Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 899 Thunderclap in the North
"That's enough, that's enough. Your Majesty's generous gift has already overwhelmed me. In fact... I'm really not a greedy person."

To everyone's surprise, the Dragon Lord refused, his tone even carrying a hint of unyielding authority: "That won't do. You haven't received your official payment for Yunmengze yet; you must receive it today!"

It was as if He would feel uneasy if He didn't give out this "gift" today.

Thus, an extremely eerie scene unfolded within the courtyard of Jinshan Temple:

An ancient dragon king who ruled over the rivers insisted on giving a human scholar a "gift" that looked incredibly hot to handle.

But the scholar, who was always opportunistic and never missed an opportunity, desperately refused, as if it were some kind of death warrant.

The two went back and forth, one insisting on giving and the other refusing no matter what, pulling and tugging happily.

Those unaware of the inside story might think these two had a life-or-death friendship and were putting on a deeply moving "humility" show.

Finally, the Dragon King's eyes suddenly changed, the playful and teasing look fading away, replaced by a deep and unfathomable gaze.

He spoke directly, his tone leaving no room for argument:
"Alright then, I'll give you something truly wonderful. This item... might help Bai Suzhen overcome the great tribulation in her destiny."

"Do you want it or not?"

Xu Xuan cursed inwardly: This old bastard, his methods are really... despicable!

"Yes," Xu Xuan answered decisively, without the slightest hesitation.

At this point, any further arguing or affectation is pointless.

Upon seeing this, the Dragon King's expression became more serious than ever before.

He slowly raised his hand, and in his palm was not the dazzling treasure he had imagined, but a piece of dark-colored cloth that looked old.

On the cloth, several extremely mysterious and distorted symbols were imprinted with an ancient, almost faded ink.

They are neither like words nor like pictures, yet they seem to contain some kind of principle from the beginning of time.

Long Jun stared at the "rag" with complicated emotions, and after a long silence, he solemnly handed it over.

“Back then, what that little girl asked me for was the spirit and concept of the ‘dragon.’ She incorporated it into her own cultivation technique, which is how the unique ‘Dragon Gate’ in your ‘True Scripture of the Descent of the White Lotus’ came about.”

"This is why your cultivation path is always smoother than others when you break through to higher realms in body refinement."

His gaze fell on the piece of cloth, and his tone was so solemn it seemed to drip with water:
"And what this object carries is a divine object that surpasses even the 'Dragon Gate' in your cultivation technique!"

"This opportunity, even if immortals and gods were alive, would be regarded as the most precious treasure, enough to attract the attention of Bodhisattvas, the hearts of Arhats, and even the likes of Taiyi Loose Immortals, who would not hesitate to descend their incarnations to compete for it."

The Dragon King's voice carried a hint of indescribable emotion, as well as a sense of desolation at the changing times.

"Now is the time..."

"It has to be you..."

Even if someone else had extraordinary abilities, they might not be able to encounter it, but Xu Xuan is different.

He has many karmic causes and many calamities, which makes him most likely to attract the attention of certain specific things.

Xu Xuan took the piece of cloth, but the feeling it gave him was completely different from what he had imagined.

So ordinary.

It has a rough texture and is even somewhat dry and stiff, like old canvas that has been repeatedly rubbed and kneaded over the years.

He quietly channeled his magical power to probe, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea, not even causing a ripple; he then tried to sense it with his divine sense, but it was still empty, without any magical aura or spiritual reaction.

From any angle, this thing is just a... rag.

Based on numerous works I've seen in the past, I can infer that the more ordinary something is, the more incredibly awesome it is, especially when it comes from a master.

Xu Xuan suppressed his probing thoughts and carefully put it away.

"After you get close to Luoyang, you may encounter an opportunity, or you may not." The Dragon King watched him put away the cloth, his tone still ethereal.

"You'll know what it is when the time comes."

Xu Xuan disliked this kind of riddle-solving behavior the most.

Why don't you just say what you have to say?
Heaven knows, Earth knows, you know, and I know, isn't that enough?

"It's not that I'm unwilling to say, but that I can't say." The Dragon King seemed to see through his impatience and offered an extra explanation, though it was still shrouded in mystery.

“Once I reveal what ‘it’ truly is, Heaven will know, Earth will know, and you will know as well. Then, you will never again encounter this elusive and rare opportunity.”

Oh~~
Is that interesting?
Xu Xuan's curiosity and desire to explore, which had been piqued, only intensified.

There's even an urge to immediately turn back to West Lake, grab Bai Suzhen, and demand an explanation.

But if she knew about something so mysterious that even the Dragon King dared not speak of it openly, would it also become "ineffective"?

Damn it... In the end, I still got precisely what that old man had in mind.

He calmed down, his mind racing. The Dragon Lord had gone to such great lengths; this opportunity must be more than just helping Bai Suzhen overcome her tribulation.

On a deeper level, it must have been of some indispensable benefit to the Dragon King himself, otherwise He would never have been so unusually enthusiastic, even going so far as to "forcefully offer" it to him.

Since that's the case, we have no choice but to continue cooperating.

When we get to the North, don't blame me for using your name; from now on, you'll be my brother.

Seeing that Xu Xuan had finally stopped asking questions, the Dragon King seemed to have a great weight lifted off his shoulders and appeared much more relaxed.

As the eastern sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn, he rose, his figure rippling like water, disappearing into the ceaselessly flowing Yangtze River below.

Xu Xuan also boarded the large ship for the Northern Crossing with the Stone King.

The boat glides along the middle of the river, the waves gently rippling. Standing by the railing, feeling the moist river breeze, I experience a rare sense of relaxation.

The Yangtze River waters beneath my feet right now are perhaps the safest place in the world.

Even if all the masters in the world flocked to him to take his life, the ancient king who lived underwater would surely protect him.

Before they found that opportunity, they were the "closest" friends.

The large ship smoothly docked at the north shore. Stepping onto solid ground, the feeling was different.

Across the river, this place was already within the territory of Guangling County of Xuzhou, which is the area later known as Yangzhou.

However, this "Yangzhou" is not the same as that "Yangzhou".

Therefore, the place where Xu Xuan disembarked this time was outside of Dazhou, and he wouldn't have his own network of connections. For him, it was a completely new and unexplored "map".

"North, here we come!" Snap!

A sudden clap of thunder in broad daylight struck the northern lands, causing people in the surrounding area to flee in terror. It was clear that none of them possessed the composure of the people of Qiantang.

Xu Xuan led the Stone King forward with discreet steps.

The dock was not grand, and it did not connect to a bustling prefecture, but rather a somewhat dilapidated county town.

As soon as he stepped out of the dock area, the scene before him suddenly came into view, causing him to stop in his tracks.

There was neither the expected bustling market nor the usual busy scene at the dock.

Everywhere I looked, there were refugees.

Countless refugees, like withered branches and fallen leaves left on the mudflats after the tide recedes, piled up in a dark mass on the open ground near the dock, on the riverbank, and even at the foot of the dilapidated city walls.

Most of them were emaciated, ragged, and unkempt. Prolonged malnutrition and exhaustion were gradually fading the meaning of "humanity" from them. A heavy atmosphere, a mixture of sweat, filth, and despair, permeated the air.

It's impossible to tell whether those writhing shadows were originally farmers, craftsmen, or scholars; now they are just skeletons wrapped in tattered rags, shivering in the cool autumn breeze.

His eyes were sunken, his gaze dull and cloudy, like the eyes of a dead fish covered with a layer of gray. Even when he occasionally moved them, they were full of the panic of a frightened bird.

The child was so thin that only a bulging belly remained. He lay listlessly on his mother's withered back, having exhausted even the strength to cry.

The old dock was bathed in the dim twilight, and the rotten wooden stakes were soaked with water, adding to the desolation.

Separated by a river, the difference is like heaven and earth.

Several constables in black robes, their hands on their waist knives, lingered at the edge of the crowd, their faces showing undisguised disgust and impatience, as if the people in front of them were not compatriots, but livestock blocking the road.

"Get out of here! Get away from here! Don't come near the dock!" the foreman shouted sternly, cracking his whip in the air before it landed heavily in the muddy water, splashing up filthy droplets.

A slight commotion arose among the refugees, who instinctively shrank back like ants stung by a stone, letting out a few suppressed, animalistic whimpers.

It is common knowledge that Xu Xuan is not a kind person.

After inquiring with a few refugees at the dock who still had the energy to answer questions, it was learned that most of the people gathered here had fled from war-torn or famine-stricken areas further north.

They hoped to cross the Yangtze River and seek refuge in the rumored, more stable and prosperous Jiangnan region.

However, without official travel permits and identification documents, moving around at will is illegal.

Those who successfully escaped to Jiangnan were actually considered to have "illegally crossed the border," but now that the north is in turmoil, the number of people fleeing to the south is simply too large, like a torrent.

Even if the government wanted to manage it, it couldn't manage it all; thousands of people slipped through the net, and it was impossible to stop them.

These people were stranded here, either unable to pay the ferry fare or waiting for a slim chance, and were ultimately trapped on the mudflats on the north bank of the Yangtze River, unable to move forward or backward.

That's it
Seeing this bleak scene, Xu Xuan did not immediately provide any money, as this was not a long-term solution.

I plan to first find out who the county's administrative head is, and see if I can find an official way to at least open a door for these refugees to move south.

Yangzhou has enjoyed favorable weather for the past three years, but at least there have been no major disasters. Under the guidance of a certain person, the economy has developed well and is able to accommodate these refugees.

Furthermore, Baoan Hall is leading the economic transformation, which is still based on small-scale farming, but has greatly expanded the proportion of handicrafts and commerce.

Big data analysis shows that the demand for population in the Jiangnan region is growing.

Wu County, the core of the transformation, is expected to complete the initial phase of its goals within five years. Although there is some pressure in accepting a large influx of people, the security situation can still be maintained thanks to the supervision of the cultivation system.

One of the reasons Xu Xuan was confident in going north was his stable rear area.

Just as he led the Stone King out of the area where the refugees had gathered, his brows furrowed suddenly, and his keen senses detected a faint but palpable killing intent in the air.

"Is my protagonist aura that strong?"

Without making a sound, he did not head towards the county town, but instead led Shi Wang to a secluded wilderness area outside the dock.

The wormwood there grows taller than a person, like an endless green carpet, undulating in the twilight wind.

"Yes, it's a good place."

In a short while, rustling sounds came from all directions, and figures silently emerged from the tall grass. They were all assassins, dressed in black and masked, carrying knives and swords.

They moved swiftly and steadily, their coordination was impeccable, and they formed an encirclement in an instant.

Judging from the oppressive aura emanating from them, these people were all formidable figures in the human martial arts world who had achieved considerable success. Among them, several even possessed a deep and concentrated aura that was close to the threshold of "entering the Dao" cultivation.

If we use Xiahou Jianke's rudimentary classification method of martial arts, almost everyone in this group has reached the pinnacle of "second-rate masters," and the leaders can even be considered near-first-rate.

There are very few secular forces in the world that can field such a lineup at once.

"Who are you people?" Xu Xuan asked politely, following the rules of the martial arts world.

But the other party is a professional.

"Dead men don't need to know that much!"

The swords flashed coldly as they were suddenly drawn, unleashing several fierce attacks aimed straight at vital points!
This is a life-or-death situation!

...The battle process is omitted...

Xu Xuan placed one hand on the crown of the only leader assassin who had been deliberately left behind. The man's eyes were filled with unbelievable fear, and all his meridians had been sealed.

The assassin leader didn't understand, but that didn't matter anymore.

"Children, tell me, where do you come from?" Xu Xuan's voice remained gentle, even carrying a hint of a loving father.

After a while.

Xu Xuan went back to his old profession.

"It's so convenient to be by the Yangtze River."

As for the bloodstains and signs of fighting left on the ground, the Stone King simply raised his giant foot and stomped it lightly. The surrounding earth churned slightly, swallowing and burying all traces as if it were alive, and returned to normal in an instant.

Finally, the Buddha's light swept across the area like ripples of water, purifying all the resentment and death energy that had just been generated.

After finishing all this, Xu Xuan straightened his slightly wrinkled robes, looked up at the vast northern land, and a subtle, enigmatic smile appeared on his lips.

I never expected to receive such a "warm" welcome as soon as I arrived in Jiangbei.

That's really...unexpected.

Jiejiejiejie
(End of this chapter)