bioinnovel Chapter 258 Fan Zhongyan, the Cauldron of Qingzhou Appears!
Chapter 258 Fan Zhongyan, the Cauldron of Qingzhou Appears!
"What is it?"
Chen Zhan pulled up several videos.
"Starting yesterday afternoon, a large-scale 'ghost wall' phenomenon appeared in the Laoshan area. The mountaineering team organized by the local culture and tourism bureau, nearby villagers, and even the two 'divine guides' we sent to conduct preliminary reconnaissance all got lost near the Taiqing Palace ruins."
In the video, several people dressed in mountaineering clothes are walking in circles in a fog. The ruins are just a few hundred meters away, but no matter how they walk, they can't get close.
"The strangest thing is—" Chen Zhan zoomed in on one of the paragraphs.
"After being lost for a period of time, these people are inexplicably sent out, but everyone's memory is fragmented, and they have no recollection of what they experienced inside."
Su Fan frowned.
Is it a case of being trapped in a maze?
Memory gap?
This doesn't seem like the work of the man in the black robe.
The black-robed man exuded an evil, domineering, and flamboyant aura, and his methods leaned more towards illusion and mazes.
"Could this be the Qingzhou Cauldron's self-protection mechanism?"
Zhao Dabao leaned over and asked.
Su Fan nodded.
"Possibly. But we can't rule out other factors at play. We'll see when we get there."
Two hours later, the transport plane landed at a temporary helipad on the outskirts of Laoshan.
The local garrison and members of the God-Controlling Branch were already waiting there. The leader was a lieutenant colonel surnamed Wang, whose contracted Chinese deity was Qin Qiong, the door god, who was skilled in defense and breaking through illusions.
Lieutenant Colonel Wang got straight to the point.
"Advisor Su, the situation is more complicated than we imagined. The maze surrounding the Taiqing Palace ruins is expanding and has already affected three villages at the foot of the mountain. We tried using drones for reconnaissance, but all electronic devices malfunctioned once inside."
"Have you tried using divine power to forcibly break the formation?"
Lieutenant Colonel Wang nodded with a wry smile.
"I've tried it. I personally led the team in, and the divine power of General Qin Qiong, the Chinese deity I've contracted, could temporarily dispel the fog, but we couldn't go far before we were trapped again. The maze seems to be alive; it changes on its own."
A living maze?
Su Fan seemed to be deep in thought.
"Take me to see it first."
The group arrived at the outer perimeter of the Taiqing Palace Deity Ruins.
From the outside, it looks like an ordinary mountain forest, except that the fog is a bit thick.
But after Su Fan activated his Fiery Eyes of Truth, the scene he saw was completely different.
The entire area was shrouded in a light blue halo, within which countless runes flowed, forming an extremely complex array.
The formation is connected to the earth's veins and is constantly changing, no wonder it can make people lose their way.
"These are..." Su Fan identified the runes.
"The lost Taoist Nine Palaces Heavenly Maze? No, it also incorporates Buddhist concepts of the Eight Sufferings and Reincarnation... and Confucian principles of rectifying the mind and cultivating sincerity?"
Su Fan was increasingly surprised as he looked.
This formation is a hodgepodge, but it is integrated in an extremely ingenious way, with each part interlocking and constantly generating new energy.
Su Fan drew a conclusion.
"The person who set up this formation must be a master who is well-versed in the essence of the three religions. Moreover, there is a very pure spiritual energy fluctuation at the core of the formation."
"Scholarly air?" Lieutenant Colonel Wang was taken aback. "Could it be...?"
Before the words were finished, a clear reading voice suddenly came from within the maze!
"The Great Learning teaches us to manifest our bright virtue, to love the people, and to abide in perfect goodness..."
His voice was clear and melodious, and his pronunciation was precise and accurate, using the elegant pronunciation of classical Chinese.
Immediately afterwards, a phantom emerged from the mist.
He was a middle-aged scholar dressed in a blue Confucian robe and a square cap, holding a book in his hands, with a lean face and a composed demeanor.
But the phantom's eyes were empty, merely mechanically repeating:
"Knowing when to stop leads to stability; stability leads to tranquility; tranquility leads to peace; peace leads to contemplation; contemplation leads to attainment..."
"This is... a spirit array?" Chen Zhan gripped his weapon tightly.
"No." Su Fan stared at the scholar's illusory figure, then suddenly laughed. "I know whose work this is."
Su Fan stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the illusory figure:
"Junior Su Fan greets Lord Wenzhong."
The phantom's recitation stopped.
The empty gaze turned to Su Fan, and a hint of liveliness appeared in it.
"You...recognize me?"
The voice remained mechanical, but it carried a hint of emotion.
"His loyalty shone like the sun, his literary talent surpassed all others in Jiangnan. A renowned minister of the Northern Song Dynasty, Prefect of Qingzhou—Fan Zhongyan!"
Su Fan said, word by word, "To be the first to worry about the world's troubles and the last to enjoy its pleasures—this is a principle I have studied since childhood, how could I not know it?"
The phantom fell silent.
After a moment, he slowly opened his mouth, his voice still mechanical, but his pace was much more normal:
"Now that you know my name, you should know my will. This place suppresses the eye of the East Sea, which concerns the lives of countless people, and must not be disturbed lightly."
really!
Su Fan understood.
Fan Zhongyan once served as the prefect of Qingzhou. During his tenure, he promoted water conservancy and provided disaster relief, which won him the hearts of the people.
He was not only a politician and writer, but also a practitioner of Confucianism.
It is perfectly reasonable for him to set up an array to protect the Qingzhou Cauldron.
Su Fan said sincerely, "Lord Fan, I have come here for the Qingzhou Cauldron. The world is undergoing dramatic changes, and evil spirits are eyeing the dragon vein of China."
"The Jizhou Ding has been awakened by the younger generation, and it needs the Qingzhou Ding to resonate with it in order to consolidate the foundation of the nation."
The phantom fell silent once more.
The surrounding mist churned, and the runes of the formation flowed faster, as if in deep thought.
The chat room was flooded with comments.
"Fan Zhongyan?! My God, isn't that one of the few ancient figures from Chinese history who has survived to this day? The person from our Chinese textbooks has come to life!"
"To be the first to worry about the world's troubles... I never knew that phrase carried such weight!"
"So this formation was revealed by Fan? No wonder it's so powerful!"
"I'm impressed by Su Shen's vast knowledge!"
After a long silence, Fan Zhongyan's illusory figure spoke: "Since you have awakened the Ji Province Cauldron, what proof do you have?"
With a thought, Su Fan summoned the Jizhou Cauldron from the system space.
A bronze cauldron the size of a palm floated in the palm of the hand, exuding a heavy aura.
The phantom saw the Jizhou Cauldron, and its empty eyes became completely clear.
"Indeed, it is a divine artifact of the Holy King... It seems that what you said was true."
He sighed:
"I was entrusted by the Holy King to guard this place with my remaining soul, and to set up this Three Religions Unifying Formation, waiting for a destined person. This wait has lasted for a thousand years."
"Master Fan..."
Su Fan felt admiration.
A wisp of a soul guarding for a thousand years—what an obsession!
"No need for further words." The illusory figure waved its hand. "If you wish to obtain the Qingzhou Cauldron, you must pass three trials."
"Three checkpoints?" Su Fan's expression turned serious. "Please inform me, Fan."
"The first challenge is to break my Nine Palaces Bewildering Array," the illusory figure said. "This array tests one's character; those with impure hearts and weak wills will all be lost within it."
The phantom continued.
"The second challenge is to understand the meaning of the eight sufferings in the cycle of rebirth. The eight sufferings of life are birth, old age, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, encountering those one hates, not getting what one wants, and the burning of the five aggregates. One must understand the truth of suffering in order to attain liberation."
"The third level..." Fan Zhongyan's illusory figure paused.
Answer my three questions. If you can answer them, the Qingzhou Cauldron will appear.
Su Fan took a deep breath.
The three stages are all more difficult than the last.
Especially the three questions in the third level.
Who knows what questions this renowned minister of all time will ask?
But now that we've come this far, we can't give up so easily.
"I'm willing to give it a try," Su Fan said firmly.
The illusory image of Fan Zhongyan nodded.
"Very well! You may bring one person with you as a witness."
Su Fan thought for a moment, then turned to Zhao Dabao: "Dabao, come inside with me."
"The rest of you stay outside."
The members of the Dragon-Seeking Team and Lieutenant Colonel Wang all nodded solemnly.
"Me?" Zhao Dabao's legs went weak. "Master Su, I can't do it! I'll definitely get lost if I go in!"
Su Fan smiled meaningfully.
"I'm going to make you lose your way. Your abilities might just have a surprising effect."
Zhao Dabao had a long face, but he still followed.
With a wave of his hand, the illusory figure of Fan Zhongyan cleared the fog and created a passage.
"please."
Su Fan and Zhao Dabao stepped into the formation.
The scene before my eyes changed instantly.
It was no longer a mountain forest, but a vast, white void, with nine gates surrounding it, each inscribed with a different hexagram—
Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui!
Su Fan glanced around.
"The Nine Palaces correspond to the Eight Trigrams plus the Central Palace; the Gate of Life and the Gate of Death can switch at any time. Da Bao, stay close to me and don't wander off."
Zhao Dabao gripped Su Fan's clothes tightly.
"I...I'll try my best..."
Su Fan activated his Fiery Eyes of Truth and carefully observed the flow of energy within the Nine Gates.
The formation changes, cycling every three seconds.
Ordinary people who come in simply cannot keep up with this speed of change and will naturally get lost.
But Su Fan is different.
His discerning eyes can see through illusions. The "Complete Collection of Basic Heavenly Talismans" obtained from the Lingxiao Secret Treasury also contains a chapter on formations. Although it is only basic, the principles are the same.
"Enter through the Qian Gate, turn to the Li position, and then enter the Central Palace..."
While calculating, Su Fan led Zhao Dabao through the nine gates.
The viewers in the live stream were dazzled by the sights.
"What kind of walking technique is that? My eyes are blurry!"
"Has Su Shen studied Qimen Dunjia?"
"Zhao Dabao's expression was hilarious; he looked like a frightened rabbit."
After walking for about five minutes, the view suddenly opened up before us.
First hurdle cleared!
But then, the surrounding scenery changed again.
As the white mist dissipated, eight scenes appeared—
The cries of newborn babies, the sighs of the elderly, the groans on the sickbed, the paper money in front of the grave, the tears at parting, the resentment of meeting enemies, the despair of not getting what one wants, and the inner torment of struggle.
The eight sufferings of reincarnation come rushing towards us.
Zhao Dabao only glanced at it before bursting into tears:
"I remember being chased by dogs when I was a child, being bullied at school, being rejected when I was looking for a job, being disliked on blind dates... I had such a miserable life!"
Su Fan also felt a pang of heart palpitation.
These eight images of suffering strike at the deepest fears and regrets in people's hearts, which cannot be resisted by reason alone.
But just as Su Fan was preparing to use his internal energy to resist, he suddenly thought of something.
Su Fan patted Zhao Dabao, who was crying his eyes out.
"Da Bao. Shout at these images."
Zhao Dabao sobbed, "Shout...shout what?"
Su Fan said, "How much have you suffered? Pour out all your grievances."
Although Zhao Dabao didn't understand why, since he was already crying, he simply shouted:
"I've suffered so much! Nothing has ever gone smoothly for me since I was a child! My mom said the hospital had a power outage the day I was born, my dad said I fell into a ditch when I was three, and when I went to school..."
When he shouted, something strange happened.
Those eight images actually started to distort?
In the midst of the painful scene, the baby stopped crying and instead started giggling.
In the scene depicting the old man's suffering, he straightened his back.
In the scene of suffering, the patient sits up in bed...
The concept of the eight sufferings in samsara is actually a kind of resonance of suffering. The more you feel you are suffering, the stronger it becomes.
But Zhao Dabao's suffering has exceeded the scope of normal people and is extremely absurd.
"Fellow Daoist! I am suffering so much! Please wait!"
Zhao Dabao shouted incoherently with his eyes closed.
hum!
The image of the eight sufferings shattered instantly!
Second level, cleared!
The live stream chat was quiet for three seconds, then it exploded.
"This...this actually works?!"
"Zhao Dabao's suffering is so great that even the formation can't withstand it?"
"I see now, Zhao Dabao's ability is to fight poison with poison!"
"The Eight Sufferings of Reincarnation: In my thousand years of experience, I have never seen a contestant like this."
The fog dissipated once more.
Fan Zhongyan's phantom appeared in front of him, his gaze toward Zhao Dabao somewhat complicated.
"This young friend is quite unique."
Zhao Dabao was still wiping away tears:
"Lord Fan, I didn't want to either..."
Fan Zhongyan's illusory figure shook his head and looked at Su Fan:
"You're quite clever to think of this method to pass the level. Now, the final level—"
He said seriously, "I have three questions."
Su Fan's expression immediately turned serious; the real test was just beginning.
"First question: What does it mean to be the first to worry about the world's troubles?"
Su Fan pondered for a moment, then slowly said:
"When in high office, one should worry about the people; when in retirement, one should worry about the ruler. This is the duty of a scholar-official. But in my view, the core of Fan Zhongyan's words lies in the word 'before.' He harbored worries before others even realized them, and he still thought of dangers even in times of peace and prosperity."
The illusory figure nodded: "Not bad."
"Second question: If you were in charge of the Qingzhou Cauldron, how would you use it?"
This is a very practical question.
Su Fan replied earnestly, "Qingzhou Dingzhen guards the East Sea and should be united with the divine power of Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea, to jointly protect the sea frontier. Internally, it can regulate the dragon veins of the East and nourish all things. Externally, it can deter foreign enemies and protect the people. Dingzhen is not a private tool of one person, but a public tool of all people."
Fan Zhongyan's illusory figure's eyes revealed approval: "Excellent."
"The third question—"
The illusory figure of Fan Zhongyan paused for a moment and asked an unexpected question.
"If one day, China is on the verge of collapse, and this cauldron must be sacrificed to save the nation, what will you do?"
This is a very pointed question.
Su Fan remained silent for a long time.
The viewers in the live stream held their breath.
Yes, if that day really comes, will it be to protect the throne or to save the country?
After a long while, Su Fan raised his head, his eyes clear: "This junior will smash it."
"Oh?"
The illusory image of Fan Zhongyan conveyed no emotion in its tone.
Su Fan said, word by word:
"The Nine Tripods are vessels, China is the root. Vessels can be destroyed, but the root must not be severed. If it really comes to that, let alone one tripod, even if all nine tripods are destroyed, as long as the flame of Chinese civilization can be preserved, I, the junior, will do it. Because—"
Su Fan looked at the illusory figure: "The cauldron is broken, but it can be reforged. But if the country falls, what use is the cauldron?"
silence.
A long silence.
The phantom of Fan Zhongyan stared at Su Fan for a full minute.
Then he smiled.
"After a thousand years of waiting, I have finally found my true love."
The illusory figure of Fan Zhongyan began to become transparent.
"Su Fan, remember your words today. The Qingzhou Cauldron is now yours."
As soon as he finished speaking, the phantom image vanished completely.
At the same time, a massive earthquake shook the earth!
In the center of the Taiqing Palace ruins, a beam of azure light shot into the sky, brighter and more vast than the beam of light from the Jizhou Cauldron!
Within the pillar of light, another bronze cauldron slowly rose.
The inscription on the tripod is simple and elegant, with two large characters shining brightly.
Qingzhou!
The second of the Nine Cauldrons, the Qingzhou Cauldron, has appeared in the world!
The two tripods resonate in harmony!
The Jizhou Cauldron flew out of Su Fan's hand and met the Qingzhou Cauldron in mid-air.
One to the north and one to the east, the two tripods vibrated simultaneously, emitting a clear and melodious bell sound.
buzzing-
Visible blue ripples spread out from the two tripods, sweeping across Laoshan Mountain, across the Qilu Peninsula, and across the entire eastern part of China.
Everyone who was swept by the ripples felt a surge of energy, and the flow of divine power within their bodies became smoother.
While on patrol in the coastal area, Lin Qingge suddenly looked up and gazed in the direction of Laoshan Mountain.
The mark of the Heavenly Empress between her brows lit up, echoing the aura of the Qingzhou Cauldron.
"Teacher Su Fan succeeded."
Lin Qingge smiled, and her divine power unconsciously spread out, calming the entire sea, where fish leaped and seagulls soared.
Command Center in Beijing.
As Mr. Mo watched the live footage transmitted back by the satellite, his hands trembled with excitement.
"Two cauldrons...two cauldrons!"
"Analyze the data immediately! I need to know the specific impact of the twin tripods' resonance on the nation's destiny!"
"yes!"
The data came out quickly—
Within China, the cultivation speed of all Divine Masters will increase by 10%, and the national fortune of China will increase by 20%.
"Good! Good! Good!" Old Mo said three times.
"Immediately spread this news throughout the entire nation! No, throughout the entire planet! Let those villains see the true strength of China!"
Deep in the Kunlun Mountains.
Yuan Qingsheng, who was studying the earth's veins in front of a glacier, also felt the resonance.
He grinned: "This kid's quick."
He glanced at the bottomless ice crevice before him, then shouldered the Gonggong Halberd:
"Brothers, we can't fall too far behind. We must find the entrance to the Yongzhou Cauldron today!"
Shennongjia.
Tang Sanzang stood in front of a waterfall, with a stone wall covered with ancient characters bathed in Buddhist light.
Sensing the resonance between the two cauldrons, he clasped his hands together:
"Amitabha. Benefactor Su has made another step forward; this humble monk must also hurry."
The Buddha's light grew even brighter, and the characters on the stone wall began to glow.
……
Laoshan Mountain, the ruins of Taiqing Palace.
Su Fan retrieved the two cauldrons. The Qingzhou Cauldron shrank to the size of a palm and floated beside him along with the Jizhou Cauldron.
Congratulations, Consultant Su!
"May the two tripods return to their rightful place, bringing prosperity to the nation!"
The Dragon-Seeking Team and Lieutenant Colonel Wang cheered.
Zhao Dabao forgot to cry and just grinned foolishly.
"Master Su, have we done another great service?"
Su Fan smiled and patted him on the shoulder: "You've done a great job."
He looked at the live broadcast camera, his voice resounding throughout China:
"Su Fan, a citizen of China, today, please return to the Qingzhou Cauldron!"
"Two of the Nine Cauldrons have been acquired, further solidifying the dragon vein!"
"When the Nine Tripods are all gathered, China will prosper forever!"
Cheers erupted from Laoshan Mountain, spread throughout Shandong Province, and eventually reached all of China.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, in the darkness.
The Haotian Golden Palace Seal in front of the black-robed man, with the rune representing Qingzhou, also lit up.
The two runes shone brightly, causing the seal to vibrate even more violently.
The man in the black robe spoke in a chilling voice.
"Su Fan, you're very good."
"I'd like to see how many more you can find."
"The day I completely control the Haotian Golden Palace Seal will be the day of your demise, the day of your Huaxia!"