Chapter 1211: Chapter 1209: Wen Zhong

Heavenly Court, inside a palace.

An elderly figure with white hair and beard, possessing divine eyes on his forehead, sat quietly.

Although the palace appeared majestic, the elder had no intention of indulging in luxury. The offerings before him were simple, and there were hardly any Immortal Maidens or Divine Power Warriors serving within the palace, giving it a cold and desolate look.

The elder sat alone at the table, drinking and eating. A pitch-black Qilin lay quietly at his feet, adding to the serene atmosphere.

“Who’s there? Since you’ve come, please reveal yourself!” As he was about to pick up a peanut with his chopsticks to ward off the effects of alcohol, the elder suddenly paused slightly, then spoke with a voice full of vigor.

“Prime Minister Wen, after all these years, you have not lost any of your former charm!” Another elderly figure with white hair and beard emerged from the shadows and spoke.

The elder who was drinking looked at the newcomer, raised his eyebrows slightly, and then made a faint gesture of invitation, saying, “So it is Jiang Shang, please sit.”

As Jiang Ziya sat down, he casually placed the God-Beating Whip on the table. Prime Minister Wen glanced at it imperceptibly and said, “Does the God-Beating Whip in your hand serve its purpose well?”

“There’s no such thing as well or not well. After all, it’s not the original one!” Jiang Ziya shook his head with a sigh and said.

Prime Minister Wen expressed no opinion regarding Jiang Ziya’s words and continued, “I heard that recently a second genuine God-Beating Whip appeared in the world, and the Silver-Robed Man snatched the whip from the Jade Emperor’s hands. Are you aware of this?”

“Of course, I am aware!” Jiang Ziya nodded in response.

“Now that the Jade Emperor has lost the God-Beating Whip and you, Jiang Shang, have re-emerged after years of disappearance, could it be that you’re here to help the Jade Emperor stabilize hearts and minds?” After a brief silence, Prime Minister Wen asked nonchalantly.

Over these years, I’ve been imprisoned in Maitreya Buddha’s Underground Prison. Yet, only a few are privy to this fact; the beings across the three realms and six paths still assume my disappearance was simple.

Therefore, my appearance at this critical moment makes Prime Minister Wen suspect I’m here to aid the Jade Emperor in consolidating power, which is understandable.

However, regarding Prime Minister Wen’s words, Jiang Ziya merely smiled slightly, followed by saying, “What if I were to say my aim this time is precisely the opposite of what you mentioned?”

“The opposite?” This response naturally left Prime Minister Wen astonished, causing him to set his wine cup aside and look at Jiang Ziya in surprise.

Immediately, Prime Minister Wen chuckled, shook his head, and said, “The successes I have achieved today, being granted the divine position of Ninth Heaven’s Thunder Deity, Pure Spirit Heavenly Venerable, were initially thanks to you, Jiang Shang.”

During the Deification War, all celestial gods were enfeoffed by Jiang Ziya at the Deification Altar. Naturally, the current Heavenly Court’s situation was also brought about by Jiang Ziya, making it his proud creation.

Yet, at this point, he claims the purpose of his re-emergence is entirely opposite of his previous words? Prime Minister Wen naturally finds it hard to believe him.

It’s like someone putting in immense effort to conquer a kingdom, only to turn around and destroy it themselves?

The very thought seems implausible!

Regarding Prime Minister Wen’s somewhat mocking words, Jiang Ziya remained silent. Still, he reached out to pour himself a full cup of wine and drank it all at once.

Staring at Jiang Ziya with a mocking gaze, yet seeing Jiang Ziya’s actions, Prime Minister Wen’s eyes flickered.

His demeanor appeared as if he wasn’t joking at all?

During the Deification War, having battled against Jiang Ziya, I carefully pondered; perhaps Jiang Ziya isn’t the kind to joke easily?

“Do you intend to single-handedly disrupt the entire Heavenly Court?” After a brief silence, Prime Minister Wen asked Jiang Ziya.

“Naturally not. I have now joined the Ming Sect!” Jiang Ziya replied.

“The world today is becoming increasingly incomprehensible!” Staring earnestly at Jiang Ziya and seeing that he indeed seemed not to be joking, Prime Minister Wen shook his head, expressing his sentiment.

During the Deification War, Jiang Ziya spared no effort in promoting the current thriving state of the Heavenly Court!

And now, less than two thousand years later, Jiang Ziya intends to demolish the current situation?

Moreover, Jiang Ziya was originally a disciple of the Interpretation Sect, opposing the Sect of Intercepting.

Yet now, the Ming Sect is backed by Sect Master Tongtian, and Jiang Ziya has joined the Ming Sect?

Truly incomprehensible.

Adding to it is the never-ending major events occurring in heaven and earth today, leaving Prime Minister Wen feeling utterly confused.

“No matter how the world’s situation evolves, no one can calculate every move accurately. Therefore, just act according to your true heart!”

Jiang Ziya spoke, paused slightly, then earnestly addressed Prime Minister Wen: “What do you say? Would you, Prime Minister Wen, be willing to join me in altering the Heavenly Court’s status quo?”

“Now I hold the high position of Ninth Heaven Thunder Deity, Pure Spirit Heavenly Venerable. Yet you want me to join you against the Jade Emperor? What do I stand to gain?” Prime Minister Wen countered Jiang Ziya’s invitation.

“There are no tangible benefits! However, if we truly succeed, Prime Minister Wen, you will no longer be constrained by the Investiture of the Gods!” Jiang Ziya candidly replied.

Hearing these words, a hint of emotion flashed in Wen Zhong’s eyes.

For the Immortal Gods on the Investiture of the Gods, if one could break free from its constraints, it would undoubtedly be the best outcome.

However, after a long silence, Wen Zhong shook his head and said, “Although I indeed wish to escape the constraints of the Investiture of the Gods, what then? Where would I go next?”

“Now that the Human Emperor is lost and the Heavenly Court is in chaos, it would only subject the beings of the Three Realms and Six Paths to another round of suffering. So, forgive me, but I have lost the will to fight!”

Wen Zhong’s words left Jiang Ziya silent. Though rejected by Wen Zhong, Jiang Ziya felt somewhat disappointed.

However, Wen Zhong’s temperament was still something that earned admiration.

Even though he was refused by Prime Minister Wen, Jiang Ziya did not intend to give up. Instead, he spoke up, dropping a bombshell: “What if I told you, Prime Minister, that the purpose of this whole thing is to re-establish the Human Emperor?”

“Re-establish the Human Emperor!?” Upon hearing Jiang Ziya’s words suddenly, Wen Zhong stood up abruptly, looking at Jiang Ziya in shock, almost doubting his own ears.

“That’s right. Indeed, our purpose is to re-establish the Human Emperor!” Jiang Ziya nodded seriously and answered.

Wen Zhong looked at Jiang Ziya in shock, his mind in turmoil.

Such news without any warning obviously left Wen Zhong feeling a bit chaotic.

Jiang Ziya poured himself another cup of wine, refraining from speaking further. He understood Wen Zhong’s thoughts at the moment, so he didn’t rush to say more. Instead, he let Wen Zhong quietly think things through.

Thus, Wen Zhong slowly sat down, showing a thoughtful expression, pouring himself cup after cup of wine and drinking in silence.

Jiang Ziya also drank and ate in silence, and the atmosphere between the two became tranquil.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, with the wine and dishes consumed, Wen Zhong finally put down his chopsticks, looked seriously at Jiang Ziya, and said, “Could it be? Is Xuanzang and his group also members of your Ming Sect?”

Upon Wen Zhong suddenly mentioning this, a flash of surprise passed over Jiang Ziya’s face, but he quickly calmed down and asked in return, “This statement from Prime Minister Wen, where does it come from?”

“Didn’t you just say it? The purpose of doing all this is to re-establish the Human Emperor, and to re-establish the Human Emperor naturally requires the Kongdong Seal. That Kongdong Seal was seized by Xuanzang from the hands of Emperor Ziwei that day!” Wen Zhong opened his mouth to respond.

Alright, Wen Zhong’s analysis indeed made a lot of sense.

Not knowing the news of re-establishing the Human Emperor, perhaps Wen Zhong, like others, thought that Xuanzang was forced to hand over the Kongdong Seal to Li Shimin.

But now that he knows Jiang Ziya’s goal is to re-establish the Human Emperor, Wen Zhong naturally believes Xuanzang and the Ming Sect are actually allied.

Seeing Jiang Ziya’s tacit demeanor, Wen Zhong understood in his heart; indeed, his guess was not wrong, Xuanzang and his party were indeed allied with the Ming Sect.

In fact, Xuanzang himself was a member of the Ming Sect.

In this way, Wen Zhong felt he needed to seriously reconsider Jiang Ziya’s proposal.

Gaoyang of the Ming Sect wields the Green Duckweed Sword, representing the will of Sect Master Tongtian, and Wen Zhong himself had always been a disciple of the Sect of Intercepting…

If the Sect of Intercepting truly had grand movements, emotionally and rationally, he couldn’t stand by idly, right?

Moreover, especially thinking back now that Xuanzang himself is from the Ming Sect, looking at the problem from this perspective, Wen Zhong discovered many things that gave off a completely different vibe.

For instance, Xuanzang’s notorious reputation, having caused so many Immortals and Buddhas to fall along the way, was initially thought to be just the terror of the Immeasurable Kalpa.

But if Xuanzang is viewed as a member of the Sect of Intercepting, then wasn’t all this premeditated?

“If I were Xuanzang, a member of the Sect of Intercepting, how should I approach it?”

“Of course, I would suppress the power of the Immortals and Buddhas as much as possible!”

“And then look at the current situation? The Buddhist Sect has already suffered considerable damage, even Kong Xuan has been gravely injured, and Maitreya Buddha has died once, his cultivation level falling below that of a Quasi-Saint!”

“And the Heavenly Court? It is even more of an undercurrent, with the Four Sovereigns utterly defeated!”

“Could it be that all these were not coincidences, but calculations?”

“If so, then the mysterious man in black, wielding the Absolute Immortal Sword, is indeed a member of the Sect of Intercepting?”

“And also the silver-robed man who seized the God-Beating Whip, wielding the Immortal-Slaying Sword!”

…

Putting himself in their shoes, Wen Zhong realized many things seemed to become clearer and more understandable…