Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 1051 The Current State of Humanity
In the brilliant era of the Spring and Autumn Period, those who wanted to stand out among the many feudal lords were destined to be submerged in the long river of history.

You can be a tyrannical and incompetent ruler, or a wise and virtuous one, but you must never be a mediocre and incompetent official.

Duke Zhuang of Zheng, Wusheng, is remembered in history for his unique forbearance, profound calculation, meticulous planning, and decisive courage at crucial moments.

Of course, those timeless anecdotes are also indispensable.

The classic case of "King Duan at Yan" perfectly demonstrates the wisdom of "feigning indifference to lure the enemy into a trap," showcasing the masterful political skills of the perpetrator.

Therefore, it was perfectly normal for this hegemon of the Spring and Autumn Period to hold back many trump cards during their first encounter.

However, the current situation no longer allows for such slow and deliberate probing.

Because the Father has come.

Wherever this walking "source of causal pollution" goes, the weather changes drastically, as if everything has been put on fast-forward.

After a brief heart-to-heart talk, the two sides reached an alliance that was not very strong but not easily broken either.

The full name of this alliance is "Yellow Springs Ghost Chasing Hell Justice Counterattack Alliance", or simply "Justice Alliance". If you find that too troublesome, you can also call it "Yellow Alliance".

After reaching a consensus, the three immediately left the battlefield, bypassed several low, dark hills, and headed towards the stronghold that Duke Zhuang of Zheng had been cultivating for many years.

The scenery along the way is breathtaking. The winding River of the Underworld divides this hell into countless fragments, and endless spider lilies bloom with an eerie red light on the riverbank.

The amber-colored river water and the crimson sea of ​​flowers intertwine to create a breathtaking yet eerie scene.

The ghosts and spirits living in this seemingly beautiful hellish underworld actually lead a life of hardship and uncertainty.

Even native local monsters find it difficult to resist the erosion of the Yellow Springs water and the absorption of soul power by the Red Spider Lily for a long time.

Therefore, those rare lands that could isolate the power of the underworld became the focus of contention among various forces.

These scattered "safe zones" are connected by several ancient stone bridges, which coincidentally share the same name as the bridge in the eighteen levels of hell, called "Naihe Bridge".

This is not a coincidence, but a concrete manifestation of the rules of the underworld in this place, symbolizing the insurmountable boundary between the realms of Yin and Yang.

As Xu Xuan walked, he listened to Duke Zhuang of Zheng's explanation, which deepened his understanding of this dark and mysterious place.

"So it seems that even if we go to great lengths to hide in these safe zones, it's nothing more than imprisoning ourselves." Xu Xuan gazed at the ghostly figure lingering on the distant bridgehead. "What difference is there between that and being imprisoned?"

Even more tragically, these ghosts not only have to endure the corrosive influence of the underworld, but also have to constantly guard against attacks and devouring by their fellow inmates.

With each day you endure, you suffer another day of torment.

The design of this hell is so intricate that even the so-called "loopholes" are arranged in such a "reasonable" way.

Then it was Duke Zhuang of Zheng's turn to ask questions.

"How is the human world doing now?"

His tone revealed an undisguised concern. It seems that this monarch, who passed away a thousand years ago, still cherishes his homeland.

Xu Xuan felt a mix of emotions.

According to this king's own account, he has been guarding the gap between Yin and Yang for many years, preventing demons and monsters from sneaking into the human world.

While this is undoubtedly a righteous act, upon closer examination, it also seems to carry a sense of atonement for sins committed during one's lifetime.

But who could blame him when his life story was so fascinating?

It's not just that it's brilliant, but it's also been recorded truthfully by historians and passed down through the ages. After a moment's thought...
"The world is now in dire straits."

Xu Xuan's voice echoed heavily on the shore of the Yellow Springs, carrying a sense of solemnity.

Looking towards the amber-colored river to express his sorrow, he continued:
"The great forces of heaven and earth have reversed, and the righteous and the evil have switched places. The current dynasty has not come to power legitimately, and the court is full of wolves in sheep's clothing."

"Even the current king was slapped and humiliated in front of everyone in the palace."

"Well, this is even worse than shooting the Zhou emperor with an arrow. It's like trampling the dignity of the dynasty underfoot and throwing it into the latrine."

Wu Sheng's face fell. "Don't explain, I understand."

Xu Xuan then paused, his tone becoming more serious:
"In the past, a demon attempted to flood three states, but I slew it in Yunmeng Marsh; later, the Huai River calamity awoke, nearly causing the river to overflow for two thousand miles, but I stopped it as well. Furthermore, the royal families of the mortal world, in their struggle for power, did not hesitate to create the 'Mars guarding the heart' formation, disregarding the well-being of all people, but I exposed them."

"The impending calamity of the Yellow Springs is just one of many."

"So here I am."

These words carried a warning: since you've chosen to cooperate, don't have any other thoughts, lest you face embarrassment later.

Duke Zhuang of Zheng
During the Spring and Autumn Period in which he lived, although the conflicts between the states were brutal, the concept of "propriety" was still valued.

More than a dozen vassal states waged war against each other, issuing declarations of war before each battle and holding alliance meetings afterward. Even when using underhanded tactics and open schemes, historians recorded everything truthfully.

For this reason, most feudal lords cared a lot about their posthumous reputation and dared not be too presumptuous, for fear of being infamous for eternity.

He truly hadn't expected that the world a thousand years later would become so indescribably distorted. The collapse of ritual and music seemed too mild a description.

It's even more like hell than the underworld itself.

The little scheme he had originally been harboring began to waver, and he eventually suppressed it deep in his heart.

Never mind, let's deal with this crisis first.

The three of them walked around a sea of ​​enchanting red spider lilies.

then
"Didn't you say all your men were killed in battle?"

When Xu Xuan asked this question, there was no anger at being deceived in his tone, but rather a sense of relief, and even a touch of emotion.

Indeed, those who left their mark on the annals of the Spring and Autumn Period were no ordinary people.

Xu Xuan had always harbored doubts about the quality of the human lords. After all, this group had a long history of inbreeding, and while there were some exceptionally talented individuals, there were also many mediocre ones who were laughable.

I still remember the nobles and monarchs of Wei that I saw in the Three Divine Swords Secret Realm back then; they were truly hopeless.

Fortunately, the King Helü of Wu, whom they later met, was quite commendable, which somewhat salvaged the image of this social class.

That person, also within the sphere of influence of Luo Feng in the Northern Capital, fought his way through the Yin Heaven Palace of Zhou Jue and almost successfully launched a counterattack on the human world, even opening the Gates of Hell.

The established aristocracy had a far stronger foundation than a rebel like Chen Sheng.

In retrospect, Duke Zhuang of Zheng was certainly not without merit. Even in the Yellow Springs Hell, which was even more perilous than the Yin Heaven Palace of King Zhou, he still managed to survive against all odds.

In this camp surrounded by spider lilies, there were actually two or three hundred soldiers gathered.

There were ferocious monsters and incomplete human souls. Although they were all wounded, some had lost most of their fur, some had their shells shattered, and the human souls were missing limbs.

(End of this chapter)