Bearing the blue sky

Chapter 295 Only by destroying the rotten can one find peace.

The mountain monster stared at Zhu Ge's departing figure for a moment, stunned.

"They ran away?"

It stood still, its six-zhang-tall body casting a long shadow on the wasteland. A dim yellow light flickered twice deep in its eye sockets, as if it hadn't quite reacted yet.

"Are you kidding me?!"

Its voice carried a mocking anger, yet also a hint of bewilderment.

A human, after fighting to the death for half a day, said "See you another day" before turning around and running away.

But it didn't chase after it.

It's not that I don't want to chase, it's that I can't catch up.

It had just condensed its body, and although its strength had surged, its speed had not increased much.

Its six-zhang-tall body can cover more than ten zhang in a single stride when it runs.

However, Zhu Ge's incense-lighting technique, combined with the Daoist's lightness and agility, made him appear like smoke and mist, disappearing from sight in the mountains and forests in a few flashes.

"Runs faster than a rabbit." The mountain monster snorted, turned around and walked back to the ruins of Qingqi Mountain, transforming back into a mountain and sinking into the earth.

Zhu Ge ran for fifty miles in one go, and only stopped after confirming that there were no pursuers behind him.

He leaned against a dead tree, panting heavily, every part of his body aching.

"Master!" Liu Jianjian, riding her snow wolf, caught up from behind. Seeing Zhu Ge's appearance, she turned pale with fright: "You—"

"Why are you running so fast?"

"I can't win!" Zhu Ge laughed nonchalantly. "After that mountain monster condensed into human form, its power increased many times over. If I continue fighting it, I'll definitely die there."

"Master, shall we go back?" Liu Jianjian asked.

"Go back?" Zhu Ge shook her head: "No. At least not now."

He glanced in the direction of Qingqi Mountain, his eyes showing no fear, but rather a gleam of excitement.

"When I break through the three realms, when I merge with my own realm, when I cultivate an even stronger aura—I will return."

He paused, then said, "When the time comes, I'll beat it until it begs for its daddy."

Liu Jianjian chuckled, "Master, you're talking strangely."

"What's strange about it?"

"What does it mean to call someone 'Dad'?"

"It means—admitting defeat." Zhu Ge rubbed his nose. "Never mind, let's not talk about that. Let's go back to Xianyang City."

The carriage turned around and headed towards Xianyang City.

The City Lord's Mansion of Xianyang.

Jiang Fuzheng sat in his study, holding a cup of Fu tea and sipping it slowly.

Opposite him sat a middle-aged man in a blue robe, with a thin face and a long beard. He also held a cup of tea in his hand, but did not drink it. He just stared blankly out the window.

"Brother Jiang, do you think that Zhu Ge can really kill that mountain monster of Qingqi Mountain?" the middle-aged man asked, his voice slightly hoarse.

"It's hard to say." Jiang Fu put down his teacup. "I only asked him to give it a try; I didn't expect him to be able to kill him."

"Then why did you invite him?"

"Because—" Jiang Fu pondered for a moment, "because behind him stands the Annihilation True Lord."

The middle-aged man's body trembled slightly: "The Annihilation True Lord? The one who cleaved Nan Yue in two with a single sword strike?"

"That's right." Jiang Fu nodded: "Zhu Ge is his sworn brother. Although he is only at the second realm, his identity is special."

"If he's willing to help, the Annihilation True Lord might also lend a hand."

"I see." The middle-aged man suddenly realized, "Brother Jiang is leveraging this opportunity."

"Leveraging existing momentum?" Jiang Fu took a sip of tea. "This is an opportunity."

The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes: "An opportunity to get acquainted? Brother Jiang is indeed shrewd and calculating."

As he was speaking, there was a knock on the study door.

"Enter."

A servant pushed open the door and bowed, saying, "Lord, Mr. Zhu Ge has returned."

"You're back?" Jiang Fu's eyes lit up. "Please come in!"

A moment later, Zhu Ge entered the study.

His clothes were torn, covered in blood and dust, and he had several scratches on his face. His left leg was still a little weak when he walked, but he was in good spirits.

"Lord Jiang Fu," Zhu Ge said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

"Young friend!" Jiang Fu stood up, quickly went to greet him, and looked him up and down: "How did it go?"

"I fought a mountain monster, but I lost, so I ran back." Zhu Ge smiled.

Jiang Fu's smile froze for a moment: "You didn't win?"

"Yes." Zhu Ge said frankly, "That mountain monster was much stronger than I expected. I shattered its mountain body, but after it condensed into human form, its strength increased dramatically. I couldn't beat it and could only run away."

Jiang Fu fell silent.

The middle-aged man behind him put down his teacup and asked, "Condensed into human form?"

"That's right." Zhu Ge looked at him: "The six-zhang-tall humanoid is more than a hundred times stronger than before. When I strike with all my might, I can only create a crack that is a few inches deep, which it can heal in a few breaths."

The middle-aged man and Jiang Fu exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

"Condensed into human form—" the middle-aged man murmured, "That's an ability only late-stage great monsters possess. This mountain monster has only been born for a short time, how could it—"

"Exceptionally gifted." Jiang Fu sighed. "I knew long ago that it was no ordinary mountain monster, but I never expected it to be this powerful."

He looked at Zhu Ge with a hint of apology in his eyes: "Young friend, it was my oversight to send you to deal with such a monster. It was my fault."

"So what are your plans for the future?"

"I'll recuperate, then head to Shengjing." Zhu Ge smiled. "Once I break through to the third realm, merge with my own realm, and cultivate an even stronger aura, I'll come back to fight it."

"Breaking through the three realms—" Jiang Fu looked at Zhu Ge, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

He suddenly lost his reason to continue writing the congratulatory song.

"Then I'll have someone prepare some travel expenses right away—" Jiang Fu said.

But Zhu Ge interrupted him: "There's no need for that."

Zhu Ge shook his head, his voice slightly cold: "When I break through to the next level, I will be invincible in the three realms and ascend to the top of the 'Imperial Ranking'."

""

Jiang Fu was slightly taken aback: "In that case, I congratulate you in advance—"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Ge continued, "The world has suffered from rats and parasites for too long. What does the city lord think?"

As soon as the congratulatory song ended, everyone present changed their expressions.

Unable to maintain his detached, otherworldly demeanor, Jiang Fu stammered, "This old man, this old man, Mr. Zhu, you, you—"

In the end, he only said one sentence: "I...I treated you to a meal—"

Zhu Ge turned away with a flick of her sleeve and strode off.

At the same time, his literary talent surged, and a poem spontaneously flowed from his lips: "Where is the victory of humanity now? The road is full of new nobles and the world is full of decay! The great sun stands high in the blue sky, only by destroying all decay can we find peace."

Humanity today is utterly corrupt and decadent.

In Zhu Ge's view, the only way to revitalize the human race is to eradicate all decay!

The moment the poem of blessing was uttered, the world suddenly changed.

The once clear sky above Xianyang suddenly darkened.

Refined and cultured!

An endless stream of literary energy converged from all directions.

The Confucian scholars in the city stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky.

The teachers at the academy put down their rulers, the students at the school laid down their brushes, and the fortune tellers on the street packed up their stalls. Everyone felt a tremor from the depths of their souls.

That's a kind of resonance.

It was as if an ancient bell had been struck, its echo reverberating through heaven and earth, piercing through time and space.

"What is this?" Liu Jianjian followed behind Zhu Ge, looking surprised.

"A strange phenomenon in Confucianism and Taoism." Zhu Ge stopped and looked up at the sky: "The poem I recited touched some kind of rule in the universe."

This is not the first time he has caused unusual phenomena in Confucianism and Taoism.

When he wrote the Book of Changes in Honghe Prefecture last time, there was a similar reaction in the world.

But that time, he accomplished it on a life-or-death situation, relying on some kind of almost instinctive impulse.

This time, however, he simply recited a poem on the spot, inspired by a sudden feeling.

"Where is the victory of humanity now? The road is full of new nobles and the world is full of decay. The great sun stands high in the blue sky, only when it destroys all the decay can it be at peace."

This poem is not particularly exquisite; in fact, it is somewhat rough.

After all, it was a poor imitation, not the original.

But there is something within it that transcends the constraints of words and touches the heart.

Anger, resentment, and hatred of decay.

Jiang Fu rushed out of the study, looked up at the sky, and his face turned deathly pale.

He saw the gathering literary energy, and he saw a certain image gathering in the sky.

"Destroy all decay—" Jiang Fu's voice trembled.

The middle-aged man followed behind him, his face equally grim: "He recited a poem, we, we—"

Jiang Fu opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found that she couldn't say anything.

He did indeed treat Zhu Ge to a meal.

He did indeed entertain Zhu Ge with Fu tea, wine, songs, and dances.

But those who are truly skilled in political maneuvering know that a meal or a cup of tea can't change anything.

Even siblings can turn against each other if their core interests are involved.

Zhu Ge's poem, like a knife, cuts through the glamorous facade, revealing the rotten truth beneath.

"Only by destroying all decay can one find peace—" Jiang Fu murmured, repeating the last sentence, feeling a tightness in his chest.

In the sky, the literary energy gathered more and more.

The golden rays swirled above Xianyang City, forming a huge vortex.

At the center of the vortex, several words could be vaguely seen coalescing.

The four large characters "Human Justice" slowly appeared in the sky.

Every stroke carries a righteous spirit, illuminating the entire city.

The people in the city all looked up and saw those four words.

Some people knelt down, some covered their mouths, and some silently shed tears.

They didn't recognize the characters, but they could feel the power within them.

Warmth, fairness, and unwavering principles.

It was as if something ancient had been awakened at that moment.

"This is—" The middle-aged man stared at the four large characters in the sky, his throat dry. "Is this the New Confucianism? Or—the Ancient Confucianism?"

"Neither. This poem didn't exist in ancient Confucianism or Taoism," Jiang Fu said, his voice slightly hoarse. "It's a poem he came to understand on his own!"

He looked at Zhu Ge's retreating figure with a complex expression.

This young man was far more terrifying than he had imagined.

At this moment, Zhu Ge stood on the steps in front of the city lord's mansion, looking up at the sky.

Nourished by the literary atmosphere, the four large characters became increasingly solid, radiating a warm and solemn light.

He felt the literary energy within him resonating, the Confucian and Taoist spirit pulsating, and a strange connection forming with the four large characters in the sky.

"What are you talking about?"

He asked himself.

Those four words seemed to gaze at him from the sky, as if waiting for him to speak.

Zhu Ge was silent for a moment, then said, "I want to change this world."

The voice wasn't loud, but every word carried an unshakeable power.

The four large characters trembled slightly, then began to dissipate, turning into specks of golden light that merged into the world.

But that lingering feeling lingered for a long time.

The people in the city stood up, looked at each other, and there was something in their eyes that they themselves could not explain.

An old farmer straightened his hunched back, looked up at the sky, and tears glistened in his cloudy eyes.

"Grandma, what's that word?" a little girl asked, tugging at her grandmother's clothes and looking up.

The old woman looked at the sky and said in a hoarse voice, "That is—justice."

Zhu Ge was unaware of the city's reaction. He neither returned to the inn nor looked back to see Jiang Fu.

He left Xianyang City.

Liu Jianjian rode the snow wolf behind him, while Zhu Sisi perched on her shoulder, chewing mulberry leaves a little faster than usual.

"Master, are we leaving now?" Liu Jianjian asked.

"I'm leaving," Zhu Ge said.

"What should we do about that mountain monster?"

"I'll come back and deal with him later when I've had enough practice."

"Where is Jiang Fu?"

Zhu Ge paused for a moment, then said, "It takes time for the world to rise. If he can make amends during this period, he will have a place in the new world in the future."

"But if there is no repentance, the human race will naturally settle accounts with them in the future."

Liu Jianjian nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

The carriage drove out of the city gate and onto the official road.

Behind me, the outline of Xianyang City gradually blurred in the morning mist.

Ahead lay an endless plain, the heart of the Central Plains.

Zhu Ge sat cross-legged on the carriage shaft, closed his eyes, and felt the changes within his body.

His writing style is more solid and refined than before.

The Confucian and Taoist spirit beat slowly in my chest, each beat carrying an unprecedented power.

The lingering resonance of that poem still echoed within him, intertwining with his literary spirit, vitality, magical power, and spiritual energy, forming a strange resonance.

"This poem has become part of my momentum," he muttered to himself.

The momentum of dawn, the momentum of light, the momentum of hope.

Now, it has gained another layer of meaning.

Only by destroying all decay can one find peace.

"Master, what are you saying?" Liu Jianjian curiously peeked over.

"I'm wondering what this poem really means," Zhu Ge said.

"It's just a poem, isn't it?"

"More than that." Zhu Ge shook her head. "It touched upon something. Something—something I myself don't fully understand."

.

This poem has a grand and majestic feel to it.

He closed his eyes and immersed his mind in his own world.

The leaves of the high-quality rice swayed gently in the breeze, and the core of the mountain monster lay beside it, emitting a faint glow.

He then looked at the amethyst Titan dragonfly egg in the corner.

It remained perfectly still in the same spot, without any change.

"Once we get to Shengjing, we'll find a suitable place to hatch it."

He withdrew from his own world, opened his eyes, and looked into the distance.

The Central Plains stretch out in the morning light, with crisscrossing paths and villages scattered like stars.

But the people living in those villages, the farmers who toil in the fields, their suffering, their weariness, their hopes and despair, are all related to this poem.

Where is the human victory now?

He repeated the first sentence.

Is the answer still far away?

Or perhaps it's right under your feet.

Ancient philosophers, sage emperors, and all people exerted their utmost efforts to lay the foundation for the great prosperity and strength of the human race.

How long has it been?

Corrupt officials and parasites emerged one after another.

For the people of Xianyang, does it make a difference whether it's Jiang Fu or a mountain monster above their heads?

Yes, but not many.

It's the same exploitation and oppression, but maybe the mountain monster will just play around for a while and then be gone, and in the long run it will just become a mountain lying there.

And what about Jiang Fu?

It is a waste of resources and manpower, all for one's own selfish gain.

"I've made up my mind, Jianjian."

"We need to take a detour and visit more places."

"I will write poems everywhere to unite people's hearts, unite the great cause, and unite the general trend."

"Humans————"

"It's time for a change!"

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