Knife splashing

Chapter 650: Stars Shining in the Divine Capital
"Oh?"

Hearing his disciple's words, Zen Master Huiyuan turned his head and looked around.

The Bodhidharma Screen Wall is the treasure of Shaolin. Even if he has profound Taoism skills, it would still take a lot of energy for him to preside over the formation, not to mention that he is fighting against the Yuzhou Ding.

In a short period of time, it seemed that the oil was running out and the lamp was going out.

His face looked a little sallow, and his beard was graying, but he couldn't hide his tired look.

When he saw the tripod-shaped cloud in the sky fade and the blood light on the ground weaken, a trace of excitement flashed in his eyes, "Amitabha, the turning point has come, all disciples listen to my order, stabilize the formation!"

"Yes!"

All the monks responded in unison.

Shaolin is also an orthodox Taoist sect that emphasizes the use of martial arts to protect the law.

If given the chance, I would not want to see the lives of the native peoples of China destroyed.

Now that there was a turn for the better, everyone put all their efforts into stabilizing the formation.

The emergence of Yuzhou Ding was mainly due to this formation and the "Suihou Snake Pearl".

Therefore, as long as the formation is restored and the demonic armies of the six nations are suppressed, the "Sui Hou Snake Pearl" will not trigger the earth veins.

Just like when the hook is removed, the fish will naturally flow into the river.

Zen Master Huiyuan also breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the plain in the distance again.

On the plain, the thunder no longer fell.

He knew that the turning point must come from there.

The only thing that surprised him was that the earth veins of Mangshan seemed to have changed, as if they had come alive, and they actually actively cooperated with them to suppress the Yuzhou Ding that was about to be born.

What is this means?
Although he was curious, Zen Master Huiyuan didn't have time to think too much about it.

He bit his fingertips again and copied the four faded characters "本无心" again.

At the same time, a force was rising in the distance.

Among the Shaolin disciples, those who awakened their smelling ability smelled the scent of sandalwood, those who awakened their hearing ability heard Buddhist chanting, and those who awakened their eyesight ability saw a huge golden shadow rising up, facing the rolling Yi River...

"It's the Longmen Grottoes, the Vairocana Buddha!"

All the monks were greatly encouraged, the Buddha's light intertwined, and the earth's energy in Mangshan was no longer agitated.

They are not the only ones that have seen changes.

Shangqing Palace, Chenghuang Temple, Hanjia Granary... are all rapidly stabilizing.

Although Wang Daoxuan and others didn't know the reason, they were also very happy.

On the plain, Li Yan made a thunder seal with his hands, looked up at the sky with a distracted look.

Streams of black smoke swirled up and down around him, and occasionally a human figure flashed by.

Just after he released all the secular gods in the black flag, Gou Die became hot again.

Gou Dian can also be used to communicate with gods. For example, secular gods such as the mountain god of the mass grave and the tiger Taoist priest of the Medicine King Temple have all asked him for help through Gou Dian. However, as his Taoism improved, his spirit became stronger, and he was awarded the position of Heavenly Official, secular gods kept their distance from him.

If it appears again, there must be something fishy.

Therefore, Li Yan directly used the "Northern Emperor's Divine Control Method".

This "Northern Emperor's Method of Controlling Gods" is the orthodox method of Xuanmen. It forms a thunder seal, borrows the power of the Northern Yin Emperor Fengdu, and commands gods and ghosts.

He once used this method to communicate with the goddess of Han River.

Now that I use it again, I finally see the reason clearly.

The turning point came from the numerous secular gods formed by thousands of years of worship and offerings on Mang Mountain.

He saw the Longmen Grottoes. Behind the Vairocana Buddha, there appeared vaguely the shadow of a woman wearing a wordless crown. Her body was dotted with golden light and merged into the body of the Buddha. From the cracks in the Buddha statue, the dirty blood of the Yi River water monster that was originally hidden by Wang Xuanmo was constantly oozing out.

Finally, the woman disappeared completely.

A cold and majestic female voice also came to Li Yan's ears:

"Merits and faults are left without words on the monument, but the mountains and rivers are in people's hearts."

……

He saw that in the cellar of Hanjia Warehouse, Lu San's face was full of shock. He was looking at the turtle carved from the gloomy wood. The frost on the surface was dissolving by itself, and the evil aura was sinking into the ground.

He didn't notice that on the dark wooden tortoise shell, there was a shadow of a big man with a red robe and a beard, with a bronze talisman of the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions hanging from his waist, and the music and dance of Kucha under his feet, laughing heartily:
"I dare not hope to reach Jiuquan County, but I hope to enter Yumen Pass alive!"

……

He saw a Taoist shadow in the Shangqing Palace. He was wearing a crane cloak with Beidou thunder pattern, holding a magic sword in his left hand and a magic tablet in his right hand. He knocked down all the copper coins hidden by "Mr. Landu" in the beams and pillars of the Sanqing Palace.

The same figure disappeared, leaving behind a majestic voice:
"The five thunders are not the power of heaven, but the power of human heart!"

……

He saw a shadowy figure in a white robe and a black turban walking past Wu Ba on the Tianjin Bridge, his sleeves fluttering as he sang aloud: "In the sky I wish to be a pair of wings, on the ground I wish to be a pair of branches, the eternity of heaven and earth may end someday, but this endless hatred will never end."

His figure, scattered into pieces of paper, merged into the Luo River...

……

Inside the City God Temple, a shadowy figure in a scarlet official uniform appeared, holding a judgment book with a Xiezhi crown in his hand. As the pages turned, the incense that had been contaminated by the evil magic of Japan gradually returned to normal.

When it dissipated, he said calmly: "Di is here, the law is clear, how can we allow evil spirits to steal the incense!"

……

On top of Mang Mountain is the Northern Wei Imperial Mausoleum where the Shaolin monks live.

A phantom in a royal robe appeared and merged into the earth's veins together with the imperial edict in his hand.

"Hu and Han are all blood, and only by melting them can we become China!"

……

Luoyang Palace, inside the Qianyang Hall.

Wang Daoxuan seemed to sense something and looked around.

Without noticing, a shadow appeared on the throne, wearing the remnants of Kunyang's bloody battle armor, holding the fragments of the Red Fu Fu, with the Cloud Platform Twenty-Eight Generals Star Chart appearing behind him. His voice fell with the starlight, and he laughed loudly:
"The red talisman is in sync with the prophecy, Luoyang's destiny will never end!"

……

Below the Northern Wei imperial mausoleum, in the ruins of the Qin Palace’s fake underworld.

A shadowy figure wearing a tall hat appeared, holding a bamboo slip of "Lüshi Chunqiu" in his hand. The blood-stained words of the Six-Nation Alliance seeped out from the cracks in the slips.

Likewise, the figure gathered into the earth veins and dissipated, leaving behind a voice:

"Rare goods are not goods, they are the fortune of the world!"

As the Seven Star Locking Dragon Formation became stronger, the six nations' demon armies transformed into a thick bloody fog and were quickly suppressed and fell into the depths of Mang Mountain.

"hold head high--!"

The dragon's roar sounded in Li Yan's ears, seemingly carrying a hint of joy.

Click!

The treasure "Suihou Snake Pearl" sought after by countless people suddenly shattered, and a dragon-shaped white gas rolled up and down, following the veins of Mangshan Mountain and drifting away in the direction of the Yellow River Ancient Road...

At the same time, Li Yan finally saw the Yuzhou Ding.

In the center of the ruins of the Qin Palace’s fake underworld, the earth’s energy turned into a whirlpool.

The Yuzhou Ding is located among them, and the way it appears is very similar to the Jingzhou Ding, both of which are half real and half virtual.

As soon as Li Yan's mind saw the Yuzhou Ding, visions appeared in his mind:
He saw the Eastern Han Dynasty, when Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu, held the Kunyang battle flag, accompanied by the 28 generals of Yuntai, and galloped on horseback, rushing towards the ruined city of Luoyang, and meteorites fell from the sky...

He saw that during the Northern Wei Dynasty, Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital to Luoyang, tore up the Xianbei golden man used for offering sacrifices to heaven, and implemented the Han system. In the distance, in the direction of the Six Garrisons, the evil spirits of war turned into dark clouds that condensed and did not dissipate...

He also saw the Tang Dynasty, when the capital of the gods, Luoyang, was at its peak, thousands of ships gathered, and all nations came to pay tribute...

These lights and shadows made his mind confused.

Li Yan wanted to stop, but he couldn't control himself.

These things were invisible to ordinary people, but he used the "Northern Emperor's Divine Control Technique" to witness the many secular gods of Mount Mang turning themselves into disasters, and at the same time he touched the Yuzhou Ding.

The Nine Cauldrons were originally sacred artifacts for national sacrifices. They have traveled along the veins of China for thousands of years and have long since transformed into incredible existences. Therefore, they also allowed him to see ancient scenes.

Slowly, these ancient scenes faded away.

But the illusion in Li Yan's mind did not stop.

It’s a bit like when you accept a mission from the underworld, and a lot of thick fog appears around you.

After the thick fog dissipated, darkness appeared before my eyes again.

In the darkness, there are some light and shadows that look like tree branches.

What is this?
Just as Li Yan was wondering, he seemed to be attracted by something and subconsciously looked at one of them.

The view suddenly zoomed in, and Li Yan saw a pitch-black mountain.

On the top of the mountain, a man was sitting cross-legged. He was wearing a black robe with the sun, moon and stars embroidered on it. He had a tall crown on his head and a vertical eye on his forehead. There was a three-pointed, double-edged sword stuck next to him. His face and features were extremely familiar.

Yang Chenghua?
No, Erlang Zhenjun Yang Jian!

Li Yan's face was filled with astonishment.

Could it be that this is the Daluo Dharma Realm?
Just as he was wondering, Master Erlang seemed to sense something and the eye on his forehead suddenly opened.

Li Yan wanted to speak, but when he opened his mouth, no sound came out.

Suddenly, all the light and shadow disappeared in an instant.

However, the Yuzhou Ding had completely transformed from solid to virtual, merged into the earth veins and left.

Without this mysterious treasure, he naturally could not feel the Dharma Realm.

When he opened his eyes again, Li Yan found that he had returned to his body, and there was still wilderness around him.

The bloody sky has returned to normal. In the darkness, the cool night wind blows across the earth and grass, making a rustling sound.

In the distance, flames from Luoyang City shot up into the sky, and the sound of gongs and drums rang out.

Although it was chaotic, there was finally hope.

Next to him, Wang Xuanmo's body had already cooled down, but the resentment in his eyes had not yet dissipated...

…………

After Qingming Festival, it is almost March.

On the Luo River, more than a dozen warships were sailing upstream.

These warships have long and narrow hulls, with huge shields erected on both sides. Teams of soldiers are guarding them with guns, their eyes alert.

This is the "eagle ship" of the imperial navy. It is fast and can deal with attacks from the shore.

Generally speaking, the standard naval force of the imperial court must be equipped with large tower ships.

However, the Yellow River is shallow and contains a lot of silt, so the Yellow River navy is mainly deployed in the lower reaches, from Yuzhou to Luzhou, as well as in water transport hubs such as Xuzhou and Huai'an.

Especially now that it is the dry season, we can only use the "eagle boat".

The military flag of the Daxuan Dynasty was flying, and below it sat an official in a red robe, drinking tea.

He looked relaxed, but his expression was extremely gloomy.

The person who came was Pei Zongti, the Minister of Rites and the Chief of the Xuan Priests.

Behind him, a black-robed warrior, carrying a divine musket on his back, watched his surroundings vigilantly.

If Li Yan was there, he would have discovered that this person was Tang Ling, the demon hunter from the Meishan Sect.

After he was rescued by Pei Zongti, he obeyed his master's orders and served under him.

Next to Pei Zongti, there was a Taoist priest sitting. He was dressed in gorgeous clothes, had white hair and beard, and looked like an immortal. However, he was wearing tortoise-shell glasses on his nose and a pocket watch on his chest, which made him look very fashionable.

The old Taoist's identity is not simple either. He is Bai Chenshan, the director of the Imperial Observatory.

The Director of the Imperial Astronomical Observatory was a fifth-rank official who was in charge of the revision of the calendar, observation of celestial phenomena, and reporting "auspicious signs" or "disasters" to the emperor. Bai Chenshan was also a famous master of formations and astrology in the Shenzhou Xuanmen.

The two leaders in charge of Xuanmen affairs in the court gathered at the same time.

"Master Pei."

Bai Chenshan stroked his beard and smiled, "Nothing serious has happened, why are you still so sad?"

"Master Bai is joking."

Pei Zongti said in a deep voice: "The mess in Chengdu has not been resolved yet, and Luoyang almost had an incident. His Majesty summoned me to the palace late at night and scolded me for two hours. Especially since the court had just established the rules, this happened. I wonder how many people are secretly watching me laugh at this!"

Bai Chenshan quickly persuaded, "This is not his fault. Everyone thought that Chengdu had failed, so Zhao Changsheng would be quiet for a while. Who knew he would do this again?"

"But then again, is there still no news about that demon?"

Pei Zongti shook his head slightly when he heard this.

In fact, he had received a secret letter from Li Yan.

Zhao Changsheng had already gone to Japan.

This incident is also closely related to Japan.

He has already sent spies to gather information, and the Kong family in Qufu...

Of course, these things are confidential, and even Bai Chenshan cannot reveal them.

Thinking of this, he quickly changed the subject, "Master Bai, this time the emperor ordered you and me to be imperial envoys. On the surface, we are here to provide relief to the victims and appease the people, but in reality, we are here to investigate the abnormal movement of the dragon veins and repair the Mangshan formation. There are a lot of things to do."

Bai Chenshan smiled and said, "I have a plan in mind for renovating the formation. If the 'Seven Apertures Locking Dragon Formation' remains unchanged, and two more formations are added, it will form the 'Nine Palaces Peace Bureau'. It will be just right to use the royal aura of the Mangshan Emperor's Mausoleum to guard Luoyang and the Yellow River."

"There is also the revision of the calendar. I am afraid I cannot get away from it. There are some people that Master Pei needs to deal with."

Pei Zongti narrowed his eyes slightly, "Did anyone find it on Lord Bai's head?"

Bai Chenshan smiled bitterly and said, "This time the demon is causing trouble and Maitreya is plotting a rebellion. Luoyang Xuanmen cannot escape responsibility. They are afraid of losing the reputation of the Xuanmen orthodox sect, and they dare not look for Lord Pei, so they turned to me."

"There was also a robbery in Luoyang's family. Many people in the royal family were jealous of that position..."

"Alas, I am already exhausted from revising the calendar, and I really can't deal with these people."

"Humph!"

Pei Zongti snorted coldly, "Master Bai, there is no need to pay attention to me. I will be the villain. The court just said that it will control the Xuanmen. This time, it is just right to take action against them!"

As he spoke, his eyes were filled with anger.

"My Lords, we have arrived in Luoyang!"

At this moment, the naval commander on board came forward to report.

The two men stood up and looked, and saw that the city wall of Luoyang was clearly visible in the distance.

After entering the city, all the officials in Luoyang, including the leader of Xuanmen, came to greet him.

Looking at Pei Zongti's gloomy face, everyone knew that the storm in Luoyang City had just begun...

……

While there were undercurrents in Luoyang's officialdom, the situation among the people was quite different.

Many people died in the riot on Qingming night, and nearly half of the people in the city were holding funerals at home.

A disaster made the already declining city even more demoralized.

The good thing is that the Luoyang Wang family was killed without a single person left, which relieved the hatred in many people's hearts.

On the bank of Yi River, Longmen Inn.

With a loud bang, the door opened and Madam Pei returned exhausted.

Before I even stepped through the threshold, the accountant came running over and asked, "Boss, have you sent the person away?"

"Sent away."

Madam Pei sat down and drank a sip of tea. She then wiped the dust off her hair with the tea. "Send them all the way to Kaifeng. Once they reach Jining, they can go straight to the capital along the Grand Canal."

"Ah, so far away?"

"It should."

Madam Pei shook her head and said, "They saved Luoyang from disaster, and our Heluo Merchant Gang's reputation was cleared. If we don't behave properly and allow those blind pirates to harass us, and word gets out, we'll be the ones making fun of us!"

"That's true."

The accountant nodded, looked at the empty hall, and said with a wry smile, "Boss, the officialdom in Luoyang City is in a state of chaos right now, and the people from the Duwei Division are also searching everywhere. People in the underworld are all staying away from us, so I'm afraid there won't be any business for a while."

"How about we close the inn and go to Kaifeng..."

"I do not go!"

Madam Pei shook her head directly and said with a smile: "On the way, there are also brothers who want to leave and ask for advice from Young Master Li. Do you know what he said?"

"What did you say?"

"Luoyang City still has its roots, but its spirit has been lost. It will rise again one day."

"The flag of my Dragon Gate Inn will not fall, I will stay here!"

"well said!"

The inn's staff all cheered.

"Hahaha…"

Madam Pei laughed, "There are no guests anyway, so why not open a few jars of good wine from the cellar and cook a few delicious dishes? Even if you don't make any money, don't let your stomach suffer."

"The shopkeeper is wise!"

The inn was suddenly filled with laughter.

Madam Pei turned her head and looked out the window.

Li Yan secretly told him that Shen Sanyou went to Japan.

When the prodigal son left, he said that if he could return safely, he would be content to live with her until old age.

I was ambitious back then and missed it.

This time, she will wait...

The late spring wind finally blew down Luoyang.

The chill dissipated a little, and the Mang Mountain was also stained with a layer of emerald green...

(End of this chapter)