Chapter 962: Chapter 981: The Art of Ruling, Redirecting Calamity Elsewhere
"You all hold your own opinions, each having chosen the candidate for sainthood in your hearts. So, whom should I, the Emperor, listen to?" Ye Xuan smiled, showing no sign of anger, as he glanced around the Heavenly Court.
"This...?"
For a moment, everyone fell silent, just as Ye Xuan had said; their views were indeed irreconcilable, and further debate would lead nowhere.
"Minghe."
"Your servant is here."
As Ye Xuan looked towards Minghe Ancestor, Minghe hurriedly bowed in response.
"You were originally a dominant figure in the Netherworld Blood Sea, and it was I who appointed you to manage the Netherworld branch, further providing you with numerous Quasi-Saint Daluo to assist in unifying the Underworld. I even lent you the Hongmeng Purple Qi back then, yet you haven’t found the opportunity for sainthood. Am I correct?" Ye Xuan spoke plainly.
Upon hearing Ye Xuan’s words, Minghe Ancestor’s expression changed slightly, hurriedly affirming, "The Heavenly Emperor’s words are absolutely correct, Minghe would never dare to forget the Heavenly Emperor’s grace."
"Good."
Ye Xuan nodded indifferently, then looked toward Emperor Jun and said, "Emperor Jun, during the past Heavenly Mending event, your Demon Race was abandoned by Nuwa, countless demons oppressed by the Witch Clan, your brother Donghuang Taiyi’s Chaos Bell seized by Houtu. Who saved your brother’s life and helped retrieve the Chaos Bell, and also promised eternal protection for your Demon Race?"
Emperor Jun’s face turned pale, hurriedly prostrating himself and knocking his head to the ground, "This glory our Demon Race has today is all due to the Heavenly Emperor’s grace, my brother and I would never dare forget the Emperor’s great kindness."
"Good."
Ye Xuan nodded slightly, then turned to Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad and said, "Lao Zi, you were originally the Good Corpse of Daode Tianzun Laotzu. Who helped sever your connection with Laotzu, allowing you to become an independent entity?"
"This...?"
Lord Lao Zi shuddered involuntarily, hurriedly bowing, "It was the Heavenly Emperor’s assistance that gave rise to the Old Man of today."
Silence, deathly silence.
Ye Xuan named these Quasi-Saints one by one, recounting past events, leaving those named in cold sweat, showing expressions of embarrassment.
"So, from what I’ve said, I’ve bestowed favors upon all of you, thus forming this grand Thirty-Three Layered Heaven, meaning I, Ye Xuan, owe you nothing, correct?" Ye Xuan continued to smile.
"The Heavenly Emperor’s grace, we dare not forget."
The people of the Heavenly Court all knelt, the sound akin to mountains and seas roaring with thunderous declaration.
Bang!
Suddenly, a deafening boom erupted, Ye Xuan slammed the cloud table in front of him into pieces, the smile on his face disappearing instantly, replaced by a chilling and icy demeanor.
"Since I do not owe you, instead having given you immense favors, yet today you dare to question my decisions, can I thus consider that you harbor thoughts of rebellion?"
"Hiss!"
The sound of sharp inhalations was heard continuously, as Ye Xuan’s words settled, everyone present was dumbfounded and dared not rise.
"Such audacity, to dare question my decision-making, or are your wings hardened now, not fearing to disregard me?"
Ye Xuan glared angrily, a terrifying, overbearing aura surged forth, even the stretches of heaven and earth shook violently, the winds and clouds shifting hue, chaos stirred across all directions.
The Heavenly Emperor in fury, utterly turned the heavens and earth upside down; these were no mere words, instantly awakening everyone from their greed, realizing that Ye Xuan was truly furious to the extreme.
"To think a mere Saint Position could cause such division among you, you’ve truly disappointed me." Ye Xuan rasped, black thunder wrapped around him, that soaring murderous intent making all beings tremble.
Being a superior, one must hold the way of governance, furthermore, gathering power unto oneself.
Ye Xuan had just questioned everyone in the room, he first recounted past favours to each of them, casting sweet dates to let them know he owes them nothing, rather it’s them who owe him, now Ye Xuan roared in fury, wielding an iron rod to awaken everyone.
This balance of grace and might is the art of governance for a superior.
At this moment, the people of the Heavenly Court felt ashamed, suddenly awakened, how could they not comply internally?
Moreover, only now did they realize, the vast Thirty-Three Layered Heaven was brought to such grandeur under Ye Xuan’s leadership, and the opportunity for sainthood was Ye Xuan’s personal affair, not theirs.
To put it bluntly, Ye Xuan could grant the chance for sainthood to whomever he chooses, it wasn’t their place to interfere.
Of course, Ye Xuan was merely acting, not truly seething in rage, he certainly wouldn’t slay his followers, as this was merely Luo Hou’s plan for division.
Even though at this moment those in the Heavenly Court bore deep shame, showing reverence and pleading for forgiveness, it was insufficient; Ye Xuan still needed to divert the calamity elsewhere.
What does diverting calamity mean?
To do so is to redirect this threat towards others, thus uniting the Heavenly Court in solidarity.
Ye Xuan had already chosen his target.
"Legend has it that Demon Ancestor Luo Hou had three disciples, his first disciple’s name was Xiu Luotian, the second named Moluo Loutian, and the third named Sen Luotian. Unfortunately, during the Primordial Beginning, both Xiu Luotian and Moluo Loutian already perished in the Dragon Han Calamity, leaving only the youngest unaccounted for."
"Am I right, Sen Luotian?" Ye Xuan coldly gazed at Wu Tian, his voice rasping and low, a cruel expression flickering in his eyes.
"Hea... Heavenly Emperor... what are you talking about... your servant truly doesn’t understand." Wu Tian’s face changed immensely, shivering in fear, his panicked expression betraying his inner thoughts.
"It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand."
Ye Xuan rasped, turning to Luo Hou, only to see Luo Hou composed and indifferent, no longer the pleasant demeanor, staring solemnly at Ye Xuan.
"Back at Lingshan, when I rescued you from the Nine Nether Tower, I warned you that if you dare harbor rebellious thoughts, I would destroy you, body and soul, today fulfills that vow." Ye Xuan smiled as he looked at Luo Hou, but his words were intended for Wu Tian.
Back then, Ye Xuan discovered Wu Tian possessed a cultivation purely in Demon Technique, exceptionally pristine, though he tried to hide, it could not evade Ye Xuan’s Dharma Eye.
At that time, Ye Xuan speculated a significant relation between Wu Tian and Luo Hou, yet it remained unconfirmed, but when Gu Beichen informed him of Luo Hou’s affairs, naturally he began investigating Wu Tian’s identity.
Indeed, during today’s New Emperor Enthronement Ceremony, Wu Tian rose to act, indirectly proving Wu Tian’s true identity as the disciple of the Demon Ancestor.
"Hea... Heavenly Emperor, have mercy...the old man was beguiled by Luo Hou...never intended to betray the Heavenly Emperor...it was entirely Wu Tian who instigated him." Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad’s face turned ashen, hurriedly prostrating before Ye Xuan to plead for forgiveness.
Such a scene suddenly awakened the people of the Heavenly Court, finally perceiving the truth — all the machinations originated from Luo Hou and his disciples, nearly causing internal strife among themselves.
"You can die now."
Ye Xuan spoke indifferently, flicking his fingers, causing space to shatter, that black thunder hurtling towards Wu Tian, evidently intending to obliterate him, scattering his soul.
"Master, save me!"
In the face of life and death, immense terror arose, Wu Tian screamed for rescue from Luo Hou, who squinted his eyes, flipping his palm instantly drawing Wu Tian to him.
"Daoist Ye, just a mere jest, why take it to heart so with my little disciple?" Luo Hou chuckled, Chaos Demon Light encircled, directly sheltering Wu Tian behind him.