"Yes, I know."
Nurhaci replied, carelessly:
"We need to hurry to Shuntian, no dawdling here."
In last night's dream, those divine beings had urged him again.
They said that the prestige of the Great Ming had a gaping hole that could not be mended, and it had just experienced a great upheaval.
They said that if he wanted to obtain a portion of the national prestige, now was the best time.
As a second-rank Dragon Tiger General of the Ming court, obtaining the prestige of the Great Ming and filling that void with Jianzhou Guard, was this not reasonable?
They had already told him the method of mending the heavens, and of course, they also told him to be careful, for within Shuntian, there were two immortals beyond the human realm.
From the moment he left Liaodong and entered Shanhaiguan, many words had to be carefully kept to himself, not to be spoken carelessly. Before becoming a great figure, he had to act like a small one.
Nurhaci was greatly shocked and even more yearning when he heard of such immortal Dao power beyond the human realm. He also greatly agreed with the admonitions of the powerful beings in the Inner Rivers and Mountains.
However, Nurhaci was even more interested in one thing, and that was the so-called "Taiyin Tribulation Fire" that had destroyed the prestige of the Great Ming.
Shurhaci was still muttering behind him:
"Don't be deceived by demons or anything like that. When you return from Shuntian, you should let the great shamans of the clan or Old Lady Bai take a good look at you."
.........
In a dilapidated temple in a certain mountain wilderness, wisps of fire condensed, illuminating the dark small temple with a brilliant light.
Countless wishes converged here.
Inside the temple, many people knelt on the ground, praying to the temple. They were followers of the Yellow Heaven Cult, who had found a female corpse from somewhere.
The flames suddenly grew larger, and countless wishes rolled up the flames, injecting them into the female corpse's body. Soon, with a muffled groan, her appearance changed, becoming very beautiful, exactly like the appearance of the Fire Lord.
The Fire Lord was resurrected, just as Qian Guang had said. Wishes could bring people back to life, but a new body was needed. It was somewhat like returning to life in a borrowed corpse, but more like parasitism, which was similar to an Yin spirit possessing a body.
However, although she had come back to life, and the believers were excitedly worshiping, the Fire Lord's expression turned grim.
"Where is my tribulation fire? My tribulation fire is gone!"
The Taiyin Tribulation Fire had disappeared.
This was something she had obtained after countless hardships from the Inner Rivers and Mountains. She could never go back!
It was not on her, nor had it been taken by Ji Xiang, but the Fire Lord now believed that Ji Xiang must have stolen her flames.
She felt anger, but she could no longer enter the Forbidden City to cause trouble. All her arrangements had failed. She could only hang her head in dejection, while simultaneously uttering the most venomous curses against Ji Xiang.
But just before the dawn, her surroundings changed.
A void dharma realm appeared. The Fire Lord looked up and saw several illusory forms and spirits, also condensed from wishes, speaking to her from above:
"Do you want to understand the meaning of life?"
"Life and death, where do wishes come from? Do you want to know who is manipulating you? Do you want to know who the person you fought with was?"
"Losing to him is not shameful. He is actually a master of the Ascension Realm, merely recently resurrected."
The Fire Lord was stunned. A great fear suddenly arose in her heart.
That young Taoist priest was actually an old monster, resurrected in a borrowed body, a master of Ascension?!
And then, these forms and spirits in the dharma realm began to throw out their olive branches:
"Do you want to obtain true powerful strength? This strength is enough to fulfill your wishes. Is your wish not to change this corrupt Great Ming world, to change this world of sun and moon into the religion of Yellow Heaven?"
"For example... the characteristics of the Great Dao!"
"Or... the true Taiyin Tribulation Fire!"
The Fire Lord took a deep breath and calmed her mind. She had been to the Inner Rivers and Mountains before. Although it was not for long, and the location where she appeared was a remote area, she could still feel that these forms and spirits appearing before her had the aura of the Inner Rivers and Mountains.
"Are you people from the Inner Rivers and Mountains?"
"What are the characteristics of the Great Dao?"
Those dharma realm forms and spirits told her that the characteristics of the Great Dao must be obtained through close contact with a Great Dao. Most cultivators of the Outer Rivers and Mountains would obtain these characteristics. The characteristics of the Great Dao were random, like seeds, and might, in some people, give rise to a complete Great Dao.
Those who possessed the characteristics of the Great Dao would have a stronger comprehension of the Dao and a more powerful application of their techniques than other cultivators.
Of course, the people of the Inner Rivers and Mountains had also intentionally cultivated inheritors of the Great Dao.
"The Taiyin Tribulation Fire you obtained is merely the remnant of the ancient tribulation fire, a rootless fire. Once you die, this flame will immediately dissipate, leaving nothing behind."
"You can help us, and we can help you, help you obtain the divine position of 'Fire Seed Mother,' so that the Taiyin Tribulation Fire can take root in the Outer Rivers and Mountains, just like in the past, during the Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen dynasties."
At this point, the Fire Lord understood the whole story. She couldn't help but want to laugh, her expression contorted, her voice filled with painful self-mockery.
"How many people in this world are being manipulated by you?"
The voice of the people of the Dharma family was grand and distant:
"Many, and they are all striving to realize their ideals. Don't you want to realize your wish, don't you want to... kill the person who obstructed you?"
————
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Shuntian Prefecture, which had just experienced turmoil, was full of ruins and in urgent need of repair.
Old Zhang conducted a thorough inspection of all the civil and military officials.
Including Old Xu, who was carried out of the East Peak Temple.
Old Xu had almost sacrificed himself for the country. When he came out, his spirit was a bit off. Old Zhang provided him with psychological counseling. Old Xu saw Old Zhang as if he were his own father, holding Old Zhang's hand and shedding tears.
Death was not frightening. If one could die gloriously, it would be a beautiful story of leaving one's name in history and being remembered for eternity.
What was frightening was dying ridiculously, and that would be the end.
As for Emperor Wanli, it unexpectedly stirred up a small storm within Shuntian.
The court officials exclaimed with great satisfaction... no, with great outrage!
It was too much. To torment our Emperor like this every day, our Emperor would soon be changing careers to become a novelist.
"So the Shuntian rebellion also involved the previous dynasty?"
"Why does it sound like those novels from the common folk?"
"Everyone, you don't know. Once bitten by a snake, you fear a well rope for ten years. I think it was the Fire Lord's assassination that made His Majesty mentally disoriented."
Something happened again at the fourth watch?
Emperor Wanli, in his battle with ghosts and monsters...
He won!
He defeated it with a single move!
After all, the sword he was holding was indeed a genuine divine weapon!
Therefore, many ministers began to spread rumors in private, saying... it was a pity that Emperor Wanli did not publish books!
Such improper words naturally met with opposition from another group of serious civil officials, as the Emperor's main job was to govern the country, and writing novels was a dereliction of duty!
Writing novels, could the things in novels become real!