The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 312 Disordered Pulse, Birth

There is a road running through the mountains north of Shanju County, and Tibetan residents can cross the mountains to sell fur products and exchange them for daily necessities such as salt.

Many Tibetans burn incense at Kufan ​​Temple. It's not that there aren't temples on the other side of the snow mountain, but rather that they come to trade and happen to pass by, and over time they stop to worship Buddha.

Although the scene on this mountain is not as terrifying as that of the snow-capped mountains, it is still a scene of fierce winds and torrential rain, with vegetation being torn apart. Even though there are roads, they are difficult to traverse.

Relying on their martial arts skills, the group traversed broken trees and rocks, avoided slippery slopes, and cautiously made their way uphill, without encountering too much danger.

After a while, we reached the top of the mountain. Looking back from there, it was as if we were in a dream. The huge snow-capped mountain behind us had disappeared, replaced by several small hills of varying heights. The snow and ice had melted, and the desolate scene stretched on and on.

Zhao Ti sighed softly, "I've already seen pine and cypress trees turned into firewood, and mulberry fields transformed into the sea. The affairs of the world are but a fleeting moment, changing in an instant. Let's go down the mountain..."

Upon hearing this, everyone remained silent and was about to rush down the mountain when they saw many figures climbing up from the other side of the mountain.

Tong Guan exclaimed, "Your Highness, they seem to be from the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands?"

Zhao Ti squinted and saw that it was indeed these people. On the night of the Black Rose's summons in the snow mountain, he left his tent with her, but they did not catch up and then disappeared.

After waiting for a while, the group arrived at the mountaintop, panting, and bowed in greeting.

Zhao Ti inquired about his experiences and learned that he had been searching for him in the snowy mountains, but had not found him for a long time, nor had he discovered the entrance to Shambhala. Today, seeing the avalanche and the collapse of the mountain, he had no choice but to run down and retreat in this direction.

Zhao Ti nodded, not having time for further words, and ordered them to continue down the mountain.

By the time they reached the residential area on this side of the mountain, it was already past midnight. The sun, moon, and stars in the sky were in disarray, and the sky was dark and gloomy, as if they were about to fall into eternal night.

Then, the sound of weeping could be heard coming from the mountain dwellings. It turned out that the houses had collapsed and people inside had suffered an unexpected disaster.

Mu Wanqing's body trembled slightly as she gripped Zhao Ti's hand tightly: "Your Highness, my mother, my mother and the others..."

Zhao Ti said, "When I left last time, I persuaded you to go to Dali. Even if you didn't go, given Madam Qin's martial arts skills, you wouldn't get hurt."

Mu Wanqing nodded and then headed towards Qin Hongmian's residence. When she arrived, she saw that the courtyard was still intact and the house had not collapsed.

The group quickly entered the courtyard and found the door locked, which relieved Mu Wanqing.

Zhao Ti looked up at the sky, listened to the sounds coming from the direction of the snow mountain, and said, "There should be nothing wrong. Since we're here, let's go in and rest for a while before continuing our journey."

Everyone applauded. Mu Wanqing unlocked the door and went inside, only to find that many things had already been taken away by Qin Hongmian, including some old belongings that she had packed up.

Then Xiao Feng organized some simple roasted rations, and after eating them, they rested.

The group was exhausted and didn't know how long they had slept until the sunlight was blinding. They got up and saw that the sky had returned to normal.

They then headed to Dali, arriving in the city a few days later. Duan Yu led the way to the Zhennan Prince's Mansion, where Duan Zhengchun came out to greet them.

Then someone was sent to inform Qin Hongmian. The mother and daughter met and embraced each other, weeping bitterly. They had many words to say and were filled with emotion.

As evening fell, Duan Zhengming hosted a banquet at the palace. During the banquet, they talked for a long time about the great changes in the world and about the miraculous events that had occurred in the snow mountain. Duan Zhengming was in a heavy mood and asked the Song Dynasty for its countermeasures.

Zhao Ti was unaware of the court's current strategy, only saying that he would return to Xingzhou to discuss the matter further.

After returning to the Prince's Mansion, Duan Zhengchun invited him to the main hall for tea, with a wry smile on his face, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

Zhao Ti said, "Please speak frankly, Prince Zhennan, if you have anything to say. There is no need to be secretive."

Duan Zhengchun stammered, "Does Your Highness still remember Azi?"

Zhao Ti chuckled: "What are you saying, Prince Zhennan? I personally delivered Azi here, how could I forget!"

Duan Zhengchun sighed, "Azi, Azi has run away from home..."

"She ran away from home?" Zhao Ti stroked his chin. "Prince Zhennan, this is where you, as a father, have failed. As the saying goes, 'If you raise a child but do not teach him, it is the father's fault.' Although Azi is a daughter, she has experienced many hardships since childhood. You should educate her properly and protect her. How could you let her run away?"

Duan Zhengchun's face twitched: "Your Highness is unaware of the situation. Azi... Azi is quite unruly. After Your Highness left last time, she caused more than a dozen troubles in Dali City, and I was the one who cleaned up the mess for her."

Zhao Ti said unhappily, "Isn't this what should be done? Since you, as the father, have not taught him well, you should naturally handle the rest of the matter properly."

"Of course, of course..." Duan Zhengchun took a deep breath and nodded, "But just a few nights ago, she secretly went to Yuxu Temple and... burned it down!"

"Burn down the Jade Void Temple?" Zhao Ti narrowed his eyes upon hearing this.

Yuxu Temple is where Princess Dao Baifeng of Zhennan cultivates. Because Duan Zhengchun is too philandering, conflicts arise between the two, so Dao Baifeng calls herself Yuxu Sanren and lives in the temple year-round. This Azi is really audacious, actually finding out that she set fire to this place.

"That's right. She knew she had caused a huge mess this time, so she left a letter saying she was going to the Central Plains to find her mother and sister, and left Dali," Duan Zhengchun sighed.

"Looking for your mother and sister?" Zhao Ti frowned. "What about the Prince of Zhennan..."

Duan Zhengchun shook his head and said, "I plan to go to Xingzhu's residence. If I see her, I will bring her back. If she wants to be with her mother, I will let her stay at Xiaojing Lake for the time being."

Zhao Ti said, "I think it would be best for the Prince of Zhennan to take her back."

Duan Zhengchun looked at Zhao Ti: "Your Highness's meaning..."

Zhao Ti sneered: "The Central Plains is not Dali. In Dali, if she causes trouble, you, as her father, can protect her and teach her on a daily basis. But who can protect her if she causes trouble in the Central Plains? If she is caught by the government, not only will she be severely punished, but it will also inevitably affect the diplomatic relations between the two countries."

Duan Zhengchun broke out in a cold sweat: "Your Highness is absolutely right. After I find her, I will tie her up and take her back to Dali."

Zhao Ti nodded: "That's how it should be, otherwise if something really happens, the Prince of Zhennan will regret it too late."

Duan Zhengchun repeatedly agreed, and then asked, "Your Highness, is there any news of A'Zhu?"

Zhao Ti glanced at him and shook his head, saying, "I don't have that. If I did, I would inform the Prince of Zhennan."

Duan Zhengchun then asked, "Your Highness, how is Ling'er?"

Zhao Ti said, "Ling'er is doing well. I'm taking Wanqing back with me this time. The two of them are familiar with each other and can keep each other company so she won't be lonely anymore."

Duan Zhengchun's lips twitched, his heart filled with mixed feelings, but he didn't say much. He only said, "It is a blessing that they follow Your Highness. If they have any impolite or wrongdoings, Your Highness can punish them. If it is a small mistake... I hope Your Highness will be more tolerant and not blame them too much."

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "Ling'er is well-behaved and Wanqing is sincere. They are both pure-hearted people. What mistakes could they possibly make? Prince Zhennan is worrying too much."

Duan Zhengchun said, "Your Highness knows about my family affairs. I am sorry for their mother, who let them grow up outside without receiving an education. They cannot be considered well-educated and reasonable..."

Zhao Ti said, "It's alright, I can handle it myself, Prince Zhennan can rest assured."

Upon hearing this, Duan Zhengchun said, "Then I will trouble Your Highness..." Zhao Ti waved his hand, and the two chatted about other things before resting.

They spent another day in Dali the following day, and set off on the third day to return to Xingzhou.

At this time, Duan Yu led his men to see them off, while the others, including Xu Zhu, headed north together.

The scenery along the way had changed in various ways. Although the weather had returned to normal, both the climate and the natural environment had changed significantly and were much worse than before.

Upon reaching the banks of the Yangshan River, one could see with the naked eye the roaring water, with waves reaching three feet high, and the river channel on both sides seemed to have widened considerably.

Xu Zhu exclaimed in surprise, "When I came here, the water was vast, but it wasn't this terrifying. Moreover, the river seems to have widened."

Huo Linglong said, "The spiritual energy is recovering, and the world is changing. The battle between the Buddhist Kingdom and Jin'ao Island has once again affected the energy of heaven and earth. The Shambhala Buddhist Kingdom is too vast to be counted. Its fall caused the earth's veins to break, which affected all directions. Naturally, anomalies will appear and the scenery will change."

Kumārajīva said, "This is still in the East, so the impact is relatively small. The Buddhist kingdom has fallen to the Western world, thousands or tens of thousands of miles away. Under the impact of the shock, many countries may be destroyed and countless lives may be lost."

"Amitabha." Xu Zhu hurriedly put his palms together: "Master is right. The West has suffered a disaster. Shambhala is vast and did not land normally, but fell hastily. Many countries may no longer exist."

Zhao Ti stood by the river, gazing at the surging waves. He squinted his eyes. Not only were the waves bigger and the riverbank wider than he had seen before, but the color of the river water had also changed, turning slightly black.

Duan Yu then ordered his soldiers to find a ferry. Originally, Dali had a military force stationed on the banks of the Yangshan River, but because of its friendly relations with the Song Dynasty, this army was usually quite lax and did not maintain a fixed post, instead wandering around aimlessly.

As for the military ships, they originally existed, but they haven't been used much over the years, and the Dali court hasn't replaced them, so they've long been abandoned and rotten.

The soldiers brought by Duan Yu first found the stationed soldiers, and then these soldiers went to find the fishermen to ferry them, but they did not return for half a day.

Duan Yu was anxious and sent someone to urge them on. It took a long time for the garrison leader to finally arrive with a few men who looked like fishermen.

Duan Yu asked, "Why is it so slow?"

The garrison commander hurriedly saluted and said with a wry smile, "Your Highness, there used to be many fishermen along the river, but a few days ago, something happened. The sky darkened, the earth shook violently, and the waves were towering. Many boats were even capsized. No one dares to go out to fish anymore; they all go to their homes to search for fish."

Duan Yu nodded and looked at the men: "Where is the boat?"

One of the old men bowed and said, "We are all downstream of the river. Because the water is high and it is against the current, we did not row over."

Upon hearing this, Duan Yu looked at Zhao Ti, who said, "Let's go over there. The waves are indeed too big. Going against the current is dangerous and slow. It's better to go over there quickly."

Everyone agreed and swam downstream. After a short while, they arrived and saw more than a dozen wooden boats moored on the riverbank, bobbing gently in the water.

The old fisherman said, "Originally, we only needed to tie it up, but now we've put down a heavy anchor, otherwise it would have been washed away by the waves."

Zhao Ti glanced at the wooden boats; they were no ordinary small boats, but rather ferries that could be used for both fishing and cargo transport. A dozen or so of them could carry everyone on a single trip, so he immediately ordered everyone to board.

The Yangshan River, which was previously only twenty or thirty zhang wide in its narrowest section and fifty or sixty zhang wide in its widest section, has now changed, reaching a mile or two in its widest part.

The preceding section was about seventy or eighty zhang and a half li long, and the waves were quite large, something that could not be seen on the river surface under normal circumstances.

At this point, the fishermen on the boat could no longer operate the oars themselves, so everyone helped from both sides, putting in a lot of effort, and it took them a long time to reach the middle of the river.

The river water grew increasingly dark, swirling and emitting terrifying "whooshing" sounds, as if it had reached some perilous and desperate place.

Xu Zhu hurriedly began reciting scriptures, but Kumārajīva said, "Little monk, shut up. What kind of scriptures are you reciting? They are not appropriate for the occasion. Don't disturb people's minds."

Xu Zhu scratched his head and stammered, "Master is right. This humble monk doesn't know which scripture to read now."

Kumārajīva said, “At this time, why read scriptures? The Buddha is in your heart. Seeking the Buddha is seeking yourself. Helping others cross the river is the right thing to do.”

Xu Zhu's eyes lit up: "Master is right, I understand, I will help right away."

He said he would go and help row the boat, but he didn't know how at all. Huo Linglong frowned when she saw this and said, "Little Master, you should just watch."

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhu felt embarrassed and awkwardly stepped aside.

Suddenly, the whirlpool in the water grew larger, and the next moment, waves surged up, from which black, ferocious fish leaped out, baring their sharp, saw-like teeth and biting at the people on the side of the boat.

The fisherman was terrified and quickly retreated. Fortunately, the people helping him row were the cave lords and island lords, who reacted very quickly, either clapping or drawing their swords to attack the blackfish.

But the blackfish actually had some tricks up its sleeve. It swung its tail and swayed its body in mid-air, and most of them dodged the attack and fell back into the river.

The fisherman exclaimed, "I have never seen such a strange-looking fish before!"

Zhao Ti stood on the bow of the boat, his eyes slightly narrowed. At that moment, Xiao Feng grabbed a fish and showed it to him.

The fish was grotesque in appearance, with a pointed head, a flat body, and a tail like a sword or spear. Its eyes bulged out, and its mouth was full of fangs, like a cleaver with a handle. Its dense black scales opened and closed constantly, as if it were breathing.

Even though Xiao Feng was pinching the fish's gills, the black fish kept slapping its tail and hitting Xiao Feng's wrist with a "bang bang" sound.

"Your Highness, I have never seen such a fish before. It is very strong, and I do not know its name."

Zhao Ti looked at it but didn't recognize it either. Normally, people would know that this fish was ferocious, but at this moment, even the fisherman and Xiao Feng, who had traveled all over the country for many years, didn't recognize it, which was strange.

"Could it be a change in the heavens and earth, with Shambhala falling and disrupting the earth's energy, creating something new?" Mu Wanqing asked cautiously from the side.

Zhao Ti nodded, it seemed that this was the only explanation. Just as he was about to speak, a row of huge waves suddenly rose from the bow of the ship, each a dozen feet high, revealing a huge, black mouth full of palm-sized, white teeth. It actually reached over the bow and bit at him.

"Ah, you dare to do this, you monster!" Xiao Feng, Tong Guan, and the others roared in anger, unleashing a variety of palm strikes that produced a deafening roar.

Even the most ferocious creature in the waves couldn't withstand so many people attacking at the same time. It immediately let out a shrill scream and crashed onto the ship with a loud bang.

It was a huge black fish, several times larger than a person, weighing several hundred kilograms. Its body was badly mangled in several places, and its head was dented.

"How can there be such a huge strange fish?" Everyone looked down and exclaimed in surprise.

By this time, the river waves had calmed down considerably, the black whirlpools had disappeared, and no more black fish were rushing towards the boat.

Zhao Ti raised his eyebrows: "The world is changing, spiritual energy is reviving, the earth's veins are shaking and breaking, and all sorts of monsters are emerging."

Everyone fell silent upon hearing this, their faces showing thoughtful expressions.

A moment later, the boat reached the other side, and everyone went ashore to watch the fishermen return safely before continuing northward.

(End of this chapter)