Chapter 598: Firefighting and Fuel Removal

Chapter 598: Extinguishing Fire by Removing the Fuel

The snow and wind continued to rage, but the joy of earlier times had vanished.

The child stared in the direction where the figure had disappeared, tears welling up in his eyes.

Jizhong held him tightly, her eyes filled with fear, unable to speak.

Dongzhu stepped forward, standing between them, his gaze fixed on his master. Confusion and puzzlement weighed heavily on his heart, his thick black eyebrows tightly furrowed.

Although the conversation among the others did not avoid him, the simple-hearted man still did not understand what had transpired before his eyes.

It was only the sudden departure of his teacher and the master's dejected, guilty expression that made Dongzhu feel a profound sense of unease.

Zhang Sizhen seemed to have no face to show Dongzhu and Jizhong, turning his back on them and looking at Liu Jinxun.

"Sir."

Liu Jinxun sighed, "Yizheng, I know what you want to say. But this matter is no small one; it concerns not only your father's new policy but also the future direction of the entire Ming Empire. Every step must be taken without deviation. If there were any other way out, I would not have embarrassed you today."

"I understand."

Zhang Sizhen's face was filled with self-mockery and bitterness. "I made things too simple."

"You and I are now in the frontier, which is equivalent to being in the game. If one leaf blinds the eye, one cannot see the whole situation. If it weren't for your father's arrangements and orders, I might not have seen as far as you."

Liu Jinxun said softly, "Yizheng, no matter what the outcome of the frontier affair is, its impact will not be weaker than the 'world divided into warlords' before the Jisi year. In such a game of this magnitude, you and I are only executors. Do you understand this?"

Zhang Sizhen smiled faintly, "Of course I understand. You have already warned me about this before, but I just couldn't see through it."

"You are pure-hearted, which is good. But you are still too young, and sometimes you act too hastily."

Liu Jinxun said, "That Qujin Temple will eventually be destroyed, Sangyan Temple will inevitably fall, and the frontier will never be the same as it is now. Everything you want to do will come true; it's just a matter of time."

"I know. I won't act on my own in the future; I will follow your arrangements, sir."

Zhang Sizhen said with a bow, "But before you decide to take action against the Qujin Temple, I would like to stay here first. I hope you will grant me permission."

"Whatever you want."

Liu Jinxun agreed very decisively. As long as he could stop Li Jun on this trip, his goal would be achieved.

In fact, when Zhang Sizhen left the camp, he had already guessed that Zhang Sizhen might have some contact with Li Jun, this unstable factor.

In fact, the two might even have a fierce battle, because given Zhang Sizhen's identity, Li Jun had too many motives to target him.

But the development of the situation far exceeded his expectations. Liu Jinxun never expected that Zhang Sizhen could persuade Li Jun to kill Qu Jue, the living Buddha, and break the current stalemate.

You know, Li Jun is a desperate man who has been living on the edge of a knife from beginning to end. Even if he is not good at calculations himself, being sick for a long time makes one a good doctor, and he can see some tricks here and there.

Acting arrogantly and domineeringly is his usual and skilled way of breaking the deadlock.

If someone really took him for a fool, the end result would be that he would be crushed to pieces by the powerful lone firewood master.

So when he learned that Zhang Sizhen was mixing with Li Jun, Liu Jinxun was really surprised.

"But after all, a father knows his son best."

Liu Jinxun thought to himself, if it weren't for the news that the chief minister had told him in advance, this time Li Jun might have ruined things.

In addition to admiration, what made Liu Jinxun even more shocked was Zhang Fengyue's thorough understanding of the country.

This agricultural order organization, which had been hidden in the frontier for decades, was only known by name to Liu Jinxun himself before he entered the frontier, and he had never seen anyone from the organization.

Now, however, everything the other party did was invisible to Zhang Fengyue, which was truly terrifying.

At this thought, Liu Jinxun felt a sudden chill in his heart.

He put his hands in his sleeves, lost interest in talking, took a deep look at Zhang Sizhen, and then turned around and left.

In the distance, under the snow and wind, dozens of figures in red official robes appeared and disappeared, standing silently and waiting.

"Dongzhu, the sir just said that your master is pure-hearted. Do you know what that means?"

Zhang Sizhen slowly bent down and picked up the wooden bowl that had fallen in the snow due to his panic.

"I don't know," Dongzhu said slowly.

"Because your master is just a self-righteous fool."

Zhang Sizhen burst into laughter. "If I were his son, I would probably be a dead man now."

Dongzhu's eyebrows were still furrowed with confusion. Although he still didn't understand all the twists and turns, he could feel that his master was very sad now.

A clean wooden bowl was handed to Dongzhu.

"A fool. Are you still willing to call him your master?"

"Losing is gaining. This is a lesson that Father Jianjiu often taught me."

Dongzhu seemed to be answering off-topic, but his eyes showed a rare intelligence.

"Taking the initiative to lose is gaining, but being forced to lose is just being stupid. Do you understand?"

Zhang Sizhen waved his hand dismissively. "Never mind. You won't understand anyway."

"In fact, I can see that the teacher is not angry with you. He is just doing what he should do."

The man's tone was slow, and every word was pronounced clearly.

"We also have things we should do."

"What to do?"

Dongzhu smiled. "Master, you forgot. You said you would give us a temple."

Finally, Dongzhu added, "I think the teacher would also like to see this."

Zhang Sizhen was stunned. His eyes swept over Dongzhu and Jizhong, and finally landed on the crying child's face covered in snot.

"Dongzhu, you little bastard. Tell me honestly: are you really stupid, or are you pretending to be stupid?"

Dongzhu spoke slowly, "I'm not smart, but I know who really cares about us."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Sizhen's face finally showed a slight relaxation of his melancholy expression, and he looked up at the magnificent temple standing in the center of the village.

"Then let's start from there. First, help them remove the poison roots from their minds, then help them find a way. The three religions and nine streams, twelve sequences—my first students of Zhang Sizhen—how can I not give them a good way out? No god-playing, no cheating and scamming."

Muttering to himself, Zhang Sizhen walked briskly towards the village.

Behind him, Jizhong looked worried and uneasy, instinctively grabbing Dongzhu's sleeve.

The warm palm enveloped the woman's cold hand.

Dongzhu said softly, "Don't worry. The snow and wind will pass."

"Our days ahead will get better and better."

The border between Wushengwei, Yumo, and Canglan.

"Lord Ma just sent news that Tianque has had an accident."

Yuan Mingfei stopped, turned around, and looked at Chen Qisheng and Zou Siqiu. His tone was serious.

"What happened to Shen Li?!"

Zou Siqiu was furious. He had just killed a strong enemy not long ago, and now he was full of vigorous fighting spirit.

"I'm just his one backing little brother. Who the hell dares to mess with me?!"

Chen Qi, too indolent to heed the clamor of Zou Siji, furrowed his brow and inquired, "Sister Yuan, what does Jun Ge say?"

"Old Li has already set out for the scene in Tianque. He instructed me to remain here with you, and for now, avoid venturing near Sangyaosi recklessly."

Yuan Mingfei spoke slowly, "He believes that Ruo Xu intends to stir trouble there. Though we do not yet know their purpose, Li Jun is certain the matter is no trivial one."

"But if we ignore Sangyaosi, what purpose have we staying here?" Chen Qi's eyes betrayed his confusion.

"Social Governance."

Yuan Mingfei replied, "The intelligence Li Jun received suggests they too are targeting Tianque. Having operated in this region for so long, Social Governance will not easily abandon its roots, regardless of their motives."

"Li Jun's meaning is clear: times have changed. We cannot merely endure blows without retaliating."

"Sister Yuan, if you and Old Chen remain here, what of me?"

Zou Siji jabbed a finger at his own nose, eyes wide, the aura about him gradually waning.

"Surely Old Li would not permit a mere sequence disciple to accompany him in rescue?"

"Is that not obvious?"

Chen Qi clapped a hand on Zou Siji's shoulder, "Opportunity knocks, Master Zou. These farmers are brazen indeed, daring to meddle with your kin. How could you let them off lightly?"

"They even transformed you into a tree. Could you forgive such transgressions?"

"Thus, you must go quell the flames, while I cut off their sustenance."

Chen Qi laughed, "Besides, the soldiers of Yama's command are not my concern."

"Off you go, then."

Zou Siji rolled his eyes irritably, muttering, "You brute are no match for Old Li—at least he understands my significance. Without me, the two of you would accomplish nothing."

"No more idle chatter. See to Sister Yuan. I must take my leave, lest that brat Shen Li meet his end. Who else would I confide in?"

Nonsense and more nonsense, Zou Siji rattled on, his figure darting east-northeastward in haste.

Once Zou Siji departed, Chen Qi turned to Yuan Mingfei and asked, "Sister Yuan, what course do we take now? Social Governance has already lost two farms in succession. The remaining folk will not soon reveal themselves, and we are strangers here—this task proves daunting."

"We go to Bakanwei."

Yuan Mingfei declared resolutely, "I know many there. Perhaps we can discern their intentions toward this place."

Beijing, the Imperial Palace.

"Master, shall we continue today's lesson on this region?"

Upon the embroidered circular seat, the young emperor sat upright, leaning forward attentively.

"Indeed, though I would first speak to Your Majesty of a certain group."

The young emperor inquired curiously, "Who?"

"A band of farmers hidden in this land's shadows for decades, calling themselves 'Social Governance.'"

"Social Governance. What audacity!"

The young emperor's face flushed with anger, a cold sneer escaping his lips.

The empire's land and people, since ancient times, have been terms only the royal family is qualified to speak of.

How dare they claim such a name? They court death indeed!

"They are not merely bold in name, but in appetite as well."

Zhang Fengyue appeared not in the flesh, but as a projection.

He stepped into empty air, standing suspended beyond the platform.

Above, starlight brightened gradually; below, lamps ascended in silence.

"They seek to take this realm as their fields, all things as their nourishment, and the twelve sequences as their seeds, to cultivate a true deity of the mortal world!"

The young emperor's fists clenched abruptly, his body trembling with fury.

"Today, I shall recount to Your Majesty their manifold misdeeds and wolfish ambitions."

Zhang Fengyue swept his sleeve back, his eyes deep as abyssal pools, fixing upon the iron-faced emperor.

"Your Majesty must understand: sequences are no longer the empire's foundation, but its festering wound."

Longhu Mountain, the Celestial Master's Mansion.

As the two heavy doors creaked open, an unfathomable darkness unfolded before Zhang Chongcheng.

This man, now but a subordinate in the Longhu Mountain hierarchy, bowed silently before the ancestral hall, concealing the dread in his gaze.

Puchi!

With his step into the ancestral hall, candles along the walls ignited one by one, like twin serpents of flame coiling around his form.

The mirror-smooth tiles reflected his deliberately hunched silhouette.

Once, the heterodox sequences scorned mortal rites, revering only heaven's will. Now, they must resort to such displays of obedience and loyalty.

The divine altar once dedicated to Longhu Mountain's founder now bore no trace of its former occupant.

In its place sat a figure cross-legged on a cushion, shrouded in thick incense.

"Master."

Zhang Chongcheng knelt, voice reverent.

"Elder Gao Kuozan of this mountain harbored suspicions and sought to storm Ge Fenghuo's secluded retreat. I was forced to manipulate Ge Fenghuo into slaying him."

"Later, Elder Jiang Jue of Nanchang sat in meditation and dissolved into ash and smoke."

Two brief statements, yet behind them lay two lives once illustrious, now vanished.

"Foolish, presumptuous men. Let them perish."

The indifferent voice emerged from the sea of incense.

"Master, the Qingcheng Mountain faction has sent envoys, offering to cede half their immortal seats and henceforth revere Longhu Mountain as the ancestral court, adhering to your decrees."

"These sequences lack strength, but their judgment is keen. They know when and where safety lies."

The voice that followed was muffled, as if chewing something.

"What say you, Chongcheng?"

After careful deliberation, Zhang Chongcheng spoke, "Qingcheng sees clearly, yet lacks resolve. I believe half the seats cannot secure their mountain's survival."

"Attend to this matter as you see fit."

"I obey your will."

Zhang Chongcheng forced his voice steady, staring at the reflection of panic-stricken eyes upon the tiles.

Yet the ceaseless chewing sounds from above and the faint wails never ceased, tugging at his spirit, clutching his golden core.

"Now, the remaining Yongle and Qingcheng sequences pose no threat. Chongcheng, fix your gaze beyond."

Zhang Chongcheng pondered the heavenly mandate, asking respectfully, "You speak of this region, Master?"

"Indeed."

The figure upon the cushion swayed slightly, as if nodding.

The presence of the young Huang Liang stirred a profound sentiment within, for the master's unexpected mastery of the Buddha's parable left a lingering ache, yet as fate intervened, the master's own complacency proved fatal.