Chapter 69

Chimi's disposition is good, his will is penetrating—this is beyond doubt.

If not so, he could not stand out from the countless members of the Wu Clan.

He dares to challenge Fengxi—how could his own strength be weak?

Turns out he is also a Taiyi!

It is astonishing, having caught up in realm level to the richest of the lesser Wu—Fengxi!

How dreamlike and inconceivable!

However, this is beyond ordinary people's expectations, yet it is only natural for peerless heavenly prodigies.

Fengxi joined the diplomatic expedition team, able to set foot on the dojo of the three thousand great Luo. But in the Wu Clan's main base, opportunities are not few either.

Any Wu who, like Chimi, excels outstanding, picks up a sword, in the swordsmanship field, starting from the first major region of the Zhu Nine Yin Department, sweeps all opponents on the arena, slaughters through all major regions of the Twelve Ancestral Witches, cuts down ten thousand lesser Wu of the same rank without a single defeat……can achieve the same accomplishments as him!

After all, such achievements not only mean invincibility in spirit, but also mean extraordinarily rich resource rewards—

The Twelve Ancestral Witches, in order to promote vitality within the Wu Clan, raise competition, stimulate every Wu to strive upward……like such sword‑dao arena contests, victors receive rewards!

Or heavenly materials and earthly treasures?

Or cultivation time in a time‑secret realm?

Etc.

Especially outstanding elites like Chimi will also have their rewards suitably increased, encouraging them to go further.

The excellent have the qualification to be favored.

Such excellence is not limited to one field but encompasses all phenomena.

Besides swordsmanship, there are martial contests, divine ability comparisons, battle command, military drill, governance and people‑welfare, propaganda public opinion, information confrontation, situation control……the Twelve Ancestral Witches have set up competitions in every conceivable useful field, hoping all lesser Wu will blossom therein!

Three hundred and sixty trades, each produces its top scholar!

These top scholars, having passed through all manner of difficulties and obstacles, defeating opponent after opponent……now their strength realms are not necessarily inferior to Fengxi's!

Many among them can make Fengxi feel his scalp go numb——Chimi definitely counts as one.

In a battle of equal realm strength, even if the field of the Heaven‑Great Array is opened, who between them could walk alive off the stage is still uncertain.

Of course, if Pangu's dharma manifestation could act……that would be another matter.

And such outstanding individuals as Chimi are not so common as to fill the streets, but they are certainly not few.

Picking out ten‑odd thousand people is no difficulty.

Like the previously mentioned Youlie, Fengxi, Fenglixi, Qinghao, Mi Xi……each has sealed kingship invincible in a certain field and has maintained it to the present.

Besides these invincibles, there are many excellent lesser Wu who vie for the top ten spots, their brains almost beaten out——such people may not be number one, but that does not mean they are weak!

What's more frightening is that some Wu, even if invincible in one field, when they run into another field to fight on the stage, can still break into the top three, extremely brutal.

Like Chimi: swordsmanship king, formation second, teaching ability fluctuating around fourth place, and in many other fields he may not break into the top ten but is absolutely ranked within the top hundred!

Such brilliance, such excellence, makes this swordsmanship king not lack followers among the Wu Clan.

The swordsmanship fellowship of mutual aid he privately organized has gathered hundreds of thousands of lesser Wu members!

As a leader of a faction, regardless of strength or influence, Chimi absolutely has the qualification to stand alongside Fengxi and converse as equals.

But……

At this moment, Chimi very much wants to say——Who is Fengxi? I don't know him!

Fengxi's moral bottom line, with a tattoo of the ancestral witch Houtu on his forehead……makes his style turn eerie.

Standing beside such a person, even after crossing countless blood and fire, battling opponent after opponent, forging a heart as hard as iron, one still feels unable to bear it.

"This guy, if he were an enemy it would be great……one sword slash and all the sprites and ghouls would vanish like smoke."

Chimi's eye corner has been twitching, never calming down.

"But, being friends with him, chatting? I always feel I'll be infected by his unfathomable moral bottom line, dragged to the same level……and yet you find what he says quite reasonable!"

Protect your mental health—start by staying away from Fengxi!

Of course, Chimi's resistance and disdain, Fengxi does not care.

He is very informal, putting an arm around his shoulder and back, and moreover justifies his conduct's style.

"You say I crave the Great Dao of the ancestral witches……" Fengxi organized his words, then solemnly said: "How come, you don't feel that the Ancestral Witch Houtu also possesses her Great Dao, which is so perfect, sufficient to be a lighthouse illuminating our life's path?"

He widened his eyes: "Could it be……you, Chimi, think the Great Dao of the ancestral witches has something wrong? Or is it that the image of Ancestral Witch Houtu is lacking, unworthy of being earnestly remembered by us?"

"Or perhaps it's Ancestral Witch Houtu's conduct and means that have something you dislike?"

Chimi opened his mouth, wanting to say something……but in the end he couldn't utter a single word.

Is he able to say he lacks qualification? Or is he able to pick out a bunch of faults about Houtu?

Is this because he feels he's lived too long and gone awry?

Or does he feel his current path is too wide and wants to narrow it?

Having opinions about the leadership, secretly criticizing behind their backs……what does he want to do?

Rebel?

Chimi gazes at Fengxi's forehead, at that miniature Houtu with its spirited eyes……the muscles of his cheeks twitch, twitch again.

He finds it hard to go against his conscience, to temporarily toss aside his moral bottom line and later pick it up again——he can only express his attitude through silence.

Fengxi glanced at Chimi, saw through his thoughts, and shook his head.

"Chimi!" Fengxi earnestly advised, "You can't keep doing this!"

"Too aloof, too arrogant……if one could single‑handedly sweep the world and crush all dissent, that would still be okay to say."

"If you can't do that……sooner or later you will surely suffer a big loss because of it!"

Upon hearing this, Chimi fell silent.

After a long while, he gave a light smile: "So what then?"

"But with the sword in my hand, I will carve out a path for myself!"

Better to take from the straight, not seek from the crooked……We sword cultivators, a person is like a sword—better to break than to bend!

He rubbed the hilt of the Qingping Sword; Chi Ming's voice was sonorous and forceful, exuding an unyielding spirit.

"Better to break than to bend, better to break than to bend……How come I heard there's a kind of sword called a soft sword?" Fengxi muttered, and the effect was surprisingly good—he instantly bored Tian to death, leaving Chi Ming's face dark.

"Moreover, one who can bend and stretch, endure what ordinary people cannot, is a true man……" Fengxi continued his petty nagging, speaking in a refined manner: "A gentleman is like a dragon……A dragon can be great or small, can rise or hide; when great, it stirs clouds and spews mist; when small, it conceals its form; when rising, it soars between the universe; when hiding, it lurks within the waves."

"We, as humans and as Wu, should learn from the dragon—why learn from the sword instead?"

"As for swords, no matter how high you raise their status……in Honghuang, they are not mainstream and cannot be called the strongest!"

"If we're talking about weapons, the strongest in Honghuang should be the axe—the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe!"

"The way of the strongest weapon is not the sword way, but the axe way!" Fengxi chattered on, "Moreover……compared to swords, aren't those innate spirit treasures fragrant?"

"Which of those fragrant innate spirit treasures can you get?" Chi Ming rolled his eyes, "You don't even have a bowl, and you're already eyeing the pot?"

"Let me tell you, instead of pondering innate spirit treasures, you'd better learn swordsmanship from me!"

Regarding Chi Ming's suggestion, Fengxi blinked……then he gave a modest little smile.

"Hey!"

Fengxi's smile made Chi Ming feel creepy—he swore it was a vile way far surpassing the sword way, playing out a real role here with lethal effect.

That terrifying vileness made Chi Ming unconsciously grip his sword hilt, pondering whether to strike out with a sword, using swordsmanship to break the vile method.

"Thank you for your kindness, but sorry……I won't learn the sword." Fengxi lifted his head and chest, "Because Houtu has promised—I will be given an innate spirit treasure for self-defense when the time comes!"

"Ah!"

"Lord Houtu, you are so majestic and sublime!"

Fengxi sang praises of merit and virtue, while at the same time Chi Ming's eyes went blank—

It's not that he doesn't understand, but the world is changing too fast!

He blankly watched Fengxi nonchalantly raise his hand, wipe his forehead, making that mini Houtu shine brighter……and the whole person sank into contemplation.

——Could it be that, really, sucking up to the end brings everything one desires?

Chi Ming's worldview and outlook on life suffered an unprecedented blow.

After a long while, he steadied his mind, grasping himself from this upheaval that shattered his three views, cutting away those stray thoughts, and spoke in a low tone: "You tell me, with such a vicious nature, you'll surely be ganged up on and beaten someday."

"That shouldn't happen!" Fengxi smiled narrowly, "I'm so kind to people, united with the collective……aside from those few who harbor grudges and scheme against me, how could I be surrounded and beaten?"

"Even if we retreat ten thousand steps, even if I had that day……I reckon it would still come after you, this straightforward fellow."

Fengxi spoke with conviction, "Don't look at you and me—we're both leaders of a faction……but!"

"Some people can refuse to learn your swordsmanship, but they cannot refuse my money!"

"This is the difference in our essential natures."

"In all three hundred and sixty trades, each produces its own top scholar……Perhaps when discussing personal achievements and abilities, everyone stands on the same level, making it hard to judge who is better or worse."

"But, compared to rallying the masses and stirring up momentum……how could you possibly match me, or even win people's hearts better? With money, we all earn together, yet the number of those willing to follow me is overwhelming!"

Chi Ming was left speechless.

He thought of his swordsmanship association, with its scale of several hundred thousand people.

Then he thought of the currently thriving business alliance……Originally, the diplomatic route of three thousand years, that outgoing team often communicated with the headquarters, letting people understand the situation and rally hearts.

And not long ago, upon returning, this force disclosed its financial report, laying out the net profit clearly; that frenzied surge instantly ignited the enthusiasm of many minor Wu.

In an instant, countless minor Wu called friends and allies, rushing to join.

Now, how many members does it have?

Ten trillion!

Moreover, each passing day, this number increases by at least one billion!

Just as Fengxi said.

——You may dislike my person, but you cannot dislike my money.

This money is a general term for all resources that aid the survival and cultivation of living beings.

As long as there's enough money, even a Great Luo cannot be bought off!

For example, innate spirit treasures, or the merit of mysterious yellow……as long as there is demand, there is trade, and thus the possibility of bribery!

Thus, the prosperity of the business alliance among the Wu clan is self-evident. Before its scale, any organization is but ants!

Thinking this, Chi Ming almost burst into tears.

Heavens, pitifully, he spent over three thousand years fighting one arena after another, barely accumulating several hundred thousand fans……yet he still can't compare to the fraction of daily increase in Fengxi's organization.

Even more pitiful……his swordsmanship association's fans have almost all signed up to join the business alliance.

——Do you really think practicing swordsmanship costs nothing?

——Do you really think a sword cultivator's sword doesn't need to be forged from heavenly treasures?

No matter how you boast of a sword that breaks ten thousand techniques, if your sword is too poor, you can't even break others' defensive treasures—what's there to talk about slaying enemies?

What, you say having sword intent is enough? All things in heaven and earth can be swords? Whether there's a real sword doesn't matter?

Oh.

Never mind whether you've cultivated sword intent; can I cultivate some heavenly intent, human intent, divine intent or the like, combine it with treasure support, and press you to the ground to beat you?

Even if I cultivate nothing, may I spar with you, who has sword intent, using an innate supreme treasure?

At the same realm, with no disparity in techniques, the presence of a good treasure is a crucial weight in battle!

To counter a treasure, only a treasure will do……facing pay-to-win, only the same pay-to-win can defeat it.

Of course, nothing in the world is absolute.

Moreover, there is something that can achieve victory of the weak over the strong—formations!

But do formations not cost money?

It's just a little less costly than treasures.

Chiming was calculating his area of expertise—swordsmanship, formations…… as he calculated, he suddenly stopped calculating.

All need to pay-to-win, all need to splurge!

"You won."

Chiming's interest waned: "In recruiting, I truly can't compare to you."

"But…" he shifted tone, "With your huge family and business, I imagine… surely lots of people are eyeing your position, right?"

Chiming smiled, "When it comes to money, many will forsake even kin…… especially when the profit reaches this scale."

"I tell you, you're in for plenty of hard days ahead!"

"Watch out, don't screw up."

Chiming couldn't tell if his reminder was kind or cruel, but it truly struck Fengxi's heart.

He scowled, silent, gazing at the clouds on the horizon.

"Huh?" Chiming perked up, "No way? I actually guessed right?"

"Come on, tell me what's bothering you—I'll cheer you up!"

Fengxi glanced at him, about to speak, but heard a shout laced with anxiety and panic.

"You two up front, move aside!"

Fengxi startled, Chiming dazed, they turned—only to see three figures rushing toward them.

"Huh? Fengxi? Mixi? Qinghao?" Chiming exclaimed, "Weren't they supposed to be blocking Fenglixi's door? What's happening now?"

"Huh…… what's with the dust behind those three?"

Their eyes gleamed as he and Fengxi made out what lay behind the dust.

In an instant they were terrified, they darted to the roadside, trying to make themselves as inconspicuous as possible.

The three Fengxi fled like bereaved dogs, racing off into the distance.

"Fengxi!"

"If you three can block our two‑person door, then show you've got what it takes to take on a thousand of us one‑on‑one!"

"I, Fenglixi, will definitely give you a decent death!"

PS: My computer might be acting up…… I swear I uploaded this chapter yesterday.

(End of chapter)