Chapter 277 - 136: Aunt Shui: Xiaojiang, From Now On, You Belong to Me

Chapter 277: Chapter 136: Aunt Shui: Xiaojiang, From Now On, You Belong to Me

Abandoning their city and fleeing would be tantamount to betraying both their imperial mandate and the people’s Incense and Candle Power. Their Dao heart would be instantly damaged and their foundation shaken. From that point on, their Cultivation Level would struggle to advance even an inch. They might even suffer a backlash from the nation’s fate, causing their body and soul to perish.

They enjoy the Incense and Candle Power of a city, so their own fate becomes inextricably bound to it."

Jiang Mu understood.

’No wonder. When Hu State was in peril, Shangguan Luoxue, who was still recovering from serious injuries, disregarded everything to force herself out of seclusion and fight the Fog Demon to the death. She ended up with a damaged Dao Foundation, critically injured and near death.’

’Because she had no choice.’

Tian Wenjing continued:

"Rebellions happen when the Court loses the hearts of the people.

A Garrison Envoy accepts the incense of a region and is therefore bound by the will of its people. If they were to rashly attack the rebelling commoners, they would be making an enemy of the very people they protect. The Incense and Candle Power they’ve absorbed would inevitably backlash, shaking both their Cultivation Level and their foundation.

The Court, of course, understands this principle. That’s why, in such situations, they’ve always sent the army to quell rebellions directly.

Even if the city is lost, it can always be retaken. They would never let a Garrison Envoy be tainted by such karma."

He paused, recalling the earlier incident.

"Take the rebellion in Yan City, for example. Although Demons were fanning the flames, the main force was ultimately the common people, who had been deluded by the Red Umbrella Sect.

At the time, the strongest Demon involved was no more than Tier Five.

That’s why, from start to finish, Yuan Qianfan simply watched impassively from the sidelines as the Court’s army quelled the rebellion, never intervening in the slightest.

Had he made a move, the Incense and Candle Power he had received from those same people would have immediately backlashed. The Celestial Dao is perfectly clear in its karmic calculations."

Jiang Mu nodded, a realization dawning on him.

"I see. Garrison Envoys are ’human gods,’ and their fundamental duty is to stand against the demonic, specializing in dealing with Demon Fiends.

The internal power struggles of mortal dynasties and the shifting allegiances of the people are outside their jurisdiction, as long as a high-level Demon Fiend isn’t directly attempting to overthrow the state."

As he spoke, a flash of Spiritual Light ignited in Jiang Mu’s mind, and a clearer picture began to form.

"So, when the Court enfeoffs someone as a Garrison Envoy and bestows upon them the status of a ’human god,’ it’s not the Court that is truly granting this position. It’s... a grant made on behalf of the Celestial Dao. Is that right?

The Court is just the eunuch reading out the imperial edict, while the Emperor who actually issues the decree is the unseen law of the Celestial Dao."

A hint of admiration flashed in Tian Wenjing’s eyes. He stroked his beard and said,

"A crude analogy, but the principle is sound.

Since its founding, our Great Qing has enfeoffed a total of sixteen Garrison Envoys.

Not just any city is qualified to have one. Only major hubs with flourishing incense and spiritually potent ley lines have a chance of producing a Garrison Envoy.

And from the moment they are enfeoffed, these sixteen Garrison Envoys have, in fact, already received the favor of the Celestial Dao, earning them the right to become ’human gods.’

The Great Qing is simply going with the flow, binding the nation’s fate to them, building them shrines and temples, proclaiming their miracles, and guiding the people to offer up their Incense and Candle Power.

In this way, the Garrison Envoys can leverage their status as human gods to accumulate that power, aiding their cultivation breakthroughs.

In the future, when they attempt to ascend, having the Incense and Candle Power protecting them will greatly reduce the resistance from the Celestial Tribulation. This is a tangible and immense opportunity.

And the Court, through this bond, gets these peerless experts to guard the nation’s fate and extend the dynasty’s reign.

Both sides get what they need. It’s simply a mutually beneficial arrangement."

Jiang Mu’s eyes flickered, and everything clicked into place for him.

’No wonder Si Rumeng said that once the Court grants the status of a human god, it can’t be rescinded.’

’What right does a eunuch, who only delivers the message, have to retract the Emperor’s decree?’

’If the Celestial Dao acknowledges you, you are a god.’

’If the Celestial Dao doesn’t, it’s useless no matter how many titles the Court grants you.’

’But if that’s the case... Si Rumeng’s insane plan to copy Black Mountain’s "human god license," deceive the Celestial Dao, and steal legitimate incense... Isn’t that like walking on a tightrope?’

’It’s far too dangerous!’

’This woman is an absolute madwoman.’

’An ambitious one, at that.’

’Before, Jiang Mu had somewhat underestimated her, thinking she was just a Tree Demon with a few tricks up her sleeve. Now, it was clear he needed to re-evaluate her completely.’

’Would a Demon this ambitious, this resourceful, this audacious, truly be content to submit to him?’

’Perhaps all those years ago, when she and her sister were doing good deeds and helping villagers, they were actually accumulating merit, laying the groundwork for today’s "god-making" plan.’

’Even when Black Mountain forced her to do evil, she deliberately had her ghostly subordinates only harm wicked people with corrupt hearts, steering clear of the good and innocent.’

’She was clearly trying to circumvent karma, afraid that the sin of harming the innocent would cause the Celestial Dao to reject her later on.’

’Every step was a calculated move, part of a long and intricate scheme.’

’This woman’s ambition was far too great. She would never be content to submit to him.’

’Looks like I’ll have to give her a few more lashes in the future, to properly tame that spirit of hers.’

Jiang Mu mused to himself.

’If I ever feel that she’s truly beyond my control, that I’m just raising a tiger that will one day bite me...’

’...then I’ll have to kill her.’

’It would be a waste of a valuable asset, but my safety comes first. I can’t gamble with my own life.’

"Getting back on topic,"

Tian Wenjing said, continuing his analysis of the current situation,

"Back when Hu State was besieged, although there were numerous Demons present, the only one who actually assaulted the city was the Tiger Vanguard and his division.

The other Demon leaders merely watched from outside the walls. It wasn’t just that they feared General Shangguan; it was because they were never truly united in the first place.

The Demon Race is riddled with factions, each fighting for its own interests.

They only came together temporarily for a common interest. If there’s no tangible benefit in sight, none of them are willing to risk their own forces.

That’s also why the allied Demon army scattered the moment the Fog Demon was defeated."

Jiang Mu nodded slightly, thinking that made perfect sense.