Chapter 637: The Five Methods of Corpse Liberation—Unusual!

Third Master spoke slowly, his voice heavy with sorrow and disappointment: "You obtained the Master's corpse-liberation method—we expected you to consume the corpse-qi left by the Master, using scholarly merit to completely erase his influence over Da Qi. Yet we never imagined..."

His face was filled with grief, his voice low: "Yet you still followed the Master's old path. You created the Nine Surnames, erased the Master's corpse-liberation method once more, and perpetuated the corpse-qi through intermarriage among the clans."

Upon hearing this, Su Jing's expression remained calm, offering no reply.

Had Third Master not been confined to the academy for years without stepping outside, he might have noticed long ago.

Though his actions were secret, some within the Nine Surnames had already sensed it.

For instance, the brothers Xie Hong and Xie Ling of the Xie family.

The two pillars of the Li family who guarded the state.

The Nine Surnames were indeed his creation; the rise of the aristocratic clans was merely a continuation of the corpse-liberation method.

Third Master said, "As long as the Nine Surnames do not perish, you may continue your corpse-liberation."

"Even if the Nine Surnames fall, as long as future descendants rise again, you may perform corpse-liberation once more."

Su Jing merely sighed: "The Master's corpse-liberation method was too complete. He infused corpse-qi into Da Qi, the academy, and all Confucian learning across the land."

"As long as Da Qi endures, the academy stands, and Confucianism lives, the Master remains eternal. This is nearly perfect—the sixth reincarnation through corpse-liberation is as unshakable as Mount Tai."

"Yet..."

A trace of regret flickered in Su Jing's gaze: "Yet the Master met Second Master."

"Second Master's sword—nine blades united—can sever all karmic ties."

This was why the four of them dared to jointly slay the Master back then.

Among the three senior brothers of the academy, Su Jing feared Second Master most.

He was the only one capable of unraveling the corpse-liberation reincarnation method.

The one he feared least was First Master—he lived a carefree life, yet was bound the most: the first half trapped by the Master, the second half trapped by himself.

On the fourth floor, lantern light swayed, casting complex expressions upon their faces.

"Second Master should have been the one most likely to ascend in this thousand years."

Second Master's sword was not taught by the Master.

It seemed born of heaven and earth.

The Nine Swords, born from observing heaven and earth, each carried its own spirit.

Third Master sighed, the sound echoing through the air, as if sealing away this long-buried past.

On the fourth floor, silence returned once more.

Su Jing gazed through the window lattice toward the gathering of beauties.

The grand banquet neared its end, with only the final three courtesans taking the stage to perform.

Once their performances concluded, this lively feast would draw to a close.

Su Jing's gaze shifted to the waterworks; the river shimmered with reflected lanterns and moonlight, like a flowing river of stars, where painted boats vied to cross, singing and dancing.

Su Jing suddenly turned his head, his tone laced with amusement: "Today's Bianjing is unusually lively—many familiar faces have appeared."

"Even the demons of Ze Lake dare show themselves—when the master is absent, even beasts grow bold."

Third Master remained silent.

He knew well that today's gathering of beauties had drawn renowned Grand Masters from across the land, and even some reclusive experts had secretly appeared.

Yet Third Master changed tone, his voice tinged with curiosity: "I find it strange—why did you organize this gathering of beauties for the Yellow River relief and repairs? That's not your style."

His gaze was deep, as if trying to pierce Su Jing's thoughts: "With the Nine Surnames so deeply entangled and Da Qi's current state, chaos across the land would benefit your corpse-liberation method far more."

"In times of peace, corpse-liberation's power halves; it is the world's calamity-qi that best nourishes it. This is why the Master, though dominating the world, deliberately prevented Da Qi from unifying."

The Master's corpse-liberation method, however ingenious and cunning, could not escape heaven's limits.

Corpse-liberation could be performed only six times in a lifetime, and each reincarnation required facing human calamity.

The Master's earlier corpse-liberations were all opportunistic.

He supported the Northern Shengtian, secretly promoted the rise of the Southern Buddhist kingdom, and used war to evade human calamity.

Yet during his last corpse-liberation, the Master grew arrogant, believing himself invincible.

He focused entirely on cultivating the "Ze Lake" dragon pond, nurturing a dragon, certain of success—yet he ultimately died by human calamity: his four disciples joined forces to slay him, ending his corpse-liberation path.

Now, Su Jing faces his first corpse-liberation, and must likewise confront human calamity.

Several among the Nine Surnames are stirring, currents surging beneath the surface—whether Su Jing can survive this trial remains uncertain.

Su Jing smiled faintly, a flicker of unfathomable light in his eyes.

He did not answer directly, only said calmly: "Senior Brother, some things are not as you imagine."

On the fourth floor, the brilliant lantern light fell upon the pearl curtains.

The clamor outside the window gradually faded.

Only the night wind brushed gently, bringing a touch of coolness.

"The world has been too deeply shaped by Lu Chen—too many wish to become heroes who save the world, great men who stand firm amid chaos."

"If the Yellow River crisis is not resolved, soon the whole land will rise in rebellion, and every Daozhou may raise the banner of restoring Da Yan."

"If a man emerges who treads the imperial streets trampling noble bones, and burns the imperial treasury to ash—how will the Nine Surnames of Da Qi stand then?"

Su Jing's tone was calm: "Wasn't the great Tang Dynasty nearly destroyed when that Li Tianwang slaughtered the nobles?"

If someone were to arise at that time, one who treads the bones of nobles on the heavenly street and burns the imperial treasury's brocade to ash, how would the Nine Great Clans of Da Qi stand?

Yet Tang's fall was not directly caused by Da Qi, but by a rebel army that breached the capital and utterly toppled it.

That Li Tianwang had once been merely a salt smuggler from Hexi Dao, yet when he raised his banner, the whole land rallied to him.

His rebel flag bore the words: "By dream, entrusted by the Yan King, I undertake heaven's mandate to punish the rebels."

Behind it, of course, lay the covert support of the ancient sect—the Three True Ones.

Third Master nodded slightly, his expression tinged with reflection.

Lu Chen's life was indeed legendary.

He established merit, virtue, and words.

He founded Yan, reformed laws and governance, and ultimately wrote books, leaving behind the Zhongnan Three True Ones sect.

His ideas profoundly influenced the world, still revered a thousand years after his death.

The world still observes festivals in his honor, sacrificing to the Yan King.

Su Jing smiled: "To prolong Da Qi's survival is the wisest course."

Third Master's gaze was steady, lost in thought.

The two fell silent, saying no more.

The Third Master's gaze was steady, lost in thought.

The two fell silent, saying no more.

Yu Ke descended the fourth floor slowly, his expression composed.

The lame old man at the gate wore a grim expression; that Xie Guan had descended unharmed proved he had escaped unscathed, untouched by the affair.

The lame old man muttered: "Xie Guan—what a lucky man!"

Yu Ke walked up to the lame old man and smiled faintly.

"Disappointed, I see."

The lame old man's eyes flashed with malice; he lowered his voice in threat: "I hope you never step beyond the threshold of the Xie Fu again."

Yu Ke paid it no mind, thinking to himself: even outside the Xie Fu, he still had the academy as refuge, protected by the Masters—there was nothing to fear.

Moreover, Xie Guan's cultivation was advancing at a breakneck pace.

Yu Ke glanced at the lame old man, raised his thumb, then slowly turned it downward, smiling.

"Next time you see me, if you don't run, you're this."

The lame old man froze, then understood—his face turned instantly ashen, fists clenched tight, knuckles cracking with strain.

Xie Guan had already turned away.

Only the lame old man remained, his hatred for Xie Guan burning deep, yet he sensed something different about this Xie Guan—somehow, he was no longer the cautious, calculating man from the carriage pavilion.

He had gained... a certain ease.

Only the crippled old man remained; though he hated Xie Guan with every fiber of his being, he felt this Xie Guan seemed different from the cautious, composed Xie Guan he had known at the carriage pavilion.

Added a touch of… casualness!

(End of Chapter)