Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 162 The Heavenly Gang Discussion: Secrets of the Zhou Emperor

More and more people gathered near the tea stall, with many newcomers inquiring about the reason.

Those who witnessed the entire event were full of enthusiasm, vividly describing the swordsmanship that they had never seen before.

Some sword enthusiasts arrived too late and were filled with regret. They missed the chance to witness the magnificent and dangerous swordsmanship and could only inquire about the origins of the master swordsman.

Most people have already identified him as the Grand Commander of Jianghuai.

However, a few people say that the Emei sword immortals are of the same caliber. They went down the mountain to eliminate evil and bandits, and killed the three leaders of Black Wind Village. They are sword heroes.

Passersby heard the story and spread it far and wide, and the tale of the Emei Swordsman of Meishan County spread far and wide.

Later, Liu Ziji, a local storyteller from Hongduji, heard about this story and felt proud. He traveled around seeking advice and listened to many versions of the story. He then compiled and collected them, and finally wrote a book called "The Legend of the Swordsman of Emei".

That is the story of Zhou Juxia of Mount Emei.
……

“The area around Hongduji is rich in bamboo, so there is also Pitong wine here, but it is not as famous as the wine from Pixian County. Some of the Pitong wine from Longxinghe comes from this place, but in order to raise prices and make profits, it does not use the name of this place.”

Zhou Yi listened to her words and simply said that this was standard procedure.

"What you really want to ask is how to measure the cups of Pi Tong wine."

Shi Qingxuan did not respond immediately, but walked towards the shop with the wine flag in the town.

I bought a pot of wine and asked for directions.

Although she grew up in Sichuan and Chongqing, she lived in seclusion in a small valley for many years and was not so familiar with it after leaving Chengdu.

I followed the path the woodcutter pointed out, but I ended up getting lost.

Only by finding the right direction and relying on his superb lightness skills was he able to descend the mountain.

Now that we're close to Yuan Tiangang's location, even though we know the direction, it's still better to ask first.

The wine shop clerk placed the long ladle over the edge of the wine jar, then pointed west as he left.
“Follow the main road straight out of the town, and then go upstream along the river. When you see a large bamboo forest, you will have arrived at Minxi Village.”

"Thank you."

After Shi Qingxuan left the shop, Zhou Yi took the wine gourd she handed him.

The cork was sealed tightly, but it couldn't hide the taste of the wine.

"This is also Pitong wine, but it's not as good as the one you tasted at Qingzhu Xiaozhu."

Zhou Yi shook the gourd; it was full and made almost no sound.

Then I looked back.

The group from Duzunbao kept a distance, trailing behind.

According to Hou Xibai, the old steward of Duzun Fort should deliver Ning Sanren's letter to Yuan Tiangang.

This must have happened many days ago.

At this time, they were still staying in Meishan County when they were besieged by the Tuyuhun and other powerful bandits, which was extremely strange.

Unable to figure it out, Zhou Yi didn't take the initiative to pay attention to them.

If this old steward surnamed Zheng is completely obedient to Jie Hui, then talking to him any further is a waste of breath.

Following the directions given by the wine shop clerk, the two found the large bamboo forest along a tributary of the Minjiang River. Behind the forest, villages rose and fell in undulating hills, and the occasional crowing of roosters and barking of dogs could be heard.

Zhou Yi didn't enter the village. Instead, he walked to the riverbank, picked two water bamboo stalks about half the size of a bowl, uprooted them, and stirred them in the water to shake off the sand and mud.

Cut off the cleaned bamboo root and use a sword to carve out a natural hollow.

He wielded his sword with the speed of the wind, vividly etching the outline in his mind.

In a short while, the two sections of bamboo root shrank from large to small, and the haphazardly spread roots were cleaned up.

Zhou Yi reached out and presented a pair of bamboo root cups made from water bamboo roots in his palm.

Uncork the wine, tap it gently with your hand, and use your inner energy to force the wine into the cup. The aroma and fragrance of the wine are secondary. His frost-like coldness condenses in the wine, and wisps of icy mist float around the edge of the bamboo cup, creating a great artistic effect.

Shi Qingxuan took the glass, her eyes reflecting the smoky, icy hue of the wine:

"No wonder the Yellow River Gang's drinking masters can't beat you in a drinking contest. Such wine is almost too good to drink."

Zhou Yi explained in a very serious manner:

"Bamboo roots naturally possess three parts bitterness and seven parts coolness, which can perfectly dispel the turbid fragrance of 'new bamboo shoots wrapped in spring mud' in Pitong wine. If you look into the cup, you will see amber wine stains at the bottom of this bamboo cup. Every time the wine is shaken, it appears faint and indistinct, like the sword intent that is difficult for a master swordsman to capture."

"Therefore, when drinking from this cup with Pi Tong wine, the aroma is already noticeable before the wine even enters the throat. And once swallowed, it adds to one's heroic spirit."

He spoke eloquently, but after Shi Qingxuan drank the wine and savored it, what struck her most was the icy feeling it gave her.

As for the rest, they're not that amazing.
She smiled knowingly, her eyes sparkling with wisdom, but her tone carried a hint of irony, as if she had just seen through the truth:
"The Grand Commander's brilliance lies in the fact that what is clearly an ordinary flavor, after being influenced by your suggestion, seems to have a different taste. Hmm, this is what you call 'interest'."

Zhou Yi smiled. This was purely made up by him; it couldn't possibly change the taste of the wine.

However, he remained calm even after being exposed.

"Life is full of fun. Without this, Miss Shi would not be interested in living in seclusion in the secluded forest."

Shi Qingxuan was about to reply when the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from Daminxi Village.

Then came a woman's shouting.

Did we run into thieves again?

As he thought this, a lean, black-clad man appeared before him, carrying a fish basket and fishing rod, riding a fast horse.

The woman behind her chased after them with light-footed skill, shouting in a Sichuan accent:

"He Qiang, you get back here right now!"

The man didn't even turn his head, urging his horse onward, and galloped past the two men in a flash.

He turned out to be a fisherman who was never home.

Zhou Yi gestured to the couple and said to Shi Qingxuan, "This is also part of the fun of life."

"Grand Commander, you chase after the Sui deer and vie for supremacy. Do you share the same interests as those emperors?"

The girl's eyelashes fluttered slightly, like butterfly wings skimming across the surface of a lake of thought, creating subtle ripples. Her gaze was fixed on Zhou Yi's face, completely focused.

"Indeed, one wields power over the world when awake, and rests on the lap of a beautiful woman when drunk."

Zhou Yi said seriously, "Isn't this good?"

"That's good, but you need to make some changes. Emperors are always lonely. No matter how close they seem on the surface, they will always create a sense of distance. The way you are now, people would be more convinced if you were a swordsman from Mount Emei."

Zhou Yi shook his head: "I'm different from them because I don't need to be suspicious."

Shi Qingxuan noticed that the serious expression he had been putting on had disappeared.

"To be honest, I don't actually crave power, and I'm even more afraid of trouble. It's just that there are some things I can't stand to see, and my mind is not clear, so I went to chase after the Sui throne. If the world were as peaceful as Sichuan and Chongqing, I would have hidden away in a Taoist temple to practice my skills long ago."

Shi Qingxuan was surprised to hear such thoughts from him, but it didn't seem like he was lying.

“If the Grand Commander truly thinks this way, then he is a true Celestial Master.”

Zhou Yi didn't answer, so she asked curiously, "Are you really afraid of trouble?"

"Of course, but it depends on what kind of trouble it is."

"How to divide?"

"For example, there are many troubles in Sichuan and Chongqing this time, which is annoying, but after meeting Miss Shi and having the opportunity to travel to Emei Mountain together and point out the misty mountains, the troubles in Sichuan and Chongqing are nothing."

Shi Qingxuan smiled lightly, her eyebrows curving upwards:

"In terms of deceiving people, the ancient emperors and grand commanders were far inferior, well, they couldn't even come close."

Although she said that, she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips, and it gradually took on a sweetness that she didn't usually have.

Perhaps the wine shop owner secretly added maltose to the wine.

The two walked and talked, occasionally drinking alcohol.

The bamboo forest in front of the village seems to have gained an air of romance and art.

As a result, none of the five people from Duzunbao following behind dared to go up and disturb them.

Upon reaching the village entrance, he finished off the entire gourd of wine.

Zheng Zong touched the wound on his arm. Seeing that they were asking for directions, the old steward finally couldn't help but walk up to them quickly.

"Grand Governor."

Zheng Zong greeted them respectfully, and the other four men followed suit.

Zhou Yi didn't have a good impression of Xie Hui, but he didn't take his anger out on the people under him.

"You gentlemen have been following behind me the whole time, but what instructions does Lord Jie have for me?"

"Don't dare."

Zheng Zong hurriedly explained, "My lord has been waiting for the Grand Commander's arrival, and the people of Duzun Fort have no ill intentions towards the Grand Commander."

"That's not necessarily the case."

Zhou Yi didn't mince words: "Initially, I planned to visit Duzun Fort, but your fort is now filled with distinguished guests from all directions, many of whom are my rivals from Jianghuai. Do you expect me to go to your fort and share a meal with these people?"

"It's clear that Lord Jie doesn't understand me well enough, and doesn't know how I treat my enemies."

He glanced at the five people, and even Old Steward Zheng didn't dare to meet his eyes.

These threatening words were unfamiliar to the five people, as they had never encountered anyone in Bashu who dared to make such a threat to Duzun Fort before.

However, within a month or so, two people had already stopped taking Duzun Fort seriously.

One is the owner of the coffin palace, and the other is the person standing before us.

They had witnessed that terrifying swordsmanship in the teahouse earlier, and now that the other party was speaking ill of them, they dared not get angry, only feeling uneasy and chilled.

Zheng Zong was an old acquaintance of Xie Hui and knew everything about the Duzun Fort.

Therefore, his worries were no less than those of the four people beside him.

Especially upon seeing that extremely young face before him, his resolve regarding the fortress lord was greatly shaken.

So he lowered his head and said:
"The Grand Commander has misunderstood. Duzun Fort is merely extending hospitality to these visitors and has not made any alliance or agreement with them."

Zhou Yi stopped him:

"These things will be discussed at the alliance meeting of the three families of Bashu."

Zheng Zong dared not argue further and changed the subject: "This old man knows where Master Yuan lives and can guide the Grand Commander."

"Lead the way."

Yuan Tiangang said he was in Minxi Village, but his residence was in a remote area, and he had already walked to the back of the village along a small path that led all the way down the mountain.

In the distance, I saw a thatched house surrounded by stone walls.

To the right of the stone wall, there was a dirt road about five feet wide that led to the back of the mountain. Several woodcutters were carrying firewood down the mountain, and I couldn't help but glance at them a few more times as I passed by.

Looking to the left, a winding, clear river meanders by like a jade belt, with tall, gnarled pines along its banks, poised to welcome visitors.

A birdcage hangs on a pine branch, and a sparrow hops back and forth.

Below is a stone table and four large stones serving as stools.

Two children were sitting and playing with pebbles. Their hair was tied into two little buns on either side of their heads. They looked to be no more than children, full of innocence.

When Zhou Yi saw them, he couldn't help but think of Xia Shuyanqiu, and he missed her very much.

Steward Zheng knew the way well and went to the pine tree to ask the boy for directions:
"Child, is Master Yuan at home?"

The older child answered, "No."

The shorter child chimed in, "Master Yuan went to gather herbs."

He pointed to the back mountain: "It's in this mountain. The herb grows deep in the clouds. You've been here many times. If you can't wait, you can go up the mountain to look for it."

Zheng Zong had anticipated this, so he was not disappointed.

"Grand Commander, we will not be able to see Master Yuan today."

Zhou Yi finally understood: they weren't lingering there, but rather they hadn't seen anyone.

"Did you deliver the letter that Lord Jie asked you to deliver?"

Zheng Zong was slightly taken aback, then touched his chest: "It's still on this old man."

He then cupped his hands in greeting and said:
"Grand Commander, please come another day. Master Yuan's whereabouts are uncertain; he may be practicing his skills in the mountains and we don't know when he will come down. Grand Commander, you have saved our lives. Please allow us to prepare some wine and water in the market town outside as a token of our gratitude."

Zhou Yi didn't care at all: "No need to bother, I didn't kill those people to save you."

"For such a fleeting encounter, a bowl of tea is enough."

Having said that, without giving Zheng Zong a chance to speak, he stepped over to the two children:

"Little one, has Fellow Daoist Yuan said when he will descend the mountain?"

The child who was picking up pebbles exclaimed "Eh!" upon hearing this, and turned to look at Zhou Yi carefully.

Then, they looked at each other, as if they had confirmed something.

To the dismay of the group from Duzunbao, the two children who had previously ignored them suddenly stood up from the stone bench.

He straightened his robes, then bowed deeply in the traditional disciple's salute, saying, "Celestial Master."

"Are you disciples of Fellow Daoist Yuan?"

Zhou Yi watched them with great interest.

The two children shook their heads in unison: "No, we used to have a strange, incurable disease. Master Yuan saved us. He usually instructed us to stand guard at the door for him."

"Before he climbed the mountain, he instructed us that the Celestial Master would come to this place and that we should be careful."

The two children were talking back and forth.

They also mentioned that they recognized Zhou Yi from his words and appearance.

The young friend who addresses me as "fellow Daoist" is also exceptionally handsome and easy to recognize.

"I see. So, Fellow Daoist Yuan, do you want me to wait here, or do you want to go up the mountain to search?"

"Please wait a moment, Celestial Master."

The tall child stood on the stone bench, took the birdcage off the pine branch, lifted the lid, and released the grayish tits inside.

Having witnessed the psychic hawk of the northern desert, it is not surprising to see this sparrow soaring into the mountains.

Seeing this, the old steward of Duzun Fort felt even more disappointed.

These highly accomplished Taoist masters are usually carefree and unconventional, and they are not embarrassed if they cannot find anyone.

Unexpectedly, it turned out that his family's Duzunbao was not prestigious enough.

They had made arrangements beforehand, leaving behind a spirit bird to guide the way.

Yuan Tiangang was proficient in divination and physiognomy, and was also incredibly accurate in judging people by their appearance. He was also knowledgeable in astronomy and the calendar, and could identify stars and observe unusual phenomena.

Once the tortoise shell is unearthed, in conjunction with Taoist teachings, it often foretells omens that are difficult for ordinary people to see.

The people from Duzun Fort knew his extraordinary abilities and couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Yuan Tiangang's attitude towards this Grand Commander was completely different. What does this tell us?
Zheng Zong thought that his lord seemed to have received some omens from the sacred land of martial arts.

It is evident that the omens associated with Buddhism and Taoism differ.

Larks are spiritual beings, but their comings and goings take a certain amount of time.

Surprisingly, not long after the sparrow flew away, a Taoist priest in a green robe came down the mountain.

Two children rushed to greet them.

Everyone stared intently. The Taoist priest looked to be around fifty years old, but his long hair was silver-white and loosely tied into a Taoist bun with a jujube wood hairpin, with a few strands of hair hanging down in front of his forehead.

He spotted Zhou Yi at a glance and couldn't help but smile.

The smile lines at the corners of his eyes held the marks of half a lifetime of hardship, yet his eyes were like a clear mountain spring, bright and clear.

Those eyes seemed to be able to see clearly the purity and turbidity of the world.

"Fellow Daoist Yuan."

Zhou Yi greeted him with a smile, and Old Master Yuan also cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "Celestial Master."

Seeing that he didn't seem like a rigid person, Zhou Yi joked:

“Fellow Daoist Songyinzi often speaks of Fellow Daoist Yuan’s wonders. Today I have witnessed them firsthand. Even the lark that Fellow Daoist raises is so amazing, coming and going like lightning.”

"Ha ha."

Yuan Tiangang chuckled twice: "It's not that the lark is fast, but that the old Taoist priest is accurate in his calculations."

"Today I was meditating in the mountains when I suddenly felt the pure air of Mount Emei rising steadily, while the turbid air disappeared into the ground. I found this strange, so I cast a divination."

"Having divined 'A flying dragon in the sky, it is advantageous to see a great man,' I knew a highly accomplished person was approaching, so I descended the mountain ahead of time." "How is your understanding of the *I Ching*, old Taoist? Does it still meet the Celestial Master's standards?"

Zhou Yi waved his hand: "I wouldn't dare to presume to teach someone my own lesson."

Master Yuan stroked his long beard and asked solemnly, "The Great Sui Dynasty was powerful, with many capable generals and ministers, and its counties and prefectures were well-stocked with grain. Yet, in the blink of an eye, the whole country was in turmoil and the world was in chaos. What is your opinion, Celestial Master?"

Zhou Yi didn't mention Yang Guang, but calmly said, "The vast天地 (heaven and earth) have no end. The sun and moon cycle endlessly."

Yuan Tiangang nodded repeatedly; these words resonated with him.

Then he turned to look at the people from Duzun Fortress, his face showing goodwill: "Did Fortress Master Jie send a few people?"

"Exactly."

Zheng Zong took out the letter: "This letter was written by Ning Sanren. Please take a look, Master Yuan."

Yuan Tiangang received the letter and opened it in front of him.

After he finished reading it, he casually handed it to Zhou Yi.

The old steward, Zheng, was stunned. The two seemed to be meeting for the first time, yet they appeared to have a very good relationship.

When Zhou Yi took a look, it was his first time having contact with Ning Sanren.

Ning Sanren's letter was nothing special; it only mentioned three things.

First, they hadn't seen each other for a long time, and they reminisced about old times, their words very sincere.

Furthermore, there was a hope that the people would be free from hardship and that Sichuan and Chongqing could avoid the ravages of war.

Although he wasn't on the same side as Ning Sanren, Zhou Yi believed that what he said wasn't just empty talk. This top Taoist master had unparalleled martial arts skills, yet he had never killed anyone in his entire life.

Thirdly, he advised Yuan Tiangang to visit Duzun Fort.

After careful consideration, Zhou Yi realized that Ning Sanren wasn't asking Yuan Tiangang to take sides, nor did he express support for anyone in the letter. He simply suggested that Yuan Tiangang meet with Xie Hui.

Whether Jie Hui can persuade Yuan Tiangang is beyond Ning Sanren's control.

However, this letter was still very useful.

Yuan Tiangang would most likely give him face.

"I have heard that the three major powers of Bashu are going to hold a new council. This matter concerns the fate of Bashu. I will visit Duzun Fort on the day of the council meeting. Please pass on this message."

The old Taoist priest remained calm and composed, and Zheng Zong sighed inwardly, thinking to himself, "Just as I thought."

Zhou Yi smiled. Old Yuan is really clever; he knows how to pick his timing.

On the day of the Bashu Parliament meeting, there was a lot of commotion, and no time for private chats.

In this way, he didn't have any interaction with Jie Hui, but he still gave face according to Ning Sanren's letter.

Master Yuan is indeed Master Yuan.

"Yes."

Zheng Zong had no choice but to clasp his hands in response.

Yuan Tiangang then said, "I just heard from the two children that you have been waiting for many days. I feel bad about it, so I cast a divination and gave it to the fortress master. Please help me take it back."

After speaking, he used the I Ching to divine, discarding the tortoise shell and obtaining the Qian hexagram.

Old Steward Zheng couldn't understand it, and seeing that he had finished the divination, he hurriedly asked, "Master Yuan, what is the interpretation?"

Yuan Tiangang said, "A virtuous person is constantly diligent and cautious, and at night he is always vigilant and prudent, so he will be free from danger."

The outcome of "no blame" in this hexagram is not a natural result, but entirely dependent on choice. If one is not careful enough and makes the wrong choice, it will lead to disastrous consequences.

The old Taoist stroked his beard and advised, "Master Jie, think thrice before you act."

He not only offered divination, but also drove away guests.

Zheng Zong understood perfectly well. He took his leave and left with four burly men.

After walking a hundred steps, I couldn't help but stop and look back.

The Grand Commander and Yuan Tiangang were already chatting and laughing together.

At this moment, the old housekeeper was somewhat overwhelmed, his feelings completely different from when he left Chengdu.

So he asked his trusted brothers:
"Leaving aside the Liang and Xi Qin families within the fortress, between the Li clan and the Jianghuai clan, if you had to choose, who would you choose?"

The four of them fell silent for a moment, realizing that it was inappropriate to discuss it privately.

But Steward Zheng was a trusted confidant of the fortress lord, and since he had asked such a question, there was nothing to hide.

“Old Zheng, if you had asked before, you would have hesitated. Now, of course, you should choose the Grand Commander of Jianghuai.”

"Why?"

The burly man who was least injured showed a look of fear: "If the three leaders of Black Wind Stronghold couldn't withstand a single sword strike, neither can we. Elder Zheng should advise the fortress master that even if no one supports him, he shouldn't stand against the Jianghuai Army."

"Yes!"

The other three echoed in unison.

Zheng Zong slapped his head; Yuan Tiangang's attitude made him even more worried.

There was also a struggle over the lineage of Daoist traditions. Yuan Tiangang had already abandoned Ning Sanren and chosen the future number one Daoist.

This man's temperament is completely different from Ning Sanren's.

"I can only explain the situation of Meishan County to the Lord of the Fortress, but I cannot change the Lord of the Fortress's will."

One person suggested, "Old Zheng can inform the young master and his wife about this matter, and they can persuade the master."

"Yes."

Zheng Zong glanced at the four people and thought to himself, "You don't know anything about the inside story."

However, considering that even the young master of the fortress had some objections, this was indeed a good idea.

"Let's go, hurry back to Chengdu."

The group returned along the same route, without looking back.
Zhou Yi and Yuan Tiangang had a very pleasant conversation, and the first thing they talked about was Song Yinzi, who could be considered the link between the two.

The moment Master Song was mentioned, the awkwardness between them quickly disappeared.

When Zhou Yi asked about the divination he had just received, he had a feeling that Yuan Tiangang had deliberately left a message for Steward Zheng.

But from what he said, the divination was done on a whim.

“If I had gone to Duzun Fort earlier, Jiehui would have told me about fate, because Fellow Daoist Ning had mentioned it before.”

Master Yuan looked at him and asked, "Does the Celestial Master believe in human destiny?"

Zhou Yi took the tea handed to him by the boy and said, "I should say that the Azure Heaven is dead and the Yellow Heaven shall rise. But in terms of human destiny, I would rather mention Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, who said, 'Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?'"

"A person's fate should not be determined by heaven, but by themselves."

After Zhou Yi finished speaking, he smiled and looked at the old Taoist who was deep in thought: "Fellow Taoist is skilled in physiognomy. What do you think of my face?"

Yuan Tiangang's brows furrowed as he stared intently at Zhou Yi's face: "I see you're destined for many romantic entanglements."

"Haha, fellow Daoist, just compliment me on my good looks."

Zhou Yi laughed somewhat shamelessly.

Shi Qingxuan, who was listening attentively, couldn't help but laugh. How did these two Taoist masters end up talking about "peach blossoms"?

"The Celestial Master's state of mind is beyond physiognomy. The so-called Great Derivation of Fifty and Heavenly Derivation of Forty-Nine, the one that has been hidden can never be divined."

Yuan Tiangang ignored his face and instead looked at the girl beside him.

"This young lady has disguised herself, so her face is unrecognizable."

After speaking, he stroked his beard and sighed with a smile: "I consider myself to have some skill in physiognomy, but I have suffered repeated setbacks today."

Then, he discussed with Zhou Yi in detail how to read faces.

As we chatted, the topic turned to the Book of Changes (I Ching).

Yuan Tiangang brought up classic texts, and Zhou Yi immediately responded with his own. The two talked more and more profoundly, getting into the zone, and before they knew it, the conversation had extended to swordsmanship.

This old Taoist priest, Yuan, carried a long sword on his back. Although he was not obsessed with martial arts, he was highly talented and had developed a wonderful swordsmanship.

He originally used the Book of Changes to explain martial arts, but Zhou Yi introduced the concept of "the one that has been hidden away".

Through the exchange of their martial arts insights, they came to regard "unpredictable variables" and "a glimmer of hope in desperate situations" as the core essence of their swordsmanship.

The sword techniques being studied at this moment are no longer focused on the power of fixed moves.

Rather, it lies in precisely capturing and utilizing that one and only "missing element" within seemingly impeccable circumstances—the opponent's offensive, environmental constraints, and even one's own limitations.

That is, the weakness, the opportunity, and the winning point.

Zhou Yi was in high spirits and proposed that "it is formless and without appearance, but exists in the mind."

Yuan Tiangang extended the concept to "arriving first after starting later, seizing opportunities."

Following his line of thought, Zhou Yi proposed the idea that "changes are endless, and one should adapt to change."

Yuan Tiangang picked up a fallen leaf, a tiny element in the environment, yet it revealed the principle of "finding life in dire straits, a glimmer of hope" in swordsmanship.

Shi Qingxuan, who had been listening in the background, finally witnessed what it meant for Taoist masters to discuss the Dao.

Once the two got into the zone, they completely forgot about the passage of time.

Even as the sun set, they seemed to still have endless topics to discuss.

Unfortunately, she only listened for fun and wasn't interested in the study of martial arts.

Little did she know, this was an opportunity that no swordsman in the world could ever hope to obtain in their entire lives. If those swordsmen knew about her fate and character, they would probably be consumed with envy, regret, and hatred.

After the discussion, Zhou Yi paced back and forth in the courtyard and proposed an idea.
“Fellow Daoist Yuan, according to the sword technique we just discussed, once one reaches an extremely high spiritual realm, the swordsman’s mind becomes clear and almost ‘selfless.’ Perhaps then, one can more clearly ‘sensor’ the subtle ‘mechanisms’ and ‘changes’ in the operation of all things in the world, just like a diviner communicating with the heavens and the earth.”

Yuan Tiangang looked surprised and then gazed at Zhou Yi with deep admiration: "This will be the most perfect Yi in swordsmanship."

“Yes.” Zhou Yi nodded. “This is the unity of mind and sword, sensing the heavens and earth.”

As they talked, each of them had something on their mind.

They stopped there. Shi Qingxuan suggested having dinner, and Zhou Yi readily agreed.

After dinner, they talked late into the night by candlelight.

However, instead of continuing the discussion on martial arts, Zhou Yi steered the conversation toward the Evil Emperor Temple and the Evil Emperor's Relic.

Yuan Tiangang asked, "Do you know where the Evil Emperor's relic came from?"

Zhou Yidao:
"It is said that Xie Bo, the first evil emperor, accidentally discovered the burial objects in an ancient tomb from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods while searching for a set of silk manuscripts on medicine. The tomb was located in the ancient state of Qi, and was grand and magnificent, with extremely luxurious burial objects."

"When Xie Bo discovered the Evil Emperor's Relic, it was placed under the back of the neck of the tomb owner's head. It was covered with bloodstains and was crystal clear and mottled. Because of its crystalline and translucent nature, it was classified as yellow crystal."

Yuan Tiangang nodded, but then pressed on, "Then, before the first Evil Emperor Xie Bo discovered the relic, where did the tomb owner obtain it from?"

Zhou Yi fell into deep thought.

He dared not say that there was only one relic, so how could a fake relic attract the four people, including Zhou Laotan, to fight over it?

Perhaps the crystal is real, but...
However, it lacks the vital energy that was infused into the dynasties of evil emperors throughout history, thus making it seem fake.

As Zhou Yi pondered, Shi Qingxuan, quite intrigued, speculated, "The relic originated from the ancient state of Qi, a vassal state enfeoffed by the Zhou emperor. Could the relic have come from the Zhou emperor himself?"

"Zhou Tianzi was a descendant of the Yellow Emperor, and Guang Chengzi was the Yellow Emperor's teacher, so they had a better chance of coming into contact with the relic yellow crystal."

Yuan Tiangang smiled and said, "My seniors in the Daoist sect also share the same thoughts as you. Moreover, their opinions have been confirmed to some extent."

Zhou Yi didn't need to ask.

Yuan Tiangang returned to the house, and soon after, he retrieved a yellow crystal ball.

It's not very big, just the right size to fit in the palm of your hand, and it doesn't look particularly special.

"Xie Bo obtained the one from the ancient Qi Kingdom, while this one comes from the ancient Shu Kingdom. However, it has no use and contains no primordial essence."

Zhou Yi was immediately drawn to the yellow crystal ball.

This thing is probably real.

So this is the fake relic that Miss Shi used to deceive Old Man Zhou into believing.

"The ancient Shu Kingdom."

Shi Qingxuan's calmly listening eyes suddenly lit up: "Could it be that the Zhou emperor, in his enfeoffment, used this yellow crystal ball as a token similar to the He Shi Bi jade, to give to the feudal lords? And the Zhou emperor succeeded the Yellow Emperor, who in turn succeeded Guang Chengzi, so..."

Zhou Yi continued, "Then the relic came from the Temple of the God of War."

"It is said that the Temple of the God of War is located deep underground, forming its own space. Guang Chengzi comprehended the mysteries of the universe within it. When he returned to the surface, he taught the Yellow Emperor the secret of longevity, and it is quite possible that he also brought out the yellow crystal stone from underground."

"This also explains why such amazing things exist in the world."

Yuan Tiangang nodded repeatedly; both of them were intelligent men.

Zhou Yi asked, puzzled, "Where did you obtain this relic, fellow Daoist?"

“It’s deep underground in the Evil Emperor’s Temple.”

Yuan Tiangang recalled: "The Evil Emperor Temple is a site of the ancient Shu Kingdom. A large tomb was once discovered there, which is somewhat similar to the relic of the ancient Qi Kingdom. Later, many generations of Evil Emperors stayed here."

Hearing him say that, Zhou Yi was taken aback.

I suddenly thought of Xiang Yutian.

Old Xiang can shatter the void, yet he still lingers there and has even been to the Evil Emperor's Temple. What does he want to do?
Thinking about it this way, it's like making an amazing discovery.

Zhou Yi immediately pressed further: "What else is beneath the Evil Emperor Temple?"

Yuan Tiangang said, "There are many Mohist mechanisms."

Shi Qingxuan nodded slightly: "I obtained my Mo family's mechanical manual from below."

The lineage of the Holy Ultimate Sect originated from the Mohist school, which corresponds to the two men's words.

"What's wrong?" The girl didn't understand why his emotions were fluctuating so much.

"No."

Zhou Yi casually replied, "Besides the ancient Shu Kingdom ruins, have you ever heard of any other places with similar relics?"

"I'm not sure about that."

Yuan Tiangang shook his head helplessly: "However, there are some traces of the activities of the evil emperors throughout history."

"They appeared in Chang'an many times, and..."

"Liuma Plain".

Ruma Plain!!
Zhou Yi was jolted awake, as if he had suddenly realized something.

Liuma Plain, isn't that where Jingyan Palace is located? Although the Temple of War is underground, it can move.

It once appeared beneath the Jingyan Palace.

In other words, Xiang Yutian is most likely searching for the Temple of War!

For someone like him, the only things that could attract him were probably the forty-nine sculptures and the guardian dragon outside the Temple of War.

Lao Xiang is indeed ambitious.

Zhou Yi smiled, feeling relieved, as he had figured things out.

But then a sudden inspiration struck him, and he sat up straight.

Chang'an?

This refers to Haojing, the capital of the Zhou Dynasty, which served as the capital for three hundred years.

The relics of the evil emperor of the ancient Qi Kingdom are in Chang'an at this time.

Yang Gong's treasure trove, and Old Lu, the king of secrecy.
Zhou Yi narrowed his eyes slightly, the lines at the corners of his eyes tightening as he pondered, and a sharp glint unconsciously flashed in his gaze.

Seeing Zhou Yi staring at the relic, Yuan Tiangang smiled.

"This thing is useless to me, and I can't infuse it with my vital energy like the Evil Extreme Sect does, so I'll give it to the Celestial Master."

Zhou Yi gathered his thoughts and didn't refuse, taking it without hesitation.

The moment he received the yellow crystal ball, he was greatly shocked!

at the same time,

Inside and outside Chengdu, many veterans felt their hearts skip a beat.

At the mortuary in the north of the city, terrifying demonic energy rose up.

"It's appeared! The relic is in Sichuan!!"

……

(End of this chapter)