Cursed Mountains and Seas

Chapter 244 The Imperial Seal of the Emperor, the Official in Charge!
A dragon tattoo should not extend beyond the shoulder, and a tiger tattoo should not be worn down from the mountain!
Guanyin closes her eyes and does not save the world; Guan Gong opens his eyes and will surely kill!
If you don't get a tattoo of Tang Sanzang, you'll be in for a world of trouble!
If Sun Tianba were to take off his clothes and utter the words, "They'll all die!" anyone who knew anything about such matters would be scared to death.

His tattoos violated every single taboo.

The dragon over the shoulder, the tiger descending the mountain, and the Guan Gong with open eyes are tattooed on the back of Guan Gong, which should never be tattooed. The derivative stories of Tang Sanzang are well known, and the eighty-one tribulations are not too many.
Finally, let's not even mention the havoc in Heaven that follows.

Wang Cheng possesses a treasure of the entire state, the "Golden Hoop of Calming the Mind" (Chapter 52), which indicates that although the story of Journey to the West was not yet fully finalized, the derivative legends based on the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions had already deeply penetrated people's hearts.

Getting this tattoo is just a way of wishing you would die sooner.

But this guy somehow managed to withstand it all.

Of course, just by looking at how he dares to call himself "Sun Tianba," you can tell just how tough his life is.

"Roar--!"

With a roar like a dragon and a howl like a tiger, the Black Dragon Staff was raised, and the sharp force made the clothes of the people around it flutter wildly. As if it had a mind of its own, it bared its teeth and claws, and transformed into a wicked dragon, knocking the Eight-Sided Golden Hammer back.

Xu Youde, who had been swept out of the cabin, caught it again.

Sun Tianba's face fell:
"Brother, I'm innocent! I'm really not a spy!"

Upon hearing his explanation, Xu Youde merely glanced at his "brocade body" and gave him only a look:
"With so many tattoos, you're practically tattooing words all over your face. And you still dare to call yourself a good person? Who would believe that?"

The onlookers also shook their heads, saying, "We don't believe it anyway."

"Enough with the nonsense. If you dare to use your supernatural abilities to spy on military secrets, we'll take you down first before we talk."

As he spoke, Xu Youde used his literary ascension technique, shooting down from the tall warship like a cannonball.

Seeing that reasoning with him was ineffective, Sun Tianba immediately formed hand seals and chanted an incantation:
"The deep fragrance resonates with the universe, its pure aroma piercing the heavens. The golden crow gallops like an arrow through the clouds, the jade rabbit shines like a jade wheel. The Southern and Northern Dippers illuminate the sky, and colorful clouds swirl and dance."

This disciple humbly beseeches the Great Sage Equal to Heaven to display his divine powers, and command his divine soldiers with utmost urgency!

The "Jinti Invitation to the Saints" method is essentially equivalent to divine intervention to invite a deity to possess one's body.

Sun Tianba's eyes rolled back instantly, thick golden monkey hair grew from the pores of his body, and his body instantly swelled by half, becoming more than ten feet tall.

In the blink of an eye, it had transformed into a giant golden monkey, its entire body gleaming with gold.

The ebony staff automatically leaped into his hand. With a flick of his wrist, the golden monkey seemed to come alive, transforming into a ferocious black dragon that could stir up clouds and rain.

The divine monkey unleashed its immense power, driving the wooden staff to carry boundless wind and thunder, and slammed it into an octagonal golden hammer that was hurtling towards it.

——【The Thousand-Pound Cudgel Technique: The Golden Monkey Raises His Thousand-Pound Cudgel】!
Xu Youde also uttered a saying from a sage:

"You don't have words to say, but you have strange power and chaos!"

Along with it, their clothes burst open, revealing the virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, and their bodies swelled by half.

Sun Tianba was the one who invited the gods, but Xu Youde used his superhuman strength to randomly attack them.

He possessed boundless, monstrous strength, and wielded two octagonal golden hammers in his hands, creating a ferocious whirlwind of steel.

boom! boom! boom! boom!
A monkey and a giant, two officials of the third rank, fought with all their might, creating a scene of flying sand and stones, and darkness.

Bystanders had long been dispersed, and the elite troops of the Royal City Garrison were rushing in from all directions.

However, the officer in charge received a message from Lord Longwei before he could take action.

As the head steward, the louse spirit also gained some authority over the balance of yin and yang.

Naturally, they recognized Sun Tianba's identity and couldn't actually kill this envoy of the Mountain and Sea Society as a spy.

But relying on Xu Youde alone for a fair competition is enough.

Sun Tianba was a water-based general ("General of the Warship") and a land-based craftsman ("Needle and Pen Craftsman"). Fighting on water was his forte. However, he was suppressed by a heaven-based official ("Gongyang Ru") and gradually fell into a disadvantageous position.

After an incense stick had burned, my whole body began to feel numb, and I sighed inwardly:
"Damn it! I'm in an unfamiliar place, I'm probably going to get a beating today."

Wasn't the Donghai Kingdom just founded? How come just anyone's fist is harder than my life?
If I could acquire even one or two amulets related to the Monkey King, I would certainly have more than this. While Southeast Asia is desirable, it's far from the centers of Eastern civilization, making amulets extremely scarce.

It's not that he lacks skill, but rather that his equipment is inadequate.

At that moment, a heavenly sound suddenly rang out.

"Youde, stop."

The iron hammer that was about to slam into Sun Tianba's face suddenly stopped. The pressure in his heart eased, and he leaned on a black dragon staff, sweat pouring down his face.

Turning my head, I saw two exceptionally elegant and noble figures suddenly appear at the edge of the open space that had been cleared by the Royal City Garrison.

Without a doubt, this is the master of this place.

Sun Tianba's first glance should have been directed at Wang Cheng, who was at the head of the group, but his gaze instinctively fell on Shen Yueye beside him, because he recognized this younger sister!
His grandfather and Shen Yuting were both rare living ghosts and gods of the Upper Three Rank in the Mountain and Sea Society. Before the latter moved to Yuegang, they naturally visited each other often and were very familiar with each other.

Moreover, the descendants of the treasure ship had lived together for many years. Going back further, Shen Yuting's mother and his grandmother were cousins, and he and Shen Yueye could be said to have a common great-grandmother.

Although we are quite far apart, we are actually related by blood.

He had just been lamenting that it was difficult to get things done without acquaintances here, but unexpectedly, he actually did have some connections, and he was overjoyed.

"Junior Sister Ruyi, what's wrong?"

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.

Because he had already seen what Shen Yueye was wearing at that moment.

She wore a magnificent crimson silk robe embroidered with gold clouds and phoenix patterns, and over it was a shawl embroidered with gold pheasant patterns. The gold threads could reflect three kinds of light under the setting sun.

She also wore an exquisitely crafted gold five-virtue phoenix crown on her head.

In just a few short years, the once-young girl has become dazzlingly radiant. Moreover, the beauty of clothing is called "Hua" (华), and the greatness of etiquette is called "Xia" (夏). In the civilized world of China, clothing and manners represent status and position, and should not be used indiscriminately.

Standing next to Prince Jinghai, her identity becomes obvious.

Logically, since the wedding hasn't taken place yet, this dress, which belongs to the principal wife, shouldn't be worn.

However, Wang Cheng's mother passed away early, and the Donghai Kingdom was newly established. This was the first time that the palace had welcomed a female master, so all matters of etiquette and propriety were naturally decided by Wang Cheng's word.

It's all going to happen sooner or later anyway.

"Greetings, Your Highness! Your Highness!"

The officers and generals around him immediately bowed without hesitation.

Sun Tianba was speechless. He didn't have the skills of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, nor did he have the arrogance of that old man. He just couldn't bring himself to call her "Junior Sister."

It was Shen Yueye who smiled and took the initiative to ease the awkwardness:

"Senior Brother Sun, why didn't you tell my father before you came to the East Sea Kingdom? It was only after the Court of State Ceremonies reported it that the Prince and I found out you were here."

Sun Tianba looked at his junior sister and cousin as if he were still in a dream.

"I had no idea you guys were doing so well back in your hometown."

Then came ecstasy.

'My junior sister has actually become the Princess Consort of Prince Jinghai; my plan to become his disciple is finally settled.'

He quickly took out a gift list and a box from his Qiankun bag and presented them to Wang Cheng with both hands:

“Sun Tianba, a man from the mountains of Southeast Asia, pays his respects to Your Highness. My humble offering is but a small token of my respect.”

The gift he gave was very sincere.

The incense, agarwood, and 12,000 catties of sandalwood, as well as 5,000 catties of bird's nest made from golden blood bird's nest, are all specialties from Southeast Asia, and are rare items that money cannot buy elsewhere.

But the most crucial thing is what's inside the box.

It was a silver seal with a blue ribbon, engraved with the four characters "Director of the Imperial Secretariat" and a hidden pattern that represented a specific identity and could only be identified by members of the Mountain and Sea Society.

Wang Cheng had seen the one in his master's hand—a purple ribbon and gold seal, which only living ghosts and gods of the highest rank were qualified to possess.

Regardless of rank, they all represent the prestigious status of the officials of the Thirty-Six Halls of the Water Rank, who have the authority to impeach officials of the Thirty-Six Halls of the Water Rank.

Besides enforcing the law, the imperial seal has two other functions.

Applying the official seal when drawing a talisman enhances its effectiveness compared to ordinary seals.

Finally, and most commonly used, is: notarization!

Upon seeing the imperial seal, Wang Cheng's face also lit up with joy:

"Just when I was sleepy, a pillow came to my aid. I was worried about the patent issues of flintlock muskets and iron rod flying thunder cannons, fearing that if I sold them casually, they would be copied."

I never expected this wonderful gift to come so suddenly and solve my immediate problem.

The official in charge of the year said: "Fairness, fairness, it's still the damn fairness."

It is able to draft fair and just commercial contracts that are recognized by the Twenty-Four Solar Terms and the Dao Qi, and must be obeyed within the scope of the Dao Qi.

Legal contracts are also divided into different levels.

The lowest level is like last time when Shen Yueye still had to manually hunt down Liu Jianzhen.

The highest level is where the official in charge is a stakeholder.

If they are cheated, even the Twenty-Four Solar Terms will help them get revenge. At best, they will suffer a series of bad luck; at worst, their descendants will be afflicted.

If a breach of contract clause is stipulated in the contract, the clause will be enforced.

"As an offshore balancer, Yingzhou is a troublemaker."

Next, I will sell the old equipment that I replaced, as well as all sorts of broken and defective products used in the arsenal's experiments, to the daimyo on Honshu Island at a high price.

The intensity of the war on the islands of Yingzhou, which was originally three, is about to become five or even ten.

Then, let the Lucky Boy follow behind and use the right to mint coins to pick up bargains, thereby earning a large amount of extra military funds.

The war to unify the nine domains is the most effective form of product promotion; there's no worry about them not buying.

This can be followed by the "stirring up trouble" technique:
"Hey brothers, stop arguing! You won't kill anyone by arguing. Why don't you just fight? We provide weapons and even offer after-sales service."

"I'm not trying to cause trouble, but I wouldn't tolerate this if it happened to me."

"These samurai are tough guys who've braved wind and rain; we can't afford to lose points with them."

Even those with a keen eye for Japan, who can see that this is poison wrapped in sugar, have no choice but to buy it, because if you don't, your competitors will.

It's just like practicing the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique.

Someone has spread sword manuals all over the martial arts world. If you don't practice them, what will happen if your enemies do?
Even if it's tough, I'll still cut myself open.

It's easy to see that once this kind of wicked arms race starts, it's destined to never stop until one side completely collapses.

The official seal of the Supreme Court perfectly plugged the final loophole in this plan!

(End of this chapter)