Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 345 (355 Half a Year), Grandmaster

The sounds of smashing, the crunching of wheels over the gravel road, the roars of men and the cries of women, interspersed with the local Tibetan language.

Jianzan ignored all of this and easily pierced the grain sack with his hands. The white rice poured out like quicksand, but it was enveloped by his true essence and not a single grain fell out.

Food is very precious.

Especially for the increasingly cold snow-capped mountains, these things are more precious than gold.

Jianzan's eyes were filled with burning desire.

“Even a small county in the Central Plains has much more fertile land than the snowfield.”

"Not to mention the fertile land of Sichuan, so vast and rich, yet the descendants of Xiangxiong cannot even enjoy a place there."

Before he could lose focus for long, Gyaltsen noticed the movements of his soldiers and frowned.

With a flick of his finger, his true energy exploded in the air like a whip, causing the soldiers who were unbuckling their belts to turn pale.

"The king's order is for us to bring back enough grain to test the newly appointed governor."

"Look at you all, what are you doing that's all unnecessary?"

"Can personal pleasure supersede the will of the Dharma King?!"

The technique, similar to a lion's roar, was incorporated into these rebukes, and the soldiers on the higher ground immediately came to their senses.

They begged for mercy one after another, quickly shouldered the grain, and organized the convoy.

Jianzan's expression softened somewhat.

Food shortages have led to a significant decrease in the population of Ü-Tsang in recent years.

With fewer serfs, there are naturally fewer warriors to support. These people are valuable resources right now—including the soldiers under my command and the resentful peasants before me.

"Unfortunately, taking these people with us would definitely slow down our march."

"The difference between victory and defeat, life and death, lies in the finest line; one must not take risks."

Among Gyaltsen's three generals, Gyaltsen was a staunch advocate of war.

Faced with the predicament of the snow-capped mountains, he was more willing to take a gamble and find a way out for Tibet than to adopt the conservative strategies of Renzeng and Lunzhu.

However, advocating for war did not mean recklessness; on the contrary, he was very wary of Li Cunxiao, whom he had never met.

During this raid on the mountain stronghold, he struck and fled in a single move, attacking from all sides, while also capturing and interrogating many people for information.

Even if the opponent's cultivation level is unclear, the fact that he has six or seven thousand soldiers under his command cannot be hidden.

"To be dispatched by the imperial court to oversee a region, one must at least be a seventh-realm Xuan Guan martial artist."

"If I were to coordinate with the main army, I would have little chance of victory."

"But as long as I'm fast enough and don't get caught, these small groups of soldiers from the county won't be a match for me."

Once the grain collection was complete, Jianzan dared not delay and immediately led his troops away.

As the tyrannical savages left, the villagers breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a mixture of resentment and hope.

"These barbarians from the snowy mountains deserve to die!"

"We worked hard for half a year, and finally Magistrate Li distributed land to us and reduced our taxes, but these beasts stole it away!"

"Yes, Lord Li, he will definitely send troops to help us. Then, every single one of these barbarians will die!"

"Damn it, I'm going to join the army! Once I learn some skills, I won't be afraid of being bullied anymore!"

"."

The villagers looked at each other, a mix of indescribable emotions welling up inside them.

The soldiers they had seen before were all bandits, even more ruthless than bandits. They were all raping, plundering, and committing all sorts of evil deeds. There were even cannibals among them.

However, in just over six months, Li Cunxiao's series of actions have already won the hearts of the people.

The saying "Good men don't become soldiers, and thieves are sent to the army" has gradually lost its appeal in Wenzhou and Fuzhou.

"He is skilled in both military and civilian administration. I truly don't know where this humble monk's good fortune came from to have such a disciple."

Qici, who had just arrived, watched all of this unfold, filled with mixed emotions.

People in the martial arts world, who uphold justice and chivalry, may only save ten or a hundred people at most.
A local official who is fair and honest can save thousands or even tens of thousands of lives.
If one were a sage king, a supreme ruler, could one save the world?

The thoughts that had crossed his mind before surged again. Qi Ci was not unaware of the changes in Li Cunxiao over the past year.

But after tossing and turning several times, all that remained in his heart was expectation and trust.

"As his master, I don't have many opportunities left to shelter my apprentice from the wind and rain. So, protecting the people under his rule is also a way to contribute to his grand ambitions."

Thinking of this, the monk's expression immediately turned grim.

Every single clue in the entire village was captured by his eyes.

The fallen fence, the collapsed courtyard wall, the scattered rice grains, and the deep ruts stretching into the distance.
"found it."

"General!"

In a secluded valley, the barbarian soldiers lowered their guard upon seeing their own banners.

Before Jianzan dismounted, several burly slaves knelt down in front of his horse, forming a human ladder.

The mud smeared on their backs, but these people showed no expression whatsoever, as if it were the natural thing to do.

The Zanpu (king) was a descendant of the god Zhangzhung, while the generals and ministers were the god's assistants and the leaders of the slaves.

If the king is the Buddha, then the generals and ministers are the Bodhisattvas, and the nobles from various regions are the Arhats.

These slaves are hungry ghosts and beasts who have been pardoned in hell.

Serving Bodhisattvas and Arhats is not humiliating at all; on the contrary, they can use this merit to be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss in their next life!

"Was your journey smooth?"

"."

"Ok?"

"General, we encountered a troop of soldiers. They were highly skilled in battle, wielding white-shafted hook-and-sickle spears. We lost over thirty men and wounded over twenty."

Jianzan frowned.

As a veteran of countless battles, his sense of smell was extremely keen.

The two raids a few days ago were both carried out by splitting the troops into two groups. Five hundred soldiers were enough to suppress a typical county town garrison.

According to his estimate, it would take at least five or six days before the governor's headquarters would respond.

Unexpectedly, they have now encountered the enemy's elite forces.

"It must be one of the Thirteen Protectors. We can't stay here any longer. We need to leave immediately."

The subordinate was puzzled. "General, our casualties aren't too serious, and we don't have enough food yet."

"I said we're withdrawing now. Do you want to disobey orders?!"

With a furious roar, Jianzan even involuntarily channeled his true energy, causing his subordinate to bleed from his mouth and nose and collapse to the ground.

Seeing this, the Tibetan soldiers shouted and ran around, and the grain that had just been unloaded was immediately loaded onto carts again.

'What is this fear? Why can't I control my emotions?'

Gyaltsen felt as if dark clouds were hanging over his heart, and his chest felt so tight that he could hardly breathe.

And this bad feeling soon came true.

When less than a thousand Tibetan soldiers were about to withdraw along the pre-planned route, a strange monk blocked their way.

His slender figure, like the sharp vajra in the Buddha's hand, pierced the hearts of everyone.

"I wondered who was snatching food from the tiger's mouth, only to find it was a wild beast from the snow-capped mountains."

"This grain is the blood and sweat of the people, you deserve to die!" Jianzan sensed something was wrong and was about to release his spiritual energy to form an array when an incomparably powerful aura suddenly exploded. Donkeys and horses cried out and knelt down, and the barbarian soldiers went blank.

The image rose from the ground and instantly expanded to a size of a hundred feet. It was the Great Vajrabhairava, with a body of bluish-black color and six faces, six arms and six legs. Its power was even greater than that of the Tsanpu's Mahakala.

Grandmaster!

Upon seeing the Dharma image, Gyaltsen was instantly filled with despair.

Behind him, soldiers and slaves alike knelt down and prostrated themselves in worship.

"Homage to the Guru! Homage to Yama, the Lord of Subduers!"

"So, you just released the Dharma image, and these barbarian soldiers surrendered without resistance?"

In the central command tent, Li Cunxiao listened to Qi Ci's explanation of the whole story, his expression strange.

"Not only that, these barbarian soldiers not only harbored no resentment, but also thanked me."

"The theocracy in Tibet, which governs the country with Buddhism, is shooting itself in the foot."

Qi Ci was very disdainful, clearly looking down on this kind of behavior.

Li Cunxiao seemed to be deep in thought.

He already knew when he was gathering intelligence on Yelü Yi and others that the two monks, Gelug and Sakya, were actually the last two chief monks of Ü-Tsang.

In Tibet, politics and religion were combined. With the departure of the two monks, the king was both the secular monarch and the religious leader.

It was no surprise that the other side sent troops to raid the grasslands. After all, the snow-capped mountains are bitterly cold, and similar incidents happen every year. He had originally planned to use it as the next training ground for his troops.

However, it seems there are other ways to take down Tibet.

"The snow-capped mountains are bitterly cold. Although there are some rare and precious natural resources, the environment makes it difficult to establish a base for development."

'Its location, bordering Hexi to the north and Jiannan Road to the south, could serve as a passage for future military operations.'

'The Tibetans living in Ü-Tsang are all devout Buddhists.'

'Considering the existence of that king, once I also break through to the Grandmaster level and manifest a Buddha-like form, my master and I can join forces and subdue the enemy without a fight.'

A series of plans quickly took shape in his mind, but Li Cunxiao was not in a hurry and flattered Qi Ci profusely.

After the senior monk left with a pout, he instructed his men to appease the people who had been attacked in various places and to handle the aftermath.

Fortunately, the discovery was timely, and Jianzan was cautious in his military tactics, not daring to commit large-scale killings to attract attention, so the casualties in Fuzhou were not serious.

However, the disturbance caused by the barbarian soldiers only made the already enthusiastic recruitment campaign even more popular.

Sharing a common hatred of the enemy is the most effective way to unite people's hearts.

In addition, Li Cunxiao himself did not like luxury and was willing to spend money to support his troops. The soldiers were already well-paid. The combination of these two factors instantly doubled the number of soldiers expected to be recruited.

Six thousand soldiers, and that was the result of selecting the best of the best.

However, with more soldiers, the pressure on local finances would be greater. Li Cunxiao did not want to damage his reputation by increasing taxes at this time, so he simply wrote a letter to Wang Jian.

The letter contained a simple statement: the Tibetan people were causing disturbances, and the reason was that you, the King of Shu, deliberately indulged them.

The time for transferring taxes is fast approaching. If you cannot prove your loyalty to the court, I will impeach you to His Majesty!
When Wang Jian received the letter, he wasn't alarmed. After all, he had contributed to encouraging Tibet to send troops, and he had anticipated the consequences.

What is loyalty? Isn't it just about wanting benefits? Here you go!

Ten days later, the Shu King's letter of apology and his entourage left Jianmen Pass and were delivered to Li Cunxiao's camp.

The apology was sincere, and the money and provisions in the car were plentiful, exceeding the amount set by Li Yisheng.

Li Cunxiao knew perfectly well that this was hush money from Wang Jian.

The money and provisions for raising troops will come in now.

Li Cunxiao accepted the bribe and, while intensifying his efforts to eliminate demons and refine elixirs to be offered as tribute to the capital, accumulated malevolent energy in preparation for breaking through to the Grandmaster level.

At the same time, he also awaited the possible retaliation from Tibet.

However, after the convoy escorting the emperor to the capital had already set off, no retaliation came. Instead, they received a letter of peace from the Tibetan king, Gyaltsen.

In his letter, the other party adopted a humble attitude, addressing the Emperor of Qin as his uncle and himself as a nephew.

The impoverished nephews and nieces, unable to make ends meet, offended their uncle, a transgression deserving of death.

However, I have heard that Magistrate Li is kind-hearted and has not gone on a killing spree. In that case, I have prepared a small gift in the hope of calming his wrath.

It would be even better if the prisoners could be released.
"So you're backing down already? You're so pragmatic, no wonder you've survived this long."

Li Cunxiao chuckled and handed the envelope to Li Guangyi.

"Should we release a few of them as a token gesture?"

No, not a single one will be spared.

Li Cunxiao patted the Green Lion's head, and its huge body took a few steps forward. From this hillside, one could see the irrigation canal being dug below.

In the canal, Tibetan soldiers with distinct appearances were working enthusiastically.

Upon seeing the majestic blue lion, the Tibetan soldiers knelt down in their native language, their postures devout.

In Buddhism, the lion is an incarnation of the Buddha, symbolizing the invincible and fearless Dharma.

Li Cunxiao, who could ride a nine-headed green lion, was seen by them as a bodhisattva or arhat, just like their own general.

Not to mention that as prisoners of war, although they were not treated well, they were not abused either, and they had food and drink, which was already a sign of compassion.

You should know that even when chieftains on the snowy mountains fight each other, the losers either become slaves or turn into skull kapala or human skin ritual objects.

This is already the greatest mercy!

Amidst the kneeling barbarian soldiers, a pale-faced man still stood.

He was wearing handcuffs and shackles that suppressed his true energy, doing the heaviest work, his expression revealing a hint of resentment and numbness.

"They stayed here voluntarily, so why should they be released?"

Li Cunxiao looked at Jianzan, smiled slightly, and the green lion paced around and turned.

Li Guangyi's horse, Chili, cowered somewhat timidly, and only followed after Chili had taken a few steps ahead, resentfully.

It was obviously me who came first.

“Jia Zuru is just a newly promoted grandmaster. Unless he joins forces with Wang Jian, he is not worth worrying about.”

"Right now, he's begging us. Even if we don't give it to him, he won't dare to turn against us."

"However, we need time right now. Fine, we'll take some of the grain that Wang Jian sent to Tibet."

"Let him exchange it for rare and precious materials," Li Guangyi blurted out, a sudden inspiration striking him.

Li Cunxiao was taken aback, then smiled with satisfaction.

"Guangyi, you are already a qualified governor."

"In that case, I can confidently entrust government affairs to you."

Li Guangyi immediately realized, "Big Brother is preparing to go into seclusion?"

"Yes, everything the court wants is already on its way. With Siqi in Longyou, there won't be any problems."

"At least until next spring, there shouldn't be any major events in the next six months."

"I've accumulated enough power; it's time to break through to the Grandmaster level."

Li Cunxiao looked up. The sky was overcast, and no birds could be seen flying. However, a few snowflakes were falling.

Surrounded by mountains, Jiannan's winters are not as cold as those in the Central Plains, and even the trees do not all wither.

The towering mountains resemble a hidden dragon, waiting for spring to return to the earth and thunder to awaken the insects, when it will soar straight into the sky.

Riding the east wind, sweeping across the world!

(End of this chapter)