Devouring Evil Martial Arts, Eliminating Demons from All Heavens

Chapter 177 The Flowing Clouds of Ancient and Modern Times Cannot Be Tolerated

The main altar of Liuyun Prefecture is located in Luoyang City.

The mansion has stone archways and tall buildings on all four sides, supporting a vast open sky.

The courtyard is deep and secluded, with artificial hills, bamboo groves, and a small lake. Its scale is so large that it seems to be half a city, and the mansion has more than a thousand rooms.

There were also halls and pavilions for receiving guests and discussing matters, pavilions for stargazing and sightseeing, and waterside pavilions for dancing and playing the sheng (a type of reed pipe instrument). Guests and servants, dressed in robes, were as numerous as clouds.

Almost all the halls here have names, but a few places that the Lord of Liuyun Mansion prefers, because he often visits and lives there in a leisurely and carefree manner, are not named.

They simply use common terms like "study" or "quiet room".

Today, on the flower-lined path outside the quiet room, two people, guided by a group of servants, slowly approached.

Sunlight shines on the flowers and grass, making them brightly colored and fragrant.

"In the past few months, the Lord of the Manor has often been in seclusion cultivating, focusing all his energy on martial arts. I haven't seen him so concerned about a single martial art in ten years!"

The speaker was no more than forty years old, with a broad face, short beard, and a purple robe. He was Xiang Tanzhong, the head of the Shengren Hall of Liuyun Prefecture.

The other person, dressed in silver satin clothing, was handsome and tall; he was Ye Zongsheng, the head of the Bingrong Hall.

The former is in charge of personnel within Liuyun Mansion and controls promotions and demotions, making him the most powerful figure in the mansion, second only to the Lord of Liuyun Mansion.

The latter was a fierce general who joined Liuyun Prefecture when he was just over ten years old. Over the past ten years, he had made outstanding military achievements, commanded respect, and was in charge of military affairs.

"Practicing martial arts more will only bring benefits, not harm."

Ye Zongsheng said, "Master Xiang, you have already cultivated your Kunlun Heart Sutra to the point where it has gone from sharp to dull, and has become a state of profound nourishment and longevity."

"I've noticed that in the past two years, no matter how you handle things, you always seem energetic. You can stay up for two or three days without getting tired."

"If you practice for a few more years, you may gradually have the effect of preserving your youth and regaining the appearance of someone in their thirties. I wish you all the best in advance."

Xiang Tanzhong smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words."

"However, I've often thought about this in recent years: how high does one have to go to be considered a master?"

Xiang Tanzhong said, "The real skill is being able to cultivate health and prolong life."

"The Lord's martial arts are already the best in the world. His past cultivation methods are not compatible with that sword technique. Why bother to comprehend that sword technique?"

jingle!

The two had already reached the front of the quiet room, and the servants dispersed and stood still.

The wind chimes under the eaves of the quiet room were swaying gently, making a clear sound.

The quiet rooms where ordinary martial artists go into seclusion are usually tightly sealed with doors and windows, and there is not much light coming through.

Because of the rising and falling of the sun and the movement of the moon, significant changes in light can potentially interrupt one's train of thought.

The doors and windows of Lord Liuyun's room were slightly open, and several wind chimes hung outside the door.

The roof beams and rafters have many graduated holes, and when it rains, the sound of raindrops hitting the roof tiles is particularly pleasant.

Outside, the sun shines and the wind blows, and the weather changes; inside the house, you can clearly feel it.

Traditionally, this is described as a quiet room.

The sounds that can be heard in this room are certainly more numerous and vivid than in an ordinary room.

The Lord of the Manor chose to go into seclusion here so that he could better tame the sword intent of the "Fifteenth Sword" with the vivid charm he had carefully arranged.

Unfortunately, this sword intent was half derived from humans and half from some strange force in the world.

With the cultivation level of the Lord of Liuyun Palace, he could resist being bewitched and repeatedly unleash half of his sword intent, but as long as he remained clear-headed, he was unwilling to immerse himself completely in it.

Then the other half of the sword intent will escape.

The most important transformation cannot be completed if the two cannot be completely combined.

"Tan Zhong, you just said that on purpose for me to hear, didn't you?"

The voice of the Lord of Liuyun Mansion came from inside the house.

"Between you and me, what is there that can't be said openly? If you want to advise me, just be straightforward. Why go through all this trouble and waste your energy?"

"come in."

Upon hearing this, the servant opened the door.

The two hall masters bowed at the threshold before stepping inside.

The interior is sparsely furnished, consisting only of a desk and pen holder, a censer for incense, and a few potted plants by the window.

Lord Liuyun sat in a grand chair behind his desk. Although he was over fifty, his hair was jet black under his pearl and gold crown, without a single strand of white.

His eyebrows were smooth and soft, and his long beard fell to his chest. He had a calm and elegant demeanor.

The armchair was covered with several layers of brocade, beautiful and soft, making him feel as if he were sinking into it, very relaxed.

If an ordinary person sits in such a chair and tries to clear their mind, they will only fall into a deep sleep.

He entered meditation while sitting in this chair.

Every time Ye Zongsheng saw him sitting in such a chair, his gaze still sharp, he felt a sense of peace and awe.

Their lord is far from being old and senile.

Lord Liuyun asked, "How's the matter I asked you to investigate going?"

A while ago, the news of Chen Zuqi's execution spread like wildfire throughout the martial arts world.

When Lord Liuyun received the news, he was quite moved, but then he put Chen Zuqi aside and browsed Chu Tianshu's intelligence.

Among them was a batch of letters sent by the Murong family, which somehow caught the attention of the manor lord.

The letter merely stated that Chu Tianshu was the first to appear in Yongchun County and killed a group of people who coveted the Fire Mystic Technique.

But Lord Liuyun immediately ordered a thorough investigation.

Ye Zongsheng stepped forward, took out a palm-sized piece of drawing paper, and handed it to the desk.

"This is what he looked like when he appeared in Yongchun County."

Lord Liuyun took the portrait and saw several lines of text next to it, which roughly described Chu Tianshu's words and actions at the time.

"Aloof and silent, indifferent and passive..."

Lord Liuyun's eyes flickered slightly as he took out another portrait.

That was Chu Tianshu taking a walk in the farmland at the foot of the mountain. It happened after he killed Chen Zuqi, and he was chatting with the farmers.

The two portraits show very different clothing and expressions.

However, there is one thing that is the same at the waist.

Did the intelligence report mention that he used a sword?

Ye Zongsheng shook his head: "It looks like he has a soft sword at his waist, but Chen Zuqi's body is covered with injuries left by palm and claw techniques."

Lord Liuyun said calmly, "He wouldn't even use his sword against Chen Zuqi, is it because the sword would affect his temperament...?"

Ye Zongsheng asked in surprise, "Could it be that his sword is the same as the Demonic Sect's saber?"

"They may not be the same, but they are always a good bait."

Lord Liuyun said, "Master Qiu has been eyeing the Central Plains for a long time. Every time I invite him to come to the pass as a guest, he refuses to set off easily."

"But the problem with that knife is also a concern for him. If we reveal Chu Tianshu's information to him at the right time, along with the information he can find out on his own, it should be enough to tempt him."

Xiang Tanzhong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Lord Liuyun suddenly stared at him and smiled, "Can you rest assured now?"

Xiang Tanzhong bowed his head, ashamed, and said, "As expected, the Lord of the Manor was not affected by that sword technique. He remains calm and composed in his dealings. I was just a frog in a well, worrying unnecessarily!"

“I haven’t had a long talk with you about business for many days, so it’s no wonder you have this concern.”

Lord Liuyun chuckled, "Even an emperor needs to attend court regularly to become a wise ruler. Besides, I haven't unified the nine provinces yet."

"But an emperor who only knows how to hold court is not good enough."

"When Zhu Yuanzhang drew the Feather Stone Sword, he cultivated divine will, and only then did others acknowledge that he was ordained by Heaven."

"Zhu Di started his rebellion with 800 soldiers and swept across the country. Even a eunuch by his side could lead troops into battle and was well-versed in military strategy and martial arts. His power and prestige far surpassed that of his descendants."

Lord Liuyun rolled up the intelligence in his hand and became quite talkative.

"The person in the palace now is living in constant fear, protected by three thousand imperial guards, so many top-notch palace warriors, and that swordsman who is both the emperor's brother-in-law and the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"Even so, we still need the leaders of Shaolin and Wudang to be on the safe side."

"If he also possessed the strength of his brother-in-law, the two of them working together would at least have a chance to escape from me, and their courage would naturally be emboldened. How could their reputation have been so tarnished?"

Xiang Tanzhong said admiringly, "That's absolutely true."

"Ever since the emperor invited the leaders of the two factions to stay in the capital for an extended period, seemingly stabilizing the court, many wavering officials in the court have actually become much more active in communicating with us secretly."

He took a few steps forward and placed the intelligence he had brought on the desk.

"This reflects the recent changes in the officialdom of the coastal provinces, as well as Chu Tianshu's direct instructions on agricultural and commercial matters. These are bold and decisive, demonstrating extraordinary courage."

"However, the court has been corrupt for many years, and these provinces have suffered repeated damage. It will not be easy for them to recover."

Lord Liuyun laughed and said, "With so many things on his mind, his martial arts skills must have suffered. But if he wants to hold power for a long time, he can't do without accumulating experience in these matters."

“Even though he is much younger than me, I have the patience to wait for the right opportunity.”

This intelligence report is much thicker than the one Ye Zongsheng gave us earlier.

Even with a proper balance of detail and brevity, it still took dozens of pages.

Because besides the officials directly replaced by Chu Tianshu, there were also the collateral effects on the coastal officialdom. As Lord Liuyun watched, the smile on his face gradually faded.

After he finished reading, he closed his eyes and remained silent for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

"Old Xiang."

He slowly opened his eyes. "What do you think is the most suspicious part of this intelligence?"

Xiang Tanzhong had already thought about this: "This person is replacing officials too quickly. The Southern Shaolin Temple is only good at business, and may not have much influence in the officialdom outside of Fujian."

"The people who were brought in to replace them seemed to be able to work together smoothly after a little adjustment, which suggests that their stances are roughly similar."

"I can't understand why Chu Tianshu knows so much about these people?"

Whether people in different positions can get along is a very troublesome issue, and countless emperors and generals throughout history have racked their brains over it.

Even those who get along well may need a long period of adjustment, let alone those who don't.

Those who hit it off immediately are very likely to form a small faction, and the competition between them and other small factions will be even more intense.

Although the people Chu Tianshu replaced were not without their own conflicts, they seemed to be able to work together as a cohesive unit, which was truly unbelievable.

Xiang Tanzhong hesitated and said, "I have a guess. Could he be a prince who has been living among the common people?"

Ye Zongsheng exclaimed in astonishment, "What?!"

"To have such a thorough understanding of official intelligence, perhaps only the power of the imperial court... has a slight chance of doing so."

Xiang Tanzhong spoke more and more fluently about this conjecture, saying, "This emperor in the palace did have some tricks up his sleeve in his early years."

"Perhaps he knew that the people he raised in this position were being watched by too many people, and even if they wanted to make a comeback in the future, it would be difficult to reverse the overall situation. So he focused his real energy on this prince in the shadows..."

Ye Zongsheng initially found it absurd.

But as I listened, I started to think, maybe it's not impossible.

The Zhu family members all enjoy purging officials; those who don't are mostly those who lack the power to do so.

If Chu Tianshu is truly a prince, once he reveals his identity and brings his new faction, he can easily plow through the court...

"You're quite imaginative."

Lord Liuyun looked at his old brother with some surprise, then shook his head.

"But he was able to do these things not because the imperial court was secretly paving the way for him."

Lord Liuyun rose from his comfortable armchair, walked around the desk, and headed out the door.

"But that's not the part that's most wrong with what I said."

"Let me ask you this: Chu Tianshu started his rebellion by using the Southern Shaolin Temple, but is it possible for the Southern Shaolin Temple to control all of Chu Tianshu's power now?"

Xiang Tanzhong bluntly stated, "Impossible."

The monks couldn't even control the entire Fujian region. Strictly speaking, it was the network of relationships woven by their lay disciples that was the maintainer of the local order in Fujian.

When the monks have the same demands, they seem to be living a glamorous life, but if they go beyond their original demands, then they'll be in trouble.

The lay disciples of today have established new relationships in various provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang and are no longer so reliant on the Southern Shaolin Temple.

"The faction of lay disciples cannot control the power themselves. They recruit too many local militia, teach them boxing and writing, and these militia are closely connected with their fellow villagers in various workshops, supporting each other. Their influence has actually surpassed that of the lay disciples themselves, and it is only through the officialdom that they can be checked and balanced."

Xiang Tanzhong drew inferences from this case, saying, "It is impossible to stabilize the overall situation by simply relying on newly appointed officials; they need to rely on the people."

As Xiang Tanzhong finished speaking, he suddenly realized that something was amiss.

Ye Zongsheng said, "According to this logic, the power of each faction under their command is not secure enough. Wouldn't they soon be fighting for power?"

Xiang Tanzhong said blankly, "No. The fact is, they are cooperating very well now, and the momentum is getting better and better."

"Their benefits all depend on the assistance of another faction. Their inherently different status makes them completely unable to replace the role of the other faction."

"They will become dependent on the existence of their companions, and even if they have the desire to compete for power, they will be overwhelmed by this general trend of mutual dependence."

Xiang Tanzhong woke up with a start, his body trembling slightly.

"Once this trend takes hold, no one will be able to seize the highest power for at least two or three generations, and their power will grow rapidly."

"But within this framework..."

Xiang Tanzhong did not say what followed.

Lord Liuyun spoke for him: "Under this framework, there is no need for a single, supreme ruler."

"Their key personnel emerged layer by layer in this new trend, and no one understands what they represent better than they themselves."

"They are used to interdependence, so they will naturally discuss and resolve issues together."

Xiang Tanzhong suddenly said, "That's not right! The reason why outsiders don't bother them is because of Chu Tianshu's existence. Only Chu Tianshu's martial prowess can protect them."

Lord Liuyun's eyes were unfathomable as he said in a deep voice, "The highest person should possess martial prowess, but if all he has left is martial prowess, how can we guarantee that the position will be passed on to his descendants?"

"His son must be the most skilled in martial arts, capable of defeating outsiders?"

"Can this still be a family-run empire?"

Lord Liuyun stood at the threshold, looking at the clouds in the sky.

People generally believe that drifting clouds represent a sense of ethereal freedom.

However, when the Lord of Liuyun was young, gazing at the clouds in the sky, he didn't think of anything ethereal or graceful.

He felt it was a net.

A vast net covers the earth and presses down on all things.

The sun, moon, and stars will always shine, but whether all things can receive that light depends on whether the "net" is tight or loose.

The Lord of Liuyun Mansion at that time felt a chill and a deep envy.

He wanted to be the one in control of that network.

The Ming Dynasty court was already a rotten and foul-smelling net, barely clinging to life. As long as a new net took shape, the old one would inevitably be replaced.

Whether the leader of the demonic cult and the king of the pirates had genuine communication or simply had a tacit understanding out of thin air, they were merely facilitators in this new network.

But they lost the advantage of location and lacked the courage to act decisively.

Once Liuyun Prefecture's network is complete, these two will either have to submit to it or avoid it and find another place to stand.

But now, Chu Tianshu has created a different kind of net.

This hermit is not in a position where they can weave together.

Lord Liuyun's fingers gradually tightened, and a slight cracking sound came from between his knuckles.

Ye Zongsheng then realized what was happening and exclaimed in surprise, "He's gone mad! Why would he create such a structure?"

Xiang Tanzhong could hardly contain himself: "Could it be that he hasn't thought through the gains and losses? I need to write him a letter to remind him..."

The number two figure in Liuyun Prefecture actually genuinely wanted to write a letter to warn his enemy.

This is absolutely a huge joke.

"He's not crazy."

Lord Liuyun laughed, "Brother, have you forgotten? We're all still people in the martial world."

"Those who stand at the pinnacle of the martial world naturally indulge in their desires and willfulness. Some love to see towers built from stacked stones and a vast network of flowing clouds, while others love to see storms pass by, leaving only the remaining grass..."

"Our power largely comes from within ourselves. We can stir up countless waves with a wave of our hand and do anything for what we love. Why should we care too much about the opinions of the world?"

Xiang Tanzhong looked at the manor lord with disbelief.

Ye Zongsheng was just a martial artist; his understanding was not deep enough, and he did not know what Chu Tianshu's actions meant.

As for those who are determined to transform into dragons or support dragons.

The martial arts world in the south is now an absolutely intolerable source of trouble.

If we wait a few more years, even if we succeed in killing Chu Tianshu by then, some things will subtly influence people and have an endless, pernicious effect.

"Old Xiang, calm down. It's just that the scenery you want is incompatible."

"However, I was wrong just now."

Lord Liuyun said calmly, "I can't wait too long, I can't wait until I have fully mastered the fifteenth sword."

"I need to find a way to kill this person as soon as possible."

He wanted to remain unmoved even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, and to keep his eyes straight ahead even if a deer ran past him.

He looked up at the sky again, watching the trails of the clouds, like a loose net.

Throughout history, has anything ever been able to pierce through the sea of ​​clouds?

However, the Lord of Liuyun Mansion still felt that something uncontrollable was stirring and screaming within his body.

His hands were burning hot, and his heart was trembling.

In his entire life, even those who had killed his son had never made him feel so intensely.

I absolutely do not agree with that kind of scenery.

"Chu Tianshu!"

Lord Liuyun gazed at the sky, unconsciously reciting a few words, a fiery aura emanating from every pore of his body.

"I'm going to kill him!!"

(End of this chapter)