Knife splashing

Chapter 715 Chaos in the Capital
"Announce it to the world?!"

Shalifei, standing nearby, was taken aback, then clicked his tongue in admiration: "It has to be the Emperor, he's tough enough!"

News of the divine artifact was accidentally leaked, malicious individuals fanned the flames, discussions abounded in the court and among the common people, humanitarian reforms occurred, and abnormal weather patterns emerged…

A multitude of things came together almost at once.

The Book of Changes says in the hexagram Fu: "Returning is not far off; there is no need for regret."

If this continues, a major change will inevitably occur sooner or later.

But they didn't expect that the emperor would choose to announce it during the academy's opening ceremony.

This move was indeed brilliant, drawing all attention to one point and cutting off the spread of rumors.

Li Yan also looked into the depths of the academy, a hint of anticipation in his heart.

He knew that the emperor's willingness to make it public meant that there must have been significant progress in the development of the steam engine.

It might already be in use!
A great era has truly arrived...

…………

Yan Jiuling underestimated Emperor Xiao Qixuan.

He thought the news would remain a secret for a while, but little did he know that while they were discussing the matter, an imperial edict had already been leaked from the palace and spread throughout the three provinces and six ministries.

"At the opening ceremony of Qiankun Academy, a divine artifact has appeared!"

The message, consisting of only a few words, ignited the entire capital city with incredible speed.

"Mysterious box", "Red light shooting into the sky", "Auspicious omen from heaven"...

There were all sorts of mysterious rumors circulating in the streets and markets beforehand.

Nowadays, all sorts of speculations and rumors are instantly "officially confirmed," and the impact is self-evident.

"Have you heard? His Majesty has decreed that on the day the academy opens, that 'divine artifact' will be revealed to the world!" In the teahouse, the tea drinkers chattered animatedly.

"Tsk tsk, now it's confirmed! I wonder what kind of earth-shattering treasure it is."

"The academy is in the eastern suburbs. Damn, it'll be packed with people that day!"

"If I could see it with my own eyes, I could brag about it for a lifetime!"

"What are you thinking! That's a sacred site for the imperial family. If an ordinary person can even get within ten zhang (approximately 33 meters), it's considered that their ancestors' graves are emitting auspicious smoke!"

Some people scoffed, but their eyes also gleamed with longing.

Upon seeing this, the storyteller slammed his gavel and performed a new version of the prepared story of "a divine object descending from the heavens and recreating the world," drawing cheers from the audience.

Even today, peddlers going from street to street have changed their tune: "The finest spices, the academy's sacred artifacts blessed, those who wish to offer incense and worship the gods should prepare early!"

This attracted a flurry of inquiries from women and young ladies, as if lighting an incense stick would grant them access to the magical artifact's divine aura.

Of course, no matter how curious the people were, they knew they definitely couldn't go that day.

For the powerful and influential in the capital region, this news was more than just a matter of curiosity.

Humanitarian reforms are already known to all parties.

Some people are worried that the chaos of the times will destroy their family fortunes built up over many years.

Some ambitious individuals have begun making preparations in secret.

After all, no one can predict what humanitarian reforms might do; what if it leads to a change of dynasty?

Therefore, the emergence of the divine artifact was of even greater significance to them.

The mansions of nobles and the offices of various ministries were bustling with activity, but undercurrents were surging...

"Your Excellency, I heard that the Ministry of Rites' Ceremonial Office is responsible for drafting the list of attendees. My father is the Duke of Jingguo..." A nobleman's son carefully slipped a gold ingot into the sleeve of the chief eunuch's attendant.

"Oh dear, Lord Wu, it's not that we don't want to help, but this list ultimately needs His Majesty's personal approval! The Minister's desk is piled high with requests! Look at this..."

Being in the palace, the eunuchs were well aware of how much the emperor valued this matter, and no one dared to act recklessly.

The clerks at the Ministry of Rites were sweating profusely as they dealt with the endless stream of people trying to curry favor and submitting notes.

The senior officials of the Censorate stroked their beards, their brows furrowed: "The appearance of this divine artifact concerns the fate of the nation; it is no child's play! The rites, the ceremonial guards, and every single detail must be carefully examined in accordance with His Majesty's will to prevent any overstepping of authority!"

Their idea of ​​"purifying the stream" is simple: to use this incident to assert their presence.

Meanwhile, the wealthy and powerful merchants of the Shanghai School went to great lengths to try and squeeze into the list of attendees.

A small invitation card, in a short time, has become priceless…

……

"What did you say?!"

As soon as they returned to Rouyuan Post Station, everyone came up to ask if they had seen the divine artifact.

Clearly, Wang Daoxuan and the others were also infected by this atmosphere.

Seeing this, Li Yan simply told them the true nature of the divine artifact.

Shalifei stared in disbelief. "That thing?"

He saw a steam engine at Liangzi Lake, but he never imagined it would be such a miraculous device.

Wang Daoxuan was also somewhat surprised. He stroked his beard and said, "I have seen that thing before. It is nothing more than the Mo family's mechanical art. Although it is wonderful, it lacks the Qi of Qi. How can it be called a divine artifact?"

"That thing's power is enough to change the world..."

Li Yan briefly explained the applications of the steam engine.

But just as people cannot imagine things that do not exist, Wang Daoxuan and the others were amazed, but they did not care much and did not think that this thing could cause earth-shattering changes.

Li Yan didn't say anything more and returned to his room after dinner.

The night was as dark as ink, shrouding the Rouyuan Post Station in the capital in silence.

The commotion and undercurrents stirred up by the "magical artifact" during the day seem to have subsided into silence with the night.

In the backyard of the inn, a faint candlelight still shone in Li Yan's room.

The windows were tightly shut, blocking out the last breath of the night breeze.

The air inside was so heavy it was almost suffocating, and it was mixed with an indescribable smell.

It resembled a decaying coffin, yet it carried the scent of grass and wood.

Li Yan sat at the table, the wooden box he had brought back during the day already opened in the candlelight.

The "evil spirit stone" lay conspicuously in the groove of the black cloth.

By the light of the candle, the stone looked even stranger, with a rugged surface covered with countless tiny holes.

This object is extraordinary; it is not from the Central Plains. According to the "Strange Garden," it was presented by a seafarer during the reign of Emperor Qi Fei. At least two imperial gardens were destroyed as a result.

Sensing the longing of the Great Luo Dharma Body, Li Yan no longer hesitated and slowly placed his hand on it.

hum~
The stone trembled violently, as if it had come to life and wanted to escape.

At the same time, a massive amount of vitality rapidly surged into Li Yan's body.

These are special innate vital energies, which are difficult for the human body to withstand, but are a great tonic for the Great Luo Dharma Body.

Numerous cracks were repaired at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Click!
In Li Yan's mind, he could even hear the sound of porcelain shards gathering together.

Without any deliberate guidance, the Great Luo Dharma Body, like a gluttonous beast, frantically devours the life force of the spirit stones.

Click!

Another cracking sound rang out.

This time, however, the problem didn't originate from within the body; rather, the outer layer of the spirit stone brittled and peeled off. Finally, the Great Luo Dharma Body was completely repaired.

The Great Luo Dharma Body is now white porcelain like jade, with golden patterns covering its surface.

It's completely different from the original.

However, even after the Dharma body was repaired, the vitality of the spirit stone continued to be plundered.

A hint of surprise flashed in Li Yan's eyes as he waited quietly.

puff!
After an unknown amount of time, a soul flame suddenly ignited on Da Luo Fa's body.

Li Yan immediately stopped, his face full of smiles.

After the Battle of Chengdu, he extinguished the Soul Flame and later found some spiritual objects, but most of them were unusable. He could only barely repair his Dharma Body, patching it up, but it was still tattered.

That's why they often can't go all out in battle, for fear of extinguishing the second Soul Flame.

Now that it's all in order, I feel a huge sense of relief.

With three lives at his disposal, he wouldn't hesitate to confront Zhao Qingxu head-on if they met again.

Looking at the spirit stone again, it was already surrounded by gray stone fragments, leaving only a piece smaller than a fist.

Li Yan felt a pang of heartache and carefully wrapped it up.

The principle behind this thing's ability to absorb the vitality of plants is still unknown. Just like when it was buried in the Imperial Garden, it remained unharmed for nearly a hundred years, but suddenly it caused trouble and destroyed the entire Imperial Garden overnight.

You should know that the imperial garden of the palace is full of all kinds of rare and precious herbs.

If one can understand the principle, the Great Luo Dharma Body will have no more worries.

Even if it doesn't work, it can still be used to repair the Dharma body.

Perhaps because his Great Luo Dharma Body had been repaired, Li Yan felt refreshed and comfortable, so he went straight to bed, sat cross-legged, and entered meditation to practice the Luo Feng Sutra.

This kind of practice is like grinding water.

His cultivation at the fourth level has only just stabilized now, and it's unknown how long it will take for him to reach the fifth level.

Before we knew it, the night had deepened.

After entering meditation, Li Yan stepped into the space of spiritual cultivation. After a period of cultivation, he completely forgot himself and his spirit.

In a daze, he slowly opened his eyes, his brows immediately furrowing slightly.

The whole room seemed to have become very strange.

The various furnishings and layouts remained the same, but they were vaguely visible as if through a layer of white gauze, while there was a large amount of puddles on the ground.

Dragon Girl?

Li Yan was all too familiar with this scene.

The Dragon Girl had appeared in my dreams several times before, and that was the case.

But his deal with the Dragon Girl was already done. She had been granted an imperial title and was now a guardian deity near Chengdu. She was too busy to keep up with the incense offerings. Why would he need him?
Furthermore, this place is thousands of miles away. The Dragon Girl's influence has not extended beyond Shu. When did she acquire such abilities?
Just as he was wondering, ripples suddenly appeared on the surface of the water.

Immediately afterwards, a majestic divine figure slowly rose from the water's surface, surrounded by golden sand, floating in mid-air, facing him directly.

Although the figure was blurry and indistinct, it exuded a sense of familiarity.

Li Yan was shocked and recognized the other party's identity.

Five Generals!

He and this mortal god seem to have a special connection.

Back then, when they were capturing that group of criminals in the Fuxi Ancient Cave, the criminals themselves appeared and landed unintentionally, allowing him to obtain the "Five Directions Luofeng Flag".

This precious flag is a powerful magic weapon of the Great Luo realm, with unfathomable power, but it only contains five strands of qi, requiring a sufficiently powerful magic weapon to contain it.

After slaying the Ghost Emperor of Beimang, he obtained five powerful magic flags, but they were all damaged and could not be repaired by ordinary people. He came to Qiankun Academy this time hoping to find an expert to repair them so that they could serve as the carriers of the "Five Directions Luofeng Flags".

Leaving that aside for now, when I was receiving missions from the underworld, I encountered General Wudao several times and overheard him talking to Judge Cui.

It can be said that I am very familiar with it.

But he never communicated with him, and the other party was unaware that he had unintentionally revealed many secrets of the world to Li Yan.

What do you want by suddenly contacting him this time?
Li Yan was puzzled, but dared not show any flaws on his face. Instead, he stared at the other party with vigilance, pretending to be shocked.

To his surprise, General Wudao did not speak, but simply waved his hand, his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

Soon, the light on its body dimmed and gradually disappeared.

In the darkness, Li Yan suddenly opened his eyes and sat up.

He looked around, his face full of doubt, then a thought struck him, and he took out the warrant from his bosom.

All methods of entering dreams must be done through some kind of medium. The Five Generals mostly relied on the Five Directions Luo Feng Flags in the Gou Die (a type of document).

The question is, why would I need to talk to him for no reason?
Li Yan didn't want to pay attention, but he felt inexplicably uneasy.

This is no ordinary deity; "turning around, one encounters the five paths; opening one's eyes, one sees Yama, the King of Hell." His status in the underworld is extraordinary.

According to previous intelligence, it belongs to Luofeng Mountain.

In a way, he's one of our own.

A sudden dream – could something major have happened?
With that thought in mind, Li Yan didn't hesitate any longer and got up to put on his clothes.

Divine beings appearing in dreams are never just out of boredom.

We must find out why!
Speaking of which, the faith of General Wudao was also tampered with. There are even rumors among the people that he was five thieves in his previous life.

While it appears to be a temple for worship, it actually pollutes the incense offerings.

In other places, Li Yan might be clueless, but this is the capital, the place where the Five Generals' faith is strongest!
After greeting Wang Daoxuan, he immediately climbed over the wall and headed west of the city.

The Wudao General Temple in Beijing is located in the west of the city, at the confluence of the Xuanwu dragon veins. Wudaokou was named after this place in the past.

The capital city was unusually quiet late at night, with the sound of night watchmen's clappers echoing through the streets and alleys, as the imperial court had lifted the curfew. There were even people lying unconscious outside taverns, drunk.

Li Yan encountered no obstacles along the way and quickly found the Temple of General Wudao.

The Wudao General Temple is next to the Jade Emperor's Palace, symbolizing the Jade Emperor leading all the gods to suppress evil spirits in the capital.

This temple of the Five Generals is not large in scale and was built not long ago. Legend has it that it was built by the most favored eunuch of a previous emperor to pray for peace and blessings.

It is said that after the temple was built, the eunuch went around looking for people to write the inscription.

The previous emperor was incompetent, the imperial relatives formed cliques and engaged in corrupt practices, and the eunuchs held absolute power. Even scholars with a modicum of integrity couldn't be bothered to pay any attention to this powerful eunuch.

Among them was a learned scholar who was personally approached by the chief eunuch. He dared not refuse, but also did not want to praise him against his conscience. So he wrote: "The Five Paths Temple is the temple of the gods of the Five Paths. People think that the tree is in front of the temple, but I think that the temple is behind the tree. Why is that? Please list my name."

The eunuch was not very learned and did not understand the meaning behind it. He stood happily in the temple. Later, the emperor staged a palace coup and beheaded him. The inscription on the stele of the Temple of the Five Generals has been preserved to this day.

Just like the current state of the Five Paths General's faith, although it is in the capital, it is not large in area and is not conspicuous on the street.

In the darkness, Li Yan simply scaled the wall.

There was only one old man tending the temple, snoring loudly in a side room while holding a wine jar. The rest of the temple was barely kept clean.

The moment he landed, Li Yan felt a jolt in his heart.

The warrant in his arms was actually buzzing and vibrating.

This is a sign that the demonic energy has been found!
The fact that he could conceal his aura so deeply that even the Five Paths Generals had to come to him in a dream for help made Li Yan immediately expose his identity.

Zhao Qingxu's companion, the demonic energy of the demon god Liu Yuanheng!
There was actually one parasitic on Wudao Temple!
Without the slightest hesitation, Li Yan flipped over and smashed the window, grabbing the drunken old man and quickly retreating. At the same time, he took out the warrant and began to recite: "Heaven has its rules, earth has its order..."

Before he could finish speaking, a chilling wind swept through the temple, and a rich aroma of incense rose up. Then, it transformed into a dark shadow and headed towards Xuanwu Gate.

(End of this chapter)