Chapter 681
Nangong Jue looked calm, and the jade ruyi in his hand tapped the ground lightly, making a crisp sound that seemed particularly abrupt in this tense atmosphere. "To revitalize the family, there must be sacrifices." His voice was low and cold, as if it came from the Nine Nether Hell, causing the temperature around them to drop a few degrees.
Before everyone could recover from his words, Nangong Jue suddenly cast his eyes towards Liu Qingshuang, his eyes revealing a trace of scrutiny and inquiry. "It's you, the spirit machine man, who can actually live so long. The Mo family's technology is indeed well-deserved." There was a bit of surprise in his tone, and it seemed that he already knew something.
Liu Qingshuang's body froze, as if an invisible hand had suddenly hit her acupuncture points. Her eyes widened, full of shock and confusion: "How did you know?" Her voice trembled slightly, as if she was afraid to hear the next answer.
"We saw similar test subjects when we wiped out the remnants of the Mohist sect 20 years ago." Nangong Jue spoke slowly, and every word hit everyone's heart like a heavy hammer. A glimmer of memory flashed in his eyes, as if he had returned to that bloody battlefield. "It's a pity that they were all defective products, and they didn't even touch the edge of the Mohist sect's bloodline." The corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing a meaningful smile, "Until we found that baby girl."
Nangong Yue's face turned pale instantly, her lips trembled slightly, and there was a hint of fear and disbelief in her voice: "Aning?!" Her sister's lovely face instantly appeared in her mind, and a strong sense of uneasiness surged in her heart.
"She is of pure Mohist blood." The jade ruyi in Nangong Jue's hand suddenly lit up with a dazzling red light, which was like a flame, illuminating his gloomy face. "Hand her over, and I can let you leave safely with the Tiangong Box." There was a hint of unquestionable threat in his tone.
Fu Shaoping pointed the tip of his sword directly at Nangong Jue, with angry flames flashing in his eyes: "You can try." His voice was low and firm, as if he was declaring war on fate.
The war broke out instantly! The monks of the Nangong family quickly formed a formation and attacked. Their figures flickered like ghosts, and the weapons in their hands flashed with cold light. Nangong Jue retreated to the back, and the blood light shot out when he waved the Yu Ruyi. The blood light was like strands of silk threads, entangled with the enemy, making them suffer unbearably.
Fu Shaoping's heavy sword was like a dragon, and every time he swung it, it brought great power, knocking several people away. His eyes were full of anger and determination, as if he wanted to kill all the enemies in front of him. Nangong Yue's three life copper coins turned into streams of light, specifically breaking the enemy's sea of qi. Every time the copper coins hit, there was a crisp sound, which frightened the enemy. Mo Yunzi held a whisk in his hand, and he also showed the powerful strength of the Nascent Soul Stage. His whisk was like a smart dragon, shuttling between the enemies, making them unable to defend themselves.
The most surprising thing was Liu Qingshuang. She unlocked the wooden box, and dozens of delicate mechanical tools flew out, combining into three bronze mechanical beasts in the air. The mechanical beasts had different shapes, some like tigers, some like eagles, and they roared and fought with the enemy. The mechanical beasts were flexible and fast, and each attack was powerful, causing the monks of the Nangong family to fall into a bitter battle.
"Mirror flowers and water moons!" Nangong Yue suddenly bit her tongue and spurted out a mouthful of blood. In the blood mist, seven copper coins formed a strange formation, covering Nangong Jue. The scene in front of Nangong Jue suddenly changed, and he was actually in the Nangong family ancestral hall! All the ancestral tablets of previous generations fell down, only a new tablet stood upright - on it was engraved his own name!
"A trifle." Nangong Jue sneered, and the jade ruyi slammed into the ground, "Break!" The illusion cracked but was not completely broken. Nangong Yue's face was as pale as paper, and it was obvious that she had reached her limit. Fu Shaoping seized the opportunity and slashed down with the heavy sword with the force of wind and thunder - "Dang!" The jade ruyi blocked the heavy sword, and Nangong Jue retreated three steps, with blood flowing from the corner of his mouth. He was shocked to find that there was a layer of bronze light attached to Fu Shaoping's sword: "Is this... Mo's sword energy?"
Liu Qingshuang appeared behind Nangong Jue without knowing when, and pointed the ruler in her hand at his back: "Release!" Nangong Jue's body froze, and the spiritual power that protected his body melted like ice and snow. Fu Shaoping seized the opportunity and cut off the jade ruyi with a sword, and the sword stopped at Nangong Jue's throat. "It's over." Fu Shaoping said in a deep voice.
Nangong Jue suddenly grinned: "Why do you think I am stalling for time?" The altar suddenly shook violently! Everyone was shocked to find that the bodies of the monks who died in the battle had all disappeared, and the lines on the surface of the altar turned blood red - Nangong Jue used their blood to activate some kind of restriction!
"The altar is going to collapse!" Mo Yunzi exclaimed, "Hurry to the top floor!" The five people ignored Nangong Jue and rushed to the top floor desperately. Nangong Jue's crazy laughter came from behind: "The Tiangong Box can only be opened by the Mo family bloodline! It's useless even if you get it-" The voice stopped abruptly, and a huge rock fell and buried him forever.
The top platform was surprisingly quiet. The Tiangong Box was suspended on the central stone platform. It was a seemingly ordinary bronze square box with dense runes engraved on its surface. Surprisingly, there was no protective formation around it. "Too simple," Nangong Yue looked around vigilantly, "There must be a trick."
Liu Qingshuang walked straight towards the Tiangong Box: "Because the real danger is never getting it, but using it." The ink mark on her forehead glowed brightly, and her fingers tapped quickly on the box. Click, click, click. With a series of mechanical sounds, the runes on the surface of the Tiangong Box lit up one by one, and finally split into eight petals and slowly opened - there was nothing inside, only a yellowed jade slip lying quietly at the bottom.
"How is this possible?" Mo Yunzi could not hide his disappointment. His eyes were full of frustration and unwillingness, as if all his efforts were in vain.
Fu Shaoping carefully took out the jade slip, and saw eight words engraved on it in ancient seal script: "Turn swords into plowshares, and the world will be at peace." Everyone was stunned. After going through life and death, and making all kinds of calculations, they got such a motto? Their faces were full of disbelief and loss, as if they had fallen from the clouds to the bottom of the valley.
Nangong Yue suddenly chuckled, and her laughter became louder and louder, until she even cried: "So that's it. So that's it! The Mo family's greatest treasure has never been a weapon of killing!" There was a hint of relief and sudden enlightenment in her voice, as if she understood some important truth.
Liu Qingshuang took the jade slip and pressed her finger on the edge. The jade slip projected a three-dimensional image - the design drawings of countless farm tools, looms, water wheels and other livelihood equipment! "The true meaning of spiritual machinery." Her voice trembled, "It is to cultivate virtue with tools, not to kill people with tools." She showed a relieved smile on her face, as if she had found the real answer.
Mo Yunzi's face was gloomy and he suddenly reached out to grab the jade slip: "Tianji Pavilion needs this thing!" There was a hint of greed and eagerness in his eyes, as if he was afraid of missing this opportunity.
"Be careful!" Fu Shaoping used his sword to block Mo Yunzi's attack, only to see a handful of golden powder spilled from his sleeves - the same kind that could restrain the mechanism before! When the powder touched Liu Qingshuang's arm, her skin began to dissolve, revealing the bronze material underneath! "It's indeed a spirit machine man." Mo Yunzi sneered, "The Golden Toad Chamber of Commerce has been looking for you for a long time, test subject No. 07."
Liu Qingshuang's face was calm, but the ink mark on her forehead became more and more dazzling: "I should have thought that that kind of powder could only be prepared by people who had access to the core secrets of the Mo family." Although her voice was calm, it revealed a hint of helplessness and sadness.
The altar suddenly tilted violently! A huge rock fell down, pressing Mo Yunzi underneath. The entire bronze city began to collapse, and countless gears fell, as if the sky was falling and the earth was cracking. Everyone felt the threat of death, and a strong fear surged in their hearts. "Let's go!" Fu Shaoping grabbed the jade slip, and the four of them rushed down desperately. When they ran to the third floor, the road ahead was blocked by rocks! Liu Qingshuang suddenly stopped: "It's too late." She turned to the largest bronze statue in the city, "But the Mo family will never abandon its people."
She suddenly thrust the ruler into her chest! "Sister Liu!" Aning shouted in horror. No blood flowed out, only countless points of light flowed out from the wound and flew towards the giant statue. The giant statue's eyes suddenly lit up, and it strode over, using its body to support a safe space for the four people. Liu Qingshuang's voice came from all directions: "I was originally a spirit robot created by the first generation of Mohist rulers, and I have guarded the true meaning of Mohism for two thousand years. Aning is the last blood descendant, and the only one who can truly inherit the Mohist thought."
The giant clasped its hands together, protecting the four people in its palms, and carried the falling rocks to move outward. Through the gaps between its fingers, they saw Liu Qingshuang's body was turning into light, merging with the entire bronze city. "Remember, the real power lies in creation, not destruction." The last sentence dissipated in the wind. When the giant rushed out of the city gate and fell down, the four people rolled to the ground, and when they looked back, they saw that the entire canyon had been razed to the ground.
Fu Shaoping tightly grasped the jade slip and found a line of small words on the back: "Juzi's responsibility is not to conquer the world, but to bring peace to the world." His eyes revealed a firmness and sense of mission, as if he understood the path of the future.
Three days later, at Qixia Academy. Outside the Xuanji formation, there were more than a dozen bodies of men in black. Aning stood at the center of the formation, with the ink mark on her forehead clearly visible. Seeing the four people return, she rushed forward: "Where is Sister Liu?" Her voice was full of anxiety and worry.
Nangong Yue squatted down and hugged her gently: "She's home." Her voice was gentle and comforting, trying to calm Aning down.
Fu Shaoping took out the jade slip, and when Aning took it, the jade slip suddenly shone brightly! Countless knowledge poured into her mind like a tide, and the ink print became more complex and exquisite. Her body trembled slightly, as if she was receiving a sacred baptism.
That night, Nangong Yue sat in the courtyard, seven copper coins floating in front of her, forming the Chinese character "止". Suddenly, she had an idea, and the copper coins broke and reassembled, turning into a small copper plow. "Turn the sword into a plow." She whispered, and the aura around her suddenly rose - she had an epiphany! A joyful smile appeared on her face, as if she had found the true meaning of life.
At the same time, Fu Shaoping in the sword room was wiping his heavy sword. He didn't know when a few lines similar to those on the jade slip appeared on the sword. He looked up at the starry sky, as if he saw Liu Qingshuang smiling in the clouds. His eyes were full of longing and respect, as if Liu Qingshuang had always been by his side to encourage him.
In the distant forest, a dark figure silently stared at the direction of the academy, playing with a gear brought from the Bronze City. The moonlight shone on the golden toad pattern on his cuffs, flashing by. His eyes revealed a hint of sinisterness and greed, as if he was plotting something.
Aning sat in front of the window, holding the jade slip in her hand, and the figure of Liu Qingshuang kept appearing in her mind. She knew that she had the mission of inheriting the Mohist thought. She secretly vowed to pass on the Mohist concept of peace and save more people from the suffering of war.
Fu Shaoping stood in front of the sword house, looking at the starry sky in the distance, his heart full of emotion. He knew that the road ahead was full of challenges, but he was ready. He would carry Liu Qingshuang's faith and use his own strength to protect this land, so that the sunshine of peace would shine in every corner.
Nangong Yue continued to practice in the courtyard, her copper coins flickering mysteriously in the moonlight. She understood that only by constantly improving her own strength could she better protect the people around her. She kept the idea of turning swords into plowshares in mind and worked hard to find a path of peaceful development.
The mornings at Qixia Academy are always exceptionally peaceful. Aning stood in the center of the Xuanji formation, feeling the Mohist Qi flowing through her body. The jade slip had merged with her consciousness, and whenever she closed her eyes, she could see countless sophisticated mechanical structures operating in her mind.
"Aning, it's time for breakfast." Nangong Yue came over with a tray with a gentle smile on her face.
Aning took the tray and noticed that Nangong Yue was playing with a small copper plow. "This is..."
"I realized this when I broke through last night." Nangong Yue handed her the bronze plow. "Turning swords into plows, perhaps this is the essence of Mohist thought."
Aning took the copper plow and felt a slight warmth on her fingertips. She suddenly discovered that the surface of the copper plow was engraved with fine lines, which were somewhat similar to the runes on the Tiangong Box. Just as she was about to take a closer look, Fu Shaoping's voice came from a distance.
In front of the sword pavilion, Fu Shaoping was wiping his heavy sword. The new lines on the sword shone with a mysterious luster in the sun. "These lines," Aning walked closer to observe and found that they were somehow connected to the words on the back of the jade slip.
"This is the message that Senior Liu left behind," Fu Shaoping explained. "She said that true power lies in creation, not destruction. This pattern seems to be a diagram of a mechanical device."
The three of them sat around the stone table in the academy, discussing their future plans. Aning decided to stay in the academy to organize the knowledge in the Tiangong Box, Nangong Yue planned to travel around to spread Mohist thought, and Fu Shaoping prepared to return to the Sword House to study the patterns on the sword.
"Oh, right," Nangong Yue suddenly remembered something, "the people from the Golden Toad Chamber of Commerce may still be tracking Senior Liu. We need to be vigilant."
Fu Shaoping nodded: "I have asked the disciples of Jianlu to strengthen their vigilance. However." He hesitated, "I seemed to see a dark shadow moving in the forest last night." (End of this chapter)