The so-called Wuming Ye Huo of the Fire Lord, if handled properly, could steal the sun and replace the moon, even replacing the national prestige of the heavenly officials and underworld with its karmic fire, thereby summoning them to serve her. There were many other divine abilities as well. This Tongtian Mingyan was merely a precursor to the flames, not yet burning, and thus only possessed the power to summon deities. Of course, Ji Xiang did not understand all of this.
Ji Xiang only knew that the source of this summoning power was the soul of Emperor Wanli.
In the Daoist tradition, there was also the practice of sending smoke signals to heaven to invite divine generals and announce to all heavens.
With the Mingyan and the national prestige, a stomp of the foot would summon mountain gods from all directions and land spirits from all territories. This would render the positions and merits of the celestial beings and gods useless, making it far more effective.
Naturally, receiving divine positions was for self-strengthening. Imagine if the Fire God could not start fires, the Water God could not control water, and the Thunder God could not strike lightning; their powers would be rendered useless, directly causing them to be mana-locked. What would be left in the end?
It would be nothing more than martial arts. Ji Xiang mused... perhaps he should carry a firearm. After being mana-locked, he could just shoot them in the face.
That would be true happiness. And the emperor's secondhand smoke, a great control, truly excellent!
Ji Xiang shook hands vigorously with the emperor, but then he saw the corpse mounds in the distance. Emperor Wanli turned his head and remembered, then spoke to Ji Xiang, "Among those corpses, there are also those evil gods, what are they called..."
"Reporting to Your Majesty, those evil gods are actually fire spirits named Alian. This humble Daoist will go and subdue them."
Under the great wind and rain, the Alians hid among the corpses of palace maids and eunuchs, seeking to evade the suppression of national prestige, Doumu, and the wind and rain. Ji Xiang walked to the corpse mounds:
"Alian, why do you not reveal yourselves?"
Ji Xiang first issued a verbal warning. The Alians naturally did not dare to come out. Ji Xiang exhaled a breath of white mist, raised his palm, and recited a spell:
"Gan Yu Pi Du, Zhen Shi Luo Ling. Ba Xian Bing Yue Shang Di Wang Ling. Tai Xuan Luo Jing, Qi Shen Chong Ting..."
As the Ten Thousand Spirits Subduing Spell was unleashed, the corpses began to twist and shake. The Alians within let out screams, being forcibly "invited" out of the bodies!
"Not coming out? Let's see who can refuse."
Ji Xiang's voice terrified the Alians. In the midst of the great wind and rain, the little fire spirits lined up and kowtowed like pounding garlic.
Although their magical power was greatly depleted now, the Alians' strength had also been weakened to its lowest limit. It could be said that even at their peak, as long as someone dipped an arrow in blood and knew the phrase "shoot my Alian's head," even ordinary mortals outside the Forbidden City could kill them.
They were fire spirits that appeared in the countryside during the Tang Dynasty and had been shot to death by villagers with bows and arrows.
These fire spirits thought that by hiding in the corpses of palace maids and eunuchs, they could escape the suppression of national prestige.
"Daoist Master!"
At this time, near the Xizi Gate, two锦衣卫 (Imperial Guard) squadron leaders also appeared. With crossbows aimed at the little fire spirits, they saw Emperor Wanli in the distance and quickly came to pay their respects.
"What are you doing?"
Emperor Wanli saw the two锦衣卫 squadron leaders holding crossbows aimed at the fire spirits and found it strange. He quickly summoned one of them, Shi Xiang, who was not holding a crossbow. Shi Xiang respectfully replied:
"Reporting to Your Majesty, this is a method taught to us by the Daoist Master. One only needs to dip one's own blood onto an arrow, shoot it with a bow or crossbow, and simultaneously shout 'Shoot my Alian's head.' This will kill the fire spirit."
Emperor Wanli was greatly astonished: "There's such a method! Interesting, let me try it!"
Tian Yi, standing nearby, immediately dissuaded him, stating that His Majesty's dragon body was precious and had just narrowly escaped death, so why bleed again. Emperor Wanli expressed that he was simply too frustrated and wanted to vent his anger, but under multiple dissuasions, he had to give up, expressing his great dissatisfaction.
"I couldn't contend for power with the cabinet, and now I'm being stopped from killing a demon!"
"Your Majesty jested. Ordinary malevolent spirits are instantly killed upon contact with even a trace of national prestige. These malevolent spirits are benefiting from the divine light of the true gods, and were personally enfeoffed by you. Furthermore, they hide within the physical body by borrowing the seven souls of a person. Thus, they are arrogant within the Forbidden City... If Your Majesty wishes to kill demons, you may proceed to the Northern Bureau of Investigation. There is no need to harm your body by killing a small demon at this time."
Ji Xiang also came over at this time, dissuading Emperor Wanli. Behind him followed a crowd of fire spirits. Emperor Wanli saw the crowd of fire spirits and nodded, his attitude softening:
"Since Daoist Master says so, I shall not act here. I will go to the Northern Bureau of Investigation later. These malevolent spirits shall all be tried and punished."
The fire spirits, hearing the prediction of their demise, did not dare to flee and were very frightened. They had already been temporarily subdued by Ji Xiang's divine spell.
Emperor Wanli spoke to Luo Sigong and Tian Yi about rewards, intending to give them credit for their loyal protection of the sovereign. He also instructed Luo Sigong to quickly notify the Northern Bureau of Investigation and to summon @Ping An Da Ming to immediately enter and handle matters!
..........
The heavy rain poured down!
The fire in the Forbidden City was effectively contained at this moment. Outside the Front Three Halls, the torrential rain extinguished the fires in the three halls, and the cabinet elders and the guards who participated in the firefighting cheered.
The fires in the Rear Three Palaces also began to be extinguished.
A certain prince lay in the corner of a collapsed palace. Covered in dust, the fireball that Song Zhongzheng had died and flown out had struck the palace he was hiding in. Now, the torrential rain had drenched him like a drowned chicken!
Zhu Changluo was so angry his head was smoking. He had just woken up and had no idea what had happened, only feeling extremely unlucky!
"What is going on tonight!"
Emerging from the rubble, he reached the doorway and was met by the howling wind and rain that obscured the sky. He could no longer see any trace of the fire. Zhu Changluo was startled and felt a sense of foreboding.
He stumbled along, walking out of the West First Long Street. Just as he was about to head towards West Second Long Street, he kicked a corpse!
Zhu Changluo looked down and was immediately terrified!
The Grand Noble, the Fire God Song Zhongzheng, in his crimson robe!
The previous Grand Noble had become a scorched corpse, revealing his mortal form. He wore a crimson robe, his head split open like a watermelon, and he had been beaten to death on West First Long Street.
Zhu Changluo was so frightened his face turned ashen.
He was completely confused, but he also knew that the assassination attempt tonight had probably... gone up in smoke.
One of the Three Fire Gods had been brutally bludgeoned to death, clearly with a blunt instrument like a hammer, and with immense power! Such power was not that of an ordinary sorcerer...
"Is it... could it be True Master Zhang has arrived!"
This was the most terrifying outcome. Coupled with the fact that the Fire Lord had not appeared to receive him, Zhu Changluo felt as if the sky had collapsed.
If True Master Zhang entered the Forbidden City, all would be lost!
This torrential rain had drenched him like a drowned chicken.
The sound of continuous footsteps could be heard from afar!
It was the soldiers! It was the cabinet elders, the grand eunuchs of the Imperial Stable, the guards of the palace, the fork-wielding soldiers, the Han generals, and the flag guards!
These people had waited for Zhu Changluo to enter for quite some time before entering under the cover of the wind and rain, lest the emperor misunderstand them. Of course, the fire had been too intense at first, making it impossible for them to enter.
Zhu Changluo, braving the wind and rain, held his head, his entire spirit on the verge of collapse.
If the assassination succeeded, he would be the lord of the world.
If the assassination failed... then tomorrow, the Northern Bureau of Investigation would bring the imperial decree to Jingyang Palace, and they would meet in the Imperial Prison!
Zhu Changluo ran quickly towards West Second Long Street, wanting to know what was happening. However, he did not see the Fire Lord, but instead saw the scorched corpses of the Brocade Boy's attire and Qian Guang.
All three Fire Gods were dead?
Where had the Alians gone?
He ran past West First Long Street and, as he rounded a corner, he collided head-on with Ji Xiang and Emperor Wanli's entourage returning.
Father and son met, and both were stunned for a moment. Emperor Wanli instinctively wanted to scold him for daring to enter the West Six Palaces, but Zhu Changluo immediately prostrated himself on the ground, crying out loudly:
"This son came to rescue Your Majesty too late, please forgive me, Father Emperor!"
Zhu Changluo's reaction was swift; he immediately fell to the ground and called out "Dad."
His heart was filled with immense shock, just like the raging wind and rain that swept across the heavens and earth at this moment!