Da Zaojun

Chapter 55 Giving advice
Tian Chengbi's words were sincere, and basically consistent with Song Wuji's objective understanding of the current situation in the city.

"Now, we have to seize every opportunity to strengthen ourselves so that we can compete with the City God. The only way to compete with the City God is to gain control of more secret realm resources, such as the Blood Rice Valley in Cangzhong and the Essence Pills refined from the Blood Rice Valley."

"Now cut off from the outside world, Taichang County is like a small boat on the vast ocean. Where it will drift to and what its fate will be is still unknown."

The county magistrate said, "Besides Chen Xiu and Lü Han, you are the fourth person in the city whom I can discuss with you. So, if you have any opinions, feel free to speak up."

After listening to this, Song Wuji thought about it for a while and felt that it would be okay to express his opinion. As for whether Tian Chengbi would listen to it or not, it depended on his judgment.

"Actually, as far as our exploration is concerned, ordinary demons are not scary, but demons that have reached a certain level are not only powerful, but after eating humans, they also have almost cunning intelligence. Therefore, our main focus is on guarding against demons that have reached a certain level."

"Therefore, for demons that are not of the highest rank, we can harvest materials through daily bounties, which can stimulate those who are interested to go out of the city and kill demons."

"As for demonic materials, I have the ability to discern them. At least I won't make mistakes when it comes to the efficacy of the ingredients. Food made this way can increase strength, and it will have fewer side effects than the things from the City God Temple."

"As for the high-level demons, their abilities are beyond the reach of ordinary soldiers. Therefore, I believe that County Commandant Chen should prioritize quality over quantity. Since resources are limited, it's even more important to prioritize the best."

"For example, County Lieutenant Chen, since he can't achieve the eighth rank for the time being, he should find a way to lead more people to hunt down a few ninth-rank monsters, so that the right people can complete the monster hunting ritual, offer their skulls as a sacrifice, and obtain the Feihou inheritance."

"We should even proactively tell the people in the city about the paths and means of advancement. Only then will some people be willing to exchange resources for military force. For example, those powerful families in the city who are hiding their resources and ready to defect to the City God at any time will be able to tell the difference between being a servant of the City God and having a ninth-grade master of their own."

"Just like we proactively shared the Five Rats Moving Method before, the increase in strength after publishing this method is always limited. It's a gradual process, with little risk, but also little reward. The more essence you can refine, the more qi you can transform. After all, geniuses are a minority, and most people come from ordinary families."

"But by completing the skull sacrifice ritual, one can refine the demon's power into one's own body and quickly reap the rewards. Although the risk is extremely high, I believe that most capable and ambitious people are willing to take this risk."

"In this case, there's no need for our government to organize an expedition to kill the demons. These powerful clans will band together and proactively try to defeat the demons themselves."

"It would be best if we could kill the demon. It would give us another expert, and more strength. If we can't kill the demon, it won't diminish our own strength. We can even let them understand how powerful it is to be able to kill a ninth-grade demon. They will realize that cooperating with the government to kill the demon is the only way out."

"This is a plan to keep the people safe. It can resolve most of the city's internal conflicts and transfer them to the outside. It can also eliminate some of the demons outside the city and maintain a relatively stable area. Whether it's cultivating farmland or building fortifications, it's always a case of me advancing one foot and him retreating one step."

"The second is about the City God. He clearly has evil intentions, but not everyone knows this. Even the people in the city see him as their only hope after the demonic chaos. Therefore, they must not take the initiative to reveal his true face. They even have to maintain a fighting-but-not-breaking situation and unite with him to fight against the demons."

"Since that's the case, we must fight openly, not covertly. We must make overt schemes and take the path of honor and integrity."

"For example, those who died fighting demons in the City God's various offices, didn't they become soldiers under the City God? Then we should make them more than just soldiers under the City God, but also record their names and engrave them on stone tablets so that future generations will remember them."

"You should even take the initiative to offer sacrifices to these heroes, thereby gaining control of official sacrifices, paving the way for subsequent sacrifices to the Way of Literature, the Way of Martial Arts, the Way of Heaven and Earth, the mountains and rivers, and ultimately, the peace and prosperity of the country and its people." "As the saying goes, the most important affairs of a country lie in sacrifices and military affairs. Compared to sacrifices to the City God, sacrifices to the Way of Literature can help more scholars appreciate the spirit of literature, sacrifices to the Way of Martial Arts can help more warriors uphold martial virtues, and sacrifices to the Heaven, Earth, mountains and rivers are for good weather and good harvests... Giving the people more official sacrificial options will weaken the belief in the City God."

"Of course, if we do this, the City God will definitely respond and fight back. There's no need to panic at this time. He fights his way, and I fight mine. It's impossible for him to fight without giving anything in return."

Tian Chengbi listened and nodded repeatedly: "He is indeed intelligent, courageous and resourceful."

Then he said, "Training cannot stop. This training is not just for practical use, but more importantly, it is for the people in the city to see and reassure them."

"But the best steel should be used on the blade. This is also true. We can announce the Ninth Rank Martial Arts, but the sacrificial method was originally provided by the City God, and we cannot control it. Although it is unknown whether excessive sacrifices to Fei Hou will awaken him, it is indeed a good move in the near future."

"Sacrifices to heroes and martyrs are acceptable, but as a county magistrate, I don't have the authority to make sacrifices to heaven and earth. I can only uphold them, not undermine them, otherwise the rituals will collapse and the music will be ruined."

"Since ancient times, the emperor has had the right to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, the princes have had the right to offer sacrifices to famous mountains and rivers, the literati can only offer sacrifices to local gods and ancestral temples, and the common people can only offer sacrifices to ghosts, or to the gods of their homes, or to temples and Taoist temples."

"We can pay tribute to heroes, carve steles, and write county annals."

"Xiao Song, tell me what you mean. Have you mastered the Kitchen God's ability to pass on his teachings? Can your Kitchen God worship skills be spread?"

"Lü Han said that you used the Kitchen God's Edict to convert hungry ghosts. The beggars in the charity house said that you were a disciple of the Kitchen God's religion and that Lü Han was a disciple of Confucianism."

"Your abilities are obvious to all. It hasn't taken you long since you entered the city. With just a few minimal rituals, you've reached the Ninth Rank. This is a power far superior to both civil and martial arts."

Song Wuji was still thinking that since he had not discovered the secret realm this time, he could not spread the Kitchen God's teachings widely. After all, this involved the ritual for his promotion to the eighth rank of "Fire Dweller and Kitchen Master".

Unexpectedly, Tian Chengbi took the initiative to mention it. Song Wuji certainly could not show his joy. Instead, he looked embarrassed: "County Tian, ​​to be honest, I have revealed my power before. I have not kept it secret."

"How come no one has ever managed to become the Kitchen God Walking?"

Whether it is offering sugar to the Kitchen God or offering sacrifices to the Kitchen God and asking for fire, the Taichang County officials have actually replicated the rituals according to Song Wuji's.

Song Wuji said, "Because there are conditions for entry. One must have the Kitchen God, the God of Food, and the Heavenly Kitchen Nobleman in one's destiny."

"Even if you meet these conditions, you still need someone to guide you in. I was blessed by the Kitchen God, but others don't have his blessing. It's like someone needs a talisman from the City God to become a walking servant. It's not because you've completed the rituals that you become a City God walking servant."

(End of this chapter)