The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 323 The last traitor of the Gao family is executed! (6k)

All the cultivators stopped and gazed into the distance, their eyes fixed on the duel between the two sword-wielders.

The Dingjian and Xiaojia are relics left behind by the first ruler of the world to establish a dynasty, and can be regarded as symbols of the way of kings and hegemons.

Although the sword masters of each generation were not known for their swordsmanship, this sword possessed an awe-inspiring and domineering power. Once wielded by a king at the foot of the mountain, he could use it to overthrow his superiors and defy immortals, making the cultivators on the mountain both love and hate it.

After all, this sword is of little significance to them, unless they are willing to get involved in the mortal world, devote themselves to the secular world, and become a monarch who is swept up by the dragon vein and the fate of the nation.

However, if left unattended, unforeseen changes may occur—if a king at the foot of the mountain obtains this sword, he will often be able to command the world and hold sway over various sects.

As for the other sword, its origins are even more astonishing.

That was the sword that Confucius used when he traveled around the world and spread his teachings. It was not only a relic of the founders of the three religions and a treasure of Confucianism, but also one of the most important weapons in the world.

Even more astonishingly, the character "仁" (ren, meaning benevolence) was cast inside the sword!

In the past, Confucianism and the dynasty complemented each other, but now we can see these two immortal swords, each representing its own path, clashing in a battle. Such a grand spectacle is truly exhilarating!

Just as the cultivators were marveling at this, they suddenly saw the sky clear again, as if an invisible sleeve had swept across the sky in an instant.

Few who have survived to this day are ordinary people, so they noticed this strange occurrence.

Their hearts skipped a beat, for this must mean that the God of Slaughter had finally wiped out all the powerful cultivators who had been drawn into his supernatural powers!
"In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, he killed all those powerful cultivators?!"

In an instant, many cultivators were already thinking of fleeing.

It is certainly rare for two immortal swords to clash, but what if the God of Slaughter gets carried away and takes them both down?
As they were pondering this, they suddenly saw a divine bull, almost half the size of Kyoto, fall from the sky into the void, then rapidly shrink until it disappeared.

After recognizing what it was, the Tiannan Sect Master's lips twitched slightly as he said:

"It looks like that ancient divine ox that once alarmed even the Heavenly Court? I never expected to see it here."

The appraiser beside him glanced at it and sighed even more:

"This divine ox was bestowed upon us by Heaven and Earth to recognize the achievements of the ancient Emperor Jihua in controlling the floods. If I'm not mistaken, perhaps this divine ox was fed the blood of Emperor Jihua's descendants during that divine power? Even with both sides combined, it still lost. Truly..."

No sooner had they spoken than they saw a palace ruin thrown out of nothingness. But this time, instead of falling, it carried the corpses of many cultivators and flew high into the sky before disappearing into the horizon.

Then a deafening roar came from afar.

Only when a skilled cultivator cast a spell to look into the distance did they see that the ruins of the palace had been transformed into a large tomb, where the many cultivators who had died within that supernatural power were buried together in a place where mountains and rivers meet.

Seeing this scene, the cultivators sighed even more deeply:
"Those ruins look like the Su'e Palace?"

"The eldest brother is dead. I just saw his body with my own eyes on the ruins. Even his sword, 'Wind Howl,' is broken!"

"Not only that, everyone who went in is gone. They died way too quickly."

"What the hell is this cultivation level? There weren't many like this even back in the day!"

"I thought the capital city would be a fierce battle, and I was even planning to open a betting pool to see who would win. Now look what's happened, not only are they all dead, but who can compete with this guy now!"

Do you think this gentleman will do something about those two sword masters?

"Who knows? Take care of yourselves first, everyone. I'll be going now. This Kyoto is getting boring."

As they spoke, the cultivators who were still hiding in various corners saw groups of cultivators flying away from the capital, some stepping into the air and others riding on their swords.

However, a considerable number of them remained where they were, unwilling to give up.

I'm planning to wait and see, just in case things change.
The people on the mountain were filled with anxiety, as were the people of Kyoto.

They either stayed at home or gathered in the streets, discussing the great changes of the day or worrying about the emperor behind the palace walls.

However, inside the Cui family mansion in Qinghe, Cui Shilu discovered that his cousin had disappeared without a trace after checking that his aunt was alright!
At the window of a restaurant near the White Jade Bridge in the Imperial Palace, Du Yuan was caressing and playing with a divine ox that had shrunk to the size of a palm. The red copper patterns on the ox's body gleamed faintly under her fingertips.

Suddenly he stopped what he was doing, and when he looked up, there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. He chuckled and said:
"Young Master Wang, what brings you here?"

The elegantly dressed young man had just left the Cui family and was rushing towards this place.

Upon hearing Du Yuan speak, he quickly cupped his hands and bowed, saying:
"I felt I had to come here to see you, so I tried to look for the place where you disappeared. I didn't expect that our fate was truly not over, and that I found you so easily."

Du Yuan raised her hand, gesturing for him to sit down:
"Sit down, you don't have to stand all the time."

The elegantly dressed young man bowed and then sat down opposite him.

As his gaze swept over the terrifying sword light surging within the palace walls, his brows furrowed involuntarily:

"I have long heard of Gao Cheng. In my previous assessment, although he was a man of great talent, he was too rigid and self-restrained, and ultimately he was not capable of great things."

"Oh? How do you know?" Du Yuan tapped the table with her fingertip and asked curiously.

"Because he had to uphold his duty of loyalty to the emperor and love for his country, while also adhering to the principles of propriety, filial piety, benevolence, and brotherly love."

The elegantly dressed young man's tone grew increasingly somber:

"But as Gao Huan's eldest son, in that position, he either had to persuade his father to usurp the throne early on, and then act as the crown prince to oversee the country, which might fulfill his wish to reform the court; or he could simply commit suicide to repay the country's kindness and preserve his reputation for loyalty to the emperor and love for the country."

"But he insisted on being stuck in the middle, wanting to denounce the Gao family for their tyranny and harm to the country, yet unable to let go of his identity as a son of the Gao family."

The elegantly dressed young man couldn't help but shake his head:
"In the end, the court was still in complete chaos, and he himself went from being the only person who had the opportunity to reform the country to a minor magistrate in a remote county."

"The fact that the world hasn't completely spiraled out of control is entirely due to the fact that the emperor he is currently ruling truly has the countenance of an emperor."

At this point, he turned to look at Du Yuan, his eyes filled with even greater confusion:
"Therefore, I really can't understand how someone like him could wield the benevolent sword of the Sage Confucius? And why could you personally protect him, senior?"

The benevolent sword naturally seeks benevolence, but one must never seek benevolence and incur misfortune!
The difficulty of practicing benevolence lies in its versatility; it cannot be rigid or rash. It is extremely difficult!
But Gao Cheng was clearly too pedantic.

He paused, then, as if gathering his courage, lowered his voice even further and asked with utmost caution, "May I ask, senior, is this... the intention of the Confucian Temple?"

Du Yuan smiled and said:
Have you seen Gao Cheng in person?

"No, I've only heard about it. After all, he died too young."

The elegantly dressed young man shook his head slightly. Du Yuan, meanwhile, looked at the sword light behind the palace wall and said:
"I've seen him before, so I helped him!"

The elegantly dressed young man frowned and said, "Senior should care about all the people under heaven, but according to Gao Cheng, he demanded that the monarch should always implement benevolent policies, but forgot that adapting to the times and acting according to circumstances is the key to great success."

"Moreover, it is inherently difficult to reason with a monarch."

"Of course, I can't say he's wrong about what he said and what he asked for, but it's not practical at all. If we force him, I'm afraid he'll make such a rare and powerful leader as Yaoshi Yuan take his leave too soon."

"At that time, who will shoulder the burden of this world?"

"If he could find a better ruler than Yaoshiyuan to withstand this unprecedented upheaval, then he would naturally be without fault, and Yaoshiyuan would deserve to be reprimanded and killed by him. But no one has one!"

Du Yuan chuckled and picked up her teacup, saying:
"I believe he's not that simple!"

What Du Yuan saw and heard in Hexi and what she observed in the capital all led her to choose to believe Gao Cheng.

This person is definitely not that simple.

The elegantly dressed young man frowned deeply, but did not refute further. He simply turned his head and looked behind the palace wall.
-
Inside the palace, the pharmacist Yuan, who wields the Xiaojia sword, is locked in a power struggle with Gao Cheng, who wields the Renjian sword.

Sword energy overflowed, and the Dao represented by the two immortal swords clashed continuously.

It made it difficult for even ordinary soldiers, let alone cultivators, to get close.

Looking at the pharmacist so close at hand.

Gao Cheng suddenly said:

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for speaking to you under such circumstances!"

The pharmacist was momentarily stunned:
"What do you mean?"

The sword energy remained as long as the rainbow, and the struggle between the two great paths never ceased.

Anyone looking at it would only think that the two of them were fighting to the death.

“Your Majesty, what I just said and what I asked for are indeed what I truly desire. I have always hoped for a virtuous ruler like Emperor Renzong.”

Having witnessed the cruelty of his father and relatives, and being soft-hearted in his youth, Gao Cheng found it difficult to fully understand and implement the law even when he was in power.

They often over-reward others while lightly punishing them.

Therefore, the monarch he longed for was always a benevolent ruler like Emperor Renzong of the previous dynasty, believing that only in that way could the people of the world have a way to survive.

But precisely because of this, he became increasingly intolerant of his father's actions, and after another fierce argument, he sadly went to take up a post in Hexi.

He possessed the talent to govern a country, and now he used his worldly wisdom to govern a county. With the added advantage of being the eldest son of the Gao family, his rule quickly yielded considerable results.

Just as he resolved to live in this remote place and never again concern himself with the court's intrigues, he suddenly heard the news that his father had been executed by the emperor.

That day, he spent the entire day in the backyard of the county government office, experiencing both glory and desolation.

A thousand thoughts surged within me, and I was completely at a loss as to how to react.

He also remembered that that night, his advisors hurriedly advised him: "You should quickly gather the remaining Gao clan members in the name of Gao Huan's eldest son and raise an army to oppose the emperor."

This might allow them to establish a new dynasty and achieve the great feat of a founding emperor!

Seeing that he did not respond for a long time, the advisors changed their strategy: still as the eldest son of the Gao family, they wrote to the emperor, recounting the disasters caused by the Gao family in the past, explaining that the emperor's massacre of the capital was not an indiscriminate killing, but a restoration of order, and then asked to be imprisoned in prison, using retreat as a means of advancement, in order to seek the emperor's mercy.

This would not only ensure his safety but also guarantee him a life of wealth and security. However, he still refused, so his advisors had to persuade him again: since he was unwilling to follow the first two options, he should quickly take off his official robes, hang his seal in the court, and flee to another place with his gold, silver, and valuables, living in anonymity from then on.

In this way, at least their lives can be saved!

He offered all three strategies, but he didn't follow any of them.

He simply bowed deeply to his staff in farewell, then turned back to the courtroom to continue handling unfinished official business, as if the blood feud between the Gao family and the pharmacist family had never happened.

He then quietly waited for the Imperial Guards sent by the Pharmacist to arrest him, and calmly went to the capital to await his death.

The moment he heard the news of his father's death, he suddenly understood: the reign of Emperor Renzong of the previous dynasty had indeed won the praise of the people.

A benevolent ruler should not emerge in times of chaos—a benevolent ruler can only be an embellishment of a prosperous era. In times of chaos, such benevolence is not only useless, but also harmful and without any benefit!
What he seeks cannot be fulfilled now.

After all, a benevolent ruler can only govern prosperity, not chaos!
Therefore, he was unwilling to start a rebellion, as that would bring chaos to the world for his own selfish interests.

He was unwilling to sever ties with the Gao family and imprison himself to save his life, because he was Gao Huan's son and a member of the rebels, and should be restored to order by the emperor and executed.

He was even less willing to live in hiding, because besides being the "son of a damned rebel," he was also the magistrate of Hexi County. Now that the successor of the court had not yet arrived and the well-being of the people of the county was not yet stable, he would never abandon the people under his rule in this time of chaos.

Subsequently, while handling the affairs of Hexi and appeasing the people, he also gradually gathered information from the capital and the emperor's response.

As a result, he began to understand more and more.

Although he was still dissatisfied with the emperor's excessive killings, he accepted that this was the only way to restore order to the world.

He was trying to restore the emperor's actions and intentions in Hexi and then re-examine whether there was a more complete method.

But all he got was the feeling that he couldn't do better, or even do what he was doing right now.

Even if he understood, he couldn't overcome his conscience and bring himself to kill.

Even if he forced himself to think this way, his innate and acquired soft nature would prevent him from ever being so resolute.

Therefore, after confirming that the emperor could indeed restore order and should be a great ruler.

He then fully accepted that the only thing he should do at that moment was to govern Hexi well, and then die as a member of the Gao clan's rebel faction.

Even so, even when imprisoned or sent to the guillotine, he still praised the emperor, because the emperor had accomplished what he had always wanted but could not bring to the people—reformation!
Even if the emperor is not the benevolent ruler he most likes and expects!

Even when he was awakened by someone in the form of a Yin spirit, the first thing he did upon opening his eyes was to hurriedly confirm whether the emperor had become the enlightened ruler who had restored order to the country, just as he had thought back then!

Fortunately, everything went smoothly without any problems, and the emperor even exceeded his expectations on several occasions.

The cabinet and the imperial examinations were all strokes of genius that made him tremble with fear whenever he thought about them.

However, he soon discovered a major problem—just as the benevolent ruler he most hoped for could not emerge in a chaotic era.

In such a rapidly changing world, even the emperor could not withstand it.
For the first time, the pharmacist felt a surge of panic, a feeling he hadn't experienced even when he was resigned to his death.

Therefore he said sternly:
"Gao Cheng, what exactly are you trying to say?!"

Gao Cheng looked at the emperor and said, word by word:

"Your Majesty, a benevolent ruler cannot govern a chaotic world, and a tyrannical ruler cannot handle such a world of great change."

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

The pharmacist found it absurd. What did he mean by saying that a tyrannical ruler could not handle such a rapidly changing world?

"Do you really think that so-called benevolent ruler is capable of shouldering this heavy responsibility?"

The two immortal swords continued to vie for supremacy in their hands, and amidst the intertwining sword shadows, the struggle between the two great paths showed no sign of abating.

"I will tell you today that benevolence and virtue can never subdue officials or win people's hearts. Only by firmly grasping power and establishing authority can we ensure lasting peace and stability!"

"Otherwise, what do you think those powerful families outside fear? Is it my title as the Son of Heaven, or the Nine Guards of the Emperor that I have painstakingly built up?"

"Benevolence! Benevolence! What can these two words buy in exchange for military power? Without military power, why should the people of the world obey my orders? Why should my laws be implemented in the local areas?"

"I tell you, the common people can be benevolent, and noble families can be virtuous, but I alone cannot! Only when I use thunderous means to suppress the demons and monsters of the world can you talk about this so-called benevolence and virtue!"

Gao Cheng nodded:

"Your Majesty's words are only half right. If the emperor loses his authority, the evil will be difficult to control, and the law will be difficult to enforce, thus the court will naturally fall into chaos; but if the emperor is without benevolence, the hidden dangers will be buried deep, initially without any signs, and by the time they are discovered, it will be too late to regret!"

Seeing that the pharmacist's expression remained unchanged, Gao Cheng added:
"Moreover, Your Majesty is mistaken on another level. If even a powerful and domineering ruler cannot withstand this era of great change, then a benevolent ruler who can only serve as an embellishment to a prosperous age is even more unacceptable!"

The pharmacist's mind, which had just calmed down, was once again thrown into turmoil by these words.

He had thought this fellow was going to spout some nonsense about benevolence and virtue, but now it seemed that wasn't the case.
"Does Your Majesty still remember how the people risked their lives to stop me when they saw that I was about to harm you? If Your Majesty had not seen this, then surely you remember how many generals and countless imperial guards behind the palace gates fought bravely for Your Majesty?"

"This is because they are grateful for His Majesty's virtue, and that is why they are willing to die for him!"

This made the pharmacist even more confused:

"Since you have said that I possess both virtue and the talent to rule a kingdom, what exactly is your intention in saying this? Have you gone mad?"

He suddenly felt that the immortal sword in his hand and the other person's sword were stuck together, and he couldn't separate them at all.

Just then, Gao Cheng stared at him with a look that made his heart tighten, and said, word by word:

"Because Your Majesty's benevolent rule and closeness to the people are not from your own heart, but because you know that only in this way can you contend with the powerful families and deal with the officials."

This was not only noticed by Gao Cheng, but also by Wang Chengye, whom Du Yuan met in Hexi.

At that time, this was insignificant; in fact, how many of the most notable monarchs throughout history did not do the same?

“Your ‘benevolence’ does not come from your own heart, but is a result of the circumstances. In the past, such actions were not only sufficient, but also a level that was difficult for monarchs of all dynasties to reach.”

"Because you treat people, those who watch you are still people. But things are different now. Immortals are frequently descending to the mortal realm, and gods and deities are everywhere. Even the Heavenly Dao has truly opened its eyes."

"This is a world of great change that I have never heard of or imagined before. For our dynasty and Your Majesty, it is a challenge that far surpasses anything we have faced before. Therefore, since I was awakened, I have been racking my brains day and night to find a way to break this deadlock."

"After searching through ancient texts and consulting with countless immortals, I have finally come up with the only solution!"

Gao Cheng looked at Yaoshi Yuan, his tone calm, yet it was like a thunderclap:
"In such a world of great change, even a benevolent ruler cannot protect his country, and a tyrant cannot withstand the will of Heaven. Only a sage king can inherit the mandate of Heaven, bring peace to all people, and secure lasting peace for all generations!"

"Your Majesty, you only have the appearance of a sage king, but not the substance of one. The problem lies in the fact that your benevolence never comes from your heart. In the past, it was enough for others to see it."

"But now, what we see before you is heaven, earth, the great Dao, and the universe, so it's not enough, far from enough!"

These words, once they reached Yaoshi Yuan's ears, almost instantly made him lose his composure.

This is a problem he himself has discovered – he cares for the people only because a monarch needs to care for the people in order to gain their support, his greatest asset.

In the past, he didn't think he had done anything wrong. Because he had already given the people a peaceful and prosperous era that countless so-called virtuous rulers could not provide.

But during that period of time, when he felt that everyone was against him and everyone was turning against him, he began to reflect on whether it was because he was not sincere that everyone in the world turned against him.

Therefore, when Gao Cheng pointed it out again, he could hardly bear it.

Because even he himself is questioning whether this is right or wrong!
At this moment, the pharmacist noticed that Gao Cheng suddenly exerted his strength and directly overpowered him.

The force was like a mountain collapsing before them, followed by a vast expanse of water falling down, completely unstoppable.

It was at this moment that Yaoshi Yuan realized with a start that the previous evenly matched strength was not true at all—Gao Cheng had clearly overpowered him long ago!
It's just that it hasn't fully manifested itself until now.

In a moment of shock, Gao Cheng deflected the immortal sword in his hand with a single strike. Forced to retreat, he could only watch helplessly as the sword pierced towards his heart.

At this final moment, the pharmacist asked, with a hint of reluctance:
"So, you want to kill the king and then replace him with a holy king you've chosen?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Cheng did not reply, but simply smiled as he looked behind him.

Then, a voice that the pharmacist knew all too well suddenly came:
"His Majesty!!!"

'Sister?!'

The pharmacist, almost in terror, tried to turn back and tell his sister to run for her life.

But when he actually turned around, he saw his older sister, who should have been just an ordinary mortal, rushing towards him on a streak of light.

My older sister is a goddess too? My older sister... she's also keeping this from me?!
The pharmacist stood there dumbfounded.

At that moment, Gao Cheng's wrist bone subtly twisted, causing the sword he had already knocked away to slice through his wrist.

Then, the boundless power suddenly erupted from the Benevolent Sword, which actually carried the Pharmacist to avoid the sword tip that was aimed at his heart at an extremely tricky angle.

Then, the sword pierced Gao Cheng's chest, and Gao Cheng crashed into Yao Shiyuan's body.

Following this momentum, the benevolent sword was handed over to Yaoshiyuan.

"Your Majesty, I have already entrusted to you the only quality you, the sage king, lacked: 'benevolence'!"

After speaking, Gao Cheng looked at the Empress, whom he had knocked away with the remaining force of his Benevolent Sword. A hint of reluctance flashed in his eyes, and then, with his last breath, he spoke to the stunned Yaoshi Yuan:
"Your Majesty, inner virtue and outer kingship are both indispensable, but inner virtue refers to the heart and outer kingship to the outward appearance. You must not forget this!"

Seeing the astonished look on Yakushi's face, Gao Cheng forced himself to lean closer and whisper in his ear:
"Please remember, Your Majesty, the king is destined to be a lonely ruler. Please forgive me for doing this, for this is all I can do!"

Finally, unable to hold on any longer, Gao Cheng leaned on Yaoshi Yuan's shoulder. Before closing his eyes completely, he told Yaoshi Yuan to raise the sword of benevolence and shout to all the people and the world:
"The last traitor of the Gao family has been executed!"

(End of this chapter)