Chapter 1177: From Now On, Step Steadily to the Sky Clouds (Combined)

Jingle-jangle.

Half a stack of copper coins falls into his palm.

"Twenty copper coins per person, take them and move forward. Line up behind, don't grab! There is sweet mung bean soup in front."

"Children? Children count too, as long as it's a head, it counts, even if they can't walk, the ones held in arms count." After Old Man Cui finished speaking,

he moved a stool and stood on the table, shouting to the people behind, "Children count too! As long as it's a head, it counts!"

The tone was clear and the voice was loud, not at all like an old, decrepit gatekeeper.

The crowd surged.

"Thank you, Grandfather Xu, thank you, Grandfather Xu."

"Grandfather Xu is blessed as the Eastern Sea, and lives as long as the Southern Mountain."

On the top floor of the Kui Pavilion in the Huangzhou Confucian Temple, Grandfather Xu, Xu Xu Rongguang, nearly a hundred years old, has gray hair, meticulously groomed, looking at the crowd gathering toward the Confucian Temple, his face radiant.

As a scholar, Xu Xu Rongguang has always liked quiet. There are bamboos behind the house and pines in front of the door, but today, he prefers liveliness, the more lively the better.

The crowd moves forward, surging up the mountain, hiding in the shade of the trees.

The imperial decree reaches local government offices at all levels, and local prefects, department magistrates, and county magistrates must choose an auspicious day to hold a grand "Opening Reading" ceremony.

All officials and gentry must be present, and the common people will also be encouraged to come and watch and listen to show "the whole world celebrates together."

Today, no one knows what major event the imperial court wants to announce, but it is fully funded by the local great clan, the Xu family. Anyone who comes to participate in the "Opening Reading" receives twenty copper coins directly, from the old man lying in bed to the naked child, all counting, generous enough to make people's hearts tremble.

Working for half a day doesn't earn that much, and there is iced mung bean soup with sugar to drink. It is July, and it is the time to pass the busiest farming season. Delaying for half a day, a family that is not a bachelor can earn over a hundred wen, why not do it.

"Every year there is a decree reading, I haven't seen such a lively scene for a long time." Huangzhou Prefect Xu Xu Wanxing points to the crowd, "There must be tens of thousands of people below, right? Twenty wen per person, this is not cheap. It's not just listening money, it's joy money, right?"

"Hahaha, today I have to trouble Lord Xu to read it personally!" The head of the Xu family bows in all directions, "Thank you all for coming, thank you all for coming. It is my duty, and being able to spread education widely is also a good thing."

"The imperial court has a decree, how can we not come."

Compliments come one after another, the sunlight gets higher.

At the hour of the snake (9-11 AM), the shade of the trees is crowded with common people, and those who can't stand fall outside, sweating profusely, complaining about why the reading hasn't started yet.

Those who could come came early. To avoid being sun-scorched to death in the heat, Xu Xu Wanxing washes his hands with clear water in a copper basin, takes out the copied imperial decree, and reads it loudly.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor, and the Martial Saint who shares the heaven and earth..."

"Princess, Teacher Yang Yang Dongxiong, foster mother—"

One by one, item by item, the gatekeeper Old Man Cui dances with joy, the Xu family is proud, and the Huangzhou officials and gentry are all scratching their heads.

Itchy.

Like being sun-scorched and producing head oil.

It is said that a married daughter is like splashed water, but this daughter of the Xu family is really unusual. First, her husband became a Perfected Form expert, which is already very remarkable. As a result, she took in a ridge, which is even more remarkable. Just thinking about it makes one's scalp numb.

This is not a question of whether to be enfeoffed as a King or not, but that after being enfeoffed as a King, there are still a bunch of parents and relatives alive who can witness it together.

People who dare to think about their descendants being enfeoffed as Kings have big guts, but they don't dare to think about being able to see their descendants being enfeoffed as Kings with their own eyes.

Officials and gentry understand the classics.

Under the Kui Pavilion, tens of thousands of common people are confused, wiping sweat from their foreheads, their eyes unable to open under the sun.

Xu Wanxing sees this, calculates the year, and shouts:

"Eight years ago, the same year as Grandfather Xu's birthday banquet, a stranger came to our Huangzhou's annual Great Hunting Meeting and won the first place. Does anyone remember?"

"Remember!"

"Have an impression, a handsome young man!"

"This handsome young man sent General Yuan's armor pieces, Grandfather Xu has good fortune."

The common people answer sparsely.

Xu Xu Wanxing asks again: "Then four years ago, His Majesty had a great feast for the world for three days, and Grandfather Xu set up a flowing banquet for three days. Do you remember?"

"Remember!"

"The meat was fragrant!"

"Yes, it was all this handsome young man. Today, it is still him, he has been enfeoffed as a King! King of Huai! His foster mother, the daughter of our Grandfather Xu, has also been enfeoffed! 'Zhenyi Lady'! The daughter's husband of Grandfather Xu has also been enfeoffed, 'Zhaowu Sir'! The money everyone received today is joy money!"

"Whoosh!"

The mountain is in an uproar.

Xu Xu Rongguang whispers in Xu Xu Wanxing's ear.

Xu Xu Wanxing shouts again: "Those who came to listen to the 'Opening Reading' today, go down the mountain and receive another five wen each. Tonight, sing big operas, hold lantern festivals, dance dragons and lions, and set up flowing banquets!"

"Roar!!!"

The mountains howl.

"Come, come, drink wine, drink wine! I'll pay for today's wine, I'll pay!"

"Old Liu, you stingy guy, how did you think of treating us to wine today? Didn't you say you quit drinking? What happy event?"

"Heh, a little drink is pleasant, a little drink is pleasant." Uncle Liu is flushed, triumphant, thumb up, pointing to the wall behind, "It's not a big deal, I was lucky enough to get a precious bow yesterday, lucky enough to get a precious bow."

"What precious bow, yo, you raised another Abyss Wood?"

"Heh, not another, it is!" Taking the precious bow from the wall, Uncle Liu beckons, "Come and see, come and see, have you seen it? Martial Saint self-nature!"

"Martial Saint self-nature! Hahaha, a profound weapon, a profound weapon! Given by the King of Huai! The one sent out that year was cultivated into a profound weapon and returned!"

"Bullshit! The King of Huai uses a long spear, giving you some scraps is enough, and it can also be called a profound weapon?"

"Dog barking!"

"Heh, when it was taken away by Ren Ren Yipeng and Lu Lu Kaiyun those two boys that year, they wanted to die, now they don't know what their surname is?"

"Dog barking!"

"Do you know the Three Heroes of our Xihe Prefecture? That's called resounding, say it out, three mountains and six prefectures, green forest heroes, who doesn't give face?"

"That's from exchanging moves under the King of Huai, people say it's not bad!"

"Damn, this weight! Extraordinary."

"Quick, quick, quick, go!"

"What's wrong?"

"Jiang family, Yin family, Peng family are giving out reward money, hurry up, if you go late, you won't make it."

"Abbot, the King of Huai has eaten our Arhat fruit."

"Good, open the temple gate wide today, banquet and eat fruit!"

"Father! Didn't you give up your seat to Marquis Baron Xingyi and his wife that year? Allow you to seek him!"

Capital, Great Shun, world Xiangyi, Fengbu, waves spread, layered and layered!

On the 30th floor of the Moon-Gazing Tower, classics are piled up like mountains, mostly Yin-Yang dual-sex techniques, various sect commentaries. A long table separates two Arhat beds, four people in two teams, each sitting on one side. A large amount of waste drafts are piled on the table. Liang Qu puts down his pen and paper, lying on the Arhat bed, reaching through the small tea table in the middle, pulling Long Eying's sleeve, humming and haw-hawing.

"My beloved wife, my beloved wife———."

"Hmm?" 【117

"Hmm?"

"This widow is thirsty."

Long Long Eying poured a cup of clear tea and pushed it before him.

"This widow wants to drink honey water."

Her dress rustled, stirring a breeze with a sweet scent of peaches. Long Long Eying took a thick celadon jar from the bookshelf and scooped out a large spoonful of honey,

stirring it into the boiling water until evenly dissolved.

Liang Qu held the teacup, sat up abruptly, and was full of spirit: "Ha~ sweet!"

Tan Yifeng and Liao Lanqing looked at each other.

One moment calling himself 'the lonely one,' the next 'this widow.'

This seemed to be some kind of little intimacy between a newly titled Prince and Princess Consort that ordinary people could not comprehend?

Liang Qu smacked his lips, put down the teacup, and tidied the classics. Seeing Liang Qu packing up, Tan Yifeng's spirit lifted: "Has the Prince of Huai been studying all night again?

Any new insights?"

"The lonely one—.."

Long Long Eying gave a light kick. Liang Qu grabbed her sole, squeezed it twice, and coughed twice: "Cough, just about, just about. Thanks to the help of you two over the past month and the experience of our predecessors, I have a bit of a framework. I've written two copies; you can take a look first to see how they are, and I'll revise them when I return."

"Is the Prince of Huai going to..."

Liang Qu flicked his sleeves to dust them off.

"To visit the temple and report to the ancestors."

"Congratulations to the Prince of Huai!"

"Hey, it's all just procedure, procedure."

The grand ceremony proceeded.

Visiting the temple to report to the ancestors is still a part of the grand ceremony for conferring a Prince, or rather, the conferring ceremony itself is a series of activities.

In all etiquette, there is an emphasis on "tension and relaxation." Each important segment requires separate preparation and sufficient energy to manifest its solemnity. Crowding it into one day would undoubtedly appear hasty and lose dignity.

Bathing and changing clothes in the fasting palace, surrounded by the Master of Ceremonies and eunuchs.

First, wearing a black plain silk inner garment, then donning the nine-chapter imperial robes and crown, painted with the five chapters of dragon, mountain, flowery insect, fire, and ancestral vessel; the lower part embroidered with the four chapters of pondweed, powder rice, and...

four chapters.

The Master of Crowns straightened his crown, a nine-tassel crown with blue jade beads hanging before his forehead. A gold-inlaid jade belt was tied at his waist, wearing double-pendant ornaments, and holding a nine-inch sophora wood tablet in his hand.

"How is this lonely Prince?"

The eunuch respectfully praised: "Naturally, majestic and extraordinary."

"Hahaha, those among my wives who praise my beauty do so out of partiality; those among my concubines who praise me do so out of fear; those among my guests who praise me do so because they seek something from me. You are speaking falsehoods!"

"I dare not!" The eunuch was terrified.

"Hey, boring." Liang Qu waved his hand, "Just a joke, why so nervous?"

The auspicious hour arrived, with bells ringing and tripods resounding.

The Emperor, wearing the twelve-tassel imperial crown, led the ascent to the jade altar.

The imperial clan, the new Prince, and all accompanying officials wore sacrificial robes, following closely behind.

The honor guard was strictly arranged, banners obscured the sky, and amidst the "Music of Guidance," the ministers walked slowly and solemnly.

Before the Ancestral Temple gate, incense smoke swirled, musicians were set up below the steps, and the ministers stood solemnly in their ranks.

The Master of Ceremonies sang out loudly.

"Welcome the spirits—!"

Played the "Music of Harmony."

Performed the "Firewood" grand rite.

The Master of Ancestral Rites placed the sacrificial jade and silk upon the firewood; blue smoke drifted, rising straight into the clouds, inviting the spirits of the ancestors to descend and partake.

The rite concluded, the music stopped.

"First offering—!"

The Emperor stepped out from the imperial position.

The Minister of Rites presented the blue jade disc. The Emperor offered the silk for the first time, held it high to his eyebrows, bowed toward the north, placed it into the firewood fire, and the attending officials followed by offering silk and wine. The Emperor placed the silk on the table and the wine on the thatch, then bowed again to perform the rite.

"Second offering—!"

Liang Qu stepped out of the ranks.

The attending official presented the wine goblet. Liang Qu held the goblet with both hands, raised it to his forehead, and then slowly poured the wine.

"Final offering—!"

The Prime Minister stepped out of the ranks, the ceremony identical to the second offering, pouring the third goblet of wine onto the ground, completing the final offering.

The three offerings were complete.

Heaven, Earth, and the four directions know, the common people and living creatures know, the ancestors in the Yellow Springs know: the Prince of Huai of the Great Shun is unchangeable!

The nine tassels hung down, steady and unswaying. Standing in the Ancestral Temple, an intangible energy emerged from the surroundings, pouring into his body along with the ethereal blue smoke, pouring into his robes, puffing them out.

Light and airy, dizzy and muddled.

Walking down the steps, looking around, everyone had to stop their pace and watch his back.

The sunlight shone on his face, as if he had become the "only one."

The vermilion walls grew distant, the ancient cypresses disappeared, and leaving the temple courtyard, it was already noon.

"Your Majesty, aren't we reporting to the ancestors?"

The Prince of Xu Yue said that becoming a Saint and being conferred a Prince would allow one to see the Martial Immortal. Liang Qu thought it was today, but after coming out of the Ancestral Temple, he hadn't seen any immortal.

"Just now was visiting the temple; now we are going to report to the ancestors. Immortals don't live in the Ancestral Temple. On ordinary days, immortals travel the world and rarely return to the capital, only returning specifically when a new Prince is conferred."

Liang Qu suddenly understood, becoming even more respectful.

"No need to be nervous, it's just a meeting. Immortals are mostly easygoing. According to custom, it's mostly to answer some puzzles in cultivation."

As it turned out, Liang Qu and the Emperor changed into casual clothes and left the palace all the way, not going to any mysterious high-end place, but deep in the mountains and forests, taking a turn,

and arrived directly at the neighboring Grand Void Academy.

The immortal is at the Grand Void Academy? What, does he have the same hobbies as Senior Brother Xu?

Outside the small house of the Grand Void Academy, the Emperor respectfully performed the rite. Liang Qu didn't feel any "River Stone" in front of him at all, but dared not delay, and also respectfully performed the rite.

"Oh ho ho!"

A unique, not unfamiliar voice rang out inside the room, very high-pitched.

"?"

"Come in."

Liang Qu followed the Emperor into the room. There were quite a few palace maids. Scanning the room, what came into view was not the Martial Immortal of Great Shun, but in the corner...

Tatta Kai!?

Why are you here?

Tatta Kai scratched its butt, spread its claws, and flipped out two heavy silver ingots.

It was buying pig head meat outside; it came because it was given money.

There were no lights in the room, jellyfish lamps, dragon silk, blue cats and brown rats, a pile of dubbing props stacked in the corner, and Tatta Kai's family mixed among them, each performing their duties, blowing, pulling, plucking, and singing.

The immortal leaned on a luohan bed, lying on his side.

"Returning to the Grand Void Academy, I just wanted to see if there was anything new. Divine Ability Orders, Purple Lightning Ships, railway tracks—all boring. But this method of using dragon silk to project shadows is somewhat interesting."

The light and shadow covered the pages, dim and unclear, but it didn't affect Liang Qu's observation.

It was exactly the person in the loose, wide robes of the Southern Frontier!

"Qu, greets the Immortal!"

The immortal waved his hand, letting Tatta Kai change the episode: "Are you slightly surprised not to have felt the 'River Stone'?"

"Yes."

"Mortals are like sand, Perfected Forms like stones, Heavenly Dragons like reefs. Thus, the water flows and disturbs, and the Heavenly Dragons know and look. If we continue to compare according to this saying, entering the melting pot is the riverbed, the mountains of the two banks and three mountains. If ordinary people don't jump out of the river, no matter how they cultivate, they will never discover it."

The melting pot is a part of heaven and earth; mountains can look at mountains, but ignore the earth beneath their feet.

Liang Qu was awestruck: "Many thanks to the Immortal for clearing my confusion!"

"Do you have any puzzles regarding cultivation?"

"I do." Liang Qu immediately handed over the draft of the new version of the "Yin-Yang Spirit Seed Technique" from the Moon-Gazing Tower, as well as the goal he hoped to achieve.

"The 'Yin-Yang Spirit Seed Technique,' I have some impression of it. Among dual cultivation techniques, it is rare to find one that is beneficial and harmless—"

"Yes, I would like to ask the Immortal to clear my confusion."

"Anything else?" The immortal flipped through the draft and took the wolf-hair brush.

"Qu would like to ask the Immortal, how should one cultivate the self-born position fruit?"

Back when he entered the Perfected Form and climbed to the top of the Moon-Gazing Tower, Liang Qu still remembered what the manager had said.

"Position fruits are divided into small, medium, and large grades. Their birth methods are divided into two types.

One is heaven-born and heaven-raised; heaven-born and heaven-raised are mostly small position fruits, and relying only on small position fruits does not allow one to enter the melting pot. The second is self-body gestation, sprouting from a seed to become a big tree, and the big tree bears a position fruit. Self-body gestation is at least a medium position fruit; although it also doesn't enter the melting pot, there is a chance."

"If Count Baron Xingyi gestates a position fruit in the future, the seed of gestation will be the Long-Qi Jianghuai position fruit eaten today or an extremely rare heaven and earth big position fruit. But it has disappeared without a trace; it might be in the underworld or in the hands of the Whale Emperor."

"If it is a small position fruit, there is hope to advance to a medium position fruit, the Green Maiden. But firstly, promotion is too difficult, and secondly, it is temporarily unknown whether the Green Maiden can advance further. Self-body gestation is undoubtedly another grand avenue, and even has quite an advantage."

"Sun, withered wood, heavenly water, seasonal order (spring, summer, autumn, winter), Size Ruyi, Xuanhuang, all fit the water, wood, heaven, earth, four seasons, and even a trace of 'Heaven's Will'."

The immortal was not surprised, taking a booklet from his bosom: "Every newly promoted Heavenly Dragon has this question. Take it."

"Many thanks, Immortal."

Liang Qu treasured it like a precious object and was about to take it, but the immortal withdrew his hand halfway: "Don't be in a hurry to take it. I also have a question for you. If you answer well, I will give you a copy different from others."

Liang Qu was stunned and hurriedly bowed: "Please ask, Immortal."

"I returned to the capital from the Southern Frontier, traveling leisurely along the way, passing through Jianghuai, and felt curious, so I went to your hometown, lived for several months, and traveled through the marshes. The Jiangchuan County where the Twenty Jiaoren live has some of the prosperity of the Dragon Lord's time."

"Phoenixes perching on paulownia trees, being able to attract the Immortal to stop, is truly the good fortune of Pingyang."

"But I bumped into one thing."

The tone changed.

Liang Qu's heart tightened: "I don't know what the Immortal bumped into?"

In everything, one fears a "but." Could it be that the Yixing people he knew offended the Immortal? He should have known that the White Dragon wearing common clothes was not a good thing!

"You were promoted to Heavenly Dragon, so the poll tax in Pingyang Prefecture was exempted, and at the same time, past debts were written off. Also because of the latter, people seized the opportunity,

wanting to use this to write off debts, deliberately not paying the summer tax, dragging it into arrears, waiting to be written off. Among them was Yixing Town, and even worse, they beat the clerks into serious injury.

If it hadn't been stopped by the village elders, it might have caused a loss of life. Yixing will soon be your fief."

The Emperor pondered.

Liang Qu widened his eyes: "This bunch of bastards, why are they still beating people? Immortal, rest assured, whether the imperial court governs or I govern, I will definitely punish them when I go back!"

The immortal said: "I don't want you to punish them,"

"Then Immortal—"

"I talked with the Vajra King and learned of your past poverty, where only a neighbor sent you food, and others didn't care. After you made your fortune, you sent villagers to schools and martial arts halls. Seeing the villagers act like this today, are you still willing to continue in the future?"

The situation is wrong!

The Emperor's eyes flashed, and he was about to speak and interrupt.

"Hmm... this matter has nothing special? Why not continue?"

"Nothing special?" the immortal asked.

"This matter is inherently a loophole in the imperial court's edict, which was seized by people wanting to take advantage. Hey, those who can think of it are definitely talents!"

Talents?

Everyone froze.

Liang Qu continued: "This matter must have been led by someone, because drilling loopholes is not something ordinary people can think of; most people aren't that smart.

Half a year's grain is not a small amount. Seeing someone do this, naturally, they don't want to suffer a loss and will inevitably follow the leader in a swarm.

They are just small commoners, like rural women in the market. They are fierce to outsiders but willing to suffer for their own children. However, what they did wasn't very grand, and beating people is definitely wrong; it should be handled accordingly.

As for the rest, Immortal, Yixing Town wasn't a town before, it was a small village with about a thousand people. More than half of them were surnamed Chen, and the remaining minority had different surnames. I only had one relative named Liang Liang Guangtian. The others had no blood relationship with me and didn't owe me anything. They felt I couldn't survive, so lending money was like throwing it into the water; not giving it is truly normal."

The immortal pondered: "Not cold-hearted?"

"Why be cold-hearted? Beating people is indeed wrong, it's a bit... it feels like they went to school in vain."

The immortal was even more curious and pondered a little.

"Then do you think human nature is inherently evil? Or inherently good?"

"Cough, Immortal, in my view, this question—belongs to metaphysics and is an empiricist error. Today you see some good people and good deeds and feel the world is full of hope; tomorrow you see someone returning kindness with ingratitude and feel that human hearts are not what they used to be. Your heart gets cold and hot. You are the Immortal, you shouldn't be influenced by mortals; you should see the essence through the phenomena."

The immortal was interested and sat up straight to ask: "What essence?"

"The essence is that there is no so-called human nature; material determines consciousness. Back then, Yixing City wanted every family to have meat, so they definitely wouldn't lack my share of relief. Now Yixing Town also has porridge sheds every winter.

Humans are the leaders of all things, not transcending all things. Why not take advantage when seeing benefits? If you have a pack of wolves, why not eat when seeing meat? If you don't want the wolves to eat meat, you have to beat the wolves. The people in Yixing Town don't even need to be beaten; someone will naturally come out to stop them.

A group of ordinary people who haven't read books, I've only made my fortune for ten years. The newborns haven't grown up, and those who have grown up had their nature determined when they were young. There were occasional favors, but what hasn't changed is their status quo and material foundation of relying on the land and boats to eat.

The background color is just a group of poor people who haven't eaten much meat. You are the Immortal, what is there to argue with them about? To put it bluntly, aren't humans just such a thing? Simple thinking, following the crowd, needing education and guidance, screening over and over again, it's quite interesting."