Peace Order
Chapter 388 - 166: Cunning Hero, Hero, Turning the Tide!

Chapter 388: Chapter 166: Cunning Hero, Hero, Turning the Tide!

Tantai Xianming looked at the pool in front of him, a marvel crafted by skilled artisans. At the center stood the Kunlong Pillar, plunging deep into the earth. Within the churning water of the pond, a meld of black and red hues shimmered, the deadly poison of Ying Country.

It was the heartblood of an Ancient Strange Beast—Fei.

It was even more potent than ten years ago when an Ancient Strange Beast had fallen eight hundred years ago during an ambush led by the Red Emperor and his Divine Generals. Now, the remaining three drops of its heart’s blood, one of which was right here.

The Kunlong Pillar directly connected to the Dragon Vein of Chen Country.

Above, chains forged from materials for mystical weapons and Divine Weapons bound the pillar, totaling eighty-one—a rigorous defense, meant to confine just one person. That person’s upper body was fully submerged in the world’s deadliest poison, the blood of Fei.

Yet, there was still vitality.

Clad in mere rags, his beard had grown long; his eyes were closed.

Tantai Xianming, carrying a meal box, looked at Yue Pengwu in black robes and said indifferently, "The grand ritual is about to begin, a great drama is unfolding; it’s a pity you cannot see it, yet I do not wish to watch it. In this whole world and in Chen Country, there is only Yue Pengwu to whom I would pay my respects."

"However, they say the kind-hearted cannot command troops, but you are not cruel enough, nor are you ruthless.

"Once the Court announced the abandonment of the four prefectures at the southwest border, you returned."

The sound of the chains clinked.

Yue Pengwu slowly opened his eyes.

To coerce him to return, over a dozen Imperial Decrees were issued; often before the first could reach the front, the official for the second decree had already set out, galloping incessantly on the road reserved for urgent military dispatches.

At that time, the Court pretended to abandon the citizens of the southwest prefectures.

On the other hand, they increased taxes, especially targeting the soldiers’ families, and propagated that it was to fully support Yue Pengwu’s northern expedition, which led to mutiny among the troops and the non-stop cries of the citizens. While twelve Imperial Decrees did not turn the Divine General, the cries and flesh and blood of the people eventually made him bow his head.

Yue Pengwu had eventually returned.

Only to encounter the Emperor’s betrayal.

Tantai Xianming slowly poured wine and said calmly:

"You avoided the Emperor’s schemes, dodged my numerous tricks previously, but you never would have guessed, the true peasants, refugees, among those many citizens welcoming your return, offered you water; in the bowl of a truly hardworking, laborious, ragged old woman, it was poison, wasn’t it."

"Because of Li Wanli, you would be wary of the Emperor, but you all are too... naive."

Tantai Xianming did not say ’stupid’; he merely remained silent, then, as if he were still their strategist and staff member, he softly added, "Against someone like me, your defenses are still too few."

"Strategies can change, adapting to time and person."

"Under Taiping Duke’s command, you still harbor the simplest kindness for those citizens."

"That is your greatest flaw."

Tantai Xianming extended his hand and stated softly:

"And this person, who you once saved, she was the one who poisoned you."

"It cost only three catties of grain."

"You see the goodness in people’s hearts, but human nature is fundamentally evil."

Yue Pengwu said, "Misleading those who don’t understand the truth to harm others, then standing here pretending to be neutral."

"Tantai Xianming."

"Don’t bring out such words."

Tantai Xianming said nothing because the old woman who had poisoned him, upon realizing what was in her own bowl, had wailed for days in her house. First, she cried until there were no tears left, then blood flowed, and on the third day when people found it silent and entered, the old woman was dead.

Like a mad dog that had died howling.

Not a single grain of the three catties of food was moved.

It was meant to redeem her sold granddaughter.

Yue Pengwu coldly watched the elder in front of him. The elder hung the lantern he held onto a decorative dragon-shaped hook on the adjacent wall. Secured, the flame quietly burned, illuminating the side of the elderly man, who sat in a pool of light in fine, clean white garments, free from dust.

Yue Pengwu was submerged in the black blood, his facial beard and hair wildly grown; only his dark eyes stood out, cast in shadow, the chains taut, signifying that this renowned general’s fists were clenched tight.

Tantai Xianming said, "...people like you are the root of chaos."

"Without sufficient power to change the world, but still filled with zeal, ultimately, in the kingdoms, there are many such ’heroes’ and ’braves’ like you, then you fight each other, endlessly igniting wars. And at the end, you claim to protect the citizens."

"But under your iron hooves, lie nothing but heaps of white bones."

"So many have died!"

"Three hundred years of chaos, three hundred years—some people are born in turmoil and die in it, never knowing what peaceful days are. Just for you so-called compassionate, supposedly benevolent causes, this war is endless!"

"You continually deplete the vitality and Qi Fortune of the citizens of Central Plains."

"When two tigers fight, neither lives!"

"Central Plains battered and bloodied, even if in the end it unifies, how many heroes and citizens must die, draining the energy and blood of Central Earth, only to let Alien Tribes gnaw at the flesh of the citizens of Central Earth, letting their iron hooves stride from Jiangnan to Central Plains?"

Tantai Xianming spoke with a calm tone, his white hair framing his aged face.