Chapter 737: Chonghua plots the track, black hand subdues the Dragon Master!

The Human Emperor worries about the situation of the Dongyi.

And there, indeed, there are people qualified enough to make him wary and on guard… He commands the Bird Master, leads the vast Dongyi group, once launched a heavy strike, relying on strength to bully the weak, even bullying the Dragon Master into becoming a laughingstock for a time.

He occupied the land, won the people's hearts, to the point that Fang Xun's heir—Dan Zhu, when he tried to reclaim authority and command a region, actually went three years with no one coming to pay tribute!

Finally, he had no choice but to step down in disgrace, and was even subjected to Chonghua's ambivalent use of the phrase 'Mandate of Heaven' as an attack.

——This is Heaven's will!

Clearly, his strategic skill in the game was superb, blockading and isolating the Dragon Master's system, yet he modestly credited Heaven's will… The Dragon Master's mindset once teetered on the brink of explosion, but in the end he had no choice but to restrain himself.

After all, their most prestigious and powerful Dragon Ancestor has fallen!

Without this mainstay, the Dragon Master has been on a downward slope, being swallowed whole by the Bird Master, lock, stock, and barrel—actually quite normal.

But the Fire Master does not want to see such a scene.

So he casually pulled the Bird Master's leg—"Nobles and generals, where does their seed come from?"

Those who have merit in battle against the Heavenly Court are all kings!

The great entrepreneurial era of humanity has begun.

And since going solo offers a way out, who would want to work for others?

So the hearts of the Dongyi group scattered… The clan's greatest hidden danger erupted.

It is strong and vast, the August Emperor's retirement haven, the Shao Hao's foundation, even the Phoenix has descended there… Indeed, even the Dragon Master in the past could be considered part of this.

Such complex composition forged the Dongyi's strength, deep foundations, abundant talent, allowing the later Bird Master, who became the Dongyi's leading voice, to enjoy the rich legacy of his predecessors.

But precisely because of this complexity, in cohesion… there is, just a little bit of a problem.

When external forces guide and trigger countless connections… soon this massive camp shows a tendency to split into factions.

The Bird Master's core still has everyone's support… but, well, we need to talk about price!

To imagine unconditionally sacrificing for the Bird Master as before is unthinkable.

For a long time, Chonghua felt a stifled mood, with inner fire constantly threatening to burst out, yet hard to unleash—the Fire Master, under the banner of righteousness, silently wielded a stick to threaten the Bird Master with one hand, while feeding sweet dates to nurture and support small and medium clans' entrepreneurship, forming alliances both vertical and horizontal—how could he be easy to deal with?

Until now!

"Excellent!"

Chonghua lowered the intelligence in his hand, a smile appearing on his face: "Fire Master… you too have your day!"

"Fanning the flames, guiding each clan's branch to become independent…… Is this good now? Strong branches, weak trunk, hollowing oneself out, leading to no longer being as prosperous as before, unable to withstand Taiyi's offensive."

"Even better…"

"After great difficulty waiting for sufficient reinforcements, out pops Xuanyuan!"

"Xuanyuan… Huangdi!"

"Yan and Huang gathering—what a splendid show this is!"

"I only regret not being present."

Chonghua sighed.

That is, he is not present.

Otherwise, he would surely have stirred things up——

Let's fight!

We must fight!

Best to make the opponent's brains burst out!

Chonghua thinking this way is quite normal.

After all… Yan and Huang, in all sorts of rumors, are quite an unpleasant combination.

Even if they say with their mouths that they are one family.

But in reality, isn't it still war that decides strength?

There are victories and defeats!

There are conquests!

If not for the Yan Emperor holding the orthodox line for so many years, with greater outstanding achievements… perhaps even his title would have withered away in the ages, making no ripple.

How many precedents!

"The central humanity, I imagine, must now be quite restless."

Chonghua paced, organizing his thoughts: "Xuanyuan's rise has been too swift, and his legendary fierce reputation…… even if Di Jiang sacrificed himself to mediate, it is certain that the Wu Clan will ultimately harbor doubts."

"The Wu, carrying out Nüwa's will, can be called humanity's earliest pioneers…… and Nüwa, moreover, supports the Fire Master."

"The Yan-Huang conflict, the distinction between humans and Wu…… these are all irreconcilable contradictions and hidden dangers."

"Moreover, there is also the second brother who commands the stars and leads the great army to oppress."

Chonghua's eyes gazed deep: "The Central Royal Court…… now it must be powerless to attend to him!"

"My opportunity has come!"

"No one can now check me……"

The flames of ambition flicker in the depths of his eyes.

In the past, he had already conceived the idea of countering and breaking the Fire Master's chess route, knocking out each scattered lone-worker pawn, and reintegrating them under the Bird Master's banner.

Playing the villain on one side, the benefactor on the other.

The Heavenly Court's invasions caused one small clan after another to go bankrupt; when the time was ripe, the Bird Master then leisurely raised the banner of opposing the Heavenly Court's terrifying violence, carrying out 'aid', and gathering control over all vital points.

Back and forth, the Bird Master will return to the peak…… no, it will surpass even before!

Those complicated relationships, the noise of petty thoughts that are hard to sort out clearly, will all be eliminated in this process—if the problem cannot be solved, then eliminate the person who creates the problem.

When all internal hidden dangers vanish, the Dragon Master will also perish…… at that time, integrated into a single supreme Bird Master, holding this ground, able to advance and retreat, no longer needing to fear anything.

Even……

If everything goes smoothly…… perhaps I could form a great united regime.

Chonghua's eyes were filled with anticipation.

Spanning the human race and the Heavenly Court, united into one…… no, that's not right.

At that time, the Heavenly Court should have stood above…… under the Heavenly Court's governance, all races would be equal, and the struggle of the Dao would no longer escalate into a great split of factions.

Everyone is equal.

Humans and demons are also equal.

However, the Heavenly Court has gods, relatively speaking, it would be a bit more equal.

This is also reasonable…… after all, those who can enter the Heavenly Court always have special talents, beneficial to the development of the era.

If that's the case, having a bit more authority to represent the collective voice is also normal!

Although doing this has some compromising meaning…… it both deviates from the human race's firm path of overcoming heaven by man—advocating the complete overthrow of the Heavenly Dao's rules, returning power to the myriad beings, the gods of the Heavenly Court should serve 'humans'.

Nor is it the same path as the Heavenly Dao; it absorbs some strengths of the human race's path, curbing the boundless, principle-less greedy expansion of powerful clans, thereby squeezing the living space of ordinary beings.

The road formed by compromise, although destined to still have struggles, but problems can still be discussed…… as long as the speed of enlarging the pie is fast enough, some problems become small and will be covered up.

Although everyone is not very satisfied inside, they will always feel unhappy……

Chonghua murmured, then suddenly laughed.

But, what does this have to do with me?

My limit is only to this extent……

Only by maintaining such a result can I hope to reap Pangu's achievements.

If I lean more toward the Heavenly Dao, I will be overwhelmed and devoured by my senior, the Dao Ancestor Hongjun, without a doubt.

The old powerful clans are not to be taken lightly.

And the path closer to the human race…… calculating the contributions made by painstaking effort in this regard, what do I have to surpass someone like Nüwa?

After all, I suffer from lacking background and seniority.

Chonghua sighed.

He considered himself not lacking.

But, the rivals competing with him on this era's stage are too many.

Behind the Dao Ancestor stands the Heavenly Dao.

Nüwa?

Have you seen the boundless merit golden light when creating humans? Throwing money at you could kill you!

Not to mention they still have a backer behind them!

Moreover, they are the founder of this path; how could later joiners have the qualification to shake their position?

Having come this far, perseverance and effort are no longer the deciding factors…… who doesn't strive? Who doesn't persist?

Wanting to take a shortcut, it's inevitable to take some crooked ways.

Only by taking this compromising path, drawing people from the demon race, also representing part of the human race, stepping out of the original track, will the final fruit best serve my interests.

Moreover, for the human Dao, it's not bad either.

Perhaps compared to breaking all shackles and remaking heaven, the steps would be slower…… but at least it reduces certain personnel casualties and lessens internal strife where blades meet.

Chonghua whispered, firming his confidence.

Although he is somewhat refined and self-interested, having made a few small calculations, he is ultimately a perfect emperor, capable of contending for Pangu's position!

When belief is unshakable, striking hard will not cause hesitation.

Standing before the desk, he lowered his gaze to the vast map of mountains and rivers, where the intertwined forces of various sides were manifested—there were the Bird Master's, the Dragon Master's, those who went solo in their own ventures, and the Heavenly Court's…… intricate and interpenetrating.

For the cause of the human Dao, let's start…… from here!

Chonghua flicked his finger and tapped a spot, his face showing no joy or anger: 'The Dragon Master is incapable, unable to prevent floods; the Dragon Master lacks virtue, indifferent to the myriad beings!'

Although the fault is not yours…… but who made you my enemies?

Let you become the sacrifice on my path forward…… even if your reputation goes bankrupt, I must create the perfect moment for my entry!

A black pot came flying from nowhere.

To add a crime, what worry is there for lack of excuse!

When Chonghua's deliberation among the Bird Masters was settled, in the Heavenly Court, Donghuang's military order command also reached its end.

They need not send messages to each other, nor communicate; relying on the brotherly tacit understanding from birth is enough to achieve the most exquisite coordination.

This battlefield is too shattered, too scattered, making a major breakthrough already difficult.

Donghuang said to the two grand strategists—Kunpeng and Báizé, and a host of demon marshals and senior officials: 'We will continue to concentrate heavy troops here; besides consumption, there is nothing to gain.'

A frontal assault cannot swiftly annihilate the Fire Master's troops.

To purge the four quarters, the Cloud Master is overly flexible, skilled at mobilizing local forces, and evades battle by wandering.

Therefore, we need to open a second battlefield, to break out of this situation!

Please, Your Majesty Donghuang, give your orders." The many demon gods said in unison.

The Eastern Barbarians!" Taiyi pointed out a force, "This is the breakthrough I have in mind, suitable as the second battlefield for my Heavenly Court.

Drawing lessons from the previous encounter, for this place I decide to change the way of warfare; initially I will no longer coerce with overwhelming firepower, so that the Bird Master and Dragon Master contending here will set aside their disputes and present a united front outward.

Donghuang's setbacks at the hands of the Fire Master and Cloud Master became experiential lessons; after painful reflection, he decided to use a small fire to simmer slowly, to boil frogs in warm water.

When using infiltration as the main means, employing a divisive strategy, creating contradictions, promoting melee, consuming this place's vitality…… until the timing is ripe, then with one vigorous push, we will overturn mountains and rivers!

Taiyi emphasized the strategic thought for this second battlefield, assigned duties, and entrusted them to the Heavenly Court's chief ministers and demon marshal supervisors.

Jimeng!

Shangyang!

He spoke the two names, and the corresponding two demon marshals stepped forward, bowed, and said, 'Please, Demon Sovereign, give your orders.'

"You two, more or less, have mastered means of wind and rain, right?" Taiyi asked.

The two Yao Marshals exchanged glances, both nodding.

Jimeng the Yao Marshal, he has a dragon's head, human body, bird's claws, feathers growing on his arms; by waving his arms and opening his mouth he can spray mist to bring rain.

Shangyang the Yao Marshal, moreover, possesses the ability to oversee rain, able to foresee and guide the arrival of wind and rain.

"In that case, I will appoint you as the overseers of this battlefield, responsible for specific affairs."

The East Emperor slowly said, "You will intervene in this land's mountains and rivers, targeting an opponent—the Dragon Master!"

"East Emperor Majesty, are you asking us to directly breach his palace? That would be difficult." Shangyang the Yao Marshal mused, "That old dragon met disaster, was cleared away by the Dao Ancestor; now the Dragon Race has only those capable of leadership left—the Four Sea Dragon Kings and the Ancestral Dragon's Nine Sons."

"In terms of strength, they are not fit to appear on stage; I could kill them singly without difficulty… but if they wholeheartedly defend, we would also find it hard to breach them in a short time."

"You don't need to go up and launch a strong attack… I have said before, infiltration is the main approach." Taiyi waved his hand, "Once there, I only need you to do one thing."

"Gradually isolate this faction, from public opinion, roads, and all sides, through accolades and defamation… without restricting any means."

"I want you to make it bear the hopes of the masses, yet end up doing a terrible job, revealing its incompetence! Loss of virtue! Exhaust all its reputation, ultimately leading to bankruptcy and collapse!"

"Hmm..." Shangyang and Jimeng exchanged glances, "Your meaning is to have us drive climatic changes, guide the wind, rain, and water element, control incessant water disasters, drag the Dragon Master into the Great Dao conflict, forcing him to bear the people's expectations unwillingly, then gradually break him, guide public opinion, so that he bears the hopes of all the people?"

"But wouldn't that just benefit the Bird Master? Over these years, the Bird Master has been devouring the Dragon Master's assets, eating with great relish."

"No problem." Taiyi waved his hand, indifferent, "I merely want to use the Dragon Master as a catalyst to scatter the people's hearts here."

"When you achieve results, rumors will naturally arise, scattering hearts… when this place is filled with divided loyalties, each wandering aimlessly, that will be the time for me to act upon the Heavenly Court."

"Then we shall indeed use the whale-swallowing momentum to pacify these mountains and rivers… afterwards, we will employ an appeasement strategy to establish a harmonious discourse."

The East Emperor's gaze gradually deepened.

"The Cloud Master can fight in all directions, swaying the hearts of the Demon Race's myriad people, letting their mainstream values spread, gradually shaking the foundation of the Heavenly Court."

"How could we not emulate and learn from that?"

"If we could assimilate the entirety of the Eastern Yi, it would inevitably cause a tremendous upheaval."

"The current united front of the human race will be dismantled by my Heavenly Court; thereafter, in war, we shall have a three-tenths chance of victory even before fighting."

(End of chapter)