A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 219 Cultivating Morality and Character at Liangshan Marsh

After Guan Luoyang killed Shi Wengong, he retrieved the Wuwei Divine Sword, searched the surrounding area, and soon arrived at the military camp halfway up the mountain.

According to Gongsun Sheng, there were originally 800 elite soldiers here, but Guan Luoyang had just killed less than a third of them, and the camp was now completely empty.

He listened intently, and heard sounds of people fleeing from all directions among the mountains. It wasn't just the soldiers; the burly overseers also seemed to know something was wrong. Some of them still held onto a sliver of hope and hid in nearby mines, while others had already fled far away.

One group of people was the most chaotic, with the heaviest footsteps and the largest number of people.

On the mountainside stumped with tree stumps, Old Master Zeng was being lifted up by two members of the Zeng family, his feet off the ground, and they were fleeing out of the mountains at a speed faster than a galloping horse.

The people gathered around him included members of the Zeng family and soldiers. Most of them recognized the old man and felt that there was a greater chance of escaping safely with him and finding a new future.

These people all possessed some martial arts skills. Even the powerful servants of the Zeng family had cultivated demonic techniques, allowing them to leap and bound across tree stumps as if walking on flat ground.

Just as they were about to escape the nineteen peaks of Cangshan Mountain and head towards Yizhou City, Old Master Zeng's panicked face suddenly turned alert.

"not good!"

His scalp tingled with fear, and he suddenly realized, "This is terrible!! Although that madman killed Shi Wengong, we don't know if it was out of revenge or something else. With everyone scattering and fleeing, he probably couldn't have killed them all."

"But with so many people gathered around me, and running so fast, wouldn't I be making a fool of myself and attract that thug's attention..."

Thinking of this, Old Master Zeng shouted at the top of his lungs, "Scatter! Scatter! Scatter now, and everyone who goes to Zeng Family Village at noon tomorrow will be rewarded with ten taels of silver. If you don't scatter now, you won't get a single penny."

A voice came from the air.

"Oh? You're so generous, sir. I wonder if I'll be able to receive a few taels of silver?"

Guan Luoyang brought his sword down, blocking the way for the crowd.

Without even needing to say anything, the people gathered around him scattered in a flash.

Old Master Zeng's face turned pale, but he forced a smile and said, "This strong... King... Taoist priest, I am a kind old man, but I have always admired those who are highly skilled. If you would like to visit my home, I am willing to offer you all my property as a sign of my sincerity."

Guan Luoyang glanced at him, then suddenly smiled, a smile as warm as a spring breeze, and said, "I've heard that Shi Wengong was able to manage the mines here so well not only because his soldiers were elite, but also because a wealthy Zeng family had recruited many brave men from the countryside to supervise the work for the government troops?"

Old Master Zeng struggled for a moment, then landed on his feet, cupped his hands and said, "To be honest, Daoist Master, my family has suffered under Shi Wengong for a long time."

"He pulled all the able-bodied men from the family to do hard work in the mine. No one was left to cultivate the fields. The family fortune that they had accumulated through honest business in their early years has been lost in recent years. Every household in Zengjiazhuang, young and old, misses their husbands and sons. They dare not speak out against Shi Wengong and secretly shed tears in the middle of the night."

Guan Luoyang responded with an "Oh," and then said, "So you should thank me?"

Grandpa Zeng immediately knelt down, prostrating himself on the ground, and said, "I have no way to repay your great kindness, Daoist Master. I will never refuse to help the Zeng family in any way we can."

Guan Luoyang nodded: "Since you're so sincere, I really can't refuse. In that case, why don't you come with me to the mine and gather everyone there? I'll take you all home."

After saying that, he turned and left. Old Master Zeng was trembling with fear. He tried to get up twice, but couldn't. Two strong young men next to him helped him up and put him on their shoulders.

Old Master Zeng was deeply moved and whispered, "You two actually didn't abandon me. What are your names? I'll promote you to stewards when we get back."

Both young men wore bitter expressions, but the one on the right forced a smile that looked more like a grimace and said, "Thank you, sir."

The one on the left, her voice trembling with tears, said, "I did want to run, but that Taoist priest glanced at me, and I really didn't dare."

The burly man choked up as he spoke, his body trembling with sobs, but he still held onto Old Master Zeng's hand with great strength.

Grandpa Zeng was so angry that his eyes rolled back. He was dragged along by the two men and followed Guan Luoyang's retreating figure.

Gongsun Sheng rushed over and first saw Shi Wengong's body on the cliff. He was astonished. Then he scanned the surrounding area and found Guan Luoyang's whereabouts.

"Brother Dao, are you alright?"

"It's alright." Guan Luoyang smiled and said, "You used to serve as a Daoist official in the imperial court, so you must be quite knowledgeable. How does Shi Wengong's martial arts compare to those generals of the current dynasty?"

Gongsun Sheng followed beside him, glanced at Old Master Zeng behind him, and said, "Shi Wengong's mastery of the Nine Earths Transformation Scripture is superb and extraordinary. In terms of sheer power, there are probably only five or six generals in the court who can steadily surpass him, such as Yun Tianbiao and Guan Sheng."

"However, in the past I only heard of his reputation. Today I saw him fight with my fellow Daoist. When he was in danger of death, he did not hesitate to stir up the deep turbid energy of the demonic path and go crazy to survive. His cultivation of mind is really not enough. If we really met on the battlefield, there are probably nearly twenty generals in the court who could kill him."

Having gained some understanding, Guan Luoyang asked again, "What about the Daoist officials? How many of them are stronger than him?"

Gongsun Sheng hesitated for a moment, then said, "I once accompanied the army to conquer Western Xia, so I have some understanding of military generals. However, most of those Taoist officials were in Bianliang accompanying the emperor, so it's hard to say how high their cultivation levels were. But Chen Xizhen, Liu Yongxi, Liu Hunkang, and Wang Laozhi are definitely far superior to Shi Wengong."

At this point, a look of hatred flashed across Gongsun Sheng's face. "My master was a man of extraordinary learning, and had already cultivated the indestructible golden elixir. He could be called an immortal on earth. His cultivation was no less than that of Mr. Yuanmiao in his prime. However, he was entangled by Liu Yongxi and Wang Laozhi and their men. After a long and bitter battle, he was surrounded and killed by a large army, which led to his mental exhaustion and death."

The cultivation of immortality in this world is mainly divided into three major levels. The first is to cultivate the nine orifices. The second is to gather mineral essence, purify it with painstaking effort, and accumulate it into jade liquid. After the jade liquid has undergone nine cycles, one can step into the third major level and achieve the indestructible golden elixir.

It is said that the Golden Elixir also has nine cycles. With each additional cycle, an additional layer of Daoist script appears on the Golden Elixir. After nine cycles, one can become an immortal.

However, the path to immortality is elusive, and no one can say for sure whether anyone in this world has truly become an immortal over the past thousands of years.

Those who can cultivate the Golden Core are already at the pinnacle of the immortal path, their foundations far more solid than those of ordinary Taoists or sorcerers. Even on a battlefield where millions clash, they can ignore the influence of turbid energy and easily unleash various magical spells and supernatural powers to shake the course of the battle.

As for Lin Lingsu, it was because he was too reckless, actively getting involved in the central affairs of the dynasty's fortune, and even unprecedentedly creating a separate system of Daoist officials outside the imperial official system, which had a profound impact and spread throughout the world, which is why he suffered such a severe backlash.

As they were talking, Guan Luoyang arrived at the mine and ordered Old Master Zeng to come forward and summon all the Zeng family members who had been hiding.

After visiting several mines, a headcount was taken. The soldiers had all deserted, and about 40% of the Zeng family members had also fled.

On the contrary, the miners, exhausted and slow to react, had not yet figured out what had happened. They just stood there blankly, at most squatting on the ground, trying to take a break. Not one of them had time to escape.

Guan Luoyang ordered the Zeng family to take all the miners to Zengjiazhuang.

Grandpa Zeng quickly asked, "What are you going to do?"

Guan Luoyang turned his head in confusion, put his hand on Old Master Zeng's shoulder, and said, "Didn't you say that all those wives, young and old, are looking forward to their husbands and sons? Of course, we should take them back with us, give them good food and drink, and let them rest."

"But……"

When Old Master Zeng saw the meaningful look in Guan Luoyang's eyes, he dared not continue speaking. He nodded repeatedly, his old eyes filled with tears of joy. "What the Taoist priest says is true. These people haven't been home for a long time. All members of the Zeng family, listen up! You must not neglect these elders and fellow villagers in the slightest on the way."

He shouted loudly, personally kicked away several young men from the Zeng family, snatched the wooden sticks and whips from their hands, and scolded them to be gentle and kind.

Many miners, bewildered, abandoned their tools and followed them out.

Guan Luoyang first took them to the military camp, searched the tents for food, cooked everything that could be cooked, and distributed the dry rations, fruits and vegetables to each miner so they could take them with them.

When everyone left the Cangshan mine, the strong Zeng men pushed the carts that were originally used to transport minerals. The carts were crowded with the miners who were not able to walk.

The cart was wide and sturdy. In the past, it would take four or five miners to push it with difficulty. But these strong men from the Zeng family had all mastered the demonic arts, so even with more than a dozen people on the cart, it was only slightly difficult for them to push it.

Lin Lingsu and Dai Zong have also joined the group.

Gongsun Sheng's whisk formed a cloud-like white cushion, floating in mid-air, allowing the immobile Lin Lingsu and the mercury to rest steadily on it.

As Lin Lingsu opened the bamboo tube and poured jars of mercury into her mouth, she mumbled, "It's truly a revival of the demonic path. Even these lowly lackeys of powerful families who only have connections with local officials can all practice demonic techniques. Hmph, I wonder how much of the output from the Cangshan mines ends up in their mouths."

Gongsun Sheng said from the side, "Senior, these people work in the mines year-round, and they are more or less corroded by the impurities in the ore veins, contracting serious illnesses. I see that you are willing to treat them, but I wonder if you have any methods?"

Lin Lingsu said, "Isn't the solution simple? Let them cultivate demonic techniques as well, but keep them at the beginner level so that there's no risk of them going insane or losing their humanity."

Gongsun Sheng shook his head and said, "Although the demonic cultivation methods aren't as verbose as the immortal cultivation methods, they still require someone to demonstrate the movements to them day after day and lead them in practice. These people will eventually be sent back to their hometowns; they won't have the time to learn that."

Lin Lingsu chuckled twice and said, "If Guan Luoyang really thinks that way, then I should advise him to send all those people back to the mine right now."

He looked at Gongsun Sheng and said sarcastically, "Return them to the countryside? In their current state, they can barely make ends meet in the mines. If they are really returned to the countryside, it will be too late to cultivate the land, and they will have no other way to make a living. I'm afraid their deaths will be even more miserable than when they die in the mines."

Gongsun Sheng was startled by his words, his eyes darted around, and he remained silent.

After these young men from the surrounding countryside were taken to work as miners, their own fields either fell into disrepair because they only had wives, children, and elderly parents left and were unable to cultivate them, or they were swallowed up by powerful clans and managed by their servants.

Now that the spring planting season has passed, if we let them go back now, they might not survive until the next harvest, and at best they'll only be able to become beggars.

But after Guan Luoyang left and the mines reopened, even beggars, as long as they weren't missing limbs, would be dragged back to the mines.

Gongsun Sheng considered that his magical skills were not weak, and that Brother Guan and Mr. Yuanmiao were even more skilled, but it seemed that they also had no way to properly and permanently resolve this kind of situation.

Perhaps the only way to change this situation is through a wise and virtuous court.

After thinking for a long time, Gongsun Sheng sighed and muttered to himself, "How could the Emperor of Heaven be so incompetent?"

"That's why I've said it before: we cultivators shouldn't have too many entanglements with ordinary people. It's easy to develop inner demons, and it's hard to get rid of distracting thoughts, so our progress in cultivation will become slower and slower."

Lin Lingsu's voice was as cold as ice. "Although I saw through this back then, I was still too foolish to try to create some kind of immortal golden age. A truly wise cultivator should not care about the common people, let alone the inheritance of the immortal path. I came into this world alone, and I will go to the Yellow Springs alone, peaceful and content."

If Dai Zong had heard Lin Lingsu's words in the past, he probably would have thought to himself: "She says she's untouched by worldly affairs, but we still saved her. If she's so capable, why doesn't she just die herself?"

But for some reason, Dai Zong couldn't bring himself to scold Lin Lingsu this time, so he asked instead, "Why did Master Guan take these miners away? Where does he intend to settle them?"

Guan Luoyang, who was walking at the front of the group, seemed to hear their words, turned around and slowly approached.

"Zengjiazhuang is not far from here, let's rest there for the night."

Holding a map in his hand, Guan Luoyang said with a smile, "Old Master Zeng is very hospitable. He insisted on giving us all his money and grain. We can ask them to help prepare some boats so we can switch to the waterway tomorrow."

Gongsun Sheng perked up and asked curiously, "Where are you going, fellow Daoist?"

Guan Luoyang said, "I found a map in the military camp. If you take the waterway from near Zengjiazhuang, it will only take two days when the wind is favorable to reach Liangshan Marsh. There are eight hundred miles of misty waters there, with lotus flowers reaching the sky, and the mountains and waters are beautiful, which is perfect for Taoists to cultivate their health."

"Master Lin, you still need some time to recover from your injuries, so why don't you come and stay with me there?"

Lin Lingsu remained expressionless and said, "I've also heard of Liangshan Marsh. It's the most treacherous place in Shandong. It's clearly a lake, but when the wind rises, the waves surge, the trees seem about to fall, and the reeds grow wildly, sounding like ghosts wailing. It's not a good place for self-cultivation; it's more like a den of dragons who rule the mountain."

"Huh?" Guan Luoyang was taken aback. "Is it really such a place? But I also found some letters in the military camp saying that people from all over the country admire the scenery there and are willing to move there to live."

His smile lacked warmth. "Since officials from various states have written that it's a good place, why don't we truly make it an even more memorable 'good place'?"

Lin Lingsu tucked her hands into her sleeves: "What if I don't go?"

Guan Luoyang smiled sincerely and said, "That doesn't matter. This was just something I was interested in anyway."

"Then I'll go anyway." Lin Lingsu stared at Guan Luoyang. "I'd like to see what kind of end a Taoist like you will have."

"Ha ha ha ha."

Guan Luoyang laughed and said, "Actually, I'm not a proper Taoist priest. I don't know how to draw talismans, refine elixirs, exorcise ghosts, or summon gods. Fortunately, I have other strengths in dealing with people..."

(End of this chapter)