Chapter 927: The World is About to Change
Following Zhang Yu’s speech, his livestream was quickly edited into various clips. Transformed into a declaration of war, these videos spread to every corner of the Spirit Realm and the Dharma Realm like a raging storm, sweeping across all industries.
Ban Jinchen and Si Shian, who were directly named in Zhang Yu’s speech, bore the brunt of it and felt the impact of his words most acutely.
The stock prices of the companies under their names plummeted, and the Thought Tide amplification for the Law Edicts they had established also saw a decline…
Although they couldn’t manipulate the Thought Tide like the third-generation Law Edict, the second-generation Law Edict could still be strengthened through Thought Tide amplification.
Now, the drop in Thought Tide amplification immediately caused the law enforcement range of their Law Edict True Domains to shrink, triggering a chain of financial losses.
Si Shian, who had established the Four-Hour Workday, frowned. “Although the new third-generation Law Edict won’t be officially implemented in the pilot zones until January 1st next year, this Lower Beast’s words have more or less influenced the thoughts of many cultivators. It has significantly lowered many people’s expectations of us…”
Beside him, Ban Jinchen, who had established “Pay for Overtime”, said, “If we allow these rumors to spread and the stock prices and Thought Tide continue to fall, how much more loss will it bring us? We must respond.”
Both of them understood very well that as Void Refinement Cultivators… Law Edicts had arguably long since become the foundation of their standing, involving far too many things. It wasn’t just the benefits brought by the operation of the Law Edicts themselves, but it also concerned the factions and Dao Lineages behind them… And now, seeing that Zhang Yu had already pointed his blade at them, neither the people backing them nor they themselves could naturally just sit and wait for death.
Si Shian said coldly, “This Lower Beast simply has no idea how many people he has offended with this speech of his, nor how many people he has threatened. As long as we step forward, there will naturally be many who will go with the flow and lend us a hand to suppress him together.”
Thus, a moment later, Si Shian and Ban Jinchen jointly released a video in response.
In the video, Ban Jinchen spoke with absolute certainty, “Zhang Yu is simply speaking utter nonsense! Our Myriad Laws Sect is currently still among the top three of the Ten Great Sects in terms of the sect’s total cultivation growth rate, and all of this is built upon the foundation of numerous Law Edicts.”
“It is precisely because of the strict enforcement of numerous Law Edicts that the cultivators within the sect can develop stably and possess the best working and cultivation environment.”
“On what basis does Zhang Yu get to dictate which Law Edict is appropriate and which is outdated? Who gave him this power? And who will supervise him?”
“Right now, driven by his own ambition and desires, Zhang Yu wants to seize the power of Law Edict management, so he can then distort the facts, invert black and white, and divide the sect!”
Si Shian chimed in from the side, “That’s right. The Netherworld Palace, which was also in the top three for growth rate last year, has released their third-generation Law Edict this year, and it doesn’t involve any parts regarding the control or supervision of Law Edicts at all.”
“I’ve also reviewed the currently announced third-generation Law Edicts from the major sects, and other than Zhang Yu, absolutely no one has established a Law Edict meant to control Law Edicts.”
“Do you think it’s because others can’t do it? Is Zhang Yu the only one with extraordinary innate talent? There are plenty of geniuses in Kunxu, and plenty of cultivators with profound Immortal Dao Technology. The reason others don’t take this path is due to a tacit understanding, all for the better development of their sects… Law Establishers must be given enough freedom, rather than letting Law Edict control spark sect conflicts and drag down economic and Immortal Dao development.”
“And Zhang Yu’s current actions are tantamount to directly declaring war on the great sects! What will the other sects think when they learn that Zhang Yu wants to control the world’s Law Edicts? Will they feel it’s a threat? Will it trigger a vicious competition in Law Edict technology? If this isn’t provoking a sect war, then what is it?”
“Our Myriad Laws Sect still has to do business with the great sects. How can we let Zhang Yu mess around like this?”
Si Shian and Ban Jinchen’s responses and criticisms were like pouring a bucket of hot oil onto a blazing fire, instantly causing the heat of the entire incident to skyrocket once again.
Seeing their responses, Zhang Yu snorted coldly and immediately logged into the livestream: “With the third-generation Law Edict Technology advancing to this point, even if I don’t control any Law Edicts, someone else within the Ten Great Sects will eventually do so. This day will come sooner or later. It’s not something you can avoid by acting like a coward and burying your head in the sand.”
As for Si Shian and Ban Jinchen’s various other criticisms, Zhang Yu couldn’t even be bothered to respond, choosing to focus purely on offense rather than defense.
Then, Zhang Yu was heard saying in the live broadcast room: “This is clearly the internal legal system construction of our Myriad Laws Sect, yet some people bring up the Netherworld Palace whenever they open their mouths, and talk about other sects when they close them. Are they cultivators of the Myriad Laws Sect? Or are they cultivators of other sects? Are they prioritizing the interests of the Myriad Laws Sect, or the interests of other sects?”
“I suspect they have taken money from forces outside the sect. Law Establishment cultivators colluding with external forces is a very serious matter. I suggest the relevant departments investigate this thoroughly.”
As soon as Zhang Yu’s response came out, the popularity of the whole incident climbed madly once again. It was like a loud boom had exploded simultaneously in the Spirit Realm and the Dharma Realm, setting off waves of debates and arguments everywhere up and down the Myriad Laws Sect, with more and more people flaming each other…
Zhao Tianxing’s consciousness traversed the Spirit Realm, browsing through massive amounts of information, participating in flame wars on all sides, and constantly posting various comments to support Zhang Yu and refute the opposition.
“You think there are no external forces? [News Link: The Heavenly Surveillance Hall recently captured a batch of Heavenly Demon Sect spies]”
“Netherworld dogs! If you love bragging so much about how Netherworld doesn’t have a managing Law Edict, why don’t you just go there?”
“🤣 Back when the Heavenly Demon Sect was the first to start researching third-generation Law Edicts, you guys didn’t say that.”
At this moment, Zhao Tianxing’s fighting spirit soared to the heavens. As he rapidly roamed through the battlefields of the Spirit Realm one by one, he thought to himself, Dao Monarch Zhang wants to moderate the world’s Law Edicts and climb to the Apex of the Immortal Dao. How can such a grand enterprise be obstructed?
The moment he thought of the scene where Zhang Yu reached the apex with him following closely behind, Zhao Tianxing’s fighting spirit grew even more vigorous. I might not be able to help with other battles, but can’t I at least handle a war of public opinion?
Seeing another comment criticizing Zhang Yu, a fierce anger instantly flared up in Zhao Tianxing’s heart. Leading his small group of Soul Cultivators, he immediately charged over.
Right now, he absolutely loathed those who hurled abuse and criticized Zhang Yu in the Spirit Realm. With every extra sentence he read, it was as if he could see another obstacle appearing on Zhang Yu’s immortal path, which made him feel even worse than having his own pay docked.
At the same time Zhao Tianxing took the initiative to strike, countless Soul Cultivators from the Former Days Graveyard were also attacking everywhere across the Spirit Realm and the Dharma Realm, setting off a tsunami-like information offensive to support Zhang Yu.
“Minister Zhang raised our salaries, what could he possibly have done wrong?”
“If Minister Zhang goes to the lower realm, how is he supposed to raise our salaries!”
“Minister Zhang’s Law Edict has already been passed by the sect, and you guys still want to oppose it? Are you opposing Minister Zhang, or are you opposing Grandpa Immortal Emperor?!”
Lu Hengzhang had just finished posting the previous message when he realized it had already been deleted.
“Damn it, there must be some biased people among these moderators! They deleted so many of my comments.”
Although Lu Hengzhang was once a supporter of the Innate Dao Lineage, ever since he became a Soul Cultivator, he had increasingly grown accustomed to his current identity.
Especially when he thought about how Zhang Yu was closely tied to salary increases, it made him support Zhang Yu without hesitation.
“Holding the Limitless Salary Increase Authority, he hasn’t raised his own salary by a single cent. How could he possibly harm our Myriad Laws Sect?”
“Besides, what’s wrong with working overtime for free and having the freedom to work overtime? What’s wrong with freezing these outdated Law Edicts?”
And as the Soul Cultivators stirred up wave after wave of information tides, the opposition quickly hurled a barrage of curses at them.
“Acting as shills for someone without even getting paid? Soul Cultivators just have no brains. But then again, if they weren’t brainless, how would they have ended up as Soul Cultivators?”
“Yo, Zhang Yu’s core base is acting up again.”
“It’s always ‘foreign sect forces’ with you guys. Do you have any thoughts of your own? It’s no surprise you fall for Zhang Yu’s nonsense.”
“A bunch of lower beasts who have contracted salary sickness and are willing to be Zhang Yu’s salary slaves!”
Faced with the mockery, the many soul cultivators did not care at all.
“Ten million salary slaves are right here!”
“We just love being Dao Monarch Zhang’s salary slaves!”
The first time he posted this comment, Lu Hengzhang felt a little awkward. But as he posted it more and more, and saw more and more other soul cultivators following suit, he soon felt like he was puffing out his chest with pride.
“What’s wrong with being Minister Zhang’s salary slave? Can you guys get such pay raises?”
Just as the soul cultivators were making a ruckus everywhere, using various methods to support Zhang Yu.
Yu Xinghan was speaking in the Netherworld Assets Department’s chat group: “Everyone, go leave comments in the following places, uniformly supporting Minister Zhang. Remember not to copy and paste…”
Ye Xingli looked at the notification in front of her and thought to herself, “Banned again? I’ll just have to use an alt account.”
Shi Huaiyu thought to herself, “Damn it… ten times leverage! Short them for me!”
Magnetic Pole looked at a message from her senior brother and directly replied: “I don’t recommend you guys continue to voice your opinions. Zhang Yu walked the path in ten years that took you hundreds of years. Does he need you to teach him?”
“All of you go support Zhang Yu, or I’ll block every single one of you.”
Having said that, Magnetic Pole returned to the main interface in front of her, which displayed the Spirit Realm information she had collected using the Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Pagoda, as well as various report screens.
In Old Gao’s ear came the voices of his subordinate Soul Cultivators, one of whom was the old director of the Civil Engineering Department: “Old Gao, with things blown up this big, how are we supposed to wrap this up?”
Old Gao said, “Just trust Zhang Yu. I believe Zhang Yu won’t disregard our safety, and I also believe he wouldn’t do something he isn’t confident in.”
As he spoke, Old Gao began browsing platforms for Bionic mortgages, flesh mortgages, and magic power mortgages.
He thought to himself, “I heard Zhang Yu is in a lot of debt. If it comes down to it, this bit of money is all your teacher can do to help you now.”
Inside the Immortal Abode of the Myriad Laws Sect.
Bu Yingshu looked at her father and said, “Dad! Can you ban Ban Jinchen and Si Shian’s accounts? Make it so they can’t post or follow…”
Bu Yuangui couldn’t help but roll his eyes, saying, “Do you not know how big this matter has gotten? With so many Immortals watching, you want me to ban their accounts?”
“Do you think your dad is an Immortal Venerable, or an Immortal Emperor?”
Bu Yingshu sighed, a look of disappointment flashing across her face before she asked again, “Then what about these accounts spreading rumors about Zhang Yu? They are only at the Spirit Transformation stage, surely you can ban them, right?”
Bu Yuangui said helplessly, “Bu Yingshu, this is a wrestling match between two factions right now. We represent the Myriad Laws Immortal Clan, how can we easily intervene? Do you not know that behind Ban Jinchen and Si Shian stands the Full Attendance Immortal?”
At this moment, Bu Yingshu really wanted to retort, “In the future, our family can also have an Immortal Yingshu!”
But she knew in her heart that she was still in her dormant period and could not expose her ambitions.
At the same time, she looked at her father with a bit of frustration at his lack of vision, thinking to herself, “My foolish father, can’t you see that Zhang Yu’s freezing of Law Edicts might also unlock the shackles on our Myriad Laws Immortal Clan and open up our path to breakthrough and ascension?”
“Or is it that you old fogeys have already rotted away, and don’t even have this tiny bit of courage?”
Thinking of this, Bu Yingshu sighed, “This won’t work, and that won’t work either. Are we just going to watch helplessly?”
Bu Yuangui did not answer. Instead, he looked at Bu Yingshu scrutinizingly and said, “Why do you want to help Zhang Yu so much?”
“Nonsense! I don’t want to help him! He froze my Law Edict in the testing ground! I’d love nothing more than to stomp him to death!”
After Bu Yingshu finished speaking, she turned around and walked away, shouting, “I just can’t stand the *Four-Hour Workday and Pay for Overtime laws’! These kinds of Law Edicts should have been frozen a long time ago!”
Bu Yuangui thought to himself, You say that as if you’ve ever worked overtime. My silly daughter, this matter does not require us to step in.
Bu Yingshu thought to herself, Father can’t help at all. It looks like I still have to rely on myself.
Meanwhile, Ban Jinchen and Si Shian had been trying to collect dirt on Zhang Yu.
However, during this collection process, Ban Jinchen was surprised to discover, “Other than treating his subordinates too well and raising the salary of Soul Cultivators, this Zhang Yu has almost no other dirt on him? Even when he was recklessly handing out money to poor ghosts in the lower realm, it was later discovered that it was actually to generate profit for Myriad Laws University.”
“No tax evasion, no embezzlement or bribery, every level of promotion is completely clear, and every achievement is indisputable… Impossible. I refuse to believe there is such a clean person in Kunxu. This only proves that we just haven’t found it yet. This Zhang Yu came prepared.”
Si Shian at the side gave a cold snort and said, “Of course he was prepared. With something as major as Law Edict management, how could there not be an early layout? This has been secretly prepared for a long time, and it’s coming right at us.”
“But this matter concerns the interests of countless cultivators within the sect, so we aren’t the only two opposing it.”
Si Shian’s eyes flashed as he looked at the lines of messages before him, smiling faintly. “The others have entered the fray too.”
As an Ascension Realm cultivator, a former Law Establishment judge, and someone from the Pharmaceutical Faction, Yi Yaosheng… stated publicly: “Zhang Yu, I advise you not to be so impulsive. Law Edict management is not that simple, and the matter of selecting the right layer still needs to be considered at length. Don’t trigger conflicts within the sect for your own selfish desires, keeping everyone from making money…”
On the other side, the Pavilion Master of the Edict Pavilion and Rank 7 Sect Staff, Si Xuxiao, also said: “If you want to discuss the Law Edicts, then stick to the Law Edicts. Don’t arbitrarily slap labels on people, drag in foreign sect forces, or incite the emotions of lower-tier cultivators…”
Along with numerous cultivators entering the field one by one to collectively criticize and oppose Zhang Yu, there were naturally cultivators who voiced their support for Zhang Yu as well.
Dugu Ming said, “The management of Law Edicts is the general trend of the times. The chaos of Law Edicts within the sect has reached a point where it can no longer be ignored, and no one can stop it.”
Su Xianchen said, “The emergence of the third-generation Law Edicts marks the arrival of a new era. Whoever takes the first step in this new era will gain the lead in sect competition.”
Watching the fierce struggles within the Myriad Laws Sect, Lie Jinghong couldn’t help but speak up as well.
He thought to himself, “Every single one of them is using all sorts of excuses. On the surface, they are criticizing Zhang Yu, but aren’t they actually slapping Grandpa Immortal Emperor’s face? What a bunch of beastly superiors!”
However, Lie Jinghong knew that he couldn’t drag the Immortal Emperor into his speech, otherwise his comment would be deleted at best, and he would be banned from speaking at worst.
Thus, Lie Jinghong said, “Are the people criticizing Zhang Yu really criticizing Zhang Yu? After the Law Edict Expiration Date is implemented, who will review the Law Edicts and who will decide whether they stay or go? Do you guys really not know? I think you are all just anti-sect and anti-Immortal…”
At the same time, Ying Aikun had also appeared in the Spirit Realm at some point, accepting an interview from the Netherworld Palace.
“Zhang Yu’s Immortal Legacy was snatched right out of my hands.”
Ying Aikun said with grief and indignation, “According to the inheritance laws, this Immortal Legacy should have originally belonged to us descendants…”
Watching Ying Aikun’s interview, Immortal Slayer snorted coldly and said, “Dual cultivation obligations, breeding obligations… the Law Edicts that the Supreme Truth Immortal Clan forcibly inserted through the Dao Lineage Struggle in the past should now also be crushed, returning peace to the Myriad Laws Sect.”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, Besides the Full Attendance Immortal Faction, is the Supreme Truth Immortal Clan… also a primary target to be swept away?
Zhang Yu understood in his heart that although the Supreme Truth Immortal Clan had been purged once, Supreme Truth after all originated from the Myriad Laws Sect, and when they were in power, they influenced the establishment of many Law Edicts. Now, a large number of Law Edicts were still in effect, and these lawmakers were inextricably linked by interests to the various major factions.
It was precisely because of these interest connections that the past Myriad Laws Immortal Emperor did not conduct a purge, but now…
“It might not necessarily be a purge, perhaps they are trying to pluck the fruits.”
At the same time, Lie Jinghong left a message in the Dharma Realm: “Forces outside the sect have jumped out! They are supporting the unhealthy trends within the sect through this kind of interview, and you still say there is no assistance from forces outside the sect?”
And very quickly, the opponent’s new wave of attacks also arrived one by one.
First was the debt issue. Debt collection messages regarding Zhang Yu were continuously sent over. Besides being sent to Zhang Yu, they were also sent directly to his various colleagues, superiors, and subordinates, quickly triggering a new trending topic.
“Zhang Yu is trapped in the Millennium Debt Poison?”
“The Millennium Debt Poison is too difficult for Suppression? Everything Zhang Yu has done is just to resolve this Debt Poison in his body?”
Facing this question, Zhang Yu directly spoke: “That’s right, for Law Establishment, I voluntarily incurred a debt of a thousand years of Calculation Power.”
“But I, Zhang Yu, will put my words right here today. For the sect, and to promote the construction of a new generation’s legal system, let alone a thousand years of Calculation Power, even if it is ten thousand years, or a hundred throusand years! Even if it makes me go bankrupt and requires my reincarnation, I will see this reform through to the very end!”
Facing the concern from Magnetic Pole, Old Gao, and the others, Zhang Yu said, “Rest assured, it’s fine. It’s merely Debt Poison. How could the Salary Ability I forged through my continuous promotions fail to enforce suppression? Otherwise, wouldn’t I have worked for nothing all these years?”
However, Zhang Yu knew that relying solely on his income was indeed not enough to suppress the Debt Poison in his body.
He looked at his still-effective Tax Exemption Certificate and thought to himself, “In the testing ground, to achieve Law Establishment, I used this Tax Exemption Certificate. From now on, if I want to get rid of the Debt Poison, I can only rely on this thing.”
However, at this very moment, no one had come to collaborate with Zhang Yu on this yet.
Zhang Yu also understood that he had to hold on. Holding out until the moment public opinion reversed would be the right time to engage in such collaborations.
And as the struggles within the Myriad Laws Sect grew increasingly fierce, Zhang Yu felt an ever-heavier pressure.
Whether it was the Netherworld Assets Department’s operations, the Soul Cultivator Company’s projects, or his own businesses, all of them were being suppressed.
Meanwhile, in the Spirit Realm and Dharma Realm, the waves of criticism and opposition against him were growing louder, increasingly gaining the upper hand.
Zhang Yu knew this was inevitable. After all, the factions opposing the Expiration Date for Law Edicts already made up the majority in the sect.
And now, with external pressures uncleared and the Immortal Emperor delaying any action, it was only natural for Zhang Yu to be at a disadvantage.
To pay off the interest on his debt, Zhang Yu had no choice but to sell off his various assets stored in the Immortal Grotto-Heaven.
And with the boycott against Zhang Yu’s Soul Cultivator business, the originally rapidly growing number of Soul Cultivators in the company also began to decline. Some Soul Cultivators started transferring to other companies to find work.
Watching this scene, Ban Jinchen and Si Shian were secretly exhilarated: “It seems we won’t need more drastic measures to suppress Zhang Yu.”
“Under the pressure of the other sects, even the Immortal Emperor wouldn’t dare risk universal condemnation to forcefully push the management of the Law Edict.”
“With Zhang Yu’s cash flow, he won’t last long. In another month or two… before the Law Edict Pilot is even officially implemented, I reckon he’ll surrender on his own.”
Just as Zhang Yu’s disadvantage became increasingly obvious, a piece of news from the Vajra Sect swept across the entirety of Kunxu like a storm.
Looking at the contents of the news, Ban Jinchen’s expression changed drastically: “Vajra Sect? Law Establishment Attainment Level?”
Beside him, the magic power within Si Shian’s body fluctuated violently. Despite the continuous injection of Dharma Drugs, he remained completely unable to calm his state of mind.
“The world is about to change.”