Chapter 70

the Heavenly Court, the Human Emperor Palace.

Jin Bing still lived in his Human Emperor Palace; although the abdication failed, he also didn't know what Di Jun was thinking, his Human Emperor throne remained retained……

"……"

Facing the visiting Di Jun, Jin Bing remained silent for a long time, finally unable to hold back and asked:

"I don't understand……"

In the quiet Human Emperor Palace, Di Jun sat to one side; during Jin Bing's silence, Di Jun continually observed him with a strange gaze, and when he inquired, Di Jun smiled:

"You want to ask why I am disregarding my agreement with the saints and openly toying with you?"

Jin Bing didn't speak, only nodded:

Because this is indeed too absurd; behind me stand six saints endorsing it, and initially Di Jun himself proposed the abdication, which the six saints jointly acknowledged.

Jin Bing suddenly asked a nonsensical question.

"Back then your Shangqing martial uncle even got his hands on the Qingping Sword!"

Di Jun said with interest:

"In the end you didn't keep up the act, directly revealing your ambition…… Why couldn't you keep acting?"

"Today the people's hearts are aligned; I cannot openly defy…… but rest assured, I will fulfill what I promised you."

"You…… are you serious?"

"You have always wanted to use the people's hearts to hollow out my throne, haven't you? How come I don't deserve to possess the people's hearts?"

"But placed in the boundless wilderness of heaven and earth, that is undoubtedly Di Jun's far superior plan……"

"That Sun Star Sovereign……"

Jin Bing seemed to have untied some knot in his heart, sweeping away the decadent aura that had lingered since the heavens, and renewed the vigorous spirit he had on Mount Shouyang.

Di Jun's words grew increasingly bitter.

In Jin Bing's bewildered gaze, Di Jun sighed:

An emperor who, at the abdication ceremony, was openly abandoned by the people—no matter how finely he manipulated, his persona had already collapsed; when the people's hearts were not on his side, his beautiful fantasy of ruling by the people's hearts also shattered……

Di Jun suddenly had a bad premonition welling up……

Di Jun seemed to see through his thoughts and smiled:

"I will take the Sun Star Sovereign and them away after a while, leaving you a Heavenly Court you can control……"

These words seem utterly sincere, but whether they are mixed with lies, no one knows.

"I, having received the mandate of the Dao Ancestor, for nearly four hundred aeons have established the Heavenly Court, attacked the Three Clans, pacified the Four Wastelands, and my martial achievements are illustrious!"

【In the Yao calendar, three hundred seventy-three aeon eight period two, Xuan Du held the Taiji Diagram, the Qingping Sword, the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi, the Red Embroidered Ball, the Vajra Pestle, the Seven Treasures Wondrous Tree, leading the army to seize the Heavenly Court!】

"Next time?"

"If a hypocrite could keep up the act for a lifetime, he would be a true gentleman…… Too bad, you didn't keep it up to the end."

"But this kid has six saints standing behind him!"

【In the Yao calendar, three hundred seventy aeon one period three, the Human Emperor was abandoned by the people, the abdication failed, Di Jun reclaimed the throne.】

"Now Di Jun has pulled some bizarre coup farce; what does it mean to forcibly renege?"

"Speaking frankly, Jin Bing even wanted to ask Di Jun:"

"Are you crazy? Not afraid of death, right!"

"Di Jun shook his head helplessly:"

"Saying this, he seemed to think of something and said:"

"Xuan Du has rebelled over there, do you know?"

"What use is such a groundless Heavenly Emperor, like a castle in the air?"

"I…… did I choose wrong?"

"Jin Bing shook his head; he didn't know, but could guess."

"As a result……"

"You think the restoration is my doing, but have you considered whether it truly aligns with the people's will?"

"He wasn't lying; after all, since the six saints appeared, his throne had long been unstable, and if only one or two saints opposed him, he might still dare to launch a surge."

【Is it possible to reverse time, returning to a previous life choice?】

【With the saints' help, Xuan Du advanced like a bamboo splitter, in just three aeons conquered the Four Wastelands and Four Seas, and also attacked the Thirty-three Heavens.】

【But such a Mount Shouyang, originally insubstantial in foundation and rife with internal contradictions, suddenly established the Heavenly Court through saintly force—can such a Heavenly Court truly last?】

"Let me tell you a secret."

"Frankly, you've chosen a poor heir; you can't even handle the Dragon Clan well."

【……you died, the wrong choice led to a bad ending……your haste to progress disrupted all your steps, inheriting the throne you were overthrown by a people's coup, establishing Xuan Du caused chaos in Mount Shouyang, all this due to rashness, your foundation is not solid, and your chosen strategy is also unfeasible……】

"He sighed:"

"I have laid down all my power, and I truly intend to hand over the Heavenly Court to you; thereafter I will stay inseparable with Xihe, Wangshu, and Changxi in Tang Valley, having served as Heavenly Emperor for these four hundred aeons, I owe them too much……"

"What secret?"

"If you dare to speak of abdication in public, the six saints would agree; now that you regret it, the six saints have ten thousand reasons to kill you."

"Jin Bing, letting go of his obsessions, simply raised his head to look at the sky, and then laughed at Di Jun:"

"I originally thought you were a perfect person who truly blessed the people, and that expanding power in the East Wasteland was merely a strategy to implement equality."

"Under Di Jun's words, Jin Bing finally realized his speculation might be wrong:"

"Indeed, compared to myself, a mere undeveloped chieftain of the East Wasteland, Di Jun, who has served as Heavenly Emperor for nearly four hundred aeons, is obviously more qualified to speak of the people's hearts."

"On this foundation of Mount Shouyang, the people's hearts may be full for me, yet Di Jun, whose reputation surpasses the heavens and the emperor far away, is far more renowned."

"Di Jun, this creature of power, actually plans to truly abdicate and retire to old age?!"

Otherwise?

Jin Bing wanted to speak but stopped; earlier, the various jumping-about Solar Star Lords could be said to have single-handedly orchestrated the whole coup—could it be that he is not your man?

Him?

In a sense, the person in the most perilous situation at today's ceremony is actually not Jin Bing pressed to the ground, but Di Jun, who narrowly avoided the Azure Duck Sword……

【Victory, capture and slay the Solar Star Lords and their followers, to avenge the Human Emperor!】

He recalled:

He seemed to be mocking, yet also seemed genuinely regretful:

Jin Bing didn't know either, but he knew one thing: this abdication had completely failed!

Moreover, it probably won't be any more successful in the future.

Jin Bing couldn't believe it:

"Civil governance and martial prowess, virtue and conduct—where am I lacking? Only you're allowed to have the people's hearts, not me?"

Di Jun looked bewildered.

"He has always been weak, so he often creates bigger trouble, and in the end has to spend a greater price to fix it……"

"A ruler does not joke; since I promised to abdicate to you, that is a sincere abdication."

"So I tested you, asking whether you would take the throne immediately or wait a bit longer."

"This kid has always regarded me as his master, seeing himself as a loyal dog; although he is indeed my man, this time it really wasn't my order to him……"

【After your failure, enlightened by Di Jun's pointers, you decided to give the Heavenly Emperor a small token of thanks……】

Di Jun said bitterly:

"Your six backers clearly don't want me to continue; since that's the case, why not be a bit more self-aware……"

But Di Jun obviously understood; after thinking, he said seriously:

"You're too impatient."

This made Di Jun somewhat surprised, yet also regretful; realizing this now, what use is it?

Jin Bing smiled:

"Your Majesty, thank you for your advice; I'll pay attention next time."

"You're right, I was too impatient……"

?

【At the same time, the Rebellion at First Yang Mountain erupts!】

"I know you don't understand, but if I say I truly intend to abdicate?"

Huh?

Thinking, suddenly Jin Bing's heart skipped a beat:

Myself, who always wanted to seize the Heavenly Emperor's power relying on popular support, how could I not believe that popular support could outweigh strength?

Di Jun gave a sharp critique of Xuandu's governance.

【Your goal wasn't achieved, but you at least confirmed that after the Six Sages jointly pressured Di Jun, he truly doesn't want to remain Heavenly Emperor…… the usurpation plan, with only slight modifications, is completely feasible!】

"Maybe you didn't notice earlier, but those six were also among the spectators; I originally planned to, after abdicating, invite them onto the stage to help you bolster your prestige, using sages to intimidate those heavenly officials who defy you."

Heh!

Jin Bing's first reaction was to sneer:

Such a big thing has happened, and you now hypocritically tell me this isn't your doing at all, but some laughable appeal to popular sentiment……

"Establishing the Demon Race, promoting demon culture, governing localities, carrying out great unification—civil governance is excellent!"

Before the dispirited Jin Bing, Di Jun comforted:

【That day, the Human Emperor died for no reason, and the Heavenly Emperor suddenly collapsed! The Heavenly Court fell into great chaos!】

Jin Bing also didn't hide Xuandu's problem, admitting:

"I should have trained him longer instead of rashly promoting him to heaven; now the First Yang Mountain affair isn't settled, and the Heavenly Court's is gone too."

【Victory, driving out the Heavenly Emperor's wife and children, Donghuang Taiyi, the Demon Master, etc., also avoiding his edge, choosing to abdicate……】

【Victory, Xuandu succeeds as Heavenly Emperor with the Six Sages' support, fulfilling the Human Emperor's unfulfilled wish!】

Still that saying: in the end, the wilderness compares whose fist is bigger; this applies to Jin Bing as well as to Di Jun; under the Six Sages, everything is ants……

……

(I've seen everyone's suggestions; I'll explain what the plot can explain, and won't inexplicably dumb things down……)

(As for letting clones handle governance, if clones could independently handle affairs, then the Heavenly Court and ordinary demons would have no need to exist; Hongjun could just spread clones throughout the wilderness, right? So the clone function is limited……)

(In short, I've broken my defenses; today's extra chapter.)

……

(End of chapter)