Chapter 853: The General Trend

The banquet had not officially begun, and the main hall was filled with dragons from the Four Seas. After the envoys from Da Zhen had been introduced, the old dragon naturally arranged for them to rest. So, after exchanging greetings with the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas, the old dragon gave an instruction.

"Da Zhen envoys, please follow the Yakshas to your temporary resting quarters. You will be informed just before the banquet begins. Should you wish to explore the Dragon Palace, you may, but you must be accompanied by one of our Dragon Palace attendants."

"Thank you, Yinglong King!"

Yin Zhaoxian, along with his entourage, cupped their hands in thanks and then departed with the two Yakshas who had escorted them.

As the group departed, the dragons from the Four Seas in the hall began to whisper amongst themselves. A Dragon Prince, seated next to the Old Yellow Dragon, leaned in and quietly asked his father.

"Father King, why did you return his bow? Even if he is a high-ranking official, he is still merely a mortal!"

The Old Yellow Dragon watched Yin Zhaoxian and his party exit the main hall. Instead of answering his son directly, he looked towards Ying Hong, the Chilong, who was seated at the head of the assembly.

Indeed, Ying Hong began to explain at that moment.

"Did you find it surprising that I and the other Dragon Kings returned Yin Zhaoxian's bow? Truth be told, I initially held little regard for these mortals. However, I have a friend in the immortal path who can discern the principles of heaven and earth, observe the flow of yin and yang, and is adept at perceiving the great trends."

Some of the dragons from the Four Seas had already guessed whom the Old Dragon Ying Hong was referring to, while those who hadn't were listening intently. The old dragon did not elaborate further but returned directly to the main subject.

"The reason we returned Yin Zhaoxian's bow is twofold: First, it is exceedingly rare to encounter someone in a thousand years who embodies such vast Righteous Qi, clearly demonstrating his noble character. Second, we observed the formidable literary fortune upon him, with the rolling currents of human destiny ceaselessly entwined, and thousands of scholars linked to him like dazzling, interconnected stars. Therefore, our reciprocal gesture is, first, an act of respect for Yin Zhaoxian himself, and second, an acknowledgement and expression of deference to a glimpse of this immense, unfolding trend. I presume the other Dragon Kings share this sentiment?"

As the old dragon spoke, the other Dragon Kings, including the Old Yellow Dragon, all nodded in agreement.

"Indeed." "The Yinglong King speaks very truly."

"Precisely." "This old man was also quite surprised just now!"

The Old Yellow Dragon furrowed his brow in contemplation.

"But why is Yin Zhaoxian's destiny so powerfully intertwined? The Yinglong King mentioned he is destined by the Wenqu Star, initiating human literary fortune. Was it Master Ji who calculated this?"

"Indeed, it was Master Ji. Even before Yin Zhaoxian rose to prominence, Master Ji had already taken note of him. Thus, I have come to understand his life story. He has rectified literary trends, reformed officialdom, eradicated evil practices, strictly enforced laws, authored books to elucidate principles, and cultivated individuals of integrity. He has endured countless plots and persecutions, withstood immense pressure to cleanse the world of its impurities, and remained unswervingly resolute..."

"Few human officials could achieve what he has. For decades, he has been deeply beloved by the people of Da Zhen; some have even erected shrines or worshipped him in their homes. The world widely believes he is the Wenqu Star descended to earth. What began as a jest evolved into serious discourse and then firm belief. Both the court and common folk revere him, and even those in the martial arts world and among outlaws have heard of his propriety..."

The old dragon paused, then continued.

"Moreover, he is neither a cultivator nor a follower of the divine path. His aspiration for benevolent governance extends beyond Da Zhen, encompassing the entire world and wishing for the welfare of all its people. The world's admiration has entirely converged into his Righteous Qi, gradually earning him the favor of Heaven and Earth. Furthermore, from the emperor down to the common folk, all have benefited from his teachings, which, in conjunction with Da Zhen's destiny, has continuously boosted the dynasty's fortune..."

At this point, the dragons from the Four Seas were gradually sensing the extraordinary nature of the matter, but the old dragon's narrative was not yet finished.

"Then I must mention another matter. Towards the end of Emperor Hongwu's reign, he feared that the Yin clan might become uncontrollable. He intended to leverage the power of his officials to bring down Yin Zhaoxian. Being an upright man, Yin Zhaoxian faced opposition from many officials. His policies could not be implemented, his ambitions could not be realized, and the emperor turned a blind eye. Overwhelmed by rage, he fell critically ill, beyond the reach of medicine, and was on the brink of death..."

The old dragon's narration resembled a story, recounting true events from the past. Although he hadn't personally witnessed every detail, his words made the dragons from the Four Seas feel as if they were present, observing scenes from the human world over many years, and witnessing the plight and indomitable spirit of that capable human official and great scholar.

A mortal's affairs would not typically pique the interest of dragons, yet at this moment, they had unconsciously captivated the attention of all the dragons, including the Dragon Kings.

Seeing the old dragon pause at a crucial juncture, the Azure Dragon couldn't help but prompt him.

"Um, Yinglong King, what happened then?"

The old dragon squinted, gazing at the palace dome as if deep in thought.

"You all just saw Du Changsheng. What did you think of his cultivation level?"

The old dragon's sudden question seemed irrelevant, but he would never speak without purpose. Thus, the Dragon Prince beside the Old Yellow Dragon spoke up to answer.

"His cultivation is unremarkable, certainly not that of an immortal master."

The old dragon nodded.

"Back then, his cultivation was even poorer, and he joined officialdom for personal gain. While my friend found Du Changsheng rather amusing, in my humble opinion, he could hardly be considered a true orthodox immortal cultivator, yet..."

"But it was precisely such a person who managed to set up a grand formation and pull Yin Zhaoxian back from the brink of death!"

"Oh?" "Is that truly so?"

"Impossible!"

"Indeed, it seems impossible. For a figure of Yin Zhaoxian's stature, once on the verge of death, it's like a collapsing mountain. How could he possibly have held him up?"

"Could we have misjudged him? Does he truly possess some marvelous art?"

"Dare I ask, Yinglong King, what kind of grand formation was that, capable of reversing the fate of someone of Yin Zhaoxian's significance?"

The old dragon smiled, picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and scanned the dragons in the hall.

"Heh heh, of course, he possessed no marvelous art. Or rather, the Du Changsheng of that time simply didn't know his own limitations, foolishly believing he could save someone with his clumsy formation."

The dragons present exchanged glances. The more the Yinglong King spoke, the greater the suspense. Already curious, they now felt like ordinary people engrossed in a drama, eager to uncover the truth.

"Please elaborate, Yinglong King." "Yes, Yinglong King, don't keep us in suspense!"

Truth be told, the old dragon found it quite enjoyable to keep them in suspense, but he couldn't prolong it indefinitely. He set down his wine cup, shook his head with a smile, and continued.

"Unlike his father, Emperor Yuande, Emperor Hongwu wasn't overly concerned with matters of ghosts and gods. However, Yin Zhaoxian was, after all, a capable minister who had served the state with great benefit. Out of past affection, and despite not wanting the Yin family to grow too powerful, he also did not wish to see Yin Zhaoxian perish. Thus, he summoned Du Changsheng, who at the time was merely a Celestial Master, to inquire if this individual, who at most had just embarked on the path of immortal cultivation, had any means to save him..."

"During this time, perhaps due to something Du Changsheng said, coupled with the Crown Prince's profound respect for Yin Zhaoxian, Emperor Hongwu, Yang Hao, became deeply remorseful about the situation concerning Yin Zhaoxian."

"Primarily for his own fame and gain, but also genuinely respecting Yin Zhaoxian, Du Changsheng decided to make an attempt. He volunteered to set up a grand formation to save him, heh."

"Did he succeed, then?"

The old dragon glanced at the woman who spoke and smiled.

"If he hadn't, would Yin Zhaoxian still be standing here? Du Changsheng's grand formation was, in fact, quite clumsy. He'd learned it from who knows where, and its arrangement was so fragmented it could only deceive laymen. He was initially full of confidence, believing that by activating the formation, he could bring about Yin Zhaoxian's recovery. But at the crucial moment, Du Changsheng finally realized the gravity of the situation; he couldn't even activate the formation..."

"Heh heh, at that point, Du Changsheng was in serious trouble. Failing to save Yin Zhaoxian, the emperor's wrath would be secondary; he would bear a portion of the karma from Yin Zhaoxian's death, which could utterly ruin his cultivation path. He pleaded to heaven and earth. As fate would have it, my friend had some prior connection with Du Changsheng. The latter thought of my friend at that moment and continuously prayed within the formation, finally borrowing a portion of their magical power to activate the formation."

At this point, the old dragon's expression turned serious.

"Originally, even if the formation could be activated, it would have been impossible to save Yin Zhaoxian. However, all the common people of Da Zhen knew Yin Zhaoxian was dying, and countless commoners constantly prayed for a miracle. The marvel was that when the formation drew upon the power of the celestial stars, it unexpectedly drew upon the collective strength of the people to assist. The Righteous Qi mingled with the power of the celestial stars, causing the Wenqu Star in the sky to shine brilliantly..."

"That night, everyone in the capital region could see the brilliant river of stars descending from the heavens. After that night, Yin Zhaoxian was reborn. He then established new administrative decrees, which have been implemented to this day. Da Zhen's fortune also surged once more, and the integrity of its scholars and the demeanor of its officialdom became unrivaled in Yunzhou – no, unrivaled among all human lands. Du Changsheng, leveraging this achievement, was also conferred the title of Imperial Tutor, and his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds."

After the old dragon finished speaking, he raised his wine cup and drained it. The dragons from the Four Seas in the hall were all deep in thought.

"So that's how it is..." "It seems Heaven and Earth themselves lent their aid!"

"Yes, Heaven and Earth aided, giving rise to literary fortune..."

In the cultivation world, that star is actually known only as Tianquan. The term "Wenqu Star" is predominantly popular among mortals in the human world, yet at this moment, none of the dragons in the hall disregarded it.

"For such a figure to come to our Dragon Palace to offer congratulations and perform such a grand gesture of respect to us, does he not deserve a reciprocal gesture?"

Dragons can sometimes be quite straightforward. Hearing the old dragon ask again, the dragons from the Four Seas no longer felt anything amiss. In fact, after hearing the entire story, some dragons felt that even if Yin Zhaoxian wasn't destined by the Wenqu Star, there was nothing wrong with the Dragon Kings returning his bow.

"Some time ago, it seemed the light of the Tiankaiyang star was also unusual!"

It was an old Jiao from the South Sea who spoke. These words caused the other dragons to pause slightly. Normally, unusual light from the Kaiyang star would not be significant, but mentioned at this moment, it held extraordinary meaning, for Kaiyang is also known as the Wuqu Star among humans.

"If that is truly the case..."

The old dragon Ying Hong paused mid-sentence, then looked at the dragons in the hall.

"Everyone, I believe the Da Zhen envoy delegation should occupy a prominent place at this banquet in the main hall, don't you agree?"

The Dragon Kings exchanged glances, then nodded in succession.

"For Yin Zhaoxian alone, it should be so." "Precisely!"

"This is the Yinglong King's Tongtian River. You and Queen Ying may decide as you see fit."

"Indeed, the Yinglong King and Queen Ying may decide."

The old dragon smiled, thinking to himself, "If I had suggested this from the very beginning, wouldn't you all have caused an uproar?"