Chapter 244: Stabilizing the Realm

A light rain fell without end, pattering against the window. Li Yan sat by the window with a teacup in hand, lost in thought. Yu Lingzi's words had stirred something within him.

As for God Ascendants, he could put that matter aside for now. Those things were practically myths. No... They were actually myths!

Even though he had already entered the mystic path and learned wondrous mystic arts, such matters still lay completely beyond his understanding. There was no point thinking too deeply about them. What mattered to him in his current state was strength.

Society was undergoing upheaval; the Divine Continent was growing increasingly turbulent; and all manner of demons, ghosts, and monsters were reawakening one after another. Without a truly formidable trump card, he would eventually run into disaster.

The Soul-Hooking Chain was indeed powerful. Because of this divine ability, he had been able to kill one expert after another, regardless of whether his opponent was a martial artist at the Jin Transformation Realm or a cultivator of the third level.

However, its limitations had also begun to show. If an enemy possessed a spiritual artifact that protected them, it became difficult to suppress their soul. It was not that the Soul-Hooking Chain itself lacked the power. Rather, the power of the divine ability depended on one's cultivation.

The yin soldiers used Soul-Hooking Chains as well, yet whether it was the old beggar at Xiling Gorge or Red Maiden, neither had been able to resist in the slightest. Their souls had simply been hooked and dragged away.

His own cultivation was ordinary, so naturally his Underworld divine ability was not particularly strong either. Using the Summoning Writ to summon yin soldiers was indeed a trump card. At least for the time being, no one he had encountered could withstand them.

But just as Yu Lingzi had said, his technique was not invincible.

The Taixuan Orthodox Sect could summon soldiers of the Heavenly Court, which were even stronger than yin soldiers, yet there were still demons against whom they were useless. Of course, the summoning of yin soldiers could also be improved. Just as the Heavenly Troops had guardian divine generals, the Underworld had divine generals of its own.

When the demonic qi in Shangjin City had been suppressed, a divine general had personally appeared. It was just that the conditions required to summon one were probably far more demanding.

But in the end, such power was still external. There would always be ways to counter it, just like when he encountered Red Maiden. One enemy had lured him in while another had attacked with a Divine Fire Arquebus.

His chest had been blasted apart before he could even summon the ghost soldiers. Under normal circumstances, that would have been his end. Unfortunately for them, they could never have accounted for his Great Luo Dharma Body.

Then there was the demon that had possessed Liu Danqiu, who turned out to be a disciple of Tongtian Sanniang.

Zhao Changsheng's true identity was probably not Tongtian Sanniang herself, but if he was capable of commanding people like that, then he was likely an expert of at least the same level.

The yin soldiers might not work against him either. At the critical moment, Li Yan would still have to rely on himself!

He was currently at the second level of cultivation, which allowed him to learn the Northern Emperor Profound Water Escape and the Northern Emperor Calamity-Dispelling Technique.

One was an escape art for preserving his life, while the other could dispel curses, clashes with baleful influences, and possession by evil spirits.

He had only just gained an initial grasp of the Profound Water Escape, while he was still learning the Calamity-Dispelling Technique. In the end, both were merely supportive techniques. More powerful arts could only be cultivated after reaching the third level of cultivation.

His current spirit visualization was still insufficient to meet the requirements for building the next storey. Otherwise, he would have climbed Mount Wudang long ago.

In the end, he concluded that he still needed to train in other techniques. At the thought, Li Yan raised his hand and looked at his palm. He formed a hand seal, and crackling sounds immediately erupted between his fingers as arcs of lightning flickered.

This was the Northern Emperor Yin Lightning Palm. He practiced it frequently in his spare time and had become increasingly proficient. Now, all he needed to do was form the hand seal and he could unleash it directly. When such a technique was integrated with martial arts, it was known as a martial technique.

However, yin lightning was only particularly effective at injuring souls. Against experts with powerful souls and spiritual artifacts protecting them, it was practically useless. His only opportunity lay in learning how to use yang lightning.

Yu Lingzi had said that those demons back then had been killed by Celestial Master Sa using lightning arts. Judging from all the signs, Celestial Master Sa was also a God Ascendant, and one who had succeeded at their cultivation.

Celestial Master Sa came from the Shenxiao School, and had later became a patriarch of the Xihe School. He was renowned for lightning arts and had written works such as Discourse of Lightning, Inner Heavenly Dipper Manual, and Further Discourses on Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning.

Ordinary yang lightning palm probably would not be enough. It would likely be inferior to the Northern Emperor Yin Lightning Palm, and cultivating the two together could cause an imbalance of yin and yang. If something went wrong while practicing lightning arts, the cultivator could injure themselves.

However, the lightning arts of the various factions within the Taixuan Orthodox Sect were all closely guarded secret transmissions. They were the very foundations upon which those lineages were established. How could they possibly pass them to outsiders so easily?

His plan for his martial technique had been to use Pigua Palm as the foundation and Thundercloud Resonance as the cultivation method, practicing both yin and yang thunder together. Its power would undoubtedly be extraordinary.

The only thing he lacked now was a suitable yang lightning art.

On the other hand, there was also room for improvement through weapons. In his current state, he could no longer care much about the imperial court's taboos. After taking a gunshot himself, he understood even more clearly just how formidable the Divine Fire Arquebuses were.

The Divine Fire Arquebus Sha Lifei had obtained was too large and unsuitable for him. It would be best if he could acquire a Divine Fire Pistol instead, something that could display its full power in close combat.

Likewise, they had the blueprints and the materials. The only thing missing was a truly skilled mystic path craftsman. Even the Earth Dragon scale armor and skeleton they had obtained at Azure Dragon Mountain in Yunyang City were still sitting inside the City God Temple, completely unusable for the time being.

A yang lightning art and a skilled mystic path craftsman would be their next objectives!

Knock, knock, knock!

Just as Li Yan was deep in thought, someone suddenly knocked on the door. He frowned slightly, then stood and opened it.

Their group was currently staying at the Long Wind Inn, which was effectively an official guesthouse. Most of those lodging there were imperial officials. However, the scent outside the door clearly belonged to a stranger.

Sure enough, when Li Yan opened the door, he found an unfamiliar middle-aged man standing outside. He was dressed like a scholar in Confucian robes, and there was something vaguely familiar about his features.

The man smiled and cupped his hands respectfully. "Are you Young Hero Li? I am Yan Wuyue, Jiuling's elder brother. I have come specially to invite Young Hero Li to attend a banquet."

Li Yan immediately understood. "Oh? So you're Brother Yan."

Yan Jiuling had mentioned that he had an elder brother named Wuyue and a younger sister named Liuya. Jiuling symbolized longevity and auspiciousness, and Wuyue conveyed moderation and joy, while Liuya represented ease and elegance. They were all names carrying auspicious meanings.

Hadn't they gone to Hankou? But now he’s suddenly come to invite me to a banquet...

A possibility suddenly occurred to Li Yan, and his eyes lit up. "Has the imperial examination in the capital already concluded?"

Yan Wuyue burst out laughing. "No. Young Hero Li, have you forgotten? The examination isn't until next year. This time, it is my son's one-month celebration. My father and mother heard that Young Hero Li had returned, so they specifically sent me to invite you."

As he spoke, he once again bent deeply at the waist and cupped his hands in a formal bow. His eyes had turned slightly red. "I must also thank Young Hero Li. If not for your intervention, my parents might have already met with disaster."

Li Yan hurriedly stopped him and smiled. "Brother Yan, there's no need for such formality. Brother Jiuling and I get along well. It was only a small matter, nothing worth mentioning. Since it is a joyous occasion, naturally I'll come and have a cup of wine."

With that, he called Sha Lifei, Wang Daoxuan, and Lü San along as well. Since they were leaving soon anyway, they might as well enjoy a banquet before they went.

On the way there, Li Yan could not resist asking, "Brother Yan, wasn't your whole family in Hankou? Why have you returned?"

Yan Wuyue shook his head and sighed. "At first, we thought Father was simply being overly cautious. We never imagined those people would truly dare make a move. The moment we heard the news, we hurried back. This time, no matter what anyone says, we are not leaving. Whatever happens, our family will face it together. Even if we die, we will die together.

"Besides, Hankou may not be safe either. This time, even the entire Miao territory may be thrown into chaos."

Li Yan frowned. "Something happened in Hankou as well?"

Yan Wuyue nodded. "When Zigui County was attacked, most of Ezhou's troops were stationed around Yunyang Prefecture, while the imperial army had not yet arrived, so they had no choice but to draw troops from Hankou and Xiangyang.

“To delay those forces, some of the native clans in Miao territory hired large numbers of jianghu bandits and evil-path cultivators to cause trouble around Hankou and Dongting. The jianghu factions of Ezhou have begun striking back.

“Things are still relatively peaceful there during the day, but once night falls, strange incidents happen constantly, and people are dying everywhere.

"That’s not all. I've also heard that because most of the imperial troops are stationed along the Yangtze River, the defenses inland have inevitably thinned. Some bandits have taken advantage of the opportunity to cause trouble as well. They are blocking roads, robbing travelers, and raiding nearby villages in an attempt to divert imperial forces.

"At present, none of the overland routes or mountain roads across Ezhou are particularly safe!"

"So that's how it is." Li Yan nodded and exchanged a glance with Sha Lifei.

Their next destination was the blessed land known as Mount Zigai in Dangyang County, where they were to investigate the strange incidents occurring at the Taixuan Orthodox Sect's Daoist temple there.

This was the case they had originally promised to investigate for Gu Hanzi of the Yunyang City God Temple. They had already been delayed for several days because of the incident in Zigui County, and could not put it off any longer. Along the way, they would have to pass through quite a few mountain roads.

It seemed they would have to be more careful on the road ahead...

By the time they arrived at the Yan Family's residence, the place was already bustling with noise and activity. Ever since the emperor had approved the Ten Strategies for Strengthening the Realm, the Yan family had virtually become a standard-bearer for the scholarly community of Ezhou. There were even rumors that the imperial court intended to posthumously confer the title of Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy upon Yan Jiuling's late grandfather.

Originally, academicians from the Hanlin Academy had merely helped the emperor draft imperial edicts. But after the office of Chancellor was abolished in the Great Xuan Dynasty, the Grand Academicians of the Hanlin Academy gradually began participating in political decision-making. Quite a few cabinet ministers had risen from the Hanlin Academy.

The emperor's move clearly meant that he intended to establish maritime trade and the policy of replacing native chieftains with appointed officials as permanent state policy, while silencing the opposition once and for all. Thus, whether the Yan Family wanted it or not, they had already been pushed into this position, and more and more scholars and officials came to visit them.

Apart from that, Lei Zhen, a major figure of the Ezhou jianghu, had also taken up long-term residence at the Yan estate. He had already forcefully taken control of the Yichang Divine Fist Association. Now, nearly all the nearby jianghu sects followed his orders, cooperating smoothly with the imperial court's offensive. As a result, the Yan Family's residence was no longer as peaceful as it once had been.

By the time Li Yan and the others arrived, the place was already filled with distinguished guests. Their entrance immediately drew quite a few gazes. Several scholars even frowned slightly, unable to hide the surprise in their eyes.

Yan Wuyue had suddenly left earlier, so they had assumed he was going to invite some important figure. They had not expected him to return with a handful of people from the jianghu. Given the Yan family's current status, this seemed somewhat inappropriate.

However, what happened next surprised them even more. Yan Bonian, the head of the Yan household, and his wife personally came out to greet them, speaking with obvious warmth and familiarity.

Li Yan immediately returned the greeting. "Greetings, Uncle Yan, Aunt Yan."

"No need for such formality. We heard about what happened in Zigui County. And you! How could you come all this way without stopping by for a meal?"

"We only arrived yesterday."

Before they had even finished speaking, two more people came out one after another to welcome them. One was Yu Lingzi, the temple officiant of the City God Temple. Everyone knew that although Yichang's City God Temple had declined somewhat, and had even had its courtyard wall smashed by rioters back then, its importance would steadily rise again now that the imperial army was stationed in the city.

The other was Commander Yuan of the Military Surveillance Department.

Commander Yuan had recently become one of Yichang's most prominent figures. He had rooted out several traitors within the garrison, uncovered a great deal of important intelligence, and even wiped out a covert branch of the Rising Dragon Army operating in Yichang.

The authorities in Yunyang Prefecture had been furious. They had stripped Yichang's seal-holding commander of his post and sent him, together with a group of traitors, to Yunyang Prefecture for interrogation.

Yuan Kejian, meanwhile, had taken control of the Yichang Military Surveillance Department. The moment he assumed authority, he began enacting sweeping reforms. Those who had spent their days loafing around and waiting to die were all dismissed, while capable soldiers and officers from the lower ranks were promoted.

The atmosphere in Yichang had changed almost overnight, and efficiency rose sharply. With Lei Zhen cooperating with him, nearly all the nearby rebel strongholds had been wiped out.

Everyone knew that Commander Yuan's future prospects were limitless. If he rendered another great service during the coming southwestern war, he would almost certainly be transferred to the capital.

For so many people to come out and greet them personally... These are clearly no ordinary jianghu wanderers!

Li Yan and the others immediately felt somewhat uncomfortable under everyone's watchful eyes. None of them liked being the center of attention. Fortunately, whether it was Yan Bonian, Yu Lingzi, or Yuan Kejian, all of them were experienced men of the world. After exchanging a few casual pleasantries, they led Li Yan's group into the rear courtyard and arranged a separate table for them.

The moment they left, many of the guests immediately began whispering among themselves. Everyone seated there was a prominent figure of Yichang Prefecture, and many were well informed. Little by little, the scattered pieces of information were pieced together.

Heroes from the Guanzhong Plains; traveling a thousand li to deliver medicine in fulfillment of a promise; annihilating elite troops of the Rising Dragon Army; cleverly exposing the Ghost Sect's conspiracy in Zigui...

The reveal of one deed after another left quite a few people dumbfounded. After all, these people lived relatively peaceful lives. Even with war raging in the southwest, they had remained safely inside the city, and at worst their family businesses suffered some losses. To them, these stories sounded almost like tales of strange heroes from the Tang Dynasty.

After they reached the rear courtyard, Yan Bonian and his wife settled them in before returning to the front courtyard to entertain the guests.

As soon as they left, Yu Lingzi stroked his beard and smiled. "Young Hero Li, I have some leads on that matter you asked about."

Li Yan's eyes lit up. "Oh? Please tell me, Daoist."

Yu Lingzi smiled. "A few days ago, the mountain foragers of the treasure-hunting lineage discovered an ancient Western Zhou mine in Wuchang Prefecture. The mine is unfathomably deep, and strange events occur there constantly. Heavenly treasures and earthly riches have appeared one after another, and quite a few ancient Zhou era smelting techniques have been found carved into the walls of the mine.

"This matter has already caused a sensation throughout the mystic sects. Many craftsmen rushed there overnight and have set up camps outside the mine. There are even quite a few true experts among them.

"Normally, these master craftsmen are scattered and hidden all over the realm, making it extremely difficult to gather them together. If you go there, you might be able to find a suitable craftsman."

"Really?" Sha Lifei was the most excited upon hearing the news.

Yu Lingzi burst out laughing. "Why would I lie to you? Many people from the mystic sects have already headed there after hearing the news. If not for the current situation, quite a few disciples of our True Martial Palace would probably have gone to join the excitement as well."

A smile also appeared on Li Yan's face. "Good. Once we finish dealing with the matter at Mount Zigai, we'll set off immediately!"

At the side, Yuan Kejian raised his cup as well. "Young Hero Li, there's no need for too many words. Let me propose a toast."

Li Yan raised his own cup in response. There was no need for either side to say more.

After draining his wine in a single gulp, Yuan Kejian said solemnly, "I've heard some vague rumors about that matter, but I'm afraid it will still take some time. The southwestern war is approaching. Tomorrow, I will personally lead men into Miao territory to clear the way for the main army.

"If I'm still alive afterward, I'll handle that matter for Young Hero Li."

"There's no rush." Li Yan poured another cup in return and said seriously, "Take care, my lord."

"Hahaha..." Yuan Kejian laughed freely. "A true man should achieve great deeds and be wrapped in horsehide if he dies on the battlefield. This official has wasted too many years already. I didn't come this far merely to catch a few petty thieves."

"Drink!"

"Drink!"

The others said no more and began drinking to their hearts’ content.

Just then, a servant came running over with a delighted expression. "My lords. The young master is about to have his one-month haircut. Master asks that everyone comes to witness the ceremony."

"Good, good! Let's all go!"

Everyone smiled and headed toward the front courtyard together.

According to Ezhou custom, when a child reaches one month of age, they would receive their one-month haircut. On that day, a barber would be invited and guests would be entertained with a banquet.

There were also particular rules surrounding the haircut. The first was that everything had to be shaved completely clean, even the eyebrows. It was said that a child whose eyebrows were not shaved would grow up narrow-minded and prone to stealing.

The second rule depended on the child's birth horoscope. If the eight characters were weak and the child was easily frightened, a small tuft known as "roof-tile hair" had to be left on the forehead, symbolizing a humble constitution that would make the child easier to raise.

Of course, the Yan family's grandson had a strong horoscope. Thus, amid everyone's laughter, both his hair and eyebrows were soon shaved completely clean.

"Waa! Waa!"

As the child cried, the barber smiled broadly and rolled a boiled, peeled egg back and forth across the infant's head while chanting, "One roll for heaven and earth to endure forever; two rolls for earth and heaven to last without end; three rolls for the oath of brotherhood in the Peach Garden; four rolls for wealth through all four seasons; five rolls for five sons to pass the imperial examinations..."

"Everyone, everyone!" Yan Bonian gestured for everyone to quiet down, then sighed emotionally. "A few days ago, the Yan Family suffered a great calamity, and this old man sent Wuyue and the others away to Hankou.

“When this child was born, I wasn't even by his side. We haven't even given him a name yet. Today marks his first full month, and we must take him to the City God Temple to have his name registered under divine protection. This can no longer be delayed."

As he spoke, he turned toward Li Yan and smiled. "Young Hero Li came here and saved my wife, then helped resolve the crisis facing our Yan Family. You could truly be called a benefactor of our household. I would like you to choose this child's name."

Before Li Yan could react, someone had already placed the baby into his arms.

As he held this tiny new life, Li Yan was first taken aback. Then his expression gradually became solemn as he thought of the chaos now engulfing the southwest.

The words left his mouth almost instinctively. "This child... shall be called Dingguo!"[1]

1. Dingguo's literal translation = stabilizing the country(realm) ☜