Madmen don't keep diaries

Chapter 452 451 Xi Jun's Cage

The three had planned to stay overnight in the city, but they left as soon as it got dark.

Fang Youliu had no objections; the sights and sounds of this trip were enough for him to add more to his journal.

Shunzi, on the other hand, was quite puzzled: "The temple church has been cleaned up, why are we leaving in such a hurry?"

Feng Xiuhu rolled his eyes: "It's not like you're driving the carriage, so it doesn't matter where you sleep."

Outside the carriage curtain, Liu Buyi protested: "So it's supposed to be mine?"

Feng Xiuhu pressed his advantage, saying, "Teach me the magic to drive the carriage, and I'll take your place tonight."

Fang Youliu stopped responding.

Feng Xiuhu, feeling rebuffed, crossed his legs and lay down in the carriage.

Fang Youliu said to Shunzi, "Third Master, you don't know this, but Second Master is the one who has considered things more thoroughly. Zizai City has been reborn, and there will definitely be a lively celebration tonight. Even if we want to sleep then, we won't be able to get a good night's rest. So it's better to set off tonight, at least we can sleep soundly in the carriage."

Is that really the reason?
Feng Xiuhu blinked; he really hadn't thought of that.

He was in a hurry to leave simply because the tower was burning and the smoke and dust were flying everywhere, filling the whole city with a choking smell. Feng Xiuhu didn't want to suffer that, so he left in a hurry.

Shunzi started chatting with Fang Youliu: "So where do we go next?"

Fang Youliu silently estimated for a moment and replied, "We can reach Tianpuchuan before dawn. We can rest on the shore first and then cross the river when it gets light."

Of the three great rivers in Xuan Kingdom, Tianpu River is the southernmost. Shunzi had heard about it many times from Fang Youliu. He asked excitedly, "I've never seen a great river before. What does it look like?"

Fang Youliu laughed and said, "What could it be like? It's just a big river, only the waterway is longer, the channel is wider, and the current is faster. There's nothing particularly special about it."

Shunzi's interest remained undiminished: "Are all three great rivers exactly the same?"

Fang Youliu tilted his head slightly: "That's not it."

"The source of Tianpu River is on the highest mountain in the west of Xuan Kingdom. It is said that when you stand at the foot of the mountain and look up, it looks like a waterfall cascading down from the sky, hence the name Tianpu River."

"As for the most turbulent waters, the Blackwater River in the middle is the most famous. The waters of this great river are swift and dangerous all year round. Moreover, for some unknown reason, the water in the river is pitch black, like ink. But as soon as it is scooped up, it turns into ordinary colorless river water."

"As for the last one, Anlong River, it is actually the gentlest of the three great rivers. Just as its name suggests, wherever the water flows, there are thousands of acres of fertile fields on both banks, making it the most abundant and fertile land in the entire Xuan Kingdom."

"The Baidu River, which runs through Taijing City, is a tributary of Anlongchuan. So there is a legend that Anlongchuan is actually a wrong name and should be called Anlongchuan."

While Shunzi and Fang Youliu were chatting enthusiastically, Feng Xiuhu moved to the far end, lowered his voice, and took the opportunity to talk to Shi in his mind.

He hadn't forgotten his "main mission"—when he first went to the Spirit Realm, Feng Xiuhu wanted to ask Shi about something.

Fang Youliu said that only the gods who have built the divine kingdom in the present world can be unrestrained in the present world, and that this is a rule set by Xi Jun.

Shi replied lazily, "Yes, that's true. What's wrong?"

Feng Xiuhu expressed his bewilderment: "These rules are completely nonsensical. People finally become gods, and they still have to suffer this humiliation. What was Xi Jun thinking?"

Shi chuckled softly, a hint of nostalgia in his voice: "Because Xi Jun said, 'Only with a home can one have people. If one doesn't even have a home, there's no reason for a god to remain in this world.'" Feng Xiu Hu scratched his head: "She's really nosy."

Shi Wei protected Xi Jun: "What do you know? If there were no rules, wouldn't the world be in chaos long ago? True gods, true gods, only those sitting on the altar are gods. If they come down from the altar and act recklessly, they will become demons and monsters."

Feng Xiuhu sneered: "It's not much different now."

"If you really want to establish rules, then establish them properly. Creating a pretext like a divine kingdom in the mortal world is just pointless. For example, if Jingzhe Lang and the God of Night really get their hands on the Spirit Tree and build a divine kingdom in the mortal world, will Xi Jun really be unable to control them?"

Shi paused for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "So you misunderstood this."

Feng Xiuhu pointed out: "What have I misunderstood?"

Shi laughed, "You think you can build a divine kingdom in the mortal world just by obtaining the Spirit Tree?"

"Do you really think Xi Jun is that stupid? It's true that the Spirit Wood is a necessary material for building the present-day divine kingdom, but the construction of the present-day divine kingdom must be done by Xi Jun—have you forgotten that Xi Jun is the ancestor of weapon crafting?"

Feng Xiuhu exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, so she's the one who prints property deeds!"

Shi chimed in agreement: "So even if Jingzhe Lang gets his hands on the Spirit Tree, he'll still have to come to Xi Jun for help. As for whether or not he gets 'Xi Jun's special permission,' isn't that just a matter of whether Xi Jun agrees or not? Otherwise, why do you think none of the Western gods possess a mortal divine kingdom? Xi Jun simply doesn't intend to serve them!"

Feng Xiuhu had another question: "Since Xi Jun doesn't serve the Western God, why does the God of Night still cooperate with Jingzhe Lang? Even if she takes the Spirit Communication Wood, it's useless."

The question was rather foolish, and Feng Xiuhu got stuck on it for a moment.

Hearing this, Shi couldn't help but sneer: "Precious things don't become less precious just because they're useless. To put it another way, if you don't need it, can't you just use it to do someone a favor?"

Feng Xiuhu suddenly realized—if this thing were taken out, the Eastern God would be scrambling for it, and if it fell into the hands of the God of Night, it might be of even greater use than building the present-day divine kingdom.

Shi said meaningfully, "Now you should understand. Direct and forceful constraints will only displease the gods. That's why Xi Jun used the pretext of building a divine kingdom in the mortal world. Only trustworthy gods can get her approval, while those with their own agendas are the ones who are to be constrained."

Feng Xiuhu couldn't help but sigh, "Being a leader isn't easy. The Eastern gods all have their own agendas and can't work together as a team. No wonder the Western gods take advantage of them."

The real problem lies with Xi Jun.

Feng Xiuhu had actually realized the root cause.

From the few words and phrases Shi had uttered over the years, Feng Xiuhu had already formed a relatively one-sided impression of Xi Jun—she only wanted to set rules, but rarely actually managed anything.

It was like setting up a cage, and she didn't care whether the people inside would squeeze out through the cracks.

It seems that there are more important things for Xi Jun to do.

The search for a way to achieve immortality.

Feng Xiuhu couldn't help but think of eclipse again.

Xi Jun has not yet found the path to immortality, so why would she choose this moment to ruthlessly kill Shi, her indispensable ally?
Even if she has found a way, there's no need to silence her, right? Eclipse is immortal anyway, and it won't get in her way. They're so familiar with each other, wouldn't it be better to stay together until the end of time?

(End of this chapter)