Boom! Just as Zhou Sheng finished speaking, at the same time, as if a pair of eyes as dazzling and scorching as the sun also descended upon this vast land.
"They're here!" Zhou Sheng looked up. He had naturally concealed his tracks to enter the Sheng Baolu Academy, but such methods were mere trifles before a Heavenly Heart realm cultivator. Moreover, he himself had not yet reached the Immortal level and could not offer much help in this battle.
"It's all your fault!" Zhou Sheng suddenly complained to Ji Xiang!
He had originally accepted a mission and was about to find an opportunity to kill the Thunder King. After all, the Thunder King was always accompanied by the Buddha Ghost, and he himself was the leader of the entire Southern Sea Dharma Sect. His strength was immense, ranking among the Pure Yang, and he had millions of people praying for him day and night. Therefore, finding a good opportunity was crucial to killing him. As a result, Ji Xiang's ascension to immortality had terrified these people from the Southern Sea, and they had all desperately gathered together to force their way to ascension by borrowing his momentum.
Listening to Zhou Sheng's words, Ji Xiang naturally retorted, "These people are fearful in their hearts, so they naturally borrow my momentum to ascend and seek the power to resist. If you are incompetent, you should ask yourself."
Zhou Sheng shook his head repeatedly, but there was no time for the two of them to bicker.
Those eyes scanned the human world, searching for Ji Xiang's whereabouts. The Great Sun Tathagata was incredibly arrogant, actually using his mighty power here. Ji Xiang could not help but ask Zhou Sheng:
"Speaking of which, aren't there rules among the Heavenly Hearts? The Great Sun Tathagata is so presumptuous; has he truly come in person... this violates the rules of the Inner Mountains and Rivers, doesn't it?"
Zhou Sheng said, "That's under normal circumstances. Last time you almost killed an Equal Awakening Bodhisattva, wouldn't Buddhism be wary of you? The Huiji Vajra is not a great power supporting you. On what basis do you think he, or the other three, will abide by the agreement?"
"Of course, I'm just saying that they all have their own intentions. Regarding the Great Sun Tathagata descending to the mortal realm, although the Inner Mountains and Rivers have established the 'Thunder Sound Covenant,' which is a treaty signed by the major sects under pressure from the Great Thunder Sound Temple to prevent a certain Buddha Emperor from emerging and sensing the Heavenly Dao, but..."
"Esoteric Buddhism does not belong to the Thunder Sound."
"Also, my Palace Lord told me that the Great Sun Tathagata has already performed an 'inversion of karma' in the Southern Sea region. He has changed the future here once. What do you guess he changed?"
Ji Xiang remained silent.
The future vision had already provided him with the answer.
It seemed that someone was also helping the Great Sun Tathagata conceal his actions on this trip.
Is it Huiji Vajra again?
"Hmm... black energy transforming into form... I never knew that kind of thing could turn into living people or divine beings."
Donghua Fairy stared at Zhou Sheng, looking at the floating black energy, and felt an extremely ominous aura emanating from Zhou Sheng's existence.
Zhou Sheng chuckled, "You don't feel right either. You don't seem to be from this era, do you?"
"Flying celestial being, this is not the path of cultivation in this era."
The aura around Donghua Fairy became dangerous, but she did not continue the conversation, because at this moment, that terrifying fluctuation swept over here.
"Transform."
Zhou Sheng's concealment technique could not withstand the Heavenly Heart's search. Donghua Fairy then touched each of them, and instantly their auras became ordinary, like mortals, although their appearances remained unchanged.
The Great Sun Tathagata's sensing power swept over this place, finding nothing. Not only that, but it also triggered the counterattack of the angels. Thus, the mental power seemed unwilling to cause further trouble and quickly moved away.
"What is this?"
Zhou Sheng was astonished. Donghua Fairy then mocked him:
"Don't underestimate ancient immortals. Ancient methods are difficult to cultivate, but modern methods may not be as powerful as ancient ones."
This was precisely the spell from the "Records of the Three Summers"! It was one of the "Nine Forms of Scenery Transformation"!
"Changing one's aura, everything in heaven and earth is formed from the Nine Energies, which originate from the Three Energies. With a slight change, one can deceive heaven and cross the sea, becoming an ordinary person, a hundred beasts and winged insects, or sand, stones, grass, and pebbles."
Ji Xiang's gaze shifted, "Heavenly Nine Energies?"
"Hmm? That's a Penglai immortal technique." Donghua Fairy glanced at Ji Xiang and added, "However, the Nine Forms of Scenery Transformation cannot change one's appearance. It is not a transformation technique in the strict sense, but only one aspect of the Dao of Transformation."
"Moreover, it is only a basic application of the Nine Energies. I have only had the Records of the Three Summers for a few days, and I have just learned it."
Zhou Sheng couldn't help but look at Donghua Fairy again and said to Ji Xiang, "The ancient immortals you've brought about are truly becoming more and more numerous."
"People from the Han Dynasty are about to revive. It seems that something big is really going to happen in this world. Previously, the Thunder Sound Covenant sealed the Buddha Emperors. I now understand that it wasn't that the great masters of other sects were being overly cautious, but that something extraordinary was indeed going to happen."
Ji Xiang: "Buddha Emperor?"
Zhou Sheng: "Emperor Huan of Han."
Ji Xiang was startled at this moment, thinking of the divine platform left by Emperor Wu of Han. At this moment, Donghua Fairy's gaze also trembled. What she thought of was the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao in the True Spirit Register.
...
A large number of Ming Dynasty naval warships surrounded the port. The Portuguese and Dutch, along with their crews and sailors, were hiding in large numbers in the ship's cabins, each in their designated positions, their hearts pounding in their chests.
A battle could erupt at any moment, and the Ming Dynasty fleet, under the guise of searching for contraband, began to gradually dock, dividing the Portuguese warships into sections.
"This is Haojing'ao. You probably don't have the right to search Portuguese cargo here."
Among the people sent by the East India Company, there were naturally skilled negotiators, and there was no need for missionaries to step forward. The high-ranking official responsible for communication stated that they had been renting Haojing'ao for a long time. Although they had established unique laws here, they had also obtained the permission of the Guangdong Provincial Administration Commissioner, which was the official recognition of the laws of this land.
Furthermore, they had long paid land rent to the Ming Dynasty and assisted the Ming Dynasty in casting cannons at the foundry. This was because the Ming government had demanded that they act as agents, otherwise, they would threaten to increase the rent. Since they were completely obedient to the Ming Dynasty's work, they hoped that the Ming Dynasty would also respect their laws and private property rights here.
"You bribed officials here before and privately sold large cannons to Japanese pirates and bandits, and built fortifications and castles here. These matters have long been exposed. Saying that your ship has contraband is also based on an investigation."
The naval commander warned the East India Company official. The official replied, "Yes! But we have come from Luzon precisely to resolve these matters. Firstly, we fully respect your country's sovereign rights, and now the Bugalou foundry has been forcibly controlled and acquired by your country. This is not in accordance with the usual procedures. Even if we privately sold cannons, it should have been handled by the East India Company. Your country does not have control over the Bugalou foundry."
"As for the matter of searching for contraband, if your country denies the legality and seriousness of the regulations based solely on the fact that officials previously accepted bribes, I believe it is inappropriate."
"According to the laws here, such searches should be carried out by the 'Yimu,' the chairman of the Municipal Council, supervised by officials from the Guangdong Provincial Administration Commissioner's Office. After the inspection is completed, it will then be the turn of your excellencies from other provinces to conduct spot checks."
The naval commander accused, "What seriousness and legality can there be in regulations established through bribery? Stop spouting nonsense. Your Municipal Council is completely illegal. Which is greater, the law of Guangdong or the law of the Ming Dynasty? I recall that even if there is a Municipal Council, it does not mean you have 'extraterritorial jurisdiction'! Understand whose land you are on!"
Neither side yielded. Sweat began to bead on the official's forehead. The Guangdong Provincial Administration Commissioner he was waiting for had not arrived. The naval commander smiled and said, "I know who you are waiting for, but unfortunately, he should be invited to a meal right now."
"A meal in prison."
The East India Company official frowned. At this moment, a blue-robed missionary stepped forward. His eyes were clear, like a water mirror, encompassing all the people here, the vast sea, and countless ships.
"Let them inspect."
The blue-robed missionary smiled. The naval commander saw that the official dared not say anything, so he called out and began to dispatch people to inspect the East India Company's Portuguese and Dutch fleets.
"Reverend Father?"
The official looked troubled, wondering if they were going to annihilate the Ming Dynasty's navy here, which would be equivalent to declaring war. It was too much of a grand gesture.
"Don't worry." The blue-robed missionary said softly, "They won't find anything."
"And they won't remember anything."
"Because everything they see is what I want them to see."
"Everything is within my sight."
"Everything we do here will be acknowledged by them, because this is the righteous cause that the Lord has commanded us to undertake and must be accomplished."
"And now, you will handle the subsequent matters, and I must also go and pursue my own cause." Chapter 460 The Eye of God