Immortal Father
Chapter 1077 - 1077 375 Fenghou Reproaches the Courtiers_2

1077: Chapter 375 Fenghou Reproaches the Courtiers_2 1077: Chapter 375 Fenghou Reproaches the Courtiers_2 The senior ministers were utterly confused.

Fenghou sighed softly and said:

“The enemies of the Human Race have never been just the Hundred Clans; they are all the powers in heaven and earth.

We seek to establish a new order because we wish to protect mortals, but the creation of a new order will inevitably shatter the old one.”

“Everything must be exchanged for something else.”

“In the ancient past, the Queen Mother of the West helped us because she sought the position of Heavenly Empress and was paving the way for herself.”

“The ancient Chan Teaching helped us because the Dao Immortal Tribulation loomed before them, and they leveraged the fortune of the Human Race.”

“Now that the Human Race has grown strong, why does Chan Teaching no longer directly help us?

Because we have already become a threat to Chan Teaching’s existence in the world.

The Human Race’s claim as the protagonists of heaven and earth is supported by the endlessly reproducing mortals, and the Human Emperor holds absolute sway over these mortals.”

“If we were to release our hold on mortals, allowing every household to worship Chan Teaching, they would still protect us.”

“If we were to permit the Western Sect to proselytize, allowing mortals to believe in their notion that suffering is inborn, the Western Sect would not only refrain from troubling us but would also go to great lengths to support us.”

“But we cannot allow this…

‘Man triumphs over heaven,’ ‘self-reliance’—these are the backbones of the Human Race, earned through the blood and sacrifice of our forebears.

We cannot allow the Human Race to become the plaything of the great sects.”

“This is why His Majesty has so far been unable to establish a new Heavenly Court—because the great sects will not support it.”

“At this moment, with the Western Sect pressuring us, during these six thousand years of the Holy Mother’s absence, in this most difficult time, a young man named Li Ping’an and his father stepped forward.”

“He is a pure Human, rising from the mortal realms of the East Continent, ascending through immortal cultivation, establishing himself in Wanyun, reforming artifact refining, apprenticing under Yunzhong.

He joined the Eastern Alliance, battled myriad demons, fought against the West, and sought the Holy Mother.

Furthermore, he successfully reversed the will of heaven through the Great Vow Method, advancing the cause of our Human Heavenly Court, forging repeated alliances with the Three Teachings of the Daoist Sect.”

“Think about it—if not for Li Ping’an and Li Dazhi, what could we do now in the face of the full-scale assault of the Western Sect?”

The senior ministers frowned, each lost in their thoughts.

Fenghou sighed and said:

“Do you think the countless Dao Soldiers raised by the Western Sect are waiting for nothing?

They are waiting to achieve sainthood through the worship of incense.”

“Without Li Ping’an, the Western Sect could easily use their Dao Soldiers to overrun the Western Continent.

They wouldn’t be hesitating, unwilling to act.”

“Without Li Ping’an, even if the Old Ancestor of Minghe and the Calamity Sovereign conspired against us, they wouldn’t even need to move their Dao Soldiers—we couldn’t call upon the formidable masters of the Three Teachings for support, and our battlefront would have collapsed long ago.”

“Do you know how many times in the past three to five years His Majesty has genuinely smiled?

The number combined is more than the past ten thousand years.”

“Do you know how many times over the past thousands of years, after learning the full schemes of the Western Sect, His Majesty contemplated taking his own life so that the Human Race could bow its head to the Western Sect?”

“Because doing so would prevent large-scale casualties for the Human Race.”

“A young man rose in the shortest time, accomplishing for our Desolate Era Human Race what hadn’t been achieved in ten millennia prior.

Does he not deserve to be the Heavenly Emperor?”

“He became the Heavenly Emperor through the Great Vow because he understands the Heavenly Dao and what it means to become the Heavenly Emperor!”

“He didn’t rely on the heritage of the Human Race to establish the Heavenly Court.

Send him up to the throne!”

“What right do you have to oppose him?”

“What exactly are you opposing?

What have the Li father and son ever owed us?”

“Li Ping’an could have chosen to remain hidden and watch this calamity caused by the Internal Heavenly Dao.

Even the External Heavenly Dao would have chosen to observe for the time being without stepping in.

Once the rigid forces within the Human Race were largely dead or wounded, he could emerge to settle the aftermath and determine the fate of our Human Race.”

“But did he hide?”

“The experts who stand guard against the Sea of Blood, who invited them with merits from the Heavenly Dao?”

“When Lady Ba was being swallowed by the Internal Heavenly Dao, who stood in her place on the front line?”

“Li Ping’an is using his own life to force the External Heavenly Dao to suppress the Internal Heavenly Dao.

Do you not see this?”

“Does none of this move you?

Do you truly feel no shred of emotion or understanding?”

“Speak…

speak!”

Fenghou slammed the table and stood abruptly.

Even though the long table was wrapped in immortal power, it nonetheless cracked like a spiderweb.

“This is how you show loyalty to His Majesty and the Human Race?”

“What I see is that your loyalty is to none but yourselves, only considering the futures of your own descendants!”

“His Majesty has issued direct orders multiple times, has repeatedly reminded you, and yet you continue to act in this way.

If Li Ping’an returns safely, you seek to ambush and kill him on the sly!”

“Such are the so-called revered elders of the Human Race!”

“What nonsense of great elders!

Do you truly feel worthy of the many brothers-in-arms who have fallen?”

Most of the senior ministers in the chamber gradually knelt down.

One senior minister choked with emotion and said, “Minister Feng, please quell your anger.

We were…

momentarily bewitched…”

Suddenly, another minister frowned and said, “How much of what Minister Feng says is due to the inherent strength of the Human Race, allowing Li Ping’an to achieve what he did?

What achievements does he have, and how capable is he?”

Fenghou angrily replied, “Did you even read the Eastern Alliance New Policies he wrote?

Based on that reform alone, his contributions to the Human Race are enough to rival all of you!

He presented even grander reforms to His Majesty long ago; the future of the East Continent is already laid out!”

“Minister Feng, you may disparage us, but there is no need to overpraise this Li Ping’an.”

“You!

You are no different from the likes of Chiyou from back then!”

“Minister Feng, we understand your point.”

One senior minister smirked and said coldly:

“It’s nothing but dying, after all.

Let us perish for the sake of renewing the Human Race.

We only ask that Minister Feng show kindness to our descendants.”

“We wish Minister Feng a high place in the Heavenly Court in the future—a flourishing and enduring tenure!”

Three or four senior ministers stood up, bowed slightly to Fenghou, and turned to leave the tent.

Fenghou closed his eyes and slumped back into his chair, exhausted.

Nearby, a few indistinct figures emerged.

An elder leaned in close to Fenghou’s ear, whispering questions.

Fenghou smiled bitterly and waved his hand gently.

He spoke weakly:

“I can calculate all the affairs of the world, yet I cannot predict the inflated and distorted hearts of the Dao…

Those few will not betray the Human Race.

No need to act recklessly—executing generals before battle is a grave mistake.”

“Perhaps His Majesty’s era is coming to an end.

The change of ages always brings its share of chaos.”

“Divided hearts among the people—what can be done?”

“Everyone, rise.

The reason I persuaded you rather than taking direct action is due to our old bonds.

I implore you to give your all in defeating our enemies.

I will not report this matter to His Majesty.”

The ministers sighed one after another, rising back into their seats at the table and silently sipping their wine.

“Report—urgent military news!”

“Chiyou leads the Hundred Clans Coalition in another assault!

The vanguard will reach three of our cities in half an hour!”

They have arrived.

…

In a remote corner of the Misty Realm.

Li Dazhi frowned, watching the fading image in the mirror.

He muttered, “How could Minister Feng lose his composure like this?

Isn’t he inviting disaster?”

“This is simply his nature,” Xihe said calmly.

“To the outside world, he is ruthless and unyielding.

But when dealing with the Human Race’s internal matters, he always leaves room for sentiment.

Fellow Daoist, do you know the trial Li Ping’an will face next?”

Li Dazhi fell into silence.

Xihe continued, “Fellow Daoist, unlike Minghe Old Ancestor and his ilk, whose Sea of Blood and killing Dao are merely nourishment for the Heavenly Dao, the ideal world you envision represents the ultimate form of the Heavenly Dao.

I entreat you to unite with the Dao, to complete the Heavenly Dao, for the benefit of the Desolate Era.”

The Faceless One interjected abruptly, “The Internal Heavenly Dao has already been corrupted by the Ancient Heavenly Court.

If my teacher unites with the Dao, he risks being assimilated instead.

Teacher, I urge you to continue guiding the External Heavenly Dao.

Even if today we cannot fully resolve the peril of the Internal Heavenly Dao, once the Six Saints return, it will naturally be severed.”

Li Dazhi’s brows furrowed tightly.

Xihe said calmly, “The Internal and External Heavenly Dao merely follow different paths.

The hypocrisy of the External Heavenly Dao is no less ruthless than the brutality of the Internal Heavenly Dao.”

Li Dazhi suddenly asked, “Ping’an has been swallowed by the Internal Heavenly Dao, hasn’t he?”

Xihe nodded slightly.

The Faceless One said no more, bowing deeply to Li Dazhi before manifesting a thin barrier around him—the tangible power of the External Heavenly Dao.

Li Dazhi narrowed his eyes slightly, his heart resolute.

He stepped out of the Heavenly Dao barrier.

Li Dazhi smiled.

“Wrapped as I am in the power of the External Heavenly Dao, do you dare to swallow me, fellow Daoist?”

Xihe did not transform into a beast to devour him but instead casually conjured a vortex with a wave of his hand, speaking softly, “Please, fellow Daoist.”

Li Dazhi clasped his hands behind his back, turning briefly to glance at the Misty Realm.

He did not know if he could return from this journey.

Such a choice, no doubt, was a letdown for his two wives.

But he could not leave his son there alone.

…

At the same time.

Within the illusionary realm of the Internal Heavenly Dao.

A large number of Heavenly Slaves emerged from the clear lake waters.

Some experts clutched weapons scavenged from another segment of the illusion, their gazes fixed on the sprawling, majestic palace complex at the center of the island.

Before the Immortal Palaces, thousands of stone statues kneeling on one knee suddenly developed layers of cracks, their eyes glowing with a crimson light.

A beam of light flashed at the central palace, revealing Xihe and Li Dazhi.

Yet on another side of the palace complex, over a dozen figures stealthily surfaced from the water, climbing a cliff in secret.

This was strategy.

Li Ping’an had employed the tactic of feinting in one direction while striking in another.