Jiang Ziya's Confusion

The group continued staring at the Water Mirror, watching what was happening inside.

At that moment, Wang Yuan remembered what Little Mouse had said when he returned last time about the demonic beings around Zhou Wang.

"Little Mouse, Jiang Ziya is destined to play a role in the Investiture of the Gods. We need to find a way to bring him under our command... Ah, Hong Lie seems to get along quite well with Jiang Ziya."

Tongtian's expression was extremely unpleasant. A little demon in the Heavenly Immortal Realm actually called Uncle his brother. What did that make him?

Do Bao saw Tongtian's displeasure and hurriedly said, "Grandpa, Hong Lie has a good relationship with my Master. When the time comes, he'll listen to whatever Master says."

"Oh? Good. Find a chance later to tell him to think of a way to keep Jiang Ziya by Zhou Wang's side..."

Wang Yuan thought to himself, Since changing the overall course of the Investiture of the Gods earns system rewards, then if Jiang Ziya stays by Zhou Wang's side, the butterfly effect will surely become different.

Tongtian had already sent a message to Hong Lie. After receiving the Sect Leader's message, Hong Lie blinked, rolled his eyes, and headed to Jiang Ziya's fortune telling shop.

"Old Jiang, has business been good today?"

Jiang Ziya had truly been riding high lately. Every business he tried in Chaoge had brought him nothing but bad luck, but this fortune telling shop was doing exceptionally well. He read faces and interpreted written characters for people, and every day, countless visitors came and went. Many people in Chaoge sought him out by reputation.

"Very good, Brother Hong Lie. Have a seat!"

Jiang Ziya stroked his beard, his mood incomparably bright. "Once the shop closes later, I'll treat you to wine and meat!"

Ever since descending the mountain, Jiang Ziya had never felt so accomplished. Back on Kunlun Mountain, he had vaguely sensed that Teacher treated him differently from his fellow disciples. Not merely compared to those Outer Sect Disciples—even among the Twelve Golden Immortals, the core disciples, he was different.

Teacher Yuanshi Tianzun had never been harsh with him. Even when it took him eight years to learn Samadhi True Fire, Yuanshi Tianzun had never reprimanded him. If it had been anyone else, even an Outer Sect Disciple, they would probably have been expelled from the sect, wouldn't they?

During his time on Kunlun Mountain, Jiang Ziya had been insecure. After coming down the mountain and trying his hand at business, he had still been insecure. He could not sell a single strainer or bag of flour, and when he opened a restaurant, no one came to eat...

"Oh? Then that's perfect! We'll have some drinks together later."

That evening, the two returned to Song Family Village. Song Yiren's small building in the rear garden had already been completed, and it served as the usual gathering place for everyone.

"Master, the Second Master has invited you over for drinks."

Old Butler came to invite Song Yiren. Song Yiren nodded. "All right, I'll go over now!"

Inside the small building, Jiang Ziya, Hong Lie, and Song Yiren drank together.

Hong Lie said, "I have long heard of the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues, but there are increasingly more people in this world who refuse to respect them."

Song Yiren nodded repeatedly. "Hong Lie is absolutely right. The ruler guides the minister, the father guides the son, and the husband guides the wife. There is no end to rebellious ministers and traitors. It truly is no blessing for the world."

Jiang Ziya frowned slightly. He did not agree with this. "Though there are the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues, if a ruler is not benevolent, then his ministers need not be loyal. If a father is not kind, then his son need not be filial. If a husband is not strong, then his wife may run off with another man."

Wang Yuan was stunned by Jiang Ziya's words. This was practically the thinking of a later age! And it was an extremely progressive sort of thinking—one that even in later generations, few dared to voice aloud. It seemed Yuanshi Tianzun had taught him well!

Hong Lie inwardly cried out, They all say our Jie Sect is a gathering place for demons and fiends, but now it seems the Clarification Sect is the truly wicked one! He can actually say something so contrary to human morality?

Even Song Yiren could barely hold himself together. "Second Brother, what immortality have you pursued all these years? What Dao have you sought? Could your Teacher be some demonic fiend?"

"Pfft..." Tongtian sprayed out a mouthful of Myriad World Origin Tea. He choked until his face turned red and began coughing loudly.

Do Bao's mouth twitched continuously as well.

Wang Yuan glared at him. "No proper way to stand, no proper way to sit! You can even choke on tea?"

Tongtian hurriedly apologized. "My apologies, Uncle..."

Wang Yuan wiped the tea leaves from his face and ignored him.

Yet Tongtian was roaring with laughter inside. He suddenly felt that Song Yiren suited his taste quite well! This old fellow's words even sounded perfectly reasonable to him!

No, he needed to find a way to take Song Yiren as a disciple.

Jiang Ziya's expression changed drastically. "Big Brother, do not speak nonsense! My Teacher is... Ah! We cannot speak of him aloud. How can you call Teacher a demonic fiend? Infinite Heavenly Venerable, Teacher, please do not take offense. Big Brother did not mean it..."

Jiang Ziya repeatedly kowtowed in the direction of Kunlun Mountain.

In truth, he did not know that ever since Wang Yuan arrived in this world, anyone connected to him could no longer be calculated, even if the one attempting it was a Sage.

Hong Lie was connected to Wang Yuan, and thus Song Yiren and Jiang Ziya were no exception.

"Second Brother, what you said is simply wrong. Truly wrong."

Song Yiren sighed. "His Majesty is a wise and enlightened ruler, with achievements comparable to Yao and Shun."

Jiang Ziya had not expected Song Yiren to think so highly of His Majesty. "Big Brother, is His Majesty not a tyrant?"

Song Yiren glared. "Nonsense! Do not speak carelessly like that in Chaoge, or you may be torn to pieces. How could His Majesty possibly be a tyrant?"

This time, Jiang Ziya was confused. "Big Brother, you know I only recently came down from the mountain. I do not know about Zhou Wang."

"Fine, then let me tell you. The Great King does not value one's origins. So long as someone is capable, regardless of their background, they may become an official. Otherwise, every official in court would be an aristocrat. This is great wisdom.

"He has replaced human sacrifice with living livestock. This is benevolence and righteousness.

"He has stripped the aristocrats of their power and returned it to the people. This is heaven's grace."

After listening, Jiang Ziya fell into deep thought. "This..."

While on the mountain, because his Dao arts were not refined—and because Yuanshi Tianzun knew he would one day assist a wise ruler and would inevitably need to employ schemes—what he had studied were ancient methods for settling families and stabilizing nations.

Listening to these matters, Jiang Ziya suddenly felt that Zhou Wang was simply an enlightened ruler!

And not merely an ordinary enlightened ruler, either. But if that was the case...

Jiang Ziya felt somewhat lost.

Hong Lie secretly watched Jiang Ziya and knew his earlier words had sunk in. He secretly cast a spell, his voice becoming dreamlike and entrancing. "Only by choosing a wise ruler to assist can one remain true to one's original heart. What is a wise ruler?"

"A wise ruler is... an enlightened ruler."

"An enlightened ruler possesses both wisdom and righteousness."

Jiang Ziya listened in a daze. He began to feel that Hong Lie's words made sense. More importantly, the policies Zhou Wang had proposed were indeed what Jiang Ziya himself had wished for.

The next day, Jiang Ziya went to his fortune telling shop, still thinking about what Hong Lie had said to him the night before.

Though he did not wish to admit it, all the New Policy measures Zhou Wang had implemented benefited the common people. Even Jiang Ziya could say nothing against them.

Such an enlightened... man, was he truly a ruler destined to lose his kingdom?

But if he was not a ruler destined to lose his kingdom, why did Teacher believe Cheng Tang's fate had run out? Could even a Sage be wrong?

The moment he thought of that question, Jiang Ziya was startled as well.

He had become truly bold. He actually dared to doubt a Sage?