allonlinenovel Chapter 358 A Study of Fantasy
Chapter 358 A Study of Fantasy
Chapter 358: A Test of Fantasy Knowledge
After listening to the words of the Mysterious Elder, Qiu Ziyue pondered for a moment, then looked at Li Cunxu with a firm gaze.
She slowly bowed deeply to the old man of profound mystery:
“Senior, the person you are looking for is him—Li Cunxu.”
Everyone was stunned. Qi Yuxuan and Leng Feng exchanged a glance, seemingly waiting for Li Cunxu's reaction.
"He is the son of Li Keyong, the former Prince of Jin, and has now succeeded to the title of Prince of Jin."
Qiu Ziyue's voice was strong and clear.
"He had the world in his heart and was determined to revive the Tang Dynasty. He was not someone who only cared about his own selfish interests."
If we're talking about the great task of restoring the Tang Dynasty, no one is more suitable to shoulder it than him.
After listening, the old man Xuanxu carefully examined Li Cunxu.
Li Cunxu was handsome, with a heroic air between his brows, a tall and upright posture, and an extraordinary demeanor.
Even though he was in a cave, he remained calm and composed.
"Um……"
The old man nodded and praised in a low voice.
"Truly worthy of being Li Keyong's son, he is indeed extraordinary and possesses an imposing presence!"
Li Cunxu stepped forward, cupped his hands in a salute, and spoke in a loud and firm voice:
"Junior Li Cunxu greets Senior. If Senior deems me qualified to accept the test,"
"Then, no matter what the difficulty, I am willing to do my utmost to complete it."
The old man smiled slightly, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes:
"Very well! In that case, I will pose three questions to test you."
If you answer in a way that satisfies me, you may enter my fantastical puzzle and try to unravel its mysteries.
If you can't answer, you'll have to go back the way you came.
Li Cunxu agreed without hesitation: "Please enlighten me, senior!"
The old man pondered for a moment before asking, "The first question is, what is 'the will of the people'? And how do we win the hearts of the people?"
Upon hearing this, everyone held their breath, awaiting Li Cunxu's reply.
After a moment's thought, Li Cunxu said sincerely:
The so-called "people's will" refers to the will of the common people. The way to govern a country is to prioritize benevolent governance, followed by impartiality and selflessness.
To win the hearts and minds of the people, one must prioritize their well-being, reduce taxes and levies, and extend generous benefits to ensure their peaceful and prosperous lives; only then can one gain their support.
The old man nodded slightly:
"Indeed, governing a country and ensuring its stability requires prioritizing the people. Let's continue!"
"The second question," the old man asked, his eyes gleaming.
"How should a ruler treat his subjects? And how should a subject assist his ruler?"
Li Cunxu pondered for a moment and replied:
"A ruler must know how to appoint people to positions of authority, trust the virtuous and capable, and not dismiss the loyal and good because of personal grudges."
At the same time, officials should be strictly restrained to prevent treacherous officials from seizing power.
As for ministers, they should faithfully fulfill their duties, speak frankly and offer honest advice, and dare to correct the ruler's mistakes. Only when superiors and inferiors are of one mind can great undertakings be accomplished.
The old man stroked his beard and laughed:
"Very good. You understand the principle of mutual support between ruler and subject, which is the key to the prosperity and establishment of a nation."
"One last question,"
The old man's expression turned serious.
"In this chaotic world, heroes rise up and various forces fight for control. If you wish to unify the world and restore the Tang Dynasty, where should you begin?"
Li Cunxu took a deep breath, his eyes shining with determination:
"In chaotic times, the strong are respected, but force alone is not enough to win people's hearts."
First, we must accumulate strength, consolidate our foundation, and ensure that our foothold is secure.
Secondly, we must recruit talented individuals and unite all forces to achieve great things together;
Furthermore, it is necessary to take advantage of favorable timing, location, and human factors to gradually weaken hostile forces.
Ultimately, winning people's hearts and minds through virtue is the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability.
After listening, the old man remained silent for a long time, then suddenly burst into laughter:
"Wonderful!"
Li Cunxu hurriedly asked, "May I ask, senior, is my answer satisfactory?"
"Yes, indeed, to become a hero in chaotic times requires not only wisdom and courage, but also a generous and tolerant heart."
You possess both great ambition and the talent to govern the world; you are truly a rare and fortunate person!
Upon hearing this, Qiu Ziyue and the others breathed a sigh of relief, and smiles of satisfaction appeared on their faces.
The old man of profound mystery stood up and pointed towards the depths of the cave with a wave of his sleeve:
"In that case, you may go and unravel my mystical mystery."
Remember, the maze is full of traps and mechanisms; a single misstep can lead to failure.
But as long as we work together, no difficulty is insurmountable!
Li Cunxu clasped his hands in thanks and said:
"Thank you for your guidance, senior. I will do my best!"
At the command of the Mysterious Elder, the stone-armored behemoth slowly retreated, revealing a passage leading to the depths of the maze.
Qiu Ziyue and the others followed Li Cunxu forward, embracing the unknown challenges ahead...
Inside the dimly lit tunnel, the figures of the six people gradually disappeared into the deep darkness.
The old man Xuanxu watched their retreating figures and murmured to himself:
"I hope they succeed... After all, it concerns the future of the entire world."
After entering the depths of the cave, the group found that the view ahead suddenly opened up.
A spacious stone chamber came into view, its floor covered with intricate runes and patterns.
These symbols intertwine to form a giant Bagua array, emitting a faint glow.
The surrounding walls are inlaid with eight ancient jade plaques, each corresponding to one of the eight trigrams: Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui.
The voice of the Mysterious Old Man came from afar:
"This is one of my mystical puzzles—the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams Formation."
If you want to pass this test, you must unravel its mystery.
Remember, you only have the time it takes for three incense sticks to burn. If you exceed the time limit or accidentally trigger the mechanism, you could very well lose your lives here!
Qiu Ziyue stared at the Bagua formation on the ground, her brows furrowed:
"This is no ordinary Bagua formation; it integrates the five elements, and each direction contains hidden secrets."
Qiu Ziyue looked closely and saw:
The Qian position (Heaven) – associated with the element of metal – is located in the due north direction, with several golden swords suspended within the formation.
Its position will constantly change as the formation operates.
Qiu Ziyue observed that its difficulty lay in finding a specific musical rhythm.
The music guides the golden sword back to its place. Otherwise, the golden sword will randomly attack any challenger.
The Kun position (Earth) – Earth element – is located in the due south direction. The ground suddenly collapses, revealing a swamp.
The swamp is riddled with sharp rock spikes, and one can easily get stuck if one is not careful.
The difficulty lies in the fact that you need to follow the color changes of the runes under your feet.
Determine your next foothold, or you will be pierced or even swallowed by the stone spikes.
The Zhen position (thunder) – the wood element is in the east, and countless vines, like snakes, coil around it, seemingly possessing life.
These vines not only restrict movement but also absorb the energy of those who attempt to break through the formation.
Only by using fire to suppress its growth and deciphering the hidden wood attribute code within the vines can one pass through successfully.
The Xun position (wind) – Wood is in the west, where a strong wind suddenly rises, making it difficult for people to stand, while also raising sand and dust that obstructs the view.
It must use special tools (such as a compass) to determine direction, and at the same time use the wind in the gust to adjust its movement route.
Kan position (water) - Water flows in the northwest direction. A chilling aura comes, and the ground quickly freezes, forming a slippery mirror surface.
The challenge lies in the fact that those who attempt the challenge must master balance skills and solve the hidden underwater mechanisms, otherwise they will be frozen in place.
Li Wei (Fire) – Fire moves in the southeast direction, with raging flames forming an insurmountable wall of fire.
It needs to find the right way to extinguish the fire, but using water directly will only make the fire burn more fiercely.
Only by using special cooling crystals can the flames be suppressed.
Meanwhile, in the northeast direction, a small rocky mountain slowly moves, blocking the way.
Its subtlety lies in the hidden mechanisms within the rocky mountain.
Only by entering the correct password or triggering the correct mechanism can the rock formation be stopped from moving.
The Dui position (Ze) – the metal element is in the southwest direction, where a huge mirror appears, reflecting everyone's fears and weaknesses.
Its difficulty lies in the fact that those who attempt to break through must confront their inner shadows and overcome psychological barriers; otherwise, the mirror image will materialize and launch an attack.
However, what truly gave everyone a headache was the core mechanism of the entire formation—the mutual generation and restraint of the five elements.
"Such a formation is extremely troublesome, even more dangerous and challenging than the Yangzhou Qin-Jian martial arts competition."
"If we fail, all six of us will lose our lives here."
Qiu Ziyue frowned, a headache starting to ache.
"What should we do?"
To be continued in the next chapter!