Flowing Clouds of Past and Present Cannot Be Tolerated

The main headquarters of the Flowing Cloud Manor is located in Luoyang City.

The mansion has stone archways and tall buildings on all four sides, supporting a vast open sky.

The courtyard is deep and secluded, with artificial hills, bamboo groves, and a small lake. Its scale is so large that it seems to be half a city, and the mansion has more than a thousand rooms.

There were also halls and pavilions for receiving guests and discussing matters, pavilions for stargazing and sightseeing, and waterside pavilions for dancing and playing the sheng (a type of reed pipe instrument). Guests and servants, dressed in robes, were as numerous as clouds.

Almost all the halls here have names, but a few places that the Flowing Cloud Manor Master prefers, because he often visits and lives there in a leisurely and carefree manner, are not named.

They simply use common terms like "study" or "quiet room".

Today, on the flower-lined path outside the quiet room, two people, guided by a group of servants, slowly approached.

Sunlight shines on the flowers and grass, making them brightly colored and fragrant.

"The Lord of the Manor has been in seclusion for the past few months, focusing all his energy on martial arts. I haven't seen him so concerned about a single martial art in ten years!"

The speaker was no more than forty years old, with a broad face, short beard, and dressed in a purple robe. Xiang Tanzhong, the head of the Competence Hall of the Flowing Cloud Manor.

The other person, dressed in silver satin clothing, was handsome and tall; he was Ye Zongsheng, the head of the Arms Hall.

The former is in charge of personnel within the Flowing Cloud Manor and controls promotions and demotions, making him the most powerful figure in the mansion, second only to the Flowing Cloud Manor Master.

The latter was a fierce general who joined Flowing Cloud Manor when he was just over ten years old. Over the past ten years, he had made outstanding military achievements, commanded respect, and was in charge of military affairs.

"Practicing martial arts more will only bring benefits, not harm."

Ye Zongsheng said, "Master Xiang, you've already mastered the Kunlun Mental Cultivation Method to the point where it's transformed from sharp to dull, achieving a state of profound nourishment and longevity, haven't you?"

"These past two years, no matter how you handle things, you always seem energetic and vibrant. You can stay up for two or three days without getting tired."

"With a few more years of practice, perhaps you can gradually achieve the effect of preserving your youth and regain the appearance of someone in their thirties. I congratulate you in advance."

Xiang Tanzhong smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words."

"However, I've often thought about this in recent years: how high does one have to go to be considered a master?"

Xiang Tanzhong, "The ability to cultivate health and Yannian is the true mark of a good practitioner."

"The Lord's martial arts are already among the best in the world, and his past cultivation methods are incompatible with that sword technique. Why bother trying to comprehend that sword technique?"

Jingle!

The two had already reached the front of the quiet room, and the servants dispersed, standing still.

The wind chimes under the eaves of the quiet room were swaying gently, making a clear sound.

The quiet rooms where ordinary martial artists seclude themselves for cultivation are usually tightly sealed with doors and windows, leaving little room for light to pass through.

Because of the rising and falling of the sun and the movement of the moon, significant changes in light can potentially interrupt one's train of thought.

The doors and windows of Flowing Cloud Manor Master's room were slightly open, and several strings of wind chimes hung outside the door.

The roof beams and rafters have many graduated holes, and when it rains, the sound of raindrops hitting the roof tiles is particularly pleasant.

Outside, the sun shines and the wind blows, causing the temperature to rise and fall; inside the house, this is clearly perceptible.

Traditionally, this is described as a quiet room.

The sounds that can be heard in this room are certainly more numerous and vivid than in an ordinary room.

The Lord of the Manor chose to go into seclusion here so that he could better tame the Sword Intent of the "Fifteenth Sword" using the vivid and lively atmosphere he had meticulously arranged.

Unfortunately, this Sword Intent was half derived from human beings and half from some strange force in the world.

With the cultivation level of the Flowing Cloud Manor Master, he could resist being bewitched and repeatedly unleash half of his Sword Intent, but as long as he remained clear-headed, he was unwilling to immerse himself completely in it.

The other half of the Sword Intent will then escape.

The most important transformation cannot be completed if the two are not thoroughly combined.

"Tanzhong, you just said that on purpose for me to hear, didn't you?"

The voice of the Flowing Cloud Manor Master came from inside the house.

Between brothers like us, is there anything we can't say openly? If you want to advise me, just be straightforward. Why waste your energy with all this complicated stuff?

"Come in."

Upon hearing this, the servant opened the door.

The two hall masters bowed at the threshold before stepping inside.

The interior is sparsely furnished, consisting only of a desk and pen holder, a censer for cooling incense, and a few potted plants by the window.

Flowing Cloud Manor Master sat in a grand chair behind his desk. Although he was over fifty, his hair was jet black, without a single strand of white, beneath his pearl and gold crown.

His eyebrows were smooth and soft, and his long beard fell to his chest. He had a calm and elegant demeanor.

The grand master's chair, covered with several layers of brocade, was beautiful and soft, making him feel as if he were sinking into it, very relaxed.

If an ordinary person sits in such a chair and tries to clear their mind, they will only fall into a deep sleep.

He entered meditation while sitting in this chair.

Every time Ye Zongsheng saw him sitting in such a chair, his gaze still sharp, he felt a sense of peace and awe.

Their lord is far from being old and senile.

Flowing Cloud Manor Master asked, "How's the matter I asked you to investigate?"

A while ago, the news of Chen Zuqi's execution spread like wildfire throughout the martial arts world.

When Flowing Cloud Manor Master received the news, he was quite moved, but then he put Chen Zuqi aside and browsed Chu Tianshu's intelligence.

Among them was a batch of letters sent by the Murong Lineage, which somehow caught the attention of the manor lord.

The letter merely stated that Chu Tianshu was the first to appear in Yongchun County and killed a group of people who coveted the Fire God Secret Formula.

But Flowing Cloud Manor Master immediately ordered a thorough investigation.

Ye Zongsheng stepped forward, took out a palm-sized piece of drawing paper, and handed it to the desk.

"This is what he looked like when he appeared in Yongchun County."

Flowing Cloud Manor Master took the portrait and saw several lines of text next to it, which roughly described Chu Tianshu's words and actions at the time.

"Aloof and silent, indifferent and passive..."

Flowing Cloud Manor Master's eyes flickered slightly as he took out another portrait.

That was Chu Tianshu taking a walk in the farmland at the foot of the mountain, after he had killed Chen Zuqi, and chatting with the farmers.

The two portraits depict people wearing very different clothes and with very different expressions.

However, there was one thing identical at the waist.

Did the intelligence report mention that he used a sword?

Ye Zongsheng shook his head. "It looks like he had a soft sword at his waist, but Chen Zuqi's corpse is covered in wounds from palm and claw techniques."

Flowing Cloud Manor Master said calmly, "He wouldn't even use his sword against Chen Zuqi, is it because the sword would affect his temperament...?"

Ye Zongsheng asked in surprise, "Could it be that his sword is the same as the Demonic Sect's saber?"

"They may not be the same, but they're always a good bait."

Flowing Cloud Manor Master said, "Sect Leader Qiu has been eyeing the Central Plains for a long time. Every time I invite him to come to the pass as a guest, he refuses to set off easily."

"But the issue of that knife is also a concern for him. If we reveal Chu Tianshu's information to him at the right time, combined with the information he can gather himself, it should be enough to sway him."

Xiang Tanzhong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The Flowing Cloud Manor Master suddenly fixed his gaze on him and smiled, "Can you rest assured now?"

Xiang Tanzhong his head, ashamed, and said, "As expected, the Lord of the Manor was not affected by that sword technique. He remains calm and composed in his dealings. I was just a frog in a well, worrying unnecessarily!"

"I haven't had a long discussion with you about business for many days, so it's no wonder you have these concerns."

Flowing Cloud Manor Master chuckled, "Even an emperor needs to attend court regularly to become a wise ruler. Besides, I haven't unified the Nine Provinces yet."

"But an emperor who only knows how to hold court is not enough."

"When Zhu Yuanzhang drew the Ascension Stone Sword, he cultivated Divine Intent, and only then did others acknowledge that he was ordained by Heaven."

"Zhu Di started his rebellion with only 800 soldiers, swept across the country, and even a eunuch by his side could lead troops into battle, was well-versed in military strategy and martial arts, and his power far surpassed that of his descendants."

Flowing Cloud Manor Master rolled up the intelligence in his hand and became quite talkative.

"The person in the palace now is living in constant fear, protected by three thousand imperial guards, so many top-notch palace fighters, and that swordsman who is both the emperor's brother-in-law and the commander of the Brocade Guard."

"Even so, we still need the leaders of Shaolin Wudang to be present before we can feel at ease."

"If he also possessed the strength of his brother-in-law, the two of them working together would at least have a chance to escape from me, and their courage would naturally be emboldened. How could their reputation have been so tarnished?"

Xiang Tanzhong admiringly, "That's absolutely true."

"Ever since the Emperor invited the leaders of the two factions to stay in the capital for an extended period, seemingly stabilizing the court, many wavering officials in the court have actually become much more active in exchanging information with us."

He took a few steps forward and placed the intelligence he had brought on the desk.

"This reflects the recent changes in the officialdom of the coastal provinces, as well as Chu Tianshu's direct instructions regarding agricultural and commercial affairs— Great Saber, demonstrating extraordinary courage."

"However, the imperial court has been corrupt for many years, and these provinces have suffered repeated damage. It will not be easy for them to recover."

Flowing Cloud Manor Master laughed and said, "With so many things on his mind, his martial arts skills have inevitably suffered. But if he wants to hold power for a long time, he needs to accumulate experience in these areas."

Even though he is much younger than me, I have the patience to wait for the right opportunity.

This intelligence report is much thicker than the one Ye Zongsheng just received.

Even with a proper balance of detail and brevity, it still took dozens of pages.

Because in addition to the officials directly replaced by Chu Tianshu, we also need to mention the related impacts on the coastal officialdom.

As Flowing Cloud Manor Master watched, the smile on his face gradually disappeared.

After he finished reading, he closed his eyes and remained silent for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

"Old Xiang."

He slowly opened his eyes. "What do you think is the most suspicious part of this intelligence?"

Xiang Tanzhong had already thought about this, "This person is replacing officials too quickly. The Southern Shaolin is only good at business; it may not have much influence over the officialdom outside of Eight Min."

"The people who were brought in to replace them seemed to be able to cooperate smoothly after a little adjustment period, which suggests that their stances are largely similar."

"I can't understand why Chu Tianshu knows so much about these people?"

Whether people in different positions can get along is a very troublesome issue, and countless emperors and generals throughout history have racked their brains over it.

Even those who get along well may need a long period of adjustment, let alone those who don't.

Those who reach an agreement immediately are very likely to form a small faction, leading to even fiercer competition with other factions.

Although the people Chu Tianshu replaced were not without their own conflicts, they seemed to be able to work together as a cohesive unit, which was truly unbelievable.

Xiang Tanzhong hesitated and said, "I have a guess. Could he be a prince who has been living among the common people?"

Ye Zongsheng exclaimed in astonishment, "What?!"

"Such a thorough understanding of official intelligence is probably only possible with the power of the imperial court..."

Xiang Tanzhong more and more fluently about this conjecture, saying, "This emperor in the palace did have some tricks up his sleeve in his early years."

"Perhaps he knew that those he raised in his position were being watched by too many people, and even if they wanted to rise again, it would be difficult to reverse the overall situation. So he focused his real energy on this prince in the shadows..."

Ye Zongsheng initially found it absurd.

But as I listened, I started to think, maybe it's not impossible.

The Zhu family members all enjoy purging officials; those who don't are mostly those who lack the power to do so.

If Chu Tianshu is truly a prince, once he reveals his identity and brings his new faction, he will plow through the entire court...

"You're quite imaginative."

Flowing Cloud Manor Master looked at his old brother with some surprise, then shook his head.

"But he was able to do these things not because the imperial court was secretly paving the way for him."

Flowing Cloud Manor Master rose from his comfortable armchair, walked around the desk, and headed out the door.

"But that's not the part that's most wrong."

"Let me ask you this: Chu Tianshu started his rebellion by using the Southern Shaolin Temple as a pretext, but is it possible for the Southern Shaolin to control all of Chu Tianshu's power now?"

Xiang Tanzhong stated, "Impossible."

The monks couldn't even control the entire Eight Min region. Strictly speaking, it was the network of relationships woven by their lay disciples that was the true maintainer of the local order in Eight Min.

When the monks have the same demands, they seem to be living a glamorous life. But if a monk goes beyond his original demands, then he'll be in trouble.

The lay disciples of today have established new relationships in various provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and are no longer so reliant on the Southern Shaolin.

"The lay disciples' faction cannot control the power themselves. They recruit too many local militia, teaching them martial arts and literacy. These militia are closely connected with their fellow villagers in various workshops, supporting each other. Their influence has actually surpassed that of the lay disciples themselves, and it is only through the officialdom that they can be checked and balanced."

Xiang Tanzhong, saying, "Simply relying on newly appointed officials cannot stabilize the overall situation; they must rely on the people."

Xiang Tanzhong, he suddenly realized that something was amiss.

Ye Zongsheng said, "According to this logic, the power of each faction under their command is not secure enough. Wouldn't they soon be fighting for power?"

Xiang Tanzhong said blankly, "No. The fact is, they are cooperating very well now, and the momentum is getting better and better."

"Their benefits all depend on the support of another faction; their inherently different status makes them fundamentally incapable of replacing the other faction's role."

"They will become dependent on the existence of their companions, and even if they harbor thoughts of vying for power, they will be overwhelmed by this overwhelming force of interdependence."

Xiang Tanzhong woke up with a start, his body trembling slightly.

"Once this trend takes hold, no one will be able to seize the highest power for at least two or three generations, and their power will grow rapidly."

"But within this framework..."

Xiang Tanzhong did not say what he was going to say next.

Flowing Cloud Manor Master spoke for him, "Within this framework, there is no need for a single, supreme ruler."

"Their Gan Jiang emerged layer by layer in this new trend, and no one understands what they represent better than they themselves."

"They are used to depending on each other, so they will naturally discuss and resolve the issue together."

Xiang Tanzhong suddenly said, "That's not right! The reason outsiders don't bother them is because of Chu Tianshu's existence; only Chu Tianshu's martial prowess can protect them."

Flowing Cloud Manor Master's eyes were dark as he said in a deep voice, "The highest-ranking person should possess martial prowess, but if all he has left is martial strength, how can we guarantee that the position will be passed on to his descendants?"

"His son must be the most skilled in martial arts, capable of defeating outsiders?"

"Can this still be a family-run empire?"

Flowing Cloud Manor Master stood at the threshold, looking at the clouds in the sky.

People generally believe that drifting clouds represent a sense of ethereal freedom.

However, when the Flowing Cloud Manor Master was young, gazing at the clouds in the sky, he didn't think of anything ethereal or graceful.

He felt it was a net.

A vast net covers the earth and presses down on all things.

The sun, moon, and stars will always shine, but whether all things can receive that light depends on whether the "net" is tight or loose.

The then- Flowing Cloud Manor Master felt a shiver and a deep envy.

He wanted to be the one in control of that network.

The Great Ming Dynasty court was already a rotten and foul-smelling net, barely clinging to life. As long as a new net took shape, the old one would inevitably be replaced.

Whether the leader of the Demonic Sect cult and the king of pirates had genuine communication or simply had a tacit understanding out of thin air, they were merely facilitators in this new network.

But they lost the advantage of location and lacked the courage to act decisively.

Once Flowing Cloud Manor's network is complete, these two will either have to submit to it or avoid it and find another place to stand.

But now, Chu Tianshu has created a different kind of net.

This Layman Tian is not in a position where they can weave together.

Flowing Cloud Manor Master's fingers gradually tightened, and a slight cracking sound came from between his knuckles.

Ye Zongsheng then realized what was happening and exclaimed in surprise, "He's gone mad! Why would he create such a structure?"

Xiang Tanzhong could hardly contain himself. "Could it be that he hasn't thought through the gains and losses? I need to write him a letter to remind him..."

The number two figure in the Flowing Cloud Manor actually genuinely wanted to write a letter to warn his enemy.

This is an absolute joke.

He's not crazy.

Flowing Cloud Manor Master laughed, "Brother, have you forgotten? We're all still people of the martial world."

Those who stand at the pinnacle of the martial world naturally indulge in unrestrained behavior. Some love to see towering stones piled up and Flowing Cloud Heavenly Net, while others love to witness storms passing through, leaving only the remaining grass...

"Our power largely comes from within; we can stir up countless waves with a flick of our wrist, and we can do anything for what we love. Why should we care too much about the opinions of the world?"

Xiang Tanzhong looked at the manor lord with disbelief.

Ye Zongsheng was just a martial artist; his understanding was not deep enough, and he did not know what Chu Tianshu's actions meant.

But for those who are determined to transform into dragons or to support dragons...

The martial arts world in the south is now an absolutely intolerable source of trouble.

If we wait a few more years, even if we manage to kill Chu Tianshu by then, some things will subtly influence people, causing endless harm.

"Old Xiang, calm down. It's just that the scenery you want isn't compatible."

"However, I was wrong just now."

Flowing Cloud Manor Master said calmly, "I can't wait too long, I can't wait until I've fully mastered the Fifteenth Sword."

"I need to find a way to kill this person as soon as possible."

He wanted to remain unmoved even if Mountain Collapse before him, and to keep his eyes straight ahead even if a deer ran past him.

He looked up at the sky again, watching the trails of the clouds, like a loose net.

Throughout history, has anything ever been able to pierce through the sea of clouds?

However, the Flowing Cloud Manor Master still felt that something uncontrollable was stirring and screaming within his body.

His hands were burning hot, and his heart was trembling.

In his entire life, even those who had killed his son had never made him feel such intense emotions.

I absolutely do not agree with that kind of scenery.

"Chu Tianshu!"

Flowing Cloud Manor Master gazed at the sky, unconsciously reciting a few words, a fiery aura emanating from every pore of his body.

"I'm going to kill him!!"

(End of this chapter)