Mythical Three Kingdoms

Leaving aside the instant when the Fortune manifested among Cao Cao and others, causing the dragon form of Han Chang’an to weaken somewhat, let’s just say that Cao Cao’s Coiling Dragon form has pushed Liu Xie’s apprehension to a very high level.

Unlike Liu Bei, when Liu Xie sees Liu Bei manifesting the True Dragon form, at most he feels helpless jealousy. The plight of the emperor in the Eastern Han is such that emperorship rotates, arriving at one’s family each year. Emperors in recent generations are selected from the Imperial Clan.

This has led to the situation where the Han Imperial Kinsmen at the end of the Eastern Han are all essentially candidate emperors. Now Liu Bei is the candidate most likely to ascend, so when the Golden Dragon manifests, it’s ultimately contained within the pot of his own Liu Family, unrelated to other families.

Cao Cao’s Coiling Dragon form signifies that Cao Cao will achieve the ultimate position on earth. Whether this position is the Emperor or the Prime Minister depends on the temperament of the monarch.

If it’s indeed the temperament of an Eternal Emperor, such a Coiling Dragon form can be harnessed without concern, for the heart of an emperor encompasses the entire realm. A mere Coiling Dragon, even a True Dragon, they can harness without a second thought.

However, Liu Xie does not possess the temperament of an Eternal Emperor. To be precise, while Liu Xie is clever, his cleverness amounts only to petty wit, and his character is somewhat overly indifferent.

Thus, upon seeing Cao Cao’s Coiling Dragon form, he did not consider that Cao Cao might reach the ultimate position as a minister, but instead immediately assumed Cao Cao would seize his position.

Just this slight difference in thinking caused the previously quite amiable relationship between Liu Xie and Cao Cao to instantly develop a rift.

As for Guan Yu’s Azure Dragon, as a Holy Spirit, such manifestations belong to protectors of the nation. Historically, no Azure Dragon has ever usurped the national throne or anything of the sort, so although Guan Yu’s Azure Dragon appears proud, Liu Xie deems it as a pillar of the nation.

For ancient emperors, a Golden Dragon is a Golden Dragon. Other dragons pose less threat to the Golden Dragon than those dragons that haven’t manifested. Once a dragon manifests, it solidifies into a form, the form born of the heart. An Azure Dragon is then the country’s cornerstone, a Fire Dragon then indicates actions of destruction.

Only the resplendent Golden Dragon symbolizes the Emperor. In fact, the so-called Golden Dragon is the Yellow Dragon. Other colored dragons encountered by an emperor are deemed talents, not threats.

As for the Coiling Dragon, how should one say—dragons that have not ascended are broadly called Coiling Dragons. However, the Coiling Dragon doesn’t have a fixed identity in the Five Elements. It may forever remain a Coiling Dragon, or one day amid storm it may transform into a Golden Dragon. Who knows what it might become?

Thus, for Liu Xie, Cao Cao’s manifestation as a Coiling Dragon is a significant threat, especially considering Coiling Dragon also suggests a Hidden Dragon yet to ascend!

Overall, for Liu Xie, this is a piece of infuriating news, particularly because dozens of rays of the Light of Fate fell upon Cao Cao’s followers, revealing Fortune forms directly for many, making Liu Xie extremely ashamed, with not one being his own subordinate.

To Liu Xie, those are all Cao Cao’s people, not Han Officials. Especially after the Coiling Dragon form appeared, Liu Xie no longer considers Cao Cao a Han minister.

Liu Xie has always believed himself to be the sole emperor of the Great Han Dynasty, all things should belong to him. Yet the reality is that many things do not belong to him, and even the Light of Fortune publicly brushed against him at the Grand Assembly, severely slapping his face.

Seeing Guan Yu’s Azure Dragon, Xun Yu’s Qilin, Dian Wei’s Xingtian, Cao Cao’s Coiling Dragon, even Cao Hong revealed a Pixiu. At that time Liu Xie was immensely furious, furious!

Furious at heaven’s blind eye, furious at his own lack of ambition, furious that the ministers actually ignore him. Upon seeing the unruly forms of the exotic beasts, Liu Xie angrily flung his sleeve and departed, unaware that this very act thinned the dragon shadow over Chang’an considerably.

Even Liu Bei knows that the Golden Dragon Fortune over the skies of Jizhou is inherently his. His Vitality Number is the collective manifestation of the people, officials, every capable minister and officer present at the time, but it is his Fortune.

This embodies Liu Bei’s confidence. Though he would not take the throne, nor overstep boundaries, he knows one thing—that in those Five Provinces, aside from him deserving that Golden Dragon, no one else qualifies.

Chen Xi does not regard Liu Bei as master, Liu Bei is well aware. Yet Liu Bei does not mind Chen Xi continuing like this, for Chen Xi never offered him imperial stratagems of power schemes, from the start, Chen Xi laid out the correct path for him.

”Nothing is more important than strengthening oneself, than mastering every power in one’s hands,” Chen Xi thus instructed Liu Bei, and this way Liu Bei studied.

Thus, Liu Bei eventually learned to reward merit, penalize errors, and maintain control of military power. Though in governance, Liu Bei would just show face, doing little, he nonetheless firmly grasped control of the Five Provinces.

Place suitable individuals in suitable positions, do not restrict them, do what one excels at, imperial stratagem can be lacking, yet a snake cannot be without a head—he needs to act as the leader, even if everyone remains unaware of the leader’s identity, as long as he wields the leader’s power, that’s enough.

”Before crossing the line, Lord Xuande, you must endure, but beyond the line, take no courtesy. Though I cherish my rituals and vessels, those things are not essential,” Chen Xi’s education of Liu Bei as a Monarch was relaxed, relaxed to the point of being unseen as a monarch.