Wan'an County Office.
The atmosphere was extremely tense.
No one knew how long Cai Tongchen had been holding the teacup in that position. In any case, the tea was almost cold.
The two Great Scholars seated in the primary seats remained silent, their powerful auras lowering the temperature throughout the entire county office by quite a bit.
"I bear the main responsibility for this." After a long while, Wei Yan spoke. "I thought that with two Great Scholars escorting and protecting us, we would be more than capable of handling this Literary Heart choosing its master. I never expected Brother Su to end up fighting alone."
Hearing this, Su Liancheng shook his head slightly. "Brother Wei, don't blame yourself. It hasn't been long since you crossed the fourth mountain and sea, and you've only been a Great Scholar of the Gewu Realm for three years. As for that old woman, she has already refined the Incarnation Gu and is of the same rank as you—a Third-rank Gu Master."
"The Dao of Gu had vanished for several centuries. Its sudden appearance caught you off guard, and falling into their treacherous scheme was something you couldn't help."
"What I truly care about is that forged Emperor Lin's Martial Book. Although it was a replica, it had clearly copied the might of the genuine article. In other words, the force behind them possessed at least one genuine Emperor Lin's Martial Book."
"Emperor Lin's Martial Book?" Cai Tongchen was startled inwardly. The astonishingly talented figure recorded in the history books flashed through his mind. A hundred years ago, a generation of empresses had ruled Great Xuan. In just ten years, she had made the Demons and Barbarians bow their heads and the hundred races submit, offering her the honorific title "Great Emperor Lin Tian." She had ushered in Great Xuan's golden age, and the people of the world respectfully called her "Emperor Lin." At the ceremony conferring her title, Emperor Lin had joined forces with the Great Scholars of Confucianism, the Dao Monarchs of Daoism, the Bodhisattvas of Buddhism, the Barbarian Kings of the Barbarians, and the Great Saints of the Demon Race to write seven Nation-suppressing edicts, suppressing lawlessness. They were known as the "Emperor Lin's Martial Book."
Wei Yan pondered for a moment before saying, "Of the seven Martial Books, one was expended during the 'Chaos of Tianshu' back then, leaving six. Three are at the Great Wall of Righteous Qi in the north, two are in the south, and one is in His Majesty's hands. Combining this with the Literary Heart's deduction, if a Literary Heart Great Scholar had appeared in the north, the news couldn't have been concealed. Could the people behind this be from the south..."
"Mind your words!" Su Liancheng interrupted him. Wei Yan realized that he had nearly said something he shouldn't have and hurriedly cupped his hands toward Su Liancheng in thanks.
Su Liancheng waved his hand. "Whether it's the Dao of Gu or the Martial Book, neither is a matter we can meddle in anymore. Report it to Minister Wen..."
Wei Yan nodded. "That is only proper. Then Chen Luo..."
Before Wei Yan could finish speaking, a commotion came from outside the county office. Cai Tongchen's expression changed slightly, and he shouted toward the entrance, "What's all this noise!"
A constable flew in from outside. Cai Tongchen's palm trembled, and a streak of white qi rose from thin air, catching the constable. Upon seeing Cai Tongchen, the constable shouted, "My lord, someone has forced their way into the office..."
Just then, Ji Zhong strode into the main hall of the county office from outside. Behind Ji Zhong, Xiao Huan supported Chen Xuan as they followed him in.
Ji Zhong entered the hall and bowed deeply to Cai Tongchen and the two Great Scholars. "This student disregarded the obstruction and insisted on forcing his way into the office. I ask the two Great Scholars and County Magistrate to punish me!"
Hearing Ji Zhong's words, Chen Xuan knew he was telling her that they had found the people in charge. She gently pushed Xiao Huan away, bent both knees, and fell heavily to the ground.
"This commoner's daughter, Chen Xuan, begs the Great Scholars and County Magistrate to intervene and rescue my younger brother!"
After saying this, she pressed her forehead to the ground and remained prostrate in a long bow.
Seeing this, Xiao Huan hurriedly knelt beside Chen Xuan as well and shouted, "Please, my lords, rescue our young master..."
"Ah, quickly, get up..." Wei Yan extended a hand to support her from afar, then turned his head to explain to Su Liancheng, "This is Chen Luo's sister." He then looked toward Chen Xuan. "Get up first. We won't ignore Chen Luo's matter."
Su Liancheng also nodded. "I've already sent a message to my senior brother and asked him to divine Chen Luo's whereabouts."
Just then, another ringing voice came from outside the county office—
"The imperial edict has arrived!"
A eunuch dressed in bright yellow palace robes held an imperial edict in his hand. He descended from the sky and landed in the front courtyard of the county office. Seeing the situation before him, he paused slightly, but still stepped forward and saluted the two Great Scholars.
"Two Great Scholars, I have come by imperial command to deliver an edict."
Wei Yan asked, "Is it for Chen Luo of Chen Manor?"
The eunuch nodded. "Precisely. It is His Majesty's edict conferring the title of Earl of Wan'an." He then looked toward Cai Tongchen. "Lord Cai, please lead the way..."
Cai Tongchen smiled bitterly and pointed at Chen Xuan, whom Xiao Huan had just helped to her feet. "This is Chen Luo's elder sister. Chen Luo... is missing..."
The eunuch delivering the edict: (O_O)?
Chen Luo opened his eyes, and the sight before him left him stunned.
By all logic, if he had fallen asleep or lost consciousness in the outside world, his consciousness should have appeared in the Dream Flower Forest. Yet at this moment, he had appeared in a strange place.
A road of light extended beneath his feet. Far ahead, he could see a door at the end of the road. The road of light was not wide, only about two meters across. On both sides lay the dark void.
Chen Luo tried to lift his foot and walk forward, but he felt a force stopping him.
Chen Luo struggled to move forward. At that moment, about two meters in front of him, countless points of light converged into a human-shaped outline, though its features could not be seen.
A voice rang out through the entire empty space.
"Descendant... are you the one who inherited this old man's path?"
Chen Luo was startled and hurriedly saluted the figure. "Senior, this junior is Chen Luo, from Wan'an County of Qingzhou. Earlier..."
"Alas, this old man spent his entire life investigating this path of cultivation, only to discover that it was all an empty dream in the end!"
"But this old man refuses to accept it! With trillions of human lives in our race, and peerless talents emerging one after another, surely they won't allow this old man's path to be buried..."
Chen Luo was slightly taken aback. He still wanted to explain that he did not possess Righteous Qi, but after shouting several times, he realized that this voice was entirely a program.
"This old man's wish: Everyone like a Dragon."
"Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism all require the Heavenly Dao's power to enter the path of learning. I seek none of them."
"For this reason, this old man traveled across the continent, seeking a true cultivation method that could be spread among the human race. I set foot upon barbarian lands, crossed demon plains, visited paradises, and entered Buddhist realms, only to discover that all living things beneath the heavens revered my human form above all!"
"Saints, Dao Ancestors, and Buddha Ancestors all possess human forms."
"The Demon Ancestor, Barbarian Heaven, and Gu God also descend in human form."
"Why?"
"With a hundred years of lifespan, this old man forcibly seized a section of the Heavenly Dao Power and carefully nurtured it. I then discovered that even the Heavenly Dao Power condensed into a human form!"
"From this, this old man concluded that our human race must possess a hidden secret."
"Acupoints, meridians, blood, marrow, the five viscera, skin and bones, hair..."
"After exhausting my entire life, this old man finally explored a road that reached the heavens. Who could have known that my unworthy disciple would tell me: the path can be walked, but there is no qi to use..."
"Saints give birth to Green Qi, Dao Ancestors give birth to purple qi, and Buddha Ancestors give birth to Golden Qi!"
"Why, then, can this old man's path give birth to no qi and use no qi!"
"This old man refuses to accept it! This old man refuses to accept it! This old man refuses to accept it!"
After three thunderous shouts, the space fell still for a moment.
"Descendant, find the fourth kind of qi and make our human race—everyone like a Dragon!"
The voice stopped there. The human-shaped cluster of light suddenly moved. Though it had no features, Chen Luo sensed that it was looking at him.
Then the human figure walked toward Chen Luo. The distance was only two meters, so it reached him in a few steps, but it did not stop. Instead, it entered Chen Luo's body directly.
A vast amount of information instantly appeared in Chen Luo's mind. Chen Luo was slightly stunned as he comprehended its contents, then his heart jolted violently. This was—
Martial arts!
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