Three five two two zero... six one X!
Within the main hall of the Great Qing Dynasty, candle flames flickered.
The moment they saw the line of writing on the white paper, confusion filled the hearts of the prime minister and the emperor.
In the past, when they asked Celestial Master Zhang to divine the future, the result was usually a poem or a line of prognostication.
They had to tease out the hidden meaning within it, like solving a riddle, to decipher what it referred to.
But this time, all they had was a line of incomprehensible code and gibberish. How could they possibly guess its meaning?
"Did Celestial Master Zhang leave any instructions for deciphering it?" the prime minister asked in a grave voice.
The chief eunuch replied with a bow, "In response to the prime minister, the Celestial Master did say that this was a unique message pointing to the owner of the Golden Trait."
"If we can grasp the secret within, it will be like parting the clouds to see the sun—we'll be able to pinpoint them among billions of living beings!"
"But if we interpret it incorrectly..." He paused, lowering his voice further. "Then it will be no different from fishing for the moon in a well or trying to see flowers through the fog: an exercise in futility."
Hearing the chief eunuch's explanation, everyone present looked astonished.
They hadn't expected Celestial Master Zhang to speak with such certainty, so unlike his usual cryptic and mystical pronouncements.
But it also meant that deciphering the message would be extraordinarily difficult for them. The more precise the divination, the more deeply its meaning was hidden.
The prime minister and the emperor stared down at the writing on the sheet of paper, but no matter how they interpreted it, they couldn't reach a conclusion.
This line of numbers...
Was it a code? A destiny? Or some secret language unique to the Golden Trait?
Unable to draw any conclusions, the emperor said, "My ministers, come and examine the code on this paper. If you can see through its mystery, I will reward you generously!"
At his command, the silent ministers of the court stepped forward one after another, their gazes fixed on the white paper in the chief eunuch's hand, which recorded the identity of the Golden Trait's owner.
But when they saw the code, their brows furrowed just like the emperor's and the prime minister's.
What did these numbers mean?
There was no apparent connection between them. How could they uncover the logic behind this string of code?
"There's not a single clue to follow..."
"What does this cross mean? Could it be a character from the Western Regions?"
"Could X mean that this sequence is wrong, and we need to read it backward?"
The Minister of Revenue stroked his graying beard, trying to find a connection to the daily affairs of government.
"Three five two two zero... Perhaps it's the number of a land registry entry? Or a reference to secret files in some treasury? The format seems orderly, yet also chaotic..."
The Director of the Astronomical Bureau tilted his head back and counted on his fingers, murmuring as if calculating the positions of the stars.
"Three is the Azure Dragon of the East, five is the Central Gouchen... Zero may represent the void. Six... is that an auspicious number? But 'X'... a sign of ill fortune? What a contradiction! Could it point to some unlucky place where stars converge?"
Whispers rose throughout the hall as one guess after another was put forward.
Yet even as the ministers studied the numbers, they couldn't discern what was true and what was false. All they could do was look at one another and shake their heads helplessly.
The arguments gradually died away, until at last only silence remained.
The nobles in their crimson and purple robes exchanged glances. In the end, they could only sigh, shake their heads, and return to their places.
From his throne, the emperor took in the reaction of his ministers.
There was no anger on his dignified face as he spoke, his booming voice breaking the silence in the hall.
"Enough! The secrets of Heaven cannot be forced from it. There is no use in trying. Director of the Bureau of Astronomy!"
"Your servant is here!" The director immediately stepped forward and bowed to receive his orders.
The emperor's command was decisive. "Have this divination copied and archived. From this day onward, the foremost duty of every hidden agent in the Southern Barbarian Region is to search for any clue related to it!"
"Whether it be a place, a person, an object, a legend, or a ballad, investigate and report anything connected to these seventeen characters! Be sure to find traces of the Golden Trait!"
"Your servant obeys! I will do everything in my power and not fail Your Majesty's trust!" the director replied, his voice ringing as he bowed.
"Good!" the emperor said approvingly. But then the silent prime minister stepped forward and spoke aloud.
"Your Majesty! I believe that while the Bureau of Astronomy's covert investigation is certainly important, we can also take another path and supplement it with an open strategy. That may yield unexpected results!"
"Oh? Prime Minister Yan has a plan as well?"
The emperor looked a little surprised. "Have you already deciphered the mystery on the paper?"
"No. What I have in mind is a plan to stir up trouble and flush out our prey!" The prime minister raised his head. "Since ancient times, whenever a True Dragon rose from the depths, wind and clouds gathered around it."
"One who bears a Golden Trait is like a dragon lurking in the abyss. Even if they lie low in a remote corner of the Southern Barbarian Region, they are still favored by the fortune of Heaven and Earth. It is the nature of their destiny!"
"Western Regions Myriad Dharmas calls this phenomenon the Law of Entry Aggregation."
"High-grade traits attract low-grade ones like magnets, drawing together foes and allies, intertwining cause and effect in countless ways. This is the Heavenly Will, and human strength cannot change it!"
"Since ancient times, no one bearing a Golden Trait has ever lain dormant only to suddenly emerge as an unrivaled Strongman. Every one of them has fought their way up, step by step!"
"Our Central Province is vast and abundant, producing outstanding talents as plentiful as carp crossing the river. Thus, talent from the other four regions is drawn here, bringing gifts and pledging their allegiance."
"And that Golden Trait is of the highest grade, with fortune at its peak! Even if its owner wishes to keep a low profile, they cannot escape the pull of fortune and the tide of events! Their rise will inevitably be accompanied by storms and thunder, a gathering of talent, and clashes between factions!"
"This time, the secrets of Heaven have been revealed, and our Great Qing was the first to catch a glimpse of them. Is that not the clear will of Heaven?"
"Why not go with the tide and stir up a storm in the Southern Border, forcing that True Dragon in hiding to reveal itself to the world?"
"Perhaps Heaven itself contrived to let Great Qing discover this trait, so that we might draw its owner out!"
As he spoke, the prime minister clenched his fist, his gaze sharp as an eagle's.
After hearing the prime minister's incisive explanation, the ministers nodded again and again. But the emperor asked, "Prime Minister Yan, how do you propose we act?"
"I have three strategies to present. They will complement one another, weaving the overt with the covert. We will use talent from the Five Regions as bait and let those prodigies, plentiful as carp crossing the river, fish out the fierce dragon lurking in the Southern Barbarian Region!"
The prime minister spoke solemnly.
"First, use the Heavenly Pride Ranking as bait and hold the World's First Martial Arts Tournament in the Southern Barbarian Region! Let the heroes of the realm force the Golden Trait to reveal itself!"
"Second, send our nation's prodigies to the Southern Barbarian Region to train across the land. This will not only help us find traces of the Golden Trait but also allow Great Qing's outstanding talents to grow!"
"Third, have the Heavenly Supervision Bureau's agents in the Southern Barbarian Region use codes as clues to search for the Golden prodigy in secret."
"Right now, only we know of the Golden Trait. As soon as it shows itself, we must act with the speed of thunder and catch its owner before they can escape!"
"Excellent!" The emperor's voice rang through the hall like clashing metal.
"Prime Minister Yan's plan is seasoned and sound. Prepare for the World's First Martial Arts Tournament immediately!"
But the prime minister quickly stepped forward to object. "Your Majesty, please think it over. The Golden Trait has only just begun to emerge, and its owner is still too young. Holding the tournament too soon will only drive them away."
"This first strategy needs to be patiently prepared over the next few years, until they have grown!"
The emperor pondered for a moment, then nodded to himself. "Very well. We'll proceed as you suggest! Begin with the second and third strategies!"
"We obey Your Majesty's decree!" the ministers in the hall answered in unison!