Chapter 1094 - 379: Consecutive Slashes Through the Ninth Heavenly Layer (12,000 Words, Triple - )

Chapter 1094: Chapter 379: Consecutive Slashes Through the Ninth Heavenly Layer (12,000 Words, Triple Chapter)

"At the beginning, many people believed I couldn’t handle such a grand responsibility."

Zhang Hui finally spoke: "Just like how many today firmly believe I am ambitious."

He chuckled: "In fact, those people before were right. I have no interest in the imperial throne, even less in governance. Politics every day makes my head ache.

The things I enjoy have never changed: a few close friends, traveling to the corners of the world, admiring famous mountains and rivers, stopping to paint and play the zither for pleasure.

This is the life I yearn for.

With Imperial Aunt watching over, I truly thank heaven and earth, secretly delighting."

Zhang Hui spoke candidly.

The others were even more astonished.

Under Ye Min’s gaze, the real Luoyang City below, she shouted loudly: "Sister!"

In the city, a woman dressed in elegant clothes appeared, her name was Ye Ke.

Eldest daughter of Qingzhou Ye Clan Chief Ye Yan, the former emperor Zhang Qilong’s empress.

"Since childhood, the crown prince spent more time with Wantong than with me and the late emperor." Ye Ke’s voice reached the sky.

Some of the Qingzhou Ye Clan members couldn’t help but curse loudly.

Ye Yan remained expressionless, staring at the crown prince Zhang Hui: "Since this is the case, why not speak out sooner? Must it come to this step?"

Zhang Hui’s expression grew a bit more serious, he looked at Ye Yan, then at Ye Song and others with Ye Haizhou in the distance:

"Back when Grandfather was teaching, cousin once said these words,

’Great demons wreak havoc, disasters spread everywhere. In this era, that’s not necessarily bad. Now the Surge of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi benefits human cultivation, and there are too many mortals; fewer people is a good thing.’

Grandfather, do you still remember how you reprimanded cousin back then?"

Zhang Hui answered his own question: "You only scolded cousin for being ’careful with words’. But is this a matter of careful words? With this attitude, how am I supposed to gauge your views?"

He sighed lightly: "Grandfather, I was still young then, only feeling fear, inexplicable fear.

Later as I grew older, seeing more people and events, I gradually understood what I was afraid of back then?

I understood it was not just you and cousin, but many others, sharing the same thoughts as you."

Zhang Hui looked at Shangguan Zhengqing, Zhang Qiongrong, Zhang Yang, Zhang Zhi, Zhang Chengyu, Shangguan Xiu and others: "Even within Luoyang City."

"Mad, mad... mad!!!"

Princess Chang of Dongping Zhang Qiongrong was trembling with rage, pointing and cursing: "Reckless, unruly, you and Zhang Wantong are both mad!"

King Zhang Yang of Chen Mountain raised his head to gaze at the sky, tiredly closed his eyes.

Zhang Hui’s reflective expression faded, his usual graceful and composed smile returned: "I wish to immerse myself in the mountains and rivers, but before that, it seems I still need to help Imperial Aunt with some matters."

Ye Yan didn’t get angry, only nodded slightly: "Thinking back now, there were clues, but I deceived myself."

He didn’t say much more, turned around and called Ye Min, Ye Wei and other Qingzhou Ye Clan members to leave Luoyang.

The Qingzhou people glared at Zhang Hui, some gritting their teeth.

But aware of Ye Yan and others’ concerns, they also felt it.

Lei Jun’s appearance was too unusual.

Zhang Hui, right from the start, was allied with Empress Zhang Wantong.

He is the Tang Court’s biggest hidden pawn within the noble families.

Given the situation, Ye Yan, Fang Jingsheng, Chu Xiuyuan and others have no intention to linger.

However...

"I ask everyone to hold your steps." As Zhang Hui spoke, the Illusory Imperial Capital’s white light intensified.

The Bastion Town floating in mid-air shook fiercely as never before.

The dragon, phoenix, spirit turtle, and qilin all cried out together.

Under the flow of white light, the city disassembled and reformed, for a moment seeming to turn into a cage, sealing all the people inside.

Zhang Qiongrong, Ye Wei, Fang Tianshi and others all shouted in anger.

After exchanging a glance, Ye Yan, Chu Xiuyuan, and Fang Jingsheng stopped speaking, each took action.

Ye Yan and Chu Xiuyuan confronted Zhang Hui.

Fang Jingsheng appeared on the other side.

He reached the Mahayana Daoist Scenery outside of Lei Jun.

Surrounding the huge and silent black sphere, Fang Jingsheng waved his hand, and a large quantity of sacrificial instruments appeared.

Not just him, Fang Shantong and other Fang Clan cultivators also stepped forward, preparing various ritual instruments and offerings to assist Fang Jingsheng.

In an instant, beams of white light and black smoke columns appeared, encircling that massive black sphere from all directions.

Though the Illusory Imperial Capital was in upheaval, Chu Xiuyuan sat cross-legged, remaining peaceful.

On his knees was a seven-stringed zither, the Treasure of the Chu Clan in Suzhou, the Yi Yun Zither.

The melody played was Chu Clan’s unique divine skill that transformed music into divinity, merged with Scriptures Studies, known as the Vast Ocean Strain.

Chu Xiuyuan played the zither, his finger movements calm and natural.

But the zither music had already transformed into waves both tangible and intangible, weaving and overlapping, surrounding Zhang Hui like the vast ocean.

Zhang Hui placed his hand on the Sheji Cauldron, and it trembled, the white light turned incomparably heavy, sealing the ocean waves formed by the zither music.

This time Ye Yan didn’t choose to paint spontaneously, instead he unfurled the Qingzhou Ye Clan’s Treasure of the Clan, the Great River Map.

The river’s nine twists concealed its profound mysteries.

A scene within a river bend seemed to come alive.

Then the scenery turned real, transforming into a physical entity that flew out, unmistakably a majestic and graceful long sword, exuding grandeur, like a dragon emerging from the abyss.

Coming over to help but now entangled by Lin Huan without retreat, Shangguan Yunbo saw that long sword and blurted out: "Longyuan Sword?"

This sword was once a founding treasure of the Great Tang, always mentioned alongside Expelling Invaders Halberd, Mountain and River Sword, Zhenshi Blade, all renowned for combining literary and martial arts, possessing the essence of Confucian and martial teachings.

Longyuan Sword, Mountain and River Sword, Celestial Master’s Sword, Ziwei Sword, Blue Abyss Sword, Shuofeng Sword, Haoran Sword, also referred to as the Seven Great Famous Swords of Great Tang.

But the Longyuan Sword had been lost for many years.