The Rise of the Witch

Tao Qing noticed Xing Yang's surprise and asked with a smile, "What? You don't want to?"

Xing Yang frankly said, "I really didn't have that idea. I just want to slay demons peacefully and earn some salary and resources. I really didn't expect to be in the position of commander-in-chief, and I'm not interested in it."

Tao Qing stared at Xing Yang for a while, then chuckled and said, "You only said you weren't interested, without any concern about whether your strength and qualifications were sufficient... Perhaps, I understand why the Great Heavenly Witch did this."

Xing Yang didn't speak, but simply picked up his wine glass, took a sip, smacked his lips, and exclaimed, "This wine is not bad!"

Without a doubt, it is a spirit wine, and its spirituality is quite high; it is indeed a good thing.

Tao Qing seemed to be tempting him, saying, "Even a commander can only be allocated ten jars of this spirit wine a year. I might get a little more, but I only have thirty jars. Only the chief commander can have unlimited supplies... Aren't you tempted?"

Xing Yang said, "I don't like alcohol."

Tao Qing continued, "Not only wine, but also other elixirs, spiritual foods, spiritual treasures, spiritual medicines, all kinds of cultivation resources, manpower and materials—the commander-in-chief can have everything he needs at will!"

Xing Yang asked curiously, "You seem to really want me to be the commander-in-chief?"

"You recognized it?"

Tao Qing was silent for a moment, then asked in a complicated tone, "What do you think is the purpose of cultivation?"

Xing Yang thought for a moment and said, "So that I can have a choice?"

Tao Qing was taken aback, not expecting this answer. He was somewhat speechless and said, "Is this your answer?"

Xing Yang nodded and said, "I believe everyone should have the right to make their own choices at any time, and to achieve that, strength is indispensable!"

Tao Qing thought for a moment and said, "Knowing what you want is very good! Better than me. To be honest, after all this time of cultivation, I still don't know what I want."

Xing Yang exclaimed in surprise, "How could this be? You are at least a half-step Grand Cultivator. If you couldn't comprehend your true self, how could you have reached this point?"

Tao Qing frankly stated, "Since the beginning of my cultivation, I have only done one thing: to wholeheartedly follow the Great Heavenly Witch!"

Xing Yang paused for a moment, then suddenly realized, "Since it was all-out effort, then you've obtained the 'city,' isn't that the purpose of your cultivation?"

Simply put, this guy is a die-hard fan, a fanatic.

Tao Qing smiled and said, "I understand the principle, but reality is not so easy. Since I started cultivating, my clan has repeatedly instructed me to serve the Great Heavenly Witch wholeheartedly, and I have done so all the way."

I encountered a bottleneck along the way, and my cultivation level was stuck. It was only thanks to the Great Heavenly Witch's gift of a drop of her essence blood that I was able to break through...

All of this, I can no longer distinguish whether my following the Great Shaman is due to the clan's orders, the clan's mission, the human race's nature to follow the shaman, or because of the Great Shaman's kindness to me, or even my own desire for power, the pursuit of my true self...

These numerous reasons, intertwined, have clouded my judgment, making it impossible for me to discern my true self.

Xing Yang seemed to understand something, and said, "So, when you feel that you genuinely follow the Great Heavenly Witch, you might think that there might be other things mixed in with that feeling?"

Tao Qing nodded and said, "This is my inner demon."

Xing Yang asked疑惑地问道, "But what does this have to do with me? And what does it have to do with the position of commander-in-chief?"

Tao Qing laughed and said, "When I heard that the Great Heavenly Witch had bypassed me and Gao Yao and passed the position of commander-in-chief to someone else, I felt a surge of resentment!"

If I could truly and wholeheartedly believe in the Great Heavenly Witch, I wouldn't have these feelings. The fact that this resentment has arisen shows that I have designs on the position of Commander-in-Chief, and it also proves that my true intentions are not pure. Therefore, I want to see you.

Xing Yang understood somewhat and asked, "And then?"

Tao Qing pondered seriously for a moment, then said, "There's a sense of relief, like 'I see.' If the position of commander-in-chief had been given to Gao Yao, I would definitely have fought with him out of resentment. But after seeing you, I suddenly don't want to fight anymore."

  

Xing Yang sipped his wine, not in a hurry to speak.

The pavilion fell silent for a moment.

Finally, Xing Yang spoke up: "Because I am a shaman? You dare to contend with Gao Yao, but you dare not contend with a mere shaman?"

Tao Qing's hand trembled slightly, and a sense of calm, as if the dust had settled, appeared in his eyes. He said, "Yes, and no."

"How so?"

Tao Qing sighed and said, "Yes, because Wu Tiansheng was born to lead the human race. No matter how unwilling he is, he cannot deny this fact. The Great Heavenly Witch has led the Demon Suppression Division for 150 years. Even if he doesn't manage affairs, the Demon Suppression Division is still thriving."

No matter who the next commander-in-chief is, even if he is a great cultivator, he cannot stop the restless people below. I can't do it, and neither can Gao Yao. Only a shaman can suppress the commanders and inspectors in various places.

"I say no, because I suddenly realized that it's far more satisfying to continue following the Great Heavenly Witch, settling in the Great Wilderness, and fighting for the human race's strength than to be caught up in the power struggles and backstabbing among a group of people here!"

Xing Yang shook his head and said, "Fighting against the heavens is endlessly enjoyable, fighting against the earth is endlessly enjoyable, fighting against people is endlessly enjoyable... I still hope you will give it a try. How will you know you can't win if you don't try? Besides, I've already said that I have no interest in the position of commander-in-chief."

Tao Qing smiled, a smile of relief: "I won't argue anymore. If you want endless fun, Gao Yao will accompany you."

Xing Yang asked curiously, "Will he fight for it?"

Tao Qing nodded: "Gao Yao is better than me. His goal has always been clear: to take over as commander-in-chief and sit in the position that the Great Heavenly Witch once held."

Xing Yang thought for a moment and asked, "Will he cause me trouble?"

"Won't!"

Tao Qing shook his head, his tone resolute, and said, "He won't suppress your achievements, he won't deduct your salary, and he certainly won't deliberately cause you trouble..."

Gao Yao descended from the Yan Yao clan, and it is said that he inherited the lineage of Gao Yao, the ancient sage of law. He had "rules" ingrained in his very being, and was an extremely disciplined person. He would only hinder your promotion within the bounds of the rules; he would disdain to engage in other underhanded tactics.

Xing Yang curled his lip and said, "A person who only has rules and no human touch can't sit in a leading position."

"That's not something I should be thinking about."

Tao Qing stood up, looking as if he had shed a burden and become more relaxed. He said, "I've chosen someone for you, and Gao Yao has also chosen someone for you. From now on, these two will be your direct subordinates. Go and meet them before you leave."

If you take over as commander-in-chief in the future, these two will be your right and left hands... Of course, this is what the Great Celestial Witch instructed; if you are unwilling, you can choose yourself.”

Xing Yang asked curiously, "What if I don't take the position?"

Tao Qing smiled and said, "Anyway, what the Great Heavenly Witch means is that you have to train these two. Whether you take over or not, they are the future of the Demon Suppression Division."

"Alright... then!"

……

Leaving the pavilion, Xing Yang descended the steps. Instead of rushing to meet the person, he first went to verify the ghost cultivator's achievements.

They received three hundred taels of silver and a bottle of pills, supposedly called "Blood Spirit Pills," which could increase the blood and qi of martial artists and enhance the spiritual perception of immortal cultivators.

There were ten pills in the bottle. Xing Yang casually poured one out, put it in his mouth, chewed it, and found that it didn't taste very good.

As for the improvement in his blood and spirituality, it was insignificant to him.

With the gift in hand, I can go and meet the person.