Chapter 926: Throw One Punch Now to Avoid a Hundred Punches Later
“The most dangerous floor?”
After ending the call with Zhang Pianpian, Zhang Pianpian’s intelligence echoed in Zhang Yu’s mind. He thought to himself, “Combining the information provided by the Reincarnation Group and my elder sister, looking at it comprehensively… I’m afraid the 16th Layer is indeed the place the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor wants me to go.”
Flipping through the list of “backward” Law Edicts provided by Zhang Pianpian, Si Shian’s “Four-Hour Workday” and Ban Jinchen’s “Pay for Overtime” were right at the top.
Looking at Zhang Pianpian’s data analysis, Zhang Yu thought, “Are they no longer in line with the current Immortal Dao development of the Myriad Laws Sect, and have instead become a harvesting tool for certain interest groups?”
Zhang Yu could feel that the intelligence from the Reincarnation Group and Zhang Pianpian had given him a much clearer understanding of the situation.
Suddenly, he remembered his past experiences in the First Layer…
“The Foundation Establishment Examination I experienced back then, as well as the First Layer reforms brought about by Wang Yin, all originated from the influence of the upper floors, right?”
“And now, without even realizing it, I have also reached this position and gained the ability to exert this kind of influence.”
“My choices will affect the future of countless people, generating a massive impact on this world, and even rippling all the way from the sect to the First Layer.”
Zhang Yu sighed inwardly, “And the information gap brought by the position of an upper-tier cultivator makes things that those below might never figure out in their entire lives as clear as day to me right now.”
While Zhang Yu was feeling emotional in his heart, Fu Ji was deep in thought: “The intelligence Zhang Pianpian provided is indeed very important and useful. But the intelligence itself is a kind of pointer.”
“So, behind Zhang Pianpian’s act of providing this intelligence, is she purely trying to help Zhang Yu? Or is she driven by interests, representing a certain attitude of some Righteous Gods or even the Heavenly Court?”
Then, Fu Ji thought of the deal with the Reincarnation Group: Hmph, originally, devouring two more Evil Gods like Herald Guy would have been enough for me to upgrade.
But this time, they provided me with two Evil Gods who are far inferior to Herald Guy. They are clearly stalling me on purpose, using the transaction to steer Zhang Yu’s choices.
In Fu Ji’s eyes, whether it was the Reincarnation Group or Zhang Pianpian, behind their assistance to Zhang Yu, there were bound to be underlying motives of self-interest, and moreover, it represented the stances of different factions.
Zhang Yu, as you climb higher and higher, become richer and stronger, everyone around you will inevitably bring more and more of their own interests into their interactions with you. When that time comes, will you really still want to trust them?
Only I am different. Only I, who am of one heart and mind with you, am worthy of your trust.
Shortly after Zhang Yu finished his conversation with Zhang Pianpian, his subordinate, the Chief Soul Cultivator Zhao Tianxing, sent a new message.
Zhao Tianxing: “Dao Monarch, the information of many cultivators in our Netherworld Assets Department has been made public…”
Zhang Yu swept his gaze over it, snorted coldly, and thought to himself, “Doxxing?”
Besides him, cultivators from the Lower Realm including Yu Xinghan, Magnetic Pole, Old Gao, as well as Ye Xingli, Feng Tingting, Zhao Tianxing, and others… all had their personal information and contact details exposed.
Immortal Slayer said, “This is a threat to us. It’s like turning on a sniper scope and aiming it at all our companions. Not firing — just keeping them in their sights.”
Fu Ji thought to herself, “This is equivalent to telling Zhang Yu that once he decides to clash with them, all of his subordinates will be targeted, and anyone could be sacrificed.”
“This move might just be a joke to other Kunxu cultivators, but for Zhang Yu…”
Fu Ji observed Zhang Yu’s current state and continued to ponder in her heart, “That is indeed a kind of threat. If it were the Zhang Yu of the past… he might have actually backed down.”
At the same time, more information was gathering on Zhang Yu’s end.
“Minister, Mo Jin, Su Yanyang, and the others are being harassed. More and more people are targeting our Lower Realm Cultivators here.”
“Minister, Feng Tingting’s streaming room has been banned again…”
“Minister, there was an accident at the construction site in the development zone…”
Soon, Yu Xinghan also found Zhang Yu and asked, “Dao Monarch, what do we do next?”
Zhang Yu did not answer, but instead asked suddenly, “Xinghan, which floor do you think I should choose?”
Yu Xinghan was slightly taken aback and said, “I don’t know. I believe in you. I will support whichever floor you choose.”
Zhang Yu turned his head and asked, “But the higher we go, the higher the risk. Not just for me, but the risks for all of you will increase as well.”
Yu Xinghan smiled, patted Zhang Yu’s shoulder, and said earnestly, “Zhang Yu, we climbed all the way up from the First Layer. When have we not taken risks? As long as there are enough benefits, we are not afraid of taking risks; we are only afraid of not even having the chance to take them.”
Zhao Tianxing suddenly said, “Dao Monarch, we believe in you. You won’t let us take risks for nothing.”
Mo Tianyi, who had also served as a Soul Cultivator under Zhang Yu for years and climbed up from the First Layer, spoke up, “Dao Monarch, you are the one who gave us the opportunity to take risks. If betting our lives is all it takes to climb higher, who wouldn’t take that gamble?”
Watching the messages gather one after another, Immortal Slayer sighed with emotion, “Climbing upward has long since become the instinct of the one trillion living beings in Kunxu.”
“They have never feared hardships or difficulties; they only fear having no opportunities and worry about having no returns.”
“The Aspiration for the Immortal Dao… although it has brought endless greed to all living creatures, it has also given them unparalleled courage.”
At the same time, information flickered before Zhang Yu’s eyes. It was none other than a communication request from Ban Jinchen.
Following Zhang Yu’s acceptance, the other party’s projection descended with a boom.
“Dao Monarch Zhang,” Ban Jinchen said indifferently. “I still have plenty of clones, and Bu Yingshu can’t protect you for a lifetime. You should know how terrifying the forces behind us are.”
Zhang Yu said lightly, “So what are you trying to say?”
Ban Jinchen enunciated every word clearly, “Regarding the choice of the Law Edict Pilot, I hope you consider it carefully. Do not detonate the internal conflicts of the Myriad Laws Sect out of a momentary impulse, ruining the big picture and destroying yourself.”
Zhang Yu, however, did not look at Ban Jinchen. Instead, he looked toward the direction of the entire Former Days Graveyard and said flatly, “Someone once told me that no matter which direction you choose, a price must be paid.”
Zhang Yu sighed and continued, “I thought about it and must admit he was indeed right. Whether it is the First Layer or the 16th Layer, whether moving forward, retreating, or staying in place, all require a price to be paid. It just depends on what price you choose to pay.”
“It’s good that you understand,” Ban Jinchen’s eyes flashed with a strange light as he said. “If you are willing to cooperate, we can help you reduce the price to the absolute minimum, such as transferring the price to those of lower cultivation…”
Zhang Yu turned his head, looking straight at Ban Jinchen expressionlessly, and said, “You didn’t understand what I meant.”
“What I want to tell you is… choosing to make an enemy out of me also comes with a price.”
“The ones who should be afraid aren’t me, but you all, because my Law Edict is the eternal strict father of your Law Edicts.”
Hearing this, Ban Jinchen’s gaze suddenly turned cold, and his projected form gradually faded away, leaving only a single sentence drifting in the air.
“Zhang Yu, remember what you said today. Let’s see who ultimately breaks first.”
After ending the communication with Ban Jinchen, Zhang Yu first gathered the numerous lower realm cultivators and sent them into the Immortal Grotto-Heaven, announcing that they would all work remotely from now on.
After confirming the safety of his companions, Zhang Yu began drafting a document, preparing to send it to the Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor.
“Sect Examination Clone, for the part thanking the Immortal Emperor, remove some of the glibness and write it more sincerely. I’m not feeling your enthusiasm for work…”
“Fu Ji, for the part explaining the prospects of the Law Edict, make the explaination a bit more grounded, don’t just run your mouth in front of the Immortal Emperor…”
“Immortal Slayer, what I want is determination. Your words need to contain the kind of resolve to sweep away the Law Edicts for the Immortal Emperor, even at the cost of making enemies with everyone in the world…”
Fu Ji couldn’t help but ask, “Isn’t this too absolute? You’re not leaving any leeway at all…”
Zhang Yu said, “Throw one hard punch now to avoid a hundred punches later. Since we’re going to do this… we must go all the way.”
This time, Zhang Yu’s petition no longer contained any hesitation or confusion; it simply expressed his profound desire to aim his sword at the 16th Layer. He requested the Immortal Emperor’s permission to make his ideals public and declare war against the black sheep, saboteurs, and anti-progress elements within the Myriad Laws Sect, seeking to sweep away the recent unhealthy trends in the sect!
And this time, Zhang Yu quickly received a reply from the Immortal Emperor.
“Profound insight, showing great dedication. It benefits both the sect and the Immortals. I highly approve. Proceed immediately.”
Seeing this reply, Zhang Yu took a deep breath, knowing that once he took this step, there would be no turning back.
Soon, Zhang Yu informed Yu Xinghan and the others of his decision.
Meanwhile, Feng Tingting and Ye Xingli also began to build hype in their livestreams, announcing that Zhang Yu would soon declare something important, which immediately triggered a massive wave of intense attention.
Since it would generate huge traffic anyway, Zhang Yu figured it was better to let his own people benefit from it rather than letting the wealth flow to outsiders.
In the office at the Former Days Graveyard, Zhang Yu pressed closely against Bai Zhenzhen, feeling the changes in the Spirit Root, and said, “A-Zhen, are you really not going to hide in the Immortal Grotto-Heaven for a bit?”
Bai Zhenzhen hugged Zhang Yu from behind, feeling the Spirit Root being exchanged back, and said, “It’s fine.”
“Ever since I upgraded my version of the Extreme Emotion Sword Dao to the Immortal Sect True Inheritance-grade, the higher-ups of the Heavenly Sword Sect have placed quite a bit of importance on me. As long as I don’t do anything out of line, they won’t let people mess around.”
“Besides, didn’t you open a Grotto-Heaven Bridge on my body? If there’s danger, I’ll hide inside. The key is that you need to be careful yourself. I’m just worried the other side will jump the wall in desperation.”
As she spoke, Bai Zhenzhen stroked Zhang Yu’s lower abdomen. “If you need it, call me anytime. I’ll bring my Spirit Root to merge with you.”
After ending her meeting with Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen returned to the office, looked at Wen Wuya beside her, and said, “Wuya, keep a close eye on Yu Zi’s side. There’s about to be some big news, and also…”
Bai Zhenzhen looked at the contents of the secret manual floating before her eyes and said, “Tell me about the Shock Sword Dao.”
Wen Wuya said in astonishment, “Zhenzhen, you have already cultivated the three Sword Daos of Extreme Emotion, Supreme Bliss, and Sorrow. If you add the Shock Sword Dao, I’m afraid…”
Bai Zhenzhen rubbed her belly, feeling Zhang Yu’s lingering spiritual energy, and said, “It’s fine, I will adapt.”
“Fertile water shouldn’t flow into outsiders’ fields.”
“Yu Zi’s shock has nourished so many Heavenly Sword Cultivators before. Because of my Sword Dao cultivation, I didn’t have the time to pay attention to it. I can’t be like this from now on…”
On the other side, right after Zhang Yu bid farewell to Bai Zhenzhen, he received another message from Bu Yingshu.
Bu Yingshu: “Zhang Yu! What are you trying to do? Didn’t I tell you to do nothing and wait for my news?”
Zhang Yu did not reply to her.
Not long after, he arrived in Feng Tingting and Ye Xingli’s live broadcast room.
In front of the camera, Zhang Yu directly announced, “The transformation of Law Edicts within the sect and the advancement of Law Edict technology are imperative!”
“Many Law Edicts in the sect are already outdated, dragging down the sect’s Immortal Dao development. It has reached a point where they must be frozen…”
“Especially the current ‘Four-Hour Workday’ and ‘Pay for Overtime’! Such backward and outdated old laws have already seriously endangered production within the Sect and the development of Immortal Dao! Once my Law Edict Expiration Date goes into effect, the first thing that should be done is to freeze these two Law Edicts, allowing everyone to work overtime however they want!”
Zhang Yu’s critique of current affairs and bitter complaints about the problems with the current Law Edicts immediately sparked widespread discussion in the Dharma Realm and the Spirit Realm.
In particular, his criticism of the “Four-Hour Workday” and “Pay for Overtime” was met with a large chorus of agreement.
“Although Dao Monarch Zhang likes to bring in lower realm cultivators, the ‘Four-Hour Workday’ and ‘Pay for Overtime’ are indeed outdated.”
“I don’t agree with you controlling the world’s Law Edicts, but if you want to freeze the ‘Four-Hour Workday’ and ‘Pay for Overtime’, I support it with both hands…”
After a round of attacks on the current Law Edicts, Zhang Yu explained the necessity of the Law Edict Expiration Date from another angle.
“The era of the third-generation Law Edict has arrived. We are not the only ones establishing third-generation Law Edicts; the Ten Great Sects are all establishing third-generation Law Edicts now.”
“Regarding the issue of controlling Law Edicts, we can’t just look within the sect. We must have a Kunxu-wide perspective and look at all sects.”
“Within the Ten Great Sects, the Myriad Laws Sect is definitely not the only one that needs to control Law Edicts; the other sects are the same.”
Zhang Yu said with a serious face, “Even if they didn’t achieve this point this year, during next year’s Law Establishment or the year after’s Law Establishment, they will sooner or later establish a Law Edict that controls Law Edicts. If we don’t respond as early as possible to establish an advantage and build our Myriad Laws’ own Law Edict barrier, are we going to wait for the other sect’s Law Edicts to attack us?”
“Myriad Laws’ Law Edicts, regardless of the past or future, must be managed by the people of Myriad Laws themselves!”
“Therefore, I have already decided…”
Within Zhang Yu’s body, his magic power surged, and his Primordial Spirit transmitted a gentle tremor.
At this very moment, countless cultivators of the Myriad Laws Sect, and even the numerous cultivators of the major sects, were paying attention to his speech and the subsequent development of the event.
And under the gaze of the masses, Zhang Yu slowly uttered a heaven-piercing decision, one sufficient to be recorded in the annals of Kunxu’s history.
“In order to promote the construction of the legal system within the sect, I will establish a Law Edict pilot program within the sect. As for the specific location…” Zhang Yu was seen pointing one finger at the sky, his gaze seemingly wanting to pierce through the layers of Kunxu Space, toward the heights layer after layer. “It will be on the 16th Layer!”
“Is he looking this way?”
Inside the Immortal Abode on the 16th Layer of Kunxu, Bu Yingshu suddenly stood up and muttered, “Impulsive! Too impulsive!”
“Didn’t I tell him not to act recklessly?”
“Now, just to help me freeze the Law Edict, this guy Zhang Yu is actually going to start a direct war with so many people?” Bu Yingshu sighed deeply in her heart: “I shouldn’t have suspected that he was deceiving me…”
In the livestream, Zhang Yu continued, “I know that recently an evil trend has swept through the sect. Many interest groups, for the sake of their own benefits, have been spreading rumors and inverting black and white. In order to obstruct me from establishing the Law Edict Pilot in the sect, they would not hesitate to sacrifice the interests of countless cultivators within the sect.”
“But I am here today just to tell you… bring it on.”
“I want to tell you, I’m not a spineless coward like you.”
“I am a loyal subject of Myriad Laws who tested my way up step by step from the First Layer, going through thunder and debt, killing my way out of the University War, and charging out from the sect’s Dao Lineage Struggle.”
“Back in the Lower Realm, Tianqing, when the rebels smashed the firmament onto my face, I was never afraid. During the reform of the Former Days Graveyard, with the flow of a trillion in assets held in my hands, I never wavered. From the day of the Law Establishment Evaluation, I, Zhang Yu, gambled my entire life’s Immortal Dao future. I will regulate the world’s Law Edicts, so why would I be afraid of you?”
Inside the Immortal Abode on the 16th Layer.
Ban Jinchen and Si Shian were watching Zhang Yu’s livestream together, cold light flourishing in their eyes.
“What an arrogant Lower Beast!”