Chapter 566 - 276: I, the Saint Heir? Secret of the Profound Flame

Chapter 566: Chapter 276: I, the Saint Heir? Secret of the Profound Flame

Chen Sheng’s gaze swept over the paper figure as he said coolly,

"Speak. What are your origins?"

"My surname is Liu. I serve as an emissary for the Taiping Dao."

The paper figure introduced itself, stopping several dozen feet from Chen Sheng.

"You’ve got some nerve. A rebel like you, daring to come see me."

"What is it? Are you certain I won’t apprehend you? Or are you just confident that your strength far surpasses my own?"

Chen Sheng’s brow furrowed slightly, and he let out a soft snort.

Chen Sheng already knew the man’s identity from a prompt in the Celestial Book, but he still put on a timely display of surprise and suspicion.

"No, no, no. If I were here in person, Chen, you would indeed be unable to capture me."

"But this is merely a paper effigy, a wisp of my consciousness. It’s no match for Yunzhou’s number one prodigy."

The Liu Daoist smiled.

With a powerhouse like Nie Xiangjun holding down the fort in the Initial Saint Sect, he wasn’t confident he could escape unscathed. So, he had to settle for the next best thing: using a paper figure to meet with Chen Sheng.

"Why have you come?"

"I’ve come to invite you, Chen, to join my Taiping Dao. Our path is willing to name you the Saint Heir of Taiping Dao!"

The Liu Daoist’s tone shifted, becoming serious.

Hearing this, Chen Sheng couldn’t help but laugh.

"Are you joking with me?"

’Who was he? He was the renowned number one prodigy of Yunzhou. The son-in-law to the direct lineage of a thousand-year Noble Family. Among the younger generation in the Yunzhou Government Office, he was the one with the brightest future and highest potential. Moreover, he was the de facto leader of Ning’an Prefecture. He’d have to be insane to betray the court and throw in his lot with the Taiping Dao!’

"Don’t be so quick, Chen. Hear me out."

The Liu Daoist seemed to have anticipated Chen Sheng’s reaction, his tone remaining calm.

Chen Sheng stood up. He used his qi and blood to evaporate the water from his body, casually draped a robe over himself, and with a thought, a large chair from nearby slowly levitated over and landed before him.

Sitting down, Chen Sheng leaned back slightly.

"Fine. Talk."

The Liu Daoist nodded slightly.

"Indeed. Right now, Chen, you are basking in glory. You have the support of the Government Office, which relies on you as its public face. You are married into the Nie Family, taken in as their son-in-law. And you hold the reins of Ning’an’s military and political affairs."

"You can be said to look down on the entire region. To reach the fourth official rank at just over twenty years old is a rare honor. Even across the whole world, those who can compare to you are few and far between."

"But..."

Here, his voice paused, and his tone became much more solemn.

"But this is all just rootless duckweed. The truth is, that Commander Chu of the Yunzhou Jingwu Bureau sees you as nothing more than a convenient and sharp blade."

"Once he is done using you, who knows what your end will be."

"The Nie Family is the same. Do you really think the Nie Family is some kind and benevolent Noble Family?"

"Heh... How could any family that has survived for a thousand years have a conscience? They’re simply interested in your potential."

"Ask yourself, if you didn’t possess such talent, would the Nie Family have given you a second glance?"

"Chen, your current situation may seem glamorous, but it is actually fraught with danger."

"Do you truly believe that the Celestial Dragon Temple, Dragon Tiger Mountain, and the Vast Sea Sect are so easily offended?"

"The only reason they haven’t acted openly is because they are deterred by the court, which is building you up."

"In reality, behind the scenes, they have long been preparing a killing blow for you."

"If you really died, what do you think that Chu Zhengnan would do?"

"Heh... When the time comes, he will undoubtedly cast you aside without a second thought. And even if you don’t die, should Yunzhou fall into turmoil and the major powers join forces to pressure the Government Office, Chu Zhengnan will definitely throw you to the wolves to appease their anger, all while he hides in the background, completely unaffected."

Seeing Chen Sheng’s still-calm gaze, the Liu Daoist’s tone grew heavier.

"You might think you can rely on the Nie Family, but I’m telling you, Noble Families like them are the most heartless and treacherous."

"The Nie Family protects you only because you have potential that can benefit them."

"But if the Celestial Dragon Temple, or Dragon Tiger Mountain, or even some other power, were to offer a high enough price, the Nie Family would abandon you without a shred of pity. Do you believe that?"

"So, you came all this way just to lecture me about this?"

Chen Sheng raised an eyebrow and sneered.

"You think I’m just fearmongering?"

The Liu Daoist’s voice was grave.

"No, everything you’ve said is the truth. I’m aware of all of it. But... so what?"

Chen Sheng waved his hand dismissively.

"In this life, everyone is a chess piece. To not be a piece, to have no value to be exploited, is simply to be unqualified. I know what Commander Chu intends, and I understand what the Nie Family values."

"But that’s just reality, isn’t it? I don’t see anything wrong with that. If this is all you wanted to say... then you can go back."

Of course, Chen Sheng understood the reality the Liu Daoist spoke of.

He didn’t just understand it now; he had understood it before, and he would continue to understand it in the future.

But this was exactly what he wanted.

Chu Zhengnan hadn’t overtly forced him back then.

The Nie Family hadn’t forced him into the marriage either.

There was no resentment to speak of; it was just a matter of mutual benefit.

"No! The world shouldn’t be like this!"

Seeing Chen Sheng’s calm expression, the Liu Daoist’s voice grew agitated, as if he had been provoked.

"The world shouldn’t be this way! The court is corrupt and oppresses the common people! The various Noble Sects not only occupy the best Cultivation Resources, but they also exploit the masses layer by layer, ensuring those below them never have a chance to rise!"

"Many of the key resources for breaking through to the Pill Realm, many of the key resources for breaking through to Refining God—all of them are held in an iron grip by the court and the Noble Sects."

"If not for this, how could they have endured for a thousand years?"

"But these resources are born from heaven and earth! By what right do they occupy them?"