“How strange… Why has this young man’s fortune changed so drastically? And why has the aura of bloodshed diminished, replaced by an air of wealth and nobility?”
Xu Xiansheng covered his mouth and only murmured softly when he was in a secluded place.
In fact, he was a geomancer with some special abilities retained by the Prefect’s mansion, capable of slightly perceiving auras, though that was the limit of his skills.
In this world, aristocratic families always kept a few people like him for emergencies.
In the past few months, Xu had observed that everyone within the Prefect’s mansion bore a grayish-black aura, an ominous sign. He was planning to find an excuse to leave and escape when unexpectedly, he saw this young man.
Originally, Li Yu’s fortune was merely average.
But just now, Xu noticed a flash of purple aura at the bridge of his nose, a sign of great nobility!
This auspicious energy dispelled some of the deathly aura within the mansion, leaving Xu puzzled and even more reverent toward the Dao of Heaven.
…
After completing this major task, Wu Ming did not return home but secluded himself in an inn, quietly awaiting the second day of the second lunar month.
“In the fifth year of Linghe, Huang Jie suffered defeat, his half-million army disintegrating, and he himself was killed by the Imperial Preceptor at Luolong Plain…”
Sunlight filtered through the paper window, casting patches of light inside the room.
While waiting, besides his daily cultivation, Wu Ming immersed himself in volumes of local legends and strange tales collected by Wu Tiehu, finding contentment in his studies.
Within these historical records, certain truths were inadvertently revealed.
“At that time, the heavens raged, blood rained down, and within a hundred miles, people could see stars shining in daylight. The three stars, Qisha, Pojun, and Tanlang, shone brightly, transforming into a black dragon…”
Wu Ming had deliberately marked this page in a tattered ancient text with his fingernail.
“Huang Jie himself bore the ‘Sha Po Lang’ destiny. This passage makes sense… Moreover, considering the abilities of this Imperial Preceptor who managed to kill him, what kind of prowess must he have possessed?”
Wu Ming closed the ancient scroll, somewhat entranced.
He had already reached the rank of a Magus. Beyond that lay the stage of Yuan Shen Chu Qiao, where one’s spirit could leave the body to perceive the netherworld—the True Man. Going higher still, one would become a Tian Shi (Celestial Master)!
Yet this Imperial Preceptor was not merely a cultivation rank but an ordained Taoist priest granted by the state!
Of course, once granted the title of Imperial Preceptor, one would become the highest rank, theoretically not only able to draw upon the nation’s fortune for cultivation but even manipulate the dragon qi to cause the dynasty’s collapse!
This premise made many emperors reluctant to appoint an Imperial Preceptor—after all, it was akin to sharing a divine artifact!
With so many restrictions, the benefits upon success were naturally immense.
Historically, those who received this ordination were at least True Men, and with the fortune of an entire nation behind them, their cultivation paths were unimpeded. Even a Tian Shi at the pinnacle of human immortality could not rival them.
Even Earth Immortals would tread carefully.
Ordinary Taoists who hadn’t reached the rank of Magus were practically powerless on a battlefield, but an Imperial Preceptor could disregard bloodlust and military qi.
“Come to think of it… the ‘Tai Sui Zhen Sha Talisman’ I previously exchanged was also something only an Imperial Preceptor could create. It suppresses the backlash of dragon qi and is indeed extraordinary…”
Wu Ming’s expression turned peculiar.
“Back then, the death of Emperor Ling seemed to be related to the appointment of the Imperial Preceptor. Later, that Imperial Preceptor indeed lived up to expectations, defeating Huang Jie and slaying him at Luolong Plain… and himself subsequently perished… This was a great service to the nation. Since this person was a Taoist of the Yuqing sect, from then on, the emperor decreed that Yuqing would oversee all Daoist sects nationwide, established grand Daoist academies, and even exempted Daoists from taxes and corvée labor…”
A question in Wu Ming’s mind was finally resolved:
“I was wondering… with so many powerful cultivators in the world—martial artists, shamans, gu masters, Confucian qi cultivators, martial cultivators—why did the imperial court favor Daoists so much? It all traces back to this… Though with such expenditures, the nation’s fortune…”
Despite these thoughts, if there were an opportunity to become an Imperial Preceptor, Wu Ming would certainly be tempted.
Huang Jie bore the ‘Sha Po Lang’ destiny, destined to bring chaos to the world, yet was suppressed by that Imperial Preceptor. The struggle between them was profound and intriguing.
“With the fortune of an entire nation behind one, nothing is unattainable!”
Wu Ming murmured, “Yet even when at the height of power, even Earth Immortals would temporarily retreat, it is still not a path for the long term!”
He understood this well. Previously, merely brushing against Li Rubi’s dragon qi and relying on cultivation had created such a massive karmic backlash, nearly destroying his very foundation.
An Imperial Preceptor bearing the fortune of an entire dynasty could freely draw upon the dragon qi, but if the dynasty declined, could the person escape?
…
Bang!
The sound of firecrackers exploded from outside.
Wu Ming pushed open the window and felt a surge of festive bustle.
The Spring Festival celebrations had not yet ended when the city was already preparing for the upcoming second day of the second lunar month, the Festival of the Dragon’s Awakening.
Not only were households decorating with lanterns and colorful banners, but along the rivers and waterways, several large dragon boat teams were seen training day and night, their chants, drumbeats, and cheers echoing loudly.
“Ignorance truly is bliss… If only they knew what this truly signifies, would they still be so carefree?”
Wu Ming smiled bitterly, somewhat dazed. “Time flies. It’s already the end of the first lunar month. The Longmen Gathering approaches swiftly!”
Just then, his expression suddenly changed!
“Who’s there?”
His right hand formed a magical seal, faintly emitting a sound of wind and thunder.
“It’s me, your elder sister!”
A gentle female voice came, causing Wu Ming to exhale in relief, lowering his guard. He turned around to see Wu Qing smiling at him, prompting a bitter smile: “Sister, could you stop startling me every time you appear?”
“I came in secretly, without letting anyone know!”
Wu Qing, dressed in Taoist robes, floated like a celestial being descending to the mortal world. She sat leisurely on the bed, glancing around: “This city is dangerous now. Why haven’t you left yet?”
Wu Ming’s heart tensed.
Judging from Wu Qing’s solitary arrival and her attempt to conceal her presence, she must have sensed something too.
“Also, that Daoist technique of yours just now… seemed like Thunder Dao? Thunder is the pivot of heaven and earth, the essence of yin and yang. Among Daoist techniques, Thunder Dao is the most powerful…”
Wu Ming broke into a sweat again.
Fortunately, he hadn’t unleashed it fully yet, only leaking a trace of Thunder Dao’s aura.
Otherwise, if Wu Qing discovered he had already advanced to a Magus, it would bring even more trouble.
At the Magus level, one’s foundation is deeply hidden; the talisman seeds within the consciousness realm compress vastness into minutiae. Since Wu Ming and Wu Qing were at the same level, if he intentionally concealed his aura, Wu Qing couldn’t detect any flaws.
Here’s the translation:
“I happened to come across a manual called ‘Five Thunder Palm Technique,’ created by a wandering cultivator who attained the Dao through martial arts. I found it quite suitable, so I practiced it a little… If you’d like to see it, sister, I can recite the method for you.”
Wu Ming initially thought this Five Thunder Palm was something Yu Shaojun exchanged, but later, considering the stinginess of the God’s Temple, it was unlikely they would allow a reincarnator to self-learn such a technique. Therefore, it was most likely a cultivation method Yu Shaojun obtained from a reincarnation world.
Even more likely, it was bestowed by Nan Shan Zhen Ren to gain favor.
“Forget it!”
Wu Qing gave Wu Ming a sidelong glance: “Have you met my secret friend yet?”
“No, but I’ve already obtained the token… “
Wu Ming took out the bracelet and briefly recounted the incident.
Wu Qing listened, her expression unchanged. After a moment of silence, she said, “My friend is the legitimate daughter of the Wu family, the prestigious clan of Nanfeng Prefecture. She is proud and strong-willed. If you are to interact with her, you must be more tolerant…”
The undertone of “entrusting an orphan” in her words made Wu Ming’s eyebrow twitch.
He glanced again at Wu Qing’s fortune and saw the dark and ominous aura growing increasingly turbulent, like an impending storm. He couldn’t help but ask, “Sister, since you’ve come to the city, have you discovered the source of this calamity? Perhaps it can be averted…”
“Well… I have some clues…”
Wu Qing’s eyes shimmered with a charm so mesmerizing it could captivate any man: “The Wang family, one of the city’s most distinguished clans, subtly reached out to me—apparently with the intention of arranging a match between me and their legitimate heir, Wang Yu…”
“What?!”
Wu Ming was both surprised and doubtful. If the Wang family wished to marry Wu Qing, wouldn’t that make him the brother-in-law? Why then would there still be a disaster, and how could Wu Qing’s tribulation be explained?
“Did you… agree?”
Wu Ming asked anxiously, guessing that perhaps Wu Qing, with her strong will and single-minded pursuit of the Dao, would refuse such a marriage proposal, leaving behind hidden dangers?
“What do you think, dear brother?”
Wu Qing didn’t answer directly. Her eyes, half-smiling and half-serious, fixed on Wu Ming.
Wu Ming immediately shivered involuntarily. It was a reflex from his body. From the memories of the young master, whenever Wu Qing wore this expression, it usually meant big trouble was coming.
So he decided immediately: “Of course not!”
“Why not?”
“Well…”
Wu Ming hadn’t really thought about it and couldn’t answer right away.
Seeing his expression, Wu Qing couldn’t help but laugh. As she laughed, the entire room transformed from winter to spring, with flowers blooming all at once.
“I won’t tease you anymore… However, you did say one thing right—the marriage must absolutely not happen!”
A trace of coldness appeared on Wu Qing’s face: “That Wang Yu is nothing but a gilded mediocrity. This time, he wants to form a spiritual partnership with me, yet in the mundane world, he plans to make your elder sister his concubine!”
“How outrageous!”
Wu Ming immediately expressed his indignation, most of which was genuine.
“Not only that… Although he tried to keep it secret, his cultivation method didn’t escape my sight. He practices the ‘Tai Su Yin Zhang,’ and even possesses secret techniques to absorb the yin essence, destiny, and fortune of female cultivators to enhance himself. Tell me… would I allow myself to become his cultivation furnace?”
Wu Qing sneered.
“I see!”
Wu Ming finally understood why the Wang family harbored such hostility toward them: “Their intentions are truly heinous!”
“This time, by rejecting the Wang family, I have sown great misfortune. In three days, the Longmen Gathering will commence. You must leave quickly, preferably heading directly to Nanfeng Prefecture… Decide whether to stay or go after things settle down!”
Wu Qing spoke solemnly, causing Wu Ming to feel deeply moved: “Sister…”
“Remember! The sooner you leave, the better!”
Before her voice faded, her figure had already vanished without a trace.
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