Chapter 703: The Seven-Arrow Book with a Nail Head, the Mystery of Time Travel
Facing Ming Chongyan's threat, Li Daoxuan sneered and responded very straightforwardly.
One knife!
The three-pointed, double-edged sword let out a dragon's roar, and a murderous aura rose to the sky. The blade shone with cold light under the moonlight, and it cut through several protective magic weapons on Ming Chongyan's body with a devastating force.
A huge head flew high into the air and then rolled to the ground.
But Ming Chongyan did not die immediately, and even his wound did not bleed. He blinked his eyes and gave Li Daoxuan a somewhat crazy smile.
"It's ridiculous and pathetic . You are clearly being used, yet you are still working for them!"
"Li Daoxuan, one day, you will regret it!"
"Think about it carefully. How did you come to this world?"
After saying this last sentence, he laughed loudly, and blood finally spurted out of his neck. His breath quickly weakened, and blood continued to seep out of his eyes, ears, mouth and nose.
Completely dead.
The "Book of Exorcising Demons" shone brightly, and lines of small golden characters appeared. However, Li Daoxuan had no intention of reading it at the moment. Instead, he was thinking about Ming Chongyan's last words.
How did I come to this world?
He recalled his life before he traveled through time. He was an ordinary office worker. His biggest hobby was reading old books, and he often went to various bookstores to buy books.
Until he found an old book in a bookstore, the name of which was called The Book of Exorcism.
He had been interested in demons, ghosts, and the pursuit of immortality since he was a child, so he bought the book. As a result, he traveled through time after falling asleep, and the Demon-Exterminating Book also ran into his sea of consciousness.
He always believed that this was his adventure and opportunity.
Is there something fishy going on here?
This shouldn't be the case. Li Daoxuan thought about it carefully and found that there was no problem. Moreover, the Demon-Slaying Book had been silently providing him with various rewards without any compulsory behavior.
It is no exaggeration to say that without this book, he would never have achieved what he has today.
etc……
Just when he thought Ming Chongyan was just talking nonsense, a flash of inspiration passed through his mind, followed by a deep chill and horror.
He suddenly discovered a problem.
What does that bookstore owner look like?
This seems to be a very small problem, but to Li Daoxuan, it is like a bolt from the blue, making his hair stand on end.
After becoming a Yang Shen, his spirit and soul transformed, and all the memories of what he had experienced would never be forgotten. As long as he wanted, he could remember a day decades ago as vividly as watching a movie.
Even if he had only taken a quick glance at it, he would never forget it.
But he just forgot what the bookstore owner looked like. He clearly remembered that they had a conversation at that time, but now when he thought back, he could only remember that he was a man wearing a black Tang suit, but his face was always blurry.
A chill ran down my spine.
Li Daoxuan subconsciously clenched the three-pointed, double-edged sword in his hand, veins bulged on his forehead, and his expression gradually became one of struggle.
He was trying hard to recall the bookstore owner's appearance.
However, with his cultivation in the fairyland and powerful spiritual power, it was still as if he was looking at flowers in the fog, which was extremely vague.
A finger gently touched his brow, as warm as jade and soft as butter. The vast Buddha's power soothed the restlessness and uneasiness in his heart.
Li Daoxuan raised his eyes and saw her sighing softly with compassion in her eyes.
"All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows; like dew and lightning, they should be viewed in this way."
"Why do you have to get caught up in obsession?"
Li Daoxuan's heart moved, he stared into her bright moon-like eyes, and asked: "My lady, do you know something?"
Since becoming a Buddha, Lady Green has become a different person, as if she has awakened her past wisdom, which is puzzling.
The lady in green did not answer, but looked at Xuanzang.
"Disciple Xuanzang greets the Buddha!"
Xuanzang knelt at her feet and kowtowed devoutly.
"This time, the matter of the scriptures is the calamity destined for you. Now that the calamity has passed, Xuanzang, go and do what you should do."
Xuanzang stood up, his eyes clear, no longer confused as before.
He has figured out that the subtlety of Mahayana Buddhism lies not in its magic power and supernatural powers, but in resolving the hostility and evil thoughts in the hearts of all living beings, thereby allowing them to become enlightened.
That is the true way to save all sentient beings, rather than cultivating for the next life, attaining Bodhi, and entering paradise.
Only such true scriptures can truly make all sentient beings Buddhas. Otherwise, any method of practice will have a threshold.
"Brother, I'm sorry for causing you trouble this time..."
Xuanzang bowed to Li Daoxuan with an apologetic look in his eyes.
Li Daoxuan also came back to his senses, patted him on the shoulder and said, "You and I are brothers, there is no need to do this."
After experiencing the passing of one old friend after another, Li Daoxuan began to cherish his friends more and more. Xuanzang was his sworn brother, and this relationship would not change no matter what.
After Xuanzang left, Li Daoxuan turned and looked at the Empress.
"My lady, can you tell me——"
Under the moonlight, the figure of Lady in Green disappeared like a point of light. Li Daoxuan stretched out his hand, but grabbed nothing.
Shaking his head, he knew clearly that the queen must know something, but she couldn't say it. Faced with his request, she had to avoid it as if escaping.
"Every one of them is a Riddler!"
Li Daoxuan put away the three-pointed, double-edged sword, feeling angry but helpless.
Both the Goddess and Taiqing Tianzun said that when he becomes a celestial being, he will be able to understand the cause and effect of everything. There is no other choice but to continue to practice hard.
The Huangting Ancient Scripture is almost cultivated to the sixth level, which will reach the peak of Earthly Immortal. After that, he will comprehend the innate Qi, transform into a god, and cultivate to the path of Heavenly Immortal!
He first looked at the "Book of Exorcism" to check what he had gained tonight.
"In July of the second year of Tianshou , I killed Ming Chongyan [who was possessed] in Luoyang and received the reward - the Seven Arrows Book."
"The Seven Arrows with Nailed Heads is the manuscript of Taoist Lu Ya. It records the Seven Arrows with Nailed Heads, the great divine power of the Heavenly Gang. It is the number one spell in the Three Realms. Even the Great Immortal will fall..."
Li Daoxuan was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect this would be the reward.
To be honest, this reward is very strong, but the drawbacks are also obvious.
In The Investiture of the Gods, Zhao Gongming can be said to have a glorious record of battles. He fought alone against many enemies, captured the Immortal Huanglong alive, and also injured five Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect, including Chi Jingzi and Guang Chengzi.
But even such a ruthless man was killed directly by Jiang Ziya with seven nail-head arrows, and he had no power to resist.
It should be noted that Jiang Ziya in Investiture of the Gods is just half human and half immortal, probably at the peak of Yang God, with one foot halfway into the immortal gate, not even a wandering immortal.
But even so, he was able to successfully kill Zhao Gongming, who was at the Golden Immortal level, with his seven arrows.
This is like a young cultivator who has just started practicing and is still in the Qigong realm, but crosses the border and kills Li Daoxuan, who is now in the Earthly Immortal realm.
Being able to bridge such a huge gap in strength, it can be seen that the power of these Seven Arrows is simply incredible.
But such a terrifying magical power is ranked last among the Thirty-Six Tiangang Techniques, and even the skill of turning beans into soldiers is ranked last.
The reason is that the price of this magical power is also very high.
It consumes the luck of the caster.
In the Conferred Gods, Taoist Lu Ya himself did not dare to use it, but deliberately let Jiang Ziya use it, so that this son of destiny who was destined to be a god did not even become a god in the end, and died like a mortal.
Li Daoxuan both loves and fears the Seven Arrows Book.
However, with this thing in hand, I finally have a trump card that can kill enemies at a higher level.
There is also the Thirty-Six Thunder Techniques of Jiu Tian Ying Yuan Lei Sheng Pu Hua Tian Zun. He also needs to find time to practice them well. Thunder Techniques, Sword Techniques, Five Colored Lights, and Eight-Nine Profound Arts are his main means of fighting at present, and it would be best if they could make progress at the same time.
At present, the Ten Thunder Technique is no longer sufficient.
Of course, the most important thing is the improvement in cultivation. In the following practice, more emphasis should be placed on the Huangting Ancient Scripture. It is a pity that the spiritual energy in the world is thin, and those elixirs are of little significance to him.
It would be nice if I could have a treasure like a golden elixir, peaches, or ginseng fruit...
Just as he was making his next training plan, he suddenly felt something in his heart and realized that there was something different in Chang'an's fortune, as if something major had happened.
The realm of earthly immortals is divine and clear.
When something happens that is closely related to him, he will be inspired, even if the person is thousands of miles away.
Li Daoxuan calculated with his fingers and became more and more proficient in the use of Zi Wei Dou Shu. The stars in the sky were twinkling, confirming the secrets of heaven in the dark.
Li Daoxuan's eyes moved, and he already knew the whole story.
He sighed softly, feeling that it was unexpected, yet reasonable.
…
Chang'an City, Daming Palace.
Wu Zetian had received the news of the great victory in Songzhou, but she did not let anyone spread it.
During this period, the news of Li Zhi's death had already spread. Not only did she not seize power, but she took the initiative to issue an edict to return power to Crown Prince Li Xian.
The new emperor will ascend the throne tomorrow. Countless ministers are excited, and many are secretly celebrating. The Tang Dynasty will finally get rid of the situation where the hen is the one roosting at dawn.
For a time, the East Palace was bustling with activity and bustling with people.
However, Wu Zetian's Purple Palace was deserted. Even her most trusted scholar from the North Gate had defected to the prince. Everyone knew that the high and mighty empress was doomed.
Shangguan Wan'er was combing her hair and found that the hair of this queen who always had so much energy had become dry and messy, with strands of white hair mixed in.
Wu Zetian seemed to have aged overnight, showing a hint of decadence.
"Um……"
Shangguan Wan'er's movements were very gentle, but a few white hairs still fell onto the comb.
Wu Zetian was not angry. She just looked at herself in the bronze mirror quietly. She felt very strange looking at the wrinkled and old woman.
"Wan'er, tell me...why can't a woman be the emperor?"
She asked suddenly, her voice very calm.
Shangguan Wan'er was sweating profusely and didn't know how to answer this question.
If there was no Prince Chen and no Imperial Master, then the Queen would have a good chance of becoming the first female emperor in history, but unfortunately...
"Wan'er, you have been with me for more than ten years, and you have always been very helpful in doing things. Now, I want you to do one last thing for me."
"Please give me your orders, Queen. Wan'er will do her best to fulfill them!"
Wu Zetian said something in a low voice.
Shangguan Wan'er trembled and looked shocked, as if she was looking at a madman.
…
The next day.
All the officials came to the court to attend the succession ceremony of the new emperor. However, after they entered the palace, they found that they were on the wrong road. The eunuchs did not lead them to the Taiji Hall, but to the direction of the Shenlong Hall.
Finally, all the civil and military officials arrived at the Wanxiang Temple.
This majestic tower still stands in the Dragon Palace. The golden phoenix, shining brightly in the sun, flaps its wings and soars, overlooking the world, suppressing the nine dragons with the power of an emperor.
But everyone knows that after the new king ascends the throne, this iconic building of the Queen will become history.
"Why did you let us come here?"
"Where's the new emperor? Where's the prince?"
"Diva, what do you want to do?"
Some old ministers protested, and in the midst of the noise, a figure appeared on the top of the tower of the Vientiane Temple, wearing an imperial crown and a dragon robe, looking down at the world.
It was not the new emperor Li Xian, but the empress Wu Zetian!
In an instant, all officials fell into deathly silence, and countless people looked up at this incredible scene.
They never thought that women could wear God's robe and ascend to the throne.
The sunlight shone on Wu Zetian's face, as if casting a layer of golden afterglow on her, faintly echoing the golden phoenix next to her.
Shangguan Wan'er was watching this scene from below, and could not help but be fascinated.
The queen at this moment is no longer the haggard and old look of last night. Instead, she is full of energy and high spirits. She seems to be reborn, exuding an intimidating aura that cannot be looked directly at.
"I ascend the throne today and am honored to be the Holy Emperor of Heavenly Ce and Golden Wheel. I change the era name to 'Long Live the Heaven' and grant amnesty to the world. The whole country congratulates me!"
When she spoke these words in a sonorous voice, the ministers below thought she had gone crazy.
But what followed shocked them even more.
"The meteorite fell from the sky and did not bless our Tang, resulting in the defeat of Songzhou and the death of tens of thousands of soldiers on the battlefield. This is a punishment from heaven and the wrath of God!"
Everyone couldn't help but shudder when they heard this.
They didn't know the whole story, nor did they know that Songzhou had won a great victory. They only knew that it was the meteorite that fell from the sky that led to the defeat of the Tang Dynasty.
A feeling of sadness filled my heart. Has God really abandoned Li Tang?
Although they were all well-read in Confucian classics, Confucianism also emphasizes the "interaction between heaven and man". If the emperor was not clear in his governance, heaven would punish him, such as natural disasters such as ground fissures, landslides, droughts, floods, etc. The emperor would often issue an edict of remorse.
"Empress, even if this is the case, it is not a reason for you to declare yourself emperor!"
An old minister shouted loudly.
Wu Zetian lowered her eyes and looked at the ministers, smiling faintly.
"You all misunderstood me."
She raised her head, looking very excited.
"In the past, King Cheng Tang of the Shang Dynasty was willing to burn himself to death as a sacrifice to the heavens to protect his country from the punishment of heaven. Today, I want to follow Cheng Tang's example and continue the Li Tang Dynasty!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a fire suddenly broke out in the Wanxiang Temple and spread rapidly.
It turned out that she had already ordered people to sprinkle kerosene all over the tower.
Flames filled the sky, quickly engulfing the towering tower. She stood in the raging flames, her golden imperial robe fluttering in the wind, like a proud phoenix reborn from the fire.
All the officials looked at the figure that was gradually being engulfed by the flames, and an indescribable complex emotion surged in their hearts.
Thinking of the meteorite that suddenly fell in Songzhou and the endless natural disasters in various places, some people began to kneel down and kowtow three times and nine times with the etiquette of the emperor.
"Long live the emperor!"
More and more people knelt down and chanted "Our Emperor". Even the ministers who were loyal to Li Tang were impressed by the courage and breadth of mind of the empress.
In this way, an unprecedented coronation ceremony was completed in the Daming Palace amidst flames.
Li Daoxuan's figure appeared beside Wu Zetian at some point and he sighed softly.
"Is it worth it just to be the emperor for one day?"
Wu Zetian stood on a high tower, her eyes passed through the Daming Palace, through Chang'an, and looked out at the prosperous Tang Dynasty and the vast mountains and rivers.
She suddenly laughed.
"Immortal Venerable, although I don't practice Taoism, I do know one thing."
"What?"
"If I hear the truth in the morning, I can die in the evening."
Li Daoxuan was silent for a moment.
"No matter what, my name, Wu Zetian, cannot be avoided in this history book."
She smiled proudly, and her figure was completely engulfed by the flames.
The fire spread, the temple collapsed, and an iron phoenix weighing thousands of pounds fell from the sky. The gold foil on its body had been burned and charred, but it still looked proud and flapped its wings as if ready to fly.
