All Offerings Arrive, Hu Slave Follows the Wind

Startled by Lord Shi's glare, Ning Sanshou shrank back and nodded cautiously, "Indeed, that sage wrote a Human Dao Canon here, and deserves such a title." Compared to before, his demeanor and tone were noticeably different, and he had lowered his stance considerably.

However, this stance was not directed at the Rouluo, but rather at the Central Plains people whom he had been desperately slandering.

"Ning Sanshou! I remember you! Aren't you the one who gained Rouluo's favor by insulting his own bloodline?"

Just then, a man behind Lord Shi suddenly spoke up. This man looked to be about thirty years old, wearing a long robe and carrying a long sword on his back.

Upon hearing this, Lord Shi turned his head and asked, "Qing Shan, do you know this person?"

"Lord Shi, have you forgotten? One year when the Left Wise King invaded the pass, someone made outrageous remarks outside the city, projecting all sorts of human weaknesses onto us, the people of the Central Plains, and insulting us in every way. The late Emperor was furious about this and issued an edict reprimanding several major military garrisons and three Governor-General's Residence in the Northern Frontier. This person's name was mentioned in the edict. I took note of it at the time, and later, after checking the records, I learned that this person had spread rumors and incited the people of several villages to rebel, and had deliberately provoked the government troops..."

Then, the man named Qing Shan casually recounted what Ning Sanshou had done.

"So that's how it is. This person is truly harboring malicious intentions, fearing nothing more than peace and quiet." As Lord Shi listened, his expression grew increasingly grim. When he looked at Ning Sanshou again, anger surfaced in his eyes, and the atmosphere around him gradually became oppressive. "Since you look down on the people of the Central Plains, why bother with such a humble demeanor? It only makes you look down on us!"

Qing Shan said calmly, "It's not surprising that people are arrogant in front of others but bow and scrape before the powerful and wealthy. People like Ning Sanshou would even consider themselves to be enduring humiliation and possessing wisdom." These words were harsh, yet he spoke them without any sense of human warmth.

Ning Sanshou trembled as he buried his head in the ground, saying, "Having witnessed the actions of the Sage, how could I harbor any other thoughts? Only today do I realize that the Central Plains is truly the Celestial Dynasty, protected by Heaven, which is why such a figure was sent down."

"You witnessed the great sage writing the classics?" Upon hearing this, Lord Shi sensed something amiss. He scanned the other person and felt a genuine sense of fear emanating from them. He also noticed that many people were scattered throughout the forest, in small groups, all filled with dread. The fear emanating from the branches and leaves was precisely from them.

At this moment, another person behind Lord Shi spoke up and asked, "To see books and classic texts is an incredible stroke of luck. Even if you have ulterior motives, it is still a stroke of fortuitous opportunity. What is there to be afraid of?"

"This..." Ning Sanshou raised his head slightly, a bitter smile on his face. He wanted to say something, but the shock had not completely subsided, and he couldn't say the words.

You see, although he was somewhat surprised to see Qiu Yan writing the Human Dao Canon, what truly terrified him was the scene of the Imperial Preceptor, the Venerable One, and the Heavenly Hound being forcibly pulled into the book!

Who is that person?

The Rouluo Three Saints!

Their fame on the Grasslands has lasted for at least two hundred years. Even before the Rouluo Tribe rose to power, the names of these three saints were already circulating on the Grasslands. No matter which tribe gained power, they would worship them and offer them Dragon Qi and Flood Dragon Qi.

It could be said that simply mentioning the names of these three men was enough to make the people of the Grasslands tremble. Although Ning Sanshou had fled from the Central Plains, he was very familiar with the history and stories of the Grasslands, so how could he not know the names of the Three Saints?

This time, if it weren't for the fact that the Left Wise King had encountered danger and happened to fall into the forest where he was staying, he would never have met the three of them.

Yet, even such a person, when facing Qiu Yan, was at a disadvantage for the rest of the time, except for the initial display of power!

First, the Palace Master's physical body was destroyed by the raging wind, and the Imperial Preceptor and the Venerable One were also unable to escape. They were "imprisoned" in the ancient texts by Qiu Yan, and their fates are unknown.

Besides, although Ning Sanshou didn't know the origin of that Heavenly Hound, he had witnessed the scene of the palace master fighting it, so how could he not know that the two were also experts of the same level?

These three individuals all perished at Qiu Yan's hands!

Not to mention, even the Left Wise King, who was rumored to lead Rouluo to its zenith, is now dead on the spot, his head severed from his body. How could Ning Sanshou not be shocked by this?

Politically, the loss of the Left Wise King has created a loophole in the Khan's Four Horns strategy, potentially leading to future wars. Furthermore, at the level of Divine Ability cultivators, three of the top experts supporting the Royal Court have been eliminated in an instant!

It can be said that Qiu Yan's casual act of writing down the classics on his first trip to the Grasslands directly caused the Rouluo clan's strength to be reduced by 30% for no reason!

What does it mean to deplete 30% of the national strength of an entire nation by the power of a single individual?

Not to mention, Qiu Yan's nonchalant demeanor when he left added to his legendary status, and the fact that he left a letter at the end further demonstrated his strategic acumen.

Ning Sanshou had only ever seen such a situation in legendary tales, but now it was unfolding before his eyes, though the opponent was the enemy.

Moreover, when Qiu Yan left, the gentle pat on Ning Sanshou's shoulder sent shivers down his spine, giving him the feeling that a part of his Fortune and life had been taken away.

He knew this wasn't a misperception; it was very likely that he was being controlled by Qiu Yan.

For these reasons, it's no wonder Ning Sanshou changed his attitude. On the other hand, he was seen by Lord Shi and the others before he could leave. Although they didn't know his identity, they could tell that he was no ordinary person, so he used this behavior and words to try to survive.

Behind Lord Shi, several cultivators looked around. They sensed a surging, powerful force in the air around them, showing no signs of dissipating.

This intention constantly pressured their Divine Abilities and cultivation, while simultaneously refining their thoughts and ideas.

The group exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. Finally, Qing Shan spoke up, "As expected of the place where the Human Dao Canon were forged, whether it's due to the thoughts of the people who created it, the remnants of Dragon Qi, or the aura of the Hundred Schools Aura, a piece of will has indeed been left here, capable of purifying the Human Thoughts. It may become a sacred place in the future!"

"Such a sacred place is located on the Grasslands, what a waste! That person is talented, but he is too willful. He must be given some pointers in the future. Good things should be left for the Central Plains!" Lord Shi snorted coldly, his words full of dissatisfaction.

This forest is imbued with a spirit that lingers and can stimulate Literary Thought, greatly benefiting scholars. Even cultivators, though their Divine Ability are suppressed, can still refine their thoughts, which is equally important.

"In any case, those who did such things certainly deserve a title of respect. The Sages of High Antiquity and medieval times, whenever they created classics, would evolve into a sacred place of Literary Dao and Daoism. Some of these have been passed down to this day and have become academies and Daoist temples." Qing Shan seemed not to notice what Lord Shi was saying and continued speaking.

"That doesn't make him a saint!" Lord Shi added, glancing at Ning Sanshou, "You should keep those thoughts to yourself; don't try to flatter him to death."

Ning Sanshou was startled upon hearing this.

"Oh? What do you mean? Do you feel your destiny isn't good enough?" Qing Shan maintained his indifferent expression, but a ripple appeared in his eyes. "I've heard that the Junior Chens of Eastern Capital are hailed as living Sages, and no one says much about it. According to your logic, Lord Shi, that person's current reputation and achievements might not be insufficient to bear such a burden."

"What are the ages of those two young men surnamed Chen?" Lord Shi scoffed. "Besides, their students are quite old and spread throughout the court, so they can influence the court's will to some extent. Qiu Yan, on the other hand, is only a few years old. He has no foundation and, given his cultivation, is already easy to be feared. Therefore, it's best not to leave behind titles like 'Sage' or 'virtuous man,' lest it provoke the emperor."

"So that person's name is Qiu Yan? Hmm?" Although Ning Sanshou looked panicked, he still listened carefully and muttered to himself, "Isn't that the name of the newly appointed top scholar? Could it be the same person?" Although he was being restrained, he was currently speaking well of Qiu Yan on the surface, so that even if he was investigated, he would have an excuse.

At this moment, Lord Shi's gaze swept over again, making Ning Sanshou feel a sudden heaviness in his body, a suffocating feeling in his chest, as if he couldn't breathe. He immediately knew the danger.

"Stop thinking nonsense. Qiu Yan is not someone you can mess with." Lord Shi said, letting out a long breath. "Alright, there's no strong Literary Thought reaction within a hundred miles. It seems Qiu Yan has already left." With that, he strode towards a certain place.

Hearing this, Ning Sanshou was startled again, finally understanding why the others had been talking to him so much—they were investigating Qiu Yan's whereabouts. However...

"To have explored an area of a hundred miles in such a short time is astonishing. Could this old man be the legendary retainer of the Five Army Commandery? If so, it won't be easy for me to escape."

As he was pondering this, Qing Shan suddenly asked, "How long has it been since the person who wrote the books left?"

"We're practically at the same stage as you all," Ning Sanshou replied casually, speaking the truth.

"One after the other, so it seems they were deliberately trying to avoid us," the young man said calmly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"No matter what, we must find him, even if it means mobilizing the other Governor-General's Residence." At this moment, Lord Shi returned, carrying a headless corpse in his hand.

Upon seeing the corpse, Qing Shan and the others sensed its presence and immediately felt its unusual destiny Fortune.

Some people sighed, "Who is this person? He's already dead, and his Fortune dissipated, yet traces of his destiny remain. He must have been someone of extraordinary status in life."

"The old man couldn't identify it at first either. He only found it because he discovered the abnormal fate of the corpse when he was investigating Qiu Yan's location. However, I think he knew about it." Lord Shi spoke, his gaze fell on Ning Sanshou.

Ning Sanshou stared at the corpse, his expression growing increasingly grim.

"Ask him first. Also, since we can't find Qiu Yan, let's see what's written in this letter he left behind."

As Lord Shi spoke, he took the envelope, flicked the paper, unfolded it, and scanned it, taking in all the words. Suddenly, he slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Oh dear! How can he be concerned about an envoy at a time like this? It's utterly absurd! What could possibly be more important than that book in his hand? No way..." (To be continued...)

ps: Thanks to "Three Steps Square Fish in the Wind", "Feng Wangzhi", "Sand Grass", "Feng Qingya", "Never Vote", "wiler", and "Nan Ji Yinan" for their monthly votes!