Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 272 The King of Desire!

return?

No, now is not the time.

After all, there are still many things to deal with!
Thinking of this, Chen Ye refused directly, and the prompt text in front of him flickered slightly before slowly disappearing.

At the same time, the Chaos Heart Sword, which was floating in front of him and forged from the desires of all living beings, emitted a soft hum, then turned into specks of light and merged into Chen Ye's body.

An unprecedented sense of fulfillment permeated the depths of Chen Ye's soul.

This time, Chen Ye was no longer passively bearing the enormous desires of the masses, but truly digesting and absorbing them, turning them into nourishment for his professional growth.

Chen Ye could clearly feel that his understanding and control over desire had reached a new level.

If the previous throne of desire allowed him to see and distort the desires of living beings, then...

Now, Chen Ye can even create a completely new desire for his goal from nothingness at will.

For example, it could make a miser who is obsessed with money suddenly develop the desire to give away all his wealth.

For example, it could make a fearless warrior suddenly develop a fear of an ant.

This feeling was as if Chen Ye had become a king sitting on a throne, and the seven emotions and six desires of all living beings had become clay that he could knead at will.

At the same time, Chen Ye's thoughts stirred slightly, and the Desire Throne talent quietly unfolded, instantly enveloping the desolate county town with an invisible sense.

In his view, the city was no longer a ruin, but a complex world composed of various sparks of desire.

There is the relief of surviving a disaster, the grief of losing loved ones, and the uncertainty about the future... These are all feelings shared by the ordinary people who survived.

Among these mottled specks of light, there were also some extremely discordant black specks of light that exuded a chilling aura.

These lights are hidden in every corner of the city, some under collapsed houses, some in dark cellars, and some even mixed in with the surviving people, disguised as ordinary people trembling with fear.

They are the remnants of the Wrathful Soul Sect.

These people had long been brainwashed by the sect's secret techniques and were extremely loyal to Wu Baxian. Even after witnessing the sect leader's defeat and death, they felt no fear whatsoever. Instead, they were filled with overwhelming hatred for Chen Ye and a desire for revenge.

"What a bunch of reckless fools."

Chen Ye hovered in mid-air, expressionless as he looked down at the black dots representing the remnants of the Wrathful Soul Sect, his eyes devoid of any pity.

Previously, finding and eliminating these remnants of the regime hidden in the vast city would have been an extremely laborious task.

But for Chen Ye now, it's just a simple matter of lifting a finger.

Chen Ye didn't even bother to move a finger; he just changed his mind.

"fear."

The Throne of Desire talent was activated instantly.

An invisible will precisely struck the depths of the souls of every remnant of the Wrathful Soul Sect in the city.

The next moment, all the hidden disciples of the Wrathful Soul Sect, whether they were highly skilled deacons or newly initiated servants, froze at the same time.

Then an indescribable, extreme fear originating from the deepest part of their souls completely engulfed them.

It was a primal fear of facing a natural enemy, of having one's own existence completely erased.

Faced with such fear, their so-called loyalty, brainwashed by the sect's secret techniques, seemed so ridiculous and fragile.

"Ah! A ghost! There's a ghost!" A deacon of the Wrathful Soul Sect, who was hiding in the cellar, suddenly clutched his head and screamed like a madman.

In his vision, his companions were no longer humanoid, but terrifying monsters covered in eyeballs and oozing pus and blood.

"Kill it! It must be killed!" This thought, like wildfire, instantly took over his entire mind.

Under extreme fear, the instinct for survival is amplified to an extreme, ultimately evolving into an aggressive desire to destroy anything questionable.

Not just him.

At the same time, throughout the county, all the remnants of the Wrathful Soul Sect witnessed the same scene.

In their eyes, every companion had become a terrifying demon that would devour its prey.

"Die! Monster!"

"do not come!!"

"Kill! Kill you all!"

A series of piercing screams and roars echoed simultaneously from every corner of the city.

A bloody infighting began abruptly.

A disciple of the Wrathful Soul Sect, hiding in the ruins, frantically stabbed his once most trusted senior brother with a sharp knife until he turned him into a pile of minced meat.

The two sentries hiding in the corner used all their skills to attack each other with deadly moves, ultimately perishing together.

Even a few remnants mixed in with the survivors suddenly sprang into action, attacking each other. Their frenzied behavior terrified the surrounding people, who scattered and fled.

The chaos came quickly and went quickly.

In just a few dozen breaths, the last disciple of the Wrathful Soul Sect died from exhaustion amidst fear and madness, and then the entire city returned to silence.

Those black specks of light, representing resentment and hatred, were all extinguished in Chen Ye's vision of desire.

After doing all this, Chen Ye acted as if he had casually brushed a speck of dust off his clothes, without causing the slightest ripple in his heart.

He slowly descended from the sky, transforming back into the handsome young man dressed in the official robes of the Xuanjing Division.

Sunlight streamed through the purifying rain of light, falling on him and casting a long shadow.

In the distance, whether it was the Empress, the great scholars of the academy, or their close followers like Hou En and Qian Yi, they were all still immersed in the shock brought about by the earth-shattering battle, unable to recover for a long time.

They only snapped out of their daze when Chen Ye's figure landed.

All eyes instinctively turned to him.

His gaze held a mixture of awe, fear, gratitude, and bewilderment—a complex tapestry of emotions.

Chen Ye glanced around, taking in everyone's expressions, but didn't say much. He simply smiled slightly at Empress Wu Zhao and her sister Chen Wan'er, his voice calm and clear.

"Fortunately, I did not disgrace my life."

Upon hearing these words, Empress Wu Zhao trembled slightly, and then a very complex expression flashed in her eyes.

It was a look that was a mixture of dependence and confusion.

But the most excited person present had to be Chen Wan'er. As soon as she regained her mobility, she rushed over.

"Ono!"

Chen Wan rushed forward, intending to hug her younger brother, but suddenly remembered something and stopped abruptly.

After all, the battle just now was so astonishing that even her closest relative felt a bit fearful and dared not show too much affection.

Seeing this, Chen Ye couldn't help but laugh, "Sister, don't worry, I'm fine."

Upon hearing this, Chen Wan'er threw herself into Chen Ye's arms, her scalding tears instantly soaking Chen Ye's shoulder.

"I thought... I thought I would never see you again..."

Chen Wan'er's voice was choked with sobs, and her body trembled slightly from lingering fear.

She could only watch helplessly as the battle raged before, and the sense of powerlessness and despair almost completely consumed her.

Chen Ye gently patted his sister's back, feeling her body trembling, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

In this world, perhaps only this older sister truly cares for me without any ulterior motives.

"Sister, don't worry," Chen Ye said softly, "It's all over now."

In the distance, Jing Zhaoning and the surviving scholars of the academy finally struggled to their feet.

The expressions on their faces were very complicated.

Especially Jing Zhaoning, whose eyes, which once shone like stars, were now completely dark.

The collapse of her faith, the tragic deaths of her fellow disciples, and finally, Chen Ye's earth-shattering sword strike, which was completely beyond her comprehension...

All of this caused her Dao heart to teeter repeatedly on the brink of shattering.

She looked at Chen Ye, opened her mouth, but found that she had no idea what to say.

Should we thank him for saving the world?

Or perhaps we should ask him what kind of great Dao that heart sword, capable of severing everything, truly is.

Just as the atmosphere fell into a subtle silence, Empress Wu Zhao slowly walked up to Chen Ye and, after a moment of silence, asked in a slightly hoarse and tired voice.

"Chen Qing, what should we do next?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's attention once again focused on Chen Ye.

At this moment, everyone realized that this young man had become the true backbone of everyone present, and even the entire Great Chen Dynasty, after this earth-shattering catastrophe.

His will will determine the fate of this county, and even... the future direction of this dynasty.

Chen Ye looked at Wu Zhao, then at the ashen-faced, bewildered civil and military officials behind her, and understood.

The truth about Wu Baxian was like a heavy hammer blow, shattering not only the faith of the academy but also the pride and legitimacy of the ruling class of the Great Chen Dynasty.

After all, the fact that their ancestor was a demon who sacrificed the entire world was enough to shake the very foundation of the dynasty's rule. Wu Zhao's question at this moment was not only about how to deal with the mess in Nanhe County, but also about how she, a descendant with demon blood flowing through her veins, should conduct herself.

This is a fatal problem that could ignite the entire Great Chen Dynasty.

Facing Empress Wu Zhao's bewildered eyes, Chen Ye's expression remained unchanged.

He knew that the problem was tricky, but not unsolvable.

"Your Majesty, the late emperor is the late emperor, and you are you."

"Whether it's Wu Baxian or Wu Xuan, they are just skins that the extraterrestrial demons donned to prolong their lives. Their sins have nothing to do with His Majesty, let alone the millions of people of the Great Chen."

"Now that the demon has been brought to justice, Your Majesty is not only blameless but also meritorious in the eyes of the people. After all, it was because of your personal command and presence here that we finally achieved this victory."

These words were flawless.

He not only completely severed ties between Wu Zhao and that demonic ancestor, but also subtly shared half the credit for slaying the demon with the empress.

The civil and military officials, who had been looking terrified and at a loss, suddenly brightened up upon hearing these words.

Yup!

The late emperor was a demon, but His Majesty the present is not!

His Majesty's personal presence in the perilous situation, severing ties with that demon, is itself a statement of principle!

Lord Chen's words have truly shown them a broad and promising path!
As long as this point is firmly held, the foundation of the dynasty's rule will not be shaken, and the wealth and honor of these people will naturally be preserved.

In an instant, these officials, who had just looked ashen-faced, seemed to have found their pillar of support, and their eyes were filled with gratitude and respect as they looked at Chen Ye.

Wu Zhao was a smart man, and he immediately understood the deeper meaning in Chen Ye's words.

She looked at Chen Ye deeply, her eyes filled not only with gratitude but also with an inexplicable dependence.

"What Minister Chen says is absolutely right." She took a deep breath, forcibly roused herself, and restored the dignity befitting an empress.

"Then the aftermath of the events in Nanhe County..."

Chen Ye did not refuse, because he knew that now was not the time to be polite.

The mess in Nanhe County must be stabilized as soon as possible with swift and decisive measures.

"Your Majesty, there are countless matters to be dealt with in the aftermath, but there are three things that must be done immediately."

Chen Ye held up three fingers.

"First, take stock of the casualties and treat the wounded! Hou En, Qian Yi."

"My subordinate is here!"

Hou En and Qian Yi, who had been following behind, were startled and quickly stepped forward, bowing to receive the order.

"You two should immediately lead the elite troops of the Beijing Garrison to search for all survivors, using this square as the center, and relocate them to a centralized location. At the same time, count the number of the wounded and dead, bury them on the spot, and prevent the spread of the plague."

"Remember, all the belongings of the victims must be properly kept, registered, and recorded without error."

"As ordered!"

Hou En and Qian Yi exchanged a glance, both seeing excitement and solemnity in each other's eyes.

They knew that Chen Ye was giving them a chance to share in the credit for this monumental achievement.

The two dared not delay and immediately led the elite soldiers of the Beijing garrison, who also revered Chen Ye like a god, to begin their operation.

"Second, appease the people and restore order." Chen Ye's gaze turned to the surviving scholars of the academy.

"Master Yan".

"Lord Chen... Lord Chen."

Master Yan struggled to take a step forward. This well-read old scholar looked more than ten years older at this moment, his eyes filled with weariness and confusion.

"Although the faith of the academy collapsed, the Confucian principles of benevolence and righteousness were not severed."

Chen Ye looked at him and said slowly, "The people in the city are still in shock and fear, and they need comforting. I hope that Master Yan can lead his fellow disciples to put aside their grief and use the words of the sages to comfort the living and help the departed souls pass on."

"This is both to accumulate merit for your fellow disciples who died tragically, and to practice your own path."

Master Yan was startled, and then looking into Chen Ye's calm yet profound eyes, he felt as if a new seed was quietly sprouting on the ruins left by the collapse of faith in his heart.

Yes.

So what if the academy was founded by a demon?
Are the virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness that they learned, and the great principles of self-cultivation, family harmony, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world that they practiced, also false?
Do not!
The Great Way is without fault; the fault lies with those who exploit it!

Having figured this out, Master Yan's cloudy eyes regained their clarity.

He bowed deeply to Chen Ye, this time with heartfelt respect.

"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Chen. I... understand now."

After saying that, he turned and walked toward his fellow disciples who were equally distraught, and began to talk to them in a low voice.

Soon, the Confucian scholars, who had been like walking corpses, gradually regained their spirit.

Supporting each other, they began to approach the huddled survivors, soothing the frightened women and children with gentle voices.

"Third," Chen Ye's voice rang out again, "Resume production and rebuild homes."

"Although the city of Nanhe County is destroyed, the entire Nanhe County still exists, so it must be rebuilt immediately and the disaster victims comforted."

"First, laborers were conscripted to clear the ruins and prepare for the reconstruction of the county town. All those who participated in the labor were provided with three meals a day and paid daily wages by the government."

"Secondly, we solicit donations from wealthy households and gentry in various prefectures and counties. No, we collect grain and silver from them and tell them that anyone who makes a contribution will be rewarded after the war, and the government will recommend them for merit."

With these orders issued, the cleanup work in the entire Nanhe County quickly got underway. The remaining issues were just minor details and were of little importance.

After doing all this, Chen Ye felt a deep sense of exhaustion.

Forcibly forging the Heart Sword and engaging in a life-or-death battle with an existence of the same caliber as Wu Baxian also took a tremendous toll on him.

Although he appeared calm on the surface, Chen Ye had actually reached his limit, and his face had turned pale.

This subtle change did not escape the notice of Chen Wan'er, Bai Yingluo, and others who had been watching him closely.

"Xiao Ye, why is your face so pale?" Chen Wan'er said anxiously, supporting him.

"Master, are you injured?" Bai Yingluo asked hurriedly.

“Brother…” Xia Ling Shuang’s eyes reddened, and tears welled up in them.

Chen Ye waved his hand, indicating that he was fine.

"I'm just a little tired, I'll be fine after a rest."

As he spoke, his gaze swept across the crowd, finally settling on Jing Zhaoning.

This once spirited and righteous young woman, a proud daughter of the academy, now stands alone on the ruins, her figure appearing so desolate and forlorn.

Chen Ye pondered for a moment, then stepped forward to her, looked into her lifeless eyes, and said in a deep voice, "Are you still suffering because of the truth about the academy?"

Jing Zhaoning's body trembled slightly. She raised her head, her lips moved, but no sound came out.

Chen Ye ignored her reaction and said to himself, "Wu Baxian may have founded the academy for his own selfish desires, but for thousands of years, countless Confucian sages have devoted their lives to this path, working tirelessly and even sacrificing their lives for it."

"They used their words and deeds, their own blood, to cleanse this polluted source."

"Therefore, the way of the academy is not the way of Wu Baxian, but the way of millions of Confucian disciples. It is still bright, only the person who founded it is rather dirty."

"What you should do is not to deny the whole river because of the filth at its source, but to find a way to make the river flow to a clearer future."

After saying this, Chen Ye stopped looking at her and turned to leave.

He's not a therapist, and he's said what he needed to say. As for whether Jing Zhaoning can get over it, that's up to her own fate.

Just as Chen Ye turned around...

"Wait a moment!"

Chen Ye paused, turning back to look at her.

Jing Zhaoning stared intently at Chen Ye with her dark eyes, asking each word clearly, "Chen Ye, I want to know what kind of path you've chosen?"

She was asking about Chen Ye's fundamental principles.

This was also her biggest source of confusion.

What path does a person who can use the seven emotions and six desires as power, yet maintain their original heart and unleash that purest and cleanest sword strike, ultimately walk?
This question also made Wu Zhao, Chen Wan'er and others in the distance prick up their ears.

They were curious too.

Chen Ye looked at the flicker of struggle in Jing Zhaoning's eyes and, after a moment of silence, couldn't help but laugh.

"I?"

"The path I've taken is very simple."

"Anyone who obstructs me is a demon."

"Anyone who stands in my way may be... killed!"

(End of this chapter)