Bearing the blue sky

Chapter 309 The End

The New Year's Eve official has retired?

Zhu Ge doesn't think so.

Taking a step back is not a sign of retreat, but rather a way to deliver a better punch.

Why do the officials leave on New Year's Eve?

It wasn't because of the congratulatory song, or rather, it wasn't the main factor.

Even this time, when the official comes on New Year's Eve, he probably doesn't expect to take down the Annihilation True Lord in one go.

Zhu Ge guessed that the official's trip on New Year's Eve was to confirm who was a friend and who was an enemy.

Officials, sects, aristocratic families, and so on.

If they are friends, continue to cultivate relationships, treat them well, and form cliques for personal gain.

If they are enemies, then suppress, retaliate against, and restrict them.

Zhu Ge could hardly imagine how many enemies he would encounter when he arrived in Shengjing.

At that point, the entire city of Shengjing might become the enemy.

After all, the official will probably have a comprehensive plan in place to deal with the situation once he returns home on New Year's Eve.

but----

"A foolproof plan?"

Zhu Ge pondered this word in his heart, and tactically placed great importance on the character of the New Year's Eve Official.

But deep down, he strategically despised him.

Since Zhuge was born, almost every enemy she has encountered has had a foolproof plan.

Whether it's the Mushroom God, the Fisherman in the Straw Raincoat, or the Red Rice Immortal.

The mushroom god thought he had already mastered the small mountain village.

The fisherman in the straw raincoat thought he could control a mere martial artist.

Redmi Master had calculated for hundreds of years, but his plan was disrupted by the variable Zhu Ge.

Zhu Ge could easily claim that he had calculated everything perfectly.

However, only Hua Liusha knew about this title and all of this.

"Then let me see what your strategy is—"

Zhu Ge's thoughts were racing through his mind.

"Master Tianji, Master Tianji?"

At that moment, the celebrity in front of them waved his hand and asked, "Can I buy it? The master edition?"

Zhu Ge immediately came to his senses.

"Sure, sure." He smiled. "So, right here? Or—"

"Right here." The celebrity said nonchalantly, "It's almost dawn, and I have other things to do after dawn, so I just happen to have some free time now."

He spoke as if he were arranging a routine matter, unhurried yet with an undeniable certainty.

It's obvious that he has already planned out the next few hours, and now this period is just free, so he can use it. He sounds like a master of time management.

"Alright." Zhu Ge didn't refuse, but then hesitated and said, "However, Brother Ming just helped me, so it would be inappropriate for me to charge you."

He looked at those who hadn't left yet and said with a smile, "Why don't you all stay? I'll give you all a lecture in one go as a way of thanking you for your help."

On this trip, he still received help from many people.

Especially those in the sky.

Zhu Ge looked at the people still in the sky and laughed, "Regardless of whether the Yi Dao and He Wei are useful or not, it's good to listen to them, haha."

After the blessing song ended, a brief silence fell over the sky.

Those figures that were floating high above were gradually dispersing, but they stopped at this moment, as if they were gently stopped by the words "listen to it."

The first one to fall was Cao Zhi.

He was already nearby, but he stood on the periphery and didn't approach. After hearing Zhu Ge's words, he put away what he was holding.

He walked over naturally and found a flat patch of grass on the outskirts of the crowd to sit down. His spot wasn't very close to the front, but it was enough for him to hear what was being said.

Although he had heard of and studied the I Ching before, he didn't think there would be any harm in hearing it again.

Next up is Tieshan, who carries an iron rod.

He had already walked quite far away, but upon hearing Zhu Ge's words, he stood still for a moment, then turned around and walked back, choosing a spot not far from the carriage to sit down.

He placed the iron rod across his lap, as if to make sure it wouldn't get in the way, and didn't say a word.

Subsequently, several more figures returned from different directions.

Some who had already walked away turned back, while others who were already standing on the periphery found a place to sit down after hearing Zhu Ge's words.

There was no agreement between them, and no one organized it; they simply chose their own seats and sat down, as if waiting for an event that had already been confirmed to take place.

The figures in the sky also descended one after another. Several of them, who had been hovering higher up as if preparing to leave, adjusted their direction and fell down after hearing Zhu Ge's words, standing or sitting on the periphery of the crowd.

"Interesting—" Lin Zhi sat down directly in the spot closest to Zhu Ge.

In the recent confrontation and debate, Lin Zhi was one of the few who remained silent.

However, no one can ignore her role.

"So many people—" Liu Jianjian stood still.

She didn't sit down or make a sound; she simply stood quietly behind the carriage, watching the figures of those who were taking their seats.

After the figures settled down, the surroundings became even quieter than before, as if everyone was waiting for a starting sound.

After everyone was almost seated, Zhu Ge began, "Then I'll begin."

He didn't elaborate or exchange pleasantries; instead, he went straight to the first concept of "the Way of Change."

"The Way of Change is divided into two branches—the Way of Feng Shui and the Way of Heavenly Secrets."

Feng shui emphasizes momentum, while the Dao of Heaven emphasizes calculation. Momentum and calculation are actually two sides of the same coin.

Momentum is the outward manifestation of the operation of heaven and earth, and can be considered the inner principle of the operation of heaven and earth.

Once you understand the situation, you can calculate the logic. Once you accurately calculate the logic, you can leverage the situation.

He spoke in a very plain manner, as if he were recounting something he had confirmed many times before. His tone was flat, yet there was a clear quality that made people want to keep listening.

"Let's talk about feng shui first."

"Feng shui is not about looking at mountains and rivers, but about looking at qi. The flow of qi in the mountains and rivers determines the direction in which spiritual energy gathers."

"You don't need to seek out spiritual energy yourself; you just need to find the pattern of energy flow and stand where it passes."

He paused, picked up a fallen leaf from the ground, and placed it in his palm: "This leaf itself doesn't produce wind. But when the wind passes by it, it moves. When you study Feng Shui, you learn to judge which direction the wind will come from."

Zhu Ge incorporated his understanding of feng shui from his previous life, as well as the contents of the I Ching, into the formation.

The explanation was not difficult to understand; on the contrary, it was easy to comprehend and even gave people a refreshing feeling.

Some people in the crowd nodded slightly, while others were taking notes.

"Let's discuss the secrets of heaven again."

"The difference between celestial secrets and feng shui is that celestial secrets focus on time, while feng shui focuses on space."

Space is fixed; wherever you stand is your location. Time is fluid; the moment you are in determines what you can see.

He changed the leaf and placed it on the back of his hand: "This leaf is in my hand now. If I put it down now, it will no longer be in my hand. The divination is about where it will land and when it will land after I put it down."

"What is calculated is not predetermined, but possible. The Heavenly Secrets Path does not tell you what will definitely happen in the future, but tells you what the possible outcomes are."

He put down the leaf in his hand, looked up and scanned the room: "This is the core logic of the I Ching."

Zhu Ge explained carefully, trying to express all his understanding.

A few rustling sounds of pages turning drifted on the night breeze.

Someone was writing down what they heard, moving very quietly, as if afraid of disturbing others.

Others simply sat quietly, their gaze fixed on the ground or the distant night, as if sorting through the information they had just received, piecing together those fragmented pieces, and waiting for them to settle naturally.

After about half a cup of tea's time, Cao Zhi stood up.

He didn't speak, but simply bowed slightly to Zhuge.

The movement was small, but it seemed to gather everything he had heard that night into a clean and efficient conclusion, and then he turned and walked away into the distance.

His steps were steady and solid, as if he were walking along a familiar path, each step landing perfectly on the right spot.

Immediately afterwards, Tieshan also stood up.

He hoisted the iron rod back onto his shoulder and nodded to Zhu Ge: "I've heard you, I've remembered—thank you!"

He spoke simply, with a casual air of someone preparing to go home after a day's work, and then he turned and left.

Those who had been sitting on the periphery gradually got up and left.

Some people walked very quietly, as if they didn't want to disturb the others who were still sitting. Before leaving, someone nodded in the direction of Zhu Ge.

After the crowd gradually dispersed, the open space returned to quiet.

There were shallow and deep marks on the grass, as if many people had briefly stopped there. When the wind blew, they quickly returned to their original shape.

Liu Jianjian walked over to Zhu Ge's side: "They all seem to have understood something."

"They may not have understood everything," Zhu Ge smiled. "But at least they heard it all."

The open space after the crowd dispersed was quieter than I had imagined.

The varying depths of the stomping marks gradually blurred in the morning light, as if repeatedly smoothed out by the wind, leaving only a shallow layer of marks that would soon blend into the surrounding grass.

Zhu Ge didn't rush to stand up.

He remained seated, still clutching the fallen leaf he had used for the demonstration. The leaf curled slightly in the morning light, its edges already somewhat withered.

He looked down at it for a while, then loosened his fingers and let it fall to the ground, as if he had finished doing something and casually put the prop back in its original place.

Liu Jianjian stood beside him, her gaze sweeping over the now empty patch of grass: "They really are all gone."

"Hmm." Zhu Ge nodded: "I've heard everything I needed to hear, and I've remembered everything I needed to remember. There's nothing more to say."

""

"But Master, you've been talking for so long," Liu Jianjian said with a grin. "Your voice is hoarse now."

Zhu Ge moved her throat; it was indeed a little dry, as if she had been talking all night, with a thin, astringent feeling in her throat.

He took the water pouch from Liu Jianjian, took a sip, and although the water was already cool, it was just enough to moisten his throat: "It's alright, I just need to rest for a bit."

He put down the water pouch and glanced at the distant horizon. The night was slowly fading.

It was as if a corner of a gray-blue cloth was slowly lifted, revealing a slightly shimmering base color underneath.

The sky gradually changed from deep blue to light gray, and then slowly took on a thin layer of warm color.

The dew on the grass blades shimmered in the light, as if traces of last night's moisture that hadn't had time to dry were being collected layer by layer.

Zhu Ge watched the slowly advancing ray of light and remained silent for a moment: "It's getting light so fast."

"You should rest," Liu Jianjian said.

"Hmm." Zhu Ge stood up and stretched her stiff shoulders. "It's time to rest."

He walked toward the carriage, and as he passed the second-realm giant tortoise, he glanced at the Annihilation True Monarch who was still leaning against it.

The True Lord of Annihilation closed his eyes and breathed steadily, as if he had fallen asleep or was resting with his eyes closed.

As the true instigator, the one who is most exhausted is the True Lord of Extinction.

Zhu Ge didn't disturb him; she simply walked past him and stopped beside the carriage.

The carriage was fairly spacious. He sat down against the carriage wall and closed his eyes.

Liu Jianjian sat down on the grass outside the carriage. The snow wolf lay at her feet, resting its head on its front paws. Its tail gently swept the ground before it stopped moving.

The morning light gradually spread, like a thin silk being slowly unfolded, covering the grass blades that had just been soaked by dew.

Zhu Ge didn't fall asleep immediately; she simply closed her eyes and felt the light gradually brightening inside the carriage.

He gently pressed his brow with his finger; the fine layer of fatigue was still there, as if it had seeped down along the edges of his eyes, and it wouldn't dissipate anytime soon.

But the Annihilation True Lord has awakened.

"What are you thinking about, big brother?" asked the True Monarch of Obliteration curiously.

"Second brother, what gift do you think the official will leave me on New Year's Eve?" Zhu Ge rubbed his temples.

The voice of the Annihilation True Lord came from the direction of the tortoise shell, carrying the low and dry tone characteristic of someone who has just woken up: "Based on my understanding of him, he won't openly harm you. He's the kind of person who likes to have others do things for him. There should already be someone waiting for you in Shengjing."

"Who is it?" Zhu Ge asked.

"All sorts of people." The Annihilation True Monarch chuckled. "You know, there are those who want to kill you, those who want to win you over, those who want to use you, and those who want to climb over you to get ahead. When you arrive in Shengjing, you'll encounter many people who 'just happen to be passing by.'"

"I knew it—" Zhu Ge was silent for a moment, then asked, "So, do you want me to arrive earlier or later?"

"I'll be late," said the Annihilation True Lord, "but not to hide."

"What was that for?" Zhu Ge raised an eyebrow.

"To make those who are waiting wait longer, long enough that they start to wonder if you're not coming at all," the True Lord of Annihilation said with a hint of amusement. "The longer they guess, the more mistakes they'll make, and those who make mistakes will be the first to panic."

Zhu Ge didn't answer immediately, as if she was pondering the words.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and looked at the wood grain on the roof of the carriage, illuminated by the morning light: "Then let's go slower."

"Walking slower is a good idea," said the True Lord of Annihilation. "But the premise is that you can really control your walking pace."

The True Lord of Oblivion's eyes burned brightly.

"You figured it out?" Zhu Ge grinned.

"Your very speed and slowness are almost overflowing." The Annihilation True Lord laughed heartily: "My sword once possessed a Dao similar to yours!"

Fast and slow!

Zhu Ge's eyes were filled with a smile.

This time, his enlightenment was not about enhancing overall abilities like Guiyuan, nor was it about attacking like Poxiao.

However, it can be used for speed.

speed!

This includes the speed of striking with the stick, the speed of escaping, the speed of pursuit, and so on.

"I will name the insight I have gained this time—"

"end."