Cultivation: I Can Reincarnate Into Various Worlds-Chapter 66. A Great Thief Who Stole a Country (Seeking to Continue Reading)

Chapter 66: 66. A Great Thief Who Stole a Country (Seeking to Continue Reading)

One cup after another.

Heavenly Kun King drank a cup of wine, then poured another onto the ground. "When a man dies, all grudges are cleared. Third Brother was a crude man, not one for words. If you can hear this in the netherworld, apologize to Big Brother. He’s a good man..."

Underneath, Xu Xing, living precariously as an Underground Lord, remained silent after hearing this.

His head was gone; he could only use his nipples as eyes and his navel as his mouth.

He had truly become Xing Tian (King)...

After the white-haired man beheaded him with a single sword strike, his head was never returned.

As a Third-class underground master, Xu Xing was merely a Wandering Ghost of the Underworld, so he lacked the ability to regenerate his missing parts. Furthermore, his head had been fashioned into a wine vessel by Emperor Chongming and enshrined in the Grand Temple. With an incomplete corpse, he had become a crippled soul.

"What a pity. These days, good people don’t live long."

Just as Heavenly Kun King was drowning his sorrows in wine, someone suddenly interjected.

"Is that you, Second Brother?"

Heavenly Kun King looked back, his face lighting up with delight when he saw King of Might wearing a Conical Hat.

However, King of Might did not answer. He looked at Xu Xing’s grave and gave a few cold laughs. Then, he unfastened the bamboo tube tied to his waist and forcefully splashed its contents onto the ground.

The bamboo tube contained rooster blood.

As the bright red blood was poured, Xu Xing, who had been clinging to existence underground, utterly dispersed.

In one life, he betrayed his brothers and abandoned righteousness, meeting a tragic end.

From an oath sworn in blood to a death by ’blood’!

"Big Brother!"

"Second Brother has avenged you!"

King of Might knelt and kowtowed three times to the west.

"That white-haired man..."

"Above the Innate realm? Or perhaps a cultivator of this world?"

Xu Xing indifferently reviewed this life’s simulated experience.

From his previous encounter, he knew this so-called ’life experience’ was merely a projection based on his current circumstances, not a genuine life lived.

With the Bronze Ancient Mirror, it’s impossible that I would have spent five years stagnating as a Third-class underground master.

Even if I made no progress in five years, I wouldn’t have rashly led troops to attack Shenjing...

As for assassinating King of Sorrow Yao Dang... I can’t be sure if, pushed to that point, I would truly commit such a heartless betrayal.

The hearts of men are unfathomable.

My own heart is unfathomable too.

"I must try... to achieve a good ending."

"After all, we were brothers who burned yellow paper and swore an oath together..."

Xu Xing sighed.

The life experience vanished completely before his eyes.

The Bright Yellow Destiny [Official Thief] also appeared in his [Dao Fruit] column.

Instantly, Xu Xing felt a ’sublimation’ throughout his being. His breathing was smoother than before, and his state of mind brighter.

Every time a Destiny related to fate was upgraded, his thoughts would become remarkably clear.

Circulating the Stony Heart Method, a full Great Zhou Heavenly Cycle now took less time than before.

[Official Thief (Yellow): He who steals a hook is punished, but he who steals a state is made a lord. Dressed in the crimson robes of an official, you act according to the principles of Heaven and Earth, comforting the people and punishing the wicked, thereby earning the favor of Great Fortune. When faced with threats from the Imperial Court and rebel forces, you have a high probability of maneuvering adeptly and turning adversity into fortune.]

He touched the secondary interface of the Bright Yellow Destiny [Official Thief].

Xu Xing read its description.

"This... Destiny, can it truly allow me to maneuver so adeptly?"

A peculiar expression crossed his face.

The Red Fate [Official Storage] was a Destiny aligned with the Imperial Court, while the Red Fate [Rebel] was clearly for opposing the Imperial Court and becoming a rebel.

However, [Official Thief] allowed him to benefit from the Luck of both paths.

No matter which path he chose, he would be favored by Great Fortune.

"The white-haired man is a factor..."

"Perhaps... there’s no need to rush to establish a nation and declare myself emperor. After conquering Guanxi Road, waiting for Emperor Chongming to offer amnesty might be a viable option..."

"The white-haired man probably can’t intervene at will. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have waited until my army was at the gates of Shenjing to kill me and suppress the rebellion..."

Xu Xing’s mind raced, contemplating his next move.

Fengxi Country had sixteen Roads, and he only occupied one. At best, this made him a regional warlord, not yet a critical threat to the Imperial Court.

Besides, Guanxi Road was impoverished and remote.

Throughout history, countless factions had established states on the frontiers, carving out territories and declaring themselves emperors. The Imperial Court often adopted policies of appeasement in such cases; if they couldn’t be eradicated, they could only be pacified. As long as he didn’t threaten Shenjing, he wouldn’t cause turmoil in the Imperial Court, and thus wouldn’t draw the attention of the white-haired man, who was likely a cultivator.

Build high walls, store vast amounts of grain, and bide your time before claiming kingship!

Xu Xing recalled Zhu Sheng’s counsel to Zhu Yuanzhang and made his decision.

At worst, I’ll feign a protracted struggle with the Imperial Court Army, buying time. Once I’m strong enough to deal with the white-haired man, I’ll launch a decisive strike on Shenjing, kill Emperor Chongming, and fashion his skull into a wine cup!

Although that lifetime’s experience was a simulation, Xu Xing could never forget the deep-seated grudge of that ’dog emperor’ turning his head into a wine vessel!

「Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.」

Under the guidance of King Xing Tian, who was intimately familiar with the terrain of Guanxi Road, the Mount Siming Righteous Army shattered the defenses of the Luo Ying Valley Hao Pass garrison and marched into Guanxi Road.

Guanxi Road had endured years of drought, and Starving People filled the land.

Xu Xing first distributed the Righteous Army’s grain, earning the trust of the Starving People. Then, he broadly recruited soldiers and began conquering cities and territories.

In less than ten days, more than half of Guanxi Road’s territory fell into the hands of Mount Siming.

However, at the same time, their military food supplies dwindled to less than a three-day reserve.

「Sheng Guang Fu, Guanxi Road.」

The Governor’s Mansion.

In the main hall, Heavenly Kun King occupied the second-most prominent Seated chair. Hearing the grain provisioner’s urgent report, he slammed his hand on the Tea Table, roaring, "If you ask me, we should just go rob these Gentry!"

"Those Gentry families have inexhaustible stores of grain in their cellars! If we just distribute some to the disaster victims, this food shortage will be solved immediately!"

"Why are we still trying to reason with them?"

"These people won’t lift a finger unless there’s something in it for them!"

"Heavenly Kun King, we mustn’t act so rashly," Gongyang Yi stepped forward, tapping his Feather Fan, and said, "Since ancient times, he who wins the Gentry wins the world. We have only just conquered a corner of Guanxi Road. Offending the Gentry now... would not be a sound strategy."

"The reason our Mount Siming could conquer Guanxi Road so smoothly," he added, "was not solely by leveraging the plight of the disaster victims..."

"If not the disaster victims, then what are we relying on?" a general in the hall demanded bluntly. "If we hadn’t recruited these disaster victims, expanding our army to 150,000, would these prominent families even listen to us?"

"Disaster victims..." Chang Ji, seated in the primary position to the left of Xu Xing’s third Seated chair, rose and stated coldly, "They are utterly weak. After only a few days of full meals, how could they possibly have the strength to assault fortified cities? The reason our Mount Siming conquered Guanxi Road so easily is King Xing Tian. His family, the Xu Family of Qingmu County, is a local power and has always cultivated ties with heroes. It was the guarantee of the Qingmu Xu Family, combined with our Mount Siming’s elite troops... that allowed Guanxi Road to be swiftly conquered by Mount Siming. Otherwise, if mere Starving People could accomplish such a feat, they would have seized Guanxi Road long ago. Why would they wait for us to come and take their place?"

He elucidated the true reasons behind Mount Siming’s conquest of Guanxi Road.

Several members of the Xu Family were present in the hall. Hearing this, smiles touched their lips.