Chapter 137 Southward Trend

Within the General White Lotus Sect, a lamp gradually flickered out, signifying the death of a cultivator at the Earth Immortal level.

Who dared to kill in Yingtian Prefecture?

Their audacity was truly immense.

Among the Thirty-Six Guard Stations, an odd incense aura was similarly brewing. No one could have imagined that within the Yingtian Prefecture's official army, there would be members of the White Lotus Sect. The very existence of the Guard Stations was a refuge for White Lotus cultivators.

Because of Prince Lu's presence, anything was possible.

The South was indeed a good place.

"No feudal princes in Jiangnan" was an unwritten rule established after the Yongle Emperor's reign. Because Shuntian Prefecture rose to prominence, and Yingtian Prefecture was once where the Jianwen Emperor resided, no feudal princes were enfeoffed here. Other feudal princes dared not mention the matter; this was a rule tacitly accepted by the imperial clan and absolutely untouchable.

Don't even mention establishing a fief in Yingtian; daring to come here was tantamount to treason.

From the Thirty-Six Guard Stations, several Earth Immortal level cultivators were dispatched, but they had only received Prince Lu's orders to observe those who had broken free from the influence of the power of wishes. The fall of an Earth Immortal level cultivator was not within their expectations.

"If it's just a Golden Core Earth Immortal, and not a nascent soul Earth Immortal, then they wouldn't have the means to escape with their nascent soul, nor would they have a Yang Soul incarnation to flee. Thus, when the physical body is destroyed, the soul is mostly annihilated as well."

"We have already reported to the Prince."

The Guard Stations had become Prince Lu's private army, and the White Lotus Sect's cultivators had their own opinions on this.

This was an irreversible trend, not just Prince Lu's doing alone.

In this era, which of these imperial court's Guard Stations hadn't become the private retainers of someone?

Being the court's retainer and being a prince's retainer were not so different.

.......

"So, you are Lord Shen Jing's younger brother."

Ji Xiang, having clearly inquired about the middle-aged scholar's family background, understood where his righteousness came from. The pattern was already clear: those who didn't serve in the court but had too much contact with the lives of ordinary people, and who had written a large number of operas and vernacular stories, would exhibit this kind of power.

The power of Confucianism and Taoism was too idealistic; those with overwhelming power were often shunned by righteousness, while those alienated by officialdom, or those who repeatedly failed the imperial examinations, and thus found joy in hardship, often possessed the conditions for the birth of righteousness. Ji Xiang thought, could it be that they were so poor that all they had left was righteousness?

Perhaps only by casting aside gold, silver, and the power to determine life and death with a single word could one see the most important essence of a scholar's self.

Shen Jing, the old gentleman, had served as Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, but he resigned and returned home in the sixteenth year of the Wanli era. Although he was surnamed Shen, it was unknown if he had any relatives with the current Grand Secretary Shen Yiguan, but these things were not very important.

In fact, this old gentleman's reputation was very resounding among the common people, simply because many best-selling books were printed with his name.

In Ji Xiang's view, and even in the view of the common people, the most important reason for his fame, aside from his identity as a playwright, was that he was a "fanfiction author of best-selling books."

*Water Margin* was a best-selling book, and Mr. Shen had written *The Righteous Knight Errant*, whose protagonist was none other than Wu Song from the Water Margin.

Moreover, *The Righteous Knight Errant* was specifically adapted as an opera.

On the streets of Yingtian Prefecture, near those bustling markets, there had always been opera troupes performing this play, and it was quite popular and lucrative. After all, who wouldn't want to watch the story of Wu Song's unrestrained vengeance and indiscriminate killing?

"My elder brother is currently diligently polishing his writing. The last time I went back to see him, he was writing *Southern Nine Palaces Thirteen Modes Melodies*... To be honest, I don't quite understand what you mean by righteousness."

"About seven or eight days ago, I received an order from Shuntian Prefecture. A man named Liu Mengyin sent a letter to my elder brother, supposedly inviting him to Shuntian for a meeting. To be honest, this person is somewhat rude. Who would ask an old man of fifty to travel thousands of miles to meet a pen pal? Moreover, my elder brother has already resigned from office and returned to his hometown..."

Ji Xiang smiled: "Then did your brother go?"

"Not yet, but my elder brother seems very nervous, and he keeps sighing, I don't know what he's troubled about."

"Could this Liu Mengyin be a high-ranking official of the Grand Secretariat?"

Shen Chong shook his head, indicating that he didn't understand.

"Go, if you go, there will be unexpected gains."

Ji Xiang said casually.

Shen Chong was puzzled: "Do you perhaps know the inside story of this person?"

Ji Xiang: "It's not Liu Mengyin who asked your elder brother to go, it's the Wanli Emperor who asked your elder brother to go."

Shen Chong opened his mouth wide, looking slightly dazed and even more puzzled.

"What use does the Emperor have for summoning someone who writes operas?"

Ji Xiang smiled mysteriously: "Perhaps this Emperor is in high spirits."

Shen Chong, however, looked worried.

The ruler of a country who likes operas?

This was not a good sign.

"Then, isn't this a bit bad? I am a humble person, and the Academic Director of the Yingtian Imperial Academy is only a ninth-rank official. I'm afraid I can't say anything to the Emperor. I wonder if I can ask you to speak to His Majesty on my behalf?"

"The Emperor of the Southern Tang..."

Shen Chong spoke halfway, his worries already evident.

*The small building was east wind again last night, my homeland is unbearable to look back at under the bright moon.*

If the Emperor was neglecting his duties, wouldn't that be terrible?

Ji Xiang was thinking that, in fact, the Wanli Emperor didn't have much of a job now. His daily work should be staring at the Korean war reports. The Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet weren't dead. The court could still operate normally even if he didn't attend court for ten years, and even official vacancies weren't filled. It had to be said that Wanli still had some political skills.

"Don't worry, this is also part of the Wanli Emperor's current work."

"Just go. If you're afraid of being detained by the Emperor, if you don't mind... you can... mention my name."

"In front of the Emperor, I still have some face."

Although Shen Chong didn't know why listening to operas and writing books had also become part of his job, he didn't directly ask. Since this Immortal told his elder brother to go with confidence, then he could only go.

Once he arrived in Shuntian, everything should become clear.

As for face, some internal notices from the imperial court, arriving at Yingtian along the Grand Canal, were earlier than Ji Xiang's arrival here. After all, Ji Xiang had wandered around several places along the way.

The imperial court's only two Immortal-level experts, of course, had that much face.

"Immortal Brother, what kind of magic did you use just now?"

The little girl Shen Yixiu finally found a chance to speak. At this time, the three of them were hiding in the crowd, and what surprised and puzzled both Shen Chong and Shen Yixiu was that no matter how slowly they walked, no matter which direction they went, Liu Zimin's figure would always appear not far from them.

"Is the little girl talking about the flying sword, or the escape technique?"

Ji Xiang had gold in his hands, which he had taken from Silver Bottle. The Dengxian Gathering was a good event, and there were really a lot of rich people here. Gold and silver jewelry were everywhere, and the Golden Escape technique was almost unimpeded, very smooth.

Unexpectedly, among the Thirteen Great Escapes, the Golden Escape, which ranked last, also had this kind of ability to adapt to the world and manifest everywhere.

The little girl Shen's bones were very good, perhaps related to her uncle's righteousness. Having been influenced since childhood, her bones were born with extraordinary divinity.

Perhaps not being affected by the strange power of wishes in Yingtian Prefecture was also because of this.

Was the power of wishes arranged by the people of the White Lotus Sect, affecting the people?

It didn't seem quite like it, and the influence of the power of wishes didn't seem to be very deep. The term "Prince Lu" entering Ji Xiang's ears, it had been a while since he had heard news of this Prince. He remembered the last time he knew his name was at the Mirong Casino.

"The White Lotus Sect has some relationship with this Prince, but they even dare to hold the Dengxian Gathering here, which is no different from rebellion. They are fearless, there must be a master backing them."

Ji Xiang muttered, and then heard the little girl's question, asking about the escape technique.

"This is a kind of magic that can be used to escape quickly, it can run faster than a rabbit."

Ji Xiang answered seriously. The little girl Shen stared with her beautiful little eyes, with an expression that said you were trying to fool me.

So she also put on a small face and asked: "Can I learn magic?"

Ji Xiang looked at Liu Zimin's panicked back and responded to the little girl simply: "Magic is not something you can learn just because it looks fun."

"Those people who wanted to catch you just now are from the White Lotus Sect. They also know magic, but they don't use it on the right path but on evil paths. Even if they verbally say that they want to seek welfare for the world, in fact, most of them are just using magic to make money."

"There are too many people in this world who don't use magic to do good, but instead do evil. Cultivators are not true immortals, and true immortals are not the unrestrained, free people you imagine, who travel the Eastern Sea and dwell in the Kunlun Mountains."

"So, to learn magic, the first point is not to have a playful attitude."

"You must have reverence for magic itself. The world fears you because of magic, not because you are a terrible person."

"Magic has infinite power, use it cautiously."

Ji Xiang spoke with earnest exhortation.

After listening, the little girl Shen suddenly said seriously: "Do I have to swear an oath?"

Shen Chong immediately reprimanded her, telling her not to think about these things randomly. Swearing was not something that could be said casually, but he didn't expect the little girl Shen to say that she had thought it over carefully.

"Learning something is nothing more than three motives: love, compulsion, hatred."

"If you love this thing, you will take the initiative to learn it."

"If you are forced to learn this thing, you won't care too much about its rules."

"Learning this thing because of hatred, that should be the evil way."

"Now I want to try it because I love it. For this, I am willing to swear that I will never do evil. We go to the temple to worship the gods, and the gods will definitely hear my oath. I think this is the best way to express my opinion."

Shen Chong was silent, looking at Ji Xiang without speaking. At this moment, he suddenly said: "My daughter could recite the poems of ancient poets when she was four or five years old, and she has a photographic memory, and she understands many of the thoughts of the ancients. Someone once examined my daughter and said that her talent is very high, and she is born with wisdom."

"That's right."

Ji Xiang nodded slightly, looking at the little girl Shen: "I'm impressed by you."

So he thought, the day when the Inner and Outer Mountains and Rivers merge is coming, I wonder how many years there are left. If there are some talented people, instead of being led astray by some immortals later, it is better to bring them under your command as soon as possible.

The children of the craftsmen in Shuntian Prefecture, the little fox of Yuquan Mountain, the Taoist son of the Shangqing Sect, and the little girl Shen in front of him, at first glance, is a good seed for a Confucian Immortal. If there is not enough righteousness, you can steal a little from Feng Menglong, which can also be regarded as plucking yang to supplement yin.

Hmm... Little Fox?

Hu Xiaoshi, in some ways, has never been able to learn the Golden Light Charm, which is also a kind of genius in another direction.

Thinking of this in his mind, so...

"Well then, what should I teach you?"

"How about... the Golden Light Charm."

In the markets of Yingtian Prefecture, lanterns and streamers were everywhere, and on the painted boats of the Qinhuai River, the beauties were like jade.

"However, if I teach you the Golden Light Charm, you have to do me a small favor."

"Take me to some places."

As Ji Xiang said, the little girl Shen was very polite: "That's what I should do. Where does Immortal Brother want to go?"

"Temples, monasteries, workshops, in short, are those places where incense is flourishing, and where various statues of gods are enshrined."

Ji Xiang spoke meaningful words. After speaking, he pointed to a market. Only then did the Shen family father and daughter realize that after only a few steps, they had changed to another street, and Liu Zimin's familiar figure was still not far away.

"I just saw that workshop."

"There are quite a few Guan Gong statues on it."

The setting sun fell, the night sky was starry, and Yingtian Prefecture was still full of flowers and splendor. Compared to Shuntian Prefecture in the north at the same time, it should have already fallen into darkness, and Yin Division Generals had begun to conduct city-wide patrols.

The curfew, in the late Ming Dynasty, was hardly observed in many southern cities. Only the various passes and the nine border towns strictly observed the curfew.

As for Yingtian Prefecture, this magnificent giant city, which had no feudal princes or emperors, but was the economic center of the South, had long since fallen into a carnival. Even the officials of the Six Ministries of Yingtian didn't care about these things.

After all, being transferred from Shuntian Prefecture to Yingtian Prefecture was equivalent to being demoted. Even if the official rank remained unchanged, leaving the real political center meant that you couldn't show your face in front of the Emperor, and your political career in this life was basically over. If you wanted to receive more salary, you could just muddle along.

Since even the officials didn't care about such things, the students of the Yingtian Imperial Academy naturally dared to go out and be reckless. In fact, the Yingtian Imperial Academy, although as famous as the Shuntian Imperial Academy in the north, everyone knew that the students in the southern Imperial Academy were mostly old officials of the court, or the children of local bureaucrats. Studying in the Southern Imperial Academy was fake, and gilding was real.

The sons of nobles, dressed as students, called friends and brought wine with lanterns, and swarmed to the streets. The scholars who gathered together to write sour poems had to give way when they saw them. They really felt ashamed, lacking the spirit to point out the country during the day.

However, the children of officials were not all gathered together. They gradually dispersed as they walked further, leaving only small groups. Among them, three children of officials met two beauties.

The two beauties wore veils, inviting them to visit their painted boat.

"May I have a word with you three young masters?"

"The Prince has chosen you."

The three children of officials were dazed and confused. The power of wishes distorted their understanding, making them feel delighted. They even began to discuss how their talent had already reached Prince Lu's ears. Behind them, the two beauties revealed the tails of scorpions and snakes under their clothes.

Demons began to gather in Yingtian Prefecture and transform into humans.

Many demons also appeared near Ji Xiang, but they did not greet Ji Xiang immediately.

Instead, they looked at the soap-colored robe, and thought of what happened in their minds two days ago.

"It's him..."

"Soap-colored robe!"

"He... also brought the two people selected by Prince Lu, the Academic Director of the Imperial Academy and his daughter, who are also people with righteousness."

In the crowd, a tall man wrapped in a robe, looking like a Jianghu hero, gave orders to the other demons around him.

"I don't know why, at that time, that feeling, it was as if... this person was our natural enemy!"

"This soap-colored robe, perhaps it is a kind of bloodline induction... telling us... we must... kill him!"

On the bank of the Qinhuai River, Crown Prince Liejie left the painted boat, according to Prince Lu's instructions, on the night before the fifteenth of August, preparing to meet with Ji Xiang.