Chapter 432: The Great Zhou Founding Emperor

"Under heaven, no one has ever condensed the Master of the Future so swiftly."

Meng Bingyun, within the imperial palace, gazed at the Master of the Future taking shape before her.

This devotional energy, when gathered upon one’s body, forms an immortal soul; and when this immortal soul is further fused with abundant resources and vast faith, it coalesces into the Master of the Future—Gu Qing’s second soul, an extension of Gu Qing himself, yet not Gu Qing in essence; its subtleties are beyond words.

"That’s because the one who created the Scripture of Nonexistence in the Past never knew the term 'women’s liberation.'"

Gu Qing explained.

This directly involved half the population, bringing an immeasurable impact—not only within the Great Tang, but also influencing neighboring kingdoms. Under such concentrated devotional energy, Gu Qing’s Master of the Future coalesced, endowed with nearly infinite faith, enabling it to compute and predict.

The Master of the Future possessed nine eyes: the Heavenly Eye, Earthly Eye, Wisdom Eye, Intellect Eye, Obstruction Eye, Dharma Eye, True Eye, Void Eye, and Profound Eye. The moment it coalesced, it began infinite computation of the future, deducing Dao arts, improving cannons, modifying armor and weapons, and governing the dynasty.

Gu Qing gestured with a finger, and hundreds of memorials flew forth, all reviewed by the Master of the Future. After analysis, the Master of the Future constructed a grand model of the Great Tang—every region’s resources, the Six Ministries’ grain and treasury flows, all calculated with perfect clarity.

Meng Bingyun stood beside Gu Qing, studying his profile. The casual remark he once made in the Sanhua Pavilion had now largely come true. Meng Bingyun was satisfied—but feared it might all be taken from her.

Meng Shenji had returned, having shed his mortal form.

He was about to pass his eighth thunder tribulation.

To all factions, the Master of the Future was a prized treasure.

After all, in this world of Yang Shen, what you laboriously cultivate can be snatched away at will.

Gu Qing smiled. "It’s not yet clear who will seize whom."

In conversation, before Meng Bingyun’s eyes, Gu Qing began computing two individuals: one was Gu Qing and Meng Bingyun’s son, the current Crown Prince Gu Yi; the other was Hong Xuanji’s son, born to a courtesan, named Hong Yi. As both entered the Master of the Future’s vision, their respective influences emerged clearly in its computations.

"Yi Zi..."

Meng Bingyun saw what Gu Qing was doing and whispered cautiously: "What if our child is not Yi Zi?"

"What’s there to fear?"

Gu Qing drew Meng Bingyun close and said: "Even if he’s not Yi Zi, he’s still our son. As for Hong Xuanji’s child, we’ll raise him too." Gu Qing was already exerting influence to become Hong Yi’s spiritual father.

Gu Qing was now guiding him with secret texts; once Hong Yi’s cultivation neared completion, Gu Qing would thoroughly mold him.

After years of pursuit, the Master of the Future had finally taken form. Gu Qing immediately entrusted state affairs to others and, with Meng Bingyun, lightly departed the imperial city.

The capital possessed one defining trait: synthesis. No matter the customs or traditions from any region, upon reaching the capital, they collided—either transformed beyond recognition, preserved intact, or became something unrecognizable.

Gu Qing and Meng Bingyun strolled the streets, occasionally buying Meng Bingyun small snacks. They looked like a newlywed couple, deeply affectionate, devoted to each other—no passerby could guess they were the reigning Emperor and Empress strolling the capital.

For Meng Bingyun, since becoming Empress, she had long dwelled within the palace, rarely venturing beyond its walls. Now, walking the streets, she saw more clearly the changes in Jade Capital—minor compared to Tianwai Tian, yet monumental for the common folk.

"Is the next step to reform the court?"

Meng Bingyun asked.

The ancient Emperor of Longevity and the Pan Emperor, sensing the limitations of human development in the Grand World, had opened Tianwai Tian beyond the heavens, intending that in the final age of this cycle, Tianwai Tian would rule the Grand World and utterly transform its state.

If Gu Qing could reform the court and complete the final stage of human development, the collision between the Grand World and Tianwai Tian might never occur—saving countless lives from war.