lcionline Chapter 224 The Four Heavenly Kings stepped forward to receive their titles!
Chapter 224 The Four Heavenly Kings stepped forward to receive their titles!
The next day.
The atmosphere in the Golden Palace was not relaxed during the morning court session.
This is all because the Great Qian Dynasty has issued a declaration of war and its army has pressed to the border, demanding an explanation from the Great Xia Dynasty.
The Imperial Preceptor, Chu Lengyu, has been missing for over a month, causing unrest in the court.
The military officer stepped forward, his voice booming, and said, "Your Majesty, the Great Qian Dynasty has now increased its troops to 200,000. The defense line of Yongzhou is under strain. Should we send Liangzhou to provide nearby support?"
Upon hearing this, the emperor began to ponder.
Yongzhou lacks a formidable fortress like Zhenbeicheng, making it geographically disadvantageous and difficult to defend. However, if Liangzhou were to send reinforcements, there is a risk that Daqian would turn its attention to attacking Liangzhou instead, making the decision truly difficult.
Jingzhou, facing south, already has few troops, and its defenses cannot be compromised.
Yuzhou, located in the middle, is experiencing another spring drought this year. There was no rain for a month, and now it is almost May. There is fear that there will be no harvest, countless people will starve, and bandits will rise again. Therefore, Yuzhou cannot mobilize troops.
After much deliberation, the emperor could only decide to mobilize troops from Ji Province.
Fortunately, the Rong tribes no longer pose a threat, and a large number of border troops can be mobilized.
The emperor made the final decision, deciding on the strategy of sending reinforcements from Ji Province and providing support from Liang Province.
The officials of Great Xia were not worried about Great Qian. In the past, the two countries had fought each other and each had its own victories and defeats. Great Xia was not afraid of it.
However, this battle was started by one person, and now that person is gone, there are bound to be others who are eyeing it.
The Emperor had already read the diary this morning. He not only knew that Chu Lengyu had successfully overcome her tribulation and returned to the capital, but also that it detailed her experience and insights during the tribulation, which broadened the Emperor's horizons and was very rewarding.
He knew what was going on, so he wasn't in a hurry. He asked in a deep voice, "Is there anything else you wish to report?"
An official immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, regarding the Nine Tripods, there have been reports from many places recently..."
He had just begun to speak when a distant dragon's roar echoed from outside the hall.
Then the golden dragon of the earth veins manifested again. Its figure first shuttled through the sea of clouds and finally stopped in front of the city gate of the capital city.
A dark golden light enveloped the entire city, seemingly reinforcing the entire capital. With the secret blessing of Heaven, there would be no more worries about natural disasters or earthquakes.
Chu Lengyu floated in the sky, holding the Qingzhou Cauldron in her hands, with two door god paintings in front of her.
A flash of pure white light appeared, and two talisman-like objects appeared in front of her.
She pointed her fingers like a sword, swiftly writing runes on the "talisman paper," infusing it with spiritual power, and chanting incantations:
"I have heard that there are gods guarding the world to protect the peace and tranquility of all people."
"I hereby bestow upon you the title of Door Gods, to guard the gates, ward off evil and drive away misfortune, and ensure the peace and safety of the people's homes and the years to come."
"Your door gods should stand on both sides of the door with a fierce posture, so that evil spirits dare not approach and misfortune cannot invade."
"Whenever there are evil winds and rains, you should be the first to stop them; whenever there are thieves or traitors, you should quickly capture them."
"Now I bestow upon you divine power, enabling you to perform extraordinary deeds and fulfill extraordinary responsibilities."
"With a compassionate heart, observe the suffering of humankind; enjoy the offerings of incense, and bless the well-being of all people."
As the final stroke of the rune was completed, the talisman paper emitted a dazzling light.
This decree has been approved by Heaven and Earth, and witnessed by the most precious treasure of humankind; it is now officially in effect!
The dazzling light, like a gentle stream, flowed into the two seemingly ordinary door god paintings.
The two gatekeepers immediately felt an abundant power surging into their divine bodies, replenishing their foundation and rapidly elevating their level.
Information about various responsibilities and methods flooded their minds, filling them with a sense of mission.
As the dazzling light gradually faded, the two door god paintings were completely renewed. The door gods in the paintings were clad in armor, holding long spears, with wide-open, angry eyes, as if they could see through all the evil in the world.
Even though they do not appear in the world, their awe-inspiring and inviolable aura is enough to make any petty person tremble with fear and be filled with dread.
In the painting, the two door gods respectfully bow to Chu Lengyu, then transform into countless forms and fly to every household in the capital city, guarding every door.
Whether it was an ordinary residence or a bustling shop, whether it was a narrow alley or a wide street, their presence was felt everywhere, even at city gates and palace gates.
However, the door gods were very clever. They transformed into a pair of stone lion carvings on the city gate and bronze beast door knockers on the palace gate. Such transformations were truly amazing.
Chu Lengyu was quite satisfied with this.
Cultivating immortality is too long, but the path of divinity is a shortcut. With just an imperial decree, one can elevate their realm, even becoming immortal and living as long as the heavens.
Unfortunately, the incense is poisonous, and one's cultivation and life are tied to the imperial decree. Once lost or stripped, one will have nothing left.
Door gods are deities associated with incense offerings, which is why Chu Lengyu allowed them to continue along this path.
However, the Great Xia Dynasty could not grant imperial titles in the past, so she needed to rely on external forces.
Holding up the Qingzhou Cauldron, she called out again, "Four Heavenly Kings, step forward to receive your titles!"
A flash of yellow light, and Huang Yi and the others immediately knelt before her.
A mischievous glint flashed in Chu Lengyu's eyes. She never expected that the identity she had unintentionally changed into would now become real.
Her expression turned serious, and as she wrote the imperial edict, she said:
"Now that the four directions are in turmoil and demons are rampant, in consideration of your merits in protecting the righteous path, I hereby bestow upon you the title of the Four Heavenly Kings, to guard the four directions and bring peace to the world."
"The Eastern King, with his pipa in hand, harmonizes the chaos; the majestic sun shines, and demons have nowhere to hide."
"Growth in the south, swords pointing to the sky, fierce as fire, slaying demons and monsters, bringing peace to the people."
"The West has a wide-open eye and discerning wisdom. The bright moon hangs high, making it difficult for evil to hide. The West is pure and tranquil."
"The North is known for its wisdom; holding an umbrella to protect the masses, they are impervious to wind and rain, their compassion is like spring, and they share in peace."
"Four Heavenly Kings, you must heed the imperial edict, each guarding your own territory, working together to eliminate demons, protect all living beings, and ensure their eternal peace and well-being!"
The imperial decree merged into their bodies, and the four Yellow Turban Warriors immediately transformed, adopting the attire befitting the Four Heavenly Kings, exuding unparalleled majesty.
Even the accompanying items, such as the Azure Light Sword, the Jade Pipa, and the Chaos Pearl Umbrella, materialized and fell into their hands.
However, since they were appointed by Chu Lengyu, they could not be higher than her, so they only had the third-order Golden Core realm, which was far inferior to the real Four Heavenly Kings.
The treasure in his hand was also modified by Chu Lengyu, but it was only at the level of an ordinary third-tier magic weapon.
But it's enough for this little world.
Even if she ascends to the Immortal Realm in the future, they will still remain in this realm, and the human race will continue to offer incense and sacrifices to ensure that her cultivation level does not drop too drastically.
After the imperial decree ceremony concluded, the emperor and his ministers of the Great Xia Dynasty returned to their positions in the Golden Palace.
The emperor sat back on his dragon throne, deep in thought, then looked at the official who hadn't finished speaking and urged him to continue.
The junior official was newly promoted and had a good sense of courage. Upon hearing this, he continued, "Recently, reports have come from many places that similar demonic and ghostly creatures have been discovered again, but they were all destroyed by the nine Yin Cauldrons."
As soon as he finished speaking, the courtiers whispered among themselves, their faces showing a mixture of lingering fear and relief.
No one doubts the power of the Nine Tripods.
Since the appearance of the Nine Cauldrons, strange things have happened in various places, and evil things have been suppressed and eliminated by the Nine Cauldrons.
At this moment, people broke out in a cold sweat.
It turns out that danger was already lurking around them all along.