Chapter 1362 - 990: Life-and-Death Decision

On the high platform

Chen Sanliang lowered his head to look at Mr. Da, who had died of exhaustion, and his face became unsightly. His expression was extremely ugly. The other party would rather die than work for him, refusing to integrate the Great Dao into his Chen Sanliang’s Dao. How could he have failed so much as a person?

The most critical was Mr. Da’s generous attitude of facing death, which would surely inspire countless Confucian Crown Princes to imitate and take Mr. Da as a benchmark.

"You truly deserve to die! Do you know how many scholars of the Human Race will die unjustly because of you?" Fire brewed in Chen Sanliang’s eyes.

He guided the Demon Race into the territory, not just for revenge, but also to make the Human Race turn around and steal the Demon Race’s fortune, making the Human Demon Race supreme.

"Despicable! Deserving of death!" Chen Sanliang couldn’t hold back his curse and then let his eyes sweep over all the scholars in the Academy: "Is there anyone willing to come up and debate the Dao? If not, you’re about to lose this round."

Upon hearing Chen Sanliang’s words, the people in the field looked at each other, everyone in the Academy had darkened expressions, but no one spoke.

"Since that’s the case, today’s debate ends with your Human Race losing the first round!" Chen Sanliang stood on the high platform, full of vigor, his face full of the joy of avenging great grievances.

Thinking back, because he proposed the idea that human nature is inherently evil, conflicted with Mr. Da’s idea of inherent goodness, he was exiled to the Northern Land by the Academy. Later, his theories were perfected, but they were stolen by Mr. Six, who forced his wife to death, and the anger in his heart had long been like a raging fire, tormenting him day and night. Now finally raising his eyebrows and trampling the entire Academy under his feet, isn’t it delightful?

Proving that he, Chen Sanliang, was right, the Academy and even the entire Confucian Dao of the world were wrong.

Chen Sanliang’s voice was filled with pride, he turned and was about to step down the stage when suddenly a voice rang out: "Wait! Who said our Human Race lost? Let me debate the Dao with you."

A figure slowly walked up from below the stage. That person was old with a head full of white hair, so aged they were barely recognizable, even needing attendants to help ascend the high platform.

"Who dares to step on the high platform, not knowing life from death..." Upon hearing this, Chen Sanliang turned around ready to curse, but the next moment all the words stuck in his mouth, his eyes staring dazedly at the aged figure, filled with disbelief, he blurted out: "Father?"

That aged figure was his father.

Since he had been banished to the Northern Land, the father and son had not seen each other for sixty years, and the Chen Family patriarch had aged beyond recognition.

"Father, how have you become so old?" Chen Sanliang’s eyes fixed tightly on his patriarch father, filled with disbelief.

"Ever since you left Kyoto, because of your theories, the Academy implicated the Chen Family, continuously suppressing all Chen Family’s businesses and emerging forces..." The patriarch spoke to this point and didn’t continue, because Chen Sanliang already knew what was next.

The entire Academy’s anger spread to the Chen Family, the Chen Family was affected, and the patriarch, being the Patriarch of the Chen Family, had exhausted himself day and night contemplating how to break through the Academy’s suppressions, thus aging rapidly.

Chen Sanliang pulled up his robe and knelt directly, tears in his eyes and voice trembling: "Father, I am unfilial, causing you to be implicated."

"We father and son have not seen each other for decades, you having achieved what you have today makes me very happy!" The patriarch extended a hand to help Chen Sanliang up: "With your achievements today, why should the Chen Family not prosper in the future? The hardships the Chen Family has endured for sixty years are all worth it."

Held up by the patriarch, Chen Sanliang was about to speak when the patriarch said: "Sanliang, stop your hand! As long as you return to the Human Race, the Human King will allow you to take charge of the Academy, becoming the leader of Literary Dao, overseeing all Human Dao in the world, enjoying all the fortune of Literary Dao alone."

Chen Sanliang was stunned by these words, instinctively rebuffed: "That’s impossible! I’ve already defeated the Academy, stepped on the world’s Literary Dao, and am already considered number one in Literary Dao, just one step away from presiding over the Literary Dao, why need the Human King’s command? After the gamble is over, the world belongs to the Demon Race, then the Chen Family can become the number one family of the Human Race, even the Chai Family will have to act according to our whims, depend on us for their livelihood."

Upon hearing this, the patriarch’s face darkened: "I’m afraid you won’t have the choice, today you must admit defeat, return to the Human Race."

Chen Sanliang looked at the patriarch, eyes full of disbelief: "Why?"

Clearly, only one step away from the Human Demon Race uniting the world, only one step away from the Chen Family becoming the number one family of the Human Race and putting the Chai Family underfoot, was his father confused? How could he not know what choice to make?

Upon hearing the question of why, the patriarch stood on the stage and turned his head to look behind, pointing to the crowd in the distance, where thousands had been pressed to the ground by the Imperial Guards, bright guillotines hanging over their necks.

"Your blood brother, your just one-month-old grandnephew, your mother, all are pressed under the guillotine by the Great Victory royal family. Once the order is given, their heads will all fall. Do you know why?" The old patriarch’s voice was full of bitterness, "By then, only you will remain of the Chen Family. What Chen Family is left then? And now you’ve broken through the Twelfth Tier, refined your Essence Qi, and wish to have offspring again? I’m afraid that’s no longer possible! The Chen Family is about to be extinct. No matter how glorious, what good is it? Do you know what extinction means?"

The old patriarch’s eyes were fixed on Chen Sanliang: "Years ago, when you were banished from the Academy, the family had no ability to protect you—it was the family’s fault. If today you choose to keep winning, none of us will resent you."

Chen Sanliang looked at his grief-stricken father, feeling thunderstruck for a moment, standing there in a daze, his eyes full of confusion, helpless against the night wind.

If the old patriarch forced him to bow his head, he would feel resentment in his heart and could even, with a clear conscience, choose not to care about the life or death of the Chen family for the sake of his own future. But seeing his father with tears streaming down his face, and those pairs of expectant eyes under the guillotine gazing at him from afar, his heart was filled with reluctance.

What could he do?

He saw a toddler about three years old, blinking fearfully at him, sniffling and teary-eyed, yet not crying out loud.

There was also the just one-month-old baby, who was stretching his head under the guillotine, chuckling softly, seemingly unaware of the impending danger.

He saw his elder brother, not seen for sixty years, now aged like his father, kneeling under the guillotine. After their eyes met, his brother surprisingly smiled, as if praising his achievements.

He remembered that he had the best relationship with his elder brother. In the past, when Mr. Da oppressed and exiled him, his brother once stormed into the Academy to argue with Mr. Da for his sake.

He saw his younger sister, that aged lady, isolated by his involvement, with no one daring to marry her, doomed to a lonely old age.

The Chen family suffered because of him, yet nobody ever blamed him. Even in the Northern Land, when he almost starved to death back then, it was thanks to the family’s protection that he survived. How could he bear to hurt them again?

But if he surrendered in the first round, the Demon Race soldiers wouldn’t be a match for the Human Race in the second round. The Demon Race’s grand plan would be ruined. How could he explain to the Demon Race troops?

What is a dilemma?

Chen Sanliang felt it now!

He truly was caught in a dilemma.

"Great Victory Human King, you are so despicable!" Chen Sanliang turned his head, eyes filled with murderous intent, a fire burning in his chest threatening to ignite him.

The Great Victory Human King was not angered by his words. He merely smiled lightly and said, "Though despicable, it is within the bounds of the bet, is it not? Furthermore, as a king for the Human Race, no measure is too extreme. Even if the world points fingers at my backbone in the future, I will never regret it and am willing to bear all infamy."

Hearing this, Chen Sanliang clenched his fists tightly in anger, but he was helpless, for the other’s words held truth. He could only blame himself for not setting rules beforehand. Who could have thought that the Great Victory royal family would be so despicable?

"Did you think this would make me submit?" Chen Sanliang glared at the Great Victory Human King, his words dripping with coldness.

"I never expected you to surrender just like that. But I must tell you, if your father fails in the argument of Dao, the next will be your brother, and when your brothers are all dead, it will be your nephews, until all of the Chen family bloodline is wiped out clean. Only then will I stop," stated the Great Victory Human King unhurriedly.

"You black-hearted two-legged sheep, your heart is indeed rotten!" Hu Li the Immortal cursed angrily from the side, jumping in anger.

He realized things were not looking good.

"I am merely acting within the rules, if you have the ability, exploit the loopholes yourselves," the Great Victory Human King said slowly.

Seeing Chen Sanliang standing silently on the high platform, unable to make a decision, the old patriarch looked at Chen Sanliang and sighed softly, "My son, I am very pleased with your accomplishments today. The entire Chen family is proud of you. Rest assured, the Chen family will never hold back this outstanding talent. We will never make you feel troubled. The pride of the Chen family is engraved in our bones; even in death, we will never submit."

After saying this, the old patriarch suddenly spewed black blood, smiling at Chen Sanliang as his body slowly fell to the ground, "Rest assured, none of us Chen men will ever blame you. You can stride forward with a clear conscience. The Chen family will never be your stumbling block, and we will never drag you down. Your success is like smoke rising from our ancestral graves for eight generations."