Chapter 1396
Pretend to Take
Chapter 1396 Pretend to Take
These words appeared and suddenly struck Zhang Duanyan's eyes. This real person, who was walking around outside, opened his eyes wide and stood there blankly.
Capture the master and burn the temple!
After a long while, I heard her murmur:
"What...what does this mean?!"
Of course, she couldn't possibly misunderstand what the other person meant, but the arrogant and domineering mindset revealed in it was so unbelievable that she opened her mouth but couldn't utter a word.
Which master should we capture?
Whose temple are you going to burn down!
The overall situation of True Qi... that even a True Lord wouldn't dare to easily touch!
Even with some preparation, the woman could only stare at the old man in shock. Chun Shuo sighed and shook his head, revealing a mixture of admiration and indescribable complexity, and said:
"This is a good opportunity. The fact that the great man in the west bowed his head at this time has already made the silent group of True Monarchs very dissatisfied. However, they are wary of the entanglement of the Mingyang True Qi and other forces involved, so they dare not touch it. They are also wary of Xiawei and dare not touch it."
The old man stroked his beard and sighed:
"There is only one exception."
Zhang Duanyan hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping herself. She was also intelligent and had already discerned the underlying meaning. She murmured:
"King Wei...brilliant..."
"That's right!"
Chunshuo sneered:
"He is a top-tier genius. He understands that if he writes that scroll in the desert, the Azure Heaven will immediately sense and protect him. Whether it supports him or not depends on whether he accepts it or not. It will be a win-win situation!"
Zhang Duanyan's expression changed repeatedly as he said:
"No wonder!"
Chunshuo said:
"It's time. We have our own things to do. The adults laid out several plans back then, and we naturally have to take care of them one by one. It's just that the two things are combined, which makes it quite complete."
Zhang Duanyan nodded deeply and said:
"Then... what about the King of Wei..."
"It doesn't necessarily mean we have to do anything."
But then a clear voice rang out from the mountains, and a man in golden robes walked slowly down the mountain with his hands behind his back. His clothes were flowing, and the cuffs were decorated with patterns of golden sand and flames.
It is Tianhuo!
This cultivator's cultivation level wasn't high, but his status was quite unique. Originally, after returning from Dalingchuan, he accompanied Tian Que to the cave to report. Zhang Duanyan wasn't surprised to see him unexpectedly.
'He should naturally be there for such an important event!'
Tian Huo stepped forward, took the golden scroll, admired it for a while, and remarked casually with some emotion:
“Li Zhouwei doesn’t want us to take action, but rather our attitude. Regardless of whether he has received orders from the bigwigs on the lake, our attitude is something he must ask.”
The old man nodded, and Tian Huo continued:
"Since we have already accepted his offer, we have agreed to it. On the one hand, it is for the sake of the conspiracy, and on the other hand, we want to see his ability. Of course, it is not advisable to act rashly."
He smiled, and said meaningfully:
"Let's hold our positions for now, and absolutely not alert them. Chang Huai'ai was the first to step forward; how could we possibly be like them? According to convention, Qi Qing is always the one who must first express his opinion on this matter..."
The old man sneered for a moment, then said:
"It's not looking good now either! Don't forget the miser."
"Qing Tang Yin!"
Chunshuo was older and therefore more familiar with this person, and simply smiled and said:
"Changhuai intended to use the aura of the Shu Emperor to fulfill his purpose, which is why he pretended to reincarnate, carefully timing the process to wait for the true qi to manifest, giving him the surname Qing, and then spreading the word freely among the people..."
"As a result, the whole world knew about it, especially the cultivators in Shu. All the sects and True Immortals, big and small, regarded the emperor as the reincarnation of Qing Tangyin, only that his memories had not yet awakened!"
Tianhu laughed:
"Who knows, the Shu Emperor himself might even believe that his previous incarnation was Qing Tangyin! Otherwise, where would all these Changhuai cultivators come from to help him?"
Zhang Duanyan rarely visited the grotto-heaven and knew very little about these matters, saying:
"What are you doing?"
"Don't underestimate this matter."
Tian Huo's smile became more serious as he said calmly:
"Only names and vessels cannot be lent to others, let alone the true name and former body. Have you not seen the Buddhist practitioners in the North? This scripture is fake, but many people believe it, even those with supernatural powers and high cultivation have come to believe it in their hearts. The fake has become real. In ancient times, this would be called 'refining the false into the true'!"
“As long as everyone in the world believes that the Shu Emperor is Qing Tangyin, there will be far too many opportunities for him to take advantage of the situation. Especially since the Shu Emperor himself has doubts, it would be a disaster. Daozi said that this old thing didn’t reincarnate at all. He might be hiding in some corner, secretly pecking at the true qi!”
Tian Huo clicked his tongue twice, and Chun Shuo smiled and said:
"What do you mean by 'transforming the fake into the real'? You don't need to be so blunt. Rather, say... you possess profound energy!"
The two exchanged a smile, but the woman seemed lost in thought. Tian Huo finished laughing and then said:
"You don't understand, those matters of ghosts and gods were originally obtained through deception, since they involve incense offerings. The Divine Court of Douxuan, the Heavenly Court, and the Northern Palace—most of those positions were created through cultivation, which is why they were overturned by the hearts of the people..."
Zhang Duanyan suddenly understood, nodding repeatedly. His previous doubts were instantly cleared up, and he exclaimed:
"No wonder... what a brilliant tactic... even if others have doubts, it won't change the overall situation, as long as everyone, even those in the Shu Kingdom's court, believes it..."
"Eh..."
Tian Huo shook his head and said calmly:
"Nothing special, just outdated stuff. The methods the Qing family came up with are nothing compared to what my master has to offer..."
He chuckled and said:
"Before they even pick up a pen, the adults already know what they're going to write!"
...
"Mingyang is arrogant, he has recklessly advanced to this extent!"
The majestic pass stands tall, blocking the way between the mountains and gorges. The sandstorms from afar are all blocked by the towering array of light. The cultivators on the high ground stand with their hands behind their backs, a smile already on their faces.
"The three passes are as solid as a rock. Back then, Xiao Wu reinforced Wuchuan three times to defend against the Yue army. After Xiao Wu, my father personally sent people to supervise the construction and invited high-level cultivators from the grotto heavens. The land of Shu is rich in spiritual energy, far superior to those from the Central Plains!"
"The Great Master can hold him off for half a year, but I can hold him off for five years or more!"
Qingji could only sneer.
Beside him stood Ping Yan and Wu Gan, like two reassuring figures, calming the injured Qiu Shenshi and Shen Sou.
'Although that good-for-nothing Shan Yin has ruined himself... there are still two great masters here, relying on this formidable pass. How long can he hold out against me!'
He sat high above, exuding an air of composure, while slightly below him, Qiu E stood with his eyes downcast, seemingly lost in thought, his heart filled with bitterness.
'I finally managed to escape inside, but those two guys dragged me out again!'
He certainly wanted to be as far away from the front lines as possible, but as a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, when the battle between the Purple Mansion cultivators raged fiercely, the aftershocks would wipe him out like an ant...
Looking around, Qiu E saw that Wu Qian was meditating with his eyes closed, not uttering a word, while the Daoist nun Ping Yan was observing coldly. This calmed Qiu E down.
'Everything in the desert has changed, so there's no need to follow the past in everything. Now that there are two Great Masters here, as well as members of the Qing family, it's unlikely that this general will be refused entry beyond the pass…'
Even if everything goes according to the previous life's prediction, and Qingji Fang is indeed blocked outside the pass, Qiu E, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, would most likely be guarding the pass with the other True Immortals. Surely he wouldn't be sent to the front lines to fight against the King of Wei.
These thoughts raced through his mind, and he calmed down, showing little fear. He secretly glanced at the people below, a hint of doubt in his eyes:
Where is the Master Guanlan?
This Tian Su looked around, unaware that the Great Master on the other side, looking down at him, was also quietly watching him.
'Tian Su... is actually a useful knife...'
The Daoist nun Pingyan watched coldly from the sidelines.
'The situation has changed now. If we can protect him and place him by the Shu Emperor's side using our family's teachings, we can surely gain his favor through our innate talent, and then influence him...'
Her gaze was gloomy.
Pingyan understood that the reason why everyone was still willing to stay at this pass was not because of Qingji's great power, but because of her, the Great Master who represented Changhuai Mountain.
But her heart was filled with gloom, and she had no interest whatsoever.
'Since the True Lord has issued the decree, Senior Brother's path to enlightenment can only wait until the next life…'
This made her feel both sad and resentful!
'The vicissitudes of life and fate are truly so domineering!'
Qing Tang's schemes were mostly within Chang Huai's inner circle. He needed to use that person in the palace. Based on the progress over the years, even if his senior brother couldn't get the position, he would at least have a divine pill in a grotto-heaven to sit on...
'The Great One is cultivating and should possess the power of a divine ruler, but in recent years he has focused on cultivation and ignored the mortal world, so there is only one attendant deity in his grotto-heaven…'
This might not be a big deal for that person, but it's a huge benefit for the Qing family, especially for them and their relatives. It's hard to imagine how many benefits there would be if they had such a Divine Pill cultivator!
According to several high-ranking officials serving the deities, the True Lord awoke after the great turmoil in the north, seemingly quite disappointed. He issued a divine decree containing only eight characters:
[Zongzhen Ziyang, restraining all Yin].
She had already heard the attendant god interpret these words clearly, including the concepts of balance and sowing discord. However, she understood the most important thing in her heart—the True Lord had thus interrupted her senior brother's path in this life!
'This is absolutely a bolt from the blue!'
Although Ping Yan was dissatisfied, he naturally had nothing to say, especially since there were some benefits to be had:
'I heard from that kid Qingzhuo that my senior brother has accumulated enough life force over the years, and by using a false name to claim the emperor's title, he has already done so. When the gods went to the north, they mentioned him, saying that he will be reincarnated in the vast plains and will receive guidance from a great figure…'
This wasn't a bad path for Qing Tangyin. By now, she had already obtained the benefits she was entitled to, and if nothing unexpected happened, she could continue to keep it a secret, it would just take another lifetime to accumulate wealth. But for Ping Yan, and even a large number of people in the cave, this news was as bad as it could get.
'By the time my senior brother attains enlightenment in his next life, I don't know how long I will have been gone. Of those who follow him now, I'm afraid only Qingzhuo will live to see that day…'
Even if Qing Tang becomes a True Lord and gains immense wealth, it will have nothing to do with her, who has been dead for one or two hundred years. In the end, the biggest harm will fall on their heads!
How could Ping Yan not harbor resentment? Seeing the fool before him still barking and howling, his heart grew even colder.
'This brat came out so slowly, making me carry Mingyang for so long for nothing. Although he can't be kept alive, he's still somewhat useful for now. Mingyang is furious, so it's perfect to use him to fill the Qilin's stomach.'
She had only recently emerged from the grotto-heaven, carrying her own treasures, and possessed a deep understanding of the current situation. She pondered in her heart:
"One thing is true: with me here watching over things, and with three passes and a mountain, each pass we breach will be enough to completely shatter the Mingyang's edge, preventing a utter rout."
She knew in her heart that there were still elders from her own sect watching from within the void, just to prevent this fool from doing anything crazy that could cause the situation to collapse in an instant!
'Guanlan is already waiting in the palace. I'll have Mingyang break through one or two passes to appease his anger and blunt his edge. Then, by handing this fool over to him, we can lure out the Shu Emperor. I'll then use our treasures to block him at the gates.'
In this way, it would be a win-win situation. The Shu Emperor was merely blocking Li Zhouwei, which was actually disrupting the true qi of the Mingyang. And this Mingyang would not stay here for long and would eventually have to leave.
She was carefully considering her options when she unexpectedly heard the man's voice in her ear, asking:
"Great Master! Great Master!"
Qingji called out again, finally waking the great master. Although the boy was arrogant, he dared not be presumptuous in front of his father's beloved junior sister, and only said:
"I wonder what Jin Yi's current situation is?"
This clearly refers to the current state of the desert. When the Western Shu Kingdom was established, Jin Yi's desert was included. Although it didn't contribute much in the past, it would at least be given some respect. The current state of indifference is obviously different from the past.
Ping Yan also had some doubts. As a person from the cave heaven, she knew a lot, but she had never been to the north, so she was naturally a little puzzled.
'That's true. Given the current situation, it seems their own True Lord has made some move. What reason does the Golden Feather Sect have for dissatisfaction?'
Being inside the grotto, many things couldn't be said as directly as they were outside; she had to understand them herself. But she wasn't stupid. After a moment's thought, she vaguely grasped the meaning:
'That's right. Over the years, we haven't been close to other solar lineages, and we haven't had any dealings with the North either. How could it be that, for no reason... my senior brother was sent to cultivate in the Vast Plains, and even received instruction from an elder...'
A chill ran down her spine, but she made up a random excuse and whispered:
"Perhaps it's because we didn't go together in the Daling River region, which led to the death of Master Su and his dissatisfaction..."
Qingji Fang pondered for a moment. Although he felt something was amiss, he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong. He could only nod silently, gaze at the vast desert, and say:
"The real person has also fought with him. I wonder... how strong is Mingyang now?"
Pingyan cultivates the orthodox Changhuai Way, which is also the fundamental law of Changhuai Mountain. It is the Great Way of "Returning to Earth" to contain the fate of the ruler. It involves the state on one hand and borrows the Wu Earth on the other, making it extremely domineering!
Such a lineage could still exert its power in the hands of Qingji Fang, let alone Pingyan, who came from Changhuai. It was only by borrowing a little bit of Wutu that she was able to protect all the cultivators from the King of Wei after Shan Yin's accident, losing only Shangguan Mi.
Ping Yan pondered for a moment, then said with considerable confidence:
"Although Mingyang is powerful, my path lies in Qingyi Xuantu. Whether it's Jinhuo or Mingyang, even if I cannot defeat him, he cannot easily overcome me. There's no need to worry!"