Chapter 1757 — The Irreversible Decline
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
You are not my equal. I am freer than you, and I have more ways to preserve my life. " Jiang Baigui smiled. "I have the Three Establishments. Establish instruction, so that Jingping spreads schooling far and wide and through all the land, that men be ignorant no longer and fawn upon gods no longer, that they know both what is so and why it is so, and their hearts shall naturally know neither fear nor dread. Establish words, which is to establish knowledge, to impart learning and teach understanding, for the body may rot and the soul may perish, but words can endure forever, and to know words is to know action.
Establish merit, which is what I do now, the great merit of advancing the acquired Dao, promoting economy and armament, and prospering all acquired beings, and the lesser merit of destroying the Heavenly Court. After the Three Establishments, I shall attain the Dao.
" Xing An listened quietly until he had laid out his creed, and after a moment said, "In this world there are too few of our kind. I admire you, but I do not agree with you.
No need to detain me, nor could you detain me. I am gone.
" He strode away, while the chest pattered over to Bai Qu'er's side, rubbed against the girl's leg in farewell, then hurried after Xing An.
Jiang Baigui watched him go into the distance, withdrew his gaze, and said, "Senior Bai, the soldiers of Shanghuang command reverence, but you need not trouble yourselves with the battles to come.
" Bai Qu'er shook her head. "This is the wish of Shanghuang through the ages, and my own wish as well.
" Jiang Baigui perceived her resolve and pressed her no further, saying, "Then let us set out at once.
" Yi Shisheng gathered the nine Shanghuang Heavenly Emperors into coffins, as if hoping these senior brothers of his might transform anew into corpse demons within the caskets, though that was all but impossible now. "Does the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping mean to go to Lanfeng Valley?
" Bai Qu'er asked. Jiang Baigui shook his head and said, "Lanfeng Valley is held by my master Wentian Ge, whose wisdom surpasses mine.
He can hold it. The true battle that breaks the deadlock is not at Lanfeng Valley, but at Xuandu.
" He looked upward, where countless suns were drawing away from Jingping, yet even so the air was searing, and many parts of Jingping had been baked to scorched earth.
Those suns wheeled like a revolving lantern, for Moon Tianzun and Langwan were straining with all their might to hold back the sun-guards and moon-guards of Xuandu, though they could not hold back so great a host entirely. "Youdu has already fallen into Jingping's grasp. If Xuandu falls into Jingping's grasp as well, the whole game is decided.
" Jiang Baigui said, "Even victory at Lanfeng Valley would be only a small victory, a bitter victory. My aim is not to block the Heavenly Court's assault, but to pull the Heavenly Court up by the roots! Xuandu is vital!
With Xuandu and Youdu in hand, offense and defense shall change places!
" Xing An led the chest toward a nearby spirit-energy transit bridge, as if talking to himself and as if speaking to the chest, saying, "The Yuan Realm no longer suits me.
Now Emperor Haotian and Taichu take me for dead, and Cult Master Shen's favor has been repaid. Heaven and earth are vast, and I may roam as I please. I owe no one anything.
" The chest followed him, its lid clattering open and shut, as if answering him in converse.
"For a moment's passion, a lifetime's collection turned to nothing. Your heart aches too, does it not?
" Xing An smiled.