Ch 22: A Sage Emerges

Ji Xiaolan no longer knew what expression he should wear.

No… with things having developed to this point, anyone with a sane mind wouldn’t think that the World Society conquered the land just to help you become the emperor…

Although the person before him is reluctant to ascend the throne, which is indeed quite strange… but it’s also possible that the person before him wants to completely unify the world before ascending the throne, which is also reasonable.

“In other words,” Chu Mo said thoughtfully, “the demon race has established five demon kings on their own, and the human race has produced two rebel kings… a total of seven? Such a small place, yet so scattered!”

Chu Mo sneered. The World Society occupies more than half of the world’s territory, and it is also the region with the most abundant population and the richest financial resources since ancient times. Yet the remaining small half is actually divided into seven pieces…

“Should we mobilize troops to attack, or!” Ji Xiaolan asked softly, “offer amnesty?”

“The way of the military is that every move harms the people… no need to be so troublesome,” Chu Mo flicked his finger, and the cage opened out of thin air. Then, he casually flicked his hand, and a long whip instantly wrapped around the neck of the Northeast Tiger, “Long, accompany me on a trip!”

The Demon Emperor’s body trembled, a shameful tremor, and he slowly stood up, walking out of the cage little by little…

Ji Xiaolan was stunned for a moment, then realized what Chu Mo was about to do. His eyes twitched, and his scalp tingled.

He was going to lead the Demon Emperor like this to the Northeast, to Mongolia, to the other demon-occupied areas…

This, this is not only killing demons but also destroying their hearts!

Watching Chu Mo’s figure disappear, Ji Xiaolan was briefly silent, then his expression suddenly changed. Realizing what was happening, he left the Qianqing Palace at top speed, preparing to summon the army and civil officials to take over the areas that Chu Mo was about to clear.

Although he was taking the Demon Emperor to the areas where the demon race had rebelled, the Demon Emperor’s cultivation level was too far behind Chu Mo’s. He was too slow… Chu Mo could only grab his tail and drag him forward at high speed…

However, with this… the already miserable Northeast Tiger had almost all the fur on his tail plucked bald when he landed, making him look even more embarrassed and miserable.

Chu Mo’s first target was naturally Shanxi. He planned to properly flatten and sort out the areas within the Shanhaiguan first! After all, the human population within the Shanhaiguan is the largest.

Whether from the perspective of quickly killing the opponent and reducing human casualties, or from the perspective of the population and wealth gained afterward, the Shanhaiguan was the first choice.

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The Demon King of Shanxi was a Northeast Leopard, and he was also one of the Demon Descendant Eight Banners who entered the pass back then. Of course, he was also the most uneasy and fearful…

After all, he was too close to the Two Rivers region.

Under Chu Mo’s leadership, such a behemoth made him almost suffocate beside him… He felt that the other side could crush him just by turning over.

Therefore, after rebelling, he forcibly conscripted troops at all costs, and has now gathered hundreds of thousands of troops in a scattered manner… All officers are demons.

And these armies are all gathered near Taiyuan, where he lives.

However…

Chu Mo, leading the Northeast Tiger, appeared in the midst of the army, under the public gaze, and took off the Northeast Leopard’s leopard head, turning it into a leopard skin.

This incident caused unimaginable uproar and shock.

On the one hand, this incident truly verified Chu Mo’s strength, unmatched in the world. Although before, whether it was killing his way through the north, or in Kyoto, almost beheading the Demon Emperor and directly paralyzing the occupation of Kyoto, was enough to prove Chu Mo’s strength… but others were more inclined to think that Chu Mo should have launched a sneak attack.

Especially the World Society’s rapid occupation of half the world, which verified their ideas. The concept of a person having power behind them and not having power behind them… are obviously two different concepts!

But now, Chu Mo was so clearly proving that even if he didn’t have the World Society behind him, he could still kill until the world was in mourning!

More importantly, the dignitaries who saw this scene had a flash of insight and realized the true identity of that Northeast Tiger——

The former Demon Emperor!

That young man… he actually used the Demon Emperor as a pet?!

The Demon Emperor’s identity and the treatment he received at this moment were truly in stark contrast, and the impact was therefore extremely great… so the speed and scope of the spread were beyond imagination…

Afterward, Chu Mo cleaned the entire Shanxi again! Only after the people from Kyoto arrived… did he continue his journey…

Chu Mo’s next target was Shaanxi, and then, going south to Sichuan…

Along the way, Chu Mo’s fierce reputation grew even stronger. When he arrived in Sichuan, the demon rebel king no longer had the intention to resist Chu Mo. He knelt down and kowtowed on the spot, manifesting his original form, indicating that he could also be a pet! He could also be as loyal as the Northeast Tiger!

Then he was killed by Chu Mo——what level of demon dares to compete with the Demon Emperor for a position?!

The remaining two human kings… didn’t even wait for Chu Mo to pass by before they directly surrendered to the World Society in their nearest area. The two pseudo-kings, who had shamelessly claimed that they could become emperors, were directly escorted to Kyoto…

Of course, Chu Mo still went to these places for a stroll, mainly to clean up the local landlords who were oppressing the people.

On the one hand, although he had been here for almost two years, he still didn’t quite trust the discipline of the soldiers of this era.

If he didn’t do it himself and let these officers and soldiers distribute the land… it would easily turn into a looting incident.

Soldiers like those in the New Divine Province were a minority among minorities… Chu Mo was very clear in his heart that he couldn’t bring out that level of soldiers.

In addition, his strength was so strong, and the power of insight into people’s hearts contained in the Luohan Intent allowed him to recognize at a glance whether a person was lying in front of him, so naturally it was just a little more hard work…

Well, that’s it… absolutely not thinking about spending more time traveling around with the Northeast Tiger!

Finally.

When Chu Mo returned to Kyoto.

The world was settled. Only the area outside the Shanhaiguan remained, stubbornly resisting!

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“Your Majesty! No, Human Emperor Your Majesty.” Just as Chu Mo was about to take the Northeast Tiger to the Northeast, Ji Xiaolan led the civil and military officials and stopped Chu Mo in front of the Qianqing Palace.

Ji Xiaolan took the lead in kneeling, followed closely by a large number of civil and military officials who knelt down with a bang, prostrating themselves on the ground. In unison…

“Long live Your Majesty! Long live, long live!”

After a brief silence…

“I have no interest in becoming an emperor,” Chu Mo said peacefully, “If possible, I even hope that emperors will no longer appear on this land.”

If it were the Ming Dynasty, the Song Dynasty, or an earlier period… Chu Mo would have happily chosen to ascend the throne in the face of this scene.

But the Qing Dynasty is different… In the next two hundred years, the world will usher in unprecedented changes. In the new era, the emperor has no value to continue!

Moreover…

Chu Mo came to this era essentially to condense Heroic Spirits. He doesn’t even plan to leave descendants in this era, so what value and meaning is there in becoming an emperor?

Instead of being an emperor, it is better to do some things that are more noble in the eyes of later generations. So as to gain a higher reputation in the new era, and further promote the improvement of the quality of Heroic Spirits…

“But…” Ji Xiaolan was completely stunned. He was quite incoherent, “If you are not willing to be the emperor… then who in the world… can be?”

“And it is impossible for emperors not to appear in the future… the people always need a sovereign! The world is destined to have a master!”

“The master of the world can be chosen by the people themselves! Not based on bloodline inheritance, but only based on ability. The capable go up, the weak go down,” Chu Mo gently patted Ji Xiaolan’s shoulder.

“Making the people live better, better year by year, is the most important thing. Whoever can do it… will be the future master of this world!”

Ji Xiaolan was stunned in place. After a brief silence, he suddenly asked, “Isn’t it you who can do all this… so you are still the master of the world!”

“Your Majesty, for us, and even for the people, the master of the world is the emperor… so you are still the emperor!”

“That’s why I said, if possible!” Chu Mo sighed faintly. Having been at the top of the world for several years, and possessing the power to see through people’s hearts with the Luohan Intent, he was really too clear about what others were thinking.

Imperial power has existed on this land for countless years, and this is not something he can deny with a single word.

Two years is not enough for him to cultivate qualified cadres who are sufficient to promote his ideas… Don’t say two years, even twenty years would be difficult to do.

If he forcibly promotes the policy of abolishing imperial power, even if it succeeds, it will only be a superficial success. The essence of the era will still not change in the slightest, and may even cause new turmoil… so…

“I will serve as the master of the world for ten years, and during this time, I can also bear the name of emperor,” Chu Mo said peacefully, “After ten years, I will abdicate the position of master of the world to the next person who can make the people live and work in peace.”

“He… can only serve for ten years as well!”

“If, after he steps down… the people’s evaluation of him is acceptable! He can also be crowned with the name of emperor.”

Turning the emperor from the supreme position above all people into a symbol that can only be worn if the performance meets the standards.

This is the solution that Chu Mo came up with after thinking for countless days and nights…

“That’s it! I’m going to solve the affairs outside the Shanhaiguan,” Chu Mo waved his hand, “If there’s anything, let’s talk about it after I come back!”

Ji Xiaolan looked at Chu Mo’s gradually departing back, leading the Northeast Tiger, and was dumbfounded.

The civil and military officials were also sluggish. For them, who were well-versed in history, Chu Mo’s words almost instantly locked them onto a historical allusion…

Yao and Shun’s abdication!

Some ministers, after regaining their senses, trembled violently with excitement. The blending of history and modernity was no less than the reappearance of mythology for them, bringing tears to the eyes of these well-read people.

They couldn’t imagine that the allusion, which had only been praised by countless dynasties in history, could actually happen before their very eyes…

There really is someone whose heart is only for the people of the world, only for the common people, and not for their own small family…

Perhaps this can only be described with three words… A sage emerges!

Perhaps only the most difficult and disastrous era can give birth to such a person.

Ji Xiaolan took the lead in kowtowing deeply again in the direction of Chu Mo’s departure… The other officials also woke up and kowtowed to the ground.

Even though Chu Mo had completely left at this moment, destined not to see their actions, they still remained in that position for a long time, not getting up.

At the same time.

Zhao Ruchen stood guard in front of the Qianqing Palace, gazing at the officials kneeling on the ground from afar, silent.

He really couldn’t understand Chu Mo’s actions. But… even if he didn’t understand, he was willing to support all of Chu Mo’s choices!