The Master repulsed ten thousand troops with his Qi. It was a shocking scene. At least, it was shocking for Dongyang County’s Mayor, Yang Mu, who was looking down from the city tower.
When an old man with one foot in the grave shone like a burning sun, the whole world would obviously hold him in high regard and respect.
Standing on the city tower, Yang Mu came up to a drummer. He took the drumstick and started to strike the drum himself by activating his Qi and blood.
The drum’s surface vibrated. Dust flew around.
Sweats and blood flowed down his forehead.
“Fight!” Yang Mu shouted.
Before the city tower, the Master was reciting poems and essays. One poem after another came out of his mouth, he looked extremely kind and calm.
Righteousness Qi was shapeless, but intertwined with the clouds, it was given a certain shape.
Righteousness Qi was a demonstration of the will.
The Master could use Righteousness Qi in the past as well, but his Righteousness Qi was much more powerful at this point.
Some anomaly arose in the world a few days ago. As though some kind of shackle had been released, the Master’s Righteousness Qi had a breakthrough. That was how Righteousness Qi powerful enough to repulse ten thousand troops could burst forth from him.
The large man in the black robe looked extremely cold.
He was pressured by a mortal?
How was that even possible?
He raised his hand. The earth’s surface rolled up. Two brown pieces of earth, which looked like blankets, soared into the sky with a blare. They formed a shield before the large man.
The hand the Righteousness Qi transformed into swatted at the shield.
Buzz…
Dust was flying around. The earth was quaking.
The Dongyi soldiers all coughed up blood.
Some of the Dongyi people who never seemed like they would ever die charged fearlessly. However, they became weak before the Righteousness Qi and flopped onto the ground like loaches.
Not only did Righteousness Qi motivate people, it was also an extremely powerful way to attack.
Especially to get rid of evil and dirty things!
Boom!
A gale began to blow. Sand and stone flew around on the battlefield.
The Master stood in the same place as before. His Confucius robe, already stained with blood, was fluttering.
He stared fixedly at the clay shield. His turbid but profound look seemed intent to see beyond that shield at the man behind it clearly.
Dongyang County’s army was super passionate now. Grasping their knives and swords tightly, they were looking at the Master from behind. He seemed a giant mountain that blocked the enemy’s attacks for them.
As long as the Master was there, their spiritual pillar would be there.
Their spiritual pillar used to be Dongyang County’s Mayor, Yang Mu. However, since the Master had come forward, he replaced Yang Mu as their pillar.
It was his charisma of personality, a powerful influence.
This was truly the Confucius Master, one of the philosophers of the Hundred Schools, who had created a disturbance in Great Zhou before! His fame was well-earned and deserved.
Grasping the sword in his hand and looking at the Master, Mo Tianyu was panicking.
He should definitely never read hexagrams ever again…
Bang!
In the distance, the earth shield was split in two.
The large, graceful man showed up. He parried all of the Righteousness Qi attacks while walking slowly.
He looked at the Master with admiration.
“A mortal triggered such power with only his will…” the large man marveled.
“You are commendable.”
Then he raised his hand, which seemed to be forming a gesture, and recited a formula.
The ground around him started to distort. It elevated little by little and turned into clay men.
The clay men opened their eyes. They looked exactly like the large man, just like the duplicates at South County earlier.
However, these duplicates were much weaker than the one in South County.
Ten odd, large men stood there gracefully.
The Master narrowed his eyes. Over his head, Righteousness Qi gathered again.
A roll of bamboo slits slipped out of his sleeve into his hand. He knocked on the bamboo slits lightly.
The duplicates rushed at him, but he did not pay any attention to them.
He unfolded the bamboo slits and started to read the poems and essays written on them.
These were all written by great writers from ancient times. Whenever he finished reading one poem or an essay, the Righteousness Qi behind him would grow a little stronger.
Before people knew it, thick clouds had gathered in the sky.
The morning sunlight was gone.
A cold wind came from the clouds. It blew at them. Snow that looked like rice fell from the sky.
It was suddenly a little quieter in the world than it used to be.
There was only the voice of the Master reciting poetry.
…
Capital city.
Sitting in Zijin Palace, Yuwen Xiu looked extremely cold.
Jiang Li was imprisoned.
His crime was plotting against the late emperor.
All the ministers in the court were so scared, they did not have the nerve to say anything.
The Master had left. And Jiang Li wanted to leave too. They were all leaving him.
He, Yuwen Xiu, who used to be a good-for-nothing little emperor, was now the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, who had full control of the Black Dragon Guard and Great Zhou’s court. Wasn’t he doing well?
Why was everyone leaving him?
In front of Zijin Palace, the old eunuch was kneeling on the ground with his head down.
“Old thing, tell me why?!” Yuwen Xiu asked after looking up at the old eunuch. His eyes were bloodshot.
The old eunuch, with his head down, trembled, but he did not answer.
“You are always silent! You never answer me!”
Yuwen Xiu stood up from the Dragon Throne. Throwing the silent old eunuch with his head lowered a look, he let out a sigh.
“We are going to the Imperial Garden. Won’t see anyone,” Yuwen Xiu said.
“Kong Nanfei will come later. Don’t let him approach us.”
Then, he flicked his sleeve and left.
Only his heavy footsteps lingered in the palace.
“Yes.”
The old eunuch lowered his head some more.
He did not lift his head until Yuwen Xiu had disappeared. His fair-skinned face looked a little tired.
He waved his whisk-fly and walked out of Zijin Palace.
Kong Nanfei, in a Confucius robe, strode over with a sharp look.
“General Kong, please don’t come any further. His Majesty isn’t feeling well. His Majesty won’t see anyone.” the old eunuch said in a sharp voice when he saw Kong Nanfei.
Kong Nanfei looked angry.
“Eunuch… Why has His Majesty imprisoned Jiang Li?!
“What crime did he commit?!”
Kong Nanfei sounded indignant.
However, the old eunuch was calm. He replied, “Jiang Li plotted against the late emperor. His Majesty’s decision is well-grounded.”
“Stop lying to yourself,” Kong Nanfei said.
He took a deep breath. “Yuwen Xiu is enchanted by the Black Dragon! Feeding it with humans, that is sorcery! The current court has been heavily corrupt!
“Is it any different from the Great Zhou when North County and West County attacked the capital city?!
“If it were not for Jiang Li, the Great Zhou Dynasty would have fallen apart. But now, Yuwen Xiu imprisoned Jiang Li. He is biting the hand that fed him. Does he think he can kill loyal ministers unscrupulously just because he has the Black Dragon Guard?!”
The old eunuch listened to Kong Nanfei’s angry accusations quietly.
“The Master has left the capital city. Jiang Li wanted to resign…
“His Majesty is feeling hurt that he is losing his right-hand men. His Majesty is just worried that General Jiang Li was deluded by the North County bandits.”
It was snowing.
Snowflakes kept falling before the old eunuch and Kong Nanfei.
They looked at each other. After a long time had passed, Kong Nanfei shook his head disappointedly. Then, he flicked his sleeve and left.
“Eunuch, please pass on a message to His Majesty.
“The Master left the capital city. Jiang Li wanted to resign. He really needs to examine himself to find out why.
“The Master once said that everything that happens has a ‘why’ behind it.”
Kong Nanfei’s voice echoed through the snow.
The old eunuch’s slightly bowing body trembled a little.
In the dungeon of the Imperial City, the dirtiest place in the world, it was dark, damp and smelt humid.
The old eunuch came in a coach.
There were two Black Dragon Guards who were guarding the dungeon.
The two Black Dragon Guards exchanged a look when they saw the old eunuch. They went inside the dungeon after some hesitation. Then, a man in black light armor showed up.
He was one of the Thirteen Black Dragon Armored Men, one of the emperor’s bodyguards.
“Eunuch.”
This general cupped his hands.
“I want to see General Jiang. General, please do me a favor,” the old eunuch said.
The Black Dragon bodyguard frowned. “Eunuch, do you have His Majesty’s permission?”
“No.” The old eunuch shook his head.
“Well, then I have to say sorry. No one is allowed to go into the dungeon without His Majesty’s permission… Jiang Li is a felon.”
The Black Dragon bodyguard refused to budge.
The old eunuch threw the Black Dragon bodyguard a meaningful look.
“I just want to persuade General Jiang Li,” the old eunuch said.
“General Jiang Li and I got along well during the creation of the Black Dragon Guard. I’m feeling some pity to see him imprisoned here.”
The Black Dragon bodyguard raised his eyebrows.
This old eunuch was using Jiang Li’s feat of gathering the Black Dragon Guard to pressure him.
Indeed, Jiang Li had created the Black Dragon Guard and was once its leader.
However, what did that matter now?
The current Black Dragon Guard was under the control of the Thirteen Black Dragon Armored Men.
However, this Black Dragon bodyguard rolled his eyes and grinned. He leaned slightly to the side. “Eunuch, please.”
The old eunuch went into the dungeon.
The Black Dragon bodyguard squinted. Then, he nodded at a Black Dragon Guard.
“Follow him. If this old thing does anything unusual, block the dungeon right away.”
Then the Black Dragon bodyguard told someone to bring him a horse. And he headed for the Imperial Palace in person.
It was very dark in the dungeon.
Walking across the damp ground, the old eunuch was solemn. He passed by each cell and saw emotionally-numb people in them.
In the deepest part of the dungeon, he saw Jiang Li, handcuffed and fettered, sitting upright on a bed covered with straw.
As if he had sensed the old eunuch’s energy, Jiang Li opened his eyes slowly.
…
Chi Lian waited for a long time, but she did not see Jiang Li come back. Instead, she received the news that Jiang Li had been imprisoned.
It was shocking news. The entire court of the Great Zhou was greatly disturbed.
Ministers had started to condemn Jiang Li, verbally or in writing, listing Jiang Li’s crimes.
Some people said Jiang Li had been bought out by North County’s Tantai Xuan, and others said it was Jiang Li’s fault that the expedition against North County failed.
Many people made a fuss about Jiang Li’s plotting against the late emperor.
Chi Lian was so angry that she flushed.
When Kong Nanfei came back with a poker face, Chi Lian realized this little emperor was really going to kill Jiang Li.
“Who came forward when the Great Zhou was in crisis?
“Did this bullsh*t emperor lose his conscience?” Chi Lian swore at Zijin Palace. Then, covered by Kong Nanfei, she left the city on a horse.
She had to leave. Since Jiang Li had been imprisoned, the whole capital was in a great fright. The Thirteen Black Dragon Armored Men were leading the Black Dragon Guard to capture Jiang Li’s accomplices.
Everyone was seized with fear.
As Jiang Li’s subordinate, Chi Lian had to escape. She had to stay alive to save Jiang Li.
Deep in Zijin Palace, outside of the Imperial Garden, Yuwen Xiu heard the terrified screams of young eunuchs and maids from the pond behind him and the sound of chewing bones. Gazing at the snow, he was very calm.
“Now that the world forced us against benevolence, we will be a tyrant forever.”
He once said this to the rebel, Zhao Kuo, by the pond, with the Black Dragon wrapping around his body.
Right now, this seemed to be coming true.
A kind person was more likely to get bullied. So did a weak person.
Then again, Yuwen Xiu was neither kind nor weak.
He had Great Zhou fully under his control.
The water behind him finally restored its peace.
Yuwen Xiu turned around slowly. With his hands behind his back, he walked to the pond.
He could still smell the pungent scent of blood. Blood was dissolving in the pond water.
The Black Dragon popped its head out of the water surface. With its mouth open, it showed its sharp teeth.
Gazing at the Black Dragon, Yuwen Xiu raised his hand to gently touch its freezing scales.
“I have nothing left, except you,” Yuwen Xiu said, narrowing his eyes.
The Master had left the capital city. Jiang Li resigned. Everyone was leaving him.
The Black Dragon wrapped around Yuwen Xiu’s body. Black air seemed to seep out from between its scales into Yuwen Xiu’s body.
Outside the Imperial Garden, fast footsteps could be heard.
A young eunuch came quickly.
“Your Majesty!”
The Black Dragon, wrapping around Yuwen Xiu, fixed its sharp eyes on the young eunuch.
It growled. Water was sprayed from the gills around its head.
The young eunuch turned pale, feeling extremely cold.
“Say it.”
Looking at the young eunuch, Yuwen Xiu patted the Black Dragon to calm it down.
“News came from Beiluo City…” the young eunuch said.
“The thirteenth armored man of the Thirteen Black Dragon Armored Men, Liu Tao, led a team of Black Dragon Guards to Beiluo City under Your Majesty’s command to record Lu Ping’an’s lecture on cultivation. However, Liu Tao was killed because he refused to get off his horse at Beiluo City before Lu Changkong. The team of Black Dragon Guards is now imprisoned in Beiluo’s dungeon. Lu Changkong said in person that they would be released once the lecture in White Jade City was over…”
As soon as he finished speaking, the air in the Imperial Garden turned frigid.
Yuwen Xiu who stood by the pond stared at the young eunuch with cold and heartless eyes.
That look made the young eunuch go weak at the knees. He peed on himself and flopped onto the ground.
…
Outside Dongyang County.
The Master’s Confucius robe was stained with blood. He looked at the approaching clay men calmly.
A cultivator’s ways were mysterious indeed.
The Master had learned this early on. He had exchanged blows with Lu Fan once in Beiluo. He knew Lu Fan had not gone all out at that time.
He had sensed an extremely dreadful pressure from Lu Fan.
At that time, Young Master Lu from Beiluo had not been known by the world yet.
But back then, everyone in the world knew him.
His feat of defeating four philosophers from the Hundred Schools made him even more famous.
“Cultivators…”
The Master shook his head, smiling.
“Some people say that only cultivators can deal with cultivators. I do believe that.
“However, I’m not convinced.”
The Hundred Schools of Philosophy were not small fry. They once led an era.
Suddenly, the Master’s eyes lit up. Like fire in the dark night, they were so bright that everyone was astonished.
He turned around to look at the enthusiastic Dongyang County army and Mo Tianyu, whose eyes were bloodshot. He grinned.
“I’ve done so many things in my life…”
The Master let out a sigh.
“Now, the only thing I want to do is to help you go back home safe and sound.
“This is kind of my atonement for you, on behalf of the current Great Zhou…”
When that had been said, the Master’s hair fluttered although there was no wind.
As if a wind was blowing his clothes, the Master’s eyes were very bright, like there was a fire burning within.
Righteousness Qi gathered over his head. Like an ignited bonfire, it emitted an extremely bright light.
The large man in the black robe frowned slightly.
He had a bad feeling.
Under his control, the countless clay men seemed to be slowing down as they approached the Master.
The large man’s face was solemn.
He made the clay men charge forward.
“How can a mortal fight a cultivator like me?!”
The large man was unconvinced.
The Master looked supremely glorious.
He had never gone into any Dragon Gate. He had never pondered on Spirit Qi.
But at this moment, his power was soaring incessantly.
Even the clouds rolling in the sky turned black because of him.
It seemed like the Origin of the World had been triggered at this moment.
In Beiluo City, Lu Fan, who sat in the pavilion, was looking at the crowd before White Jade City’s pavilion and at the many cultivators at the lakeside. He seemed to sense something.
He could not help but look towards the east.
His eyes narrowed.
Mo Tianyu felt cold.
He saw the Master growing stronger and stronger, almost as strong as Lu Ping’an from Beiluo.
However, the stronger the Master became the heavier his heart was, and the more uneasy he felt.
The Master was like a burning sun. He looked brilliant.
He was super calm.
His Righteousness Qi was burning like fire.
He turned his head to look at where Beiluo City was located and let out a sigh.
He had once said that if it was possible, he hoped he could spend the rest of his days on Lake Island of Beiluo.
But it seemed like…
That would not happen.
The Master’s energy grew stronger and stronger. He was no weaker than a cultivator in the peak of the Qi Core Realm or even Internal Organs Realm.
He used his Righteousness Qi, which he had gathered from burning souls and reciting saints’ masterpieces, as the kindling to shine upon everything in the world.
“Let my Qi be recorded by masterpieces.”
The Master’s voice was loud and resonate.
In the next second, under the brilliant light, every clay man running on the ground vanished like melted snow.
The large man covered his head. Blood flowed from his eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth. He kneeled down, screaming.
His soul had been severely injured. He looked at the extremely brilliant-looking old man, hardly able to believe what had happened.
He looked at the old man as if he was looking at a lunatic.
This world had nothing but lunatics!
He retreated into the sea like a lunatic and disappeared. Dongyi’s army also retreated. Scared out of their wits, they rushed to climb into their boats one after another.
The fire extinguished itself.
The ultimate brightness would finally dim out at some point too.
It started to snow again as if the sky knew to play a tragic song.
Snowflakes kept falling on the straight-backed old man who was staring into the distance.