Liu Donghe's Essay

As the Trumpet Flower God watched Bai Zhang's departing figure, she suppressed her anger, waved her hand, closed the gate, and locked it.

It's infuriating.

But it's alright.

These scholars, or other practitioners, at least came directly to declare war, without any attempt to hide their intentions.

They came directly to draw a line, which was easy to handle; we could simply deal with whatever came our way.

Ultimately, he was still a scholar. Even if he was dissatisfied, he wouldn't come knocking on the door directly. In fact, if he chose to speak behind closed doors, everything might have appeared polite and the situation wouldn't have been too unpleasant.

Pity.

However, as Bai Zhang said, after staying in the Baiyue region for so long, she no longer had much patience.

Scene?

The scene looked good, so the other side wasn't going to send her back?

What a joke! She didn't come back this time intending to be gentle and kind with these people.

In Baiyue, wanting to regain face... would be more in line with the standard of 'barbarism'.

The most common approach is to storm into the other side's house, wipe them out, or even dig up all the burial goods from their ancestral graves as compensation—solving problems like a gangster.

Although it's impossible to do in Chang'an, she won't actually put on a show of 'mutual forgiveness' with these people.

However, doing this is not so simple; it requires a lot of preparation.

"I've rested enough, let's continue preparations," Trumpet Flower God muttered to herself, then picked up the terminal and left the room.

In the residential area of Chang'an, there is the Liu family.

It's already noon, and it will be afternoon in a little while.

Li Qi is packaging the physical Witchcraft Silkworm and recording a video through the terminal.

"I'm all ready here, what about you?" Li Qi asked, looking behind him.

Liu Shenzhi is currently engraving the Literary Qi, which can then be directly distributed to others, similar to flyers and instruction manuals.

"Almost there, just one hundred copies left. I'll just copy them." Liu Shenzhi said casually as he worked.

The two are making final preparations.

Prepare the samples and flyers, and then wait for the literary gathering of the Trumpet Flower God. At that time, it will surely cause a sensation in the Imperial Garden, which will be the best time for publicity.

Once everything was ready, the two looked at each other.

It's almost time; I should go get the article.

The two set off together, heading towards Liu Donghe's study.

Since they were at home, it only took them a few minutes to get to Liu Donghe's study.

Standing at the door of the study, Liu Shenzhi cupped his hands and replied, "Father, we've come to collect the poems and essays."

"Okay, it's finished." Liu Donghe replied from inside, and then a light piece of paper flew out.

Such a light piece of paper can affect the future of countless people, including the future life of a fifth-rank official.

Li Qi experienced the power of 'influence' once again.

Just like how he, a seventh-rank official, made a move in Baiyue, which caused countless effects, even suppressing all the water gu in the river. His casual command also caused many mountain gods to run around, and even attracted three Ghost Shaman, resulting in the death of thousands of people in a mountain village.

And now, Liu Donghe is doing the same thing.

However, Li Qi suddenly realized that if Liu Donghe, and even other high-level experts like them, had such a huge influence, then why hadn't the world been in constant turmoil?

Li Qi's own words could cause so much trouble; logically, their actions should have spread and even brought about indescribable turmoil.

Li Qi originally thought that the way to control influence was to go into seclusion, change his name, and hide his actions, so as to prevent many things from happening.

This method is clumsy, but it's the best method Li Qi can think of at this stage.

Now, he discovered that a group of high-level experts, including Liu Donghe, seemed to be exerting their influence without any apparent concern, but surprisingly, no negative consequences resulted.

There must be some method behind it.

As Li Qi pondered these things, he saw that Liu Shenzhi had already accepted the paper.

Compared to Li Qi, Liu Shenzhi didn't think too deeply. He happily grabbed the piece of paper and said, "Thank you, Father. We'll be going now!"

"Go ahead, but remember, don't do anything outrageous under my name. If you cause trouble, I won't help you clean up the mess," Liu Donghe said sternly.

"Don't worry, Father, what foolish thing have I ever done? Besides, if you don't trust me, you should trust Brother Li." Liu Shenzhi said casually, then pulled Li Qi and said, "Let's go, Brother Li, let's go to the Imperial Garden!"

"Uh, oh, okay, then Uncle, we'll take our leave first." Li Qi said goodbye and was pulled away as well.

Liu Donghe watched the two young men's retreating figures and shook his head.

That idiot Liu Shenzhi, along with Li Qi, actually produced something quite good...

Moreover, the product born from the combination of Reason Way and Shaman Path will not have any conflict. Reason Way itself is a neutral Dao Path. Except for the branch that has incorporated the Human Path, the other branches of Reason Way still adhere to the original concept and do not take sides among the various Dao Lineage.

This item is probably more important than the two young men thought.

It's not that this thing is particularly powerful; after all, modern Law Treasure production lines can already mass-produce Law Treasure of grade four and below. It's just a matter of cost.

This is why you can't find mass-produced Law Treasure of grade five or six on the market.

Although fifth-grade Law Treasure can be mass-produced, who would dare to entrust their Law Treasure to an assembly line once they've truly cultivated to the fifth grade? A fifth-grade cultivator has to risk their life in the outer realms.

Furthermore, fifth-grade Law Treasure still require the same materials, and the number of people needed is not large, so mass production is not very profitable, unlike ninth-grade and eighth-grade magic weapons which have a huge quantity and can easily drive the price down to a certain level.

Therefore, although the technology exists, there is no demand for it. Almost all fifth-grade magic Law Treasure are made by trusted alchemists.

As for items of grade four and above, that involves the issue of the mind and spirit of the Law Treasure. These are not things that can be mass-produced quickly by simply throwing money at them and increasing costs. Each one is a unique item, and can even be said to be an independent cultivator.

However, although it cannot compare to the existing mass production line of Law Treasure, Liu Donghe can clearly see the value of this item, and his vision is far more far-reaching than that of Li Qi and Liu Shenzhi.

The Witchcraft Silkworm, a magical artifact, represents the 'assembly line' of Shaman Path.

Shaman Path doesn't have such a thing, although they don't care about it either.

But no matter how much he doesn't care, this item still represents the grassroots strength. It's just... I don't know what those rigid clan members think, but he's a young master, so he should be able to withstand it, right?

Never mind... that's the matter of the Shaman Path himself. If anyone wants to investigate, it's an internal matter for the clan. They won't be able to trace it back to the Tang Kingdom. That idiot Liu Shenzhi will only get the benefits, not the harm.

Although it's somewhat despicable, it wasn't his plan, so he can only try to make amends.

Without this factor, he would never have written a poem about the Trumpet Flower.

Besides, there's no way he could stop them.

After all... Li Qi and Liu Shenzhi did indeed develop it themselves; it was the result of their own actions, something they created themselves.

However... if Liu Shenzhi gets too involved, he will inevitably get dragged into it.

The foundation of the Dao is the Witchcraft Silkworm...

Once you've truly established your Dao foundation, it will inevitably involve many things. This world... is very complex.

Never mind, let's leave it at that.

We can't interfere too much in the affairs of young people; children and grandchildren have their own lives to live.

The perspective shifts to Li Qi and Liu Shenzhi.

They curiously opened the paper.

Instantly, a surge of powerful energy swept over us!

This piece of paper actually created a barrier around them, resembling a 'blessed land'!

Li Qi was still surrounded by some Yin Qi, which he had picked up from watching the battle between the Yin messengers and the Demon Dragon.

The Yin Qi is extremely difficult to remove, after all, it is the 'energy' that fills the underworld. If there is too much of it, it may even require the witch god to eliminate it personally.

Li Qi was only slightly affected, so it didn't have a significant impact on his body. However, he could only wait for it to dissipate naturally and be washed away by the yang Yang Energy of the mortal world.

But now, just by opening this piece of paper, I felt a surge of righteous energy that chased away all the negative Yin Qi.

Open the paper, and there are four words written at the top.

Ode to the Trumpet Flower

Then comes the beginning of that magnificent article, which is also the preface.

"On the nineteenth day of the seventh month, I visited the White Horse Temple. Standing alone in the empty mountains, the new rain was soft and moist. The sand was clear and the stream wound around the bank. A setting sun and a few patches of distant clouds were visible. A thin mist and a gentle breeze blew, and the misty air was clear and refreshing, which touched my heart."

"I saw an ancient tree, its branches entwined with flowers, perched high on the mountain peaks, exuding a unique elegance amidst the rugged cliffs, blending simplicity with its unassuming nature, standing out against the precipice with unparalleled charm, thus it could meander and linger, leaving its mark on the verdant trees, fluttering in the long wind, its branches swaying lightly red and green, its name Lingxiao (Soaring to the Sky), sometimes falling a hundred feet, its sound filling the ears of ten thousand valleys, with the sound of the ocean tide."

"But they saw that the ancient tree had withered, and the monks could not bear to cut it down. So they planted a trumpet creeper at the bottom, so that it would grow above the trunk, which would comfort their hearts."

"With feelings in my heart, I borrowed the Vimalakirti Room for the time being to write this article, which will be revised later."

After the preface is finished, the main text begins.

Li Qi and Liu Shenzhi continued reading—

"The trumpet creeper is a vine that grows by clinging to large trees. Its flowers are yellow and red, and it is most abundant in summer."

"The grandeur of this ceremony and the magnificence of the royal system are truly remarkable."

"The sparse flowers, with their roots nestled beneath the tall pine, and their intertwined branches, seem to aspire to reach the sky. Their unyielding elegance and refined demeanor make them no ordinary creature."

"Four white dragons gallop swiftly, half-hidden among the emerald clouds, revealing the delicate branches of Zhou Wen's jujubes, the plums of Fangling Zhu Zhong, the three peaches distinguishing the cherry blossoms from the mulberry, the two apricots gleaming with crimson and white hues, the pomegranate and grape's precious beauty, a hundred flowers in full bloom as cicadas awaken at dawn. Many sing of peaches and plums, many recite verses of willows, peonies, and peonies, but few sing of the trumpet creeper. Now I sing of the trumpet creeper, praising its ability to climb high by clinging to trees, truly the highest, its solitary, lofty form symbolizing this, without a doubt—"

This is just the beginning; there are still thousands of words to come.

Li Qi found it very difficult to read.

Admittedly, the general meaning of these opening lines is understandable, but the sheer number of allusions used is simply outrageous.

For example, the very first sentence of the main text, which is only thirteen characters long, contains four allusions:

The Kao Yi You states. "To adorn one's appearance and establish written rules."

The historical record states. "The sage arranged sacrificial vessels and set forth ritualistic gestures. It was a magnificent sight throughout the land."

The Book of State says: When sitting, recite poetry and books; when standing, practice etiquette and manners.

The Shanglin Book says: You have not yet seen the great magnificence of the man.

After reading the first sentence, and then the content, the string of "Zhou Wenruo's jujubes and Fangling Zhu Zhong's plums" is actually composed of lines of ancient stories. Although there are only a few words, each word is a series of stories.

Just considering the phrase "a jujube on a weak branch," there are several meanings:

The Xijing Zaji states. "In the Shanglin Garden, there were jujubes with weak branches." The Guangzhi states. "During the reign of King Wen of Zhou, there were jujubes with weak branches, which were very beautiful. It was forbidden to take them, and they were placed in the garden." The Litchi Fu states. "Fangling's plums are beautiful." The Jingzhou Ji states. "Fangling County had very beautiful jujubes, which the immortal Zhu Zhong came to steal." Da Shan Su, also known for his learning, read Yue Fei's Zhou Wen's Fu about the weak-branched jujubes and used them as a walking stick. The Shiben states that Rong Cheng created a calendar and used it as a millstone.

This is only what Li Qi can understand and identify the source of; there are many things he might not be able to figure out the source of, and he might not know what the source is.

The entire article, several thousand words long, was so difficult for Li Qi, with his extensive reading, to find its source. Perhaps only a Confucian scholar of Liu Donghe's caliber could have done it.

The sheer number of applications and sources not only demonstrates Liu Donghe's extensive knowledge but also represents the power of this article.

Words have power, and so do allusions.

Liu Donghe, with his knowledge and writing skills, incorporated the symbolic power of these allusions, giving the article more depth and strength.

Li Qi and the others read it through once and were all full of admiration.

The central idea expressed in the entire article is actually very simple: Liu Donghe saw a thriving pine tree at White Horse Temple.

The pine tree was a hundred feet tall, and he thought it was some kind of tree spirit with great cultivation.

But upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the tree had long since died, and the flourishing branches and leaves on it were actually trumpet Trumpet Flower had gradually grown and climbed upwards, twining around the dead trunk.

The branches and leaves of the Trumpet Flower have taken over from the tree and continue to flourish, appearing extremely lush.

Then, in the following section, he said that there are many poems and articles praising flowers such as peach and plum, but none Trumpet Flower. So he wrote this article to praise the behavior of the Trumpet Flower and use the Trumpet Flower as a metaphor for descendants, just like people today, standing in the ruins of High Antiquity and climbing towards a higher direction.

"The trees wither and die, but the Trumpet Flower still flourishes, showing that it does not climb by clinging to the trees, but by following the footsteps of its predecessors. How can such a lofty ambition not be praised?"

The entire piece is written with elegant and profound style, and the reasoning is thorough. It is a delightful read, and upon closer examination, it reveals countless profound allusions and intricate stories, all interconnected.

Furthermore, it is infused with 'spirit'.

Liu Shenzhi used his heart and Divine Ability, as well as his calligraphy and writing skills, to write this article. The beginning was already quite amazing, but it was just the beginning and was far inferior to the main text.

This is a magnificent book from which one can comprehend Cultivation Method.

However, the contents were of little use to Li Qi and Liu Shenzhi, but they were probably as effective as a perfect tonic for the Trumpet Flower God.

With this, everything will be complete.

I need to go to the document meeting.