Knife splashing

Chapter 730 The Magical Artifact is Finally Completed, the Missing Scholar
Wudang Mountain, Zixiao Palace.

The morning bell tolls melodiously; it was originally the time for morning prayers.

Meanwhile, the Taoist priest and his disciples stared in disbelief at what lay ahead.

The incense and candles in the hall were burning fiercely, and billowing blue smoke swirled rapidly, forming a tornado in front of the statue of Zhenwu the Great.

An invisible pressure enveloped everyone's hearts.

Whether they were elders or newly initiated disciples, everyone felt a tremor that originated from their very soul.

"Master, could it be that evil spirits have entered the main hall?"

"Nonsense, how could that be!"

"Then what is this...?"

"This is a divine decree!"

Just then, an old voice rang out from outside the hall.

A stout old Taoist priest with a full head of white beard appeared outside the main hall.

His skin was slightly yellow, even with a touch of gold, which was a sign of mastering some kind of esoteric martial art. However, the dense age spots indicated that he was extremely old, well over a hundred years old.

The visitor was none other than Wang Daozong, the Golden Toad Ancestor of Zixiao Palace.

He was Wang Jingxiu's father and the most respected person on Wudang Mountain.

Zhang Sanfeng had several famous disciples, including Qiu Yuanjing, Sun Biyun, Li Xuanzong, and Wang Daozong…

After the Iron Toad Taoist of the Five Dragons Palace passed away, this old Taoist was the only surviving first-generation senior.

"Greetings to the ancestor!"

Upon seeing this, everyone knelt down and kowtowed, their hearts filled with horror.

The Golden Toad Ancestor was cultivating in seclusion in the backyard and rarely showed himself, but he was unexpectedly disturbed.

The old Taoist priest inside the hall was even more shocked by the words of the Golden Toad Ancestor.

"Revelation... How is this possible?"

"Nothing is Impossible."

The Golden Toad Ancestor remained calm, gazing at the swirling green smoke before the statue, and said in a deep voice, "It is a decree from the Heavenly Court. Ring the bell! Quickly, go and invite the Sect Leader here!"

"Yes, ancestor!"

At his command, the bronze bell in Zixiao Palace immediately rang out violently.

The sound of the bell signified an important event, and all the disciples of Wudang Mountain rushed towards Zixiao Palace upon hearing it.

The sect leader, Yu Chanzi, who was originally in seclusion for cultivation, also quickly arrived at the main hall of Zixiao Palace.

"A decree from the Heavenly Court?"

Upon hearing this, he immediately frowned. "The last time a divine decree was issued was at the end of the Song Dynasty when the Ghost Cult of the Great Song Dynasty was poisoning the people, forcing various sects to unite and new forces such as the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect to emerge. Although there have been signs since then, the Heavenly Laws are strict, and the Great Luo Dharma Realm rarely directly interferes with the operation of the human world."

"What exactly is this major event?"

The Golden Toad Ancestor turned his head and glanced at the True Martial God statue, then said in a low voice, "Let's take a look first."

"Yes, uncle."

Yu Chanzi suppressed the raging storm in his heart, forced himself to remain calm, and said in a deep voice:

"Please use the [Tongjia Secret Chart] to deduce the true meaning of heavenly secrets through [Qimen Dunjia]!"

One reason why the orthodox Xuanmen sect is so powerful is that its lineage has been intact and has never been interrupted.

The Heavenly Rules are strict, and even if the Heavenly Court issues an edict, it will not be clearly stated.

If Li Yan were here, he would realize that this was a way to bypass the rules, just like when General Wudao communicated with him in spirit and face to face, he didn't say a word, but drew pictures for him to guess.

In the Great Luo Dharma Realm, Erlang Zhenjun also lets him see for himself through Nuo masks, without speaking.

To decipher the Heavenly Court's decree, divination is necessary.

This is considered one of the most profound methods in the Xuanmen (Taoist) school. It is easy to learn but difficult to master, and very few people can truly grasp it.

Among the Xuanmen (Taoist sects), Wudang is not famous for divination, but there are still a few people who are proficient in this method.

Several elderly Taoist priests with white hair, who were skilled in divination, immediately stepped forward.

Together they retrieved a nine-palace eight-trigram plate made of thousand-year-old ebony, with an inlaid armillary sphere pointer inside and intricate engravings of the Luoshu and Hetu diagrams and the Three Wonders and Six Instruments on the outside. The four plates (year, month, day, and hour) were arranged according to the time of day.

At the same time, sit cross-legged and form hand seals, channeling your spiritual energy into the seat.

Wow!
The enormous nine-palace eight-trigram disc suddenly began to rotate, with the inside and outside directions reversed.

"The Heavenly Stem Yi enters the Zhen Palace! The Chief Symbol falls on the Li Palace! This is an omen of 'divine light shining upon the door, a new opportunity suddenly appearing'!"

"The Heavenly Gate opens in the Qian position (northwest), signifying the birth of a sacred being, whose status is exalted!"

"When the gate of rest meets Ding Qi... this divine position is closely related to 'vessels,' 'fire,' and 'the mechanism of rotation'..."

Although the incantation was complex, the Golden Toad Ancestor understood it clearly. He stroked his beard thoughtfully and said, "Divine light descends upon the door, signifying a high rank and exalted status. This is a sign of the Daoist sect bestowing a new deity. Such a grand display... the last time it was the Queen Mother of the West... what's going on in the northwest?"

"New God?"

Yu Chanzi was also somewhat puzzled, and turned to look behind him: "Has anything major happened in the Northwest recently?"

Upon hearing this, Ling Yunzi, who had just returned from a mission, suddenly had an idea and said, "Sect Leader, I am on good terms with Fellow Daoist Li and learned that he went to the capital, so I have been keeping an eye on intelligence there."

"The Qiankun Academy recently opened in the capital, and I heard that it houses the 'True Lord of the Flint Wheel' bestowed by His Majesty."

"The mechanism of the turning wheel... must be this god."

The Golden Toad Ancestor seemed to be deep in thought, while the rest of the group looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Why would the Heavenly Court make such a fuss over a newly appointed mortal god?"

The Wudang Sect Leader, Yu Chanzi, looked to the northwest, stroked his beard, and frowned, saying, "I heard that the appearance of the divine artifact of Qiankun Academy has caused a great stir in the capital during this time of human transformation. I'm afraid it's because of this."

"It seems I must make a trip to the capital..."

……

Longhu Mountain, the residence of the Heavenly Master of the Successor Han Dynasty.

Below the statue of Zhang Daoling, the ancestral Celestial Master, is enshrined in the Wanfa Zongtan, where successive Celestial Masters have been presided over.

A Taoist priest in purple robes held the "Three-Five Capital Merit Jade Seal," and his eyes flashed with lightning.

He was thin, with a simple and honest face, and a full head of silver hair, giving him a dignified air.

This person was none other than Zhang Siyuan, the 48th Celestial Master.

To occupy such a high position, one must be extraordinary.

Although he was old, his Taoist skills were profound, and he could deduce them on his own without needing anyone else.

He formed the Five Thunder Finger Seal with his hands, recited the Jade Pivot Treasure Scripture, and activated the Five Thunder Heavenly Heart Orthodox Method. In an instant, lightning crackled all around his body, and the "Three Five Capital Merit Jade Seal" in his hand floated in the air.

Finally, the lightning dissipated, and Zhang Tianshi slowly rose to his feet, saying in a deep voice:

"Prepare the carriage! We're heading to the capital!"

Qingcheng, Emei, Taibai Doumu Temple, Zhongnan Quanzhen Temple...

Countless sects used divination to glimpse the secrets of heaven, causing a sensation throughout the land.

Many leaders of the orthodox Xuanmen sects also hurriedly descended the mountain and rushed to the capital...

…………

The capital city, Qiankun Academy.

The newly arrived disciples were naturally unaware that the academy had already stirred up a storm within the Xuanmen sect.

At the end of the Yin hour (5 a.m.), as dawn broke, all the disciples got up.

Steam billowed from the steamers in the dining hall, filling the air with the bland aroma of millet porridge, mixed grain steamed cakes, and pickled vegetables.

The apprentices from various places were already used to simple meals, wolfing down their food from earthenware bowls.

But the sons of the powerful and wealthy all looked worried and distressed.

Some hid in corners, secretly taking out beef jerky from their pockets and pretending to eat it with rice.

After breakfast, you should exercise.

Led by instructors hired by the academy, they shouted and practiced "Bone Forging Fist".

This was passed down from Master Huo Yin, intended to strengthen one's physical strength and build a solid foundation for future demanding work.

The disciples who had been stealing food then regretted their actions, feeling a bloating in their stomachs.

It turns out that you can't practice this boxing style on a full stomach.

The canteen has already remade the stewed meat; they'll be starving after their boxing practice and will need a meal.

As for the disciples of the Xuan Gong Department, it was a completely different story.

They were scattered across the square, sitting cross-legged according to their respective schools of thought, facing the sun, inhaling the purple aura, and calming their minds.

By 7 a.m., the Jingyi Hall was already packed with people.

The regulations were formulated by Yan Jiuling and others, stipulating that these disciples should focus on learning knowledge for the first two years. The materials provided by the Bowuzhai and annotated by geomancers included *Shenzhou Mineral Vein Geomancy Records* and *Commentary on the Waterways Classic*, the Mohist *Kaogongji*, illustrations of *Yingzao Fashi* (Building Standards) leaked from the imperial court, and a draft of *A Preliminary Discussion on the Qi Mechanism of the True Lord of the Flint Wheel* personally written by Emperor Yuanfeng…

They still have a lot to learn.

As the academy motto says, "Uphold practicality, adaptability, and integrity," if they were merely trained as ordinary craftsmen, why would the court have to expend such a great cost?

For Da Xuan, these disciples were the seeds of future change…

.........

Li Yan was equally busy.

After several days of hard work, the final stage has finally arrived.

Deep inside the workshop, flames roared, the sound of hammering echoed, and a vat of black water emitted a faint chill.

This is "Kunze Pool," a spiritual spring that Tao Fengchun specially sought out to guide the "Thunderous Mysterious Gold."

Tao Fengchun went into battle shirtless, wearing only a cowhide apron, his bulging muscles gleaming oily in the firelight.

He held a small hammer with intricate cloud-shaped engravings in both hands, striking it rhythmically with a clanging sound.

Today marks the final moment in the completion of the "Thousand Thoughts" arm guard.

Previously, thanks to the unique "Kesi Leiwen" technique created by "Wan Baiqiao", the arm guard "Qian Nian" has changed its appearance, shimmering with dark golden metallic light. It is made of "Leiyun Xuanjin" as the main material and mixed with several kinds of extremely tough silk threads.

But since it is metal, it still needs to undergo final quenching.

This quenching method is called "gentle quenching," which requires constant tapping with a small hammer to raise the temperature without damaging the silk fabric of the arm guards.

Fortunately, Tao Fengchun was there; no one else could have mastered the timing.

"Yin Qi!"

With the final strike, Tao Fengchun let out a low groan.

Upon hearing this, Li Yan immediately inserted his hand into his arm guard, concentrated his mind, and used a lightning incantation to probe into the icy pool.

zizi~
Instantly, lightning flashed, like countless tiny lightning snakes coiling around it.

"It's done!"

Beside him, the voice of the brocade master Wan Baiqiao was filled with excitement and exhaustion.

This level of magical artifact is qualified to become a sect's secret treasure; she could only forge a few in her lifetime.

Li Yan quickly raised his hand from the icy pool and looked at the arm guard in his hand.

At this moment, the arm guard had turned into a black metallic shape, but the eight embroidered gold characters "天地氤氤，万物化醇" were still clearly visible, and the densely packed Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coins had completely transformed into scales and fused together.

A strange feeling of blood connection washed over him, as if the arm guard had become a part of his body.

Nourishing~
He unleashed the "Heavenly Thunder Demon-Subduing Hammer" once more, his arm guards flashing with lightning, yet none of it leaked out.

"Thank you, Master."

Li Yan was excited and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist and bow.

He could already feel the power of this treasure, which perfectly complemented his Dragon-Slaying and Dust-Severing Blade.

With these two treasures, one can unleash thunder magic without any hindrance.

"This is your compensation from the academy; you deserve it."

Tao Fengchun, the Grandmaster of the Mo Sect at Baigonglou, remained calm. He turned and picked up a brocade box from the wooden table, shaking his head as he said, "These are your five treasure flags. I reforged them according to your method, but their power seems unsatisfactory..."

"It's alright, thank you."

Li Yan smiled and quickly took the items.

This thing is just a prototype; it will only be complete when it incorporates the precious energy of the "Five Directions Luofeng Flag" within the hook.

To truly succeed, five powerful commands are needed to drive it.

As long as the mission is completed and "True Lord Suilun" is protected, the required number of Gang Tokens can be collected.

Thinking of this, Li Yan put the things away and looked towards the other side of the workshop.

Right across from the workshop, in a corner, next to a specially made casting furnace that was burning red-hot, the atmosphere was completely different.

But then he saw Shalifei sitting cross-legged on a futon in front of the stove, holding a musket.

At this moment, he was wearing only an open shirt, revealing his strong chest. His eyes were closed, his face was ashen, the veins on his forehead were bulging, and large beads of sweat rolled down his temples.

Li Yan was worried and quickly approached.

Shalifei's new musket has been completed.

Contrary to Li Yan's expectations, this latest musket used an idea that Zhao Huogong had obtained from the breech-loading machine tool master. It fired metal-cased bullets and had a large revolving cylinder that could load five rounds of ammunition at the same time.

To put it simply, it's a strange revolving spear.

This thing fires a new type of gunpowder, so the strength requirements are naturally higher.

The main material for the gun barrel was selected by Zhao Huogong and Zhou Baixiao after repeated research, using extremely rare and incredibly dense black iron. After being forged and refined through countless hammerings and soaked in Sha Lifei's blood essence, the unique black luster of the gun barrel's black iron revealed faint dark red patterns.

However, the musket was not yet fully completed.

Because a special "mysterious gold striking needle" was being held in Shalifei's hand.

He kept his mind focused, trying to feel the firing pin and the musket in his hand.

This is the "heart and blood refining" method mentioned in the "Meishan Firearms Compilation".

Originally a method for sword immortals to nurture their swords, Sha Lifeng had the wild idea to use it to nurture firearms.

Whether we succeed or not depends on this moment.

Time passed slowly, and Shalifei's forehead was covered in sweat, his breath growing weaker and weaker.

This method is extremely mentally taxing, and if it fails, it can even backfire.

"Oops…"

Master firearms expert Zhao Huogong glanced at the sky, sighed slightly, and shook his head, saying, "The time has passed; it's probably too late."

However, Shalifei seemed to have heard these words and suddenly opened his eyes.

His eyes were bloodshot, but deep in his pupils was an almost insane obsession.

"You coward, get the hell out of here!"

The old man let out a beast-like growl and suddenly slammed his fist against his chest.

puff!
He coughed up a mouthful of thick blood.

At the same time, the firing pin in his right hand was suddenly pressed against the musket.

That mouthful of blood, precisely, sprayed onto the point where the two met.

"combine!"

With a low shout from Shalifei, the gun began to buzz.

"Done?"

His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked at the musket in his hand with disbelief.

"Hahaha, silly boy, you did it!"

Zhao Huogong stroked his beard and laughed heartily, his face also full of excitement.

"Hehe~ It's done..."

Shalifei's face turned pale, he let out a silly laugh, and could no longer hold on. He fell backward and passed out.

Swish!
Before he even landed, Li Yan instantly appeared behind him and helped him up.

Wang Daoxuan and Long Yan'er, who were already prepared, also rushed forward. They performed acupuncture to regulate Sha Lifeng's qi and blood meridians and stuffed pills into his mouth. After a lot of work, Sha Lifeng's complexion finally improved.

It's no wonder they're cautious; this method is unprecedented, it's practically playing with fire.

If things go wrong, Shalifei might lose all his cultivation and revert to his original form.

Fortunately, everything went well.

Just as Li Yan and the others were celebrating, a man from the Duwei Si (a military rank) outside the door bowed and said, "Mr. Li, a letter has arrived from the city!"

"Oh."

Li Yan was not surprised and quickly stepped forward to take the secret letter.

Although he was in the academy, he kept a close eye on the affairs of the capital and had Luo Mingzi send him intelligence every day.

The first intelligence report was exactly as expected.

Several murders have occurred in the city, committed by the Japanese who fled.

But upon seeing the second intelligence report, Li Yan frowned slightly.

"What happened?"

Upon seeing this, Wang Daoxuan, who was standing nearby, quickly inquired.

Li Yan handed over the letter, shaking his head and saying, "It's that kid Kong Shangzhao, he suddenly disappeared..."

(End of this chapter)