Volume 1, Chapter 1_1: The Twin Luminaries' First Fate
Standing on the command platform of the Zhuoliling warship, Tantai Hanchuan gazed across both banks of the Spirit River.
At that moment, the sky has not yet risen, and the surrounding areas are still shrouded in the blue night. Under the light of the five giant ships, the stars and moon in the sky seem to have been suppressed and lost their luster, which seems to indicate that the rise of the Tantai Immortal Clan has caused the southern nobles to lose their former glory.
Tantai Hanchuan was in his early thirties. He was tall and thin, with slender limbs, an ancient face, and a cold expression. His eyes were deep and unpredictable, giving people the impression of being cold and ruthless, but he also had a domineering air that shocked people.
These five spirit vessels were built under the personal supervision of Ji Zhenyuan, the founding minister of the Xuanyin Dynasty. They are called the Five-Tooth Ship. Their decks have five floors and are twelve feet high. Each ship can accommodate 800 warriors.
The five-masted cloth sails were fully unfurled, and the fleet sailed towards Linyuan, the lower reaches of the Tongtian Spirit River, at a speed as fast as a galloping horse.
The eyes of Tantai Hanchuan slowly pressed towards the roof of the palace rising from the trees on the bank. It was one of the more than forty spirit palaces built along the river by Ji Xuanyao, the last emperor of Xuanyin, just a few years ago.
After Ji Xuanyao, the last emperor of Xuanyin, came to the throne, he unified the north with the south and ordered people to dig the Tongtian Spirit River to connect the north and south transportation. It had practical needs both military and economic. However, large-scale construction projects, building Lingxing Palace, and planting willows along the river are a waste of people and money.
Qi Wangji, the confidant standing behind him, bowed respectfully and said: "We can reach Yuandu before dawn. If the manager can obtain the Taichu Sutra of Immortality during this trip and present it to the emperor, it will be a great achievement."
An unfathomable cold smile escaped from the corner of Tantai Hanchuan's mouth. His words were indifferent and he said slowly: "The emperor is obsessed with the Taoist alchemy technique of immortality. It is really amazing. If there is such a magic technique, it should be available long ago. People who live forever, but looking at the Taoist sages, none of them can escape death. If this book is not made of black gold thread and is invulnerable to water and fire, we can just find someone to make a copy and hide it. "
Qi Wangji squeezed out a smile and responded: "The emperor has been conducting secret inspections for more than ten years, and only then did he find out that this book was in the hands of Mu Xuanya, the "Zhenyue True Lord" who is known as the number one master in Liuyun Immortal City. It is ridiculous that Mu Xuanya hoped to get the book and not die, but he died because of the book. How ironic."
Tantai Hanchuan let out a cold snort, and he whispered the name of 'Mu Xuanya'.
The blood and true energy in his body surged together in an instant.
Over the years, due to his high position and power, he has rarely fought against others.
Now this long-awaited collision finally comes before our eyes.
The 'King of Mantian' heard that General Li Duanming, who was under the command of Split the Sky, led more than a dozen of his highly skilled men to gallop along the Cangming Spirit River, shocking the tranquility beside the river bank.
Wenren Likong was the leader of a rebellious militia that wanted to challenge Emperor Xuanyin for the Nine Provinces, and he was quite powerful.
Since Ji Xuanyao ascended the throne, because of his great achievements, he went on many expeditions to foreign lands, and was extravagant and extravagant. He built palaces and courtyards, went out on tours, and levied exorbitant taxes, which made the people miserable and thieves broke out everywhere.
In the darkness before dawn, Liuyun Immortal City, designated as Linyuan Spirit County by Emperor Xuanyin, stands on the upper reaches of Cangming Spirit River. The riverside pier outside the city is filled with ships of all sizes and lit with lights. There is an indescribable desolation in the bustling city!
But Li Duanming's mind was tightly tied to the ancient jade engraved with the word 'long live' in his arms.
It was the famous portable jade of Yan Zhenyue, the founding general of the Xuanyin Dynasty. In the past, Ji Daoshuo, the founding emperor of Xuanyin, listened to the slander and deposed the prince Ji Chengyao and established Ji Xuanyao. Yan Zhenyue died unjustly because of the implication. His family was raided by the minister Ji Zhenyuan.
Ji Zhenyuan was the most influential official at that time. He was invincible with his campaigns in the south and north, and his achievements shocked the emperor. He was deeply jealous of Emperor Wen.
Ji Zhenyuan himself was not easy to deal with. He conspired to rebel and hoarded food and wealth for the French army. However, Ji Zhenyuan soon died of illness. Emperor Wen killed all his followers overnight, but Ji Zhenyuan's treasure trove was never found.
Since then, there have been rumors that whoever can find the "Xuanxiao Emperor's Treasure" can unify the nine states.
Now that Baoyu was born, it became an important clue to trace the treasure house.
Seven days ago, someone pawned this jade at a pawn shop in Danxia Spirit City. After hearing the news, Likong immediately sent out his manpower and tracked it down for hundreds of miles before he identified the target person.
The only puzzling thing is that if the pawner gets the treasure house, he can pawn other items. Why is it this famous jade that can easily reveal the secret of the treasure house?
At that instant, Li Duanming felt a sudden warning and looked toward the Tongtian Spirit River connected to the Cangming Spirit River. He happened to see the dark shadows and lights of the five five-toothed ships that seemed to be rowing on land.
Li Duanming's heart suddenly trembled, he hurriedly raised his hand to issue an order, and led his men away from the river bank and into the dense forest beside the bank.
In an abandoned manor with overgrown weeds in the east of Liuyun Immortal City, most of the buildings have long been in disrepair, eroded by wind, rain, and eaten by ants and insects, and have collapsed. There is only a small stone house huddled in a corner, with holes in the tile roof sealed by wooden boards, which can barely be used as a shelter.
In the darkness of the room, there was a groan, followed by the sound of rubbing bodies turning.
A voice with a childish voice sounded, calling in a low voice: "Xiao Yuan! Xiao Yuan! Does it still hurt?"
After another moan, another young man's voice responded: "You really deserve to die, Tu Eukui, punches can kill you, alas! If you have genuine goods next time, don't go to the dead grass store to change money. It's mean and low-priced, and you have to tell Tu Eukui that evil thief that he will suffer the pain of being kicked and punched even if he even wants to hide half of it."
The speakers were two homeless teenagers staying in this shabby house. Their parents and family were killed by thieves while fleeing the war, and they became orphans without fathers and mothers.
The two young men met by chance, had the same spirit, and became dependent on each other, more than brothers.
The older one, Ling Xinghe, is seventeen years old this year, and the younger one, Luo Xuanyuan, has just turned sixteen.
In the darkness, Ling Xinghe climbed up on the mat and came to Luo Xuanyuan's side. He said comfortingly: "As long as I don't beat him until his limbs are disabled, let him kill the evil leader. He is so treacherous that he will drink from us. Hey! Drink the foot-sucking water of our Twin Dragons of Liuyun Immortal City. As long as we grab two more handfuls of silver, Panchuan will be able to abandon the darkness and join the alliance."
Luo Xuanyuan lay slumped on the ground, covering his chin that was on fire, and asked: "How far is it left? I really don't want to see the treacherous look of Yan Laothief again."
Ling Xinghe said a little embarrassedly: "Hey! We still need two and a half, a total of twenty-five baht."
Luo Xuanyuan sat up in astonishment and exclaimed: "Didn't you say it was still two and a half? Why did it suddenly become two and a half?"
Ling Xinghe sighed and said: "Actually, it doesn't matter how much money you owe. The most important thing is that Peng Xiao failed to live up to his expectations and was taken care of by the imperial guards in just two or three strikes."
Then he became excited again, hugged Luo Xuanyuan's shoulders tightly and said: "Don't worry, when I went to Chunfeng Tower to steal something to eat last night, I heard people say that the most powerful one now is Xiao Xuantong. He has many powerful generals. Among them, Rong Guanlan and Helian Yaowen are the top masters in the Tao domain. Recently, they have conquered another Xiu Alliance led by Shentu Wenyue, which has become even more powerful."
Luo Xuanyuan said suspiciously: "Didn't you say before that the most powerful one was Wen Wen Dao, and then it was Ji Gongqing's turn who had raided Ji Xuanyao's army? Why did Xiao Xuantong suddenly come out? Others you mentioned include Xiao Xuanzhi, Tuoba Lingmiao, Wenren Shouxuan, etc. What are their roles?"
Ling Xinghe obviously couldn't answer his question. After hesitating and hesitating, he said with a smile: "Two brothers in one generation, if you don't believe me, who do you believe? How could I point you to a dark road? In my eyes, I will definitely choose the most promising one to start an alliance and conquer Kyushu in the future. With the virtue and talent of my two brothers, I, Ling Xinghe, can be a prime minister even when I am young, and you will be a general."
Luo Xuanyuan laughed miserably and said, "He's just a massacrer, but he beats us until we can't get up. How can he be a great general with enough virtue?"
Ling Xinghe's eyes suddenly lit up, and he said proudly: "That's why I force you to eavesdrop on Master Rong Xuan's lectures and teachings every day, and also go to the big tree next to Mu Xuanya's dojo to peek and secretly learn Kung Fu. Talents and virtues are cultivated. We will definitely make a difference, at least return to Yunxian City to become a state official. Then it will be difficult to kill the evil leader."
Luo Xuanyuan frowned and said, "I'm so injured right now. Can Master Rong Xuan do that morning class that makes people feel stuffy and suffocated tomorrow?"
Ling Xinghe murmured twice before giving way; "I'll let you go tomorrow, but you have to prepare the morning meal. I want to eat the steamed buns made by Yun Niang's good hands."
Luo Xuanyuan groaned and lay back on the mat.
Due to the unrest in Kyushu, thieves and robbers were everywhere, and everyone was in danger. The first thing that prospered was the more than ten monasteries and monasteries in the city.
In terms of scale and prestige, the Mu Xuanya Dojo founded by the number one master in Liuyun Immortal City, ‘Zhen Yue Zhenjun’ Mu Xuanya himself, is the first to recommend.
In the past ten years, Mu Xuanya has rarely been to the temple to manage affairs, and all business has been handled by his disciples. However, because his name is hanging on the temple, people from far and near still come here in droves.
Mu Xuanya's internal and external skills have reached the level of a first-rate master, otherwise how could he have maintained his reputation for decades.
This man was naturally good at Taoism and was single and unmarried. He lived alone in a small village courtyard on the outskirts of the city without leaving home. His disciples regularly sent people to bring him the daily necessities he needed. He stayed in seclusion all year round to study the Taoist secret and unfathomable book "The Taichu Sutra of Immortality".
According to oral traditions passed down through the ages, this book came from Guangchengzi, the teacher of the Yellow Emperor in ancient times. It was written in oracle bone inscriptions. It is profound and difficult to decipher. Although there are many wise people among the sages who have read this book, no one has ever been able to understand it and decipher the whole book. There are a total of 7,400 glyphs in the book, but only more than 3,000 glyphs have been deciphered.
The book is also densely packed with annotations from people who have read the book, but they are often more confusing than the original text.
Fortunately, there are seven human figures in the book, none of them facing each other, and are guided by various symbols such as red dots, arrows, etc., which seem to be describing some kind of cultivation method. However, those who are not familiar with its meaning may not practice it. If you forcefully activate the true energy according to some of the symbols, your blood will immediately surge, and you will become obsessed with it, which is extremely dangerous.
Mu Xuanya has been reading this book day and night for three years, but he still has not been able to get a glimpse of its true meaning. It is like a treasure in front of him but no key to the door.
That day when I was cross-legged and vomiting, a warning sign suddenly appeared in my heart, and I couldn't concentrate on the book. While I was meditating, a dry cough came from outside the court gate.
Mu Xuanya hurriedly put the book into his arms. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. He sighed softly and said in a deep voice: "We are a distinguished guest. Please come in and have a cup of hot tea!"
Only when the other party comes to the door does he feel the sensation, and he knows that the person coming has reached the level of a first-level master.
At that moment, Li Duanming came to a dense forest in the northern suburbs outside the city. He and his attendants jumped off their horses, spread out their movements, walked through the woods, and climbed a small hill, just overlooking a dilapidated temple below.
Two subordinates emerged from the darkness, and one of them whispered in Li Duanming's ear: "Dianzi stayed in the temple all night and didn't leave the temple in the middle of the night. He seemed to be waiting for someone."
Li Duanming pondered for a moment and then gave up the order.
The men dispersed and sneaked into all directions of the ruined temple, forming a siege.
Li Duanming then swept down with the wind and arrived in front of the door. His voice echoed through the courtyard: "Li Duanming, the 'Life-Destroying Spirit Blade' under the 'Mantian King', has been ordered by the King of Heaven to ask the girl something."
"Bang!"
The already broken temple door was shattered into pieces and splashed open. At the same time, a woman appeared at the door.
Li Duanming was stunned when he thought about the other party's reaction being both fast and fierce. He pressed his hand on the hilt of the fatal spirit blade that had helped him defeat enemies many times.
The woman was dressed in snow-white robes, and she stood with her sword in hand.
A bamboo hat was placed on top of her head to protect her from the sun, and a heavy gauze hung down to cover her pretty face above the lips. However, only the chin was exposed, which made people conclude that she was a rare beauty.
This woman is quite tall, with a proud attitude that stands out from the crowd. She is slim and slim, and her figure is indescribably beautiful.
What is particularly impressive is a small mole like a dot of paint at the corner of her mouth, which adds to her mysterious beauty.
Li Duanming was stunned on the spot for a long time before he came back to his senses. Just as he was about to speak, a voice that sounded better than the sound of an immortal came out of the woman's lips and said, "You are finally here."
Li Duanming was startled, temporarily forgetting about Emperor Xuanxiao's possession, and asked in surprise: "Is the girl waiting for us?"
A breathtaking faint smile floated from the corner of the woman's mouth. Her voice was like a clear spring, and she said softly: "I'm waiting for someone to test the sword for me!"
"Qiang!"
The woman drew her blade out of its sheath, and the cold sword sword swept across Li Duanming.
Li Duanming had spent most of his life in the world of cultivation, and his fighting experience was so sophisticated that it was almost instinctive. Just from the way the opponent drew his sword, he knew he was encountering the most terrifying swordsman he had ever encountered in his life. The one who dared to raise his voice loudly yelled loudly, stepped back and drew his sword, and at the same time issued an order to teach his subordinates to show up and besiege him.
This was the first time he had encountered a ruthless character who had no grudges against each other, but who would kill at the first sight.
The woman was dancing and hunting in all her clothes, and her sword glowed sharply.
The biting evil spirit immediately filled the whole place.
Li Duanming knew that he must not let the other side get the upper hand, so he let out a thunderous roar, and with a loud shout, he followed the knife and turned into the shadow of a rolling knife, rushing towards the other side.
At that moment, all the subordinates came to help.
The woman in white screamed like lightning, she rose up diagonally, flew over Li Duanming's head, and struck down with lightning from her spiritual sword.
"Dang!"
Swords clash.
An irresistible force penetrated the knife, and Li Duanming's chest felt like it was struck by lightning. Unable to bear the momentum, Li Duanming staggered back violently.
It was Li Duanming's first time to suffer a big loss after such an encounter, which showed how domineering the sword power of the woman in white was.
The woman in white flew through the air and landed between two big men who had just arrived on the battlefield. She whirled and flew with her sword, and the two men spun and fell away, unable to get up again.
All the big men were l*****g the blood with their swords, and they were brave and ruthless people, but they aroused their ferocity and pounced on them regardless of their own safety.
A cold snort escaped from the nose of the woman in white, and she transformed into hundreds of sword shadows. Like a phantom, she moved freely in the fierce offensive of the big men. Everywhere the blade was, someone always fell and died.
No matter where the wound is, the person who was hit by the sword will be killed by the sword. His internal organs will be shattered by the sword, and he will die on the spot.
When Li Duanming regained his breath, only four of his men were still struggling to hold on, and they couldn't help but rush to fight with blood.
The last of his men fell to the ground.
The sword glowed again, entangled with Li Duanming's fatal spiritual blade.
Li Duanming pushed his killing methods to the extreme, and when he blocked the sixth sword, the fatal spirit blade made of fine steel was cut in half by the opponent's sword.
Li Duanming was horrified and used the broken hilt of the knife as a hidden weapon to throw at the opponent, and at the same time raised his breath and retreated hastily.
Amid the sweet laughter, the woman spun around, not only dodging the broken hilt of the knife that was shot towards her, but she also threw the spirit sword away from her hand.
Li Duanming watched helplessly as the spirit sword flew towards him, and thought of various ways to dodge, but when the spirit sword penetrated his body, he was still unable to make any life-saving reaction.
After the woman in white withdrew the sword blade from Li Duanming, her clothes rolled up and flew away as if she had done something insignificant.
"If you are strong, you can help Jiuzhou, and if you are poor, you can stand on your own. Brother Mu really has a wishful thinking. He can advance and attack, retreat and defend. No matter what, he can explain his actions with peace of mind. I, Tantai Hanchuan, admire him."
Mu Xuanya knew that the other party was mocking him by reading out the inscription he had hung in the hall. He was very well-educated and calm, still sitting on the wooden chair, speaking indifferently, and said slowly: "It turns out that he is an outstanding master of the Tantai Immortal Clan, one of the four surnames of the Immortal Clan today. Isn't Brother Tantai busy serving the emperor? Why do you have such a leisurely mood to visit us and other outsiders.
Tantai Hanchuan put his hands behind his back and walked slowly into the hall. He glanced around first, and finally landed on the face of Mu Xuanya who was sitting as firmly as a mountain. He sighed: "Brother Mu is not so tiring. You have obtained the life-extending book that is envied by all monks, but you did not give it to the emperor, teaching him that the dragon's heart is not happy. As a person with a salary, I can only do a small errand to see that Brother Mu is an informed and knowledgeable person." "
Mu Xuanya felt awe-struck.
He was also the first person to come into contact with the Tantai Immortal Clan.
The leader of the Tantai lineage, Tantai Shuanghe, is the most famous, followed by the four masters. Among them, Tantai Hanchuan, who became the chief guard of the late Emperor Xuanyin, is best known to people in the cultivation world. It is said that he is the first person after Tantai Shuanghe to master the family secret skill "Hanpo Xuangang". Unexpectedly, he looks so young, no matter how he looks, he looks like he is no more than thirty years old.
Since the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, one of the characteristics has been the powerful clans developed from generations of noble families. Some are called Gaomen or Xian clan, which are clearly distinguished from the common people's common clans.
As the saying goes, "There is no humble family in the upper class, and there is no powerful family in the lower class."
The gentry enjoyed great privileges, both economically and politically. It was only when Ji Daoshuo, the founding emperor of the Xuanyin Dynasty, unified the nine states and obtained officials through the imperial examination that the fairy clan's monopoly on everything was slightly broken.
However, the power of the Immortal Clan is still lingering. The four surnamed Immortal Clan, which is famous in the world of cultivation, refers to the four powerful families with the surnames Tantai, Xiao, Gongsun and Yan. They have huge influence in politics, economy and even Taoism.
Among the four surnames, only the Xian clan with the surname Yan belongs to a prominent family in the south and insists on the authentic Han descent. The other three surnames are heavily Hu-cultured because they are located in the north. The Tantai surname itself is a Hu person, but it has been integrated into the Chinese culture and is not regarded as an outsider.
Although Mu Xuanya's thoughts were whirling, his expression was calm on the surface, and he said calmly: "Mu has always been wild and has never understood the way of flattery. He is also a soft-hearted person who does not accept hard work. Maybe in a moment of impatience, he will fight to destroy the book and destroy the book. Wouldn't Brother Tantai be unable to report to the master at that time? "
The two of them were talking sharply from the beginning, fighting back and forth, refusing to be nice, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
After Tantai Hanchuan looked at Mu Xuanya for a while, he was surprised and said: "If Brother Mu can destroy the treasure book, then this book must not be Guangchengzi's Taichu Sutra of Immortality. It would not be a big deal if it was destroyed. However, Brother Mu's attitude is harmful to the students of your monastery. Maybe it will also harm their parents and children. Aren’t both Taoist and Buddhist families focused on accumulating virtue and doing good deeds? Brother Mu seems to be violating this purpose! "
Mu Xuanya heard his threatening tone and knew that what he said was true. Finally, his face changed slightly, and at this moment when his mind was slightly distracted, Tantai Hanchuan immediately took action and punched him from the air.
The heat had just passed the day before yesterday, and the weather was hot, but Tantai Hanchuan had just taken action, and the air in the entire hall suddenly became as cold as a prison. If Mu Xuanya hadn't been pure and pure, his teeth would have been shaking.
But he was by no means in pain.
If an ordinary master releases his fist, he will clearly generate a fist wind to attack the enemy. But the cold force from Tantai Hanchuan's punch seemed to be non-existent, as if the air around him was being moved by him, squeezing towards Mu Xuanya from all directions. The helpless feeling of not knowing which target to counterattack was the most vicious and difficult to prevent.
Mu Xuanya was still sitting on the chair, his clothes bulging.
"Peng! "