Chapter 166: Chapter 121: Crossing_1

Translator: 549690339

“This”

The monk, upon hearing this, was also taken aback and then shook his head with a bitter smile, “Hard to say!”

Liang Xiao, hearing this, also gave a bitter smile, “Yes, hard to say, really hard to say!”

Indeed it was hard to say.

If this world had no cultivation and was a mundane world ruled by emperors, there would be no question—he would certainly rebel, he would undoubtedly rebel.

Even if he himself had no ambition to be emperor, those under him would beg him, push him, or even force him, to take that position.

At such a scale, no one had a choice.

Succeed or fail!

Either ascend to the throne, enjoying wealth and honor!

Or die and be crushed to dust, with no hope of recovery!

There was no third possibility, and others wouldn’t give him a third possibility either.

But this hypothesis wasn’t valid.

In this world, there were spells and there was cultivation, divine magic to master and Longevity Dao Fruit to seek.

Emperors could not control everything, nor were they the most noble or the most powerful beings.

Power lay in the hands of cultivators, and the cultivators revered the Three Teaching Sects.

Even for emperors, without the support of the Three Teachings and without cultivators at their command, they were but useless idols.

Moreover, an emperor’s dignity also had to bear the weight of a myriad of people; it was a protection as well as a burden, making cultivation impossible and life expectancy hard to extend.

Therefore, as long as there was a choice, no cultivator would abandon their own path to become an emperor.

This Li Liuxian, who was eight feet tall in talent and known throughout the world, and who cultivated the Flying Sword technique with a hidden reputation as a Sword Immortal, was certain to become a True Man in the future—it was unlikely he would abandon his path.

But if he did not become emperor, with the extent of Guo Bei Academy’s influence, whoever ascended the throne in the future would certainly suppress it or even destroy it at any cost.

What emperor could tolerate and leave unchallenged such an existence that could become king without a crown?

Would he stoop to be under others, be manipulated, and live his life swallowing his voice and anger?

Clearly, he would not.

Liang Xiao did his research and knew the man’s temperament well—it was fierce and domineering, believing in his own supremacy!

According to Liang Xiao’s speculation, there were only three possibilities for this man in the future.

First, die and have his clan annihilated—this goes without saying, as it’s the result of failure.

Second, to operate from behind the scenes as the supreme power, putting forward an emperor while remaining and developing Guo Bei Academy in the background until eventually becoming an existence like the Three sects Doctrines, transcending generations and enduring through the ages.

Third, to rule a piece of land as king, not participating in the strife but also not allowing anyone to step over him, becoming a local emperor who doesn’t heed anyone’s commands—like the major Taoist schools, although surrendering some benefits to the new emperor is a compromise, it is also a way to survive.

Among these three, the second is the most likely.

At least that’s what Liang Xiao believes.

Given this man’s courage and the current scope of Guo Bei’s foundation, Liang Xiao could not believe that he would be content with being a small local emperor, living in an obscure corner without vying with the world.

That didn’t match his approach.

Keep in mind, in recent years, this man’s actions had been extremely fierce. Using Guo Bei as a base, he expanded largely beyond Jinhua Mansion, a bloody expansion met with challenges countered either by the point of his sword in persuasion or by the swing of it in destruction, causing all forces to steer clear of his edge.

For this, he didn’t just fight formidable enemies; he had several clashes with the leaders of both the Mingxiao Taoist Temple and the Hundred Demon Dark Mountain, including the Righteous Skills True Men from both Buddhist and Taoist traditions.

If he had meant to live quietly in peace, why would his actions be so extreme?

Therefore, Liang Xiao was very worried.

He was concerned about Li Liuxian as well as King Shifa.

Outside rumors stated the two were not master and disciple, but rather sworn friends of different generations, deeply bound by shared oaths.

For this reason, the Spell King from the Mingxiao Taoist Temple not only came out multiple times to intimidate other forces for his sake but also called upon Buddhist and Taoist True Men friends from the Hundred Ghosts Forest and Yin Mountain Way to join him in combating the cultivators who came to cause trouble, culminating in the slaying of two of them.

It even alarmed True Monarch Changrong, who was suppressing the Orchid Ghost Realm, to personally mediate and prevent the situation from escalating further.

This showed the depth of their relationship.

Whether or not their loyalty ran deep was beyond Liang Xiao’s knowledge, but he was sure that their interests were tightly intertwined. If Li Liuxian succeeded in his quest for power in the future, then the Mingxiao Taoist Temple and the Yin Mountain Mansion Taoist Temple would be the dominant sects in the world esteemed within Taoism.

Given this, as the ninth Prince of the Chen Dynasty, could he still seek Spirit Pills when visiting the Mingxiao Taoist Temple?

It seemed highly unlikely.

This left Liang Xiao feeling helpless.

Actually, whether the Spirit Pills worked or not was not of much concern to him; after all, they didn’t have much effect even when consumed.

What truly made him feel uncomfortable was this kind of despair, the profound despair of a collapsing empire that could not be turned back.

Had his Great Chen Dynasty, his Liang family’s Great Chen Dynasty, truly become hopeless?

Liang Xiao’s gaze faltered for a moment before he raised his head to look at the monk before him, “Master, in the current situation, there is only one person who can solve it. Could you tell me where the Holy Monk Duxing actually is?”

The monk looked at Liang Xiao, who clung to him like a drowning man grasping at straws, and sighed deeply, “I truly do not know.”

Although he anticipated the answer, hearing it stated still left Liang Xiao feeling disheartened.

He had placed his last hope, his only hope, on that man.

That man… the Holy Monk Duxing!

Back when his father, Emperor Xian Zong, ascended the throne, despite being ambitious, he faced the mess left by Ying Zong and saw it as an insurmountable calamity, beyond redemption.

Until later, a monk arrived in the capital city.

That monk bore the dharma name Duxing!

Upon entering the capital, he went straight to the major Buddhist temples to discuss the Dharma and debate the scriptures with the revered monks and sages.