The Blade-Wielding Legend

Chapter 1437 740: The Heavenly Master Attacks

The dusk was heavy, and the flags fluttered wildly on the city walls.

Heavenly Master Zhang's purple robe hung down as he looked at the row of dark gun barrels on the wall, his expression unchanged, he spoke in a sonorous voice: "Since Mr. Zhao is here, why not show yourself?"

"I have something I'd like to inquire about, is 'Feeding the Lake Pool' better, or is 'Managing the Mountains and Seas' more clever?"

Zhao Wujiong coughed as he emerged from the shadow, squinting to look downward.

"Feeding the Lake Pool, Managing the Mountains and Seas" is a famous debate in the "Salt and Iron Debate."

During the reign of Emperor Zhao of Western Han, at the Salt and Iron Conference, there was a debate between the virtuous literary faction and the Imperial Censor Sang Hongyang on whether to hide wealth among the people or to centralize resources to make the nation wealthy and militarily powerful.

This seems more like a dispute between a local faction and the Sea Opening Sect.

Yet, Dragon and Tiger Mountain did not take a stance during previous faction fights, now bringing it up implies some hidden meaning.

Earlier, he was speaking harshly about "defying heaven," but after the meeting, he hesitated, showing the old Heavenly Master didn't want to become too alienated from the court.

However, this sentence is another trap.

If it's only about the human world, the court naturally wants to "govern the mountains and seas," but the old Heavenly Master knew it was a mandate from the Heavenly Court.

The Emperor, regarding himself as a Son of Heaven, naturally became "Feeding the Lake Pool."

Yet answering this way would conflict with the court's policy.

So, no matter how you respond, it's wrong.

Having resolved this in his mind, Zhao Wujiong became more calm, rubbing the jade pendant on his waist, he spoke peacefully: "The Heavenly Master is knowledgeable, I am just an eunuch, favored by the grace of the Emperor to handle some matters, what you say is beyond my understanding."

"But I do know one thing."

"What thing?" Heavenly Master Zhang asked with narrowed eyes.

Zhao Wujiong sighed and looked up at the sky, "In ancient times, during the decline of Shao, the Jiuli corrupted virtue, mingling the human and divine, it was unfathomable, thus Emperor Zhuanxu severed the earth's connection to heaven."

"Though the Heavenly Master seeks the Heavenly Dao, how can he disregard the Human Dao?"

Heavenly Master Zhang remained silent for a moment, then spoke: "Yu the Great controlled the flood, 'The Book from the River Luo' was revealed and the Nine Domains were established. Without the mandate of heaven, how could there be the 'Great Plan' Five Elements?"

This "Great Plan" is a chapter in the "Chief of Staff," detailing the visit of King Wu of Zhou to Jizi, a former minister of the Shang Dynasty, after conquering Shang. Jizi explained to him the nine fundamental laws for governing a state, the Five Elements doctrine being foremost among the Nine Domains.

By this, he still indirectly advises the court to act according to the mandate of heaven.

Having heard this, Zhao Wujiong's eyes became cold.

Dragon and Tiger Mountain and the Kong Family have been granted by the court their titles for generations, due to Confucian orthodoxy and the Heavenly Master's authority, yet the court couldn't let them grow too powerful and uncontrollable, hence tactics were devised.

Such as with the Kong Family, two generations of Yan Sheng Gong lost virtue, and even earlier generations had allied with the Golden Tent Wolf Country, yet the court overlooked them, watched as a joke.

Thus the Kong Family's prestige has diminished, various factions rise among the academies, many even use criticizing the Kong Family as their claim to fame; the Kong Family knows its place, makes no small moves.

But Dragon and Tiger Mountain is somewhat different.

After establishing Great Xuan, the founding Emperor was cautious.

On one hand, he abolished the "Heavenly Master" title of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, changed it to "True Man," but retained hereditary privileges, strictly controlled.

On the other hand, he elevated Wudang Mountain, to differentiate within the Mystical Sect.

The people of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, naturally displeased, apart from when the founding Emperor was in power, the Heavenly Master personally went to the Capital to serve as State Preceptor, afterwards only elders from the sect were sent.

This time the Heavenly Master descended from the mountain, clearly intending to act with the mandate of heaven.

Thinking of this, Zhao Wujiong didn't bother to speak further.

Seeing his silence, Heavenly Master Zhang continued: "Is Your Majesty here? I wish to enter the palace overnight to meet the Holy Emperor."

Zhao Wujiong coldly replied: "His Majesty is resting, old Heavenly Master, your matter can wait until tomorrow. A post station has been prepared for you by my order..."

"No need for more trouble!"

Heavenly Master Zhang's face turned unsightly, and he directly turned around.

Woosh~

With a fierce wind and dust rising, the person disappeared without a trace.

Zhao Wujiong looked in the direction where the figure vanished, his eyes narrowed.

"Lord."

Next to him, Tian Qianhu spoke in a deep voice: "It seems he went to the Academy..."

"No matter."

Zhao Wujiong said indifferently: "Huo Yin is at the Academy, has means to hold him, if the old Taoist doesn't want to lose face, he won't make a move."

Everyone hearing this, deeply agreed.

Grandmaster Huo Yin is considered one of the court's aces, an existence meant to suppress Qi Fortune.

The old Heavenly Master is formidable, once disciples set up the magic platform, even spirits and ghosts must avoid it, yet in single combat, he's truly not a match for Huo Yin...

......

Dusk the color of ink, mountain path outside the Capital.

Heavenly Master Zhang's purple robe hung low, standing under an ancient pine.

His withered fingers formed the Meridian Technique, murmuring: "Meridian, Kun, Gen, Qi shifts to Heavenly Gang..." Instantly a faint blue smoke rises around him, mingling with the pine needles and the night dew scent.

On the watchtower three miles away at the Divine Machine Camp, the eyelids of the Firearms Soldiers suddenly felt heavy.

They didn't notice the purple shadow flickering through the pine forest, nor the wisp of dust smoke threading the soil beneath their feet.

But just after passing several hidden sentries, flames appeared in the air.

Heavenly Master Zhang halted, gazing at the sky.

Only to see several large lanterns suspended in mid-air.

This was specially crafted by experts from the Ministry of Industry's Mo Sect after obtaining Lu Ban's Wooden Sparrow, similar to Kongming Lanterns, but equipped with arrays and talismans below, scattering bright light at night, designed specifically to thwart enemies' Escape Skill in the wild.

"Dingjia on the left, Bingren on the right..."

Heavenly Master Zhang coldly observed, three Copper Coins slid from his sleeve, landing as the Three Talents Formation.

The coins trembled slightly, instinctively shifting everyone's gaze.

This is precisely the secret transmission of "Shangqing Heavenly Pivot Institute's Reversing Vehicle and Finishing Dao Method," the "Hidden Light Screen," leveraging the residual power of the Six Ding and Six Jia Gods, distorting everyone's senses.

Even the Astral Bane Energy would be affected.

For instance, the Exorcism Copper Bell on the Academy's outer wall didn't move an inch.

Heavenly Master Zhang stepped the Yu Step to the base of the wall, his ear slightly moving.

He heard the rhythmic booming sound of hammering from within the wall, pondered, and with a mantra entered the taboo, traced an "井" character onto the green brick with his fingertip.