Starting as a centurion, he fought his way through the chaos of the world.

Chapter 103 Famous throughout the world
Inside the Empress's bedchamber, a lady-in-waiting carefully presented a memorial.

"Your Majesty, Wei Zhong sent this over."

He held it up with both hands, showing extreme respect.

A white hand reached out and took the memorial.

The empress began to peruse the text and illustrations, and everything about them filled her with dread.

The disciples of the immortal sect were almost completely wiped out, and the powerful alien beasts were torn apart by the army formation.

There were nine heads.

With a mere army, they crushed the current ceiling of combat power within the territory of Dayu.

"Have you found out anything about this army?"

She couldn't help but feel a longing rising within her.

If I had such an army to assist me, how could I not suppress the rebellion?

"Not yet," the female official whispered.

"Bang!" The Empress threw the memorial in her hand onto the table.

Where is the person you were asked to find?

"Please punish me, Your Majesty," the female official said, her face pale.

"The Prime Minister can return to court in a few more days."

"We expect to be back tomorrow," the female official said quickly.

"Make preparations. Tomorrow I will host a welcome banquet for the Prime Minister in the palace."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The female official carefully retreated.

With her departure.

The Empress took out a scroll from the hidden chamber, and the painting depicted Lu Ming.

Looking at the other person, his brows furrowed even more.

I don't know where the other person is now.

Lately, she has been dreaming about Lu Ming more and more frequently.

Now, even during the day, I can't help but think of it.

This really angered her.

Besides the Empress, inside the Yongwang Mansion, there was also the rebel king dressed in a long black robe.

His expression was equally grave.

Looking down at Liu Huai, He Song, and his son, he said, "This military formation is too terrifying. If no one can break it, it will be a huge variable. I wonder what Mr. He and the Immortal Master think?"

“Recruit him. Judging from all the signs, even the court doesn’t know his origins. If we can recruit him to our side, Your Highness will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort,” He Song said without hesitation.

In today's struggle for power, there are no permanent enemies, only interests.

During this period, every rebel king would try his best to win over talented people. Yesterday's enemy might be today's honored guest.

Such a powerful and capable military leader would be irresistibly attractive to any faction.

"Since they are not on the side of the imperial court, why would they risk their lives to save Li Yan?" Liu Huai was somewhat puzzled.

However, she did not refute He Song's opinion.

Lu Ming is indeed a talented individual. If we can recruit him at this time, the Yongwang faction will definitely gain a significant boost in influence.

"Ever since Li Yan recommended a disciple to me and I refused, we fell out. I hate Li Yan very much, but I can't deny his achievements, such as the decree to support the people."

Countless people have benefited from this, and many extraordinary individuals in the community are grateful. So never doubt that at any time, there will be people willing to risk their lives for it.

This news about Li Yan only circulated among some anti-kings and those with ulterior motives.

Otherwise, many more people would likely follow suit and fight their way through for him.

But this favor will only be remembered by Li Yan; they won't care too much about what happens to the imperial court.

He Song said with a hint of envy.

It is truly rare to see someone of mortal descent into such reverence.

Throughout the history of Dayu, this is quite rare.

Then, after a moment of contemplation, the topic shifted to Lu Ming.

"If I can find this person, I am willing to return to the sect and ask an inner sect elder to take him as my disciple." Clearly, He Song was aware of his own limitations; with his cultivation level, he was simply not qualified to take the other person as his disciple.

Tuoba Hao, standing to the side, couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth, realizing that he had been underestimated again.

Why couldn't his master be an elder?

He was the heir apparent to the Prince of Yong.

Moreover, his talent is also quite good, just not as good as Lu Ming's.

Liu Xuan, standing to the side, flashed her eyes and said, "This matter is not for your Four Symbols Sect to worry about. If you can find him, I am willing to recommend him to join the Heavenly Pivot Sect and become a follower of the Dao Child."

Upon hearing the voice, He Song's face flushed red, but he did not refute it further.

Although we both come from the same immortal sect.

However, as everyone knows, the seven major sects—Tian Shu, Tian Xuan, Tian Ji, Tian Quan, Yu Heng, Kai Yang, and Yao Guang—are the ones that truly hold sway.

Each sect has a Dao Lord in charge, a truly colossal figure.

All other immortal sects paled in comparison to them.

If Tian Shu really extends an olive branch, it will naturally be far more attractive than the Four Symbols Sect.

And, most importantly...

The followers of Taozi, that is the real allure.

Although He Song wanted to try to compete, he found that his side really did not have the advantages of the Tian Shu Sect.

In the end, they had no choice but to give up.

Prince Yong said, "Then send people to search for him. If he is found, we can tell him clearly that the matter of Songzhou can be forgiven. As long as he is willing to submit to the Prince's Palace, I can grant him a marquisate. If he establishes a kingdom, I can make him a king."

As soon as the words were spoken, the group immediately stood up and said, "Your Highness is wise."

As for the other rebel kings, their attitudes toward Lu Ming varied. Some were wary of him, while others had the same idea of ​​winning him over.

The only problem is that I don't know who the other person is.

In short, the mysterious Xiangliu Legion has spread throughout the entire Dayu Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Lu Ming, the protagonist of this matter, has reached a critical moment of breakthrough.

Within his body, the sounds of dragons and elephants roared incessantly.

A bluish-gold light enveloped his body.

Amidst the tremors of his inner energy, his armor gleamed.

It makes a crackling sound.

Wang Han carefully watched over him from the side.

A lieutenant asked cautiously, "General, the Commander has been cultivating for a day and a night. Will he be alright?"

His voice conveyed concern.

Now, all the soldiers in Hongdu Prefecture regard Lu Ming as their god.

"Bang!" Wang Han slapped the deputy general on the head.

The thick knuckles made the other person dizzy.

"The governor is just cultivating. What could possibly happen? He should focus on his cultivation. Once his cultivation level improves, he won't ask such a foolish question."

Wang Han's voice was filled with anger.

The lieutenant shrank to one side, not daring to speak.

And right now.

Lu Ming opened his eyes, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.

He broke through again, reaching the peak of the罡气 (罡气 is a type of internal energy cultivation).

Just one more step and you can enter the innate realm.

At that time, our combat strength will definitely increase significantly.

"My lord, you're awake." Wang Han stepped forward and said.

Behind them, someone had already come over with a roasted leg of lamb.

Lu Ming didn't waste any time and took it to eat.

It wasn't until after several lamb legs were eaten that he finally got to eat them.

He patted his belly with satisfaction.

Squinting at the sky, he asked, "What time is it now?"

"It's just past noon," Wang Han quickly replied.

“Then let’s continue back,” Lu Ming said, standing up.

This time, it has been quite a while since it was released.

His wife must be very worried.

Moreover, no one knows what's happening in Yunzhou.

Autumn is just around the corner.

When the people's grain reserves from last year are completely used up, true chaos will truly descend.

According to his estimate, after winter...

That's when the real explosion happens.

At that time, the constraints of humanitarian power will be reduced again.

It's likely that even stronger sect masters will enter the Great Yu.

This time it's the Foundation Establishment stage; next time it might be the Core Formation stage, or even the Golden Core stage.

He had already witnessed the terror of the Core Formation Realm before, and if he hadn't exchanged for the Ascension Talisman in advance...

His army was likely to be destroyed in the wasteland.

The aura emanating from that black cat was simply irresistible.

Therefore, he needs to accelerate his improvement in the coming period.

Only in this way can we protect Yunzhou and the people we care about.

Lu Ming leaped onto the horse's back.

They headed straight for Yunzhou, with the rest of them following closely behind.

In the blink of an eye, another half month passed, and Lu Ming finally returned. Actually, they had taken a much longer route; otherwise, it would have been faster.

After entering Yunzhou, he found that there were indeed many changes.

As we traveled through the border of Yunmeng Prefecture, we discovered that a large number of irrigation canals and waterwheels had appeared beside the farmland.

Some cold-resistant vegetables are planted on it.

The same applies to Zhelong Mansion.

Hongdu Prefecture had a bumper harvest today.

The fields are full of crops that have already turned golden.

In just a few days, it will be ready for harvest.

Bai Yan's arrival led to the reclamation of a considerable amount of wasteland in Hongdu Prefecture.

Therefore, the harvest will double.

With his current reserves of hundreds of thousands of bushels of grain, feeding the army to its fill is not a problem.

We can also provide some financial assistance to the people.

Once the three prefectures have a good harvest next year, Yunzhou will be completely free from famine.

Upon entering Hongdu Prefecture, Lu Ming noticed that the city was much more bustling than before.

Walking on the street, it was crowded with people.

There were also various caravans pulling horse-drawn carriages.

It was loaded with goods.

However, upon seeing the naval base's entourage, they all made way.

They had just arrived outside the mansion.

Lu Ming turned to Wang Han and said, "Take good care of the injured brothers. The rest of you can rest for three days. Each of you will be rewarded with ten taels of silver. Go and get the silver from the account."

"Thank you General!"

Wang Han quickly clasped his hands in greeting.

Excitement was evident on his face.

The other soldiers cheered.

Lu Ming had already tossed his warhorse to Zhang Meng, who was coming to meet him.

Has anything happened recently?

"Everything is fine, but these past few days, I've heard about the general's fame every day. My ears are practically calloused. Wang Han and his strongmen have benefited from your fame and are now known as the famous Xiangliu Army. Many people are asking when we can also go out and fight with the general."

Zhang Meng said in a low voice.

He had a smirk on his face.

Lu Ming slapped him on the head. "Tell everyone that this matter is not to be spread. Anyone who leaks the information will be dealt with according to military law."

"Don't worry, sir. This is just something we talk about internally. No one will dare to gossip outside. Even our wives and children don't know. If anyone dares to leak the information, I will personally torture them."

Lu Ming nodded and went to the backyard.

Li Xirou rested her cheeks on her hands, seemingly lost in thought.

Her long hair was tied up.

Her exquisite face shimmered with a crystalline glow.

"What are you thinking about?" Lu Ming asked with a smile.

"My husband is back!"

Li Xirou was immediately delighted and then ran over.

Inhaling the fragrant breeze in the air.

Lu Ming felt a surge of heat throughout his body.

Li Xirou stood gracefully beside him, scrutinizing him for a while before asking, "Did Godfather send him back?" only after noticing Lu Ming's injury.

"We have safely entered the area controlled by the Imperial City."

Lu Ming said with a smile.

Then, she was pulled inside by Li Xirou's delicate hand.

"Have you eaten?" I asked as soon as I sat down inside.

She poured Lu Ming a cup of tea.

He then asked.

"I'm not hungry, I just miss you." Lu Ming stared at his wife with burning eyes.

Li Xirou blushed involuntarily.

A pair of watery eyes, glistening with moisture.

At this point, Lu Ming would certainly not hesitate any longer.

Time soon came to night.

When Lu Ming walked out of the house.

A maidservant hurried over.

"My lord, Lord Bai requests an audience."

"Where?" Lu Ming asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's in the front hall of the drill ground."

The maid said softly.

Lu Ming nodded, and then headed towards the front yard.

Upon entering the hall, one could see Bai Yan dressed in a white robe, drinking tea.

He has now returned to his former composed state.

"Congratulations on your safe return, sir."

His voice was calm.

Lu Ming waved his hand. "Don't be so polite. What brings you here today?"

Bai Yan is a very sensible person, unless something is wrong.

I just got back today, so I definitely won't come looking for you.

"There are some things I want to discuss with the Governor. Recently, due to the continuous war in Haizhou and Zezhou, many wealthy households and common people in the two states have been affected."

They all moved into our Yunzhou, causing a significant increase in population.

This trend has continued to rise recently, showing no signs of slowing down.

That's why I'm asking for your opinion.

Bai Yan said solemnly.

Lu Ming nodded. "Let's talk about the benefits of their arrival first."

"It can increase the population of Yunzhou, especially some wealthy households, which can bring a lot of tax revenue. Moreover, the people who can come here at this time are either well-off or have a skill."

Furthermore, there are now more options for recruiting soldiers.

Yunzhou had experienced war and many civilians had died, so it could serve as a replacement.

Yunzhou is sparsely populated, so even if the population increases several times, as long as enough wasteland is cultivated, it can be fed.

"What about the downsides?" Lu Ming didn't answer directly. After taking a sip of tea, he continued to ask.

"The downside is that the government's grain reserves won't be enough to feed so many people for one winter. At least 200,000 shi of grain will be needed to ensure they don't starve to death. Moreover, their arrival will cause dissatisfaction in Haizhou and Zezhou."

A few days ago, troops from Zezhou stormed into the neighboring Yunmeng Prefecture to arrest people, but they were driven back by General Wu Han. However, they have sent envoys again, demanding that we hand over the refugees who have escaped here, or they will send a large army to invade.

"Isn't Marquis Hongshan fighting with them? Why does the King of Muye in Zezhou still dare to be so arrogant?"

Lu Ming frowned.

After clearing his throat, Bai Yan smiled bitterly and said, "Marquis Hongshan was defeated by the giant demon of Zezhou half a month ago and has already retreated. Now, the imperial court is almost abandoning these coastal states and is doing its best to protect the large states in the center."

Hear his reply.

Lu Ming fell into deep thought.

After a moment, he slowly said, "We will accept all the refugees who come here. As for food, I will allocate some in the winter, but not too much, just enough to keep the people who enter Yunzhou from starving."

Bai Yan immediately beamed with joy, "That's enough, these are more than enough."

Lu Ming nodded.

If Ze Zhou had a powerful immortal sect behind him, he might still be wary. But Ze Zhou is just a mere demon. With the power of humanity suppressing him, he can't unleash his full strength at all, at most only at the early stage of the Dao Foundation stage.

I am fully capable of winning.

Moreover, if his cultivation level can reach the Innate Realm after some time...

If one can then command military formations, even at the late stage of the Dao Foundation stage, one can still put up a fight.

"So how many people are there in Yunzhou now?"

“More than four million two hundred and thirty thousand,” Bai Yan replied hastily.

Lu Ming nodded. If development is desired, a large population is essential.

After all, in times of chaos, what matters is population and territory. Only with these can various resources and food be continuously produced to support the army.

Even if this year is a bit tough, in the long run, it will definitely be worth it.

After exchanging pleasantries with Lu Ming for a few moments, Bai Yan left.

He has too many things to do now.

Although he has recruited many disciples, he still doesn't have time to rest.

However, they were full of enthusiasm.

After he left, Lu Ming returned to the backyard.

This time, he truly experienced the terror of military formations.

The three thousand strongmen were not the strongest army under his command.

However, the suppression was so severe that the cultivators were powerless to resist.

If the Mo Dao soldiers and the Tie Fu Tu had corresponding military formations, their strength, combined with their equipment, would surely allow them to exert considerable combat power.

When I thought of this...

They prepared to enter the secret room to investigate.

Let's see if we can find a suitable military formation.

(End of this chapter)