All Heavenly destiny reduced to ashes
Chapter 492 - 107 Unchanging Essence (4000)_2

Chapter 492: Chapter 107 Unchanging Essence (4000)_2

He did not doubt for a moment that Da Chen could produce flying shuttles. What technology did the Heavenly Machine Bureau of Da Chen not possess? It was merely a matter of cost and whether they were willing to popularize it.

However, because Da Chen had always been victorious, there was no real incentive in this area—the last time Da Chen’s military formations were innovated was during the battle with Yu Yao Country.

Shaking his head, he turned around, preparing to return to military duties.

Although he could understand, some military officials would rather listen to the Protector-General from above than to his words as a general... If that was the case, they had no business being military officials.

At the same time, An Jing was also on his way back to Linjiang City.

"It’s odd, what does my relationship with the Virtuous King have to do with him being so interested in me?"

As he returned to the city, An Jing pondered, "There’s no need to mention Teacher’s Ancestor and You, but Gu Yunzhi is interested in You and plans to invest in me, and even if the Virtuous King planned to invest in me, there should be a reason."

"Hmm... could it be because of Zheng Mo?"

Upon reflection, An Jing also knew that Zheng Mo had likely been involved in the incident with You Ruhui and had been silenced by some people—likely during that process, the Virtuous King saved Old Zheng’s life, making him an envoy for the Virtuous King, his Nether Envoy.

Through this channel, the Virtuous King learned many things related to him, even benefitting greatly from some of his actions. After all, the Northern Border ultimately fell under the Virtuous King’s jurisdiction; if An Jing performed well, it would be beneficial for him, which explained his unwavering support.

And Hang Mofeng... An Jing could feel that his strength was quite formidable.

An Jing was certain, the sense of threat he provided surpassed all the Martial Meridians he had encountered... even the incarnation of the Western Patrol Envoy felt the same; this was a seed of a True Person of Divine Repository.

"Strange, is Da Chen so wealthy? They are able to place a Divine Repository seed in the position of a Flank General?"

Thinking of this, An Jing was somewhat puzzled—after all, according to Subdue Evil, the Divine Repository Purple Mansion is as they say ’the first step to becoming an Immortal.’ Like his own master, Mingguang Dust, and Xiaobai with the Mysterious Yin Star Mandate, although they are said to have potential for manifesting holiness, many of their peers end up only at the pinnacle of Divine Repository.

Even in Da Chen, those in the Divine Repository could attend meetings in Shenjing... could it be that they fear he is too powerful and might take their positions?

"Not strange."

The Subdue Evil Sword Spirit spoke in a tone as if it was the norm, "This system of Granting Talisman by the Heavenly Official in Da Chen is just like this. Although nominally, it is said to be beneficial for ordinary people, and commoners benefit the most, once it comes to the end, it invariably becomes about various types of connections stepping in."

"No barriers—anyone who receives a Talisman can practice extraordinary martial arts. How could such huge benefits be handed over to the poor without consequence?"

"And for the Sects, even if they do not intend to favor noble families, eventually, they create barriers to stop a large number of common people—because there are only so many positions available, and yet the number of people keeps increasing. If you don’t stop them, do you expect everyone to become an official?"

"Once you create those barriers, those who benefit are the noble families who were already higher than others."

"Wow." An Jing’s eyes widened. "Aren’t you a sword? How do you understand human affairs so well?"

"It is because I am a sword that I understand." The Subdue Evil Sword Spirit hummed dismissively, "Back in the day, in the Sword Pool, I was fortunate enough to become the leader of the Sword Pool. Back then, the rule was that disciples who comprehended Sword Intent could enter and choose a Lifebound flying sword."

"At first, indeed, it was the talented, those focused on sword practice who benefited, and there were even many young geniuses who were initially poor but soared to the heights of Sect leadership and earned the noble name of Sword Immortal after receiving the feedback from the flying sword."

"But as more and more people practiced swordsmanship, things started to turn sour. Firstly, those from noble families, with their deeper resources, more complete inheritances, and indeed many geniuses among them, occupied a portion of the quotas."

"Then there were the disciples of the Sword Immortals, who had the Sword Dao of their masters as a foundation. Even if they were merely imitating, they could still evoke Sword Intent—you tell me, doesn’t that count? It’s not like imitating your master’s path prevents attaining Dao. There are many in the Sects who learned the Sword Intent of their predecessors and achieved their Primordial Spirits."

"Lastly, only a small part consisted of disciples who stood out from the Sects."

But that was not the end. Subdue Evil Sword Spirit said this not in anger but with resignation, "Again, hundreds of years passed, and in the Sword Pool, the number of potential Lifebound flying swords, the Sword Embryos became fewer while the number of sword practitioners kept increasing. What could be done? The only choice was to raise the standards for Sword Intent. The crude and shallow ones couldn’t make the cut."

"But those who spontaneously comprehend Sword Intent, how could their Sword Intent possibly not be crude? In the end, don’t those with complete inheritances and mentorship, the ’noble descendants and famed disciples,’ take the greatest advantage?"

"Uh..."

An Jing thought for a moment and cautiously said, "Don’t you have any support policy for children from common families?"

"Of course, we do," scoffed Subdue Evil. "But honestly, who among the commoners knows about applying? Later, when it was changed to automatic distribution, other commoner children complained it was unfair, even though they’re all the same kind of people, still undermining each other internally... At the end, within a group of ten places, having two or three commoners is already considered a lot, far from the initial design of the Sects intended for either a majority of commoners or at least an equal split."

"In short, this Granting Talisman system of Da Chen, though it appears novel, is just an old washing-up to me, an Immortal. It’s nowhere near as good as Fate Pattern. At least the Fate Pattern is personally issued by Embracing the Void, not caring about family background, nor upbringing, not even if you’re literate or educated. Unlike Spirit Root, which entirely depends on destiny, it’s a divine mode I’ve never seen before."

"You might see that the Granting Talisman still requires civil and martial examinations, but think carefully, can ordinary people compete against those from noble families? Not to mention anything else, just take Hang Mofeng as an example. It’s very likely that both his parents were Military Officials, well-versed in martial arts from a very young age. He alone can defeat at least ten warriors of the same rank. What kind of genius among commoners can match him?"

"And not to mention him, let’s talk about yourself—An Jing, aren’t you also a descendant of a Military Official, considered as from a Poor Scholar Family in Da Chen? But from what we see now, even coming from a Poor Scholar Family isn’t enough. Hang Mofeng definitely performed too well, blocking the way for some local noble families from Northern Border, and that’s why he was dispatched here with that dim-witted Protector-General Song—to come here to their demise."

"It’s indeed a common reaction, but still hard to accept, this feeling of everything slowly descending into the abyss."

An Jing found it hard to comment. Though everything said made sense, it left him feeling deeply dissatisfied, almost uncontrollably wanting to explode in anger, "And you’re saying that even your era couldn’t figure out a solution?"

"Oh, there was one. The Great Calamity," Subdue Evil said lightly. "After the Heart Demon Calamity, not one in a hundred of those stupid placeholders remained. After the Heavenly Demon Great Calamity, not even one capable and competent person out of a hundred survived."

"Even if it’s not a Demon Calamity, just any normal calamity striking in peacetime means almost all the placeholders at peace times have to step down—if they still don’t, then the Sects will disappear, the heavens and earth will be destroyed, the realms will collapse, and then there won’t be any matter of degeneration or abyss."

—Wow, if everyone dies out, then really there won’t be any issue of nobles versus commoners... And how come the conversation switches people.

In the previous few lines, An Jing had been nodding along, but by the last few, he could be sure that the ’Subdue Evil’ speaking had changed.

The one who talked about the Sects and Sword Pool was undoubtedly the Immortal Sword Spirit, but the latter speaker, likely a world-weary and cynical Immortal discontent with the scene, was Subdue Evil.

Perhaps.

An Jing wasn’t quite sure, but it seemed these fragmented personalities had probably blended into one. Anyway, his attitude toward him did seem consistent. He just hoped that retrieving the fragments of Subdue Evil this time would allow Subdue Evil’s consciousness to clear up a bit.

Thinking so, An Jing returned to the city.

Upon his return, he was met with a warm welcome from everyone.