Chapter 820: The Divine Seal Perfected
Chapter 820: The Divine Seal Perfected
Not long after.
At the main entrance of the Gan residence.
Beneath the incense table, Gan Yu, leading his wives, concubines, children, servants, and maids, knelt on the ground.
In front of them, a patch of auspicious clouds descended, within which was an angel, slowly unfurling an imperial edict to read aloud:
"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Son of Heaven decrees: Scholar Gan Yu, loyal in service to the crown and bringing enlightenment to a region, is hereby specially granted the Eight-Rank Supreme Dao Court Big Dipper Secret Decree, and appointed as the Proper Eighth-Rank Loyal and Brave Captain of Black Stone County, Panlong Prefecture. By imperial command!"
After the angel finished reading the imperial edict, he said in a sharp voice: "Lord Gan, accept the edict!"
Gan Yu's expression was a mixture of tears and laughter, his heart filled with resistance.
But as one who had already received a 'Daoist title', facing the imperial edict and the angel representing the Son of Heaven's majesty, he was utterly incapable of resisting and could only prostrate himself and kowtow: "Your humble servant Gan Yu accepts the edict and gives thanks for the imperial grace!"
And with this kowtow, a Daoist decree immediately blazed with light, floating down gracefully, replacing the original Daoist decree within Gan Yu's body.
Gan Yu rose, with only one thought in his mind: "Who is trying to harm me? !"
If this were any other county, such a promotion from Ninth-Rank all the way to Proper Eighth-Rank, an instant jump of one rank and two grades, he would have to kneel and kowtow to the person who promoted him, no matter what.
Although in officialdom, one was supposed to advance step by step, those who 'rode a helicopter' to rapid promotion, seen as 'lucky upstarts' or 'sycophants', were deeply despised and met with much resistance.
But he didn't aspire to hold a First-Rank official position or leave his name in history.
Only scholars who aspired to be famous officials or powerful ministers would particularly care about such evaluations, insisting on climbing step by step with a solid foundation and many allies.
But Gan Yu was unlikely to ever reach Fifth-Rank in this life, so being promoted was a good thing!
To be successfully chosen for office and possess a divine position was already something to be tearfully grateful for.
As for continuous elevation in rank? That was an even greater boon. . . After all, divine ranks were difficult to raise, and each rank represented a significant difference in power.
And a difference in power meant a difference in status and treatment!
Given the difficulty of promotion in the Dao Court, a successful imperial scholar was nothing special; many withered away and died of old age without achieving anything.
Furthermore, actual official posts were often much lower than honorary ones, and those with the same rank were exceedingly rare.
But Black Stone County, Panlong Prefecture?
Who didn't know that Panlong Prefecture was located in Zhuzhou, and that rebel armies had been rising there for the past twenty years!
As an imperial scholar, Gan Yu had access to official intelligence channels, and knew even more clearly that ever since the Black Cloud Mountain God rebelled twenty years ago, the imperial court had repeatedly sent high-ranking officials and launched several encirclement and suppression campaigns. . . all of which ended in crushing defeat!
From the initial Fifth-Rank Mobile General, to the later Third-Rank Martial Might Grand General, and even Governors-General and Grand Tutors. . .
How many famous officials and martial generals, renowned throughout the land, had all been swallowed by Zhuzhou. . .
How many imperial scholars from the capital had also died in that bottomless pit.
If, ten years ago, there were still imperial scholars willing to take a gamble to become officials, by now, many scholars would rather never hold office in their lives than go to Zhuzhou to die!
Why now had this arduous task fallen upon his head again?
Gan Yu felt like crying, but no tears would come.
But it was still the same saying: once an imperial edict was issued, even if it commanded the slaughter of his entire family, the extermination of his entire clan. . . the majestic deterrence of the Daoist laws meant Gan Yu could only respectfully accept the edict and give thanks!
Now that he was promoted to Captain, he naturally had no choice but to go.
"I beg the honorable angel to grace me with his presence, and allow this humble official to prepare some simple wine for your entertainment. . ."
Gan Yu composed himself, intending to detain the angel and inquire thoroughly.
But the angel merely smiled slightly: "I still have other official duties, so I won't stay much longer. Lord Gan, take note, you must assume your post within one month, otherwise, failure to report on time will be punishable by beheading. . ."
Gan Yu watched the angel's retreating back, and a chill suddenly ran through his heart: "Official duties. . . Could it be that he still has to go deliver edicts. . . Has the Dao Court truly run out of superfluous officials?"
At this thought, his heart grew incomparably cold.
The war in Zhuzhou, just how brutal must it be?
...
Zhuzhou.
Mei Changkong controlled a spiritual artifact flying sword, weaving back and forth amidst a contingent of imperial soldiers.
"Rebel, prepare to die!"
A martial general roared, leaping into the air, and thrust his long spear violently forward.
But the next moment, a talisman on Mei Changkong's body ignited, transforming into an incredibly dense stone shield.
The long spear struck the stone and instantly snapped.
Mei Changkong controlled his flying sword, piercing through the martial general's heart with a single strike, the frigid sword qi wildly obliterating his soul.
"Kill. . . kill the bandit. . ."
The martial general's eyes were wide with fury, but ultimately, his breath ceased.
"Haha, what a joy!"
After Mei Changkong achieved Foundation Establishment, he actually appeared younger. Controlling his flying sword, he beheaded all the remaining imperial soldiers before finally departing on his sword light.
He had received the Mountain God's favor, been bestowed with spirit pills and miraculous medicines, and finally succeeded in Foundation Establishment ten years ago, after which he went and killed that Cao scoundrel.
From then on, he contentedly became a rebel in Zhuzhou.
In this world, there was a saying, 'laws do not apply to the nobility'; even accomplished Daoists found it difficult to bewitch nobles with their magic, let alone rebel.
The reason for this was that they had taken a shortcut and submitted to the Daoist laws through receiving a Daoist title.
Thus, even if they achieved success in Dao arts, using them against high-ranking officials and nobles was considered insubordination, and naturally, there would be no good outcome. . .
But Mei Changkong was different; he had not received a Daoist title and cultivated immortal Dao techniques, unrestricted by the Dao Court, he was a genuine rebel.
In recent years, his sword had rampaged across the land, killing many imperial soldiers, truly striking fear into the imperial government.
But Mei Changkong only felt exhilarated.
Black Cloud Mountain, the Mountain God's Residence.
Mei Changkong landed his escape light, and saw the white-clad boy servant emerge, saying: "The Mountain God Master has summoned you!"
His expression turned solemn: "I'm going now."
Mei Changkong entered the interior of the mountain and saw a magnificent hall; compared to its humble state twenty years ago, it had already been transformed into a completely different world.
A young Mountain God, clad in a green ceremonial robe, was seated upon a throne, his countenance majestic, a wisp of green cloud qi swirling above his head, pure and lustrous as jade, causing Mei Changkong to be greatly awed upon sight.
"Greetings, Mountain God."
Upon seeing Fang Xi, he immediately bowed.
"You carry a bloody aura and resentment. . . Have you been slaughtering those imperial soldiers again? " Fang Xi opened his eyes and said indifferently.
"Those imperial soldiers who dare to come to Zhuzhou are simply not showing respect to the Mountain God Master, and thus deserve to be executed. . . " Mei Changkong replied firmly.
Fang Xi couldn't help but fall silent.
A moment later, he said: "Too much slaughter, too much karmic evil, it will be detrimental to you."
Mei Changkong, still kneeling, straightened his back: "Mountain God Master, it is only the Divine Dao that emphasizes merit; what I cultivate is the Immortal Dao. . . The Immortal Dao is about being unfettered and unrestrained. If you save tens of thousands of lives, Heaven will not reward you; if you kill tens of thousands of people, there will be no punishment. . ."
"..."
Fang Xi couldn't help but fall silent, feeling as if Mei Changkong had somehow gone astray.
But it didn't matter, he was merely a guinea pig for the Immortal Dao cultivation method anyway.
'I hadn't expected him to have the temperament of a sword cultivator. . . '
'Alas. . . although the Immortal Dao is unrestrained, people cannot live in a vacuum. Cultivators live within this heaven and earth, drawing upon the spiritual essence of heaven and earth for cultivation, and naturally, they will be affected by heaven and earth. . . The laws of destiny and karma in this world are exceedingly strict. '
'Too much slaughter, I fear there will be retribution. . . '
Above Fang Xi's head, a Destiny Gu leisurely swam within the green cloud qi.
Under his gaze, above Mei Changkong's head, three feet of essence light, like a long sword, emitted a dazzling brilliance.
This was the karmic destiny of his sword cultivation and Foundation Establishment realm.
And above the three feet of light, was a mass of blood-red cloud qi, almost forming a situation like dark clouds covering the sky.
The reason it hadn't fully descended was first, Mei Changkong's own cultivation resisting it, and second, the favor of him, the Mountain God.
A faint green thread, like a fishing line, though weak, was 'hooking' that layer of blood-red malevolent qi, preventing it from descending.
This was Fang Xi's favor.
If he were ever too lazy to bother, and this wisp of green destiny qi were to snap, then Mei Changkong alone might find it very difficult to endure the backlash of this karmic destiny. . .
"Enough, you may leave."
Regarding this person, a word of advice was all that was needed. He waved his hand, dismissing Mei Changkong, and after a moment of silence, he finally flicked his sleeve.
A wave of jade-green divine power instantly sealed the entire hall.
Above his head, deep within the green clouds, a Daoist Divine Decree, pure as green jade, bore purple divine script, blatantly inscribed with — 'Proper Third-Rank Black Mountain Mountain God'!
Fang Xi was originally the Subordinate Fourth-Rank Mountain God of Black Cloud Mountain, but later brazenly rebelled and seized Lianyun Mountain.
Subsequently, he repeatedly defeated various imperial punishing armies, gradually occupying Zhuzhou, either slaying or incorporating local mountain gods, earth gods, city gods, and other terrestrial deities, having already unified Zhuzhou's geomantic veins, and occupying the most crucial segment of its dragon veins, changing Black cloud mountain to Black Mountain to serve as the center of Zhuhai.
His own status as Black Mountain Mountain God thus naturally ascended to Proper Third-Rank!
"A Proper Third-Rank deity, his divine power was purely emerald green, without a single trace of gold. . . But this seemed to be the limit of a single province's incense and destiny."
Fang Xi murmured.
This Proper Third-Rank divine position was supported by the spiritual essence of Zhuzhou's earth veins, and had no relation whatsoever to his own strength; it was purely the power of the Divine Dao.
"Besides this. . . his External Avatar was also having a grand time in Panlong Lake. . . He had now proclaimed himself 'Great Sage of Turbid Waters', drove the Panlong Lake Monarch out of Panlong Lake, and incidentally occupied his Dragon Palace. . . and even captured quite a few clam maidens, dragon maidens, and shell maidens to amuse himself with. . ."
To be frank, even without the cooperation of the External Avatar, the Shinto Avatar would have had little difficulty occupying Zhuzhou; it would be more fitting to call him 'Great Sage Hustler'.
The most dangerous occasion was merely when a Proper First-Rank Grand Tutor of the Dao Court set up a grand array.
This was equivalent to a Soul Transformation cultivator setting up a formation, although with the might of the Divine Dao, that trap could indeed kill even a perfected Soul Transformation cultivator.
But for the Shinto Avatar, who was already at the sixth stage, it was like an ant trying to shake a tree.
Since that time, the Dao Court seemed to have completely given up; apart from occasionally sending some low-rank deities to their deaths, high-ranking officials above the Third-Rank no longer showed their faces.
'It seems they've implicitly acknowledged the fall of Zhuzhou, but cannot officially admit it, so they can only send some unlucky souls over each year to put on a show. . . And incidentally, consume some superfluous officials? Is this the legendary way of 'celebrating misfortunes'? '
'Indeed, crisis brings opportunity. . . Where there's danger, there's opportunity. . . I am reducing the burden on the Dao Court. If they want to offer me amnesty, they'd have to grant me at least a First-Rank title. . . '"
Fang Xi thought with a touch of mockery.
In truth, by now, he had almost no demands of the Dao Court.
He was merely dragging things out for the sake of one other matter.
A green light flashed in his hand, and a seal appeared.
The seal was entirely emerald green, like jade, showing no trace of its former stone appearance; it was precisely the former 'Treasure of the Azure Child Monarch'!
After twenty years of continuous refining by Fang Xi with green divine power, it gradually shed its self-concealing divine surface, revealing its true essence.
Even, the numerous cracks were continuously mending, with only a few faint traces remaining now.
"Once this seal is fully refined, I'll directly go become the Son of Heaven's father!"
Fang Xi could sense that this seal was only a hair's breadth away from being completely refined.
He no longer hesitated; the green divine power from above his head descended like a waterfall, pouring into the divine seal.
Upon the green divine seal, the last crack finally mended, and it suddenly let out a clear chime, erupting with brilliant light.
Subsequently, streams of profound information surged into Fang Xi's sea of consciousness.
An expression of surprise immediately appeared on his face!
Comments