A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 237 Qingzhou Camel Ridge Thousand Buddha Caves

choke!

Inside the main hall of Liangshan, Guan Luoyang sheathed his blue ancient sword, crossed his hands, and rested them on the hilt.

When he looked up, the girl in black was still catching up with Lu Da, Lin Chong, and others.

"He's quite talkative."

Guan Luoyang asked, "Is Chen Liqing also a comrade-in-arms from the Battle of Xia?"

Standing beside Guan Luoyang, Ling Zhen chuckled and said, "When we defeated Western Xia, she was just a little girl. How could she be a comrade-in-arms? It was only after we returned to the capital that we all stayed in Bianliang for a few months and became acquainted."

"Chen Daozi was always very dignified, always talking about cultivating immortality and seeking the Dao, and being loyal to the country. I never heard him mention his family. It was only after arriving in Bianliang that I learned that he had a daughter."

Ling Zhen recalled for a moment, "However, this little girl has a strange temper. Sometimes she is well-behaved and honest, and she is very respectful to Chen Daozi and obeys his every word. At other times she is very lively and will run to the martial arts arena where the generals spar to watch the excitement. If anyone wins by a little bit, she will run to give them candied hawthorns. She is very cute."

"She stopped appearing in Bianliang much two years ago. I went to inquire about her, but Chen Daozi avoided the topic, and the matter was dropped. I never expected her to come to Liangshan."

Lin Lingsu, who had been staring at Chen Liqing, spoke up, "Little girl, have you practiced the *Taiqing Tianxin Lun*?"

Chen Liqing turned her head, smiling to reveal a hint of her sharp teeth, but her eyes held a hint of melancholy. She asked in return, "Has this Taoist priest also practiced this?"

"I haven't practiced this, but I can tell you're practicing the wrong path."

Lin Lingsu was in high spirits and spoke eloquently, "The cultivation of immortality seeks only purity and subtlety. One must regard the dynasty's fortune as a poisonous insect or a ferocious beast, fearing that it will pollute one's foundation. Once polluted, one has no choice but to cut off one's cultivation and start over, or fall into the demonic path."

"However, since the end of the Han Dynasty, Longhu Mountain has frequently received imperial rewards from successive dynasties, becoming inextricably linked with the imperial fortunes, yet it has still been able to maintain its cultivation in the immortal path, all thanks to the first of the twenty-four chapters of the Taiqing Xuanyuan—the Theory of the Heart of Heaven, passed down by Zhang Daoling!"

The "Theory of the Heart of Heaven" has lofty aspirations, aiming to "abandon the limbs, discard intelligence, separate from form and knowledge, and become one with the Great Void," striving to cultivate a Daoist heart that is in harmony with Heaven.

The authentic way to practice this technique is to treat the imperial fortune and worldly desires as soapberry water, using one's own seven emotions and desires to temper and refine them, just like washing clothes with soapberry water. The more you wash, the clearer your Dao heart becomes, and the purer your cultivation becomes.

Therefore, the successors of Longhu Mountain often select some talented but worldly-minded young people and cultivate them vigorously. When their worldly thoughts are tempered and worn down by the external fortune, they will gradually develop the temperament of a high Taoist master, become pure of heart and desire, and focus on the Taoist tradition.

But the problem is, since those who practice this technique already have strong worldly desires, how could they all be willing to take the path of living in seclusion in the mountains and becoming immortal masters?

Thus, heretical cultivation methods arose from the misinterpretation of "The Theory of Heavenly Mind".

Transform worldly desires into a worldly heart, then select the most focused and intense thought from your own desires, refine it, and continuously catalyze it into a fanatical Daoist heart, with the two hearts coexisting.

In this way, one doesn't have to worry about becoming lazy or turning into someone who is indifferent to fame and fortune.

"A person with two minds is like walking on a thin iron chain on the edge of a cliff, with bottomless abysses on both sides. If he loses his footing, he will be smashed to pieces. Unless he is truly greedy by nature, with his six desires burning fiercely, and unwilling to let go of even a little bit, most people would not dare to practice this."

Lin Lingsu asked curiously, "At such a young age, what is it about you that makes you so determined to practice this kind of martial art?"

The Theory of Heavenly Heart is a high-level secret of cultivation in Longhu Mountain. Even many disciples of Longhu Mountain have never heard of it, let alone distinguished between the righteous and evil paths. Lu Da and the others were also unaware for the first time that Chen Liqing was practicing such a dangerous technique.

"This isn't something I wanted to practice."

Chen Liqing said calmly, "Back then, Chen Xizhen received the true teachings of Longhu Mountain and practiced diligently without stopping. After learning the theory of the Heavenly Heart, he made rapid progress. However, he gradually found that his desire for fame and fortune had faded, and he seemed to be content with the ordinary. He couldn't help but feel apprehensive."

"He was unwilling to give up his cultivation, nor was he willing to give up fame and fortune, so he found the heretical cultivation method of the Heavenly Heart Theory. He first tricked his younger brother Chen Xiyi into practicing it. Relying on the bloodline sensing technique, he used Chen Xiyi as a warning and practiced for two years. Chen Xiyi became paranoid and insane, and died of a serious illness."

"So he tricked me into cultivating again, relying on my blood relatives to pave the way for him. After seeing that I had cultivated for several years and was still alive, he made some improvements to the parts I had practiced before he felt at ease and continued to cultivate on this path."

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a chill run down their spines. The blood ties shown by Chen Xizhen were truly chilling, alarming, and infuriating.

Li Kaixian wasn't familiar with Chen Liqing, but he still murmured, "People say even tigers don't eat their cubs, but Chen Xizhen's actions are truly..."

Chen Liqing, on the other hand, was frank: "Now that I'm an adult, I've found myself becoming ruthless and uncontrollable when I lose my temper. When I think back on it late at night, I find it strange. Later, I received guidance from Master Liu Hunkang and learned the truth behind it."

"The Dao heart I cultivated was originally a murderous heart. Fortunately, I was young and did not hold any official position, so I was not affected by the dynasty's fortune. Neither my Dao heart nor my worldly heart was too strong. Senior Liu Hunkang helped me resolve the two hearts and told me to cultivate quietly for three hundred days to avoid future troubles."

Lin Lingsu nodded and said, "Liu Hunkang can be called a grandmaster. You don't mainly cultivate the Theory of Heavenly Mind, so it's not difficult to resolve it. However, you still have traces of the Theory of Heavenly Mind on you. There will probably be many twists and turns in the process."

"These are all things of the past. Since they can't kill me, they're like morning dew; there's no need to bring them up again."

Chen Liqing smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling and her teeth white, and said to Guan Luoyang, "Chief, the matter of my reckless trespassing in the mountains hasn't been settled yet, but I have some information here. I wonder if it's enough to atone for my crime?"

Guan Luoyang asked curiously, "What news?"

"I've heard that there's been unrest all over the country recently, but in the Jingdong East Road area, there are only two forces that have some influence: Liangshan and Qingzhou."

Chen Liqing cracked her knuckles, making two crisp sounds, and said enthusiastically, "So many heroes have gathered at Liangshan, their ambitions must be great. They will definitely have to deal with the bandit stronghold of Qingzhou in the future."

"I had been wandering around Qingzhou for a long time and happened to discover that the mastermind behind the twenty-eight bandit strongholds in the mountains of Qingzhou was hiding between the Thousand Buddha Caves of Tuoshan and Haotian Palace."

Guan Luoyang pondered for a moment.

Chen Liqing continued to urge them on, saying, "The forces in the twenty-eight bandit strongholds are scattered, and the people behind them are unwilling to be exposed. Even if they have elite troops by their side, their numbers must be small. Does the chief dare to go straight into the heart of the enemy's lair and subdue the leader on the other side first?"

Li Kaixian looked suspicious, but composed himself and suggested to Guan Luoyang, "Chief, it's late. Miss Chen has come from afar. Let's arrange a place for her to stay first. We can talk about other things tomorrow."

Chen Liqing glanced at Li Kaixian and said, "Alright then, I can be locked up with those brothel girls you captured."

Li Kaixian laughed and said, "Those girls are invited to be lecturers, not prisoners. Miss Chen is also a distinguished guest. Master Gongsun, please use your magic to prepare another room for Miss Chen."

Guan Luoyang tossed the blue ancient sword back and said, "Let's leave it at that for now. Dai Zong, stay here. The rest of you, go back and rest."

After the generals left, Lin Lingsu, who never needed to sleep, sat calmly in the hall without moving, while Dai Zong waited to hear Guan Luoyang's instructions.

Li Kaixian also stayed.

"Chief, although this girl has some connections with the brothers on the mountain, she is, after all, Chen Xizhen's daughter. We can't trust her easily. We still haven't found out the details of what happened in Qingzhou. She dared to storm Liangshan based on some rumors. How could she possibly know the location of the mastermind's hideout by sheer recklessness?"

Lin Lingsu said, "That's not necessarily true. Her cultivation in the Heavenly Heart Theory is genuine. This murderous aura she gained through the evil path hasn't been completely dispelled yet. If she were to be lured into a murderous state, it would be difficult for her mind to hold onto anything else. But normally, she might be a clever and meticulous person."

Guan Luoyang shook his head and said, "There's no need to think so much. Whether that place is really their lair or a trap, it doesn't matter. I will definitely go to Qingzhou, but when I get there, no matter where the person behind it was originally hiding, they can only show up at the place I designate."

Li Kaixian was somewhat puzzled and said, "In any case, if the chief is going to Qingzhou, it is certainly not advisable to bring too many soldiers, but he needs experts to accompany him. So please, Daoist Lin, go with the chief."

"No, Lin Lingsu is to guard Liangshan. I already have a few candidates in mind for who she should take with her."

Guan Luoyang said, "But when exactly we set off depends on Dai Zong's stamina."

Dai Zong immediately clasped his hands and said, "What orders does the chief have? I will obey them without the slightest negligence."

Guan Luoyang tucked his hands into his sleeves, and suddenly, bright red grid patterns appeared on his Taoist robe, which was decorated with various pine, crane, and auspicious cloud patterns.

After a moment, he opened his arms, holding several balls of dark red thread.

"I have already written some letters, Dai Zong. You are to deliver these letters to the leaders of the righteous army who have already made a name for themselves throughout the land, one ball of thread for each of them."

"Yes, Qingzhou has many dangerous peaks and complex terrain, making it easy to retreat. Choosing a place to hold the meeting there should make them feel more at ease than choosing Liangshan."

"Add a sentence: arrange for them to meet at the Thousand Buddha Caves in Tuoshan, Qingzhou, after sunrise on the 15th of this month."

………………

Daming Mansion.

The sky outside the window was slowly brightening.

Lu Junyi paced back and forth in the room, sighing repeatedly.

His clothes still smelled of alcohol; they were the same clothes he wore a few days ago when he was drinking, and they smelled really bad.

However, in the past few days, Lu Junyi was preoccupied with a thousand thoughts and didn't realize that there was anything wrong with him.

Yan Qing pushed open the door and entered the main room, saying, "Master, Qiongying is kneeling outside again, carrying a bundle of brambles."

Lu Junyi said angrily, "Why is she kneeling before me? She's already occupied Daming Prefecture, does she think she can just relax all day and not have to do anything?"

Yan Qing laughed and said, "Qiong Ying knows what's important, so she only came to apologize at night. Once the sun rises, she will have to go out to handle her business again."

Lu Junyi was even more frustrated: "If she could distinguish between what's important and what's not, would she still rebel? Does she know how many people would die inside and outside Daming Prefecture if she rebelled? How many people would be displaced? How many people would die in battle? What a terrible sin that would be!"

Yan Qing said, "But even if Qiong Ying doesn't rebel, people will still be dying every day in Daming Prefecture."

Lu Junyi asked in astonishment, "What are you saying?"

"That's the truth."

Yan Qing twirled the iron flute between his fingers. "In the past few years, besides practicing martial arts and spear techniques, Master has spent his time drinking, boating, or climbing mountains to watch the sunrise and sea of ​​clouds. Do you still remember the many deserted villages we passed by when we went to the lake or the mountains?"

Lu Junyi nodded, still looking somewhat puzzled.

Yan Qing sighed: "Master, have you never considered why those villages became deserted?"

He knew that Lu Junyi had never really thought about this matter, or at least not in depth, so he didn't wait for Lu Junyi's reply and continued talking to himself.

"It's because the able-bodied men were taken to the mines and conscripted as laborers. The elderly and children were unable to farm, so they fled to other places. Perhaps they became beggars in some city and were lucky enough to live a few more years, or perhaps they died on the way and their bodies disappeared within a few days."

Lu Junyi frowned, his eyes filled with doubt. He wanted to speak several times, but then kept quiet. Finally, he hesitated before saying, "Could it be that Qiongying did do a good deed?"

"At least it won't get any worse."

Yan Qing advised, "This is also something a true man should do."

Lu Junyi hesitated and said, "Let me think about it some more. You should have Qiongying throw away those thorns. I personally taught her martial arts. If she can still be injured by those little thorns, wouldn't it be a waste of my teaching?"

Yan Qing responded and went out.

Qiongying quietly inquired, "How is it?"

Yan Qing pulled her outside the mansion: "It's done. The master has never been decisive and is easily swayed. He's already calmed down after a few days. However, you still need to save face for him. Don't mention his anger again. Wait two hours, then act as if he was never angry and ask him to go drill the soldiers."

"good!"

Qiong Ying said happily, "With my godfather's help, the military strength of Daming Prefecture will be able to reach a new level."

Yan Qing cautioned, "But we can't stay in Daming Prefecture for long. If you occupy the city, once the court has made its decision, the surrounding troops will keep attacking. We'll be on the defensive and will inevitably fall one day. We must eventually think of a way out, abandon the city, and go to the wilderness and mountains."

Qiong Ying nodded repeatedly: "Of all the martial arts in the world, the one that can be mastered most quickly is the demonic path. However, it will take at least a year to be able to resist elite troops. I will try to gather more minerals and food, and take those who are willing to follow us to retreat to the natural defenses of the mountains north of Daming Prefecture, in order to plan for the future."

A thoughtful look crossed her face. "I've heard that the people of Liangshan were originally just young men fleeing from war, but somehow they transformed into a fierce and invincible army, their red robes gleaming like fire, winning battle after battle. I wonder what their secret is?"

"Report!"

A swift horse arrived in a cloud of dust, came to Qiongying's side, dismounted, and presented her with a cloth bag.

"My lord, someone has just found our camp and brought us a letter and a ball of bright red thread. He claims to be Dai Zong from Liangshan and says that the leader of Liangshan invites all the heroes of the world to meet at Tuoshan in Qingzhou on the fifteenth of this month."

Qiongying untied the cloth bag, and inside was indeed a letter and a ball of thread.

As she opened the letter, Yan Qing frowned slightly, looking quite puzzled.

Qingzhou and Daming Prefecture are separated by mountains and rivers. The lives of the rebel leaders are of great importance. How could they possibly travel such a long distance just because of a mere letter?

Why would the people of Liangshan knowingly take such an impossible action?

However, Qiong Ying had only read half of the letter when her breathing suddenly became rapid.

"Brother Xiao Yi, call your godfather to the military camp."

She didn't have time to say much before hurriedly returning to the military camp to escort out the group of prisoners who usually acted arrogantly and domineeringly with the officials, and who still harbored illusions and remained stubbornly unrepentant.

The bright red ball of thread was held in Qiongying's delicate, white palm, and as instructed in the letter, a surge of internal energy was poured into it.

Suddenly, the ball of thread exploded, sending countless red threads flying towards the prisoners.

A moment later, the writhing red threads in the air swirled back, revealing the figures of hundreds of prisoners who collapsed to the ground, looking listless and terrified.

Although they were still alive, they felt that the demonic power they had painstakingly cultivated over the past ten years had been completely plundered by those red threads.

Even more terrifying, their outer garments were also stripped off by those red threads.

When Lu Junyi arrived, he saw five hundred soldiers dressed in fiery red uniforms moving huge stones, leaping and bounding, each with the strength of a thousand pounds and moving faster than a galloping horse.

At first glance, he didn't notice anything amiss, but upon closer inspection, he suddenly realized that these soldiers didn't possess any trace of demonic cultivation, which puzzled him.

Qiongying showed the letter to Lu and Yan.

Lu Junyi gasped softly, glanced at the letter, then at his soldiers, and murmured, "Such a wondrous thing exists in the world?"

Yan Qing was also filled with disbelief. But the facts were already laid bare before them.

With just a single red thread and a set of hemp clothing, one can transform into this fiery red armor, instantly giving rebellious laborers the formidable strength of elite soldiers.

"The letter said that these red threads are only offspring of the divine Gu controlled by the chief of Liangshan, so they can only make five hundred sets of armor. The original divine Gu does not have such a quantity limit."

Qiong Ying's eyes were filled with complex emotions. She clenched her delicate hand into a fist, tapped her forehead, and said, "At the Qingzhou Conference, he will bring out the mother body of the Divine Gu..."

Leaders of various righteous armies across the land, including those in Jingxi, Jiangnan, Guangnan, and Xichuan, experienced the same feelings as Qiongying.

Including the bandit strongholds in Qingzhou.

On the fifteenth of this month, at sunrise, the Thousand Buddhas of Camel Mountain will be there, and all those with ambition from across the land will be compelled to attend this invitation.

(End of this chapter)