Chapter 541 The Moon Shines Above Lin Cheng's Head, Sword Fire Descends Upon the Golden Buddha (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
"Where is Lady Rongzhen? Why didn't she come?"
"I don't know, maybe it went to find the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower."
"Let the subordinates handle this. There are so many corpses on the street, how long would it take to search them all one by one? She doesn't even know what the thief looks like... But I was just searching for the Ding Sword outside and didn't see her either. Where did she go to find the Butterfly Love Flower Master?"
"Wait a moment, let me ask a few female officials from the Control Yuan."
"good."
"By the way, Third Young Master, have you found that strange cauldron sword?"
"We're still looking. This time, the Buddha appeared suddenly, and we set up a trap. We acted too quickly and must have caught these rebels off guard. They didn't even have time to use that cauldron sword."
"According to Lady Rongzhen, the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower should still be a low-grade blue qi cultivator. According to the statistics just now from Chief Secretary Qin, more than a dozen low-grade qi cultivators have been killed inside and outside Xingzifang. No one knows which of these dead ghosts is the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower, or where the Ding Sword has fallen."
"I've looked around but haven't seen it. Let's come back first and let them look for it slowly. Let's put the Buddha statue up first."
"Yes, the Third Young Master is indeed very thoughtful..."
"Looking at it this way, we should have acted a little slower back then. A crushing blow like that wouldn't have been so effective. If we had acted slower, it would have been easier to let that thief unleash his Ding Sword."
"I have specially set up many watchtowers in Xingzifang, sent people to keep a close watch, and set up an early warning mechanism, just waiting for his cauldron sword to take off."
"Although other areas of Xingzifang are not as flat and open as Xingzi Lake, if he wants to use the [Humble Scholar]'s unique sword technique of spreading his sword to kill, this sword must be raised high enough to cover us..."
"Anyway, we definitely won't escape the eyes of those watching from the watchtower."
"Ha, this piece of trash, does he really think we're idiots? He thinks he can get by with just one trick?"
"The swordsman who possesses the ultimate sword technique is indeed powerful. At the beginning, he can almost always kill in rivers of blood. However, once his trump card is exposed and the various factions in the martial arts world figure out his routine, there will always be a brilliant swordsman who breaks the sword and takes his head."
"Not to mention the [Humble Scholar]'s Dingjian Divine Power, which appeared long ago. Not many people still remember it, but there are many ways to deal with it, and its weakness is obvious. Just block the sword formation or escape the sword formation's domain. Only a fool would stand there and wait to die..."
"What era are we living in? Still playing the traditional sword-wielder system and the lone-wolf approach? Do you really think you're one of those legendary sword-wielders in history? That you can stir up a bloodbath in this world?"
"The current lineage of sword wielders should rely on the imperial court or powerful forces to maximize the effectiveness of the Ding Sword. It is his own fault that he fell before he could fully develop."
"Lin Cheng, you're right. We should have slowed down just now and let this thief panic and raise the sword first, so we wouldn't have to search for it in the dark now."
"Third Young Master, I have a question. Isn't the shape of the Mythical Cauldron Sword supposed to be dreamlike and easy to identify? Why haven't we found it yet?"
"That was when the swordsman was still alive and infused with spiritual energy. In private, the sword had its ordinary appearance, either a metal body or a glass object. Although it did not look like an ordinary object, it was like a bright pearl. Once it lost its luster, it would also be covered in dust."
"This is why many mythical swords that have appeared in the world throughout history have disappeared without a trace. When the person who wielded the sword dies or is no longer by his side and is beyond his sensing range, the sword loses its spiritual energy and becomes dull and is easily mistaken for an ordinary object."
"Especially after that hiltless 'Humble Scholar' in history, those eccentric swordsmiths started to go crazy. Instead of properly forging swords, they insisted on making things that were neither swords nor cauldrons, making them even more unconventional and difficult to distinguish between cauldron swords and cauldron swords."
"I see."
"Anyway, as long as the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower is here today, the Ding Sword will definitely still be in Xingzifang, and it will definitely not be more than ten feet away from the body of this person... He is only a low-grade blue qi, even if he has reached the middle-grade red qi, the sword cannot ignore the distance and stray too far from the sword wielder."
"Let the men conduct a thorough search first, leaving no stone unturned. Xingzifang is a melting pot of all sorts of people. While the entire area is under martial law, and Chief Clerk Qin and his soldiers are still here..."
"The Third Young Master is wise."
The sound of a piano still lingers in the air at the Xingzi Lake construction site.
After the Buddha head was delivered, Lin Cheng, Wang Lengran, Yuan Huaimin, and others were in front of the headless Buddha, supervising the slow lifting of the golden Buddha head.
Wei Shaoqi hurriedly returned from Qingyang Hengjie and walked aside with Lin Cheng for a few words.
A short while later, the two returned to their original spot.
After summoning a female official from the Censorate and giving her a few instructions, Lin Cheng turned around and noticed that the third young master of the Wei Prince's mansion was also drawn to the slowly hoisting Buddha head in front of him.
Lin Cheng stood with his hands behind his back, and like Wei Shaoqi, his gaze fell on the pulleys and winches surrounded by hundreds of laborers in front of him.
In this era, there were no cranes. To lift heavy objects, one could only rely on simple mechanical devices such as pulleys and winches. However, by today's standards, these devices are considered quite advanced.
The construction site accident a few days ago that injured more than a dozen workers,
It's because they're still using the traditional, outdated, and inefficient method of using cranes and manual labor to transport goods.
The combination of autumn rain, muddy roads, and icy conditions led to unexpected accidents and incidents.
Afterwards, in addition to immediately suppressing the news, Lin Cheng and Wang Lengran also specially sourced this batch of pulleys and winches.
Hundreds of laborers were then mobilized, along with dozens of cattle, sheep, and other livestock to pull the loads.
Taking a two-pronged approach proved to be much more reliable and efficient.
"This thing is interesting. Brother Lin is really smart. It's definitely the right thing to leave professional matters to professionals."
Wei Shaoqi looked satisfied, nodded, turned around, and praised him.
Lin Cheng chuckled lightly, waving his hand with a somewhat humble expression:
"The design drawings for this entire set of lever mechanisms came from Lingnan Road..."
"Actually, it's all thanks to Chairman Pei and Vice Chairman Shen. They know some Persian merchants in Guangzhou and volunteered to find people to work overtime to create it. Now, the results are indeed immediate."
"Although according to the Imperial Observatory, the Buddha's head is mostly empty and not too heavy."
"However, in the past, it would have taken one or two days to reassemble the Buddha's body and head, moving them slowly like a tortoise crawling."
"Now that we have this set of equipment, we expect the Buddha statue to be reassembled within an hour, and the project will be completed."
"Hahaha, very good, very good. You all have worked hard, and Father will surely reward you. He will also speak on your behalf before His Majesty... Just like Father, I like you quick-witted guys. It saves me a lot of trouble."
Wei Shaoqi put his hands behind his back, grinned, and said something, then arrogantly raised his hand and pointed ahead:
"President Pei, Vice President Shen, add a few more oxen and horses. These hundreds of lowly people are too slow. They don't even have the strength of a dozen or so animals. Add more, the more the better. If it's not enough, go to the Jiangzhou government to allocate more. Hahaha."
Everyone smiled in response.
Being singled out for praise, Pei Shisan Niang, Shen Bingqiang, and the others were flattered and fawned over this Third Young Master Wei who could replace the King of Wei.
Pei Shisan Niang was even more adept at handling people. She quietly turned her head and cast a grateful glance at Lin Cheng, who had spoken well of them.
Lin Cheng smiled, while Wang Lengran turned his head and coldly gave instructions to the somewhat silent Yuan Huaimin.
"Did you hear that, Chief Secretary Yuan?"
Under the squinting gaze of the old prefect, the latter had no choice but to nod.
At one point, Yuan Huaimin turned his head and glanced at Wei Shaoqi's arrogant back, then looked at the hardworking workers in front of him, who were pulling the winch pulleys like livestock.
With this device, the speed of merging the Buddha heads is indeed greatly shortened. After the Buddha statue is erected, King Wei will use this to claim credit, and His Majesty will surely reward them.
As for the dozen or so lives lost before, who were reduced to mere transitional goods and smashed into mincemeat.
It seems like nobody cares much anymore.
I watched as the obedient and well-behaved Chief Secretary surnamed Yuan left with his head bowed.
Lin Cheng and Wang Lengran withdrew their gazes.
Just then, the female officer from the Supervisory Council, whom Lin Cheng had sent out to find someone, returned and reported two things.
"What? The teacher ran into a candle in the snow?"
"Yes, the two ladies of Yunmeng took the little girl and ran into the Kuanglu Mountains. Deputy Supervisor Song chased after them and bumped into Xue Zhongzhu... They are fighting in the mountains. Deputy Supervisor Song ordered Lord Lin and Young Master Wei to quickly merge the Buddha statues together, and she temporarily stalled them..."
"good."
The previously relaxed atmosphere turned serious, but the female official from the Overwatch Council did not leave and spoke again:
"Lord Lin, Lady Rongzhen is not in Xingzifang right now. She went to Xunyang Tower in Xunyangfang. It seems she went to see Commander Ouyang. There's a Chrysanthemum Poetry Gathering there, and the Prince of Xunyang and his entourage are also there..."
Lin Cheng, Wei Shaoqi, and Wang Lengran exchanged glances.
Wei Shaoqi snorted coldly.
Lin Cheng's expression remained unchanged.
Wang Lengran suddenly asked, "Are you sure Ouyang Lianghan and the Prince of Xunyang are both at Xunyang Tower?"
The female official from the Control Yuan paused slightly, then nodded:
“That’s right. In addition, Lady Rong also sent her subordinates to call Mr. Yu and ask him to come over as soon as he’s done with his business. Lady Qin should be playing the pipa there today.”
Wang Lengran nodded in satisfaction and waved to dismiss the female official.
The female official walked to a watchtower on the construction site.
A short while later, the long-lasting music stopped, and an old musician, his back hunched, slowly walked downstairs carrying his instrument.
Judging from his expression while talking to the female official of the Censorate, he was also waiting for Rongzhen's call.
Wei Shaoqi, Wang Lengran, and the others respectfully clasped their hands in greeting as they saw off the gentle-looking old musician.
The successful execution of the murder plot in Xingzifang today was indeed thanks to this senior figure with a very high status in the palace.
Wei Shaoqi, Lin Cheng, and the others withdrew their gaze.
They turned their burning gaze back to the Buddha head above.
The Buddha's head has been slowly lifted by the winch and pulley, about ten zhang off the ground, and two zhang away from the headless neck of the Buddha's body.
Wei Shaoqi's eyes burned with fervor. Although things weren't going well with the Qin family, once this Buddha was completed, the Wei family would regain the initiative, especially in assisting in quelling the rebellion in the southwest, which would be another meritorious achievement.
Not to mention the cauldron sword they're currently searching for; as long as Father presents it to His Majesty...
Wang Lengran breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that Ouyang Rong was at Xunyang Tower.
He had always felt that this boy was strange, and he dared not let his guard down as long as he was around.
Only now, when he was certain that Ouyang Rong was definitely not there, did Wang Lengran finally relax. His old face broke into a wide smile, and his eyes darted around... Once the Buddha statue was completed, he could use Pei Shisan Niang and others to promote the business and clarify Xingzifang, which would be another great achievement!
Shen Bingqiang, though seemingly rough, was actually quite shrewd. He was good at reading people's expressions and, taking advantage of the atmosphere, made a few sarcastic remarks about Ouyang Rong.
This time, Pei Shisan Niang did not stop her with her eyes.
In fact, even when she had run into Ouyang Rong on the street, the timid and beautiful woman hadn't said a word; it was Shen Bingqiang beside her who was making strange noises.
Pei Shisan Niang was actually quite dissatisfied with her companion. She thought it was better to be cautious as a businesswoman; making money was all that mattered, why make enemies? But Shen Bingqiang wouldn't listen, and she couldn't do anything about it.
However, complaining together is indeed the fastest way to bring people closer.
Pei Shisan Niang's mind started working a little more, and she began to think about how to offer a proper smile.
Lin Cheng stood to the side with his hands behind his back, listening with a smile on his face, but in his heart he was actually bored.
Since Ouyang Rong wasn't present, his victory was meaningless, and listening to this awkward praise was just boring.
Lin Cheng looked up, squinting as he watched the giant Buddha being slowly hoisted up.
"The spiritual energy in my dantian is already boiling... This ritual was indeed effective. I'm using the Buddha to break through the bottleneck of the upper-level realm... Ouyang Lianghan, a true scholar from humble beginnings doesn't have the carefree life and smooth path you have. I don't eat grains or meat, I only consume qi. Those who consume qi live long lives, longer than you. What makes you think you can compare?"
Just then, a raindrop fell on his lost face.
Lin Cheng was slightly taken aback, and after a moment, he couldn't help but smile: "The Great Zhou Dynasty is associated with metal and water... This is destiny... Heaven helps those who help themselves..."
The slightly chubby young man, who was talking to himself with his head tilted back, suddenly froze for a moment.
He first frowned, then rubbed his eyes vigorously.
Lin Cheng saw... the Buddha's head was shedding tears.
On the benevolent, smiling face of the Buddha head atop the statue, a thin line appeared slightly below the left eye. The line was a clear blue... no, it was an arc emitting blue light.
As the blue light intensified, it covered the arc-shaped body, ultimately resembling a drop of clear blue tear.
Before he could examine it closely, it emerged from the face of the Buddha and detached from the head of the Buddha.
This single "Buddha's tear," its clear blue radiance growing larger with each passing moment, transformed from a star's tear into a bright moon. Finally, a solitary, clear blue moon hung above everyone's heads.
Like the lotus flame in the Buddhist scriptures that Lin Cheng had once read, which burned away all karmic obstacles.
"Yue...yue?"
Extreme fear appeared in Lin Cheng's eyes, as if he had seen the most terrifying thing in the world.
Everyone saw the usually composed and calm slightly chubby young man suddenly turn around and run away without regard for his own safety—yes, run away! He desperately tried to distance himself from the Buddha statue!
Wei Shaoqi and Wang Lengran were initially confused, but when they looked up, their expressions changed drastically, and they turned and ran away, leaving Pei and Chen standing there in bewilderment... Unfortunately, it was too late; a moon had already descended.
Wang Lengran, who often slipped and fell, often complained about the muddy construction workers. On the frozen road of the construction site, Wang Lengran stumbled and fell flat on his face. "Third Young Master, save me!" He subconsciously reached out and grabbed Wei Shaoqi's trouser leg as a last straw, but was suddenly kicked in the face. Before a look of despair could appear on his face, he felt a chill on his neck, and then the whole world spun around him, and his forehead felt like it had hit the ground hard.
Kicking aside his burdens, Wei Shaoqi, his face flushed, ran forward desperately, occasionally pulling a Xianbei guard down with him, even including the mid-grade red-qi guard. Screams of agony echoed behind him, and sword energy pierced his back like thorns. But he quickly realized that the Moon was playing a game of cat and mouse with him. He turned around hysterically, "My father, the King of Wei!" The only response to his roar was the sudden acceleration of the cauldron sword, which chopped off a fine head as easily as cutting melons and vegetables, its face still filled with disbelief.
Lin Cheng, who was the first to flee, didn't have time to speak. He used all his strength, and with a thud, his slightly chubby figure, which had leaped into the air, fell to the ground like a broken sack. A string of Buddhist prayer beads that supposedly granted him immunity from death scattered all over the ground, completely useless... The round head rolled down his neck, his pupils dim and unfocused, his face full of regret and fear... He couldn't understand why the cauldron sword was hidden inside the Buddha's head until he died.
Shen Bingqiang, Wang Lengran
Wei Shaoqi,
Lin Cheng.
At the foot of the Buddha, heads were harvested one after another in this order, like farmers harvesting wheat and cutting grass in the fields.
In the rain, their bodies were separated from their heads, just like the headless Buddha statue in front of them, becoming headless corpses. They swayed once or twice, like sandbags, before falling heavily to the ground.
Only Pei Shisan Niang remained standing there, while Shen Bingqiang's head rolled to her trembling feet, his face blank and ignorant.
The moon tilted slightly as it passed by her ear, and a few strands of her black hair floated to the ground.
The entire room fell into a deathly silence.
The beautiful woman was splattered with blood from Shen Bingqiang's severed head, her face covered in blood. She paused for a moment, then numbly raised her hand to wipe it away.
"ah----!"
She was the first to cover her face and scream.
The scream was like a clarion call; the deaths of Lin Cheng, Wei Shaoqi, Wang Lengran, and the others threw the surrounding construction site into chaos in an instant.
In the air, the moon suddenly exploded, revealing the curved blade of the Craftsman. The blade was engulfed in a raging flame, and it darted around the swaying Buddha head hanging in the air, rushing toward the headless Buddha body with the speed of a meteor.
It seemed to know the way very well. Soon, clusters of blue flames ignited at several key support points of the headless Buddha body that Lin Cheng had cast. The sparks eventually connected to form a raging dragon-like flame that coiled around the headless Buddha body.
A moment later, the benevolent-looking Buddha head, sculpted in mid-air in imitation of the face of a certain empress, collapsed with a roar under the silent gaze of its golden eyes, which now bore a tear-shaped crack.
...
On Qingyang Heng Street.
The old musician, his face pale and carrying his zither, suddenly stopped, turned around in surprise.
A pair of cloudy eyes reflected the gray sky and the fine rain, as the Buddha collapsed with a thunderous crash amidst the swirling blue fire dragon.
"Huh...it's actually possible...it's actually possible...they haven't left yet...this young man can wait even longer than this old man..."
He muttered in surprise, "It is the cauldron fire that can only be born when a legendary swordsman wields the sword."
What should have thrown the entire city of Xunyang into chaos was nonetheless marred by a faint smile on the usually calm and composed face of the old musician.
"In terms of handsomeness, this sword strike is only slightly inferior to what I was like back in my day, well, just a tiny bit..."
The old man turned around and continued walking towards Xunyang Tower, where the sound of a pipa could be heard. His figure was slightly out of place, running in the opposite direction from the female officials and soldiers rushing chaotically towards the construction site with terrified expressions.
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(PS: I'm begging for monthly votes! or2)
Furthermore, the phrase "fragrant aroma fills Chang'an, the whole city is adorned with golden armor" is too arrogant, and Chang'an is out of place in this context.
"If I become the Green Emperor in the future, I will make the peach blossoms bloom everywhere" is more fitting for the occasion and aligns with a certain direction of effort. I personally think this line is more brilliant!
(End of this chapter)
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