Taiyi Dao Fruit

Outside the Divine Capital, surrounding Dragon Abyss Lake.

Zhu Hui'an stood atop a peak by the lake, slowly lowering the great bow in his hand.

About ten miles ahead of him lay Qiong Mountain, where the Imperial College was located. With Zhu Hui'an's eye power, he could clearly see the pavilions and towers within the college, including the large lake atop the mountain and the residence of the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer.

He could easily use the bow in his hand to strike any target within the college. If the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer, Mo Yiling, chose to leave the college and involve himself in the dispute between Jiang Li and the Earth Uncle, aiding the Earth Uncle, the college would already be in chaos.

Fortunately, the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer remained uninvolved, and luckily Jiang Li had won.

The Yin energy in the Divine Capital Upper City had dispersed, signifying the retreat of the Yin Law Department, and Zhu Hui'an could also perceive many Yin Gods withdrawing from the Divine Capital. The defeat of the Yin Law Department was indeed evident, as shown by these retreating forces.

Zhu Hui'an put away the great bow, straightened his clothes, and was about to leave quietly.

Unexpectedly, as he turned, a familiar old man came into his view.

The Imperial College Sacrificial Officer!

He didn't know when he had arrived here, standing just a few steps away from Zhu Hui'an. Yet Zhu Hui'an had not noticed him at all.

"If I intervened to help the Earth Uncle, would you surround Wei to rescue Zhao, forcing me to return?"

The Imperial College Sacrificial Officer looked at Zhu Hui'an with no anger on his face, only an undisguised regret. He shook his head and said, "Too extreme, Hui'an. All these years, your way of doing things remains so extreme. Aren't you afraid of bringing enemies to Jiang Sikong by doing this?"

Even though Zhu Hui'an hadn't explicitly supported Jiang Li, his assistance was a fact. If there were real casualties in the college, the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer might indeed harbor resentment towards Jiang Li.

Yet Zhu Hui'an was completely indifferent and said lightly, "When were you not an enemy, teacher?"

He looked straight at the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer, seeing the familiar face as if glimpsing decades of the past.

"The people can be made to follow, but not to know why. Everyone knows that the predecessors of the Imperial College were praised by the Emperor of Zhou for these words, even making them the national policy, but who lets the people follow, and who doesn't let them know?"

"The answer is only one, the Emperor."

The people follow the Emperor's will, but they cannot be allowed to know why they must do so.

This is the full implication of the saying.

Only the Emperor can be the master of this will; no one else can overstep.

When this saying of keeping the people ignorant is coupled with the existence of the Emperor, the originally malicious policy gains a new interpretation.

Because the Emperor is selfless, his essence is like the Heavenly Dao, impartial and free of the ordinary desire for power. Under the Emperor's guidance, all commands are for the most appropriate purpose.

However, what is appropriate may not be acceptable. If the Emperor deems it necessary, he can ruthlessly sacrifice some people's lives or interests, but this part may not be able to accept it calmly, and others may not understand either.

Therefore, there is "not to know why."

The ruling theory presented by the predecessors of the Imperial College was essentially placing the Emperor above all, allowing the Emperor to decide the matters of the world for the citizens.

The Imperial College gained the Emperor's support with this, paying loyalty in return—not to the Emperor, but to the inhumanity of being humane at its utmost.

So when the present Emperor began to exhibit human traits, seeking longevity and even resorted to perverse actions, the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer decisively took the opposing side. In fact, even if Tianxuan hadn't approached the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer back then, he would have acted on his own.

Zhu Hui'an's eyes gradually shed their reminiscing hue, replaced by a sword-like sharpness, "No one would ever think that the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer, who sent the Emperor to the South Garden, was actually the most loyal to the Emperor. Teacher, you would never allow Jiang Sikong the chance to touch Imperial Power, unless Jiang Sikong willingly accepted the Emperor Dao Fruit... No, even in your heart, Jiang Sikong is definitely not your first choice to bear the Emperor Dao Fruit. With his talent, he might break free from its bindings."

So, the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer would merely maintain the current situation, continuing to let the Princess govern while restraining Jiang Li, stopping him from regency.

In contrast, Zhu Hui'an's goal was unmistakably to have Jiang Li succeed as the Emperor, without carrying the Emperor Dao Fruit. If Jiang Li also bore the Emperor Dao Fruit, how would he differ from the previous Emperors?

Zhu Hui'an always opposed the governance of Great Zhou by the Emperors and never wanted the one he supported to become identical to the past Emperors, maintaining the unchanged pattern for 800 years.

"We are enemies, teacher." Zhu Hui'an summarized.

The Imperial College Sacrificial Officer might not be Jiang Li's enemy, but he was certainly Zhu Hui'an's enemy.

Jiang Li might not want to become the Emperor, but those who supported him definitely wanted him to.

This single point was enough.

And precisely because of this conflict, Zhu Hui'an had left the Imperial College back then, as the college couldn't accommodate such blasphemous ideas.

Back then, Zhu Hui'an knew he was leaving because the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer was loyal to the Emperor; now he understood why the Sacrificial Officer was loyal.

The old man quietly listened to Zhu Hui'an's words, his pupils deep and serene like an ancient well, with even the closed eyes beneath his opened slightly.

"How did you learn the secret of the Emperor Dao Fruit?" he asked in a firm voice.