Chapter 341: with translation of chapter title

Gu Ziyuan!

Cui Yuandao roared until his facial features twisted!

He grabbed the fourth-rank regional inspector's great seal from his waist and raised it high with both hands.

I am a fourth-rank regional inspector of the Great Yin Divine Dynasty, appointed by Heaven to govern this region! You, a penniless nobody with no background, think you can cover the sky with just a few Imperial Forest troops? Lords, offer your seals! Mobilize Yunzhou's fate and slay this traitor!

Translation: He grabbed the Fourth Grade Inspector Seal from his waist and held it high with both hands.

As his words fell, the dozen or so surviving clan heads in the secret chamber awoke as if from a dream.

Translation: "I am a Fourth Grade Inspector of the Great Yin Divine Dynasty, appointed by Heaven to govern this region! You, a penniless nobody from a lowly family, really think bringing a few Imperial Forest Army troops lets you cover the sky with one hand? All you clan heads, offer your official seals! Mobilize the fortune of Secluded Prefecture and execute this traitor!"

We need to keep the quoted speech. We'll translate the quoted content as English speech with quotes.

They each produced their own official seals or deputy seals.

Translation: As his words faded, the dozen or so surviving clan heads in the secret chamber awoke as from a dream.

For a moment, the underground chamber blazed with red light, and several thick streams of official qi shot upward, attempting to connect with the divine dynasty's fate canopy hovering above Yunzhou prefecture city.

Translation: They each produced their own official seals or vice-seals.

According to the iron law of the Great Yin Divine Dynasty, when officials form arrays within their jurisdiction, the mobilized fate's power is sufficient to slay extraterritorial supreme demons.

Translation: In an instant, the underground chamber blazed with red light, and several thick strands of official aura shot upward, attempting to commune with the Divine Dynasty Fortune Canopy hovering above Secluded Prefecture City.

In their view, no matter how strong Gu Yuan's combat prowess, he could not possibly oppose, by himself, the heavenly and earthly principles condensed from the entire Yunzhou bureaucratic system.

Translation: According to the iron law of the Great Yin Divine Dynasty, officials who form arrays within their jurisdiction can mobilize fortune's might sufficient to slay even transcendent border-crossing demons.

Gu Yuan stood at the edge of the rift, looking down upon the group of nobles engaged in a desperate struggle below.

Translation: In their view, even if Gu Yuan's combat prowess were greater, it would be impossible for one person to oppose the heavenly-earthly laws condensed by the entire Secluded Prefecture bureaucratic system.

He did not interrupt their spellcasting, nor make any move to stop them; he simply watched silently, as if observing a clumsy monkey show.

Translation: Gu Yuan stood at the edge of the rift, looking down upon the group of nobles engaged in a trapped-beast struggle.

"Communicating fate?"

Translation: He did not interrupt their spellcasting, nor make any obstructive move; he simply watched silently, as if observing a clumsy monkey show.

Gu Yuan spoke calmly, stating an extremely cruel fact,

Translation: "Communicating fortune?"

"Why don't you look up and see whether the heavens of Yunzhou still recognize your seals?"

Translation: Gu Yuan's tone calm, he stated a brutally harsh fact,

Cui Yuandao suddenly lifted his gaze, his spiritual sense extending upward along the seal.

Translation: "You might as well look up—does the sky of Secluded Prefecture still recognize your seals?"

In the next breath, all color drained from his face, and he felt as if struck by lightning.

Translation: Cui Yuandao snapped his head up, his divine sense extending upward along the official seal.

There was no response.

Translation: In the next breath, the color drained from his face, leaving him as if struck by lightning.

The vast fate net above Yunzhou prefecture city, which ought to respond instantly and shield the aristocratic clans, now lay like a stagnant pool.

Translation: There was no response.

No matter how they activated their official seals, the crimson official qi struck an invisible, higher-dimensional sighing wall and was wholly rebounded.

Translation: The vast fortune net that should have instantly responded and sheltered the aristocratic clans above Secluded Prefecture City now lay like a stagnant pool.

"What's happening… why has the fate gold dragon severed the connection? This is impossible!"

Translation: No matter how they activated their official seals, the crimson official aura struck an invisible higher-dimensional sighing wall and was wholly rebounded.

The head of the Wang clan desperately slapped the bronze seal in his hand, its cord's luster fading at a visible speed.

Translation: "What's going on… why has the Fortune Golden Dragon severed the connection? This is impossible!"

At Gu Yuan's waist, the silver inspector's seal he had altered with world-tree sap emitted an extremely subtle dark-gold glow.

Translation: The Wang clan head desperately slapped the bronze seal in his hand, its luster fading at a visible speed.

Long before he attained fourth rank, the laws of his inner world had, via this silver seal, permeated Yunzhou's fate nodes like roots.

Translation: At Gu Yuan's waist, the Fourth Grade Inspector Silver Seal he had modified with World Tree sap emitted an extremely faint dark-gold glow.

Although Yunzhou's fate still appears on the surface to be that of the Great Yin Divine Dynasty, it has in fact already been taken over by Gu Yuan.

Translation: Even before he attained Fourth Grade, the laws of his inner world had already spread along this silver seal like roots, penetrating the fortune nodes of Secluded Prefecture.

Gu Yuan brushed off nonexistent dust from his sleeve, saying, "You try to fasten the old shackles of the Great Yin Divine Dynasty onto my new heavens—doesn't that seem ridiculous?"

Translation: The fortune of Secluded Prefecture still appears as the Great Yin Divine Dynasty's shape on the surface, but it has in fact been taken over by Gu Yuan.

He turned his head and glanced at Zhao Rui beside him.

Translation: Gu Yuan brushed nonexistent dust from his sleeve, "You take the old lock of the Great Yin Divine Dynasty and try to shackle my new heavens—don't you find that ridiculous?"

"Leave their corpses intact and hang them on the city walls. The remaining implicated clansmen shall be punished collectively by law. Resisters shall be beheaded."

Translation: He turned his head to glance at Zhao Rui beside him.

"Yes, sir!"

Translation: "Leave intact corpses, hang them on the city walls. Implicated clansmen shall be punished by association under the law. Resisters shall be beheaded."

Zhao Rui drew his sword.

Translation: "As you command!"

Fifty elite Imperial Forest troops, completely transformed by the Myriad Dao Light Lamps, leapt straight into the underground chamber.

Translation: Zhao Rui drew his blade.

A one-sided massacre began.

Translation: Fifty Imperial Forest Army elites thoroughly transformed by the Myriad Dao Time-light Lamp leapt straight into the underground chamber.

Deprived of official qi protection, the clan heads, accustomed to luxury and physically frail, could not withstand even a single round against the wolf-like Imperial Forest troops.

Translation: The one-sided slaughter began.

This too is a drawback of cultivating official fate.

Translation: The clan heads, deprived of official aura protection, pampered and weak-bodied, could not withstand a single round against the wolf-like Imperial Forest Army.

Success comes from official fate; failure also comes from official fate.

Translation: This too is a drawback of cultivating official fortune.

Blades flashed, flesh and blood flew.

Translation: Success comes from official fortune; failure also comes from official fortune.

Cui Yuandao watched his colleagues fall one by one, his psychological defenses completely collapsing.

Translation: Blade light flashed, flesh and blood flew.

His knees gave way, and he fell heavily into the blood pool, frantically kowtowing toward Gu Yuan.

Translation: Cui Yuandao watched his colleagues fall one by one, his psychological defenses completely collapsing.

"Sir Gu! Lord Gu! I know my mistake! The underground treasury of the prefectural office holds three million taels of fate spirit stones and deeds to one hundred thousand mu of hidden fields—all yours! The Cui family still has connections in the capital; I am willing to be your dog and pave your way in court!"

Translation: His knees gave way, and he heavily knelt in the blood pool, frantically kowtowing toward Gu Yuan.

Gu Yuan didn't even lower his head to glance at him, turning and walking into the depths of night.

Translation: "Lord Gu! Master Gu! I know my mistake! The inspectorate's underground vault holds three million taels of fortune spirit stones and deeds to ten thousand mu of hidden fields—all yours! The Cui clan still has connections in the capital; I am willing to be your dog, helping you pave the way in court..."

"Zhao Rui, he's too noisy."

Translation: Gu Yuan didn't even lower his head to glance at him, turning and walking into the night's depths.

The soft sound of a blade sliding across a throat put an end to this secret chamber plot.

Translation: "Zhao Rui, he's too noisy."

That night, flames shot up into the sky over Yunzhou prefecture city.

Translation: The soft sound of a blade sliding across a throat put an end to this chamber's plot.

The prefectural office, the Wang family manor, the Li family stronghold… over a dozen mansions representing Yunzhou's highest power were ransacked overnight by the city defense forces temporarily taken over by the Imperial Forest troops and the inspectorate.

Translation: That night, flames shot up from Secluded Prefecture City.

When daylight tore through the pre-dawn darkness, the people of Yunzhou tremblingly opened their door cracks and witnessed a scene they would never forget.

Translation: The inspectorate, Wang clan manor, Li clan fortress… over a dozen mansions representing Secluded Prefecture's highest power were ransacked overnight by the Imperial Forest Army and the temporarily commandeered City Defense Army of the Inspectorate Office.

The aristocratic elders who usually lorded over others and disregarded human life now hung from the city walls like dead dogs.

Translation: As dawn's light tore through the pre‑darkness, the people of Secluded Prefecture tremblingly pushed open their door cracks and witnessed a scene they would never forget.

Cartloads of grain piled like mountains, boxes of dazzling fate spirit stones, and countless concealed household registers were neatly arranged in the central square of the prefecture city.

Translation: The aristocratic elders who usually lorded over lives and treated them as trash were now hung on the city walls like dead dogs.

Gu Yuan, clad in that scarlet official robe, sat upon a makeshift high platform erected in the square.

Translation: Cartloads of grain piled like mountains, chest after chest of blinding fortune spirit stones, and countless concealed household registers were neatly arranged in the central plaza of the prefectural city.

"Convey my order."

Translation: Gu Yuan wore that scarlet official robe, seated on a makeshift high platform erected in the plaza.

Gu Yuan's voice, amplified by a formation, spread to every corner of the prefecture city.

Translation: "Convey my order."

"The Yunzhou prefectural magistrate Cui Yuandao and thirteen other powerful clans, colluding with demons, embezzling military provisions, plotting rebellion, have now been executed."

Translation: Gu Yuan's voice, amplified by a formation, spread to every corner of the prefectural city.

"The grain and fodder seized in the raids shall, starting today, be released from the warehouses and distributed per capita. Hidden fields shall be given entirely to landless tenants. Yunzhou's taxes are waived for three years."

Translation: "The Secluded Prefecture Inspector Cui Yuandao and thirteen other nobles, having colluded with demons, embezzled military provisions, and plotted rebellion, have now been executed."

The crowd around the square first fell into deathly silence, then, unbeknownst who started it, erupted in a mountain‑shouting, sea‑roaring mix of wails and cheers.

Translation: "The seized grain and fodder shall be released from the warehouses effective today, distributed per capita. Concealed fields shall be allotted to landless tenants. Secluded Prefecture's taxes are waived for three years."

"Great Heavenly Father!"

Translation: The populace around the plaza first fell into deathly silence, then, unbeknownst who started it, erupted in a mountain‑shouting, sea‑roaring wail and cheer.

"A living Bodhisattva reborn!"

Translation: "Great and just heavenly lord!"

Tens of thousands of people spontaneously knelt on the ground, frantically kowtowing toward Gu Yuan on the high platform.

Translation: "A living bodhisattva reborn!"

Those long oppressed by the clans, who could barely fill their stomachs, when they received the heavy sacks of rice and land deeds, their eyes blazed with a light more dazzling than any treasure.

Translation: Tens of thousands of people spontaneously knelt on the ground, frantically kowtowing toward Gu Yuan on the high platform.

Gu Yuan sat upright in the grand master's chair, his spiritual sense spreading out.

Translation: The lower‑class folk, long oppressed by the clans and barely able to eat, when they received the heavy sacks of rice and land deeds, their eyes blazed with a light more dazzling than any treasure.

He clearly saw that, as the people kowtowed, thread after thread of extremely pure white willpower rose from their heads.

Translation: Gu Yuan sat upright in the Grand Tutor's Chair, his divine sense spreading out.

These willpower strands ought to have flowed into the Great Yin Divine Dynasty's fate network to nourish the fate gold dragon in the capital.

Translation: He clearly saw that, as the populace kowtowed, thread after thread of exquisitely pure white thought power rose from their heads.

These psychic powers were originally meant to flow into the Great Yin Divine Dynasty's fortune network, to nourish the fortune golden dragon of the capital.

Translation: These thought powers should have flowed into the Great Yin Divine Dynasty's fortune network to nourish the Fortune Golden Dragon in the capital.

But at this moment, those faith-based thought forces, as they rose into midair, were all intercepted by the governor's silver seal at Gu Yuan's waist.

Inside the silver seal, the World Tree's roots greedily absorb this massive wish power of all beings.

In the inner world, that newly formed bank of the Yellow Springs, the other shore flower blooms ever more enchantingly, and the world's law has been further solidified by several points.

"He who wins the people's hearts wins the world; this set of laws applies in any world."