Secular world: My destiny has no taboos

Chapters 486 and 496: Chaos (Part 1)

The eighth day of the sixth lunar month is a day of the monkey clashing with the tiger. The ruling deity is the Azure Dragon, and the twenty-eight constellations are the Eastern Basket and Leopard Water. Yang De is auspicious to approach, while Wu Li is inauspicious to avoid.

Boom~~
A deafening clap of thunder roared, chaotic clouds gathered, and fierce winds howled.

In the mundane world, the scenes depicted by extreme weather can almost be described as apocalyptic.

The sky darkened heavily, making it hard for people to breathe.

The immense calamity energy spreading throughout the mortal world not only affected people but also celestial phenomena.

Throughout history, the nine provinces of China have been divided by Xuanzhou, which shrouded half of the provinces in a curtain of rain.

The speed and ferocity of Zigu's invasion became even faster, giving the other prefectures of Xuanzhou almost no chance to breathe. In just a few days, she conquered most of Xuanzhou.

However, because of the presence of Arisu Prefecture, many of the city's residents had already begun migrating to more distant places.

Those who couldn't bear to leave their homes and businesses and thus couldn't leave in time remained in the city forever.

This time, Zigu Goddess, considering the underworld, did not cause too much bloodshed, but she still could not prevent the deaths of people in the city.

Although she ordered the evil soldiers to behave themselves, who can say for sure how many of them actually listened?

Amidst this chaotic tide, while Zigu Goddess was accumulating power and the Evil Spirit True Lord was gradually encroaching on Qingzhou, she continued her research.

Lin Beixuan divided Luozhou and Yinsi into two independent entities, propelling both forces forward.

Beyond the six prefectures of Qing, Luo, Chang, Jiang, Min, and Xuan, things were equally turbulent.

Longzhou.

As the prefecture closest to the north in history, Longzhou has always enjoyed relatively stable weather. However, in June, rain and snow began to fall in Longzhou.

Rain mixed with ice pellets the size of eggs fell from the sky, creating deep craters in the damp soil.

Inside a dilapidated temple, Huang Shifu, wearing a fur-lined animal skin coat, lit a fire in the pit in the center of the temple to dispel the cold and to allow the heat to rise to the roof and melt the snow that was hitting it.

Upon hearing the voice, an old blind woman looked in the direction where Huang Shifu was and said calmly, "From today onwards, you should no longer go out to look for fragrant wood. You haven't learned much about self-defense, and it's not very safe outside."

Huang Shifu nodded upon hearing this: "I understand, Mother-in-law."

The firelight scorched the faces of the two women. The north was dry, and the fire inside the temple made it even drier. Before long, Huang Shifu's delicate face was scorched red and covered with a layer of dry skin.

She then took out a round container from the corner, opened the lid, and used a spoon to scoop out a spoonful of the snow-white paste-like substance.

She divided the white ointment in two, placing one half in the old woman's palm and then applying the other half to her face after spreading it evenly in her palm.

The white ointment, made of some unknown material, caused the dry skin and redness on Huang Shifu's face to disappear visibly shortly after being applied.

"Won't you resent me for not letting you go out?" Just then, the old woman asked casually as she applied white ointment to her face.

Huang Shifu gently shook her head: "I have never blamed my mother-in-law, because I know that she was doing it for my own good. With my current abilities, going out to make a living would only lead to my death."

"Hehe..." The old woman chuckled, "You are quite different from the other returnees."

"They always stay in one place for a short time before thinking about going out to see the world, but they don't realize that with their limited skills, how could they possibly survive in the cruel Longzhou?"

"However, your ability to keep resurrecting is truly enviable. Perhaps this is what gives you the courage to take such risks!"

The old woman was chatting casually, as if it were everyday stuff, but to Huang Shifu's ears, it sounded like thunder.

She stared at the old woman in shock, not understanding why the woman would suddenly reveal her identity.

She had been living with him in this dilapidated temple for several months. He always seemed normal to her, and she had subconsciously kept many things from him.

But today, the other party suddenly exposed her identity as a commoner, which made Master Huang feel guilty and even more surprised.

She knew that Granny Shang was a mysterious person. Although she was blind, she always gave people a special feeling. When the two first met, it was as if she had eyes and looked at her. Her pale eyes left a very deep impression on her.

Now that the other party has already figured it out, Huang Shifu no longer has the intention of hiding it.

"How did your mother-in-law find out?" Huang Shifu asked softly.

"Actually, I noticed it the first time I saw you."

Grandma Shang's expression didn't seem angry, and her tone was relaxed.

"Including the group of people you met a couple of days ago, they are also returning home like you. I have always known about you people from another world."

As she spoke, Granny Shang pointed to her ears: "My ears are very sensitive. They can hear people's voices, as well as many other things, including your thoughts."

Upon hearing this, Huang Shifu was startled and subconsciously tried to block out the thoughts that were rising in her mind. However, the more she tried to clear her mind, the more chaotic her thoughts became.

Grandma Shang smiled and said, "Don't worry, apart from the first time we met, I haven't listened to your feelings again."

"My wife likes peace and quiet. If I had to listen to your innermost thoughts every day, I would be driven crazy by the noise."

Hearing this, Huang Shifu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Then why did you suddenly bring this up today, Mother?"

She was indeed a little confused. Although the two had spent several months together, they rarely chatted. Most of the time, she was talking to herself, and Grandma Shang would only occasionally chime in.

However, Granny Shang's expression turned somewhat serious. She let out a long breath, as if trying to expel all the cold air from her body.

“Now the world is plagued by disasters. Longzhou is adjacent to those barbarians beyond the borders. If they see this scene from previous dynasties, they will definitely launch a large-scale southward invasion.”

"Starting today, I plan to teach you some techniques that can be used to kill and defend yourself."

"After you finish your studies, you should leave Longzhou!"

Huang Shifu frowned upon hearing this: "Although Longzhou is often raided by barbarians who cross the border, the Northern Guard Army is guarding the border, so they shouldn't dare to invade on a large scale, right?"

Grandma Shang smiled and reached out to touch Huang Shifu's smooth, long hair.

"The Northern Guard cannot hold out!"

"The imperial court hasn't paid the soldiers for two years. Didn't you see the Northern Guards leading men past the temple before? Many of them had tattered armor and weapons. How could they possibly withstand the barbarian blades?"

"Moreover, the barbarian tribe has produced quite a few young mortal gods in recent years. These mortal gods are terrifyingly bloodthirsty, and I can feel it even from this far away!"

As she spoke, Granny Shang glanced symbolically to the north, as if a strong atmosphere of killing intent was brewing there.

"So now I need to teach you some techniques to survive in this chaotic world."

"Once you've completed your studies, take the Moon Immortal Lord with you. You can temporarily go to Jingzhou to avoid trouble. Even if the dynasty is about to end, it will be the last place you go!"

Huang Shifu looked up at the statue of a deity half-shrouded in darkness at the deepest part of the temple, and felt a little uneasy.

The statue roughly resembles a goddess with flowing robes, but it has two long ears, deep-set features, and a high nose bridge, giving it an exotic beauty.

"Then what about you, Granny? Such a large statue, I can't take it away by myself." Granny Shang seemed to have known Huang Shifu would say this. She took out a jade rabbit statue that radiated a warm luster from her bosom. The jade rabbit had its four feet together, its long ears hanging down, its head held high, and an ancient tree at its feet.

"Just take this with you when you leave!"

"As the new temple keeper of Guanghan Temple, you have the responsibility to protect the jade statue. Otherwise, if the barbarian army advances, Guanghan Temple may be at risk of being destroyed."

Huang Shifu recalled what Lin Beixuan had said to her before.

Since that day, she had intentionally looked up terms like '卯兔-广寒仙君' and learned that it was a secular temple.

Among the mortal gods, there are lesser mortal gods, above whom are greater mortal gods, and finally, the mortal lords. With such a rank, even if those barbarian tribes invaded dynasties, they would never dare to destroy the temple of Guanghan Immortal Lord, one of the twelve zodiac lords.

However, the answer was given in the next second by Grandma Shang.

Do you think they wouldn't dare destroy the Guanghan Temple?

"Although there were gods and lords in every dynasty, the barbarians also had their own totems. In short, the matter is quite complicated and involves events from decades ago. If he hadn't experienced that event, the immortal lord might not have been afraid of the barbarian lords."

"But now, the secular rulers of each dynasty have encountered problems of varying degrees, and the court is in this state, so we should naturally be wary."

Granny Shang picked up the teacup on the small table, took a sip, and said calmly, "Starting today, I will teach you the Moon Phase Origin Technique from the Guanghan Magic, which includes movement techniques, offensive techniques, and transformation techniques..."

Outside, it was pitch black and snowing heavily, but inside the temple, a warm fire burned, its warmth dispelling the chill. An old man and a young man sat facing each other.

This time, the instructor wasn't teaching the skills of incense making and coin making, but rather true magical arts.

Just as Granny Shang said, strife has begun in the world, and calamity will one day befall everyone. Even ordinary people cannot avoid this.

Chaotic times are always the greatest of the three calamities and nine tribulations.

……

Zhenbei Pass.

The howling wind and snow have covered this place in a vast expanse of white.

The weather, which had just turned green and warmed up in spring, was suddenly covered by heavy snow again in the blink of an eye.

Li Jin is the general guarding Zhenbeiguan today, and also one of the current government's agents planted here to learn about the current situation of Longzhou in previous dynasties.

He rubbed his hands, which were already red from the cold, and breathed out warm air, trying to dispel the growing chill.

His gaze shifted frequently, and after a while, he would look back and glance at the pass behind him.

This is to prevent snow blindness.

He had thought today would be another boring day, and had already begun to secretly practice the technique of using ice to melt blades that he had just learned from the general yesterday.

However, at that moment, a sudden tremor from the ground startled him awake.

Li Jin quickly looked up and saw a dense mass of figures appearing on the white horizon.

These figures were tall and burly, most of them over two meters tall, their strong muscles making them look like moving hills.

They were not riding traditional warhorses, but rather much larger and more robust wild beasts.

Bears, wolves... and monsters whose names you can't even remember.

The combined forces formed an overwhelming military might, and the dense snowflakes were instantly evaporated in the face of this raging, burning force.

In the dim light, Li Jin seemed to see a savage, ferocious beast that blotted out the sky roaring as it charged toward Zhenbei Pass.

"Gulu..."

Li Jin was so frightened by the fierce military force that he retreated repeatedly. Although he had seen some barbarians before, this was the first time he had seen such a large army charging towards Zhenbeiguan.

He was originally just an ordinary office worker in the real world. After becoming a prince, he joined the government and began to rise in rank in Zhenbeiguan by taking advantage of his resurrection.

Today, I consider myself to have seen my share of great things, and I am fundamentally different from those worldly princes who enjoy peace and tranquility in the capital and the surrounding provinces.

However, it wasn't until now that he realized he was no different from them.

Faced with that overwhelming military force that surged in like a tidal wave, he was not even as small as an ant.

"How could there be absolutely no news!"

"Order the entire army to defend the city! Defend the city!!"

……

Shouts kept passing by his ears, and by the time Li Jin reacted, the barbarian army had already arrived at a distance of only a dozen miles from Zhenbei Pass.

Don't think that these ten miles or so is a long distance. In fact, with the physical condition of the secular army and the support of various factors, the enemy can reach Zhenbeiguan in just a few minutes.

After a moment of panic, Li Jin began to try to calm himself down.

"I can be resurrected, so even in a situation like this, I can't die easily." He kept repeating this to himself.

What he didn't know was that as the present world and the secular world continued to merge, more and more people from the present world were entering the secular world.

They might be able to deceive most people below the Divine Realm, but there are still quite a few who, after witnessing their resurrection after death, can devise a way to completely eliminate their resurrection ability.

At this moment, in the barbarian army, a gaunt man sat on a chariot pulled by two ferocious beasts.

Various offerings were laid out in front of him, and a strange statue sat in the middle.

As he performed the bizarre dance and burned incense in a ritual, faint smoke began to emanate from the statue.

The smoke spread into the army, and the resulting behemoth of military might became even more ferocious, accompanied by a unique soul-stirring sound, as it fiercely tore at the defensive fortifications hastily prepared by the generals of Zhenbeiguan.

"boom!!"

"Woo——"

The heavy snow seemed to be brought to an end by its earth-shattering force, and time seemed to stand still.

The snow eagle flew past, its sharp eyes reflecting the endless fighting below.

Although it was a case of one side attacking and the other defending, the cruelty of the scene far exceeded any depiction in movies or TV dramas.

When Li Jin woke up again, the shrine had been rekindled at his feet.

He had just died once, but before he could fully react, a large sword came crashing down on him again.

(End of this chapter)