Taicang Black Stone Manual (Part III & IV)

Hua Su raised his goblet and drained it in a single gulp, and everyone below did the same.

Looking down from above, Hua Su said, "The recent incident in Taicang City did not last very long, but this victory was truly hard-won. Because it happened so suddenly, many of you might still be unaware of what actually transpired. Let me explain the whole story to you."

A staff advisor to the provincial government felt a slight pang of alarm and wanted to step forward to stop him. In their view, ordinary people had no need to know the intricate details; they only needed to follow the commands issued from above!

Hua Su waved a hand to halt him, saying, "The events of Taicang City concern everyone. Only by understanding why things turned out this way and how we should proceed in the future can we truly know the path we must walk ahead!"

Hong Cheng looked up from below and softly murmured, "Teacher Hua truly is Teacher Hua..."

Teng Zhi pursed her lips and nodded, saying, "Indeed. If it were me, I would hate being kept in the dark about everything, as if I were being treated like a fool."

Hua Su walked over to the side of the review platform, smiled faintly, and said, "Let us sit down and talk about it slowly."

As he spoke, he casually seated himself on the edge of the platform, his legs dangling naturally. With a slight downward press of his hand, imperceptibly, everyone in the arena sat cross-legged on the ground together, looking up to listen to his words.

Infused with Ming Qi, Hua Su's voice clearly carried to every corner.

"The Nine Heavens Chaos occurred a thousand years ago. Throughout these past thousand years, the covetous gaze of the Demon race toward the two great continents of the Nine Heavens and Xuanji has never wavered, and they have continuously launched attacks. Their primary battle line is, of course, Mobei. Centered around Diyu City, the Demon-Defending Army formed by humanity has engaged in endless, life-or-death struggles against the Demon race."

Hua Su reached out and drew a circle in the air. Golden Ming Qi spilled from his fingertips, forming a massive diagram in the sky. With a couple of simple strokes, two continents appeared, one in the south and one in the north. The Southern Nine Heavens and the Northern Xuanji were displayed with absolute clarity.

Next, Hua Su tapped a spot north of Xuanji, and a red dot emerged, continuously radiating light. That was precisely the Mobei battlefield on the Xuanji Continent.

"Mobei is far too distant from the Nine Heavens Continent. Did all of you previously feel as though the war with the Demon race was miles away from your lives, as if it had nothing to do with you?"

Hua Su then tapped a certain location on the Nine Heavens Continent below, and an identical red dot appeared. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell instantly that this was precisely the location of Taicang City on the Nine Heavens Continent!

"The vast majority of humanity's powerhouses are gathered in Mobei. Unable to conquer it after prolonged sieges, the Demon race sought alternative paths. The Nine Heavens Chaos of a thousand years ago was one such attempt. By the grace of the heavens, we had a Zhong Qianfan who sealed the Demon Gate and drove the Demon race back to the Great Desolate Mountains."

"Certain wise figures among the Demon race refused to accept this defeat, and they continually sought to replicate the conditions of the Nine Heavens Chaos. They repeatedly attempted to utilize demon portals to thoroughly open passages connecting to the Nine Heavens Continent. Over the past decade, the frequency of demon portals appearing on the Nine Heavens Continent has increased by thirty percent compared to the past. Most crucially, whereas they used to appear primarily in remote wildernesses far from human settlements, they are now advancing steadily toward human habitation. This time, they actually manifested directly within a major metropolis like Taicang City!"

"This indicates that the Demon race's mastery over demon portals is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and the portals are becoming less susceptible to the influence of Ming Qi. The demon portal in Taicang City this time was meticulously prepared by the Demon race and divided into two distinct phases. The first phase involved simultaneously opening twelve conventional demon portals. They were mutually connected; if they were not all sealed at the same time, the remaining portals could use resonance to reopen the sealed ones."

"The most critical part was the second phase. After undergoing continuous upgrades and evolution, the twelve demon portals would completely merge into a single entity. At that point, the portals would transform into a permanent conduit connecting the Nine Heavens Continent and the Great Desolate Mountains, impossible to seal unless a Divine Martial Saint descended in person!"

Upon hearing these words, everyone was struck with shock.

In the current human world, spanning both the Nine Heavens Continent and the Xuanji Continent, there was only a single Divine Martial Saint in total. That was the "Eastern Ming Divine Emperor" Xiao Canghai of Diyu City!

Only then did they realize just how perilous this crisis had been. Had the demon portals not been sealed in time, their only recourse would have been to petition Xiao Canghai.

Xiao Canghai was far away in Diyu City on the Xuanji Continent, living in seclusion and exceedingly difficult to approach. Whether he could even be persuaded to come was one question; and even if he did arrive, what this passage would have evolved into, and whether it would remain within his capabilities to handle, was highly uncertain.

Hua Su's expression was exceptionally solemn. After a brief pause, he dropped another earth-shattering statement: "This demon chaos in Taicang City was merely a prelude to the Demon race's offensive. One can easily imagine that once the Demon race prepares themselves once more, such a situation will happen again!"

The joy of victory had long since vanished entirely, and not a trace of a smile remained on anyone's face.

Silence still reigned below, but this time, it was not out of reverence for the Yiming Martial Emperor, but rather extreme shock and panic!

At that moment, the moon advanced a step further, and the moonlight grew even brighter.

Beneath the silver radiance, amidst the human crowd whose terrified vision had blurred slightly, a smile suddenly appeared.

Hua Su smiled with extreme disdain and asked, "Are you afraid?"

Leaning forward and looking down upon them, he asked, "Do you wish to surrender to the Demon race?"

He suddenly stood up and lightly stamped his foot.

A wisp of black Qi materialized in mid-air, forming a vivid scene.

People gasped sharply.

It was a gigantic, hideous demon holding a human in its grip, viciously tearing into his thigh with its teeth, its mouth dripping with fresh blood.

He stepped off the review platform and stood suspended in the void.

He walked forward step by step, and with every step he took, black Qi generated behind him.

Countless wisps of black Qi formed scene after scene resembling scenes from hell.

Demons consuming humans, slaughtering them... Whether it was the ugly and ferocious lower-tier demons or the handsome, alluring higher-tier demons who looked indistinguishable from humans, their eyes held only coldness and cruelty, entirely devoid of pity for humankind.

The people looked up at these shifting scenes, fear still lingering on their faces, yet their expressions gradually grew calm.

Hua Su turned around in mid-air, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the projection behind him. With a flick, he ignited a cigarette, pointed at the images formed by the black Qi, and said indifferently, "Everything you see here is something I have witnessed with my own eyes. Every single bit of it."

"The Nine Heavens Continent is too far removed from the Demon race. Perhaps some still harbor fantasies about them, but you must understand that humans and demons are two completely distinct lifeforms. Heaven brought us into this world destined to be enemies! If the Demon race were to conquer the Nine Heavens Continent and launch a pincer attack alongside Mobei to seize the Xuanji Continent, that would mark the hour of humanity's extinction!"

A cold smile suddenly touched his lips as he challenged them word by word, "Yet, this time, the Demon race launched a sudden assault, taking us unawares while we were unprepared, and still we achieved victory. Next time, when we are fully prepared, we will fight just as we did this time—no, even more heroically than this time—could we possibly fail instead?"

"No!" Ping Luanshan was the first to let out a thunderous roar. His shout quickly galvanized the people around him, causing everyone to join in and shout together.

Hua Su nodded encouragingly toward Ping Luanshan and said with solemn gravity, "Humanity and the Demon race are irreconcilable. Since war is unavoidable, let us face it! If the demons are fierce and valiant, are we humans supposed to be easy targets?!"

Hua Su snapped his fingers, and all the black Qi instantly shattered and vanished into nothingness. The ferocious demons disappeared from mid-air, and another wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.

They were invigorated once more. But this time, it was no longer the pure, unadulterated ecstasy of before.

They had grown calmer. More sober.

For the first time, they felt just how close the Demon race was to them, instilling a deep sense of crisis. Yet simultaneously, for the first time, they felt that they possessed strength sufficient to beat back all demons!

Hua Su smiled as he watched the renewed expressions on the people's faces. He took a deep drag from his cigarette and stubbed it out.

Suddenly, he asked, "Looking back now, how exactly did we achieve this victory?"

The crowd fell silent for a moment; then a voice shouted loudly, "Because Master Gan forged the Demon-Suppressing divine tools for us!"

After another brief pause, more voices rang out: "...Because the retired veterans of the Demon-Defending Army came to our aid!"

"Because the brothers of the City Defense Army fought through blood and fire!"

"Because our fellow townsfolk from Danya Province came to help!"

A cacophony of overlapping voices rose continuously, merging into a mighty torrent that echoed across the drill grounds.

Hua Su smiled and gestured toward a certain spot. Suddenly, a rumbling sound came from outside the drill grounds. The people quieted down and looked over in surprise as a horse-drawn carriage hauling a massive black stone drove in from the outside.

The crowd instinctively parted a path. The carriage reached the side of the review platform and came to a halt; the driver jumped down and stepped aside.

Hua Su walked over and extended a hand. Enveloped in a layer of golden light, the black stone lifted into the air. Then, with a wave of Hua Su's hand, the sharper end of the black stone plummeted fiercely toward the ground.

A minor earthquake rippled across the entire drill grounds. When the tremors subsided, a black stone ten meters high and roughly three meters wide stood erected beside the review platform, striking and conspicuous.

One of its sides had been sheared flat, gleaming like a polished mirror, looking just like a giant looking-glass.

"The Black Stone Chronicle..."

Standing within the crowd, Ning Longkong watched the proceedings, occasionally joining in the cheers. Catching sight of this black stone, he was the first to recognize it and murmured the name aloud.

The Black Stone Chronicle was used exclusively for recording the genealogies of noble clans, something ordinary people had never laid eyes on. Hearing Ning Longkong's words, several people nearby immediately widened their eyes and stared over.

"Is this the Black Stone Chronicle? It doesn't look particularly special... What is Lord Hua planning to do?"

Floating before the black stone, Hua Su smiled faintly. He turned around and said, "Some of you may have already recognized it. That is correct, this is the black stone used for recording the Black Stone Chronicle."

The black stone was not a true stone; rather, it was a substance forged by martial cultivators at the Heart-Ming Martial Ancestor tier or above, who fused their own bloodlines with a rare deep-sea botanical entity. It was also the symbol of a Heart-Ming Martial Ancestor founding a sect and establishing a family lineage.

Hua Su was a Yi-Ming Martial Emperor, so naturally, he was fully capable of inscribing the Black Stone Chronicle. Yet he had spent his entire life in the Demon-Defending Army as a solitary bachelor; where on earth would he have any blood relatives?

"I entered the Demon-Defending Army from a young age and spent my entire life there, a solitary person without kin..." These words were spoken by Hua Su himself. Looking up at the black stone, he smiled gently, "I once thought I would never have a family of my own in this lifetime."

"But I realized I was wrong."

"A household has its family members, and a realm has its great family. I have no father or mother, no son or daughter, but I have my elders and fellow townsfolk! Over these eighteen days, we have lived and died together, fighting shoulder to shoulder. We may not be blood relatives, but who dares say our bonds are lighter than those of family?"

He suddenly swept his arm through the air, inscribing four sweeping, vigorous characters in the sky:

"Taicang Demon Defeated"!

"This Black Stone Chronicle is erected by me, Hua Su. It does not record the genealogy of my personal family, but rather the glory of everyone who fought in this battle of Taicang City!"

The four characters lingered in the air for several breaths before sinking into the Black Stone Chronicle. The surface of the dark stone glowed with a layer of golden light, as if it had been illuminated from its very depths.

"The highest merit of Taicang's demon defeat goes to Master Gan Fuxing!"

Hua Su inscribed three characters at the very top of the Black Stone Chronicle. With a light sweep of his finger, black stone chippings cascaded down, revealing the sharp, distinct name.

Hua Su said, "Sealing the demon portals required not only the formidable strength of our martial cultivators, but crucially, specialized divine tools. To that end, we invited the Tier-Three Divine Tool Master Gan Fuxing."

"Master Gan arrived here nine days ago. From the very moment he arrived, he inspected every single demon portal without rest or sleep, securing first-hand intelligence. Afterward, he expended immense mental and physical energy to forge the Demon-Suppressing Grand Array. Without this array, sealing the demons could never have succeeded!"

"However, the Demon race proved utterly vicious. Discovering humanity's actions and seeking to sabotage our plans, they mobilized formidable might and savagely attacked Master Gan! Consequently, Master Gan sustained severe injuries, bringing him to the brink of death."

Hua Su drew a deep breath and said, "Even so, Master Gan insisted on presiding over the Demon-Suppressing Grand Array until it successfully sealed the demon portals, only then drawing his final breath. The Demon-Suppressing Grand Array crafted by this Tier-Three Divine Tool Master at the end of his life was authenticated by the Divine Tool Codex as a National-Grade Divine Tool! That single feat elevated Master Gan into the realm of Tier-Four! But he... will never get to witness his own achievement."

Silence gripped the drill grounds as moonlight spilled down from above, illuminating Gan Fuxing's name.

Hua Su stared fixedly at the name for a long moment before steadying himself and declaring in a ringing voice, "The second merit goes to every single hero of the Taicang City Defense Army!"

He raised his hand once more, stone chippings flew, and another name appeared on the Black Stone Chronicle. Following that, name after name emerged like a flowing stream, uninterrupted.

As each name appeared, a streak of golden light would sweep across it, carrying a certain inherent power. Even those standing at the very edge of the drill grounds could clearly see what Hua Su was writing at that moment.

Everyone was utterly stunned. Name after name flashed before them—every single one was entirely familiar.

Was Taicang City large? No. The vast majority of the City Defense Army soldiers were locals, the kind who, upon finishing their shifts, would return directly home rather than staying in the barracks. During peacetime, while patrolling the city and keeping it safe, they would also readily help resolve various minor disputes and lend a hand with everyday troubles.

These were Taicang City's very own sons, the children they had raised!

The names inscribed first were those who had sacrificed their lives. As name after name emerged, the residents of Taicang City watched those familiar, vibrant faces flash through their minds one after another.

"Sob..." Soft whimpers arose within the crowd, gradually merging into a chorus.

Though tears streamed down their faces, not a single person lowered their head. With tear-blurred eyes wide open, they fixed their gaze on the names continuously materializing on the Black Stone Chronicle.

At that moment, their hearts surged with unspeakable emotion.

Hua Su wrote without pause, entirely without interruption, and without referring to any record whatsoever. Evidently, every single one of those names was firmly etched into his memory!

They did not know which aspect moved them more: having their names eternally commemorated on the Black Stone Chronicle, being firmly remembered by a Yi-Ming Martial Emperor, or honoring these valiant fighters who had laid down their lives for their hometown?

Upon reaching the realm of a Yi-Ming Martial Emperor, the enhancement of Ming Qi extended far beyond mere physical strength. Their neural faculties were likewise reinforced, rendering their memory capacity astonishingly formidable.

Hua Su finished writing the names of the fallen without a break. Once inscribed, the golden light lingered for several breaths before fading into a steady gray.

This was a distinct characteristic of the Black Stone Chronicle.

Earlier, Hua Su had enlisted the help of the Wu brothers to make preparations. He had collected personal belongings of these fallen soldiers and utilized his own ability to harvest a wisp of their life souls.

Recorded within the Black Stone Chronicle, these life souls could reflect their living status.

For a name to turn gray signified that the individual had passed away.

Having finished writing those names, Hua Su paused slightly, glanced toward a certain direction, and began a new column.

Once inscribed, these names radiated a faint golden light, indicating that those individuals were still alive.

Hua Su sighed softly. These were the names of the heavily injured. They were still alive now, but how much longer could they endure?

When even the military physicians of the Demon-Defending Army could not resolve their conditions, handing them over to a youth like Jiang Feng—wasn't that merely a futile gesture?

He steadied his mind and continued writing.

Next came the names of those with light to moderate injuries.

They were considered the relatively fortunate group; after receiving emergency treatment following the battle, they would suffer no lingering sequelae, and they were present here today.

They watched excitedly as their names were carved onto the stone. Suddenly, a wave of warmth bloomed in their chests, causing them to lower their heads in curious bewilderment.

As the golden light swept over their names on the Black Stone Chronicle, a flash of golden light similarly brushed across the surface of their skin. A faint current of Ming Qi infused their bodies, making them feel warm from head to toe.

Glancing back, Hua Su smiled and said, "Those whose names are inscribed upon the Black Stone Chronicle are protected by its power. It will help deflect a fatal wound for you."

All the martial cultivators were overjoyed simultaneously!

In effect, this granted them an extra life—there could be nothing more practical than that!

Hua Su finished writing the names of all the City Defense Army soldiers. By this point, one-third of the Black Stone Chronicle had been filled.

Hua Su proclaimed in a ringing voice, "The third merit goes to all the students who chose to stay behind and continue fighting after the Grand Examination!"

New names were carved into the stone, with Hong Cheng, Teng Zhi, and Ning Longkong all among them. Staring intently at their names, their hearts pounded with excitement.

Ning Longkong murmured, "From this day forth, my name, Ning Longkong, is permanently etched in Taicang City. Hahahaha!"

The others exchanged glances and burst into hearty laughter together.

Hua Su smiled faintly, his fingers flicking, and the three characters "Ping Luanshan" appeared.

Writing as he spoke, Hua Su said, "I wish to particularly highlight this disciple of mine. During the Grand Examination, he ranked second. Yet the situation was critical, and we urgently needed reinforcements. Possessing immense speed, I found him and asked if he could cut his examination short to seek help for me in the deep rock regions of Danya Province."

Turning his head, he accurately located Ping Luanshan in the crowd and sighed, "Without a moment's hesitation, he immediately agreed. He traveled tirelessly for five days, securing nearly a hundred retired veterans. Yet his journey in the Grand Examination ended right there."

Countless grateful gazes converged upon Ping Luanshan, whose face flushed red. He rubbed his nose in embarrassment and muttered, "What is Teacher Hua saying all this for? Why bring this up now..."

Suddenly, a hand reached out and heavily patted his shoulder. "A fine man! You will surely go far!"

"Right, absolutely!"

This remark sparked countless echoes of agreement, making Ping Luanshan's face flush even deeper. This time, however, it was from sheer excitement.

He muttered, "Suddenly, I feel as though it was all worth it!"

Hong Cheng teased, "You didn't feel that way before?"

Ping Luanshan answered decisively, "No, I felt it the entire time!"

Hua Su smiled slightly and raised his voice once more, "The fourth merit goes to the brothers Wu San and Wu Qi, along with their Civilian Self-Defense Corps!"

The Wu brothers were dumbfounded, as was everyone they had organized and led.

They were not martial cultivators; they were ordinary citizens. This time, they had fought purely on the strength of the fiery passion within their hearts. Never in their wildest dreams had they imagined that their names would one day be inscribed by a Yi-Ming Martial Emperor onto the Black Stone Chronicle of Taicang City!

As name after name materialized, halos of light likewise manifested across their bodies.

Hua Su said, "The power of the Black Stone Chronicle will likewise protect you, strengthening your constitutions and keeping illness and misfortune at bay!"

As warm currents poured into them, they indeed felt as though their bodies had grown lighter, imbued with an extraordinary sense of comfort.

With names growing increasingly dense upon the Black Stone Chronicle, the emotions of the crowd grew ever more fervent.

Though they had wiped away their tears, it did not mean they would forget the fallen. Their names were engraved upon the Black Stone Chronicle, just as they were firmly etched within their hearts!

The fourth merit was awarded to the retired veterans of the Demon-Defending Army, and the fifth merit to the neighboring helpers who came from Danya Province.

Instead of writing their names immediately, Hua Su turned back with a smile and asked, "You are not people of Taicang; how about it, are you willing to leave your names here?"

Although Fan Gensheng had departed, he had left several individuals behind to assist. Over the past few days, they had run about tirelessly, exerting themselves to the utmost and providing Hua Su with tremendous aid.

Hua Su used a single Black Stone Chronicle to record all the contributions from the Battle of Taicang City, driving the emotions of everyone present to ever-greater heights. Though not natives of Taicang, they could not help but be swept up in the excitement.

They had not expected Hua Su to suddenly shift the focus onto them. Turning his head to look at them, Hua Su was met with an even greater multitude of grateful gazes.

An elderly administrative clerk was momentarily stunned before bursting into hearty laughter. He declared loudly, "I may not be a Taicang man, but I am a good neighbor from Yushui Province! How could I possibly miss out on such a wonderful opportunity to leave my name?"

Striding forward as the crowd parted a path for him, he walked up to the Black Stone Chronicle, bit down hard on his thumb, and pressed a bloody fingerprint onto the stone.

His name automatically materialized below, glowing in brilliant gold.

Following that, the rest of the people from Danya Province and all the veteran soldiers of the Demon-Defending Army stepped forward one after another, pressing their fingerprints and leaving their names.

In the end, the entire surface of the Black Stone Chronicle was packed to capacity, shimmering with golden light resembling fireflies.

Gazing at the Black Stone Chronicle, the people looked as though they were gazing upon the highest glory of Taicang City!

Hua Su was also looking at the Black Stone Chronicle. He withdrew his finger and was about to turn around to speak when a young girl's voice suddenly rang out loudly, "That's not right, a name is missing!"

The childish voice was exceptionally clear, instantly piercing through the joyful smiles of the people and resounding crisply.

Snuggling close to her mother and carefully reading through the names on the Black Stone Chronicle, A-Miao stated righteously, "That's right, a name is missing—Big Brother Jiang's name is missing!"