Chapter 73.1 Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip~
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Li Jinyu took up residence in the deserted Tianta Pagoda.
Standing on the altar of the Tianta Pagoda, Li Jinyu gazed downward and could see almost half of the empire spread before his eyes.
The unsettling thought of the bizarre locusts possibly wreaking havoc on the land made Li Jinyu restless and eager to resolve the issue of the Jiao Kingdom immediately.
However, the Daoist explained to Li Jinyu that luck, in reality, had no tangible sensation, and the true influence was actually brought about by physical manifestations shaped by luck.
“Just like in the heyday of the Di Dynasty, even if the Emperor didn’t launch an attack on the Jiao Kingdom, it wouldn’t have any impact,” the Daoist nodded toward the ground. “Now, what you have to do is remove the actual objects that have been introduced into the Jiao Kingdom.”
Malevolent objects…
Li Jinyu thought about those eerie locusts.
Should they eliminate those locusts? Exterminate the swarms of locusts that covered the entire area and the people who had made the Jiao Kingdom their home?
“If those locusts inhabit human bodies, how can we get rid of them?”
The Daoist hesitated for a moment. “If the eggs haven’t hatched yet, and the land is vast, it would be challenging to eradicate them.”
Li Jinyu scratched his ear.
It wouldn’t make sense to eradicate all those strange people from the Jiao Kingdom.
Unless they waited until all the locusts brought into the Jiao Kingdom had hatched, but how would they know how many locusts there were? And how would they know when they would all hatch?
Waiting one more day would result in a catastrophic event for the people in a particular area.
Li Jinyu concentrated and suddenly recalled something, “Daoist Master, you mentioned that my fate is closely tied to the fate of the Di Dynasty, right?”
“Yes.”
“Since Jiao Kingdom is targeting the fortune of the Di Dynasty, would those locusts have any influence on me?”
On his journey here with the black cat, they encountered several locust disasters, and the high frequency of such encounters was truly terrifying.
They initially believed that Jiao Kingdom had sent too many infiltrators into the Central Plains, but surprisingly, apart from the locust swarms they encountered, they hadn’t heard any farmers in other villages and towns mention encountering locusts.
Looking at it from a different angle, perhaps those Jiao Kingdom people and locusts were drawn to him, which was why they approached?
The Daoist pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement, “That’s also possible.”
“So, is there any way for me to attract all the evil entities?”
“There is a way… but it might be quite dangerous for you,” the Daoist explained tactfully. “From what you’ve said, the locusts that have already ‘hatched’ are likely to rapidly multiply into swarms, but the locust people who haven’t ‘hatched’ yet can be quite dangerous. They have significant destructive power. If they are truly attracted to you, can you handle it?”
Li Jinyu hesitated for a moment, before hearing the black cat speak up, “I will protect him.”
Li Jinyu looked at the black cat in astonishment.
The black cat seemed a bit uneasy under the scrutiny and turned its head away, pursing its lips. “What’s wrong? Can’t I do something?”
“No, nothing.” Li Jinyu, after a moment of bewilderment, smiled happily. “Then I’ll count on you.”
He still remembered how initially the black cat had been so hostile towards humans, indifferent to everyone except him.
Unbeknownst to him, this little companion seemed to have changed.
Although they were not humans, they were all living beings residing in this land.
Not everyone in the world was so good or so bad.
Everyone simply lived their lives in this world.
Li Jinyu looked into the black cat’s eyes, and a sense of “my rebellious son has finally matured and grown up” arose in his heart.
The Daoist had no objections to Li Jinyu’s decision — they were merely providing a method for casting the spell, playing the role of an observer.
Following the Daoist’s teachings, Li Jinyu activated his own Ziwei imperial aura, connecting it to the fortune of the entire Di Dynasty, and forming a massive vortex in the empty space.
The people toiling in the northeastern lands suddenly sensed something strange while going about their work.
“Oh, look! What is that in the sky?”
“Where?”
“Wow!”
The people raised their heads and clearly saw a massive purple vortex forming in the sky towards the northeast. It almost covered half of the sky, as if the sky had opened an eye!
However, in just a moment, the vortex vanished, and the sky returned to normal as if it had all been an illusion.
What one person saw was an illusion, but what a group of people saw was not.
“Did I imagine that just now? What was that?”
“Who knows! Could it be an ominous sign? Haven’t we heard about some places suffering from locust plagues?”
“It could also be a sign of good fortune! Maybe there are celestial beings in the mountains over there?”
………
The men riding on two swift horses on the official road also caught sight of the phenomenon in the sky.
Huo Caiyu gazed at the sky in that direction, furrowing his brow deeply. “Is that the Mount Yuan?”
The moment the purple vortex appeared, he felt a connection with His Majesty stirring within his heart.
Chi Zhongming glanced at the map, nodded, and his gaze became serious. “What’s happening? Why is it so intense?”
“Let’s go and see.”
………
Li Jinyu couldn’t hear the people’s discussions. He, too, was overwhelmed by the grandeur of the spectacle, gaping in astonishment at the enormous vortex above his head. “It’s too huge…”
Li Jinyu and the black cat exchanged a glance and nodded.
Fire was the best way to deal with these kinds of evil creatures.
Inside the pagoda, there were still many tables, chairs, and floors that hadn’t completely decayed. The two demon scurried around collecting them, arranging them in a circle around the altar.
The Daoist didn’t do anything and sat alone on his sleeping cauldron, frowning as he looked at the firewood, muttering to himself, “Why does this Daoist Elder feel like you all want to roast him?”
The black cat approached carrying a wooden stool and rolled its eyes. “Why don’t you just take your cauldron further away?”
“That won’t do! This cauldron is this Daoist Elder’s bed!” The Daoist said resolutely, “After working hard for the Mang Dynasty for so many years, this Daoist Elder has finally retired. Can’t he enjoy a little more sleep?”
The black cat couldn’t be bothered to comment.
“Master, how is it that you’re so old but still look so young?” Li Jinyu curiously passed by. “You seem to be only fifteen or sixteen years old?”
“Well, you see…” The Daoist touched his face and sighed. “The downside of attaining the Dao too early. When this Daoist Elder was the National Master, many people saw this Daoist Elder as young and thought they could easily deceive him.”
“Could… could Master teach me?” Li Jinyu softly requested.
“Aren’t you a demon?” the Daoist wondered, puzzled. “You can transform into anything you want.”
Li Jinyu blushed and stumbled, unable to speak.
He actually wanted to find a way for Huo Caiyu to achieve immortality.
If a day came when Huo Caiyu could understand and accept his true identity, he also wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.
He had never worried about lifespan before. However, upon discovering that the Daoist could live for so long, Li Jinyu suddenly realized something important.
Huo Caiyu was just an ordinary human.
After a hundred years, he would become a handful of yellow soil.
But he was a demon, able to slowly and gradually continue living, unless he died in a Heavenly Tribulation.
If one day Huo Caiyu died, what would he do?
It had only been a little over ten days since they parted, but Li Jinyu would yearn for Huo Caiyu at night, even knowing they would definitely meet again. But if Huo Caiyu were to leave for good…
A sudden chill enveloped Li Jinyu’s heart, as if it had been pierced by icy blades in the harsh winter.
He didn’t want to be separated from Huo Caiyu in life and death.
“Do you have any… method that can make a human not die? If you’re willing to teach me, the Di Dynasty is willing to accept you as its National Master.”
“No need, no need,” the Daoist waved his hand. “This Daoist Elder can’t leave this cauldron. He can’t just bring it along and become your National Master. Besides…”
He suddenly laughed. “Do you think achieving immortality is that easy? If it were, all the Emperors throughout history would have succeeded.”
The Emperor already held the most honorable position in the world, and if even Emperors couldn’t achieve immortality, it was even harder for ordinary people to imagine.
Li Jinyu’s emotions instantly sank.
The black cat dropped the “wood” it held in its hand onto the ground, staring with wide eyes. “If you have a solution, just say it!”
“You’re such a hot-tempered little cat!” The Daoist adjusted his position on the cauldron and lazily cleaned his ears. “If you want to be together with your beloved… there might be a way.”
Li Jinyu and the black cat’s eyes sparkled together.
………
After spending a few days at the top of the Tianta Pagoda, Li Jinyu’s inner sense became increasingly clear.
He could almost feel something malevolent rushing across the land of the Di Dynasty, converging towards Mount Yuan.
Every day, he carefully checked the firewood on the altar to ensure that the flames would ignite.
The black cat also quietly gathered spiritual power, preparing for the upcoming battle.
“It’s nearly time.”
On that day, the Daoist, who had been sleeping in the cauldron, suddenly appeared with a serious expression. “It’s time to perform the spell.”
Li Jinyu adjusted his expression and transformed into human form on the spot.
At that moment, he was the current Emperor of the Great Di, carrying the destiny of the entire dynasty.
Standing on the cold altar, Li Jinyu took a gentle breath and encouraged himself internally. He raised his head, his voice determined and unwavering:
“Zhen is the ruler of the world, the sixth Emperor of the Di Dynasty, Emperor Jingchang! Jiao Kingdom has violated our borders, shattered our national destiny. Today, Zhen vows to wield the energy of the dynasty as a sword and cleanse the world of evil!”
Just as the words fell, the Ziwei imperial aura that had been silently swirling around Li Jinyu suddenly burst open, releasing myriad rays of light!
Those rays of light directly permeated the clouds and sky, drawing on the residual energy of the Tianta Pagoda and guiding the national destiny of the Di Dynasty. In an instant, they covered the entire expanse of the Central Plains.
For a moment, Li Jinyu even had the illusion that the world was within his grasp.
However, in just an instant, he regained his clarity and knew that what he had to do had only just begun.
He closed his eyes, his consciousness following the ethereal national destiny of the Di Dynasty as it swept across the Northeastern Plains.
After days of brewing, locust plagues had already appeared throughout the Northeast.
Those locusts carried a strange malevolence, turning the Northeastern Plains into a devastated wasteland.
Fierce and dense, the locusts swarmed like a torrential downpour, leaving no place to hide. As they passed, they devoured everything in their path, be it the winter-stored crops, newly sprouted vegetables, or even the wild trees and grass by the roadside.
Gazing at the desolate farmland left behind by the devastation, Li Jinyu felt a deep sense of pain.
He redirected his attention back to the sky, sending his intentions to the divine realm.
The sky high above quickly gathered dark clouds, layer upon layer pressing down, as if it was about to storm. A cold wind blew across the Central Plains.
In areas untouched by the locust plague, the people looked at the rapidly changing sky with surprise and delight.
After such a long period of drought since the beginning of spring, was it finally going to rain?
However, despite the swirling dark clouds in the sky, not a single drop of rain fell. Instead, the wind became colder and colder.
An old man shivered and quickly went back to fetch a patched cotton jacket to put on. “It’s so cold, it feels like a return of late spring chill…”
It had already been several months, why was there suddenly a return of late spring chill?
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw a glistening snowflake slowly fall before him.
He paused for a moment, then looked up at the sky.
It was snowing.
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