Chapter 485: The Idler
Hearing the other address him as “comrade” like it was a joke, Idle Jiang Li felt their relationship had grown much closer.
As fellow Jiang Lis with no enmity between them, they should naturally be closer.
“With the Outer Realm Demons posing no threat and me being invincible, of course I’m traveling incognito to show off everywhere.”
“I have to conceal my identity—too many people recognize this face. I must keep a low profile when going out. Your situation is probably similar to mine,” Idle Jiang Li asked with a chuckle.
Jiang Li smiled without speaking.
“I remember one time when I was eating at a restaurant, a Qi Refining Stage girl stumbled toward me with a group of fierce-looking cultivators chasing her. I casually repelled them and saved the girl. Those cultivators threatened me, saying their patriarch wouldn’t let me off.”
“Guess what happened? The supposedly legendary patriarch turned out to be just a Divine Transformation cultivator. The moment I revealed my true identity, that so-called patriarch immediately kowtowed, begging the Human Sovereign to spare his life.”
“After learning the reason, I discovered the patriarch had taken a liking to the girl and wanted to abduct her as his seventeenth concubine. To protect her, I declared that the girl and I were in a relationship. When the patriarch heard this, he was so terrified he kowtowed repeatedly before fleeing in panic.”
“Later, the girl and I actually did establish a relationship. No one dared bother her or her family again, and eventually her family became a local prominent clan, with several Divine Transformation cultivators coming to congratulate them.”
“Another time, a minor sect colluded with local officials of the Mengjiang Dynasty and threw their weight around right in front of me. When I revealed my identity as the Human Sovereign, they trembled like chaff in a sieve.”
“I gave the minor sect and local officials a minor punishment—I’m sure they won’t repeat their offense.”
Jiang Li slightly frowned: “Are you sure there wasn’t someone behind those officials? No protection among corrupt officials?”
Idle Jiang Li laughed heartily: “Haha, when I first met you, I thought you were a serious person. Your sudden joke actually startled me.”
“Of course there’s protection among corrupt officials, but there’s no need to investigate further. What if we uncover a whole chain and destabilize the Mengjiang Dynasty’s officialdom?”
Jiang Li had a different perspective: “I don’t care what happens to the Mengjiang Dynasty’s officialdom, but I know that under protection among corrupt officials, only filth remains, and the victims will always be ordinary people and low-level cultivators.”
Idle Jiang Li gently shook his head, thinking the other was too idealistic. This was understanding among those in high positions—no need to break it.
An order that could be maintained for ten thousand years naturally had its rationality. He just needed to act according to the rules—why create a new order? Too troublesome.
He continued: “I’ve encountered bullying situations many times where others thought I was weak. I’d quietly watch the show, waiting until they were about to act before releasing my Mahayana aura. Honestly, it feels great—I’ve experienced this many times and it still feels satisfying.”
Jiang Li’s frown deepened: “Just that? Didn’t you try to change the bullying phenomenon? Lead by example? Reason with the weak? Use actions to show the world that right and wrong depend on reason, not on who has bigger fists?”
Idle Jiang Li didn’t like hearing this: “What kind of talk is that? As a Mahayana Stage cultivator, an invincible existence, should I really lower myself to reason with the weak? Then what did I cultivate for? Cultivation is for freedom and ease, not for restraining myself.”
“Bullying the weak, the strong preying on the weak, survival of the fittest—these are natural laws. Why should I violate these laws and be unconventional?”
“When I first transmigrated, I also thought about reasoning with people. But I quickly discovered that in this world, reasoning doesn’t work—fists are the ultimate reason.”
“After recognizing this, I quickly changed myself to adapt to the Nine Provinces environment.”
Jiang Li stood up, brushing non-existent dust from his knees, and said softly: “I changed the Nine Provinces, the First Emperor was changed by the Nine Provinces, and you were changed by the system and the Nine Provinces.”
“Commander Liu wasn’t wrong—you really are an idle person who does nothing except resist Outer Realm Demons.”
Jiang Li finally understood—when Commander Liu called him “idle person,” it wasn’t teasing but stating a fact.
Idle Jiang Li was displeased, feeling Jiang Li’s tone was hostile, as if subtly mocking him for being idle.
“That’s unpleasant to hear. I’ve done the same as previous Human Sovereigns, even more perfectly than them. How can I be considered idle?”
Jiang Li suddenly moved, grabbing the other by the throat with force, his expression cold as he spoke word by word: “Then let me tell you what a Human Sovereign should do.”
Idle Jiang Li was shocked and terrified. He struggled with all his might but found he couldn’t loosen Jiang Li’s grip even slightly.
He saw the anger hidden beneath Jiang Li’s cold gaze, like a volcano about to erupt, and felt fearful.
“You can indeed easily kill Outer Realm Demons, and you can indeed receive praise from those you save.”
“Right…” Idle Jiang Li started to say something but was rudely interrupted by Jiang Li.
“But have you considered that it takes time for you to reach them? How many people die during Outer Realm Demon attacks in that time? You only see survivors thanking you—you don’t see the tragic state of the dead!”
“This is why we established the Nine Provinces World Protection Array!”
“And the Nine Provinces map—you actually abandoned this project because of your ambiguous relationship with a Tianji Tower disciple.”
“Yes, you’re at Mahayana Stage now and don’t need a map anymore. But haven’t you considered that when you were weak, you couldn’t afford a map? What happened to you—do you want it to happen to others again?”
“Spirit Herb Sect’s affordable pills could benefit countless ordinary people and low-level cultivators, yet you think this has nothing to do with you? That you only need to give small favors to Human Sovereign Hall guards?”
“You actually erased the consciousness of all spiritual treasures! Did Bai Hongtu ever tell you that spiritual treasures having consciousness also has benefits? That it enhances cultivators’ combat power? This is opportunity, yet you only think it would cause chaos.”
“Is Brahma Tower just a tool for you to build harems across myriad worlds? Its true purpose is to establish spatial channels, promote exchange among cultivators, facilitate communication between the Nine Provinces and myriad worlds, and advance the world!”
“The women you fancy can rapidly rise to prominence and become prominent families, with multiple Divine Transformation cultivators coming to congratulate them. Do you really think they’re there to congratulate the girls?”
“If the Nine Provinces ever reaches a point where cultivation matters less than good looks, where people prefer birthing girls over boys—the source will definitely trace back to you!”
“Do I need to recite ‘Song of Everlasting Sorrow’ for you again?”
“You only think about yourself—have you ever considered others?”
“You’re not just a Mahayana Stage cultivator—you’re the Human Sovereign.”
“The title of Human Sovereign isn’t for you to show off everywhere! The name Human Sovereign is honor, but also responsibility!”
Jiang Li roared, throwing Idle Jiang Li aside.
He hadn’t been this angry in a long time.
Perhaps his demands were excessive. Perhaps the other’s choices were what normal people would make. But Jiang Li simply couldn’t stand Idle Jiang Li.