The Great Xia Dynasty's Longevity Begins with Connecting to the Swallowed Starry Sky

Actually, Fan Xian didn't need to notify them at all.

The Overwatch Council personnel arrived immediately.

The scene was truly breathtaking.

Cheng Jushu, a man from Northern Qi, actually managed to infiltrate Qingdu this time.

Instead of being a war criminal from the Northern Qi Dynasty who was brought in as depicted in the original novel, he was not.

The other side entered Qingdu and caused such a huge mess.

What's most shocking is that countless vines are sprouting out of the street, damaging the stone slabs on the ground.

Autumn has arrived.

So many vines, and the leaves on them are still green.

That thriving vitality is even more awe-inspiring.

Even the members of the Overwatch Council, who were well-informed, had never seen such a scene before.

When Qin Hao used Confucianism and Taoism, many people felt this fluctuation.

This place isn't far from the palace. Emperor Qing, the fourth Grandmaster, is hiding his identity.

But perception will not be blocked.

He was handling official business, and there was a lot of news about Sihailou.

Emperor Qing was planning to find the secrets of Sihai Tower from these statistics.

"Just who is behind Sihai Tower?"

This suspected fifth Grandmaster still made Emperor Qing a little uneasy. He dared not imagine how much his plans would have to be modified if there really was a fifth or even a sixth Grandmaster.

According to the original plan, he was bound to lose.

The addition of another Grandmaster, even if it was his painstaking effort and meticulous planning to conceal it.

But the combat power of a Grandmaster is not to be underestimated.

Even an army might not be able to wipe them out.

If the opponent keeps trying to escape, even a grandmaster like him might not be able to stay.

"It seems that we must urge Yan Xiaoyi to intensify his cultivation."

This archer, ranked ninth rank, made Emperor Qing somewhat wary, but he didn't initially take him seriously.

Despite being ranged attackers, archers may seem like a formidable force even against skilled opponents.

In the original novel, Yan Xiaoyi almost drove Fan Xian into a desperate situation.

At that time, Fan Xian was already an eighth-rank official, thanks to the characteristics of his domineering true qi.

He could contend with even a typical ninth-rank master.

Fan Xian's strength is very high; even a master of the ninth rank would not be able to defeat him easily.

But the significance of an archer of the ninth rank is different.

The arrows shot by Yan Xiaoyi could have truly killed Fan Xian if he had been careless.

If it weren't for Haitang Duoduo's unexpected appearance, and Fan Xian's quick thinking in bringing Haitang Duoduo into his camp, it would have been different.

Yan Xiaoyi succeeded in killing Fan Xian that time.

And that's how the rest happened.

Now there is another Grandmaster, whose identity is unknown.

Even Emperor Qing, a cunning and shrewd old fox, found it troublesome.

The unknown is the scariest thing.

Ku He and Si Gu Jian, these two Grandmasters in name only, are quite intimidating.

But Emperor Qing was not worried.

With Dongyi City as a weakness and the Northern Qi as a constraint, neither dared to act rashly.

Ye Liuyun submitted to him because of the Ye family.

In the end, he also outmaneuvered her, and she almost managed to defeat all the other Grandmasters and their combat power by fighting against them all.

If Emperor Qing hadn't been so curious, he would have removed Wu Zhu's blindfold.

In the end, Emperor Qing died from Wu Zhu's radiation eye.

Now that there is another suspected Grandmaster, even if he ambushes and injures or kills one of them.

There are two others over there too; at worst, we can just stay where we are now.

He only had one chance.

Once his Grandmaster status is exposed, there will be no more opportunities for a sneak attack.

If the Grandmaster were to engage in guerrilla warfare with him, he could potentially unify the world.

The consequences after that are endless.

He couldn't possibly go after a Grandmaster himself.

Grandmasters are difficult to kill; even if they can be defeated, they are extremely difficult to kill.

"You only get one chance."

Although Hong Sixiang can be said to be above the ninth rank, close to a grandmaster.

However, if one does not reach the level of a Grandmaster, then one is not a Grandmaster, and one's level is far inferior to that of a Grandmaster.

"If Yan Xiaoyi can also advance to the upper level of the ninth rank, even if he doesn't reach the Grandmaster level, he'll only have the strength of a half-step Grandmaster. If he and Hong Sixiang can hold off one of them, and I can quickly defeat and kill the other one, and then come back to deal with the last one, what are the chances of that?"

Emperor Qing calculated carefully, but in the end he was somewhat dejected.

The chances are slim.

He planned to kill the other Grandmasters, including Ye Liuyun.

However, if the opponent has an additional Grandmaster, then the chance becomes virtually zero.

illusory.

Moreover, this is only one.

What if there's one more person?

If there is a fifth person, there will be a sixth.

It's not impossible.

"Don't be too hasty in your plans, for you'll be worried about defeat before you've even considered victory. So you can't be too hasty."

Emperor Qing pondered this in his heart, rehearsing it many times in his mind.

But no matter how I thought about it, it seemed like there was no possibility of success.

The more I think about it, the more irritable I become.

"this?"

Just then, a strange fluctuation shocked him.

He looked up, though he couldn't see anything at all, his view was blocked by the palace walls.

But he seemed to have transcended these palace walls, and his gaze successfully reached Niulan Street.

He already knew about what happened on Niulan Street.

Emperor Qing was unparalleled in his scheming; with a simple trick back then, he managed to transfer away all the people around Ye Qingmei.

He orchestrated the events from behind the scenes, with the Empress Dowager and her faction leading the charge, while those outside the temple coordinated the attack and killed him.

Taking advantage of Ye Qingmei's weakness during childbirth, Emperor Qing deliberately transferred Wu Zhu, Fan Jian, and Chen Pingping away to lure Ye Qingmei's enemies into action. The Empress's faction seized the opportunity to kill them, and although Wu Zhu and Chen Pingping tried their best to return, they could only save the infant Fan Xian.

Afterwards, Prince Jing, Chen Pingping, and Fan Jian all suspected the role Emperor Qing played in Ye Qingmei's death and harbored their own ulterior motives.

But so what?
The winner is the king and the loser is the bandit.

Ye Qingmei is dead; he has preserved the empire.

He doesn't want everyone to be like a dragon; he just wants to be the master of this world.

The Censorate should monitor all officials, be independent of the court, and be beyond his control.

That's impossible.

He couldn't even coexist with the other three Grandmasters, let alone Ye Qingmei.

Looking down on all men?

Ignore his authority?

To sever a portion of power from his imperial authority?
In the future, even the emperor's power may be restricted?
What a joke! He would never allow it.

"Yes, that's the power."

Meanwhile, in Qingdu, many learned scholars also felt that the classics they usually recited were generating a certain power that seemed to be able to transform and protect them.

"What exactly is this?"

At this moment, everyone in the city of rank seven and above seemed to feel this power.

"what exactly is it?"

The Censorate arrived the fastest, and the Imperial Treasury's personnel also arrived quickly.

This scheme was still orchestrated by Li Yunrui, who had Lin Gong take action in an attempt to eliminate Fan Xian.

Although Fan Xian has already shown that he seems to be giving up his engagement with Lin Wan'er.

But he still hesitated, Li Yunrui did not believe that anyone could give up control of the inner treasury.

Only the dead would not compete with her for control of the inner treasury.

That was her most important bargaining chip in demonstrating her status in Qingdu.

Although her most fundamental reliance was still on Emperor Qing.

The power over the inner treasury's finances is merely a facade.

This remains her biggest bargaining chip.

Yan Xiaoyi suddenly stood up in surprise, his expression one of utter shock.

"what is this?"

Li Yunrui was not a martial artist, so he did not feel anything.

"what happened?"

Li Yunrui asked.

Normally, Yan Xiaoyi is Emperor Qing's bodyguard, responsible for protecting him at all times.

In recent days, the inner treasury has been harassing Sihailou, and Li Yunrui has also been retaliated against by the people behind Sihailou.

Every day, dead rats would be found in her bedroom, on her large bed.

Moreover, the smell was extremely unpleasant.

Therefore, Emperor Qing sent Yan Xiaoyi to protect Li Yunrui.

Although it seems that Yan Xiaoyi's actions are of no use.

"This power is strange, like the aura of those scholars. But it also seems different, which makes me feel uneasy."

Yan Xiaoyi looked at Li Yunrui and said, "Princess, perhaps I should go back and report to His Majesty."

Li Yunrui quickly understood Yan Xiaoyi's idea: he wanted to go to Emperor Qing's side to gather information for her.

Yan Xiaoyi is Li Yunrui's man.

Li Yunrui had shown kindness and mentorship to Yan Xiaoyi.

Yan Xiaoyi lost both his parents at a young age and made a living by hunting in the mountains. He was spotted by Li Yunrui and joined the army, where he achieved many military merits.

He was extremely loyal to Li Yunrui, and considered everything he did to serve her.

Li Yunrui has a strong control over Yan Xiaoyi. They possess formidable military power within the army and receive Li Yunrui's help and support.

Yan Xiaoyi obeyed Li Yunrui's every word and carried out her orders.

"Go ahead." Li Yunrui also wanted to know what it was that shocked Yan Xiaoyi.

She sensed that something even more difficult for her to control had happened.

"Could it be related to Sihai Tower?"

Li Yunrui originally controlled the internal treasury and felt that there was nothing in the world that could make her feel helpless.

Ye Qingmei was the first person in her life she found hard to accept.

She is good-looking and very talented.

She single-handedly established the Imperial Treasury and assisted Emperor Qing in ascending the throne.

She established the Censorate to monitor all officials, seemingly exceeding Emperor Qing's authority.

She even wanted everyone to be like a dragon, thus severing the power in Emperor Qing's hands.

Then, she was killed by Emperor Qing.

Li Yunrui went mad after that.

She took over the control of the Imperial Treasury from Ye Qingmei, cultivated relationships with powerful officials, and moved between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince.

Her outward appearance and inner thoughts made it impossible for anyone to know whose side she was truly on.

It seems everyone thinks she supports him.

This feeling captivated Li Yunrui.

Although she knew that her power was actually dependent on Emperor Qing.

The person she loved but couldn't have, and dared not love.

But Li Yunrui wasn't worried about anyone else.

She could win over half of the court officials; she could turn the world upside down with a flick of her wrist.

But at this moment, she seemed to sense that something was beyond her expectations.

"It all depends on what information Yan Xiaoyi finds out."

Li Yunrui was helpless; she had no power of her own.

All she could do was use her own money to influence the court. Those under the Second Prince's command, on the surface, were attracted by his virtue.

But in reality, they were all being manipulated by Li Yunrui's money.

So when the Second Prince rebelled, Fan Xian wasn't afraid at all.

Because the second prince had virtually no chance of success.

Unless Emperor Qing has lost his mind and wants to see him succeed.

The third wave of Emperor Qing's men arrived.

At this time, Fan Xian had already been taken away by the Surveillance Bureau.

As he was leaving, he glanced at Qin Hao.

Fan Xian saw tacit agreement in Qin Hao's eyes.

The two exchanged a knowing glance and decided that they could meet when they had free time.

Fan Xian has too many questions that he needs Qin Hao to answer.

Qin Hao also knew that he probably didn't have the time or energy at this moment.

The person who wanted to see him returned soon.

"Lord Qin, please come with us."

The people from the inner treasury stepped forward and extended a very "polite" invitation.

Qin Hao didn't even glance at them. Wanting to see him wasn't that simple.

If it weren't for his own intentions, he wouldn't even want to give Emperor Qing face.

Seeing that Qin Hao didn't move, and didn't even bother to give them a glance.

The people in the inner treasury were furious.

He immediately wanted to step forward and take action, but hesitated because of the chaotic scene.

When the people from the Overwatch Council took Cheng Jushu away, the countless vines retracted.

However, the damage caused is irreversible.

They also knew the name Cheng Jushu.

Although he is only an eighth-rank, his strength is such that even ninth-rank individuals would have to look up to him and admit defeat.

But Qin Hao only said a few words and then tied the person up, leaving them no ability to resist.

Qin Hao refused them, not even sparing them a glance.

The atmosphere was indeed a bit awkward.

When did their internal finances become so lacking in prestige?

Even the many high-ranking officials in the imperial court had to give them face.

Fortunately, the awkward atmosphere didn't last long, and people from the palace arrived.

Hong Sixiang arrived in person and bowed respectfully: "Lord Qin, His Majesty invites you."

Qin Hao nodded and followed them directly.

He showed no discomfort or unease whatsoever.

When he came out today, he already knew what was going to happen next.

At this moment, it is said that he was summoned by Emperor Qing.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that he deliberately did all this in order to enter the palace.

As they entered, they were led by Hong Sixiang, the chief eunuch of Emperor Qing, who showed no disrespect whatsoever.

The others in the palace dared not do so.

At the palace gate, countless spies are planted.

When Qin Hao was respectfully invited in by Hong Sixiang, many people's eyes fell on him.

Qin Hao didn't care about any of this.

Why would a dragon care about the reaction of an ant?
Of course, he was not arrogant or conceited, nor did he look down on ordinary people.

He simply looked down on these scheming, despicable people.

Hong Sixiang was also observing Qin Hao, but he noticed that Qin Hao maintained a very calm expression no matter who he saw.

He brought Qin Hao all the way here, and they arrived before Emperor Qing.

Emperor Qing immediately looked up at Qin Hao.

He didn't pretend to be handling official business, nor did he dare to be negligent.

Because, in name only, Emperor Qing was not a Grandmaster; he was merely an emperor.

The Grandmaster subtly transcends the status of an emperor.

In the Northern Qi, Zhan Doudou held Ku He in high esteem.

There was no other way. Given the strength of Northern Qi, if it weren't for the deterrent effect of Ku He, it would have fallen long ago.

"Mr. Qin is a true hermit living in the city, residing in the Hanlin Academy."

Emperor Qing was filled with emotion.

He still remembers the high spirits Qin Hao felt a few years ago when he became the top scholar in the imperial examination and rode his horse through the streets.

Looking back now, Qin Hao seemed quite indifferent at that time.

It seems that winning the top score in the imperial examination is an easy thing.

Looking at it now, isn't it a piece of cake?

Qin Hao's performance today truly surprised Emperor Qing.

Deep down, Emperor Qing had been observing Qin Hao and wondering whether he was a Grandmaster.
Unlike other grandmasters, Emperor Qing had no idea how powerful Qin Hao was.

"Is he much stronger than me, or is he not a Grandmaster at all?"

Although he had only been in the field for a short time, he had already gathered some of the power of Confucianism and Taoism.

Looking at Qin Hao, Emperor Qing was still wondering whether this was the power of the temple.

Or was it left behind by Ye Qingmei?
If so, he would be wary, but not very worried.

Because Ye Qingmei herself was killed by his scheme.

Although he would occasionally think of Ye Qingmei when the night was deep and quiet and he was dreaming in the middle of the night.

She was an extraordinary woman, one who could make anyone's heart flutter.

But the more he was moved, the less he could keep Ye Qingmei.

He loved the country and power more.

If it weren't for Ye Qingmei's doing, or even the power of the temple...

He also had his reservations.

The future of this path is uncertain, as is its limits.

If Qin Hao in front of us is truly the pioneer of this path, then his mind and aptitude are exceptional.

And at just over twenty years old, his future is truly limitless.

Emperor Qing was genuinely worried.

Qin Hao simply smiled and casually found a place to sit down.

Hong Sixiang's mouth moved, but he couldn't utter the words of rebuke.

Emperor Qing was still debating whether or not to take action.

Hong Sixiang, however, was hesitant to make a move.

The person in front of me was extremely strange and bizarre.

The words that came out of his mouth seemed to carry divine authority, and the world around him spontaneously responded to them.

This power is truly terrifying.

Emperor Qing was also undecided, but Qin Hao's casual behavior surprised him.

Then it became clear.

He grasped the essence of the kingly way and restrained all his power.

Unless he unravels it himself or uses it, no one will know that he is the fourth Grandmaster.

"So, when did Mr. Qin discover this power?"

Emperor Qing asked a question.

Qin Hao smiled and said, "It's during my usual time reciting the classics."

He looked at Emperor Qing and knew that the emperor wanted to investigate the power of Confucianism and Taoism.

There is nothing he cannot say.

"In Confucian and Taoist cultivation, one must first have talent."

Reading a book a hundred times will reveal its meaning; reciting classics and spontaneously appreciating them allows one to extract wisdom from the classics of sages and integrate it into oneself.

This is the practice of Confucianism and Taoism.

Cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, and bringing peace to the world—these are the three realms of Confucianism and Taoism.

"Establishing words, establishing virtue, and establishing merit—these three immortal achievements are the core tenets of Confucianism."

"The highest achievement is to establish virtue, the next is to establish merit, and the next is to establish words. These will not be forgotten even after a long time; this is what is meant by immortality."

"After that, keep righteousness in your heart and feel the connection with heaven and earth."

He comprehended the righteous energy of heaven and earth, imbuing it with a myriad of flowing forms, and concentrated this righteous energy within his own talent, subtly elevating himself above martial arts practitioners in a way that transcends Confucianism and Taoism…

Qin Hao not only talked about it, but he also rehearsed it on the spot.

The more he talked about it and the more he practiced it, the more shocked Emperor Qing became.

He was so excited that he became somewhat unsteady, and even the internal energy within his body seemed to be affected.

If it weren't for his strong inner strength and his "old coin" tendencies, he wouldn't have been able to achieve this.

Today, his identity as a Grandmaster may be exposed.

Qin Hao already knew this, and he could clearly see the other party's every move and the condition inside his body.

Emperor Qing thought he had hidden it well, but in reality, all of his information was revealed to Qin Hao.

At a glance.

……

Fan Xian returned home after leaving the Supervisory Council.

Fan Jian summoned him: "What exactly happened?"

Fan Xian explained everything in detail, down to the smallest detail.

Of course, Qin Hao's identity as a time traveler will never be revealed.

They only said that the two were friends and that Qin Hao did it to save him.

As for that power.

"The power of Confucianism and Taoism."

Fan Xian said this because he didn't know exactly what Confucianism and Taoism were, but he had guessed some things from the novels he had read in his previous life: "It's roughly about reading a book a hundred times and extracting the power from the Confucian classics."

Fan Jian was taken aback.

It's important to know that Confucianism and Taoism didn't exist in this world before.

As for Grandmasters, they only appeared after Ye Qingmei emerged.

Fan Jian was unaware of what was happening inside the palace; it was a top secret, and anyone who couldn't keep their mouth shut was dealt with.

Of course, he also vaguely knew some of the information.

"Confucianism and Taoism?"

Fan Jian pondered for a moment: "What is his strength like?"

"Probably a Grandmaster."

what?
Fan Jian was taken aback and turned to look at Fan Xian. How could you say the words "Grandmaster" so casually?

"If I remember correctly, just a few years ago, Qin Hao was not yet twenty years old when he became the top scholar in the imperial examination. Then he went to the Hanlin Academy and has not moved since."

How could he possibly be a Grandmaster?

"I don't know either, he never admitted it himself. But an elder with the strength of a Grandmaster told me that he should be a Grandmaster."

"Wu Zhu?" Fan Jian immediately recognized the so-called elder.

Fan Xian was taken aback at first, but then he realized that Fan Jian couldn't possibly not know Wu Zhu.

Wu Zhu was Ye Qingmei's servant, and he was the son of Ye Qingmei and Fan Jian.

Fan Jian's account of Wu Zhu's situation is definitely true.

Little did he know that he was not Fan Jian's son at all, but Emperor Qing's illegitimate son.

"Are you sure Wu Zhu said that?" Fan Jian asked repeatedly.

Fan Xian hesitated for a moment: "Uncle Wuzhu went to investigate the Sihai Manor at night, but after returning, he said that the other party was a Grandmaster. As for the result, Uncle Wuzhu did not say, but I think the result will not be good. The power of Confucianism and Taoism is too unfamiliar and too strange. It has many abilities, is extremely difficult to approach, and is also extremely difficult to defeat."

Fan Xian was unaware that Qin Hao was not only a grandmaster of Confucianism and Taoism, but also a grandmaster of martial arts.

However, his ability to conceal his presence was extremely advanced, so much so that even the Grandmaster Emperor Qing, who was right in front of him, did not notice him at all.

It seems that Wu Zhu, the robot he fought, also didn't notice.

Fan Jian paced back and forth: "You have made a very good friend."

But whether the emergence of this new power system is a blessing or a curse remains to be seen.

Qingdu seems calm and peaceful these days.

But in reality, it was just the calm before the storm.

Whether it was Ye Qingmei's death or the brewing of anger between Nanqing and Beiqi, both were fueling a fire of resentment.

Sooner or later, it will all come to a head. (End of Chapter)