Chapter 427: Chapter 64 Divine Discourse Chapter 427: Chapter 64 Divine Discourse Supervisor Cao stole a glance at Sun Delong’s expression and discovered that his brows were tightly furrowed, as if he was pondering a difficult issue.
“Senior brother, who is this person?”
Supervisor Cao cautiously inquired, knowing that his senior brother possessed the divine ability to discern a person’s true nature, from which no demon or ghost could hide.
“A spirit of true law born of clay in a dilapidated temple.”
Sun Delong replied with a phrase and then suddenly said to Supervisor Cao, “To be associated with such a person shows that Governor Li indeed has so tricks up his sleeve.”
On the boat, Li Yan instructed the crew to invite the guest into the inner chamber for a eting.
Qin Chenghuang entered and t Li Yan’s gaze. Neither of them hurried to exchange pleasantries according to custom but instead, they kept sizing each other up.
“Bearing the dual malevolence of water and blood, naturally possessing three thousand divine powers, no wonder even Huang Jiuya is not your match.”
Qin Chenghuang thought to himself as his gaze lingered particularly long on the vermillion sword box strapped to Li Yan’s back.
As for Li Yan, his observation was much simpler.
A Fleeting Glimpse
[Qin Chenghuang]
A long-standing spiritual intelligence born from the worship of a fad minister, celebrated by thousands. Due to his eccentric personality, no one worships or gives offerings to him anymore, and he is on the verge of extinction. Yet, his consciousness still contains unimaginably formidable power.
Category: Wild God
Overall Rating: Eight Extres Peak
Li Yan clenched his fists and did not rush to speak.
“The man who begged you for gold that day is my adopted son. I don’t have much ti left and want to leave so silver coins for his livelihood, which is why I approached you,” Qin Chenghuang stated. “Of course, I didn’t take your money for nothing. I freed you from a troubleso lawsuit, but the main culprit Hu San was lucky to escape, and I have no evidence to prove this to you. You can consider my words a jumble of nonsense, and there is nothing I can do about it.”
Unexpectedly, Li Yan said, “That day when I ca out of the Huixian Residence, I did not see the few guards and attendants on the stairs. I asked Elder Mr. Chen beside , and he said that they were standing there when he left. I firmly believe I did not rember wrongly, and I’m also sure Elder Mr. Chen wouldn’t have either. I felt sothing was wrong at that mont, and the next day, news ca that Chai Xuan had a hysterical fit, could not speak coherently, and had even issued a wanted notice for a yellow-robed scholar. I then knew there had been a twist in the tale and that soone had cleared the way for .”
Having said that, Li Yan bowed deeply, “I am greatly thankful for City God’s assistance.”
“If you believe , then it’s good,” Qin Chenghuang gazed intently at Li Yan, his complexion suddenly beca complex. “Governor Li… what is your opinion of the current Emperor? I would like to hear the Lord Governor’s candid thoughts.”
Li Yan, upon hearing this, just frowned and remained silent.
Qin Chenghuang was lost in thought for a mont before he nodded, “It was my indiscretion to ask. You are now, after all, an official among n. So allow to speak. If Governor Li finds it difficult to respond, just listen will suffice.”
Before Li Yan could answer, Qin Chenghuang said, “Since my birth, I have been called City God. The commoners believe that county magistrates are earthly officials conferred by the Emperor, and City Gods are the local officials conferred by the Jade Emperor in heaven, ant to bring fortune to the people and ensure peace in their realm. I once believed this to be true. Yet, nearly a thousand years since my birth, I have only seen emperors of the human realm who oppress and extort without restraint; I have witnessed diligent ministers who bring harm to the people, sycophants and impostors. The most despicable and detestable are the common people who burn incense and offer prayers. They don’t wish for to punish the powerful and the noble. They only resent not being powerful or noble themselves.”
His bronze skin emitted a tallic sheen, “I also wondered, where is the Jade Emperor who conferred ? Where is the Lingxiao Palace in the Thirty-Three Heavens? Is there really a Jade Emperor? If there really are so many gods and Buddhas, why doesn’t he decree, command , his City God of the lower realm, to rid the world of all evildoers, wicked and sycophantic people? Later, I understood… People encourage others to respect the heavens, but in the eyes of heaven, nobody exists.”
Pausing for a mont, he slowly uttered, “If nobody exists in the eyes of heaven, then what am I?”
With a complex look in his eyes, Qin Chenghuang stared at Li Yan, “What does the Lord Governor think about this?”
Li Yan stared back at Qin Chenghuang, pondering deeply for a while, his gaze only shifting after a long ti.
Regarding Qin Chenghuang’s question, he just shook his head and did not agree, “Wealth and poverty are all predestined; why lant their befalling? Just strive to do good deeds and never inquire about the future. Ice lts away with the departure of winter, and grass grows spontaneously with the arrival of spring. Observe this principle and see that the way of heaven is very clear.”
Qin Chenghuang blinked, “I have seen with my own eyes Feng Dao, the author of this poem, and I loathe him intensely.”
Li Yan smiled, “I didn’t like it in my youth either, but after I’ve narrowly escaped death and ca back to life, I now regard it as a standard to live by.”
“Hahaha~”
It was the first ti Qin Chenghuang showed a smile upon seeing Li Yan, “Lord Governor is willing to open his heart, even if your candor isn’t what I wanted to hear, I’m still delighted.”
Li Yan also said, “I’ve had many things I couldn’t figure out before, things that troubled . Today, after hearing your words, I think I’ve roughly understood and I feel sowhat ashad.”
He no longer addressed the other as City God.
“Your Excellency possesses ancient wisdom and has your own pressing matters to attend to; I won’t trouble you any further. That day I refused your offering out of respect for our differing statuses. Now if you have any doubts, feel free to ask them all, and I shall answer whatever I know without reservation.”
After listening, Li Yan pondered for a while before finally asking softly, “What do you think of the current Heavenly Master Tao?”
“Tall as mountains and seas, nurous as stars in the Milky Way, unfathomably deep.”
“…”
Li Yan clearly did not like that answer and questioned further, “Such a state of the Heavenly Master Tao, yet isn’t it in disarray because of a Celestial Demon?”
“That Celestial Demon is also tall as mountains and seas, nurous as stars in the Milky Way, unfathomably deep,” Qin Chenghuang replied without hesitation.
Li Yan scoffed, “So my involvent in the conflict with the Dragon Tiger Banner is like an ant trying to shake a tree, an overestimation of my abilities?”
“In the end, it depends on the thod used,”
Qin Chenghuang closed his eyes and said.
…
On the dock, a group of Dragon Tiger Servants had grown sowhat impatient.
“Why hasn’t it co out yet?”
Supervisor Cao asked sowhat irritably.
“Being in a hurry won’t help.”
Sun Delong gazed at the sea, suddenly his expression changed, “What’s that?”
He pointed to the sea, where more than twenty warships were bound by huge hemp ropes thick as fists, interspersed with several iron chains, propelling towards the dock with the help of oars.
On the ships, hundreds of officials and soldiers wearing red spines were sweating profusely as they moved the massive oars, towing behind them a large cluster of black corpses floating on the sea’s surface.
Supervisor Cao looked for a few monts before hesitatingly saying, “These must be the soldiers from the garrison retrieving those poisonous corpses from the Bohai Sea incident. They said there were nine in total, and given that they’ve been doing this until today, this should be the last one.”
Sun Delong, silent, stepped into the water, and with leaps like a dragonfly skimming the surface, causing ripples, soon he stood atop the demon corpse.
Seeing the demon corpse large as a mound, Sun Delong clenched his fist tightly. He pinched a piece of yellow talisman paper and threw it onto the demon corpse, only for the paper to imdiately corrode into black ash.
“Despite being dead and devoid of Dao, its evil aura is still so heavy, befitting one of the hidden world’s Three Demons, Huang Jiuya.”
Sun Delong sighed inwardly, feeling sowhat defeated, then leapt back across the sea, returning to the dock.
“Brother, where did you go?”
“Nothing, just paying respects to the grandeur of a supre demon.”
Sun Delong pulled on Supervisor Cao’s sleeve, his expression serious, “Who has Dragon Tiger Mountain sent to slay Huang Jiuya? Surely not the little uncle master?”
“Uh, there hasn’t been anyone sent from Dragon Tiger Mountain.”
Supervisor Cao didn’t dare to say too much.
“Then who slew Huang Jiuya! Speak up!”
Sun Delong glared.
“Brother, you’ve been exterminating demons outside for many years, and you’re a little behind the news from the official residences. The one who slew Huang Jiuya on the Bohai Sea was…” Supervisor Cao clenched his teeth, “none other than the Governor Li we’re eting today.”
Sun Delong was stunned, then lowered his head.
Supervisor Cao’s voice popped like frying beans, “Although Huang Jiuya had a bit of a reputation, it still was suppressed by our Heavenly Master Tao and didn’t dare to breach the pass. Your cultivation and abilities have been praised by several of your uncle masters, and you possess innate powers. You might not necessarily be inferior to Huang Jiuya, even a re martial official could…”
“Shut up!”
Sun Delong was uncontrollably furious.
At this mont, Li Yan was sending off Mr. Qin, the City God, from the ship, and the two conversed amiably.
“The conversation I had with Mr. Qin today has enlightened on many secretive matters. I truly don’t know how to repay Mr. Qin.”
Mr. Qin replied in kind, “I’ve also resolved my concerns, and now I can head to my death with peace of mind.”
Having said that, Mr. Qin walked off the ship taking a few steps, called out to Jia Liu who was waiting nearby, and the two of them left.
Li Yan watched them depart, then turned to face Sun Delong.
“I presu this gentleman must be the Sun Delong, Taoist Sun, who Supervisor Cao ntioned the other day? I wonder what brings Taoist Sun to our doorstep today?”
Sun Delong looked at Li Yan as though confirming sothing, the purple color on his face rising and swirling like cloud clusters, finally setting in place.
Li Yan watched him, wondering what he was up to.
After about a dozen breaths, Sun Delong let out a long sigh, “The Governor’s office in Shandong failed to protect the banner, the Dragon Tiger Banner which they lost, I’ve retrieved it. Today, I will hand it over to Governor Li, hoping he will deliver it to Heavenly Master Tao as soon as possible to avert the national crisis.”
As he spoke, he took out a golden banner and presented it with both hands to Li Yan.
Li Yan took the banner and examined it. It was indeed a real Dragon Tiger Banner and, having slain too many demons, had turned entirely gold.
“You’re not pursuing the Ghost Fox matter anymore?”
“When the governnt is unobtrusive, the people are simple; when the governnt is intrusive, the people are wanting. In the past, I had a narrow perspective.”
After finishing, Sun Delong turned and walked away, Supervisor Cao stamped his foot and, leading his group of Judicial Assistants, followed him.
Li Yan didn’t pay it any mind. He opened his Sword Box and placed the oddly-acquired banner inside.
Just then, Xiaodao also concluded her discussion with Chen Yuewu and ca out.
“What happened?”
“Who knows, maybe there are so Taoists from Dragon Tiger Mountain who are less bloodthirsty and more flexible in their tactics.”
Li Yan finished speaking and seed to recall sothing, “Call back Cao, we’re setting off imdiately.”
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