Four Strategies Decide the Universe

35220...61X!

Within the grand hall of the Great Qing Dynasty, candle flames flickered.

Upon seeing the line of text on the white paper, confusion instantly surfaced in the hearts of the Prime Minister and the Emperor.

In the past, when they requested a divination from Celestial Master Zhang, the result was typically a poem or a line of cryptic prophecy.

They would then need to inquire into the hidden information within, interpreting the corresponding content much like solving a riddle.

But at this moment, what lay before them was an incomprehensible string of garbled code—how was one to guess this?

"Did Celestial Master Zhang leave behind any words to solve this puzzle?" the Prime Minister asked in a deep voice.

The Chief Eunuch bowed and replied, "In reply to the Prime Minister, the Celestial Master did indeed leave word. This is a unique message that locks onto the owner of that golden entry."

"If one can penetrate the profound mystery within, it will be like parting the clouds to see the sun, allowing for precise location among billions of living souls!"

"However, if the interpretation is incorrect..." He paused, his voice dropping lower, "it would be no different than scooping the moon from a well or looking at flowers through the fog—all effort would be in vain."

Hearing the Chief Eunuch speak thus, everyone present revealed looks of astonishment.

They had not expected Celestial Master Zhang to be so categorical, which was entirely different from his usual cryptic rhetoric.

Yet, this also meant that cracking the information this time would be exceptionally difficult for them, as the more precise the divination, the more concealed the information hidden within.

The Prime Minister and the Emperor lowered their heads to stare at the contents on the white paper, but no matter how they interpreted it, they could reach no conclusion.

This line of numbers...

Was it a code? A destiny? Or a secret language belonging solely to the golden entry?

Unable to reach a conclusion, the Emperor had no choice but to say:

"My ministers, all of you, come and look at this secret code on the white paper. If anyone can see through the mystery within, I shall not be stingy with rewards!"

Receiving the order, the high-ranking officials, who had been bowing in silence, stepped forward one after another, their burning gazes focused on the white paper in the Chief Eunuch's hand that recorded the identity of the golden entry.

But after seeing the secret code, the ministers, like the two men before them, furrowed their brows tightly.

What did these numbers signify?

There was no connection between any of the numbers; how was one to explore the relationship of this set of ciphers?

"There is not a single clue to be found..."

"What does this 'X' mean? Could it be a character from the Western Regions?"

"Could the 'X' represent that this set of numbers is incorrect, and we need to parse it in reverse?"

The Minister of Revenue stroked his graying beard, attempting to find a connection from his daily administrative duties:

"35220... could it be the index number of the land registers? Or an index for a secret archive in some treasury? Looking at the format, it seems to have a pattern, yet it also appears chaotic..."

The Director of the Bureau of Astronomy tilted his head and pinched his fingers, muttering to himself as if calculating the positions of the stars:

"Three is the Azure Dragon of the East, five is the Central Gouchi... zero might be the void, six... is this a number of great fortune? Yet 'X'... a sign of ominous disaster? Contradictory, it is most contradictory! Could it point to some ominous location where the stars converge?"

Whispers began to rise within the hall, and all sorts of conjectures emerged one after another.

But as the ministers looked at this set of numbers, they remained unable to fathom the truth or falsehood within, and could only look at each other and shake their heads helplessly.

The sound of debate gradually faded, eventually dissolving into silence.

The high officials looked at one another, and in the end, could only shake their heads and sigh, retreating to their original positions.

From his throne, the Emperor took in the reactions of his ministers.

There was no anger on his majestic face as he spoke slowly, his voice resonant, breaking the silence of the hall:

"Enough! Since the heavenly secrets are hard to fathom, there is no benefit in forcing it. Minister of the Bureau of Astronomy!"

"This subject is here!" The Director of the Bureau of Astronomy immediately stepped out of the ranks, bowing to receive his orders.

The Emperor's command was resolute: "Transcribe this divination and archive it. From this day forward, the primary task for all our secret agents in the Southern Barbarian Region is to search with all their might for any clues related to this divination!"

"Whether it be a place name, a person's name, an object, or a legend or ballad, anything that touches upon these seventeen characters must be investigated and reported in detail! You must ferret out the traces of that golden entry!"

"This subject accepts the decree! I shall certainly do my utmost and not fail His Majesty's great trust!" The Director of the Bureau of Astronomy's voice was firm as he bowed to accept the order.

"Good!" The Emperor praised, but the Prime Minister, who had been silent at the side, suddenly stepped forward and said loudly:

"Your Majesty! This subject believes that while secret investigations by the Bureau of Astronomy are indeed crucial, we may also take a different path and supplement them with an overt strategy, which may yield miraculous results!"

"Oh, Yan, you have a plan as well?"

The Emperor was somewhat surprised: "Could it be that you have already penetrated the mystery on the paper?"

"Not at all. What this subject is considering is a strategy to beat the grass and startle the snake!" The Prime Minister raised his head and said: "Since ancient times, when a true dragon wishes to soar from the abyss, it must be accompanied by wind and clouds."

"One who carries a golden entry is like a dragon lurking in the abyss. Even if they are dormant in the remote lands of the Southern Barbarian Region, this is where the fortune of heaven and earth gathers, and it is also the result of their destiny!"

"The Western Regions Myriad Dharmas calls this phenomenon the [Law of Entry Aggregation]."

"Because high-grade entries will attract low-grade entries like a magnet, forming friends and foes, intertwining causes and effects, and so on. This is the will of heaven and cannot be shifted by human effort!"

"Since ancient times, there has never been a Golden Trait that remained dormant only to suddenly emerge as an peerless powerhouse; they all fight their way up, one step at a time!"

"Our Central Province is vast and rich in resources, birthing heroes as numerous as carp crossing a river. Consequently, talent from the other four regions is drawn here, arriving in droves with gifts in hand."

"As for that Golden Trait, its rank is supreme and its destiny is flourishing! Even if its master harbors a desire to lie low, they cannot escape the pull of destiny or the momentum of the times! Their path to prominence must be accompanied by thunderous storms, the gathering of elites, and the collision of powers!"

"The fact that this heavenly secret manifested and was first glimpsed by our Great Qing—is this not the clear will of Heaven?"

"Why should we not go with the flow, stir up the winds and clouds in the Southern Border, and force that dormant true dragon to reveal itself to the world?"

"Perhaps Great Qing discovering this trait is the very work of this destiny, tasking us to drag that Golden Trait out into the light!"

As he spoke, the Prime Minister clenched his fist, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's.

Following the Prime Minister's incisive explanation, the ministers nodded repeatedly, but the Emperor asked, "How does Yan wish to proceed?"

"Your subject has three strategies to offer, intertwined and layered, using the elites of the five regions as bait to let the carp-like geniuses fish out this fierce dragon lurking in the Southern Barbarian Region!"

The Prime Minister said solemnly:

"The first strategy: use the Heavenly Pride Ranking as bait and host the [World's First Martial Arts Tournament] in the Southern Barbarian Region! Let the heroes of the world force out the Golden Trait!"

"The second strategy: have our nation's geniuses use the Southern Barbarian Region as a battlefield, spreading out for training. This will not only draw out traces of the Golden Trait but also allow the talents of Great Qing to grow!"

"The third strategy: have the spies of the Heavenly Supervision Bureau in the Southern Barbarian Region use secret signals to covertly search for the whereabouts of the Golden-ranked genius."

"Currently, only we know the information regarding that Golden Trait. Once a trace appears, we must move with lightning speed to capture the Golden Trait in our urn!"

"Excellent!" The Emperor's voice rang through the great hall like clashing metal:

"Yan's plan is that of a seasoned statesman! Prepare for the World's First Martial Arts Tournament immediately!"

But the Prime Minister suddenly stepped forward to stop him: "Your Majesty, please think twice. Currently, that Golden Trait has only just begun to show its edge and is too immature; opening the martial arts tournament too early will only startle it away."

"This superior strategy still requires a few years of patient brewing, waiting for it to grow!"

After a moment of contemplation, the Emperor nodded secretly: "Very well, it shall be as you suggest! Proceed with the second and third strategies first!"

"We obey the decree!" the ministers in the hall responded in unison!