Chapter 752: Contracting (The previous chapter number was wrong)

After Tang Zhao asked, the State Preceptor was silent for a moment, then retorted: "Could it be that you, could it be that Xun Junhui didn't have any guesses after seeing that scene?"

Tang Zhao sighed: "Of course I did. Junhui understood long ago, and after I went through this, I understood it too upon careful thought. Since the State Preceptor asks this, does that mean you admit it?"

The State Preceptor said: "If I don't admit it, what else can I do? I don't want to admit it, because once admitted, added to the matter of the heavy dreams, I have truly become a great laughingstock."

This sentence was... a bit too anthropomorphic. It was like something a former strongman would say after being betrayed by his followers and abandoned by his kin.

Tang Zhao still couldn't help but ask: "Why? That makes no sense, does it?"

The State Preceptor only replied: "I don't know. Perhaps they wanted my power, but didn't want my rules."

Tang Zhao said: "Are your rules not good? They aren't good for others, but they are very good for them, right?"

The State Preceptor said: "My rules are not good for anyone, not even for me; they are only good for the continuation of the throne. What living person truly cares only about the continuation of that chair? No one doesn't hate me; even if they don't hate me, they should be annoyed by me."

So you know that, too.

Tang Zhao suddenly felt that the State Preceptor probably hadn't had it easy all these years either; no matter how tyrannical and overbearing, he was just an oversized corporate slave. He asked: "Are the rules very annoying? Even you find them annoying, yet you have no way to change them?"

The State Preceptor was very frank at this moment, as if he had been holding these words in for a long time and had finally found an opportunity, saying: "I cannot change them; if I could, I would have changed them long ago. I was born of the rules, not born of power; these powers were all accumulated later. Therefore, after the split, the power is not me, but the rules are me."

In other words, although there are two State Preceptors now after the split, and that one over there has power ten thousand times greater, the State Preceptor here is the complete State Preceptor, while the one over there doesn't even have one percent; it can only be called a gecko's tail.

A Sword Deity born of rules... in fact, other Sword Deities also start from Sword Intent; Sword Intent is the rule, and Sword Dao is higher than the rules. But power and Sword Intent are more often a whole, inseparable. Sword Intent without power remaining basically dissipates as the sword becomes obscure; only Sword Intent that has maintained its power under special conditions has the foundation to form a Sword Deity.

Just like Jinwu, it is the Shine Sword Intent, but it also inherited the power of the Jinwu Sword. Those powers belonged to Jinwu from the beginning; they are the inseparable property of Jinwu during its formation process.

But the State Preceptor stated plainly that he was born only of rules, and the power was entirely an addition. That simply doesn't look like a normally birthed Sword Deity, but rather like... a tool Sword Deity raised by humans?

Could it be a tool Sword Deity raised by the Great Jin's founding emperor?

Does that mean the Great Jin's founding emperor was still very formidable? His goal was completely achieved; even a hundred years later, the tool left behind back then is still effective, to the point that a great deal of effort must be spent to deal with it.

Thinking this, Tang Zhao suddenly said: "In that case, you should be able to use the power of the rules to suck back the power that was split off? At the very least, you could control it so the power isn't used by them, right?"

The State Preceptor thought for a moment and said: "That is possible, but I will not do it."

Tang Zhao was startled and confirmed: "Is it that you cannot, or that you are unwilling?"

The State Preceptor said indifferently: "Unwilling."

Tang Zhao said: "You have reached this point, could it be that you are still clinging to old feelings..."

The State Preceptor said: "I am tired, I don't want to move."

This was the second time he had said something similar, similar to his previous stance of refusing to act; he didn't want to do anything else after coming out.

Tired, annoyed, given up. That is what it means.

Tang Zhao was speechless for a moment.

It was... not impossible to understand.

A person who has been hurt and betrayed might develop intense hatred, sleep on brushwood and taste gall, and swear to take revenge. Even if they cannot take back everything that was theirs, making the enemy suffer is good. Another possibility is to let it all go, becoming indifferent to love, hate, glory, or shame, to the point where moving a finger is difficult. This is exactly the state King Shun was in after being manipulated by the State Preceptor. Now the State Preceptor has also chosen the second path; he created King Shun, and now he has become King Shun.

In fact, quite a few people choose the second type. Back when Shi Chunqing betrayed him, Xue Xianyun also chose the second type. If not for Tang Zhao's various encouragements and bringing out Sword Casting materials to push him forward, his master might have even remained depressed and unable to recover.

It should be said that the first type is actually rare; especially those who know shame and then become brave, and those who are unswerving, are all heroes. Most people might just feel helpless after their anger.

Now that the State Preceptor himself says he is annoyed and cannot recover for a while, it also shows that although this Sword Deity is powerful and arrogant, he is not more resilient than those heroes in history who were strong in both body and mind.

But, weren't you saved by Junhui? She sacrificed herself just to send you out!

Tang Zhao only felt a surge of irritability, thinking in his heart: Is a guy like this worth saving? What kind of damn State Preceptor is he, how can he compare to Junhui?!

It would have been better not to bother with this guy at the time and just go back to Yunzhou together. Even if Jingcheng was turned upside down, even if the Imperial Court was torn apart, would Tang Zhao even feel a pang of regret? It seems the State Preceptor doesn't truly feel regret either.

Although it is said that Jingcheng is in chaos, the buildings are collapsing, weapons are clashing, and the common people are suffering—this is a massive disaster—but are the regions not chaotic now?

The Great Jin has been out of control in the regions for how many years? Except for a few places like Yunzhou, other places are no shortage of hell on earth. The Great Jin State Preceptor claims to hold up the collapsing sky with one hand, always protecting the center and protecting Jingcheng, but Shenzhou has been bleeding and rotting all along!

Yet the brain and heart of this giant are kept in a safe, filled with pipes, forcibly prolonging its life. Those shed blood and corroded flesh are all living people.

Now, the State Preceptor says he is tired; that is perfect, pull the tubes!

Long pain is worse than short pain; once the giant dies, new life will naturally be born from its flesh and blood.

This is also the reason why the Solar Court does not easily interfere in the Human World—the Solar Court is the defense line guarding the Human World, and what it needs to coordinate and preside over is the work of resisting Tianmo Jie at the Qianxian. As for the Human World, the Human World has its own laws; as long as there is no external interference, there will naturally be true heroes on Shenzhou to clean up the broken world. The Solar Court has existed for hundreds of years; in these few hundred years, it has experienced more than one dynasty and wave after wave of dynastic changes, and has never interfered in the power struggles of the Human World itself, at most just suppressing foreign forces that wanted to interfere.

It has always been like this in the past, and this time is no exception. Could it be that the Solar Court would treat the Great Jin differently?

One must know that the Great Jin's governing ability is definitely considered poor among past dynasties. It has only been a little over a hundred years since its founding, and it has already reached its final stage, full of various signs of national collapse; this is still the result of the State Preceptor forcibly prolonging its life. A truly decent great dynasty would only just be turning from prosperity to decline at this time.

This damn dynasty, even if it really falls, what is so bad about that? Don't let a broken cart block a good road; there is no construction without destruction. Perhaps a new world could bring a long period of true peace to the Human World.

It is a pity for Junhui...

Tang Zhao even thought that Junhui is one of the top heroes in this world. If it is truly "the Son of Heaven is for those with strong soldiers and sturdy horses," why didn't Junhui try? It is a pity that Junhui had absolutely no such intention. Back then, at her age, she never had a successor, whether by blood or by status, which meant she had no interest in it. And now, she is not only unwilling but also powerless.

Now she finally has a successor in Tang Zhao, but Tang Zhao has already been promised to the Solar Court and promised to the Qianxian, so he cannot be promised to the Human World or promised to Shenzhou. Shenzhou will not easily sink, but the world is truly on the verge of destruction. If he were still a Sword Hero, he would have no energy to build the throne that requires all his energy to cast. If he were a Sword Immortal, that goes without saying; a Sword Immortal cannot interfere in the Human World, at most, like the State Preceptor, becoming the guardian deity of a dynasty.

This also seems to be a path...

For the first time, this thought truly turned in Tang Zhao's heart: the State Preceptor before him is clinging to the past and failing to innovate, ultimately ending up in this state, which is not worth imitating by future generations, but perhaps the model of a Sword Immortal guarding the Human World is not necessarily impossible to borrow.

Once the strength is there, the ideas become more and more numerous, and more and more bold.

But for the moment, he still has requests for the State Preceptor, and those rebellious words are not easy to say. Although it is better to provoke a general than to invite one, he is too much of a stranger to the State Preceptor, so he cannot take risks casually.

He calmed down slightly: "If I want the Highness to support me, at least to restrict a portion of the power, how can that be done?"

I must borrow your power; what conditions are needed?

The State Preceptor was silent for a moment and said: "You go and stir things up first. There is still more than half a day until the Lantern Festival. What else can you stir up? If you really stir up some results, I will cooperate with you."

Tang Zhao breathed a sigh of relief; at least one-third of the problem was solved. With two Sword Immortals inside and out, the power comparison was brought a little closer. It's just that he was still a bit unhappy:

When it comes down to it, the State Preceptor is only willing to cooperate passively, and it must be that Tang Zhao does ninety-nine, and proves before his eyes that he can do ninety-nine, before the State Preceptor does one.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call you ungrateful.

As fellow Sword Deities, how do you compare to Jinwu Dianxia or the Destruction Highness? If I hadn't seen those Highnesses, I would have thought all Sword Deities were cowards.

He steadied his breath and continued: "Since the State Preceptor has agreed, then I thank the State Preceptor. I will prepare what needs to be prepared; I certainly won't let you hit a stone with an egg. But I have one point to confirm with you: are your rules still in effect now? Don't let me be charging forward in the front while you give me a bolt of lightning from behind."

The State Preceptor said quite naturally: "Naturally, they are still in effect. Unless I dissipate, these rules will always follow like a shadow, not shifting by my will. But I can tell you the rules; as long as you avoid them, you will not be harmed."

This could also be considered the State Preceptor's goodwill; having grasped the information, one can naturally avoid risks and make good use of it.

"Actually, it wouldn't matter if I didn't tell you. Nowadays, I only control the power and do not let the power merge with me, so my rules have no power to support them. At most, it would just spark a bit of electric fire, and not even a single Electric Arc could be emitted. If you are still worried, you can wear a wooden helmet; that doesn't conduct electricity."

Tang Zhao thought about that image and said, "It shouldn't come to that."

The State Preceptor said, "I said I wouldn't hinder you, so naturally I won't. I am even happy to see you succeed. It's just that I don't think you can succeed. Now the Momentum has shifted, and you know what kind of opponent you are facing. You might as well think about what power you have, and by what right you can seize that tiny sliver of hope to break the situation in the face of such Momentum?"