Chapter 51

The sword rides the wind, dispelling demons across the land!

Chen Ang stood on a silver disc, soaring above the nine heavens. His wide sleeves fluttered in the wind, and his expression was indifferent. Dressed in a feather robe and a star crown, he exuded an aura of a celestial being. If ordinary people saw him, they would surely mistake him for a heavenly being. In terms of deception, no one in this world could match Chen Ang.

There was not even a possibility of exposing him.

Psychology, hypnosis, soul transfer, and the Force persuasion—when it came to manipulating hearts and minds, Chen Ang was a natural-born cult leader. If he were to found a religion, he would surely achieve great things, perhaps even change the world and proclaim himself a deity.

Unfortunately, means are not the end. Chen Ang might use these methods to achieve his goals, but he would never be willing to make such foolish endeavors his lifelong pursuit.

However, sometimes using these small tricks could shorten the time it took to reach his goals. Chen Ang was not foolish enough to abandon them, so today he dressed up to deceive a person crucial to his plan.

Kaifeng was more prosperous than any other place. Even from ten thousand feet in the air, one could clearly see the heart of the Song Empire, the most flourishing dynasty in this world. It was rich, beautiful, and radiant, far surpassing other countries of the same period, making the Song Empire seem like a paradise.

Unfortunately, this prosperity would soon be destroyed by war. It was now the first year of Emperor Zhezong's Shaoxing era, and he had only six years left to live. The humiliation of the Jingkang Incident was just thirty years away. At that time, Kaifeng would fall into war, but for now, it was bustling with market life.

This was the only city in the world that never slept. The thriving commerce kept Kaifeng lively even at night. Emperor Zhezong sat at his desk in the book pavilion, red pen in hand, reviewing a scroll of the "Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government." Suddenly, he heard a commotion outside.

"What is it?" he frowned and asked.

An attendant quietly went to open the door, peeked out, and was stunned. Zhezong, puzzled, got up to see for himself. Suddenly, the door opened silently, and the attendant crawled to Zhezong's feet, trembling and prostrating himself. "Your Majesty, it's a celestial being, a celestial being!"

"Nonsense!" Zhezong rebuked, sweeping his sleeve and walking out. He wanted to see who was playing tricks.

Despite some mental preparation, when he saw Chen Ang, he could not help but feel a sense of reverence. Chen Ang, dressed in a feather robe and star crown, hovered high in the sky, like a celestial being from the moon, staring directly at him. Zhezong hesitated; though he did not usually believe in ghosts and spirits, the presence of a celestial being made him respectful.

"Does the Immortal wish to impart wisdom to me?" Although still somewhat skeptical, Chen Ang's ability to enter the palace showed that his life was in someone else's hands. Chen Ang did not seem like an assassin or a madman, so Zhezong could accept a show of respect.

Chen Ang smiled slightly. "Do you not believe me? But you must believe your eyes. Even if you do not trust your eyes, you should trust your judgment. Follow me!"

With the flash of the silver disc, Zhezong's body floated up involuntarily, standing firmly on the disc as it was pulled by a gravitational beam. Zhezong calmed down, thinking that no fraudster could pull off such a grand trick. He did not believe anyone could deceive him.

"Where there is a moon, there must be wine!" Chen Ang laughed, waving his sleeve to gather a cloud, suspending both of them above it. An invisible hand held a wine cup to Zhezong, who, with a flicker in his eyes, picked it up thoughtfully.

"Where there is wine, there must be music and dance!" Chen Ang clapped his hands, and a rainbow of light appeared in the sky. Several graceful dancers swayed on the clouds, dancing and singing like celestial beings, captivating even a human emperor like Zhezong.

"The Immortal's magic truly broadens my horizons!" Zhezong, despite his imperial dignity, quickly concealed his shock, though his eyes betrayed his amazement.

"These are mere trifles!" Chen Ang waved his hand, dispelling the illusions, and asked seriously, "Do you wish to live forever?"

This question was shocking, making Zhezong's hand holding the wine cup pause, spilling the liquid.

Eternal life—emperors like Qin Shi Huang, Han Wudi, and Tang Taizong were obsessed with it. How much more so for a mediocre ruler like Zhezong, whose health had been declining since his ascension? He yearned for longevity and health, let alone eternal life.

"Immortal... Immortal, do you have the elixir of immortality?" Zhezong's eyes showed excitement and tension.

"Ha! If I had the elixir of immortality, I would be enjoying it myself. Why would I come to see you!" Chen Ang said bluntly. "I myself am not immortal, so what can I give you?"

"Why do you speak falsely, Immortal? I am willing to offer the treasures of the imperial treasury in exchange for immortality." Zhezong's breathing was unsteady, and he spoke urgently, even offering his treasures without Chen Ang's prompting. A typical fraudster would have taken this opportunity to gain Zhezong's trust and plan the next move.

But Chen Ang was no ordinary fraudster. He laughed coldly and pointed to the mountains and rivers below. "Apart from these vast lands, what else do you have to buy immortality? Don't show me those gold, jade, and pearls."

"Immortal, you must have a purpose. What do you seek?" Mentioning the Song Empire, Zhezong temporarily regained his composure. After some thought, he concluded that Chen Ang had a request, otherwise, he would not have gone to such lengths to meet the emperor.

"I seek immortality, can you give it to me?" Chen Ang smiled. "It's not wrong to say I have a request. I want to borrow a ladder, a ladder to immortality."

"What kind of ladder? Please be clear. If I can help, I will." Zhezong asked, hoping for a request for power or wealth, but Chen Ang's request was not simple.

"I want the emperor to grant me exclusive authority over the martial arts world!" Chen Ang's bold request shocked Zhezong, who stood up, ready to refuse. Suddenly, he had a thought:

Martial arts matters do not affect the state. Even if I let him control the martial arts world, it would not be as harmful as losing military power. I have heard that martial artists are arrogant and disobedient, perhaps I can use this to my advantage.

The more Zhezong thought, the more he found it reasonable. He felt invigorated, his mind sharp, and quickly thought of dozens of ways to balance Chen Ang's power. He did not realize these were hints from Chen Ang, thinking instead that he was a wise ruler capable of controlling a celestial being.

"I govern the empire with the scholars. There is no absolute power. The two parties are in conflict, and even if I propose something, I am powerless." Zhezong sighed, thinking of the reality.

"That's not a problem. I have heard that the emperor has the ambition to pacify the world. Because of the Western Xia king's aggression, the empire is in conflict. If the emperor can pacify Western Xia, the power of a conquered nation will help you control the situation." Chen Ang pulled out two silver pellets, about the size of a thumb, crystal clear.

These were two triphasic infrasound bombs, a disabling weapon Chen Ang brought from the stars.

"I have two Taibei Silent Thunderbolts that can destroy everything within a few miles without harming the grass and trees. I also have a book called 'Gongshu Secret Record' with dozens of secret techniques for ironmaking, mining, smelting, salt production, farming, and machinery, which can assist the emperor."

Zhezong took a deep breath, holding the two 'thunderbolts' in his hands, his heart racing. He saw Chen Ang produce a small jade box and hand it to him. Inside were two blood-red pills, the scent of which made Zhezong's mouth water. He resisted the urge and looked up at Chen Ang.

"These are two longevity pills that can extend life and prevent aging. If the emperor does not believe me, you can try them." Chen Ang waved his sleeve, leaving the two pills in Zhezong's hands.

Zhezong felt a blur and found himself on the ground, surrounded by attendants.

"Send for the imperial physician to my palace!" Zhezong ordered. Soon, an old man with white hair was brought before him. The old physician picked up a red pill, sniffed it, and said, "This is a pill for health and longevity, but one of the main ingredients is unknown, so I cannot be certain."

"Understood! You may go!" Zhezong's expression was unclear. He hurried into a secret room, and the attendants outside could only hear his muffled groans. After a long while, it became quiet. The attendants, waiting nervously outside, heard Zhezong's voice.

"Bring someone to draft an edict!" A younger-looking Zhezong emerged from the secret room, his face rosy and his body rejuvenated. "Draft an edict: the imperial guard commander shall select brave and loyal warriors to serve as my palace guards, known as the Palace Guard, divided into the Dragon and Tiger divisions, led by the commander."

"Summon the deputy chief of the Military Council to see me!"

Three days later, a huge uproar erupted in the court. Despite the ministers' objections, Zhezong appointed an unknown person to lead the palace guards and the deputy chief of the Military Council to lead the northwest border army, provoking Western Xia.