Chapter 275: Chapter 270: Abnormal
Over a month ago, when news of the drought in Yong Province reached the Divine Capital, the Emperor issued a decree, commanding the leader of the Taiping Sect, Zhang Zhixuan, to enter the palace for an audience.
But the Taiping Sect was unmoved and even continued to exacerbate the drought in Yong Province. Zhang Zhixuan did not respond, seemingly intent on defying the order.
After Yang Ji of the Taiping Sect was captured, the situation grew more tense, and the court was already braced for the possibility of the Taiping Sect taking up arms in rebellion.
Yet now, Zhang Zhixuan had entered the Divine Capital.
Such an action was akin to walking into a net, or even delivering his head to the executioner’s blade.
A third-rank master was undoubtedly one of the world’s finest, but the Divine Capital was a dragon’s lair and a tiger’s den. It was the gathering place for the greatest masters of the Great Zhou, with one of the six strongest, the Emperor of Zhou himself, stationed there, and even the Sect Leader of the Dinghu Sect was in the Divine Capital.
As long as the Emperor was willing to pay a certain price, Zhang Zhixuan would certainly be trapped in the Divine Capital, either killed or captured.
Jiang Li could not fathom Zhang Zhixuan’s bewildering move.
"Zhang Zhixuan has entered the Divine Capital?"
A flash of white at his side, Tianxuan appeared almost instantly in the front hall, her voice laced with clear urgency, as the female disciple finished speaking.
Her speed made Jiang Li wonder if she had been spotted stepping out of his room.
"When did he enter the Divine Capital?" Tianxuan asked.
The female disciple was startled by her sudden appearance but quickly suppressed her surprise and respectfully replied, "He is said to have arrived in the Divine Capital this morning. Elder, Elder Tian Ji has requested your presence at the Tianshu Palace."
With Zhang Zhixuan’s entry into the Divine Capital being such a significant matter, the six elders naturally had to discuss it.
’This morning, then...’
Tianxuan murmured the time to herself, feeling the timing was too coincidental.
With the Heaven and Earth Furnace in disarray last night, and Zhang Zhixuan arriving in the Divine Capital this morning, was there a connection? Did Zhang Zhixuan set out before or after the Sword Discussion Conference?
These were the urgent details Tianxuan needed to confirm.
However, instead of rushing to the Tianshu Palace, she asked the messenger to withdraw and turned to Jiang Li, saying, "With Zhang Zhixuan entering the Divine Capital, it will surely become the center of the whirlpool. Even with the Emperor and the Sect Leaders present, the Divine Capital may not be peaceful. You must think carefully about whether you still want to go to the Divine Capital."
As per Jiang Li’s original plan, he was to travel to the Divine Capital after the Sword Discussion Conference, making his way to the Iron Pillar Temple.
His Seventh Grade Dao Fruit was already at Perfection, and if it weren’t for the attempt to attain the Sixth Grade Unique Tao Fruit, Jiang Li could be preparing for advancement now. After all, Ji Lingguang had already delivered the Dao Fruit of a sixth-rank true man into his hands.
But if he went to the Divine Capital, he could get caught up in the upheaval brought by Zhang Zhixuan.
Despite the Divine Capital’s numerous titans, there is always room for the unforeseen. With a third-grade ability, even a small fracas could prove too much for others to bear.
Not going to the Divine Capital seemed like the prudent choice.
Yet if he chose not to, he would have to give up testing the limits of Karma Collection or delay his advancement.
Jiang Li felt that delaying was not an option. Given the current state of affairs, disorder would come sooner or later; if he did not strive for advancement now, there would be no luxury to do so once chaos ensued.
Thus, there were only two choices left: to forego or not.
Should he choose to directly transform his Daoist Dao Fruit using Karma Collection and proceed with advancement, or should he acquire the Dao Fruit of the Pure Yang True Man from the Iron Pillar Temple in the Divine Capital and see the limits of Karma Collection?
A decision that could affect future achievements, Jiang Li was rationally inclined towards the better option. However, that would involve some added risks, risks that Jiang Li, a seventh-rank novice, could not estimate, so...
"I’ll follow Master’s advice."
Jiang Li chose to be a dutiful disciple and seek his teacher’s opinion.
Tianxuan couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation.
She wanted to test how resolute Jiang Li’s determination was, and he came out with that response.
Should she be grateful for Jiang Li’s trust?
Upon reflection, Tianxuan even thought that her second disciple, aside from the occasional bizarre behavior, was generally quite satisfying, certainly more so than the defiance of her first disciple.
[What a pity Tianxuan didn’t know where Jiang Li’s trust stemmed from.]
[Had it not been for their bond, Jiang Li would not have given his trust so readily.]
[If Tianxuan knew the source of that trust, how would she react, Jiang Li dared not imagine...]
The mischievous diary was at it again. Jiang Li blinked, ignoring the thing altogether, his gaze filled with trust as he looked at Tianxuan.
He wasn’t at a level to accurately estimate the risks, and he didn’t even know if Zhang Zhixuan and the court would come to blows, but the old demon could.
Having a master was like possessing a treasure, and now was the time to rely on that treasure once more.
"Crafty little fellow."
Tianxuan extended a finger and touched Jiang Li’s brow, a slight smile appearing beneath her veil, "Pack your luggage and prepare to go to Divine Capital. With your master here, no one can harm you."
This time, with the transportation of the Taiping Sect’s Thunder God to Divine Capital, Tianxuan was also involved.
Because she wanted to meet in person and see what kind of changes had occurred.
"Disciple understands," Jiang Li responded.
Tianxuan nodded slightly and was about to leave the palace, but before leaving, as if remembering something, she said, "Additionally, probe the people from the Mo Sect and see if there is anything out of the ordinary."
She hadn’t forgotten that the awakening of the Drought might have been triggered by a battle between two swords.
If there really was a connection, then one party involved in the sword casting must be harboring treachery.
...
...
Afterward, Tianxuan headed to Tianshu Palace to discuss matters with the other elders.
Jiang Li, following Tianxuan’s instruction, was to meet with someone from the Mo Sect.
The entrance of Zhang Zhixuan into Divine Capital was crucial news for all parties, and with the Dinghu Sect about to transport the Thunder God to Divine Capital, there was a legitimate reason to send off guests.
Jiang Li estimated that the participants of the Sword Discussion Conference would soon depart, so if he wanted to meet with them, he had to act quickly.
’But what is so special about the people from the Mo Sect that I need to probe?’
Jiang Li was puzzled.
He didn’t even know what would be considered abnormal.
Then, as he was on his way to the Guest House and met with Tan Wuwei, Yan Hanqing, and Mu Lingyi, Jiang Li knew where the abnormality lay.
Too hasty.
Tan Wuwei came to bid farewell to Jiang Li, while the Mo Sect’s Great Master Long Yue was saying goodbye to the elders.
"Zhang Zhixuan of the Taiping Sect has entered Divine Capital, and the Taiping Sect may engage in wrongdoing. If that happens, our Mo Sect should immediately intervene," Tan Wuwei said with a determined tone, "Today, we will take our leave."
They didn’t even wait for the Dinghu Sect to initiate sending off the guests; they were ready to leave on their own.
But what about the results of the sword conference?
With the Retro Party and the Innovative Sect still arguing, if the Mo Sect left first, wouldn’t that give the Retro Party a chance to deny the results?
Although what Tan Wuwei said made some sense, it was still too hasty.
Jiang Li took mental note and, with an expression of regret, said, "I was hoping to learn more about the use of the Mo Wu Battle Box. I had no idea you all would be leaving so quickly. In that case, I can only wish my fellow Mo Sect cultivators a smooth journey."
"This is a simple matter."
At those words, Tan Wuwei chuckled and took out an aged manuscript, "This is a copy of the original draft of the Mo Wu Battle Box designed by Juzi. It contains various configurations Juzi had set for the Mo Wu Battle Box, which may be of some convenience to you."
"Isn’t this too valuable to give away?" Jiang Li asked politely.
"Everything has its use, and unlike the Confucianism school that treasures even a worn-out broom, copies of this manuscript are available to everyone in the Mo Sect. Giving you a copy is no issue. Let this be a parting gift."
Tan Wuwei generously offered the manuscript, while not missing the chance to take a jab at their old adversary.
The longstanding conflict between the Confucianism and Mohism schools was profound—diverging in both stance and thought, standing in opposition to each other, and naturally, each disregarding the other.
For instance, as Yan Hanqing once said, the Mo Sect enjoyed using the gentiana to describe students from Confucianism.
With Tan Wuwei saying so much, Jiang Li no longer declined and accepted the offer.
Any further refusal might seem like he viewed them as the Confucianism school who are precious over their own inadequacies. The Mo Sect leader’s rhetoric was indeed formidable, leaving Jiang Li without the opportunity to even politely decline.
Afterward, protocol would have Jiang Li offer a reciprocal gift, but Tan Wuwei did not wait, departing promptly with Yan Hanqing and the others without any delay.
"Truly decisive and efficient, the Mo Sect..."
Jiang Li weighed the manuscript in his hand and reminisced with a deep expression, "I hope we do not become enemies someday."
Leaving at such a time could mean they were truly concerned about the disorder, or they were afraid of something being detected and thus decided to leave promptly.
If it was the former, the two parties should not become enemies, but if it was the latter...
Perhaps, they were already enemies.
Jiang Li tucked the manuscript away and headed back to the Xuanji Palace.
Since the Mo Sect had already departed, Jiang Li had no more errands, and it was better to use this spare time to refine his body further—any advancement was beneficial.
After all, next, he was going to Divine Capital.