If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1010 Countermeasures
Soon, it was evening.

The Celestial Masters arrived as promised.

As the saying goes, "A mountain range appears as a ridge when viewed from the side, but as a peak when viewed from the front, all because one is in the mountain itself."

People stand under the sky, between heaven and earth, which can also be considered as being "in this mountain".

The views of the stars differ depending on the location from which they are observed.

Even from a purely physical perspective, the Thirty-Three Heavens have at least thirty-three dimensions.

The stars are all above the thirty-third heaven.

The angle of "refraction" varies depending on the location from which you look at the sky.

The actual changes in celestial phenomena are countless times more complex than the "angle of starlight refraction".

Heaven, Earth, and Humanity together form the Three Powers, which do not exist independently but are constantly influencing each other.

One side raises one person.

Conversely, it can also be said that one region's people nurture its environment.

Of course, the differences in star charts in different regions are not so great that even the 365 "major stars" are different.

There are countless stars in the sky, and each star can have a star god. But during the Investiture of the Gods, Jiang Ziya conferred titles upon a total of 365 righteous gods.

They are the most important.

These important primary stars exist in their entirety on the star charts of every country in the Pangu world.

There will be no missing part of the starry sky, or even a few main stars.

The only differences lie in the position and fluctuations of the light, as well as the figures represented by the main star.

What stargazers often observe are the fluctuations in position and changes in brightness.

The Qin Dynasty had two observatories.

One place is inside the imperial city, where a high earthen platform has been built, about twenty zhang high, much higher than the city wall.

Another location is atop a high peak in the Qinling Mountains outside the city.

The location corresponding to the mountain peak is in the center of the eyes of the Qinling Ancestral Dragon.

Normally, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau's Celestial Master only stayed at the Imperial City Observatory.

Only when a major change occurs and careful observation is needed will one visit "Star Gazing Peak," which is hundreds of miles away from Xianyang City.

Around 10 p.m., Xiao Yu himself arrived and, together with the Celestial Masters, observed the star chart of the Great Qin Dynasty.

From the city's observatory to the mountain peak outside the city, the stars in the sky seemed to suddenly become larger and brighter.

Very clear and distinct.

It's as if the video has switched from 360p to 2K high definition, and the camera zooms in by a third.

However, the stars tonight are still somewhat "cloudy," appearing obscure and difficult to discern.

The stars in the sky are arranged with the Twenty-Eight Mansions as the warp and the five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) as the weft.

Under normal circumstances, by referring to a latitude and longitude map, the normal position of each star can be determined.

If the location is abnormal, a disaster is imminent.

At this moment, there were too many abnormal things in the night sky.

The star charts are somewhat distorted and have lost their ability to accurately locate coordinates.

Many stars were obscured by evil spirits, appearing hazy and indistinct, causing a feeling of unease and stagnation.

There is no evil energy in the celestial realm; it is the evil energy on the ground that clashes with the stars in the sky.

The malevolent forces are like dark clouds, obscuring the stars behind them. They appear and disappear, sometimes bright and sometimes blurry. Every change in each star is a huge variable in the overall calculation result.

To put it bluntly, there are too many variables; we can't calculate them all.

After watching until three or four in the morning, Xiaoyu rubbed his temples and asked, "What do you fellow cultivators think?"

Master Guan cautiously said, "A meteor entering the mouth of the Dipper signifies impending war."

Yang Li then added, "When the five stars enter the Dipper, the Qin region will be in turmoil."

When the Wings and Chariots are separated, a guest star with a red aura soars into the sky, reversing the roles of host and guest, a powerful bandit will surely rise to power.

This year, we must be wary of the former Chu territory.

There must be a rebellion going on there, most likely led by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang from Dazexiang.

The division between Yi and Zhen mainly refers to the Jing and Xiang regions of Chu.

The fact that "guest stars" in these places invade the main star indicates that someone intends to rebel against the Qin Dynasty.

After all, at this time, the Qin Dynasty was still the legitimate dynasty of the world.

The prefects and magistrates of each prefecture and county corresponded to "main stars" in the sky.

Xiao Yu used the same principle to set up the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Grand Array with the 108 heroes of Pei County.

The Han Dynasty and its officials all correspond to the main stars in the heavens.

The arrangement of the main stars in the sky is just a "beginner version of the original Zhou Tian Xing Dou Grand Formation".
If Li Si, Feng Quji, and Wei Liaozi had obediently followed Xiaoyu's orders, she could have set up an even more powerful Zhou Tian Xing Dou Grand Array in the Qinling Mountains.

Slay gods and Buddhas alike!

She dared to touch even a Great Immortal.

"The division of the Tail and Winnowing Basket constellations is also abnormal; the swaying starlight like banners also indicates a sign of disloyalty."

"There may be unrest in the lands of Yan, Zhao, Qi, and Lu this year," another Celestial Master worriedly said.

Each main star corresponds to a high-ranking official in the human court; the "fields" formed by several stars correspond to different regions in the human world.

"The appearance of the Crow Star signifies a ruler's moral failings, a minister's treachery, and impending chaos and turmoil—a terrible omen!"

"If the stars Tianhan and Dihan shine brightly, the ruler should cultivate virtue to ward off evil. It's a pity the Empress Dowager won't listen to advice!"

"The star with the hairy head shines on the earth, which is an omen of barbarians invading China. But that's nothing, it happens every year."

There seem to be a lot of monsoons this year; it looks like even the Yellow River is going to flood.

Comets are also known as hairy stars, and there are usually seven or eight of them.

Encountering even one of these is bad luck.

Now they are faintly visible, there seem to be three or four.

Three or four comets streaking across the sky together—it was truly eerie to watch.

"If the planet Mercury is located after the moon, but before the moon, one must be wary of war. And if the planet Celestial Prison appears, war will immediately follow. This year there will definitely be war, and the disasters will be continuous; it will be a great calamity."

"Yes, even the 'Five Celestial Beasts' are excessively bright, a sign of war and conflict throughout the land. With the appearance of the thief comet, peace will not be restored for at least ten years."

"When bandits and comets appear together, peace can be achieved in ten years. But now, it's not just bandits and comets appearing together; for the next few decades, China will never have peace."

The various celestial masters spoke up, each expressing their own opinions.

It was as if the heads of various departments in the hospital had gathered together, holding the diagnosis report, and conducting an analysis of the patient's condition within their respective professional fields, while the patient was a 130-year-old man.

The elderly person was nearing the end of their life, with problems all over their body. Every doctor could talk about it at length, and they all claimed it was a terminal illness.

Xiaoyu was speechless and said, "The purple aura is shrouded in dust, Mars guards the heart, the Heavenly Market collapses, and the comet sweeps across the Taiwei Palace. All these ominous signs are coming together. This year, the world will be in great chaos, and no one can stop it."

"Were the celestial signs ever this chaotic a few years ago?"

Last year, she wandered through the streets of China and also gazed at the stars.

At that time, her cultivation, authority (as a Celestial Master), and resources were not as good as they are now.
The view was not as clear as it is now, but it felt like the Qin Dynasty could barely hold on.

How come things have taken such a dramatic turn for the worse since the beginning of the new year?

"This is what we call 'deep-rooted problems that are hard to reverse'! The past few years have also been turbulent, with frequent hidden dangers that have not been resolved and have slowly accumulated."

"This year, it seems we've reached our limit and are about to explode all at once," sighed Master Grey Crane.

Xiaoyu looked around at everyone and asked, "How should this matter be handled?"

"Reporting to the Empress Dowager," said Master Guan.

Xiaoyu shook her head and said, "If reporting to the Empress Dowager could solve the problem, today's trouble would never have occurred."

“But we are just celestial masters, and the Bureau of Astronomy is only responsible for observing celestial phenomena. What else can we do?” Guan Zhenren said. Xiaoyu said, “Make preparations. After the rooster crows, immediately send Taoist priests to the residences of the Lin Guang Palace and the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers to invite them to the Imperial Observatory for a small court assembly.”

"What?" All the Celestial Masters thought they were hallucinating.

"Summon the Empress Dowager and the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers to the Imperial Observatory for a court assembly?" Master Guan probed.

Xiao Yu said calmly, "You yourselves said that the Astronomical Bureau can only observe the stars; to solve problems, we still have to rely on them."

Reporting to the Empress Dowager alone is useless, so let's summon all the capable people here.

Such a disheartening thing as 'chaos throughout the land' cannot be publicized everywhere, lest it become known to the whole world and cause widespread panic.

Just call over a few leaders!

"Why not inform the Empress Dowager and have her summon the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers to Zhangtai for a small court assembly?" Master Guan asked.

"I don't want to waste any more time going to Zhangtai. Go and inform them. They can come if they want, or not if they don't."

"A bunch of useless good-for-nothings! They've ruined the Great Qin Dynasty, and they still have the nerve to act all high and mighty?" Xiao Yu cursed.

Guan Zhenren's expression was distorted.

But upon closer reflection, what she said doesn't seem to be wrong.

Someone has to take responsibility, but the Imperial Observatory is definitely not responsible, so they deserve to be criticized!
"What, a court assembly? Is there a court assembly today?"

When the Imperial Astronomical Bureau Taoist priest arrived at Linguang Palace, the Empress Dowager had only just fallen asleep.

Uh, I didn't just get up, I just lay down.

She stayed up late watching movies again last night.

The guards originally did not want to disturb the Empress Dowager at this time.

It was Wu, the Taoist priest from the Imperial Observatory, who spoke sternly and said that something of great importance was about to happen.

Only then did a eunuch enter the inner room and wake Empress Dowager Zhao.

"It's not the Zhangtai court assembly. Last night, Celestial Master Yu led the other Celestial Masters to observe the celestial phenomena and determined that something big was about to happen."

"I cordially invite the Empress Dowager and the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers to go to the Bureau of Astronomy to view the star charts and discuss politics while looking at the charts," said Wu Daoren.

He ultimately did not repeat what Master Yu had said.

"What's so important that you have to tell me now? It's not even dawn yet!"

The Empress Dowager was fuming with anger upon waking up and was very agitated.

Behind the screen, Wu Daoren said, "It is now 3:45 AM, and the daylight is just around the corner."

If it weren't for a momentous event, why would the Imperial Observatory be so alarmed, urgently summoning the Empress Dowager and the ministers?

He paused for a moment, then added, "However, Master Yu also said that if the Empress Dowager or other ministers are unwilling, they do not have to go."

"Then I won't go. You can discuss it and report back to me when you've made your decision."

The Empress Dowager immediately burrowed back into the warm quilt.

"Oh, then I'll take my leave."

Without the slightest hesitation, Wu Daoren turned and walked away.

Lao Ai, who was sitting on the edge of the bed getting dressed, felt something was amiss and whispered, "Empress Dowager, the celestial phenomena have changed, and it's a major event. You can't ignore it!"

"Go to sleep first, we'll talk about it this afternoon," the Empress Dowager replied sullenly, and then ignored him.

To Xiaoyu's surprise, all the high-ranking officials and ministers were present, and no one was late.

The Taoist priests went to inform them at 3:45 AM, and they all arrived half an hour later.

He was still neatly dressed, full of energy, and showed no signs of sleepiness or impatience.

The fact that the Empress Dowager did not come was within her expectations.

"Master Guan, please explain this to the esteemed officials."

Xiao Yu's main body returned to the Treasure Map Room to cultivate, only releasing a spiritual form to guard the Emperor's Palace.

Tianpeng sat in an old-fashioned chair, holding a "secret book" from the secret chamber in his hands.

She had chairs, tea, and pastries, as did the ministers.

However, the Emperor's Palace does indeed have a huge star map hanging on the east wall.

At this moment, all the high-ranking officials and ministers were standing in front of the star chart, gazing intently, and had no interest in drinking tea.

Upon receiving the order, Master Guan immediately recounted the analyses of the Celestial Masters, comparing them with the star chart.

"Alas, I was restless last night and observed the stars, discovering some clues. I just didn't expect the situation to be so serious," Feng Quji sighed.

Li Si remained expressionless and said, "In recent years, which year has been peaceful? It's just a matter of dealing with whatever comes our way!"

Feng Quji said, "It is now confirmed that the turmoil may have originated in the southeastern Jingchu region."

It could spread from Jingchu to the former Wei, Qi, and Zhao regions. What does Prime Minister Li think should be done?

Li Si's eyes flashed as he looked at the Grand Commandant's office and said, "To deal with the traitors, we will definitely have to resort to force."

If we were to employ troops, what are your thoughts, Your Excellency, Commandant?

Wei Liaozi frowned and said, "The art of war is based on martial prowess and nurtured by civil administration; martial prowess is the outward appearance, while civil administration is the inner essence."

The disease is internal; using military force only treats the symptoms, not the root cause—it's useless!

Then he turned to Xiaoyu, who was sitting in the old chair, and asked softly, "What does Grand Tutor Yu think?"

Li Si frowned. She's not Grand Tutor yet. Do you think she can secure the position of Grand Tutor just because you call her that?

Xiaoyu continued reading and casually said, "You can discuss and decide on the affairs of the court."

In a couple of days, I'll go to the southeast to survey the mountains and rivers, and see what kind of aura Chen Sheng possessed. Perhaps I can find a few dragon veins directly.

Upon hearing this, not only the ministers but also many of the Celestial Masters tensed up.

Ying Ziying stepped forward and said excitedly, "Grand Tutor Yu can directly find the Achilles' heel of those traitors."
Are you ready to make your move?

If the dragon vein is severed, can the crisis be averted and peace brought to the world?

Xiao Yu shook his head and said, "I do not intend to follow the old precedent set by the late emperor that all dragon veins in the Divine Land should not be excavated."

Not only must we not dig, but if I discover the dragon veins, I must also represent the Great Qin Dynasty to help dredge the earth's veins and do my best to protect them from being destroyed by those with wicked intentions.

Ying Ziying's expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Protecting the traitor's dragon vein? What is the reason for this?"

Li Si, Wei Liaozi, and others were also filled with doubt and surprise.

Xiao Yu said, "Because the Great Qin Ancestral Dragon is not a dragon vein!"

"Huh?" Everyone looked completely bewildered.

Xiaoyu explained, "The Qinling Ancestral Dragon is not actually a dragon vein. At least not in the way you understand it."

The First Dragon is the ancestor of the land, the root of the earth, and the mind of the earth's veins.

You can also regard the First Emperor as a mother.

Consider it a world, a world that can nurture and control the earth's veins.

The hidden dragons of the land are children born from the earth's veins, children of the ancestral dragon.

Master Guan asked, "Does Master Yu mean that the Ancestral Dragon collapsed, which is why those hidden dragon branches were born?"

Feng Quji said, "Even if those rebellious dragon veins were born because of the collapse of the Ancestral Dragon, they cannot be called the children of the Ancestral Dragon. They are the foundation of rebellion and the harbingers of disaster that threaten the Ancestral Dragon!"

The ministers nodded repeatedly.

Xiao Yu waved his hand and said, "My meaning is not so superficial. You are all wise ministers who assist the Emperor in ruling the Nine Provinces. You would certainly not be so shallow as to think that the Qin Dynasty swept across the six directions because its military might was unmatched."

"Didn't the Qin Dynasty unify the world because of its strong military?" Feng Quji asked curiously.

Who in the world doesn't know how the Qin Dynasty conquered the world?
As important officials of the Qin Dynasty, they felt this even more deeply.

Xiao Yu glanced at everyone. Wei Liaozi was expressionless, Li Si was deep in thought, and the rest were mostly puzzled.

"Let me tell you a story. Well, it's a little story from the Northern Wilderness Sand Dune Tribe in the complete collection of 'Qi Shadow Technique' by Yu Fengxian."

(End of this chapter)