CHAPTER 538: CHAPTER 230: RETURN TO THE CAPITAL AND QUANZHEN DAO’S STRONGEST ARRAY (PART 2)

Because of Xu Qing’s recent actions in water control and slaughtering the scholars and nobles, he went too far.

Xu Liushou’s return to the Capital overshadowed the aftermath of the martial arts tournament.

Moreover, the heads of the nobles were elaborately processed and placed outside the city gates, built into a structure called Jingguan.

Xu Liushou had no intention of handling his massacre of the nobles quietly, as if challenging the esteemed gentlemen of the Capital.

I did it, do you still dare to criticize?

Too forceful!

...

...

"Husband’s methods this time are harsher than before," commented Feng Wu with a sigh.

Xu Qing smiled: "Compared to the Grand Ancestor’s methods of skinning and filling with straw, it’s still far off. They could endure even the Grand Ancestor’s brutal methods, so it’s clear they have no bottom line. What should I be afraid of?"

Xu Qing saw clearly the inherent weakness of landlords and bureaucrats.

Just barking dogs.

Thrown a bone, they would still cling on.

As the saying goes, killing nobles and dignitaries is easy, but eradicating the soil that breeds them is the hardest part.

When times prosper, the people suffer; when times fall, the people suffer.

But when the people become nobles and dignitaries, they will follow the old path.

The good and evil of human nature often depends on their stance.

His massacre of the nobles in Qingzhou was meant to let these people know that Xu Liushou’s blade indeed kills.

Killing is not the goal, establishing authority is.

So, when he went to Qingzhou, he had already decided on the bloody massacre.

Of course, the truth uncovered was even worse than he had imagined.

During Xu Qing’s absence from the Capital, Feng Wu frequently entered the palace to see the children. This was also a special favor bestowed by the Emperor.

The couple expressed their feelings during their separation, and Feng Wu said, "I plan to return to Jiangning Prefecture."

Xu Qing was silent for a moment and nodded: "That would indeed be better, though it’s a bit of a grievance for you."

Feng Wu could only oversee the Xu Family’s foundation by staying in Jiangning Prefecture.

Even the uncle and aunt couldn’t replace this role.

"Actually, you’ve wanted to talk about this for a while but were worried about me, right?" Feng Wu smiled.

Xu Qing: "If you don’t want to, I won’t force you."

Feng Wu giggled: "The more you act like this, the more I must push myself."

Xu Qing: "You are so understanding, you will come around."

Feng Wu: "Being understanding is because we are not strong enough yet, I too want to act willfully."

Xu Qing said softly: "Let’s work hard together."

Feng Wu chuckled: "Being willful is just something I say, under the Great Dao, go with the flow."

"You change your mind so quickly."

"It’s hard enough doing work, can’t I have random thoughts?" Feng Wu pursed her lips with a smile.

Xu Qing held onto his wife’s hand, and time seemed to fly.

...

...

After reporting on his duties, Xu Qing returned to his leisurely days at the Hanlin Academy.

With Xu Qing’s plan in hand, everything was carried out in an orderly manner by Grand Secretary Liang, as if following the established rules.

Upon taking office, he caused no trouble.

This left many ministers secretly disappointed.

Additionally, the position of the Chief Minister of Military Affairs remained vacant, and the old Emperor didn’t seem to plan on appointing a new one; as a result, Minister of War Hong Xuan became the de facto leader of the Military Affairs Office.

But the decision-making power over military affairs still rested in the hands of the old Emperor.

Besides, Assistant Minister Zhang also joined the Military Affairs Office, becoming a Minister of Military Affairs.

As Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, leading the duties of a Minister of Military Affairs, he subtly set up a stance of rivalry against Minister of Personnel Wang Gong.

This was indeed a pleasant surprise for Assistant Minister Zhang.

In addition, Huo Jing did not become the Minister of Rites as he wished; the new Minister of Rites was the Vice Minister of Rites, Cheng Guang.

This was an arrangement made before the Grand Secretary left.

He bypassed the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites to take the position of Minister of Rites, among the top three ministries of the Six Ministries.

The Minister of Rites, also known as the "Grand Master," is both prestigious and noble.

Upon taking office, Minister Cheng immediately reorganized the leisure establishments in the Capital.

Now, many people reminisce about the days when Grand Secretary Liang served as the Grand Master, truly the best era of the Capital’s social circles, gone, never to return.

Xu Qing settled down, and the Capital also regained its peace.

This was truly an event that was both surprising and expected.

Whether the Capital is chaotic or not, just look at Xu Liushou.

It seemed to become the heartfelt thought of many civil and military nobles in the Capital.

However, Xu Qing was not completely idle.

During the day, he studied and cultivated at the Hanlin Academy, and at night he had secret meetings with Xiong Chan.

...

...

"The most important prize in this Martial Arts conference is the qualification to open martial arts schools in the provincial capitals, ending the chaotic factionalism in the worldly society."

The martial arts schools are endorsed by the Ministry of War and are part of the Court’s further control over the worldly society.

Xu Qing and Xiong Chan exchanged insights and decided to re-establish the order of the worldly society.

Essentially, a special martial arts publication for martial artists should be established in the Capital, revealing many martial arts insights.

It can be said that Xiong Chan truly is a person who does great things, even willing to share many secrets like Bone Training and Muscle Training from the Great Zen Temple.

Even though the most crucial Training Internal Thunder Sound and Marrow Cleansing Skill weren’t shared, it still showcased the spirit of the Martial Saint of the time.

"The way of Martial Arts, to not become stagnant, must embrace diversity and inclusivity," Xiong Chan said to Xu Qing.

After becoming a Martial Saint, he lamented how predecessors were too reluctant to share, causing slow development in martial arts.

The emergence of one or two Martial Saints is actually limited in promoting the development of martial arts.

Only through the collision of countless martial artists’ heart paths can martial arts truly flourish.

To strengthen the world, first strengthen its people.

Of course, without Xu Qing’s support, even as a Martial Saint, Xiong Chan couldn’t promote this matter.

"As the number of martial artists grows, competition for resources will become more intense, so expansion is inevitable. This is the trend. The Great Yu Dynasty’s land for development is limited, we must always look outward. The world outside is vast, if we are confined to internal strife, we are no better than our predecessors," Xu Qing painted a grand picture for Xiong Chan.

Xiong Chan, practicing Buddhist Law, knows that saving the world is essentially saving oneself. Naturally, he did not reject Xu Qing’s idea.

The higher one’s position, the more there’s a drive to bring about change.

Because the measure of one’s worth is no longer a person or a power, but the world, all beings.

See the world, see all beings, finally see oneself.

Xiong Chan smiled and nodded.

He and Xu Qing are competitors on the path of the Great Dao and also the best confidants.

Their personalities overlap in like-mindedness.

It is precisely because of this that Xiong Chan’s competitive spirit towards Xu Qing is exceptionally strong, like challenging another self and will not rest until victorious.

This is a very peculiar emotion.

Because he is a Martial Saint, Xu Qing in terms of strength, has not yet reached his level.

But Xiong Chan has no doubt that Xu Qing will reach this level sooner or later.

"Actually, I have a question, now the Emperor supports us in doing these things, but Prince Yu may not. If you agree, this humble monk could be the villain for you," Xiong Chan, both tentative and seemingly awaiting a specific answer from Xu Qing.

Xu Qing smiled and said, "As long as it benefits the world, how can it be called wrongdoing?"

His response was full of wit.

Xiong Chan encountered a soft rejection but didn’t mind, smiling, "This time at the Martial Arts conference, I found suitable candidates for the Arhat Demon Suppression Formation, which will greatly benefit our attack on the Seven Kills Demon Palace. As for the Daoist side, it requires Gongming to persuade them."

Xu Qing nodded.

...

...

At Chaotian Temple, the Temple Master looked haggard, as if he had stayed up many nights.

Lately, he had been busy, tasked by Xu Qing to find the Quanzhen Dao’s strongest array—the Heavenly Gang Beidou Formation.

The old Taoist had never been so exhausted in his lifetime.

However, Xu Qing expressed his determination to attack the Seven Kills Demon Palace, to eradicate the Black Mountain Old Demon, this world’s number one expert; not wanting the Daoist lineage of the Xuantian Dragon Ascension Path to cease, the old Taoist reluctantly helped.

He had spent his life in seclusion in the Capital; it was impossible for him to trouble the Black Mountain Old Demon. Xu Qing, young and energetic, couldn’t be stopped by him.

He could only make his own efforts.

Moreover, as Xu Xuanhu of the grandson generation bears the fate of the fourth generation Black Mountain Old Demon, the old Taoist could only sigh at the impermanence of destiny.

Such an insolvable matter, only Xu Qing himself could worry over.

Xu Qing accepted from the old Taoist what the latter had painstakingly acquired, which read:

Heavenly Gang Beidou Array!

The Divine Soul within Xu Qing’s Purple Mansion seemed to boil.

The bronze mirror also emitted a ripple-like clear light, forming faint large characters.