Outside Shangjing, heading north from Xi Mountain, one came to the green and serene mountain. This mountain appeared normal, but in the hearts of the people, it was unusual. This was where the Tianyi Dao School was. Master Ku He's disciples and grand disciples studied and practiced here. After they left the mountain, they pointed their swords at the world and helped the people in need.
Now, Qing Mountain was filled with sadness. All of the Tianyi Dao disciples looked at the black building at the top of the mountain with uneasy expressions. They clenched their fists tightly and pressed their lips together. Their eyes showed fear and they didn't say a word. Occasionally, people would pass by the stone path and head toward the top of the mountain. Their faces were heavy and they didn't even glance at these Tianyi Dao disciples.
There were many people going up the mountain. They were of high status, including many nobles, officials, and famous generals in Shangjing, such as the grand tutor Zhuang Mohan had single-handedly taught, Chang Ninghou, various officials, and about half of them were students who had left the mountain. Now, they had all returned to the mountain.
Other than Shang Shanhu leading the Southern border to resist the attacks of the Qing Kingdom's Yanjing and Cangzhou's Northern Expedition Camp, all of the talented and powerful figures in the Northern Qi court had gathered on Qing Mountain because of this matter. In other words, Northern Qi's Shangjing, the center of politics, had completely shifted to Qing Mountain.
The Tianyi Dao disciples guessed what had happened at the top of the mountain. Only that major matter would alarm so many people. Their faces grew increasingly sorrowful.
At noon, the Northern Qi Emperor, dressed in casual clothes, stepped onto the stone path up the mountain with a heavy expression. By his side was Lang Tiao. Behind him was Friar He. Guards were scattered at the foot of the mountain path. They didn't wear dragon robes and didn't display their royal chariots. Instead, they hurried up the mountain with dark expressions.
The Tianyi Dao disciples knelt on either side of the stone path. They felt even more fearful. They knew that the protector of the Qi Kingdom, the grandmaster closest to a god, was about to leave this world.
…
…
On Dong Mountain, the Tyrannical zhenqi that the Qing Emperor had cultivated for decades poured into Master Ku He's body with the power of the Way of the Emperor. The accumulation of decades of cultivation was like an ocean. In an instant, it burst apart Master Ku He's old body.
Being carried back into Northern Qi territory by Shang Shanhu, Master Ku He sat cross-legged in the Qingshan Taoist school without a word. He had not eaten a grain of rice, and his expression was calm. The skin on his body began to gradually split open, revealing the blood vessels and tendons within. It began to disintegrate. It looked very terrifying.
Fortunately, a large, soft robe was draped over the great grandmaster's body, preventing the disciples who were serving him from feeling any more sorrowful.
Since early in the morning, there had been an endless stream of people coming from Shangjing. The various nobles and officials all wore the etiquette of a disciple to pay their respects. After seeing Master Ku He, they knew that this should be the last time they would see the Imperial Advisor.
The second disciple, Mu Peng, who had not been able to rest in peace even before his death, had been nervously adjusting his master's breathing. The expression on his face was somewhat vicious, but he could not say anything. The summons before his death was an order from Master Ku He.
Each person only saw a moment. It was only when they saw the grand tutor that Ku He said a few more words.
Ku He had protected this country for decades. Today, he was going to leave. Even though he understood life and death, there was still something he could not let go of — this country. Today was his final farewell to this country and his final account.
Regardless of whether the Grandmaster died or not, his words would certainly have a great influence on this country. Thus, he wanted to use his last moments to say a few words to these officials who controlled the Northern Qi court. He wanted to lay a more stable foundation for the Emperor's future governance.
Ku He looked at the military general in front of him and unconsciously sank into some kind of deep thought. There was nothing wrong with the Emperor's ability. It was just that he was still young. Although Shen Zhong had been executed and Shang Shanhu had submitted, if he truly died, would he be able to control the power of the military?
The military general was the head of the Bureau of Military Affairs. After receiving a few words from the Imperial Advisor, he didn't hear any sound. He couldn't help but raise his head in fear to glance. In Northern Qi, regardless of whether it was the royal family or the generals, they all had boundless respect for Master Ku He. Ku He was different from the Qing Kingdom's Ye Liuyun. From the beginning, he had spread his influence and power into every crevice in the Northern Qi court.
The second disciple of Tianyi Dao, Mu Peng, moved closer to his teacher's ear and quietly said, "The Emperor and empress dowager have both arrived. Should we call them in?"
In the entire world, only Ku He had the right to call the Emperor and empress dowager.
Ku He calmly shook his head. When the skin on his neck touched slightly with his clothing, there was a tearing pain. This kind of pain was, without question, something that humans could not endure. However, it was as if he didn't feel anything. He only furrowed his brows slightly.
Mu Peng knelt to his teacher's left. Looking at the bloody marks on the back of his teacher's clothing, his heart was filled with grief. He couldn't resist crying.
With this cry, the head of the Bureau of Military Affairs kneeling in front of Master Ku He also felt sorrow. Adding to his fear for Northern Qi's future, his eyes grew wet. He knelt and crawled two steps forward. Fiercely kowtowing three times in front of Master Ku He, he gritted his teeth and said, "General Shang Shanhu is in the South, and I am in Shangjing. Unless we die, we will not allow the court to be harmed in the slightest. Even if we die, we will protect the Emperor's safety!"
Ku He glanced at him with a gentle gaze and warmly said, "It's been 12 years since you left the mountains. The future of the Qi Kingdom needs your heart and your life."
The head of the Bureau of Military Affairs kowtowed again, gritted his teeth, stood up, and left. As he walked out the door, his eyes were slightly red. Unexpectedly, he saw the ashen-faced Emperor and couldn't help but sigh.
The Northern Qi Emperor had been waiting outside the room for a long time. Seeing his official's slightly red eyes, his heart thumped as if it had sunk into an endless abyss. Raising his feet, he charged into the room.
Beside him, Lang Tiao pulled on his sleeve. The Northern Qi Emperor turned his head and glared coldly at Lang Tiao. Unconsciously, Lang Tiao felt a glimmer of fear. Although the Emperor had followed him to learn martial arts, he still did not have much talent in martial arts. However, the might of an Emperor grew stronger and stronger.
…
…
"You can come in." Master Ku He's voice faintly rang out from outside the room. The Northern Qi Emperor tidied up his clothing. With a serious expression, he turned and led the empress dowager's hand into the room.
Inside the doors at the top of the mountain, other than Ku He, who was sitting on the ground like a withered tree, there were only a few of his closest disciples, as well as the Emperor and empress dowager.
He was indeed like a withered tree. Although there was a wide and soft robe covering the Great Grandmaster's body, everyone who saw Ku He felt a chill in their hearts. It was as if, through the thin robe, they could see the cracks on the Imperial Advisor's body like a dry field, as well as the faint bloodstains on his collar.
Such a heavy injury was indeed impossible to heal. The Northern Qi Emperor's heart chilled. Without any pretense, he knelt cleanly in front of Ku He and kowtowed one last time to him. "Granduncle."
Everyone under heaven bowed to the Emperor. The Emperor never bowed to anyone. However, the Northern Qi Emperor had bowed to Ku He twice and kowtowed twice.
The first time was when he was very young. At that time, the previous Emperor had just passed away. The empress dowager had held the little Emperor as they sat in the beautiful main hall of the Royal Palace in Shangjing and kowtowed to Master Ku He. Ku He had guaranteed the safety of the mother and son for over a dozen years. He had ensured that the Northern Qi royal family was surnamed War and allowed the little Emperor to grow up.
This second kowtow was the Northern Qi Emperor bidding farewell to his granduncle. In his heart, he had always felt a sense of distance and fear toward this deified granduncle. However, he felt even more gratitude.
The empress dowager sat by Ku He's side. She lowered her head and wept silently.
"Alright, who won't die?" Ku He lowered his eyes slightly and quietly said, "I have already lived for so many years. It can be said that I have benefited greatly from heaven. Everyone will die, and that person in the Qing Kingdom is no exception. "
Ku He had not personally spoken of the truth of what happened on Dong Mountain. Shang Shanhu had only guessed a little and reported it to the Royal Palace in Shangjing. Hearing Master Ku He say this, the Northern Qi Emperor's heart chilled. He knew that it was indeed so. His counterpart in the Qing Kingdom was extremely powerful.
Looking at the Emperor's expression, Ku He lightly said, "Are you afraid?"
The Northern Qi Emperor pressed his lips tightly together. He didn't know how to reply. In his life, he had been the goal the Qing Emperor had fought for. He even faintly saw the Qing Emperor as his idol. He only thought that one day, he would defeat the Qing Emperor. Now, he found that the Qing Emperor's silent endurance these dozen years was all an illusion. Such a farsighted Emperor was much more experienced and ruthless than him.
Furthermore, the Qing Emperor was a Great Grandmaster.
"Fear is a very normal emotion," Ku He faintly said. Ku He faintly said, "When his finger touched the space between my brows, even I felt a glimmer of fear. This person has the heart of an Emperor and the strength of a Great Grandmaster. There is not a single weakness or opening on him. Most terrifying of all is his perseverance. For the sake of his goal of sweeping through the wilderness, he was able to plan for decades. He was single-minded and never made any mistakes. "
"Such a person is not like a person at all."
Ku He smiled slightly and gave the Qing Emperor an evaluation. "Everyone falsely claims that I am the one closest to a god in the world. No one knows that the one in the South, who is emotionless, without hate, without love, and without separation, is the true god."
"Is there really nothing we can do about the Qing Emperor?" The person who asked this question in a trembling voice was Lang Tiao. He knew that the Emperor also wanted to ask this question. However, as an Emperor, he could not speak.
"A person who stands at the pinnacle of martial arts, worldly power, and wisdom. Such a person is naturally impossible to defeat." Ku He was a bit tired. He closed his eyes and said, "It is basically impossible to defeat him from the outside."
The Northern Qi Emperor was still kneeling in front of Ku He. Two glimmers of emotion flashed through his eyes. Suddenly, he bowed and said, "Granduncle, I am going to worship … the Temple."
The Temple!
When these two words came out of the Emperor's mouth, the entire room fell silent. None of the six people said anything. Lang Tiao and Bai Shen met each other's eyes and saw the shock in the other's eyes. Mu Peng gently supported his teacher's body and glanced at the Emperor with astonishment. In an instant, the emotions in the eyes of the three eldest disciples of Tianyi Dao became serious and faintly excited. In the present world, no one could defeat the Qing Emperor. However, there was still the Temple. Given the power of an immortal, was there nothing they could do against a mortal?
The Temple was illusory. It was only a myth or legend. The six people in the room all knew that after Xiao En's death, there was only one person who knew of the Temple's existence and where it was.
It was Ku He!
…
…
The Northern Qi Emperor had never given up on the thought of worshipping the Temple and obtaining the support of a mysterious power. Back then, he had wholeheartedly rescued and imprisoned Xiao En. He had even clashed head on with Ku He's faction because he wanted to know the secret in Xiao En's mind.
"The Temple?" Master Ku He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the Emperor kneeling in front of him.
The Northern Qi Emperor had thought that his granduncle's gaze would be sharp and angry because the only person in the world who had been to the Temple was him. Furthermore, he had always hidden the true existence of the Temple from the entire world at all costs. However, there was only faint mockery in Ku He's eyes, as well as the glimmer of a complicated smile. He knew, including his disciple, that when faced with the powerful Qing ruler, everyone unconsciously had the thought that they could not defeat him. That was why they had placed their hopes on the illusory Temple.
"I know where the Temple is." Ku He once again slowly closed his eyes. "But, I won't tell you."
Shock appeared on the faces of everyone beside him. They thought, If you are going to take this secret to the yellow dirt, how can the Qi Kingdom be protected?
Ku He closed his eyes and quietly said, "The Temple is just a pair of eyes. It has never interfered with the affairs of the world. Why disturb it?"
Without waiting for anyone to reply, a self-mocking smile appeared at the corners of Ku He's lips. "Besides, do you really think the Temple is omnipotent?"
He opened his eyes and stared at the Emperor in front of him. With sincere and heartfelt words, he said, "Don't place your hopes on something that does not exist in hope."
"Your Majesty, before I went to Dong Mountain this time, I met with Sigu Jian and made sufficient preparations for the situation at the top of the mountain." Ku He looked at him and faintly said, "Do you know what we think the Qing Emperor's final trump card is?"
The Northern Qi Emperor shook his head in confusion. Although he was a supreme being, he still felt fear toward strange existences like the Great Grandmaster and the Temple.
"Sigu Jian and I thought that the Qing Emperor's final support was someone from the Temple." Ku He smiled warmly, but everyone else in the room was shocked. Did the Qing Emperor have secret connections with the Temple?
Ku He smiled slightly and said, "If it was only someone from the Temple, then there is nothing to fear. What we fear is that the Temple will break its own rules. However, the Qing Emperor does not have the power to do this."
No one in the world understood the Temple better than Ku He. Although his understanding of the outside world was only a shallow level, he understood that person. That was enough. The Temple did not interfere in worldly affairs. If someone truly came to help the Qing Emperor, then the black-clothed blind man at the top of the mountain would certainly stand on the other side of the Temple. This was why Ku He had never worried about this matter.
"There are no immortal Emperors or saviors in this world." Ku He sighed and thought of the words that immortal had once said to him and Xiao En many, many years ago. "When you reach the realm of a Great Grandmaster, you will discover that the Temple is actually nothing more than this. An existence that does not appear in the world is no different from a dead object."
Although he was about to die, his light words revealed a calm and accurate evaluation of the Temple.
"Then, what should we do?"
Although the fire in the Northern Qi Emperor's heart still burned and he would not give up on the thought of finding the Temple because of a few words from Master Ku He, he knew he couldn't ask anymore. Grand Uncle Ku He didn't have much time.
"When a person cannot be knocked down from the outside, we can only hope that some problems will appear on the inside," Ku He said quietly. "If the Qing Kingdom wants to send an army North, it will take at least three years. Your Majesty must think of all ways to delay this time a bit longer."
"Delay?" The Northern Qi Emperor repeated this in his heart and furrowed his brows. This was only a temporary solution.
"The longer we delay, the more beneficial it is for us because no one knows what will happen on the Qing Kingdom's side."
"You are talking about Fan Xian?" The Northern Qi Emperor looked at Ku He's old appearance in shock. Pressing his thin lips together, he firmly shook his head. "Fan Xian is not enough to change the Qing Emperor's mind. No one can. Furthermore, he is, after all, a Qing person. He cannot stand on the side of the Qi Kingdom."
"Who knows?" Master Ku He looked at him with a calm gaze. "Fan Xian has always been different from anyone else."
"He is the Qing Emperor's illegitimate child. Furthermore, the Qing Emperor trusts him greatly," the Northern Qi Emperor calmly expressed an opposing opinion. The Northern Qi Emperor calmly expressed an opposing opinion. "What I can give him, the Qing Emperor can give him even more. Besides, even if he votes for me, it would be impossible for him to cause any harm to the situation under heaven."
"But, you forgot, he is also the son of the young lady of the Ye family." Ku He's smile appeared somewhat strange. "Furthermore, you still underestimate Fan Xian's use. Don't always think of him as an immortal poet, a prince of the Qing Kingdom, or a powerful official. These all appear to be important figures. His most important identity is actually the son of the young lady of the Ye family. He has already inherited and grasped many important things. "
The Northern Qi Emperor's heart jumped. He raised his head in astonishment to look at Master Ku He. Huge waves churned in his heart. He understood the meaning behind his grandfather's words, but he did not dare believe it. To be able to share the benefits of the Jiangnan palace treasury through Fan Xian's hands was already the best situation the Northern Qi Emperor could imagine. However, hearing his granduncle's meaning, he was hoping that Fan Xian would move the entire palace treasury to Northern Qi?
"Something like a Great Grandmaster can be used to create chaos in a country, but it cannot be used to conquer a country or build a country," Ku He said warmly. "The Qing Emperor will not go so far as to challenge the world alone. Military power and national power cannot be lacking. At the end of a war, it still relies on national power."
"Unless the Qing Emperor runs to Shangjing and becomes the enemy of tens of thousands of people …" Ku He's smile became amused. "But, he is such a serious person who wishes to write his glorious name in history. How could he be as crazy as Sigu Jian?"
The Northern Qi Emperor's lips were slightly dry. He still could not believe Ku He's judgment. Fan Xian, Fan Xian, he refused to be a prince. What right did he have to vote for him? Was it because of the agreement between him and Haitang? Who would believe that an empty agreement with no proof would make Fan Xian pay such a large price?
Everyone else was silent, listening to the conversation between Ku He and the Northern Qi Emperor. Ku He gazed at the Emperor and quietly said, "Even if you place your hopes on Fan Xian, you cannot show anything in these two years."
"Understood. I will immediately make arrangements to act against Fan Sizhe."
Ku He nodded and felt gratified in his heart. The Emperor was indeed extraordinarily intelligent. He had only mentioned it slightly, and he already knew what to do to not arouse the Qing Emperor's suspicions.
"As I said earlier, stall for time," Ku He said with his head lowered. "After I die, Mu Peng, immediately go down the mountain to the Qing Kingdom."
Everyone looked at Ku He in surprise. They didn't know why he was giving his second disciple, Mu Peng, a mission at this time. Although there were not many Tianyi Dao disciples, of the four disciples, Mu Peng had always been the most low-key and the weakest link. Other than medical skills, he had nothing else to rely on.
"You live on the mountain for a long time. Not many people in the outside world know what you look like." Ku He gently coughed but used his hand to cover it, not letting the blood spray out. Looking at his second disciple beside him, he said in an even voice, "I want you to go to the Qing Kingdom. You don't need to do anything. Just think of a way to treat Chen Pingping's illness."
Treat Chen Pingping's illness? Everyone was shocked. Who was Chen Pingping? He was the Qing Emperor's closest and most loyal official. Regardless of whether it was 30 years ago or the Dong Mountain incident that had just happened in Jingdou, Chen Pingping had played the greatest role. Hearing that the Qing Emperor's old dog's health was getting worse and worse and that he didn't have many years left to live, the people of Northern Qi and Dongyi all felt joy in their hearts. Yet, Master Ku He had his disciple with extraordinary medical skills go treat his illness.
Ku He stared at Mu Peng sternly. "No matter what, I want you to guarantee that Chen Pingping will be able to live and will not die of natural causes like sickness."
These were heavy words. Although Mu Peng did not understand, he still lowered his head and agreed. Everyone in the room looked at Ku He as if they wanted to hear an explanation. Ku He was silent and did not speak.
This was Ku He's last move before he died. After stabilizing the internal politics of the Qi Kingdom, he had turned his gaze to the South. He had already thrown out two moves. Chen Pingping's side was the one he pulled back from.
Master Ku He was not the Emperor of the Qing Kingdom. He did not weave a shocking situation that spanned decades. Instead, he had acutely captured a glimmer of light based on his understanding of that little fairy from a long, long time ago. Through his decades of spying on human nature, as well as the Dong Mountain matter and some existences that had been slightly eliminated.
He was guessing. He guessed that behind the current peace in the Qing Kingdom hid an old trouble that tore apart people's hearts. If Chen Pingping died of illness or natural old age, then Ku He's guesses about human nature would not be of any use. Thus, he had to ensure that Chen Pingping could live on well until one day in the future when someone did not want him to continue living.
Everything seemed to have been arranged. Ku He had no more hopes for this world. He closed his eyes as if he was about to fall asleep.
The empress dowager forcefully suppressed the sorrow and fear in her heart. In a trembling voice, she said, "How will the Taoist sect be dealt with in the future?"
Tianyi Dao's Taoist sect was deeply rooted in the kingdom. The Ascetic Monks traveled through most of the world. Faintly, they still had some connection to the Qing Temple system in the Qing Kingdom. With such a great power, how exactly would they be dealt with after Ku He's death? However, there were Ku He's three main disciples in the sect. Due to their status, they could not open their mouths to ask.
Ku He's eyes remained closed as if he was tired. In a quiet voice, he said, "Hand the Taoist sect to Haitang."
Everyone bowed and accepted the order. The three main disciples, including Lang Tiao, were not surprised. The Emperor and empress dowager also knew that Ku He had already made this decision many years ago. Everyone had long seen Haitang as the next leader of Tianyi Dao.
However, where was Haitang today?
Everyone had questions in their hearts. It was said that Haitang was still on the mountain last night, but her whereabouts were unknown. When Master Ku He was about to die, his most beloved disciple, the successor of Tianyi Dao, was not by the Master's side.
"Haitang has gone to do some things," Ku He said quietly with his eyes closed. "She will not return during these three years. The matters of Tianyi Dao will be handed to Lang Tiao, and this mountain will be handed to your little sister disciple disciple."
He said these words to Lang Tiao and the other two. Although the matters of Tianyi Dao were handed to Lang Tiao, the mountain was the true foundation of Tianyi Dao. Little sister disciple disciple? Lang Tiao and the other two disciples looked at each other. Was he referring to the young lady of the Fan family?
The Northern Qi Emperor's pupils constricted slightly. He immediately understood the meaning of these words. He began to prepare in his heart how to use this matter. Suppress Xia Mingji and allow Fan Ruoruo's name to shine brightly on the mountain. The Imperial Advisor was indeed skilled. The more he did this, the more the Qing Emperor would suspect that Northern Qi was purposely provoking him. On the contrary, he would not suspect Fan Xian. It would be safer for Northern Qi's last hope of survival.
However, until now, the Northern Qi Emperor still did not believe that Fan Xian would one day come to his country with an incomparably generous dowry.
After handing over all the mundane matters, Ku He closed his lips and didn't say another word. He calmly felt the life in his body flow away. Other than a slight sense of loss, there was also a glimmer of joyful understanding. It was as if everything that had happened these years floated before his eyes. In the end, those scenes stopped decades ago, on that seemingly endless patch of white snow.
In his last moments, Ku He thought of the shrieking vultures in the sky and his subordinates who had fallen dead on the way.
The never-ending night, the faint light in the tent in the darkness, the silent Xiao En, and the neatly arranged human arms at the edge of the tent.
It was an incomparably majestic black-green temple built against the mountain.
The blind man who killed his way out of the Temple.
The little girl who ran out of the Temple.
Human flesh was not very tasty. He had already lived for so many years and knew what the Temple was like. What was there to be dissatisfied with? Just like this, the Great Grandmaster Ku He sank into his memories and passed away with a complicated smile.
…
…
On an icy plain to the north of Northern Qi, a girl wearing clothes woven from animal skin was using the Man language to greet the people of her tribe. The girl's face was bright red and full of smiles, but a faint sadness and confusion appeared in her eyes.
The continuous years of snowstorms made it impossible for the Northern Man to survive on this wasteland. Thus, the tribe that the famous general Shang Shanhu had been unable to subdue for many years began to move around the tall sky veins and toward the warmer south.
Many tribes had already settled on the grasslands to the northwest of the Qing Kingdom. However, they had paid the price of many lives to obtain the acceptance of their distant relatives.
There were also some tribes, as well as the old, weak, women, and women, who lived on the ice and snow wasteland to the north. Perhaps because the number of tribes had decreased greatly, the small amount of prey was able to support these people's survival.
Not long ago, a girl who was said to have been lost from the Ka 'erna tribe came to these tribes and began to follow everyone to hunt and herd sheep. Everyone liked this girl because she was diligent and capable. No matter how fierce a horse was, it could only be obedient in her hands. No matter how fierce a beast was, it seemed to be afraid of hurting her and would run far away.
The simple and straightforward Man people just didn't like the way this Ka 'erna girl walked. In such a difficult environment, that kind of wobbly walking method seemed to waste too much energy.
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