Bearing the blue sky

Chapter 289 The Journey

The monsters swarmed out from Liu Jianjian's hair.

The swordsman's voice came from within his hair: "The master has ordered us to find one hundred water buffaloes of the first realm! Brothers, charge!"

"Water buffalo! Water buffalo! I want to eat water buffalo meat!"

"You're just a stick insect, what kind of meat would you eat!"

"I eat grass! But I can help my owner find it!"

Demons danced wildly, their demonic aura billowing and spreading in all directions.

In less than half an hour, the surrounding monsters were in trouble.

Water buffalo, yellow cattle, black bears, wild boars, and many more.

All of them had been slaughtered and their internal organs cleaned. They were full of spiritual energy and looked like top-quality ingredients.

Zhu Ge swallowed hard as he looked at the mountain of monster corpses piled up in front of him.

He jumped down from the carriage, walked to the pile of monster corpses, and began to sort them.

The water buffalo and yellow cattle are reserved for roasting, while the bear's black paws are a delicacy and are used for making soup.

Wild boar meat is the most fragrant and is suitable for making cured meat.

There are also some deer, sheep, and jujubes, whose meat is tender and suitable for grilling.

"Jianjian, start a fire," Zhuge said.

"Alright!" Liu Jianjian ran over excitedly, pointed her finger, and a stream of demonic fire shot out from her fingertip, igniting the pile of firewood.

Flames leaped three feet high, illuminating the surrounding woods.

Zhu Ge skillfully processed the monster corpses, skinning, deboning, cutting the meat, and skewering it.

His movements were fluid and seamless, executed in one go.

Liu Jianjian squatted to the side, her hands supporting her chin, her eyes shining as she watched.

"Back in Jianshan Village, we slaughtered pigs every year for the Spring Festival," Zhu Ge said while cutting the meat. "I was young then and not strong enough, so I could only help boil water. Later, I practiced martial arts and became stronger, so I started to do it myself."

He paused, then added, "But back then we were killing ordinary pigs, now we're killing demonic beasts, so that's progress."

Liu Jianjian's eyes were bright as she looked at Zhu Ge.

The aroma of roasted meat wafted through the air, and Liu Jianjian's mouth watered as she looked at it.

After finishing dozens of whole roasted cows, Zhu Ge finally let out a satisfied burp and patted his belly contentedly.

"That feels good." He let out a long sigh.

Looking at the pile of cow bones, Liu Jianjian couldn't help but sigh, "Master, your appetite is getting bigger and bigger."

"It's normal for martial artists to have a big appetite," Zhu Ge smiled. "Besides, I also practice body tempering."

He stood up, stretched his limbs, and then walked over to the three third-realm demonic beasts.

These monsters were all subdued by Liu Jianjian later, including a snow wolf, a black bear, and a golden giant eagle.

"You've worked hard." Zhu Ge patted the snow wolf's head. "From now on, the cart-pulling work will be your responsibility, taking turns."

.

The snow wolves nodded repeatedly, daring not to object.

Zhu Ge climbed onto the carriage, sat cross-legged on the carriage shaft, closed his eyes, and continued to experience his own world.

In the vast expanse of rice paddies, the leaves swayed gently in the breeze, and the heavy ears of rice bent the stalks low.

He carefully felt every blade of grass, every tree, every clod of earth, and every stone in his world.

That connection between hearts, though still very weak, does exist.

Take it slow — Zhu Ge took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

The carriage continued north, entering the heart of Qin territory.

Many people came to challenge them, or some ignorant monsters attacked, but they were all dealt with by Liu Jianjian and her friends.

If you can't even beat Liu Jianjian, why are you thinking of trying to extort him?

He doesn't have that much time.

Now I'm busy integrating into my own world, practicing martial arts, studying, and even raising hurricane beetles.

I'm too busy and too tired.

This made Zhu Ge realize that bringing Liu Jianjian along was the right thing to do.

The terrain of Qin territory is completely different from that of Shu territory.

Sichuan is a land of many mountains and rivers, with lush green trees and swirling clouds and mist.

The Qin region is a loess plateau, crisscrossed by ravines, stretching as far as the eye can see.

There was even a faint sense of impending doom in the air.

That was the aura of martial arts.

By this time, news of Zhu Ge had basically spread.

In particular, there was news of challenges to the Shu Mountain Sword Sect and the Zhuge family.

The world was in uproar!

No one expected Zhu Ge to be this strong!

Although the world has been in chaos for a long time, it has not yet reached the point of chaos in Honghe Prefecture, Yunjiang.

As a result, countless sects and families spoke out.

"Confucianism's New Way? Confucianism is nothing; my Immortal Path crushes it!"

"A martial arts practitioner? That suits me perfectly! Eighth Brother, why don't you give it a try!"

"Those annoying Confucianists, Mohist disciples can go and give them a try."

Countless people were drawn by the news.

Although many people fear the power of the Annihilation True Lord, many are still aware of his requirements.

As long as it doesn't exceed the third realm, you can challenge it.

Some people come to take on the challenge in order to hone their skills.

Some people come to take on the challenge with the intention of making a name for themselves.

If I can defeat Zhu Ge, I will surely become famous throughout the world.

After all, news of Zhu Ge spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the world.

In the battle against the Shushan Sword Sect, he defeated Bai Mei and Zhu Qing with the power of the second realm, and his swordsmanship sparred with them to a draw.

In the battle of Chengdu, he broke Zhuge Cong's Four Seasons True Meaning and then used the Dawn Force to break Zhuge Yu's Night Force, forcing the two prodigies of the Zhuge family to suffer a defeat and a draw.

Any one of these achievements would be enough to make an ordinary genius famous throughout the world.

Zhu Ge accomplished all of this within just half a month.

Countless sects and families spoke out, and countless prodigies took action upon hearing the news.

Although the rankings in the "List of State Affairs" were determined by historians, battle achievements were the most reliable basis.

Defeating Zhu Ge would prove that my strength surpasses Zhu Ge's.

Zhu Ge's achievements are enough to place him in the top twenty of the "Social Ranking".

To defeat him is to step over him and rise to power.

Of course, Zhu Ge didn't care.

"Master, there's someone ahead." Liu Jianjian called out as she rode her snow wolf ahead.

Zhu Ge opened her eyes and looked ahead.

In the middle of the official road stood a young man.

He was dressed in a blue Taoist robe, with a long sword hanging at his waist, the scabbard engraved with the words "Qingcheng".

He had delicate features, sharp eyes, and a calm demeanor.

The three realms are: the Immortal Nascent Soul Realm and the Immortal Dao Realm.

"I am Li Qingyun of the Qingcheng Sword Sect. I have come to learn from you, Master Zhu Ge." The young man clasped his hands in greeting and said, "I have heard that you are a master of martial arts, so I have come to ask for your guidance."

"The Qingcheng Sword Sect?" Zhu Ge raised an eyebrow. "The Qingcheng Sword Sect in Shu?"

"Indeed." Li Qingyun nodded: "Sir, you have defeated several prodigies in my Shu region. My Qingcheng Sword Sect is unwilling to accept this, so I have specially sent me to learn from you."

Zhu Ge was silent for a moment, then laughed: "Isn't your Qingcheng Sword Sect supposed to be a sword sect? Why did you send someone who practices immortality?"

""

"Sir, you may not know this," Li Qingyun smiled slightly, "Although my Qingcheng Sword Sect is famous for its swordsmanship, the swordsmanship and the immortal path are originally one family. Although I cultivate the immortal path, my swordsmanship is no less than others."

"Alright." Zhu Ge jumped down from the carriage and drew the Purgatory Star Staff: "Let's go."

Li Qingyun didn't stand on ceremony and drew his long sword from his waist.

The sword is entirely blue, with faint bamboo leaf patterns on the blade, exuding a rich spiritual energy.

Mid-grade Yuan level.

"Be careful, sir." Before Li Qingyun finished speaking, he had already moved.

His sword was as fast as lightning; with a single thrust, it carried a sharp, fierce aura.

The sword energy had not yet arrived, but the sword intent had already been there.

That is the sword intent of the bamboo forest, the sword intent of the gentle breeze, the sword intent of nature.

Zhu Ge dodged to the side, then swept his Purgatory Star Staff horizontally, aiming for Li Qingyun's waist and ribs.

Li Qingyun neither dodged nor evaded; with a flick of his sword tip, a cyan sword aura shot out and collided with the staff.

"clang""

The sword energy was dispersed, but Zhu Ge's staff attack remained undiminished.

A hint of surprise flashed in Li Qingyun's eyes. He retreated rapidly, and at the same time, his sword tip flicked repeatedly, unleashing a torrential downpour of azure sword energy.

Zhu Ge lit incense and activated his movement technique, his figure moving like smoke and mist, shuttling between sword energies.

He did not use the Dawnbreaker Stance, but only the True Meaning of Martial Arts and the Heavenly Secrets.

Although Li Qingyun's sword was fast, its trajectory was still predictable.

Under the divination of the Heavenly Secrets, the landing point of each sword aura was clearly visible.

"Left, right, top, bottom—"

Zhu Ge weaved through the sword energy like a fallen leaf, dancing in the wind.

Li Qingyun's brows furrowed more and more tightly.

He discovered that his sword energy was completely unable to hit Zhu Ge.

"Your movement technique is incredibly strange." Li Qingyun sheathed his sword and stood still. "What kind of martial art is this?"

"The Incense-Lighting Movement Technique," Zhu Ge smiled. "A friend taught me."

"Light incense?" Li Qingyun paused for a moment, then smiled: "A good name."

He drew his sword again, this time not as a test, but with all his might.

A bright blue light shone from the sword, and the phantom of a bamboo forest appeared in the sky.

The bamboo forest stretches to the horizon, and a gentle breeze rustles the bamboo leaves.

Each bamboo leaf is a wisp of sword energy.

Ten thousand leaves fluttered down, covering the sky and the earth, enveloping the morning prayers.

"What a magnificent sword intent amidst the bamboo forest!" A hint of admiration flashed in Zhu Ge's eyes.

He held nothing back, unleashing the power of dawn.

The golden light on the Purgatory Star Staff shone brightly, as if a sun was rising in his hand.

"breaking Dawn!"

With a single blow, golden light exploded.

Wherever the golden light passed, the bamboo leaf sword energy melted away like ice and snow.

The illusory image of the bamboo forest trembled violently, then shattered, turning into specks of blue light that dissipated.

Li Qingyun was forced back several steps, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

He looked down at the longsword in his hand; a small crack had appeared on the blade.

"I have lost." He sheathed his sword and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zhu Ge: "Sir's Dawnbreaker technique is indeed worthy of its reputation."

"You flatter me." Zhu Ge put away his stick and stood up.

Li Qingyun turned and left, but after a few steps, he turned back and said, "Sir, there are still many people waiting for you ahead. They are all here to challenge you."

"I know," Zhu Ge nodded.

"Aren't you afraid, sir?"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Zhu Ge smiled and said, "If one comes, I'll take it on; if two come, I'll take them both on."

Li Qingyun was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Sir, what a grand gesture! Farewell!"

He vanished on the official road in a flash.

The carriage continued north.

Just as Li Qingyun had said, there were still many people waiting for Zhu Ge ahead.

There are Taoist immortals, martial arts practitioners, Confucian scholars, and Mohists.

We welcome all who come to offer our congratulations and will respond to each one.

"I am Master Wang of the Phoenix Tiger Sect of Wuyi, and I have come here to seek your guidance!"

"My name is Duan Duan from Diancang. Please enlighten me, Mr. Zhuge!"

"I am He Zudao from Kunlun Jade Void Palace, and I welcome your esteemed skills!"

One battle after another, one fight after another.

Zhu Ge's Dawn Momentum has been honed through practical experience, becoming increasingly refined and powerful.

At first, I could only activate it at full power a few times, but later I could easily activate it more than ten times.

From initially only being able to break through ordinary sword intent, to later being able to force even prodigies like Jiang Yun and Jiang Lei to retreat.

His reputation grew.

"Zhu Ge won again! How many times is this?"

"The seventeenth! Seventeen consecutive wins in just three days!"

"His Dawn Aura is too strong; among those of the same realm, no one can rival him!"

"Not just those at the same realm, but even those geniuses at the third realm were defeated by him!"

"But he's only at the second realm after all, and the consumption of his power is too great; he can't hold out for long. If it's a war of attrition, he'll lose sooner or later."

"A war of attrition? Those geniuses are too proud to use such tactics."

"Too."

The matter has sparked widespread discussion.

As evening fell, the carriage stopped on a hill.

Liu Jianjian started a fire and roasted a wild boar.

Zhu Ge sat cross-legged by the fire, gnawing on a pig's leg, his face full of exhaustion.

Seventeen battles in three days, each fought with all our might.

Although his Dawn Force is getting stronger and stronger, it is also consuming more and more energy.

"Master, are you alright?" Liu Jianjian asked with concern.

"It's nothing," Zhu Ge shook her head. "I'm just a little tired."

"Are we playing again tomorrow?"

"Fight." Zhu Ge smiled. "If someone challenges us, why not fight?"

Liu Jianjian sighed helplessly.

Zhu Sisi, perched on her shoulder, chewed on a mulberry leaf and said expressionlessly, "Master's rod is getting brighter and brighter."

"It's not the stick that's shining," Zhu Ge said, "it's the momentum that's shining."

"Can the momentum still shine?" Liu Jianjian asked curiously.

"Yes." Zhu Ge looked up at the night sky: "Power is the prototype of rules. Rules are the principles of how heaven and earth operate."

The principles of heaven and earth include light and darkness, growth and destruction.

He paused, then said, "My Dawn Momentum is the rule of light. The stronger the light, the brighter the momentum."

Liu Jianjian nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Nothing was said that night, until the next day, when a group of people slowly walked over from not far away.

They stood in the morning light, looking at Zhu Ge with eyes full of anticipation.

"Master Zhuge!" An elderly man stepped forward from the crowd, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I am the headmaster of Qinjiang Academy. I have heard that you are lecturing in Shujiang, and I have come to seek your guidance on the Way of Change!"

"May I ask for your guidance?" Zhu Ge was taken aback.

"Indeed!" The old man's eyes gleamed. "We have long admired your understanding of the I Ching and the Way of Heaven. We hope you will generously offer your guidance!"

The people behind him nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with eagerness.

Zhu Ge was silent for a moment, then smiled.

"Okay," he said, "but I have one condition."

"What are the conditions?" the old man asked.

"A low-grade Yuan-level spiritual item in exchange for one lecture." Zhu Ge held up his index finger: "No bargaining."

The old man paused for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Sir, you are indeed a straightforward man! I'll go!"

He took out a bamboo scroll from his sleeve and handed it to Zhu Ge: "This is the 'Geography of Qin Frontier,' which records all the mountains, rivers, spiritual veins, and mineral deposits of Qin Frontier."

"Although it is not a spiritual item, its value is no less than that of a low-grade Yuan-level spiritual item. Please accept it, sir."

Zhu Ge took the bamboo slip, opened it, and glanced at it.

The text is densely covered with geographical information about Qinjiang, including the terrain, distribution of spiritual veins, and locations of mineral deposits.

"Good stuff." Zhu Ge nodded. "Please, everyone, have a seat."

He sat cross-legged on a blue stone, with a group of people sitting around him, like a group of students seeking knowledge.

Liu Jianjian rode the snow wolf back to a distance, while Zhu Sisi lay on her shoulder, chewing on mulberry leaves.

Zhu Ge took out three copper coins, placed them in his palm, and began his sermon.

"The Way of Change is currently divided into two branches."

"One branch forms the array, using heaven, earth, wind, thunder, water, fire, mountains, and marshes as its foundation, drawing upon all phenomena of heaven and earth."

One branch is the Path of Heavenly Secrets, which deciphers heavenly secrets and divines the past and present.

The morning light shone on Zhu Ge's face, casting a long shadow over him.

In the distance, the loess plateau of Qinjiang is faintly visible in the morning mist.

The sermon lasted for a full hour.

Zhu Ge began by discussing the origins of the I Ching, the evolution of the Eight Trigrams, and the core of the Heavenly Secrets—sensation and reason.

"The core of the Heavenly Secrets Way is not calculation, but intuition," Zhu Ge said. "Calculation is deducing with the mind. Intuition is perceiving the omnipresent principles of heaven and earth with the heart."

"The principle is in all things, in the withering and flourishing of plants, in the alternation of day and night, and in the cycle of the four seasons. You don't need to calculate it; you only need to feel it. Once you feel it, the principle will naturally emerge."

He raised his hand, and three copper coins spun around in his palm.

A sense of literary energy surged, and a faint golden light appeared on the surface of the copper coin.

Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui.

Eight trigrams appeared above the copper coin, like eight stars twinkling in the night sky.

Everyone watched intently, their eyes filled with awe.

After the sermon ended, everyone stood up and bowed deeply to Zhuge.

Thank you very much, Master Zhu!

"You're welcome." Zhu Ge waved his hand. "You paid with spiritual items, and I taught you the Dao. We're even."

Everyone smiled and dispersed.

Zhu Ge waved goodbye.

I must say, these days of traveling, fighting, and preaching at the same time are quite fulfilling.

His Dawn Force grew stronger and stronger, from initially only being able to activate it a few times to later being able to easily activate it dozens of times.

His understanding of divination also improved more and more, from initially only being able to calculate simple trajectories to later being able to calculate complex situations.

His reputation grew.

"Zhu Ge won again! How many times is this?"

"The twenty-third! Twenty-three consecutive wins in just seven days!"

"His Dawn's Might is too strong; even the fifteenth-ranked prodigy on the 'Ranking of the Nation' was defeated!"

"I heard that he is still preaching and teaching the I Ching. Those who have listened to his sermons all say that they have benefited greatly."

"No wonder so many people go to him. They're either there to challenge him or to listen to his lectures."

"Those who challenged him were defeated, and those who listened were convinced. This person is extraordinary."

Not to mention those in the Three Realms, even some powerful beings and those at the Fusion Realm have already taken action upon hearing the news.

The new Confucian way can predict the secrets of heaven and seek good fortune while avoiding misfortune!

Who wouldn't be envious after hearing that?

The problem is that the content of the new Confucian way was not leaked out at all because of the constraints of the Daoist mind.

For large-scale organisms and fusion, being thousands of miles apart is not a problem.

Compared to the practicality of Zhu Ge Na Yi Dao, no one could refuse it.

Although Zhu Ge knew that her fame was growing, she was happy to see it happen.

He's still very willing to accept students who are eager to buy his courses.

Anyway, with the Annihilation True Monarch leading the way in his own realm, those people will probably think that the Annihilation True Monarch is hiding in the shadows!

The Annihilation True Monarch is like a nuclear weapon; its greatest use is deterrence!

In this process, Zhu Ge is also trying her best to harmonize her own world.

At the same time, when merging with his own realm, his dawning power becomes even stronger.

"There's a small town ahead, would you like to go in and take a look, Master?" Liu Jianjian asked.

Zhu Ge nodded and smiled, "Let's go, it's time to grab something to eat."

The carriage entered the small town.

The town is small, but very lively.

The streets were teeming with people, and shouts of vendors rose and fell.

Zhu Ge jumped down from the carriage and walked down the street, experiencing the local customs and culture of Qinjiang.

As he travels, he now enjoys experiencing everything about humanity more and more.

Experience the civilized world that is built upon the wisdom of the people.

"Sir, would you like a bowl of noodles?" a burly man with a full beard greeted Zhu Ge. "Qinjiang's oil-splashed noodles are absolutely amazing!"

"Two bowls, please." Zhu Ge sat down in front of the noodle stall.

Liu Jianjian also sat down and ordered a bowl.

Zhu Sisi leaned on her shoulder, chewing on mulberry leaves.

"Sir, you must be from out of town?" the bearded man asked as he rolled out the dough.

"Yes, they came from Sichuan." Zhu Ge nodded.

"Shujiang?" The man's eyes lit up: "That's a great place! I went there once when I was young, and the girls there were so beautiful!"

Zhu Ge smiled but didn't reply.

"Where are you going, sir?" the man asked again.

"Shengjing," Zhu Ge said.

"Shengjing?" The man paused for a moment, then burst into laughter: "It's probably hundreds of thousands of miles from here to Shengjing. When will you ever get there?"

It is indeed far.

This world is far larger than Zhu Ge could have imagined.

At the very least, the stars and moon in the phrase "catching stars and capturing the moon" are not fixed stars, satellites, or planets.

Even the world itself is flat, rather than composed of planets.

Zhu Ge smiled but didn't say anything.

Then the man brought out the food, which smelled delicious.

"These noodles are so chewy! The shop owner has excellent skills!"