Heroes Battle Heroes, but Can It Last a Thousand Years?

It's drizzling in Beijing this afternoon.

Zhao Sijie and Fang Zhenyi walked through the Temple of Heaven of Heaven after the rain. Looking around, the open building site was barren, with neat rows of bricks and stones.

In the distance, the railings are exquisitely carved, and the tall palace buildings are covered with three-colored tiles on their three-tiered eaves, exuding a sense of history yet remaining elegant.

This place was first built in the 18th year of the Yongle Ming Dynasty. Thereafter, it was the place where emperors of successive dynasties worshipped heaven and earth and prayed for favorable weather and abundant harvests.

Legend has it that Prince Xuan Taizu led his civil and military officials to establish the Heavenly Ranking, and it was here that the grand ceremony was held.

Later, this place became a storage place for the imperial court to collect treasures such as the personal weapons and experience tablets of masters from past dynasties.

Fang Mizhi and others have recently been helping to inventory the stock, check the ledgers, and repair the antiques here.

As the two younger people walked in the square, Fang Mizhi emerged from the distant Daxiang Hall, smiled slightly at them, and drifted closer like a willow catkin.

"They've arrived."

Fang Mizhi gave a greeting and led the two of them slowly westward, chatting and laughing.

"The twelve bishops in Ancient City of Pompeii Cathedral were using their own cultivation to create sacred fire, attempting to refine the Ancestor Qianyang within the urn."

"After the immortal rammed into them, they suffered the most severe damage and were basically crippled. However, the immortal did not kill them, not a single one of them. Do you know why?"

He was asking Zhao Sijie this question.

Zhao Sijie had already anticipated this, and was not intimidated at all, answering fluently.

"The Church has wielded immense power for over two centuries, infiltrating every aspect of society and deeply entrenched in its influence. Although the Ark of the Law has been destroyed, its roots are still difficult to eradicate in the short term."

"If all twelve bishops were to perish at the hands of outsiders, it would surely ignite a martyr-like glory in the remaining die-hards, and their fanatical emotions would incite even more people to join the tide of resistance against the demon king."

"The Great Immortal is ultimately compassionate and unwilling to conquer city after city."

Zhao Sijie sneered, "Once the Ark of the Law is destroyed, the deeper one's Divine Arts cultivation, the more their power will regress, and the harder it will be for them to recover from their injuries."

"If we keep these twelve, they will no longer be able to command respect. Twelve major factions will emerge, heroes fighting heroes, valiant men fighting valiant men."

"The entanglements of personal relationships and interests will soon escalate into infighting, and the public will gradually see through their true colors, diminishing their glory."

Fang Mizhi praised it.

This child is very mature.

"The immortal is indeed compassionate, and mainly he doesn't want to waste too much time in Western countries."

Fang Mizhi looked up at the sky with reverence, "To polish the precious mirror, truly bring out the strengths of the Yanxia, and enrich the Human World."

"In the face of such a momentous event that benefits all living beings, what are a few corrupt and conservative individuals worth mentioning?"

"However, the Great Immortal also said that since ancient times, amidst the turbulent waves of calamity and the swirling flames of blood, regardless of East or West, there have always been heroes and talents. Although the foundation of Divine Arts has been destroyed, the church's research into the complex techniques of Yanxia thoughts has the potential to serve as the foundation for profound martial arts."

"In the next hundred years, new fruits may emerge, and regardless of their quality, even if they are taken a wrong path, they can still serve as lessons for future generations."

Fang Mizhi stroked his beard and chuckled.

"The achievements of the Church are not truly a gift from God; they are also the result of our human efforts. Therefore, someone should record them, embrace diverse perspectives, and let the wisdom of all nations collide here, working together for the benefit of future generations."

"We cannot allow those with ulterior motives to steal our glory and deceive the people of other nations. Someone must go and set things right!!"

Zhao Sijie's heart pounded as he realized what was happening.

Could it be...

His throat suddenly felt dry, and he couldn't continue speaking for a moment.

Fang Mizhi understood perfectly and patted his shoulder gently.

"We have determined that your background, the upbringing you received, and your character and experiences make you very suitable to be one of the representatives for the westward journey."

No, for you, it should be called "returning to the West."

Zhao Sijie felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

Go west!

He was displaced from a young age, and what his hometown should be like was only passed down orally among his elders.

As a child, all he wanted was a peaceful life, and for him to express his opinions without being arrested and burned at the stake.

Even after arriving in Great Xuan and meeting the Great Immortal Zongheng, his wish was actually quite small.

He'd be content if, one day, the great immortal sent his men to slaughter the church, leaving countless heads rolling, he could also catch a glimpse of the rivers of blood.

Just this little wish, the size of a fingernail.

But if I were to go back and take revenge myself----

When Zhao Sijie considered this possibility, he discovered that he harbored an even greater desire deep within his heart.

"I'm willing to go back."

Zhao Sijie's eyes seemed to be burning with tiny flames, yet his demeanor became surprisingly calm.

Just like a piece of firewood, when burned using a skillful method, it can become high-quality charcoal, as fine as gold and iron.

"While the truth is still putting on its boots, the lie has already traveled halfway around the world, but the truth is always more unyielding than the lie. Since I was a child, I have seen countless people who wanted to rebel, but didn't know where to rebel against them."

"Given the current situation, I'm confident I can create a series of upheavals that could shake the throne."

Fang Mizhi nodded in satisfaction.

"Such a big matter cannot be left for you to go alone. You need to stay in close contact with us, and we will provide you with ample support."

"Lord Xuantan has contacted many foreign merchant caravans that do business with us. For the sake of their business, they will treat you quite kindly."

"Going forward, we will select and train more suitable personnel to provide assistance."

Zhao Sijie nodded repeatedly.

Fang Zhenyi said, "Then I will too—"

Don't worry.

Fang Mizhi's expression was somewhat strange when facing his son.

"The Dream-Eating Marquis says you have a great talent for learning the Dream-Savoring Divine Art Skill, and he wants you to be his assistant."

Fang Mizhi coughed lightly, "The Dream-Savoring Divine Art has great potential. The Great Immortal is sending people, starting from Jingxiang, to investigate local governments and urge them to take back responsibility for people's livelihood and ensure that the taxes collected are used effectively."

"Among these, too many of the original government employees are untrustworthy, and new talents need to be selected and trained."

"Well, in short, practitioners of the Dream-Savoring Divine Art will be useful in many important matters in the future. In their spare time, they can also create Crystal Dream for themselves, which is incredibly relaxing. It's truly the best job. You should go."

Fang Zhenyi looked at his father with suspicion.

He certainly didn't doubt that the Dream-Savoring Divine Art had great potential.

However, a few days ago, he seemed to have heard the Dream-Eating Marquis mutter something, saying that if he continued to work so hard, he would become mentally exhausted and lose his hair.

Good heavens, even a master like the Dream-Eating Marquis would lose a few hairs in shock.

Wouldn't someone else age prematurely and go bald?

Fang Mizhi leaned closer and whispered, "The immortal also said you're good, it's practically a personal appointment, so just tell me if you're going or not."

Did the patriarch possess the Dream-Savoring Divine Art?

According to the Marquis, the paths of the founders are different; if one were to forcefully practice the Dream-Savoring Divine Art, it would be a case of diminishing returns.

Fang Zhenyi muttered to himself twice, but after thinking it over, he decided to take on the task.

Having studied firearms since childhood, he wanted to change jobs and broaden his horizons.

Besides, many of his ideas about firearms were too far-fetched and could not be produced in reality at the moment.

If one were to master the Dream-Savoring Divine Art, perhaps one could first conjure up those weapons and play around with them within the Crystal Dream.

Whenever the Marquis felt like slacking off, he would say he wanted to sculpt some beauties.

Hey, what's the point of women?

Traveling with a beautiful woman is nothing compared to using all sorts of novel firearms, combined with superb light-foot skills, to fight each other in complex terrain, outwitting and outfighting each other – that's what's truly exhilarating!

Fang Zhenyi imagined how popular his Crystal Dream would be, and couldn't help but feel smug.

His smiling face was reflected in a precious mirror, making him look somewhat foolish.

The image in the mirror shrank rapidly, from Fang Zhenyi's face to encompassing the entire Temple of Heaven, and finally the entire capital city.

"Is this what Beijing is like now?"

The Transcendent Preceptor and Chancellor sat in the Yanxia Realm, holding the mirror in his hands, and shook his head slightly.

With his sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, high nose bridge, and heroic appearance, one could still vaguely see his former glory.

However, now, his hair is gray, tied with a peach wood hairpin, his eyebrows are gray, his cheeks are slightly thin, his beard hangs down to his lower abdomen, and he wears a gray gauze Daoist robe, as if he were a hermit in the mountains.

The fact that his soul would look like this after death suggests that he had maintained this leisurely and unassuming demeanor for a long period during his life.

However, there was a vertical line between his eyebrows, which suggested that he could not completely immerse himself in nature and forget about national affairs.

"The capital city today has expanded far too much and its population is too dense. Although the transportation network is better than before the Ming Dynasty, it is still not without its burdens. It gathers the resources of people from all directions to support this magnificent city. How much loss is incurred, and how many opportunities for malfeasance have been created?"

Yuhua turned to the person beside him and asked, "I see a large number of commoners in the capital making a living by their own labor. Their lives may not be very good, but people from all directions must have grievances against the capital. Some of those grievances will fall on these commoners. Is that right?"

Chu Tianshu was polishing the mirror with his eyes closed, so engrossed that he almost forgot himself.

I felt that the meticulous polishing was also a refinement of my own skills, and the constant soft sounds in my ears brought me comfort to my body and mind.

Hearing the question, he paused for a moment before opening his eyes.

"Oh, you're asking me? I haven't had time to deal with that yet."

Chu Tianshu pondered for a moment, "However, throughout history, the proportion of corrupt officials in the capital has always been very high."

"This is something that is unavoidable, regardless of whether the capital is located in Chang'an or in the north."

Lu Shuangyan said, "Then kill them all. If they're found out, kill them all."

"They must be killed. If these kinds of people Busha, it will only embolden them. Only those who are corrupt themselves would want to tolerate those who embezzle and break the law."

Yuhua said with a smile, "But we can't kill indiscriminately, or we'll become like Zhu Yuanzhang."

"As fellow masters of the Transcendent Sword, when I stormed the Great Ming palace, I specifically checked his detailed biographical notes. It was clear that his knowledge of economics was truly lacking."

"I fear that although his swordsmanship is superb, he doesn't even understand the basic principles of economics."

Lu Shuangyan frowned. "You're not talking about me, are you?"

Yuhua said, "Of course not, these are some of my wife's insights from back then."

"That girl's opinion."

Lu Shuangyan was certain, "She's definitely being sarcastic towards me. I only helped you arrange a marriage for the Xiahou Family's little girl back then, how could she hold a grudge for so many years?"

Yuhua said apologetically, "Senior meant well, but Miss Xiahou is indeed a bit too spoiled."

"That's not my fault, it's all Xiahou's fault for not teaching him well."

Lu Shuangyan immediately stated her position, but then a hint of nostalgia appeared in her eyes, and after a long while, she let out a sigh.

"Having many good friends doesn't guarantee the same for your descendants."

Chu Tianshu couldn't help but say, "If it's about being willful for love, I think Xiahou himself is fundamentally flawed."

"Well!"

Lu Shuangyan had no way to defend Xiahou Feishan on this point.

He had no choice but to get back to the point, saying, "What I mean is, even good laws can't guarantee that new problems won't arise in the future."

"The world seems prosperous now, with improvements in people's livelihoods, widespread participation, and coordination between higher and lower levels. Perhaps we can usher in a glorious era."

"The Great Void Treasure Mirror doesn't have the drawbacks of the Heavenly Ranking, but how long can it last?"