The Demon Slayer Martial Saint Begins with Insect Refining

Chapter 394: The picture shows the dagger
No one knew what the old man was up to, but since he had started, all the officials naturally suppressed their doubts and let him continue.

Fan Zhong said loudly, "In the Battle of Xizhou Prefecture, more than 70,000 soldiers of all ranks, including the Demon Suppression Army, the Demon Suppression Guard, and the City Guard, were killed or wounded, with no fewer than 150,000 wounded. Those who made meritorious contributions in the battle will be awarded three ranks of merit based on their cultivation level and position. Those who made outstanding contributions in killing enemies, defending the city, or mobilizing troops will be awarded two ranks of merit. Those who were injured in the line of duty will be awarded half a rank of merit, and those who died in the line of duty will be awarded one rank of merit. Those with children will be selected to join the Demon Suppression Guard to learn martial arts until they reach adulthood. In addition, those who made first-class merit or extraordinary merit will be rewarded separately."

The Dali era had a four-tiered military merit system. Those who made contributions in battle could be awarded at least a third-tier military merit.

In other words, if your troops win a battle, and you were also a participant, you will be rewarded.

The third-class merit award is given according to the martial artist's level and official rank, with rewards including silver, spirit stones, elixirs, weapons, and land.

Those who receive a second-class military merit are not required to participate in combat, but rather to make greater contributions to the battlefield. Those who make significant contributions in terms of the number of enemy soldiers killed, the number of cities captured, or the number of enemy troops blocked can receive a second-class merit.

A first-class merit is the greatest achievement on the battlefield, and those who are core members of the entire battle are the ones who achieve it.

Besides the third-class merit, there is also extraordinary merit. Extraordinary merit is not ranked, but is named for its extraordinary nature. These are merits that secure victory, such as being the first to scale enemy lines, breaking through enemy lines, slaying generals, and capturing flags. These are the most difficult to obtain and often fall to the most powerful martial artists.

What do you all think?

Xiang Haoran stepped forward: "I second the reward for the generals and soldiers, but I believe that the wounded need the help of physicians and medical students from the Imperial Hospital and the Imperial Academy to do their best to save them."

Li He nodded slightly: "Approved. Wang Zhixing and Ge Chengyun, you two should send the physicians and students to Xizhou Prefecture."

"obey"

Wang Zhixing, from Qintian Academy, was an elderly man with black hair, a thin build, and a straight back. He nodded in agreement to Li He's instructions.

Ge Chengyun, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, stood to the side. He appeared to be a middle-aged man, dressed in light blue clothes, and looked somewhat refined.

How is the recipient of the First-Class Merit Award determined?

"I believe that the Dharma Masters Ouyang Tianxun, Fu Conghan, Xu Lu, Long Qiujian, and Long Qiuhu have made meritorious contributions in breaking through the city and defending the formation, and in killing the enemy on the spot. They deserve to be awarded first-class merit."

"Golden Body Realm experts Long Qing, Tai Lingyue, and Xi Hebo have made meritorious contributions in breaking through their barriers and formations, and are worthy of being awarded First-Class Merit."

Fan Zhong had clearly done a lot of preparation. He straightened his back and spoke fluently in the Rising Dragon Hall, mentioning all those who had made contributions on the battlefield.

Starting with martial artists at the Dharma Aspect Realm, everyone has a name on their list. Those who died in battle, were severely injured while breaking through the realm, or made meritorious contributions in breaking through formations are all on their list.

After he finished reading, the Hall of Ascension remained silent for a long while.

"My esteemed ministers, do you have any doubts?"

"I second the proposal"

Everyone agreed, and Li He then said, "Those at the Dharma Aspect Realm can enter the first floor of the Great Li Treasure Vault or the first two floors of the Myriad Classics Pavilion and choose one treasure. They can also receive one fourth-grade top-quality spirit pill from the Imperial Pill Pavilion. Those at the Golden Body Realm can go to the third floor of the Great Li Treasure Vault or the fourth floor of the Myriad Classics Pavilion and take one treasure and one fifth-grade spirit pill."

"Martial Saint"

Li He paused slightly before saying, "You may choose any treasure from the first to the sixth floors of the Dali Treasure Vault."

The upheaval in Xizhou Prefecture may have benefited those at the Golden Body Realm and Dharma Aspect Realm, but for those at the Martial Saint Realm, the outcome is uncertain.

The crime of negligence is no small matter.

Admittedly, Shan Chongfeng is deeply entrenched in Xizhou Prefecture, making it extremely difficult to monitor his actions. However, the fact that he couldn't even detect something that affected the destiny of the nation immediately makes it hard to say whether the Martial Saint's actions are meritorious or demeritful.

Li He glanced deeply at everyone present, and those below the Martial Saint level were all trembling with fear.

Even though Li He is unwell, he is still a Martial Saint and has great fortune bestowed upon him. No one knows how much strength he can unleash.

Li He was displeased. As the monarch of the Dali Dynasty, he was betrayed by his own subordinates.

It's a disgrace that a third of the vast Xizhou Prefecture has been divided up like this.

At this moment, Xiang Haoran stepped forward and said to Fan Zhong, "Imperial Censor Fan, I'm afraid we're still missing one person."

Upon hearing Xiang Haoran's words, the expressions of the court officials immediately became subtle.

"Never forgotten, never forgotten"

Fan Zhong, however, became slightly serious and then clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Your subject requests commendation on behalf of Su Yan, the commander of the Twenty-Four Divisions of the Demon Suppression Guard. This battle is the first great achievement. Commander Su Yan, using his Dharma Aspect realm, held back the rebel Shan Chongfeng, thwarting his plan to seize power. This is the first great achievement. After escaping, he broke through Giant Rock City, and subsequently broke through Eagle Beak City, Wind Shattered City, and Golden Sand City, severing the true eye of the trapping formation in the Western Continent. This is the second great achievement. On the battlefield, he fought alone against the Vajra Subduing Demon Formation of the Buddhist Kingdom, protecting our soldiers and breaking through the enemy formation. This is the achievement of breaking through the formation, the third great achievement. He killed more than a dozen Dharma Aspect realm cultivators and captured their flags. This is the fourth great achievement. After the great battle, he conquered more than twenty small cities and slaughtered 100,000 enemies. He also used the Dragon Vein Ancient Worm to help the Qintian Academy establish its power. This is the fifth great achievement."

Fan Zhong recounted Su Yan's achievements in detail, and as he did so, many officials were astonished.

Those high-ranking officials, especially the ministers of the six ministries and military generals, were also shocked.

How could it be possible that all five great achievements were obtained by one person, and that he was only at the Dharma Aspect Realm cultivation level?

Even a Golden Body Realm martial artist might not be able to achieve this level on that battlefield.

Others may not know the power of the Vajra Subduing Demon Formation, but those who have experienced the war firsthand cannot be unaware of it.

The four old monks at the seventh level of the Dharma Aspect Realm, along with tens of thousands of monk soldiers, together formed the Vajra Subduing Demon Formation, which was probably comparable to a Golden Body Realm expert.

"This boy deserves a great reward!"

None of the officials in the hall objected to rewarding Su Yan handsomely.

"Summon Su Yan."

Li He became interested, and his eyes gleamed slightly.

"Summon Su Yan to the palace!"

A servant relayed a message, and Su Yan strode in from outside the Shenglong Hall, exuding an air of grandeur. He arrived among the civil and military officials and stood in the center of the hall.

He clasped his hands in a fist and bowed slightly, saying, "Your subject Su Yan greets Your Majesty."

Li He swept his divine sense over the area, revealing a hint of surprise before bursting into laughter: "Truly a genius! Minister Su, you are from Dali, a blessing to our Dali!"

Although it was just a simple perception, the profound true essence and the powerful force contained within his body meant that Su Yan's strength was undoubtedly greater than Li He had anticipated.

After laughing, Li He immediately asked, "Your merit is undoubtedly the greatest achievement in this battle. Tell me what you desire: martial arts manuals, elixirs, secret treasures, military honors, and official titles. All these are at your disposal."

This was a promise, and Su Yan's eyes flickered slightly: "It's a small contribution, I dare not ask for a reward."

Su Yan spoke modestly, but many people's faces twitched. If this was still a minor achievement, then next time they would probably have to sacrifice a martial saint to make a contribution.

Li He also realized that although he had made a promise, there were no limits, and no one would dare to ask for it at will.

After a moment of contemplation, he said in a deep voice, "Promote Su Yan to the title of Marquis of Dali, and grant him a first-class marquisate. Assuming him achieves extraordinary merit, grant him one Saint-grade treasure and three King-grade treasures below the sixth floor of the Dali Treasury and the sixth floor of the Wandian Pavilion."

hiss

The title of Marquis is now only available to those who have made military achievements and have killed at least one Golden Body Realm expert from an enemy country.

Among the first-class marquises, the Marquis of Champion was even more superior.

The champion is the best.

Su Yan, with his Dharma Aspect form, was appointed Marquis of Champion at less than a hundred or even thirty years old, which shows how much Li He valued him.

The Marquis of Champion is essentially blessed with the fortune of the Dali Dynasty. Once the promise is made, it seems as if a golden dragon roars in the sky, and a surge of fortune falls upon Su Yan. In an instant, he feels his true essence circulating, and his speed of comprehending the laws increases.

This illustrates the importance of official positions and titles, leveraging the fortune of the Dali era. "Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty."

Su Yan expressed his gratitude sincerely. The reward was incredibly generous, exceeding the rewards for those at the Dharma Aspect level and even surpassing those for some Golden Body Realm warriors.

"With your abilities, you deserve these rewards. I've heard that you command a great many ferocious insects, which must require a lot of resources. You can choose carefully. The treasury of the Demon Suppression Guard is ultimately no match for the Great Li Treasury."

After the rewards were given, Su Yan heard Fan Zhong's footsteps behind him. Fan Zhong raised the jade token in his hand and said, "I have one more matter to discuss for the sake of the Dali Dynasty."

coming
Everyone's hearts skipped a beat. The Right Chancellor and Grand Commandant Hong stood calmly to the left and right of the assembled civil and military officials, showing no reaction whatsoever.

However, the chief priests of the Imperial Academy, the prefect of the capital, the minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and several others wore subtle expressions.

"Your subject dares to request the same thing from the Marquis of Champion: fifty percent of the fortune of Xizhou Prefecture."

These words struck like a thunderbolt, and everyone held their breath. Su Yan narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at the old man in front of him.

"Fan Zhong, what do you want to do?"

Long Qing stepped forward without showing the slightest fear, pointing at Fan Zhong's nose and cursing, "Su Yan has performed extraordinary feats, yet you reward him first and then take his reward? Are you really not afraid of hurting the feelings of the Demon Suppression Guards and the Demon Suppression Army soldiers?"

Fan Zhong looked ashamed, but did not back down an inch. He faced Long Qing directly and said loudly, "I am ashamed, but this fortune is a division of the great fortune. It is not appropriate for it to be in the hands of the Marquis of Champion. Only by returning the fortune and returning Qintian Academy to Dali to suppress the fortune can we achieve complete success. If the Marquis of Champion cooperates, this great cause should be the sixth great achievement."

Fan Zhong was also a Golden Body Realm martial artist, but when he said this, he did not use any martial aura. However, his dignified appearance made him fearless of anyone in the hall.

This is an old relic.

Su Yan immediately sensed that Fan Zhong seemed to be a stubborn old man.

He was set up, and now he's the one who wields the knife first.

Moreover, he might not have been unaware of it; he simply knew, but for the sake of the Great Li Plan, he willingly went inside.

Li He narrowed his eyes slightly, but didn't react much.

"What does the Marquis of Champion think?"

"Of the fortune of Xizhou Prefecture, forty percent was obtained by me secretly thwarting Shan Chongfeng's conspiracy, and the remaining ten percent was obtained by me breaking through the city, killing the enemy, and breaking the formation. In addition, twenty percent fell into the hands of Shan Chongfeng, and thirty percent fell into the hands of all of you generals and soldiers."

Su Yan's tone hardened, showing no fear whatsoever: "May I ask, sir, if you obtained half of it from me, are you prepared to personally collect the remaining half? And another question: I am the governor of the Dali Prefecture, so is the fortune I possess the fortune of the Dali Dynasty? And a third question: my ferocious insects follow the path of fortune, and are you aware of the principle of aligning fortunes?"

The three questions were all tricky and difficult to answer.

The former is both a problem and a mockery of the officials in the court wielding their swords against the weaker.

The middle one, on the other hand, posed a dilemma, and pointed out that all the officials in the court were more or less blessed by good fortune. Although they did not have the same complete control as Su Yan, the two did have some similarities.

The latter only has one sentence: "Those who block people's way are irreconcilable enemies."

Fan Zhong remained silent: "I earnestly request that the Marquis of Champion consider the plan of the Great Li Dynasty. The traitors of Xizhou Prefecture will surely be brought back one by one in the future."

Zhu Jin, another lieutenant general of the Demon Suppression Army, sneered: "If we try to retrieve it later, will our soldiers have to risk their lives?"

If they start targeting those who have rendered meritorious service now, then there will be no reason for soldiers to exert themselves in the future.

"General Zhu's words are too harsh."

At this moment, the faction of the Right Chancellor began to exert its influence, and Lu Wenqin, the Minister of Revenue, slightly raised his eyes and stepped forward.

"The achievements of the Marquis of Champion are beyond the reach of even those at the Dharma Aspect Realm or Golden Body Realm, let alone those at the Martial Saint Realm. At that age, we could not match them. The merits of the soldiers on the battlefield are also evident to all, how could we dare to ignore them?"

Lü Wenqin was the right-hand man of the Prime Minister, with a large group of nobles and aristocratic families standing behind him. Naturally, he had his own purpose in speaking at this time.

He changed the subject, saying, "However, at this time, the Buddhist Kingdom and the Barbarian Kingdom are facing external threats, and Shan Chongfeng's wolfish ambitions remain undiminished. In the south, the Witch Kingdom is attacking the border. If the nation's fortune is unstable, I'm afraid the people of Dali will find it difficult to live in peace. Although Lord Fan Zhong has offended us, he is doing so for the sake of Dali. If the Marquis of Champion is willing to extract his fortune and use the Dragon Vein Ancient Worm to help Dali suppress its fortune, we are willing to petition for merit on his behalf."

To claim credit, one would naturally have to ask the Dali Dynasty to offer rewards in exchange.

However, no matter how good the exchange is, once Su Yan relinquishes his fortune, his edge is lost. If the ancient dragon vein insect is still restrained for several years, then Su Yan's progress will probably slow down.

Similarly, Grand Commandant Hong's plans also slowed down.

Without a suitable knife, one naturally cannot hurt anyone.

"I second this proposal and request that the Marquis of Champion make plans for the Dali era."

At this moment, a row of officials stepped forward, all bowing and shouting in unison.

In an instant, everyone's eyes fell on Su Yan.

"Pooh"

Sima Changkong, who had been sleeping with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, spat, and said, "You're so petty. You've ruined the reputation of the Dali Dynasty."

"What does the Marquis of Champion think?"

At this moment, Huo Lanxi, the prefect of Wangcheng, suddenly spoke up, but the person asking the question was Su Yan.

Grand Commandant Hong and the Right Chancellor are of the same lineage. At this moment, the two sides have made their intentions clear: to compete for power.

Su Yan smiled.

"Stand and watch"

Su Yan slightly raised his eyes and swept them over the petitioners: "Fifty percent of the fortune is taken from within, so why don't you gentlemen ask the Buddhist Kingdom, the Witch Kingdom, or the Barbarian Kingdom for it? Expanding territory and conquering new lands will bring fortune naturally. Do you lack confidence?"

"The young man is ignorant of his own limitations."

A vice minister stepped forward and shouted at Su Yan, "Do you know how many soldiers might die or be killed in the process of expanding territory and conquering new lands?"

Su Yan looked at him and thought, "What a fine Dharma Aspect Scholar! His aura fluctuates, indicating that he is also at the fourth level of the Dharma Aspect Realm."

"May I ask your name, Vice Minister?"

Wang Yuan, Minister of War

"How long did it take Fellow Daoist Wang Yuan to cultivate to the fourth level of the Dharma Aspect Realm?"

Wang Yuan didn't know what Su Yan wanted to say, but since it was in the main hall, he couldn't remain silent, so he slightly raised his head and said, "I have cultivated for four hundred years and have reached the fourth level of the Dharma Aspect Realm. My speed is average."

A Dharma Aspect Realm cultivator who has reached the level of a genius for four hundred years is already considered exceptional.

Su Yan nodded: "Indeed, it's just average."

"you……"

“I started cultivating at sixteen, first joining a martial arts school, then the Beast King Sect. Now, four or five years have passed, and I'm twenty-one. My cultivation is slightly stronger than yours. Tell me, how long would it take to expand our territory?”

Everyone gasped and stared wide-eyed at Su Yan.

Su Yan's growth trajectory is visible to everyone, but some people always overlook this detail. However, if one thinks about it carefully, it's like encountering a monster.

(End of this chapter)