If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1449 The Theory of Destiny
After Fuqiu Gong finished speaking with deep emotion, no one spoke for a long time.

Some people were deep in thought, some looked worried, and some looked confused.
In the end, it was Chen Sheng, who was sitting in the front row and the center, who spoke first: "Lord Fuqiu, you and all the other immortals are supreme beings who are about to attain the Great Luo Dao."

I believe that you understand destiny and the will of Heaven, and the result of your joint deduction is certainly correct.

However, I also have a question.

What is destiny?

If destiny represents a future that is arranged by God and is bound to happen, then the well-known destiny of the Qin Dynasty's demise after only two generations should be the greatest and most unshakeable destiny.

This destiny is far greater than the so-called "the southeast has the aura of an emperor".

The current situation is that the greatest and most unshakeable destiny has been shaken, and all the great immortals need to personally step in to save it.

So, are other insignificant minor destinies even more easily altered?

Should we pursue even minor destinies with all our might and without regard to the cost?

—If the Qin Dynasty, which lasted only two generations, could have ended such a massive "lump" of destiny, why are you so insistent that my "first uprising" has already ended my destiny?

Why must we pursue the owner of the "Southeast Emperor's Aura" whose whereabouts are unknown, and even at the cost of making sacrifices for the "Southeast Emperor's Aura" to make room for it, even though I have already established a powerful Chu state?

He already knew that the Dragon King of the East Sea had secretly met with Liu Ji, Xiang Liang, and others, and formed an alliance with them as the "True Dragon Emperor".

He alone was not invited and did not receive the dragon clan's fortune.

Although the Dragon King of the East Sea acted covertly, the commotion he caused was actually quite significant. First of all, Ao Guang even killed Commander Yuan, who served Chen Sheng. How could Chen Sheng not be shocked and furious, and not investigate the reasons?
Secondly, Ao Guang cast a wide net, gathering too many heroes from across the land to form an alliance.

Both Lian Yingbu and Qin Jia received a true dragon's fortune.

However, Ying Bu and Qin Jia were at odds with Chen Sheng, so how could this be kept secret?
Of course, Ao Guang might not have intended to hide it. The phoenix's cry on Mount Qi was known throughout the world and would be celebrated in history.

Ao Guang only regretted that Grand Tutor Yu's majesty was too overwhelming at this moment, and the Dragon Palace of the East Sea dared not directly confront him. Otherwise, he would definitely have gathered the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas, causing ten thousand dragons to stir up the sea, shocking the Three Realms, and letting the world know the destiny of the "True Dragon Son of Heaven".

As soon as the meeting began, Fuqiu Gong encountered a troublemaker, but he had anticipated this and remained calm, saying, "'Destiny' is a trend."

It's not that God plays a game of chess, treating all beings in the three realms as specific chess pieces, manipulating each person to make every choice.

For example, you, King of Chu.

If the master of the aura of the emperor in the southeast were to appear at this time, would you be willing to abdicate, hand over the imperial seal, and present the map and household register of Zhang Chu?
Obviously, you won't.

Do you have the courage to rebel against Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor in history? Can the master of the aura of the emperor in the southeast compare with Qin Shi Huang?

So even though you know that destiny lies with him, you still draw your sword and point it at the master of the southeastern emperor.

Even for those born under a destiny, having a destiny doesn't mean they can simply sit back and wait for it to come to fruition.

If he doesn't put in more effort than you and possess wisdom and courage that surpass yours, he may suffer a miserable fate when facing your suppression and encirclement, or even perish prematurely.

This is why the destiny of "the Qin Dynasty will only last two generations" was seriously threatened at this time.

But another problem arises: to fulfill one's destiny, one needs great wisdom, great perseverance, and great courage.

What price would be paid to reverse fate, and how difficult would it be?

Fuqiu Gong looked at Chen Sheng with a calm gaze and a faint pity in his eyes. "In order to change the fate of the Qin Dynasty, which will only last for two generations, Yu Fengxian has hardly had a full day of rest since he became the Grand Tutor of Qin."

Even during the Lunar New Year, she only had a reunion dinner with her friends.

During this period, he also dealt with a lot of official business that had been piling up in the Xianyang court, and went out again on the second day of the Lunar New Year.

She was frantically improving her strength; the phrase "a thousand miles a day" wouldn't even begin to describe how quickly her cultivation was progressing.

When I first met her in Chu during the first half of last year, she didn't even have the strength to face me directly; all she could do was run away.

Just a few days ago this year, she publicly killed the Deer Cauldron Immortal, whose cultivation was no less than mine.

Besides her hard work and exceptional talent for spiritual cultivation, she is also exceptionally intelligent, possessing great wisdom and magnanimity.

The wealth accumulated in Xianyang would dazzle and intoxicate even immortals. Yu Fengxian, a barbarian from a foreign land, who had never seen the world, would surely be unable to control his greed.

But what did she do? She simply gave away countless treasures left behind by the human emperor Qin Shi Huang and implemented ten years of benevolent rule.

Who among you has that kind of courage?

Li Si had offended her, so she made him the chief of the military command, a position with even higher authority than before, because Li Si was truly capable.

If any one of Li Si, Feng Quji, Guowei Liao, or the Meng brothers had survived, the difficulty of destroying Qin would have increased more than tenfold.

Therefore, according to the original destiny, they should all have been executed by Huhai within half a year.

They have all survived because Yu Fengxian, in addition to her magnanimity and wisdom, also understands destiny and fate.

Only such people could possibly challenge the established destiny.

King of Chu, you said the destiny of the 'Eastern Son of Heaven' is slightly less than that.

I'll assume you're right for now, but is there another Yu Fengxian in the world?

Even though Chen Sheng was extremely resentful, he fell silent and dared not say anything like "Yu Fengxian is nothing more than this or that".

In terms of strength and talent, if he dared to say that he was better than her, he would be laughed at by the whole world.

He said he worked even harder than her. Last Spring Festival, he married five concubines, and the festivities lasted all night long, from the beginning of the year until the eighteenth day of the first lunar month.

He wanted to say that his magnanimity and courage were no less than hers.

But then he remembered the ballad "Sarcastic Song of Chen Sheng's Seeking Wealth and Power," which Tian Rong had written to slander him.

Just as he thought of Tian Rong, Tian Rong said, "If the master of the Southeast Emperor's Qi is destined to be the emperor, the efforts of others will only bring disaster upon themselves."

Why don't we submit to the Qin Dynasty, instead of choosing the more arduous path of waiting to be conquered by the true Son of Heaven?

"Damn it, I knew Qi was unreliable."

Immediately, heroes from all over the country cried out in righteous indignation.

"Last time, when Ying Zheng swept across the six kingdoms, the State of Qi stood by and watched helplessly as the tyrannical Qin destroyed the other states. Now it seems that the Tian family of Qi is a dog that can't change its nature."

Tian Rong was furious and turned to the heroes who were talking nonsense, shouting: "Are you all stupid pigs?"

What I'm saying isn't just my personal concern, but a problem that all potential dragons inevitably face.

At this moment, the Immortal Fuqiu is here, willing to interpret our destiny for us.

Should we keep it to ourselves instead of speaking it out on the spot, letting it fester into a demon of mutual suspicion among everyone?

"Only your Qitian clan has such inner demons! We swear to never coexist with the tyrannical Qin!" Xiang Ji shouted sternly.

Ying Bu immediately echoed loudly, "Brother Xiang, you're right! I'd rather submit to Chen Sheng than consider surrendering to the tyrannical Qin."

“That’s right, the reason we are gathered together is because of our opposition to Qin. Whether we seek refuge with the King of Chu, join Xiang Liang, or even submit to you, Tian Rong, we must never surrender to the tyrannical Qin.”

Including their subordinates, there were more than 700 heroes from all over China present, with the furthest coming from the Baiyue region.

Regardless of where they came from, they all disdained surrendering to the imperial court and were furious and instinctively disgusted with Tian Rong for proposing such an idea.

Upon seeing their reaction, Fuqiu Gong was overjoyed and exclaimed, "What is destiny? This is destiny!"
King of Jiaozhou, King of Chu, take a look at everyone's performance.

This is what I mean by the general trend.

The anti-Qin movement was an inevitable trend, and the idea that the tyrannical Qin dynasty was doomed was deeply ingrained in people's minds. With such a powerful trend, how could the destiny of Qin's demise not be fulfilled?

Then he softened his tone and said, "However, at this alliance meeting, everyone should speak freely. If you don't speak your mind, it may really turn into a demon in your heart."

He turned to Tian Rong and asked, "King of Jiaozhou, tell me the truth, why do you think that surrendering to the Qin Dynasty would become a mental demon for all the rebel kings?"

Tian Rong turned and glanced at the heroes of Shenzhou who had just rebuked and mocked him, saying, "I also have the courage of youth, but I know very well that youthful courage cannot last. When you are left with only a lonely city, when the hearts of your soldiers are scattered, you will suddenly realize how precious it is to be alive."

At that time, the first person you would think of is Yan Wushuang.

Yan Wushuang was the reincarnation of Yan Dan, and he even assassinated the King of Bohai and killed the King's heir.

—If he can survive, then if I surrender willingly, at least I can keep my wealth and status.

Or, as Fuqiu Gong previously stated, Yu Fengxian intends to maintain a long-term 'peace' to allow our ancestral temples and altars to continue.

If that's the case, why insist on a fight to the death with the Qin Dynasty?

Xiang Liang frowned and said, "King of Jiaozhou, do you not know what happened to Tian Jian, the King of Qi, after he surrendered to Qin?"
Ying Zheng exiled him to Gongdi, ostensibly to allow him to remain king and continue the ancestral temples and altars of the Qi state.

But then he turned around and threw King Jian of Qi into a pine and cypress forest, forbidding anyone to approach him, and let him starve to death.

Yu Fengxian is now willing to spend a fortune to buy horse bones, so she lets Yan Wushuang live.

Do you really think Yan Wushuang can live forever, or even leave behind descendants?

Tian Rong sighed and said, "Lord Xiang Liang, what you are talking about is experience, what I am talking about is human nature and reality."

We'll see.

Many of the heroes of China who criticize and mock me now will surely surrender to the Qin Dynasty in the future.

And I, Tian Rong, will protect the glory of the Great Qi with my life.

Even if the Tian family of Qi were to truly be forced to surrender, it would only be after they had reached a dead end and all their power had been exhausted.
And it's not that I'm surrendering; I will never surrender.

"What makes you say that? I could say you'd be the first to surrender! We'll see who in the anti-Qin alliance will be the first to compromise with the tyrannical Qin, or secretly reach an agreement."

The VIPs and premium VIPs who were close to Tian Rong remained silent.

It was still the heroes of China, far away and whose faces he couldn't see, who were calling out.

It wasn't just the heroes of distant China who were indignant.

In fact, no one around Tian Rong gave him a friendly look.

But Tian Rong is still the King of Jiaozhou, and Qi remains a powerful vassal state. It might feel good to argue with him now, but what if the Tian family retaliates after the meeting?
Tian Rong sneered, "I, Tian Rong, have lived a life of wealth and honor. Even if I were to die now, I would have no regrets."

Most of you are heroes of the martial world, and now you have suddenly achieved great things, enjoying wealth, beautiful wives and concubines, and a life of luxury and debauchery.

When you are in dire straits, about to lose them, can you still hold fast to your beliefs and face death with equanimity?

“Even if we are no match for the tyrannical Qin, we will choose a wise ruler to serve. Or we can jointly honor a chief heir, just like the Five Heirs of the Central Plains in the past, and let the chief heir lead us to resist the tyrannical Qin,” someone said.

Tian Rong wanted to continue his sarcasm, but "bochang" was an extremely sensitive word, which made him calm down instantly: Damn it, I'm trying to compete with Chen Sheng for the position of "bochang" and win people's hearts, how did I end up arguing with these peasants?

He secretly glanced at Chen Sheng out of the corner of his eye.

The King of Chu indeed showed a look of pleasure on his face, but there was also a hint of mockery in his eyes.

Tian Rong cursed himself a hundred times in his heart, "I'm an idiot," and five hundred times, "Chen Sheng is a scoundrel," but quickly adjusted his expression and sighed, "This is precisely the purpose of this alliance meeting."

Of course I hope this goal can be achieved, otherwise what am I doing here?

There are many problems to be solved in order to form an ironclad alliance with a unified ideology.

I raised this question in the hope that Master Fuqiu would help everyone solve it.

But you treat me as the problem itself, as if the problem would be solved simply by stomping me into the mud.

How can we expect to cooperate closely if we can't even communicate effectively?

Upon hearing this, many indignant heroes of China softened their expressions.

Some people even looked embarrassed and guilty.

Fuqiu Gongdao said, "Please listen to what I have to say. First of all, what the King of Jiaozhou is worried about is indeed possible, but he is also worrying unnecessarily."

Humanity is the protagonist of heaven and earth. Heaven cherishes its people, and heaven will grant their desires; the will of heaven will be with the people.

The tyrannical Qin dynasty was immoral and depraved, causing widespread resentment among the people. Heaven, moved by this, granted you your destiny.

It is you, not the people of the Central Plains today, who represent 'public opinion' and destiny.

The power of public opinion is immense; it can change destiny. However, public opinion is fickle.

Ordinary people are short-sighted and can only care about what's in front of them.

The court treated them badly, and they only wished they could perish with the world; once the court implemented benevolent policies for ten years and truly improved their lives, they lost their determination to perish with the Qin Dynasty.

You are different; you represent the collective will of all living beings in China, past and present.

You are God's choice, and also humanity's choice.

These are the true thoughts of Fuqiu Gong, or rather, those aspiring to become Great Immortals. The will of the people shapes the destiny, and those who bear the destiny are the "Mandate of Heaven," namely, these heroes of China. Therefore, their core focus is on these hidden dragons of China, not the people of "this world."

But if Grand Tutor Yu is here... well, Grand Tutor Yu is indeed here, and she also heard what Master Fuqiu said.

Instead of showing any concern, she curled her lips into a mocking sneer.

In this game of destiny, her and the future Grandmaster's strategies differed from the outset. Her core policy was ten years of benevolent governance, serving only the common people and winning their hearts. While she didn't exactly disdain the rising star of China, she certainly didn't expend much effort or time targeting him.

Looking at the group of seemingly enlightened and excited potential talents of the Chinese people, Fuqiu Gong continued, "If a few of you heroes are forced by circumstances or tempted by interests, you may choose to submit to the Qin Dynasty."

The choices of a few have no impact on the overall situation, so there's no need to worry.

If most of you submit to the Qin Dynasty, it means that the Mandate of Heaven has changed.

"So be it. This humble Taoist will follow the new will of the people and the will of Heaven, and submit a letter of surrender to Yu Fengxian."

Xiang Yu, unable to bear it any longer, suddenly stood up, pointed at Fuqiu Gong, and shouted: "Great Immortal Fuqiu, what nonsense are you spouting?!"

You're here to boost morale and help us unite, not to say discouraging things.

The tyrannical Qin dynasty was doomed! I'm telling you, changing fate won't change anything!

"You scoundrel, how dare you be so rude!" Xiang Lianggong's face turned pale with fright, and he tried to pull his nephew away.

"Well said!" Fuqiu Gong exclaimed with a broad smile.

“King of Jiaozhou, do you see that? Look at the others too.”

Even if they didn't fly into a rage and slam their fists on the table like Xiang Ji, they all looked resentful and felt very uncomfortable.

The Mandate of Heaven has not changed; you still represent the Mandate of Heaven to destroy Qin.

As long as your faith remains unwavering, no matter how diligent, intelligent, skilled, or powerful Yu Fengxian may be, it will all be useless; the Great Qin Dynasty will surely perish!

Xiang Yu was stunned and sat back down, somewhat embarrassed.

Tian Rong was unconvinced, thinking that Xiang Ji was just a greenhorn.

The youthful courage of a greenhorn is meaningless.

However, he couldn't find fault with what Fuqiu Gong had said earlier.

If they all surrender, then Master Fuqiu will have nothing to worry about anymore. He should just run away and not risk his life fighting with Grand Tutor Yu.

They are only here to gain human fortune; destroying Qin is a means to obtain human fortune, not the goal.

(End of this chapter)