Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 1050 A Respectable Person in the Spring and Autumn Period

Who can guarantee that there aren't any prying eyes in the shadows?
The real killer move is to keep it hidden, so that it can be surprisingly effective at the crucial moment.

So there's not much to explain about this scrutinizing gaze; after all, times have changed.

In the end, it was the usually taciturn Stone King who had no choice but to step forward and smooth things over, since both of them had come to support him.

After some discussion, Xu Xuan's guess was indeed confirmed.

The emperor ghost before us is none other than Duke Zhuang of Zheng, who dominated the Spring and Autumn Period. His surname was Ji, his clan name was Zheng, and his given name was Wusheng.

As for why this powerful ruler would lend a helping hand to a stone demon who was not of his kind, the reason is rather tragic:
"These water demons have been trying to break through the barrier and reach the human world, but all my soldiers have died on the battlefield."

Duke Zhuang of Zheng's voice was calm, but tinged with a barely perceptible weariness: "Now, it is really difficult for me to stop them on my own."

In dire straits, even if the enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend, it is worth taking a gamble.

This monarch, known for his political acumen during his lifetime, maintained a keen political sense even after his death.

Looking back on the life of Duke Zhuang of Zheng, he was indeed a master of diplomacy and strategy. In the early Spring and Autumn Period, there were many states, and the State of Zheng was located in the heart of the Central Plains, surrounded by powerful enemies on all sides. During his reign, he successively conquered the State of Xu, forced the army of Song to retreat, and suppressed the State of Wei, rapidly expanding his territory.

They were better at adjusting their strategies according to the changing times, sometimes allying with Qi and Lu to fight against Song and Wei, and sometimes making peace with Song and Wei, always keeping the initiative firmly in their hands.

Upon seeing the Stone King being besieged, this powerful ruler only hesitated for a moment before deciding to take action.

In his eyes, this was not only a righteous act of assistance, but also a potential political investment.

If we can take this opportunity to bring this powerful stone demon into our camp, wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?
This is the kingly demeanor etched into one's very bones.

But the appearance of Xu Xuan, a human, is quite subtle.

He knew all too well how terrifying humans could be; their endless schemes and tactics were often more difficult to defend against than the claws of demons.

As for the demonic methods just used, while they warrant caution, they are not enough to warrant an immediate confrontation.

As a great ruler, his tolerance far exceeded that of ordinary people.

As long as it can be used to one's advantage, the distinction between good and evil becomes secondary. However, it is too early to open up completely now.

Xu Xuan took in the other party's wariness and felt a sense of admiration for him.

It seems that even though this hegemon of the Spring and Autumn Period was trapped in the underworld, he still maintained a clear sense of right and wrong, and was surprisingly a positive figure.

Since that's the case, the breakthrough point for starting the conversation naturally lies with these monsters.

The Stone King said that he was caught up in this situation and ended up here in a daze, and he didn't have any treasures specifically for Huang Quan.

After waking up, it took several days to climb out of the weakest point in the river using mental calculations and the stone body. Most of his magic power was also used up, and even his soul was somewhat weakened by the erosion.

Unexpectedly, they were besieged by this group of monsters at this moment, so they hadn't had time to gather intelligence.

"May I ask," Xu Xuan turned and bowed, "what forces do these monsters belong to? Why have they appeared in the Yellow Springs, and why are they causing trouble here?"

This question happened to touch on the part that Duke Zhuang of Zheng was most familiar with.

His expression brightened. He knew he couldn't reveal too much about his own intelligence, but he was eager to tell the enemy's secrets.

Their years of operation in the underworld have given them an intimate understanding of the surrounding forces. Gathering intelligence using the wisdom of the human race is indeed a piece of cake.

“These aquatic spirits have complex origins,” Duke Zhuang of Zheng explained in detail. “Some of them are the souls of the dead who were swept into the Yellow Springs over millions of years, while those that still have flesh and blood are the new generation that reproduced in hell later.”

Xu Xuan was not surprised at all; it was not unusual for native monsters to be born in hell.

The demon race is highly adaptable. Wherever spiritual energy gathers, there is a possibility of demons being conceived. This is due to the laws of heaven and earth.

This is how Heishan, the half-brother of the Stone King, was born.

"And they have gathered here now because a king of the demon race is trying to be resurrected in the Yellow Springs Hell." Duke Zhuang of Zheng's tone turned cold. "It is said that this demon king needs a huge amount of human flesh and blood to complete the ritual, so he set his sights on the human world."

“In the Yellow Springs Hell, there are more gaps leading to the human world than this one. Demons have gone to explore all the gaps. The gap I am guarding is just one of them.”

They still retained some honesty towards strangers. In the days when there were no evil spirits in hell, everyone ran around wildly, and it was always possible to find some weaknesses.

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Xu Xuan's eyes.

Great, the background setting of this instance is gradually being improved, and the scale seems to be quite large.

He then pressed on, asking, "So, who exactly is this demon king who attempted to resurrect himself?"

In this era of rampant demons, there are many beings who are neither alive nor dead, and even more who attempt to reverse life and death and return to the world of men.

Duke Zhuang of Zheng uttered two words in a deep voice: "Yayu."

(yàyǔ)

hiss--

Xu Xuan tried to gasp for breath.

The Stone King, standing to the side, gasped in shock. This Ya Yu was no ordinary character!
This demon had an extraordinary origin; he was originally a vassal lord under the Yellow Emperor, but unfortunately, he was assassinated by Erfu and Wei. The Yellow Emperor, pitying his innocent death, specially invited six divine physicians—Wu Peng, Wu Di, Wu Yang, Wu Lü, Wu Fan, and Wu Xiang—to gather at Kunlun Mountain for a consultation. They used countless rare and precious materials and finally developed an elixir of immortality to revive him.

However, after being resurrected, Yayu completely lost its nature. As soon as it awoke, it scrambled down Kunlun Mountain and plunged into the Weak Water, transforming into a ferocious beast with a dragon's head and tiger's claws, whose cry was like that of an infant. From then on, it fed on humans and wreaked havoc in all directions.

That's already quite terrifying.

The Yellow Emperor, the Six Great Spirit Shamans, and the Elixir of Immortality—any one of these legendary figures could easily fill an epic tale.

However, Yayu's story goes far beyond that.

In the past, to save the people from the suffering caused by the simultaneous appearance of ten suns, Yi traveled day and night to hunt down the ferocious beasts that ravaged the world.

Yayu was one of the most monstrous beasts that wreaked havoc in the Central Plains at that time.

Facing this ancient ferocious god, Yi drew his bow and shot it dead with a single arrow—its second death.

"If the intelligence is correct, this guy actually has a chance to be resurrected?!"

Xu Xuan was deeply shaken.

That was Yi, the legendary archer who shot down nine suns! Just how terrifying was an existence that even he could only kill but not completely destroy?
Thinking of those old monsters in the Yunmeng Secret Realm who were barely clinging to life, no matter how much they struggled, they could not escape the fate of slow death. Why is this Yayu so special?
If it were successfully resurrected, wouldn't it have lived a "third life"?
In some ways, this is comparable to Xu Xuan's rebirth experience.
“How can this be?”

Anything that can repeatedly come back from the dead is invariably an extremely troublesome scourge.

To verify this information, the prisoners who were still alive were thrown into the hellish land. Under torture more cruel than hell itself, they finally revealed the truth.

The intelligence is accurate; Yayu is indeed plotting a third resurrection.

This conspiracy wasn't even concealed much, because the Yellow Springs Hell is difficult to enter and exit. Even if there were living beings who could enter and exit, they wouldn't fight against an ancient demon god for the sake of humanity.

But, of all people, there just happened to be Xu Bailian, who brought her own karmic pollution.

This also echoes the most famous saying of Duke Zhuang of Zheng: "Those who do many unrighteous deeds will surely perish!"

The combination of the two will bring calamity even to Yayu, who has lived two lifetimes.

The Holy Father immediately raised the difficulty rating of this instance to the highest level in his mind.

Decisive action is needed: This threat must be completely eradicated before the opponent is fully revived!

Thinking of this, he looked intently at the Spring and Autumn Period overlord who still carried a hint of reserve and wariness.

Take a step forward, speaking sincerely:

"Comrade, let's have an open and honest talk."

"I am Xu Xuan of Yue, a renowned swordsmith, a famous physician, a renowned scholar, and a renowned figure in the mortal realm."

"He was a highly respected philanthropist who upheld the teachings of Confucius."

"At this time, we should unite to defend our land."

"For the greater good!"

It's often said that one's identity is self-given, but to give it away so openly.
Wu Sheng's expression grew even more gloomy after hearing this. He felt that the human in front of him was somewhat abnormal. It wasn't a problem with the times, but it could also be a problem with the times. He felt that the time gap between the two of them might be too large.

Besides, kings are ruthless. He is determined to protect China, but it would be difficult for him to be so easily persuaded to unite.

And
Who is Confucius? Is there anyone in the world who calls himself a saint?

Yes. This is the predicament of dying young and being trapped in a niche hell.

Xu Xuan naturally wouldn't go on at length about who Confucius was, since he wasn't really convinced until he met him in person.

A direct and forceful change of direction:
“Wusheng, the area above this gap is still the former territory of the State of Zheng, where 200,000 people live.”

"That's the one, the one you had someone dig up back then."

"Let me tell you, that gap, it's gotten big enough now..."

"We won't meet again until we reach the Yellow Springs. Look, aren't we already there?"

They not only speak, but also use hand gestures to make sure everyone understands what they mean.

Hiss~~~ Stone King, standing to the side, suddenly felt a tickle on the soles of his feet.

Exposing someone's dirty secrets to their face isn't necessarily wrong, but digging up old dirt to such an outrageous degree is something even prominent figures from the early Spring and Autumn period probably couldn't withstand.

After all, the kings of the Spring and Autumn Period were very concerned about their reputation.

"Ahem, tell me, how can we cooperate?"

Wusheng was indeed a respectable person.

(End of this chapter)