The old things I repaired have become fine

Chapter 696 Let him live his life as it comes, he's gone!
Shen Le grumbled and flew back, clearly unhappy. He controlled his altitude as much as possible to avoid attracting attention, and quietly landed before reaching the dockside inn. He wrote a letter, tied it to his bow, and drew his bowstring:

Thanks to the armor's memories, and within those memories, the long history of conquering the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty, where Shen Le had repeatedly completed the game.

Horse riding, archery, and fighting on horseback have essentially become muscle memory. You don't consciously consciously practice them, but when it comes to actually fighting, the posture comes naturally.

Squat slightly, tuck in your stomach, straighten your chest, and keep your upper body upright. Push forward with your left hand, pull the bow backward and downward with your right hand, and release the string—

With a soft whistle, the arrow, hastily whittled from a twig and resting on a crudely made hunting bow, flew out, carrying the letter. Shen Le watched it fly twenty or thirty meters, nodded, and turned to run away.
"Immortal Master!!!"

A loud shout came from behind. Shen Le didn't even turn around, but quickened his pace, keeping his head down and walking briskly. He hadn't gone ten steps when the sound of horses' hooves approached, followed by shouts:

"Immortal Master! Immortal Master, please wait!"

"...Why did you have to chase after me?"

Shen Le stopped, turned around, and looked helplessly at the people chasing after him. With a neigh, Dou Jiande dismounted and bowed deeply once more.
"Immortal Master! I knew you were compassionate and had great benevolence! I am grateful for your help in eliminating that band of bandits and saving the disaster victims from their plight—I beg you, Immortal Master, to have mercy and accompany us on another trip to help us comfort the victims!"

Shen Le stood amidst the desolate smoke and withered grass, staring at him with pursed lips, saying nothing. Seeing Dou Jiande about to rush forward and grab his arm again, he lightly touched the ground with his toes, and floated two zhang away:

"I've done all that I needed to do. I can't help much with the rest, and I'm not in the mood to help either—goodbye."

"Fellow!!!"

Another loud shout rang out. The Taoist priest who had been wearing a Bagua robe, holding a whisk, and carrying an ancient sword with dragon patterns emerged from behind Dou Jiande and lunged at Shen Le:

"Fellow Daoist! In this chaotic world, the people are suffering. Why do you choose to remain aloof and not seek a wise ruler to assist you in order to protect the land and its people?"

Shen Le felt his body sink downwards. The whirlwind was still there, but the surrounding grass and trees swayed, and blades of grass shattered into dust, mixing with the wind. The force supporting his body instantly weakened.
In that instant, Dou Jiande rushed out, reached forward with both hands, and grabbed Shen Le's arm:
"Immortal Master! You do not wish to be involved in the mortal world, and I will not defile you with worldly fame and fortune—I only ask that you lend a helping hand and accompany us on this journey to bring these disaster victims back safely!"

His hands were burning hot, his inner energy surging, and Shen Le was pulled down, unable to move. Dou Jiande, his face full of sincerity, held on tightly, refusing to let go:

"I beg the Immortal Master for mercy! In these chaotic times, immortal arts can soothe the people, which is a hundred times more effective than our words alone!"

Shen Le sighed and could only nod. Dou Jiande cheered and quickly turned around:

"You! Hurry up! Make way for the Taoist priest's horse! -- The Taoist priest's magical power is precious and should be saved to appease the people; we can't let it all be wasted on the road!"

A large group of people rode at full gallop. After riding for about half a day, they came upon a scene of chaos, and suddenly saw the refugees ahead, who had become a large, disordered mass:

Some fled, some were driven away, some started looting, and some fought each other. Smoke plumes and noise filled the ground everywhere; it was clearly a huge mess.

Dou Jiande frowned deeply. He reined in his horse and whispered a few words of instruction. Behind him, the accompanying cavalrymen nodded slightly and gently shook their reins to adjust their horses.

Dou Jiande then turned to Shen Le and bowed slightly.
"Master! Please use your magic once more to intimidate the crowd, quiet them down, and make them willing to come with us!"

Shen Le's head began to ache at the sight of the scene, which was dozens of times more chaotic than a vegetable market. He sighed, took to the sky again, and looked down. Just one glance, and his gaze sharpened:
He shouldn't have left!
These bandits and rebel armies did not completely scatter; they reorganized!

They are still bullying the homeless, and they are still abusing women!
boom!
boom!
boom! ! !
Shen Le flicked his wrist and unleashed three palm strikes of lightning. One strike knocked down one person, three strikes felled a whole group. Immediately afterward, he summoned a gust of wind, whipping up sand and dust that lashed out at them.

"Gao Jibo's army has arrived! Lord Dou has personally led his troops! Those who surrender will not be killed!!!"

His voice, amplified dozens, even hundreds of times by magic, echoed through the air along with the thunder. As he shouted, he brandished his flying sword, relentlessly cutting down the bandit leader along his route.

A quick glance to the side amidst the chaos revealed that Dou Jiande had already led dozens of cavalrymen straight towards the spot where the lightning had struck. Behind him, the Taoist priest lay prone in the grass, brandishing his ancient pine-patterned sword and muttering incantations:
A black wind suddenly rose from the ground, following closely behind Dou Jiande. In Shen Le's view, the black wind was of no use whatsoever; it couldn't even blur his vision.
However, the black wind swirled, amplifying the sounds of people shouting and horses neighing dozens of times, making it look like a massive army charging into battle.

Seeing such a display of power, the refugees had already fallen to the ground, cowering and trembling. Only a few bandits still tried to struggle, brandishing their broadswords and charging forward. Dou Jiande took his lance from his horse and swung it with all his might:
"here you go!"

Shen Le cheered him on from the sky. The warhorse galloped, and with a swing of the lance, several bandits fell on the spot. Five or six broadswords, spears, and other weapons flew out in a chaotic mess.

Shen Le smiled and guided the flying sword in a loop, eliminating several bandits who were secretly drawing their bows, intending to fire sneak arrows. Dou Jiande had already scattered a group of bandits, reorganized his ranks slightly, and then charged towards the second group:

"Spare me! Spare me—"

"I am Dou Jiande! Surrendered soldiers will be spared! Refugees will not be harmed!"

A violent, magically amplified shout echoed across the battlefield. The refugees fell to the ground like wheat, and soon, order was restored—or rather, a temporary order.

The cavalrymen galloped across the battlefield, ordering everyone to lay down their weapons and driving them away in groups, making them squat or kneel on the ground.

Soon, a tense standoff erupted at the village entrance, with the refugees and local villagers on the verge of fighting. Suddenly, a troop of cavalry charged through, violently separating them:

"Come with me! Come with me! -- There's still some grain stored in Gaojibo. If we eat sparingly, it'll last us through the winter!" Dou Jiande practically leaped off his horse, stood between the two groups, and opened his arms wide:

"The elders of this place have probably all heard of my name, Dou Jiande! Lay down your weapons, and I will lead you to a way to survive!"

The words echoed between the two groups, seemingly carrying a strange magic. The taut bowstring suddenly slackened, and the murderous glint in the eyes of the confronting villagers and refugees slowly faded, replaced by a tiny glimmer of light:
That was the hope of survival, a desire carefully protected in a chaotic world, yet one that dared not indulge in.

The hoes, kitchen knives, and sharpened sticks held high fell to the ground with a thud. The desperate refugees and terrified villagers all focused their gazes on the man standing among them with his arms outstretched.

"Follow me!" Dou Jiande roared again, raising his arms high, first turning to face the village entrance, then turning to face the refugees outside the village:
"Put down your weapons! If you're a real man, come with me. No one can bully you! Women, children, the elderly, and the weak will be taken care of! Trust me, Dou Jiande, this once!"

The cavalry slowed their pace, weaving through the crowd. By this time, the black wind that had followed them had lost its power, no longer adding to their momentum or intimidation; but they no longer needed it either. The refugees crouched and sat down, the bandits' weapons were kicked far away, and they were guarded and made to squat with their heads in their hands. The refugees, who had been in complete chaos, even turning on each other, formed a long line under the cavalry's guidance, slowly inching towards Gaojibo…

Shen Le breathed a sigh of relief and slowly descended from the sky, landing under a large tree at the village entrance. He'd finally made it, he thought. "Sure enough, professional tasks should be left to professionals."

Someone like him, who had never been a class monitor from middle school to university, and whose ability to manage his family was always a mess, was certainly not capable of managing this group of refugees, let alone uniting people's hearts in a chaotic world.

If it were Dou Jiande, out of tens of thousands of people here, probably 80% or 90% would survive this winter, and maybe half would survive until the end of this chaotic period.

Or... should I help him out?
Anyway, there are still many years until the Battle of Hulao Pass, and many years until Li Shimin begins to show his talent. I'm just idling around anyway.

Shen Le silently struggled with his decision, his fingers flicking, and a gentle breeze swept across the battlefield. Harmonizing yin and yang, reversing the gloom, the breeze would at least reduce the miasma emanating from those it touched, making them less susceptible to illness—

"Immortal Master!"

Dou Jiande finally broke free from the crowd and strode towards Shen Le. The breeze that had just blown on him made him feel lighter, and the vague pain and fatigue he had been feeling for some time suddenly disappeared.

The burly man, his face filled with excitement and gratitude, walked up to Shen Le and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Immortal Master! If it weren't for your swift and decisive actions to deter the villains and your use of immortal magic to boost our strength, things would not have gone so smoothly today! On behalf of these tens of thousands of refugees, I, Dou, thank you for your great kindness, Immortal Master!"

Ah... that's not necessary...

Shen Le felt a chill run down his spine from the pat. Before he could find a word to decline, the Taoist priest in the Bagua robe suddenly appeared behind Dou Jiande, beaming and bowing to him.

"Fellow Daoist, your Daoist arts are profound and your heart is with the common people. You are truly a role model for us all..."

This flattery is getting nauseating! Just as Shen Le was about to wave his hand to interrupt, Dou Jiande, observing Shen Le's expression, raised his arm to stop him and continued earnestly:
"Please, Immortal Master, have mercy and escort these refugees back to Gaojibo with us... In this freezing weather, a little care from you, Immortal Master, could save hundreds or thousands of lives!"

Shen Le finally sighed and nodded almost imperceptibly. Dou Jiande's face lit up with joy, he bowed deeply again, turned around, and shouted loudly:

"Let's go! Let's all go! Let's hurry, we'll get to the water's edge today—"

Even if dozens more cavalrymen arrived later, it would be a drop in the ocean to take away so many bandits.

As one of the few literate people, Shen Le had to move around constantly, greeting people and even occasionally using magic to help organize the group or deter the bandits with ill intentions.

The procession of tens of thousands of people reached the edge of Gaoji Lake at the very front, while those at the back had only gone halfway. Including the crossing of the lake, it took three days for everyone to enter. Dou Jiande then warmly invited Shen Le to a banquet.

"It's a rare treat that my general has come. Immortal Master, please at least meet him and have a drink before you leave!"

He pleaded with him repeatedly, but Shen Le had already run away twice and couldn't bring himself to do it a third time. He was invited to sit in the seat of honor, several officers surrounded him to offer him drinks, and many more watched him with awe from afar.

Shen Le almost wanted to sigh.

"to join you guys?"

He instinctively wanted to shake his head, but hesitated for a moment under Dou Jiande's eager gaze. In that instant, a red robe was draped over his shoulders with a whoosh.
"Even if a celestial master doesn't care about fame and fortune, he can still preside over a Taoist temple first!"

Gao Shida, the owner of Gaojibo and Dou Jiande's superior at the time, held up a huge porcelain cup and smiled as he tugged at Shen Le's robe.
"When we succeed, what's wrong with the Immortal Master becoming the Imperial Preceptor?"

Shen Le's expression changed. As soon as he uttered those words, his limbs suddenly felt heavy, and his normally flowing internal energy abruptly stagnated.
Shen Le took several deep breaths before he could barely open his spiritual eyes. He saw that throughout Gaojibo and even within a hundred miles, black energy, resentment, and blood energy surged up and surrounded him from all directions.

Amidst the resentment and bloodlust, there were endless screams, cries, and wails—

"Why kill me!"

Why did you kill me?!

"I have not offended the Immortal Master—"

"Spare your life——"

Along the way, the resentment of those he had killed with his own hands, those he had killed with magic and swords, and even those who had been influenced by him but were not supposed to die but were now dead, surged up.

The once clear and pure inner energy was now entangled by this resentment. That resentment, like hands reaching out from a quagmire, stretched out in all directions, desperately trying to drag Shen Le down with them—

Why? Why are we all in hell while you're all clean and safe on earth?

Cold sweat broke out on Shen Le's back almost instantly. He recklessly shoved off the red robe from his shoulder, pushed away the arm holding the wine glass opposite him, and sprinted into the darkness—

No wonder my sect always said that we should stay away from imperial power and people. As a Taoist priest, we should only appease the dead and demons and not get involved in human power struggles.

In this world, especially in times of chaos, the resentment generated by the struggle between individual forces is as terrifying as poison to cultivators!

"See you again someday!"

He hastily uttered a single sentence and vanished into the darkness. Behind him, the firelight flickered, and shouts continued. Shen Le, in a moment of despair, plunged headfirst into the lake.
The icy lake water embraced him, finally washing away all his resentment, allowing him to take flight once more.

This worldly riches and glory, who cares about them! He's gone!

(End of this chapter)