Chapter 1502 (Part 4): The Grand Finale [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Is there any possibility—

Upon hearing Ji Moqiu's words, Shen Tang knew there was a trap here.

"I just have amnesia, not dementia."

As long as her IQ didn't drop to zero or even plummet into negative territory, Shen Tang felt she should be able to see through conspiracies and schemes. She sympathized with Him for suffering from the mischief of unruly children, but that didn't mean she would obediently jump into the trap set for her, right?

Ji Moqiu's expression underwent another subtle change.

Shen Tang asked him, "What did the other person say?"

Ji Moqiu: "Please enter the urn."

Shen Tang: "???"

Ji Moqiu: "He held the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords."

To put it simply, Shen Tang might not jump into the pit, but He wouldn't easily let go of a particular target among the mischievous kids. For Him, He was indeed somewhat reluctant to part with these little fleas, but their reckless spirit made Him reluctantly decide to give them up.

Chen Tang scratched her head in frustration. Gong Xi Chou, who was listening nearby, was a little annoyed and said indifferently, "What will happen if I back out now?"

Ji Moqiu: "A sage's promise is as light as the heavens."

The cost of going back on your word is even greater.

Mortals should not easily make promises to others, especially deities, and deities should not easily make promises to the Heavenly Dao. From the day of their birth, countless worlds, large and small, have been governed by different rules; the two are like two sides of the same coin, inseparable. Ordinary beings cannot perceive their existence, but beings like Your Highness can, and are strictly bound by them. Their words become law; their promises are not empty words, but rather establish cause and effect, a contract. From the moment Your Highness uttered those words, this contract took effect.

"...But I have amnesia, does that even count?"

Goodness, if someone deliberately tricked her into making a promise...

Forget about her secret stash of money, she couldn't even keep a single bitter tea seed!

Shen Tang couldn't help but bury her face in her hands, recalling her experiences over the years. It seemed, it really did match what Ji Moqiu had said. Whatever Shen Tang promised, whether it was fortune or money, it would all be taken away, no more, no less. A typical example was the Battle of Yonggu Pass. What was that boastful statement she made back then? She said that compared to the lives of her subordinates and the common people under her rule, she could afford to spend not just five thousand taels of gold, but fifty thousand taels. Good heavens, later on, exactly fifty thousand taels of gold were taken from her. She felt the pain at the time, but she tried to convince herself to be more accepting.

Although the money is gone, the person is still here.

Xun Zhen suffered similar financial losses more than once.

Besides Xun Zhen, that spendthrift son, there was also Kang Jishou.

"...In other words, if I hadn't made that promise, I might not have ended up spending this much money." But she was so generous with her spending that fate readily granted her wish, letting her experience the thrill of spending 50,000 gold coins.

Which boss wouldn't accept a tycoon's willingness to spend lavishly to show off?

They wish the rich would just throw money around every day.

Ji Moqiu said nothing, but the dangerous glint in his eyes from the restraint around his neck seemed to say it all. Shen Tang, expressionless, crushed the bronze teacup, then, with a forced smile, raised his middle finger to the sky: "See that? You dog, you'll see!"

Shen Tang asked a very important question.

"High Priest, was I good at fighting before?"

If they could win, they'd settle the score immediately; grudges shouldn't linger. If they couldn't win, they'd deal with it later. Fortune changes, and they wouldn't believe they wouldn't have another chance to get revenge. Shen Tang mentally added this to his to-do list.

Ji Moqiu: "In the top ten."

Shen Tang: "..."

Ji Moqiu is skilled in the art of speaking. There are only ten people on the entire list, so how come they are all in the top ten? Just as Shen Tang was worried that she was really bad, Ji Moqiu added in a low voice: "As long as you don't go against the Heavenly Dao Lord, you should be able to get revenge."

There are only three people who have a grudge against His Highness.

Apart from the Third Prince, the other two are not very good at fighting.

"Can't I pick out dog stuff?"

Shen Tang's words sounded like they carried endless regret.

Actually, she was more interested in the "Lord of Heaven" that Ji Moqiu mentioned. Just hearing that name made her feel an inexplicable urge to lash out, as if she wanted to smash his head in. The fact that she reacted this way even with amnesia shows how deep their past enmity must have been.

"It shouldn't be possible."

"A reason? You're so certain?"

Ji Moqiu's reasoning was very convincing: "If possible, this good thing should not fall to Your Highness."

There are many who harbor resentment towards the Heavenly Dao, and whose grudges run deep enough to want Him to shut up completely. It's not just one prince: "The number of people who want to make the Heavenly Dao suffer could probably fill the entire ancient realm before it shattered and differentiated. It's just a pity that no one has succeeded in all these millennia..."

Shen Tang clicked his tongue: "What a pity."

Noticing His Highness's displeasure, Ji Moqiu secretly revealed a sure-fire piece of gossip: "Strictly speaking, there are actually warriors as well."

"Who? Which burly brother/strong woman sister?"

Ji Moqiu: "..."

What he actually meant was that he was referring to the glorious ancestors of the Heavenly Dao Lord's family.

They attacked the Heavenly Dao with their idiotic actions, and not just once.

But I couldn't bring myself to say it.

Shen Tang guessed: "He...is very powerful?"

I was warned by Han Lei right after I asked the question.

Shen Tang: "..."

This thunder warning is somewhat like a reaction after a breach of defense.

"Let's not talk about it anymore, it's not an important existence anyway. I'll know about His affairs in the future, and knowing more now is pointless since He has no choice but to tell, and it would only cause me trouble." Shen Tang curled her lips and sneered, "Since the High Priest said 'A saint's promise is as light as the heavens,' and I'm also afraid of unintended consequences, the cause and effect are established... Now that things have come to this, can we turn back time?"

She doesn't have that ability now.

The ball beneath her feet was willing to give her another chance. The 1818 Golden Ball had successfully mediated, something Shen Tang had begged for, so there was nothing to regret (mainly because she couldn't regret it now). It was willing to change its mind; all that was needed now was to find the coffin and prepare enough luck. Shen Tang rubbed her temples; she realized these two problems were even harder than coaxing the ball to change its mind.

Shen Tang complained, "Let's put the coffin aside for now, why do we need so much luck? Is this some kind of hard currency?"

We need it to build a Four Pillars.

It is also used when the country enjoys favorable weather and abundant harvests.

Shen Tang suspected that if this thing hadn't been so useful, she probably wouldn't have had so many troublemakers around her, like Xun Zhenkang. Perhaps these troublemakers were somehow guided here specifically to sabotage her.

Their goal was to swindle all the good karma and fortune from her account.

Ji Moqiu: "Naturally, it is important."

The worlds large and small are the foundation for the evolution of life and the self-evolution and growth of humanity. Why has this sphere beneath our feet been so tolerant of humanity? Besides the glimmer of hope in the rules of Heaven and the millions of years of effort He has poured into humanity, a major reason is that He has used a great deal of fortune to gradually propagate life as humanity. And life and fortune are two sides of the same coin, yin and yang, and the two can be endlessly generated.

It's impossible that she developed feelings for a flea.

The prosperity of the human race reflects His continuous fortune, which He uses as nourishment for His growth and to complete the next stage of evolution.

"If we compare the countless worlds, large and small, to the fruits and leaves on a tree, some fruits are plump and juicy, some are shriveled and sour, some leaves are lush and green, and some are withered and about to fall. Everyone wants to absorb more nutrients, and this competition has existed since the beginning of the world, from the moment the branches sprout and the leaves bear fruit. Just like a group, there is also competition..."

There are more than one human in this world.

But He will not choose to make a brave but desperate decision unless absolutely necessary.

"The importance of the human race is relative. Just like a carefully cultivated flower, if it can be saved, save it; if it cannot be saved, cut it off decisively and concentrate more nutrients on other branches." Ji Moqiu could only say that luck and merit were very important to beings like Him.

His Highness's persuasion to change His mind is tantamount to His Highness providing the nutrients needed for the yellowing branches to regain their vitality; it's unlikely He would refuse. However, it's still a bit strange that He agreed so readily, as if delaying even a second would have been a huge loss.

Shen Tang: "...I've lost out big time."

Did Ji Moqiu say that she had accumulated nearly 20 billion in merit?

Thinking about this, Shen Tang's head started to ache: "...I'm worried that I'll see that I owe 20 billion in merit."

This omen was exceptionally strong.

This is what real bankruptcy looks like, isn't it?

Ji Moqiu said, "A sage's promise..."

"I made no promise!"

She was just expressing her concerns; how can that be considered a promise?

Ji Moqiu said, "There is also a probability of it coming true."

There's a saying that goes, "What you fear most is what comes to pass."

The point is not what she promises, but what she says that carries the weight of her words. Looking at Shen Tang, who was worried about merit and fortune, Ji Moqiu had an inappropriate thought in his mind—he seemed to understand why His Highness used to remain silent for more than ten years.

Shen Tang: "..."

She had never felt such murderous intent within herself, and her smile twisted into a grimace: "Whoever puts my account in the red, I'll take their life!"

Isn't it said that words become law?

Go ahead!

This sentence should also be included!

Shen Tang took a deep breath to regulate her blood pressure, lest she suffer a sudden stroke and die on the spot. She had to think about Qi Yuanliang's small frame, even if she didn't think about herself. If she didn't think about these things, she would be fine, but just thinking about Qi Shan and the others made Shen Tang suppress her anger, no matter how great it was.

Gong Xichou: "So... you overspent directly?"

The missing luck in the Four Pillars of Destiny is directly overdrawn from Mama's own account.

Shen Tang said with a forced smile, "I understand now why it's a tribulation of killing... I really want to start killing now!"

Years ago, in her ignorance, she thought that killing was about killing enemies on the battlefield; once she killed enough, she would have successfully transcended the tribulation. Now, it seems the essence of killing intent is not what she thought, and the target is not the enemy on the battlefield, but the thief who stole her account!

Ji Moqiu said, "Actually, there are other ways."

"Other ways? Who has that much luck?" Apart from Mama, who has been having bad luck for over a decade, there are no fools out there.

Ji Moqiu reminded him: "The Investiture of the Gods."

Gong Xiqiu asked, puzzled: "It?"

Shen Tang also looked over, as if she were looking at a savior.

"Regardless of whether these listed spirits were good or bad in their previous lives, their status in the mortal world was that of kings and nobles or generals, and their fortune was naturally different from that of ordinary people. If they did not have a certain amount of fortune to protect them, so much karma would have caused them to perish long ago."

Let them pool their money to pay off this debt.

The spirits of the dead are on the list of those awaiting deification, but such a huge opportunity cannot be obtained without paying a price. There must be an equal cost. Ji Moqiu suggested, "Actually, I also have a way. We can directly use their spirits to make up for it."

Shen Tang: "???"

Gong Xichou: "???"

No, is it okay to make this suggestion?

Didn't he say that the true spirit is the most important core of the soul? To use a person's true spirit as plaster to patch up a gap is immoral.

Shen Tang: "Is this... feasible?"

Ji Moqiu: "We can give it a try, but success is not guaranteed."

Almost the instant Ji Moqiu finished speaking, Shen Tang inexplicably felt a surge of heat, and a scroll flew into her hand automatically—what else could it be but the Investiture of the Gods? Shen Tang opened it to see what it was, and just then she saw words frantically popping up at the end of the Investiture of the Gods.

Shen Tang even sensed a familiar feeling in the words.

"How come...it looks a bit like Tu Nan and Yuan Liang?"

Ji Moqiu leaned closer to take a look: "Oh, it's those two."

Shen Tang: "...What does He mean?"

Like Chu Yao, Ning Yan also possessed a fragment of her true spirit in Shen Tang's possession, and this fragment has now been inscribed on the Investiture of the Gods. Qi Shan bound the path of the scholar to her, so a fragment of her true spirit should also reside within her, and she too appears on the Investiture of the Gods. Shen Tang didn't believe anything had happened to the two of them. She didn't recognize any of the newly emerged list, but her intuition told her that they must all be her precious darlings.

Not earlier, not later.

They all registered at that exact moment.

What does that mean?

Does that mean if she adopts Ji Moqiu's despicable suggestion and actually uses the true spirit of the Investiture of the Gods to supplement the Four Pillars, then she'll just mix the original true spirit with her precious treasure and mash them into a paste? Shen Tang can apply putty to the Four Pillars however she likes?

"You beasts, you lot!"

Everyone was eyeing her luck and merits.

Shen Tang's murderous intent resurfaced.

This time, the Investiture of the Gods distorted to reveal a line of text.

The content calmed Shen Tang's anger considerably.

[The 365 righteous gods are all born from kings, generals, or those with great fortune and blessings in the human world. Each possesses a portion of true spirit to temporarily replace the celestial and terrestrial stars to stabilize the human race's fortune and temporarily maintain the stability of the four pillars of heaven. Each bears a heavenly responsibility.] In layman's terms, those listed have specific duties; they are there to repair and stabilize the four pillars of heaven, not to be pulverized into a paste to fill gaps.

If you don't believe me, Shen Tang can try it.

Once the true spirit is destroyed, it cannot return to its original state.

Shen Tang: "...In the end, I still have to pay."

I strongly suspect that it wasn't her who was going through a tribulation, but rather her wallet.

Shen Tang took a deep breath and then another deep breath.

"High Priest, does that 'I' need merit?"

Ji Moqiu shook his head: "That's not necessary."

"So certain?"

"Yes, none of the princes have a use for it."

No matter how much merit and fortune these princes accumulate, it's all just money lying in their accounts—useless and having lost its greatest value. It's like a planet beneath their feet losing its physical form, leaving only a wisp of true consciousness, needing neither to grow nor evolve into life.

His Highness—

Being off the list is better than being on it.

Shen Tang felt a tightness in her chest from Ji Moqiu's words, making it hard to breathe. She changed the subject: "If it can be solved by overdrafting, then overdrafting is fine. Anyway, I have a feeling that those greedy bastards won't let my account leave here with a balance... It's better to spend it all sooner rather than later so they won't keep bothering me... So, all that's left is the whereabouts of my coffin?"

Who ended up with this coffin?

▼oェo▼

The story states that after the Holy Ruler's demise, his strength is reduced to only half of what it was in life. Although even a wisp of his soul can survive until the day the Heavenly Dao explodes, he will always be limited.

Unless the original physical body can be reconstituted.

Tang Mei and the others obtained a seed of their own physical bodies by undergoing tribulation (which is the main story in the background of this series), and then nurtured it anew.

We've almost gathered enough people to start a team for Heavenly Path.

P.S.: The next book will also be set in this series, but I won't reveal who it will be yet (actually, the name has already given away most of the spoilers _(:з」∠)_).

P.S.: Just helping my best buddy promote it.

The Song of Thorns from "Chronicles of Qin".

Synopsis: Traveling back in time to the Qin Dynasty with a suitcase, I just arrived to find the King of Qin suffering from a persistent high fever...

It's quite long now, you can read it quickly!

(End of this chapter)