Loan Wusheng

Chapter 206 Lord of the Eight Counties of Lanzhou
With the change of ownership of Lanzhou, many matters in various places still need to be handled properly.

For example, in the purge of the remnants of the Fang family, besides the Fang family itself, there were many affiliated families. For instance, the Murong family, to which Murong Ling, who voluntarily stayed behind to cover Gongyang Jin's retreat, belonged, was a vassal family of the Fang family.

Moreover, they were among the more powerful families in the vassal clans.

The Fang family is now almost wiped out, with only about twenty members remaining who surrendered to Zheng Jun in battle. Apart from Fang He, there are only three direct descendants left.

Of course, it was not Zheng Jun who exterminated the Fang clan, but Fang Ji himself.

This saved Zheng Jun a lot of trouble and also prevented the Fang family's descendants who had been living away from home from suddenly gaining power and wanting to take revenge.

After all, it wasn't Zheng Jun who killed them, but Fang Ji.

Fang Ji was killed by Zheng Jun. In other words, Zheng Jun was actually the benefactor who avenged the Fang family!

If the Fang family, the main branch of the family, is in such a terrible state, how could the Murong family possibly stay out of it?

Especially since Murong Ling was a die-hard, the new rulers naturally had to crack down on his Murong clan.

Zheng Jun quickly expanded his army to 400,000.

The Cangdao and Xiaoguo armies each currently have 40,000 troops, but they have recently expanded again, with each army now having 50,000 troops.

The Qin army initially numbered 70,000, but after being replenished by prisoners of war, it has expanded to 100,000.

The army of Bozhou still has more than 30,000 men remaining.

The Bozhou army was not Zheng Jun's troops, but rather miscellaneous soldiers who came to Bozhou to provide reinforcements. However, Zheng Jun did not treat them with any courtesy and detained them directly, intending to select from among them. Those who wanted to return home would be released, while those who did not want to return home would stay to serve as soldiers.

The number of prisoners and surrendered soldiers of the Lanzhou army reached an astonishing 260,000.

It can be said that only about 100,000 soldiers in Lanzhou either died or fled, while the rest became easy prey for Zheng Jun to seize.

However, these 260,000 troops were mostly second- or even third-line troops, more than capable of defending cities but not enough for field battles.

Therefore, these 260,000 troops will be assigned to the seven prefectures of Lanzhou, becoming the prefectural soldiers of each prefecture.

Each prefecture can be allocated a little over 30,000 troops.

The Xiaoyong and Cangdao armies, serving as Zheng Jun's personal guards, were stationed in the Lanzhou area.

Zheng Jun was imitating an ancient story.

During the Han Dynasty, the emperor's six armies guarded the capital. In case of war, the central army would be dispatched to cooperate with local armies to suppress rebellions and defend against the Xiongnu.

The same was true for many other dynasties.

The Qin army was positioned as a border army.

After the capture of Xinyi County, the Dingqin Army will remain there to face any potential invasion by the Qin King's army.

Within the entire Lanzhou region, apart from Magistrate Ma of Xinyi County feigning death, the other seven counties also lacked county-level officials in addition to their respective magistrates.

Although Zheng Jun had pardoned many county-level officials who had "joined the rebels" to temporarily maintain stability, there was still a significant shortage of them.

Ultimately, it comes down to a shortage of talent and an overabundance of counties and prefectures.

Zheng Jun currently commands ten prefectures, excluding Xinyi County: Pingzhang, Kangle, Yanting, Yulian, Ningyuan, Jingyuan, Batang, Guangping, Ziyang, and Anlong.

There are a total of seventy-one county towns.

What is this concept?
If we compare Zheng Jun's previous life in ancient times, the cities and lands he now possesses are comparable to those of the vassal states during the Warring States period.

There is a shortage of more than a hundred county-level officials, such as county magistrates and county lieutenants, not to mention high-ranking officials such as prefects.

All told, Zheng Jun only had eight martial artists at the Qi Refining stage under his command: Xu Hou, Zhang Wen, Dugu Jing, Yan Cunzhen, Fang He, Zhao Bo, Liu Nanyun, and Jiang Wuyai. Even if he sent them all out, there would still be two gaps.

However, there's no need for so many. Yan Tingjun has been directly contracted out to the Lu family. Although Yan Tingjun is still nominally under their control, Pingzhangjun and Kanglejun are also well-equipped. Chen Jingzhong and Lu Chengbi handled the situation very well, which puts Zheng Jun at ease.

In this way, only the seven prefectures of Lanzhou remain.

“Jiang Wuyai and Liu Nanyun are both from the martial arts world, so they should be very willing to serve as prefects. Therefore, it should not be a problem to entrust them with Batang and Anlong prefectures, which are medium-sized prefectures without any dangerous areas.”

Zheng Jun sat cross-legged on the Earth Vein Spirit Platform, thinking to himself: "Fang He is an old member of the Fang family, and his status is awkward. Most of the old Fang family members despise him. He has no clansmen to rely on now, so it is not a problem for him to stay in Lanzhou and guard Ziyang County."

“Zhao Bo and Yan Cunzhen are both from powerful local families in Lanzhou. We cannot keep them in Lanzhou. We can send them to Pingzhang and Kangle counties and replace them with Chen Jingzhong and Lu Chengbi. Without the support of their local forces, we can also prevent these two from cultivating their own confidants.”

“Xu Hou, although a surrendered general, is quite capable and knowledgeable in military affairs. He made outstanding contributions during the campaign against Lanzhou. He can be assigned to guard the important Xinyi County to guard against the possible arrival of the Qin King's army, while also allowing him to continue to command the Dingqin Army.”

"Dugu Jing needs to be transferred. He has been preparing in Jingyuan County for many years and is quite famous in the area, so he should be transferred away. Dugu Jing can be transferred to Yulian County as the prefect to guard against possible enemies from Suzhou and Xuanzhou."

Zheng Jun pondered to himself: "Although Dugu Jing is a fence-sitter, Anye City is right after Xinyi County, so I can directly and effectively monitor its situation and force Dugu Jing to do his best to defend the city."

“Zhang Wen… surrender the two cities and be transferred to Ningyuan County as its governor.”

Although the battle of Lanzhou was a great victory, Zheng Jun killed far too many Qi-opening martial artists, to the point that Lanzhou's Qi-opening martial artists were almost wiped out by Zheng Jun.

After a moment's thought, Zheng Jun came to a conclusion.

Xu Hou, the Prefect of Xinyi County, Military Advisor of the Grand General's Office, and Chief Administrator of the Prefecture, submitted a memorial to the court requesting that he be awarded the title of Grand Master of the Silver Seal.

Dugu Jing, the Prefect of Yulian County and Military Commander of the Grand General's Office, submitted a memorial to the court requesting the title of Grand Master of the Silver Seal.

Zhang Wen, the prefect of Ningyuan and a military officer of the Grand General's Office, submitted a memorial to the court requesting that he be awarded the title of Grand Master of the Silver Seal and Purple Ribbon.

Yan Cunzhen was the Prefect of Kangle County.

Zhao Bo, Prefect of Pingzhang Commandery.

Liu Nanyun, Prefect of Anlong County.

Jiang Wuyai, Prefect of Batang County.

Chen Jingzhong, a commander of the Lanzhou Garrison and chief secretary of the Grand General's Office, submitted a memorial to the court requesting that he be awarded the title of Grand Master of the Silver Seal.

Lu Chengbi, the prefect of Guangping and judge of the Grand General's Office, submitted a memorial to the court requesting that he be awarded the title of Grand Master of the Silver Seal and Purple Ribbon.

Wei Quan, Yu Shen, and Dugu Yuan remained in the central government as commanders of Zheng Jun's personal guards.

The remaining meritorious officials were rewarded according to precedent. Those who did not wish to serve in the military could be transferred to the position of county magistrate, becoming "Marquis of a Hundred Miles" under Zheng Jun's rule.

Although Zheng Jun has now sealed off all the martial artists under his command who have reached the Qi Condensation Realm, this does not affect his ability to fight. He can simply recruit them when needed and disperse them across various prefectures. This also increases his margin for error, preventing the enemy from overwhelming him with lightning speed without him even realizing it.

The so-called Silver-Green Grand Master of the Palace was an honorary title, a kind of honorary official position similar to a noble rank, which could not be passed down to one's descendants.

It falls under the category of reputation.

Normally, only the imperial court could confer the title of Silver Seal Grand Master, so Zheng Jun had to "request the conferment".

Whether Emperor Yongchang agrees or not is irrelevant. Even if he disagrees, the nobles in Lanzhou City who have been granted the title of "Silver-Green Grand Master of the Palace" by Zheng Jun are still "Silver-Green Grand Master of the Palace"!
Above the Silver-Blue Grand Master of the Palace, there are the Gold-Purple Grand Master of the Palace and the Grand Master of the Palace. Zheng Jun used these as titles of nobility to bestow rewards, otherwise there would be nothing else to reward.

People live their whole lives for fame and fortune.

We can't offer that benefit right now.

If you want fame, you should give more.

The title of Grand Master of the Silver Seal is a simple matter of a few words. As long as the number of titles granted is kept within reasonable limits, and it doesn't end up like the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom with its more than 2,800 princes, it's fine.

"It is indeed extremely difficult to secure a foothold in the eight prefectures of Lanzhou and become the master of these eight prefectures."

Zheng Jun let out a breath; for the first time, he felt that having too much power was also a bit tiring.

I need to form a 'cabinet' to share my burdens and solve my problems.

Zheng Jun brought Chen Jingzhong back this time for the same reason.

According to reports from scouts, Chen Jingzhong is very talented in Pingzhang County, and the county is doing quite well under his rule. He is a good minister who governs the country well, and Zheng Jun has a high opinion of such a minister.

"Was it like this when the Divine Martial Emperor conquered the world?"

After thinking it over, Zheng Jun felt that the mess in Lanzhou was indeed quite big. He needed to recruit more talented people to manage the country for him. He should leave the brain-related tasks to the right people and just focus on the general direction.

After casually considering different directions, Zheng Jun then looked at the recent reports.

During the month or so that he was in seclusion, nothing major happened. The situation in all the armies was the same. Xu Hou reported that the matchmaking process for soldiers who were interested in getting married had begun.

It is believed that the matchmaking journey of the Xiaoguo soldiers will soon come to an end, and the Xiaoguo soldiers will settle down in Lanzhou.

The same applies to the Cangdao Army, except that a small portion of the soldiers came from Bozhou, but it didn't have much of an impact: in Bozhou, they had little future prospects; but in Lanzhou, they were like the elite.

Although it is hard to leave one's homeland, it is still possible to distinguish which is more important, the homeland or the environment.

Yu Shen submitted a memorial, stating that the captured Xuan Niao Guard soldiers had begun to slowly reveal some things about the Xuan Niao Guard, such as the cultivation technique 'Crimson Phoenix Scripture' and the 'Crimson Phoenix Spear Technique' they practiced.

After comparing various sources, they finally obtained the complete form of the original 'Crimson Phoenix Scripture' and 'Crimson Phoenix Spear Technique' that they practiced.

However, the 'Crimson Phoenix Scripture' only has three levels, and cultivation stops abruptly at the Qi Accumulation stage.

As for what happens after accumulating energy... unfortunately, we haven't captured any Xuan Niao Guard generals above the Outer Gang level yet.

Along with Yu Shen's memorial, two secret manuals were also submitted: the 'Crimson Phoenix Scripture' and the 'Crimson Phoenix Spear Technique'.

Zheng Jun casually flipped through the pages, and at the same time, a passage of small ink-wash characters appeared before his eyes.

【The Crimson Phoenix Scripture】

[Status: Incomplete, not available for prepayment.]

Upon seeing this, Zheng Jun remained calm, as he had anticipated it.

After all, it is impossible to draw upon the incomplete cultivation technique in advance. When Zheng Jun obtained the 'Radiant Sun' before, he also needed to understand the ancient Yu script or translate it into the Great Zhou script.

But if it can't be borrowed in advance, then it can't be borrowed in advance. Anyway, Zheng Jun never intended to borrow this skill in advance in the first place.

The Crimson Phoenix Scripture is slightly inferior to the Shattered Jade Technique, but it is still a decent technique. Using it in military formations is indeed a bit of a waste.

Zheng Jun nodded slightly. If there was an opportunity, he could collect all the techniques for the later stages of the Outer Qi Realm. Zheng Jun felt that he could use the 'Crimson Phoenix Scripture' as a system to build an elite force.

It's really easy to use.

【Crimson Phoenix Spear Technique.】

[Currently available: 'Perfect' level.]

[Created by the ancient Demon Emperor of the Demon Court, who impersonated 'Feng Qing' and infiltrated the Great Sheng Dynasty to steal human secret techniques. After completion, collecting phoenix essence blood allows one to comprehend the phoenix's talent 'Rebirth from the Ashes'.]

This marksmanship surprised Zheng Jun.

"Ancient Demon Court? The Great Sheng Dynasty?"

Zheng Jun was completely unfamiliar with these two names; he had never heard of them before.

Zheng Jun could tell what the 'Ancient Demon Court' was from its name, but he had never heard of it in the Great Sheng Dynasty.

Before the Great Zhou Dynasty was the Great Yu Dynasty, before the Great Yu Dynasty was the Great Wei Dynasty, before the Great Wei Dynasty was the Ancient Xia Dynasty, and before the Ancient Xia Dynasty it is said to have been a period of war that lasted for more than 10,000 years.

Many ancient supernatural powers were lost due to the more than 10,000 years of war, and many ancient books disappeared into the long river of history.

Could it be that this Great Sheng Dynasty was the dynasty before the war?
If that's the case, it's been 15,000 years!

However, for Zheng Jun, there was nothing to say about the ancient times; he could only sigh and say, "The great figures of the past are all in the present."

"It seems that the next time a slot becomes available, I can use the 'Crimson Phoenix Spear Technique' in advance. It'll be a good opportunity to test it out with 'Fierce Face of a Hundred Bones'."

Zheng Jun thought to himself, then put the matter aside and looked at the other people's 'memorials'.

The memorial submitted by the local powerful families in Lanzhou, led by Yan Cunzhen, was very simple and extremely flattering. Yan Cunzhen and Zhao Bo even wrote a letter offering to use the property of the Yan and Zhao families to build a grand palace for Zheng Jun on the site of the Fang family's original residence in Lanzhou.

Of course, they were referring to the 'Grand Governor's Office', not the royal palace.

It's just the same idea.

Seeing this, Zheng Jun was speechless, but after thinking about it, he agreed to their request.

The Yan and Zhao families were powerful families who had helped restore order and correct the chaos. Zheng Jun had no way to deal with them in the short term, but since they were willing to hand over the money voluntarily, that was fine. Even if it was used to build a palace, it didn't matter.

The main goal is to wear them down.

After agreeing, Zheng Jun successively approved several more memorials, then put down his vermilion brush and pushed the completed memorials to one side of the desk.

Although the military and political affairs of the eight prefectures of Lanzhou were complicated, compared to the life-or-death battle with Fang Ji, these paperwork tasks actually made him feel a little more at ease.

As I stood up, the floor of the quiet room, which had been converted from the ancestral land of the Fang family, glowed faintly, a sign that the earth's spiritual energy had been stimulated over a long period of time.

"Faster than expected..."

He felt the flow of true energy within his body and immediately closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

As he closed his eyes and regulated his breathing, familiar gilded characters appeared in his mind.

[Earth Leyline Training: 1/1.]

[The 'Floating Shadow Fist: Mountain and River Suppressing Technique (Mastery)' has been fully repaid.]

Two lines of gilded characters appeared before him, and Zheng Jun nodded slightly. Then he stood up and continued to retrieve the 'Great Dao Martial Book' from his sea of ​​consciousness.

[Is it possible to pre-emptively utilize the supernatural power 'Floating Shadow Life (Minor Success)'? Because it borrows the result of a future event, it requires tens of thousands of repetitions and cultivation at five different ley lines before it can be returned to this body.]

"Advance payment!"

Zheng Jun thought to himself.

[Advance payment successful.]

As soon as the words "Advance payment successful" appeared, Zheng Jun immediately began to peruse the "Great Dao Martial Arts Manual" again.

With a thought, the ink-black talisman representing 'Floating Shadows and Fleeting Life' suddenly lit up in Zheng Jun's sea of ​​consciousness, as if unlocking a character that had never been unlocked before.

All phenomena are without inherent form.

[Current stage: Minor achievement.]

[Next stage requirements: 5/6.]

【当前受箓（小成）：流影浮生：0/10000；渊渟岳峙：0/10000；熠日流光：4000/10000；渌水斩蛟：10000/10000；天目破障：10000/10000。】

"One more subject to go." Zheng Jun couldn't help but exhale and smile slightly.

It's not difficult to successfully get an advance payment.

All you need to do is go to Bozhou City once to absorb the star power required for 'Swift Meteor'.

I wonder if my father-in-law has finished collecting the power of the stars.

Upon realizing this, Zheng Jun did not hesitate at all and continued to raise his hand. Instantly, his true energy surged, and a line of gilded characters appeared in front of him.

[Do I need to pre-claim the 'Crimson Phoenix Spear Technique (Perfect)'? Because it borrows the fruit of a future event, I need to wield the spear 100,000 times before it can be truly mine.]

"Advance payment".

[Advance payment successful.]

After casually and successfully using the 'Crimson Phoenix Spear Technique', Zheng Jun immediately stood up and prepared to leave the seclusion.

Before long, Zheng Jun stepped out of the earth vein cave. His spiritual energy had not yet dissipated and shone with a faint golden glow in the morning light.

"Someone is coming."

Upon hearing the sound, the guards standing outside the cave stepped forward, clasped their hands in obedience, and accepted the order.

Zheng Jun calmly said, "Summon Yu Shen to come see me."

"promise."

The guards received the order and immediately went to find Yu Shen.

A moment later, Yu Shen strode over, his armor clanging: "This humble general greets the Grand Commander!"

Zheng Jun flicked his sleeves, and the lingering energy of the earth veins dissipated into tiny specks of light: "Gather one thousand Xianbei cavalry and one thousand personal guard cavalry, and prepare to accompany me north to Bozhou. I want to pay a visit to Lao Yueshan."

Upon hearing this, Yu Shen was about to give instructions when Zheng Jun suddenly said, "After I leave Lanzhou, all government affairs will continue as before. When Chen Jingzhong arrives, let him take charge of this. When I return, I hope to see a vibrant Lanzhou."

"Yes."

Yu Shen nodded in agreement, then hesitated before asking, "Grand Commander, the capital has repeatedly urged for reinforcements, and we..."

"We don't need to pay attention to what's happening in Shenjing."

Zheng Jun calmly opened his mouth.

What are you doing?
Go to rescue Shenjing?

Is this an idea that a human could come up with?
With its array formations and defenses, Shenjing was able to hold out against the Qin King's offensive. He then led his troops to confront the Qin King directly on the flat plain.

His martial arts skills were inferior to those of the King of Qin, his army was smaller, and the quality of his troops was inferior.

How to fight this?
Whoever wants to go can go; Zheng Jun isn't going.

All he could do was hope that Shenjing would hold out a little longer, drawing Qin Wang's attention away from Zheng Jun and giving himself some time to develop.

"After I leave, you, Dugu Yuan, and Wei Quan will all be able to use this ley line for cultivation in order to break through to the next level."

Zheng Jun said, "I hope that when I return, I will see that the three of you have all reached the Qi Opening stage... Your external Qi cultivation is still too low."

Upon hearing Zheng Jun's words, Yu Shen was startled and immediately bowed in agreement, his expression excited. He then went to relay Zheng Jun's order to send two thousand cavalrymen to accompany him.

Watching Yu Shen's retreating figure, Zheng Jun smiled slightly.

The reason for leading two thousand cavalrymen north this time was to bolster our morale and intimidate all sides.

It's not that Zheng Jun is bragging, but in the entire Bozhou and Lanzhou, without the appearance of Yuan Dan Martial Saints, Zheng Jun, with his two thousand cavalry, is invincible in open field battles!

Two hours later, at the North Gate of Lanzhou.

Two thousand iron cavalry stood solemnly like a forest, the wolf-head banners of the Xianbei cavalry and the Zheng-character commander's flag fluttering in the north wind. Zheng Jun rode his horse through the city gate, then suddenly pulled on the reins.

The two thousand cavalrymen were excited. After being selected, they could not hide their joy. After all, being chosen from the army to serve as the Grand Commander's personal guards was enough to make them extremely happy.

Zheng Jun looked at the iron cavalry, his interest immediately piqued, and he asked, "Gentlemen, are you willing to die for this commander?"

"I am willing to die for the Grand Commander!"

The cavalry shouted in unison, their voices like waves, echoing throughout the entire North Gate, shaking the surrounding area. Many civilians almost couldn't resist the urge to flee.

Seeing the impressive force of the two thousand cavalry, Zheng Jun was extremely satisfied and immediately whipped his horse, shouting, "Let's go!"

"Rumble..."

In an instant, the sound of hooves thundered, and two thousand riders galloped northward, kicking up dust.

……

Four days later, two thousand cavalrymen galloped away on the official road of Kang Le County.

Although Zheng Jun could move faster by himself, he was surrounded by cavalry, so the army's marching speed was not slow and was within a timeframe acceptable to Zheng Jun.

During this time on the road, Zheng Jun was also able to study the 'Crimson Phoenix Spear Technique'.

Zheng Jun doesn't need any practical experience with such ordinary martial arts. He only needs to test his mind. The so-called meditation practice, which simulates combat in his sea of ​​consciousness, can improve his progress.

There's no other reason than that this is what makes Zheng Jun, a martial artist at the fifth level of the Qi Refining Realm, so terrifying.

As the army marched on, Zheng Jun suddenly sensed a powerful aura emanating from a grove of trees in Kang Le County, and his brows furrowed immediately.

Amidst the billowing dust, Zheng Jun suddenly raised his hand, signaling the entire army to halt.

Two thousand iron cavalrymen obeyed orders without hesitation, instantly reining in their horses and halting them, with only the restless snorting of the warhorses echoing through the woods.

"Grand Commander?"

Just as one of the cavalry guards was about to ask a question, he saw Zheng Jun's gaze sharpen as he looked towards the green cliff ten feet away deep in the forest.

On the green cliff, an old man with white hair, his robe hanging down, had a black jade longsword lying across his knee.

The fallen leaves around him remained suspended, and he actually used the pressure of the fifth level of the Qi Refining Realm to freeze the Qi within a radius of a hundred feet from a distance!
As the cavalry approached, the white-haired old man slowly opened his eyes, raised his black jade sword, and said proudly, "Zheng Jun, you've finally arrived."

Zheng Jun gripped the reins tightly, narrowed his eyes, and immediately asked, "Who are you?"

This old man was actually an extremely rare and exceptional martial artist at the fifth level of the Qi Refining Realm.

The fifth level of the Qi Opening Realm has always been a reserve force for the Yuan Dan Martial Saint. Every martial artist at the fifth level of the Qi Opening Realm is renowned in the local area, so this person could not have appeared out of thin air.

"My name is Chu Xinghe."

The old man spoke indifferently, "I wonder if the Grand Commander still remembers this old man?"

Upon hearing the name 'Chu Xinghe', Zheng Jun immediately understood.

Zheng Jun chuckled and said, "So you are Chu Xinghe, who is known as the number one martial artist in Lanzhou. You came to find me to avenge the killing of your disciple?"

Zheng Jun's first battle in his campaign against Lanzhou was when he led his cavalry on a thousand-mile raid, defeating an army of 30,000 in one fell swoop and killing Ba Tao, Chu Xinghe's disciple who had only recently entered the Tongqiao stage.

The era was too long ago; if Chu Xinghe hadn't suddenly appeared, Zheng Jun would have almost forgotten about it.

"good."

Chu Xinghe was very frank: "Previously, when you were fighting with Fang Ji for the world, I disdained to kick you when you were down, so I refused Fang Ji's summons. Now that Fang Ji has been defeated and killed, I have come to find you. It is fair."

If you had accepted Fang Ji's summons back then, you would have died then and there would be no you today.

Zheng Jun chuckled and immediately said, "In that case, I'll let you make the first move."

Without drawing his Dragon Abyss Blade, he took a long spear of black iron from his personal guard.

The spear tip gleamed coldly, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

Knife skills?
just forget it.

Don't accidentally get killed by Chu Xinghe.

With this opportunity, it's a good chance to test my marksmanship and accumulate some progress for 'Fierce Face of a Hundred Bones'. If Chu Xinghe is indeed capable, then I'll draw the Dragon Abyss Blade again.

Upon realizing this, Zheng Jun's spear trembled, and his murderous aura suddenly condensed into blood-red smoke, which was the starting stance of the spear technique "Fierce Appearance Across the Body".

Chu Xinghe sneered, and his black jade sword drew nine star marks in the air. Each star mark transformed into a physical star, slowly rotating in the void.

This is Chu Xinghe's divine power, "Nine Revolutions of the Star River," which draws inspiration from the stars in the nine heavens, with each revolution representing a new realm!

In the process of coalescing, the first star crashed down!

Zheng Jun's spear moved like a dragon, and the blood-red smoke transformed into a ferocious ghost head to meet the attack.

"boom!"

The moment the spear tip collided with the stars, the ghost head suddenly split into a hundred skeletal, ferocious forms that tore at and devoured the stars.

The moment the skeletal, ferocious form tore through the stars, Zheng Jun's spear stance suddenly changed.

As the gun barrel trembled, a phoenix's cry rang out, and crimson flames swirled upwards along the gun shaft, burning the remaining starlight into wisps of smoke.

This is precisely the first move of the pre-completion of the 'Crimson Phoenix Spear Technique', 'Phoenix Nods'!
Try them all.

Chu Xinghe's pupils shrank sharply, and the black jade longsword spun rapidly as the second and third stars pressed down simultaneously. The two starlights intersected to form a cross slash, and the pressure spread everywhere it passed, which was quite powerful!

"Well done!"

Amidst Zheng Jun's loud laughter, his spear shot out like a dragon, the blood-red smoke and crimson flames intertwining into a spiral. The moment the spear tip touched the intersection of the cross-shaped starlight, the gilded characters indicating the progress of repayment in his sea of ​​consciousness jumped wildly.

"break!"

The gun barrel suddenly bent into a full moon, using the rebound force to lift the two stars into the sky.

Chu Xinghe grunted, and his sword aura suddenly changed. The three stars transformed into a cascading Milky Way, slashing fiercely towards Zheng Jun.

Upon seeing this, Zheng Jun's body transformed into a three-zhang-tall skeletal behemoth, shrouded in crimson smoke. The behemoth's skeletal hands clenched into a cage, crushing the three meteors within its palms!
The blast wave blew up trees within a radius of thirty feet, forcing the two thousand cavalry to form a defensive formation.

At this moment, Zheng Jun's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he suddenly reached out to grab the void. The Dragon Abyss Blade flew out of its sheath on its own, and the blade light drew a mysterious trajectory in mid-air, carrying a rich Green Water Blade Intent, and slashed towards Chu Xinghe!
"clang!"

With a soft sound, the crimson flames and bloodlust merged perfectly.

The spear transformed into phoenix wings, the blade into a dragon, and the two energies of red and white intertwined to form a chaotic vortex, crushing the cascading Milky Way inch by inch!
Chu Xinghe coughed up blood and staggered back seven steps, his ink jade sword being knocked away by Zheng Jun.

Chu Xinghe groaned and stepped back, his beard and hair mostly scorched by the backlash.

Just as he was about to activate the sixth transformation, he suddenly felt a coolness in his throat.

The black iron spear that Zheng Jun had abandoned had somehow transformed into blood-red fangs, hovering silently three inches in front of his throat.

He stared incredulously at Zheng Jun, whose spear tip was pressed against his throat: "You...you're simultaneously activating three supernatural powers?"

"Isn't this a perfectly normal thing for me?"

Zheng Jun calmly spoke, then said, "Those who only know one supernatural power at the fifth level of the Qi Opening Realm are rare... Chu Xinghe, it seems that your desire to avenge your disciple will not work."

"Your apprentice took five of my stabs before dying. You, as his master, were not bad either, taking three of my shots and two stabs."

"puff!"

Upon hearing Zheng Jun's words, Chu Xinghe spat out another mouthful of blood and staggered to the ground.

The chaotic flow of true energy within his meridians told him that his opponent had mastered every supernatural ability to an unbelievable level, making him no longer capable of dealing with them.

After a long silence, Chu Xinghe finally spoke: "I have lost. Do with me as you please..."

"I'll spare your life."

In the morning light, the young Lord of Lanzhou had returned to his horse. He reined in his horse, turned around, and said to Chu Xinghe, "If you don't want to be burdened by the affairs of the world, then you should honestly teach your children in Batang County and not get involved."

Having said that, Zheng Jun ignored Chu Xinghe and instead raised his hand to order the two thousand cavalry to continue their advance.

Chu Xinghe was quite principled; he didn't take advantage of Zheng Jun's misfortune by joining Fang Ji's forces to attack him. Instead, he waited for Zheng Jun there after Zheng Jun had already dealt with the Fang family.

Then Zheng Jun had no reason to kill him.

Keeping him around might actually make a difference in Lanzhou.

It plays a role in cultivating talent.

Chu Xinghe takes on disciples in Lanzhou. If these disciples want to seek wealth and status after completing their studies, their first choice will definitely be him, the ruler of Lanzhou.

Therefore, Zheng Jun really had no need to take action.

Furthermore, ordinary cultivators at the fifth level of the Qi Opening Realm pose no real threat to Zheng Jun. Those at the fifth level of the Qi Opening Realm who could pose a threat to Zheng Jun would likely be powerful figures from aristocratic families, such as Fang Ji and Cai Jingchen.

In Zheng Jun's eyes, Chu Xinghe was no different from any other roadside creature.

The claim that he was "the number one martial artist in Lanzhou with the ability to open the gates" is mostly just hearsay from people in the martial arts world who have never witnessed a strong person in action.

Chu Xinghe's strength is actually quite average.

There's no need to kill if there's no strong threat.

What's more, he even provided himself with a repayment schedule.

[The spear flashes like a dragon, crushing even the most formidable foe. 'Hundred Bone Ferocity' repayment progress +847, current repayment progress: 847/5000.]

The gilded characters flashed by in an instant, and upon seeing them, Zheng Jun only had one thing to say.

Not a formidable opponent.

Having said that, the army continued its march.

After sitting quietly in the woods for a while, Chu Xinghe silently picked up his black jade longsword, then leaped up and transformed into a beam of light, flying south.

Perhaps he really should retire from the martial arts world and focus on teaching his disciples.

This era ultimately belongs to the young.

(End of this chapter)