Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 984 is probably not safe.

The State of Liang belonged to Yuzhou, and its capital was Suiyang.

Located in the heart of the Central Plains, this place boasts convenient water and land transportation and abundant resources, making it one of the wealthiest regions in the world.

Once you get here, it's not too far from Luoyang, the heart of the empire. The straight-line distance is about 600 li, which can be reached in a few days by fast horse.

Being granted such a fertile land, the current King of Liang must naturally be a trusted member of the royal family and a high-ranking official.

After all, most of the feudal lords nowadays concurrently serve as military governors and regional governors, wielding considerable military and administrative power, guarding key locations, and protecting the central government.

Moreover, Buddhism flourished in the Liang Kingdom, making it an important center for the spread of the Chan (Zen) school. The three major branches—Linji, Caodong, and Fayan—all had monasteries with deep roots there.

Although these ancient Zen temples and monasteries may lack truly extraordinary masters, their core strength, such as the abbots of each monastery and monks who have cultivated themselves for many years, is considerable. They form a powerful force that stabilizes the local area and deters evil spirits.

Therefore, compared to the chaos in other parts of the north, the order in Liang was maintained quite well.

To date, there have only been a few minor White Lotus sect disturbances, and major evil demon incidents or large-scale rebellions have been rare, making it a "pure land" in a chaotic world.

That's how it appears on the surface, at least, but based on information from the Pure Land School, there seem to be some inconsistencies.

For example, this place has a lot of evil energy in its earth veins, and many eminent monks from our sect come here to suppress it, and they have been doing so for decades.

The old professors at the academy all had a high opinion of King Liang, but their assessment of the Liang Kingdom was vague and unclear.

Therefore, in the eyes of the Father, this place was not a good place.

After all, if a humanitarian hub like Luoyang is a den of iniquity, how could there possibly be any pure land elsewhere?

On this day, on the official road from Xiayi County to Suiyang, a blue-canopied carriage was traveling at a leisurely pace.

The wheels rolled over the smooth loess road, making a regular rumbling sound.

The curtain was lifted, and a young scholar dressed in a blue robe, who looked refined and had a somewhat pale face, leaned out to speak with the guard driving the carriage.

"Brother Shi, this setback is really not your fault. It's just that the northern lands are too dangerous."

His gaze swept over the seemingly peaceful fields and mountains on both sides of the road, and he continued, "Think about it, just from the places we passed through yesterday, there are at least four or five tombs of kings and generals from some unknown dynasty recorded in the local chronicles and unofficial histories, as well as several well-known legends of immortals and strange tales that are widely circulated in the area."

"Those who can leave their mark in the long river of history and the legends of countless beings, whether they are righteous or evil, human or ghost, are all people who are not easy to deal with. They all have profound backgrounds."

Seeing the guard listening in silence, the scholar steered the conversation to a deeper level: "Furthermore, the underworld is a vast world on par with our mortal realm, boundless and with entirely different laws."

"Accumulated over hundreds of millions of years, it is a place where dragons and tigers lurk, and where countless ancient evil spirits and old ghosts lie dormant."

"Even I myself have been in danger many times and had to escape in a sorry state."

"And the Black Mountain Demon is currently the top overlord who controls a region in the underworld. Its 'Sunfire Divine Light' unleashed in anger is not only difficult for you and me to withstand head-on, but even a true near-immortal expert would probably not fare well."

"So, Brother Shi, you've suffered some injustices and hardships during this time, but haven't we all survived unscathed?"

Xu Xuan continued his "psychological counseling" with earnest words.

"The most important thing for a monster is to be happy."

"Okay, listen to me, stop blaming yourself."

Since it was discovered that after experiencing a series of blows, including the explosion of the underworld passage and being knocked unconscious by the aftershocks of the Great Sun's power and embedded in the ground, the Stone King seemed to have become somewhat depressed and tended to "recluse".

Xu Xuan patiently and earnestly tried every possible way to persuade and comfort him along the way.

He was genuinely afraid that his capable lieutenant's mental state would be damaged and his will would waver. In the path of cultivation, the role of mental state becomes more and more prominent as one progresses.

If one's mind collapses, leaving an indelible shadow or self-doubt, one may truly never find a way forward again, and there is even a risk of losing one's cultivation level due to an unstable Dao heart.

Aside from his bad luck, his multi-functional bodyguard is top-notch in terms of combat experience, formation mastery, loyalty, and practicality!

We must not let ourselves become depressed and degenerate.

But deep within the silicon-based core of the Stone King, which had been talked about all along, thoughts were churning:

...Actually, young master, I don't entirely blame myself.

Back in the day, I was the mighty Stone King of the Lishui River, ruling over all the aquatic creatures in Dongting Lake. How prestigious I was!

Ever since I followed you out of Dongting Lake, things have taken a sharp turn for the worse. I went from being a powerful local tyrant to being just another nobody on the side of the road... (Countless heartbreaking stories omitted here).

This trip north, which lasted no more than a month, has already left me exhausted, with my spirit shaken and my mind damaged.

Who told us that all the powerful figures we've encountered, provoked, and clashed with along the way are either Dragon Lord, White Snake Emperor, King Yu, Wuzhiqi, or the Black Mountain Demon?

Compared to these legendary beings, it's perfectly reasonable for me, a mere third-realm demon king, to voluntarily define myself as a "third-realm minor demon"! I feel no psychological burden whatsoever!

Shi Wang remained as taciturn as ever, but his mind was already overflowing with complaints.

However, to be honest, after mentally ranting and raving about Xu Xuan, this "jinx," along with myself, this "unlucky guy," several times, the pent-up frustration actually dissipated quite a bit.

The knot of self-doubt has actually been untied to some extent. I even have a faint feeling that the fact that my Dao heart has not collapsed after experiencing such a "great world" is itself a kind of tempering, and my state of mind seems to have become more refined as a result, with a slight, almost imperceptible improvement.

Xu Xuan had no idea that the Stone King had gone through such a turbulent period of self-consolation, akin to cursing in the streets.

He was greatly pleased to see that the Stone King's previously somewhat dull rock luster seemed to have regained its composure and weight, and its aura had become much calmer.

He thought that his earnest teachings along the way had worked, and he was even happier.

At that moment, the outline of Xiayi County came into view not far ahead.

The rammed earth city wall wasn't very tall, but people and carriages came and went at the city gate, and the shouts of peddlers and laborers could be faintly heard, creating a bustling and lively atmosphere.

Seeing this seemingly peaceful and serene scene, the Stone King, who had been silently driving the carriage, suddenly stopped the carriage and stood his massive body by the roadside.

Its rock-form fingers began to move with a dexterity that was completely different from its bulky appearance, and faint, almost imperceptible spiritual runes flowed around it, as if it were calculating something.

Sorcerers skilled in divination are indeed cool.

Xu Xuan watched from the side, secretly admiring it. Especially since it was a silicon-based life form, its cold calculation ability based purely on logic and data had a unique and rigorous beauty.

A moment later, the Stone King stopped his calculations, and the spiritual light around him disappeared.

It turned its head and said in a deep, resonant voice, "The divination indicates that... the wind and waves ahead are calm."

However, after becoming sentient, they inevitably develop a touch of emotional considerations.

Or perhaps, they were taught a greater degree of caution by Xu Xuan's "deeds".

Surprisingly, he took the initiative to ask a follow-up question, his tone carrying a subtle...question for confirmation?
"Young master, do you think... that Liang Kingdom, according to common sense, 'should' be a dangerous place?"

That's a very insightful question.

The stone spirit has lived for far longer than Xu Xuan, and theoretically, its understanding of the geography, power distribution, and historical evolution of the Nine Provinces should be more comprehensive and "authoritative."

But... times have changed.

Its so-called "inherent perceptions" were shattered by repeated blows from reality after it crossed the Yangtze River with Xu Xuan.

Instead of relying on your own experience and divination, it's better to ask the person next to you who brings "opportunities" wherever they go, so you can feel more at ease.

But what kind of question is this...? What does it mean to say that there should be danger?

Is this rock bump twisting and turning, like the Yin-Yang Holy Father?

Xu Xuan was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this. He hadn't expected that this seemingly honest and stern man, who was usually sparing with words, would suddenly utter such a profound statement.

He stroked his chin, realizing that this was indeed a difficult question to answer.

“Liang Kingdom…” Xu Xuan carefully chose his words, “In terms of geographical location and cultural heritage, it is not far from Luoyang, the center of humanity. The teachings of the kingly way are deeply rooted, and the Chan Buddhist lineage is also in charge, so its fortune is stable. Theoretically, ordinary demons, monsters, evil spirits and heretics do not dare to be too unruly here. It is a peaceful place.”

Then, changing the subject, his tone became somewhat uncertain:

"But..."

Stone King's stone eyes were fixed on Xu Xuan. Seeing his slightly troubled and thoughtful expression, as well as the meaningful "but", his heart skipped a beat.

Young master, your silence, and that 'but'...

That sounds dangerous!

Xu Xuan's mind raced, quickly reviewing ancient memories, myths, legends, and historical anecdotes about the Liang Kingdom and even the entire Central Plains region as if flipping through a book. Finally, he reorganized his thoughts, his expression becoming more serious, and said to the Stone King:

"Break your spirits and prepare yourself mentally. Only when we reach Liang will we truly step into the core area on both sides of the Yellow River."

He took a deep breath and began to recount the rich history of this land:

"The Yellow River is the cradle of human civilization, and there are countless ancient legends and lost histories along its banks."

“Take this Shangqiu region for example,” Xu Xuan pointed into the distance, “Qi, the ancestor of the Shang people, was enfeoffed in the Shang region for his meritorious service in assisting Yu the Great in controlling the floods. Later, the tribe migrated, and the descendants called the ruins of the former land where the Shang people lived ‘Shangqiu’.”

"Hmm... Just from the origin of this place name, you should know how ancient this land is, and... how many unknown pasts it holds."

"If we trace the timeline back further, we can start with Emperor Ku, one of the Five Emperors. He was enfeoffed in this place and later became the ruler of the world."

"Further on, there is the saying 'The divine bird descended and gave birth to Shang,' which ushered in the glorious Shang Dynasty. Cheng Tang destroyed Xia and initially established his capital in 'Nanbo,' which was also within this region."

"During the Warring States period, this place belonged to the State of Song. It produced a cruel ruler like King Kang of Song, which gave rise to the poignant and resolute poem 'The Song of the Magpie,' as well as the legend of the acacia tree that symbolizes loyalty and separation."

“If we’re talking about mythological origins alone,” Xu Xuan lowered his voice, “this place can even be linked to earth-shattering events like ‘Yi shooting down nine suns,’ as well as ancient legends like ‘Shang Bo stealing fire,’ which concern the passing down of civilization…”

"As for the famous people who have emerged from this place throughout history... their names are as numerous as the sea." Xu Xuan waved his hand, as if trying to dispel the dense list of names in his mind. "Besides the well-known Confucius, Mozi who advocated universal love, and Zhuangzi who lived a carefree life, there are a long list of names that have shaken the world. If I were to write them out in detail, it would probably take more than a thousand words."

“Each one of them is a figure who has left a significant mark on history and influenced thousands of years.”

(End of this chapter)