Chapter 157: The Imperial Edict of Great Ming

Yunmeng Mountain, halfway up the peak.

"Everyone, follow this path up the mountain, and it will lead you straight to the summit."

Master Yichuan stood by the mountain trail, his old face blushing crimson, and he especially did not dare to meet the gaze of the Crown Prince of Ming.

According to the rules of the Guigu lineage, disciples must stop halfway up the mountain, and his task as the guide was now complete.

"Hmph!"

The Crown Prince of Ming passed by him with a cold snort.

For now, the Great Ming still had a chance, and out of respect for Guigu, the Crown Prince chose not to bicker with Yichuan.

"Lord Jin, be careful. The secret formation at the summit is likely extraordinary," Yan Yuan reminded.

"Mhm."

Fan Li nodded noncommittally.

Compared to the secret formation at the summit, Guigu's behavior just now aroused his curiosity even more.

As he climbed, Fan Li pondered: Why was Guigu's attitude so enthusiastic?

He was originally a reclusive sage; could it be that he had a change of heart and was eager to re-enter the mortal world?

"Hey! What are you thinking about?"

Along the way, Lu Fubao's entire attention was focused on Fan Li.

Seeing him deep in thought, she couldn't help asking.

"Is it possible..." Fan Li said in a low voice, "that Guigu is dying to leave Yunmeng Mountain?"

"How is that possible?" Lu Fubao shook her head without hesitation. "He is an otherworldly sage, how could he possibly care for worldly power?"

"Yet, he acted very enthusiastically just now, didn't he?"

Hearing Fan Li put it this way, Lu Fubao fell silent as well.

"It seems..."

"It appears..."

"A little bit...???"

"No!"

Remembering something, Lu Fubao shook her head firmly.

"Yunmeng Mountain is Guigu's Dao domain, not a prison. If he wanted to leave, he could just walk out himself. Why would he sit at the summit putting on airs?"

"Given the status of the Guigu lineage in Confucianism, which dynasty under the heavens wouldn't want to recruit him?"

With that said, Lu Fubao looked at Fan Li in triumph.

Fan Li, however, wore a peculiar expression: "Say what you just said again!"

"Huh?" Lu Fubao felt a pang of guilt. "Did I say something wrong? Don't be angry."

"I'm not angry, but you just mentioned a 'prison'?"

Fan Li was somewhat excited, struggling to keep his voice down.

"Is it possible that Yunmeng Mountain is Guigu's prison? He wants to leave, but lacks the power to do so by himself?"

Fan Li's conjecture failed to win Lu Fubao's approval.

"How could that be? Everyone knows Yunmeng Mountain is Guigu's magical artifact domain. Where in the world is there a logic where someone traps themselves with their own artifact?"

In her view, Fan Li's guess completely defied common sense.

Fan Li knew this as well.

Yet, he always felt something was amiss.

He seemed to be drawing closer to the truth...

The two stopped talking and quietly focused on climbing the mountain.

After an unknown passage of time, Fan Li suddenly raised his head sharply!

"I've heard that ever since the founding ancestor of the Guigu lineage rejected the recruitment requests of the Three Dynasties' founding emperors and was forced to ascend to the immortal realm, successive heirs have remained steadfastly on Yunmeng Mountain. Even when taking in disciples and imparting teachings, they have never left?"

"That's right," Lu Fubao smiled. "That's why everyone says Guigu is the most mysterious Confucian cultivator in the world."

Fan Li's expression shifted repeatedly.

Mysterious, because he had not shown himself to the mortal world for a long time.

The Guigu lineage had a heritage spanning over a millennium, but what if, for a thousand years, Guigu had never once left Yunmeng Mountain?

Or perhaps, he couldn't even leave the mountain summit?

Fan Li quickened his pace, coming to Zhuge Liang's side.

"May I ask, which generation of Guigu is this current one?" Fan Li asked in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Liang was momentarily stunned, then shook his head and said, "Forgive me, Lord Jin, but our honored master only imparts knowledge and has never discussed personal matters with us disciples."

"Ah?!"

Fearing that Fan Li wouldn't believe him, Zhuge Liang continued to explain.

"My honored master's method of taking in disciples is quite peculiar."

"Everyone knows that the Guigu lineage is proficient in the arts of the Hundred Schools of Thought, but when taking disciples, he only teaches the Dao of Confucianism."

"Our honored master once said that the Dao of Confucianism is flourishing, and those who enter the imperial court should be primarily Confucian cultivators."

"Furthermore, the honored master demanded that once our cultivation in Confucianism achieves success, we must immediately leave Yunmeng Mountain and enter the mortal world to seek service under a dynasty."

"According to the master, he wishes to use the hands of his disciples to let all the emperors of the world know the great name of Guigu."

Disciples making a name for their teacher?

The more Fan Li listened, the more confused he became.

Guigu was a recluse, yet a recluse who wanted to make a name for himself?

And what after making a name for himself?

The result Fan Li witnessed was that the five states of Chu, Ming, Wei, Han, Wu, along with the Brahma Sound Pure Land, all rushed eagerly to Yunmeng Mountain, each trying to recruit Guigu.

Could all of this be within Guigu's calculations?

Fan Li smiled bitterly.

As a transmigrator, his understanding of recluses like Guigu was simply too shallow.

He couldn't see through it, nor could he figure it out.

Perhaps only after meeting Guigu would he find the answer.

Inside Yunmeng Mountain, the journey had been one of dense, lush forests and greenery.

However, as the group approached the summit, the scenery changed completely.

"Are we still on Yunmeng Mountain?" Lu Fubao couldn't help asking.

The verdant mountain forests had vanished.

There were no floral fragrances, no birdsong, no mountain streams.

She looked up into the distance; along this final stretch of the path to the summit, apart from bare rock, not even a withered blade of grass could be seen.

"Heh? Scared? If you're scared, turn back now!" The Crown Prince of Ming sneered repeatedly.

His mood was exceptionally foul.

Mount Wanshou had dealt him a defeat, and he was now anxious to regain his lost face.

"Master, no matter what, we must break this formation first. This crown prince wants to be the first to see Guigu and invite him into the Great Ming!" Wanli said to Zhang Juzheng beside him.

Zhang Juzheng tucked his hands into his sleeves, stroked a certain item hidden within, and nodded with a solemn expression.

"Your Highness, rest assured. Our Great Ming is the strongest in the world. When the world is unified, it shall belong to Great Ming alone."

"Hearing Guigu's voice transmission just now, he clearly intends to enter the mortal world."

"Great Ming is precisely his best destination."

Finally.

The group finished the mountain path, yet they had not reached the summit of Yunmeng Mountain.

A barrier stood squarely between them and the peak.

The distance remaining was only about a hundred meters.

The barrier flickered in three chaotic, intertwined colors. Through the barrier, Fan Li could dimly make out a figure in black robes, sitting alone in a pavilion at the summit.

The black-robed figure wore a ghost mask, obscuring his facial features.

Yet everyone understood that this person must undoubtedly be Guigu!

"Disciple pays respects to Master, wishing Master boundless immortal longevity."

Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu, and Guo Jia suddenly dropped to their knees simultaneously, performing three kowtows and nine prostrations.

Their actions further verified the identity of the masked man in black.

The Crown Prince of Ming felt a deep sense of envy.

This was such a golden opportunity to curry favor!

If Zhang Juzheng could kowtow a few times on his behalf, how wonderful would that be?

Regrettably, without a legitimate standing or title, kneeling and kowtowing to someone out of nowhere would only cause him to lose face.

"Does Master have a way?" the Crown Prince asked in a low voice.

"Your Highness, be at ease."

As Zhang Juzheng spoke, he shook his robe sleeves and began to straighten his attire and crown.

This series of actions immediately caught Fan Li's attention.

"This fellow is about to pull a stunt!" Fan Li thought to himself.

Sure enough.

He saw Zhang Juzheng retrieve an item from his sleeve—it turned out to be a scroll made of bright yellow silk damask.

An imperial edict?!

Fan Li felt a bad premonition.

Zhang Juzheng unfurled the imperial edict, and instantly, an aura of a dragon soared into the sky, accompanied by a resounding dragon roar.

"By the grace of Heaven and the mandate of the Emperor, the ruler decrees:"

"We have heard that within Yunmeng Mountain resides a grand sage, Guigu, whose learning penetrates heaven and man, skilled in imparting teachings with disciples spanning the empire—truly a merit of moral transformation."

"With this edict, we invite the sage to enter the court."

"Appointed as Grand Tutor, Grand Academician of the Hall of Extending Prominence, concurrently serving as Minister of Rites, entering the Grand Secretariat, holding the first rank..."

Fan Li's eyelids twitched violently!

Good grief!

Zhang Juzheng's opening move was a nuclear option—an autographed imperial edict from the Jiajing Emperor?!