Volume One, Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Old Emperor's Hidden Schemes

Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Old Emperor's Shadowed Schemes

To be honest, it's not entirely impossible. Though Lord Mou's Time Reversal is restricted by insufficient achievement and power, only able to rewind a limited span, it undeniably proves that my hypothesis is scientific and rational, doesn't it?

Time Reversal? I can rewind a hundred years or so myself now.

Lamo, can I allow myself a little boast, a bit of wildness?

Ha ha—

Old Luo Hou watched, astonished, as Tu Zhe's expression shifted from solemn to joyful, then to sly and lewd, until finally, his eyes flew open and he rushed forward, planting a kiss on Luo Hou's aged cheek.

What the hell, possessed or something?

On this very day, Lord Indra led a group of minor heavenly kings joyfully to the Little King's Palace of Jin Mu to offer congratulations.

He said, "Your Tu Zhe has become my brother-in-law now, ha ha! We're family from now on, isn't that worth celebrating?"

And thus, the whole Mount Sumeru erupted in jubilation. Heavenly flowers rained, celestial music wafted; heavenly maidens and the musicians and dancers of the Kinnara gathered in merriment, singing and dancing, reveling without restraint.

During the festivities, Lord Indra casually remarked, "Old Jin, it's not that I don't understand, but the world changes swiftly, ha ha. In a blink, we've gone from brothers to two generations apart, huh? What am I supposed to call you now?"

Jin Mu dared not respond, sweat pouring down his face. "Let's each handle our own affairs. You, Old Jin, are forever my lord."

Indra laughed heartily, seemingly delighted, though a cold, shadowy glint flashed briefly in his eyes.

Huluzhina was venting his frustrations on some heavenly maidens near the wall when his second brother, Quboji, arrived. Huluzhina drank with his brother.

Quboji said, "Look, why keep clashing with Tu Zhe? The man is now our honorary uncle, ha ha."

Huluzhina was displeased, glaring as he barked, "Don't bring that up, second brother. It annoys me. What kind of mess is this?"

Quboji gazed at him, "Eighth brother, see the situation clearly, broaden your mind. Are there eternal enemies in this world?"

Huluzhina was stunned for a long time. "Second brother, are you suggesting I befriend that little rascal?"

Quboji rose with serene ease, walking out as he said, "Why not? Why do you think you can't? Ha ha..."

Quboji vanished, leaving Huluzhina still in a daze.

Yes, why can't I?

A peculiar smile crept onto Huluzhina's face.

The next day, Huluzhina brought a mountain of gifts to the Little King's Palace of Jin Mu, asking, "Has my uncle returned yet? When he comes back, I’ll kneel to him." His respect and sincere smile left Jin Mu utterly unsure how to receive him.

Still, one can't turn away a friendly visitor, so he was received with courtesy, and both host and guest seemed to enjoy themselves.

On the third day, Lord Indra dispatched someone to deliver a passport-like document to Mopo Imperial City for Tu Zhe.

Tu Zhe opened it and saw a list of his various identities.

In essence, it read: "As the brother-in-law of Indra, Lord of the Realm of Sharpness; disciple of Mara, Lord of Desire; adopted son of Luo Hou, Great Asura King; son of Jin Mu, Little King of Mount Sumeru—Tu Zhe, the young king, travels the myriad realms. Indra, Lord of the Realm of Sharpness, requests all relevant officials and personnel across the worlds to grant this young king travel convenience, and provide reasonable assistance and protection when needed."

Tu Zhe laughed to himself. It seemed the undercover Yaksha he'd turned was diligent enough; a hint dropped and this old fox Indra was quick to curry favor.

The question was, if I go to the North Pole, what shadowy tricks will Indra pull?

This time, sending such a thing carried unusual meaning.

It implied several points.

First, "Tu Zhe, don't think you tricked me. Whatever you scheme, you can't escape my notice. So I have plenty of opportunities to plot against you." It was a blatant warning, but to Tu Zhe, it was simply Indra trying to save face.

Second, "Aren't you now my brother-in-law? Whether I acknowledge it sincerely or not, I've accepted it. Whether I plot against you depends on my mood. You played me, so it's only fair I make things awkward for you."

Third, "Brother-in-law, aren't you about to travel the worlds? Good! I’d love to see you wander everywhere. In the billions of timespaces, peril is inevitable. I've made a show of support, but whether the other worlds respect you is anyone's guess. Maybe they'll treat you as a lord, maybe as dung beneath their feet—who can tell? You might get stomped on by accident."

Tu Zhe laughed again. He thought, "It's best if you leave my father and the others alone. Otherwise, I'll show you my strength right now."

People, really, are a bit perverse. If you’re just mud, they always want to pinch you. If you’re a thorn, they'll think twice—lest they prick their hand.

So, this time, when Tu Zhe heads to the North Pole, he truly intends to show Indra some color. If you play by the rules, fine; but if you don't, if you act carelessly, I'll make sure your schemes backfire. Otherwise, my studies at North University would be wasted.

The key now is that Indra doesn't know the full extent of my cards. He only knows Dog Dog is a junior Divine King, and Qin Lei has just reached the peak of the Great Sage realm; so, the leaked information suggests my overall strength is at the Divine King level, but how exactly, and to what degree, nobody outside truly knows.

As for the identity and strength of the three demonesses, since returning from Yama Heaven to Mount Sumeru, it has been strictly kept secret. Outsiders assume they are just Mara or Mou Xiulou Tuo's gifts to Tu Zhe, skilled perhaps in bed, but as for other powers? None seem evident.

When it comes to himself, Tu Zhe smugly tallies his assets:

The Mana Blade has grown more solid, its power several times greater than when it first formed. Generally, even Divine Kings can't withstand it; even an Emperor, caught off guard, would suffer greatly. It's a trump card.

The Alaya Divine Sense domain has begun to take shape, though its external power remains uncertain, making its battle capacity hard to estimate.

The Samaya Seal, Night God Seal, and other mantra seals—some defensive, some offensive—have been practiced to perfection in the Lotus Heart. Their power is considerable; the Grand Summoning Seal isn't yet mastered, but with time, it will be.

Time Reversal, this divine power, now can rewind about a hundred years. The greatest part is, unlike Lord Mou who needs to chant and gesticulate for ages, I can activate it instantly.

Instantly, do you understand? If I can win, I fight to the death; if not, I jump straight to the past or slip into the future. No matter how formidable you are, where would you find me?

Ha ha ha—it's simply the world's greatest escape technique. Those who plot against me should give up hope. If I'm displeased, I'll toss you into some random time or space, past or future.

Want to return? Well, you'll have to find your way back!