Chapter 183: Heaven’s Mandate Changes
“Being handsome is a lifetime thing!” Wu Lu, after his second Nirvana through Flame, clearly remembered the words his father said to him on the day he turned 31.
Thirty years later, Wu Lu the fate painter was painting murals in the halls of Lelang City, depicting the scene of his father “drawing the bow and shooting all evils” when he was selected by the Red Emperor’s Heaven’s Mandate.
From that moment on, Wu Lu swore: “One day I will surely command the Chi You Soldiers! Even though Father personally sealed Chi You Mountain before his fall, not allowing future generations to open it again!”
…Timeline pulls back to Xuan Chong here…
After the high platform was built, amid the bursts of war drum sounds, Xuan Chong ascended the high platform, unfolding mechanical wings like a ruler, hovering in the high air after a flash, strings of blue flames from various nozzles acting like suspended supports, adjusting the Mecha’s posture.
Then the Electromagnetic Cannon’s structure ejected from his left arm; like 3D printing, “Ruyi Bin Iron” Materials turned into the cannon barrel, and the fierce weapon glowing with blue light unfolded.
Xuan Chong saw the super Electromagnetic Cannon rising with his left arm. Feeling the kinetic energy buzzing and accumulating, his spirit was unprecedentedly joyful.
Just like that, in the eyes of all beings, Xuan Chong began drawing the bow, powerful thunder Energy injecting into the “Bowstring,” and the Chong Land people could not describe this top-tier outer path divine weapon with their existing knowledge.
Lightning was truly absorbed, entering the capacitor storage in the cannon barrel, while the electromagnetic Projectile was wrapped in Energy.
With a “buzz,” a straight beam of light shot toward the sky! Fired toward the Linjian Sect mountain gate thousands of miles away.
However, after firing, Xuan Chong sensed something wrong. Xuan Chong: “This Projectile seems to carry Killing Intent!”
…Back then, the Chi You Soldiers were perhaps sealed for disrupting the balance…
Military Strategists can ignore Immortal Sects, Killing Intent able to destroy the information System in immortal spells like magnetic pulses, but why have Immortal Sect disciples always been able to easily avoid the Mortal World?
Because Immortal Family mountain gates are in places unreachable by human habitation. Not to mention thousands of soldiers, even dozens climbing up would lose several lives. And in wild mountains and marshes, Immortals are light; they can slip away dozens of kilometers in an instant, Soldiers in the Mortal World unable to catch up no matter how they chase.
Bows and Arrows reach less than a hundred steps, but! If Bows and Arrows exceed a hundred steps, reaching a thousand steps, even ten thousand steps, or a range that can hit any place in a realm?
Thus, when the Human Realm truly develops to reach everywhere on the planet, for the Immortal Path, the end of the Dharma age arrives; all Spiritual Veins are hidden deep in the earth, and Immortal Sects have nowhere to hide, forced to flee and Ascend.
Xuan Chong: “Why hit Linjian Sect first? Because—they are kind, ptoo ptoo ptoo!”
Because Linjian Sect’s peaks are rugged, like Zhangjiajie type, and moreover floating in the air, appearing to be a very good target.
As the Cannonball sank into this floating-in-midair mountain top like a sword, many sword Immortals flew out from the mountain, then turned to look at their own main peak; only hearing continuous crackling sounds, unobtrusive smoke rose from the mountain body, and as the smoke began covering the entire mountain body like a gauze garment, cracks started spreading.
The cracks seemed to trigger some chain reaction, just like the squirrel in the Ice Age cartoon with the nut stuck on the Iceberg scene.
Crash, the mountain body continuously dropped stones like a Waterfall. This was not instant disintegration, but like dominoes, one stone bringing down two stones; falling rocks like flowing water dragging a pine tree hanging on the cliff, one pine tree falling tearing all root systems embedded in the mountain body.
The scattered Spiritual Power instantly crackled, leaking into all surrounding cracked rock fissures, beginning to expand.
Out-of-control Spiritual Energy diffused in the mountain rock crevices, water and fire colliding producing gas explosions, wind and earth alternating producing lightning flashes.
One fissure windingly branched into millions, the entire mountain body collapsing like tofu.
Finally, the mountain peak collapsed.
Xuan Chong was too far away, the observation system only saw this one cannon directly shattering a mountain, but his expression was like a bratty kid who blew up the sewer with firecrackers.
…Breaking mountains and smashing temples…
Linjian Sect’s floating main peak, due to large amounts of outer layer mountain rocks falling, caused the original floating balance of the mountain body to be broken.
Suddenly, everyone sensed a dazzling brightness in the sky. They all looked up, and this sight was alarming, only seeing the Spiritual Vein inside the peak shooting straight toward the Evil Moon in the sky! Flying higher and higher, swallowed by the Evil Moon.
And the Evil Moon that swallowed the mountain body was not satisfied. The blue Moon above Linjian Sect instead grew larger.
This Evil Moon before swallowing the main peak was only the size of a peach held at arm’s length.
After swallowing the mountain peak, it became the size of a watermelon.
And this was as seen from other mountain peaks, while if looking up from the main peak crash site, the Evil Moon was millstone-sized. Extremely oppressive.
Of course, no one in the cultivation sect could escape unscathed under direct gaze of the Evil Moon.
The Cultivators who escaped from the main peak looked up once, immediately turning into blue multi-winged Monsters.
Some surviving Cultivators saw the Golden Core Sect Master turn into a bird Monster, immediately telling others: “Don’t look up, don’t look up. Quickly flee!”
Speaking of which, in this situation in Da Yao, only Xuan Chong looking up could fearlessly stare at the Evil Moon. But at Xuan Chong’s position now, not a trace of the Evil Moon could be seen; accurately speaking, the Evil Moon’s current visibility was only here at Linjian Sect, belonging to “exclusive illumination”.
Linjian Sect’s main peak “Ascended,” after remaining stones fell, blue Flames erupted from the valley bottom like a volcano erupting. Gushing and spraying out, the Flames spread from the bottom toward other Mountains.
The entire Linjian Sect, whether Inner Sect Disciples with ample Spirit Stones in storage bags, ordinary Spiritual Planters, or Enforcement Hall Disciples holding command arrows in the sect gate, none escaped, all falling into the demon disaster.
After the mist from the rising blue Flames spread, the Immortals one by one entered horror movie state.
Compared to the “plague disaster” in Lelang City a year ago, where ordinary people suffered rotting diseases and coughing lungs. What Linjian Sect encountered was the blue Evil Moon! Magic Power instead became a curse.
…The Way of Heaven cycles well…
At this time, the situation faced by Linjian Sect Disciples was like this.
Taking the sect’s Enforcement Hall as example, this group faced the suddenly rising blue mist in the sect.
Sword-controlling Cultivators encountered floating Lantern Monsters one by one.
After these Lantern Monsters sensed Magic Power fluctuations and flew over, they fought the Disciples; a team of eight Disciples fleeing while cutting down Lanterns, three Senior Brothers among them had their heads taken by Lanterns and fell into the mist.
This group hurriedly escaped to the sect’s grand Palace, counted each other, and found all fifteen Senior Brothers in their team safe.
The leading Senior Brother: “Everyone is safe, quickly go assemble at the sect grand Palace!”
Thus everyone drove various escape lights toward the seen sect grand Palace! But after the crowd left, some people’s backs were in “Lantern fire” state. And groups of Lanterns were giggling in front of the sect gate.
Lantern 1: Having a body feels so great.
Lantern 2: Not having a body, having an identity! Why are you sharing an identity with me.
Lantern 3: Let’s see who plays the role best next, the identity belongs to them.
Speaking of which, Lelang City’s plague caused full-body rot, which could still be curbed with sulfur hot baths; but how could the trials matched for Cultivators be the same as for ordinary people?
In Linjian Sect’s immortal gate, this group of fleeing Disciples circled around to the sect grand Palace, seeing more fellow sect Senior Brothers than all past sect assemblies, and realized something.
But each of them had forgotten everyone else’s Names.
In the oppressive atmosphere, as these Senior Brothers mutually questioned each other as fakes, they drew swords and fought each other.
…Calamity…
Speaking back to Xuan Chong, after confirming Linjian Sect’s main peak collapsed, he felt the punishment sufficient.
Then he began aiming the Electromagnetic Cannon at another sect. This time’s victim was Yunxiang Sect.
This was a pure female sect, which four hundred years ago in Da Yao let secular disciples enter the world, achieving great merit in suppressing the Li Crown Prince, with nine City Gods from south to north being from their sect.
This sect was not on a Spiritual Mountain, but in the cloud layers above the Spiritual Mountain.
Towering Palaces majestic and grand, bridges between Palaces composed of brocade Silk, normally the fairy maidens barefoot stepping on the Silk, going from one Palace chamber to another.
The second blue Sword Light shot out from capacitor energy storage, the Yunxiang Sect Palace Master in palace attire in the grand Palace opened a Mirror, as the Mirror shone, the Palaces in the clouds hid divinely.
But Xuan Chong’s this Projectile was guided. Upon discovering the Immortal Palace hidden, the Projectile followed the originally locked Coordinate System, drawing a beautiful arc, piercing from above downward. This palm technique dropping from the sky pierced from the Palace dome to the bottom, the Palace did not catch major fire, but the Projectile hit right below.
Before the fairy maidens could react, the damaged spot at the mountain base under purple moonlight irradiation overflowed purple Power, all tree leaves on the mountain turning into purple Flowers.
And the clouds floating on the mountain gave off an alluring fragrance, then the fairy maidens discovered their Palace Master’s hair bun turned into purple Crystal tentacles. Well, some fairy maidens discovered their tongue could lick their own navel.
…Omitted…
As Xuan Chong shot arrow after arrow at various sects, all of Chong Land felt the sky clear. The sun’s rays shone back on the earth, and surging winds and clouds reappeared in Lelang City.
Even in the eyes of those with opened Spiritual Eyes, those few Evil Moons grew dimmer and invisible, like the moon at eight or nine in winter morning, leaving only a faint trace in the sky.
However, just as Xuan Chong prepared to fire again, the Qinghua Sect Sect Master, who had ties with the Wu Family, hurriedly arrived, shouting to Xuan Chong on the high platform: “General, stop firing. For the sake of all beings Under Heaven, cease!”
However, Xuan Chong wore a helmet, immersed in the melody of “eternal faith fingertip lightning,” as if he didn’t hear.
Actually Xuan Chong heard, even guessed what the Immortal Sects would say. But he absolutely wouldn’t forget what this Immortal Sect sent people to say half a year ago: “Eliminate calamity for Under Heaven, please General do not bring disaster for one prefecture’s land.”
If not for his current status, Xuan Chong would retort: “Eliminate calamity for Under Heaven, please various Immortal Elders die!”
Master Xuan Chong’s Ask Heaven Platform was not approached by the Qinghua Sect old man, blocked by soldiers in the city using kites as wings.
This immortal-wind Taoist-bone old man not only came himself, but brought Zhu Prefecture’s Great Scholar. This Great Scholar, seeing these Soldiers blocking, immediately stood up on the spiritual boat: “Stand down!”.
If in the past, these ordinary person Soldiers would temporarily lose focus, then unable to control the kite flying wings.
But this Great Scholar didn’t notice at all that now several prefectures’ Auspicious Qi began circulating around Xuan Chong. And Xuan Chong’s Imperial Way Qi was so solid, these Soldiers guarding the “shooting platform” on orders were unmoved by his scolding.
Three teams of Dragon Horse Regiment, about a hundred people in strict formation. And ground War Drums also sounded, the 800 Officers and Soldiers guarding the high platform eyed the sky drawing bows and nocking arrows, Military Killing Intent nearly capsizing the spiritual boat, forced to emergency land, and during landing the spiritual boat flipped, that Confucian School old man tumbling dog-eat-shit in the sudden stop.
Wu Hong walked over and rebuked: “Old man, do not interfere with the army praying to heaven, violators to be executed!”
The Qinghua Sect old man was shrewd, bringing this retired-in-countryside Grand Tutor precisely for a head-knock. In the past, Military Killing Intent was restrained by Confucian righteous qi, unable to release like duds; then he could use mind-bewitching to make the army clear a path.
But with the army’s Killing Intent already released, that old Grand Tutor was useless; he shook off the old Grand Tutor, directly running over himself to plead.
Qinghua Sect Master: “Please have your family General stop, if continue firing, Under Heaven’s Mountains and Rivers will collapse, all beings will suffer.”
Wu Hong rode forward contemptuously: “The great sin of Under Heaven collapsing, what relation to my family General praying to heaven! You old Daoist, do not spread demon words to confuse the masses, come men, take him down!”
At this time the following old Grand Tutor still wanted to mouth off, loudly: “Who dares!”, immediately strong bows were drawn one by one, under this Killing Intent, the Confucian old man stiffened, then pissed himself.
…Xuan Chong’s Electromagnetic Cannon methodically bombards…
With the last “arrow” fired, even the most perceptive Sitian Cheng in Chong Land could see not a trace of the Evil Moon.
Immediately the Lotus Lamp’s light greatly shone, the Lotus Seed in Xuan Chong’s palm began rising into the air, the Lotus Seed sank into the sky slowly disappearing, the sky like tearing open a filter film, centering on the Lotus Seed, the sky thoroughly cleared, all disasters vanished and extinguished.
“This time it finally succeeded, finally—” A local Merchant, that is, an unlucky ghost scraped by Wu Hanluan. They thought in their hearts “After Wu Xiao Que solves the problem, the biggest debt is turned over, next time scraping me, also have to consider ‘no merit but hard work'”.
They gazed at the sky shedding tears of salvation, while at this time his Servants did not support this Master, but performed worship toward the high platform.
At a slightly lower level on the high platform, waiting for Xuan Chong’s Yang Sanniang scanned below.
At this height of hers, she could take in the entire scene of pious households below.
In Lelang City, Belief began converging, visible fluctuations gathering toward the high platform, all city people unconsciously offering piety to the Heaven’s Mandate bearer as Enshrined Master.
Yang Sanniang turned to look at Xuan Chong, seeing Xuan Chong walk down from the Mecha like a student after class, showing no constraint whatsoever from “divinity” or “Way of Heaven”.
However Xuan Chong still saw the Mecha’s Energy slots jumping up; the Mecha intelligence told Xuan Chong, who exited the cockpit for inspection: “Spiritual Energy storm is charging the Mecha.”
Xuan Chong now at the platform base, asked Yang Sanniang: “Have you heard of ‘Spiritual Energy storm’?” Yang Sanniang replied: “Are you referring to the current qualitative change process of Power of Incense and Worship?”
Yang Sanniang asked back: “Husband, do you feel nothing special?”
Xuan Chong paused: “What feeling, I fired these few cannons! Refreshed and clear-headed.”
Yang Sanniang hugged Xuan Chong: “The Power of Incense and Worship now gathering around you undergoes qualitative change, that is, your so-called Spiritual Energy storm; Auspicious Qi to the limit will ultimately form Heaven’s Mandate like Da Yao’s.” (Note: Da Yao lineage now losing Heaven’s Mandate, while Xuan Chong here is gaining Heaven’s Mandate)
After hearing the explanation of “Heaven’s Mandate” from Yang Sanniang, Xuan Chong shook off her arm, immediately climbing back onto the Mecha standing on the platform.
Finding the Mecha intelligence-indicated Energy gatherer, Xuan Chong finally saw the Spiritual Energy storm; Space in this square Energy slot distorted like heat flow; this distorting Space Energy flow vortexing toward the Energy slot.
Xuan Chong touched this Space distortion with his hand, only feeling some heat nearing the Mecha collection slot frame, as for Space itself he felt nothing at all.
However Yang Sanniang came over holding Wu Lu, to Xuan Chong: “You hold Yan’er.”
Xuan Chong paused, picked up his Son, but Yang Sanniang seeing this smiled at the corner of her mouth.
Because the “Heaven’s Mandate” Concept condensed here at Xuan Chong would in the future be passed to Wu Lu here.
Xuan Chong did not become a god, the already formed Spiritual Energy convergence was like a primary school student receiving New Year’s money held in trust by parents, incorporated into the guardian’s account. And Xuan Chong realized it might be a System issue, initiating inquiry.
Xuan Chong: “System, what is Heaven’s Mandate?”
System: “This is all feudal Superstition, do not believe it.”
Xuan Chong: “But why is everyone saying it?”
System: “They are ignorant and foolish. Do not learn from them.”
Xuan Chong: “That, Heaven’s Mandate won’t affect me, right?”
System: “Of course not, per Human Base System curriculum, all factors affecting your physical and mental health development will be isolated.”
Xuan Chong paused one second: “So, Heaven’s Mandate exists in this world?”
System reverted to repeater mode: “This is feudal Superstition, do not believe it.”
Xuan Chong: “Alright, you rest, anyway class is ending soon, just treat it as feudal Superstition.”
…Clear sky and fresh air…
After coming down from the divine platform, Xuan Chong then discovered the Qinghua Sect Sect Master, somewhat “surprised” asking: “So it’s Immortal Elder, how did you come?” Thus, inviting him into the City Lord mansion.
Qinghua Sect Elder looking at Xuan Chong’s sincere smile, immediately felt his 400 years of Dao Cultivation inferior to the General before him just past thirty.
“Afraid not a demon prodigy reincarnated?” Qinghua Sect Master thought this possibility.
