Chapter 341: Five Dragons Holding the Saint, Nine Palaces Hanging Stars

"Clear the heart and see the nature."

"Understand the truth and perceive the void."

Lei Dharma Silver smacked his lips and sighed: "This is the layout of a Sage!"

How many people in this world can clear their hearts internally and understand the truth externally? To clearly realize one's own limitations and perceive the various illusions of worldly affairs.

If one can achieve these two points, one must be a Sage.

Xu Jia said modestly: "How could I compare to a Sage? I am merely a True Person."

"A True Person is also remarkable." Lei Dharma Silver recorded these words, then said: "My Lei family has passed down a great formation since ancient times called 'Five Dragons Holding the Saint, Nine Palaces Hanging Stars'. Combining the nine and five, it is the most supreme formation. It can gather the incoming dragons from the five directions, correspond to the destiny of the Nine Stars of the Big Dipper, incorporate the Earth Grid, and conceal the Heavenly Layout. It is just that there has never been a suitable place to set it up. Now it seems this Sanqing Mountain is just right."

"However, this formation requires many Heavenly Spirit Earth Treasures. Previously, when the True Person slew the evil Flood Dragon, their Flood Dragon Horns and Flood Dragon Pearls were all treasures of Feng Shui. Obtaining one is enough to allow a commoner to defy the heavens and change their fate, ensuring three generations of wealth; they can serve as suppression objects. But for 'Five Dragons Holding the Saint', this 'Saint' character is the most precious. Ordinary things cannot suppress it. It happens to fall within Sanqing Palace. Although Sanqing Palace enshrines the Three Pure Ones, to form the layout, it still requires hundreds of years of worship and absorption of truth, with the blessings of successive generations of True Cultivators, before it can become a Taoist holy land. Now, it still needs a treasure that can be brought out to serve as a suppression object."

"It is a Town Mountain Treasure, meant to suppress a strand of destiny. Just like the several Town Sect Treasures of the Yellow Heaven Sect back then, the most widely circulated 'Raw Rice Bowl' was one of them."

"A Town Mountain Treasure?"

Xu Jia thought of the Dragon-Shaped Imperial Jade, but that thing was the Town State Treasure of the Luzon Kingdom, an object for establishing the Dao Court, and it was orthodox Kunlun.

What about here at Sanqing Mountain? What else is suitable to serve as the Town Mountain Treasure for the Lingbao Lineage?

Xu Jia thought of the Rao Pearl, but the Rao Pearl was merely an Abundance Vessel, not suitable for suppression, and it was a life-bound divine artifact refined by Ao Jin Tongzi. It was impossible for an object refined by a child to be a Town Mountain Treasure.

What remained was the "Chaos Pearl" just obtained, but this thing was the Town Sect Treasure of the Yellow Heaven Sect. Xu Jia felt the dead Yellow Heaven Sect was fine as it was; there was no need to let it possess him to resurrect.

As for the remaining treasures, there were none except those he had refined himself, only that Innate Killing Sword, the Weiji Immortal Sword.

Although this sword had intense killing intent, there is a saying: "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." Killing intent cannot be absent. Xu Jia immediately said to Lei Dharma Silver: "I have an immortal sword that can serve as a suppression object. This sword is a piece of Innate Divine Steel from an immortal furnace in the Shangjie that fell into the mortal world, turning into a celestial meteorite. It was wrapped in heavenly fire, calcined by a volcano for a thousand years. In my hands, it gathered the Three Talents, applied the Four Symbols, and was refined with the help of the Six Ding and Six Jia to become a sword. A few days ago, I used it to slay the Wanshou Emperor of the Longevity Sect, which dissipated some of its killing intent. It has calmed down a bit now. I wonder if it will do."

"Although a sword is a gentleman's weapon, it is also an ominous one. Anything with a sharp form contains Golden Sha. It can suppress a residence and remove filth, but it is difficult to flourish Feng Shui. However, if it is an immortal sword, one can find a way to make a scabbard to restrain its sharpness and collect the metal from the eight directions; instead, it can nourish the sword."

"This scabbard..." Lei Dharma Silver paced for a while and said: "It can only be made from the thousand-year-old wooden hearts of the thousand-year-old tree spirits, Zhang Gong and Zhang Po. However, the two of them have dispensed medicine at the Zhangshu, have much Merit, and have done no harm to people."

Lei Dharma Silver said: "Back then, the Empress of the Great Heng Emperor of the previous dynasty wanted to make a thousand-craft canopy bed. She searched everywhere for good wood. Anything with spirituality hid itself. The Imperial Observatory had to search one by one, and eventually, they found the couple, Zhang Gong and Zhang Po of the Zhangshu. Because the two of them had profound Daoist Practice, when the people from the Imperial Observatory brought craftsmen to cut the trees, for every inch cut, it grew back an inch. Half a month passed with no progress."

"The Imperial Observatory then seized the surrounding commoners and threatened them with taxes. The people of Zhangshu were helpless and could only burn incense and pray together. The next day, Zhang Gong and Zhang Po lost their Divine Ability and let the people from the Imperial Observatory cut them. As they were cut, they bled, turning the land blood-red."

"After the two great trees fell, the bark was stripped, and the raw wood was sent into the imperial palace."

"As a result, the next day, those barks grew into two hollow great trees. It is said that if a person has no heart, they die; if a tree has no heart, it lives."

"Not long after the Great Heng Dynasty forcibly requisitioned the bodies of Zhang Gong and Zhang Po, it perished. After a great fire in the imperial palace, Zhang Gong and Zhang Po took their bodies back, and the hollow trees became solid again. The local people built a temple for them. It is just that the two no longer manifest and no longer receive the Incense Fire of the people of Zhangshu."

Xu Jia heard this and said: "I have heard before that there are many Great Demons in the Jiangnan West Circuit. Besides the Demon Capital of Poyang, there are Zhang Gong and Zhang Po, who live in seclusion and cultivate alone. They must have survived the Thousand Year Tribulation during the previous dynasty. If I want to take their thousand-year wooden hearts, it would be no different from the emperor of the previous dynasty requisitioning wood and harming the people. I wonder if there is any other scabbard that can be used to restrain the killing intent of this killing sword?"

"I am afraid not," Lei Dharma Silver said. "Thousand-year-old trees are easy to find, but thousand-year-old tree demons are hard to find. Jia Wood may seem to be overcome by Geng Metal, but it also has the ability to contain it with its own scars."

Xu Jia thought: "How much wooden heart is needed?"

"Three feet and six inches," Lei Dharma Silver said. "A wooden heart grows one inch every sixty years, and one foot every six hundred years. To take three feet and six inches, it requires Zhang Gong and Zhang Po to give it together. It does not necessarily require harming their lives. If they are willing to spit it out voluntarily, it can also be used."

Assuming Zhang Gong and Zhang Po each had twelve hundred years of Daoist Practice, together they only had four feet of thousand-year wooden heart. Taking three feet and six inches would leave each of them with only two inches of wooden heart. Even if not killed, they would likely be half-dead, their Daoist Practice dissipated, and they might even fall into a deep slumber, leading to their death and the dissipation of their Dao."

Xu Jia was unwilling to do such a thing, so he said: "What if there is no scabbard? Can it not serve as a treasure to suppress destiny?"

"It is possible, but the Five Elements will always be biased. The Golden Sha formed by the abundant sharp Qi cannot be resolved, and the temperaments of the disciples will be like a sword, which is difficult to correct in terms of character."

Xu Jia thought and said: "Then let's not use a scabbard for now. I will think about this thousand-year wooden heart again."

Xu Jia's mind began to ponder, and he suddenly thought of the Voodoo Sect in America, which has a thousand-year-old Voodoo Tree, originating from the primitive Indian continent, which is over three thousand years old. The members of the Voodoo Sect always meditate around this tree to gain inspiration. The Voodoo Sect members even use witchcraft to nourish this tree, completely raising this tree into an indescribable "Evil Spirit."

The branches that fall from this Voodoo Tree are all extremely powerful materials for casting voodoo spells.

This Voodoo Tree is different from the sacred giant trees worshipped by the so-called "Druids" of Northern Europe, or elves and giants, the World Tree. That tree is in mythology, while this one is truly in reality.

Xu Jia thought, since he is already in the God Immortal Realm, it is time to make a trip. With the Chaos Pearl as an endorsement, Xu Jia might be able to descend with more and stronger power and strength in America.

After thinking, Xu Jia said to Lei Dharma Silver: "Regarding the matter of the scabbard, I may have eyes and ears in a few days. I still need to trouble you to set up the basic parts of this Feng Shui formation first."

"That is not difficult. Our family's disciples have already started doing it. But as soon as possible, at the latest in three months, we must borrow the power of heaven and earth to activate the formation. If there is no scabbard, then the Sect Leader's immortal sword must be used. Otherwise, it will be difficult to suppress the five dragons, and the Nine Palaces will have no hanging suppression treasure. If the Feng Shui layout is scattered, it will be considered a failure."

Xu Jia nodded: "Just go ahead and arrange it, there is no need to worry."

Lei Dharma Silver nodded, then wanted to see Xu Jia's immortal sword. Xu Jia then brought out this sword, and immediately it hooked the killing intent of the Three Talents, and the Tribulation Qi of the weapons from all directions appeared one after another, turning into a tornado vortex.

Lei Dharma Silver could not help but take a few steps back, his face showing shock: "The Weiji of water and fire, the non-birth of heaven and man, is it just a glimmer of life? Ten deaths and no life, the Evil Qi is too heavy. Holding it as a Saint, is it a blessing for the common people, or a disaster for the common people?"

He was a bit dazed, wanting to say something several times but not knowing what to say, only saying: "I am afraid the thousand-year wooden heart can only last for five hundred years. After five hundred years, it will be difficult to lock it."

"Five hundred years, I should have ascended long ago. All external objects can be laid down completely."

"Yes, ascended."

Lei Dharma Silver said: "Where is there eternal fortune and eternal peace? Five hundred years is long enough."

He immediately left this place and pulled his brothers and nephews out to hold a meeting. In addition to the various Heavenly Spirit Earth Treasures provided by the Jinchan, they also took out many treasures hidden from the construction of imperial palaces and mausoleums in previous dynasties, intending to use them as accompaniments for the Five Dragons Holding the Saint, Nine Palaces Hanging Stars formation of Sanqing Mountain.

If done well, they believed that the Lei family could also become a cultivation family, a thousand-year clan. If there were Earth Immortals in every generation, they would be prosperous.

Xu Jia then summoned Jinchan Duobao. Duobao's transformed appearance was a wealthy little fat man, happy and cheerful.

Xu Jia said: "I intend to equalize the fields. How many merchants are under your command, and how much land and property have they bought? Do you have the confidence to take the lead in getting them to donate their property?"

"I am afraid it is difficult," Jinchan Duobao thought and said. "Talent only goes to places that respect talent; one dies for one's confidant. Wealth only flows to places that protect wealth. Although I control the general economic lifeline, I only create a business environment that is friendly to merchants. But if I let them donate land, they will feel that this place is not friendly and will immediately go to defect to others and transfer assets. Although there is Xiao Jinchan to supervise, this violates the merchants' principle of buying and selling."

Xu Jia said: "This is the reason why I asked you to be vigilant before. But it does not matter. You just tell them to take the land and property to be auctioned."

"Auction the right to do business overseas, otherwise private ships are not allowed to go to sea and will not be protected."

Xu Jia said: "Tell them to have a longer-term vision. Merchants hoarding land cannot gain profits, but sailing and doing business can. Tell them that we have already established a country overseas, and the next step of the layout is in the southern coastal areas. If they are unwilling, and the troubled times spread here, we will only send troops to protect ordinary people, not these big merchant families."

"Ordinary people are, a household, three generations, holding no more than thirty mu of cultivated land. If it exceeds thirty mu, they will be classified as landlords."

"What if it is a big family, with seventeen or eighteen people in three generations, and each person averages only a few mu of food land, but it adds up to more than thirty mu?"

"Then divide the family, divide the fields, and divide them yourself."

Xu Jia said: "Equalizing the fields must be implemented, and the Jiangnan West Circuit must also be in our hands. Start with economic means, and then use violent means as an endorsement. I presume that seven or eight out of ten wealthy masters in the Jiangnan West Circuit have already been controlled and influenced by you, so you need to be the first to release internal news. In two months, it will be time to officially implement it."

"If they are still not sensible within these two months, then it will be clear who is our friend and who is our enemy. When it is time to turn against them, turn against them; when it is time to criticize, criticize."

Jinchan nodded: "Having a two-month buffer is fine. Since there is the matter of maritime transport as an endorsement, I presume there are still many smart people. In addition to establishing a country overseas, I presume that except for a few people who will hold on tightly and not let go of their land, most people should start thinking about opening factories and engaging in foreign trade."

"Yes, liberating agriculture and developing industry is what must be done. We must make the money of these landlord masters flow and become original capital to develop economic prosperity."

Xu Jia's route had no problems, and it was even too gentle, still thinking of discussing it with the merchant landlords, and even sharing the cake of maritime transport.

If this were in the past, it would inevitably involve inciting the emotions of the common people, killing all the way, beating the landlords until they were bloodied, and abandoning everything to hide, just to survive.

Although it was a carnival, a victory, it would inevitably leave behind many historical problems.

Xu Jia does not intend to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs just yet; they have their own uses. Those who can keep up with the development and transformation of the era should be supported in their transition, while those who cannot keep up and still think of being feudal landlords, or even slave owners, must be resolutely eliminated. He wants to cultivate capitalist thinking, grow the capital market, and expand outward, rather than becoming landlords who constantly squeeze the livelihood of the lower classes, engaging in internal involution until the lower classes have no way to retreat, thus leading to surging murderous intent and falling into extremism.

Jin Chan also understood Xu Jia's meaning; two months was enough time to operate.

He withdrew with the mission, and Xu Jia went to the Salt and Iron Bureau again.

Flintlock production has already begun in batches; the precision of the lathes hand-crafted by the blacksmiths is no less than that of the late First World War in his previous life, and things like gears and lubricating fluids have also been put into use.

The Steam Engine that Xu Jia is most concerned about has also made progress; they found Latex Trees in Nanyang, and the processing method for latex was also in the materials sent by the sacrifices from America, which solved a major problem for the Steam Engine.

As for the airtightness of the cylinders, they indeed used the mindset of refining Magic Tools to refine them, with runes, restrictions, and even Altar Opening rituals to consecrate them.

They have embarked on a path that is neither scientific nor Xianxia.

This Steam Engine is currently performing simple reciprocating motion, equivalent to a model, suspended in the air; the furnace is shaped like an Alchemical Furnace, and on both sides of the furnace fire mouth, the Talisman carved in gold is precisely for sacrificing to the Fire God Song Wuji.

After putting a few pieces of refined coking coal inside, some flame spirits immediately appeared, Fire Crows and little fire snakes, dancing in the raging fire.

A Daoist was stepping on a Zhuque Bellows, burning the flames even brighter.

The water vapor in the machine cylinder went gurgling, and faintly, one could hear the cries of a Flood Dragon; it was the essence soul of the previously killed Flood Dragon that had been refined into the machine cylinder.

The roar of this Steam Engine was like that of a powerful monster from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, carrying a unique pressure, giving one the feeling that if it were transplanted onto a heartless Flood Dragon, it could bring it back to life.

(End of this chapter)