Chapter 697: Chicken Soup for the Soul (III)

“So you want to reform the dynasty?” Hong Yitang asked after briefly analyzing the situation fro Li Hao. “Apologies for being frank, but there’s no hope of doing so, not unless you completely overthrow it and build a new one!”

“I don’t intend to lead a revolution.” Li Hao shook his head. “To be honest, I don’t know what I want to do either. I just find the world to be a bit unfair, a bit too dark, and refuse to accept the situation as it is. I know the limits of my ability and don’t have the capability to do as you say, to become a savior. That is not realistic and not what I’m searching for either!

“Let’s put it this way. Perhaps after seeing Battle Heaven and reading a few ancient books... I find that whether it’s this age’s supernaturals or martial masters, we are all simply searching for a path to become stronger. It has nothing to do with the mundanes. In that case, why do we interfere with their lives? Why must we fight wars? Why do we prey on them? Did the ancient civilization grow stronger through predatory practices on helpless civilians?”

He didn’t understand and felt that there wasn’t a need to be thus.

Hong Yitang smiled and shook his head. “They aren’t just simply exploiting the people, they even want to obliterate the people’s minds and raise a crop of idiots. None of the factions are dumb, they know that the people’s hearts can be useful. But why don’t they make use of it?

“Because it’s too hard! Who can easily obtain the approval of ten billion people? It’s too difficult!

“Therefore, there’s a simpler way of just making them dumber and brainwashing them. When the people lose their own thoughts and someone conquers the dynasty, that will create a direction for the people’s heart—a false people’s heart...”

Hong Yitang had to switch to a more direct tactic when he saw that Li Hao still didn’t understand. “Do you know why the number of schools has decreased and the people consistently suppressed?”

“I don’t know.”

“The human heart!” Hong Yitang explained. “The Human King... the human heart! The ancient tomes mention that whether one wants to be a Human Emperor or Human King, that person needs all of the people to accept them. That will bestow upon them insurmountable power and place them on a special path of great dao, one that will create a matchless powerhouse out of them!

“But whether it is the nine ministries or royal family, none of them are capable of creating this condition. Therefore, they wish for the people to be dumber and easier to control, ultimately creating a Human King for them!”

“......” Li Hao blinked, looking at Hong Yitang.

“That is a much easier option,” chuckled the man. “There’s no helping it, the world is in chaos and no one can guarantee that they can benevolently rule over billions of people. It is beyond our reach to have everyone accept a sovereign from the bottom of their hearts. In that case, a shortcut must be taken!”

Li Hao understood this time and his expression flashed through a variety of changes. “So you mean... that this is all on purpose? That the nine ministries and royal family know full well the state of our world, but they’re still doing all this?”

“Of course!” Hong Yitang burst into laughter. “Their sages are much wiser than you! Of course they know everything and that the people suffer in misery. But once the people are stupid, they are easy to control. That has ever been the case since the ancient times.

“Yun Haoran of the Skystar Ancient Academy wanted to change the situation a few years ago, but he died a grisly death in his home shortly after he submitted his proposal. Do you think that the upper echelon doesn’t know the advantages of popularizing what he proposed? The ancient technologies and skills were very advanced! Once made standard, the world’s basic necessities of life would be vastly improved.

“But once the people’s intelligence level rises and they become more civilized, then more thoughts will flourish in their minds.

“Don’t limit yourself to thinking that the nobles are all idiots and oblivious to everything happening. They know. Why else would they themselves go to school, learn how to read, and cultivate?” Hong Yitang looked at Li Hao with a smile. “Thus, the status quo of the world is a state of affairs that all sides wish to see. Do you understand?”

Li Hao nodded and was silent for a while. “Isn’t there any faction who wants to be a Human King who truly has the people’s heart and not a king through ploys that rely on dumbing down the population?”

“It’s too hard!” Hong Yitang sighed. “That’s harder than ascending the heavens! Few are those since the ancient times who can truly accomplish that requirement. It’s not a matter of just being strong, but having to advance society’s progress and development from all aspects. Whether it is the basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, housing, and transportation, or that of the mind and material world, such a person would be required to satisfy all of these needs.

“Li Hao, as stunning as your martial skills are, you will become the same as them sooner or later if you rule through force. Do you see what I mean?”

The nine ministries had wanted to win the people’s hearts through certain methods back in the day, but ultimately gave up. It wasn’t that they weren’t aware that they’d turned into the evil dragon themselves—they were fully aware!

But sometimes, they had no choice but to take that course of action because another road was too far away and untouchable. If there was a shortcut... then they would take the shortcut.

“It really is too hard!” Li Hao shook his head after some thought. “I can tell that I’m not cut out for this after your explanation, but martial uncle can give it a try...”

“You’re joking!” Hong Yitang laughed. “You must be. My hair is almost white from overseeing just one thousand people. If there are ten thousand, one hundred thousand, one million people in the future... I’d be out of my mind with nerves! Not to mention, we’re not just talking about one million people in this world, but billions or ten billion. It may seem like just a number to you, but it represents unbounded fear to me!”

He shook without being cold; he could understand the dread from the nine ministries and royal family. It was horrifying!

“Then why be the Human King?” Li Hao frowned. “Just do whatever you want! You might not satisfy everyone, but you can do as you wish and not do as you wish. Why suppress the people and seek to become the Human King?”

“The human heart is greedy. Once you know that you have a chance of becoming the undying Human King, wouldn’t you want to do so? In our times, how long can even the mighty Arcanus live for? Wouldn’t you want to live for three, four, five thousand years if you could? The previous generation has grown old. Those like the old ministers are around one hundred years old. In this age, an Arcanus at one hundred years old will still die if their physical body is too weak and decrepit!”

So this was for an extension of life? To be undying and indestructible?

“I’ve never thought about this,” Li Hao laughed upon some consideration.

“That’s right, so you don’t understand. This is why those old ministers desire this, because they are old. Someone advanced in age is prone to making mistakes. Even if one goes through life without being afraid of death, that fear still rears its head when they are old enough. The knowledge of knowing that one will die from old age is particularly hard to bear. Thus, even sages eventually find this temptation hard to deny.”

“I understand what Martial Uncle Hong is saying.” Li Hao finally nodded. “And understand your meaning. You’re saying that there’s no point in letting them remain, that I might as well eliminate them all?”

“That’s right!”

“Then we’ll eliminate them!” Li Hao bared his teeth in a grin. “I think martial uncle is more qualified than them to be the Skystar King!”

Hong Yitang rolled his eyes.

Get outta here with that!

He didn’t want to be the Skystar King. He told Li Hao all this only because he wanted the young man to recognize on a fundamental level that there were some things that could not be changed by one person. No matter how strong one was, one could not change everything unless one was so strong that no one could resist.

“Martial uncle, we won’t become fat from one bite alone!” Li Hao continued. “I know what you mean, but we can start slow. If one year doesn’t work, then ten years. If not ten years, then one hundred years. I think the ancient civilization was great. Someone’s always going to do the work!

“If you don’t do it and I don’t do it, and we spend our days talking about how hard it is... then of course it’s hard!”

He looked merrily at Hong Yitang. “I think that since I am a martial blockhead, I can clear out some obstacles for martial uncle. You can slowly expand the Sword Sect, starting from the most basic level, then the slightly less basic level, and gradually include all aspects of society.

“You don’t have to always think of ten billion people in one go. Why don’t we start with ten thousand people, then one hundred thousand, then one million? One million isn’t that many either, it’s the size of Silver City’s population. I don’t think it’s that hard for everyone in Silver City to be highly motivated after the city becomes rich.”

Hong Yitang had wanted to give Li Hao a lesson, but he suddenly blinked, lost in thought.

If you don’t do it and I won't do it, of course it’s hard. But if you do it, there will be more people that follow.

Li Hao had stepped up to resist this time, which led to Yao Si appearing as well. Some more stepped forward from the Night Watchers, but would any of them tossed their hats in the ring if Li Hao hadn’t made the first move?

He’d wanted to persuade Li Hao to certain action, but now it was himself who was persuaded by the young man.

“You’re much more mature than before.” Hong Yitang nodded after a moment of silence. “And have some more thoughts of your own. You’re right, there will naturally be others who follow after you take the first step. Even if they don’t, they will admire you and not stand in your way...

“Unrest will rock Silver Moon sooner or later and it will become the center of the world. It won’t happen that quickly, however. It’s Skystar City that still has more of a foundation at the moment and is the core of the dynasty. Anything you do here is magnified!

“The changes perpetuated from Skystar City might swiftly spread throughout the entire dynasty,” he suddenly chuckled. “I’d rather like to stay, Li Hao, and accumulate some experience here. What do you think?”

“Eh?” Li Hao started. “Is martial uncle not returning to Silver Moon?”

That was sudden!

“I’ve been reflecting during this period of time and find that my thinking is still too simple.” Hong Yitang nodded. “Some things are still too hard and I’m being a bit too idealistic. I need to ground my ideas in reality more!

“And sometimes, my proposals are quite a headache...” he admitted wryly. “The items that I brought back from Battle Heaven, for example, I find quite practical and advanced. But those of the Sword Sect find them hard to comprehend and thus do not appreciate them. They carry on as before, so my thoughts are that they know too little of the world and have too little education. I’d like to rebuild the Skystar Ancient Academy and teach people how to prepare first, then print books and disseminate knowledge...

“But the first point is that everyone needs to have full bellies! Greater opportunities will come after their bellies are full. Once their material needs are satisfied, the people will seek satisfaction of mental and spiritual needs...”

Li Hao listened carefully, not sure he understood everything he heard.