Chapter 472

While the white egret and scarlet ibis busily directed the Four Spirit Warship in battle, Wu Tie, standing to the side watching, flicked his head, and a strand of hair naturally fell off, transforming into another Wu Tie hovering in midair.

Linghu Qingqing - Linghu Qingqing (glossary)

Wu Tie's grasp of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth was soaring; according to primordial mythology, his Dao cultivation realm was leaping forward. As his Dao cultivation surged, the Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique became ever more wondrous.

The white egret employed part of the Ten Dragon Palace's restrictions to seal Wu Tie, yet at this moment Wu Tie could still unleash his divine ability in a silent, soundless escape.

Outside the traveling palace, in the bamboo grove, Wu Tie appeared silently.

With a soft "bang," several stalks of green bamboo exploded into fragments; Zhao Xiu, in an extremely overbearing manner, tore through space to appear ten zhang before Wu Tie. However, Zhao Xiu's landing point was not precise—his body overlapped with several bamboo stalks, and the sudden surge of his magical power as he appeared shattered those bamboo stalks.

Wu Tie raised an eyebrow; this was clearly not Zhao Xiu's own doing.

He must have been delivered by some device akin to a spatial gate, used as a tool, directly sent here. From Daze Prefecture to this traveling palace is quite a distance; being able to precisely send Zhao Xiu here makes this technology very interesting.

Four Spirit Warship - Four Spirit Warship

Myriad Dragon Palace - Myriad Dragon Palace

Zhao Xiu stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes flashing with a sinister gloom; he stared at Wu Tie up and down for a long while before slowly nodding: "The dukedom—I can decide on it. This is not merely my opinion, but a decision made jointly by His Majesty and the Left and Right Ministers."

Wu Tie shook his head: "That's rather petty. If it were you, taking a dukedom would be generous. But His Majesty and the two ministers—well, that's just too petty."

Flower Insect City - Flower Insect City

Three Great Divine Kingdoms - Three Great Divine Kingdoms

Zhao Xiu pressed his lips, ending this meaningless, worthless dispute, and said in a deep voice: "Since you're willing to come here, you've obviously decided to accept my terms. Cooperate with me to assassinate the Martial Sovereign; if you succeed in severely wounding him, at least a third-rank duke awaits you."

Wu Tie narrowed his eyes: "Not sincere, Lord Zhao Xiu, not sincere at all. Besides a third-rank duke, what else is there?"

Zhao Xiu closed his eyes, forcibly suppressing the fire in his heart, and said coldly: "Zhao Yin's death—written off."

Wu Tie laughed especially brightly: "It's originally none of my concern, but not having Lord Zhao Xiu dwell on me behind my back feels rather nice… Hmm, there's a saying—I wonder if I should ask it?"

Nine Revolutions Mystic Art - Nine Revolutions Mystic Art

Wu Tie looked curiously at Zhao Xiu: "Well, actually I'm quite surprised—Lord Zhao Xiu previously wanted to kill me, so why go through such a troublesome method, involving me in the matter of opening the secret passage?"

Primeval Forbidden Technique - Primeval Forbidden Technique

He tilted his head slightly, looking at Wu Tie and speaking softly: "You don't understand; many people don't… The flower of civilization is withering, its transmission shrinking… Nowadays many people, many high-ranking officials in the court, their thoughts and methods are actually like beasts—might makes right."

"Including Left Minister Linghu Qingqing—his methods ultimately amount to overpowering others with force, using absolute strength to create an overwhelming violence that crushes everything."

"That's wrong." Zhao Xiu lightly shook his head, speaking softly: "That's wrong—people are not beasts; we cannot rely purely on martial force, on violence to solve problems. If this continues, we may truly degenerate into humanoid beasts that worship violence above all."

"Such things I disdain." A layer of indescribable divine light appeared on Zhao Xiu's face; he bore deep piety, deep sanctity, deep solemnity and gravity, and said earnestly: "Therefore, from the moment I officially entered court as an official, I have been learning not to resort directly to violence to settle matters."

Cultivation Secret Manuals - Cultivation Secret Manuals

Secret Arts of Refining Weapons, Pills, Formations, Talismans, Puppets, and Corpses - Secret Arts of Refining Weapons, Pills, Formations, Talismans, Puppets, and Corpses

Zhao Xiu leisurely said: "In the palace's secret archive, the Wenhua Hall, there are ancient forbidden texts that only high-ranking nobles may read. Many people, after painstakingly accumulating merits and entering the Wenhua Hall, read all sorts of cultivation secret manuals, various secrets of artifact forging, pill refining, formation laying, talisman crafting, puppet and corpse refining… Only I, I read what?"

"The *Art of War* by Sunzi, the *Wuzi*, the *Wei Liaozi*, the *Six Strategies*…" Zhao Xiu glanced askance at Wu Tie, utterly undisguised in his contempt: "But what use is it to tell you these? You, and others as well, simply don't understand… Few true connoisseurs; when the strings break, who will listen?"

Primeval Civilization - Primeval Civilization

Unexpectedly, this fellow is still an idealist.

Especially, his ideal turns out to be so lofty, so flawless.

When the entire court of civil and military officials has fallen into the logical trap of venerating martial might above all, even senior ministers like Linghu Qingqing and Gongyang Sanlü maintain their authority and suppress the court through brutal force—yet there appears Zhao Xiu, an oddity unwilling to resort to the most direct martial solution?

Wu Tie couldn't help but feel a solemn respect; then, in his heart he raised his vigilance toward Zhao Xiu by at least three levels.

Chief of the Secretariat Hall - Chief of the Secretariat Hall

Even capable of remaining calm in the face of the hatred of killing one's child, firmly carrying out the principles he holds in his heart—not through direct bodily destruction, but by advancing via various roundabout means… Such a person is terrifying, dangerous, yet worthy of respect.

But… Wu Tie glared resentfully at Zhao Xiu: "Not using direct martial force, you sent people to Huachong City to slaughter my entire clan—what is this for?"

Zhao Xiu narrowed his eyes at Wu Tie and said calmly: "To kill, one must strike at the heart—that's a strategy of attacking the mind. Of course, it's also to give my wife an explanation; otherwise, dealing with you, a mere Longjiang Marquis, taking this long to fail to take your head, I might as well use the heads of your whole family to cheer her up!"

Wu Tie likewise narrowed his eyes at Zhao Xiu and slowly nodded: "I understand, Lord Zhao… you are truly… different."

Zhao Xiu gave an arrogant smile: "I, Zhao Xiu, have always been different. Amid the vast world, I alone am awake—nothing more than that."

Ministers - Ministers

However, what does this have to do with Wu Tie? Just let him feel good about himself.

Civilization inheritance?

You three great divine nations on the surface—what civilization inheritance do you even have!

Wu Tie recalled the Triple-Link City, recalled the vast civilization classics within it, like a sea of smoke—those were the true civilization inheritance, the true civilization seeds. Whereas in the three great divine nations on the surface, similar civilization seeds have long been destroyed, right?

Even if you, Zhao Xiu, exert all your strength, you could never truly witness the most glorious aspect of the primordial civilization!

Born in the desert, don't even think of growing splendid flowers.

Wu Tie shook his head, quickly changed the subject: "That's how it is; there is still enmity between Lord Zhao Xiu and Huo Mou. I don't know why, my lord, you would seek cooperation between Huo Mou and you."

Zhao Xiu gave a cold smile: "Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique."

Wu Tie stared at Zhao Xiu in astonishment: "Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique?"

Zhao Xiu firmly nodded: "It is indeed the Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique… otherwise, why would I cheapen it for you, giving you this dangerous yet opportunity to earn tremendous merit?"

Wu Tie looked at Zhao Xiu, somewhat puzzled.

Zhao Xiu snorted coldly, gritting his teeth, his expression complex as he looked at Wu Tie: "You, have you already been recruited by some noble in the court?"

Wu Tie laughed: "As expected of the Hall of Machinery's chief, hehe, yes, but I still don't know that noble's name."

Zhao Xiu nodded, coldly saying: "I knew it would turn out this way; after all, the Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique—this primordial forbidden art—if one does not obtain the gods' permission, anyone who cultivates such a primordial forbidden art will die without a burial place."

Before Wu Tie could speak, Zhao Xiu asked him: "You know, even though everyone knows these primordial arts are forbidden techniques that must not be cultivated, each year how many people secretly attempt to cultivate them, only to be struck down by the gods' heavenly thunder and turned to green smoke?"

Wu Tie spread his hands, indicating he didn't know.

Zhao Xiu raised his head and said softly: "Not mentioning other aristocratic clans, just the Great Jin royal clan—over the past year, thirty-nine self-important royal clansmen secretly cultivated various primordial forbidden arts, without exception, all had their souls scattered and spirits dispersed."

Wu Tie shuddered: "Indeed, their courage is commendable."

Zhao Xiu snorted coldly: "Courage commendable? No, it's profit that moves them. The three great divine nations—each royal clan possesses a secret divine-level art; each such art can directly reach the godly realm, especially when the art is overwhelming, the mana and physique cultivated from it can crush all other arts of the world."

He drew a deep breath, Zhao Xiu said solemnly: "But, the imperial clans' divine-level cultivation arts nominally seem to be of the same rank as the Primordial Forbidden Technique; in fact……they are far inferior."

Zhao Xiu said: "Great Jin, Great Wei, Great Wu—the imperial clan cultivation methods of these three are all incomplete, all have flaws, all have fatal flaws, and likewise, all manner of divine abilities and secret arts have various shortcomings."

"Not mentioning anything else, just speaking of the legendary Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang and Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend transformations—these top-tier divine abilities—when all the cultivation methods of the three imperial clans are combined, they only amount to Twelve Heavenly Gang Changes and Twenty-Four Earthly Fiend Changes."

Zhao Xiu sneered: "Not only that, as long as you cultivate the imperial clans' divine-level cultivation methods of the three, all their divine abilities and secret arts are fixed at these Twelve Heavenly Gang Changes and Twenty-Four Earthly Fiend Changes; even if they break through to the Divine Manifestation Realm, they cannot break this shackle."

"This is the Heavenly God Shackles, imposed innately by the gods who granted these divine-level cultivation methods."

Wu Tie stared at Zhao Xiu, dumbfounded.

Zhao Xiu looked up at the sky; not far away, thousands of Great Wu warships spewed streams of light, frantically attacking the temporary palace's defenses.

"So, every fortunate one who receives the gods' permission to cultivate the Primordial Forbidden Method……will become a hot commodity." Zhao Xiu sneered: "Only that bunch of fools, Sima You and company, who have no idea of life or death, would collude with the fools of the Examination Bureau, and send you, this hot commodity privileged to cultivate the Nine Turns Mysterious Method, all the way to Great Marsh Prefecture."

"Moreover, because of their intervention……many people came to think that the Left and Right Ministers had designs on you, temporarily slowing their efforts to win you over……as a result, that sneaky underhanded fellow reaped benefits out of nowhere."

Wu Tie looked at Zhao Xiu thoughtfully: "I see, so then?"

Zhao Xiu looked at Wu Tie and said solemnly: "So then, you cultivate the Nine Turns Mysterious Method; the various divine-ability mysteries of the Nine Turns Mysterious Method, in the Three Kingdoms battlefield, you obtained Spirit Qi Infusion Body in the Blood Flag Contention Battle; I suppose you have fully mastered it."

"Your combat strength may not be strong, but your ability transformations could be the foremost in the court." Zhao Xiu said solemnly: "What I want is precisely your ability transformations. Only you have the chance to assassinate Martial Sovereign and gravely wound him."

While speaking, Zhao Xiu produced seven spikes, uniformly gray-white, continually emitting a gloomy yin-evil cold qi, their shape twisted and bizarre like dead poisonous serpents.

"This is the Profound Darkness Sealing Spike……it targets the seven apertures. If even one strikes, Martial Sovereign, even at half-step Divine Manifestation Realm, will surely be gravely wounded and unable to recover." Zhao Xiu handed the Profound Darkness Sealing Spike to Wu Tie, saying solemnly: "Sneak up beside Martial Sovereign, take him unawares, and strike with this secret treasure."

Wu Tie took the Profound Darkness Sealing Spike, examined it carefully, felt the lurking malign energy within, suddenly looked up, pointed at the yellow lotuses blooming profusely in the midair not far from the temporary palace, and chuckled softly: "To gravely wound Martial Sovereign seems not difficult either."

Zhao Xiu looked over as well, his face turning extremely strange.

In midair, a heavy light curtain shrouded the traveling palace above, and countless bolts of lightning poured down like water from the curtain, frantically striking Wu Du Zun.

Around Wu Du Zun, countless yellow lotuses constantly blossomed and withered; each yellow lotus, upon exploding, turned into a heavy yellow mist that encircled Wu Du Zun, blocking the immense pressure of the city's defensive barriers.

Green chains kept shooting out of the void, frantically attacking Wu Du Zun, but the yellow lotus defense around him was incredibly strong, outright blocking the attacks of these bronze chains.

Wu Du Zun struggled to inch forward through the heavy light curtain, while on the city wall, Huang Long and several panda strongmen were frantically attacking him.

That golden banner had exhausted Wu Du Zun's strength; all his defensive power had to be used to fend off the city's attacks, so against Huang Long and the panda strongmen's assaults, Wu Du Zun actually had no strength left to strike back.

Huang Long raised his tail and, with a crackle, lashed Wu Du Zun's face.

Several panda strongmen lifted wind-polished copper staves, chanting a work song as they wildly pounded Wu Du Zun's head.

Wu Du Zun's originally dignified face was now bloodied from the blows, his nasal bone collapsed, making him look quite wan.

Wu Tie hefted the seven sealing cones, each one chi two cun long, in his hand, gave a hehe laugh, then turned into a flowing wind and darted toward Wu Du Zun.

Zhao Xiu stared, dumbstruck, at the struggling Wu Du Zun breaking through, and gently closed their eyes.

"Damn fools…… Besides using violence, use your brains!"

"A son of a thousand gold does not sit idle…… The mighty Crown Prince of Great Wu personally leads the siege…… You, you, you…… You infuriate me!"