Chapter 119

Father-in-law, what can you do?

At this moment, Qi Wan's eyes reddened, and there was a hint of helplessness in her gaze.

Although Qi Yuan Si certainly isn't plotting treason, if this imperial envoy is determined to smear him, he will surely find some pretext.

Now the Qi family is at a disadvantage, with no leverage; it looks like a dead end, and even if they don't die, Qi Yuan Si will still lose a layer of skin.

Hmph, Cai Hengxing, this imperial envoy, came straight for our Qi mansion from the start; arresting Yuan Si is merely to strike at the Qi family. But catching a thief requires solid evidence; these baseless charges can't touch the Qi family, so don't worry—Yuan Wu has spent years managing Haojing and has achieved something!

Elder brother?

Qi Wan's expression showed surprise.

Qi Yi, hearing this, a faint smile appeared in his eyes as he said: 'You might not know, but your elder brother has recently been… close with Princess Qingfeng—uh, they've been quite close, and Princess Qingfeng was the emperor's elder sister back then…'

Hearing this, Qi Wan's face froze; she had also heard rumors at home that Qi Yuan Wu already had a new love in Haojing, but she never imagined that he would end up with Princess Qingfeng, who resides in Shuangju…

However, if Princess Qingfeng is willing to intercede before the current emperor, Qi Yuan Si does have a chance to escape this disaster.

I will immediately write a letter and send it off in several directions to Haojing!

In the firelight, Qi Yi's expression grew somewhat stern, and then he continued.

Don't worry either; Cai Hengxing wouldn't dare do anything to Yuan Si. I, old man, have weathered wind and rain, so I'm not without foundation—toppling the Qi family isn't that easy!

Qi Yi recalled the message sent yesterday by his grandson; Zhang Jian reminded him that someone had been observing the aura in front of the Qi family mansion, seemingly to verify some sort of 'hidden dragon's body'.

Obviously the court suspects the Qi family of plotting treason and attempting rebellion, which is the most deadly, but Qi Yi clearly has no such intention or preparation; he believes that the various omens manifested by the Qi family will not bring corresponding anomalies.

As long as this is proven, Cai Hengxing's accusations against the Qi family will naturally have no effect.

The problem is how to make the emperor believe.

A faint trace of something like a sigh flickered in Qi Yi's eyes, his gaze wavering yet resolute.

……

At the Zhang family manor, Zhang Jian stood in a blue robe in the morning light, his whole body wrapped in a layer of intense pure white flames.

These flames blazed especially bright in the sunlight; threads of virtuous spirit seemed to resonate with an invisible, vast spirit in the darkness, and the virtuous righteous qi surged straight toward Hanxiao.

It's hard to imagine this state belonging to a profound cultivator; it resembles more a well-read scholar who bears the righteousness of heaven and earth.

This state is quite peculiar.

Zhang Jian clearly knows that the virtuous righteous qi on him is not cultivated from accumulated learning, but entirely comes from his inner Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart.

False scholar status activated……

Zhang Jian's mind flashed this absurd thought, though this appearance certainly makes it easy to win favor.

Based on the Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart, in terms of accumulated learning he will have a natural advantage.

Supported by the Sincere Heart, he need not constantly grasp the Dao like a dragon's enlightenment, but he can perceive subtle signs, making things easier than before.

At this moment, his mind cycled through the various contemplation methods from the Wang Ding Subduing Demon Secret Record; originally obscure and dizzying to maintain, they now seemed effortless to comprehend.

No need to hold the breath or focus; simply setting aside myriad distractions, one naturally enters the realm of 'no external reason, no external thing'.

His divine sense flowed within the Niwan Palace, no longer the hundreds of thoughts buzzing before; the dark visions faded, the inner and outer Niwan Palace became a expanse of light, and his spiritual power gathered in that light, smoothly condensing the planar structure of the State Altar Cauldron from the Wang Ding Subduing Demon Secret Record.

Although it is a second-stage result, once this structure emerges, an invisible wondrous power bursts forth, as if suppressing the flow of his own qi fortune, and it can even restrain the dragon-tiger qi around the manor, lessening its influence on him.

Success?

Zhang Jian felt it somewhat unbelievable in his mind.

After this State Altar Cauldron took shape, he felt countless spiritual influences flow in, stabilizing the diagram of this second-stage cauldron, making it completely stable; thereafter, with a thought he could form the State Altar Cauldron to suppress all evil.

Spiritual opportunity surged in, his expended divine sense power swiftly recovered; even after being refined by the shape of the State King's Cauldron, it gave back and even improved a bit.

Press on!

As his thoughts turned, Zhang Jian saw in his mind the three-form structure of the State King's Cauldron—a three-dimensional result; the rough lines inside and outside the bronze cauldron, the patterns, became clearer, including the ancient dragon patterns condensed above, the mountains and rivers; this required pouring in more divine sense power.

The three-form structure of the State King's Cauldron corresponds to the technique of the Measuring Fate stage, while the four-form structure corresponds to a Golden Core–level technique.

And, as the name suggests, the five-form structure naturally corresponds to the Yin Spirit technique.

This is also the ranking of techniques.

According to the introduction in the《State King's Cauldron Subduing Demons Secret Record》, condensing the three-form structure requires extremely profound divine sense power; besides that, it also requires a certain realm of mind, meditative skill, and perseverance.

But Zhang Jian felt that, in the state of Iron Bones and Jade Heart, after visualizing a few more times, he could quickly complete the visualization of the three-form State King's Cauldron.

At this moment, Zhang Jian's divine sense could even multitask, and he faintly felt that the vast righteousness fire deep in his heart was still blazing fiercely.

Condensing the two-form State King's Cauldron used up less than one-tenth of the internal vast righteousness qi.

This is still the Iron Bones and Jade Heart state.

But if he were to advance to the Benevolent Bones and Cinnabar Heart, or even to the Sage's Lustrous Heart, the help it would give him would undoubtedly be greater.

At this moment, Zhang Jian also truly felt the benefits brought by the 'Sincere Heart'.

A thought stirred in his heart.

Cultivators possess long years; as long as they calm their minds and let the Seven Apertures Lustrous Heart reach perfection, it is not impossible.

And when Zhang Jian stirred and used the vast righteousness fire, many experts inside and outside Fengyang Commandery instantly became visible; a stream of vast righteousness, bright qi mechanism gathered above the Zhang family, the vast righteousness qi shot straight into the firmament, striking the entire spiritual opportunity field.

Inside the Cave God Observatory, the visiting Daoist Xue, and beside him, Daoist Yuhe, who was seated in the place of honor receiving guests, were also startled.

Such a magnificent sign needed no aura‑gazing; they could already see it clearly.

"I never expected Fengyang Commandery to have such a great scholar; this kind of vast righteousness qi must come from someone well‑read in poetry and books!"

Xue Dongming's expression was surprised.

Having walked out of the Jade Tower, he now looked down from a height upon Fengyang Commandery city.

Upon the towering buildings, at this moment most of Fengyang Commandery city's appearance could be seen.

At this moment, Daoist Yuhe's face showed some astonishment as he gazed at the place where the phenomenon had arisen.

"That seems to be the direction of the Zhang family residence?"

He showed a hint of hesitation in his eyes: "I've heard that the eldest son of the Zhang family is a natural prodigy; before reaching the age of weak crown he already passed the provincial examination—I never expected he would actually possess such righteous aura! Such talent is not inferior to those well‑read scholars."

Cai Hengxing beside him was somewhat at a loss; Xu Dongming beside him casually explained a few sentences, and he couldn't help but feel a little surprised, yet this also fit the conclusion he had in mind.

"With such righteous aura, he certainly isn't a wicked lot; the Zhang family's investigation can thus be called off here!"

A faint light appeared in his eyes; at this moment he also showed a hint of appreciation for talent.

"The spring examinations are approaching; this young master of the Zhang family will certainly go to the capital to take the exam this time, but I myself want to meet this top‑scholar talent!"