Chapter 92: Earth-Shattering News!

Seeing Ji Fa’s solemn demeanor, Jiang Yuan suddenly burst out laughing.

He waved his hand toward Zhang Kui, Yang Jian, and Nezha who stood behind him. Zhang Kui and Yang Jian immediately understood and left the hall without a word.

They weren’t concerned for their king’s safety. Ji Fa’s strength and talent were both formidable, but ultimately, he was only at the level of a True Immortal. Though they couldn’t say for certain what realm the king had reached, Zhang Kui knew well that if Ji Fa hoped to harm the king with only a True Immortal’s power, it would be a flight of fancy.

Zhang Kui had a hunch: even if Ji Fa tried to defeat the king at his full strength, it would be far more difficult than anyone imagined.

In short, Zhang Kui felt the king had changed.

He’d become a stranger, quite unlike the king Zhang Kui had known before—though, truth be told, he hadn’t seen the king many times before now. The king used to be less reckless than himself, certainly, but he was never so… shrewd.

Yes, shrewd was the word, Zhang Kui thought. The former king wasn’t so deep and calculating.

Yet this change could only be a blessing for the Shang dynasty, and for Zhang Kui personally, it was even more so. What follower would not wish for his lord to be wise and brilliant?

Now, in Zhang Kui’s eyes, Jiang Yuan was just such a ruler.

Jiang Yuan, of course, had no idea what thoughts were running through Zhang Kui’s mind as he watched Nezha.

This boy really didn’t get it. Zhang Kui and Yang Jian had both taken the hint and left, but Nezha stood there, utterly oblivious.

“Old Jiang, why did General Zhang and that three-eyed guy both leave? Is it because the room’s too stuffy? I don’t feel that way at all.”

Not only did Nezha fail to grasp Jiang Yuan’s intent, he even took a jab at Zhang Kui’s drooping eyelids.

Jiang Yuan stared at Nezha, expressionless, and said coolly, “Did you not see me wave my hand just now?”

“I did,” Nezha replied candidly.

A puzzled look crossed his face, then suddenly he understood. “Oh, so that hand wave was to tell them to leave? I wondered, the room isn’t stuffy or anything.”

Having figured out the truth, Nezha looked quite pleased with himself. He perched on a stool and helped himself to the grapes on the table, eating with relish.

Jiang Yuan was at his limit—what a clever little rascal.

“Don’t you think there’s one person here who doesn’t belong?” Jiang Yuan asked Nezha.

“One too many?” Nezha echoed, confused.

He looked at Jiang Yuan, then at himself.

At last he pointed at Ji Fa. “Old Jiang means you should go too. Haven’t you realized you’re a bit superfluous?”

Ji Fa was startled. Was this fellow really so blunt?

Did he not know who the extra person was?

Jiang Yuan, losing patience, strode up to Nezha, grabbed him by the collar, and said coolly, “The extra person I’m talking about is you.”

Hoisted into the air, Nezha began to flail and protest, “I don’t want to go! Are you two up to something secret you don’t want me to know about?”

He clung to Jiang Yuan, stubborn as ever.

“Why insist on staying?” Jiang Yuan asked, exasperated.

Nezha glanced at the fruit and food on the table, eyes full of longing.

“Take them all, just take them!” Jiang Yuan said, waving him away in frustration.

The pout vanished from Nezha’s face, replaced by a beaming grin. He grabbed the plate of grapes and a handful of other treats and dashed out.

Finally seeing the persistent Nezha gone, Jiang Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

“Now it’s just you and me left. Tell me, what do you wish to discuss, just the two of us?” Jiang Yuan smiled at Ji Fa.

Since Ji Fa possessed such remarkable destiny, he was no ordinary man. Jiang Yuan would not look down on him just because of his current status.

“What does Your Majesty think my attitude toward the Shang dynasty is?” Ji Fa asked.

Without thinking, Jiang Yuan replied, “Probably the same as your father’s, I suppose.”

Ji Fa shook his head seriously. “I have no grievance with Shang.”

“Oh? So you mean your father does? I’ll have to have a proper talk with Ji Bo about that.” Jiang Yuan smiled.

He was only joking, but Ji Fa’s willingness to bring it up showed he knew that Jiang Yuan was aware of Ji Chang’s rebellious intent.

“Your Majesty need not tease me. You know my father’s mind as well as I do—I can’t believe you’d be unclear on such a matter,” Ji Fa said frankly.

“Then tell me, what do you think of your father’s actions?” Jiang Yuan set aside his levity.

“I believe my father is wrong,” Ji Fa said calmly.

“Oh?” Jiang Yuan murmured.

“With each passing dynasty, the destiny of the Human Emperor declines. At some point, humanity will have no guiding core and will lose itself more and more,” Ji Fa explained.

“You seem to know quite a bit,” Jiang Yuan raised a brow.

Ji Fa nodded. “I simply don’t want our people to become mere vassals to those so-called immortals.”

This statement gave Jiang Yuan quite a start.

He himself only knew the outcome from the Investiture of the Gods, yet Ji Fa had deduced the arc of destiny on his own?

No wonder such fortune was upon him.

Yet one thing puzzled Jiang Yuan. If Ji Fa understood the direction of the world, why would he one day become the ruler of Zhou, even calling himself Son of Heaven?

Was this the terrifying depth of a sage’s schemes?

The fortune upon Ji Fa was enough to withstand the backlash of Heaven and Earth after Shang’s fall. Perhaps the Zhou dynasty might even rise further for it.

In truth, Xiqi would lose nothing, and gain much more. Only humanity would lose its Human Emperor—the destiny of the Human Emperor would vanish from the world.

Gradually, humankind would fall entirely under the rule of the Celestial Court, growing weaker with every generation, until at last there would be no power left to resist and they would become complete vassals.

“Do you wish to kill your father? I can help you become the master of Xiqi,” Jiang Yuan said, his expression turning cold.

This was Jiang Yuan’s test. If Ji Fa were truly so cold-blooded, then there would be no need to share his plans with him.

Ji Fa shook his head calmly. “The human race cannot be allowed to fall so low. I would never kill my father, nor even resent him—but if necessary…”

“My father can be sacrificed.”

He spoke this with utter composure, as if the one to be sacrificed were not his own parent.

Jiang Yuan looked at Ji Fa in surprise. “And what would make it necessary?”

“When the survival of our people is at stake,” Ji Fa replied softly.

“If, at that moment, my sacrifice is also required, I would offer myself as well.”

This moved Jiang Yuan to admiration. This, he thought, was true righteousness.

“Since you’ve spoken so frankly, I won’t be stingy. Let me tell you a secret: humanity can never be destroyed,” Jiang Yuan said with a smile.

“Why not?” Ji Fa frowned.

Humanity was far weaker now than in ancient times. There wasn’t even a single sage!

“Because none of the Human Emperors of ages past have truly died,” Jiang Yuan revealed the earth-shattering secret he knew.

And as for why he told Ji Fa this, it was because he intended to discuss his own plans with him.