Heaven and Earth Return to Place, Weapon Souls, Heh Heh

"The route map from Hai Donglai... it's a bit... ridiculous."

Chu Tianshu stood with his hands on his hips in the wilderness, gazing at the rising sun in the east.

The morning glow filled the sky, making the tall buildings in Chang'an look like a golden-red city.

He took a deep breath in front of the magnificent city, as if trying to dispel the treacherous and rugged journey by drawing upon its steadfast aura.

When he set off, he heard what Hai Donglai say, so he was prepared that he might have to climb steep slopes, walk through some misty and deserted places, and pass through jungles full of thorns and vines.

However, the places he traveled the most along the way were not the deep mountains and forests or quiet wilderness he had imagined.

It's a cliff!

The Hongxian marked on the route map runs along the riverbank and clings to the mountain cliff.

Chu Tianshu had assumed that there was still some distance between the foot of the mountain and the riverbank, and that it was passable.

When he got there, he realized that the path referred to a rock fault on the side of the cliff.

To get through, one has to follow the fault line, which is somewhat like a narrow tunnel.

But inside this "tunnel" is a mountain, less than half a foot wide underfoot, and outside is a strong wind and thick fog.

The height above the river surface is at least thirty or forty zhang.

Looking down, one sees the mighty river roaring and surging endlessly.

Looking up, one sees swirling clouds and mist, with wild geese occasionally flying through them.

"Fortunately, my skills have improved over time. If it were when I first entered this world, it might have been quite difficult to navigate."

Chu Tianshu rested for a while before heading towards the city gate.

The markets outside the city walls of Chang'an are much larger than those in Nanzhao.

This city had clearly fallen several times since the Great Tang.

At this point, there were no signs of damage or wear and tear.

The city gate tower itself resembles a general clad in full armor, standing tall and reaching the clouds.

The soldiers standing guard on the city walls and at the city gates, like children raised by this silent general, exude both majesty and vibrant vitality.

The people who had lined up early were entering the city. Those who didn't carry much, even if they were just carrying one or two baskets of vegetables, were not strictly checked and were allowed to pass.

The soldiers guarding the city would only approach and question and inspect those that were clearly transporting goods, such as carriages with curtains drawn.

Chu Tianshu, empty-handed, strolled leisurely through the crowd and entered Chang'an City.

The main street leading in was wide enough for countless carriages to pass side by side; it was long and wide, seemingly stretching all the way to the other end of the capital.

The vendors were either open or already cooking, their calls of selling hot water rising and falling from the surrounding neighborhoods.

He saw a night watchman walking by nearby, who must be familiar with the roads of Chang'an, so he went over and asked Hai Donglai lived.

The night watchman looked surprised, but after regaining his composure, he gave him directions.

When Chu Tianshu arrived outside the Hai Mansion, he saw two imposing guards in red armor standing at the entrance.

After presenting a token, he was invited into the mansion and met the steward of the Hai family.

Although the person was dressed as a man, she was clearly a woman in her thirties or forties, wearing a black veil, with slender eyebrows and eyes, and dressed in a white shirt.

"My surname is Yuwen, and my given name is Zhong."

Chu Tianshu asked in surprise, "Yuwen?"

Yuwen Zhong laughed and said, "There are many people with the surname Yuwen. You may have seen them before, but I was originally just one of the small-time peddlers in Chang'an, not someone from any prestigious family."

Chu Tianshu nodded slightly and handed over the letter.

After receiving it, Yuwen Zhong was taken aback. "Lord Hai has sent all the evil soldiers to you for disposal?"

Chu Tianshu said, "He said that as long as you have this mark, you can naturally distinguish the authenticity of the order."

"It's true."

Yuwen Zhong said with a sigh, "Lord Hai has a great passion for collecting evil weapons. Back then, it was because of a sacrificial knife used by a rebel king at the end of the Sui Dynasty that we had some dealings."

"I never imagined that one day he would actually send out all the evil weapons."

"If it weren't for the fact that he was far away in Nanzhao and was never one to back down from trouble, I would almost have thought that he had received word of the situation in Chang'an."

Chu Tianshu asked curiously, "What's going on?"

"A recent rumor circulating at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau is that during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the Weapon Soul often manifested in various forms, appearing as immortals, saints, ghosts, or demons."

Yuwen Zhong laughed, "At that time, even if the Weapon Soul lost its master and body, it could feed on the essence of people anywhere. It did not need to find another puppet, nor did it necessarily have to kill people. Its ingenuity was indistinguishable, and its good and evil were unpredictable."

"As the saying goes, essence and energy are the substance, and wandering souls are the variations, totaling 11,520 kinds. This shows how abundant the types of Weapon Soul were at that time; it was practically a world where Weapon Soul and humans coexisted."

Chu Tianshu understood the implication. "Does the Imperial Astronomical Bureau mean that the world is beginning to evolve in the direction it was back then?"

"That's a saying."

Yuwen Zhong nodded and said, "They seem to be saying that the universe is constantly shifting and changing. Two thousand years have passed, and in the last twenty years, there have been signs of the universe returning to its proper place."

Therefore, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau memorial to the world, solemnly warning all prominent families and military units to refrain from using evil weapons.

Chu Tianshu scratched his temple with his little finger, a subtle feeling stirring within him.

Back in my hometown, strange things have been happening more and more frequently in recent years. Could it be that these trends are connected across different worlds?

He asked, "Does the Imperial Astronomical Bureau have many ancient books on this subject?"

If so, he'd like to try and talk to someone over there.

"There is still much debate within the Imperial Astronomical Bureau regarding this claim. The ancient tortoise shells and stone carvings they have collected are extremely few, and there is no guarantee that they are not false or erroneous, making it impossible to verify them."

Many people still believe that the sage was merely looking for an excuse to warn those prestigious families, and that's why he deliberately stirred things up.

As Yuwen Zhong spoke, he continued walking, leading Chu Tianshu to a courtyard.

"This is where Master Hai stores his evil weapons. The doors, windows, and outer walls are covered with numerous talismans painted by the Daoist priests of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau."

Chu Tianshu saw that the bricks were engraved with tiny cloud-shaped incantations to ward off evil spirits.

After unlocking the door, Yuwen Zhong remained outside.

Chu Tianshu stepped inside, crossed the courtyard, and then pushed open the door.

The door wasn't locked, but when he pushed it open, he sensed that various sinister energies were intertwined inside, eventually forming a barrier against external forces.

Once you press your hand on it, you not only have to resist this invisible force, but also a bone-chilling cold sensation; an ordinary person really couldn't push it away.

Bang!

Chu Tianshu made a light cracking sound with his palm, and the door swung open inwards.

The swords and spears hanging on the walls and displayed on the shelves inside the room all trembled slightly at that moment.

This place seems to be neglected, yet Shangdu of the weapons are dusty.

Chu Tianshu walked in with a smile, counted them, and there were indeed fourteen weapons.

Judging from their overall feel, several of them are inferior to "Snow River Avalanche".

There are only three, similar to "Snow River Avalanche".

There are two more items whose intensity of evil is comparable to that of the "Blazing Sun Wheel".

But none of them can compare to the Phoenix Wing Gilded Halberd.

Chu Tianshu glanced at it and felt that the quality was better than expected.

It has both quality and quantity.

"Hey-hey!"

Chu Tianshu chuckled softly and then closed the door behind him.

(End of this chapter)