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

Chapter 323 The Four-Story Tower (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Tokyo, the Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study.

Holding a secret letter, Zhao Xu looked somber and muttered to himself, "Is there something strange about the Great Grassland?"

The letter was written by Zhao Ti and was sent to the capital region by express courier, reaching Zhao Xu's hands immediately.

He slowly put down the secret letter, got up and walked to the outside of the dragon desk, his gaze complex and unfathomable, containing a hint of urgency and anxiety.

"Should we try to negotiate with the Liao Kingdom, or even show weakness and temporarily put aside the idea of ​​taking over Yan and Yun?" Zhao Xu took a deep breath, walked to the door of the study, and looked around.

It was autumn, the world was desolate and the scenery was bleak, even in the palace.

The sky is clear and the wind is cool. In the distance, leaves fall from the trees, their yellow hue a somber, desolate tale, as if telling of the coldness and decay of this season.

"At most, we'll have to contend with the Liao Kingdom this autumn and winter. After the New Year, we'll definitely plan our actions regarding Yan and Yun in the spring," Zhao Xu said slowly, seemingly having made a great decision.

"However, I fear that the tree may wish to remain still while the wind does not cease, and the true intentions of the Liao army's movements have not yet been ascertained... Tan Zhen!"

"Your Majesty, your humble servant is here..." Tan Zhen hurried over from behind the pillar.

"Issue my decree: summon Cai Jing and Huang Shang... Huang Shang has not yet returned to the capital. Summon Cai Jing to the palace. I have something to discuss with him."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will go and deliver the decree immediately." Upon hearing this, Tan Zhen ran out the door.

"The matters concerning the Daoist Classic and the Martial Classic must be expedited and cannot wait until they are fully compiled." Zhao Xu stepped out of the study with his hands behind his back: "The Prince of Yan foresaw the opportunity and formed the Dragon Elephant Army. I also want to build two special teams."

"What should we call them? Let's call them the Martial Army and the Dao Army, and give each army its own specific names..."

Southwest of the inner city, on Junyi Bridge Street, lies Shenxiao Temple.

After viewing the hall, there was an empty main hall. Instead of statues of gods or immortals, there were many ritual implements and rows of large candles as thick as an arm.

Emperor Huizong, dressed in a light blue satin Taoist robe, stood before the candles, gritted his teeth, muttered to himself for a moment, and then suddenly pointed forward.

A soft, cracking sound was heard above the large wax candle, but the large wax candle did not move at all.

He couldn't help but frown and look at Lin Lingsu standing to the side.

Lin Lingsu flicked the whisk from her arm and said respectfully, "Your Highness, try a few more times, and you will eventually succeed."

Zhao Ji said, "Since it is a celestial art, I will always have patience, unlike other things that start strong but end weakly, with enthusiasm lasting only for half a quarter of an hour."

Lin Lingsu said, "With Your Highness's decision, why worry about not succeeding in cultivation? When your realm is high and your magical power is profound, you can travel to Kunlun in the morning and the East Sea in the evening, with a flying sword in your sleeve, full of courage and freedom. You will be a true immortal."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji revealed an excited expression and said, "Now that the Great Song Dynasty has been promoted to a Celestial Dynasty, how can I, as the King, not set an example by cultivating magic? When the time comes, I will overpower the Prince of Yan and make him bow his head when he sees me!"

After saying that, he waved his sleeves forward again and again. After more than ten times, a loud "bang" was heard and a candle was lit.

The fire, seemingly appearing from nowhere, was dazzling and burned fiercely on the candle wick.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Ji was overjoyed and waved his hand repeatedly. He then lit several more large candles, but his face turned ashen. He had overdone it and swayed, eventually collapsing to the ground.

Seeing this, Lin Lingsu hurriedly stepped forward to help him up. Once he stood up and steadied himself, he laughed and said, "Prince Yan, you warrior, let's see how arrogant you are in front of me next time we meet. Once I unleash my magic, you'll have no choice but to bow your head!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Lingsu said, "Your Highness, the Prince of Yan is far away in the Northwest, and I'm afraid he won't be returning to the capital for some time."

“That’s not necessarily true,” Zhao Ji said. “Master Lin, you may not know this, but the Liao Kingdom is currently pressing its army against the border, with several lines of troops deployed along the northern frontier. It seems that they intend to invade and start a war. Not only does His Majesty not care, but he has also revealed his intention to recover Yan and Yun. If they really raise an army, the Prince of Yan may no longer be able to be the Prince of the Northwest. He may have to return to the capital to report on his duties or lead his troops north.”

"The Liao Kingdom has invaded our borders, and we've recovered Yan and Yun?" Lin Lingsu's eyes flickered. "This is an unprecedented feat! Doesn't Your Highness feel tempted?"

"What Master Lin means is..." Zhao Ji's eyes lit up, but then he shook his head with difficulty: "It's difficult to assign tasks to members of the imperial clan, let alone lead troops. I'm afraid this matter..."

Lin Lingsu said, “Your Highness, times have changed. The world has undergone tremendous changes, and the dynasty has been upgraded to a Celestial Dynasty. His Majesty has even issued an edict to compile Daoist and Martial Classics for the imperial family and princes to study. The rules are bound to change. Besides, hasn’t the Prince of Yan been leading troops on missions for the past few years?”

“With the ascension to a Celestial Dynasty, the rules change. The Prince of Yan has been leading troops for the past few years…” Zhao Ji pondered, “Indeed, indeed. The world is changing, and we are all descendants of the Zhao family. Besides, I have already mastered magic. If Zhao Ti can command troops, why can’t I?”

Lin Lingsu bowed her head and said, "That's exactly right."

Zhao Ji said, "What does Master Lin mean..."

Lin Lingsu said, "If we really need to mobilize troops to recover Yanyun, Your Highness should request permission to go. How can we miss this opportunity for a great achievement? It will be recorded in history and your name will be remembered for eternity. It will also be of great benefit to your cultivation."

"Very well!" Zhao Ji nodded emphatically upon hearing this: "As the immortal master has said, if the court really raises an army, I will go to His Majesty to request an imperial decree to send someone out on a mission to recover Yan and Yun, restore the Sixteen Prefectures, and let the whole world know and praise us for generations to come..."

Jiangnan, Qingliang Mountain.

In the deep, secluded mountains, where no one is in sight, three thatched huts stand on a cliff.

Xiaoyaozi was sitting cross-legged on the edge of the cliff, his eyes slightly closed, his whole body shrouded in a thin mist.

White energy flowed in and out of his seven orifices, his figure was both ethereal and real, seemingly imbued with endless Daoist charm, and from a cold perspective, he appeared to be an immortal cultivating.

Wang Yuyan practiced her martial arts under the eaves of the thatched hut. Her eyebrows and eyes were exquisitely beautiful, and she was so beautiful that she could topple kingdoms and cities, as if a celestial maiden had descended to earth.

After a long while, Xiaoyaozi let out a long breath, slowly opened his eyes, and said in a barely audible voice: "So my past life was actually called Shi."

"A title with only one character is common in ancient times. Could it be that I was a person from ancient times in a previous life?"

"The beginning, but which beginning is it? A beginning and an end, a beginningless and endless beginning, the beginning of oneness, the beginning of all things, the beginning of heaven and earth, the beginning of the universe, who... am I really?"

Xiaoyaozi stood up, and suddenly a series of sounds like spring thunder bursting forth came from his body. All 360 acupoints, both bright and dark, resonated together, as if playing music, which was quite astonishing.

"The White Tiger Blade Realm has been broken through!"

Xiaoyaozi let out a long roar, the sound echoing far and wide.

"Breakthrough to the fourth level of the Twelve-Story Tower, White Tiger Shoulder!"

The first four of the twelve-story towers are the first tower, the Heavenly Pivot Lock, which corresponds to the inner body being subjected to tribulation.

The second level, the Xuanji Platform, corresponds to the Fire Tribulation of Refining the Body Pill.

The third level, Azure Dragon Spine, corresponds to the Great Medicine Demon Realm Tribulation.

The fourth level, White Tiger Blade, corresponds to the Spirit Pill Wind Evil Tribulation.

As for the name of the fifth level, it is called the Fire Separation Gate, and the corresponding tribulation is called the Tribulation of Returning to the Deluded Mind.

"Has the mental tribulation arrived just after breaking through the fourth level of the White Tiger Blade Realm?" Xiaoyaozi's face suddenly twisted in pain.

His eyes were misaligned, and his nose and mouth were crooked. "Hmph, the Spirit Pill Wind Evil Tribulation? It's nothing. Yan'er, your great-grandfather is going to undergo the tribulation. You continue your cultivation!"

After saying this, Xiaoyaozi let out another long roar and then soared directly down the precipice.

On the towering cliff face, some trees and thorns protruded. Xiaoyaozi's figure floated down like a large bird, disappearing into the depths in the blink of an eye and vanishing without a trace.

"Only in this mountain, where the clouds are deep and the path is unknown." Wang Yuyan sat in front of the thatched hut, blinking her beautiful eyes as she looked towards the cliff, lost in thought.

A few breaths later, she suddenly stretched out her slender hand and beckoned to the wooden table in the distance. A cup of tea on the table flew into the air and flew towards her.

The teacup landed in her hand without spilling a drop of tea, and Wang Yuyan smiled gently.

The Boundless Ocean Treasure Record represents the highest realm, allowing one to grasp objects from the air.

Xingqing Prefecture, Xingzhou.

In the afternoon, Zhao Ti went to inspect the Dragon Elephant Army. The Dragon Elephant Army's main camp was built in a secret canyon west of Xingzhou City, where the soldiers practiced the Dragon Elephant Prajna Kung Fu.

The sight of a group of ten thousand people practicing boxing together was astonishing. Especially when they were boxing, they roared loudly, their shouts piercing the sky and splitting the clouds. Their blood and energy surged, shaking the birds in the sky and making even wild beasts tremble and dare not move.

Zhao Ti looked at the 10,000 men and nodded. They were all young and vigorous soldiers. Even without learning martial arts, they were extremely capable of fighting and could be trained into an elite force.

If you learn martial arts, you won't be afraid of any gods or ghosts. Ordinary incense gods, wild ghosts, or lonely spirits can be scattered by a single roar and the clash of their qi and blood.

Although the 10,000 Dragon Elephant Army had only been training for a short time, about half a month, many of them had already achieved a sense of Qi and were becoming proficient in their palm techniques.

One advantage of practicing a skill together is that you can find each other's shortcomings. If you don't understand something, you can ask someone else. If one person doesn't understand, you can ask another. If you have ten thousand people, you can always ask them.

Moreover, sparring is convenient and easy. Even if you have mastered the kung fu but lack real combat experience, a large-scale competition with thousands of people is definitely not just for show. Fights with heads broken and blood gushing are commonplace.

Zhao Ti ordered that in the Dragon Elephant Army, positions would be determined solely by the level of skill achieved, regardless of background or seniority.

Those who achieve high merit are promoted; in the army, the positions of captain, battalion commander, army commander, and commander-in-chief are all determined by how well one practices martial arts.

Those who have the highest merit rise to the top, and those who are capable occupy the highest positions. As long as one's skills are high enough, it is not difficult to rise to the top in one step.

As for those with low merit or insufficient qualifications, it doesn't matter. Their military pay is three times that of ordinary soldiers, and their welfare benefits are higher than those of any other army.

Moreover, diligence can make up for lack of talent. If you are not good at something today, you may not be good at it tomorrow. As long as you practice diligently, you may still be promoted one day.

This created an exceptionally high training atmosphere in the army, with everyone practicing martial arts relentlessly and no one willing to concede to anyone else.

Zhao Ti toured the Dragon Elephant Army for a long time, and then stood on a high place to give the soldiers some instructions. He said that as long as they practiced martial arts well, they would be able to make meritorious contributions on the battlefield, expand their territory, and even achieve great success. They might even be able to be ennobled as marquises, or even marquises of ten thousand households or champions.

After the founding of the Song Dynasty, no titles were conferred. Only a few prime ministers who had served in power for a long time were granted titles, or were posthumously granted titles.

But since Zhao Ti had made this promise, the soldiers naturally believed it, and their enthusiasm for training reached a new level. Who wouldn't want to be granted a title and a promotion?

After inspecting the army, Zhao Ti and Huo Linglong had a detailed conversation before leaving the canyon and returning to Xingzhou.

Back in the palace, after handling some official business, Zhao Ti ate something casually and then went to his bedchamber to practice his magic.

It was still dark when he finished cultivating and familiarized himself with the image of the Treasure Elephant King. Then he began to visualize the second image, the image of the War God King.

The God of War has six heads, a handsome and majestic appearance, and rides a peacock burning with green flames. He is depicted as a young man.

He wields a divine spear that radiates boundless light, possessing powerful combat abilities and inexhaustible magical power, capable of defeating all kinds of evil forces.

But Zhao Ti had only visualized half of the War God King's spear when he immediately stopped.

The magical power required for this image is several times that of the Treasure Elephant King. Even if he used all his magical power, he would not be able to summon the other party.

"My magical power is still too little and too weak," Zhao Ti shook his head. If he relied solely on cultivation, he didn't know when he would be able to collect all five patterns, not to mention the other spells he needed to cultivate.

Moreover, there is the Illusionary Yin Scripture, and martial arts cannot be neglected either. After all, martial arts also have great uses. When you get close, you may not be able to use magic in time, so martial arts will come in handy.

He pondered for a moment, then continued his practice according to the Great Freedom Sutra. Before he knew it, the bright moon was already high in the sky.

Zhao Ti began to slowly finish his practice. Although he had not yet reached the third level of the twelfth floor, he was not far off. He pondered and couldn't help but think of Murong Longcheng.

Murong Longcheng is at the third level of the Twelve-Story Martial Arts Realm, and is about to break through. My own martial arts and magic power are all at the second level. I must catch up with him in at least one aspect.

Magical power must be cultivated little by little, while the Illusionary Yin Scripture relies on deduction and comprehension, since there are no further techniques after the sixth level.

Zhao Ti got up from the bed and walked out of the secret room, intending to clear his mind before deducing the Illusionary Yin Scripture.

As they left the palace, the outside light was hazy; the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, and the moon was large and round.

The night was quite lovely. He gazed at the night sky for a while, then strolled towards the large garden.

They encountered patrolling soldiers on the road, waved them off, and told them not to make a sound. A moment later, they arrived at the garden.

At this time of year, many flowers have withered, and petals have fallen everywhere, in all sorts of colors, like ribbons spread across the ground.

However, some bloom profusely, such as the golden chrysanthemum, which exudes a delicate fragrance.

Zhao Ti softly recited: "When autumn comes on the ninth day of the ninth month, my flowers will bloom and all other flowers will wither, all other flowers will wither..."

He had an idea, raised his eyebrows slightly, and suddenly saw something squeak and enter the garden not far away, followed by a silver-gray shadow.

A spot in the garden suddenly trembled violently, then stopped, as if something was moving outwards.

"You bastard!" Zhao Ti frowned upon seeing this. He had just begun to have an epiphany, but the scene before him interrupted him.

It's a lightning ferret that chased a gray mouse into the garden, caught it, and is now carrying it away.

"Why are you making a scene in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?" He squinted and walked around to the front.

The lightning ferret emerged from the flower bushes, a large, fat rat dangling from its mouth. Upon seeing Zhao Ti approach, it tried to flee.

Zhao Ti coldly demanded, "Where are you going?"

The lightning weasel was quite intelligent. Upon hearing this, it paused for a moment, then reluctantly turned around and slowly walked towards Zhao Ti. It then placed the mouse in its mouth in front of Zhao Ti's feet as if to please him.

Huh? Zhao Ti couldn't help but laugh and cry at the sight of the lightning ferret's actions. He bent down, grabbed it by the neck, and lifted it up.

"Come back with me, and don't wander around at night anymore."

The lightning ferret chirped twice, but it was unclear what it meant. It couldn't break free and let Zhao Ti take it away.

Not long after, they arrived at Zhong Ling's residence. They saw that the lights were on inside, and a figure was moving around in the room, seemingly searching for something.

"Sable, sable, where have you hidden again? Hurry up and go to your sack to sleep..."

Zhong Ling's voice could be faintly heard coming from inside the room.

(End of this chapter)