Zongwu: Aspiring to be the mastermind behind the scenes

Chapter 217 Aftermath, Mental Healing

"Of the hundreds of martial arts practitioners killed by Guihai Yidao, excluding the guards and retainers of the Wan family, at least three hundred were from other forces."

Even if most of them are second- or third-rate forces, their combined numbers are still considerable. And now they've even persuaded the Shaolin Temple to lead the fight for justice... What do you think the chances of success are?

Hundreds of projections float in the portable space.

Each projection displayed the families of the hundreds of people who died at the hands of Guihai Yidao.

The demon king beside him scoffed, "All these people combined don't even have a single Three Flowers Grandmaster, yet they want to cause trouble for Guihai Yidao?"
Even if Guihai Yidao is now properly settled by you, Master, and no one can find him, so what if someone can find him?
Go looking for trouble with him? You'd be asking for it!

Ai's answer was different: "According to the analysis, 35 percent of these people acted purely for their own benefit, 42 percent were herd mentality and went with the flow, and only 17 percent were determined to take revenge and were unwavering in their will."

"Oh?"

Zhou Ming countered, "So, there must be six percent of people who have other ideas?"

"The remaining six percent have been bought off by the Eastern Depot and are now working for them. Their goal is to shift the blame onto Zhu Wushi."

"Um……"

Zhou Ming touched his chin.

This matter is naturally closely related to Zhu Wushi.

But in truth, he bears little responsibility.

After all, he was also a victim.

Everyone could see that this was Gui Haiyi's private operation. Even if he was previously under Zhu Wushi's command, he had now betrayed him.

If subordinates betray a leader, the leader can only be considered guilty of poor management and negligence.

This kind of culpability can be serious or minor.

But no matter how big it is, it can't be that big.

If any faction uses this incident to punish higher-ups, it's most likely for other reasons, and they're just using this as an excuse to lash out.

"So what was the result?"

"It had limited effect; only a very small number of people believed that Zhu Wushi should be punished."

"What was the Emperor's final decision?"

"No conviction was made; Zhu Wushi was simply put in charge of arresting Guihai Yidao."

As expected, most people in the world are still rational.

It's wrong to hate someone because of their surroundings, especially when you're emotionally charged. Once you calm down, you'll realize it's a mistake.

Of course, this is also partly due to Zhu Wushi's consistently excellent reputation.

If Zhu Wushi has always been a notorious villain, hated by countless people, they might very well use that as a pretext to make a fuss.

But he's a good person, and it wasn't his fault, so people naturally made excuses for him and forgave him.

The emperor was also a sensible man.

Most importantly, he couldn't actually bring down Zhu Wushi; he had to maintain the balance of power among his subordinates.

"What about Wan Sanqian?"

"The wedding is off. Shangguan Haitang is currently hiding in the number one manor in the world, in a state of seclusion. Moreover, the business guild under Wan Sanqian is not doing well either."

Hundreds of people died at once, from hundreds of factions of all sizes.

Among these forces, there are indeed no top-tier giants like Shaolin, Wudang, Huashan, or Kunlun.

However, second- and third-rate teams should not be underestimated.

They may not be able to defeat the Wan family, but they can control a region. It's easy for them to cause trouble for the Wan family's shops in the area.
In his rage, Wan Sanqian offered a large reward to kill Gui Haiyidao. Although no one could hurt Gui Haiyidao, let alone kill him, a basic reward of 10,000 taels of silver was offered to anyone who participated in the battle.

This resulted in the direct disbursement of several million taels of silver.

But even if they receive the money, those who have lost loved ones may not necessarily appreciate it.

It should be noted that those who participated in the battle back then all held invitations and were able to enter the Wan family mansion. Most of them were innate level, and there were even Grandmasters of the One Flower realm.

How could someone like that earn a mere ten thousand taels of silver?
Having spent millions of taels of silver, they still haven't gained the forgiveness of those powerful forces, and have instead attracted a lot of trouble.

If it weren't for Wan Sanqian being the one who led the Wan family to its current prominence over the past decade or so, there would likely be discontent within the Wan family as well.

Right now, Wan Sanqian is having a lot of troubles.

I guess I'm going to be busy for a while.

However, the wedding is unlikely to affect the cooperation between the Wan family and Hulong Mountain Villa.

After all, we've been working together for so many years.

Besides, Shangguan Haitang is still alive, but she has fallen into a state of self-isolation.

In terms of status, she was Zhu Wushi's adopted daughter.

As long as Wan Sanqian still truly loves her, she won't easily abandon the partnership.

Moreover, it's not something you can just give up on.

In conclusion, this matter is now over.

"It's a good ending. Now all we have to do is deal with Guihai Yidao, and we can have a peaceful New Year."

It's already the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, and the Chinese New Year is just two days away.

Let's just get this done today, so as not to delay my New Year celebrations.

If something unexpected happens one day, causing you worry, it will further spoil your New Year's mood.

"Let's go see Guihai Yidao!"

Zhou Ming waved his hand, canceling the hundreds of projections that filled the sky.

Suddenly, he paused, unfolded all the projections again, and said, "Tell me, if these people knew that joining the organization would give them a chance to kill Guihai Yidao and avenge their families, would they be willing?"

Upon hearing this, the demon king beside him stared in disbelief.

I thought to myself, "This person has a truly wicked heart."

Isn't Guihai Yidao your subordinate?

Although Guihai Yidao's actions within the Wan family mansion were all his own, how could he have killed those hundreds of heroes without your help?
And now, you're actually planning to use Guihai Yidao as bait to lure these people who have lost their loved ones into joining the organization and working for you?
Mo Kui suddenly felt that the name he had given himself, 'Mo Kui,' was really inappropriate.

It would be fitting to give this name to the guy in front of me!

Ai Haibara remained as calm as ever: "Driven by hatred, most people will easily break through their own bottom line."

"Okay, then let's remember this and not deal with it for now. We'll talk about it after the New Year."

Zhou Ming looked at the hundreds of projection screens displaying vivid faces.

"Right now, most of them are still in the impulsive stage. Once they get through this desolate year and are still determined to seek revenge, then they will be the most suitable candidates!"

"Yes."

"Alright, go check on Guihai Yidao."

The two walked ahead.

The Demon Lord followed silently behind.

I always felt like there was a pathetic, thick barrier between me and the two people in front of me.

In the past few days, countless people around the world have been searching for Guihai Yidao.

Blackwood Cliff had been searched thoroughly, but they still couldn't find it because Guihai Yidao was actually hidden by Zhou Ming in his personal space.

He certainly didn't need to worry about Guihai Yidao discovering this, because he had been in a coma and hadn't woken up at all.

Moreover, Zhou Ming's personal space is no longer an empty space.

He specifically chose a location and built a large number of factories.

Not to mention the endless gold and silver treasures that the organization has earned from various sources, enough to pile up into a mountain of gold, silver and jewels.

It would be perfectly normal for one or two of the rooms to house Gui Haiyidao.

"How long will it take for this guy to wake up?"

"Can not be sure."

Ai said, "It's not a physical problem, but a mental one."

Zhou Ming nodded.

Projecting himself onto Guihai Yidao, he instantly sensed the chaotic state of Guihai Yidao's mind.

The demonic intent of the three swords of Avici Hell.

The Heart Lotus Method resists external evils, but it also causes the effects of a withered and decaying landscape.

Guihai Yidao himself experienced tremendous mental fluctuations.

There are also remnants of Master Liaojie reciting the Heart Sutra and uttering words of demon-subduing. The demon-subduing methods researched by Master Liaojie have never been tested in any way.

Even he himself didn't know if there would be any other side effects once this method was used.

And now it seems that it is indeed true.

That is, when a spell is cast, a portion of the spirit remains on the person who is cursed.

Not to mention, his magic was forcibly interrupted by Zhou Ming.

The final result is that Guihai Yidao is currently unconscious.

"The effects of the demon-slaying technique are the easiest to remove, but the remaining three problems are each more difficult to solve than the last..."

Needless to say, the three cuts of Avici Hell.

Zhou Ming has now realized that this sword technique places great emphasis on mental and spiritual states of mind.

If he is crippled, how can Guihai Yidao still possess the strength to slay three flowers like a Grandmaster of the First Flower?

Without that ability, what's the point of Zhou Ming protecting him?
As for the Lotus Heart Method, it focuses on attachment and uses past experiences as branches and leaves. The flowers that bloom, though withered, are not so easy to get rid of.

Forcibly pulling it out can easily bring out mud along with the mud.

Simply put, it will cause enormous damage to Guihai Yidao's mind.

Finally, there's the issue of Guihai Yidao himself.

My heart is dead; I don't want to face this world anymore.

This is the biggest problem.

If he regains his senses, then the other two problems are not problems at all.

After all, he had already mastered the Three Blades of Avici Hell.

As for the Heart Lotus Technique, it's ultimately just a cultivation method he practices. It might be a bit troublesome, but it's not difficult to resolve.

The key problem is that he doesn't want to wake up.

"Did Shangguan Haitang's backstab cause him such great psychological damage?"

Xiao Ai shook her head: "According to the analysis, Shangguan Haitang's betrayal was only part of the reason. The other part was because Guihai Yidao had figured out the truth about his father's death."

In the past, Guihai, having undergone a hundred refinements, became possessed by a demon and was about to kill his three close friends, including Master Jie.

Therefore, Lu Huanong put aside his own family ties for the greater good, betrayed Guihai Bailian, and killed him.

At that time, in the Wan family mansion, Guihai Yidao also drew his demonic blade and directly defeated Zhu Wushi.

Under those circumstances, Shangguan Haitang would betray him.

The heartache at that moment was something only Guihai Yidao himself could understand.

But on the other hand, it was also because in that instant, he suddenly understood the cause of his father's death.

And why her mother hadn't been willing to tell her all these years.

He had worked so hard for so many years, all to find out the cause of his father's death and to seek revenge.

As a result, he suddenly discovered that the person who killed his father was actually his own mother!
This enormous blow, coupled with the heartache of Shangguan Haitang's betrayal, has led to Guihai Yidao's current state of mental stagnation, where he is unwilling to wake up.

"We need to think of a way..."

Zhou Ming took out the Jade Tablet Heavenly Book and examined the various spells recorded on it.

However, it's unclear whether the jade tablet was too small to hold many spells, or whether his own cultivation level was too low to see more advanced spells.

In the end, he only found a 'spell to forget worries'.

This method can erase a person's memory.

However, it can only erase all memories within a certain period of time, and cannot erase memories at a specific point.

Moreover, this spell cannot be precisely controlled in terms of time.

One stroke, and a year is gone.

There is no such thing as a month or a few days.

But going back a year, Guihai Yidao hadn't even mastered the Avici Dao Three Swords.

If that's erased, wouldn't he be completely useless?
Amidst his troubles, the Demon Lord suddenly came up with an idea: "Can the Forgetfulness spell cast by the Lord be lifted?"

"Naturally."

The Demon Lord said, "In that case, Master can use the Forgetfulness Technique to make him forget the memories of this past year and regain his senses. Once he wakes up, the rest of the problems will naturally be solved!"

"Hmm? That's a good idea!"

Zhou Ming understood what the Demon Lord meant.

First, use the Forgetfulness Technique to bring Guihai Yidao back to his senses.

Solve the problem, then cancel.

If you faint again, then repeat the process.

Human will has the potential for growth and adaptation.

One setback is indeed hard to adapt to, but repeated setbacks either strengthen one's will and make one no longer afraid, or one becomes numb and indifferent to the setbacks.

Regardless of the outcome, it will be good for Zhou Ming.

Zhou Ming quickly transferred Guihai Yidao away, consuming two strands of perfect energy, and swiftly learned the Forget-Worry Technique.

He then directly unleashed his attack on Guihai Yidao.

Having lost a year's worth of memories, Guihai Yidao is now a normal person.

The moment the Forget-Worries Technique was successfully cast, Guihai Yidao's eyelids twitched.

He opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife, and looked at Zhou Ming warily, reaching out to touch the knife.

But they came up empty-handed.

"Who are you?"

"This……"

A year ago, Guihai Yidao had not joined the organization at all, and he didn't even know that the organization existed.

Although, at that time, this organization did not even exist.

Explaining this would be incredibly complicated.

Forget it, I'll just not explain.

"Go away!"

With a snap of his fingers, Zhou Ming instantly dispelled the Forgetfulness Technique.

Memories of the entire year immediately flooded my mind.

The first six months weren't so bad, but after that, accepting missions, joining the organization, fighting, the Three Blades of Avici Hell, Begonia, and especially the crucial wedding banquet...

"Ugh!" Guihai Yidao clutched his head, screamed in pain, and fainted again.

"Hmm? No, okay?"

Zhou Ming shook his head and cast another Forget-Worries spell.

Guihai Yidao opened his eyes and looked at Zhou Ming in surprise: "Who are you?"

"Go away!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Who are you?"

"Go away!"

"Uh-huh!"

I don’t know how long it took.

But Zhou Ming felt that he had used the Forget-Worries Technique dozens of times.

Upon seeing that Guihai Yidao had woken up, he promptly canceled the Forgetfulness Technique.