Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 325 334 The Great War Begins

Pong!
The true essence flames suddenly surged up, flashed by, and the note instantly turned to ashes.

Li Cunxiao's expression was uncertain as he looked at the storage ring in the offering box, feeling as if he had grabbed a hot potato.

Are Changsun Fu and his ilk still not giving up?

What does it mean to say that a great man should live between heaven and earth and not remain subservient to others for long? Isn't that just instigating him to betray you?

Once discovered, the capital would be instantly stained with blood and filled with heads.

Even if I have a magical treasure, I might not die immediately, but Changsun Fu and his group are definitely doomed!
The twelve gemstone rings are all exquisitely crafted, and upon closer inspection, you can also find that the names of each family are engraved on the back of the rings.

Duke of Zhao, Duke of E, Duke of Hu, Duke of Liang
"This is a blood oath!" Li Cunxiao thought, his teeth aching as he recognized the rings as belonging to the same people who had "helped him out" at the banquet earlier.

If it weren't for these people taking the lead in donating, Li Yisheng wouldn't have been able to complete even half of the task assigned to him.

Changsun Fu was clearly the leader of this group.

"You think so highly of my talent? How can I remain subservient to others for long? Do you know how long it will take me to become a grandmaster?"

"Or are they trying to get involved themselves, hoping to provoke me, the logistics manager, and cause trouble for Li Yisheng?"

"Aren't you afraid that the one-eyed dragon might kill the emperor in a fit of rage? That makes no sense."

People's hearts are unfathomable, and Li Cunxiao dared not say that he could understand these people's thoughts.

But these are just sugar-coated bullets.
He picked up a ring, and his primordial spirit power invaded it, easily completing the refining process.

What came to mind next were mountains of rare and precious natural treasures.

If all twelve rings were this number, then not only could they support oneself to the Grandmaster level, but they could also be used to complete seven or eight tenths of the Dragon Boat Secret Realm.

"Snapped"

Li Cunxiao closed the box with a backhand motion and looked at the "Qin King's Battle Formation Diagram" made of mother-of-pearl on the lacquer box with a serious expression.

It seems that he has no choice but to become the Little Lu Bu.

Outside the Duke of Yue's mansion, Yuchi Bi and eleven others waited anxiously.

Seeing Changsun Fu emerge from the side door, he quickly stepped forward and casually transmitted his voice:

"Did you give them the things?"

"Give it."

Changsun Fu waved, and a steward drove over in a carriage.

He was tall and strong, with powerful muscles and bones, and judging from his aura, he was also a Heavenly Ladder martial artist.

The group entered the carriage, and as the curtains closed, it was as if an invisible barrier was erected, isolating them from outside observation.

"Changsun, isn't this all-or-nothing gamble too risky?"

“I think that although Li Cunxiao comes from the Louguan Dao, he does not cherish old friendships with the people in the capital.”

"Yes, if those resources had been preserved, they would have been enough to support two grandmasters."

Although Yuchi Bi did not speak, his gaze toward Changsun Fu was clearly filled with doubt.

However, he and the other party had known each other since childhood and were familiar with each other. He knew that the other party would plan carefully before acting and would never act impulsively.

Therefore, even if they have doubts, they will never take the lead in undermining the other party, but will simply wait quietly for an explanation.

After Changsun Fu and his companions finished speaking, they smiled and picked up their teacups:

"Just now Ziyu said that if we leave the resources, it will be enough to support the two grandmasters."

"I'm wondering, among all of us, which one is confident of becoming a grandmaster?"

"Now that Li Yisheng is in charge of the capital, will those resources really be able to stay?"

After speaking, he silently drank his tea, and the carriage fell silent as well.

The information about Li Cunxiao that they had seen before quietly surfaced in everyone's minds.

Breaking the barrier at the age of twenty-one is one thing.

He entered the Louguan Daoist sect to cultivate, and in just over a year, he jumped from the fourth realm to the seventh realm. He is proficient in alchemy, weapon crafting, and martial arts.

Even if Master Taiyi exaggerated and had been secretly cultivating them in other places, look at the seventh-realm experts in their mansion, aren't they all in their forties or fifties?
Most of the world-renowned masters are in their sixties, and the great masters are even in their eighties.

What about Li Cunxiao? He's only twenty years old. Is it possible that he, like the Marquis of Champion in ancient times, will become a grandmaster at the age of thirty?

His extraordinary talent is simply a reincarnation of Emperor Taizong!

"If Li Cunxiao doesn't become a grandmaster, then I'm afraid no one else will be able to become a grandmaster."

Yuchi Bi took the initiative to break the silence.

"Moreover, it's not entirely accurate to say he's heartless."

"At least the Prince of Fenyang's mansion is safe and sound under his protection, which can be considered as fulfilling a favor to Brother Guo Zhao."

"Besides, compared to those arrogant regional military commanders, Li Cunxiao comes from a high-ranking family, is gentle and refined, and treats us with great courtesy."

"He became a grandmaster, and together with the Laughing Buddha, he formed his own school."

"The more internal strife there is in Hedong, the less eager they will be to purge outsiders, and at least our situation won't get worse."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, those brutes are ignorant and only know how to fight and kill; they are crude and vulgar."

"It was one thing for country bumpkins in the past, but now they're all high-ranking officials, not sitting in their offices, spending their days loitering in Pingkang Lane, holding all sorts of unrestrained gatherings. They're even worse than spoiled brats."

"What's this? Debauchery and shamelessness are nothing compared to what's to come. Do you remember Chang Congjian, the Grand Master of the Palace and Defense Commissioner of Datong who was recently promoted to the rank of Golden Purple Grand Master of Ceremonies?"

"I remember, this person is also a grandmaster. He and Master Zhigang are currently stationed in the border region to guard against Qida."

"What are you begging for?" the man asked in a low voice.

"This person has a fondness for eating young children!"

hiss~
The air inside the carriage suddenly felt thin, and everyone stared in disbelief, exchanging bewildered glances. Yuchi Bi, his face contorted with anger, clenched his teeth.
“The Prince of Jin must have known about this, which is why he did not bring him to the capital; otherwise, his righteous cause and reputation would have been ruined.”

"How can such a man-eating beast be fit to be an important minister of the nation!"

Changsun Fu restrained his agitated friend and, looking at the crowd's indignant expressions, felt somewhat comforted.

They come from noble families and have a solid foundation, but having enjoyed wealth and privilege since childhood, they inevitably lose their ambition and become decadent and corrupt.

These are people he carefully selected, whose character and ambition have not yet been completely worn away.

Otherwise, nothing can be accomplished.

"As you all have seen, it's not that I chose Li Cunxiao, but that apart from him, no one else is worth investing in."

"With the Prince of Jin's army in such a state, Zhu Quanzhong, Wang Jian, and Yang Huayuan, local warlords far from the emperor, are even more unscrupulous in their cannibalism and massacres."

"His Majesty is now imprisoned, but we cannot allow the empire built by our ancestors to be ruined as well!"

With just a few words, Changsun Fu brought everyone together, and then whispered something to each other.

The bicycle bell jingled as it slowly drove into the shadows of the eaves and disappeared without a trace.

One month later.

In early spring, March, there was already a hint of warmth in the capital.

At the entrance of the Duke of Yue's mansion, Li Guangyi faced a group of guards with a gentle smile.

The armor and clothing of this group were far inferior to those of the Flying Cavalry and other personal guards; apart from their gleaming swords and spears, everything else looked dull and gray.

Upon seeing the loose silver coins handed over by Li Guangyi, the group of people were filled with gratitude and repeatedly bowed in thanks.

"We are all comrades, and it is only right that we help each other."

"The army is currently short of clothing. If any of your wives are good at needlework, please send them over. It would be a great help to the Thirteenth Prince."

"I wouldn't dare say that. If it weren't for your and Thirteenth Master's help, we rough folks wouldn't be doing so well, but our little ones wouldn't have survived the winter. It's all thanks to Madam Ye's medicine."

“You must understand, the King carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, and the Third Master and the others also hold multiple positions. They didn’t mean to neglect the brothers in the army.” “Please don’t say that. In the army, might makes right. We who came later were originally farmers who toiled in the soil, and we just learned a little bit of martial arts.”

"Outsiders, you're called 'Soldier,' but once you're in the barracks, those elite guards treat us like slaves. The Fourteenth Prince and the Thirteenth Prince are different; you're truly sincere."

Li Guangyi frowned, feigning anger.

"What Fourteenth Master? There are only thirteen Thirteen Protectors. Be careful these words don't get out. It doesn't matter to me, but you will suffer the punishment of the Twelfth Master."

Having said that, he remained silent and hastened their departure.

But these people showed no dissatisfaction, and still bowed respectfully before leaving.

"Guangyi, your interpersonal skills have improved significantly."

The teasing voice rang in his ears, and Li Guangyi was startled at first, but when he saw that it was Ye Jingneng, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Father-in-law."

"I already told you, call him Uncle Ye, we're all family."

“Uncle Ye,” Li Guangyi smiled helplessly, waved for his guards to continue patrolling the mansion, and then accompanied Ye Jingneng into the mansion.

"We all came from poor backgrounds and were conscripted into the Hedong Army. My elder brother and I also had a hard life before, so we naturally got along well. It's not really a skill."

That's how you show your true skill.

Ye Jing looked at the boy beside her and thought to herself that neither of the two brothers was simple.

People who suddenly become rich and powerful often forget themselves and regard their humble past as taboo, unwilling to mention it at all, let alone associate with peasants.

Having lived together as a family for several months, Ye Jing had come to know about the Li brothers' past.

From a waiter in a restaurant to a bodyguard, to a servant in a Buddhist temple, to a true disciple of Taoism, and now to a high-ranking official, governor, or military governor, one can say that one has risen to the top in one step.

Li Cunxiao's brilliance overshadowed his brother.

No one could have imagined that such a dramatic change would happen to a thirteen-year-old boy, and that he could remain calm about it. Isn't that incredible?

As for why Li Guangyi wanted to win over the lower-ranking soldiers, and what considerations Li Cunxiao had behind it, Ye Jingneng made no mention of it.

Instead, he brought up another matter with a serious expression.

"I just returned from the Hall of State Affairs. The urgent military report, delivered by express courier, should have already reached Prince Jin's desk by now."

"Where's your older brother? Is he still cultivating?"

The two went to the back garden and gently rang a copper bell placed there to inform Li Cunxiao.

"Yes," Li Guangyi replied, somewhat puzzled.

"Uncle Ye, what's making you so nervous?"

Ye Jing could only touch upon the word "war," but those two words alone were enough to make Li Guangyi nervous.

When the great war broke out, countless lives were lost. Before, we were outsiders who could flee, but now we are in the midst of it all, and every battle is a matter of life and death.

The two didn't have to wait long; a few dozen breaths later, Li Cunxiao's figure appeared from the depths of the garden.

Its gait was unhurried, with a strange rhythm in its pauses and movements. Every gesture seemed to blend seamlessly with the surrounding illusion, creating perfect harmony.

Ye Jing was startled and blurted out:

"To connect with heaven and earth, to achieve unity of heaven and humanity?"

"Sanlang, have you completed the condensation of your inner vision?"

As soon as he uttered those words, the harmonious state within Li Cunxiao began to fluctuate, and by the time he stood before the two, he had already detached himself from the painting of heaven and earth.

Li Guangyi noticed a hint of regret on his elder brother's face.

Another month has passed since the initial refinement of the inner vision.

The inner cultivation of both spiritual realms is progressing relatively smoothly.

After all, this is the seventh stage of cultivation; the next step is to become a grandmaster.

Even geniuses from holy lands cannot maintain their previous rapid progress.

Breaking through a small realm every two to three or four to five years is the norm for martial artists.

However, what is called "stable" can also be called "slow progress," especially the inner vision of the "Ten Directions Hell" in the image of the Savior from Suffering.

The concept of encompassing all aspects of the universe, including the five elements and yin and yang, means that the effort and time required will be several times greater.

Even with the rare and precious materials contributed by nobles, it is initially estimated that it will take two years to complete the construction of the Ten Directions Hell.

However, Li Cunxiao's current plan is to reach the Xuan Guan Perfection as soon as possible, so that he can be released to the outside world, escape Li Yisheng's Five Finger Mountain, and advance to the Grandmaster level.

After much deliberation, he finally decided to focus his efforts on perfecting the interior of the Buddhist temple.

“The inner world of Buddhism is indeed close to perfection, which is why I tried to communicate with heaven and earth.”

As Li Cunxiao spoke, a strange world slowly emerged within his body.

Nine mountains and eight seas, four continents of Jambudvipa, on the west side of the central Mount Sumeru, stands the city of silver, the city of Virupaksha, the Silver Mountain of Sumeru.

"Unfortunately, it's still a bit lacking."

"Don't be discouraged. I also failed time and time again, and each time I felt that I was just a little short."

"It was only on the day Shuyi's mother passed away that my grief broke through the shackles and we were able to have a natural connection."

"It depends on fate; you can't rush it."

Ye Jing offered some words of comfort, but secretly felt something was off.

When your son-in-law is on the same level as you, being a father-in-law also puts pressure on you.

'Actually, it's not urgent.'

Li Cunxiao did not forget the original purpose of the Vajra Pestle: no matter what obstacles or bottlenecks you encounter, as long as the killing energy is sufficient, it will break through them all.

Of course, the benefits of directly breaking through the barrier are still not as great as improving the "Haotian Shangdi Ancient Scripture".

The initial stage is the interaction between heaven and man; the minor achievement is the unity of heaven and man, which can break through the bottleneck of communication.

The ability to punish on behalf of Heaven at the Great Perfection stage is even more profound and indescribable.

Only with the presence of the Heavenly Spirit in the center, overseeing the three revered figures of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, can one cultivate in peace.

However, judging from the current situation, the "Western Guardian Dragon King Sutra" is actually slightly inferior to the other two, and its upper limit is relatively low.

If one advances to the Grandmaster level and has surplus baleful energy, one might be able to further strengthen it.

As for the place with the richest evil energy right now, it is of course Huayin County, where Master Qici and Zhiheng of Yuhua Temple are suppressing the great Buddha.

But he is currently preoccupied with trivial matters, and even if he takes leave to visit his master in Huayin, Zhiheng will definitely notice when the Vajra Pestle sweeps away a piece of the evil energy.

It's hard to say what the other party's attitude will be, so how can we easily give them a handle to use against us?

"Enough of this. Since Taishan has come in person, it must be for something important."

Li Cunxiao walked side by side with his father-in-law, while Li Guangyi followed behind, quietly pricking up his ears.

"It is indeed an important matter."

Ye Jing was able to recover from the shock she had just experienced and her expression turned serious.

"Yang Huayuan of Huainan launched a surprise attack on Haozhou, the rear area of ​​Henan Province, which prompted the Mingzun to take action."

"The Ming Cult initially had the upper hand, but after invading Huainan, it burned, looted, and massacred people everywhere, which prompted the Grandmaster Yuanfu of the Maoshan Sect to take action. Now the outcome is unknown."

"Yelü Yi, the Qida from beyond the Great Wall, has conquered Youzhou, Jizhou, and Pingzhou, and has now declared himself King of Liao."

"Liu Shouguang, the military governor of Youzhou, has now retreated to Cangzhou and is seeking help from the imperial court, requesting that a large army be sent to drive out the northern barbarians."

After dropping a series of messages, Ye Jing paused, then uttered the most bombshell:
"The traitor Zhu Quanzhong has raised an army of 200,000 and issued numerous proclamations to punish the rebels. He is already heading towards the capital!"

(End of this chapter)