Chapter 586: Same Origin, Shared Ancestors, One After Another

Fengxi left.

He descended from Mount Buzhou, pacified the mountains and rivers, and established a royal court, distinct from the central orthodox of the human race; openly displaying a very clear Fire Master imprint, tentatively considered a hereditary line of the Yandi lineage.

In the central authority, they select the virtuous and capable, seeking the strongest and best, most suited to the situation; past Dragon Masters and Fire Masters may be replaced in the future, everything changes with the circumstances.

With Fengxi, however, it is slightly different.

He has consistently upheld the Fire Master system, retaining sufficient strength.

"If one day the Empress suffers a major loss at someone's hands, loses the political struggle, and is driven out of the central royal court..."

At the midnight hour of dreaming back, Fengxi sighed, "If she stands here, she can at least command the Fire Master's ten‑million‑strong army, carry out military remonstrance, and make a final stand."

"This place of the Fire Master will forever be the Empress's home, unchanging for myriad ages; no one can take it away!"

Fengxi's face was full of loyalty.

"Then could you tell me..." a sneaky figure hiding in the darkness appeared at some unknown time, he wore a sullen expression, his tone slightly choked, as if saddened by seeing himself board the wrong pirate ship, causing a death omen star to flicker above his head, he asked, "Why, when this Fire Master's final stronghold was being established, did a twin brother also come into being?"

"Still sneaking around?"

"Same origin, common ancestor, successive…… you're plotting treachery!"

"Your abilities are not small." Fengxi was not at all surprised by the comer, calmly turned around, "You actually found out this quickly?"

"I had just finished arranging things, and you came to block me."

"Not that I'm boasting…… in this world I also have a couple of skills." The person sighed, "But you…… I discovered that my earlier high regard for you was actually an underestimation!"

"Who are you? What do you want to do?"

"What do I want to do?" Fengxi lightly skipped the question of who he was, "I have no particular agenda…… my loyalty to the Empress can be attested to by heaven and day!"

"What I did before was merely carrying out the task assigned by Empress Nüwa."

"Don't believe me? Look!"

Fengxi took out a token, written by Empress Nüwa, stamped with her seal, and signed with his name.

That sneaky figure received it, examined it carefully, and then had nothing to say.

——This is actually not a forgery!

Given his knowledge of Empress Nüwa, this is indeed her own handwriting, without any falseness.

Precisely because of this, it feels absurd and ridiculous.

"Truly…… sold out and still have to count the money."

He wanted to speak but stopped, stopped then wanted to speak again; in the end he still uttered such a sentence.

"Mind your wording, who are you speaking to!"

Fengxi spoke calmly, "Who have I sold?"

"I haven't raised troops to rebel!"

"Let me tell you."

"In serving countless people, I have not adulterated anything at all; I am wholly striving to do my best."

"It's only because of the nature of the work that it appears somewhat unsavory."

Fengxi paced back and forth, speaking at length.

"The counter to the Slay Witch Sword."

"The strategic game against the Dragon clan and the Heavenly Dao."

"For these grand plans, what is most needed is secrecy…… so acting furtively and soundlessly is quite normal, isn't it?"

"For this purpose a special organization system was established, belonging to underground work, formless in gathering and dispersing, moving with the situation, its codename is Cloud."

"I've had it rough!" Fengxi lightly sighed, lamenting life's hardships, "Still, this damned secrecy issue—even the Empress's movements can't be too big—after all, she is closely watched, all the spotlights are on her."

"Here, although it's past its prime and attention has waned, concrete work still must be low‑key—for example, secretly arranging personnel, spreading in all directions, investigating the Dragon clan's deployment among humans, gradually plotting, continually uprooting and replacing it, letting Yinglong swallow and take over, seizing the interpretation rights of 'Everyone a Dragon' within the human realm, redefining the 'spirit of the Dragon,' defining the Dragon's heirs, and overturning to create a dragon culture with human characteristics."

"The 'Dragon' we need must be the 'Dragon' we want."

"What virtues a true Dragon possesses don't matter; what matters is what kind of Dragon we need."

"A Dragon without Cloud, the divine Dragon shows head but not tail…… that is the best."

"After all, if the whole body were visible, how could we conveniently process and interpret it?"

Fengxi said, pausing, "And these are merely a part of my upcoming work."

"Also there is sensing the people's sentiments, researching the most basic consciousness of the masses, excavating truth, goodness, and beauty, using the flash of humanity to overcome the depraved desires of the human way, adhering to the good path, thereby countering the Slay Witch Sword..."

"Wait wait wait."

"Among these, which one is easy?"

"Not only is it not easy, it also costs a lot of money!"

"I have even already ruined my family for the clan…… drawing from my own purse, exhausting my wealth, all to build this organization well!"

"You say."

"In this era, is there still anyone as selflessly public‑spirited as me?"

Fengxi's words rang out strong and forceful, fully showing his frankness.

"Your self‑funded sacrifice moves me deeply." The person in the dark muttered, "I just don't know how much of the money in that purse is unsavory."

"Go on..."

"Over these years in the position of Human Emperor, how much profit have you gouged?"

"Besides that, you surely have many shady private assets, operated covertly."

"Right, and most importantly—how much investment did you take from Fuxi's side?"

"Eating from Empress Nüwa's bowl, yet getting cozy with her greatest enemy, the one she ultimately must defeat..."

"Tsk tsk tsk…… you're quite something!" That person shook his head and swayed, sighing, "You really are a loyal minister…… I don't know which day Empress Nüwa will learn the details, will she not rush over and scatter your ashes?"

"Don't talk nonsense…… baseless slander is also a crime!" Fengxi said.

"Hah!" that person sneered, "We're straightforward people, no beating around the bush…… If Fuxi hadn't lent a hand, I don't believe you could have come this fast!"

"Alright," Fengxi chuckled, "but even if what you say is correct, so what?"

"Princess Nüwa knows…… she knows, that's that!" Fengxi spread his hands, a look of utter indifference, "I have 'people' behind me who will help me then…… what about you?"

"What you've done is far worse than mine——after all, I truly shed my head and blood for Nüwa."

"You?"

"When selling out Nüwa, don't be too swift."

"So, instead of talking about how I am, you'd better prepare a coffin for yourself beforehand……"

Fengxi left that person fuming with rage.

"Bullshit!" he fumed, "I just finished negotiating a deal with Nüwa, and then Fuxi caught me red-handed!"

"Tell me, besides selling out Nüwa to save myself, what else can I do?"

"Getting back to the point."

"Which scoundrel caused this to happen?"

"Oh? Is that so?" Fengxi said with a teasing tone, "It seems you strongly support Nüwa, and you're very dissatisfied with Fuxi the Great Sage recruiting you."

"Roughly speaking, it means you're very dissatisfied with Majesty Fuxi."

"Then, shall I go and have a word with the Green Emperor to deepen your impression?"

"Pah..." that person revealed his form—it was Hougang, his face full of resentment, "Besides informing on others, what other skills do you have!"

"Hahaha... I was just joking!" Fengxi laughed, slinging an arm around Hougang's shoulders, "You're my dearest friend—how could I sell you out?"

"Unless it's unavoidable!"

"I don't believe you a bit!" Hougang expressed his contempt and scorn for Fengxi's integrity.

"Alright... nobody's a saint, so let's drop the loyal rhetoric and talk realistically." Fengxi changed the subject, "We're both grasshoppers on the same rope—there's only one road to the end."

"Now, as a brother, I'm feeling righteous—I've readied a pirate ship that might escape the sea of suffering... I ask you, will you come aboard or not?"

"Well... I need to think it over." Hougang hesitated.

"You don't have much time to decide." Fengxi warned, "A full-scale war is coming."

"I know." Hougang nodded, "Nüwa is heavily burdened, showing decline, and coincidentally the golden form of the Heavenly Dao has been shattered—truly a mutual loss!"

"Before the Heavenly Dao reestablishes its authority."

"Before Nüwa's investment in the cycle of reincarnation yields positive returns and strategic advantage."

"This period is the golden age of the Heavenly Court!"

"The Heavenly Court taking action is inevitable!"

"Storm clouds gather, blood and fire scatter... now the only thing left is choosing the right opportunity."

Hougang let out a long breath, "This reasoning is clear to the top brass of both lich and demon sides."

"But when it comes to the final outcome, which side will prevail... there's still more to say."

"But no matter who wins, what does it have to do with you?" Fengxi spoke gently, yet his words cut deep, "Even if Nüwa loses, aside from being unable to defeat Pangu, she'll slaughter anyone indiscriminately."

"Killing you would still be easy."

"Aren't you the same?" Hougang glanced at him sideways.

"Not the same, really not the same." Fengxi smiled at the corner of his mouth, "When the outcome comes, either I die in the calamity, and Nüwa hates me so much she grits her teeth, yet she can't kill me a second time."

"Or I reach the pinnacle; even if Nüwa becomes Pangu, I can still preserve my life under her, at most losing some face."

"You, can you do it?"

Fengxi rubbed his chin, "So, brother, I'm doing this for your own good, which is why I specially came to talk... you need to find yourself an insurance, a reliable backer."

"When the time comes, if Nüwa goes mad and slaughters indiscriminately, you at least won't end up too miserable!"

"I can find Fuxi!" Hougang said with a dark face.

"With Nüwa around, do you really dare to entrust your life entirely to Majesty Fuxi?" Fengxi countered, "Aren't you overestimating your own weight?"

"You... what you say makes some sense." Hougang sighed long, "It does seem a bit unreliable."

"Too bad."

"Your arrangements, though somewhat beyond my imagination... but can they secure a key victory in this great tribulation?"

"I'm not particularly optimistic."

Hougang said, "In the grand scheme of things, how are your abilities and methods? Can you go from one victory to another?"

"These are all questions."

"You must prove yourself—not just to me, but to all who follow you."

"Before you can prove yourself, no one dares to place a light bet."

"After all, compared... whether this dark horse can succeed remains a question."

Fengxi fell silent for a moment, then nodded with a smile.

"That works too."

"Then let's wait and see."

"Let's start with the goddess's eastern tour!"

……

"Your Highness, versed in both civil and martial arts, will unify Honghuang for eternity!"

"In the human royal court, there were prayers like mountains and seas, all converging on Nüwa."

"The goddess as regent has firmly secured her position."

"Within the human race, from top to bottom, there is not the slightest voice of opposition."

"There's nothing to be done."

She gave too much.

Especially for the common folk at the bottom, this quasi Human Emperor, though merely a hero among women, might be closer to the people's hearts than the previous two Human Emperors!

Because she penetrated reincarnation, solving the Human Race's great matter of life and death!

Allied with the Netherworld, changed the rules of reincarnation……From then on, the Human Race, within reincarnation, gained an exclusive green channel.

Taking this as a blessing, who among the Human Race could not accept? Who would dare not accept?

All must sincerely give thanks.

And this is only a part of the actions taken since the girl regent assumed power to win over the people's hearts.

Besides this, the girl regent raised soldiers' benefits, emphasized military preparedness, subsidized Human Race marriage and childbearing, adjusted production and distribution relations……and so on and so forth.

The Human Race, up and down, for a time entered a rapid development stage.

By this time, people realized——this Highness overseeing logistical affairs was actually not inferior to the former emperor in the slightest.

In some aspects, she even surpassed him!

These past days, the Responding Dragon that had always followed by her side once heard the lady regent, after drink, laughingly say——

"When it comes to development and construction, back then I could rank among the top five of Honghuang!"

"If not for this ability, how would my wicked older brother specifically target me for exploitation?"

"Too bad, I just can't play the dark arts as well as those guys! Otherwise……"

The Responding Dragon clicked his tongue, turned his head, and reported to Fengxi.

Fengxi's eyes deepened for a moment, as if in thought.

This is just a minor interlude, irrelevant.

In short, the girl regent's governance is extraordinary, she has brought together the two major forces of the Human Race and the Wu Clan, still ruling with unsurpassed stability, passing through the turbulent period at the fastest speed, and stabilizing the situation.

It let the Heavenly Court side, several times, try to seize the opportunity to make a move, but always fall just short.

"If it really won't work, then just launch a strong attack!" After several attempts, Taiyi lost his temper, "Can't find a better opportunity, so might as well not look!"

"No……wait a bit longer."

Di Jun overlooked heaven and earth, pondered slightly, then made a decision, "There's still a good show; perhaps we can watch it."

"Wait until that good show plays out, then we can act without delay……maybe we can even pick up some bargains."

"Huh?" The East Emperor exclaimed, "What happened?"

"These days, I have deduced the heavenly secrets, compiled intelligence, and obtained a very interesting piece of news." Di Jun said, in high spirits, "The earlier disputes over the reshaping of reincarnation—behind them lies some profound mystery."

"If one says that Nüwa holds the authority over reincarnation, that is normal."

"After that, the series of changes that occurred……don't you think it's too coincidental?"

"Hongjun's timely intervention……hey!"

"In this world, where could there be so many coincidences?"

"Everything that looks coincidental is often the scheming of someone with intent."

Di Jun's eyes gloomy, "Nüwa……she has been betrayed."

"Precisely because of the betrayal, Hongjun was able to strike her vital point so accurately, turning the Netherworld into a shackle for Houtu."

"So, little brother, you say……who in this betrayed Nüwa?"

Di Jun wore a smile, "After much consideration and multi‑sided reasoning, I have arrived at a rather subtle answer."

"You come guess."

"Me? Guess?" Taiyi waved his hand awkwardly, "I don't have that many devious thoughts; I can't play this kind of scheming."

"Then you should try to learn." Di Jun sighed, "You can't always follow behind me forever; one day you'll have to stand on your own."

"All right……then I guess, I guess it's the Dragon Ancestor." Taiyi said.

His words fell, this time it was Di Jun's turn to be speechless.

"Why?" After a moment, the Heavenly Emperor asked in return.

"Because after Nüwa and the Dao Ancestor faced off, both were weakened, giving our Demon Race and Dragon Clan an unwarranted advantage……"

Taiyi spoke solemnly, "In my view, whoever benefits is the suspect, and thus has motive."

"Further limiting it to within the Wu Clan……"

"Never mind, it's just the Azure Dragon!"

"Mm……possible." Di Jun smiled with satisfaction, "Little brother, you're good."

"Great wisdom appears foolish, thoughts are penetrating."

"Perhaps, in the future you will go farther than I, and faster!"

"If one day I fall, you must bear my dream and help me continue onward!"

"Older brother……what's wrong?" Taiyi was moved.

"This great calamity, the clouds shift mysteriously, it's too subtle……" Di Jun softly sighed, "Someone is playing the role of the yellow sparrow, and not just one person."

"As a target, wielding the Slay‑Wu Sword……perhaps I will face the most dangerous situation."

"I tentatively count this as preparing for rain……you also needn't take it too much to heart." The Heavenly Emperor changed the subject, "All right, let's not talk about this anymore."

Taiyi gazed at Di Jun, hesitantly nodded, "I understand."

"Next, you let the Heavenly River Navy prepare more, war could come at any time." Di Jun instructed, "I've already let some rumors out, to give Nüwa and the Dragon Ancestor some fun."

"Best if we can get them to fight each other."

"Even if we can't get them to fight, planting a thorn is still worthwhile."

"Can it work?" Taiyi doubted, "There's no solid evidence."

"Rest assured, it will definitely work." Di Jun's smile was playful, "The reincarnation mishap traps Nüwa……I don't believe Nüwa has no thoughts on this."

"As for the Dragon Ancestor?"

Ha!

This guy, a thief… would his heart not be uneasy?

He will react more intensely than anyone!

What if… I say what if. Taiyi frowned, "What if, Dragon Ancestor is merely a suspect, but maybe the deed truly wasn't done by him?"

Ha? How could that be! Di Jun laughed, "Dragon Ancestor, what sort of person is he!"

Back then he also once commanded the winds and clouds, mighty and boundless, contending with the August Emperor for the Dao!

As for the present matter, the Dragon Clan also profited not insignificantly… with such wit and means, how could it not be Dragon Ancestor scheming behind the scenes?

Furthermore!

Di Jun chuckled.

Even if it's not him, it must be him!

This clump of mud must end up in his trousers' crotch!

I just want the human and dragon two races to have grudges multiply!

(End of chapter)