On the Path to the Great Dao

Yang Bi escorted Zhang You away, and a heavy sadness lingered in his heart.

He admired Zhang You greatly. Back when they studied together in the Upper Realm, Zhang You was one of the few who caught his eye.

Given time, Zhang You’s cultivation would surely soar. He would not be weaker than Chen Shi, Zhong Wuwang, or the others.

It was a pity, however, that their positions differed.

“Zhang You saw long ago that the Thirteen Great Clans were bringing disaster to the countryside. He knew he could not change them, yet because he was a clan scion who had received the Zhang Family’s finest training and support since childhood, he could not betray them. He is neither as free as the Cold Mountain Freeholder nor as ruthless as I am, so he chose not to submit and sought death instead.”

Yang Bi murmured inwardly, “A pity. The world has lost another Daoist companion.”

In Xinxiang, the Imperial Capital, inside the palace, after Chen Shi led the civil and military officials in offering sacrifices to Heaven, they held ancestral rites to worship the Chen family’s forebears. Chen Shi himself did not even know the name of his founding ancestor.

Following the ancestral rites came the state shrine ceremonies, to honor the gods and the Empress of Earth who guard the provinces of the Western Ox New Continent.

After the ceremonies, Chen Shi hosted a banquet for his ministers on the square before the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Many of the civil and military officials below were unfamiliar faces, so the banquet was necessary. As the new king, Chen Shi needed to meet every minister, know their names, offices, and responsibilities.

Hu Feifei stood nearby aiding him, whispering reminders.

Chen Shi listened carefully and committed everything to memory with meticulous care.

When the grand banquet concluded and he dismissed the court, Chen Shi finally exhaled and, on the road, took off his yellow robe and removed the imperial crown, handing them to the eunuch Xiao Chengzi at his side.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty.”

Xiao Chengzi trembled with awe, repeating, “The Directorate of Ceremonial’s manual states that the emperor must not be without a crown, so as to maintain dignity!”

Chen Shi smiled, “Your Directorate of Ceremonial thinks it governs the emperor? How bold. I won’t be bound by that. In this palace I am the greatest, so follow me.”

Xiao Chengzi had no choice but to say, “Your Majesty’s meals, clothing, residence, words, and actions must all be recorded in the daily annals. If the historian writes them truthfully, I fear it may bring dishonor to Your Majesty’s wisdom.”

Chen Shi asked, “If they record truthfully? Even if I tell them to change it, will they change it?”

Xiao Chengzi shook his head, “They will not change.”

Chen Shi scowled, “If I cut off their heads and replace the historian, will they change then?”

Xiao Chengzi again shook his head, “They will not change.”

Chen Shi sneered, “Then cut more heads, and replace another historian!”

Xiao Chengzi said, “Your Majesty, the new historians still will not change. If Your Majesty kills them, they would be delighted. I heard from Minister Feng that the historical records are so thick that only a limited number of people and events can be recorded. As a historian, few can secure eternal fame. But if one becomes a remonstrating minister and is beheaded by a foolish ruler, then one’s name will be remembered. Many scholars secretly long to be beheaded by Your Majesty.”

Chen Shi, furious, laughed, “You call me a foolish ruler? How dare you!”

Xiao Chengzi revealed a look of joy, as if eagerly expecting to be beheaded.

Chen Shi did not behead him. Instead he said, “It seems being a true king is still a discipline; one cannot act recklessly. The Master said to examine oneself three times daily. Am I strong? Is my sword sharp? Am I invincible? Even the Master self-reflects; if he is not invincible he must follow rules. All the more so for me. When I achieve invincibility, then I need not follow rules.”

Xiao Chengzi blinked, feeling something slightly off.

Chen Shi went to Wenyuan Pavilion, where Hu Feifei, Shao Jing, and Situ Wen were already waiting inside.

Chen Shi took his seat, relaxed, and said with a laugh, “I thought being emperor would be joyful, but I didn’t expect so many rituals and formalities. It’s not joyful at all.”

Hu Feifei spoke sternly, “Your Majesty is the True King now, not yet the emperor. Please be cautious with your words.”

She hesitated a moment, then added, “If Your Majesty wishes to take another step forward…”

Chen Shi shook his head, “My loyalty to the Ming is as clear as day and moon. I have no wish to proclaim myself emperor. Feifei, do not cause trouble for me… do not harm this orphan.”

Hu Feifei, Situ Wen, and Shao Jing exchanged looks and, understanding one another, thought: the ruler now self-reflects and feels his strength insufficient to declare emperor. Once he has accumulated enough power, then they can petition.

Situ Wen asked, “Does Your Majesty not worry about the front-line wars?”

Chen Shi waved and smiled, “The Thirteen Great Clans are nothing but weak dogs. When the Upper Realm was broken, the Thirteen Great Clans’ heroes were wiped out, leaving only rotten bones in tombs. Why fear them? The only person who could turn the tide for them is Yang Bi. Fortunately, Yang Bi now serves me. In front of Yang Bi, the Thirteen Great Clans are powerless.”

Shao Jing frowned, “Yang Bi is, after all, from the Yang Family. Could it be that…”

Chen Shi said, “I allowed him to spare some of his kin. If we are to use him, he must be given certain powers.”

He was pleased and laughed, “Yang Bi is someone who could fight me without losing. The Thirteen Great Clans cannot utilize him. Such an unparalleled genius should be my rival, yet he serves me; that is my good fortune.”

Seeing him like this, they dropped the subject and laid out a topographic map of the Western Ox New Continent to study regional appointments.

“For appointing local officials, select from the branch halls of Red Mountain Hall across the provinces.”

Chen Shi said, “They already manage the local Red Mountain Hall branches and are responsible for civilian safety during disasters. Their competence is proven, so there is no need for further selection for local offices.”

Hu Feifei added, “We must also open schools. Master Fu Leisheng said that while Your Majesty wants to establish schools locally, many provincial scholars fail to pass to become provincial graduates and end up returning home to teach private schools. If the True King opens court-funded schools in the countryside, it will take away their livelihoods.”

Chen Shi laughed, “Master Fu’s concern is valid. But these scholars can come to teach at the court schools. They need not teach at private schools anymore; the court will pay their monthly salary. They can concentrate on teaching the students.”

Hu Feifei noted this down and said, “Master Fu also raised the question of what to teach. Foundations-establishing cultivation techniques are as numerous as cattle, and the great clans hoard countless manuals. What should be taught? That must be regulated.”

Chen Shi asked, “Which office should oversee the schools?”

Hu Feifei replied, “The Ministry of Rites. There were schools before, but not on the scale Your Majesty desires.”

“Then create educational officials under the Ministry of Rites, and let Master Fu oversee this.”

Chen Shi said, “As for curriculum, after the wars end I will have my grandfather gather the freeholders from across the land to pool their wisdom and design a cultivation system suitable for broad promotion.”

Hu Feifei recorded this and continued, “Then there are demonic transformations and disasters across the provinces. Previously, the Western Capital court often struggled to respond in time. First, such demonic disasters are unpredictable; second, there were not enough forces or experts to deal with them.”

Chen Shi considered and said, “Then let the Military Department recruit soldiers to deal with these events. Simultaneously, communicate with local deities to monitor anomalies. If demon seeds appear, eradicate them at once.”

Hu Feifei added, “There are also the sea regions. Monsters from the Sea of Darkness often invade; we need large coastal garrisons. The border troops suffer heavy casualties. For now, petition the Empress of Earth to lay down a sealing spell to forbid monster passage around the Western Ox New Continent’s coastline.”

Chen Shi nodded lightly, “I will go see the Empress of Earth shortly.”

Hu Feifei said, “There is also Despair Slope. After the Thirteen Great Clans are exterminated, local governance will be difficult but manageable by manpower. However, when the Celestial Venerable recovers, he will come to attack the Empress of Earth and obliterate the Chinese gods. Does Your Majesty have a plan for that?”

Up until now Chen Shi had calmly answered every issue with a few words that resolved them, but the matters of Despair Slope and the Celestial Venerable made his brow tighten.

Hu Feifei saw this and said, “Your Majesty, I have spoken too much.”

Chen Shi waved his hand, “This is not your concern. It’s my problem. Alright, I should go to see the Empress of Earth. You’ve all worked a full day; go rest early.”

They all responded, “Yes.”

Chen Shi rose and left Wenyuan Pavilion. With a slight shift of intent, a reversal of yin and yang occurred around him, and he arrived in the underworld.

Outside the Hall of Great Virtue and Brightness, Little Yama and Daoist Willow were still straining to hold back assaults from all sides, but the attacks were no longer as fierce as before.

Since the news of the Zhang, Gu, and Xia families being attacked spread, many ghost gods had withdrawn to aid their own clans, making it difficult for them to maintain concentrated assaults on the Hall of Great Virtue. They left to sacrifice themselves in futile relief.

When Chen Shi arrived at the palace, most of the attacking ghost gods had already departed.

The remaining few Yamas and magistrates, weary from prolonged assaults and worried for their own safety, abandoned the battlefield and howled away.

Chen Shi passed under the Old Willow Tree and saw it hung with ghost gods, all bound tightly and unable to move.

Daoist Willow stood beneath the tree and saluted, saying, “Your Majesty, the ghost gods of the major underworld offices have left to support their own clans, greatly increasing their strength elsewhere. Do you still have a chance of victory?”

Chen Shi smiled, “There is no chance of failure. I have a fourfold military formation and Little Yama as an external ally. If the enemy is strong, I divide and annihilate them, concentrating my strongest forces to nibble them down. If the enemy is weak, I strike from many directions. Surprise troops work for skirmishes; in hard fights, we also fight.”

Daoist Willow praised, “These clan forces now scatter like birds startled by a bow; Your Majesty’s victory is imminent.”

Chen Shi went to the Empress Temple and saw Little Yama, who saluted and said, “There is no longer anything here. I will go to support them.”

Chen Shi asked with concern, “Do you know the way?”

Little Yama blinked with a troubled look; she truly did not know how to reach those clan territories.

Chen Shi summoned the Celestial Court token and smiled, “Brother, enter the minor heaven; someone there will open the battle portal for you.”

Little Yama was delighted and stepped into the minor heaven.

Chen Shi thought, “Although Nannan has awakened the Righteous Official’s memories, Nannan’s temperament still dominates.”

That this girl could manage the Yama Hall without error was a genuine miracle.

Chen Shi gathered himself and entered the temple to pay respects to the Empress of Earth, saying, “Your servant thanks Your Ladyship for your protection. Without Your Ladyship, the world would surely be in dire straits.”

The Empress of Earth smiled, “True King, speak plainly.”

Chen Shi grinned, “Godmother, the Western Ox New Continent has long been harried by sea monsters. The people of the fifty provinces suffer, and they are your children. I was thinking, if Your Ladyship could, through great power, set up a sealing spell forbidding monster passage along the coastline, encircling the Western Ox New Continent, then your children would offer more incense and worship you with greater devotion.”

The Empress of Earth snorted with amusement, “You want me to lay a seal to protect the people and thus boost your popularity. Even if I set a seal to forbid monster passage, as long as Despair Slope frees its hand, all of this will still be undone.”

Chen Shi frowned; she was right.

If the Celestial Venerable is not exterminated, he remains a lingering threat.