Chapter 635 Zhang Yanyi: I need my friend to help me practice...
Deep in the Mubei Forest...
Inside the secret room, the flame in the wall lamp flickered, illuminating the two people and one soul in the room.
At this moment, Zhao Duan and the empress looked at each other and saw the astonishment in each other's eyes!
There are three doors, leading to three different areas outside the borders of Yu State!
"How is that possible?!" Xu Zhenguan retorted subconsciously:
"This is the capital. Even if this secret room is a teleportation array, do you know how difficult it is to teleport someone to such a long distance?!"
Zhao Duan also came to his senses, yes!
Along the way, he had used several talismans that could be teleported, and all of them were rare and precious items.
But even the jade pendant that the empress once wore could only transmit over a limited distance.
But how far is the capital from these three places? !
To accomplish this level of teleportation, the magical power required would be extremely terrifying...
etc!
Zhao Duan suddenly remembered that the Empress had just said that she sensed the existence of a god-level power behind the three doors...
"Oh, stupid." Pei Niannu glanced at the empress with disdain, like an elder mocking the younger generation's shallow knowledge.
"How many powerful people did our generation produce? How many things did we witness? It's hard for you, the younger generation who have lived in peace for so long, to imagine."
The empress was furious. When had she ever been lectured like this before?
But Pei Niannu is a rare person in the world who has this qualification.
Because when this female sorceress was at her peak, she was also a celestial sorceress.
Moreover, according to historical records, there were indeed countless powerful people in the chaos that swept the entire world six hundred years ago, far more than today.
Not surprising.
Just like in the world that Zhao Duan is familiar with, technology also exploded during World War I and World War II. War is the catalyst for the birth of the strong.
Zhao Duan glared at Zhenbao, urging her to be patient.
Then he said with a shy smile:
"Senior, could it be that these three doors lead directly to the three great regions? Why did Emperor Taizu build these three doors?"
The old-fashioned Pei Niannu nodded with emotion:
"Behind this door, there are naturally direct accesses to three places. I can't remember why Xu Manzi built it in the past...
It's been so long, my memories are hazy, just like I don't remember why, after my death, my soul took on this strange form and was hidden in that scroll by Xu Manzi.
After a pause, she continued:
"However, I vaguely remember that he once entered this door. By then, he must have been the emperor for a long time, and he looked very old."
She pointed to the golden gate in the center.
Xu Zhenguan was stunned.
You should know that there is no record of Pei Niannu's specific death information in history, but there is a rough time of his death, which was during the "Tianshu Destroying Buddhism" campaign.
In other words, Pei Niannu must have died in the bloody battle between Buddhism and Taoism.
But at that time, the State of Yu had not yet been established, and Old Xu was still a middle-aged man.
Xu Zhenguan felt Zhao Duan's gaze and explained:
"There are no records of this in the royal family."
It would be strange if there were any. These three doors seemed to be the deepest secrets of the royal family... Zhao Duan suddenly said:
"I heard that when Emperor Taizu was young, he traveled around and accidentally stepped into the Mubei Forest, where he had some adventures."
This was the information Zhang Yanyi had given him.
Pei Niannu said calmly: "I don't know about that."
She acted as if she had lost her memory.
Zhao Duan was helpless.
Just like the hiding female temple priest in the scroll "The World", Old Xu seemed to have left many clues before his death.
Waiting for future generations to discover.
But every clue is fraught with obstacles.
"Since our ancestors let us discover this secret room, it must mean that it is time for us to open these three doors." The empress thought for a moment and said.
Pei Niannu uttered a "huh" and curled his lips and said:
"Only celestial cultivators can force open these two gates. As for this golden gate, it requires three keys."
Zhao Duan stared at the keyhole and dial on the golden door and muttered:
"A puzzle game? It really turned into a safe."
Pei Niannu continued:
"These two keyholes correspond to two keys. Xu Manzi hid the two keys deep in the southwest and on the Thousand Islands in the East China Sea.
As for the remaining turntable, it should have a corresponding password, but I don’t know where it is hidden.
Only by unlocking the gate can one enter. Otherwise, not only one celestial being, but even three or four people would not be able to open the door."
Zhao Duan was silent.
He turned his head to look at Zhen Bao and gave her a look: "What do you think?"
The next second, the Empress's voice appeared in his mind:
"It's obvious that this Pei Niannu was deliberately left behind by our ancestors, just like the female temple priest in 'The World'... They both hold some clues. I'm not sure if she's pretending to have lost her memory or if she truly can't remember.
But obviously, these two clues were triggered only after you appeared."
indeed.
Only Zhao Duan could decipher Pei Niannu, the ghost from six hundred years ago, in the Martial God Path.
It was also when Zhao Duan entered "The World" that the female temple priest gave Lao Xu the clue to his room.
The Empress continued:
"Therefore, I suspect that the remaining password to this golden gate is likely in the hands of the female temple priest. Only you can open this door."
Zhao Duan fell into thought.
This speculation is indeed the most likely one.
but……
"If you want to open this door, you must go to the territory of the Liao people and the East China Sea respectively? Where exactly is the key?" Zhao Duan looked at Pei Niannu.
The sorceress wearing a dark gold mask snorted coldly:
"How do I know?"
Zhao Duan was confused and couldn't help but blame Lao Xu for setting up so many obstacles. What secrets were hidden?
Why go to so much trouble?
Suddenly, an idea came to him and he remembered what Zhang Yanyi once said, that the Mubei Forest was extremely dangerous and even he could not set foot in.
In other words, the four celestial beings of this generation, Xuan Yin, the Empress, Wu Xiankui... are also unable to enter the Mubei Forest.
If you understand Mubei Forest as an ultimate dungeon, then if you want to enter the dungeon, you also need to meet certain conditions... It makes sense.
But……
"I don't know much about the Thousand Islands of the East China Sea, but I remember Ji Yue's hometown is there, right? It's remote after all, so let's not talk about it for now.
"But can anyone enter the territory of the Liao people without permission? If I remember correctly, whether it's a sorcerer or a warrior, once they enter these dangerous places, their cultivation will be suppressed, right?" Zhao Duan said solemnly.
The empress said "yes" and explained:
"Take the southwestern Xinjiang region as an example. It's the domain of the evil god Da Laba. Because the Liao people have worshipped him for generations, Da Laba is no match for the evil gods of the Yu Kingdom. Therefore, once a sorcerer sets foot there, their primary deity will be disturbed by Da Laba, causing their cultivation to decline.
The deeper you go, the more severe the decline.
Warriors are in a better situation, but they will also be suppressed by the evil gods from outside the domain.
In short, these outer regions are too dangerous. If you just explore them simply, it's not too dangerous, but if you go deep, the world will also be very dangerous."
Zhao Duan got a headache after hearing this.
Although he controls the dragon soul, he cannot use it casually.
After all, Longpo is not a real god and lacks faith in the world, so after it was used last time, it is unknown how long it will take to use it again.
Besides, it can only be used for a while, and then the whole person will feel weak...
The Liao people were entrenched in the country, and the current situation also prevented him from leading a large army and conquering the vast territory.
We can't just ask the Empress to find the key, right? She used a puppet substitute once before, so would Xuan Yin be fooled again?
Moreover, with the enemy at hand, if the Empress were to get stuck in these dangerous places, she would be doomed...
"Let's retreat first and think about it before making any plans." Xu Zhenguan also realized the difficulty of the situation and suggested.
There is nothing else here and the door cannot be opened, so I can only leave first.
Zhao Duan looked at Pei Niannu again, who seemed to be losing interest. With a "puff", she turned into scattered red ropes, and then drilled into his sea of consciousness and returned to the Six Chapter Sutra.
The emperor and his minister searched the surroundings again to make sure nothing was left out before turning back to the Taimiao.
…
Walking out of the Taimiao, both the emperor and his minister seemed to be weighed down by worries.
I thought I could solve some of the mysteries, but I didn't expect there would be more and more mysteries.
"I have a premonition," the empress said suddenly as she walked in the Taimiao:
"Emperor Taizu chose this moment to let us discover these three doors, perhaps to guide us."
To be precise, it was guiding me... Zhao Duan complained:
"But the more important thing right now is the invasion of the Western Regions. Solving puzzles like this can be postponed."
As they were talking, the emperor and his minister left under the envious gazes of the imperial guards.
They walked towards the Yangxin Palace, but not long after, a female official suddenly came panting, followed by a priest.
"Your Majesty! Zhang Tianshi sent someone to say that there is an important matter. Please ask Your Majesty and Lord Zhao to go there immediately." said the female official.
Zhang Yanyi is looking for you?
The Empress looked at the priest, who bowed respectfully and said:
"The Heavenly Master has just used the Heavenly Book to comprehend the celestial phenomena and has gained something, so he urgently ordered me to come and invite you two."
The king and his ministers looked at each other, and their hearts sank inexplicably.
"In that case, I'll go there right away." The empress grabbed Zhao Duan without hesitation and turned into golden light and disappeared.
…
Deep in the Tianshi Mansion, in a small courtyard.
After the empress and Zhao Duan landed, they saw Zhang Tianshi sitting on a rattan chair under a lush banyan tree, staring at the spread-out jade slip of the Heavenly Book.
Seeing the two people coming, Zhang Yan raised his head and motioned for them to sit down.
"I won't sit down. What is the purpose of the Heavenly Master inviting me here?" Xu Zhenguan was not in the mood for small talk.
Zhang Yanyi sighed softly:
"Well, since Your Majesty is so anxious to know, I won't keep you in suspense. Just now, I had a sudden impulse and sensed something strange about the way of heaven. I gave him some insights and learned two important things."
"First, there are unusual developments south of Yunfu, suggesting war is imminent. If my guess is correct, the Liao people are very likely to march north."
Xu Zhenguan was stunned for a moment, and his delicate hands clenched suddenly under his sleeves!
Zhao Duan was also surprised, remembering that not long ago, Zhenbao said that she was worried about the Liao people.
"Although the Liao people have had frictions with the border, the last large-scale war has been hundreds of years ago. There was no movement during the Eight Kings Rebellion before. Why are they suddenly showing their claws?" Xu Zhenguan frowned.
The imperial court sent Zhao Shixiong to garrison Yunfu, both for the purpose of defending against foreign invaders and because there were too many bandits in Yunfu.
Most of the time we are fighting bandits.
Unexpectedly, the Liao people actually started a riot. As a result, Zhao Shixiong would be stuck in Yunfu and would be difficult to mobilize to rush to Xipingdao.
At this moment, the empress even thought:
Could it be that Zhao Shixiong had betrayed them again, colluding with the Liao people and nurturing the enemy to protect himself? He had escaped to Xipingdao to join the battle?
But on second thought, Zhao Shixiong's only daughter is still in the hands of the court, and the Eight Kings Rebellion is over now, so there is really no need to do so.
But either way, it's very bad news.
The southwestern border troops cannot participate in the war, and the remnants of the Jianchengdao rebels may also take the opportunity to cause trouble after learning that the Liao people have rebelled... In this way, even if the imperial court can withdraw part of its troops in the south to support Xiping, it must also leave some elite troops to protect the border.
As a result, the military force was once again stretched thin, making it difficult to fully commit to the Xiping battlefield.
"What's the second big thing?" the empress asked again.
Zhang Yanyi said solemnly:
"I have a premonition that a god may have descended from the West."
God descends to the earth?
What does it mean?
Is Buddhism going to summon the Buddha to join the war?
Zhao Duan was stunned for a moment, and then suddenly realized that something was wrong.
If it was just summoning the gods, it would only be a magical means and would definitely not make Lao Zhang feel like he was facing a great enemy.
unless……
"Master, don't say anything. Someone is going to be promoted to 'Human Immortal'." Zhao Duan said in a hoarse voice.
Zhang Yan glanced at him and said, "That's hard to say."
Click!
Zhao Duan and the empress were both shocked.
At this time, if someone really touched the human fairyland, it would be extremely bad news for both Xuan Yin and the Dharma King of Buddhism.
Considering Xuan Yin’s long plan spanning several decades... could it be that what he was really planning was just an opportunity?
"I remember that Tianshu destroyed Buddhism six hundred years ago because Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva at that time tried to integrate Buddhism and Taoism and become a god." Zhao Duan opened his mouth.
Zhang Yanyi nodded slightly and said:
“I don’t know what they are planning, but the Heavenly Book does provide some inspiration.”
Zhao Duan was anxious:
"Then what are you waiting for? You can join forces with His Majesty and go to the Western Regions to destroy those two bald donkeys. Can you stop them?"
Xu Zhenguan shook his head bitterly and said, "I'm afraid it can't be destroyed."
She explained:
"Monk Xuanyin's true cultivation is absolutely terrifying, at least not much different from Zhang Tianshi. Now that he is in the ancestral temple of Buddhism and Taoism, his magical power may be even higher. As for the Dharma King...
All the countries in the Western Regions believe in the Buddha. The Dharma King is in the Western Regions, and like me, he is also blessed with the dragon energy similar to that of the emperor and possesses celestial combat power. However, once he leaves the Western Regions, his cultivation will plummet.
Once I go to the Western Regions, leave the Yu Kingdom, and enter the enemy's territory, I will suffer losses... However, originally this is not a big deal. After all, I am now a genuine celestial being, but..."
Zhao Duan's face looked grim:
“But after your Majesty’s battle with Wu Xiankui, it will take some time for him to recover to his peak form.
Your Majesty is injured. In Yu, since the Eight Princes' Rebellion has ended and the Dragon Qi has returned, you can still rely on the Emperor's Dragon Qi to maintain your celestial strength. However, once you enter the Western Regions, you will lose this blessing, and fighting with injuries will be uncertain.
He understood!
Given that the Empress is injured, if we take the initiative to attack and go to the opponent's home court, the possibility of losing is very high!
What's more, Buddhism has been planning for so many years, would it be possible that it doesn't have a backup plan?
Therefore, if you rashly visit them, you will only suffer.
But if I don’t go, or wait until the empress recovers from her injuries before taking action, won’t it be too late by then?
Are we really going to let those bald donkeys come up with some kind of combat power beyond the reach of heaven and man?
Wouldn't they all be liquidated by then? Wouldn't this be worse than the Eight Princes' civil strife?
In comparison, the battle with the Western Regions for Xiping Road seems unimportant!
"Old Zhang, don't be so mysterious. Is it really that bad? I don't believe you don't have a solution."
Zhao Duan no longer pretended to be serious at this time, and stared at the old Taoist priest and asked.
The empress also looked at him solemnly.
Zhang Yanyi was stared at by the couple, and was silent for a moment, then said:
"For now, the best solution is for me to enter the realm of human immortality. However, this requires the help of Your Majesty and...Friend Zhao."
Zhao Duan was stunned: "Depend on me?"
Zhang Yanyi looked at him seriously:
"I want you to lead me into the Mubei Forest. You have a way, right?"
——
At the beginning of the final volume, I need to write a few more chapters to transition...so these chapters are relatively smooth.
The typos will be corrected first and then revised...
(End of this chapter)
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