"Now is the moment to prove the Dao and become Emperor!"
A furious roar shattered the balance. A new primordial spirit took shape, and the Five Great Secret Realms reached perfect unity!
At this critical moment, he had finally endured the hardest part and taken the crucial step!
Prove the Dao and become Emperor!
His body and primordial spirit had both reached perfection. From then on, he stood unrivaled in his era, at the pinnacle of the Human Dao Domain!
The moment he proved the Dao and became Emperor, the boundless thunder sensed it too. The endless sea of lightning slowly dispersed.
The nine towering figures began to fade as well, but just before vanishing, they seemed to nod at him.
A glimmer of understanding came to him. This seemed to be a legacy passed down from one Human Emperor to another.
Suddenly, blazing flames surged around him. A Phoenix, wreathed in black fire, spread its wings and cried out!
The same scene had appeared once before, when Su Daji had bewitched him and his soul had drifted outside his body.
This was the Human Path Luck gathered around him. After he proved the Dao and became Emperor, it had manifested on its own.
"To prove the Dao and become Emperor, one must fuse with the Heavenly Heart Imprint to establish one's own Dao. But in this world, that's impossible!
"I can't fuse with the Heavenly Heart Imprint, so I fused with Human Path Luck instead? Does that mean I'm in control of the Human Dao's will?"
What was the Heavenly Heart Imprint?
Put simply, the Heavenly Heart Imprint was the Heavenly Dao of a world, representing its laws.
The Heavenly Dao naturally existed in this world, but Dao Ancestor Hongjun had already merged with it.
And with his current strength, trying to merge with the Heavenly Dao was out of the question!
However, as the Human Sovereign, he was meant to gather Human Path Luck and command the will of the Human Dao!
"Fortunately, I underwent my tribulation in the Hall of Heroes of the Human Emperors. Otherwise, I'm afraid I would have drawn countless people's attention!"
The sea of endless lightning had been far too vast and spectacular. If he had undergone his tribulation in the Inner Palace, he would have been discovered at once.
Then his cultivation would become public knowledge, which was the last thing he wanted.
He could have accepted people knowing that he cultivated, but Grand Tutor Wen's words had made him hesitate.
No matter how much the Human Sovereign cultivated, he only lived for a hundred years. What secret lay behind that?
Fortunately, the Hall of Heroes of the Human Emperors had concealed everything for him, sparing him a great deal of trouble.
"Now that I've broken through, there's no need to put certain things off any longer!"
That was why he had been so forceful with Yun Zhongzi, not even bothering to disguise himself.
After all, once he fully set his plans in motion, there would be no point in keeping up appearances.
Besides, the Canonization of the Gods had already been set in motion. Whether he put on an act or not, what was destined to happen would still happen.
He might as well stand his ground and fight with everything he had over the next twenty years.
Even if he ultimately failed, at least he could die with his head held high.
At Morning Court the next day, before any of the ministers had time to pay their respects, he raised a hand and stood up first.
Servants distributed sheets of Paper to each minister. In truth, he had Bi Gan to thank for that.
Thanks to Bi Gan's efforts, both papermaking and Movable Type Printing had already spread widely.
At the very least, Paper was no longer a rare commodity in Chaoge City.
Looking over the assembled ministers, Zi Shou declared, "This is the Three-Year Development Plan I've drawn up. Read it first!"
The hall fell silent. The ministers focused intently on the sheets in their hands and began to read.
Now and then, someone gasped in surprise. But as soon as they did, they went straight back to reading, too absorbed to discuss it with the others.
Zi Shou remained expressionless. His Three-Year Development Plan covered a great deal, enough to keep the ministers digesting its contents for a while.
After some time, the ministers who had finished reading looked up at the King, their eyes full of astonishment.
At last, someone could no longer hold back and stepped forward to offer his remonstrance. It was Prime Minister Shang Rong.
"Your Majesty, this Three-Year Plan has many merits, but it also contains quite a few radical measures!
"If we carry it out as written, I fear it will lead to endless calamities. I beg Your Majesty to think twice before acting!" Shang Rong said.
His words were heartfelt, and many ministers nodded discreetly. They shared his concerns.
Yet some ministers continued to ponder in silence, including Assistant Minister Bi Gan, who seemed to be weighing the pros and cons.
"Which of the measures you call radical do you mean?" Zi Shou asked calmly.
From Taibai Jinxing and Yun Zhongzi, he had already been able to gauge Shang Rong's attitude.
When he distributed the Three-Year Development Plan, Shang Rong had been the first to oppose it. Zi Shou wasn't surprised in the least.
He also knew perfectly well how bold this plan was for the age they lived in.
Not only Shang Rong, but most of the ministers in court would likely find it unacceptable and oppose it just as he did.
"The King's Three-Year Plan calls for greatly developing agriculture. That is naturally a good thing. But abolishing slavery, for example, is entirely inappropriate!
"If Your Majesty insists on this, all the feudal lords under Heaven will rebel. How could Great Shang remain stable?" Shang Rong said.
At once, many ministers voiced their agreement. The danger was not hard to understand.
Everyone knew that slaves were human beings, and abolishing slavery would immediately give Great Shang a vast workforce.
But slaves belonged to the nobility, and the feudal lords were all great slaveholders. Would they agree to abolish slavery?
It went without saying that once word spread, the feudal lords under Heaven would rebel.
With troubles within and enemies without, the world would fall into chaos at best. Great Shang might even be at risk of ruin.
"You make a good point, but I have made up my mind. There's no need to say more," Zi Shou said sternly.
He had expected this reaction and had no desire to explain further. Some things simply couldn't be explained.
Since he had drawn up the Three-Year Development Plan, the ministers would have to carry it out, no matter how strongly they opposed it.
"If Your Majesty insists on having your way, I fear the world will descend into chaos!" Shang Rong said anxiously.
The King had become increasingly inscrutable to him, and he had even begun to feel a little afraid.
But the King's Three-Year Development Plan was simply too outrageous. Besides abolishing slavery, it even forbade the common people from worshipping Deities.
Worshipping the Human Race's sages instead of Deities was an act of utter defiance against the world!
And from then on, within Great Shang's borders, Deities and mortals alike would have to obey Great Shang's laws?
It was sheer fantasy. How could he stand by and watch the King continue down the wrong path?
"Grand Tutor, what do you think of this Three-Year Development Plan?" Zi Shou asked.
His patience with Shang Rong was nearly exhausted. If Shang Rong still refused to take the hint, Zi Shou would have no choice but to deal with him.
Only then did the ministers remember that Grand Tutor Wen had not spoken at all. No one knew what he thought.
"If the King wishes to do it, then let him. As long as this old minister is here, the world will not fall into chaos," Grand Tutor Wen said, looking around the hall.
The entire hall fell silent. Everyone stared at Grand Tutor Wen in astonishment.
No one had expected him to support the King's Three-Year Development Plan. Could Grand Tutor Wen not see the danger?
But this was Grand Tutor Wen! He had served under three kings and commanded immense respect. Now that he had agreed, who would dare oppose the plan?
"Your Majesty, I also support the Three-Year Development Plan!" Assistant Minister Bi Gan declared.
With Bi Gan and Grand Tutor Wen both in support, the remaining ministers were powerless. Almost instinctively, they turned their eyes to Shang Rong.
Shang Rong was about to speak, but then he saw the King's gaze. Cold sweat instantly drenched him, and he dared not say another word.
He was truly afraid. In the King's eyes, he had clearly seen a cold glint: murderous intent.
He had no doubt that if he dared to oppose the plan again, the King would have him executed that very day.
Without Shang Rong, the other ministers were little more than a disorganized mob, incapable of stirring up any trouble.
"Good! Bi Gan will take full charge of the Three-Year Development Plan, and Grand Tutor Wen will command the army. I'd like to see who dares rebel!" Zi Shou declared.
Grand Tutor Wen had naturally agreed. The day before, after his cultivation breakthrough, Zi Shou had summoned him to the palace.
Assistant Minister Bi Gan had been there too. Zi Shou had explained the Three-Year Development Plan to them both in detail.
There were risks, and the plan was indeed radical, but its benefits outweighed its drawbacks. In the end, Zi Shou had persuaded Grand Tutor Wen and Bi Gan.
After court, Zi Shou strode back to his sleeping quarters, eager to return.
He didn't arrange a chance "encounter" with Su Daji, which saved him a great deal of time.
As soon as he reached his quarters, he entered the Hall of Heroes of the Human Emperors.
He had already sensed that the Luck Torch was undergoing a dramatic change!
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