Lü Liang Ascends to Heaven, Zhao Zhou Seizes the Initiative

As he pondered this, Lü Liang stood up.

He was in a room formed from his own Domain of Law, simply furnished, and surrounded by nothing but emptiness.

Since his injury, Lü Liang's state of mind has been unstable, and his temper has become somewhat unpredictable. He would sometimes take his anger out on the gods and gradually distance himself from his subordinates.

Actually, this is understandable.

Lü Liang's severe injury this time may appear on the surface to be merely a drop in cultivation level and some damage to his prestige, but upon closer examination, there are serious consequences, and the series of problems that result are the key to his unrest.

Most importantly, his promotion was thus delayed. After all, how could a Third Grade deity with an unstable cultivation level be summoned back to heaven and given an important mission?

"Min Yuan, Lesser God on his position as a mountain god, is fearless and impudent. I cannot reveal this to others, otherwise wouldn't it make me, Lü Liang, appear incompetent? Moreover, this god is Natural-born God, and his Domain of Law seems to be related to the Stove Fire. His sacrifices affect ordinary people, making him a relatively superior Divine Office. If the heavens find out, how can I profit from it? But if I have a banner, a legitimate reason to act, I can summon him. At that time, would he dare to disobey the imperial decree?"

With these thoughts in mind, Lü Liang walked to the center of the room. With a thought, the half of his Divine Body that was gleaming with silver light gradually changed. Divine power surged and spread, bursting out with fluctuations in Qi and Blood and qi. The illusory Divine Body showed a tendency to solidify into a physical body.

However, this process suddenly stopped halfway through, and then the Qi and Blood reversed, transforming back into divine power.

Lü Liang's expression changed several times, and resentment flashed in his eyes. Then he shook his head, flipped his hand, and produced a Law Seals.

Immediately afterwards, he threw out the seal, which transformed into a court Law Seals that landed on Lü Liang.

This court robe is different from those of the mortal court; the rank insignia is adorned with swirling starlight. A pool of divine water sits in the center, surrounded by city walls and paths, with people everywhere.

Once he put on his court robes, Lü Liang's two-colored Divine Body suddenly dimmed, his Divine Radiance receded, and his Divine Body transformed into flesh and blood.

"I still need to use my court robes to cover it up. Otherwise, if those people discover the change in my cultivation level, the consequences could be dire. This time, I won't go to Mount Luo for the time being. I'll visit them after I return to Heaven. Otherwise, wouldn't it make me look like an incompetent master?"

Shaking his head, Lü Liang moved his hand, and a jade tablet appeared, pure white and radiating a faint luster and an aura of majesty. Then, he turned around and transformed into a beam of light, heading straight upwards, covering thousands of miles in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, the beam of light reached the sky.

A majestic and terrifying aura lingered deep in the sky. Faintly, lightning flashed, and upon seeing this light, thunder roared and converged. Then, a scepter appeared in the light, protecting Lü Liang as he passed through the destructive lightning.

Call!

As soon as they passed through, the scenery changed dramatically. The blue sky and white clouds disappeared, and what came into view was a vast and boundless world, with darkness stretching into the distance, seemingly without end.

Clusters of starlight, clouds, rosy clouds, and mist are scattered throughout the vast space; with a sweep of the Divine Eye, one can see figures moving about, mountains rising and falling, and pavilions disappearing into the mist...

"Who goes there? State your name!"

Suddenly, a shout rang out, shaking the heavens like thunder. A group of burly soldiers, clad in golden armor, with radiant light on their backs and treading on clouds, gathered from all directions, blocking the path of the light that Lü Liang had transformed into.

The leader was five zhang tall, sitting astride a golden lion, holding a large sword with a ring pommel, with a blue face and fangs, his eyes glaring with a blinding light, and his whole body exuding a strong divine power.

As soon as these soldiers appeared, Lü Liang dispersed his escape light, revealing his true form, and bowed slightly. "Greetings, General Lu."

"Oh? So it's Grace-Bestowing True Lord," the golden-armored general riding a lion and holding a sword said with slight surprise upon seeing Lü Liang. "What brings True Lord here?"

"I have come to report on the matter of the worship of wild gods. General, please take a look..." As Lü Liang spoke, he extended the tablet in his hand, and immediately light and shadow appeared from it, revealing the Jiannan Light and Shadow. To the south of Jiannan, black mist spread.

"Indeed, it is the trace of a wild god," General Lu nodded. "In that case, let them pass. However, please be careful, True Lord. There is a young dragon in this area, which has appeared out of nowhere and is entrenched in a Cloud Sea, causing trouble. True Lord, your rank has not yet recovered, so it is best to detour if you see it."

"Thank you for informing me, General." Lü Liang quickly expressed his gratitude, then transformed into light and disappeared again.

As they watched the deity depart, the Celestial Soldiers behind General Lu began to discuss among themselves.

"Is he the Grace-Bestowing True Lord? The master of the Jade Spirit Star Lord? Judging from his escape light, his foundation seems unstable. It's quite something that a master relies on his disciple for support."

"He's been reincarnated for quite some time now. Wasn't he supposed to achieve Fleshly Sainthood? How come he's still a god?"

"You don't know? It was all because of Lin Zhengyang. In that battle, the sky darkened and the earth trembled. Countless gods and cultivators perished. Some fell into slumber, while others perished. It was already difficult enough for them to retain their True Spirit. How could they ask for anything more?"

"Don't discuss these things," General Lu waved his hand, "Continue the search! Don't let the rebels escape!"

"Yes!"

After bidding farewell to General Lu Lü Liang flew swiftly, when suddenly a strong wind blew in his face, followed by a downpour that soaked him completely.

Raindrops rolled down my body, each drop making a sound, lamenting the brevity of life, and finally evaporating and disappearing amidst the sighs.

The raindrops that day, each one imbued with the spirit of water and the soul of thought, each one a life, yet fleeting only for a moment.

Shaking off the raindrops, Lü Liang frowned, then used his divine power to dry his clothes. He didn't care about the life of those raindrops; they were just a passing episode.

After traveling for a while, a huge star appeared ahead, even larger than Xingjing Imperial City. Its starlight twinkled and radiated outwards, illuminating a large area of the sky.

Lü Liang arrived in front of the star, picked up his scepter, and was about to speak when a beam of starlight shot out, enveloping him completely before turning back and disappearing into the star.

Through layers of starlight, one can vaguely see magnificent palaces and soaring cranes among the stars.

"... Apart from greed and attachment, one can instantly transcend this world of suffering. This phrase is quite evocative, and these words have truly broadened Zhao Zhou's horizons. If my elder brother were to see it, he would surely be delighted."

In Yuanning Prefecture Liu Residence of Yuanning Prefecture, Zhao Zhou, who had come to deliver gifts and as a guest, looked at the half-finished poem in his hand and praised it highly.

Qiu Yan had suddenly left earlier, saying he had something on his mind, and returned quite a while later. After talking with him, Zhao Zhou learned that Qiu Yan had actually written half a poem, so he asked to see it.

After glancing at it a few times, Zhao Zhou asked again, "The poem is good, but why is it only half-finished? Moreover, the poem has a rather otherworldly feel to it. Could it be that Brother Shen Zhi intends to emulate the King of Huai River?"

Li An, the Prince of Huai River, was a relative of the emperor. Although he was a prince, he was fond of Daoist practices and built a Daoist temple in his palace, where he meditated every day. This became a popular anecdote and was often used as a metaphor by Scholar Forest.

When Zhao Zhou said this, it wasn't sarcastic, but rather had the flavor of friendly banter, intentionally or unintentionally trying to get closer to Qiu Yan.

Qiu Yan smiled and replied, "As the Sage said, 'Exhaustively investigate the principles of things, fully explore one's nature, and ultimately understand one's destiny.' I've merely recorded what I occasionally felt inspired by, hoping it will serve as a reference in the future."

"Hmm? That's a rather insightful observation."

Zhao Zhou responded with a smile, and the two began to talk again, mostly about classical texts and methods of governing the world, finding themselves quite compatible.

As the sun began to set, Zhao Zhou, seeing that it was getting late, took his leave.

After seeing Zhao Zhou off, Qiu Yan returned to find Liu Huai leaning against the main hall door, smoking a pipe and humming a tune, looking cheerful and radiating a joyful mood.

"Uncle seems to be in a good mood today," Qiu Yan, stepping forward to speak.

"Yan'er, you've made something of yourself. Of course your uncle is happy. That Zhao Zhou is a famous scholar in Jiannan Circuit, a leading figure in Literary Dao, yet he came to visit you and had a very pleasant conversation with you. Isn't that just like the saying, 'Among scholars, You Hong'? I, Zhao Huai, have worked hard all my life, doing humble work, but I never thought that in my old age, my family would be like a scholarly family. How could I not be happy?"

After saying that, he took another drag of his cigarette, his face full of satisfaction.

Qiu Yan felt a warmth in his heart. After exchanging a few words, Liu Huai remembered something and said, "By the way, go and check on Xiao Yun'er's homework. Don't let it interfere with his studies." The Xiao Yun'er that Liu Huai mentioned was Zheng Yun, the son of Zheng Zhongsen.

After Qiu Yan brought Zheng Yun back, he only said that he was the son of an old friend and had become his disciple, without mentioning his age. Therefore, Liu Huai treated him as an ordinary child and doted on him.

Mentioning Zheng Yun, Qiu Yan said, "Uncle is right, but there's something I need to tell you first. In a couple of days, I'm sending Yun'er to Qingchang to be looked after by his uncle."

Liu Huai knew about this matter, but he was reluctant to part with it and couldn't help but say, "It's only natural to give it to Heavenly Principle, but Xiao Yun'er still needs to study. Shouldn't we postpone it for now?"

Qiu Yan said, "The most important thing in learning is a solid foundation. I have already written several study guides for Yun'er to take back and study diligently so that she can learn more advanced things in the future. In a few days, I will be packing my bags to go north to study and take the Metropolitan Examination next year. It would be inconvenient for Yun'er to stay here. If Uncle misses Yun'er, he can have someone bring her back for a reunion in the future."

"The Imperial Examinations is a major event and cannot be delayed," Liu Huai said, nodding in agreement. "What you say Correct Principle, and it should be done this way."

Seeing that Liu Huai looked tired, Qiu Yan stepped forward and helped Liu Huai back into the house.

Then, there was a knock on the door. When the door opened, Zhang Yu and Liu Kuang were standing outside, carrying large and small bags, with humble and ingratiating smiles on their faces.

At the same time, Zhao Zhou, who had left the Liu Household residence, went straight back to the inn where he was staying.

As soon as he entered the room, a man approached him and asked, "How is Qiu Sheng's scholarship?"

"His knowledge is outstanding," Zhao Zhou nodded, praising him sincerely. "When I chatted with him, I subtly broadened the topic, but he responded to every single one of them. He has a vast knowledge and a remarkable memory, and some of his insights are quite unique. I have learned a lot from him. If I could be recruited into the academy and given some training, his future achievements would be limitless!"

"Is that so!" Upon hearing this, the man became anxious. "Then we can't delay any longer. I just received news that Qiu Sheng met Zhen Zhizuo today!"

"Principle Sect Zhen Zhizuo?" Zhao Zhou's expression changed upon hearing this. "Wasn't he supposed to be back to visit his family? Why is he in Yuan Ning? And how did he run into Qiu Yan? Could it be...?"

"Indeed, this person must have the idea of recruiting Qiu Yan into the Entering Principle." The man nodded.

Zhao Zhou frowned, then decisively said, "Since that's the case, then we shouldn't delay. I'll write a letter now and have the academy send someone to formally persuade Qiu Yan, so we can gain the upper hand!" (To be continued)

ps: Thanks for the tip from "Don't be alarmed"!