Chapter 417: I Don't Like This Group

Chapter 417: I Don't Like This Group

Through the Jade Clarity Cyclic Heaven Divine Mirror, Lei Jun could observe the situation of the Confucian scholars who remained in the city and the generals who had departed.

It resembled ancient Taoist talisman-bestowing rituals or perhaps even older spirit-possession techniques. However, there were also noticeable differences.

The Ming Dynasty governor seemed to have lent his power to others, causing a temporary depletion in his own cultivation base. Despite this, his status as a Three-layered Eighth Heavens Confucian scholar remained intact.

The general commanding the army exhibited a similar phenomenon, elevated to the Three-layered Eighth Heavens, but Lei Jun's discerning eyes noticed its unstable nature.

The cultivators under this general's command displayed enhanced strength but their foundations and experiences clashed with their temporarily heightened cultivation bases.

As they battled the rebels, it became evident that their improved cultivation levels did not align with their skill and expertise, which matched their original levels.

A supposed Three-layered Eighth Heavens cultivator was clearly outclassed by true martial artists of the same level.

Though it may be an exaggeration to liken him to a three-year-old child wielding a heavy hammer, it was clear that he lacked fluency in his abilities.

Nevertheless, his superior realm sufficed to handle the current battlefield situation.

Furthermore, there were other warriors in his army who found themselves in similar circumstances.

With their collective boost in strength, they swept across the battlefield like a tidal wave.

Among them, there were also cultivators who treaded different cultivation paths.

However, instead of actively suppressing the rebellion, they seemed more focused on observing the transformed Ming Dynasty martial cultivators beside them.

As the rebel army was crushed and their leaders executed, the remaining lower-ranked soldiers scattered and fled.

Typically, chasing and annihilating escaping enemies would be an opportunity to establish merit. However, the Ming Dynasty general surprisingly ordered his troops to regroup and reorganize instead.

The good news quickly reached the city, bringing relief to the Ming officials.

Lei Jun, observing from above through the Jade Clarity Cyclic Heaven Divine Mirror, witnessed a strange occurrence as the scholars and bureaucrats in the city gathered.

A wisp of smoke materialized, but instead of rising towards the heavens, it descended and curled back into the city.

The leading governor and the Confucian cultivators had their scholarly aura and talent replenished.

"It's all thanks to your wise commands and strategic planning, Governor Duan," the crowd congratulated unanimously.

Duan Cheng smiled and replied, "Not at all. It is the Emperor's grace, the Prime Minister's governance, and the military's obedience to orders that have led us to today's great victory."

The crowd praised Duan Cheng for his humility and exemplary leadership.

Someone whispered, "Governor, although the main rebel force has been defeated, the remaining fugitives might flee elsewhere and regroup with those harboring ill intentions. What should we do next...?"

Duan Cheng said, "The priority now is to report back to the Prime Minister. The innovation he has initiated is of utmost importance, a grand plan that will bring merit for generations to come. Once it succeeds, these petty rebels will be easily crushed and unable to incite further chaos."

The crowd unanimously agreed to follow Governor Duan Cheng's orders.

Lei Jun couldn't hear their conversation, but based on his observations through the Jade Clarity Cyclic Heaven Divine Mirror, he could guess their intentions:

"It's too dangerous to lead the charge personally and be at the forefront of the troops. Even if they don't engage in close combat like martial cultivators, there are still risks involved. Especially when people like Chen Yu and Liu Chong entered the Su Mi, and later, Zeng Kui and Xi Zhi-chang entered the Penglai, if they were ambushed or encountered unexpected variables, it would already be a blessing if they didn't perish entirely."

"When that happens, everyone will be in danger, regardless of their status or scholarly achievements. Enemies won't discriminate."

"But now, it seems they've found a solution."

"Let the Confucian generals stay in the rear, issuing orders and strategizing from a safe distance."

"As the saying goes, a skilled warrior wins without fighting and decides the outcome from a thousand miles away."

"The front line is for those martial warriors to fight it out."

Lei Jun clearly saw that as Duan Cheng and the other Confucian cultivators replenished their scholarly aura, the martial cultivators in the army had their cultivation bases revert to their original levels.

Perhaps this was due to a time limit, or Duan Cheng and the others retracting their power, or a combination of both.

Although Lei Jun couldn't discern how Duan Cheng and the others prevented the empowered warriors from turning against them, he believed they would have considered this aspect and implemented various restrictive measures, constantly updating them to stay one step ahead.

"If I were currently in the Ming Dynasty, I could observe the changes in the overall geographical aura of the dynasty."

"The method employed by Duan Cheng and the others was likely not invented solely by Duan Cheng but derived from higher-level Confucian scholars."

"Was it the current prime minister of the Ming Dynasty, Zhou Mingzhe?"

"If the goal is to spread this innovation widely, not just limited to a single location or a small group, then even a Confucian scholar who has reached the Ninth Heavens and achieved a perfect cultivation base might not be able to accomplish this alone."

"Confucian principles, rituals, and regulations form an extensive and profound systemic framework that governs from the top down."

"The current changes are likely a transformation targeting this systemic whole."

Perhaps due to the previous Qihan Dynasty, which trampled on culture and the arts, the current Great Ming Dynasty saw the suppression of other traditions, with the most noticeable impact being on the martial arts.

The practitioners of the Great Ming were constrained by this Confucian ideology, their restrictions going even deeper than those imposed on the Taoist, Buddhist, and Shamanist traditions.

It was no wonder that someone decided to start with them.

However, despite this foundation, the overall change was still not an easy task.

Even if the goal was not to transform the entire structure, but simply to build upon the existing framework.

Setting aside the original intentions, purely from a technical perspective, the leading Confucian scholars behind this reform displayed remarkable insight.

Lei Jun even suspected that a profound level of insight, akin to the layered understanding of the cosmos, might not have been sufficient to support such a transformation.

The other party's insight into the Confucian ideology might very well be equivalent to a Taoist's profound understanding of nature.

However, to utilize such insight for this purpose...

Lei Jun's train of thought was interrupted as he suddenly became aware of a middle-ranking officer from the frontline troops discreetly sending out a message.

If it had been prior to the battle, Lei Jun would have suspected this officer of colluding with the rebels, exchanging intelligence.

But now that the battle had concluded, this martial cultivator from the Ming army was only sending out a message after his own cultivation had been enhanced by the military order. This led Lei Jun to speculate that the message was unrelated to the battle and was, instead, concerning the military order.

However, the message was intercepted midway.

A flying sword transformed into a flash of light, intercepting the message in mid-air.

Upon the army's return to their base, to avoid alerting the culprit, the middle-ranking officer who sent the message was not immediately apprehended, but instead, placed under discreet surveillance.

Lei Jun observed this unfoldment with a clear understanding.

This seemingly insignificant team bore the significant hopes of the high-ranking elders back in the court, aiming to validate the feasibility of their reform through real-world testing.

And while there were indeed numerous issues, the outcome overall met their expectations.

However, some martial cultivators also sensed that something was amiss.

If this method proved effective, would there no longer be a need for high-level cultivators in the future?

Unfortunately, Duan Cheng and the others had already anticipated this concern.

Although the middle-ranking officer who sent the message was not immediately restrained, operations to identify his accomplices and root out the entire network had already commenced.

Duan Cheng compiled reports from various sources and then sent a comprehensive account to the capital.

In the capital of the Great Ming Dynasty...

In the residence of Zhou Mingzhe, the current primary advisor of the Ming Empire, who had replaced Chen Yu after his passing...

Zhou Mingzhe quietly perused the reports.

Beside him was the elderly Zeng Kui, who had returned to the capital after being injured on Mount Penglai.

After finishing the reports, Zhou Mingzhe passed them to Zeng Kui.

Zeng Kui exhaled deeply after reading, "Congratulations, Primary Advisor. You have opened a new chapter for the scholars of the Great Ming and the world."

"Your kindness is overwhelming, Elder Zeng. This achievement was made possible only through the Emperor's benevolence and the combined endeavors of our knowledgeable scholars," Zhou Mingzhe responded.

"The disasters of Mount Sumeru and Mount Penglai shall not be repeated!" Zeng Kui exclaimed.

"Victory is won in the planning, not on the battlefield, thousands of miles away," Zhou Mingzhe added.

"While I had this thought long ago, it has only now taken a semblance of form. Thankfully, for the sake of the Great Ming, it is not too late. Yet, there are still many shortcomings that need to be addressed and improvements to be made," he acknowledged.

Zeng Kui glanced outside, "Mo Dao Chang and Wei Dao Chang are currently in your residence, are they not?"

"Indeed, we will relay the relevant reports to them later," Zhou Mingzhe confirmed.

Zeng Kui fell into a thoughtful silence.

Zhou Mingzhe stood up, his hands clasped behind his back, "We must use all available resources. This reform requires the support of Taoist masters."

He continued, "In time, as the number of scholars in our empire grows, the methods will become more refined, and the system more stable. Only then can we make further adjustments without concern."

Zeng Kui stood up as well, "So, we refrain from taking action against not only the Taoist sects but also the Buddhist ones for now? To avoid alerting any potential threats?"

"The Taoist and Buddhist traditions are not inherently opposed to our Great Ming. Control and manipulation are the keys. As for the White Lotus heretics, they are already our enemies," Zhou Mingzhe explained.

"With Han Qingtao's rebellion and the demise of Mu Chunyang, the situation with the Taoist sects has simplified," Zeng Kui remarked.

However, Zhou Mingzhe fell silent, deep in thought.

"Primary Advisor?" Zeng Kui inquired.

Zhou Mingzhe did not respond immediately, instead choosing to pace with his hands behind his back, "The True Warrior Pavilion's Master Mu... Is he truly no more?"

Zeng Kui was taken aback.

Zhou Mingzhe remained silent, his hands still clasped behind his back as he walked.

He was the leader of the Chu faction.

Due to regional connections, the True Warrior Pavilion had maintained close ties with the Chu faction.

Zhou Mingzhe himself had frequent interactions with Mu Chunyang.

Compared to Han Qingtao, who had caused quite a stir, Zhou Mingzhe had always paid more attention to the inconspicuous Mu Chunyang.

"If one were to say that someone in our Great Ming Dynasty is closest to opening the Immortal's Gate, it would likely be this Mu Chunyang," Zhou Mingzhe suddenly spoke.

Zeng Kui was astonished.

Zhou Mingzhe nodded, "Even in the midst of our flourishing culture, he is likely closer than the previous Primary Advisor Chen. If our reforms succeed, I would be above him."

In other words, had he been slower before? Zeng Kui wondered.

Fortunately, the culture of the Great Ming was thriving.

Under the veil of Confucian ideology and the constraints of the system, Mu Chunyang could not turn the tide, not to mention that he greatly valued the legacy of the True Warrior Pavilion.

Zhou Mingzhe stood still, gazing out at the branches visible through the window. "In recent years, I've been sending people to inquire about Mu Guanzhu's true condition, but unfortunately, no conclusive information has emerged yet."

Zeng Kui asked, "Have there been any recent developments at the True Warrior Pavilion?"

"None so far," replied Zhou Mingzhe.

Zeng Kui hesitated, as if he wanted to say more.

Zhou Mingzhe smiled and said, "Perhaps I'm overthinking things." He then steered the conversation in a different direction: "The initial stages of our reforms have been successful. We must now expedite the process of ironing out the minor imperfections so that we can expand our reach. The current unrest and rebellions are indeed detrimental to the country and must be eradicated as soon as possible."

"You are most wise, Prime Minister," Zeng Kui acknowledged.

After a brief pause, Zeng Kui asked, "Prime Minister, what about the situation in Qingzhou?"

Zhou Mingzhe replied, "It's time we made our move there."

Qingzhou was the place where the White Lotus Cult had gained the most momentum since its resurgence in the Great Ming Empire.

A large number of the cult's top experts were active in that region, using it as a center to spread their influence throughout the empire.

Moreover, the masterminds behind the unrest in other areas were mostly associated with the White Lotus Cult.

Currently, two forces were responsible for maintaining order in Qingzhou: one was the Bodhi Temple, the orthodox sanctuary of the Great Ming Empire's Buddhist sect, and the other was the imperial army.

Not only was a high-ranking official, Grand Secretary Chao Feng, personally overseeing the campaign, but that region also boasted the last gathering of high-level martial arts masters in the empire.

After successive defeats at Mount Sumeru and Penglai, renowned ministers like Chen Yu, Liu Chong, Gao Ming, and Xi Zhichang had suffered grievous casualties, not to mention the martial generals leading the troops.

However, with the recent success of the reforms, the Great Ming Empire was no longer in dire need of supplementing its forces with experts from other lineages, especially in the martial arts.

Except...

"What about the situation in the palace?" Zeng Kui asked softly.

Zhou Mingzhe replied, "The eunuchs are more trouble than they're worth. To be frank, if they hadn't been so eager for merit and messed things up, we might not have suffered the defeat at Mount Sumeru.

But now, with the pursuit of these new reforms, we require the Emperor's approval, and with the turmoil plaguing the empire, we cannot afford any more unrest in the palace.

Therefore, we must reduce expenditures on military campaigns and training elsewhere, but we actually need to allocate more funds to the palace.

This is only a temporary measure, and we must not become complacent. We need to pay closer attention to the palace and prevent those eunuchs from causing further turmoil in the name of the Emperor."

"Your concerns are most valid, Prime Minister," acknowledged Zeng Kui.

After further conversation, Zeng Kui took his leave, and servants from Zhou Mingzhe's mansion saw him out.

Soon after, a young official arrived to pay his respects to Zhou Mingzhe.

"Teacher," the young official addressed him as he stepped forward to greet him.

Zhou Mingzhe smiled and said, "Qiao Shan, have you paid your respects to Wei Daozhang and Mo Daozhang yet?"

The young official, whose name was Nie Song, respectfully replied, "I have not yet. Before going there, I wanted to seek your guidance first."

"Then let's go together," suggested Zhou Mingzhe with a smile.

As he stepped out, Nie Song respectfully followed behind him.

Looking at this young student, Zhou Mingzhe couldn't help but feel a sense of sentimentality.

He had been the chief examiner for the recent imperial examination.

According to the traditions and rituals of the Great Ming Empire's Confucian school, all the scholars who achieved success in the examination were considered his students.

This particular examination offered a rare opportunity for young aspirants to achieve officialdom without having to endure the usual wait associated with the Confucian school's rituals.

However, after entering official service, they would generally have to follow the established rules.

According to Zhou Mingzhe's understanding, this Nie Song originated from Tianli.

His father, Nie Zhongjie, had established a foothold in the Great Ming Empire by contributing to the eradication of the Small Ming Court lineage. Nie Zhongjie himself had forsaken the path of imperial examinations and dedicated his efforts to nurturing the talents of his clan's offspring.

Nie Song, his son by his second wife, was the cream of the crop.

Not only had he lived up to the expectations by achieving the top score in the palace examinations, but he had also been personally selected by the Emperor as the zhuangyuan of this cohort, a remarkable feat.

Furthermore, what drew even more attention was that his mentor was none other than the current Prime Minister, Zhou Mingzhe himself.

A path of prosperity and honor lay stretched out before Nie Song.

Zhou Mingzhe genuinely admired this new student of his.

On the one hand, it was because Nie Song was indeed exceptional.

On the other hand, seeing Nie Song reminded him of Xi Zhichang during his early days of officialdom, evoking a sense of nostalgia.

His brilliant disciple, Xi Zhichang, had unfortunately met an untimely end at Penglai, which Zhou Mingzhe deeply regretted.

Now, with the initial success of the new reforms, he felt a pang of wistfulness.

Recalling the past, before he had ascended to the position of Prime Minister, he and Xi Zhichang had once discussed this very matter. Unfortunately, before anything could come to fruition, Xi Zhichang had met with an accident and perished at Penglai.

If they had been able to research and develop this ritual sooner, Xi Zhichang might have been able to avoid that calamity.

As Zhou Mingzhe reminisced, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sorrow.

Nie Zhongjie had been closely associated with Xi Zhichang, and now, seeing his son Nie Song as a promising talent brought him a measure of solace.

"Daozhang Mo, Daozhang Wei," Zhou Mingzhe addressed as they arrived at their destination.

"I apologize for any inconveniences caused during this period, but I trust that with the completion of this ritual in the next few days, we won't be delaying Daozhang Wei's inauguration ceremony for the True Warrior Pavilion." Zhou Mingzhe spoke to the two elders of Shushan Sect.

"These past few days have indeed been taxing, but we dare not speak of it as a hardship," Mo Qingshi, one of the elders, humbly replied.

Zhou Mingzhe then turned to Wei Jingyi and said, "Fortunately, with the completion of this ritual, we won't be impeding Daozhang Wei's assumption of his new post at the True Warrior Pavilion."

"I am but a humble vessel, and it is only through the Emperor's and the Prime Minister's grace that I can shoulder such a responsibility. I will do my utmost to fulfill my duties and not let down the trust placed in me," Wei Jingyi earnestly replied.

"Daozhang, you speak too formally," Zhou Mingzhe said with a smile.

"Yes, Your Excellency," Mo Qingshi replied.

...

Lei Jun, located in Penglai, manipulated the Yu Qing Zhoutian Fajing to survey the Great Ming Empire.

Generally speaking, there was a limit to its range.

However, across the vast mountains and rivers, Lei Jun noticed that the number of Ming armies exhibiting similar phenomena to the one led by Duan Cheng earlier was gradually increasing.

Considering the various influences and factors, Zhou Mingzhe, or rather, the Great Ming Court, was not implementing their innovative methods rapidly, but rather, in a gradual and sequential manner.

As Lei Jun observed and scrutinized this situation repeatedly, he gained an increasingly deeper understanding of the underlying intricacies.

Overall, it could be described as an enormous ritual established upon the foundation of the Great Ming's Confucian principles and norms.

Constrained by the ritual, the Martial Dao cultivators who received the enhancement were also more severely influenced by the Confucian norms.

They would not only find it difficult to turn against the Confucian cultivators who had bestowed upon them, but also struggled to inflict substantial harm upon their counterparts.

Just as the establishment of norms such as those between ruler and subject, father and son, or teacher and student, resulted in a powerful suppression of the lower ranks by the higher echelons as a whole, and not merely limited to individual entities.

Similarly, for the Confucian cultivators to retract the enhancement of literary and artistic prowess they had bestowed upon the Martial Dao cultivators would be an effortless task.

Nothing in this world was absolute, and to shake this particular aspect would first require the destabilization of the entire Great Ming Empire's Confucian norms and rituals.

In other words, only through turmoil and chaos within the empire could this control be shaken.

Only upon this foundation would the Confucianism's suppression of other Daoist traditions begin to weaken and loosen.

Currently, within the realm of the Great Ming Empire, aside from the mighty demons, the only cultivation path exempt from the confines of the Confucian norms and rituals was the White Lotus Sect, renowned for their rebellious nature.

When encountering cultivators from the White Lotus Sect, one could only rely on their own abilities and strengths, as the advantages the Confucian cultivators once held were no longer as pronounced.

After observing this situation for a period, Lei Jun estimated that this peculiarity might be related to the establishment and founding of the Great Ming Empire.

From this perspective, Han Qingtao's prior exploit in abducting the Crossing Void Shuttle could also be considered a remarkable feat.

"Senior Brother, I have a question..."

Chu Kun, who had returned to the Great Tang world via the Guicang, and now found himself in Penglai, voiced a query:

"This large-scale ritual that the Confucian cultivators of the Great Ming Empire are orchestrating, while ingenious and encompassing, seems to have significant shortcomings when considering its applicability in actual combat, does it not?"

"Indeed, the Martial Dao cultivators or other cultivators who have their cultivation temporarily elevated through the endowments of literary prowess by the Confucian experts will ultimately fall short of those who have truly attained such realms through their own endeavors," Lei Jun acknowledged, understanding Chu Kun's implication.

Such a framework would undoubtedly bring overwhelming advantages when facing relatively weaker opponents.

However, when confronting adversaries of similar or higher cultivation realms, the outcome would differ drastically.

From the perspective of ensuring the safety of the Confucian cultivators, deploying these temporarily bolstered cultivators against formidable foes would not yield fruitful results, as they themselves would be incapable of overcoming these adversaries.

Aside from utilizing them as scouts or vanguards to test the waters, in the event of a grueling battle..."

"To expend them as cannon fodder?"

Chu Kun scratched his head, "This feels more akin to the battle tactics employed by the Witchcraft and Ghost Dao paths..."

"Cultivators of middling and lower realms are indeed far easier to cultivate in large numbers. By allocating resources spared from this endeavor, one could further concentrate on nurturing higher realms of Confucian cultivators, and then deploy them in overwhelming numbers to besiege or slowly grind down their opponents as you suggested," Lei Jun explained.

"Of course, the Ming Court might also continuously refine and improve upon this foundational ritual, giving birth to new variations and enhancements, or perhaps, they might even deviate onto an entirely different path.

What we can already observe is that the control and dominance the Ming officials exert over their subjects and subordinates will be further reinforced."

"All under heaven deem the scholar's path supreme, and indeed, it is becoming more and more of a reality," Chu Kun remarked, gazing at Lei Jun.

"I do not hide the fact that I hold little fondness for this group. However, I am intrigued to witness what reactions and changes this development will incite within the mortal realm itself," Lei Jun candidly expressed his thoughts.

"Our sect leader senior brother does not share the same fiery temperament as Senior Sister Tang, nor does he completely adhere to the principle of minimal intervention like our Grand Senior Brother. Otherwise, the fates of the Five Surnames and Seven Families of the Great Tang, or even the Li Family of Xinzhou, would still hang in the balance," Chu Kun acknowledged.

With the arrival of Chu Kun, an Eighth Realm cultivator, to assist in the exploration and restoration of the Penglai ruins, the burden on the other Heavenly Masters' Mansion heirs was significantly lightened.

Later, under Lei Jun's stewardship, they received a new guest.

As their visitor was Wood Chunyang, the Grand Master of the True Martial Observatory of the Great Ming, the Great Tang's Pure Yang Palace sent their contemporary leader, Grand Master Jiang Yu, to meet him in Penglai.

With Lei Jun's presence, the Pure Yang Palace delegation needed not worry about their safety.

However, Jiang Yu bore tidings of a development originating from the Pure Yang Palace's legacy in the Great Han world.

The young scion of the Dragon Tiger Mountain, Pan Hailin, had reappeared in the mortal realm, and had attained the Ninth Realm of the Great Dao, becoming a Grand Achiever of the Daoist Talisman tradition.

The Great Han world had also been experiencing a surge in spiritual energy in recent years.

"Senior Brother, according to the Dragon Tiger Mountain's legacy, this signifies that the Grand Achiever will receive further bestowment and guidance, does it not?" Chu Kun inquired, looking towards Lei Jun.

Lei Jun nodded gently.

...

PS: 6k1 Chapter

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end