Chapter 413 Believe My Name
A corner of the Immortal Court was covered by a vast ocean of clouds. There were a mountain spring and a small pavilion by the pool.
Two immortals were playing chess in the pavilion. Their movements were calm and soothing, and each stroke was full of meaning. It was as though they were painting a landscape picture, giving off a pleasing look.
After a long time, the game ended. The Immortal Emperor in royal robes threw the pieces back in the chess box. He then smiled at Li Changgeng and said, “Your skills have gone backwards. The last time you played against me, you didn’t lose so fast.”
Li Changgeng replied sincerely, “Your Majesty, you’ve just advanced too much in your chess skills. So it’s logical that I lost so easily.”
The Immortal Emperor declined to comment. He seemed to be in a good mood today. He had been joyous the whole day. He did not have the sense of superiority like in the Zixiao Palace. Only ministers close to the Immortal Emperor like Li Changgeng knew that the Immortal Emperor was actually quite easy-going in private, and rarely got angry. The Immortal Emperor was only domineering in the palace because he had to hold the ministers in check.
Most of the Taoist Immortals were quite carefree and complacent. Actually the Immortal Emperor system was basically the same as the imperial court of the mortal world. Even so, the immortal officials rarely had sleepless nights worrying about the current affairs. If it weren’t for the fact the immortal realm was also currently at war, the Zixiao Palace would rarely conduct court sessions. Thus if the emperor were not strict and stern, then none of the officials would even come to the court sessions.
The attendants had already taken away the chessboard and a fairy maiden made a pot of tea. The Immortal Emperor took a sip and it looked like he felt something, he added, “There are countless springs in the immortal territory. Yet I don’t know why, the brewed tea always feels a little inferior to the tea of the mortal world.”
Li Changgeng heard the undertone, so he asked tentatively, “Your Majesty, are you concerned about the chaos in the immortal world?
The Immortal Emperor put down his tea, and there was a hint of bitterness in his smile. “Li Ye procured the Luck of heaven in the secret region and had been recognized by the Tao of Heaven. Now with the protection of the Luck of heaven, it’s very difficult to kill him, even for immortals. The mortals use the term ‘inscrutable are the ways of heave’ to describe that the immortals’ real plan is hard to figure out. But for the immortals, heaven’s intention is really hard to figure out.”
Li Changgeng was silent.
Thousands of years ago, when the Taoist sect became the masters of the Immortal Court, which was naturally the intentions of the Tao of Heaven. And as the ambassador of the Tao of Heaven, the Immortal Court was in charge of heaven and earth. However, to this day, the Luck of heaven, which represents the will of the Tao of Heaven, had landed in Li Ye’s hands and not the Immortal Court’s. This was intriguing to the curious mind.
The Immortal Emperor sat cross-legged, with his hands flat on his knees. His eyes skimmed across the pavilion and disappeared into the end of the horizon.
He then said quietly and calmly, “We’ve underestimated this Li Ye. We really didn’t expect him to attain the Luck that could overthrow the world. Previously, we thought of him as a cricket, and thought that we could just kill him if we sent some people. If it weren’t for Zhang Ji’s incompetence and the Luck of heaven recognizing a master, who knows how long we’ll remain to be wrong.”
When he finished those words, the Immortal Emperor fell silent as if he were musing over something.
Li Changgeng then added in a timely manner, “With the Luck of heaven protecting Li Ye, it’s impossible to assassinate him. For that reason, the only way for us is to support Zhu Wen and make Zhu Wen challenge him for the rule over the world. The order of the world still lies in the hands of the emperor. So as long as Zhu Wen gets the world, Li Ye will not be able to make any noise as a pauper even with the protection of the Luck of heaven.”
The Immortal Emperor nodded slightly and said, “It’s time to shift the focus from assassinating Li Ye to fight for the throne. I saw in the stars that, the chaos at present is quite different from the past. This time, both Confucianism and Militarism have a chance. If any of them ever became the orthodox ruler, then wouldn’t the world be back to the situation when Ying Zheng reigned? And that would be real chaos.”
Li Changgeng breathed a sigh of relief quietly. He was afraid that the Immortal Emperor would insist on killing Li Ye because Li Ye had caused a lot of damage to the Immortal Court. And he thought the Immortal Emperor couldn’t bare his pride taking such a hit.
Li Changgeng had to admire the fact that the Immortal Emperor could self-reflect. But then he thought it was normal because after all, that was the Immortal Emperor.
Li Changgeng said, “The demon clan has come out amid the chaos, which means Li Ye is not short of cultivators. If Zhu Wen wants to defeat Li Ye, then the Immortal Court must not be tight with sending help.”
The Immortal Emperor glanced at Li Changgeng and asked, “What do you mean, my beloved minister?”
Li Changgeng replied bluntly, “Your Majesty, you should know better than me. It’s time for the Taoist soldiers to come out.”
The Immortal Emperor was silent for a moment and his eyes changed several times.
In the end, he nodded and said, “The immortal territory is now at war, and because of this, we cannot lose control of the mortal world. I agree it is necessary to send the Taoist soldiers at this time.”
Li Changgeng got up from his seat and bowed on the ground. He then said sincerely, “Your Majesty, what a wise decision.”
The Immortal Court had immortal soldiers and immortal commanders, also known as heaven soldiers and commanders. The soldiers had all reached the cultivation of the Immortal Realm. They also had Magic Treasures and formed Military Formations. This was what the Immortal Court had relied on to guard the immortal territory. In contrast, the Taoist soldiers in the mortal world were the troops that the Taoist sect Immortal Court relied on to take over the mortal world.
Not all Taoist soldiers were of the Immortal Realm.
Apart from the difference in the battle areas, the only other difference was between the cultivation of the mortal Taoist soldiers and the immortal soldiers.
...
There was heavy rain in Taiyuan City, which lasted for three days.
After three days, the temperature rose sharply, and it was sunny for four days, and the sun was shining.
During these seven days, a white-robed swordsman had been standing motionless on the top of the North Gate tower, unaffected by the wind, sun, and rain.
The news of this swordsman had spread in Taiyuan City. He had already become the most popular scenery in Taiyuan City. Everyone, be it civilians or cultivators, rushed to the inside and outside of the North Gate, watching him and gossiping.
The whole of Taiyuan city had turned out the North Gate, the hustle and bustle of which had surpassed that of the most prosperous Eastern City. Everyone was rubbing shoulders and blocking the road.
Various vendors had also come to the Fang District near the North Gate, setting up different food stalls and doing trade. All the stalls had formed a long dragon-like line.
In the end, the government and the garrison solders had to control the scene and restore the flow of the roads.
When days turned to nights, the stars were scarce and the moon bright, and the people had already gone home. The North Gate was restored to peace, but the white-robed swordsman still stood on the eaves, his robes fluttering in the air like a visitor from the heavens.
“Did you really have to pick this place to comprehend Tao? You’ve been standing here for seven days and nights, do you know what the little misses think of you? Various versions of love stories have spread, and they’re all expecting that a fairy will appear on the eaves and fly with you to the heavens!”
Li Ye carried two jars of wine up the roof and handed a jar to Nangong Diyi. He laughed and joked helplessly.
After standing for seven days and nights in a sculpture-like manner, Nangong Diyi, who hadn’t even moved a finger caught the jar of wine and without another word, began to guzzle.
After drinking, Nangong Diyi sat down on the cornice cross-legged facing Li ye. He then said solemnly, “I think I’m about to become an immortal.”
Li Ye added with laughter, “I think that the wine is too strong and you’re already drunk.”
Nangong Diyi replied seriously, “I’m not kidding.”
Nangong Diyi rarely made jokes, and his temperament had never changed, always so cold and proud.
Ever since coming out of the secret region of the Tao of Heaven, he seemed to have lost his spirit and remained silent most of the time. After standing on the North Gate Tower for seven days and nights this time, he finally rediscovered some of his old self.
In the secret region of the Tao of Heaven, the Great Cultivators could come and go as they pleased. But since Nangong Diyi’s cultivation was somewhat inadequate, not only could he not give a help to Li Ye, he also landed in the hands of the Land Buddhism monks. Being held captive was a great blow to his self-esteem.
Li Ye took out a pack of braised pig trotters from his pocket and threw it over to Nangong Diyi, he then said, “You have to ask the Taoist sect if you could elevate to the Immortal Realm. The Taoist sect has been controlling the ranking for many years, you know that. In your case, I’m afraid that the Immortal Court won’t accept you.”
Nangong Diyi stopped talking not because he was lost in thought, but because he was busy gnawing on the pig trotters.
Nangong Diyi was quite dapper and charming, even with small eyes, he still looked attractive from afar. Although the young lasses would be disappointed when they saw him up close. Still he never slackened in demeanor. As if apart from practicing the Way of Sword, he mostly focused on his elegant demeanor.
Li Ye had never seen him gnawing on the trotters and getting oil all over his face.
After finishing the trotters in a quick hurry, Nangong Diyi half lay on the cornice and took a satisfied breath with his hand on his bloated belly, he then said, “I will remember your trotters. Perhaps I will not be able to eat them again for a long time.”
Li Ye heard his undertone, “I feel like you’re saying goodbye.”
Nangong Diyi seemed to have put down the big stone weighing in his heart, he then said in a relaxing tone, “I’m planning to go to Hexi.”
Li Ye was a little taken aback, he didn’t know why Nangong Diyi had decided to leave suddenly. Li Xian had already gone to Hexi to defend the gates for the Tang Empire. Was Nangong Diyi planning to fight alongside Li Xian?
Li Ye smiled and said, “It seems that I didn’t bring enough pig trotters this time...When you get to Hexi, you may not be able to eat pig trotters again because the people in Hexi don’t seem to raise pigs.”
Nangong Diyi shook his head and replied, “Although Hexi has been occupied by the Tubos and the Uighurs for many years, I heard that the people there still ware clothing of the Central Plains. And their habits are no different to the Central Plains either, perhaps... there might be pigs there too.”
Li Ye laughed. He really didn’t want to continue the topic of raising pigs. Although he thought that even in the Central Plains, not many people raised pigs much anymore, much less the people in Hexi. They should be raising sheep.
“Actually, I’m still one step away,” Nangong Diyi said laying with his hands behind his head on the cornice. With his headband fluttering in the wind, he stared at the stars for a long time before adding, “I want to go to Hexi, for I’ve never been there. Perhaps the border battles in the desert sands could give me different insights and help me achieve the Immortal Realm.”
Li Ye asked strangely, “Are you sure that the only thing separating you and the Immortal Realm is the Yang Spiritual Master realm?”
Nangong Diyi curled his lips and said, “If I can be enlightened in the Great Tao, then it’s no big deal crossing two thresholds.”
He paused, and his tone suddenly became solemn. “When I achieve the Immortal Realm, I’ll come back to help you win over the world and resurrect the Tang Empire!”
Li Ye smiled. “I’m afraid that the Ground Immortal Realm won’t do it, you’ll at least have to reach the Sky Immortal Realm.”
Nangong Diyi snorted. “Sky Immortal Realm is nothing. Don’t you realize that this time the chaos in the world is different from that of the past? So much Heavenly Luck is scattered everywhere. If I could catch just one strand, it would even be possible for me to reach the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm, let alone the Sky Immortal Realm!”
Li Ye was dumbfounded, so he waved his hands to the ground and a wine jar flew up. He pushed the jar to Nangong Diyi and said, “When you achieve the Immortal Realm with just one step, then take another step and become a Daluo Golden Immortal, I hope I’m still alive and not turned into ashes when you get back.”
Nangong Diyi held the huge wine jar and sighed. “It won’t take long, really. Even if you don’t believe me, you should believe my name.”
Li Le nodded, “Then I will wait for you to come back and help me on a killing spree.”
“You have my word!”
“With the moon as my witness.”
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