The Heart of an Unruly Commoner

The Imperial Monarch and the Heavenly Venerable were actually gathering aboard Xiao Xixian's immortal raft at this very moment, which filled her with immense pressure. Both men were prominent figures of the Immortal Court. The Imperial Monarch was foremost among all the imperial monarchs in the realm. The Wenqu, Wuqu, Zhongyi, Yueli, Guanglu, and other imperial monarchs were all under his jurisdiction. Although these were sinecures, they nonetheless placed them at the very pinnacle of officialdom. The Heavenly Venerable was head of the Six Ministries; the venerable lords of the other five ministries all took his cue. Furthermore, he oversaw the heavenly tribulations—every ascendant under heaven had to bow before him and profess to be his disciple. Xiao Xixian's business operated in a grey area, so in the presence of these two towering officials of the Immortal Court, she could not help feeling anxious and uneasy. The Imperial Monarch had already set out wine aboard the raft—plain and simple, without any dishes to accompany it. The Heavenly Venerable dispensed with pleasantries and sat cross-legged on the deck. The Imperial Monarch sat opposite him, poured him wine, and called out, "Ferryman, you may cast off." Xiao Xixian suppressed her apprehension, spurred the immortal raft, and steered downstream along the Heavenly River. The two drank opposite each other on the vessel. Setting down his cup, melancholy stirred in the Imperial Monarch's heart. Gazing toward the vista along the left bank of the Heavenly River, he recited: "Night turns the Heavenly River, drifting circling stars; Clouds over silver shoals mimic rushing waters. Blossoms on the Jade Palace cassia have yet to fall; Immortal maids gather fragrance, jade tassels trailing low." He sighed, "I have heard that in the Heavenly River's prime, immortal pleasure boats came and went, shuttling back and forth in lively grandeur. Now, nothing remains but a single pirate boat smuggling living souls. How lamentable." The Heavenly Venerable remarked, "I hear that back then, the Heavenly River Navy numbered a million strong—a million immortals marching in formation, masters of military art. Their commander was titled the Azure Emperor of the North, Grand Marshal Tianpeng. Regrettably, though the Heavenly River is now reopened, the Immortal Court has never reestablished the Azure Emperor." The Imperial Monarch said, "It is not that the Immortal Court does not wish to appoint an Azure Emperor, but rather that the Immortal Realm lacks the resources. If an Azure Emperor were appointed and the Heavenly River Navy rebuilt, where would the funds come from? Where would the immortal spiritual energy come from? How could a million-strong navy be fed? Feeding a million soldiers would leave other officials in the Immortal Court half-starved and hungry! His Present Majesty rules with diligence and vigor, and all under heaven is at peace, so there is simply no need for a Heavenly River Navy." The Heavenly Venerable mused with worry, "While there may be no need now, when the need arises, it will already be too late." Pouring him more wine, the Imperial Monarch smiled. "Heavenly Venerable, you are as anxious about the realm as ever." The Heavenly Venerable smiled. "Were you any different? I still remember how you worried that the new tribulation rules would be unfair to mortals in the lower realms yet to ascend. You argued passionately on their behalf, never hesitating to fall out with so many colleagues over it." The Imperial Monarch recalled that affair. It had taken place not long after the establishment of the Heavenly Dao world. Back then, he was still an Immortal Lord, unwelcome and marginalized within the Immortal Court, his chest brimming with passionate blood and bitter grievances. At that time, ascendant immortals were already crowding the Immortal Realm to bursting, so someone proposed altering the rules of ascension. Back then, the rule had been that the power of a heavenly tribulation varied according to the ascendant's tribulation fortune and karmic number—the greater the tribulation fortune and karmic number, the more formidable the tribulation. However, once the Heavenly Dao world gained mastery over the Heavenly Dao, they were able to manipulate the tribulation's power and regulate it at will. To resolve the surplus of immortals, someone suggested changing the rule: whenever an ascendant underwent tribulation, the tribulation's strength would match the power demonstrated by the previous person who had ascended. In this manner, after several millennia of ascensions, passing the tribulation would become increasingly difficult. Eventually, the heavenly tribulation would turn into an insurmountable chasm, walling off all practitioners in the mortal realm so that no one could ever ascend again! "Back then, I nearly came to blows in the Immortal Court with Perfected Tao, the man who proposed that resolution," the Imperial Monarch reflected wistfully. "I berated him for harboring sinister designs, accusing him of kicking away the ladder after climbing the wall, severing the path of ascension for those who came after—the petty conduct of a base scoundrel. At that time, fairness was all that occupied my mind. I never stopped to consider that it had nothing to do with fairness. The Immortal Realm simply could not accommodate any more immortals." The Heavenly Venerable chuckled. "You were too young back then." The Imperial Monarch nodded in deep agreement. Raising his cup, he chuckled, "Indeed. I was far too young then, dreaming of altering heaven and earth, dreaming of upholding justice for the world. But later, once I took the seat of Imperial Monarch, my perspective shifted." A serene peace enveloped his mind as he continued, "From the seat of Imperial Monarch, looking down from on high to survey the entire world, I finally understood: if those Qi Refiners from the lower realms ascended, lacking resources, lacking immortal spiritual energy, lacking cave abysses, they would devour people—they would turn their blades on us! Those unruly commoners, devoid of gratitude for the Immortal Realm's grace, actually dare harbor thoughts of rebellion!" Sharing his sentiment, the Heavenly Venerable raised his cup and drank with him. "Such rabble have always been this way. Seeing how well we live—with cave abysses, mineral veins, spiritual energy, women, and status—while they have none, they kick up a fuss and howl about unfairness. And if we refuse to give it to them, they rebel." Setting down his cup, the Imperial Monarch smiled faintly. "So tell me... you were once a paragon, so why turn rebel?" The Heavenly Venerable also put down his cup, his expression turning bleak. "Zhou Wu, it is not that I wished to betray His Majesty; I had no choice." As though swayed by the wine, he simply bared his heart. "You and I are both prodigies of this era. In all the world, those whose aptitude and comprehension surpass ours can be counted on one's fingers. I have constantly wondered: where do I fall short compared to those old fossils perched high above? Is my aptitude inferior? Is my comprehension lacking? Is my natural talent less than theirs, or my disposition weaker? I compared myself to them again and again, and I discovered that I am not inferior to them in any way!" His voice grew deep and resonant, rising steadily until it drowned out the rushing waters of the Heavenly River: "What I lacked was fortune! I was not born as early as they were, nor did I have the fortune to rise at the end of that ancient era! What I lacked was resources—I did not monopolize as much as they did! Had I possessed their fortune and their resources, I too would be a Supreme! I too would be a Great Luo!" These final words rang out with unyielding power, resounding like dropped iron. The Imperial Monarch slowly rose and walked to the stern of the immortal raft. Watching the surging waves of the Heavenly River, he said leisurely, "Heavenly Venerable, how does that mindset of yours differ in the slightest from those unruly commoners longing to ascend?" The Heavenly Venerable paused slightly. A half-smile played on the Imperial Monarch's lips. "Haven't you realized? You wish to climb to the position of Supreme, stopping at nothing—even rebellion—to get there. Mortals wish to cross tribulations and ascend, stopping at nothing—even rebellion—to get there. Aren't they identical? You are just an unruly commoner." The Heavenly Venerable rose to his feet as well, his aura swelling with tremendous force. He laughed aloud, "Zhou Wu, are you not an unruly commoner yourself? Do you not wish to climb higher? Would you rather let all your learning and skill go to waste?" With his back turned to him, facing the water, the corner of the Imperial Monarch's eye twitched. His index finger twitched as well; he felt a powerful urge to raise his hand and sever his inner demon. Yet at such a moment, the slightest uncalculated motion would give the Heavenly Venerable an opening to exploit. "I do wish to climb," the Imperial Monarch replied, settling his state of mind. "I, too, possess the heart of an unruly commoner. But my path is different from yours." Gazing at his back, the Heavenly Venerable laughed. "Your path is indeed different from mine. You belong to the Supreme—you are the fiercest hound he keeps! Whoever he tells you to bite, you bite! That is why the Supreme dispatched you back then to deal with Xu Ying, commanding you to tear into him! You showed him unwavering loyalty, and he threw you a bone to gnaw on. That is the only reason you hold the rank of Imperial Monarch!" At the name "Xu Ying," Xiao Xixian pricked up her ears. Determined to cut to the bone, the Heavenly Venerable pressed on, "The Supreme feared my control over the Heavenly Dao world, so he set you against me. Over the years, you kept planting your pawns in the Thunder and Fire Ministry of Works until it practically became yours! You tried to strip me of power, resorting to countless petty tricks. Yet you must have noticed by now: after promoting you to Imperial Monarch, the Supreme has run out of greater rewards to grant you, hasn't he?" He murmured softly, "If you climb any higher, it will be the seat of Supreme. Naturally, he cannot give you that seat. That is why he bestowed a ginseng Dao fruit upon you, letting you cultivate a Dao fruit—all to tell you: Boy, settle for being a Daluo Golden Immortal, and don't daydream about becoming a Supreme!" The Imperial Monarch raised an eyebrow. The Heavenly Venerable said, "Today, he can order you to kill me. But having fattened you up so well, he can just as easily kill you tomorrow. He is an autocrat, through and through! Zhou Wu, if you see through this, join hands with me!" The Imperial Monarch remained silent. Nothing could be heard save the gentle murmuring of the water. After a long pause, the Imperial Monarch said, "Dao Brother, after saying all that... isn't it simply because you are injured and lack the confidence to defeat me?" The Heavenly Venerable's expression instantly darkened. "After being wounded, you returned to the Immortal Court with the intent of secretly retrieving your cave abyss, Zuzhou," the Imperial Monarch remarked calmly. "You took such a risk to reclaim Zuzhou because your injuries are exceedingly severe—so severe that you cannot heal them on your own. You had no choice but to retrieve Zuzhou so its immortal spiritual energy could replenish your exhaustion. When the Dragon Court emerged, I held back and hesitated, while you plunged in like a moth to flame—that was your first blunder. Rather than going into hiding, you reentered the Immortal Court to retrieve Zuzhou—that was your second blunder." The Heavenly Venerable laughed coldly. "Your ranking in the Immortal Realm has always been below mine. Are you so sure you can best me?" Turning his head slightly, the Imperial Monarch smiled. "Do you think the methods I spent forty-eight thousand years researching to deal with the Undying True Spirit were meant for Xu Ying?" The Heavenly Venerable laughed heartily. "Xu Ying is still alive to this day! Didn't forty-eight thousand years of research still fail to kill him? If you couldn't kill him, are you certain you can deal with me?" The killing intent between the two grew heavier by the second. Xiao Xixian felt as if plunged into an icy cavern, paralyzed under the suffocating weight of their murderous aura. She groaned in inward misery, bitterly regretting returning to the smuggling trade. Amid her frantic thoughts, the Imperial Monarch suddenly chuckled, "Won't we know once we try?" The immortal raft had reached midstream on the Heavenly River, right where the current ran swiftest. It surged forward faster and faster, while strange peaks and majestic crags along both banks whipped past in a flash, showcasing heaven and earth's wondrous majesty. The Imperial Monarch stomped down, and the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Extermination Immortal Array detonated with a roar! At the exact same instant, the Heavenly Venerable's stature swelled to towering proportions, pushing the Ten Thousand Realms Supreme Undying Scripture to its absolute limit as indestructible spiritual light radiated from within and without! Their bodhimandas unfolded, their massive Dao trees standing tall and magnificent, draped with hanging Dao fruits. Thousands upon thousands of desolate Dao lights slashed like swords into each other's bodhimanda! Holding her oar, Xiao Xixian stood frozen between the two, completely unable to move. She watched as dazzling beams radiating an aura of total extinction skimmed past her sides and brushed against her face! At that moment, Xiao Xixian felt as though she had entered a realm of giants. The Imperial Monarch at the bow and the Heavenly Venerable at the stern grew larger and more colossal, resembling heaven-propping titans commanding the cosmos itself! Even the immortal raft expanded endlessly under their boundless Dharmic power, spanning hundreds and thousands of li across the Heavenly River. It felt like sailing upon the boundless Heavenly Sea, surrounded by gargantuan, sky-covering waves wherever the eye could see! Only then did she realize that the sky had not grown bigger, nor had the raft expanded—she had simply been compressed until she was tiny! A surge of fury suddenly rushed to her head. Tilting her chin up, she shouted, "You two bastards, don't you dare wreck my boat! The fare you paid isn't even enough to cover the repairs!" The moment the words left her mouth, regret seized her. How could a boat be more important than her life? Suddenly, the Imperial Monarch and the Heavenly Venerable soared into the sky, one after the other. Xiyue felt an overwhelming wave of relief as her body restored to normal size. Hastily, she spurred the immortal raft, rocketing downstream. Towering waves churned ahead, and the raft transformed into a streak of light, slicing through the surging billows. Thunderous explosions reverberated across the sky. The spiritual light enveloping the Heavenly Venerable condensed into thunderbolts, hacking toward the Imperial Monarch with magnificent power. Suspended in midair, the Imperial Monarch watched his towering Primordial Spirit rise behind him. A colossal Dao wheel hummed and whirred behind its head, flanked by twelve more Dao wheels spinning with whistling force! Within those twelve Dao wheels, twelve figures of the Imperial Monarch sat upright at their centers, each driving an extermination immortal array! The Nine Heavens Ten Earths Extermination Immortal Array was refined and activated by each of them, its might erupting unceasingly to completely deflect the Heavenly Venerable's assaults. His Nine Heavens Ten Earths Demon-Breaking Art had long achieved an astounding breakthrough, faintly ascending to the level of a supreme-grade cultivation technique! "Zhou Wu, such skill of yours is truly breathtaking—a pity you still choose to be a hound!" The Heavenly Venerable's voice exploded from above like thunder. Beneath Xiao Xixian's feet, the immortal raft rose higher and higher. Panic gripped her heart when she realized—it was not the raft that was flying up, but the Heavenly River itself! Uplifted by the shockwaves of two paramount Heavenly Monarchs, the Heavenly River drifted toward the starry cosmos like a celestial ribbon. The immortal raft on its waters resembled a single speck among countless stars, while Xiao Xixian's crimson dress fluttered aboard the deck, adding a faint splash of color to the otherwise monotonous starry expanse. *Whoosh—* Howling winds rushed past Xiao Xixian's ears. Captured by the Heavenly Venerable's colossal Dharmic power, the Heavenly River merged with his Great Dao, turning into a flowing Dao ribbon trailing behind the imposing man. Driven by the Heavenly Venerable's Dao methods, the Heavenly River's waters roared and surged, growing ever more turbulent, rushing with dizzying speed! Xiao Xixian gritted her teeth, desperately fighting to keep control of the immortal raft lest she be flung into the void. Then came an earth-shattering crash, and the Heavenly River abruptly severed into several pieces. In the chaos, Xiao Xixian caught sight of the Imperial Monarch refining the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Extermination Immortal Array into a purple blade light, wielding it to sever the Heavenly Venerable's Dao ribbon! From the twelve great Dao wheels behind the Imperial Monarch's head, twelve purple blade lights shot forth, striking the Heavenly Venerable's towering frame. Spiritual light erupted in a violent blast, followed by splatters of blood. Torrential waters of the Heavenly River surged in from behind, reconnecting the broken riverway. Swept along by the current, the immortal raft hurtled forward, threading through drifting star rivers. As Xiao Xixian struggled to steer the raft, she suddenly saw that among those stellar rivers, the Nai River, composed of departed spirits, was rushing past. The deaths of living beings across the myriad heavens and realms fed into this vast river. At the confluence of these countless tributaries, an imposing God Bridge spanned across them, where a colossal goddess stood selling tea upon the bridge. That goddess was called Meng Po, whose true form ordinary mortals could never behold. Seeing the Heavenly River surging violently toward her and catching sight of the battle between Heavenly Venerable and Imperial Monarch, her expression changed drastically. Abandoning her tea stall, she leapt into the Nai River and fled for her life! Just as the Heavenly River was about to collide with the Nai River, the trembling river swiftly righted itself, returning to its original channel. The churning waters suddenly grew calm, and the immortal raft that had been jostled violently in the rapids settled into steady motion. Still shaken with shock and doubt, Xiao Xixian watched as the Imperial Monarch reverted to normal size and descended from the sky, landing at the bow. "Ferryman, keep sailing." Hands clasped behind his back, the Imperial Monarch watched the rapidly spinning Dao wheel behind his head gradually slow down before the thirteen Dao wheels vanished one after another. He murmured calmly, "To escape even after suffering my Purple Nether Extermination Nether Blade, Dao Brother, you truly have my admiration. Unfortunately... where else can you run?" Looking ahead, he saw the Ancestral Court gradually emerging in his sight.