Chapter 126

"You won't be going dark, will you?"

Looking at the description of Jiao Ming's emotional changes in the historical information, Zhao Si couldn't help but feel anxious.

Although for myself in reality, this simulation game is ultimately just an insignificant pastime; no matter how many people die or how severe the destruction, it's nothing more than a restart.

But after all, for the game's protagonist, all of this is real; if Jiao Ming really goes dark and starts a massacre, that would truly be a tragedy...

Jiao Ming himself is no living bodhisattva who saves the suffering; his reason for stopping the war of the three clans across two lifetimes is simply that he is kind-hearted and does not wish to see the populace in misery.

This freedom‑seeking little bird might indeed be willing to rescue those who lack freedom, but if this 'rescue' is founded on sacrificing its own interests, it would hardly accept it.

【You anxiously ask Hongjun.】

A wilderness joke, nothing more.

A little bird born free and unrestrained, yet is forced to sit in prison at its post.

Zu Qilin sighed; this variable Jiao Ming has really gotten everyone fed up, watching helplessly as his own path to the Dao is reduced to ashes.

As it turned out, no one expected Hongjun to be such a weakling; he said he'd win, then Zu Feng breathed a single mouthful of Nanming Lihuo fire and turned him into a 'laojun', forcing Jiao Ming to crash as well...

Could it be that this kid is actually a sage?!

To rule the wilderness, to throw one's weight around—Jiao Ming never thought of that.

Take the current small volcanic faction: as more and more people gather around Jiao Ming, he gradually gets annoyed by the burdensome work and lacks the patience to save all beings.

【In a short time, the Myriad Spirits, which had been developing splendidly, suffered a near‑devastating blow!】

However, the plot did not develop toward the protagonist's darkening; instead, it turned onto another road...

【Faced with this situation, Hongjun could only break into a sweat……】

【Seeing his hesitant look, you flare up: "Since they hit me, I'll hit them back!"】

Such a position would make the three ancestors and Di Jun, these power‑wielding beings, drool; for Jiao Ming, it holds no attraction at all—rather, it is a terrifying cage he desperately wants to avoid!

"Old man Hongjun, why bother making him do this work?!"

Anyway, as a power‑wielding being, the heavier the burden, the happier he gets……

【Thus, amidst the urgent cries of the Myriad Spirits, you immediately issued the counterattack order.】

Zu Feng also felt puzzled:

"Sacrificing the lives of one's subordinates to gain one's own Dao… what's there to choose?"

But in order to stop the war of the three clans, Jiao Ming had to build a force; one mistake led to his bloodline spreading across the world, the three‑clan war indeed ended, yet a greater trouble rode up on his head—he had locked himself in a cage……

【Your Myriad Spirits under command, long unable to endure one‑sided beatings, finally began to fight back angrily, one clan taking on three.】

【You approached Hongjun with mixed feelings, said nothing, and simply handed over Zu Feng's letter.】

Upon further thought, the other two's eyes lit up:

Exactly, since you don't like taking the initiative, we'll give you a passive approach……

He seems like a hapless loser who can't accomplish anything, forever pursuing freedom yet forever locked in a puzzling cage!

【Just as Hongjun watched you with growing concern, your eyes suddenly firmed: "I won't use this method!"】

Under Zu Feng's command, Jiao Ming was a slave; Zu Feng ordered him to go to war, and he could only obey.

"Let's discuss this at length, you two."

Exactly, the reason the three ancestors suddenly told Jiao Ming the method of attaining the Dao through his bloodline was solely to make him darken in order to achieve the Dao, thereby driving Hongjun away.

【But Hongjun couldn't give an answer, for if he counterattacked, it would re‑ignite the three‑clan war, and if he didn't, his side would only suffer a one‑sided defeat.】

"Why does he still have no reaction?"

After finally getting a second chance, Jiao Ming decided to live a beautiful future, so from the start he rejected the Phoenix's Courtesy and refused to be bound by Zu Feng!

Supreme power over life and death—Jiao Ming does not seek that either.

【The Southern Wasteland is in crisis, the Central Province is in crisis, the Eastern Wasteland is in crisis……】

Seeing the two look at him in surprise, Zu Feng gave a faint smile:

"If Jiao Ming won't come over, we'll go to him… might as well give him an opportunity, how about that?"

【Having said that, you didn't say much, just turned and left.】

Zu Long dared not say:

"An eon has already passed……"

【You nod: "I want to know whether this method is reliable; please, fellow cultivator, do not hide it from me."】

By then, the three of them taking on one will surely win!

But Jiao Ming's indifference outright scrapped the three ancestors' plan, which they believed would definitely work……

And Jiao Ming, in fact, is all the more human.

【Having received an affirmative reply, you remained silent for a long time……】

As long as Hongjun can win!

【Hongjun panicked at once: "If you fight them, won't that just become the three‑clan war again?!"】

【But if you don't fight, the civilians below will be slaughtered!】

【Hongjun blinked slightly, after reading the letter his gaze instantly turned solemn!】

At last he could no longer bear it; Hongjun's provocation sparked Jiao Ming's thoughts of rebellion—he knows failure means death, but he has had enough of restraint, so he is willing to trust Hongjun:

Zu Qilin said in a deep voice:

Zu Feng ordered him to slaughter, and he could only obey.

Zu Qilin and Zu Long exchanged a glance, both feeling that Jiao Ming was simply unreasonable:

What's needed isn't the life of some important figure, just a few lowly slaves; you can't really regard a group of beast slaves with only a trace of bloodline as equal humans, can you…

A little bird born fit to be the Heavenly Emperor, day after day dreaming of issuing orders.

For the same task, Jin Bing can drive himself to persevere forcibly, whether managing humanity on Shouyang Mountain or sitting in the Lingxiao Treasure Hall managing the myriad beings of the wilderness; no matter how great the difficulty or how heavy the pressure, Jin Bing can endure, even finding it sweet.

【「You... know all of this? 」】

【This is naturally because it benefits the advancement of one's cultivation…】

【At this critical moment, the decisiveness you have honed over time lets you blatantly ignore Hongjun's meaningless advice; you decide to use your own method to save all spirits, to save your innocent bloodline.】

Zhao Si couldn't help but want to retort:

Actually, if it weren't for the identity of "Common Ancestor of All Spirits," Old Man Hongjun could easily go to the Sun Star, make a couple rounds, capture those three Golden Crows, and let the novice-state Di Jun quickly fulfill his dream.

The Golden Heavenly Emperor has always been like a selfless sun, willing to burn himself to illuminate others, even if he gives everything, even if he undergoes three cycles of reincarnation, he would never corrupt himself!

In a certain sense, the Golden Heavenly Emperor, like the sun, lacks humanity…

But the reality is, in his two cycles of reincarnation, he never once achieved this small dream…

Zhao Si now fears that if he becomes despondent, his temperament will undergo a drastic change.

「No! I still have a method. »

【「Impossible! 」】

【At some yuan-hui-yun cycle, the Ancestral Dragon, Ancestral Phoenix, and Ancestral Qilin suddenly mobilized their entire clans, unusually launching an attack against the flourishing little volcano force!】

「It seems the plan has changed… Jiao Ming won't take the bait, and Old Man Hongjun won't abandon him; our scheme to sow discord is utterly useless」

【The Ancestral Phoenix's letter detailed a method of igniting the bloodline to achieve the Dao.】

【「What should we do? 」】

【Not only did the ordinary slaves mobilize, but even the second-generation dragon, phoenix, and qilin lineages joined in; facing this overwhelming offensive, the little volcano's myriad spirits, having numbers but no quality, had no capacity to resist and could only be miserably slaughtered in a one-sided massacre!】

【You are indeed a free bird, but you will never exchange others' lives for your freedom!】

【Hongjun's worried gaze toward you gradually turned to relief…】

【Hongjun fell silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.】

And, the familiar sight of faces staring at each other…

「Huh? 」

【Upon reading this letter, the great mystery that had long troubled you is finally solved: why did the three ancestors want their bloodline descendants to go to their deaths?】

After all, Jiao Ming and Jin Bing are completely different people.

He has never been a great, selfless sun; he does not wish to burn himself to illuminate others; he only wants to live freely and comfortably!

【「Never mind! 」】

Familiar Qilin Cliff, familiar Three Illusory Gods.

【Faced with urgent reports from all regions, you, whose political abilities are merely average, are at a loss and have to urgently consult with Hongjun on countermeasures.】

【This move by the three clans is something none of you expected; previously they dared not slaughter your bloodline, fearing you would gain an advantage, but now they have outright acted against convention—do they not fear you becoming stronger?】

But the Ancestral Phoenix pondered for a moment, then suddenly spoke:

【The war of the four clans is imminent!】

(End of chapter)