Shen Nong Wishes to Abdicate, The Next Human Emperor's Candidate

The atmosphere Human Emperor Hall was solemn.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am about to complete my Merit and abdicate."

Shennong's first words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.

Several wise ministers simultaneously showed expressions of surprise.

"The Human Emperor is indispensable; Human Clan cannot do without you..."

"No need for further words," Shennong raised his hand to stop them.

"The throne of the Human Emperor will be passed to me when the Heavenly Emperor Fuxi's Merit are complete."

"Now that I am about to achieve my Merit, it is natural that I must pass on my position to someone else; this is the foundation for the enduring flame of the Human Clan."

"I have summoned you all today to discuss the selection of the next Human Emperor."

The wise ministers exchanged glances, all seeing solemnity on each other's faces.

An elderly man was the first to bow and speak.

"Your Human Emperor, the world is now filled with the Human Tribe, and many powerful individuals have emerged."

"Among them, the Jiuli Tribe in the south and the Youxiong Tribe in the north were the most powerful."

Another minister chimed in.

"Exactly."

"Chi You, the leader of the Jiuli Tribe, was brave and skilled in battle, and possessed superhuman strength."

"The people of the Jiuli Tribe revered him as a god and obeyed his every word."

"Xuanyuan, the leader of the Youxiong Tribe, was quite the opposite."

"Xuanyuan was a benevolent and wise man, skilled in governance."

"This led to the increasing prosperity of the Youxiong Tribe, and the clan members lived in peace and contentment."

The atmosphere inside the hall became somewhat subtle.

Chi You and Xuanyuan.

These two are undoubtedly the two most dazzling stars among the younger generation of the Human Clan today.

They all Human Emperor.

A moment later, an elderly minister with white hair and beard stepped forward.

"Your Human Emperor, I believe that Xuanyuan of the Bear Clan is fit to succeed you to the Human Emperor."

"Xuanyuan is Xuanyuan and virtuous, and skilled in governance. If he were to the Human Clan our Human Clan race, he would surely bring us greater prosperity and stability."

"I second that!" another minister immediately chimed in in agreement.

"What Human Clan needs now is to recuperate and rebuild, Xuanyuan's talent for governing the world is exactly what our Human Clan needs."

However, objections were immediately raised.

A burly minister, exuding a valiant air, stepped forward, his voice booming like a bell.

"Your Human Emperor, I have a different opinion!"

"Although our Human Clan is becoming increasingly prosperous, the Primordial World is fraught with danger."

"Without swift and decisive measures, how can we protect our Human Clan race?"

"Nine Li the Chi You is unparalleled in bravery and invincible! With him in command, who dares to invade the borders of our Human Clan?"

"In my opinion, Chi You is the most suitable Human Emperor!"

Another minister immediately echoed his agreement.

"That's right! If our Human Clan wants to establish itself in the Primordial Wilderness, we must have sufficiently powerful military strength!"

"Our Human Clan is currently in a stage of development, and we need a powerful Human Emperor like Chi You."

"With swift and decisive action, we will completely eliminate all dissent and unite the Human Clan as one!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than someone objected.

That's incorrect!

"The throne of the Human Emperor is meant to educate all people and lead the Human Clan to prosperity, not to wage war indiscriminately."

"Chi You is too bloodthirsty. If he Human Emperor, he would likely plunge the Human Clan into years of war, and the people would suffer greatly."

"In contrast, Xuanyuan subdued people with virtue and won them over without fighting; this is the way of a true king!"

The Way of the King?

"In this world, the strong rule! Without absolute military strength as a backing, so-called benevolence is nothing but a castle in the air, easily shattered!"

"You..."

For a time, a heated debate ensued inside the hall.

Those who support Xuanyuan praise his benevolence and ability to govern the world.

Those who supported Chi You praised his bravery and contributions in protecting his tribe.

Both sides stuck to their own versions of events, and neither could convince the other.

Shennong listened quietly without interrupting.

He knew that the arguments among his ministers were a reflection of his own inner turmoil.

The virtue of the Xuanyuan can bring peace to the world.

Chi You prowess was enough to pacify the four directions.

Both of them were exceptional talents, one in a million.

Both choices seem to make sense.

But no matter who you choose, there seems to be some regret.

Seeing that the ministers were about to start arguing in the hall, Shennong had no choice but to speak up.

"Shut up, all of you."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

The two who were arguing immediately fell silent and bowed to apologize.

"Your Human Emperor, please forgive me."

Shennong ignored them; in his heart, he too was weighing his options.

Who is more suitable to become the next Human Emperor, Chi You or Xuanyuan?

Heavenly Emperor Fuxi created the Eight Trigrams and established human relationships in order to unlock the wisdom of the Human Clan.

Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs and promoted agriculture in order to solve the problem of the Human Clan survival.

So, what should be the mission of the next Human Emperor?

Should we continue to recuperate, grow stronger, and expand?

Or should we unite through war and consolidate all our forces?

Shennong fell into deep thought.

He recalled the conflicts between the tribes he witnessed while tasting hundreds of herbs.

The Human Clan, though seemingly prosperous, is in reality a disorganized mess.

Perhaps, Human Clan truly needs a baptism of iron and fire.

Only under absolute power can all tribes be completely integrated and all forces be brought together in one place.

From this perspective, Chi You seems to be a more suitable candidate.

But could Chi You's tyranny truly lead the Human Clan to glory?

What if he becomes obsessed with conquest and drags Human Clan into an abyss of no return? Wouldn't I then become a sinner against the Human Clan?

As for Xuanyuan, Shennong had also heard of his reputation for benevolence.

Choosing him is a safe choice.

But this road may be too long.

Do Human Clan really have that much time to develop slowly?

This is a difficult choice.

It concerns the future of the entire Human Clan.

Shennong slowly stood up.

His gaze swept over everyone present, finally settling on the vast and boundless Human Clan territory beyond the main hall.

"Both Xuanyuan and Chi You were a blessing to the Human Clan."

He spoke, his voice not loud, yet it carried clearly throughout the entire hall.

"You've seen their achievements, and I've seen them too."

"But the throne of the Human Emperor is a matter of great importance, and cannot be decided by the words of one person alone."

After a long while, Shennong finally spoke, his voice tinged with weariness.

"Let me think about this some more."

"First, compile all the deeds of Chi You and Xuanyuan, big and small, into a detailed book and send it to me."

"Yes, Your Human Emperor."

The ministers bowed and accepted the order, then slowly withdrew from the main hall.

In the Human Emperor Hall, only Shennong remained.

The worry on his face did not lessen in the slightest after the ministers left; on the contrary, it became even more serious.

The future of the Human Clan must be entrusted to the most suitable people.

Absolutely no mistakes are allowed.

He sat alone for a long time, the scales in his heart swaying repeatedly, yet he could never settle down.

Perhaps Master will offer a different perspective.

Once this thought arose, Shennong no longer hesitated, got up and left the Human Emperor Hall, heading towards the small courtyard where Houtu lived.