https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-493-492-The-End-as-the-Beginning-Lei-Zhongyun-Part-1-/12934143/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-494-493-The-Letter-from-the-Other-Side-of-the-Time-Abyss/12934145/
Chapter 493: 492. The End as the Beginning - Lei Zhongyun (Part 2)
Chapter 493: 492. The End as the Beginning - Lei Zhongyun (Part 2)
However, Zhou Mingzhe presented a plan, "There are two people we can try. One is Wei Jingyi, the master of the True Martial Monastery, and the other is Guang Shu, the abbot of Bodhimanda Monastery."
Han Zhenning was familiar with both of them, "Then, let's choose Abbot Guang Shu."
"I will follow Your Majesty's decree," Zhou Mingzhe replied.
Although Wei Jingyi had, to some extent, betrayed Mu Chunyang, the two sides had not completely severed ties.
Currently, the Tang Dynasty's cultivation world and the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Residence were powerful, and Mu Chunyang himself had established another branch of the True Martial Monastery in the human world during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
As long as Mu Chunyang could tolerate Wei Jingyi, the True Martial Monastery of the Great Ming might switch sides again.
On the other hand, Abbot Guang Shu of Bodhimanda Monastery had a more solid stance on the side of the Great Ming due to the conflict between the Tang Dynasty and the White Lotus Sect.
Zhou Mingzhe's preferred choice was also Abbot Guang Shu.
After discussing the matter of the envoy, Emperor Han Zhenning also stood up and began pacing in the hall, remaining silent for a long time.
Zhou Mingzhe stood by his side.
"Prime Minister..." Han Zhenning finally broke the silence after a long while, "I feel ashamed before the ancestors and former emperors of the Great Ming."
Zhou Mingzhe quickly knelt, "This subject is guilty."
Han Zhenning clasped his hands behind his back and gazed out the window at the night sky:
"Let's not talk about Venerable Wisdom and those who have already achieved immortality.
In this current era, one after another, people are pushing open the Immortal Gate and ascending to the Immortal Realm.
The Great Ming is prosperous and peaceful, yet we are stagnant. This is a warning from the heavens!"
Zhou Mingzhe took a deep breath, "It's all our fault."
Emperor Han Zhenning turned away and personally helped Zhou Mingzhe to his feet, "You're being too hard on yourself. In times like these, we need unity between ruler and minister to overcome difficulties together. Only then can the Great Ming turn danger into safety, isn't that right? The Great Ming should have immortals, and it must have immortals!"
Zhou Mingzhe spoke softly, "Your Majesty is wise."
"Do you have any leads on achieving instant enlightenment?" Han Zhenning asked.
Zhou Mingzhe paused for a moment before answering, "This subject is dull-witted, and the path ahead is still unclear."
If Chen Yu had succeeded, he might have paved the way for the continuation and advancement of Neo-Confucianism in the Great Ming.
But he had failed.
Zhou Mingzhe had some ideas, but the current foundation of the Great Ming was not strong enough to support their implementation.
If there were truly peace and prosperity without internal and external troubles, and if he had more time, he might have been able to give it a try.
But now, there was only a sigh.
A sigh for himself and also for...
"The Great Ming should have immortals, and it must have immortals," Emperor Han Zhenning repeated his earlier words.
Zhou Mingzhe slowly knelt, "Your Majesty is in the prime of your life, admired by all. If someone in the Great Ming can push open the Immortal Gate, it can only be you, Your Majesty!"
The Emperor looked at Zhou Mingzhe, a slight smile on his face, and extended his hand to help the Chief Minister to his feet, "Please rise, Prime Minister. With unity between ruler and minister, and harmony throughout the realm, the Great Ming will be secure."
Zhou Mingzhe left the palace and returned to his residence just before dawn.
His close associates, including Nie Song, had already gathered at his residence, waiting for his return.
Zhou Mingzhe scanned the crowd, his gaze calm as he spoke, "Your Majesty, more support is needed."
The crowd exchanged glances, unsure of what to make of this request.
The current Ming Emperor had always been ambitious, but his ambition often exceeded his abilities, especially in the realm of cultivation.
The term 'abilities' here primarily referred to cultivation prowess.
Of course, he wasn't entirely mediocre in the eyes of ordinary people, but considering his position as the Ming Emperor, he couldn't be considered a genius or exceptionally talented.
Unfortunately, the Han clan had already suffered a decline in talent, making it difficult to find a better candidate. Zhou Mingzhe and the other Neo-Confucian scholars were also reluctant to transfer the main lineage to a minor branch before the main lineage became extinct.
Fortunately, the Neo-Confucian scholars had been assisting Emperor Han Zhenning in consolidating the nation's fortune by focusing on the relationship between the emperor and his subjects, and Han Zhenning's cultivation had been steadily improving.
In recent years, they had intensified their efforts, vigorously extracting the dragon energy from the nation's veins and mountains, until he reached the pinnacle of the mortal realm.
However, within the Ming Dynasty, there seemed to be few individuals capable of breaking through to the immortal realm.
The 'support' mentioned by Emperor Han Zhenning referred to the backing of the Neo-Confucian scholars like Zhou Mingzhe, as well as further intensifying the extraction of dragon energy from the nation's veins and mountains.
This meant a massive consumption of national and civilian resources.
But with his current aptitude, it was uncertain how much he could forcibly consume, and the chances of success were even more unpredictable.
Moreover, if Emperor Han Zhenning were to succeed... The ministers of the Ming Dynasty exchanged glances, each wanting to speak but hesitating.
Aside from the current emperor, none of them had the confidence, not even Zhou Mingzhe, who was closest to crossing the heavenly chasm.
"Without a better choice, we can only follow the imperial decree."
Zhou Mingzhe finally spoke, "But we also need to prepare for both possibilities."
Nie Song and the others responded, "Yes, Your Excellency."
Zhou Mingzhe brought up another matter, "The Western Regions demon monk and the foreign barbarian cavalry have fled to the eastern part of the northern border. Keep a close eye on their movements, and don't let your guard down just because they've lost Kong Sang."
The crowd hurriedly replied, "Yes."
............................................................................................
In the Shadow Abyss, Ren Caomu received Yuan Jing's report and went to see Emperor Zheng Baiyu:
"Your Majesty, Yuan Jing has met Jatilo."
In the vast darkness, Zheng Baiyu slightly nodded, "Good."
Ren Caomu: "The Kong Sang gateway was lost too easily..."
It would have been better if the Xumi was originally empty, but this time, Venerable Wisdom himself was in Kong Sang, and yet he still lost it.
According to the current information in the Shadow Abyss, the people from Dragon Tiger Mountain did not enter Kong Sang through the void gateway from the Ming Dynasty's mortal realm. Instead, they took a different route.
"During the battle for Kong Sang, He Ying's reincarnation and Tang Xiaotang from Dragon Tiger Mountain had entered Kong Sang, and it's likely that the trouble started then."
Zheng Baiyu: "Venerable Wisdom was injured and needed rest most of the time. If he had been in better condition and managed to manage Kong Sang more deeply, there might have been a chance to make up for it."
Ren Caomu spoke softly, "As Your Majesty predicted, the current generation of Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Masters... is truly exceptional."
Even though his condition had always been poor, when Venerable Wisdom fought, he was still a Buddhist master with a golden body in the second realm. Rumor has it that he even touched the edge of the third realm.
But now, someone who had just entered the immortal realm could fight him.
Generally speaking, even if Tang Xiaotang and the others were exceptional, being able to fight alone and retreat from a siege was already impressive. But now, Venerable Wisdom couldn't even escape.
After the Penglai battle, when Zhou Tiandaoren, Yu Shuo, and Pu Guang Zunshi all perished, this result once again shocked the four directions.
"I'm more concerned about something that happened earlier."
Zheng Baiyu spoke, "I'm more concerned about Feng Wensu's unfortunate demise."
Ren Caomu: "Feng Wensu was cautious in his actions and could conceal his figure. His death was indeed mysterious."
Zheng Baiyu: "I suspect... it was Lei Jun's doing."
Ren Caomu was initially startled, then fell into deep thought, "Killing Feng Wensu... he could do it, but..."
Although Kong Sang had changed hands and Venerable Wisdom had died.
But before that, Venerable Wisdom had already sent a message to the Shadow Abyss about one thing.
The current Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain, Lei Jun, was outside the mortal realm, yet he could descend with his divine abilities and kill Vimalashita, the master of the Vajra World Buddha Division in the Song Dynasty's mortal realm.
He had the ability to strike from the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths! However, at that time, Vimalashita was facing Shen Xi, Mu Chunyang, Yue Xiling, and many other Taoist cultivators, as well as Lei Jun's fellow disciple, Chu Kun.
Through these people, Lei Jun could easily confirm Vimalashita's location.
But how did Feng Wensu's position get exposed?
It could be that he encountered the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Residence by chance. "It's also possible that Feng Wensu was carrying out a task I assigned him, and because of the sacrificial rituals, his whereabouts were exposed. It was just a matter of time before something happened."
Emperor Zheng Baiyu of the Shadow World seemed deep in thought, "There were two decisive changes in this matter. Firstly, the reopening of the Pure Sky, and secondly... Lei Jun's Daoist Enlightenment."
Ren Caomu asked, "Your Majesty, do you mean that Lei Jun, the Xuanxiaozi of Dragon Tiger Mountain, can observe and understand the human world upon ascending to the immortal realm?"
"Not necessarily," Zheng Baiyu replied, "but if it was indeed Lei Jun's doing... I have a faint premonition that the changes in this matter are linked to his ascension."
Ren Caomu nodded silently.
No wonder Emperor Zheng had sent Yuan Jing and others on errands this time, and he seemed to have sensed the significance of Lei Jun's ascension.
Ren Caomu recalled another matter, "Your Majesty, regarding the former Heavenly Palace members, High Lord Gao Tianjun has been rather quiet lately..."
"No harm done," Emperor Zheng Baiyu said, standing with his hands behind his back, gazing at the dark world before him. "After the commotion in the Great Rectifier, the Time Abyss will soon make a big move."
............................................................................
The former Heavenly Palace members in the Pure Sky and the Spiritual Mountain also received news of the unrest in Kong Sang.
In the Spiritual Mountain, Peng Youshan reported the related matters to Ran Qiao and Quan Yuanqi.
Above Ran Qiao, a shimmering, jade-like Puppet Bug hovered in mid-air, emitting a faint glow.
After Peng Youshan retreated, the Puppet Bug spoke in a human voice, conveying the words of Wang Dian Chen, who was in the Pure Sky, "The monk is too inexperienced. Knowing this beforehand, we should have taken Kong Sang first, instead of letting Zhuang Zheng's disciples and grandchildren have their way."
His tone was calm.
But some things were already engraved in the depths of his memory and soul.
Zhuang Zheng and He Ying.
The rest could be ignored, but these two, at the forefront, had ruined their plans.
They had also ruined Wang Dian Chen's future.
With his talent and strength, he could have easily achieved the second level of the immortal realm, and the third level was also within reach.
But in the end, all of this turned into imprisonment in the Pure Sky, wasting precious time.
"The High Lord is currently in seclusion for cultivation," Ran Qiao spoke, "Be patient and do not rush."
Wang Dian Chen changed the topic, "In the Great Rectifier, the Time Abyss seems to be becoming increasingly unstable."
Although Gao Tian Sui had withdrawn from the Great Rectifier, he had already established a connection with it through the Pure Sky.
The voice of Ge Xuanzhi also resonated through the Puppet Bug, "The High Lord has said that before the Time Abyss's turmoil, he will emerge from seclusion."
Ran Qiao and Quan Yuanqi nodded, "In that case, it's the best outcome."
............................................................................
With the return of the former Heavenly Palace members from the Pure Sky and the Spiritual Mountain, the situation in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms became even more intricate.
The Post-Han Dynasty's military strength rapidly expanded through its southern and northern campaigns, but King Zhou Pu of the Post-Han Dynasty did not feel overly confident or complacent.
Chancellor Geng Yuanyan stood by his side, "Reporting to Your Majesty, a new batch of seedlings has been recruited into the Imperial Guard."
Zhou Pu nodded slightly, "Instruct them to establish a solid foundation, and I will personally teach them martial arts."
Geng Yuanyan replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Zhou Pu asked, "How about your side?"
Geng Yuanyan answered, "The civilian foundation is relatively weak, and the first imperial examination may not meet expectations."
"No worries," Zhou Pu said, "Everything will proceed according to our agreed-upon plan."
Geng Yuanyan affirmed, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Zhou Pu stood at the palace gate, gazing into the distance, "Yiran, time is not on our side!"
Hearing Zhou Pu call his courtesy name, Geng Yuanyan took a few steps forward.
Understanding Zhou Pu's sentiments, Geng Yuanyan sighed inwardly.
Time was not on their side.
The most pressing issue was the convergence of the human worlds.
If the human worlds merged, and the various human worlds united, the outcome would be both unpredictable and simple.
The Eastern and Western Jin human worlds and the Song Dynasty human world were relatively easier to manage.
The Han Dynasty human world and the Ming Dynasty human world, both under the Great Han and Great Ming Empires, possessed complete territories, and the Han and Ming Emperors enjoyed the blessings of the Son of Heaven.
However, even with all these advantages combined, they still fell short of the Great Tang Empire.
That Tang Emperor had already ascended to the immortal realm.
Even without considering Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Residence, the Great Tang Empire was formidable.
It was only with the return of the former Heavenly Palace members that the situation seemed to have a glimmer of hope.
"Observing the Tang Emperor, she is vastly different from ordinary emperors, especially as her cultivation and strength continue to grow," Geng Yuanyan spoke softly, "This becomes even more apparent."
"Whether it's a tacit understanding or an agreement, the Tang Emperor and the contemporary Celestial Master have taken a step back, and thus, they get along very well," Geng Yuanyan continued after a pause, "The current Celestial Master might not appreciate a ruthless ruler and may find a more moderate emperor more agreeable..."
Zhou Pu turned to look at him.
Geng Yuanyan nodded slightly, "The Celestial Master does not hide his abilities, nor does he care about being known, but he also does not intentionally showcase himself."
Zhou Pu silently withdrew his gaze, continuing to look into the distance.
Geng Yuanyan sighed inwardly.
Their monarch had the grand ambition of "Expanding the World, Nurturing the People, and Achieving Great Peace," possessing the qualities of a great ruler with a heart for the people and the intention to conquer and expand.
But even if the Tang Emperor had no interest in the human world's throne and ignored the Zhang Tang royal family, there was still the Celestial Master.
Could their monarch align with the Celestial Master's intentions?
Mu Chunyang and True Yang Monastery chose to support the Post-Han Dynasty.
However, it was worth mentioning that True Yang Monastery also had a branch in the Great Tang Empire.
Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Residence had not explicitly declared its stance in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms human worlds...
"Focus on strengthening ourselves first," Zhou Pu said calmly.
Geng Yuanyan straightened his expression and bowed respectfully, "I will follow Your Majesty's will."
The Celestial Master, whom the Post-Han monarch and minister had been concerned about, had already left Kong Sang.
He returned to the Earth Sea through the passage connecting it to Kong Sang, standing in the dim underground world, quietly observing a strand of spiritual light as it slowly emerged from the soil.
The Shadow Peace Seed planted here, after a long period of cultivation, finally took root and sprouted.
(End of Chapter)
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