"A fox spirit really does taste wonderful!"
"And this body of mine is rather impressive, too..."
When Di Xin left, his steps were a little unsteady, but his face was full of satisfied smiles, both for Daji's attentive service that answered his every desire and for the strength of his current body. Though he had no idea whether Daji had been faking it...
Still, he truly had never expected that Daji, this nine-tailed fox spirit, would actually still be a...
The smile on Di Xin's face suddenly deepened, taking on a trace of smugness.
[Loyalty and affection from Daji +10, total: 10. Daji's Infatuation side quest unlocked. Upon completion, receive random Dao resonance laws +100, merit points +100, and one random reward...]
Just then, a notification suddenly flashed across Di Xin's system interface.
It seems Daji wasn't faking it just now. I did leave her quite satisfied!
Seeing the figures on the interface, Di Xin smiled even more brightly. Holding his lower back, he looked all the more confident.
Although it was only ten points, the fact that Daji could produce such a value after he had threatened and suppressed her with the Pinewood Juque Sword spoke volumes!
I hope Daji and the other two demons from the Xuanyuan Tomb can bring me more surprises!
Di Xin rubbed his lower back, his gaze shifting slightly. Then he beckoned Zheng Lun, who stood respectfully in the distance with his eyes fixed straight ahead, and said, "General Zheng, come here. There are some things I need you to do."
"Please speak freely, Your Majesty. So long as it is within my power, I will spare no effort."
Zheng Lun hurriedly knelt and spoke with solemn earnestness.
"You come from the Chan Sect and are Perfected Du'e's disciple. I imagine you made quite a few friends during your time on the mountain. Now that I intend to make Great Shang flourish, I need capable people. I would like you to invite some of your fellow disciples down from the mountains, so we can unite our strength and work hand in hand to bring Great Shang prosperity!"
Di Xin reached out and helped Zheng Lun to his feet. After those stirring words, he added, "And rest assured, you were the first to follow me. I will never forget that bond! No matter whom you bring here in the future, I promise your rank will always be one level above theirs, and you will enjoy endless glory and wealth for the rest of your life! So long as you do not betray me, I will never fail you!"
[Loyalty from Zheng Lun +3, cumulative total: +98...]
"Thank you for your esteem, Your Majesty. I will see to it at once!" Zheng Lun cupped his fists, looking at Di Xin with tears of gratitude. After speaking with reddened eyes, he strode away, head held high, ready to write several letters to the friends he had made back at Cloudlight Cave on Iron Brake Mountain, inviting them to Chaoge to help Great Shang flourish.
What did it mean to be an enlightened ruler? This was an enlightened ruler!
Before asking me to work for him, he had already thought through every benefit and every concern on my behalf, and provided solutions!
How could anyone not devote himself heart and soul to such a sovereign, giving everything in his service?
"Just two more points until a hundred, and I can gain a subject's unwavering loyalty!" Watching Zheng Lun's retreating figure, Di Xin looked even more satisfied.
He knew perfectly well that if he wanted others to work for him, he had to satisfy their desires. Whether they wanted women, men, riches, or power, he had to give them plenty.
More importantly, he had to avoid employing anyone he doubted and never doubt anyone he employed. He could not waver or issue orders in the morning only to change them by evening!
I hope Zheng Lun won't disappoint me and can recruit some decent third-generation disciples this time!
Di Xin silently voiced that hope. As for second-generation disciples, he knew there was no point even thinking about them at present. They were all Daluo Golden Immortals, and some had even reached the level of Half-Sage. Such extraordinary beings lived as long as heaven itself. Why would they lightly entangle themselves in karma?
Now that the great tribulation was approaching, everyone could sense it and was doing everything possible to avoid karma. Why would they recklessly become embroiled in it?
Before the situation became clear, why would they blindly bind their lives and deaths to Great Shang's war chariot?
Take Yun Zhongzi, for instance. If asked to help search across the ocean for potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, and chili peppers, he would do it. But if offered a position as a court consecrator and asked to support Great Shang, even this Fortune Virtue Golden Immortal, who was quite favorably disposed toward the human race, would probably withdraw at once without hesitation.
The reason was simple: beneath the Sages, all were ants. No one wished to undertake something that left his life and death uncertain.
"Next..."
Putting those thoughts aside, Di Xin glanced around. A smile suddenly appeared at the corners of his mouth as an even bolder idea came to him.
Since he had already brought the Curved-Blade Plow and the Iron Wok into this world ahead of their time, there was no harm in bringing a few more things forward as well!
With that thought, Di Xin clasped his hands behind his back and sent an imperial guard to summon Bi Gan to court.
As for himself, he pondered how to use the +42,524 negative emotion points accumulated in the system. Should he continue saving them until he could break through to the Qi Refining into Spirit Realm, or use them in a prize draw to see whether he could obtain something useful?
"Forget it. With my rotten luck, I'd better behave myself and break through to the Qi Refining into Spirit Realm first. As for future negative emotion points, I'll save half for cultivation breakthroughs and use the other half for draws and exchanges!"
But one glance at the prize wheel reminded Di Xin of his last ten-pull, which had yielded only a stalk of Dao-Merging Grass. He shuddered and abandoned the idea.
Still, he had discovered that although the system was something of a swindle, it was fairly intelligent. At least that ridiculous Suiren Tranquil Heart Method only appeared when it sensed an invasion by an outside force. It did not, as he had feared, burst into song whenever he touched a woman, leaving men speechless and women in tears, and saddling him, a tyrant, with the shameful reputation of an impotent weakling!
Meanwhile, Zheng Lun had already left the palace. Just as he stepped through the gates, he saw Su Hu hiding in a corner by the wall, craning his neck as though spying on something.
"My lord!"
Puzzled by the sight, Zheng Lun walked over and cupped his fists in greeting.
"General Zheng, you've suffered..."
The moment Su Hu saw Zheng Lun, tears spilled helplessly from his eyes.
Over the past few days, the more he thought about it, the more disheartened he became. A perfectly fine general had fallen into Di Xin's hands, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. So he had come to the palace, hoping to find an opportunity to meet Zheng Lun and set things right.
"Why do you say that, my lord? His Majesty treats Zheng Lun extremely well, taking off his own clothes to clothe me and offering me his own food. How have I suffered? Since you can come here, my lord, it seems His Majesty has treated you well too. He hasn't made things difficult for you, and you can come and go freely! Such magnanimity truly marks a compassionate, wise, and enlightened sovereign!"
Hearing this, Su Hu smiled and shook his head as he spoke.
Could Zheng Lun have been brainwashed by that tyrant Di Xin?!
Su Hu was momentarily bewildered by those words. With an awkward, bitter chuckle, he said, "I can only move around Chaoge. I cannot return to Jizhou. How is that freedom...?"
[Negative emotion points from Su Hu +199...]
Almost simultaneously, Di Xin noticed the figures flash across his system interface.
His brow furrowed, and he immediately realized that the turncoat Su Hu must have met Zheng Lun and was trying to sow discord. His heart tightened, and he wanted to send someone to summon Zheng Lun back. But on second thought, he restrained that impulse.
What is mine cannot be snatched away. If Zheng Lun wants to become a turncoat, that merely proves he cannot be entrusted with important duties!
In any case, with the Human Emperor System in hand, he only needed to watch Su Hu's negative emotion points to learn the outcome of their encounter...
"You're wrong to say that, my lord. You rebelled against Great Shang, and after defeating you, His Majesty spared your life instead of killing you. Does that not count as compassion? Does that not count as freedom?"
Zheng Lun frowned, looking at Su Hu with displeasure.
Those words made Su Hu even more embarrassed, and even more certain that Zheng Lun had indeed been brainwashed by Di Xin. His entire heart was now devoted to that tyrant!
Although he wanted to argue, he feared angering Zheng Lun and driving him away. Then he would have even less hope of returning to Jizhou.
"General, may I ask what that ty-His Majesty sent you out of the palace to do? If you find it difficult to answer, there's no need to tell me..." At that thought, he put on a smile. He had been about to say "tyrant," but when Zheng Lun frowned, he hurriedly corrected himself. Then he heaved a series of long sighs, tears hanging in his eyes. "After all, Su Hu is a useless man now. Though I bear the titles of the king's father-in-law and Duke of Jizhou, I hold not a shred of real authority and cannot give you what you want..."
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