Chapter 253: The Superfluous Jiang Li

Jiang Li never expected there to be something as absurd as the Observing Mahayana Sect. Truly, the Nine Provinces are full of strange people and bizarre events.

“When I first transmigrated here, the Nine Provinces were still serious. How did it turn into a land full of jokers?” Jiang Li pondered, deciding it was Bai Hongtu who had ruined the cultural atmosphere.

Bai Hongtu’s crimes were innumerable, his sins too many to list.

Jiang Li and Li Nian’er arrived at the entrance of the Human Sovereign Hall, revealing their true faces. The two guards were so overjoyed they could hardly contain themselves—it was like a holiday. No, it was a holiday.

“Hall Master!”

“Do your best,” Jiang Li encouraged.

“Yes! We will not fail the Human Sovereign’s expectations!” The two guards stood tall, speaking with strength and conviction, every word firm as iron.

“This is the Human Sovereign Hall? It’s so grand.” Li Nian’er looked around curiously. It was her first time visiting the hall, and she was full of wonder.

The Human Sovereign Hall had stood on the Nine Provinces Continent for nine thousand years, bolstered by generations of Human Sovereigns. It was indestructible, impervious even to Immortal Artifacts.

However long the hall had existed, that’s how long it had protected the Nine Provinces.

The Human Sovereign was the faith of the Nine Provinces, and the Human Sovereign Hall was the sacred ground in the hearts of its people.

Jiang Li brought Li Nian’er into a certain room. Here, there was no sky or earth, no direction. Surrounding them was a pitch-black night sky like a small universe—massive and intimidating. From the outside, you’d never guess it was this vast.

There was no ground here. Li Nian’er floated within the miniature cosmos, facing towering statues.

Seventy-one statues reached the heavens, all with chiseled features and resolute expressions, like divine beings from myth who had split heaven and earth, yet they also exuded a strange sense of peace, as if even if the sky collapsed, these people would hold it up.

Li Nian’er saw one statue becoming a sword, its sword intent piercing the heavens; another holding a massive hammer, roaring as it smashed the ground, shattering the earth and unleashing molten lava; yet another cast spells with exquisite precision, forming formations unmatched in power to repel enemies…

Li Nian’er didn’t recognize these people, but she guessed their identities.

These were the spiritual pillars of the Nine Provinces.

Jiang Li explained, “These are statues of past Human Sovereigns, placed here to honor their sacrifices in resisting Outer World Demons and defending the Nine Provinces.”

“Perhaps the second Human Sovereign foresaw that many more would fall in the future, so he intentionally made this space larger. He asked the Old Buddha of Mount Sumeru and many Arhat Bodhisattvas to use the Dao of Space to carve out a piece of the universe and place it here for the statues. Every time a Human Sovereign dies, a statue is erected. Now, there are seventy-one.”

Jiang Li touched the statues, recalling the heroic tales of his predecessors he had read in The Human Sovereign Chronicle, feeling deeply moved.

Too many lives had been lost over the past nine thousand years.

He smiled. “As long as I’m here, no new statues will be added.”

He said it lightly, but Li Nian’er couldn’t help believing him.

Jiang Li then brought Li Nian’er to the central hall of the Human Sovereign Hall, where Commander Liu was stationed year-round.

In the center stood a bronze cauldron, into which an endless stream of the Will of the Masses flowed.

Normally, faith power was extremely faint and undetectable, but there was so much entering the cauldron here that it was clearly visible.

Li Nian’er saw the Will of the Masses flow into the cauldron and transform into an almost transparent liquid, like jade, radiating a boundless, immeasurable power.

This was what the past Human Sovereigns had relied on to fight against Outer World Demons.

“Uncle Jiang, you never used the Will of the Masses?” Li Nian’er was shocked. She’d heard that all Human Sovereigns used faith energy to maintain peak strength in preparation for battle.

“After I reached the Mahayana Stage, I stopped using it. I asked the Artifact Refining Peak of the Dao Sect to forge this cauldron to store the Will of the Masses for the next Human Sovereign.”

Li Nian’er looked at Jiang Li with admiration. A desire bloomed in her heart—to become a great person like Uncle Jiang.

At that moment, Commander Liu was assigning tasks to five commanders: “Konghu, you’re the most experienced with food. You’ll handle ingredient procurement. Just make sure you don’t eat half of it midway because you’re hungry.”

“You’ve had that problem since you were a kid—can’t control your appetite when hungry. You’ve reached the Fusion Stage and still haven’t changed. I don’t know if it’s your Wu Clan bloodline or just your nature.”

“Leave it to me.” Zhang Konghu replied with confidence.

Still uneasy, Commander Liu arranged for several Human Sovereign Hall guards to accompany him.

“Commander Mu, you’re most familiar with low-level cultivators. You’ll handle welcoming them. Be polite—don’t let people say we discriminate against the lower ranks.”

The Human Sovereign Hall had always treated everyone equally, never looking down on low-level cultivators—after all, everyone started from there.

“Understood.”

“Commander Huang.”

“Here!” Commander Huang sounded excited—he finally felt useful.

“You stay somewhere remote. The fewer people, the better. Don’t let your cultivation technique affect everyone else.”

“Oh.” Commander Huang sounded deflated. It was obvious the atmosphere around him was different.

“Marshal Ma and Madam, please contact the factions on the list and see how their performances are coming along.”

During the celebration, major factions would perform to liven things up.

For example, the Corpse-Driving Sect would perform the zombie dance, the Four Seas Dragon Palace would put on the Four Dragons Playing with a Pearl, the Buddhist Sect would perform the Thousand-Armed Guanyin, and Bai Hongtu would do a stand-up comedy monologue.

Of course, not all performances succeeded in boosting the mood. Last time, the Hehuan Sect’s sensual dance did stir the crowd—but it felt rather inappropriate.

“Hall Master, why are you here so early?” Commander Liu was so shocked he looked like he’d just seen Marshal Ma and his wife give up their raunchy act, Zhang Konghu studying hard, Bai Hongtu giving up his clowning, or the Stairway to Immortality appearing.

That look didn’t say, “Why are you here so early?” It said, “How are you still alive?”

Jiang Li was speechless. He knew the reaction was sincere, but did Liu really have to be so obvious in front of Li Nian’er?

“I came to see if there’s anything I can help with, and to show Nian’er around. Anything I should be doing?”

“Maybe… continue giving her the tour?”

“…Even if you don’t want me around, could you not make it so obvious?”

Commander Liu flashed aside and revealed the Human Sovereign Throne behind him. “Please return to your seat, Hall Master.”

“Nian’er, come on, Uncle Jiang will continue the tour.”

Truthfully, Commander Liu felt conflicted. He was meticulously organizing the venue, everything running smoothly—then suddenly, the rare Hall Master appeared. It was a problem.

How was he supposed to assign work to this idle guy?

“Commander Huang is kind of lonely. You could accompany him with Nian’er.”

Jiang Li had never felt so unnecessary.

…

Commander Huang was unnecessary, so Liu sent him to the side. Human Sovereign Jiang was also unnecessary, so Liu paired him with Huang.

Jiang Li felt like Liu was doing garbage sorting.

Helpless, Jiang Li realized there were only a few places in the Human Sovereign Hall worth touring. The rest were either classified or not worth seeing. So he had no choice but to pretend to care for his subordinates and check in on Commander Huang.