Eternal Saber-Chapter 241 - 26: Celestial Book
Grand General's Mansion.
Secret chamber.
Qin Xi remarked, "The floods in Qingzhou, such grand schemes by the Profound Celestial Sect, they didn't hesitate to drown Qingzhou to create a sign of divine retribution, but I wonder what methods they used."
Murong Daoye replied, "It should be that Flood Dragon."
"Does such an Exotic Beast as a Flood Dragon truly exist in this world?"
Qin Xi asked.
Murong Daoye nodded and said, "Throughout the world, there are some strange and exotic beasts that seem like they have no place in existence, and the Flood Dragon in Qingzhou Marsh is one of them."
"However, several decades ago, this Flood Dragon could only cause mountain torrents. According to the information I've gathered, Qingzhou has been experiencing continuous heavy rain for several days now. Such a cloud-summoning and rain-bringing method is likely the work of a True Dragon!"
"A True Dragon?"
Qin Xi felt a twinge of shock.
Murong Daoye said, "A Flood Dragon has no horns, only two legs beneath its belly, and can only reside in large marshes and lakes. Its combat power is on par with a Grandmaster, but it cannot stir rivers and seas or summon clouds and rain. However, if it passes through the Thunder Tribulation, it might transform into a True Dragon."
"What cultivation level would a True Dragon be?"
"It should have the strength of a Grandmaster of Transformation Realm."
Qin Xi frowned slightly.
If that is the case, after decades, the power of the Profound Celestial Sect is stronger than before.
Murong Daoye said with emphasis, "Breaking through to the Transformation Realm is as difficult as ascending to the heavens. But after all, several decades have passed, aside from me, there should be others among the Grandmasters who have reached this realm."
"Perhaps, the Sect Leader of the Profound Celestial Sect's cultivation has already reached the Transformation Realm!"
Qin Xi furrowed his brow and remained silent.
If so, counting that True Dragon from Qingzhou, the Profound Celestial Sect has at least two Grandmasters of Transformation Realm!
In Qian Country, the Profound Celestial Sect's ability to surpass imperial power is no fluke.
Qin Xi always had a doubt in his heart, and suddenly asked, "Since the Profound Celestial Sect possesses such strong power, why did they make Yuan Qian the Emperor back then?"
Yuan Qian was the name of the old Emperor.
With the influence of the Profound Celestial Sect, even self-declaration of the Emperor would not face much obstruction.
Murong Daoye responded, "Because the former Emperor was originally a member of the Profound Celestial Sect."
"Ah?"
This did surprise Qin Xi a bit.
It seems that the powerful influence of the Profound Celestial Sect in Qian Country is closely related to this old Emperor.
Murong Daoye said, "The Yuan Clan's power in those days was on par with the Four Great Clans. The former Emperor was not part of the main lineage within the Yuan Clan; he originally belonged to a branch and was not well-known; he didn't even have this name."
"Until the former Emperor obtained a Celestial Book!"
"A Celestial Book?"
Qin Xi was puzzled.
Murong Daoye nodded and said, "The origin of the Profound Celestial Sect has always been a mystery, but clues can always be found. A hundred years ago, several Celestial Books drifted into the world and were obtained by a few people, including the former Emperor, and the Profound Celestial Sect likely appeared around then."
"From then on, the former Emperor rose within the Yuan Clan, later becoming the head of the Yuan Clan, and changed his name to Yuan Qian."
"Ha! 'Great is Qian, the source of all things, and it governs the heavens!' One can glimpse a hint of ambition in that!"
Qin Xi asked, "Where did the Celestial Book come from, and how does it possess such power?"
The Celestial Book helped Yuan Qian, an obscure figure in the Yuan Clan, to leap to become the head of the clan, and even the ruler of a country.
Even behind the Profound Celestial Sect, there is the influence of the Celestial Book.
"I don't know, perhaps it is something from the Outer Realm."
Murong Daoye shook his head.
Outer Realm?
Qin Xi had also heard of the concept of the Outer Realm but had no concrete evidence.
Even Murong Daoye's statement was ambiguous.
Qin Xi asked again, "Beside the one obtained by Yuan Qian, what about the other Celestial Books?"
Murong Daoye said, "The Sect Leader of the Profound Celestial Sect and the Left and Right Guardians likely each obtained one, and perhaps someone in the Nanxia Profound Celestial Sect also got one, but the specifics are unknown."
...
Qingzhou Flood.
Yuan Qingshan summoned Prime Minister Cui Yuan, the Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, and other officials to urgently gather two hundred thousand taels of silver for disaster relief.
After the former Emperor's passing, he left behind a mess, and the national treasury was depleted.
Coupled with the rebellion in Pingzhou, the new government's light taxes and reduced corvée intended to enrich the people, now compounded by the Qingzhou flood, the financial situation of the Court is being stretched thin.
These two hundred thousand taels of silver were partially obtained from the confiscated properties of officials implicated in the Ghost Mother case.
Chen Tang knew nothing about these matters and did not participate.
However, after occasionally hearing some news from outside, he realized the situation Yuan Qingshan faced was becoming increasingly challenging.
The heavy rains in Qingzhou showed no sign of stopping.
The death toll continued to rise relentlessly.
In just twenty days, it had reached hundreds of thousands!
This was because the easternmost part of Qingzhou bordered the East Sea, allowing much of the rainwater and floodwaters to ultimately flow into the East Sea.
Otherwise, the flood could have spread, possibly endangering other states, even Qian State where the Capital City is located!
On this day, the torrential rain in Qingzhou finally ceased.
But the flooding persisted.
The autumn harvest's grain was completely submerged by the floodwaters.
Food shortages, disease, and refugees ravaged the lands of Qingzhou, as if fulfilling the words of the Profound Celestial Sect Leader: the Emperor's failings, inciting the wrath of heaven, plunging the common people into hell.
The grievances of the people in Qingzhou boiled over, with some rebels uprising in Yaozhou, intending to overthrow the Emperor and enforce justice for heaven, to pacify divine wrath.
Across Qian Country, ominous omens arose, chaos ensued.
Chen Tang originally planned to stay in the Capital City for a month before leaving to continue his journey in the Jianghu.
A month had long passed.
Yet Chen Tang did not leave immediately.
At this moment, Yuan Qingshan was at his most perilous and helpless.
Chen Tang didn't know what he could do, but he couldn't bear to leave now.
On this day.
Yuan Qingshan summoned Chen Tang to the palace for an audience.
Just as he stepped into Ningyun Pavilion, and at the sight of Yuan Qingshan, Chen Tang's heart faintly trembled.
After a few days apart, Yuan Qingshan's hair had turned half white.
He was only in his thirties.
Unrested for an unknown time, Yuan Qingshan's eyes were bloodshot, his entire being extremely haggard, his complexion sallow as he looked at the memorial in his hands, his hands trembling slightly.
Not even noticing when Chen Tang pushed the door open and entered.
"Senior Brother..."
Chen Tang called softly.
Yuan Qingshan was startled for a moment, then came to his senses and looked up at Chen Tang, forcing a smile, saying, "Junior Brother, you're here, have a seat."
Chen Tang stepped forward and snatched the memorial from Yuan Qingshan's hands, saying solemnly, "Senior Brother, you should rest for a while, this way you'll be worn out!"
"Take a look at this." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
Yuan Qingshan pointed to the memorial and chuckled.
That smile contained both bitterness and anger.
Chen Tang opened it to read, and instantly his heart surged with immense anger!
This was a memorial presented by the Vermilion Bird Bureau and Qilin Bureau, clearly stating that the twenty thousand taels of silver for disaster relief approved by His Holiness had been siphoned off layer by layer, leaving only ten thousand taels by the time it reached the Qingzhou prefecture and county officials!
Ten thousand taels to aid the entire Qingzhou, with its ten prefectures and a hundred counties of victims!
Like a cup of water on a burning cart.
Moreover, even this ten thousand taels, when reaching the lower-level officials, they still took a cut.
The food intended to rescue victims was actually chaff for livestock.
It even contained sand in the chaff!
Countless victims, after consuming such chaff, ultimately died from swollen bellies!
"They dare to touch even the money and grain meant to save lives!"
Chen Tang clenched his fists, seething with a murderous aura, he only wished to wield his long blade and slaughter these corrupt officials clean!
