Chapter 210: Chaos in Zhongzhou! The Disappearance of Li Qingchen!

Chapter 210: Chaos in Zhongzhou! The Disappearance of Li Qingchen!

Cangyan Continent, Zhongzhou.

As the central region of the continent, Zhongzhou's geographical location is undoubtedly advantageous.

It is surrounded by the other four regions, never directly facing the threat of the Demon Race's military encampments.

This place is the holy land in the hearts of all scholars, and bandits, evil cultivators, and demonic cultivators are few and far between.

In theory, Zhongzhou should be the most stable and harmonious region.

However, unbeknownst to many, the conflicts among scholars, though bloodless, are even more brutal.

Zhongzhou, the Academy Hall of Literature in the Academy of Saints.

"Have you heard any news, Teacher?"

Shuhuan, who had returned to Zhongzhou some time ago, now looked somewhat haggard, and his voice was low as he asked.

"All the lecturers in the Academy have been searching, but..."

A scholar glanced at Shuhuan, looking as if he wanted to say something but held back.

"Forget it."

Shuhuan waved his hand wearily.

After the scholar left, he stood up and looked out the window, lost in thought, and muttering, "Teacher, where have you gone?"

"Disciple...I can't hold on much longer."

The disappearance of Li Qingchen had caused a split within the already disharmonious Confucianism and Taoism.

The two factions of Confucianism and Taoism were divided. One was led by the Scholar Immortals and the Academy of Saints, advocating self-reliance and self-improvement.

The other faction consisted of the great scholars who emphasized reliance on the Imperial Court and the Ten Kingdoms' power to aid their cultivation.

Initially, when the Imperial Court Sect first emerged, the scholars of the Literary Academy rejoiced.

They discovered that the nation's fortune could facilitate their cultivation of Confucianism and Taoism, making breakthroughs easier.

At that time, many scholars entered the Imperial Court of the Ten Kingdoms.

Holding official positions, they cultivated Confucianism and Taoism.

This was a good thing, as it allowed them to cultivate and spread their teachings throughout the world.

However, the Imperial Court, a place of fame and fortune, was not easy to navigate.

Officials protected each other, exchanged favors, and abused their power, leading to corruption and injustice.

Power was given a tangible form within the Imperial Court.

A single word could decide life and death, and a single utterance could bring immense wealth.

Those who cultivated Confucianism and Taoism valued 'Virtue' above all else.

Even the most resolute individuals, when faced with temptations like beauty, resources, wealth, and power, might struggle to uphold their principles.

It was then that a new term emerged within Confucianism and Taoism: 'Compromise with Corruption'!

As more and more scholars entered the Imperial Court, their cultivation improved, but their 'Virtue' deteriorated.

The corrupted atmosphere of Confucianism and Taoism disgusted the world, and some even went as far as to commit acts like burning books and burying scholars!

At that time, countless powerful figures practiced Confucianism and Taoism, and their fame seemed limitless.

However, in reality, the integrity of Confucianism and Taoism was gradually fading away.

Until a scholar named Li Qingchen appeared!

With ruthless means, he bloodily purged Zhongzhou and suppressed countless great scholars!

There was once an Iron Edict: anyone who entered the Imperial Court as an official would be killed!

That unreasonable scholar, with his own strength, saved Confucianism and Taoism from the brink of collapse, preserving its last shred of dignity.

Furthermore, he rebuilt the Academy of Saints, guiding the scholars of the world like a beacon, and shaping the holy land of Confucianism and Taoism.

Only then did Confucianism and Taoism return to the right path.

However...

Having tasted power and experienced the rapid cultivation brought by the nation's fortune, how could those great scholars be content?

They had been biding their time, waiting for an opportunity.

Now that a prosperous era had arrived, they could no longer contain their impatience, and they planned to overthrow the Scholar Immortal lineage at the upcoming Literary Grand Gathering in half a year.

The recent disappearance of Li Qingchen only emboldened them further.

From their initial cautious probing, they had become brazen, and many had already returned to the Imperial Court as officials.

Not only that, but during this time, members of the Imperial Court Sect had secretly lured students from the Academy of Saints.

They aimed to uproot the Scholar Immortal lineage and completely overthrow the Academy of Saints' status as the holy land of Confucianism and Taoism.

"Sigh, how do we break this stalemate?"

Shuhuan furrowed his brows, the immense pressure he had been under for some time making it hard for him to breathe.

"Senior Shuhuan!"

Just then, a hurried female voice called out from outside the hall.

A man and a woman entered, walking side by side. They were familiar faces—Ling Si and Er Niu, who had just returned from Sword Deity Mountain.

"You two finally came."

Seeing the visitors, Shuhuan heaved a sigh of relief, managing a faint smile.

The Literary Grand Gathering was about to begin, and countless scholars from across the land were gathering in Zhongzhou City.

However, the Imperial Court Sect chose this very moment to stir up trouble, enticing scholars to join the Imperial Court.

Their method was simple: they presented a few outstanding disciples, impressing everyone with their literary talents, and then extolled the virtues of being an official in the Imperial Court.

How could new scholars resist such temptation?

If this wasn't stopped, the Academy of Saints might become a mere name without substance even before the Literary Grand Gathering began.

With no other choice, the Academy of Saints could only respond to each move, sending out outstanding disciples to stop or suppress the disciples of the Imperial Court Sect.

Bringing Ling Si here was a desperate measure, as they were short-staffed, especially when it came to scholars with exceptional literary talent.

"Ling Si, you bookworm, where have you been? It's been ages, and you're looking old!"

Seeing the bloodshot eyes and haggard face of Shuhuan, Er Niu showed surprise but continued to tease him.

No further questions were needed; Shuhuan's appearance alone revealed the severity of the situation at the Academy of Saints.

"Get lost, I'm not in the mood to argue with you."

Shuhuan glared at Er Niu, then turned to Ling Si with a grave expression. "When you return, you'll see the situation in Central Province, right?"

At the mention of this, Ling Si's face immediately filled with anger. "I saw it!"

"Those disciples of the great Confucian scholars are so bold, they're openly persuading other Confucian scholars on the streets to join the Imperial Court Sect!"

"If it weren't for the reputation of the Academy of Saints and the Scholar Immortals, I'm afraid many would have joined right away."

"Even so, I think quite a few are tempted."

Recently, Er Niu had also learned about the internal conflicts within Confucianism.

Hearing this, Er Niu pouted and said, "In my opinion, we should follow the Scholar Immortals' example and ruthlessly eliminate a batch of them."

"Anyone who dares to resist, just slash them with a sword."

Ling Si glared at Er Niu, "If you don't understand, then don't speak."

"You want to solve Confucianism's internal conflicts with a sword? That would ruin the reputation of the Academy of Saints."

Shuhuan sighed helplessly, "That's the problem."

"The Scholar Immortals initially rose to prominence by killing all around, because they cultivated Confucian principles and used the Four Arts."

"What if you replace them with a martial artist?"

"Even if you kill off all those Confucian scholars, they won't back down."

"Confucianism's internal conflicts can only be resolved using Confucian methods."

"You can write to insult them, and use the Four Arts to defeat them, but if you resort to external martial force, even if you win, people will still look down on you."

Er Niu was stunned, this was the first time he had heard such an argument.

"Shuhuan, what should we do now?" Ling Si asked.

"First, find my teacher, the Scholar Immortal."

"Second, stabilize the chaos outside Central Province."

"Third..."

Shuhuan's gaze fell on Ling Si, and he said gravely, "In half a year, at the Literary Grand Gathering, you must become number one!"

"Otherwise, Confucianism is in peril!"

At this moment, only the most prestigious first place in the literary world could awaken the scholars of the realm.

The Imperial Court Sect already had an inherent advantage, and if the scholars of the realm saw that the first place in the literary world also belonged to the Imperial Court Sect, the Scholar Immortals would be doomed.

"Ah? First place?"

"I..."

Ling Si's initially enthusiastic face froze, and she stammered with a lack of confidence, "I can probably make it to the top three, but first place is impossible."

"Mu Yun from the Mu family has already entered the Dao with two arts, and her poetry, songs, and prose are incredibly powerful. I'm afraid..."

Before Ling Si could finish, Er Niu interrupted anxiously.

"What are you afraid of?"

"We have Changqing. Getting first place in the literary world is as easy as snapping fingers for him."

"Entered the Dao with two arts? Powerful in poetry, songs, and prose? Over a year ago, Changqing, who hadn't even left Qing Shan Village, could have beaten them all."

"Now, that dog-fart Mu Yun wouldn't even be worthy of polishing Changqing's shoes. Do you believe me?"

Er Niu had absolute confidence in his young master.

Those so-called Confucian geniuses weren't even worthy of being tied up together with Changqing.

"You think I don't want to bring Changqing here?"

"With Changqing around, if he walked around the city, not only would the scholars be convinced, but even the Imperial Court Sect disciples would switch sides."

Shuhuan continued with a sigh, "But do you dare to bring Changqing here now?"

"Changqing has the Vast Righteous Energy stored in the sculpture of the Emperor of Culture, which is almost enough to make him a Saint in a day."

"Do you think Lord Su would break your leg?"

Initially, the Scholar Immortal and Su Nan had concealed Changqing's talent, fearing it would disrupt Lord Su's plans.

Su Nan even spent eighteen years establishing Qing Shan Village to cultivate Changqing's heart nature.

If this matter disrupted Lord Su's plans, it might be more terrifying than the internal chaos within Confucianism."

"Sorry, I forgot."

Er Niu smiled awkwardly at this.

If Changqing returned to Qing Shan Village after a walk through Central Province and suddenly became a Saint, the family head would beat him to death.

The path to becoming an Emperor hasn't even begun, and once he becomes a Saint, he's basically lost the chance to become an Emperor, and even if he cultivates again, it's impossible.

Of course, what they didn't know was that during this time apart, Su Changqing had fully understood his own talent.

He also discovered the true power of the Four Arts he had learned.

Even if Shuhuan didn't go looking for Su Changqing, it was likely that after some time, Su Changqing would come looking for them.

"Shuhuan, what should we do next?"

Ling Si was also at a loss, so she looked expectantly at Shuhuan.

"First, go into the city and drive away those disciples of the great Confucian scholars."

Shuhuan looked at Ling Si and blinked, "If you can't beat them, ask Changqing to lend you a couple of poems. It's not the first time, after all."

"Remember to ask Changqing to write a few harsh ones to suppress the arrogance of those disciples of the great Confucian scholars."

Hearing this, Ling Si's face turned slightly red, and she glared at Er Niu.

Because of this fool, her black history was completely exposed.

Er Niu scratched his head awkwardly and quickly looked away.

"As for the rest, I'll send more people to look for the teacher."

Shuhuan furrowed his brows and said, "Without the teacher's presence, if a fight breaks out, we might not be able to..."

Buzz!

Before Shuhuan could finish his sentence, the communication talisman at his waist suddenly vibrated.

He picked it up and took a look, his eyes widening in shock and his face filled with joy.

【Senior Brother Bogu: I'm in the Eastern Region, I've found a lead on the teacher. Stabilize the situation, wait for me and the teacher to return.】

...

Eastern Region, Ten Thousand Mile Wilderness.

Here, not a blade of grass grew, no creatures dwelled, and a dense aura of killing intent filled the air, creating an eerie silence.

At this moment, a man with a scholarly crown on his head, wearing a long robe, his hair slightly gray and neatly combed, suddenly appeared in mid-air.

"This is..."

Bogu's gaze fell upon the barren land below, his expression turning solemn, "A suppressed Dark Forbidden Zone?"

As the senior disciple of the Scholar Immortals, Bogu possessed formidable cultivation. He could vaguely sense the strangeness of the land beneath his feet.

Only in the legends of the Dark Forbidden Zones, would there be such an aura that caused discomfort, a resistance that seemed to come from the depths of one's soul.

"Why has the connection with the teacher suddenly been cut off from this place?"

Bogu stood in mid-air, his expression fluctuating between gloom and brightness.

He cultivated the Immortal's Four Arts, including the Chess World and the Immortal Finger, and had already entered the Dao.

The Immortal's Four Arts were unique; they were originally a complete set. After cultivating the Four Arts to the Dao, one would have a mysterious connection with others who cultivated the same arts.

During the recent upheaval in the Central Province, Bogu had immediately traveled across the continent, relying on the connection between the Four Arts to search for the missing Li Qingchen.

The continent was vast, and he had visited many places, but to no avail. He was almost ready to give up.

However, just as he was about to return to the Academy of Saints, the connection suddenly intensified nearby.

He thought he had found the teacher's location, but the moment he approached, the connection mysteriously disappeared.

"Could it be that the teacher has mistakenly entered the Dark Forbidden Zone and is trapped inside?"

This thought caused Bogu's expression to change abruptly, his heart filled with anxiety.

Without hesitation, he rushed towards the depths of the Ten Thousand Mile Wilderness.

Most people, upon learning of a Dark Forbidden Zone, would naturally stay as far away as possible.

But with the urgency to save someone, Bogu, with his cultivation at the peak of the Great Sage realm, decided to take a risk.

However, before he could fly very far, a large array barrier shrouded in eerie black mist suddenly appeared.

"Open!"

Bogu's eyebrows furrowed, and his fingers fell like plucking strings, unleashing a massive chessboard that blocked out the sun from beneath his feet.

His fingers struck the array with terrifying force, tearing the void apart.

Strangely, this powerful strike couldn't even make the array budge.

The array was like a ferocious beast, silently swallowing all energy and aura.

But this strike wasn't entirely useless; the previously severed connection suddenly reappeared!

This discovery caused Bogu's pupils to constrict abruptly.

"The teacher is truly inside!"

...

In the small world, at the Immortal Spirit Sect.

"Sect Leader, the Ten Thousand Mile Wilderness Forbidden Zone has been continuously rumbling. A powerful Great Sage cultivator is relentlessly attacking the sealing array."

After a few days, the Immortal Spirit Sect, not too far from the Forbidden Zone, discovered the anomaly and hurried to report.

With the emergence of a life form from the Forbidden Zone, this matter couldn't be taken lightly.

"Rumble at the Forbidden Zone's sealing array? Who is it?" asked Xianfu with a frown.

The location of the Immortal Spirit Sect was originally chosen to suppress the Wilderness Forbidden Zone and prevent darkness from descending.

However, it was usually the life forms within the Forbidden Zone trying to get out, and rarely did humans from the continent attempt to enter.

Or rather, even if they wanted to enter, they couldn't. The terrifying defense of the sealing array was nearly impossible to break, even for those near the Emperor realm.

"It's the senior disciple of the Scholar Immortals from the Central Province's Academy of Saints, the Chess Saint, Bogu," the Elder replied truthfully.

"A disciple of the Scholar Immortals..."

Xianfu's eyes lit up with realization.

After a moment of contemplation, she waved her hand and sighed, "Forget it, let him be."

"With his strength, he can't damage that array in the slightest. It's just a fleeting hope."

Due to its proximity to the Wilderness Forbidden Zone, Xianfu was somewhat aware of Li Qingchen's situation.

Moreover, the recent tremors in the wilderness, the roar of ten thousand dragons, and the overwhelming killing intent had made Xianfu realize that Li Qingchen had entered the Forbidden Zone again. However, this time, it would be extremely difficult for him to get out.

"I never thought that a respected Scholar Immortal like him would be so infatuated."

Xianfu gazed towards the direction of the Forbidden Zone and sighed, "Why bother, for a doomed love?"

"Now, Confucianism and Taoism are in peril, and without you, there may no longer be an Academy of Saints in the future."

As she spoke, she shook her head, "Forget it, what does this have to do with the Immortal Spirit Sect?"

"Let's focus on more important matters. Let's see how Meng Er and Changqing are doing."

Amidst her muttering, Xianfu disappeared from the grand hall.

At the same time, in a pavilion of the Immortal Spirit Sect, Su Changqing was staring at the outside world with a slightly furrowed brow, deep in thought.

"Why has my heart been fluttering these past few days?"

"What is that special connection? What is it?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end