In the imperial study, Li Mao paced back and forth, clearly agitated.
The Astronomical Bureau was an ancient imperial institution for observing celestial phenomena, calculating seasonal changes, and formulating calendars. In an era that emphasized the connection between heaven and humanity, any event related to celestial changes was no small matter. Especially when certain ominous stars appeared, they could serve as powerful omens for deposing an empress, a crown prince, attacking a chancellor, or even changing the emperor.
In this world, the Astronomical Bureau was even more than that—it gathered many extraordinary individuals and acted as Li Mao’s eyes and ears.
Of course, these mystics would not dare to claim that Zhang Tianxiang bore the aura of a dragon emperor. Instead, they reported that he possessed an unusual appearance unsuitable for a subject, exaggerating his actions in Qingzhu Prefecture. This was already enough to alarm Li Mao.
“This man… this man…”
Li Mao paced, deeply indecisive.
Truthfully, the Zhou Dynasty was currently in its prime, and Li Mao had not considered the possibility of dynastic change. He merely felt that Zhang Tianxiang was difficult to control and might clash with him.
Certainly, the solution was simple—send soldiers to surround and kill him. Even if Zhang had three heads and six arms, he could not escape. But could he kill someone merely for possessing an unusual appearance?
Li Mao had no desire to be seen as a tyrannical or foolish ruler.
At that moment, he suddenly felt dizzy and staggered. Amid the eunuchs’ cries of alarm, he slowly steadied himself against a table. His gaze fell upon Zhang Tianxiang’s essay again, and with a sigh, he abruptly made his decision: “I will see him during the palace examination…”
…
Inside the Sihai Pavilion.
“Why do I feel so uneasy tonight?”
Zhang Tianxiang, having passed the metropolitan examination as the top candidate, celebrated with his fellow examinees and paid respects to his examiner. Upon returning, however, he tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.
“Could it be due to nervousness before meeting the emperor?”
Doubt filled his mind, for he was not usually a timid person. He grabbed his long sword, intending to practice swordplay outside.
Outside, moonlight flowed like water, all was silent, and a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of grass and trees—a beautiful night indeed.
Zhang danced with his sword, thousands of gleaming blades flashing like fire trees and silver flowers, sword qi rippling gracefully, as ethereal as an exiled immortal.
Caught up in the moment, he suddenly let out a long cry. His sword flew forth like a jade dragon, plunging straight into a tree trunk up to the hilt.
“Ahh!”
A scream rang out. The tree shook violently, a shadow flickered, then suddenly exploded.
“Hmm?”
Cold sweat broke out on Zhang’s back: “Did I injure someone?”
He hurried forward to inspect. Around the ancient tree, there was no blood, only lingering traces of yin energy, causing him to frown: “A ghost? Or perhaps a Daoist’s yin spirit spying on me?”
A decisive man, he immediately drew his sword and began silently scanning the surroundings.
Outside the Sihai Pavilion,
A black soul swiftly passed through walls and alleys, entering a small courtyard. It circled several times above a foreigner with a high nose, deep-set eyes, curly hair, and green eyes before vanishing into his crown.
“What a terrifying Zhou person!”
The foreigner opened his eyes, drenched in cold sweat. “His sword qi alone could injure my soul. His martial prowess rivals the greatest warriors of the Western Regions…”
“You were discovered?”
A merchant sitting beside him on a woolen rug, embracing a foreign beauty, frowned and stroked his mustache.
“I don’t think so… He’s just a martial artist. How could he detect my soul?”
The foreigner wore a proud expression.
“Good… We’ve found the person the High Priest seeks. We’ve made a great contribution! You keep watching him. Once our warriors arrive, we’ll capture him and smuggle him out of Xijing through secret tunnels tonight!”
The merchant grinned eagerly.
“The High Priest? From the Thirty-six Western States?”
Suddenly, the door opened, and Zhang Tianxiang in a blue robe stepped in.
“What? It’s you!”
The merchant was shocked: “Alba?! Zeluo Ke?!”
“Are you calling for those two guards? No need to shout!”
Zhang raised his bloodied sword: “Why does your High Priest want me? Speak!”
“Hmph!”
The foreigner snorted, sending a black mist from his nose that transformed into a giant snake, lunging forward.
Zhang sneered, his blade glowing faintly green. With a single thrust, the black snake turned to smoke. In one fluid motion, he pierced the foreigner’s heart.
Without hesitation, blood splattered across five paces!
“Ahh!”
Two foreign women screamed, but Zhang cut them down one by one before stepping on the merchant’s fat body, placing the blade at his throat: “We have no past grudge. Why do you conspire against me?”
“I… I don’t know! It’s the High Priest’s order!”
“If you spare me, Xiumotai will reward you with gold equal to your height!”
The merchant’s face turned pale, the stench of urine rising from beneath him.
Zhang remained expressionless, questioning him further. Finding the merchant knew little, he swiftly beheaded him. The fat head rolled across the floor.
Calmly wiping his sword, Zhang leaped over the courtyard wall and returned to his residence, standing silently in contemplation.
Killing without flinching!
Even if neighbors discovered something amiss tomorrow and reported it, the authorities would find no link here. After all, there had been no prior connection, and he was still a newly crowned metropolitan champion.
What truly concerned Zhang was why these foreigners had targeted him.
Until this matter was fully uncovered, it would remain a heavy burden on his mind.
Buzz!
Suddenly, he stiffened, looking inward. A yellow talisman in his robe glowed warmly.
Boom!
Affected by the light, a flash of golden radiance appeared outside, revealing a startled monk.
“There’s someone else watching!”
Zhang was shocked: “Then everything I did must have been seen by him?”
A killing intent surged in his heart, and he gave chase.
Startled, the monk also activated his martial arts, fleeing rapidly while occasionally making noise, which soon attracted a patrol unit.
“Boldly! Who is ahead? Don’t you know the curfew?”
Seeing the approaching soldiers, the monk’s eyes gleamed with triumph. He clasped his palms and activated a magical artifact. A glazed Buddhist light enveloped Zhang Tianxiang.
“Ah…”
Dazzled by the light, Zhang felt dizzy. Seeing the approaching soldiers, his killing intent surged again.
Whoosh!
At that moment, the talisman in his robe exploded, instantly clearing his mind: “Wait, why am I thinking of killing those soldiers? That would be rebellion!”
“Ahh!”
The monk, failing to control his magic, suffered a backlash and collapsed to the ground.
Zhang didn’t even look. Covering his face with his sleeve, he dashed forward and beheaded the monk before the soldiers could react, leaping onto the rooftops and vanishing in an instant.
Back at the Sihai Pavilion, he quickly changed clothes, listening to the gradually awakening street sounds, his heart still racing.
“Thankfully, I didn’t lose my senses. Otherwise, killing soldiers would have been a serious problem…”
“Now, it’s just a few foreigners and a monk dead. What’s the big deal?”
“Even if there are traces leading to me, would the court really dare to brand a newly crowned metropolitan champion as a murderer? They need to maintain appearances, so they’ll cover it up. No major issue!”
…
Zhang’s thoughts settled, but he looked at his empty talisman case, only ashes remaining. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead: “Thankfully, that talisman protected me from that monk’s evil magic. Otherwise, if I had clashed with the soldiers today, even my status as a metropolitan champion wouldn’t have saved me!”
This incident deepened his resentment toward the foreigners and the Buddhist sect that had framed him.
…
Meanwhile, high above the nine heavens,
Wu Ming sat calmly on a cloud, gazing emotionlessly at the myriad lights of Xijing below.
“Good!”
In the eyes of the Daoist Lord, countless lights below transformed into massive black and white karma, sweeping across the world with an overwhelming force. Then, it suddenly shifted westward, prompting a nod of approval.
“Zhang Tianxiang bears the dragon aura, a key figure in this great calamity. Even if the emperor wishes to kill him, it would be impossible. He will surely escape!”
“But if so, it will immediately cause great trouble. This man is headstrong. Once cornered, he will likely rebel! This aligns with the karma, triggering chaos across the land!”
“At that time, countless common people of the Zhou Dynasty aside, even the hidden immortals of Central Plains cannot escape this disaster. They will have to emerge and fight, with few surviving!”
“Now, although the emperor hesitates, two factions have already lost patience, trying to provoke Zhang Tianxiang into rebellion!”
The foreigner and the monk clearly revealed the ancient divine forces behind them to Wu Ming.
The great heavenly calamity could not be avoided, but its origin could vary.
If it began in the Zhou Dynasty, most of the cultivators elsewhere could preserve their fortune.
However, if it spread outward from multiple regions, the disaster in Central Plains could be significantly reduced.
Ultimately, a certain number of deaths and cultivator losses were inevitable. The only choice was to determine where the calamity would strike hardest. This was the root of the conflict among the three ancient gods and five sect patriarchs!
Wu Ming, along with Linglong and Miaoyi, favored diverting the disaster westward, but the two figures in the West naturally would not be pleased.
Boom!
Before Wu Ming, flowers rained from the sky, golden lotuses sprouted from the earth, revealing a serene pure land.
Within it stood a golden Vedic deity, his entire body radiant with purple-gold light, his eyes filled with compassion and self-sacrifice.
“Vedic God!”
Wu Ming smiled slightly, bowing: “Fellow Daoist, do you think it’s appropriate to initiate the great calamity in Central Plains?”
“But, Dao Lord, do you think diverting the disaster westward and causing endless wars in the Western Regions is the righteous path?”
The Vedic deity’s mighty voice echoed.
“You Buddhists claim to be infinitely compassionate, willing to cut flesh to feed eagles and offer your body to tigers. As the saying goes, ‘If you do not go to hell, who will?'”
Wu Ming sneered, fully aware that this was a fundamental contradiction with no room for compromise.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage