Chapter 749: with translation of chapter title

The Bird Master is taking action.

How many years has it been? This force, amidst constant turnover and renewal, has long implemented Chonghua's will.

Those with ambition who do not enter the core have long been siphoned away from the center.

What remains in the end are all followers of Chonghua's will, practitioners of his path.

When it exerts force, it is united top to bottom, and in the shortest time it will carry out Chonghua's orders.

Step by step, establishing bases, it has re-covered the entirety of the Eastern Barbarians.

This is the ultimate of kingly way and hegemonic way.

However, Chonghua is highly skilled, very particular about propriety, always able to claim righteousness; ordinary people, after being sold off, still count his money for him.

Without such ability, his previous incarnation could not have sat on the throne of the Heavenly Emperor and thus commanded the world.

"Weak Water brings disaster!"

"War and chaos!"

"Alas, the rise and fall of my Eastern Barbarians, myriad generations of prosperity destroyed in an instant!"

"The incapacity and loss of virtue of the Dragon Master—let's not discuss that for now; the urgent task is to expel foreign invaders and rebuild our land and rivers!"

"As the Bird Master, I cannot shirk this duty!"

In times of crisis, the Bird Master, as the elder brother, steps forward, calling on all clans of the Eastern Barbarians to overcome the hardship together—this is quite reasonable, isn't it!

And they are not just talking; they have indeed come prepared.

"Small dou in! Big dou out!"

"I, the Bird Master, will establish a new aid policy, issue special development and reconstruction loans, and help every clan revive!"

Real gold and silver have been laid out.

To win over hearts, fundamentally reshape the Eastern Barbarians, thoroughly strip away the means by which the human Fire Master orthodoxy divides people's hearts and calls outstanding human talents to establish themselves as kings, establish Chonghua as the supreme spiritual leader, and make Bird Master's thought the supreme program.

The strategy of small dou in, big dou out was naturally put forward.

The dou is a unit of volume, a measure of quantity.

Big and small are merely relative comparisons.

When working for the Bird Master and accepting aid loans, each item of material received can be measured in big dou as the unit, with aid fully supplied and sincere intent.

Yet when repaying, the same quantity only needs to be returned using the small dou.

What does that mean?

Simply put, borrowing ten thousand, repayment of principal and interest requires only nine thousand!

This method of bestowing favor on the people is simple and crude, yet the effect is excellent!

Especially during this difficult and arduous period, facing the pressure of flood control and the Heavenly Court's military conflicts, everyone must tighten their belts to get by, sometimes even missing meals; even iron-willed tough guys bearing huge pressure find it hard to firmly say "no" to the Bird Master.

Following the people's will, in the shortest time the Bird Master became the prevailing trend on this land of the Eastern Barbarians.

The situation once set up by the Fire Master, intended to check an uncontrolled Bird Master and closely monitor Chonghua, whose connections with the Heavenly Court were unclear, that painstakingly woven net of heaven and earth, is now torn apart with a single tug.

The leaders of all clans, without realizing it, have been stripped of power… Of course, even if they did notice, it would be of no use; they can only accept reality.

Because the Bird Master holds not only sweet dates but also a big stick.

The mountain bandits and warlords, spawned from the Weak Water and rampaging across the lands of the Eastern Barbarians, are not to be taken lightly!

These forces perfectly carry out the dirty work, represented by the evil water god Wuzhiqi, attacking cities and seizing strongholds everywhere, flexibly shifting tactics, shattering the mainstays of who knows how many stubborn clans and breaking their hardened spines.

On this land of the Eastern Barbarians, only the Bird Master can clean up such malignant forces.

However, the Bird Master previously expressed sincerely—

They are not omnipotent!

With so many bandits drifting along the Weak Water, how could they possibly attend to them all?

After all, the Bird Master's manpower is limited; at most it can prioritize caring for those clans that have applied for its aid.

After all, they are so desperate as to have relinquished their autonomy; no matter how you say it, they surely need aid and protection more than these tribes of yours that can still fight.

The reasoning seems unproblematic and makes sense.

Need aid—situation urgent.

No need aid—can hold out oneself—situation not urgent.

In reasonable steps, the Bird Master gradually grasped the various lifelines of the clans that had once split off to go it alone—including, but not limited to, economic and military!

Even, people's hearts!

Those diehard elements contrary to their intentions are unknowingly weakened, gradually withering away in the times.

Die standing?

Or live kneeling?

This is a question.

And often, when people face this question posed by the powerful side, they often have no choice.

The weak accept reality.

The strong profit handsomely.

"Small dou in, big dou out…… how is that then?"

"I will never lose."

Chonghua sits watching the clouds roll and unfold, smiling at the rise and fall of heaven and earth.

However many outstanding people, facing the Bird Master's capital, cannot help but bow their heads.

Even the orthodox Fire Master is blocked outside layer after layer of checkpoints, unable to reach out as the Heavenly Court's main force under the command of the Eastern Emperor clashes head-on with fire.

Here only he issues commands for the present, and all beings prostrate themselves.

As the strategist who planned this game, he will never lose.

Even if it's a small input, big output kind of massive bleeding aid…… but where does the wool come from?

It comes from the sheep!

When the Weak Water becomes a disaster and floods the Eastern Yi, those resources that appear to be submerged and eroded by the Weak Water actually have a lot of tricks!

It looks like it disappeared…… but actually, most of it was just transferred.

The easily digestible, unmarked ones went into Chonghua's own storehouse.

The hard-to-handle ones, those with clear stylistic features, are instead grasped in the hands of each bandit stronghold rampaging through the Eastern Yi.

When the Bird Master needs it, one just goes on a trip, pushes through monsters, beats the boss, sweeps the resource points clean, and reasonably reaps the spoils.

Chonghua's calm operation skillfully extracted the labor value created by countless Eastern Yi clans, then turned it into capital for aid, and even wanted the common people to feel grateful and devoted to it.

He is not overbearing, nor domineering, nor does he shout 'Those who follow me prosper, those who oppose me perish'; yet he blocks all other options, leaving only the path he left behind walkable.

One moment playing the good cop, the next the bad cop, he manipulates the situation with applause; turning clouds and rain is nothing out of the ordinary for him.

After a seamless series of moves, the Eastern Yi people's hearts turned toward him; gradually there arose praises singing his merits and virtues, acclaiming Chonghua as the supreme holy emperor of humanity, his achievements covering the sun and moon, his virtue crowning the ages.

As for the Dragon Master, who was once mentioned alongside the Bird Master?

What the hell is that thing!

The Dragon Master's exile organization, Chonghua deemed unworthy of extermination, even displayed some magnanimity, repeatedly stating before people that the Dragon Master's failure in water control cannot overshadow his past contributions.

Now that the Dragon Master has suffered defeat and his prestige lies in ruins, as the elder brother of the Eastern Yi, he still ought to lend a hand.

Therefore, he specially bestowed a territory as a residence for the Dragon Master to rest and recuperate.

Moreover, the Dragon Master's economic collapse due to development issues has left him with huge debts…… I, the Bird Master, take charge, helping you negotiate peace, repaying part of it on your behalf, and extending the repayment period for the remainder as much as possible so you don't feel pressured!

A series of movements displayed Chonghua's skill and magnanimity, leaving even those sympathetic to the Dragon Master unable to utter a word.

——The Bird Master has reached the utmost benevolence and righteousness!

——Not blaming you for the guilt of your failure in water control, giving you a place to rest and recuperate, helping to repay the debt…… Although the situation has changed, here there have gradually been incursions by the Heavenly Court's demon god, painfully striking the shallow beach dragon.

——After all this, how can you still say the Bird Master is bad, does the Dragon Master still have any conscience!

The Dragon Master, in bitterness, accepted his opponent's benefaction, broke his teeth, and swallowed them mixed with blood.

How utterly miserable!

……

All kinds of plots proceeded according to Chonghua's plan.

Favor and might employed together, the people's hearts turned toward him…… Even if a great wise person could feel something amiss here, they would also be powerless to struggle and break free.

After all, there are troubles both inside and outside!

Outside there is the Heavenly Court's invasion, inside there is the Bird Master's bestowal of kindness…… This is fundamentally not a game that ordinary people can turn the tide with!

Chonghua orderly and gradually regained control of the Eastern Yi's great authority.

Compared to the former nominal lord of the Eastern Yi, who was externally restrained by the human orthodox regime and internally faced clan leaders of independent sovereignty who feared no power…… this time, true authority is truly in hand.

He grasped various lifelines, occupying over half of the productive resources; compared to the Dragon Master at his most glorious peak, his words carry even more weight!

When he reached this point, Chonghua began to seek further advancement on his own path.

——He wants to let himself transcend and rise, establishing a grand united system!

——He wants to act as a transcendent god, handling the issues between humanity and the Demon Race, rather than being stuck in the conflict and bloodshed of the two paths, letting humanity bleed and sacrifice in meaningless doctrinal struggles, wasting countless resources.

"I believe that the blood shed between humanity and the Demon Race has already been enough."

"It's time to sit down and hold a peace negotiation once."

When Chonghua calculated his own prestige, it was already the prevailing trend, having gained the support of more than half of the Eastern Yi's populace, he then embarked on his most daring and radical leap.

Peace talks!

"To forsake the classics and forget the ancestors!"

If this were to be ignited as a fuse, it would detonate countless noises.

There were elders who had come through hardship from ancient times, shouting angrily, condemning Chonghua's conduct.

"Your conduct—where does it place the existence of the heroes' monument?!"

"We humanity have shed so much blood, only under countless covetousness have we won today's status and dignity!"

"Now, you break the bridge after crossing the river—do you still have a shred of conscience?!"

The waves of opposition rose and fell, shaking Chonghua's authority.

However, Chonghua daring to stand up naturally means he has confidence.

Even if it requires covering up the truth, he can still find sufficient reasons, list realistic causes, and point out why there would be actions that disregard countless past sacrifices.

"The disaster of the Weak Water has already severely affected production development…… and the Dragon Master's failure in water control makes us need to confront the difficulty of this problem."

"As everyone knows, the source of the Heavenly River Weak Water lies in the Heavenly Court!"

"If the peace talks succeed, perhaps the Weak Water's affliction will naturally be resolved."

"I am doing this for the sake of the living."

For the sake of development, can we to some extent overlook past people's sacrifices and shake hands with the enemy?

This is a problem that makes any conscientious person feel pain and dilemma.

When such a problem is raised, it instantly splits the noisy clamor, letting the Eastern Yi's populace fight each other.

Amidst division and collapse, Chonghua transcended, remaining unstained by dust.

Bit by bit he peeled open people's hearts, silently and soundlessly destroying the so-called cohesion of the ethnic groups, turning the innate hostility between humanity and the Demon Race into an ideological struggle of division.

"So then…… physical ethnicity is just so illusory like a bubble."

Chonghua said to his own children——all of them, 'This is also why I want to put forward the idea of deities transcending above.'

"Only an ideological camp formed from the same views can have sufficient cohesion and stability."

"Otherwise……"

You look.

Past sacrifices and efforts cannot match the pursuit of living beings.

Being alive is what matters most…… Once dead, everything is over.

Later generations may not cherish the efforts of their predecessors, heedlessly trampling on their painstaking work.

When all contributions can be quantified into concrete numbers, the collective soul of the race is already dead.

Chonghua said faintly, a hand swept through the void, and a long sword appeared before them.

The form of this sword is exactly the same as that of the former Witch‑Slaying Sword!

That sword from back then was brought forth in this version of the era, standing opposed to the Nüwa Emperor at the end of time.

In theory, it will not reappear.

But…… the human heart!

It gave the possibility of reforging it.

Witch‑Slaying Sword, forged by slaughtering a clan.

To slaughter the body is slaughter; to exterminate the heart…… is also slaughter!

Kill the person, exterminate the heart!

Jun gazed at this reforged divine sword, staring straight at its edge, feeling as if it were cleaved into their very spirit, their soul on the verge of shattering.

Cold.

Heartless.

Expounding the most indifferent path.

Divine beings arise from the myriad races, exalted above heaven, again governing the myriad races, following the most exquisite and icy plan; they are the mouthpiece of heavenly will, the personification of capital.

Much passion, many ideals, under this path are but fleeting illusions.

"Is this path…… really correct?" Jun suddenly felt a little afraid, asking with a doubtful tone.

"This path isn't very good, but it's not very bad either." Chonghua waved a hand, and the Witch‑Slaying Sword vanished, "It depends on who you compare it to."

"Don't you think this is far better than the various strong clans bullying the weak, the various clans exploiting and oppressing?"

"Under the divine beings, all beings are equal…… I know, this one‑size‑fits‑all approach is somewhat excessive."

"But compared to the countless blood‑soaked sacrifices of today, it's already enough to scrape by."

"Of course, I also admit…… compared to humanity's dream of the perfect path, it falls far short."

"But…… that's not realistic!"

"This path mentions sacrifice."

"But this way, to achieve true sacrifice…… it wouldn't be just the sacrifice of ordinary commoners!"

"I've roughly estimated…… assuming the most ideal circumstances, we would need a being close to Pangu, or even Pangu himself offering himself as a sacrifice, to carry out the greatest sacrifice!"

"Otherwise, what fairness is there to speak of?"

Chonghua sighed lightly.

He saw it clearly.

Since we're talking about sacrifice, we must win over the crowd.

How to win over the crowd?

We certainly can't use the sacrifices of countless ordinary commoners to forge one person's glorious brilliance, can we?

As the supreme leader, shouldn't we sacrifice someone for everyone to see?

And who…… would go to their death?

Chonghua looked this way and that, feeling this was too fantastical and unrealistic.

"Nüwa fellow Daoist, your integrity is not bad; in fact, there is this possibility…… but alas, she is obsessed and will not do this."

"And if she does not sacrifice…… the path of humanity will never be complete."

(End of chapter)