Chapter 343

"Oh?"

Hearing Li Yan mention Qiankun Academy, Yuan Feng was obviously a bit surprised, "Young Hero Li's news is quite well-informed."

Li Yan nodded: "I have some friends, just happened to learn about this by accident."

This matter was told to him by Yan Yan Jiuling in a letter.

The imperial court wanted to establish an academy specifically for studying all kinds of miscellaneous studies, which would be set up in the capital; Yan Yan Jiuling was very optimistic and wanted to take a position in it...

Thinking of this, Li Yan couldn't help but ask: "Does this Qiankun Academy have to be responsible for gunpowder allocation?"

"Not necessarily."

Yuan Feng stroked his beard and smiled: "This matter is also a coincidence."

"During the previous dynasty, because foreign missionaries colluded with pirates, taking advantage of the north-south confrontation in the Divine Land, they wantonly harassed the coast, and all foreign heterodox sects were eradicated by the Mystic Sect."

"Since the opening of the sea, these missionaries have come from the sea again, offering many treasures to the imperial court, wanting to preach, but were repeatedly opposed by several State Preceptors."

"But they didn't give up, and offered many books and artifacts, involving medicine, divination, mechanisms, firearms, and navigation charts, which attracted the attention of the imperial court."

"The Emperor inquired carefully, only then knowing that many foreign countries had large academies specifically for studying various miscellaneous studies, and these years they were blooming."

"The Emperor had the heart to imitate, but this matter also caused controversy in the court, and it became a matter of struggle between the Local Faction and the Open-Sea Faction."

"The Local Faction believed that these were all strange skills and clever tricks, just petty skills, and if they played with things and lost their ambition, it would be of no benefit to the country and the people, and even launched Confucian scholars to criticize them wantonly..."

"The Open-Sea Faction also invited people, saying that this was investigating things to extend knowledge, exploring the great Dao of heaven and earth, benefiting the country and the people, and the merit would last for ages."

"In short, both sides fought endlessly. Finally, the Emperor made a decision and prepared to establish Qiankun Academy."

Saying this, he couldn't help but show a smile, "This Qiankun Academy, although it bears the name of Confucian investigation to extend knowledge, and has Confucian scholars entering, it recruits more masters of miscellaneous studies such as agriculture, mathematics, and mechanisms."

"For my Mo Sect, it is naturally a good thing."

"Not to mention anything else, this Qiankun Academy hasn't been established yet, and the Emperor has already given a task, asking us to travel all over the Divine Land to find mineral deposits in various places."

"For example, the Divine Land is vast; the thirty-six grotto-heavens and seventy-two blessed lands determined at the beginning are no longer applicable, and there are many hidden places that Qiankun Academy will send people to investigate specifically."

"The Mystic Sect also actively responded, and many feng shui masters from Ganzhou have already joined; with this Lu Ban Wooden Magpie, it's simply like adding wings to a tiger..."

Seeing this old man getting more and more excited as he spoke, Li Yan had to helplessly interrupt: "Elder, what does this have to do with firearms?"

Yuan Feng replied: "The Divine Land is too big, and Qiankun Academy has just been prepared, so its power is limited, so people will be sent to various places."

"In the mountains and forests, it's inevitable to encounter mountain spirits and wild monsters, and some things involve the secrets of the imperial court, so naturally they can't be left entirely to outsiders, so the academy will also recruit some high-level guards to specifically escort them."

"With Young Hero Li's reputation in Ezhou, you naturally have the qualifications; the old man can help you hang a name, directly receiving gunpowder from the yamen in various places in the name of Qiankun Academy."

"But for one thing, you can't sell it privately, and for another, you have to help Qiankun Academy do some things occasionally, which can block everyone's mouth."

Saying this, he blinked, meaningfully: "The key is, you don't have to spend money to buy it..."

"Deal! Thank you, Elder."

Li Yan was overjoyed and nodded directly in agreement.

This new-style gunpowder wasn't cheap; after all, it had two heavenly spirits and earthly treasures, and even the imperial court's army only dared to use it at critical moments.

Just this item alone could save a lot of money.

After reaching an agreement, both sides were naturally very satisfied.

With this Lu Ban Wooden Magpie, the Mo Sect could carry out imitation; if it could play a role in this Southwest War, for them, it would be a heaven-defying merit.

Thinking of this, Elder Yuan's mood became better and better, asking: "Young Hero Li, what are your arrangements recently?"

Li Yan replied truthfully: "The Shen mansion matter is over, it's not convenient for us to stay, we will find a place nearby to live in seclusion, stabilize our cultivation, and when the time comes, we will go to Zhenwu Palace to build a building."

"Oh?"

Yuan Feng heard this and was also surprised, "If the old man remembers correctly, Young Hero Li's cultivation is now at the second floor?"

Seeing Li Yan nod, he pondered for a moment, smiling: "The Ministry of Works will send people later; this can also be considered a task before the establishment of Qiankun Academy, Young Hero Li might as well hang a name directly, and after it's done, the old man will report it directly, which will save a lot of trouble."

"When Qiankun Academy is established, Young Hero Li can also be considered a founding member, and no one will be able to pick any faults."

Li Yan was surprised: "This also counts as a task?"

"Why not?"

Yuan Feng stroked his beard and smiled: "In this tomb, there is the inheritance of my Mo Sect's mechanism arts, which might be the foundation for standing in Qiankun Academy in the future."

"Since there is the Lu Ban Wooden Magpie inside, there might be other mechanism treasures, which cannot be missed."

"It's just this 'Shi Rou', not only is its body quite large, but it also fused with the extremely ominous place, turning into an evil object itself, and will cause chaos sooner or later, so the old man has already invited many experts to come and help."

"At that time, both Buddhist and Daoist sides will take action, the Daoist side will open a thunder altar to suppress and kill, and the Buddhist side will set up an altar to eliminate the evil energy; Young Hero Li just needs to help."

"Of course."

Li Yan nodded and smiled: "We also want to see it."

…………

The next day, in a mountain hollow near Lake Lake Liangzi.

On the rugged mountain road, Shen Shen Jinghong and two servants led the way in front, while Li Yan and the others followed behind.

Shen Shen Jinghong walked while persuading: "Young Hero Li, the Shen mansion has many houses, why not stay..."

"Young Master Shen, no need for formalities."

Li Yan smiled: "We are all rough people, dancing with knives and guns all day, and you have to be busy with business, and the mansion is now full of women, so it's not appropriate to stay."

After the conditions were negotiated yesterday, Yuan Feng took people to transport the Lu Ban Wooden Magpie, and Master Lin naturally couldn't wait, taking the "Tanyan" meat back to cure his son's illness.

Li Yan also planned to leave the Shen mansion and live in seclusion nearby, while practicing and watching the fun.

Shen Shen Jinghong naturally wasn't very willing.

He originally only regarded Li Yan and the others as high-level sorcerers, but after coming and going these days, seeing all the forces he couldn't afford to offend, he immediately understood Li Yan's value and wanted to curry favor.

Li Yan naturally knew what he was thinking, meaningfully saying: "See that Elder Yuan? Many people will come in a few days; although there are many villages near Lake Lake Liangzi, some things are not convenient."

"If you visit more and cooperate, there will naturally be benefits."

Shen Shen Jinghong immediately understood and cupped his hands: "Thank you, Young Hero Li, for your guidance."

While speaking, everyone had entered the mountain hollow.

Passing through a bamboo forest, the view suddenly opened up, appearing in an open space, with lush vegetation, and two stilt houses hidden, but the wood was mottled, clearly abandoned for a long time.

"Here, it's this place."

Shen Shen Jinghong said: "The Miao village is closed and doesn't like outsiders entering, and sometimes they meet and fight among themselves. Many years ago, because of some quarrels, two villages became enemies, fought each other, and many people died." "Later, this matter was calmed down by officials sent by the imperial court, but one of the villages had too many deaths, so they migrated to other places."

"One family refused to leave, built a house here to live alone, worked in my Shen family's kiln, later the old people died one after another, leaving an only son, who ran to other places to make a living, so this place was left vacant."

After saying this, he ordered the servants to clean up the house, and also left a cart of firewood, rice, oil, salt, and bacon.

After some tossing, after Shen Shen Jinghong and the others left, it was already dusk.

Li Yan and the others lit a bonfire in the open space outside the building.

Not long after, the fragrance of the meat soup in the iron pot wafted in all directions.

Here, one could overlook Lake Lake Liangzi, but seeing the sky full of stars, the bonfire crackling, the evening wind blowing, and drinking meat soup with cakes, everyone felt refreshed.

"Finally, we can rest for a while."

Wang Wang Daoxuan sighed, "This poor Daoist used to walk the martial world, although most of the time I slept in the open, and those I met were all poor commoners, I lived comfortably, as long as I had something to eat."

"Now I lack nothing, but I feel tired in my heart; the more I seek, the more I feel that every step is difficult..."

Li Yan noticed something unusual and hurriedly asked: "Daoist, have you finished reading those books? Did you find any clues?"

!.

At that time, Liu Gang used Wang Wang Daoxuan's inheritance as a condition and even threatened Lu San's life to make him deal with Tongtian Tongtian San Niang and others.

Although they successfully escaped danger and killed a group of evil people, the secret in Liu Gang's mouth was not uncovered.

Fortunately, the other party left many feng shui secret books, and Wang Wang Daoxuan spent most of his time reading and studying them on this journey.

If there were clues, they might be in these books.

"I did find clues."

Wang Wang Daoxuan shook his head helplessly, "But it's just some leads."

Li Yan became interested, "Daoist, tell me, no matter what difficulties there are, we can think of a way."

Wang Wang Daoxuan said in a deep voice: "Liu Gang tried to become an Earth Immortal, which couldn't be separated from grotto-heaven treasure lands, so he collected many feng shui secret books, wanting to find the five great grotto-heavens."

"Although this poor Daoist didn't find the inheritance location, I learned about the origin of my lineage."

"My Xixuan lineage, if traced back to the source, comes from the Eight Immortals of Tang Yao..."

"Eight Immortals?"

Sha Sha Li Fei became interested, "Daoist, your backer is big enough, Fan Tieguai Li, or Patriarch Lu?"

Wang Wang Daoxuan laughed dumbly, "Not those few, but the Eight Immortals of Tang Yao, namely Emperor Master Sanfeng Zhenren, Guangchengzi, Master Hongya, Sima Qian Yi Jian, Chisongzi, Ningfengzi, Ma Qin Shi Huang, and Chijiang Ziyu."

"My lineage comes from 'Chijiang Ziyu', who is rumored to be a person of the Yellow Emperor's time, who didn't eat grains but ate the flowers of a hundred herbs. 'Dining on flowers and drinking dew' refers to him."

"During the time of Emperor Wen of Han, there was a person named Pei Pei Xuanren, whose home was in Hancheng, Shanzhou, who met a Daoist named Zhi Ziyuan, who passed down the 'Five-Headed Divine Formula' of 'Chijiang Ziyu', and he cultivated successfully, becoming a great cultivator of the Mystic Sect at that time."

"Later, he made contributions in attacking the Xiongnu, was enfeoffed as a marquis, and moved to be the Inspector of Jizhou. As his Daoist cultivation deepened, he resigned from office, abandoned his family, traveled to famous mountains, made friends with various immortals, passed on true scriptures, founded the Xixuan lineage, and ascended successfully."

"Until the third year of Xingning of the Jin Dynasty, he descended to Yang Xi's house with Wang Tongbai Master Sanfeng Zhenren, Zhonghou Wang Lady, and Nanyue Wei Lady, and passed on the 'Precious Divine Scripture'."

"Daoist, wait a moment."

Li Yan frowned, immediately noticing something wrong, and asked: "Pei Pei Xuanren was a person of the Western Han Dynasty, and that Zhonghou Wang Lady was the daughter of King Ling of Zhou; they had already ascended successfully, how could they still descend, and not fear violating the 'Heavenly Law'?"

Wang Wang Daoxuan shook his head: "This poor Daoist doesn't understand either; in history, immortals often descended to enlighten mortals, which didn't violate the Heavenly Law; perhaps they were acting on orders."

"For example, this Yang Xi later founded the Shangqing Sect of the Daoist Sect and was later enfeoffed as the Cave-Spirit Manifestation Supreme Virtue True Man."

"According to Liu Gang, the Xuanqi Xianwei Chen Chen Tianjun that this poor Daoist worships was of the same era, and was also a person of the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the leader of the Xixuan lineage."

"He was called a True Man, and probably had already ascended successfully, but in history, there is no record at all, only my Xixuan lineage has been passed down; something big must have happened in between."

"In Liu Gang's books, the orientation of my Xixuan ancestral court was marked, to the west of Juqu Mountain."

"Juqu Mountain is the ancient name, which is today's Maoshan."

Li Yan heard this and immediately understood, saying in a deep voice: "Maoshan is the Shangqing Sect altar, Pei Pei Xuanren passed the dharma to Yang Xi... Daoist suspects that the decline of the Xixuan lineage has something to do with the Shangqing Sect?"

Wang Wang Daoxuan nodded and didn't speak again.

The Shangqing Sect was not to be trifled with, worshipping Wei Huacun as the founder, rising in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, flourishing in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and its Maoshan talismans shook the world.

Although it declined during the Southern Song Dynasty, its influence was still not small, and some people merged into the Zhengyi Sect of Longhushan.

To them, it was still a behemoth.

If there was really some connection in it...

Thinking of this, Li Yan said in a deep voice: "Daoist, don't worry, your business is our business, we have plenty of time."

"Might as well inquire secretly, clarify what happened, and then make plans."

"That's right!"

Sha Sha Li Fei also persuaded: "Daoist, don't worry, you are the orthodox Xixuan, we are just helping you take back the inheritance, they are big and powerful now, could they still block us?"

However, Wang Wang Daoxuan was silent for a moment, shook his head and smiled: "Thank you for your kindness, but what inheritance, this poor Daoist doesn't care anymore."

"The dharma passed down by my Xixuan lineage now is mostly to help people pray for blessings and eliminate disasters, which I think is the intention of the founder."

"It doesn't hinder cultivation and can accumulate merit, which is enough for this poor Daoist; seeking too much is just adding trouble."

"Let's talk about this later."

Li Yan shook his head slightly and stopped the topic.

He could give up on this matter, but he would definitely find a way to inquire clearly, and saying more was useless.

Thinking of this, Li Yan said in a deep voice: "Everyone, practice with peace of mind during this time, and practice firearms openly, striving to go to Mount Mount Wudang after autumn!"

After setting the plan, everyone stopped thinking about it.

In the following days, they each practiced, and at a fixed time every day, they would go to the uninhabited mountains nearby to practice firearms.

In their spare time, Li Yan didn't hide anything, telling Sha Sha Li Fei and Lu San his understanding of martial arts, and helping the two of them spar.

Of course, most of the time, they practiced on their own.

For example, Li Yan mainly practiced Lei Gang Martial Arts...

Wang Wang Daoxuan tried more advanced prayer and disaster-eliminating arts...

Lu San often took a group of spirit beasts and Wu Ba, under the introduction of the wild deity Black Head Great King of Lake Lake Liangzi, to run to various desolate mountains nearby, communicating with those mountain spirits and wild monsters...

And around Lake Lake Liangzi, it became more and more lively.

Another five days passed, and finally a small official came down from the mountain, handing over a post, "Young Hero Li, I am ordered by Elder Yuan to invite you down the mountain..."

(End of chapter)