Chapter 168: Inciting Public Opinion

Ye Qiu swept his palm downward, transforming it into a towering mountain that instantly suppressed the monkey, pinning it firmly beneath the earth no matter how it struggled or tried to leap out.

Seeing the demonic monkey subdued, the entire arena erupted into enthusiastic cheers. Especially those who had suffered bitterly at the hands of the monkey and had been trapped within the paintings—their excitement was boundless.

Taking advantage of its downfall, they began throwing stones at the monkey, leaving Ye Qiu utterly speechless.

"Good grief, is everyone holding onto such immense resentment? Exactly how many heinous deeds did this monkey commit?"

The current scene was the textbook definition of beating a drowning dog, and Ye Qiu almost couldn't hold the crowd back.

To be fair, the monkey was indeed at fault, but... Ye Qiu still harbored a bit of private bias. Regardless of everything, the monkey had performed a massive service this time, and sealing it beneath the Five Elements Mountain was merely a way to silence public criticism.

Once the time was ripe, Ye Qiu would naturally release it and... give it a chance to redeem itself through meritorious service. By then... its sins should be washed clean, right?

Who knows! The primary issue was that its previous actions had been far too despicable, arousing deep-seated hatred from everyone present. Altering its image in the hearts of the masses was no easy task.

"You arrogant monkey! Come on, step up and challenge your grandfather here..."

"Smash it! Beat it to death, let's see you show off again!"

For a time, grievances echoed from all directions, and the monkey's miserable fate even made Xing Tian feel a twinge of sympathy.

"That was a close one! Good thing I didn't let it become my mount, or I might have gotten dragged down with it. As the saying goes, one might refrain from showing off, but one must preserve a clean reputation in this world. I've only just made my debut and haven't established my prestige yet; I cannot let my future be ruined by a monkey."

Xing Tian wore a look of profound relief, completely devoid of pity. It wasn't that he lacked loyalty; rather, this was all orchestrated by Ye Qiu, and even if he wanted to intervene, he was completely powerless.

Besides, I can't even beat that guy! What else could I possibly do?

To be honest, whenever he recalled Ye Qiu's earlier display of violent aesthetics, Xing Tian still felt aches all over his body. It was simply too suffocating.

He was a ruthless man; cross anyone, but never cross him...

"The demonic monkey has been subdued! Rest assured, everyone, I have sealed this fiend beneath the Five Elements Mountain. Without five hundred years, it will never break free!

This Eastern Sea turmoil is merely a minor interlude. Please turn your gazes back toward the north, where... far more arduous battles await us.

Whether the future holds any hope depends entirely on you! Tell me, do you dare to fight or not?"

Seeing that the timing was right, Ye Qiu began to rally the people. Having managed to gather such a vast crowd with great difficulty, it would be an absolute waste not to recruit some manpower for the Imperial City.

Because of the chaos caused by the monkey, even the reclusive ancient clans who had always hidden in deep mountains and dense forests were startled out of seclusion, and they were all currently gathered here above the Eastern Sea.

Ye Qiu seized this opportunity to appeal to their righteousness and incite public sentiment. Once he did this, even if they were unwilling to participate in the Void War, they would lose all face to continue lingering in the Great Wilderness.

Everyone present today was a figure of status and renown, and they all knew one another. It was fine when you weren't present—you could feign ignorance.

But now that you knew, could you really sit back and do nothing?

"Hehe, hitting two birds with one stone like this—not bad, right?"

Ye Qiu smiled mischievously, suddenly wondering if he was being a bit too manipulative. Well, probably not. After all, I am considering the welfare of the entire world; how can that be called manipulative?

The Void War had been in preparation for a long time! Ye Qiu still had a massive grand game to play, so using a few tactics was hardly excessive...

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Stirred by the atmosphere, the crowd's emotions caught fire. In an instant... everyone was swept along. Of course, a small fraction of people were still watching from the sidelines, and their reactions did not escape Ye Qiu's notice.

Ye Qiu chuckled inwardly and continued, "A civilization spanning hundreds of millions of years will not end here! The cleansing may yet come, and none of us can remain aloof.

If every one of us thinks that when the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up, then this world is truly beyond saving.

I could easily choose to remain aloof just like you, awaiting the arrival of an unprecedented darkness until I am the only one left in the world, only to perish helplessly!

However, I will not do that! Because hope still lives, and the light still remains. Even if we return wrapped in horse hides, and the green hills bury our loyal bones, what of it?

A man roams the four quarters; wherever he dies and wherever he is buried, the green hills of the world are all the same..."

The moment these words fell, the entire assembly erupted. Everyone's emotions were inexplicably stirred.

"A man roams the four quarters; wherever he dies and wherever he is buried, the green hills of the world are all the same!"

"Hiss... What a lethal sword! Though its shadow is unseen, it pierces straight through the heart. Brilliant, truly brilliant..."

Ye Qiu's words sent a profound tremor through Xing Tian's heart. The roaring flame of battle within him seemed to have been reignited once more.

From this moment on, his view of Ye Qiu shifted from fear to profound reverence!

This was a true leader—a natural-born leader. With just a few words, like a sharp sword, he had linked everyone together and bound them as one.

In the span of just a few sentences, the entire audience was boiling with fervor. Especially for the younger generation, that final line—*the green hills of the world are all the same*—acted almost like a fatal poison.

Hot-blooded passion?

This was precisely the most potent catalyst for the youth, the battlefield every young person yearned for...

"Fight!"

The resonant, powerful cry echoed across the entire Eastern Sea, causing the very waters to churn. Hearing that roar, Ye Qiu knew victory was secured.

"Splendid! What fine young men! Though they aren't particularly thoughtful, they certainly deserve praise..."

Ye Qiu was overjoyed. His own rhetoric had left even him feeling passionate and stirred; no wonder these youngsters got so carried away.

Pity the old fogies. Even though they saw right through Ye Qiu's intentions, they were completely powerless to stop it.

After all, they knew that after this brainwashing session by Ye Qiu, no matter how reluctant they might be, they could no longer suppress the passionate ambitions of the youths within their clans.

And that wasn't even the most fatal part! The people present today were relatively few, but once they departed, Ye Qiu's toxic inspiration would continue to spread, passing from person to person until it reached every corner of the world.

Anyone who still harbored ambition in their hearts would find it impossible to resist.

"Damn, boss, you are seriously too incredible!"

Witnessing Ye Qiu's masterclass in manipulation, Cao He and Qing Cheng were utterly dumbfounded, staring at him in disbelief.

When it came to showing off, compared to Ye Qiu, they fell short by more than just a little.

When they showed off, it was at most about their own personal flair. But Ye Qiu? He dragged the impending destruction of the world into it! Tell me, isn't that astonishing?

"Hehe, standard operation, no need to applaud, everyone take your seats and observe. Study hard and watch closely!"

Ye Qiu spread his hands, his expression seeming to say: *Actually, it's not as amazing as you think, just my usual baseline performance. No need to be surprised, act with humility.*

"Boss, from today onward, I submit completely! Your tactic has truly opened my eyes..."

Xing Tian offered his most sincere praise; he was thoroughly convinced.

The better Ye Qiu performed, the happier Xing Tian felt inside, because his choice had been correct—a thoroughly correct decision.

Though there were elements of violence involved in making this choice, did that really matter? Who doesn't have a few dark spots in their history? Is there any need to keep harping on it?