Sheep are always sheep; when facing the wolf pack, they only ever comply, never mustering the courage to resist.
He acknowledged that what Chen Sanliang said made sense: war indeed calls for the poor to sacrifice their lives to protect the wealth of the rich. But that is merely internal strife; the Demon Race seeks to eradicate the Human Race. How can they be comparable?
Moreover, Chen Sanliang actually wanted to reshape Heaven and Earth, infiltrating the Demon Race and then later rising to power. Zhang Chen truly didn’t know how to evaluate him.
A lunatic?
Or perhaps a fool with a whimsical imagination?
What sane person could think like this?
However, Zhang Chen was very clear about one thing: all this had nothing to do with him. Asking him to use his life to protect the Great Victory Dynasty and the court’s nobility—Zhang Chen was not a fool.
Wealth, he earned himself; it wasn’t granted by the court. Skill, he cultivated himself. The house and family business, he established by himself. What has the Great Victory Dynasty done for him besides degrading him to a criminal, taxing him, and exploiting him?
Perhaps some might say that as a subject of the Great Victory Dynasty, countless soldiers at the border shed blood and sweat to protect him, making his peaceful life possible today. But Zhang Chen, having undergone modern ideological education, wouldn’t be persuaded. Even if dynasties change, and there were no border defenses from the Great Victory Dynasty, other dynasties would have their armies to protect him.
Would other dynasties, if he was born in them, have no border armies to protect him?
Just like how after the Song Dynasty fell, he drifted into the Yuan Dynasty—did the Yuan Dynasty have no soldiers to protect him? He engaged in production and paid taxes to the court; wasn’t it the court’s duty to protect him? Is the court protecting him? It’s protecting the assets of the nobility, the assets of the court!
Of course, he couldn’t stand the suffering in the world. If he could lend a hand and improve the people’s lives, he’d be willing.
He was only seeking enlightenment, seeing nature and knowing one’s heart—not turning himself into a fool. If the people didn’t know how to awaken and stand up for themselves, he wouldn’t do it for them.
Much like when the flood in the Northern Land swept through Prince Pingbian’s million-strong army and tore through the Heroic Pass at Tiger Soul Pass—if not for the people’s own desire to charge through the Heroic Pass, risking their lives, Zhang Chen wouldn’t be their nanny.
"If you are willing to help me, we could together grasp control of the Demon Race and secretly suppress those Demon Kings. Then, we could sweep through the Human Race, establishing a new human society within the Demon Race. With the learning ability and political maneuvering of humans, we could surpass those demon beasts in less than ten years. By then, all exploitation could be transferred onto the Demon Race, and humans would no longer be exploited. This is the utopian society all sages throughout the ages have pursued." In Chen Sanliang’s voice, there was a hint of fanaticism.
"Sir, you are too naive! Even if humans truly surpassed the Demon Race, nothing would change. Human nature has already determined every outcome." Zhang Chen sighed softly, feeling that Chen Sanliang was a bit naive.
"As long as we commit, it will certainly succeed!" Chen Sanliang’s voice was full of determination: "Without trying, how can we know? If I succeed in this matter, I might have hope of breaking through the Twelfth Tier, or even higher."
Hearing Chen Sanliang’s words, Zhang Chen was momentarily stunned, suddenly realizing that this was Chen Sanliang’s process of seeking enlightenment, and whether achievable or not, he had to try.
But unfortunately, this is a dead end!
Unless Chen Sanliang had absolute power to suppress the high tiers of the Great Victory Dynasty and its noble families; like certain elders being able to suppress capitalists during their time, once such an elder passes, untold seniors’ blood would have been shed in vain as capitalists restore their dominance. When the elder was alive, workers dared to challenge their leaders; what about now?
"Then you better aim for immortality..." Zhang Chen’s words trailed off. If Chen Sanliang could break through to the ’Fruit’ realm, he might possibly achieve immortality, right? Perhaps he could change the status quo.
If by then, Chen Sanliang could suppress the world, continuously purging and correcting, maybe this old chap really could accomplish it.
Noticing the change in Zhang Chen’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit, Chen Sanliang looked at Zhang Chen with a burning gaze: "Has your mindset changed? Would you be willing to join forces with me to achieve this goal?"
Zhang Chen shook his head: "Although your skills are not bad, sir, there’s a vast distance from achieving this goal—thousands of miles."
Zhang Chen could discern Chen Sanliang’s current realm, with Pure Yang Qi evolving around him, already having stepped into the realm of Yang God. But merely reaching this realm isn’t enough. Apart from the Demon Race’s Twelfth Tier powerhouse Hu Li the Immortal, and the being wielding mysterious five-colored light suspected to be the Innate Peacock, there’s also the Eleventh Tier Great Virtuous Master of the Yellow Heaven Dao, and the court’s three Twelfth Tier mysteries—all of which are enough to crush Chen Sanliang.
And that’s just the forces in the open; who knows how many Ancient Divine Demon Tombs have been excavated in secret, and how many noble families and ancient races are quietly lying in wait?
"Uniting the world is a process, and my strength enhancement is also a process. Since I have already started proving my Dao, my strength will be linked to the progress of the Demon Race uniting the world. The more territory the Demon Race invades of the Human Race, the more my power will exponentially increase." Chen Sanliang’s voice was full of solemnity: "The key is whether I dare to, or whether you want to. Being on the road is braver than empty imagination!"
Hearing Chen Sanliang’s words, Zhang Chen gave a bitter smile: "Sir, you have overestimated me. I can’t even take care of myself, and I am a criminal. What right do I have to stand up for the people of the world?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Sanliang fell silent, a hint of disappointment in his eyes as he had seen the rejection in Zhang Chen’s intent.
"You still don’t believe I can succeed!" Chen Sanliang stared at Zhang Chen.
"This is an absurd notion." Zhang Chen had no need to avoid it and directly voiced his thoughts.
"But do you know how many human traitors are there in this vast land, in the Central Earth of the Divine Land?" Chen Sanliang said.
Zhang Chen was taken aback, unable to grasp the meaning behind the words.
"As long as the Great Victory Dynasty stands, the entire dynasty from top to bottom is a pyramid, an iron-clad order, unbreakable by anyone. Above there is the Human King, and below there are Ancient Races, noble families, and powerful eunuchs, a hierarchy that cannot be broken. But don’t you know that the human heart longs to rise? The families of officials want to become noble families, noble families want to become Ancient Races, and Ancient Races want to become the legitimate Human King to unite the world. The Great Victory Dynasty, established for hundreds of years, has become like a stagnant pool, sealing off all classes. Ordinary people have no upward path, and so too do noble families. Too many who want to rise have had their paths blocked by this world." Chen Sanliang’s voice was heavy:
"Although my Demon Race has been slaughtering ordinary people in Prince Pingbian’s territory, they have exceptionally favored those noble families, allowing them autonomy and granting them titles as Dukes of regions. Do you know what such actions mean to the powerful families of the world?"
Zhang Chen’s eyes flickered continuously, sensing something amiss, and a trace of unease arose in his heart.
"Take for example Pingbei Marquis, whose title ’Pingbei’ was bestowed by the Emperor to guard against Prince Pingbian. It is a crucial force in the Northern Land to restrain Prince Pingbian. The Pingbei Marquis Mansion has existed from the dynasty’s founding until the present, blocking many people’s paths. Just a few promises and enticements from my Demon Race, and the major families and officials under its command would have already turned against him. Previously, during the turmoil in the Northern Land and the Demon Race’s invasion, the Inspection and Supervision Department was on the brink of collapse. Pingbei Marquis should have gone to support them, yet was held back by the major families and officials under his command. If it wasn’t for you stepping in, those fifty thousand troops of the Inspection and Supervision Department would have fed the fish and shrimp." Chen Sanliang’s voice was full of triumph:
"And my promise was merely that if Pingbei Marquis fell, the power vacated by his core forces would be granted as is to each family."
Zhang Chen’s hand holding the wine cup shook, a look of horror in his eyes as a thought crossed his mind: "Pingbei Marquis is in danger."
"The Human Race is strong. How can they trust that your Demon Race can defeat the Human Race? Are they not afraid of being held accountable by the Human Race afterward?" Zhang Chen voiced his doubt.
Though the Demon Race had crossed the White Bone Great Wall, the Human Race had ruled the Divine Land for tens of thousands of years. Who could believe that the Demon Race would genuinely conquer the Human Race?
"In the past, of course not! But now that Zhang Shicheng has died twice in the Northern Land, his True Dragon body split, the Dragon Pearl shattered, nourishing countless Demon Races, awakening countless beasts into Demon Beasts. The beasts that gained fortune this time number no less than a million. Two True Dragons, exceeding the Tenth Tier, fell, and their Essence, Dragon Pearl, and blood nurtured countless Demon Beasts; truly, when a whale falls, all things thrive. This is a divine creation for our Demon Race. Coupled with my dissemination of the grand Dao, establishing a civilization and order for them, do you think there would be a chance of success? Especially since the Demon Race produced an Ancestor who personally went to Shangjing, restraining two Divine Artifacts of the Human Race. This act is of great significance. All these factors together are enough for those gamblers to place their bets." Chen Sanliang’s eyes burned as he looked at Zhang Chen.
He truly admired Zhang Chen and hoped Zhang Chen would join his ranks to assist him.
Zhang Chen, who was loyal and righteous, with both means and wisdom, how could he not cherish such talent?
Zhang Chen’s face turned even more bitter: "So, the Demon Race will soon head south, rushing into Pingbei Marquis’s territory, won’t they?"
"Exactly!" Chen Sanliang didn’t hide a thing.
"Sir, telling me so clearly, aren’t you afraid I might leak the information?" Zhang Chen was puzzled.
"Hahaha! Hahaha!" Upon hearing this, Chen Sanliang tilted his head back and laughed, his voice filled with indescribable mockery: "What status are you? What position? If you relay this message, you’ll only be arrested as someone spreading rumors."
"Even if you have the ability to infiltrate before Pingbei Marquis, he will never believe your words because you are a lowly person! If you appear in front of Pingbei Marquis, he would only see you as an assassin provoking him, wanting nothing more than to kill you in every possible way. Why would he listen to your gossip?" Chen Sanliang’s voice brimmed with confidence:
"So I’m not afraid of you knowing the secret. Your status has already destined you; even if you tell everything to Pingbei Marquis, he will never believe you."
"I don’t believe it! Is the disparity in status and position truly this immense?" Zhang Chen couldn’t believe it.