Journey of the Fate Destroying Emperor

Chapter 1723: Obsession

’I don’t need their love,’ Ying Zheng thought. ’Cultivators — by nature and their environment — are creatures incapable of showing undying love. They are rational, driven solely by their desire to pursue the Dao. However, respect is another thing. I should have been able to retain their respect. So, what went wrong?’

Ying Zheng chose to be truthful with himself and analyzed his life from a detached, fair, and non-judgmental perspective. And the answer he derived was that he did not deserve their respect. A perfect example of this is the number of Primals in the Great Qin Divine Court. Why were there only two until recently?

On paper, the answer is that the Eternal Ascension World had a limited number of spots for destiny that can give birth to a Primal, and Great Qin only acquired two. But why was that? Why were factions such as the Dao Opening Sect, Buddhism, Taoism, and even the Sword Path League capable of acquiring three or four spots, but Great Qin couldn’t?

By being honest with himself, Ying Zheng knew the answer: he sabotaged his own dynasty. During the Golden Age, in which every faction was competing for the Overlord Destiny, there were a few geniuses in Qin who could have competed for these destinies. Sadly, these talented individuals originated from powerful clans that Ying Zheng deemed capable of destabilizing Great Qin’s situation and his power.

’Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that I was not confident enough,’ Ying Zheng analyzed. ’If I had the mindset of a true Sovereign capable of suppressing everybody no matter the situation — if I had this level of confidence, heroes, and magnanimity — Qin would have had at least 4 Primals.’

Ying Zheng could not help but remember two people: Qiyuan and Dugu Baitian. In the cultivation world, it’s normal for brothers, fathers, sons, and mothers to kill each other for power. However, Qiyuan retained a deep bond with his sworn brothers and went above board to help them prove the Dao and become Primal. And then, he still had the bearing to allow someone else in his family to reach such heights, without fearing his power would be lost.

Then, there is Dugu Baitian; Many negative things can be said about him, but no one would deny the man’s charisma. He’s the only one in their generation who successfully conquered another Primal, forcing the latter to be eternally loyal to him. He also had the bearing to tolerate other Primals, make them respect him, and still successfully control their greed and desires.

’The Highest Sovereign is one thing, but even Dugu Baitian can have the mindset and bearing of a [Holy Emperor], so why can’t I?’ Ying Zheng thought as a strange aura flew out of his body. ’Slaughter is the worst way for a ruler to control people and retain political power. With enough strength, bearing, and wisdom, I can have absolute control over Qin while still preserving the people’s love and respect.’

Ying Zheng immediately felt a shackle removed from his mind. He was never a rigid man, and he also never believed he was less than anyone. Before his reincarnation, Hongjun showed him his legacy to the world. Ying Zheng was shocked to see how the world remembered his reign for its harsh rules and the deaths caused by the construction of the Great Wall. So, after his reincarnation, he no longer adhered to strict Legalist principles and adapted all Schools of Thought to ensure Qin’s prosperity.

And now, after seeing his peers or people who will one day be his peers, and how their behavior facilitates a broader or more prosperous path to the Dao, he has chosen to change himself for his future. Eternal stagnation is one of the curses that all [Immortal Life] must constantly fight against, and with today’s enlightenment, Ying Zheng succeeded.

"Hmm?" Wang Wei muttered as he sensed something through the chessboard. His vision changed, and he saw Ying Zheng being dazed. "An epiphany? And this aura — it should be a change in his mindset and Dao Heart. Is it because of the court’s citizens?" In just a few seconds, Wang Wei gleaned significant information.

He sighed. ’With another opportunity, he can probably condense a Saint Dao Heart.’ After condensing his heart, he tried recreating the effect with his ancestors. However, the result was a failure, prompting Wang Wei and the others to deduce that, besides extreme talent, the right opportunity is also required to condense a Transcendent Trait. Ying Zheng’s epiphany meant he’s halfway there; he just needs another opportunity to refine his mind, and he’ll probably succeed.

’Are you also interested in mirroring the Highest Sovereign’s conditions?’ Wang Wei thought. ’The Highest Sovereign is a benevolent king who can probably act as a tyrant when needed. But you? Your path is probably that of a tyrant masquerading as a benevolent king, which makes you even more dangerous.’

With Ying Zheng’s talent and this new mindset, Wang Wei foresaw that the latter now had the foundation to walk far along the Transcendent Path. Unfortunately for him, he chose to be his enemy. ’No matter what happened, your only fate will be refined by me into a puppet,’ Wang Wei thought with cold and indifferent eyes.

Ignoring Ying Zheng, Wang Wei focused on the current situation and on himself. ’By the looks of things, this expedition will take a while. In that case, I should take this opportunity to increase my strength.’ There are only a few things that can increase Wang Wei’s current strength, one of which is condensing his second Transcendent Foundation.

’If there is enough time, I can also create the third one, and maybe even cultivate it before the expedition ends,’ Wang Wei planned. ’I can also use the excuse of a cultivation retreat to hide my real self from this war.’ He was here against his wishes, so the plan has always been to do as little work as possible and ensure his safety and survival.

The battle continued. While the Divine Beings’ morale rose, it did not change the fact that they were outnumbered. And now that the Primordial Beings were being pressured into acting, they could no longer pretend and had to go all out. With Wang Wei’s secret aid using the slingshot worlds, more and more nodes were tested and verified.

Of course, the crux of this battle has always been the battle between Tribunal Lords, and even then, Wang Wei’s side has the advantage. The armored lord from the court fought against three cardinals and the Trinity Venerable, and held on for so long. However, the latter was in a terrible state. Just as Wang Wei was waiting for the outcome, he received a communication from Maitreya.

"I need you to recall me back to base."

"Have you changed your mind?" Wang Wei instantly asked. As the commander, he had such power and planned to keep Maitreya back, but the latter insisted on participating in this cruel battle.

"No, I have a plan, and I need your help."

"Oh? Do tell."

"I’m after the blood of one of the Ascendant Saints," Maitreya explained.

"Their blood? You want to use it to achieve the 12 foundation pillars?"

"It may be the only way," Maitreya nodded. She had realized that 11 pillars was the limit she could achieve, probably the actual consequences of taking a shortcut. And after analyzing the situation, only extraordinary resources, such as the blood of a Tribunal Lord, could overcome these limitations.

"Have you thought about this? The blood of such a being probably contained their will. How are you going to purify it? No, you probably can’t even contain it."

"I can use Hong’er’s sealing array to contain it," Maitreya explained. "As for purification, we can think of something later."

"And how do you propose you get that blood?"

"That armored person — he is the key," she explained. "He’s in a weakened state, and with the right sneak-attack, I can draw blood."

Wang Wei frowned. "You want to use the Heaven and Earth Origin Cycle Array?"

"That’s the only power I have access to that is close to Tribunal Lords," Maitreya nodded. Wang Wei glanced at her through the array screen. After knowing her for so long, he could tell Maitreya had developed an obsession with the 12 foundation pillars. Her pursuit was no longer about improving her foundation for a better future, but more about regaining what she had lost — what she sacrificed for the future of the Eternal Ascension World.

"Well?" she asked. "With this blood, I will not only perfect my foundation, but we can also retrieve information about condensing the Flesh Quintessence."

’There is no stopping her,’ Wang Wei thought. If he refuses, there is a 95% chance she will risk her life and do it alone.

After secretly sighing, he finally said, "If you want this plan to work, you must tell one of the Tribunal Lords." Her plan was too risky with too many variables that could lead to failure. However, with the help of another second-step powerhouse, the chances of success are higher.