567. Chapter 550: Ritual and Fengchan Ceremony
Tang Song already had some understanding of this gambling game. It was no longer like looking at flowers through mist, completely clueless.
Over the course of two Jiazi (120 years), although he contended with that Bald Donkey using Mortal Fortune, his divine sense felt like it was covered by a layer of gauze. While he vaguely felt a large hand manipulating things behind the scenes, he could never find the enemy.
This feeling had lingered in Tang Song's heart for a hundred years, refusing to dissipate.
It wasn't until his main body emerged from seclusion, the Samsara Palace reopened, and his main body's thoughts descended upon This World attached to these Reincarnators that he finally understood that the one playing this game with him was the "Heaven" of This World! The Samsara Palace's predecessor was formed from a Primordial Chaos Numinous Object like the Eternal Particle. Its position was far beyond that of a normal Great World.
Besides its inherent creation, this lotus seed was also refined by some unknowable existences working together, refined into a mysterious creation like the Main God.
It was just unknown why the great experts behind the Main God seemed to have abandoned it. This divine artifact also developed spiritual intelligence on its own, pulling people from the All Heavens and Myriad Worlds and throwing them into Various Worlds to raise Gu, using the resources they absorbed from various Worlds to sustain itself.
However, although the Main God, this divine artifact, could connect to the All Heavens and Myriad Worlds and even locate and find Worlds in the Chaotic Sea, it also had a drawback.
The Main God could not identify whether That World was already occupied.
If it was ownerless wild leeks, then cutting them was fine. But if that leek field was intentionally planted by someone, the result was obvious. No one wanted someone else's scythe reaching into their vegetable patch.
The reason the Main God ended up perishing together with the Supreme God was because it reached out too frequently and too recklessly. As a result, it was besieged by many Great Principle Existences, beaten to the brink of death, and finally benefited Tang Song.
The Samsara Palace, after being refined by Tang Song, could not avoid this drawback either. However, at the Great Principle Level, not even one might be born in billions of Worlds.
Shallow water cannot raise a flood dragon; that is the reason.
So far, the Samsara Palace has opened and connected to at most a thousand Worlds. Most of them are Small Worlds and Middle Thousand Worlds (Single Universe). Apart from the DC Multiverse and the Marvel Multiverse where he is currently located, he has not yet encountered a true Great Thousand World (Multiverse).
Perhaps it was because of Tang Song's origin consciousness, but he never expected that a single opening mission would allow the Samsara Palace to locate the Jambudvīpa World.
That Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons World turned out to be a Dao Proving World evolved by a Buddha, and this Buddha was even Tang Song's Acquaintance! That Tang Monk, Chen Xuanzang, Golden Cicada, Chandana Meritorious Buddha! As the saying goes, compatriots meeting compatriots, a gun in the back. This Dharma Master Xuanzang was not the crying Tang Dynasty monk from the Journey to the West.
After sensing the Reincarnators who came to open up the World, he directly used great magic power to perform conversion on a group of people. Even Clark Kent was converted by him into an Arhat under his seat.
However, it was precisely because of this that Tang Song was alerted. Clark Kent and the Avengers were all guests listed in Tang Song's Circulatory Heaven Immortal Registry, within his grasp.
The change in their true spirits naturally could not escape Tang Song's notice.
Thus, Tang Song took the opportunity to change the bearing of the Samsara Palace's guiding golden light, ushering in that returning batch of Reincarnators, along with a Buddha incarnation hidden among them, into a Small World.
Tang Song's Twelve Capital Ghost Kings Incarnation held the Underworld King Flag, wrapping up That World, the Apocalypse World. He set up the Twelve Capital Gods and Demons Great Array, and directly used demonic fire to burn the entire World to ashes, destroying that Buddha's golden body of that lifetime! However, that Chandana Meritorious Buddha was also a ruthless individual with a face full of compassion and a tenacious spirit. As that golden body collapsed, he used some unknown divine ability to wrap his incarnation into This World.
Tang Song's palm was tucked within his robe sleeve, looking at the burnt-out incense on the study desk. In his hand beneath the robe sleeve, a pool of bloodlight flickered erratically.
"What's the rush? This Guanyin Dharma Body is just illusions. That Buddha's golden body, however, is genuine. With your current force, can you break open his Buddha golden body?"
"Buzz buzz—"
The bloodlight seemed to understand Tang Song's words, trembling and emitting bursts of buzzing sounds. An unimaginable fierce qi surged from within his robe sleeve.
Outside the gate, a series of hurried footsteps sounded. The footsteps finally stopped outside the study.
"Grand Governor! His Majesty has a decree, summoning you to the Imperial Palace!"
"I know!"
Tang Song flicked his sleeve and rose, pushing open the study's Gate. With a step, in the gaze of the Military Officer, the figure of the Grand Governor disappeared.
Chang'an, within the Taiji Hall of the Imperial Palace.
The Emperor of the Great Tang Empire, the Tang Emperor Li Shimin, who was respectfully called Heavenly Khan by all nations, was discussing state affairs with several Important Ministers under his command.
Those Civil and Military Officials were divided into two groups, arguing fiercely, their faces red.
*Da da da da—*
Upon hearing the sound of footsteps from outside the hall, the arguing ministers immediately fell silent, turning their gaze towards the hall entrance.
Tang Song slowly walked into the Taiji Hall, his gaze sweeping over the crowd present, finally resting on the middle-aged man wearing a dragon robe on the dragon throne.
"May I know why His Majesty summoned me?"
Seeing Tang Song arrive, Li Shimin quickly instructed the inner attendant to grant him a seat.
When the Civil and Military Important Ministers saw Tang Song, their complexions also changed slightly. In This World, demon monsters ran rampant, and even civil officials did not adhere to the saying "Not discussing strange powers and chaotic spirits".
They deeply knew what an earth-shattering figure this Grand Governor was. During the Late Sui Dynasty, the world was in chaos. It was precisely because the Li Clan had the support of this Grand Governor that they completed the great undertaking of contending for the Central Plains and established the current Great Tang Dynasty.
The character 'Tang' in Great Tang came from this.
Li Shimin also felt great fear towards this Grand Governor, even a hint of fear. During the Xuanwu Gate Incident, this Grand Governor did not take action to intervene. Otherwise, the person sitting on this dragon throne would not be him.
As an emperor, what he could least tolerate was an existence beyond his control. If it were anyone else who could make this Heavenly Khan feel stifled, he would have long since exhausted all methods to eliminate them quickly, even if they were his own brother or son.
But the Grand Governor before him was not among them, simply because, in the hearts of the Powerful Figures of Great Tang, and even in the heart of him, the King, it was very clear.
The Grand Governor before them was an existence like gods and devils. He was an immortal, a Mo (Demon/Devil), a god, definitely not a mortal.
Yet, this Grand Governor casually refined immortality medicine that allowed him to maintain eternal youth and live until now.
Moreover, the blueprint/diagram this Grand Governor casually produced could raise the combat strength of the entire Great Tang's Military by several levels.
Fortunately, this Grand Governor had always refrained from participating in state affairs!
But it seemed that in recent years, Grand Governor Tang wanted to break this tacit understanding.
"Grand Governor! I summoned you for no other matters, but merely that several of my beloved ministers have some controversy regarding your mobilization of twelve Zhechong Prefecture Prefecture Army to attack the Western Regions!"
Li Shimin waited for Tang Song to be seated before explaining the reason for summoning him.
Great Tang implemented the Fubing System. Zhechong Prefecture was the name for the military unit at the bottom layer of the Fubing System.
Zhechong Prefectures were divided into three grades: Upper, Middle, and Lower. An Upper Prefecture had 1,200 people, a Middle Prefecture had 1,000, and a Lower Prefecture had 800. The Soldiers belonging to them were collectively called Guardsmen.
Each Prefecture had one Zhechong Duwei, one Left and one Right Guoyi Duwei, one Deputy General, one Chief Clerk, and one Military Affairs Secretary. This was the prefecture-level organization.
Below the Prefecture, 300 people formed a regiment, with a military officer and company commander; 50 people formed a platoon, with a platoon leader and deputy; 10 people formed a squad, with a squad leader.
Twelve Zhechong Prefecture Prefecture Army amounted to over ten thousand heavily armored soldiers. This scale of military force mobilization was a power that only the Son of Heaven possessed in the entire Great Tang.
"Controversy! Who among you has an opinion about my troop deployment? Hmm!?" Tang Song's gaze fell upon the group of Civil and Military Officials standing in the Great Hall.
Among the many ministers, there were not a few martial artists with profound cultivation base. When Tang Song's gaze swept over them, a powerful, overwhelming sense of fear instantly arose in their hearts.
If not for the warning in their hearts that they were in the Great Court, they might have been unable to resist kneeling on the ground.
"Hmm, no one is speaking!" Tang Song looked at the reactions of the Civil and Military Important Ministers, smiled slightly, and said calmly, "Whoever has an opinion, feel free to voice it. This Grand Governor is not an unreasonable person!"
Li Shimin, sitting on the dragon throne, watched as his trusted Civil and Military Officials all fell silent, their complexions changing between red and green.
This matter, which was akin to questioning, was naturally led by him from behind the scenes. The purpose was to test whether this Grand Governor, having been quiet for so long, was now restless and wanted to sit on his dragon throne.
But when it came down to it, none of these Civil and Military Important Ministers he relied on stepped forward to share his burden. This made Li Shimin not only disappointed in the crowd but also added a few more layers of fear towards Tang Song, this Grand Governor.
"Grand Governor! Wei has something to say..."
"Grand Governor! This old Cheng has something to say..."
"Grand Governor! Mobilizing the Zhechong Prefecture Prefecture Army without His Majesty's Imperial Decree and Tiger Tally is indeed against the rules."
Perhaps they saw Li Shimin's unpleasant complexion, or perhaps their colleagues around them gave them courage.
With a few Important Ministers taking the lead, the Civil and Military Officials all voiced their opinions. Tang Song just smiled and watched them, his eyes seemingly filled with the radiance of encouragement. However, the voices of these Civil and Military Officials grew softer and softer, until finally, the Great Hall returned to a state where a pin drop could be heard.
"Your Majesty! Is this your meaning?"
Tang Song turned his head to look at Li Shimin on the dragon throne. Li Shimin looked at Tang Song's deep gaze. Just as he was about to deny it, the courage in his bones surged up at this moment:
"Grand Governor! This is indeed my meaning. The world has not enjoyed peace for a full hundred years. The Common People are recuperating. I have read history books; the Han Dynasty fell due to excessive military campaigns! The Great Tang cannot repeat the same mistake!"
"And?" Tang Song's finger tapped lightly on the armrest of the seat. "The Grand Governor is the Head of the Demon Subduing Division. The demon monsters of the world have not been eliminated. These court matters are taxing and laborious, and the Grand Governor does not understand military affairs. I think the matter of conquering the Western Regions should be dropped!"
The Civil and Military Officials in the Taiji Hall, upon hearing Li Shimin's words, all lowered their heads as if they wanted to bury them in their trousers. Several admirals who were granted the grace to carry swords to court and some Guardsmen outside the hall even placed their hands on the knife hilt of their Tang Dao.
As for who they would help, no one knew but themselves.
One was the emperor they were absolutely loyal to, and the other was the mysterious and unfathomable Grand Governor, regarded as an immortal descended to the mortal realm, capable of refining immortality medicine.
The situation in the Taiji Hall was on the verge of erupting. Some with keen hearing even heard the sound of weapons and armor clashing outside the gate. Li Shimin looked at Tang Song and said solemnly, "The Grand Governor is an immortal descended to the mortal realm. If my Li Clan did not have the Grand Governor's assistance, we would not have been able to establish this vast dynasty. If the Grand Governor truly desires this Imperial Position, I can immediately abdicate and yield the position!"
Tang Song looked at Li Shimin and shook his head. "Er Feng, I remember when you were young, your face was round and chubby, much cuter than now! What makes you think I would covet this mere Tiny Place of yours? The Imperial Position? Heh heh—"
Li Shimin's face immediately turned red at Tang Song's address of "Er Feng". He remembered that this embarrassing nickname was given to him by this rogue Taoist Priest. Not only did he give him this nickname, but he also pinched his little bird when he was wearing split pants and didn't know any better.
"I, I'm already grown up, don't call me Er Feng!" Li Shimin squeezed out this sentence.
The tense atmosphere in the court immediately eased. "My world has vast fertile land, can it only be considered a Tiny Place in Uncle Tang's eyes!" Li Shimin said, unconvinced.
Tang Song flipped his hand, and a radiance transformed into an orb of light floating in the Taiji Hall!
"Er Feng, do you know how vast the world is?"
Li Shimin was slightly stunned, looking at the orb of light and asking, "Uncle Tang, please enlighten me!"
Tang Song casually drew with his fingertip, and countless lines appeared on the orb of light, with various place names marked.
This orb of light was clearly a virtual imaging globe. Li Shimin looked at the globe displayed by Tang Song with some shock, then looked at Tang Song.
"This is a map of the world! This is Chang'an, this is Great Tang. The Territory is only this much!"
Tang Song lightly lifted his finger, and the positions of Chang'an and Great Tang on the globe were marked in red.
The moment Li Shimin saw this map, his breathing became rapid. He stared intently at the map, murmuring, "The world is actually so vast?"
Tang Song laughed and said, "Do you think This World is already very large?"
Li Shimin stared intently at the globe and said, "Heaven and Earth are vast, their greatness is indeed infinite."
"Er Feng, your horizon is still lacking! Do you think this is the entire land?"
Upon hearing Tang Song's words, Li Shimin said in surprise, "This is not the entire land?"
Tang Song scoffed and asked, "Er Feng, what do you think of 'There Cannot Be Two Suns'?"
Li Shimin was immediately solemn, his heart trembling involuntarily, and he became nervous.
The saying "There Cannot Be Two Suns" means there cannot be two suns in the sky, two kings in a country, two masters in a family, and two superiors in a position of respect. It means that just as there is only one sun in the sky, there can only be one king in a country, and royal power is unique.
Li Shimin thought Tang Song was talking about his Imperial Position. Although he said he would willingly abdicate, he was ultimately deeply attached to the Imperial Position and found it difficult to give up.
Tang Song, however, did not consider Li Shimin's inner change. He merely scoffed and said, "For you mortals, there are countless stars in the sky, but only one sun. The sun is unique.
But you don't know that in our eyes, every star is a sun.
Even your sun is young, still a small one."
He waved his hand, and the globe quickly shrank. At the same time, countless stars appeared within it. Then, the entire Taiji Hall transformed into the appearance of Outer Space.
Tang Song pointed to a small light spot and said, "This is your sun. This is your land. And these other shining points are the same suns, the stars in your eyes.
As for those without radiance, I think with your intelligence, you can guess a thing or two."
Li Shimin's eyes widened, completely stunned and speechless.
Tang Song then said faintly, "This is the reality of the world, Er Feng."
Li Shimin took a deep breath and said, "Throughout history, People of the World have said that our Divine Land, our Chinese Land, has Vast Territory, is rich within the Four Seas, and is a Land of Courtesy, the most beautiful country in the world. Yet, I never thought it was merely a Tiny Place. Uncle Tang, I was sitting in a well, arrogant like Yelang."
Tang Song sighed slightly and said, "For some reason, your land, your world, has become a Battlefield. This Battlefield has lasted for decades, and it might even last longer."
"Battlefield!" Li Shimin was stunned and said, "Battlefield? Whose Battlefield?"
Tang Song said somewhat awkwardly, "I have a gambling duel with someone. Regardless of the outcome, it might affect you. This World might not be saved!"
Tang Song swept his hand, and the sun, moon, stars, the Outer Space instantly shattered into countless light spots and dissipated! "Tang Song, a gambling duel, is this your Battlefield? This is your Battlefield, so what about the billions of Common People on our Land?" Looking at the dissipating Outer Space, along with the light spot representing the Great Tang's world that also dissipated, Li Shimin felt a chill run straight from his spine bone to his heavenly spirit. His teeth even began to chatter uncontrollably, "Clatter clatter—"
"Collateral damage," Tang Song said helplessly. "Moreover, your world is just one of them, and an insignificant one at that!"
Li Shimin was speechless. After a long while, he couldn't help but look up to the sky and ask, "Heavenly Father! Can you truly not spare the billions of Common People of my Great Tang? These Common People have finally enjoyed a hundred years of peaceful life? What sin have they committed?!"
Li Shimin slumped powerlessly onto the dragon throne. "Uncle Tang, you are an Immortal! Don't you care about the Common People of the world in your gambling duel? Aren't you afraid of the Heavenly Father punishing you?"
Tang Song coughed lightly and said, "Well, I am the Heavenly Father."
"Ah?!" Li Shimin immediately sat up from the dragon throne, staring dumbfounded at Tang Song before him. "Uncle Tang, what did you just say?"
Not only Li Shimin, but the Civil and Military Officials who were immersed in Tang Song's words also stared at Tang Song with wide eyes.
"If the Heavenly Father you speak of refers to the Heavenly Emperor! Then I am the Heavenly Father!"
Tang Song raised a hand, and a golden light shot out, transforming into a Golden Armored Divine Being.
"The Heavenly Emperor has a decree, bestowing grace upon the living beings!!!"
Within the Territory of Great Tang, whether they were common people or the myriad living beings, they clearly heard a voice like the reading of an Imperial Decree.
The cold decree was read out. The world that was clear and sunny a moment ago instantly turned into dark clouds.
Torrential spiritual energy rose from beneath the land, instantly transforming into endless sweet dew.
This sweet dew, transformed by spiritual energy, was filled with vigorous vitality.
The sweet dew from the sky fell as raindrops. The land beneath their feet trembled.
The Mountain Peak in the distance slowly grew larger, its altitude climbing little by little. The volume at the base of the Mountain Peak slowly expanded. The speed was so fast it could almost be observed with the naked eye.
At the foot of the mountain, plants, stimulated by the abundant spiritual energy, were in a state of vigorous growth every moment. They did their best to root deeper, causing the grass roots to connect and clump together, resulting in lush vegetation.
Branches and roots sprouted layer upon layer. Tree after tree grew rapidly, almost comparable to bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Listening closely, one could hear the rustling sound of them constantly sprouting branches and leaves. In just a few minutes, tree after tree had become hundred-year-old trees, towering and strong.
The Dragon Veins buried deep in the land were infused with energy from the Universe, gradually awakening.
The origin from Chaos transformed into cultivation resources, pushing out Dao Restriction after Dao Restriction.
Large areas of soil unearthed from the depths of the land at the foot of the mountain still looked bare and unsightly among the hundred grasses for a time.
Green weeds spread rapidly through the soil, like an expanding patch of grass. Unfortunately, new soil was forming every moment, and its speed even surpassed the speed at which plants and trees spread.
Endless spiritual energy erupted. The Earth Qi that surged out like a fountain, rushing onto the land and gradually forming Dao Restrictions, was transformed into sweet dew, transforming into vitality that fell onto the land.
The sweet dew containing Dao Restrictions infused all living beings in the world, burying the Dao Restriction deep within them.
The sweet dew then slowly permeated into the land's energy channels, triggering the change in the mountains from within.
The Dragon Veins were nourished anew by the sweet dew, gradually generating spiritual intelligence and forming a cycle.
Spiritual energy was then driven by the Dragon Veins, flowing into every rock, every piece of land. All were nourished by spiritual energy, growing stronger from within.
The entire world seemed to be reshaped by an invisible strength. The mountains were higher, the slopes steeper, and even the small streams became significantly wider invisibly.
Outside the Taiji Hall, leading the Civil and Military Officials, they watched the endless sweet dew falling. Beneath the sweet dew, even the entire Imperial Palace changed, turning into a green world.
Li Shimin watched all this in shock: "Uncle Tang is indeed a True Immortal!"
Tang Song stood with his hands behind his back and laughed, "Alright, I watched you grow up from a young age. I know exactly what ideas are spinning in your little head!"
"Don't worry, if I really break your possessions, I will grant you a New World and let you become a Lord of a World!"
Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's eyes instantly turned red. Not just him, but the Civil and Military Officials behind him, even those as calm as Wei Zheng, Fang Xuanling, and others, all felt their heads spinning.
Some people even began to calculate. If That World was truly as vast as the Grand Governor, no, Heavenly Emperor His Majesty described, how large would the Granted Land of these ministers who served the Li Dynasty be?
Their requirement was not high, just a Granted Land the size of Great Tang would suffice.
"Your Majesty! I am absolutely loyal to you! When you prosper, please don't forget to bring this old minister along!"
Minister after minister wished they could hug Li Shimin's thigh to express their loyalty.
"Uncle Tang, I wonder what I can do for you to increase your bargaining chip for your gambling game!" Li Shimin thought for a moment, then bowed to Tang Song and asked.
As an emperor, Li Shimin deeply knew that there was no free lunch in the world!
Tang Song patted his shoulder: "Er Feng, go to Mount Tai and perform the Fengchan Ceremony. Sacrifice to the Heavenly Emperor!"
(end of chapter)