Volume 1, Chapter 13: Artillery Duel! The Sacred Bright Imperial Guard, the Heavenly Dipper Profound Origin Formation!

The shaman of the Demonic Qing had barely finished speaking when an elderly minister of the Sacred Ming surged forward in a fit of rage: "Is this all your Demonic Qing can resort to? Who in this world is unaware of the potency of your firearms? Such a competition is utterly unfair! You will surely be reviled by all under heaven!"

An emissary of the Demonic Qing, his face thick with jowls, curled his lip into a cold sneer: "Your words are misplaced, sir. Firearms are the very symbol of power. That my Demonic Qing can sweep across the world with them is but the mandate of heaven. As for your Sacred Ming, despite your long history, you cannot even forge a decent firearm—how can you speak of governing or securing the nation?"

The elderly minister of the Sacred Ming turned ashen with fury: "You of the Demonic Qing are utterly shameless! You possess not a shred of humanity!"

The emissary of the Demonic Qing snorted in disdain: "Hmph, history is written by the victors; that has been the way since ancient times. In the hands of my Demonic Qing, firearms are the weapons of righteousness, but in yours, they are mere ornaments. This is the difference—you had best admit defeat and be done with it!"

Zhou Yanru, Vice Minister of Rites for the Sacred Ming, stepped forward, rebuking him with righteous indignation: "Do not be so arrogant, envoy of the Demonic Qing! Though my Sacred Ming may temporarily lag behind, we possess men of talent and ambition who are studying the way of firearms day and night, determined to surpass your kind. Your insolence and tyranny will only hasten the downfall of your Demonic Qing!"

The emissary laughed aloud, as if he had heard the most ridiculous jest in the world: "Surpass my Demonic Qing? It seems your Sacred Ming is still lost in a daydream! The firearms of my Demonic Qing were meticulously crafted by the great masters of the Mohist school, and their power is boundless. If your Sacred Ming could produce such weapons, we would gladly bow in defeat!"

Zhou Yanru’s eyes blazed: "You barbarians, what do you know of the profound heritage of my Sacred Ming? The way of firearms is but a minor art. If my Sacred Ming were to commit ourselves fully, we would certainly leave you stunned!"

"Enough, there is no need for further debate. If your Sacred Ming truly has such confidence, then let us face off. This first round shall be a trial of firearms!"

"You barbarians actually dare to look down upon my Sacred Ming! Today, we shall let you see what a true firearm is!"

"Hmph, a contest it is! Who fears whom? My Sacred Ming's firearms will surely send you of the Demonic Qing fleeing in terror!"

"Do not be so cocky; once the trial begins, you shall witness the might of the Sacred Ming!"

The two sides traded barbs, insults flying back and forth, filling the entire yamen with the scent of gunpowder.

Zhu Youjian calmly observed these ministers before him. He was watching the reaction of every single one of them. Seeing the Emperor’s gaze fixed upon them, the ministers only argued with greater fervor. It had to be said that while these pedantic scholars of the Donglin faction might lack the ability to govern or manage state affairs—often engaging in nothing more than empty talk—they were peerless when it came to arguing and sycophancy.

Compared to treacherous officials, Zhu Youjian detested these fence-sitters and bootlickers even more. If the wind shifted even slightly, they would change their allegiance without a moment's hesitation. Regardless of which side emerged victorious, they would use the prevailing tide to strike ruthlessly at the losing side. Such was the shallowness and baseness of their factional strife; their principles were nothing more than a pursuit of influence.

In actual history, the collapse of Zhu Youjian’s reign was inextricably linked to the presence of these sycophantic, selfish, and fickle opportunists within the court. Most ridiculously, when the rebel leader Li Zicheng’s forces reached the city walls, these very ministers had secretly opened the gates to welcome the rebels in behind the Emperor's back. When asked for funds, they claimed to be incorruptible and penniless, yet after the Ming dynasty fell, Li Zicheng’s men unearthed tens of millions of taels of silver from their homes.

This vast empire had long since rotted to the core. Zhu Youjian knew well that he had to purge this decaying state. The eunuch faction of Wei Zhongxian was but the tip of the iceberg; these fence-sitters were the root of the problem.

Just as the argument between the two sides was about to escalate into physical violence, Sun Chengzong stepped forward. His gaze was like a torch as he swept it across the room, his voice steady and powerful: "Gentlemen, calm yourselves."

Upon hearing this, the bickering parties fell instantly silent. Having overseen the frontiers for years, Sun Chengzong enjoyed an impeccable reputation; not only was he respected throughout the Sacred Ming, but even the demon-folk of the Demonic Qing held him in some degree of awe.

The world is always thus: if you use power to coerce others, they will only submit on the surface, and should you ever fall into hardship, everyone will trample you underfoot. But if you lead with virtue, others will respect you from the bottom of their hearts, regardless of their own stance.

Sun Chengzong looked at Zhu Youjian: "Your Majesty, since we are to compete with artillery, let us do so without restraint. However, this yamen is too cramped to showcase them properly. I suggest we move to the Xiyuan training grounds."

Zhu Youjian nodded: "Granted."

Inside the training ground, the atmosphere was tense and solemn. The Sacred Ming and the Demonic Qing stood in confrontation. Each side dispatched ten cultivators of the first rank of the Void-Piercing Essence-Condensation Realm. On the side of the Sacred Ming, ten elite imperial guards stood as still as pines; they were powerfully built, their muscles rippling with the aura of iron and blood. It was clear they were men who had licked blood from the edges of their blades. On the Demonic Qing side, ten equally imposing demon-folk warriors stood ready, rolling up their sleeves.

The rule of the match was simple: each side would use their ten cultivators to see who could break through the opponent's defenses using artillery. Ordinarily, artillery was effective for sieges and dealing heavy damage to common soldiers of lower realms in large-scale battlefield combat. However, cultivators of the Void-Piercing Essence-Condensation Realm possessed incredibly resilient bodies; with a mere wave of their hands, they could draw upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth for protection, making it difficult for standard firearms to harm them. Thus, the competition seemed somewhat absurd.

The Demonic Qing’s proposal clearly stemmed from absolute confidence in their artillery. The demonic emissary retrieved their cannon from a spatial ring. The moment it appeared, everyone was taken aback. It was not an ordinary weapon. While it resembled a standard cannon, its modifications gave it a more menacing presence. The barrel was thicker, the muzzle wider, and the entire structure was inscribed with various runes and magical arrays. It was clearly a meticulously crafted, enhanced piece of artillery with power far beyond the ordinary.

On the Sacred Ming side, the ten imperial guard cultivators swiftly took their positions. The five in the outer ring corresponded to the Five Elements—Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—while the five in the inner ring aligned with the Celestial Dipper asterisms—Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, and Xin. As their internal energy circulated and intensified, the entire formation began to emit a faint, ethereal glow; this was the Celestial Dipper Profound Essence Formation, unique to the Sacred Ming’s imperial guard.

As the formation took shape, the onlookers murmured in admiration. Zhou Yanru, the Vice Minister of Rites, stroked his beard and smiled at his colleagues: "It seems our victory is assured. This Celestial Dipper Profound Essence Formation is one of the guards' signature skills, boasting formidable defensive power. Even a fifth-rank Void-Piercing Essence-Condensation expert would find it hard to break, let alone these demonic cultivators." Another minister nodded in agreement: "Indeed, with this formation, the Sacred Ming will surely triumph. These demons are far too arrogant to challenge us in a test of firearms."

They knew this formation was legendary, capable of withstanding even fifth-rank experts. Yet, just as everyone felt victory was within their grasp, the Demonic Qing emissary gave the order.

The demonic cannon fired instantly.