an heir!

"Di Jun, you're starting off too flamboyant!"

Houtu looked solemn: "He packages his children into that perfect image."

"Surely, when they cooperate, it helps strengthen his authority."

"But then he has no buffer left!"

Once the princes' perfect demonic facade collapses, rising then falling, it becomes an eternal black history.

The most crucial point is that they lack the ability to bear such a black history, brushing it off with casual talk.

"Not like…"

Having said that, Houtu fell silent.

"Not like me." Fengxi said lightly, "Even if I blacken myself to boundless extremes, blackening to the point that the Heavenly Court is dumbfounded, not knowing how else to sling mud, I still sit firmly as heir, and eventually rise to Wind Empress, the sovereign of humanity."

"Exceptional business ability, suppressing all dissent!"

"Yeah! Yeah!" Di Jiang Zu Wu said in a straight-man fashion, even clapping twice.

"Clap clap clap!"

At first, only Di Jiang Zu Wu gave sparse applause.

But soon, Gou Mang Zu Wu gave a measured two claps, Xi Zi Zu Wu casually followed with one or two, and Qiángliáng Zu Wu, looking left and right, also joined in the applause.

With these few taking the lead, the rest naturally followed.

Applause filled the hall.

All the ancestral witches present acknowledged that Fengxi's ability to thrive shamelessly for years, eating well and getting by, was a heartfelt respect.

"Hey!"

Fengxi watched this scene, wearing a humble smile on his face, while inwardly sighing.

"After all these years, having made it to today, I finally stand on equal footing with the old-timers; no one treats me like a junior anymore—I've become someone with face…"

What is having face?

It is——

When I speak, everyone applauds!

"But this isn't enough."

"When will I manage to—step out of the car and have someone open the door for me."

"When offering a toast, everyone rises."

"When traveling, three thousand Great Luo guard…"

"Only then is the way of face perfected, so that all gods, demons, and spirits in heaven and earth must bow and obey… as achieved by Pangu!"

Fengxi fantasized.

He couldn't help but fantasize like that.

Strength is the reliance of courage.

His strength is soon going to not allow him to stay low-key!

The gods only think that, as the leader of the Fire Sect, he merely relied on taking over the position of Human Sovereign to gain power comparable to Supreme Emperor Taiyi, enough to contend with the four great demon kings and fight the five peak ancestral witches, but his true cultivation realm is still relatively ordinary; although he has progressed far in the Primordial Great Luo level, he still has a gap to achieve the Dao of Taiyi.

Perhaps, after he steps down from the Wind Empress position and retires like a cook's wife, no longer serving as Human Sovereign… it might be like a beauty having her face splashed with makeup remover, revealing her true looks without concealment, dropping from a 9 to an 8.

He might still be among the top-tier beings, but he can no longer astonish the ten directions.

However…

"Tsk… just a hair's breadth away."

"Taiyi… Taiyi!"

Fengxi felt his cultivation attainment; inadvertently, the corner of his eye swept over Houtu Zu Wu's sleeve—inside lay a vast universe; even saying the sleeve holds heaven and earth falls short of describing its myriad aspects.

For Nüwa, important items are always carried on her person, stored in this universe… and at this moment, a golden scroll and jade deed, carefully kept inside, is being sensed by Fengxi from afar.

—The candidate for White Emperor Heir!

No one knows when it started.

Fengxi discovered—unexpected yet reasonable—that he had gained an extra profit.

This made him sigh: it turns out that handsome people, even if they sit at home, also get unexpected windfalls.

"White Emperor Heir… the master of cloud cultivation…"

Fengxi carefully savored the detailed content of the contract he saw at Nüwa's place—not the simple summary she gave to the ancestral witches at the meeting, where just the two words "Red Cloud" covered everything; he sensed a great deal of grease.

The concept of cloud cultivation… originally came from him!

But later, it was used as a chip, released, becoming the money‑making method of the Great Sage Red Cloud.

Now, Bai Emperor Shaohao, just writing it down in a vague way, not specifying the exact candidate… it's basically a freebie for him!

"How many times has this happened?"

Fengxi muttered inwardly, "Let's not even mention the times I wore the mantle of the Qi‑fortune Dao Lord, took bribes from the Buddhist sect, and promised not to audit the accounts of this era."

"Taking over the Green Emperor's brand is an extra profit."

"As the leader of the Fire Sect, who else but me!"

【Furthermore, as long as I hold the position of Human Race Sovereign, during my term, I am the Human Race, the Human Race is me, the Human Race's collective will merges with me, and I speak for it!】

【Finally, I don't know if the White Emperor is truly clueless or just pretending to be……】

【I have become the hidden heir of the Eastern Yi lineage…… As long as Shaohao is absent, I can contend for the throne.】

【Ah ha…… What a huge chessboard……】

【The four Heavenly Emperors of the Human Race, with no doubts, have achieved a great convergence on my person……】

【Green Emperor, White Emperor, Red Emperor, Huangdi……】

【Four investments, I took them all.】

【If I don't become stronger, that won't do.】

【Now, having achieved the true realm, I have arrived at the threshold of the Great Simplicity; only a light push is needed……】

【I am too strong!】

【If it weren't for this guise of the Human Race Sovereign, which could still conceal things…… I wouldn't dare to act in earnest, fearing to reveal my hand!】

Fengxi retracted one hand into his sleeve, gripping faintly; there naturally coalesces a mighty power capable of truly shaking Honghuang.

A hair's breadth away, relying solely on oneself, one is about to step into the ranks of the strongest!

【Many people have made huge, huge investments in me…… The large ones make me somewhat worried.】

【With so much investment, I alone have eaten it all.】

【Finally, just how terrifying must the boss I'm going to fight be?】

Fengxi harbors a faint sorrow in his heart.

(End of chapter)