Daqin Zhentiansi

Chapter 526 Collecting All Buddhist Cultivators to Reshape the Demon-Suppressing Pillar

"How, how could this be, how could this be..." Inside the sprawling mansion, the old man in the green robe stared blankly at the words on the giant stele in the sky, his righteous power surging uncontrollably.

"The sages continued their lost learning, bringing peace to all generations. The sages continued their lost learning, bringing peace to all generations..." The old man stared blankly at the sky, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Snapped--"

He slapped himself hard across the face, slid off the seat, and fell to the ground.

The middle-aged man in the brocade robe rushed forward and grabbed his collar.

"Father, Father, what's wrong with you—"

The middle-aged man in the brocade robe was truly panicked.

His Sun family is a prestigious family in the imperial city, with connections and resources accumulated over five generations.

The Sun family today is supported by his father, Sun Yuanwen, the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

If anything were to happen to his father, the Sun family would either fall from grace or suffer a severe downfall.

“Oh, Sun Shun, I was wrong, I was wrong…” Sun Yuanwen, who had collapsed to the ground, was in tears.

"Back when I was at the Imperial Academy, I was also filled with righteous spirit, a master of Confucianism and Taoism, and everyone respected me."

“But over the years, I, Sun Yuanwen, have been mediocre and have forgotten my original aspirations. I only focus on vying for fame and fortune and maintaining the prosperity of the family.”

"I was wrong, I was really wrong..."

Sun Yuanwen muttered something under his breath, causing the middle-aged man in the brocade robe to tremble all over.

"Father, you, you can't be hurt. We, we'll move out of the capital. Our Sun family will move."

……

Outside the Zhen Tian Si (镇天司), inside the pavilion.

Those in charge of various factions who had been stationed there were all dumbfounded and pale-faced.

They're all shrewd people; how could they not see the current situation?

The relentless pressure on the Zhen Tian Si, and the impending civil-military conflict, all vanished without a trace after the four lines of text appeared on the giant stele in the sky.

Based on the words of the sages inscribed on this giant stele, from this day forward, the literary world of Qin has a master, and Zhang Hengqu's every word and deed is that of a living sage.

From this day forward, all major Confucian and Taoist affairs in the world will be decided by Zhang Hengqu's single word.

The key point is that Zhang Hengqu's extraordinary insights today were all inspired by Zhang Qingyang.

Zhang Hengqu gained this insight only because of the inquiry from the Marquis of Qingyang. The Marquis of Qingyang even made sure everyone saw that he was asking Zhang Hengqu with the respect due to a disciple.

From this day forward, the affairs of the Marquis of Qingyang are Zhang Hengqu's affairs!

If anyone in the world wants to harm the Marquis of Qingyang, you should first ask Zhang Hengqu.

"Impressive, truly impressive..." The old man in black robes sitting at the table spoke softly, his eyes filled with disappointment.

The Imperial Academy is the Imperial Academy, and the Heavenly Guard is the Heavenly Guard. Today's matter only involves Zhang Hengqu and Marquis Qingyang.

However, on a personal level, Marquis Qingyang and Zhang Hengqu were already bound together by a shared destiny, where one's fortunes were intertwined with the other's.

They each represent the pinnacle of the Qin Dynasty's civil and military prowess.

"Confucianism and Taoism have suppressed the world, and civil and military officials have joined forces. I'm afraid even His Majesty couldn't have imagined this outcome." In the Censorate, the Duke of Cheng shook his head with a sigh.

"The righteous and chivalrous Second Master Zhang, Zhang Qingyang's methods have always been about cooperation and mutual benefit," Marquis Changning Su Jing sighed softly.

From the moment he met Zhang Yuan, almost everyone who cooperated with Zhang Yuan benefited.

Those who valued and promoted Zhang Yuan almost all rose through the ranks.

Those who schemed against Zhang Yuan, were hostile to Zhang Yuan, and even attacked Zhang Yuan all seemed to meet a tragic end.

"Om-"

From the direction of the Imperial Academy, the surging, majestic energy transformed into layers of cloud platforms, supporting the giant stele in the sky and welcoming it towards the Imperial Academy.

With this stele standing, the Imperial Academy in the future will become the true holy land of literature and learning in the Qin Dynasty.

Not only the Qin Dynasty, but even Confucian and Taoist practitioners from Qingtian Continent would come to pay homage to this stele.

It was only the appearance of this stele that was able to suppress Qingtianzhou, which revered Confucianism and Taoism.

It should be noted that in Qingtianzhou, the Master was promoted to Grandmaster, becoming the first Confucian and Taoist Grandmaster in both continents.

After the Master's advancement, even Confucian and Taoist practitioners in Yongtian Continent regarded Bailu Mountain as a sacred place for Confucian and Taoist cultivation.

Countless eyes watched as the giant stele descended towards the Imperial Academy.

At this moment, a defensive array quietly rose in the direction of the Heavenly Suppression Division, blocking all divine soul probes.

There's no need to show it to outsiders.

I've seen everything I needed to see.

In the Zhen Tian Si, Zhang Yuan bowed and said loudly, "This student thanks Mr. Hengqu for answering my questions."

Zhang Hengqu looked at Zhang Yuan in front of him, sighed softly, and said in a low voice, "Qingyang, I understand your good intentions."

"Today I am greedy for your enlightenment; if there is an opportunity in the future, I, Zhang Hengqu, will surely repay you with that opportunity."

Zhang Yuan shook his head and said in a low voice, "For the sake of Great Qin."

For the sake of the Qin Dynasty.

Zhang Hengqu nodded slightly and said softly, "For the sake of Great Qin."

In the lobby, everyone looked at Zhang Yuan with completely different expressions.

The initial embarrassment and resistance of the students at the Imperial Academy vanished, replaced by awe and respect.

They had harbored resentment towards the Zhen Tian Si (Heavenly Suppression Bureau) because of their imprisonment, but after Zhang Yuan treated them to the flesh of a demonic dragon, ignited their passion with his vow of "never giving up," and helped the abbot reach the pinnacle of Confucianism and Taoism with four sacred sayings, the students no longer held any contempt in their eyes. Many clenched their fists, their eyes reddened, their throats bobbing but unable to utter a word—

They witnessed a grand event in literature and art that would be recorded in history, and the Marquis Wu before them became one of the driving forces behind it.

This shock forced the proud students to lower their heads and cast complex glances at Zhang Yuan with the respect due to disciples, a mixture of awe for the strong and shame for their own narrow-mindedness.

The instructors' expressions showed more fear and self-reflection.

They once regarded Zhang Yuan as a crude and vulgar warrior, and even secretly mocked him for currying favor with scholars.

But after experiencing this firsthand, they understood that Marquis Qingyang had already grasped the profound principles of Confucianism and Taoism, yet he was willing to relinquish this extraordinary opportunity.

Some instructors subconsciously straightened their clothes, as if trying to erase their earlier gluttonous behavior.

Many more people lowered their heads, avoiding Zhang Yuan's gaze, their fingertips unconsciously rubbing their bamboo chopsticks, a sudden realization churning within them about the absurdity of the "civil versus military" conflict—

It turns out that true strength doesn't require trampling on others to prove itself.

Gongsun Jingguan stared intently at Zhang Yuan's straight back. Her lips trembled slightly, and her previous sarcastic words about "being from the military guards" felt like sharp thorns backfiring.

Finally, she slumped down, her clenched fists slowly relaxing, and a hint of relief appeared on her usually tense face.

That was the scholar's submission to the truth, and even more so, a thorough understanding of the principle that "the great way is simple, and all paths lead to the same destination."

Baili Xi's chest heaved violently, and his eyes burned with intense heat.

The anxiety that had previously prevented him from speaking out due to concerns about damaging the reputation of the Marquis of Qingyang had transformed into an almost fanatical reverence.

Lei Ming and the military officers from the Zhen Tian Division behind him stood tall and proud, their faces glowing with health.

Their hands, gripping the knife handles tightly, no longer bulged with veins from tension; instead, they trembled with pride.

Every gaze in the lobby was like a mirror, reflecting Zhang Yuan's transformation.

Hostility turned into admiration, and suspicion into respect. The magnificent ending, with Zhang Yuan sacrificing his name for righteousness and Zhang Hengqu erecting a monument to commemorate the world, won everyone's heartfelt respect.

Zhang Yuan coughed lightly and turned to look at everyone.

"Gentlemen, Mr. Zhang just said he would like to ask for your help."

Upon hearing his words, Baili Xi clasped his hands in a fist salute and said loudly, "Lord Qingyang, please give your orders."

Even disregarding their prior agreement to help Zhang Yuan, the fact that Zhang Yuan had just guided the academy's headmaster, Mr. Hengqu, to comprehend the Great Dao and condense the inscriptions of the Great Dao sages, thus making the Imperial Academy a sacred place of literature and Taoism in the world, meant they couldn't refuse Zhang Yuan's request.

The others also bowed and looked at Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan nodded and said, "The runes on the Twenty-Eight Constellations Demon-Suppressing Copper Pillar in the Zhen Tian Division have rusted."

"I, Zhang, would like to ask the talented individuals of the Imperial Academy to help the Zhen Tian Division reshape the Demon-Suppressing Bronze Pillar."

Rebuild the Demon-Suppressing Bronze Pillar?

Zhang Yuan's words stunned everyone in the hall.

They never imagined that this was Zhang Yuan's request.

They considered Zhang Yuan's request to clear their names, even to cooperate with the Zhen Tian Si, and even to seek out students from the academy to teach at the Zhen Tian Si.

The only thing they hadn't expected was that Zhang Yuan had asked students from the Imperial Academy to teach them how to reshape the Demon-Suppressing Bronze Pillar.

"Lord Qingyang, the Demon-Suppressing Copper Pillar was forged during the heyday of the Immortal and Buddhist Path in the Great Qin Dynasty. Tens of thousands of years have passed, and the engraving technique has long been lost..." An old man with a white beard spoke in a low voice, his face full of regret.

“Our Zhen Tian Division’s Zhou Tian Library contains records of all the forging and engraving of the Demon-Suppressing Copper Pillar, as well as records of various engraving techniques.” Zhang Yuan looked up at the old man. “Mr. Du Yuan, if you have any questions, you can enter the Zhou Tian Library to consult the records at any time.”

The Zhou Tian Library of the Zhen Tian Division is considered on par with the Imperial Palace's library and the Imperial Academy's library, and its martial arts classics are unparalleled anywhere else in the world.

Such a precious place is actually open to students of the Imperial Academy?
What an incredible stroke of luck!

"Lord Qingyang, you...you recognize me, Du?" The white-bearded old man asked in a low voice, a look of surprise on his face.

Hearing his words, Zhang Yuan chuckled: "Not only Mr. Du Yuan, but I have already checked the information of all of you. You are all Confucian and Taoist elites who are proficient in seal engraving techniques."

"Otherwise, why would we have invited you all to the Heavenly Guard?"

please?
Please invite them to the Heavenly Court?
They've been locked up and starved for so many days, and this is what you call inviting them?
In the lobby, everyone's expression changed, but they were all speechless for a moment.

Zhang Yuan's sincerity is truly touching.

Who wouldn't be tempted by the opportunity to open the Zhou Tian Library?

"To show his sincerity, Zhang prepared a reward."

Zhang Yuan waved his hand, and several military officers from the Zhen Tian Si (Heavenly Guard) walked in carrying trays.

On the tray were jade plaques.

"This is a room token for the Imperial City. With this token, you can exchange it for a three-story pavilion in the inner three cities."

“Living in the imperial city is not easy. If you could have a pavilion like this in the inner city of the imperial city, it would be considered that you have roots in the imperial city.”

Zhang Yuan smiled, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before settling on Baili Xi.

"Brother Baili, your family is all in the outer city, right? If you had a house like this, your two children and your elderly mother could all come and live with you."

Baili Xi's lips twitched, his face flushed, and he clenched his fists as he looked at Zhang Hengqu, who had remained silent.

Ultimately, these matters still require Zhang Hengqu, the headmaster of the Imperial Academy, to speak up.

The others also looked at Zhang Hengqu, their eyes filled with eagerness.

Zhang Hengqu hesitated slightly before saying softly, "Besides casting and engraving, reshaping the Demon-Suppressing Copper Pillar also requires the infusion of Buddhist energy. Currently, on Yongtian Continent—"

"As long as Mr. Hengqu nods, within three days, 300,000 Heavenly Guards of the Zhen Tian Division will leave the Imperial City."

"Destroy the Liangyuan Domain."

"Collect all Buddhist practitioners from across the world to reshape the Demon-Suppressing Pillar."

(End of this chapter)