Chapter 54: Secular King’s Authority
Legends say the four continents are carried on the backs of four ancient divine beasts.
These four ancient divine beasts were the Green Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, and Black Tortoise. The Green Dragon is lord of the east, the White Tiger is lord of the west, the Vermillion Bird is lord of the south, and the Black Toroise is lord of the north.
Da Xia, Da Qi, the gra.s.slands, and several small and large kingdoms were all located in the eastern continent.
Because of this, this region is called the “Green Dragon Continent” by the people. The dragon is naturally the divine protector of this land.
This is also the reason why the Immortal Sky Seventh Elder Zhao Hongzhi was so afraid. He feared his act of stealing the Wind Dragon’s egg would be made public. No one in the Green Dragon Continent would forgive him if this was made known!
The Immortal Sky is the number one sect of the Green Dragon continent. It is regarded as a top rank sect in the whole four continents, but they wouldn’t dare provoke the ma.s.ses for this matter. They couldn’t offend the whole Green Dragon continent on account of Zhao Hongzhi.
Sects are not in touch with the world. They are all like this, no matter if it is the Green Dragon continent or the whole four continents.
The people in sects all regard themselves as cultivators on the path to immortality. This is despite no news of someone ascending for several years. But the position of sects has never wavered.
This has resulted in several people looking down upon the secular world after they enter into a sect. They look down upon the king’s authority and despise everything in the mortal world.
It appeared to be this way. Even royal children would give sect members the appropriate respects. If people from a sect come out and cause a mess in the secular world, even if it is a disaster, it will become marginalized.
After all, the influential power of a sect in the secular world is terrifying.
But in reality……are the sects and secular world in two non-intersecting realities?
This obviously is a false viewpoint!
The people that live in the large sects are not true immortals! They can not fast to that level. They must eat and drink like the rest. They require all kinds of resources!
Where does this stuff come from? Are they self-sufficient?
In fact, that is impossible!
Self-sufficiency could only let these sects have a life of survival at most. It cannot let them possess a dignified life!
They are not true immortals. They are the same as men! They have emotions and desires, such as the need to live with dignity.
Then, what is to be done?
Royalty of the secular world is naturally the best choice.
Cultivators need a large quant.i.ty of Yuan stones to cultivate. Where do Yuan stones come from? Do they rely on the Yuan stone mines occupied by the sect’s mountain range? Even a large Yuan stone mine will be completely emptied some day.
Even a strong sect cannot occupy all the world’s Yuan stone mines. Some of the Yuan stone mines are occupied by the secular world in the end.
This power is basically all controlled by the royalty of the secular world!
There were still several exchanges between sects and the secular world in addition to this. Of course the common people were unaware of these things, and it was not obvious.
But Jiang Qiuyang is not the same. He is a sect disciple, but he is even more so a royal child of the secular world! He is in an extremely revered position……he could even become the crowned prince!
Jiang Qiuyang had spent his infancy, childhood, and youth inside the sect……all the way until he was twenty years old. In his inner depths, he indeed despised the secular king’s authority.
This is why he placed so much emphasis on the immortal cave rumor, even though the matter of the northern gra.s.sland was so important. In his opinion, a small gra.s.sland is like an ant in the face of a sect disciple like himself. He can easily crush it!
Even towards his own father——the Da Qi king! Jiang Qiuyang only had the respect a child has for their father before today. He absolutely didn’t have the respect for the king’s authority!
Because he completely forgot one thing. That is: How did he enter the sect to cultivate!
He also forgot a slip of the tongue made by his master while in the sect: His master’s uncle was once a deacon in the sect. He requested to enter the secular world because it was hard to make another breakthrough, and the sect life was bitter. It is entirely possible that uncle stayed with the Da Qi royal family and became a follower.
Jiang Qiuyang somewhat disdained his master’s uncle at that time. He couldn’t make a breakthrough……so he must certainly not be that strong.
His master taught him a ruthless lesson at that time. He said: “What do you know? My uncle is several times more powerful than me! It’s possible you can’t reach his degree in your whole life. What qualifications do you have to mock him?”
It was hard for Jiang Qiuyang to comprehend at that time. If his master’s uncle is that amazing, why would he long for the world of mortals? Cultivators shouldn’t want anything in the secular world.
He also remembered how his master only shook his head and smiled. He said one day you will be the king of Da Qi. If you can say these words on that day, then master will see you in a new light.
These words were spoken over ten years ago. Jiang Qiuyang wasn’t yet a teenager at the time. The conversation had already been forgotten in the back of his mind.
He was ruthlessly scolded for a long time today by his father. In addition, an unseen person’s faint words filled the golden palace. It suddenly made Jiang Qiuyang think of the conversation at that time.
“This…..this is my master’s uncle?” Jiang Qiuyang looked at the his father standing there with a kingly aura. Jiang Qiuyang never placed him in his eyes before, but now he suddenly felt somewhat taller.
“Why? Did someone tell you I was old and decrepit?” An old man in his fifties wearing a gray clothes appeared in front of Jiang Qiuyang after a dull voice. He was dry and nothing special to look at. The small old man sized him up, full of interest.
“Xiang Hegong……the seventy-third generation disciple Jiang Qiuyang pays his respects to great uncle!” Jiang Qiuyang stayed kneeling so as to avoid kneeling down again. He honestly gave respects to the little old man.
But there was yet a great uncertainty inside: ‘This is the man master spoke about at that time……this is the great uncle that got fed up with living the bitter life in the sect? The one that joined the world of mortals? Why does he not have fresh clothes and a spirited horse? Where are the wives and concubines? What is the difference between this and staying in the sect?
The old man beamed with all smiles at Jiang Qiuyang. He profoundly stated: “Young man, you don’t walk the cultivation road very well. If I were you, in your situation, I would either be an idle prince that only focuses on cultivating, or I would carefully think about how to be a wise king. Ha……you are fortunate. You not only have the sect’s backing, but also have the royal family background. Treasure it!”
The old man’s figure faded away in front of Jiang Qiuyang after he finished speaking. Jiang Qiuyang couldn’t even see how this great uncle disappeared right in front of his face. His eyes were only left with a shocked color.
The king of Da Qi, Jiang Hengyu, made all the ministers withdraw at this time. Only Jiang Qiuyang remained there, kneeling all by himself.
Jiang Hengyu returned to the throne, and he looked at Jiang Qiuyang unethusiastically for a moment. He finally said: “Stand.”
Jiang Qiuyang slowly stood up. His head remained low, and he didn’t speak a word.
Jiang Hengyu looked at his most favored son before him and unenthusiastically said: “How very strange. How could such a mighty person worship the royal family in the secular world?”
“Yes, master said that great uncle was weary of the bitter sect life, and he gave up on making a breakthrough. He wanted to return to the mortal world……” Jiang Qiuyang honestly replied.
“Ha ha, weary of the sect life? You are truly……naive!” Jiang Hengyu coldly laughed: “You should know, Mister Sun is not a drunkard, and he is not filled with l.u.s.t even though he lives in the royal palace. He bitterly trains every day!”
“Ah!” Jiang Qiuyang somewhat guessed this before, but he still felt confused after officially hearing it from his father: “Then why did he……”
Jiang Hengyu couldn’t help but sigh: “It looks like you didn’t listen to a word mister Sun just told you. It’s no wonder, you are indeed too spoiled! You have never ever lacked cultivation materials. Therefore you don’t understand, and you think it’s normal.”
Jiang Hengyu stood up as he talked, and he slowly walked before his son. He looked at his son that was half a head taller than himself. Jiang Hengyu raised a hand, and patted his son on the shoulder: “Young man, royalty is at your back! Royal resources have always been given to you to use. Mister Sun has none. The Xiang River Palace sect is no inferior to the large Immortal Sky sect, but their resources are limited! Mister Sun isn’t a cultivating genius, and he has no influence. How could he ask the Xiang River Palace sect for a large amount of cultivation resources?
Jiang Qiuyang looked stunned at his own father. This was the first time hearing these kinds of words. He had never thought of this before.
“Do you truly believe the large amount of resources you used to cultivate were provided by the Xiang River palace? You are so talented that they are willing to let you recklessly use up a large amount of resources? Even if I wish it were true…..you are not!” Jiang Hengyu walked past Jiang Qiuyang’s side and plainly said: “All the resources you used over the years came from Da Qi. Not even one percent of the whole country’s power is dedicated to the Xiang River Palace. Now do you understand the secular king’s authority?”
Jiang Hengyu left alone after saying these words.
Jiang Qiuyang stood there like a statue. He was the only one left in the golden palace.
His ears continuously buzzed with his father’s final words: “Now do you understand the secular king’s authority?”
“Do you understand the secular king’s authority?”
“The secular king’s authority?”
“The King’s Authority!”
Jiang Qiuyang’s pair of naive, ignorant eyes were ripped off after a long time pa.s.sed, brilliant rays of light shone: “Father……your child understands!”
An old eunuch walked out from a dark place in the golden palace. He respectfully looked at Jiang Qiuyang and said: “His highness has explained. If you truly understood, go to the military camp by the border of Da Xia and report. There……perhaps within several years, a year, or even faster……there will be a war.”
“His majesty is letting you consider well. If you haven’t given it full thought, then carefully think again. If you truly do not wish to be king, then you could return to the Xiang River Palace. You most likely won’t run out of cultivating resources there.”
The old eunuch plainly spoke, then looked at Jiang Qiuyang.
Jiang Qiuyang shook his head: “I will go report to the military camp tomorrow. Tell father I understand, and I have thought it through! I want the power of Da Qi to cover the whole Green Dragon Continent!
The old eunuch gave a gratified smile, nodded, then retreated without a noise. It was just like he had never appeared.
Jiang Qiuyang’s pupils filled with the will to fight. His fist powerfully shook: “I understand the King’s Authority! I understand the benefits of power! Master, you were right. I lose. You cannot see me in a new light! I am no immortal. I thought of myself as high and pure. But now……I cannot!”