Chapter 360: Lingbao Ruyi

The sword was forged, wrapped in dark steel with a greenish hue.

Xu Jia had not originally wanted to choose the name "Qingping" (Green Duckweed), as it was too much of a cosplay of Tongtian Jiaozhu.

What Xu Jia had in mind was "Blue Sea."

The blue sea tide rises, each generation a new wave.

But after thinking about it, he decided against it.

Yet the two characters "Qingping," rising from the humblest of origins, held a different meaning; when duckweed gathers in groups, it dyes the blue sea.

I am but a single, insignificant strand of duckweed; how could I ever become the rising tide of the blue sea?

One can only follow the masses; this is not a power that one person can achieve, but the common people of the world rising and living together.

After the sword was completed, Thunder Law hung it upon the cliff wall.

For a moment, the mysterious stars of the Nine Palaces and the Qi of the Purple Star fell upon the sword, shaking the Nine Heavens; cold light danced chaotically, the Star Gods swayed, the Taiyi star became unstable, and the Mars star shone high.

The dragons of the five directions: the Eastern Dragon rose from Kunlun, the Western Dragon rose from Tianshan, the Central Dragon rose from Qinling, the Northern Dragon rose from the Greater Khingan Range, and the Southern Dragon rose from Yungui.

These five dragons were either ascending, descending, flying, living, or soaring.

These five were all true dragons; besides them, there were many branch dragons, whether false, submerged, hidden, lying, or crouching, all following to pay homage.

As these dragon veins stirred here, strange phenomena appeared in the imperial palace of the Great Ning Dynasty over there.

First, heavenly thunder struck the Imperial Temple, starting a fire that burned the ancestral tablets.

Subsequently, a meteorite fell, smashing into the Zhuque Gate, causing the city walls to crack and the foundations to sink.

Then, during the Great Court Assembly, there appeared the omen of a white rainbow piercing the sun.

The last emperor of Great Ning was already at the end of his rope; having ascended the throne five years ago, he had personally governed but failed to seize real power. The officials were not of one mind, and though he wished to handle everything himself, he could only manage minor affairs. Working late until the third watch and waking at the fifth, he was physically and mentally exhausted. With only a single breath of heart-Qi remaining, he suddenly felt heart palpitations today, dreamt of the late emperor, and then collapsed into a coma, drifting in and out of consciousness.

After examining him, the imperial physician shook his head; he was in a state of total exhaustion.

……

The crown prince was only seven years old. Although the emperor was young, he had rarely favored the inner palace, and his progeny was thin, with only one son and two daughters, all born during his time in the prince's residence.

……

The feng shui of the world turns in cycles, just as Sun Wukong said: "The emperor's seat is taken in turns; this year it comes to my house."

Although Xu Jia was not looking to be emperor, Thunder Law was indeed building the Cave Heaven feng shui according to the method of pointing out dragon veins.

Mingxin Blessed Land, Liaozhen Grotto-Heaven.

That is exactly how they were constructed.

Xu Jia only felt the wind and clouds churning, with lightning suddenly appearing, striking the mountain cliffs or the pines and cypresses on the precipices, but it never landed on his own head.

Occasionally, he heard dragon roars; the Five Dragons Holding the Saint were holding that immortal sword, and it was the immortal sword that emitted the dragon roars.

For a time, it startled the birds in the mountains and frightened the deer and musk deer in the forests.

A poem bears witness:

Evil spirits and ghosts all shrink away, Ghost Gods cover their faces and weep in sorrow.

The colorful phoenix in the sky loses its luster, the flood dragon in the water turns dim and pale.

Sword Qi rushes to the heavens, shifting the Nine Palaces; the earth unleashes a killing intent, moving the Great Mountain. Asking where one can test the blade, the sword points at the injustices of the world.

Not long after the sword was hung, among the Three Pure Ones sacred images in the already carved and sculpted Sanqing Palace, the Lingbao Heavenly Venerable and the Supreme Dao Lord saw the Ruyi in their hands emit light.

Speaking solely of the Three Pure Ones, the Supreme Dao Lord holds the yin-yang fan, the Primordial Beginning holds a pearl, and the Lingbao Heavenly Venerable holds the Jade Ruyi.

Lingbao, Lingbao—who holds the Lingbao that takes charge and makes the decisions, and what Lingbao can be left to future generations to pass down through the ages? Is it this sword? Or perhaps those Registers? Or is it something else entirely?

Ruyi Lingbao, Lingbao Ruyi.

The light fell upon the entire governed territory, manifesting as layers and waves of blessings.

Even Xu Jia's body was covered in a layer of haze.

Once the blessings had occurred three times, he had already obtained a complete Cave Heaven Blessed Land.

If one observed the Dharma Realm, it had already surrounded Sanqing Palace; the entire Sanqing Mountain territory had become a world unto itself, everywhere a Pure Land, Blessed Fields covering the ground, clear water forming streams, boundless light, sweeping away all demonic atmosphere and gloom.

Within the Grotto-Heaven, one could see green duckweed everywhere, scattered in the air and falling into the water; among the green duckweed, one could occasionally see purple duckweed.

The Spirit Root of this Grotto-Heaven was nothing else but this green duckweed; they inhaled and exhaled Spirit Machine, participating in the cycle of the Cave Heaven Blessed Land, scattering in the wind and water—not born of a womb, not born of an egg, but born of transformation.

The green lotus of the Qingping Sect was even smaller and weaker, but it had one advantage: it grew rapidly, doubling in number within two or three days.

Whether it was the grasses and trees or the wild beasts, none paid it any mind, yet wherever it fell with the wind, it could bloom with vitality.

"Congratulations, True Person, the Cave Heaven Blessed Land array has been successfully set up." Thunder Law's face looked a bit pale; having just invoked the power of heaven and earth to drive the array, he had needed to provide some guidance. With five dragon veins, even a slight effort from one could have caused a backlash that would have ended his life, but fortunately, it went smoothly.

Xu Jia nodded: "You have worked hard."

"This is but a small matter. If not for the True Person finding this Thousand-Year Wood Core to serve as a sword sheath, it might not have had such a good effect. It is just that the Spirit Root creation within the Cave Heaven Blessed Land is actually this common duckweed—duckweed, duckweed, rootless duckweed, like a mayfly; it does not seem to be an auspicious thing."

"Though the moss flower is as small as a grain of rice, it still blooms like a peony. Although this duckweed has no roots, it is carefree and at ease; it needs no attachment, no reliance, and no support—that is self-strengthening, and it will rise to the top sooner or later."

Immediately, Xu Jia summoned Ao Jin and Jinchan Duobao: "This year, we will go all out to receive the refugees coming from the north. Do not fear the consumption of grain; we must lead them and begin a new struggle."

Jinchan Duobao sensed a humble yet surging vitality from these duckweeds and replied: "What needed to be said to them has been said. Only a portion of the merchants have returned some of their fields. As for the trading licenses for overseas business, they believe that although we have occupied Luzon, we have not occupied the coast, so they are unwilling to trade things they can see for things they cannot."

"Then forget it; they have already been given a chance," Xu Jia said. "Do not be soft-hearted. We must accumulate our own capital, not become agents for other capital. They are always arrogant, thinking they can manipulate us through certain means, not knowing that the first time we hand over sugar, the second time we hand over water, and the third time we hand over a knife. If we cannot reach an agreement, then do not talk."

Xu Jia said: "First take Nanchang Prefecture, then we shall see about the rest. One by one, we will raid their homes and take them down; we are going to rebel!"

"So fast?"

This gave Jinchan a start: "Isn't it 'store grain widely and delay becoming king'?"

"It is not fast; we have been preparing for a long time. It is just following the natural course of events."

Jinchan nodded: "Good, I will go contact Chen Gongming and the others. They are still overseas; they must come back quickly."

………

In the same year, in the ninth month, the emperor of the Great Ning Dynasty passed away. The death was kept secret, and the empress summoned the maternal relatives into the palace along with the prime minister, and drafted a will to install the young crown prince as emperor.

In the tenth month, the late emperor's younger brother, Prince Ning, led troops into the capital, intending to act as a regent.

At the same time, Xu Jia was in Jiangnan West Circuit, carrying out the "Equal Field" Works Official, in full swing.

(End of this chapter)