The Sims: I Open the Immortal Path for All Beings

Chapter 832: Chapter 782: The Great Affairs of the State Lie in Sacrifice and Warfare

Anyone, any force, the more they invest in the early stages and the more indifference they show, the greater and more unacceptable the opponent’s ambitions may become.@@novelbin@@

When the Witch God Sect Leader first came to collaborate with the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, the price they paid cannot be said to be small. Not to mention what they did to gain Pei Xuanjing’s approval, nor the assistance in Wu Shijiu’s breakthrough to the Spiritual Realm Level Nine Strongest Realm, but just the contributions made to the Great Ming Divine Dynasty and Zhu Houji alone were tremendously significant.

They presented to Zhu Houji the Witch God Sect’s treasured cultivation methods, divine abilities, and cultivation insights from the Ancient Human Race Common Master—a collection of resources, especially the Human Path Treasures’ top-level Divine Weapon, the Xuanyuan Divine Sword. Which of these could be easily quantified?

In addition to the offerings to the ruler of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, the full assembly of Council Elders, Civil and Military Nobles, and members of the Royal Family all received significant support from the Witch God Sect over the years of cooperation, gaining access to many of the Witch God Sect’s skill resources.

Moreover, the cultivation of soldiers and military officers established within the Great Ming Divine Dynasty was also assisted by the Witch God Sect. In particular, the methods they shared for training warriors from the Ancient Era greatly enhanced the power of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty.

It can be said that in all these aspects, over the decades and nearly a century, the Witch God Sect’s support for the Great Ming Divine Dynasty was particularly substantial. This brought the two entities closer together, thereby implying that the Witch God Sect held significant influence over the Great Ming Divine Dynasty.

To eat from someone’s hand is to soften the mouth, to take from someone is to shorten the hand—especially when the other party has powerful strength as a guarantee, it’s impossible for anyone within the Great Ming Divine Dynasty to completely turn their backs and renounce their debts to the Witch God Sect.

Even more frankly, there are quite a few within the Great Ming Divine Dynasty who have a favorable impression of the Witch God Sect. Should a real fallout occur, plenty of ‘smart ones’ might make some particularly special moves.

“Restoring the main position of the Witch Sacrifice lineage seems trivial, one divine decree from the lord of the Divine Dynasty could suffice. In reality, however, it is not so simple. If I truly issue such a decree, it will inevitably cause a huge uproar,” said Zhu Houji with a calm expression.

The great affairs of the state lie in sacrifices and the military. These sacrifices represent the rites, and during the many years the Witch God Sect withdrew, the Confucian Gate, who took over the rites, has grown so strong that it coexists with the Dynasty and even survives beyond the fall of the Dynasty.

Even though Zhu Houji, as the supreme ruler who controls the Golden Book and Jade Scroll with authority to appoint all officials, the operation of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty is definitely not something he can handle alone. Without the support of all officials, the Dynasty simply cannot function; the two are symbiotically dependent on each other.

Now that the Witch God Sect Leader has made this request, it might not mean much to Zhu Houji, but it’s a great taboo for the Confucian Gate, who manages the rites. Their authority is challenged and weakened, something they cannot accept.

The rites may seem insignificant, but they represent orthodoxy, the right to interpret, the right to speak. The Confucian Gate will absolutely not give up this crucial right.

You should know that the retreat of the Witch God Sect was not only due to the wariness and exclusion of the Divine Dynasty Lords but also because of the rise of the Confucian Gate. They fought over authority and the power of speech with the Witch Sacrifice lineage, relying on the support of the Divine Dynasty Lord to defeat the Witch Sacrifice lineage and force the Witch God Sect to retreat.

Although Zhu Houji had no direct experience of the previous struggles between the two, anyone with sense knows it’s not a small contention. He certainly does not wish to see such conflicts replayed, especially with his Great Ming Divine Dynasty as the battleground.

However, should he refuse to comply, the Witch God Sect will certainly not let the matter rest. The considerable price paid by the Witch God Sect implies they have sufficient plotting and calculation, so their initial request being refused will undoubtedly provoke their wrath.

The Great Ming Divine Dynasty is simply not capable of facing the rage of the Witch God Sect. Should the multiple Supreme Strong intervene, Zhu Houji won’t be able to resist. Whether Master Pei would intervene is another question, and as for Mr. Wu by his side, though they are close, in the end, he comes from the Witch God Sect and even advanced to the Strongest with their support. Thus, his stance in such a scenario would be quite intriguing; his neutrality or even favor would be a good outcome.

“Your Majesty, perhaps you’re taking this matter too seriously?” Wu Shijiu said with a smile.

He didn’t know what Zhu Houji thought of him, but even if he did, he would acknowledge it. After all, he no longer belonged to the Witch God Sect, but the ties between them weren’t so easily severed, especially considering the Witch God Sect’s leniency and help in his advancement to the Strongest Realm. Should a confrontation arise, it’s very likely he would remain neutral.

Wu Shijiu knew that restoring the main position of the Witch Sacrifice lineage was not simple, yet it wasn’t as difficult as the opponent thought.

“Does the master have any clever strategy?” Zhu Houji asked, looking at the confident Wu Shijiu for counsel.

Wu Shijiu spoke leisurely: “It is not just Your Majesty who has benefited from the resources cultivated by the Church over the years. So, since the Church has raised issues and demands, it shouldn’t be Your Majesty alone who bears the burden. It might be better to discuss this matter openly on the Court floor and see how the noble officials respond.”

Some issues are indeed serious when left for one person to handle alone; the pot is too big for a single individual to carry.

But when one person cannot carry the burden, it’s necessary to find others, more people to share the load. That is the best approach.

“Master, you indeed have great talent; I have been confused,” Zhu Houji immediately realized.

The benefits initially provided by the Witch God Sect were received by everyone in the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, not just Zhu Houji. While he gained the most, as the Emperor, he could be defiant, so when faced with a problem, he did not have to bear it alone; the others needed to shoulder it as well.

Keep in mind that although the Great Ming Divine Dynasty has ascended to a Divine Dynasty, many of its regulations continue from before. The Cabinet handles many affairs, so now this issue can be rightfully placed in their hands, without the slightest problem.

Therefore, there’s no need for him to worry; he can simply lay everything on the Court and see how the Council Elders and Civil Nobles view it. Compared to him, their situations are often more awkward, particularly those Confucian disciples who have accepted benefits from the Witch God Sect. It’ll be interesting to see how they react.

In such a case, Zhu Houji can extricate himself and position as an outsider for the time being, providing an additional layer of security to the situation, reducing the directness of the conflict, and allowing for a chance to de-escalate.