Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune starts from Tianshi Mansion.

Chapter 496 495. No Longer a Threat (Two Chapters in One)

There are currently five grand secretaries in the Ming Dynasty court.

In addition to the leading Prime Minister Zhou Mingzhe, the current Second Prime Minister is Zeng Kui, an old minister who is also old and virtuous.

When he entered Penglai for the battle, he was injured by Master Pu Guang who temporarily revealed his true identity.

In that battle, Zhou Mingzhe also lost his most proud disciple Xi Zhichang.

Zeng Kui then rested for a long time, and today, it has basically returned to its original appearance.

If he were to inherit another Taoist tradition, at his current age, it would be extremely difficult for him to maintain his strength, or even to heal his injuries.

Emperor Ming Han Zhining looked towards Zeng Kui at this time and said, "Prime Minister is very busy, please trouble Zeng Qing to go and summon Shushan to send Yuan Qing to the capital."

Zeng Kui immediately stepped out and said, "I obey your order."

Standing next to him was Chao Feng, the third-ranked Grand Secretary in the cabinet.

Compared with Zhou Mingzhe and Zeng Kui, he is much younger.

He was the favorite student of the former Prime Minister Chen Yu.

As early as when Chen Yu was still alive, he pushed Chao Feng to join the cabinet.

In terms of sequence, he was before Zeng Kui who was reinstated.

However, after Chen Yu died and the Wu party suffered a heavy blow, Chao Feng was quite low-key, respectful to the elderly and the virtuous, and willing to be inferior to Zeng Kui.

Now he has gradually regained his foothold in the Ming Dynasty court and become the new leader of the Wu Party. Although he is no longer as powerful as he was when Chen Yu was in power, he is still not to be ignored.

However, in terms of time, it is still a bit rushed.

Under the blessing of the Ming Dynasty's Neo-Confucian etiquette, there are countless people waiting for their predecessors to move on and fill the vacancies.

With a normal handover, everything will be smooth and orderly, and everything will be stable.

It’s just that the one-time losses in the Western Expedition to Xumi were too severe.

Therefore, after Chao Feng and others came up, progress was rapid, but it still took some time to accumulate hard work.

Chao Feng entered the cabinet early. Although he is not as good as Zhou Mingzhe and Zeng Kui at present, he has also reached the fourth level of the ninth heaven.

On the other side stood a university scholar who was younger than him and looked like a middle-aged man. His name was Sima Cheng and he was the most proud student of Liu Chong, the university scholar of the former cabinet.

Liu Chong, the leader of the Qin Party, also died in the battle of the Western Expedition to Xumi.

Fortunately, Sima Cheng, as his successor, quickly took over the faction and gathered the remaining members of the Qin Party.

However, compared with Chao Feng and the Wu Party who have gradually recovered, Sima Cheng and the Qin Party are currently more low-key and are still recuperating quietly. Sima Cheng himself also ranks last among the five cabinet ministers.

At this moment he stood quietly, as low-key and silent as Chao Feng.

However, when they heard the Prime Minister Zhou Mingzhe mention that the Taoists were promoting the Shushan Sect of the Ming Dynasty and asking for the inherited magic weapon, Chao Feng and Sima Cheng remained calm, but similar questions arose in their hearts:

Those people in the Taoist sect... or rather, the Tang Dynasty and the Longhu Mountain Tianshi Mansion behind them, do they really just think this way?
Emperor Han Zhining first ordered Yuan Qingci, the head of the Shushan Sect of the Ming Dynasty, to come to Beijing for an audience, and then looked at the Prime Minister Zhou Mingzhe: "Although the north is very important, in this special situation, the south cannot relax and should not be like before."

Zhou Mingzhe: "Your Majesty is wise."

Emperor Ming Han Zhining pondered: "The capital should send someone to the southwest to take a look. The nine frontiers... maybe they will have to take some action as well."

Zhou Mingzhe: "It is not advisable to act rashly in Ji, Liao, Xuan and Da at the moment. It is better to transfer people from Shaanxi and Gansu. As for the capital..."

He glanced past.

Chao Feng and Sima Cheng both remained silent.

Li Rui, the fourth-ranked Grand Secretary in the cabinet, stepped out and calmly saluted Emperor Han Zhining: "This is a matter of state and cannot be taken lightly. I am willing to share your worries."

Han Zhining: "Thank you for your hard work, Li Qing family."

After the court was dismissed, Zhou Mingzhe was ordered to meet the emperor alone again.

Emperor Ming Han Zhining's face was as gloomy as water: "Those evil Taoists are afraid of my great cause, so they come to obstruct it."

Zhou Mingzhe sighed inwardly.

If it was just for the Qiankun Sun and Moon Pot and the Xianxiao Bell, then the other side would not need to detain Zheng Qing, the Governor of Sichuan and Guizhou of the Ming Dynasty.

If they just wanted to use force to overwhelm others, it would be enough if a group of Taoist Mahayana masters appeared together in the world of Daming.

Even simply giving a verbal hint to the abbot Guangshu of the Daming Bodhi Temple who had previously been sent to Kongsang to probe the other party's thoughts would be enough.

It is true that it is inconvenient for people in the fairyland to walk in the human world.

But it's not absolutely impossible.

The fact that Tang Xiaotang personally chased into the human world and killed Venerable Shanzhihui has fully proved this point.

Although it might be a loss of national dignity, facing such a powerful enemy, the Ming Dynasty would not necessarily hold on to the Qiankun Sun and Moon Pot and the Xianxiao Bell.

At best, they could ignore it openly, secretly send the magic weapon back to the Ming Dynasty's Shushan, and not announce it to the outside world.

If the other party has no intention of making further advances, he or she will not make it public, and there is a possibility of further contact between the two parties in the future.

But as it is now, not only did a group of Mahayana masters come to the Daming world, but they also broke into the Daming Sichuan and Guizhou Governor's Office. The attitude they showed was actually...

The person is not good!
At least, their appetite is definitely not limited to the two magic weapons, the Qiankun Sun and Moon Pot and the Xianxiao Bell.

Zhou Mingzhe's guess was consistent with that of Emperor Han Zhining, that the other party came to obstruct Han Zhining's current arrangement of becoming a saint on the spot.

Emperor Ming Han Zhining wanted to become a saint instantly, he could only move around and disturb the mountains, rivers and land to a greater extent.

In this way, the movement will inevitably be difficult to hide from everyone's eyes and ears.

"At present, the only thing we can do is to delay time and stabilize the opponent as much as possible."

Zhou Mingzhe said: "We are incompetent and cannot help Your Majesty. Please forgive us."

Emperor Han Zhining looked serious, but not angry: "What are you talking about, Yuan Fu? This is a difficult problem that the whole Ming Dynasty should face together."

He stood up and paced slowly in the hall: "Southern Xinjiang, the other side of the human world, Biluo, Lingshan, what is the current situation?"

Zhou Mingzhe: "Currently, there is no response."

This is not surprising.

I think the reason why the Taoists who came to Daming this time are mainly from the alchemy and refining factions is this.

Not to mention the two great Dongxuan Immortals from the Tianshi Mansion in Longhu Mountain, even the masters of other talisman sects did not show up.

The Tang Emperor Zhang Wantong and another rumored Danding Sect immortal are also currently silent.

Obviously, they were on guard against the old followers of the Heavenly Palace.

It’s a pity that even so, the power that Taoist monks can currently gather is already very impressive.

If Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang never step into the mundane world and everything is confined to human affairs, Daming will not be afraid.

But they have to consider that other problems may also erupt.

For example, the White Lotus Rebellion, which had been suppressed with great difficulty before, would surely break out again this time.

Although the Four-Winged Sky Serpent King, the most powerful demon in the world of the Ming Dynasty, is no longer around, there are still a large number of powerful demons active in all corners of the Ming Dynasty.

Then there are the Vajra Realm Karma tribe, which had previously merged with the foreign tribes on the grassland and retreated to the eastern part of the northern border.

That was originally the most serious threat to the Ming Dynasty.

As a result, before the Ming Dynasty could personally pacify it, the Kongsang Buddhist sect was directly defeated by the Tianshi Mansion of Longhu Mountain.

Unfortunately, before the Ming Dynasty could celebrate the good news, the enemy was replaced by the more terrifying Tang Dynasty monastic community.

Under such circumstances, Han Zhining and Zhou Mingzhe could not even consider using the enemy to fight the enemy, or uniting the weak to fight the strong, and instead joined forces with the Vajra Realm Karma Tribe.

It’s not that they can’t turn this corner.

As long as the Celestial Empire holds on to the righteous cause of making itself the master and all the barbarians submit to it and drive out invaders and enemies, there is nothing wrong with turning around.

But on the one hand, the Buddhist holy land of the Ming Dynasty cannot get along with the Tianshi Mansion of Longhu Mountain because of the White Lotus Sect. The Ming Dynasty court needs to consider the attitude of the Buddhist holy land, and the relationship between the Buddhists in the Central Plains and the Buddhists in the Western Regions is also not harmonious.

On the other hand, it's because...

The Tianshi Mansion of Longhu Mountain has just captured Kongsang. Tang Xiaotang, who has ascended to the immortal realm of Dongxuan, is willing to return to the human world in order to hunt down Venerable Shanzhihui.

If the Ming Dynasty accepts the Vajra Realm Karma Tribe now, it may lead to Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang personally returning to the human world.

This is not good for the Ming Dynasty at the moment.

"They came here just to prevent me from becoming a saint right away."

Emperor Ming Han Zhining stopped and stood in the hall: "The more this is the case, the more it shows that our step is crucial and... must succeed."

Zhou Mingzhe: "I am willing to share your majesty's worries."

Han Zhining: "How much time do you think those two Taoist magic weapons can buy?"

"The Immortal Sky Bell is fine, but the Qiankun Sun and Moon Pot is the founding treasure of the Shushan Sect. Not only Taoist Yuan Qingci, but also the Shushan people in the other world will not easily accept the outcome of destroying both sides."

Zhou Mingzhe said, "Since you have something to ask for, there is room for maneuver. But you need to be careful that the other party's immortals will make an exception and come to the human world in person, so you need to carefully grasp the timing and degree."

Having said that, Zhou Mingzhe was actually not very confident.

The situation is not in our favor, what can we do?

Now I can only try and delay it as much as possible.

"This balance still mainly needs to be controlled by you, Yuan Fu."

Emperor Ming Han Zhining said: "When the Yuan celadon arrives, you will handle it carefully. I will continue to study behind closed doors."

His eyes were dim, “Combining the Qiankun Sun and Moon Pot with the ritual sacrifice can both provide assistance and prevent others from coveting it.

Whether it is Kongsang in the north, Guizang in the southwest, or the void portal leading to another human world in southern Xinjiang, we must keep a close eye on them.

When an immortal comes to earth, the noise will be huge and difficult to hide. If you find anything, you must report it to me immediately!"

Zhou Mingzhe: "I obey your order."

..............................

There was a shocking change in the southwest, and Gui Zang returned to the world again.

While the Ming Dynasty was in shock, some people tried to block the news in other places.

In particular, it is necessary to stabilize the White Lotus Sect currently in Qingzhou and Xuzhou.

But the White Lotus Sect soon got the news.

When immortals come to the mortal world, it is difficult to hide from the eyes and ears of the outside world because their immortal energy dissipates.

On the contrary, the masters of the Ninth Heaven who have a high enough level of cultivation and are good at restraining themselves travel in the human world and their whereabouts are more secretive.

Thus, Huiyin, the Holy Lord of the White Lotus of the Tang Dynasty, who had been quietly studying the Buddhist hand seals in Kongsang, came to the world of the Ming Dynasty again.

This time, he not only met the future Maitreya monk Tianshu of the Great White Lotus Sect, but also met the current Great White Lotus Saint Master Jianhai monk in person.

"Where will the Tang dynasty go in the future?" Monk Jianhai asked slowly. Monk Huiyin: "Just calm down and practice."

Upon hearing this, Monk Jianhai and Monk Tianshu both pondered for a moment and did not speak immediately.

Monk Huiyin did not mention much about the Tang Dynasty. He only introduced the situation related to the Taoist people entering the Ming Dynasty to Monk Jianhai and Monk Tianshu.

When the people of the Great Ming Lotus Sect heard this, they were all cheered up.

But in the end, Monk Huiyin talked about the news that Lei Jun had previously told him about Emperor You Zheng Baiyu.

After hearing this, Monk Jianhai and Monk Tianshu both looked solemn.

After a while, Monk Jianhai spoke again: "We have come into contact with Youyin a lot over the years, but we feel that what we know is still limited."

He slowly introduced the relevant information his family had and exchanged information with Monk Huiyin.

Later, Monk Huiyin said goodbye to the other party and left.

Although Monk Jianhai and Monk Tianshu were shocked by what the other party said about the things in the underworld, they accurately grasped the opportunity of the Taoist masters to enter the human world of Daming, so the Minglian Sect also immediately took action again.

However, Monk Jianhai soon ran into his old enemy who had also rushed back from Kongsang.

Abbot of Daming Bodhi Temple, Guangshu.

So, the two eminent monks who had reached the perfect state of Dharmakaya in the Ninth Heaven of Buddhism once again started a great battle.

The White Lotus Sect's resurgence caused a headache for the Ming court.

Although Abbot Guangshu led Buddhist masters to fight against them, it still distracted the Ming Dynasty's attention.

However, the communication between the Ming court and fellow Taoist Gao Zhen was not smooth.

Yuan Qingci did not refuse the Emperor Minghuang's summons and went to the capital calmly.

When he met with the Prime Minister Zhou Mingzhe of the Ming Dynasty, he also frankly stated the purpose of the Taoist masters' visit:
"The turmoil in the mountains and rivers is getting worse and worse. If it continues like this, the people will suffer. The Heavenly Master is deeply worried about this."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Mingzhe immediately felt that his previous bad premonition had come true:
The other party came here to prevent the birth of a fairyland master in the Ming Dynasty.

He stared into Yuan Qingci's eyes quietly: "Master Yuan, do you and the other masters of Shushan Sect also think the same way?"

Yuan Qingci said calmly: "The Heavenly Master values ​​life, which is a blessing for all living beings. We who practice Taoism all respect him.

The treasures of Mount Shu are of course extremely precious, but God is merciful and kind, and those of us who practice Taoism should act in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people.

If your Majesty can show mercy and the Prime Minister can help our sect's treasure return to Mount Shu, it would be a great blessing, and I will be grateful to you forever."

Zhou Mingzhe said slowly: "The people are the most important, and the Ming Dynasty is also the most important. The two sides are one and two, two and one. Why do you want to distinguish between the two as enemies and friends?
The people of the world are all your Majesty's subjects. They regard you as their father, and your Majesty also loves the people as your own children.

Your Majesty has been studying hard recently because the situation is constantly changing and a sage is needed to protect the country and the people.

As the country is in turmoil, we, as ministers, should work together to share your Majesty's worries, stabilize the situation, and overcome the difficulties together.

At this time, we must especially avoid suspicion and be alert to rumors from the outside world that are trying to alienate the emperor from his subjects and fathers from their sons!"

Before Yuan Qingci could speak, Zhou Mingzhe spoke first, "I have often heard of the name of Master Lei Zhenjun of Longhu Mountain. He is a kind-hearted person, but he left the human world and does not know the true situation of our dynasty. Perhaps some misunderstandings may arise, and some people may even misinterpret his true words and act accordingly.

Yuan Zhenren has always been indifferent and peaceful. Right now, he needs a Taoist master like you to mediate and act as a bridge to resolve this catastrophe caused by misunderstanding!"

After saying that, Prime Minister Zhou stood up and bowed directly to Yuan Qingci.

Yuan Qingci stepped aside and refused to accept the offer: "Prime Minister, there is no need to do this."

Zhou Mingzhe: "When the king humiliates me, I die. It is my duty to share your majesty's worries."

Yuan Qingci looked at him and said slowly, "The Prime Minister's loyalty to the emperor is obvious, but...what he said just now is too much of an underestimation of Master Lei Tianshi?"

Zhou Mingzhe stood up straight and said, "I dare not underestimate Master Lei who has reached the immortal realm, but... Master Lei wants to cut off the connection between heaven and earth?"

Yuan Qingci: "Although I have not had much contact with the Heavenly Master, but Heavenly Master Lei is peaceful and indifferent, with a broad mind, and is recognized by all the people in the world. If you say that he intends to cut off the connection between heaven and earth after he ascends to heaven, I absolutely do not believe it.

But what Your Majesty is doing now is against the will of Heaven and in troubled times. If you force it, there will be little hope. I hope the Prime Minister will give you more advice and remonstrances."

Zhou Mingzhe: "It seems that Longhu Mountain really won't allow our Ming Dynasty to have its own Confucian saint."

Yuan Qingci shook his head: "Your Majesty and the Prime Minister, please think twice."

He paused for a moment, then said with some emotion: "The Heavenly Master once said that Yuan Fu is a great scholar of the time, with great talent. If he had practiced other Confucian traditions, he might have become a saint after so many years..."

Zhou Mingzhe on the opposite side heard this and his face darkened.

He did not say much on this topic, but just said coldly:
“It is true that there is more than one person in Longhu Mountain who pushed open the gate to immortality, but it is a dream for the Ming Dynasty to bow down and humiliate the country.

When the king is humiliated and the minister dies, it is only the result of both sides being destroyed. Our dynasty has never lacked loyal people who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the country. Although I am not talented, I will definitely share your worries.

Yuan Celadon, what about you? "

The head of the Shushan Sect of the Ming Dynasty sighed and suddenly said, "Brother Mu of Zhenwu Temple, it's been many years since you came back to the Ming Dynasty."

Zhou Mingzhe said in a cold tone: "In the past, he had ulterior motives. Otherwise, Mr. Chen might not have been able to escape from Xumi alive."

Yuan Qingci continued, "When the Ming Dynasty just finished its Western Expedition to Xumi, the country was at its weakest, but Brother Mu Dao did not choose to return to the Ming Dynasty at that time.

This was because the Ming Dynasty was facing internal and external troubles at that time. In addition to its internal weakness, there were also a large number of powerful monsters wreaking havoc on the borders on all sides.

If Brother Mu Dao had returned to Ming at that time, it might have caused the evil plague to spread and harmed the people, so he suppressed himself until now, many years later, when he returned to his homeland..."

Zhou Mingzhe did not speak this time after hearing this, but stared at the other person firmly.

Although there are fewer big monsters like the Four-Winged Sky Snake, there are still many powerful monster tribes active in all directions of the Ming Dynasty.

Mu Chunyang, the master of Zhenwu Temple, was afraid that his joining would lead to the expansion of internal unrest in the Ming Dynasty, which might result in the big demon taking advantage of the situation.

But now, he and other Taoist masters have returned to the Ming Dynasty in a swagger, looking like an army approaching.

He no longer cares about the threat from the demon clan?

As the leader of the Chu Party, Zhou Mingzhe was the most important court official who had the most interactions with Mu Chunyang, the abbot of Zhenwu Temple, throughout the Ming Dynasty.

Based on his understanding of Mu Chunyang, the other party would not compromise with the demon clan or even collude with them just to become an enemy of the Ming Dynasty.

That is to say, according to Mu Chunyang's current judgment, the four great monsters in the Ming Dynasty are no longer a threat?

What does he rely on?
Are there more high-level monks from the Tang Dynasty's monastic world or other human world who have quietly sneaked into the Ming Dynasty's human world?

Don’t they care about the old owners of the Heavenly Palace anymore?
Or does it mean that Lei Jun, Tang Xiaotang and others are going to go to the human world in person, just to help the Ming Dynasty eliminate demons?

Zhou Mingzhe was shocked and confused for a moment.

At this moment, his student Nie Song came and looked at Zhou Mingzhe and Yuan Qingci, seeming to want to say something but stopping himself.

"What happened?" Zhou Mingzhe asked.

Nie Song quickly replied, "Urgent news from the southwest: there are signs of large monsters gathering and a monster chaos breaking out.

The Snow Mountain Violent Ape from the Snowy Plateau and the Tree Sea Golden Toad from the Nanzhao Land seem to have left their original locations, but the specific details are unknown!"

..............................

The Snow Mountain Violent Ape is a top-notch monster with an outstanding reputation in the human world of the Ming Dynasty. It is almost equivalent to a master of the ninth heaven of perfection of the human race, and has always been as famous as the four-winged sky snake.

At this moment, it rarely left the snowy plateau and headed south, crossing the Hengduan Mountains and approaching the land of Nanzhao.

Traveling with them were a large number of great snowfield monsters, all of whom were extremely ferocious and had always been the biggest threat to the southwest border of the Ming Dynasty.

The Snow Mountain Ape stopped in the Hengduan Mountains and looked into the distance.

It left its traditional range of activities and came to Nanzhao not to start a war with the big monsters here.

On the contrary, it came to form an alliance with the overlord of the Nanzhao demon clan, the Golden Toad of the Sea of ​​Trees.

A new major chaos has recently occurred within the Ming Dynasty.

Now is the time for the demon clan to take action.

In order to ensure results, the Snow Mountain Violent Ape did not act alone this time, but persuaded the Tree Sea Golden Toad.

Although the opponent's strength is not as good as it and the four-winged sky snake, it is also a powerful monster, commanding the Nanzhao monsters.

The two sides would join forces, and then avoid the Ming Dynasty's Bashu area which is currently in turmoil, and could further penetrate the Ming Dynasty's territory for hunting.

The Snow Mountain Ape is looking at the surrounding environment.

Suddenly, in his field of vision, there seemed to be a ray of light crossing the sky.

The fleeting time seems illusory.

But in the daytime, it is still dazzlingly bright.

It's just that its speed is too fast and the flash time is too short.

The demon tribes with lower cultivation levels would find it difficult to detect its existence.

Only the Snow Mountain Violent Ape himself saw it, and he even doubted whether it was an illusion.

but……

When that streak of light descended from the sky and streaked across the sky vertically, a warning suddenly emerged in the mind of the peerless demon that was rampant in the world, making it feel extremely dangerous.

As soon as the thought came to this, it suddenly felt that the earth and mountains seemed to be shaking violently from afar.

The Snow Mountain Violent Ape looked around him and saw no danger.

It looked into the distance again and vaguely felt that the dangerous existence was the streak of light that had just cut through the sky and fallen to the ground.

Meteorite from outer space?

After a slight hesitation, the Snow Mountain Violent Ape did not go forward to check it out himself, but ordered one of his snow apes to go over and check it out.

After a while, the snow ape that was sent to check returned safely.

It just stumbled, lost its mind, and was extremely frightened.

Before he even got close, the snow ape roared, "Dead! Dead! The Tree Sea Golden Toad is dead!!"

The Snow Mountain Violent Ape was startled, raised his giant claws and pinned the other party down: "What the hell is going on!"

Snow Ape: "The Tree Sea Golden Toad was waiting over there just now, but... but it's dead, killed by the sword!"

The Snow Mountain Violent Ape was even more shocked. Looking from afar, he could vaguely see fireworks rising in the distance.

There, at this moment, there was only a deep valley.

The thunder and fire were still raging, and all the trees in the jungle had been reduced to ashes in the first place.

Many of the local monsters in Nanzhao were now in scattered disarray, with heavy casualties. Even those who were still alive were wailing incessantly.

In the center of the deep valley, there was an extremely huge body, like a huge rock, and the toad's limbs could barely be seen, but at this moment its huge body had been split in half, and it was badly tattered. There was no blood or flesh, only charred pieces, and thunder and fire were still spreading, burning its remains.

Below the cracked body of the giant demon toad, in the center of the valley, a seven-foot giant sword flashing purple light stood alone, the sword light was as bright as a star.

A slightly short figure, dressed in a purple Taoist robe, slowly walked down to the bottom of the deep pit, and used his furry bear claws to help his master lift the seven-foot Arctic sword that was slanted at the bottom of the valley.

(End of this chapter)