Chapter 157: The Old Ape Returns, the Final Moments of Life
Fang Xu sat cross-legged on the bed, gazing at the millstone-sized beast bone and plate-sized white turtle shell before him, lost in thought.
Of these two items, the beast bone was a gift from Chu Ren Di; according to his intention, he had comprehended a half-divine ability on it—the same blood-red dagger Chu Ren Di used to instantly kill the transformed Su Cheng on the life-and-death platform today.
The turtle shell was a gift from Lu Zhiyuan; as he said, the turtle shell is related to a secret inheritance of the Mu Yun Kingdom known as the Prayer to Heaven Technique.
From the name, Fang Xu roughly knew this Prayer to Heaven Technique should belong to a type of feng shui secret art and is quite profound.
Which one should I focus on comprehending first?
His gaze wandered between the beast bone and turtle shell for a long time, but in the end he still chose to put the beast bone away.
Lu Zhiyuan's attainment in feng shui secret arts is profound; he can faintly calculate his "friend-restraint" system, and since even he cannot fathom the Prayer to Heaven Technique, it must be even more formidable.
Fang Xu wanted to comprehend and understand it, after all, regardless of past or present life, feng shui secret arts are an extremely mysterious ability, and those who master it are often called those who perceive heavenly secrets.
He couldn't help but be curious.
As for the divine ability on the beast bone, Fang Xu believed that under current circumstances he was not urgently lacking offensive means.
The young man who tamed the water, his hair once messy and disheveled, now had white temples; he ordered the messengers to return to the tribe and select another virtuous and respected elder to temporarily act as chieftain, while he continued leading the people in managing the flood, allowing the tribe to gain more arable land.
I do not know how long this flood has raged, but Fang Xu quietly watched the water level drop, and the surviving few hundred ancient humans quickly began to multiply.
On the panel, his additional spiritual attribute is 75 points; with the boost from this attribute, his comprehension now far surpasses his former self.
With a slight stir of consciousness, Fang Xu arrived at the summit of a small mountain peak, gazing at the surviving few hundred ancient humans above.
They began attempting to walk out of the great mountains, trying to cultivate on the land formed by flood deposits.
The tribespeople behind him also all prostrated themselves and shouted in unison: "Heavenly God!"
With the aid of what he had comprehended, the man led the tribe to avoid several major disasters in advance, allowing the tribe to grow ever larger.
Not long after he had just picked up the turtle shell, his consciousness once again sank into some strange space.
He had grown old.
"Thank you, Heavenly God!"
"With the great river as boundary, our tribe shall have sufficient land for cultivation."
The old chieftain died; the youth… now should be called a middle-aged man.
After everything returned to tranquility, the elder once again returned to his youthful state.
Moreover, since the beast skin of the Divine Extension Canon had completely merged into his body, Fang Xu could discover that once he calmed his mind to contemplate something, he could easily enter a state of sudden enlightenment, entering a strange space.
The jade turtle approached the elder, its body gradually melting, transforming into streams of milky white light that merged into the elder's body.
The divine ability of the Magic Ape Three Transformations, combined with his own creation of the Five Animal Exercise based on the Five Animal Frolic, and secret methods like the Kui Ox Transformation—these are already sufficient for his current stage.
As time passed, another few cycles of spring and autumn came and went; the water-taming man's body became stooped, wrinkles on his face gradually increased, and the wind and frost of time finally turned his black hair white.
With the population growing ever larger, the need for grain also increased, but although the flood had receded by ninety percent, the surrounding land remained a vast expanse of water.
Day by day, the man's understanding of the inscriptions on the turtle shell deepened.
I do not know how long time has passed, but the tribal elder gradually aged; on his deathbed, he left his last words, instructing the youth who was outside taming the water to succeed him as tribal chieftain.
Finally, a youth in the tribe began to obey orders to manage this great flood, in order to gain more land.
The youth entrusted with flood control led many tribespeople to dig day and night, excavating channels to divert the surrounding floodwaters; more and more land emerged from the water, available for the tribespeople to cultivate.
After becoming chieftain, the man deeply felt the tribe's weakness and helplessness in the face of natural disasters, and began to earnestly study the turtle shell left by the jade turtle, hoping to comprehend the divine revelation left by the Heavenly God upon it.
Water!
Endless water!
This is a land similar to the ancient barbaric era, where a terrifying flood swept across the vast world, countless plants and animals instantly swallowed by the floodwaters!
Fang Xu, suspended in midair, watched with his own eyes as one after another ancient human wearing crude beast skins struggled and wailed in the raging flood, then drowned in the torrential waters!
Could it be that this world also has a Great Yu?
Suppressing the doubt in his heart, he continued to watch.
The elder's face was full of satisfaction, as if sensing his days were numbered; he turned and said to the tribespeople behind him: "After my death, bring me back to the tribe for burial."
Under the gaze of the tribespeople, the elder's snow-white hair on his head gradually turned black, his stooped body slowly straightened, and the wrinkles on his face gradually faded.
Fang Xu, suspended in midair, silently watched the unfolding events, suddenly feeling that all this resembled the ancient legend of Great Yu taming the waters from his previous life.
Treasuring it like a precious jewel, he held the turtle shell in his hands, the man devoutly knelt on the ground and kowtowed:
"This plot…… feels so familiar……"
Before the rushing great river, the man held a bronze-cast iron hoe, silently gazing at the ceaselessly flowing river water.
In this space, he seemed able to, as an observer, feel what the object of his contemplation had experienced.
The man returned to the tribe with the turtle shell, and due to his flood-taming achievements and divine-like encounters, he was again elected chieftain by the people.
Gazing at his strong and powerful arms, touching his radiant face, the man flashed a look of disbelief, then noticed the turtle shell left behind after the jade turtle's body melted away.
I do not know where this great flood came from, but like the Heavenly River pouring backward, in the blink of an eye it swallowed everything in sight, leaving only a few towering peaks like clouds surviving in the flood, forming isolated islands like those in the ocean.
Day by day, when the entire mountain emerged above the water, the surviving few hundred ancient humans on the mountain had already become a great tribe of tens of thousands.
These surviving ancient humans quickly built simple dwellings on this mountain surrounded by floodwaters, then used their wit to obtain food from the flood, rescuing other humans swept by the flood and some wild beasts.
Suppressing his scattered thoughts, Fang Xu gently lifted the white jade-like turtle shell before him, began to carefully examine and feel it.
It must be said, the tenacious spirit of humanity has existed since ancient times.
But as his words fell, suddenly myriad rays of rosy light burst forth in the great river before him!
Thereafter, under the shocked and fearful gaze of the elder and the tribespeople, a jade turtle radiating endless light crawled out of the great river.
Moreover, to strengthen the people's bodies, the man began teaching them some breathing methods.
In midair, Fang Xu watched all this, his heart shaken beyond measure.
He did not know whether the breathing method the man taught the people was comprehended from the turtle shell, but just the terror of this breathing method made him unable to help feeling chilled.
In just a few decades, after the people practiced the breathing method taught by the cultivation man, numerous terrifying beings emerged in the tribe!
Those who practiced the breathing method had blood and qi as deep as an abyss and vast as the sea; with every gesture, they could even break the flow of a great river!
This kind of power, if placed in the present world, would be very difficult to achieve without the strength of a Martial Sovereign of the Seventh Realm or above!
A long time has passed, and Fang Xu saw the man grow old again.
He has lived for who knows how many years.
Many of the powerful ones in the tribe have also left the tribe, preparing to explore this world.
But the man has always remained in the tribe, contemplating that turtle shell the size of a jade disc.
Moreover, the man seems to have calculated that his time is short, spending all day in a cave, carving what he has comprehended into a strange pattern on a hard stone tablet, trying to leave some kind of inheritance for his clansmen.
The man died.
But before his death, he kept gazing at Fang Xu in midair, his face bearing a kind smile.
Fang Xu was startled, not knowing whether the man had seen him.
At that moment of doubt, the aged man suddenly spoke: "As it turns out, my feeling has never been wrong; the heavenly gods have always been here."
Fang Xu was dazed, knowing that the man's words were meant for him.
With a slight stir of consciousness, Fang Xu came to the man's corpse, looking at the unfinished stone tablet before him and that turtle shell, and began to contemplate them carefully.
……
Zhongzhou City.
At this moment, Li Cangwu in the imperial palace had a somewhat pale complexion, and the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth indicated that he had suffered a serious internal injury just now.
Slowly wiping away the blood at the corner of his mouth, Li Cangwu's face turned icy cold.
National Fortune!
The national fortune of my Yu State has begun to decline once again!
When the national fortune previously dropped to the Six Radiant Colors, I adopted the suggestion of Qin Mu Shen from the Bureau of Astronomy, issued a self-reproach edict, pardoned the entire realm, and reduced taxes for the common people.
These three measures, in a short time, pulled the national fortune of Yu State back to the Nine Radiant Colors.
But only a few months have passed in the world, and the national fortune of Yu State has actually plummeted to the Six Radiant Colors at an extremely terrifying speed, making Li Cangwu furious!
As for why he launched a war against the Mu Yun State, a grassland tribe that keeps to itself, everyone thought it was because Li Cangwu harbored ambitions, wanting to expand Yu State's territory.
In fact, his true purpose was exactly as Lu Zhiyuan said: Li Cangwu learned through some channel that the Mu Yun State possesses some things left over from ancient times.
By perusing a large number of ancient texts, Li Cangwu guessed that these inheritances of the Mu Yun State might very well contain some methods for breaking through the Martial Sovereign realm.
After attaining the position of human emperor, Li Cangwu was no longer satisfied with these; he wanted to pursue the pinnacle of martial arts, to break through the Martial Sovereign realm and experience the vaster world outside.
Therefore, since the fall of Mu Yun State, Li Cangwu has repeatedly entered seclusion, entrusting all major and minor affairs of the state to his two sons, while he himself devoted himself to studying the things brought back from Mu Yun State.
But these things were inherited from antiquity, and Li Cangwu painstakingly contemplated them for a long time without being able to figure out what exactly was recorded in the inheritance.
Just when he was in despair, a mysterious person found him.
The mysterious person told Li Cangwu that as long as he handed over the things brought back from Mu Yun State to him and chose to cooperate with him, he could give Li Cangwu a clear path to break through the Martial Sovereign realm.
Li Cangwu naturally did not trust the other party, but before he could refuse, the mysterious person's body suddenly erupted with a terrifying aura!
Under the lock of this aura, Li Cangwu discovered that his own strength at the peak of Martial Sovereign could not even give rise to the thought of resistance; it seemed the mysterious person needed only to move a finger to kill him!
He yielded, handing over all his things to the mysterious person, and himself, as wished, obtained a method capable of breaking through the Martial Sovereign realm.
Faith.
From that moment on, Li Cangwu ordered the destruction of all temples on Yu State's land; the entire Yu State, from large cities to small towns and villages, everywhere built sculptures of himself instead.
These years, with the power of faith from Yu State's hundreds of millions of people, Li Cangwu has already entered the half-step Martial Emperor realm, and can be said to be on par with Jiang Feng.
But just as Li Cangwu was preparing to devote himself to seclusion and break through to the Martial Emperor realm in one go, the remains of Ti Lan Mountain appeared, and at this moment, Yu State's national fortune actually began to decline as well.
Li Cangwu in seclusion was startled awake, immediately ordering the Bureau of Astronomy to investigate, and simultaneously dispatching personnel from the Supervision Bureau to Fenglin Town.
"Let Qin Mu Shen come to see me!"
After slightly adjusting his body, which had been affected by the decline in national fortune, Li Cangwu spoke with an unpleasant expression.
The soldiers outside the door hurriedly bowed and ran out.
Shortly afterward, the aged Qin Mu Shen arrived at the imperial palace: "Old minister..."
"Enough!"
Li Cangwu's hair was somewhat disheveled, he wore a wide brocade robe, barefoot, and suddenly swung his sleeve: "All others, retreat!"
Seeing his anger, the palace maids and the many young temple attendants all fled like silkworms startled by a ban.
"Qin Qing, tell me, what has happened again!?"
Although Yu State's national fortune had also been declining before, over the past year it had merely dropped from Nine Radiant Colors to Seven Radiant Colors.
But now, only a few months have passed, and it has actually dropped again from Nine Radiant Colors to Six Radiant Colors!
As the national fortune continues to decline, Li Cangwu can feel that his soon-to-be-formed soul and spirit are already somewhat unstable!
Breaking through from Martial Sovereign to Martial Emperor leaves no room for retreat.
Once the soul and spirit begin to transform, if they cannot be fully formed, what awaits him is death by soul and spirit rupture!
"This..."
Qin Mu Shen's forehead broke out in cold sweat.
He also does not know what has happened to Yu State's national fortune; in just a short month, it directly dropped from Eight Radiant Colors to Six Radiant Colors, and this rate of decline is still increasing; according to the current situation, it will not be long before Yu State's national fortune, which was painstakingly condensed and formed, will scatter away.
When that happens, the world will surely fall into great chaos!
"Tell me!"
Seeing Qin Mu Shen's hesitant appearance, Li Cangwu's eyes flashed with a killing intent, and he spoke in an icy voice.
"Your Majesty, forgive my sin!"
"Old minister knows nothing!"
Qin Mu Shen directly trembled and prostrated himself on the ground.
He truly cannot calculate what has happened to Yu State's national fortune!
Although the state of Yu currently has many problems, at least on the surface it remains prosperous and peaceful; logically speaking, such issues should not arise.
"Unknowing?"
"Then what use is your Directorate of Astronomy to me?!"
Li Cangwu fiercely swept his sleeve, his face turning deathly pale as he said: "Give your Directorate of Astronomy three days; if you cannot find the source of the problem, everyone in the Directorate will be exterminated, along with their nine clans!"
Qin Musen's body trembled violently, and he looked at Li Cangwu with utter despair.
Three days?
Since the problems with Yu's national fortune began, the people of the Directorate of Astronomy have been constantly busy with calculations and investigations, yet they have found no clues whatsoever.
How could the cause possibly be found in such a short three days?
"Still not getting out?!"
Seeing Qin Musen still kneeling in place, Li Cangwu immediately shouted.
Qin Musen hastily rose to his feet, bowed his hands to Li Cangwu, and left the main hall.
Directorate of Astronomy.
After Qin Musen returned, he immediately ordered that the five supervisors and all disciples of the Directorate of Astronomy be summoned.
Facing the assembled crowd, Qin Musen spoke with an ashen face: "His Majesty has commanded that we uncover the cause of the decline in national fortune within three days, or else we will all be exterminated along with our nine clans."
What?!
Upon hearing this, everyone present turned pale with shock.
Three days' time?
"Brother Xu, I wish to hear your opinion." Ignoring the despair of the crowd, Qin Musen turned to Xu Liang.
They had previously calculated that the root of Yu's national fortune problem lay in Fenglin Town and the ruins of Tilan Mountain.
Xu Liang had once accompanied Li Xingchao to the ruins of Tilan Mountain and had stayed in Fenglin Town for a long time.
Qin Musen wanted to see if Xu Liang had discovered any clues.
His words drew the attention of the other three supervisors of the Directorate of Astronomy, and all four turned to look at him.
Xu Liang furrowed his brows tightly and remained silent for a long time.
"Old Xu, please speak quickly—our lives and fortunes are at stake!"
"Exactly, Old Xu—if you have found anything, do not hide it. The Directorate of Astronomy has one hundred and twenty disciples and officials; the nine clans of these one hundred and twenty amount to tens of thousands of lives!"
"Old Xu, please!"
Xu Liang's hesitation indicated that he had indeed discovered something, but was restrained by some reason and had not spoken.
Now, facing death, these disciples and officials no longer cared about such matters; they only wished for Xu Liang to quickly reveal whatever clues he had found.
Even if what he said was not the main cause, as long as it could temporarily slow the decline of national fortune, allowing Li Cangwu to see that the Directorate of Astronomy still had some use, they would have a chance to survive.
"Brother Xu..."
Qin Musen looked at Xu Liang with a pleading expression: "Old man, I am not afraid of death, but I do not wish to implicate my family, nor do I wish for their families to die innocently because of this."
"We who practice the arts of wuzhu all know of karmic retribution; if Brother Xu indirectly caused the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent people..."
"Old Qin, this matter is certainly not due to Xu's deliberate concealment; it is simply... it involves too much!"
Xu Liang gritted his teeth and finally spoke.
Involves too much?
The crowd was puzzled; in their view, what matter could be more important than the affairs of national fortune?
"Forget it—you all may leave first." Xu Liang glanced at the officials and disciples before him and waved his hand.
The officials and disciples hesitated for a moment, then obediently withdrew.
After only the five supervisors remained in the hall, Xu Liang slowly spoke: "To be honest, I myself do not know whether that matter truly affects Yu's national fortune."
"But if this matter reaches the Emperor's ears, Crown Prince Li Xun will surely die without a chance to survive!"
Crown Prince Li Xun?!
Upon hearing this, several people were stunned.
They could not have imagined that this matter would involve Li Xun.
He is the only son of the Seventh Prince, Li Xingchao!
Over the years, the people of the Directorate of Astronomy have, under Li Xingchao's influence, become his supporters.
"Brother Xu, quickly tell us the details!" Qin Musen urged after long contemplation.
Xu Liang nodded and said: "When I first followed the Seventh Prince to Fenglin Town, Crown Prince Li Xun seemed to have suffered some kind of curse-like attack shortly thereafter. I believed it to be the work of a witch, and prepared to help him remove it."
"But..."
As he spoke these words, Xu Liang could not help but recall the terrifying scene he had secretly witnessed that night in the Fenglin Town government office,
when a towering, heaven-piercing giant suddenly descended upon this world; the giant merely glanced at him with four eyes, causing his protective amulet to shatter, and he himself nearly died on the spot.
"To preserve the Crown Prince's life, I had the Prince use the jade pendant left to him by the Emperor, employing Yu's national fortune to shield his personal fortune."
Upon hearing this, the four fell silent at once.
They were not foolish; they knew this must be the primary cause of Yu's national fortune decline.
Yet the Directorate of Astronomy now supports Li Xingchao, and Li Xun is his only son, who is very likely to become the Crown Prince of Yu, and even a future emperor.
He is the one they ought to serve loyally.
If they were to reveal this matter to the current Emperor now, given Li Cangwu's temperament, he would surely order Li Xun's execution!
If Li Xun died, Li Xingchao would have no heir.
A ruler without offspring is a grave taboo.
Our Directorate of Astronomy has already taken sides...
"Let us go find the Prince!"
After a long while, among the five witnesses, a thin old man in an indigo-blue long robe slowly spoke: "Gentlemen, don't be foolish."
"The Directorate of Astronomy supports the Seventh Prince, but if the State of Yu no longer exists, what use is it to support anyone?"
Upon hearing his words, several people showed expressions of shock.
Yes!
The fate of the State of Yu is tied to its survival; if the curse on Li Xun truly affects the state's fate, then to save Li Xun's life, we must gamble with the state's fate.
None of them dares to guarantee whether, when the state's fate is exhausted, the curse on Li Xun can be lifted.
"Old man feels there's no need to seek the Prince; we should go see His Majesty immediately."
"The Crown Prince bears such a terrifying curse; it was heaven's decree at the time. We who practice the secret arts of feng shui should understand clearly: heavenly mandate cannot be defied."
"Brother Xu forcibly using the state's fate to prolong the Crown Prince's life—what consequences this brings, you all have seen."
"I agree with Brother Zhang's view!"
"I agree too!"
Among the five, aside from Xu Liang and Qin Mu Shen, the other three have already expressed their stance, intending to inform Li Cangwu of this matter.
"Alas!"
Xu Liang also felt somewhat helpless at this moment.
He knew he truly was powerless to change this situation.
The curse is so terrifying; having lost the state's protection, Li Xun simply cannot endure much longer.
And once Li Xun dies, Li Xingchao will inevitably fall into madness.
By then, who knows what changes might occur?
……
In the palace, Li Cangwu gazed at Qin Mu Shen and the four others kneeling before him, his expression shifting between light and dark.
"Xu Liang, is this truly as you said?"
Below, Xu Liang hastily clasped his hands: "Your Majesty, every word of this old subject is true!"
Li Cangwu fell silent.
A curse?
Could a single curse actually be this severe? In just over a year, it has forcibly drained nearly sixty percent of Yu's state fate!
Does the Wu of Murky Cloud State possess such means?
The moment this thought arose in his mind, he dismissed it.
If Murky Cloud State had such means, it could not possibly have been attacked and its ancestral temple destroyed by Zhao Wují, with the imperial clan slaughtered to the last.
Behind this must be some mysterious figure.
Since that mysterious powerhouse acted against his own grandson, if he were to kill Li Xun and resolve the second state fate crisis, the other party might not necessarily cease.
His expression constantly shifting, Li Cangwu paced back and forth before the five.
After a long while, he finally steeled himself!
The matter of state fate must be resolved; only by resolving it does he have a chance to break through to the Elemental Martial Realm in a short time.
With the strength of the Elemental Martial Realm, facing this unknown enemy, he would have greater confidence.
Moreover, he still has other trump cards; if the enemy truly intends to act against Yu, he does not mind fighting them head-on!
"Someone, summon the Seventh Prince and his son!"
Li Cangwu shouted.
Upon hearing this, Xu Liang and the four others trembled slightly, their hearts instantly mourning Li Xun in silence.
Shortly after, the one-armed Li Xingchao and Li Xun arrived at the main hall.
Seeing Xu Liang and the four others kneeling in the hall, Li Xingchao's heart gave a sudden "ge dun"!
As clever as he is, seeing this scene, he instantly guessed the general situation.
"The child pays respects to Father Emperor."
"The grandchild pays respects to Grandfather Emperor."
After they clasped their hands, Li Cangwu looked at Li Xun with a complex expression and said: "Xun'er, come."
Li Xun, unsuspecting, immediately stepped forward.
But Li Xingchao beside him hastily grabbed him, eyes fixed tightly on Li Cangwu, saying: "Father Emperor..."
Li Xun looked puzzled, unaware of what had happened to his father.
"Xun'er, come."
Meeting Li Xingchao's gaze, Li Cangwu's eyebrows twitched slightly several times, yet he still spoke firmly.
Li Xun glanced at his father, then at his grandfather before him, and ultimately walked to Li Cangwu's side.
"Grandfather Emperor."
Again clasping his hands toward Li Cangwu, Li Xun said obediently.
Li Cangwu squatted down, gently stroking his head, gazing at him with a complex expression.
In his life, he has had thirty-five sons, and over a hundred grandsons.
Among these many sons, he favors most the eldest Li Xingyan and the seventh Li Xingchao; thus, these years in seclusion, he has entrusted all major and minor state affairs to these two brothers.
And among the over a hundred grandsons, Li Xun is indeed one of the few he likes most.
Li Xun possesses good talent and firm perseverance; aside from suffering from dwarfism, in all other aspects he is an excellent choice for a future Yu emperor.
Even so, Li Cangwu once thought that even if he ultimately chose to pass the throne to Li Xingyan, he would issue an edict to make Li Xun the crown prince.
After all, Li Xingyan has no sons, only two daughters.
"Xun'er, how has Grandfather Emperor treated you?" Li Cangwu spoke slowly.
Li Xun was stunned for a moment, then clasped his hands and said: "Your Majesty treats this grandson very well!"
Li Cangwu smiled and nodded, saying: "Born into the imperial family, many times you must be prepared to sacrifice for the imperial family."
Upon hearing this, Li Xun's expression changed slightly, and he turned to look at his father.
At this moment, Li Xingchao's eyes already showed a hint of despair, for he knew what awaited Li Xun.
Indeed, at this moment Li Cangwu slowly reached out and gently took the jade pendant hanging from Li Xun's neck.
"The Celestial Pivot Jade Pendant..."
"This jade pendant was crafted by the first Emperor Yu from the two companion jade stones of the Imperial Seal."
"After its completion, it has always been kept together with the Imperial Seal."
"I have passed the Celestial Pivot Jade Pendant to your uncle and father, so they may handle state affairs in my stead."
Upon hearing Li Cangwu mention this jade pendant, Li Xun's expression changed slightly.
Though he was not clever, he was certainly not foolish, and naturally recalled the curse upon himself.
"Your Majesty..."
"Xun'er..." Without giving Li Xun a chance to speak, Li Cangwu continued: "If your life can exchange for a thousand more years of prosperity for my Yu nation's imperial line, are you willing?"
Li Xun was stunned.
He understood what his grandfather meant.
After a moment of silence, he suddenly smiled and said:
"Your Majesty, this grandson is willing."
"But... this grandson has a request."
"Li Xun!"
Behind him, Li Xingchao could no longer bear it, shouting loudly before dropping to his knees and pressing his head to the ground: "Father Emperor, your subject has only this one child, Xun'er!"
Li Cangwu looked at him, then calmly turned his gaze to Li Xun and said: "What is your request?"
Li Xun turned to look at his father with a faint smile and said: "Father, your son may not be able to accompany you."
Li Xingchao raised his head, tears on his face as he approached: "Xun'er, there will be a way, there will be a way."
"Several Imperial Astronomers, quickly think of a solution!"
Seeing the five men kneeling nearby, Li Xingchao hurriedly shouted.
The five men's expressions were grim, none daring to speak.
"Your Majesty, this grandson can remove the Celestial Pivot Jade Pendant, but this grandson does not wish to die."
"Please, Your Majesty, allow this grandson to leave Zhongzhou, for this grandson wishes to seek a chance to survive on his own."
Afflicted by the curse, he knew that once he removed the Celestial Pivot Jade Pendant, he would not live long.
Yet all living beings desire to live, and Li Xun still wished to strive.
Li Cangwu hesitated for a moment, then said: "If retrieving the Celestial Pivot Jade Pendant can truly halt the decline of the nation's fortune, I can agree to your request."
Li Xun clasped his hands and said: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
As he spoke, he looked at his father and said: "Father, do not worry, your subject will not easily admit defeat."
As his words fell, he resolutely removed the Celestial Pivot Jade Pendant from his neck and handed it to Li Cangwu.
At the instant the Celestial Pivot Jade Pendant left his hand, Li Cangwu suddenly felt a violent shock to his spirit!
Meanwhile, the five men beside Xu Liang were startled to see a huge face suddenly appear above Li Xun's head—furious yet seemingly helpless!
"Qin Mu Shen, go check whether the fortune of my Yu nation has changed!"
Gripping the jade tightly, Li Cangwu spoke.
Qin Mu Shen hurriedly returned to the Imperial Observatory, gazing at the great celestial instrument at its center, where nine segments of orange-yellow jade formed a light pillar that had now returned to the color of Seven Radiance, his face instantly lighting up with joy.
In the hall, Qin Mu Shen clasped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, the nation's fortune has already returned to Seven Radiance, and shows a short-term upward trend."
Upon hearing this, Li Cangwu laughed.
Yet Li Xingchao's face beside him was full of sorrow, even a faint trace of resentment flashing in his eyes.
"Old Seven..."
"Father Emperor, your subject and Xun'er take our leave."
Before Li Cangwu could finish his words, Li Xingchao directly took Li Xun and left the hall.
Watching the backs of father and son, Li Cangwu's eyes flickered with a hint of guilt, but he quickly suppressed it.
"Qin Mu Shen, you five must watch the nation's fortune closely for me during this time; report any changes immediately!"
Upon hearing this, the five men breathed a great sigh of relief and hurriedly clasped their hands in farewell.
Outside the hall, Xu Liang caught up with Li Xingchao and his son, and gently clasped his hands, saying: "Your Highness, Crown Prince, I..."
"Diviner, this matter is not your fault." Li Xingchao said calmly: "I have heard that Your Majesty has given you three days to resolve the nation's fortune, otherwise all one hundred and twenty personnel of the Imperial Observatory will be executed along with their nine clans."
Faced with life and death, he did not expect Xu Liang to continue guarding this secret.
"Diviner, can you tell me how much longer I have to live?" Li Xun suddenly asked.
Upon hearing this, Xu Liang quietly gazed at the dense black mist hovering above Li Xun's head, his expression solemn as he said: "Less than three months."
Three months?
Li Xingchao's face changed dramatically.
Yet Li Xun spoke calmly: "Three months is enough."
"Father Emperor, your subject will now seek a place to enter secluded cultivation."
"After seclusion, if I am not dead, your subject will leave the Yu nation to seek that sliver of vitality."
"One day, if your son still lives, he will return to see you."
Saying this, Li Xun dropped to his knees, bowed three times to his father with resounding knocks, then resolutely walked toward the outside of Zhongzhou City.
……
Inside the Ascension Immortal Assembly.
Fang Xu on the bed slowly opened his eyes.
At this moment, he emitted a strange aura; if an outsider were present, they would notice that although Fang Xu was clearly before their eyes in this state, he also seemed to be very far away.
Moreover, his body carried an additional faint aura of keeping strangers at a distance, as if… as if he was no longer the previous Fang Xu.
This feeling was entirely one of lofty superiority, so that even without deliberate effort, it would make others feel ashamed and unworthy in his presence.
Starlight flickered faintly within his pupils.
After a long while, everything returned to calm, and the sacred aura on his body gradually faded.
Fang Xu then slowly closed his eyes again, his consciousness sinking into his own sea of awareness.
During his contemplation of the Heaven-Praying Technique, he sensed that his system had undergone some subtle changes.
But at that time, he was in a critical moment and had no time to observe exactly what had happened to the system.
Now, with his consciousness sinking deep into the sea of awareness, he noticed that his friend list had undergone some subtle changes.
Specifically, the original health bar representing each person's life value had changed from one bar to two!
For example, Li Xun, who was ranked first, originally had a single life-value bar now reduced to 65%; beneath this life-value bar, however, a green health bar had reappeared, currently at 55%!
Fang Xu was dumbfounded.
What is this?
He noticed that the green health bars following Lu Shengren, Tuoba Xiong, and the other nine names behind Li Xun were mostly below 10%, with Lu Shengren's even at 0%.
After observing for a while, Fang Xu shook his head, unable to understand, and thus decided not to delve deeper.
He slowly got up from the bed and looked out the window at the sky.
After comprehending the Heaven-Praying Technique, his perception of the world had undergone some subtle changes; the specific effects of this change, he could not immediately articulate.
Roughly speaking, some intangible things, when observed through the use of the Heaven-Praying Technique, had become tangible entities.
For instance, an unknown plant placed on the windowsill—when Fang Xu directed the Heaven-Praying Technique at it, he could clearly sense that this seemingly vibrant plant was about to die.
But regarding the specifics, he wanted to understand, so he immediately decided to ask Lu Zhiyuan.
The tortoise shell of the Heaven-Praying Technique was a gift from Lu Zhiyuan; although Lu Zhiyuan himself did not know the Heaven-Praying Technique, as a descendant of the Grand Priest family of Mu Yun State, Fang Xu believed Lu Zhiyuan certainly knew some techniques regarding the application of the Heaven-Praying Technique.
The Heaven-Praying Technique is quite interesting.
Like divine abilities, although he had comprehended it, he could not articulate it.
It is yet another kind of miraculous thing that can be understood but not expressed in words.
Leaving the mountain gate, Fang Xu arrived at the mountain-foot annex; upon entering, he saw a flash of red standing in the courtyard, teaching Tongtong martial arts.
Hearing the movement, the red-clad figure slowly turned around.
"Senior Sister." Fang Xu clasped his hands; Lu Qingluo nodded and said: "Two days ago I came to find you, saw the lanterns hanging outside your courtyard, so I did not disturb."
Fang Xu slightly nodded; hanging the lanterns was because he needed to contemplate things, unsure how long it would take, fearing disturbance.
"Fang Xu, I heard you have joined the Law Enforcement Hall?" Lu Qingluo's eyes flashed with a sharp light as she asked.
Fang Xu nodded: "Senior Sister, which master are you preparing to apprentice under?"
Lu Qingluo shook her head: "I am not skilled in combat; this mission nearly failed, so I estimate I will apprentice under the Affairs Hall, just like Yun Wan."
The Affairs Hall rarely requires going out to fight, and Lu Qingluo has had contact with Yanwu, who also expressed willingness to take her as a disciple.
Lu Qingluo knows her own limits; if she wished to apprentice under another Affairs Hall, even the Affairs Hall assessment alone would likely be difficult for her to complete.
"The Affairs Hall is quite good." Fang Xu said: "And the Master?"
"He is inside keeping company with Senior Ape."
Before Lu Qingluo could speak, Tongtong beside her interjected first.
Senior Ape!?
Fang Xu's body shuddered violently; he looked toward the distant room, then suddenly rushed over!
"Meddlesome!"
"I originally wanted to give him a surprise!"
After Fang Xu left, Lu Qingluo glared at Tongtong and said:
Tongtong stuck out her tongue at her: "Holy Maiden, I want to learn beast taming from Senior Ape, not practice martial arts..."
Hearing her words, Lu Qingluo directly raised her hand and flicked her forehead with a knuckle, saying: "To learn beast taming, one must also practice martial arts; do not forget how Mu Yun State was destroyed!"
"Hurry up and practice!"
"With such excellent talent, you are only now at the ninth level of Martial Apprentice..."
After Fang Xu arrived at the room, unable to suppress his inner excitement, his trembling hand pushed open the door.
Inside the room, the elderly ape's withered figure lay on the bed, Lu Zhiyuan sat beside him, the two seemingly discussing something joyful, a faint smile on the old ape's face.
Hearing the movement, both turned their gazes toward him.
"Fang Xu."
"Little Fang."
Fang Xu suppressed his inner excitement, clasped his hands toward Lu Zhiyuan: "Master."
Then he stepped forward to the bedside, slowly knelt down, grasped the old ape's furry large hand, his eye sockets red, voice trembling: "Uncle Ape."
The old ape grinned: "Kid, why do you still want to cry in front of this old man?"
Fang Xu rubbed his nose, a faint smile appearing on his face.
But when he quietly activated the Heaven-Praying Technique, the smile on his face froze once again.
Six months!
The old ape probably has only six months of lifespan left!
"Yuan Bo, did your life-prolonging secret technique fail?!" Fang Xu said anxiously.
The old ape shook his head and said: "It's not exactly a failure, just didn't achieve the expected effect."
"The purification pool that Elder Jiang took me to is defective."
Purification pool?
Fang Xu was stunned for a moment and said: "What is that?"
The old ape pondered for a moment and explained: "It is a miraculous place born of heaven and earth; the water of the purification pool has a great effect on us demon beasts. Soaking in it can purify one's bloodline and improve bloodline quality."
"The Demonic Ape Clan possesses ancient demonic ape bloodline. After soaking in that defective purification pool, I activated some of the demonic ape bloodline, and the depleted blood and qi received some fundamental replenishment."
"But the energy of that defective purification pool is extremely scarce, insufficient to support me in completely purifying my own bloodline."
Hearing this, Fang Xu immediately asked: "Then where else is there a purification pool? Kid, I'll take you to find it!"
Seeing Fang Xu like this, the old ape chuckled and shook his head: "Such heaven-born fortuitous places—how could they be so easy to find?"
"Then how did Elder Jiang find it? Where is that defective purification pool? I'll go search the surroundings again!"
The old ape smiled kindly and shook his head: "I can still barely cling to life for a few more months; that's already enough."
"You kid, don't wear yourself out."
"Fang Xu, your master has already told me everything about you."
"Not bad."
"Yuan Bo, quickly tell me about the purification pool." Fang Xu didn't answer, still asking about everything regarding the purification pool.
"Fang Xu."
On the side, Lu Zhiyuan spoke: "Senior Yuan doesn't tell you naturally has his thoughts; you don't need to keep asking."
The old ape smiled and nodded: "In my life, from a confused beast to gaining wisdom, and now to this day, I've lived for several hundred years—enough..."
"In a few days, if you're not busy, come with me back to Tilan Mountain."
Seeing the pleading look in the old ape's eyes, Fang Xu could only helplessly nod.
"Yuan Bo, I will definitely take you back to Tilan Mountain!"
The old ape smiled and nodded.
"Fang Xu, as your master, I sense a special aura on you—have you comprehended the Prayer to Heaven Technique?" Lu Zhiyuan frowned and said.
He himself does not know the Prayer to Heaven Technique, but he once felt on his grandfather that sacred, unworldly aura of the Prayer to Heaven Technique.
At this moment, Fang Xu has this aura on him.
"Master, disciple has indeed comprehended the Prayer to Heaven Technique; I came today to ask you how to use it."
Seeing him admit it, Lu Zhiyuan's face showed a hint of shock!
Then came deep disappointment.
I have treasured the turtle shell of the Jade Turtle for decades, but because it lacks a key part, I have never comprehended the Prayer to Heaven Technique.
I thought this secret art would be lost in my hands, never expecting that Fang Xu would comprehend it in just over a month.
Comparing people really makes one angry to death!
"Wait a moment." Lu Zhiyuan said, walking to the nearby desk, taking paper and brush, preparing to write down the usage techniques of the Prayer to Heaven Technique.
Seeing this, Fang Xu also looked toward the old ape on the bed and said: "Yuan Bo, how do you feel physically now?"
The old ape shook his head and said: "Weak."
"My current body hardly has any cultivation left."
Fang Xu felt terrible after hearing this.
Someone who once stood at the peak of the current martial world suddenly became a powerless old man who can't even truss a chicken—how painful must this gap be?
The old ape becoming like this now is entirely thanks to Lü Shengren and Tuoba Xiong!
If not for the two blocking him at Huayang Mountain, the old ape wouldn't have exhausted his blood and qi fighting them.
So, how could his grudges with the major families possibly be easily resolved?
"When does Yuan Bo plan to set out for Tilan Mountain?" Fang Xu asked again.
The old ape glanced at him, a flash of impatience in his eyes, but then put on an indifferent act: "I'm not in a hurry; whenever you have time, just let me know."
Seeing his eyes betraying urgency, Fang Xu knew the old ape really wants to return to Tilan Mountain now.
He just fears delaying his own cultivation and doesn't want to show it.
"Tomorrow then; tomorrow I'll take you back."
"On the way we'll walk slowly, take in the prosperity of the mortal world."
He said he would take the old ape to properly tour the mortal world, but until now he hasn't fulfilled that promise.
Now that the grudges with the four great families have been put on pause, I can properly take the old ape to tour the mortal world.
Six months' time is enough for them to squander.
"No need to be so urgent..." the old ape said.
"Not in a hurry; the kid also has nothing to do now." Fang Xu smiled, holding his furry big hand.
The old ape said nothing more, a pair of somewhat cloudy eyes gazing at Fang Xu, full of reluctance.
"Alright, this is the usage method of the Prayer to Heaven Technique." Lu Zhiyuan handed over the written papers to Fang Xu and solemnly said: "Strictly speaking, the Prayer to Heaven Technique belongs to feng shui secret arts; the most fundamental essence of feng shui secret arts is to steal and conceal heavenly secrets. Overuse will bring misfortune—you must use it cautiously."
"Especially note this: the greater the impact of what you wish to change using the Prayer to Heaven Technique, the fiercer the backlash. Never force it."
Fang Xu nodded, took back the papers into his Cosmos Sack.
He didn't linger long in the side courtyard; after hastily bidding farewell to the old ape and Lu Zhiyuan, he directly returned to the affairs hall of the Ascension Immortal Society.
The old ape unwilling to tell him everything about the purification pool, but Fang Xu has no intention of giving up.
Since the purification pool can save the old ape's life, he must think of every possible way to find it!
"Senior Brother Fang, what do you need?"
Nowadays, Fang Xu was somewhat of a celebrity at the Yu Kingdom Ascension Immortal Assembly; the female disciple at the front desk of the Affairs Hall recognized him at a glance and immediately spoke respectfully.
"I want to inquire about something."
"Senior Brother, please speak," the female disciple said.
"It's about the Purification Pool," Fang Xu replied.
"Purification Pool!?" the female disciple was somewhat surprised, then apologetically shook her head and said: "Sorry, Senior Brother Fang, this information requires you to go find the steward; I don't have the authority."
Hmm?
Upon hearing this, Fang Xu became a little curious and was about to ask when he saw Yan Wu walk out from behind.
"Greetings, Steward," Fang Xu said, clasping his hands: "Steward, I, the disciple, wish to inquire about a piece of information."
"About the Purification Pool, right?" Yan Wu seemed to have guessed Fang Xu's purpose for coming and directly said: "The steward has ordered, cannot tell you."
Fang Xu did not understand: "Why?"
Yan Wu smiled faintly: "Kid, what do you think the Purification Pool is?"
"It is a tremendous opportunity with the ability to defy heaven and change fate for countless demon races."
"Such an opportunity is usually accompanied by great danger; even with the steward's strength, they dare not take it lightly. Do you think, after I tell you, you could still go and find it alive?"
Hearing these words, Fang Xu finally understood that no matter how he begged, Old Yuan would never tell him about the Purification Pool.
Clearly, he did not want Fang Xu to take the risk.
"Steward, I, the disciple, am not an impulsive person; if it were a certain-death situation, I would definitely not act rashly."
"Please just tell me."
Fang Xu pleaded.
Right now, Old Yuan only had six months of life left, and he did not want to give up this opportunity.
At the very least, he had to strive for it.
"You're not an impulsive person?" Yan Wu sneered: "You don't know that back on the Ascension Platform, your master Chu Ren Di almost came to blows with Steward Xu over you."
"I don't want to be beaten up by your master later."
"You may go; I will not tell you about the Purification Pool."
Yan Wu's attitude was very firm.
Fang Xu felt helpless and could only leave the Affairs Hall resentfully, then hurried toward the secluded residence of Jiang Feng on the back mountain.
But just as he arrived before the bamboo grove, two disciples stopped him: "Junior Brother Fang, the steward said, if you come to find him asking about the Purification Pool, you don't need to go up."
Fang Xu frowned slightly.
Another disciple then added: "Junior Brother Fang, the steward is injured, so don't be obstinate."
Jiang Feng is injured!?
Even a Half-Step Elemental Martial Realm expert couldn't retreat unscathed; is the Purification Pool really that dangerous?
Fang Xu's expression inevitably became somewhat solemn.
After returning listlessly to the Law Enforcement Hall, Fang Xu greeted Chu Ren Di and prepared to return to his own small courtyard.
"Are you worried about the Purification Pool?" Chu Ren Di said lightly.
Fang Xu's steps paused slightly, then he suddenly turned to look at Chu Ren Di and said: "Master, do you also know about the Purification Pool?"
Chu Ren Di nodded and said: "The Purification Pool is divided into seven colors, also called the Seven-Color Purification Pool; for humans, its effect is not too great, but for demon beasts, it has a deadly allure."
"You should know that the cultivation method of the demon race differs from that of humans; they rely more on the purity of their bloodline."
"The higher the grade of the Seven-Color Purification Pool, the greater its effect on the demon race's bloodline."
"This causes even the lowest-grade Purification Pool to be guarded by great demons around it."
"Even with your master's strength, they dare not approach it lightly; you might as well give up."
Upon hearing this, the hopeful light in Fang Xu's eyes gradually dimmed: "Master, then is there no other way to save Old Yuan?"
Chu Ren Di shook his head and said: "It is said that an eighth-grade alchemist can refine a pill called the Creation Pill, which can extend a person's lifespan by sixty years."
"But let alone whether the heavenly materials and earthly treasures needed to refine the Creation Pill can be found, there isn't even an eighth-grade alchemist on the Immortal Island."
"So..." Looking at Fang Xu, Chu Ren Di's words trailed off.
Fang Xu understood his meaning; it was nothing more than advising him to give up.
"Master, the disciple understands," Fang Xu said, clasping his hands: "The disciple wishes to take Old Yuan on a journey tomorrow, to accompany him through the final moments of his life."
Chu Ren Di nodded and said: "Very well, be careful on the road."
(End of Chapter)
End of Chapter
