After taking a brief rest, Wei Yuan sent his divine consciousness into Flourishing of the Many Realms.
By now, the ancient full moon was completely whole, and the shadow within the moon had relocated into it. Wei Yuan dragged the two clusters of mindscape world fragments over to the ancient full moon and unfolded them.
A patch of shadow rose across the surface of the ancient full moon, and from within it reached a three-eyed bird head. Opening its beak and inhaling, it swallowed Ling Canglan's mindscape world into its maw in a single gulp. Yet when it came to the mindscape world torn from Su Wuwang, it grew picky, pecking only a few mouthfuls to devour the surroundings of the Qianji Main Hall while deliberately leaving the hall itself untouched. Then, a voice echoed in Wei Yuan's consciousness: *Filial.*
A nearly intangible crystal pillar descended into Wei Yuan's hand—this was supreme karmic luck from beyond the heavens!
With this karmic luck combined with what he had taken from Ling Canglan, Wei Yuan instantly felt his back stiffen with newfound confidence. Though he had never relied on karmic luck in battle before, having it clearly made him fight far better.
Having consumed an entire mindscape world, the three-eyed bird head grew noticeably drowsy. It retracted back into the interior of the full moon and showed itself no more.
Carrying this karmic luck, Wei Yuan felt his Dao heart grow utterly clear.
He gathered the remaining damaged fragments of the Qianji Main Hall, placed them in the center of the vast ocean, and suppressed them with the power of the deep sea before leaving Flourishing of the Many Realms.
In the aftermath of the battle, countless matters demanded attention. The first was how to handle Ling Canglan's dharma body and the puppet wreckage left behind by Su Wuwang. The puppet wreckage was straightforward enough; Wei Yuan had it all sent to Yu Zhizhuo in Qingming. But when it came to Ling Canglan's mortal remains, he hesitated.
Submitted alongside Ling Canglan's remains were no fewer than a dozen proposals for their utilization. Each plan had its merits. The technocrats of Qingming upheld their customary efficient, responsible, and ruthlessly cold style, detailing a purpose for every single hair on Ling Canglan from head to toe.
As a seasoned sword cultivator, the value of Ling Canglan's remains surpassed even those of an ordinary Scenery Command cultivator.
Yet Wei Yuan looked at the supreme karmic luck resting within his sea of consciousness. After remaining silent for a long time, he finally said, "Transport the remains back to Qingming and bury them behind Ding'an City."
The mountain behind Ding'an City was originally where True Monarch Huangyun had passed away. Afterward, Wei Yuan had constructed the Karmic Luck Angling Array there. Following the Qingming boundary stone, this site had become the second karmic luck node in all of Qingming.
Wei Yuan's choice to inter Ling Canglan there was equivalent to providing him with an exquisite burial ground of supreme geomancy, capable of bestowing blessings upon his descendants. It was a fitting repayment for that strand of supreme karmic luck.
As time passed, Ling Canglan's remains would slowly merge with Qingming just as True Monarch Huangyun's had, becoming a part of the domain itself.
Once this matter was settled, Wei Yuan suddenly felt a wave of relief wash over his chest, his Dao heart clarifying even further. He then proceeded to handle the subsequent affairs.
After this grand battle, the State of Ji had suffered a blow to its vitality, but its overall strength remained formidable. Wei Yuan reorganized several units of elite cavalry and stationed them on standby behind Guantun County. The moment Ji's grand army arrived, they could immediately charge out.
Meanwhile, in the court of the State of Ji, the ministers were engaged in endless debate over whether to launch a punitive expedition against Wei Yuan.
There were seasoned, cautious officials led by the Minister of Revenue and the Grand Academician who believed that Wei Yuan was the Great Tang's Military Commissioner of Qingyang, acting under imperial edict to quell rebels, meaning an attack against him lacked legitimate cause. As of now, no one could prove that the Spear Saint of the Great Desolation was one of Wei Yuan's men. Furthermore, Wei Yuan had only occupied Guantun County—a mere territory of a few hundred li. Even if it were conceded to Wei Yuan, what harm could come of it?
There was also a prudent faction that maintained the state treasury was depleted. The imperial army had suffered consecutive defeats, culminating in a crushing rout at the hands of the Spear Saint of the Great Desolation, leaving morale at rock bottom. They argued the state should keep a low profile, reorganize and train the troops, and only then seek a decisive battle with Wei Yuan. This faction was led by the Minister of War and Great General Xiao Jingyuan.
The Minister of War believed that Wei Yuan was isolated in a remote corner. The territory of the Mountain Folk had only just been opened up, and all supplies had to be brought over from Qingming, making substantial growth impossible. Thus, the State of Ji could train its army without undue haste.
At this point, Xiao Jingyuan, whose hair and beard were already streaked with white, stepped forward and petitioned, "Your Majesty, this minister recently acquired several curious novelties. Might I be permitted to bring them before the court for my esteemed colleagues to inspect?"
The King of Ji replied, "Granted!"
Great General Xiao Jingyuan ordered his men to carry in multiple weapons captured from the Qingming forces, including carbines, flying sword guns, armor, heavy sabers, and even an infantry gun along with several shells.
The sight of these armaments being brought into the hall immediately startled the civil officials.
Xiao Jingyuan lifted a long saber and said, "Your Majesty, please observe. This is the heavy saber used by the elite cavalry under that Spear Saint of the Great Desolation, their most basic weapon. And these are the standard military weapons routinely issued across our Great Ji's armies."
Xiao Jingyuan suddenly raised the long saber and slashed down toward the Ji army weapons carried in by the supervising eunuchs! His blade rose and fell in a blur of more than a dozen strikes, cleanly cleaving through every single standard Ji weapon, while the steel saber in his hand suffered only a slight burr along its edge.
Such a result instantly shocked the gathered ministers, and the King of Ji's expression shifted as well.
Xiao Jingyuan then picked up a Ji military saber and a straight sword, slashing them against the Qingming armor. Sharp blades simply could not penetrate the press-forged breastplate, nor could ordinary arrows pierce it; only blunt concussive weapons could have any effect.
A minister who had previously served in the military exclaimed, "Aren't this armor and weaponry equal in quality to what our Ji colonels wear? Could their entire army truly be equipped like this?"
"Every single one of them is equipped like this! Moreover, this is merely their baseline gear. Next, this old man shall demonstrate the carbine. I ask all my lords to pay close attention."
A dummy was immediately brought forward, fitted with the full set of armor worn exclusively by Ji colonels. A general then lifted a carbine, loaded the ammunition, and fired a blast straight into the dummy!
The deafening gunshot gave the ministers another fright. However, most of the high-ranking officials in the court were Dharma Idol cultivators, with a few even at Scenery Command; only a handful had lower cultivation, and even they were at the Dao Foundation perfection stage, so they were startled rather than panicked.
Everyone looked toward the armor and saw that the chest of the heavy plate was shattered, blown open into a gaping hole! Meanwhile, the general standing behind the armor held a bullet the size of a honey date in his grasp. His palm was flushed bright red, the skin slightly abraded.
Shock was etched across the ministers' faces. The power of this strange weapon vastly exceeded bows and crossbows. After piercing through heavy armor, it had nearly injured the dharma body of a Dharma Idol cultivator.
Xiao Jingyuan said, "Everyone has now witnessed the power of the carbine. This larger piece is called an artillery gun, and its destructive force far exceeds the carbine. It poses a fatal threat to Dao Foundation cultivators and can wound Dharma Idols. These are standard equipment among the troops of the Spear Saint of the Great Desolation. Therefore, this old man believes this battle cannot be fought—at least not at this time."
The Minister of War stepped forward once more and petitioned, "Your Majesty, the good news is that the working principles of these strange weapons are not overly complex, nor are they difficult to manufacture. This minister has already arranged for skilled artisans to replicate them. Before long, our Great Ji's armies will also be equipped with such armaments!"
Only then did the King of Ji's expression soften considerably. He said, "My ministers and General Xiao have shared the state's burdens. Your loyalty is commendable. Do any of you have anything further to add?"
At this moment, Academician Liu of the Hanlin Academy stepped forward and declared in a ringing voice, "Your Majesty, this minister believes that banditry runs rampant, yet General Xiao has suffered defeat after defeat, losing troops, squandering commanders, and surrendering territory! How dares he engage in idle talk of eventual victory? Those who imperil the realm with empty words ought to be imprisoned and held accountable! At this hour, we should mobilize a grand host, appoint famed generals, and sweep away the band of brigands to restore a bright and just world to our Great Ji!"
Xiao Jingyuan was a man of deep reserve and said nothing, but the other generals were already incensed. One general raged, "You pedantic scholar, you are the one imperiling the realm with empty words! Let me ask you: you shout about fighting, but how do we win?"
Academician Liu answered without hesitation, "We are the righteous royal host of a magnificent state, setting forth to quell rebels under a legitimate banner! As the saying goes, when reason is on your side, your spirit is stout; when your spirit is stout, the army is formidable! With our spirit-stout royal host pitted against mere petty thieves and scoundrels, how could we fail to achieve victory?"
Several generals laughed in sheer exasperation, but Academician Liu pressed on: "Your Majesty, when these generals speak back and forth, they either dare not fight or suffer defeats! Tasting defeat would still be forgivable, for victory and defeat are routine matters for soldiers. But to not even dare engage in battle truly humiliates our Great Ji's prestige! When such cowards who fear death lead our troops, how could they do anything but fail?"
The generals were furious. "We have fought bloody battles on the front lines, our bodies covered in scars, our loyal hearts clear as the sun and moon! How can a pedant like you slander us?"
Academician Liu sneered. "A loyalty clear as the sun and moon? And what follows is losing two counties today, losing another county tomorrow, day after day without a single victory in sight? You serve as generals, yet you cannot win a single battle! What use is mere loyalty? If loyalty alone were all that mattered, this humble minister's concubine could lead an army into the field!"
When it came to eloquence, how could these generals match Academician Liu? They were left flushed red with rage, utterly incapable of out-arguing him.
The King of Ji finally spoke: "We shall discuss this further tomorrow." The matter was temporarily set aside.
That night, Sun Chao'en paid a nocturnal visit to Academician Liu's residence. Placing a manuscript before him, he said, "Academician Liu, your selected poems have been confirmed for publication as a special edition in this issue of *Gleanings from the Sea of Literature*, with an initial print run of ten thousand copies. Henceforth, your literary fame will spread across the entire cultural sphere of the Great Tang!"
Academician Liu offered repeated thanks. Picking up the volume with great reverence, he leafed through it carefully, unable to put it down.
Sun Chao'en smiled faintly. "His Majesty was actually swayed, but it was difficult for him to make a snap decision on the spot. Tomorrow, you must exert a bit more effort. In matters of statecraft and governance, none among the civil and military court surpass you. Tomorrow, Censor Cui will also speak out to impeach the Minister of War. I know there has long been friction between you and Censor Cui, but in matters of such national importance, it would be best for all of you to cooperate for the time being."
Academician Liu pondered and said, "Cui Moxuan is a petty man, but he does possess real ability. His essays are concise and sharp, something I occasionally admire. With him stepping forward, our chances of success increase by several parts. However, there is one matter I do not understand, and I would like Lord Sun to enlighten me."
"Speak freely!"
A sharp light flashed in Academician Liu's eyes, and he asked solemnly, "If the grand army marches out and truly suffers a defeat at Guantun County, what will become of our Great Ji?"
Sun Chao'en gave a faint smile and replied, "If Old General Xiao and his disciples are not purged, does Lord Liu truly believe Great Ji can fare any better? Small defeats day after day, accumulating over time while incompetent fools occupy high offices—that is the true cause of a nation's ruin! If a major defeat does occur, it will provide the perfect pretext to dismiss that senile old fool Xiao Jingyuan. For our Great Ji, would that not be a blessing?"
Academician Liu narrowed his eyes slightly and asked once more, "What kind of man is Wei Yuan, really?"
Sun Chao'en smiled again and said, "Lord Liu need not know for now. When the time is ripe, you will understand naturally. If I had to describe him, only two words would suffice."
"Which two words?"
"A wise lord."
Chapter 1054