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

Chapter 1453 Liu Ji's Journey of the Heart

“We have our own preparations, so you don’t need to worry.” Fuqiu Gong looked at Liu Laosan with slight surprise and said, “However, the fact that you can think of this issue shows that you are very meticulous and calm.”

If there was a problem, why didn't you ask it earlier?

Many people are eager to speak, but you shrink into a corner, harboring your own thoughts but refusing to say a word.

"If you want to accomplish great things, why should you begrudge your life?"

"I just thought of that. Besides, you didn't give me a chance to speak! You guys have been discussing destiny, which I don't really understand and I'm not interested in."

The Mandate of Heaven is too illusory; it is not as reliable as three thousand armored soldiers.

If the sage were to produce a map of the Central Plains war situation, explain the current predicament to us, and ask for our strategies, I would certainly eagerly offer my opinions.

Liu Ji's words were at least 80% sincere.

The topic raised by Fuqiu Gong was vastly different from what he had expected for the meeting, and he wasn't very interested in it.

"Have you heard the latest proclamation to the people from the Great Qin Dynasty? Do you know what Yu Fengxian's main purpose was in staging the 'public trial of Yan Wushuang'?"
"When you hear the proclamation to the people, in which the Great Luo uses you as pawns and the Central Plains as a chessboard to incite chaos in the world, all for the sake of absorbing the fortune of humanity, don't you feel terrified and angry? Won't you misunderstand us?" Fuqiu Gongdao said.

Liu Laosan honestly replied, "Of course I'm a little scared, but your explanation is useless. I'm still scared but there's nothing I can do."

Fuqiu Gong was getting a little angry. "I have explained the Mandate of Heaven in detail, why are you still so frightened?"
We are not parasites, nor the source of unrest; we are upholding the Mandate of Heaven from being distorted.

Liu Laosan said, "But you also said that if you don't cause trouble, Grand Tutor Yu will bring the world into a stable state of 'peace'."

Once the great calamity of heaven and earth ends, the Qin Dynasty will once again sweep across the world, restore the Mandate of Heaven, and restore peace.

Even a fool could figure it out: the Qin Dynasty under Grand Tutor Yu's rule was definitely different from before.

She will certainly continue the current benevolent governance.

Fuqiu Gong began to look at him with new respect.

It wasn't that Liu Laosan was particularly wise or farsighted, nor was it his courage to speak so directly to Da Luo.

Instead, they remained calm and rational.

As a hidden dragon amidst a great calamity, he remains clear-headed and unaffected by the calamity's aura.

This is the most important quality of a person destined for greatness!

If one lacks wisdom, one can seek the assistance of a wise man; if one lacks foresight, a celestial master will surely support the imperial court and help analyze the situation and destiny. Only rationality, unaffected by the calamity's influence, is something no one can give or help with.

During the discussion about destiny, at least Chen Sheng and Tian Rong lost their composure and easily lost their rationality and calmness.

Chen Sheng went so far as to threaten to kill Qin Jia by withdrawing from the alliance. Chen Sheng knew perfectly well that Qin Jia was a member of the Jing family, and that Jing Ju would only be happy if he actually withdrew from the alliance.

"Now that I've told you about Yu Fengxian's strategy, will you give up your rebellion, obediently go home and enjoy Yu Fengxian's 'benevolent rule,' and wait for the arrival of a peaceful and prosperous era?"

Liu Ji asked himself the question, then shook his head and said, "I'm afraid not."

Fuqiu Gongdao said, "Then why do you say that we immortals caused chaos in the world?"

I explained to you before what destiny is, but you didn't listen or understand it.

I've explained it very simply and directly, and you still don't understand. That means you're a little slow-witted.

Liu Ji was willing to hide his shortcomings and pretend to be stupid, but he didn't want to be seen as truly stupid.

So he started speaking more bluntly, "Master, you have indeed explained it very clearly."

We are the very embodiment of the destiny that led to the Qin Dynasty's demise after only two generations.

We still want to rebel, but Heaven has decreed our fate; if most of us surrender to the Qin, you can run away.

But are you truly heartless and devoid of desire, with a pure and innocent heart?
You definitely want us to persist in the rebellion, both to get revenge on Grand Tutor Yu and for the sake of humanity and destiny, right?

How can people not be terrified by your obsession and greed?
Grand Tutor Yu only wanted to help the Qin Dynasty to govern diligently, reform its corrupt systems, and prolong its reign.

Everyone thinks it's normal for her to think and act this way.

The heroes of China could understand and admire her, and in their hearts recognized her as a pillar of the nation, and even hoped that they could also have such a virtuous minister to assist them.

If she could truly save the Qin Dynasty, she would be superior to Yi Yin, Jiang Ziya, and Guan Zhong.

What is the world's opinion of Yi Yin, Taigong, and Guan Zhong? The praise for her would only be greater.

People like you, who are considered great immortals, would praise you or empathize with you?

To be honest, please don't be angry, but I feel like you guys aren't even human anymore.

Now it was Fuqiu Gong's turn to lose his composure.

He took a deep breath, clearing his mind of the evil corpse he had severed (he had only severed the evil corpse among his three corpses), and said, "You are right. The Great Luo Golden Immortal has transcended mortals and is the human form of the Heavenly Dao."

Sages like Yi Yin and Guan Zhong followed the path of humanity, making them easily understood by ordinary people.

We walk the path of immortals, seeking the great Dao of Heaven and Earth, and are naturally incompatible with you mortals.

But the more this is the case, the more you should trust us.

Those who seek the Great Way will never stray from the Way of Heaven.

There are countless monarchs and ministers who have lost their way and deviated from the right path in the course of human affairs.

For example, Qin Shi Huang.

He was originally a man of destiny.

The term 'Warring States' alone is enough to describe the era in which he lived.

Sweeping across the nations and unifying China is the mandate of Heaven.

Unfortunately, he couldn't control himself; almost all ordinary people, sage rulers, and famous ministers eventually found it difficult to maintain their original intentions.

We seekers of the Way never change our original intentions, making us more reliable than the real Yi Yin, Taigong, and Guan Zhong.

You're too inexperienced and a bit slow-witted to understand right now.

When you truly reach the level of being 'above ten thousand people,' you'll realize just how good we are.

Liu Ji said thoughtfully, "So this great calamity of heaven and earth, after the destruction of Qin, will not restore the Zhou system and re-establish the pattern of China with many states."

After we joined forces to destroy Qin, the master of the aura of the emperor in the southeast turned around and wanted to wipe us all out?

What are those rebel kings still doing?

Those who risk their lives in rebellion only end up enriching the powerful rulers of the southeast.

Fuqiu Gongren is numb.

Why can't you grasp the main point?

Liu Ji waved his hand and said, "The Mandate of Heaven and the Great Dao are as distant and impractical to me, a mortal, as the Heavenly Emperor in the celestial realm."

For me, my own future is the biggest priority.

Fuqiu Gong sneered, "If you understood what destiny is, you wouldn't have such concerns at all."

Let me explain it to you again separately—Destiny is when God specially selects a group of people. The personality and ability of these people determine that they will single-mindedly want to do certain things and eventually succeed in doing them.

Even if Yu Fengxian used a public notice to expose how a quasi-Great Luo Immortal obtained human fortune by protecting destiny, so what?
Aren't you all firmly opposed to Qin?
Aren't you still hoping to get my support?

Even if I told you that after the Qin dynasty was destroyed, we would live in peace and continue to maintain the great alliance.

Will you obey? You will only follow your nature, fight each other, and ultimately fulfill your destiny!
It is God who chose someone with this kind of personality and potential.

It's not about selecting a person, then giving them potential and distorting their nature.

How difficult is it to go against one's true nature? Let alone you, even Yu Fengxian, even us quasi-Daluo, cannot change this instinct and fate.

Only the Great Luo Golden Immortal can escape the cycle of reincarnation and be unaffected by destiny.

Having said that, Fuqiu Gong lost patience with Liu Laosan and shouted, "If you were truly an honest and cowardly person, you would never have refused to travel through the Lesser Thousand Worlds."

You refused because you had a secret in your heart and didn't want to reveal your hand.

This precisely demonstrates your cunning, treacherous nature, and ambitious nature.

This collective time travel mission not only aims to reconcile the conflicts between the various rebel kings, but also to determine a strategy for destroying the Qin dynasty during the journey.

The overall strategy and specific tactics will be discussed and agreed upon.

In other words, which city belongs to whom, and whoever conquers it, is all part of the alliance.

Since you weren't involved, there's nothing to do with conquering or dividing the country.

You can either continue to suffer in Mangdang Mountain, or go down the mountain to become a staff member or retainer of some hero.

If that's truly what you think, then stay here!

After saying that, he turned and drifted away.

Liu Ji hurriedly grabbed his sleeve and said, "Great Immortal, don't be anxious, don't be angry."

You're right, I'm stupid and slow-witted. Now I finally understand what destiny is!

“If that’s the case, let’s stop talking nonsense and join them as time travelers!” said Fuqiu Gongdao.

"I have one last question," Liu Ji said, his eyes gleaming. "How do we divide the territory? And how do we ensure that we can successfully take control of the divided territory in reality?"

“What matters is not the territory, but the manifestation of your respective destinies,” said Fuqiu Gongdao.

"What do you mean?" Liu Ji asked.

"Your destiny is the achievements you can attain based on your character and abilities."

To allow you to fully realize your destiny is to let you unleash your talents to the fullest.

Once you've fully utilized your talents, the amount of territory you acquire is what you can gain in reality.

Once or twice, some people will definitely be dissatisfied. They will be jealous of you and try to suppress you.

But if this happens repeatedly, and each time your destiny is fulfilled, they will come to terms with reality.

Because Yu Fengxian is delaying the inevitable and continuing her grand strategy of benevolent governance to win over the people, the Qin Dynasty is not putting much pressure on you.

So much so that you all have the illusion that I am capable, that I can become the second Chen Sheng by shouting "Are kings and nobles born with special privileges?"

You are a disorganized bunch, and there are even signs of infighting.

This situation will definitely change drastically after the collective time travel.

Fuqiu Gong stared at Liu Ji and said in a deep voice, "Take you for example. You are not even a local king in the county. You are just a bandit who occupies the mountain. Yet you dare to clamor for the King of Chu."

After the group travels through time, you will obediently seek out a lord to serve.

With Liu Laosan back in the group, Fuqiu Gong did not delay any longer and immediately used his magic.

He first threw out an apple-sized "Eight-Turn Yang God Golden Elixir".

The Yang Shen Golden Elixir is a precious elixir that even Golden Immortals crave. It can help Golden Immortals cleanse the Yin essence in their immortal souls and completely transform into pure Yang Yuan Shen.

The Eight-Turn Yang God Immortal Pill is now spinning in mid-air, like a nightclub ambient light, casting beams of colorful divine light into the crowd below.

They didn't find it glaring at all; instead, deep in their souls, they felt a sense of exhilaration, like withered rice seedlings finally meeting summer rain.

Then, Fuqiu Gong made hand seals and chanted incantations to extract their celestial souls.

As the saying goes, the two souls of Heaven and Earth are always outside, while only the soul of life goes alone to the body.

The Heavenly and Earthly Souls are two of the three souls, yet they can leave the human body and roam the heavens and earth without causing any harm to themselves.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~~" Beams of light flew out from above the heads of the heroes of the Divine Land, like shooting stars.

Hundreds of meteors formed a galaxy.

Guided by Fuqiu Gong, the Milky Way streaked across the void, rushed out of the Dragon Palace, went straight into the Heavenly Realm, arrived at Xiaoyou Cave Heaven, and then fell into the "Immortal Transformation Pool".

The Immortal Transformation Pool, a small-scale grotto, is not only the only spatiotemporal node connecting the "lower realm" and the "heavenly realm," but also the place where laws and energy are transformed.

Immortals who ascend from the Lesser Thousand Worlds and the Middle Thousand Worlds must first enter the Immortal Transformation Pool to complete the reconstruction of their immortal bodies before they can enter the "First Heaven"—the Lesser Cave Heaven.

The new immortal body was not yet able to adapt to the rules of heaven and earth in the human world of Pangu, but it was able to move freely in the middle realm.

After cultivating in a small celestial realm for tens of thousands of years, immortals in the lower realms will gradually become like immortals in the normal Pangu world, able to come and go freely.

In order to manage the lower realm, Xiaoyoudongtian would often arrange for immortals to descend to the "lower realm".

For an immortal to descend to the mortal realm, they must immerse their primordial spirit in the Immortal Transformation Pool and reconstruct their immortal body before they can adapt to the rules of the mortal realm.

Now, heroes of China are regarded as "immortals" in the mortal realm.

Beams of spiritual light fell into the Immortal Transformation Pool, reconstructing soul bodies within it, allowing them to see and communicate with each other.

It's like guys from Northeast China chatting with each other while soaking in a public bathhouse.

"Brother Liu, why did you change your mind so quickly?" Ying Bu asked curiously.

"Soon?" Old Liu's eyes darted around. "Master Fuqiu had a private conversation with me for almost half an hour!"

He patiently and kindly taught me, and finally I understood the true meaning of destiny, so I came.”

"Did Fuqiu Gong speak to you? When? I didn't see him speak." Not only Ying Bu was surprised, but the heroes in the vicinity also looked over.

Liu Laosan exclaimed as if suddenly realizing something, "Oh, Master Fuqiu used the technique of dividing the two realms to create an independent spacetime."

Everyone suddenly understood, but they were even more puzzled.

"Why were you unwilling to travel through time before? Why did Master Fuqiu try to persuade you?" Qin Jia asked, squinting his eyes.

Liu Laosan said smugly, "Why wouldn't I want to travel through time? I did it on purpose."

Hehehe, how many words did you exchange with Master Fuqiu? I talked with him for half an hour by myself.

He also promised to support my imperial court and find me a good lord in the future!

"What? Lord Fuqiu wants to support the Dragon Court, and you too?" The heroes were both shocked and skeptical. "He is a quasi-Great Luo Immortal, he doesn't support the Dragon Court."

Liu Laosan laughed and said, "Fuqiu Gong and the others must be watching us right now. Would I dare to lie?"

Master Fuqiu pursues the great principles of heaven and earth; he certainly wouldn't go back on his word. He appreciates me and is willing to support me.

"You bastard, you deliberately said you didn't want to travel through time, which led to Master Fuqiu coming to inquire about the reason. Then you used your silver tongue to persuade Master Fuqiu to assist you, didn't you?"

Qin Jia, Zhu Jishi, Ying Bu, and the others all had red eyes, and their expressions were twisted with jealousy.

"That's right, that's exactly it. I have neither soldiers nor royal ancestors. It would be extremely difficult to start a rebellion in Sishui. I can only seek help from the great immortal." Liu Laosan shouted loudly, "Now that we have the help of Master Fuqiu, what is a mere Marquis of the Eastern Sea? What does it matter if you all laugh at me for being a coward?"

"Liu Ji is utterly shameless," Xiang Yu said with a look of disdain.

"This lad is worth befriending." A flicker of jealousy crossed Xiang Liang's eyes, but admiration was more of a strong feeling.

“Let’s go over and have a talk with him. He’s a local from Sishui. If we get his help, taking Pengcheng will be much easier.”

(End of this chapter)