The Mystery of the Banner He Pointed To

The sun was bright and clear, and the sky was cloudless.

The entire city of Chang'an was bathed in this warm sunlight.

But for many, these past few days have been a period of fear and turmoil.

Among the prominent families, the Li, Kong, Pei, and Wu families, which had become extremely powerful in recent years, had all their residences and properties in Chang'an confiscated.

As a result, businesses in Luoyang and other places were also liquidated.

In court, the Inner Guard presented a large amount of evidence, pointing out that these four families had members who colluded with bandits and outlaws, held positions without performing their duties, engaged in dishonest business practices, deceived their superiors and harmed the people, and embezzled farmland.

In both the government and the public, anyone who has kinship, personal connections, or business dealings with these four families is now living in constant fear, lest they be implicated in a purge.

Some families even took the initiative to plead their case, claiming to conduct a self-investigation and identifying a group of culprits within their own households, pinning all the blame on these individuals.

However, having found such a good entry point, how could the Inner Guard forces let it go so easily?

Anyone found guilty should be promptly imprisoned pending further investigation and should not be subjected to vigilante punishment.

All cases of alleged self-inflicted crimes have been filed and are pending thorough investigation.

Many households in Chang'an felt a sense of unease and fear.

However, the envoys from Martial Exhibition of All Nations still made the city increasingly lively.

Old Chang'an was divided into 108 wards and markets, 14 streets running north-south, and 11 streets running east-west.

The area of Chang'an today is very different from that of the past, but the general division method remains the same.

Among the many wards and markets, there was Xuanyi Ward, which was the location of Hai Donglai's residence.

Envoys from various countries often lingered for a long time, gazing at the high walls when passing through the vicinity.

They were well-informed and naturally knew that this was not only Hai Donglai's residence, but also that someone else had recently been staying here.

Chu Tianshu has been staying at the mansion recently.

Knock knock!

Chu Tianshu sat on the railing of the long corridor, his back against a large vermilion pillar, his left leg stretched out and his right leg hanging down, touching the ground inside the corridor.

He looked at the colorful flowers in the pond beside him, holding the drum in one hand and lightly tapping the drumhead with the fingertip of the other.

Sunshine, fragrance of flowers, swimming fish, frogs.

It brings a sense of tranquility, composure, and elegance.

In such an environment, it is just right to contemplate the artistic conception of "The Stone Flower Colorless Palm".

Guo Lingwei Feng Bohu stood in the corridor, seemingly admiring the scenery.

But every time Chu Tianshu's drumbeats rose and fell, the two of them couldn't help but deepen their breathing and adjust their blood and qi, clearly using the drumbeats to temper their will.

"Sigh, the feeling I'm conveying with this drumming is one of gentleness within gentleness, which doesn't match the martial arts styles of either of you."

Chu Tianshu turned to look at them, "Can't you come back when I'm playing ' The Dragon King Comes Ashore Tune '?"

Feng Bohu chuckled and said, "According to the philosophy of the Great Tang, extreme strength will eventually turn into gentleness. I also want to pursue the gentle side."

Guo Lingwei said respectfully, "To hear the senior's drumming is already a great fortune, a blessing. Even missing a single note would keep me tossing and turning, unable to sleep."

"No matter what kind of music it is, I don't want to miss it."

Chu Tianshu smiled and said, "You speak nicely, but you're too literary. Alright, go see if there are any snacks in the kitchen, get some, and we'll eat something first before listening to the drums."

The mansion of Hai Donglai was not crowded.

From over a hundred years ago to sixty-seven years ago, people tirelessly sent him various beauties, hoping to become his relatives.

However, aside from having a daughter who was seriously ill and could not be exposed to sunlight since childhood and died young, he seemed to have lost interest in this matter afterward.

With his martial arts prowess, he may have many wives and concubines, but as long as he has no such desire, he will naturally have no new offspring.

After his wives and concubines also grew old and died, the mansion often became desolate.

He himself did not often live here, so back then he simply issued an order that all Huayin Guo Clan who returned to Chang'an could stay at his place.

Old friends of the Inner Guard may also stay temporarily at the residence.

Therefore, Guo Lingwei was actually much more familiar with this place than Chu Tianshu.

Guo Lingwei responded and strode towards the kitchen.

Feng Bohu seemed unwilling to even part ways for a short time, so he simply followed along.

As the two walked to the end of the corridor and through the courtyard gate, Nie Hongxian walked in.

"Huh?"

Chu Tianshu asked in surprise, "What brings you here?"

Nie Hongxian changed into the attire of an Inner Guard commander, wearing a black gauze crown, a scarlet robe, a jade belt, a ceremonial sword, and swift boots with arrow sleeves, looking heroic and dashing.

But judging from the dust still clinging to the hem of her robe, one could tell how busy she had been lately.

"Uncle-Master!"

She clasped her hands in a gesture of respect and handed several silver mirrors to Chu Tianshu, saying, "I'm truly ashamed; I've come here again to ask for your help."

"Look at these mirrors, do they contain any Weapon Soul?"

Chu Tianshu turned the Divine Drum over, making it look exactly like a basin. He placed several mirrors inside, his right fingertips stroking the mirror surfaces as he pondered in silence.

Nie Hongxian continued, "These are the things we found after we searched the mansions of the Lineage, looked through many hidden compartments, and took inventory of their assets."

"This item is hidden in all four secret compartments; it must be a complete set."

"But the head craftsman in the Directorate of Palace Construction said that this casting style doesn't seem to be from the Great Tang Dynasty; it must have been made by Western Regions."

"I suspect this might be a treasure used to communicate with foreign tribes in the Western Regions, but I can't immediately determine how it's used."

That night, Chu Tianshu visited four mansions, but his attention was mainly focused on subduing the living and searching for secret manuals; he didn't really pay attention to any mirrors.

Now, he used his Mind Power to examine the situation carefully and quickly noticed something amiss.

"These mirrors do indeed contain the Weapon Soul, but there's only one, and its state of existence is rather peculiar."

Chu Tianshu said thoughtfully, "This set of mirrors should have more than four mirrors."

"Its Weapon Soul is like an octopus, possessing many tentacles. Its main body resides in one of the mirrors, while the other mirrors are connected only by its tentacles."

Nie Hongxian was slightly surprised. "An octopus? Like those sea octopuses?"

During the Tang Dynasty, Han Yu referred to octopus as "Zhangju". The Minyue people of the Great Tang already enjoyed blanching this fish fresh and then eating it with ginger and vinegar.

Chu Tianshu nodded slightly when he heard her question, but he found it a little funny.

In the history of my hometown, the word "shark" in the Tang Dynasty did not refer to a giant sea shark, but in this otherworldly Great Tang, the name "shark" has clearly been given to that kind of fish in the sea.

However, words like "octopus" have not yet become standard usage.

"Anyway, although I can sense its Weapon Soul form, there's nothing I can do about it."

Chu Tianshu picked up a mirror and tossed it twice.

"Unless I know the correct method for switching masters, if I forcibly try to touch this Weapon Soul, I'm afraid it will immediately sever its Weapon Soul to survive."

Nie Hongxian nodded and put the mirror away.

"Thank you, Uncle-Master."

She thought for a moment, then said, "I'll go ask the Imperial Astronomical Bureau."

Chu Tianshu asked curiously, "Doesn't the Imperial Astronomical Bureau only calculate natural disasters and not human events?"

Nie Hongxian explained, "The Imperial Astronomical Bureau has a large number of staff, but only the Director is specifically responsible for predicting natural disasters. Some of them are also skilled at predicting matters related to objects."

Chu Tianshu grunted, recalling Li Ju's last words.

I have a feeling that, apart from natural disaster algorithms which have stood the test of time, other forms of divination still seem rather unreliable.

Nie Hongxian was already saying goodbye to him, bowing and leaving in a hurry.

"So busy..."

Since it's a raid, they're definitely motivated.

Chu Tianshu had originally intended to say that, but then his ears twitched, and he suddenly laughed, "Hai Donglai is truly despicable."

"He goes out to enjoy himself while making that young girl shoulder the heavy burden."

A gentle breeze rustled through the corridor.

The man in white robes and red blouses folded his red umbrella, held it behind his back, and strolled leisurely toward Chu Tianshu.

"Should I remind you? The young girl in your eyes is in the prime of her life, while I am already an old man nearing the end of my days."

Hai Donglai in front of Chu Tianshu, turned around and looked at him, his eyes slightly shifting.

"It's been over a hundred years, and you seem to be even younger than Hongxian?"

Chu Tianshu raised an eyebrow, surprised, and asked, "How did you figure that out?"

"Feel."

Hai Donglai offered a universal answer, turning his gaze to the pond.

"Moreover, your words and actions in Nanzhao back then were quite peculiar. The more I think about it, the more I feel that you seem out of place in that era."

"Since there are things like the rotation of heaven and earth, the return of the universe, and the Weapon Soul, could there also be another universe?"

Chu Tianshu gasped and gave a thumbs up.

Back in the wasteland, no one realized he was from another world.

Surprisingly, an ancient person guessed it.

"You really are something else!"

Sensing his affirmation, Hai Donglai's lips twitched. "So, in just a few years, you've already reached this level of cultivation?"

Before Chu Tianshu could answer, Hai Donglai sighed again.

"I ran into some trouble in Lingnan, so I went to an Inner Guard post station to inquire about the recent situation. All the news about you came rushing back to me."

"No wonder you're so mischievous; you're still a teenager at heart."

Chu Tianshu tapped the drum in dissatisfaction. "Hey, even if there's an age gap now, don't even think about elevating your generation to my grandfather's."

Hai Donglai chuckled softly, his gaze falling on the drum, his smile gradually fading.

"The Mountain King's drum, it really did fall into your hands..."

He spoke a little slowly, "That old monk, if he continues to study this drum, then things will be much easier for him."

Chu Tianshu sensed something unusual and asked in surprise, "What do you mean? Has the Mountain King researched something else powerful?"

Flowers sway in the pond, and a little frog leaps from the petals into the water.

With a soft patter, the water rippled gently.

Hai Donglai, resting with his eyes closed amidst the gentle breeze and rippling waves, recounted a past event.

In his final battle with the Mountain King, he had cracked the Mountain King's skull and destroyed his soul.

The Mountain King's body fell into a glacial cave.

In places like glaciers, even a seemingly insignificant little blue puddle can be easily crossed.

Once someone actually steps in, they might fall straight into the icy water, hundreds of feet deep.

Hai Donglai was seriously injured at the time and was unable to intercept the body in time. He searched for it several times afterward but could not find it. It was probably swept away by the undercurrent, so he did not pay much attention to it.

Until Du Fanchuan's dying prophecy.

"I've heard of this."

Chu Tianshu said, "I heard that on his deathbed, he divined the culprit who would ruin the fate of the Great Tang Dynasty, but he couldn't say for sure. He just pointed to a Buddhist banner."

Hai Donglai nodded slightly.

"Indeed, Du Fanchuan's predictions have never been wrong. His pointing finger has given me much to ponder."

"The Buddhist community is a mixed bag, full of both good and bad, which does cause some trouble, but it's only a minor problem. It can be dealt with by cracking down, confiscating, and cleaning up."

"If that banner isn't pointing to Buddhism, could it be referring to Tubo? Although Tubo reveres Buddhism, it's fragmented and unlikely to rise again."

Or perhaps it refers to the color of the banner?

"Since ancient times, all five colors have held extraordinary significance. Could that yellow banner possibly refer to the Huang family?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Tianshu couldn't help but cough lightly.

They even brought up the surname Huang... Indeed, the Great Tang Dynasty next door was wiped out by Huang Chao.

However, in this Great Tang Dynasty, the time for Old Huang to wield his power had long passed.

Hai Donglai at him, but didn't ask any further questions, and continued talking.

"But in this era, there is no one with the surname Huang who possesses the power to rebel. Moreover, if the prophecy refers to a surname, there are too many variables; someone in any generation could change their surname to Huang."

"Du Fanchuan's predictions throughout his life were all accurate, and he was also kind-hearted. His poetic talent was said to have inherited from Du Fu, earning him the nickname 'Little Du.' His last divination would definitely not have been about his surname."

Hai Donglai said softly, "So, only a little bit is left."

Buddhist and Daoist temples and monasteries would often send banners to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to pray for blessings when natural disasters occurred.

That Buddhist banner was also used to pray for blessings in the face of natural disasters.

But what specific type of natural disaster is it?

Hai Donglai his men to search all the records in the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and found the answer.

--Locust plague!!

During the more than 300 years of the Great Tang, it experienced hundreds of locust plagues.

The locust plague was considered even more terrible than drought and flood in the minds of the Great Tang.

Hai Donglai therefore dispatched many people to various places to check for signs of locust plagues and to recruit wise men from the people to seek methods to control the locusts.

He himself traveled extensively, and whenever he heard of someone who had achieved something, he would go to investigate.

"Then..."

Hai Donglai's expression turned strange. "Seven years ago, I encountered the Mountain King again."

"He seemed not to recognize me anymore. His eyes had turned like those of a locust, two long whiskers had sprouted from his forehead, and he even had membranous wings hidden on his back. He was naked, walking among the mountains and fields."

It was less a human and more a complete monster.

If an ordinary person saw this, they would probably be scared to death.

Hai Donglai saw him, he immediately prepared to tear him to pieces and grind his bones to ashes.

Unexpectedly, this monster managed to escape from his grasp.

Hai Donglai suspected that he was faking madness.

Therefore, in the same year, when the Mountain King challenged him to a duel, Hai Donglai deliberately dragged it out for thirty moves, wanting to see if the Mountain King would show himself.

The Mountain King never appeared.

Later, Hai Donglai discovered that this demon indeed had no interest in the Mountain King's disciples, and had not even returned to Tubo, but lingered only on the land of the Great Tang Dynasty.

Wherever the demon passes, it emits a unique aura that causes locusts to multiply rapidly.

The locusts, which would normally be eaten by birds, chickens, and ducks, produce toxins in their bodies, causing birds, chickens, and ducks to instinctively avoid them and stop eating them.

The Mountain King seems to have become the king of locusts.

"So, you've been investigating this... monster" for the past few years?

Upon hearing this, Chu Tianshu's heart skipped a beat.

By the way, it's mentioned in common knowledge about the Great Yu Stele.

In fact, as long as one can cultivate to the Single Flawlessness, it is already considered a great success of "Transformation", and one can try to break through to the state of "Returning Light".

The Realm of Returning Light is essentially a state of seclusion where one subtly allows their internal condition to return to its pre-birth state, thereby correcting their innate defects and breaking free from their natural shackles.

It's like transforming yourself into a more powerful life form, undergoing a regeneration.

However, with a foundation of Single Flawlessness, the probability of failure in attempting to Returning Light is already quite high.

There are no readily available cultivation methods in this world to refer to; one can only rely on self-exploration.

It is highly likely that the Mountain King will fail to break through the barrier.

It's just unknown what kind of being he originally wanted to ascend to, which would have led to his physical body turning into this monster after his original soul was destroyed.

Did he want to become the embodiment of disaster for the Great Tang?

"Hiss!"

Chu Tianshu gasped in shock, his eyes fixed on Hai Donglai.

Fortunately, judging from Hai Donglai's cultivation Dharma Lineage, he was attempting a path of Double Flawlessness.

Thankfully, he didn't rashly attempt to break through the Returning Light.

Otherwise, if Hai Donglai also failed in his attempt to Returning Light, who knows what kind of mess this world would be in now.

(End of this chapter)