Chapter 319: Four Seasons Dojo and Yuanfeng Method, An Unheard Ancient Temple

When he saw even Princess Youruo looking utterly bewildered, Zhao Xing knew she probably had no idea what was in the decree. Clearly, this was an imperial decree with dual, contradictory meanings.

Liu Tianning had a plan whether he came or not. Either way, Emperor Jing could hit multiple targets with one stone. A flood of thoughts rushed through Zhao Xing’s mind, aligning with his past life's memories, filling him with emotion. His greatest relief was that Emperor Jing wouldn't live much longer. It was now the fifty-sixth year of Yongzhi's reign, and Emperor Jing would only live for forty-three more years. Zhao Xing himself would enter the Dragon Court for a second time, so it was absolutely impossible for Emperor Jing to cause any more trouble. Of course, this wasn't the time for such thoughts; completing the mission and handling the aftermath was paramount.

"Stepmother, please ask Master to catch up with you later! Wan Yan and Wan Chang, the Wan brothers, will soon realize this isn't an ordinary robbery. We need to act quickly."

Wan Yan and Wan Chang were names from the Great Zhou. In reality, the royal family of the Blazing Light Royal Court had no surnames; their clan name was translated as "Keshin Clan." The princess's fleet and the Southern Barbarian fleet were separate. Zhao Xing had contacted Liu Wanliang through a dream in advance, asking him to find an excuse to anchor the fleet at the Phoenix Feather River, on the outskirts of the Phoenix Cry Mountains. The reason was simple: the princess wanted to glimpse her home direction one last time. Emperor Jing had said no Southern Barbarian royal could be spared, so Liu Tianning and Zhao Xing truly had to execute the brothers Wan Chang and Wan Yan.

"Alright!" Princess Youruo snapped back to attention and immediately moved with Liu Wanliang, who had arrived.

Wan Chang and Wan Yan's Blazing Light royal ships were perched atop two separate nameless mountains, about fifty li apart. There was no other way; the Great Zhou's protocol dictated such a large procession. The fleet and dowry stretched for dozens of li. The Wan brothers hadn't even met the princess and weren't allowed near the fleet. Only two third-rank guard commanders were stationed fifteen li to the flank for support.

The Wan brothers had anticipated a robbery, but they primarily guarded against other Southern Barbarian factions causing disruption. After all, opinions on the marriage alliance were not unified within the Southern Barbarian tribes; opponents were even more radical than those in the Great Zhou. The moment Wan Yan received news of the attack on the convoy, he was immediately enraged.

"What?! Someone attacked the fleet!""How dare they rob the Keshin Clan and steal my imperial brother's bride! This is rebellion!""Keshin Guards, quickly follow me to meet the enemy!""I want to see which tribe is bold enough!"

On the other mountain, Wan Chang was calmer. "It's probably not an enemy from the Southern Wilderness, but rather the warmongering faction of the Great Zhou." Yet, he also had no intention of fleeing; instead, he wanted to reclaim Princess Youruo. "However, once outside Yingyuan Prefecture, the Great Zhou princess falls under our supervision. Losing the princess for any reason will likely cause trouble. What's more, if I fail to protect her, the Keshin Clan will be mocked by other tribes for a thousand years! Whoever these people are, they must be dealt with later. Forget about formalities, quickly seize the princess and return to the tribe! The immediate priority is to solidify the marriage alliance!"

If something happened within Great Zhou territory, they could shirk responsibility. But outside of Great Zhou, with the princess already in their hands, allowing her to be taken would be a tremendous disgrace. Regardless of the intricate dealings, neither Wan Yan nor Wan Chang could retreat. Wan Chang immediately commanded his personal guards to swiftly pursue towards the rear mountain. The distance was actually very short, almost instantaneous for a first-rank powerhouse. However, with Liu Fangliang, the Minister of the Imperial Clan, cooperating, by the time they arrived, the princess's barge had already vanished. The two support teams originally left there had also disappeared without a trace.

The moment Wan Yan and Wan Chang crossed the Phoenix Feather River, their vision went black. The surrounding light quickly dimmed, and the sky became overcast. Unbeknownst to them, dark clouds stretching for hundreds of li had appeared all around. Above the heads of the two brothers, a swirling vortex appeared.

Swish, swish, swish!

Countless figures flew out from the clouds and from beneath the ground. They quickly filled the heavens and the earth.

"My Keshin—""Where did all these people come from?""What kind of demonic art is this? Why do they all have one face!""No, it's two faces!""Ah! Your Highness, save—"

A gasp of horror! Terror! Extreme fear instantly crept over their entire bodies. Wan Yan and Wan Chang were stunned! What was happening on the scene? Once they had crossed south of the Phoenix Feather River, ten thousand Liu Tiannings and five thousand Zhao Xings appeared on the riverbank, sealing off the heavens and the earth. After the south was sealed, ten thousand Liu Tiannings and five thousand Zhao Xings also appeared to the east and west.

The two Southern Barbarian royals were experienced individuals who had seen much of the world. But they had truly never witnessed a situation like this. What was the comparison of forces?

Enemy: 30,000 first-rank cultivators, all radiating the aura of the early Fate Palace realm.Our side: 5 first-rank cultivators. Although Wan Yan and Wan Chang were late-stage Fate Palace, the other three were only early-stage Fate Palace.Enemy: 15,000 second-rank cultivators, each radiating late-stage Heavenly Fortune aura.Our side: 7 second-rank cultivators, who were tribal leaders.

Wan Yan and Wan Chang also had 500 third-rank cultivators accompanying them. But... it was better not to mention them. Because half of them had already been transformed into pigs!

"Run!!!" Wan Yan shrieked, completely devoid of courage at that moment.

"Liu Tianning!" Wan Chang jolted, his antennae standing straight up in fright. He had never imagined that Liu Tianning would be the one to snatch the bride, and with such a massive display.

"Grand Marshal, is this... am I seeing things?" Inside the Rectangular Palace, Lu Ying rubbed his eyes. "The Earth Mirror shows 15,000 second-rank energy fluctuations and 30,000 first-rank energy fluctuations appearing at the Phoenix Feather River."

Lu Ying suspected the Earth Mirror was broken. This was with Zhao Xing holding back; after all, this was Old Liu's battle. If he were to deploy all his forces, the number of avatars Zhao Xing could control would exceed Old Liu's. He could completely deploy 500,000 second-rank avatars! Of course, he didn't create that many. If he really did, Emperor Jing probably wouldn't be able to sleep. In this incident, Zhao Xing would absolutely not steal the show; he was just there to cheer!

King Luo ignored Lu Ying. He licked his lips, a hint of excitement in his eyes, his battle intent surging irresistibly. "What a Liu Tianning! Truly the foremost under the rules!" "Though his avatars are currently only early-stage Fate Palace, he will master them eventually!" Although Liu Tianning's avatars were all only at the initial Fate Palace realm, once their number reached 30,000, it wouldn't be long before he would likely have no match in the Fate Palace realm! Moreover, Liu Tianning also had plant-based troops at his disposal, which was the most terrifying aspect. Relying on his precious treasure plant troops, he could one day rival the strength of a Rule Realm cultivator.

This scene greatly excited King Luo, who even began to simulate sparring sessions in his mind, with Liu Tianning as his imaginary opponent. "Without wearing the Heavenly King's Armor or wielding Jidu, can I defeat Liu Tianning purely with my rule domain and ultimate martial arts?" King Luo's battle intent grew stronger and stronger. A monster of peak combat power had emerged within the Military Minister of Agriculture! This ignited King Luo's battle intent; he really wanted to fight Liu Tianning right now.

"G-Grand Marshal... d-don't get agitated." Lu Ying almost suffocated, clutching his neck with a pained expression. The pressure King Luo had just released had invisibly stopped the flow of his blood and spiritual energy, and even the myriad Rectangular structures within his body had ceased functioning.

"Hmm?" Hearing Lu Ying's cry, King Luo instantly retracted his battle intent.

"Hoo-ha-cough-cough—" Lu Ying coughed violently. He was only a second-rank cultivator, truly unable to withstand the overwhelming surge of a great master's emotions. King Luo, with his divine artifacts, possessed the full strength of the Rule Realm; even a slight leak of his pressure would make Lu Ying gasp for air.

"Lu Ying, move the Rectangular Palace across the river," King Luo said coldly. "There's a worm coming."

"Yes, sir." Lu Ying hurriedly went to operate the Rectangular Palace.

The battle on Phoenix Feather Plain began and quickly ended. Liu Tianning attacked with suppressed fury. All those who tried to stop him along the way reminded him of past events. Although he was fortunate enough to rescue Youruo this time, a lingering resentment remained in his heart. Zhao Xing had warned him not to vent his anger on their own people. So, he could only unleash this anger upon the Southern Barbarians.

"30,000 top-tier Myriad Dharma Avatars, encompassing the Soul Devouring Dharma Body, Skyfall Dharma Body, Profound Fire Dharma Body, Yellow Springs Dharma Body, Earthly Metal Dharma Body, Wandering Dharma Body, and Heavenly Steed Dharma Body."

"The Seven Great Dharma Bodies. The Soul Devouring spell focuses on soul techniques, primarily using soul attack methods from the Divine Manifestation Art. Old Liu has learned all soul attack methods, including 'Soul Extinguishing Bell,' 'Soulfall,' and 'Three Soul Seals.'" Zhao Xing watched from below. The Soul Devouring Dharma Body didn't need to consider defense; after all, it was just an avatar being lost. Losing one or two avatars wouldn't have much impact, unless more than a tenth were lost, in which case the soul power consumption would be significant. Furthermore, the materials Liu Tianning used to craft the strawman avatars were already ninth-tier. If too many were lost, there would be a great loss of soul power and financial resources.

"The Skyfall Dharma Body is an advanced version of the Detonation Dharma Body. Combined with 'Soulfall' from the Divine Manifestation Art, it's purely a suicidal attack method." Zhao Xing watched below as Liu Tianning's five hundred Skyfall Avatars charged towards Wan Yan and Wan Chang. Combined with Soulfall, this first wave of explosions annihilated everyone except the seven first-rank cultivators.

"Pure venting of anger," Zhao Xing mused. "Although Wan Yan and Wan Chang have cultivated rule domains, they are only at the first stage of transformation, distorting the rules of heaven and earth. For top-tier spells, the reduction in power isn't significant. Old Liu's true body has also comprehended a rule domain; he doesn't need to fight this way at all."

Zhao Xing looked around. In each of the four cardinal directions, there was a treasure-grade plant. "Heavenly Horned Bamboo of Spring, Golden God Pillar of Summer, Yellow Springs Guide of Autumn, and Snowy Firmament Tree of Winter." "This is the Four Seasons Divine Splendor Domain!" "After inheriting the legacy of Shangluo Academy, Old Liu cultivated the 'Heaven and Earth Soldiering Art' to the fifth level, allowing him to harness the power of these four divine trees. He can eventually reach the level of a Four Seasons Divine Splendor Dao Field!"

Currently, these four divine trees were still semi-hidden, unable to fully project themselves into the grand world. It was merely a rule domain, not a rule dao field. But this was enough to dominate among first-rank cultivators, as if fully unleashed, their power would rival that of the Rule Realm! Old Liu's current rule domain, due to being cast through treasure-grade divine trees, was incomparably formidable. Wan Yan and Wan Chang also possessed a treasure-grade weapon that could distort the rules of heaven and earth, but they simply couldn't suppress Liu Tianning. Instead, they were suppressed by the Four Seasons Divine Splendor Dao Field.

Yet, Liu Tianning chose to use the Skyfall Dharma Body, almost in a close-quarters combat manner, as if he wanted to bite off a piece of their flesh. Firstly, it was for venting anger, and secondly, it was a live demonstration. His disciple had helped him so much, and with first-rank enemies present, it was a perfect opportunity for a life-or-death battle where he could unleash his full power. So he decided to teach Zhao Xing a lesson along the way. Such opportunities were rare within Great Zhou territory.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Five hundred Skyfall Dharma Bodies exploded simultaneously, unleashing terrifying power that sent up a series of circular mushroom clouds! At the center of the explosion were Wan Yan and Wan Chang.

"Only these two are left," Zhao Xing thought, activating his Heavenly Eye Dharma. He could discern clues by observing the distorted energy fluctuations. After all, everything was under Old Liu's control; he was fighting strictly by the textbook. The aim was to let his disciple see clearly.

"Wan Yan and Wan Chang, these two Blazing Light royals, both have defensive treasures," Zhao Xing watched quietly. His eyes glowed golden, and dust and smoke completely vanished from his sight. He could see a shell-like protective shield emerging around Wan Yan and Wan Chang. However, the Skyfall Dharma Body wasn't merely the self-detonation of a ninth-tier material avatar; it also cast 'Soul Blast' simultaneously. So, the two brothers were now screaming in agony, clutching their heads.

"Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh!"

Watching their torment, Liu Tianning chatted with Zhao Xing, "I'm still not as good as the old man. If he had used the Skyfall Dharma Body, they wouldn't even have had a chance to scream."

"You're also using a cannon to kill a mosquito," Zhao Xing chuckled. "The old man is a bit more economical than you."

Liu Tianning smiled. He had indeed never been poor, and this mindset carried over into his battles. He usually fought with abundant resources!

"This is the Yellow Springs Dharma Body. Watch carefully." No sooner said than done, Liu Tianning quickly dispatched the second batch of Dharma Bodies. Zhao Xing watched intently. During his comprehension at Spirit Mountain, he hadn't cultivated the Myriad Dharma Avatars. His energy was focused on mountain techniques, the second layer of the Divine Manifestation Art, the Pig Dharma, and other temporal and geographical techniques. At that time, his true body's consciousness was dormant. With Old Liu's past experience as a lesson, he wasn't in a hurry to research top-tier Dharma Bodies. Even now, he only considered them as references. Because Xu Xing's five great Dharma Bodies and Liu Tianning's seven great Dharma Bodies had both overlaps and differences. The Strawman Dharma also had Liu and Wu schools, and the Divine Manifestation Art would also produce individual differences depending on the person. If Zhao Xing wanted to walk his own path, he had to be stronger than Liu Tianning.

"The Yellow Springs Dharma Body and the Wandering Dharma Body were both created by me, based on the first-rank true meaning of Wood and the symbiotic Floating organism, combined with the original advanced Strawman Dharma." "The Yellow Springs Scepter determines life and death; their life force will be extracted by my Dharma Body. Even a remote collision will consume their lifespan."

Liu Tianning's voice echoed. As the Yellow Springs Dharma Body moved, even ordinary lightning spells were imbued with a strange black layer. The wind also turned into a visible black color. Zhao Xing's Heavenly Eye vision, having filtered out numerous interferences, still observed this peculiar phenomenon.

"Extracting life force? That's truly terrifying. Even if they're not killed instantly, their life force slowly drains away. My original Dao Body, which chose the Wood element, was based on the True Meaning of Fir. But this Yellow Springs Dharma Body isn't something I can't learn." Yellow Springs, Undying, and Fir were known as the three great Yin-aligned divine woods. Legend had it that the true Undying Tree, Fir Tree, and Yellow Springs Tree no longer existed as living entities; only materials like leaves or branches circulated, allowing people to comprehend their true meanings. Old Liu's Yellow Springs Guide was also a mutated variant passed down from a Yellow Springs Tree, not a true Yellow Springs Tree itself. Otherwise, it wouldn't be treasure-grade, but rather an unparalleled rare treasure.

The Wandering Dharma Body was an advanced version of the high-tier Soaring Dharma Body, based on the Floating organism's vines and branches, making the Wandering Dharma Body the fastest among the seven great Dharma Bodies. It was even faster than Xu Xing's Heavenly Steed Dharma Body.

Boom! Crack!Woooo! Wooooo!

Thunder boomed, and fierce winds howled. Wan Yan and Wan Chang, though protected by precious divine weapons, felt their life force rapidly draining away. Even if each attack only drew a little life force, the accumulated effect under such numerous avatar attacks was terrifying. The two aged at a visible rate. Soon, they even lost the power to activate their treasures.

At this moment, Zhao Xing suddenly frowned and looked into the distance. "Master, it's time to end this. A worm is coming." Zhao Xing wasn't just observing; he had sent his avatars far out. His furthest avatar to the south could already see anomalies appearing deep within the Phoenix Cry Mountains.

Boom!

The mountain range continuously heaved, as if a colossal creature was drilling through it. The earth veins shifted, and in the blink of an eye, it approached. Even from a great distance, Zhao Xing felt his avatar being oppressed by immense gravity.

"Good." Liu Tianning nodded, and his avatars ceased their actions. His true body pointed a finger, and the four divine trees in the cardinal directions immediately shone brightly. The four corners of the world presented entirely different scenes. The east was vibrant with spring, as the Heavenly Horned Bamboo burst forth with green light. The south was ablaze with summer, as the Golden God Pillar (cactus-shaped) stood like a majestic mountain, suppressing the earth. The west was bleak with autumn winds, as the Yellow Springs Tree stirred up black shadowy winds, seeming to form a path leading to the Yellow Springs. The north was covered in heavy snow, the Snowy Firmament Tree appearing like transparent ice crystal carvings, its very leaves crystalline. Each shake sent snow flying, and every snowflake possessed destructive power exceeding the standard defense of a second-rank powerhouse.

When Liu Tianning pointed his finger, the Pure Essence Projection began to writhe. The four corners of the world instantly converged. "The Four Seasons Divine Splendor Domain, where the four gods converge, triggers the strangulation of heaven and earth rules." "The entire world wants them dead, like undergoing tribulation." "The four divine woods, each with unique supernatural powers. Even if an enemy possesses a treasure that can block one type of rule, when the four gods converge, the heaven and earth rules intertwine, cyclically generating and destroying each other. It's like You Xuanfeng's Divine Talisman Array, capable of constantly changing attack methods."

Listening to Liu Tianning's explanation, Zhao Xing's expression was complex. Liu Tianning thought Zhao Xing hadn't understood and paid it no mind. In reality, Old Master Zhao recalled the scene of being killed by Old Liu in his past life. At that time, it was the mid-to-late period of Emperor Wu's reign, and he too possessed first-rank combat power, having reached the ninety-ninth stage of Energy Condensation. He and seven masters from the Brotherhood Guild accepted a mission from the old hag to fight Liu Tianning, and finally encountered Liu Tianning's true body. Then, he witnessed the "Four Gods Converge" technique. The eight masters, armed with treasures, couldn't kill Liu Tianning; instead, they were slaughtered by him. After that, players never again accepted the "Assassinate Liu Tianning" suicide mission.

At this time, Liu Tianning hadn't reached the level of his past life. After all, by then, a spiritual energy tide had occurred, spiritual energy had blessed the world, and heaven and earth had transformed. He was stronger then than now. Seeing the four divine trees of the Four Seasons Divine Splendor Dao Field this time, Zhao Xing couldn't help but sigh with emotion. "Good thing all four trees will be ours later, so it wasn't a wasted death," Zhao Xing mused internally.

Crack! Snap! Boom!

Like breaking and shattering metal, a tremendous sound came from below. Wan Yan and Wan Chang were gone, leaving only two dim, shattered half-body armors floating in the air.

"Go!" Zhao Xing and Liu Tianning immediately withdrew their avatars and retreated towards Yingyuan Prefecture. The deployment of the Bismarckian Worm would inevitably be accompanied by a super powerhouse. The Mother Worm was of the Rule Realm. Of course, the Blazing Light Royal Court couldn't deploy the Mother Worm. However, even without the Divine Farmer's Hoe, it would be difficult to kill this worm. Because it could naturally manipulate earth veins for defense, and also breathe fire from the earth. Besides being tough and thick-skinned, the Bismarckian Worm could easily burrow into depths beyond what normal escape techniques could reach. If they were bitten and dragged deep underground, losing their divine trees would be a huge loss. Since the Great Zhou had precautions, they didn't need to show off.

"Big Brother, why are you back? Where's the enemy?" On the Martial Yao warship, Ji Che's strawman looked bewildered. He couldn't understand or keep up with what had happened. In his eyes, he had only seen a multitude of Zhao Xings and Liu Tiannings suddenly appear, covering the sky and obscuring the sun. Then came explosions and mushroom clouds, followed by violent snapping sounds. In his vision, there were dazzling colors, making it impossible to clearly see the specific battlefield. By the time he could see clearly, Zhao Xing and Liu Tianning were already back on the ship.

"We'll talk later, let's go first."

"Wow! What a huge worm!" Ji Che pointed ahead, startled. "What is it? Why is it so big!"

"Don't look, child, let's go quickly." Zhao Xing piloted the Martial Yao warship, speeding away like a wisp of smoke.

Screech! The Bismarckian Worm, with rotating grayish-yellow antennae on its head, emitted a sharp, ear-piercing sound. As the sound reverberated, ripples directly caused one of Ji Che's strawman bodies on the deck to disintegrate.

"Whoa!" Ji Che's other strawmen immediately retreated inside the palace. Zhao Xing's expression also changed. He quickly withdrew his avatars, reinforced the barrier defenses, and sped up.

"The barbarians of the worm clan truly have a conspiracy!" Inside the Rectangular Palace, the Duke of Wei and the Duke of Yang roared angrily. "They actually deployed a King Worm!" The King Worm was second only to the Mother Worm in power, its might not to be underestimated. They were originally there to welcome the princess, but now they were being counter-attacked by the warmongering faction.

"Stop talking so much, just drive it away for now," King Luo said.

"Yes, sir."

Zhao Xing and Liu Tianning rushed into the Rectangular Palace in one breath. As for the princess, she had already crossed the river much earlier.

"Grand Marshal, your subordinate has a report to make." As soon as Zhao Xing boarded the ship, he immediately reported to King Luo.

"Speak."

"Grand Marshal, please see." Zhao Xing threw out a Miraj Pearl and an Echo Conch.

"Hehe, I heard Princess Youruo has a natural Jade Water Dao Body, soft and supple. I wonder what she tastes like?""She must be able to make one ecstatic all night!""We've played with Great Zhou women before, but we haven't tasted a princess yet. I truly envy the young lord.""Envy what? You don't know, the young lord doesn't like women. Princess Youruo will have to be a docile slave even after marrying him. After the old emperor of Great Zhou dies, she might even be bestowed upon us brothers to enjoy.""Heh, weren't the princesses during Emperor Wen's reign like that?"

In the image, two second-rank tribal leaders, with drunken eyes, were babbling nonsense. Of course, this was a "Daydream" that Old Master Zhao made them say. When they attacked the princess's barge, one of the flank ships had already been captured by Zhao Xing. He then guided them to speak their true thoughts, which were recorded by the Miraj Pearl and Echo Conch.

As Yang Wanli, the Duke of Wei, King Luo, Liu Tianning, and Lu Ying watched this intelligence, a chilling aura emanated from them. Especially Liu Tianning and Ji Che's strawmen, who nearly went berserk and disintegrated. The Duke of Wei immediately said, "The barbarians are utterly depraved, and their hidden depths are far worse than the court ever knew!" The Duke of Wei also had a piece of "evidence," but it wasn't as comprehensive as Zhao Xing's, nor were the vulgar words as offensive. Ji Che's head was about to explode, like an enraged cub: "Bastards, these bastards! I want them all dead!!!" He was so agitated that after speaking two sentences, his intermediate strawman disintegrated.

"I understand," King Luo nodded. "Duke of Wei, please make multiple copies of this item and ensure they are properly kept."

"Yes, sir." The Duke of Wei nodded, then glanced at Zhao Xing. Indeed, this young man was efficient. This piece of information could be used by the warmongering faction for a lifetime!

"King Taihe, Marquis of Divine Might," Yang Wanli walked up to Liu Tianning and Zhao Xing, holding a set of shackles. "Forgive me." Zhao Xing and Liu Tianning nodded and extended their hands. King Luo said, "No need. Are they going to run away? You may withdraw."

"Yes, sir." Yang Wanli obediently withdrew. He was merely a Golden Guard General; his grandfather Yang Xiong'an was the Duke of Yang. Since King Luo had spoken, he, a mere second-rank official, could only obediently listen. Anyway, it was just a formality.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Rectangular Palace and the Bismarckian Worm exchanged blows for half an hour. Half an hour later, King Luo flew out of the Rectangular Palace, and a tall figure with gray antennae also flew out from the huge sinkhole created by the Bismarckian Worm. The two jabbered a lot, and the man with the antennae on the opposite side was incredibly agitated. Then King Luo took out a bead and threw it at him.

After throwing the bead, King Luo's gaze turned cold: "Barbarian race, you fear power but cherish no virtue. Your actions are deranged! One day, this King will stomp you beasts to death! I will make your worms into specimens and hang them in my collection hall!"

The antennaed man was silent for a moment, then finally disappeared into the sinkhole.

In early October, Zhao Xing and Liu Tianning's true bodies returned to Fengjing. Princess Youruo, Ji Anlan, also accompanied them. On October 3rd, Emperor Jing issued two imperial decrees. The first imperial decree denounced the Southern Barbarian Blazing Light Royal Court as a "den of iniquity," "uncivilized savages," and its heir, Wan, as "defying human morality and proper conduct," "unworthy of the princess." It further stated that the Blazing Light tribes "refused to submit to royal rule," "were ungrateful," and "conspired against the throne"— In short, the court ritualists used the harshest possible language to condemn the barbarians! It also announced that Princess Youruo had been brought back.

The second was an imperial edict of self-reproach. Emperor Jing stated that he had "misjudged people" and "listened to slanders," thus almost sending his beloved daughter into a tiger's mouth. At the same time, he stripped sixteen civil officials who had supported the marriage alliance of their official positions and reduced their noble ranks. To express his affection for his daughter and soothe her wounded heart, he further enfeoffed Princess Youruo as "Princess Anguo," allowing her to recuperate in the capital and no longer concern herself with East Sea affairs.

In this globally shocking attempted marriage alliance incident, Zhao Xing and Liu Tianning still received punishment. The reason was simple: dereliction of duty. Liu Tianning's noble rank was reduced from Prince of Taihe Commandery to Duke of Taihe Commandery, his merits were reduced by ten ranks, his scattered official rank by three grades, and his salary was confiscated for thirty years. All other positions were stripped, retaining only his second-rank position as Minister of Minor Agriculture. Zhao Xing's merits were reduced by five ranks, his positions as Imperial Palace Walker and Military Realm Inspector were revoked, his salary was confiscated for ten years, and he was confined for four years. Why only confined for four years? Because four years later marked the second opening of the Dragon Court, and they couldn't possibly prevent a Dragon Emperor candidate from entering.

"Your subject obeys the decree." Zhao Xing accepted the punitive imperial decree, relieved. Because the two had orchestrated the bride-snatching first, punishment was inevitable. However, this punishment was within his expectations. Emperor Jing would definitely not touch his noble rank, as he had no family to speak of and very little foundation. To reduce it further would be excessive. He himself held little actual power, only serving as a Spirit Mountain Envoy. As for Imperial Palace Walker and Military Realm Inspector, those were irrelevant; he didn't mind them being revoked. Furthermore, Liu Tianning was the "main culprit" in this matter. By punishing him, Zhao Xing wouldn't be severely punished again. Liu Tianning was originally from Taihe Commandery. His transition from Prince to Duke of the Commandery meant his fiefdom was reduced by more than half, and many of his positions were revoked, retaining only the Minister of Minor Agriculture title. This significantly curtailed his power. Of course, with Princess Youruo's authority also revoked, Old Liu's punishment wasn't considered severe.

Dereliction of duty? That wasn't really a blemish on their record. Did Myriad Dharma Avatars commit dereliction of duty? Anyone with eyes could see it was just an excuse. But what truly happened? That was beyond the knowledge of ordinary people. Even Ji Che, standing on the ship, couldn't clearly see how the battle began or ended. Anyone below second-rank wasn't even qualified to know the inside story. Even if they knew, who would dare to gossip carelessly? Emperor Jing hadn't punished them specifically for the princess incident, using other reasons instead. Who were others to criticize? Even discussing it privately required caution!

"Though Liu Tianning is reckless, he won't resort to underhanded tricks. But this disciple of his, he truly is—""Transforming them into pigs and even filming it, he really outdid himself.""Liu Tianning brought back the princess, he brought back a boatload of pigs."

Tsk, tsk.

Destiny Officer Ji Si couldn't help but smile as she read the confidential archives. Zhao Xing had asked the Duke of Wei to cast a silencing spell, preventing other witnesses from speaking out. He wanted to preserve this dark history of the stubborn Daoist academy factions. However, Destiny Officer Ji Si enjoyed every bit of it. Especially the process of the Pig Transformation and restoration; they were all completely naked, which was quite an eyeful. Some even suffered lingering side effects, grunting even after turning back into humans. It's possible they might just grunt occasionally for no reason in the future.

"They'll probably be left with psychological trauma—" King Luo, who was reviewing the situation with Ji Si afterward, also chuckled. "From now on, anyone who spars with him in a dao field, facing this Pig Dharma, will have to bear immense psychological pressure." Aside from conflicts over the Great Dao, sparring in a dao field definitely didn't result in death. Thus, the Pig Dharma was not very harmful, but it was extremely humiliating! Especially for those powerful individuals who usually held high positions and had everything they wanted, only their reputation mattered. If they were to lie there as naked pigs, grunting, that would be utterly disgraceful.

"No one has cultivated Wu Cheng's spell to such a profound level in a long time.""Even Ling Tianchen hasn't reached the ultimate tier," King Luo said. "I heard he's also going to inherit Li Boqian's Original Seal Dharma?"

Ji Si nodded. "Yes, after leaving Fengjing, he went to Xuantian Academy in Daoyuan Continent."

Xuantian Academy, Huaxi Courtyard.

Blue sky, white clouds, sunlight shining down. Li Boqian leisurely reclined in a chair, drinking juice.

"Kid, weren't you confined for four years?""This is new. You dare defy the imperial decree again?""Oh, don't say that, sir," Zhao Xing quickly waved his hand. "My true body is still suppressed by the imperial decree at the Pinnacle of Qitian." Emperor Jing's confinement decree was no joke; it could truly suppress a person, preventing movement. Just like how Princess Youruo could only kneel on the dragon bed back then.

"Learning again through an avatar?" Li Boqian smiled as he rose. "The Original Seal Dharma isn't that simple."

"You can try it, sir. If it really doesn't work out, we'll come find you later."

"Is it appropriate to 'come find me later'? Hahahaha!"

After some playful banter with the old man, from October of the fifty-sixth year of Dazhi, Zhao Xing began studying the ultimate spell, "Original Seal," with Li Boqian. Aside from his true body at the Pinnacle of Qitian, Zhao Xing only had two avatars outside. One was at the Princess's Residence in Bixian Commandery of the East Sea, and the other was by Li Boqian's side. Old Master Zhao also gave Emperor Jing enough face; these two avatars only operated within specific ranges, so it wasn't considered a violation of the imperial decree. His issuance of this confinement order, which stripped Zhao Xing of his Imperial Palace Walker title, actually aligned with Old Master Zhao's intentions. It was now the end of the fifty-sixth year of Yongzhi's reign. Old Master Zhao had no intention of doing anything else, quietly waiting for Old Jing to pass away. When Emperor Wu ascended the throne, that would be his time to truly shine!

"'Original Seal' is an ultimate dharma. Back then, I was exploring a forbidden area in the Western Extremity Glacier and accidentally entered an ancient temple.""I saw many murals that didn't belong to this era. After half a month of contemplation, inspiration struck, and I created this spell.""It's strange; the moment it was created, this spell was already at the ultimate tier. Later, when I tried to extend it, I only created three variations from top-tier seventh to ninth transformations. It was impossible for others to comprehend it because it was too profound."

Ancient temple in the Western Extremity Glacier, murals? Zhao Xing frowned.

"What did you discover there afterward?"

"Later, I searched repeatedly but couldn't find that place again," Li Boqian recalled. "A hundred years ago, I once took Wang Tianzhi to the 'Abyssal Eye of Extreme Ice' in the Western Extremity Glacier for training and searched again, but still didn't find it. However, I did see the 'Pillars of Death Ice' again, but it wasn't the same place I originally discovered. I suspect I unintentionally entered a once-glorious sacred site. There's a great secret there. The murals I saw were a kind of selection process, and I wasn't recognized—"

Zhao Xing exclaimed, "You created an ultimate dharma, and you still weren't recognized?"

Li Boqian shook his head. "I don't know, perhaps, perhaps not, but I'm afraid I'll never figure it out. If you have the ability in the future, you can go and look."

"Was there anything special about that ancient temple you mentioned?"

Li Boqian frowned and said, "That's the strange part; even what I saw back then is somewhat blurry to me now." Li Boqian murmured to himself. Zhao Xing felt a chill in his heart. What could cause such a situation for the Grand Minister of Agriculture Li Boqian? Why had he never heard of it?

"Alright, the world is vast and full of wonders. What exists beyond the Six Harmonies is not for discussion. Perhaps it was just a hallucination when I comprehended Original Seal. Let's not dwell on it for now," Li Boqian said. "Let's begin cultivating the Original Seal spell."

"Yes, sir." Zhao Xing nodded. He also leaned towards the idea that Li Boqian had experienced a hallucination. Creating an ultimate dharma within half a month was indeed very strange, and it was possible he misremembered. After all, comprehending heaven and earth during the creation of an ultimate dharma could easily lead to fleeting, unique perspectives.

"'The Original Seal Dharma is where my ultimate ambition lies!' Li Boqian's expression became proud as he spoke of this secret art. 'It was created based on the ultimate dharma 'Cloud Heaven Dao,' supplemented by the Pig Dharma, and even fused with spell formations and talisman arts—all combined with a rule domain! At that time, when I first took the position of Grand Minister of Agriculture, I was full of ambition. I created this dharma not only to surpass all known previous Ministers of Agriculture but also to surpass everyone, aiming for the title of the world's greatest spell!'"

"'People say that Shangluo Academy's Myriad Dharma Strawman is the world's greatest ultimate agricultural spell. Some even said Xu Xing could fight ten of me, and if he hadn't gone mad, the position of Grand Minister of Agriculture wouldn't have fallen to me—' This old man isn't convinced!" Li Boqian said excitedly. "In those years without war, I pondered deeply and conceived the Original Seal Dharma, precisely to suppress that old bastard Xu Xing. To shut everyone up! By the grace of the Heavens, I truly created it, though it was only a preliminary creation, it's enough for me to be proud."

"After returning from the forbidden area expedition in the Western Extremity Glacier, I immediately sought out Xu Xing, who was at his peak at the time, and invited him to a secret spar in a dao field."

Zhao Xing was listening intently, but after a long wait, Li Boqian didn't continue. Feeling helpless, he could only say, "And then?"

"Hehe, guess?" Li Boqian smiled.

"You won?" Zhao Xing asked.

"Indeed," Li Boqian stroked his beard. "Xu Xing cast all five of his top-tier Dharma Bodies, but all of them were sealed by my Original Seal Dharma! The connection between the strawman and his true body was severed; even his soul couldn't return to his true body. Hmph, he got carried away then and even tried to use Pure Essence Projection, summoning a treasure-grade divine tree to fight me. But I still suppressed him!"

Zhao Xing's mouth hung open in disbelief. "You're not bluffing, are you?" He genuinely suspected the old man was exaggerating. Although Xu Xing only had five Dharma Bodies and his soul division was merely ninety thousand, he used the 'Heaven and Earth Soldiering Art' to wield treasure-grade divine trees and unleash the Four Seasons Divine Splendor Dao Field. Could he really be suppressed by Old Man Li? This was quite a boast!

"You don't believe me?" Li Boqian grew anxious.

"I don't," Zhao Xing shook his head.

"His Majesty was present then. If you don't believe me, go ask His Majesty!"

"I believe you now."