219: Chapter 220 The Fate of the World is Under My Control!

Waves of cheers rose one after another from the settlement area, the Medical Tent, the streets, and below the city walls.

Those who had just arrived at Flower City realized for the first time, with such clarity, that they hadn't just fled into another city that could fall at any moment, but had instead escaped into the place where destiny resided.

As for the Celestial Master outside the city, only at this moment did he finally understand that what Wan'er said earlier was true.

After a long while, he took a deep breath, put away his bamboo staff, and bowed solemnly to Zhou Yun on the city wall: "Since it is a Fellow Daoist before me, please forgive my previous disrespect."

Zhou Yun raised his hand slightly: "Daoist, there is no need for such formalities. Feel free to ask again."

"Good." After straightening up, the Celestial Master did not stand on ceremony. His gaze became sharper, like two keen swords: "My second question. 'Ge' means to cast away the old. 'Ding' means to take the new. Since you have inherited destiny and possess the talent to save the world, you should carry out the work of transformation, sweep away the demons, and establish a new heaven! Why do you hide here, colluding with these city lords who prey upon the people?"

Since ancient times, those who stay near vermilion get stained red, and those who stay near ink get stained black! One who lives long in a fish market eventually loses the sense of the stench. Living within such a corrupt system, how can you maintain your Dao Heart? I am truly worried about this!"

Wan'er understood this question from the Celestial Master. Minister Wang Fugui understood it. Tieshan understood it as well. His question pointed directly at Zhou Yun's stance and the system of Flower City.

The Celestial Master sought to establish a "Yellow Heaven" that would break all old class structures and city oppression. In his eyes, Zhou Yun was attempting to establish order within the existing city system. This obviously ran counter to his belief that "unless the old world is completely destroyed, it is impossible to build a new one."

On the city wall, Tieshan's brows were tightly knit, his rough hands gripping the stone bricks of the battlement so hard his knuckles turned white. Although he was not eloquent, he felt a fire burning in his heart. Flower City was a home they had all built with their utmost effort; what right did this Daoist have to say they were the same as those corrupt officials?

Zhou Yun listened quietly, showing no anger. Instead, he smiled slightly and said: "Heaven and Earth are impartial; they treat all things as straw dogs. The Dao is formless, and systems are heartless. Daoist, do you think these city walls and this system are inherently right or wrong? City walls can close doors to keep people out, but they can also block armies and stop chaos. A system is just like a city wall. Used for good, it is good; used for evil, it is evil. It cannot be judged by whether it is new or old, right or wrong, good or bad."

The Celestial Master frowned upon hearing this. Suddenly, he waved his large sleeve: "Absurd! The Blue Heaven is dead! Only by breaking it can one establish the Yellow Heaven! Since neither of us can convince the other, let the Heavenly Dao provide the answer!"

The Celestial Master shouted and waved his bamboo staff again, attempting to draw upon the power of Heaven and Earth. "The trend of the world is controlled by me!!"

However, this time, the world was deathly silent. There was no thunder, no dark clouds, and not even a breeze was stirred up.

? The Celestial Master frowned slightly and tried again, "Controlled by me!" Still, there was no movement. He waved his hands again, "Control!!!" Still, there was not the slightest response.

His Qi had been consumed, but the Yellow Heaven seemed to have fallen asleep, offering no response at all. His hand holding the bamboo staff froze in mid-air, his knuckles tightening until they turned white. The color drained from his face. Having failed three times in a row, how could he not realize that the rules of the Heavenly Dao at this moment had been completely overridden by Zhou Yun's "Weather Control" from earlier!

Within this area, Zhou Yun's will was the only Heavenly Will! His lightning techniques, of which he was so proud, could not even release a single spark! He could not understand it. He could not accept it. That was the Yellow Heaven! How could it be? How could it be possible??

His face was pale, his expression filled with a trace of unwillingness, and he gritted his teeth: "Good... a truly 'good' destiny. But I... still have one question!"

Zhou Yun's expression was calm, his sleeves fluttering slightly in the wind: "Please."

The Celestial Master stared intently into Zhou Yun's eyes: "You just said that a system has no distinction between good and bad. But laws are the standard of the world! Human hearts are fickle, and desires are insatiable! How can you guarantee that this system will always operate in a benign manner?"

"If you cannot guarantee it, then not only have you failed to overthrow the old system, but you have also aided the tyrant, becoming a part of it! You will have turned from a heart of small good into a great evil! How can a dragon slayer know they will not become an evil dragon? If that day really comes, will you regret your decision back then?!"

Wan'er frowned slightly after hearing this question. In her view, this question was nothing short of vicious. Because this was the inevitable law of history, and also an eternal problem that had plagued countless sages. The Celestial Master was now trying to use this unpredictable future to break Zhou Yun's Dao Heart. It was cunning. But, it was indeed very effective.

At this moment, everyone's gaze—whether they were the soldiers of Flower City or the millions of refugees—was fixed on Zhou Yun, waiting for his answer.

However, Zhou Yun's answer was beyond everyone's expectations. "Of course I cannot guarantee it." Zhou Yun replied very frankly. There was no trace of guilt or hesitation in his voice: "The power of one person alone is very limited, one could even say it is extremely insignificant. The human heart is dangerous, the Dao Heart is subtle. I am no Saint, so naturally, I cannot guarantee things for thousands of generations."

"In terms of administration, I am far inferior to the Chief Administrator. In terms of commerce, I am far inferior to the head of the Trade Department. As for military affairs, I am completely ignorant and rely entirely on the head of the Military Department and the strategist. As for craftsmanship and law, I am also completely clueless."

"But fortunately, I have them." Zhou Yun's gaze swept over Minister Wang Fugui and Tieshan beside him, as well as Wan'er in mid-air, his eyes filled with trust: "It is precisely because of them, and because of everyone in Flower City, that we can jointly support the entire city. A single tree cannot support a building; dictatorship will surely perish. Only by pooling wisdom can we endure."

"Heaven and Earth are changing, and people are changing too. The trend of the world is vast and mighty; those who follow it will prosper, and those who resist it will perish." Zhou Yun's voice echoed across the wilderness: "Using the unchanging to cope with all changes will eventually lead to being eliminated by the times. Only by adapting to the times and changing to meet changes can one conform to the Heavenly timing. And all we can do is 'try our best'."

Speaking of this, Zhou Yun changed the subject and threw back a counter-question: "On the other hand, Daoist, you wish to shatter all the cities in the world and establish the Yellow Heaven. But when that Yellow Heaven is truly established, how will the hundreds of millions of common people in the world survive?"

"If you build no cities, appoint no officials, make no distinctions between high and low, and set no laws, how can you govern the world? If you do build cities and appoint officials, how will your Yellow Heaven of today be any different from the Blue Heaven of yesterday?I"

Boom! This question was like a heavy hammer, smashing fiercely into the Celestial Master's chest. It also rang a deafening alarm in the hearts of the million refugees.

How to govern the world? The Celestial Master stood stunned on the spot, his whole body as if struck by lightning. This question—it wasn't that he hadn't thought about it. No... he had thought about it countless times.

After conquering a city each time, what was the first thing he had to do? It was to distribute grain. And after distributing the grain? It was to arrange for people to guard the granaries to prevent looting. What did guarding the granaries require? It required rules. Who set the rules? He set them. Who enforced them? The commanders enforced them. What happened if someone violated them? Punishment. Heavy punishment!

But this... wasn't this law?! And those commanders he arranged to manage the refugees, who received the most grain, lived in the best tents, and held the power to distribute everything... wasn't this... class?

The Celestial Master's pupils contracted violently. He had come a long way, overthrowing dozens of cities and killing dozens of city lords. But each time he overthrew one, he himself had to build a new set of order to maintain the survival of a million people. What essential difference was there between that order and the one he had destroyed with his own hands?

The so-called "Yellow Heaven," perhaps in the end... was nothing more than another "Blue Heaven." He... had just driven away the old city lord, and then sat in that position himself?

The Celestial Master stood dazed, leaning on his bamboo staff. On his face, there first appeared disbelief, then struggle, then pain, and finally... a kind of near-tragic relief. It was as if a traveler who had walked for a lifetime finally discovered that he had been circling the same mountain all along.

"Pfft—" A wisp of blood slowly overflowed from the Celestial Master's mouth, sliding down his jaw and staining the worn Daoist robe on his chest red. His aura suddenly withered, and he seemed to age ten years in an instant.

"Celestial Master!!!" The army of refugees behind him was shocked at the sight, and several commanders rushed forward to help him. "Stand back!"

The Celestial Master waved everyone away and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his withered fingers. He took a deep breath and looked at Zhou Yun on the city wall again. But this time, the arrogance and fanaticism in his eyes had completely faded, leaving only endless vicissitudes and exhaustion, along with a touch of sudden enlightenment.

The Celestial Master straightened his clothes and bowed deeply to Zhou Yun with extreme solemnity. "Fellow Daoist has answered my three questions. It is I who have lost."

The Celestial Master's voice was somewhat hoarse, but exceptionally clear, spreading across the entire battlefield. "I shall abide by our agreement!"

After saying this, he turned around, facing the million tattered and panicked refugees behind him. He gathered his remaining Qi and shouted loudly: "Million Yellow Turbans, hear my order! From this moment on, you shall all submit to the rule of Flower City! Obey Zhou Yun in everything! Do not make any mistakes!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the million refugees were shocked. "Celestial Master! You cannot do this!" "Celestial Master, we are not leaving! We want to follow you!" "Celestial Master!" "Celestial Master!!!" ...

Countless refugees knelt on the ground, begging bitterly, their weeping shaking the sky. However, the Celestial Master did not respond again. He turned around and bowed deeply to Zhou Yun once more.

Zhou Yun understood this bow. This time, the Celestial Master was not admitting defeat, but truly entrusting these million suffering people to him. This was the final hope placed by an idealist, when his own path proved impassable, onto another down-to-earth traveler.

Thus, Zhou Yun cupped his hands and returned the bow solemnly. The ritual ended. The Celestial Master did not take another look. Leaning on his bamboo staff, he turned around and walked away alone, stumbling towards the distant setting sun.

"Celestial Master—!" "Don't leave us behind, Celestial Master!" Watching that withered back gradually moving away, the million refugees, like children who had lost their leader, wept bitterly and chased after him like a tide. They ran and fell in the mud, but they could never catch up to that seemingly slow pace.

After chasing for a long distance, a Yellow Turbans commander with a weather-beaten face suddenly stopped. With tears in his fierce eyes, he suddenly turned around, spread his arms to block the refugees who were still blindly chasing, and roared hoarsely: "Stop! Everyone stop!"

"The Celestial Master has already given the order! Will you not even obey the Celestial Master's final command?I" The commander's tears mixed with the rain as they flowed down, his voice choked but resonant, "If you really respect the Celestial Master, you should do as the Celestial Master commanded! Keep your useful bodies, and live on!"

After roaring, this commander turned around resolutely, facing the direction of the Flower City wall, and with a "thud," fell to his knees heavily in the muddy water. "Commander Zhang Daniu pays respects to the City Lord! I beg the City Lord! To take us in!"

This kneeling seemed to topple a row of dominoes. The other commanders also stopped one after another, their eyes red, and knelt facing Flower City, shouting sadly: "Pay respects to the City Lord! We beg the City Lord to take us in!"

Following that, it was the front row of refugees, the main army, the rear guard... The million people, like golden wheat waves pressed down by a violent wind, from the wilderness, from near to far, layer after layer, knelt down in a vast, dark expanse. "Pay respects to the City Lord! We beg the City Lord to take us in!" "Pay respects to the City Lord! We beg the City Lord to take us in—!"

The unified shouting of a million people converged into a torrent that shook the world, echoing over Flower City for a long time, the momentum so vast it was deafening!

At this moment, City Lord Liefeng, who had been collapsed on the war chariot, looked at this magnificent scene of a million people bowing and submitting, blocking out the sky and sun, and finally fell completely from his illusory heaven into the deepest Hell. He had painstakingly calculated everything, even killing three allies. But in the end, his greatest support had all become the die-hard followers of the man before him! He had become a complete and utter loner! What despair, what irony!

City Lord Liefeng trembled violently, but after all, he was a generation of hero; even in such a state, his remaining reason was still driving him to make a final struggle. He forced himself to stand up, trying his best to maintain a shred of dignity, and shouted loudly to the city wall: "City Lord Zhou! Those who understand the times are brilliant! I will hand over all the troops, grain, and military equipment records of Liefeng City! Only I know the defensive layouts, hidden agents, and intelligence networks of Liefeng City! Spare my life, and it will be more beneficial than harmful to you!"

On the city wall, no one responded to him. City Lord Liefeng's voice began to tremble: "City Lord Zhou... I can also come forward to persuade the remnants of Liefeng City to surrender for you! You have just incorporated a million refugees, and you are in need of people; I... I can be your pawn!"

Still, there was no response. City Lord Liefeng's last shred of reason finally shattered. His legs went soft, and with a "thud," he knelt in the mud, crawling and kowtowing towards the city wall, his voice changing from begging to wailing: "City Lord Zhou! I was wrong! It was all because I was blinded by greed! Please, you are a great person, don't hold a grudge against a petty person like me, spare my lowly life! I will work like an ox or a horse for you! I can even be a dog! I am willing to do anything! I beg you!!"