Chapter 1082: Civil and Military Affairs Reversed (Part 11) [Two-in-One]
The white light appeared too suddenly.
Shen Tang raised her hand to shield her eyes, trying to clear her vision, and cursed, "No sportsmanship! You fired a flashbang without warning!"
The blinding light lasted for a full two breaths before gradually diminishing.
If it were ordinary white light, one could close their eyes, but this light was strange, and out of sight, out of mind. Throughout the process, her vision was completely white, and her eyes welled up with tears, making it impossible to see. The others reacted similarly. Shen Tang cursed inwardly, but her concern for the battle prevailed, and she couldn't wait to open her eyes before the white light had completely dissipated.
The white light has been weakened from a glaring bright light to a soft light.
It was an unfamiliar female phantom, tall and slender, dressed in an outfit similar to that of High Priest Ji Moqiu, holding a wooden staff, and even sharing similar features. An uninformed person might mistake the two for being related by blood.
Even the original could not produce such a similar appearance!
Shen Tang murmured, "Ji Mo Cong?"
Wei Cheng seemed to be calling out this name.
Gong Xiqiu was uncharacteristically reliable for once, saying, "Ji Mo Cong, courtesy name Miaoming, was one of the high priests who perished in the disaster of the Wu Kingdom."
He had some impression of the high priests who lived closer to the present era, among whom Ji Mo Cong was the most special.
Why is Jimo Cong special?
Because, by blood, Gong Xi Chou was her descendant, and she was also one of the old priest's mentors, holding a very high position. When Gong Xi Chou was young, he was mischievous and naughty, and whenever the old priest was angered, she would always reminisce about how wise this ancestor was.
This can be seen from her name.
The more the old priest admired Ji Mo Cong, the more troubled he was with Gong Xi Chou. Why was his master's descendant so stubborn and dull?
Gong Xiqiu felt that the old priest's assessment was biased.
He admitted his mischievousness, but how could he be so dull?
I never imagined that one day I would be able to see my ancestors alive.
Unfortunately, his ancestors didn't have time to pay attention to him right now.
Her heart and eyes were filled only with Wei Cheng, her gaze devoid of sorrow or joy.
Wei Cheng also looked at Ji Mo Cong with equal anger.
You're lying to me!
From beginning to end, Ji Mo Cong was never controlled by him, nor did he become a puppet with only a lingering consciousness but no freedom. Only Wei Cheng believed him and was completely manipulated by Ji Mo Cong. This realization caused the flames in Wei Cheng's eyes to swell wildly, and his aura to spiral out of control.
Ji Mo Cong opened his mouth and said, "All's fair in war! General, you've been through countless battles, shouldn't you understand this better than someone like me who's outside the world?"
Wei Cheng was the most unique among the former officials of the Wu Kingdom.
What's special is that he's not alone! He has an uncle who's like a brother to him, and this uncle isn't stupid; he won't be easily led astray. The difficulty of deceiving Wei Cheng with an uncle is on a completely different level compared to Wei Cheng without one.
The other high priests left no room for retreat, completely ascending to the embrace of the gods, but Ji Mo Cong could not be so decisive. She split her consciousness in two, using one half to suppress the Gu worms that had caused the trouble years ago, deceiving Wei Cheng into drawing a circle around himself, while the other half remained to monitor Wei Cheng and be wary of his uncle. For the first few decades, the two sides coexisted peacefully, until the deception was prematurely exposed.
Jimo Cong was no match for him and was devoured.
Wei Cheng's martial arts intent is quite special. As a 20th-rank Marquis, he can easily control heroic spirits whose strength is inferior to his own. If he can devour and digest the heroic spirits, he can also turn their abilities into his own.
She stayed inside Wei Cheng's soul and couldn't see what was happening outside, so she assumed that Wei Cheng's target for revenge was her. Unexpectedly, after a while, people started falling from the sky one after another.
[Did you really destroy the Pantheon?]
Ji Mo Cong didn't know these people, but he was familiar with their aura.
"What else? Keep them around like ancestors if you don't avenge them?" Wei Cheng's cold, mocking voice came from above. "I just didn't expect the entire Gods Society to be such a bunch of bastards... Haha, such stupid things, they actually caused the late lord's great cause to perish prematurely!"
How did you do that?
Ji Mo Cong took a step back, not wanting to get too close to these souls.
Wei Cheng arrogantly declared: "Find their lair, storm in, kill them, eat them—it's that simple. Such ants, if not for the vengeance of my late lord, I wouldn't even deign to lay a hand on them! I feared the High Priest might be too bored, so I sent them here to keep you company."
Of course, this was just an excuse for him to be disgusted by Ji Mo Cong.
There are only two real reasons.
Firstly, these members of the inner society were quite peculiar; their spirit far surpassed their physical bodies. Severing their bodies seemed to help them break free from some kind of constraint. Wei Cheng was nearly ambushed by them, and in a fit of rage, he killed them one by one, swallowed them whole, and imprisoned them.
Secondly, the Gods Society has many secrets. Once I digest them all, even more secrets will be opened to him.
His only miscalculation was underestimating the strength of these inner circle members' wills. They repeatedly sabotaged him and tried to seize control, and by the time he realized this, Wei Cheng was already in grave danger. At this time, Ji Mo Cong approached Wei Cheng, wanting to cooperate with him.
Wei Cheng has a psychological aversion to cooperating with the Gongxi clan.
Ji Mo Cong was aware of his concerns.
Use becoming the other party's puppet as a condition.
Wei Cheng remained wary: "What are you trying to achieve by doing this?"
What I sought back then, I seek now.
[Hmph, you caused me so much trouble back then! And now you want to do it again?] Mentioning this made Wei Cheng so angry that his three corpses jumped up and down.
How can Ji Mo Cong still have the nerve to bring this up?
[If the Gu calamity had been allowed to erupt back then, the result would have been devastation and countless deaths, which runs counter to the teachings of the gods. Although the Gongxi clan has lived in seclusion for many years, it doesn't mean they are indifferent to the plight of the people. Their scheme against you stems from their fear that you might become arrogant and reckless, aiding and abetting evil! Such actions would only further confuse the world! Their current assistance to you is for the same reason. If they were to stand by and watch you lose, with the evil spirits within you unrestrained, the consequences would be unimaginable!]
She helped Wei Cheng only to reduce casualties, not for Wei Cheng's sake! If you don't believe me, then you can become his puppet and be driven by him. Isn't that enough sincerity?
The purpose of both instances is the same!
Wei Cheng was skeptical, but time was of the essence.
The members of the inner society he had devoured were extremely strange in their minds. Even with his cultivation level of 20th-rank Marquis, he dared not say he could completely suppress them, and even his uncle's help was far from sufficient. Left with no other choice, Wei Cheng had to agree to Ji Mo Cong's cooperation. To be even more secure, he also allocated a portion of his cultivation to suppress them, which would also speed up the digestion process. If he were to digest them on his own, it would optimistically take at least a hundred years.
This behavior is tantamount to continuous slow torture for the soul being consumed; the longer it is tormented, the more resentment it generates.
The three parties thus achieved a delicate balance.
There was just one thing that Wei Cheng couldn't understand.
[What kind of monsters are these Inner Society members?] He would never forget the scene he saw when he stormed into one of the Inner Society's strongholds—a strange tree, tangled roots, and people closely connected to the roots.
Wei Cheng has been dead for so many years, and he is experiencing a long-lost sense of dumbfoundedness.
He didn't know whether these "people" grew from the tree roots, were swallowed by the tree roots, or were actually the tree itself... He only knew that when he broke in, these "people" were unable to move, and were either terrified or delighted.
Wei Cheng stepped forward to observe carefully.
Judging from appearance alone, I am more human than these things.
Their skin lacked the softness and elasticity of humans; it was cold and rough, as hard as tree bark, and their limbs were even more bizarre. The parts extending from their torsos resembled limbs, but at the ends they became branches, which then branched into countless forks.
The dense root system was dry and fragile.
Wei Cheng curiously plucked it, and the root turned to dust under his finger bone.
There was no bleeding from the gap.
Uncle, are you sure we didn't enter the wrong door?
[You haven't gone to the wrong place; the intelligence indicates this is the location.]
This place is a hundred feet below the surface, and underground lies a complex city. Inside and outside the city, there are carved beams and painted rafters, and magnificent palaces. The furnishings in various places are all rare treasures. The entire underground city is centered around a giant tree. However, in such a grand city, there is not a single ghost in sight. After searching for a long time, they only found about a hundred strange "people" under the tree roots.
Wei Cheng went on a killing spree and ate them all.
As a result, they developed health problems from eating it.
They were caught in a dilemma, unable to move forward or backward.
I should have listened to my uncle and not eaten it raw!
Wei Cheng's numerous questions annoyed Ji Mo Cong.
I simply gave him the correct answer.
These members of the inner society were also human, and at the same time, descendants of despicable individuals who had stolen divine blood: [...They used despicable means to cultivate mortals with divine blood, and also infused divine blood into their own bodies. This act indeed granted the first few generations lifespans and physiques far exceeding those of ordinary people, making them impervious to harsh environments. During the cataclysmic catastrophe, they controlled the resources of humanity's last sanctuary.]
Human lifespan was very short back then, and apart from Peach Blossom Spring, the air and water in other places were toxic. These generations gained absolute dominance through their long lifespans. However, their greed for more ultimately led to their punishment by the gods.
Wei Cheng: [What punishment?]
Ji Mo Cong: [Have you ever seen tree roots grow towards the sky?]
This is the price for stealing and desecrating divine blood.
Their descendants gradually discovered they could not survive on the surface for long and had to move underground. However, as time passed, a few meters deep initially became insufficient, leading to depths of tens of meters, hundreds of meters… until one year it finally settled, and their underground cities began to take shape. It was from this point that they found themselves spending increasingly more time on the surface, while simultaneously their lifespans shortened, and they could no longer maintain their youth…
To maintain it, it cannot do without tree roots.
They entwine tightly around the tree roots like dodder, drawing nourishment from them.
These people used the legacy of the previous civilization to build several underground cities, the operation of which depended on surface resources. At that time, human lineage on the surface had been severed, living conditions were harsh, and they were no match for each other in the competition for resources.
Several hundred years have passed.
The living conditions on the ground are finally not so bad.
The surviving inhabitants used their wisdom to rebuild their homes, retracing the steps of their predecessors from the beginning of slash-and-burn agriculture. The population on the surface began to surge, naturally alarming those in the underground cities. The stronger the surface powers, the harder it was to obtain underground resources; exposure would be no laughing matter. Thus, the rudiments of the Gods' Society were born, dedicated to causing all sorts of trouble.
Over time, the Pantheon has grown into a behemoth.
However, the internal organization has never revealed itself to the public.
So, do you understand?
The defeat of the Wu Kingdom was not an accident, but inevitable!
All this is because human greed is worse than that of evil spirits.
Wei Cheng found it absurd, but from the perspective of the people underground, they truly didn't want to see the surface forces unify: "If that's the case, why is this city... left with only a hundred or so people?"
Because that's all there is.
[So weak?] The Wu Kingdom was killed by the Gods Society, which was controlled by these things? That's utterly ridiculous!
"What kind of daydream are you having?" Ji Mo Cong looked at Wei Cheng with the eyes of someone looking at an idiot, and said, "They became like this, forced to rely on the tree roots to survive, and were eventually assimilated by the tree roots into lambs to the slaughter, naturally because of the backlash from the divine blood."
The moment God awakens, they will have to pay their debts!
When the owner is not home, thieves can openly enjoy the things in the house. When the owner comes home, the thieves still linger and refuse to leave.
If you dare to refuse to leave, don't blame me for wishing for death!
Wei Cheng just happened to get lucky.
No, this idiot almost caused a disaster.
These inner members' physical bodies were imprisoned by the roots of the divine tree, but Wei Cheng killed them, which in turn released their souls. These were ancient monsters who had lived for countless years. Wei Cheng was lucky enough not to be defeated, thanks in large part to his profound attainments as a 20th-rank Marquis.
Ji Mo Cong was also cleaning up his mess.
Therefore, she felt no remorse whatsoever when facing Wei Cheng.
You can't fall into the same hole twice.
Wei Cheng insisted on stepping on it, can he blame himself for that?
Ji Mo Cong looked at Wei Cheng, who was clutching his chest and trembling, and said sternly, "Back then, I told you—what I wanted back then, I want now! You didn't believe me! If you had been content to behave yourself, nothing would have happened, and I would have been happy to cooperate with you and be your puppet, just to make amends. But you insisted on stirring up trouble!"
And you're blaming her for breaking her promise?
"Wei Yucheng, I only have one question for you—"
Ji Mo Cong raised his hand and waved his staff.
Countless red threads gathered towards her.
This blood was left by Ji Moqiu seizing the opportunity. Not only was it pure divine power, but its locations were also significant! Each spot was the eye of a small magic array, and these smaller arrays combined to form a larger, more complex array. If Wei Cheng had a good memory, he would have noticed that this array was very similar to the one that trapped him years ago—an advanced version!
Ji Moqiu was responsible for drawing the prototype of the great formation and left behind his divine power.
Ji Mo Cong was only responsible for initiating and subduing Wei City.
"Are you willing to stop or not?!"
The fire of life in Wei Cheng's eyes burned unyieldingly.
Looking up at his lifelong enemy, who still lofty and unapproachable.
He roared, "Stop? What do you mean, stop? Ji Mo Miaoming, who do you think you are? Do you think you're a god? Stop war with war, stop killing with killing, that's my way of martial arts! I'm a general! What general doesn't kill? What general doesn't fight? Whether it's good or evil, right or wrong, I decide. Who do you think you are? Who gave you the right to point fingers and uphold justice?"
"You shouldn't have asked if they would stop!"
"Instead, he asked, 'How many people am I going to kill today?'"
"My men obey my command!"
Suddenly, the earth shook and the mountains trembled.
_(:3」∠)_
Add a few more numbers, and the underlined background in the text will be basically finished (it's the underlined background that finishes, not the main text).
PS: Mom, I almost didn't dare to continue writing after seeing the trending topics today. (The background of the story is that the sewage discharge of the small family caused a natural disaster. Not long after, the three... well, starting with the old ugly one flipping the table... all sorts of messy things in the laboratory caused a zombie outbreak, which eventually led to the sinking of various continental plates, mass extinction, and the landing of ocean waves and mutated giant sea monsters... The setting of the Martial Arts Totem is actually that too many species have been destroyed. Martial Arts Warriors cultivate to transform into beasts, and the degenerated and mutated animals return to normal.)
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