Preparing to Win Him Over

Jiang Ziya's Fortune Telling Shop was doing well. It was his only source of income.

"The sun, moon, and stars illuminate the heavens; right and wrong, gratitude and grudges, are plain to see."

He held a bundle of yarrow stalks as he read the fortune of a man before him.

Hong Lie leaned against the doorway, yawning boredly.

The Cult Master's task was to stay by Jiang Ziya's side and watch him at all times. But this man belonged to the Clarification Sect. What should I do?

The more Hong Lie thought about it, the more he felt that winning Jiang Ziya over was the right path.

"Old Jiang, I heard that the Human Emperor has widely implemented the New Policy. The people have benefited from it. It is truly a good thing."

Jiang Ziya remained silent. Having spent so long in Chaoge, he naturally knew of the Human Emperor's good reputation. In particular, the people Jiang Ziya dealt with were all common folk, and most of them praised the Human Emperor's New Policy.

But Teacher Yuanshi Tianzun had clearly said that the true ruler was elsewhere. Jiang Ziya did not understand. What ability could someone elsewhere possess that would compare to Zhou Wang?

Hong Lie did not mind his silence. After all, Jiang Ziya still did not know right from wrong.

"Hong Lie, bring Jiang Ziya here."

Suddenly, a vast voice resounded in Hong Lie's mind. It was Master Tongtian.

I respectfully obey the Cult Master's decree.

Just then, Jiang Ziya finished telling a fortune. Hong Lie hurriedly said, "Old Jiang, you have not gone out in quite some time. Why not take a walk? Cultivation is cultivation—Mortal Heart Refinement."

Jiang Ziya had never been especially gifted at cultivation. Otherwise, after being fed so many heavenly treasures, he would not have ended up with only a Golden Core. Given how Kunlun Mountain had treated Jiang Ziya, the resources he received had been quite generous. Throw those resources at a pig, and even the pig could become immortal.

So Hong Lie's words moved Jiang Ziya. "What Brother Hong Lie says is very true. But where should I refine my heart?"

Hong Lie smiled inscrutably. "Those who walk and move need only follow their hearts. Do not worry about where we are going. Just follow behind me."

"All right!" He had no guard against Hong Lie at all.

After leaving the city, the countryside scenery was pleasant, entirely different from Chaoge's bustle. Jiang Ziya actually felt a deep peace in his heart, and even his cultivation, which had not improved for a long time, seemed to loosen somewhat.

Brother Hong Lie truly was an expert! A single piece of advice had helped him improve. It seemed he really should undergo Mortal Heart Refinement.

But the farther they went, the more Jiang Ziya felt something was wrong. Hong Lie was not heading toward open ground. Instead, every place he chose was muddy.

"Fellow daoist Hong Lie, why are we not taking the main road?"

"The main road brings peace. The small road refines the heart."

The words sounded profound and mysterious, as though they made sense. But Hong Lie secretly thought, Old Jiang, why do you have so much nonsense to say?

"Ziya, what mountain do you think that is?"

At the foot of Yellow Mountain, Jiang Ziya looked at Hong Lie with conflicted eyes. "It is merely a shabby little mountain. What is so special about it?"

Hong Lie smiled. "Then how about you and I go take a look around?"

"The scenery on this mountain is not beautiful... What is there to see? Besides, we are both men. If people see two grown men going up the mountain together, they may say we are cutting sleeves and sharing peaches." Jiang Ziya hemmed and hawed for a while before saying it.

Hong Lie nearly died of anger. Was that something a person should say? Who was sharing peaches with him? Who was cutting sleeves? His whole family cut sleeves!

"Cough, cough. You are overthinking it."

The two made their way up the mountain.

Tongtian immediately sensed them. "Uncle, Jiang Ziya has been brought here."

"Oh? Good. I will go take a look."

He had long wanted to meet Jiang Ziya, but after meeting Zhou Wang, that desire had only grown stronger.

Jiang Ziya was looking around the Desolate Mountain, and the more he looked, the more irritated he became. Kunlun Mountain was an Immortal Mountain. Compared to it, this Desolate Mountain was simply unpleasant.

"Open."

BOOM!

As the formation activated, the entire Immortal Mountain trembled slightly. Then, the original scenery was revealed.

Jiang Ziya was dumbfounded. "...What place is this? What a blessed land of an Immortal Mountain!"

Even Kunlun Mountain paled far too much in comparison to this place.

"Jiang Shang."

Suddenly, a voice came from above. Jiang Ziya looked up and saw a towering tree, with a young man standing upon it.

"Ah... you are..."

"Rustle, rustle..."

The tree shook and rapidly shrank before their eyes, lowering the man gently to the ground.

Hong Lie looked at Wang Yuan excitedly. "Greetings, Senior!"

He dropped to his knees with a thump. Jiang Ziya froze. Even Hong Lie had to call him Senior, so this man must have lived for several thousand years. What about himself?

Thump...

Jiang Ziya knelt as well, calling him Senior.

"Rise."

The two stood. Jiang Ziya was still dazed, while Hong Lie gazed at Wang Yuan with excitement. Senior's methods truly were extraordinary.

"Jiang Shang, come with me."

After bringing Jiang Ziya into the courtyard, Wang Yuan looked at him calmly. Tongtian sat nearby. Master Tongtian did not know Jiang Ziya, and naturally, Jiang Ziya did not know Tongtian either.

"Senior..."

"You are the one meant for the Investiture of the Gods."

Jiang Ziya was incomparably shocked by those words.

Master Tongtian, however, had killing intent rise in his eyes. The one meant for the Investiture of the Gods is right before me. If I kill him, the Investiture of the Gods cannot be completed.

But Tongtian also knew that was unrealistic. Killing Jiang Ziya did not mean there would be no one else.

"Senior... what you said is correct."

Jiang Ziya actually knew little about Sages, Immortals and Gods, and he understood even less about the complicated relationships among them.

"And yet you are merely a chess piece—a chess piece to be discarded in the end. After the Investiture of the Gods, there will be no divine position for you."

Each of Wang Yuan's words was more explosive than the last.

This time, even Tongtian was stunned. Uncle truly knew everything. He even knew of such things?

Jiang Ziya could not believe it. "No, impossible. Teacher once said that if I completed the Investiture of the Gods, I could reserve a divine position for myself in the future."

"Heh. How do you know your Teacher spoke the truth? You and Shen Gongbao went up the mountain together to learn. Why are you alone the one for the Investiture of the Gods? Why did Yuanshi Tianzun choose you? Because you are obedient. And obedient chess pieces become discarded pieces in the end."

Jiang Ziya said unhappily, "I respect you as a Senior, but if you continue to slander my Teacher like this, do not blame me for getting angry!"

Wang Yuan shook his head. "Sigh, it is fine if you do not believe me. Do you know why you cannot cultivate?"

"Teacher said that I... have no immortal affinity and can only enjoy wealth and honor in the mortal world."

"Hahaha, ridiculous! This is simply the greatest joke in the world!"

A trace of mockery appeared in Wang Yuan's eyes. "That is because Yuanshi Tianzun deliberately made it difficult for you to attain the immortal path, so that you could carry out the Investiture of the Gods. Was your cultivation not the lowest in all of Kunlun Mountain? As a Sage, how could he possibly have no way to make you immortal?"

Jiang Ziya froze. He could not say anything, but doubt quietly began to grow within him.

Could it be true?

Would Teacher really lie to me?

"Your talent was extracted by Yuanshi Tianzun. That is why no matter how many immortal pills and spiritual medicines you consume, you cannot become immortal."

Jiang Ziya's body stiffened. "N-No, that is impossible!"

"Impossible? You have cultivated for decades without becoming immortal. Do you still not know the reason? How stubbornly foolish."

Jiang Ziya truly lacked enlightenment. Especially since Wang Yuan knew how the Investiture of the Gods would unfold, he found Jiang Ziya so stubborn at times that he seemed incapable of thought. Back then, Zhou Wang had promised him an official position in Great Shang, yet Jiang Ziya had turned traitor. When someone from the Clarification Sect came, he left without even saying goodbye.

To the Human Emperor, he was disloyal.

Then he raised troops in rebellion.

To the people, he was unkind.

Later, he sought help everywhere, causing many people of the Clarification Sect and Jie Sect to die. That was unrighteous.