The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 339 The Great Medicine Demon Realm
Upon hearing this, the soldiers lifted several wolf carcasses, placed them on horseback, and then headed back towards Wulahai City.

Throughout the journey, Zhe Yanzhi's expression remained stiff and tense, the soldiers' morale was low, and the atmosphere was extremely heavy.

Even when facing the Liao army, a single battle with a few thousand soldiers would not have resulted in such losses. Moreover, the original plan was to pursue the victory, but the final outcome was unacceptable to everyone.

It was nearly noon when they returned to Wulahai City. By then, the army that had been pursuing the main force of the Liao army had returned, and the generals were recounting what had happened in the military headquarters.

Zhe Yanzhi bowed his head and entered the hall. He knelt down with a thud and said, "Your Highness, I beg for your forgiveness and request your judgment."

The crowd was in high spirits, excitedly recounting the chase, when they saw his dejected appearance and were all taken aback.

Zhao Ti, who had been smiling, frowned upon hearing this: "What is it? Stand up and speak."

Zhe Yanzhi said, "I am guilty and dare not rise to report."

Zhao Ti asked, "Did something unexpected happen during the pursuit of the Liao army, and you suffered a defeat?"

Zhe Yanzhi whispered, "Your Highness, there was indeed an accident, but it wasn't a loss to the Khitans, yes, yes..."

Zhao Ti said, "Since you are pleading guilty, why don't you explain in detail?"

Zhe Yanzhi responded softly and then recounted how they had pursued the Liao army to Yinshan, then climbed the mountain and encountered white mist, and suffered heavy losses from being attacked by wild wolves.

After he finished speaking, the generals looked at each other in dismay. Zhe Keshi said angrily, "They are just wild wolves. Even if there are many of them, they are not giant beasts. Even if they were tigers, leopards, bears, or wolves, how could we have lost so many men with thousands of soldiers carrying spears, short swords, bows, and crossbows?"

Zhe Yanzhi said hesitantly, "There are countless wolves. Unlike ordinary grassland wolves, they are much larger and move through the white fog like lightning, making them difficult to guard against."

Zhe Keshi said angrily, "Even if there are more, you have brought several thousand cavalry. And how much bigger can they be? In the end, they are just wolves."

Zhe Yanzhi lowered his head and murmured, "The big ones don't even look like wolves anymore..."

"How dare you talk back!" Zhe Keshi said angrily, then stood up and bowed to Zhao Ti: "Your Highness, I beg you to punish my son according to military law and show him no leniency."

Zhao Ti said calmly, "General Zhe, please don't get agitated. Sit down and let me ask you a few questions before you punish me."

Zhe Keshi had no choice but to sit back down on the stool, his eyes glaring at Zhe Yanzhi with a look of utter disappointment.

Zhao Ti looked at Zhe Yanzhi: "I'd like to ask you, when you heard a loud voice echoing on the mountain, did you see it appear?"

Zhe Yanzhi said, "Your Highness, the person who spoke did not appear. It is possible that... he was not far away, but the fog was too thick and the subordinates and soldiers did not see him."

Zhao Ti nodded: "You said those wolves were quite large, and you killed quite a few. Did you bring any back?"

"I brought back several wolf carcasses. They're outside, guarded by soldiers..." Zhe Yanzhi said hurriedly.

"Someone, bring the wolf carcass in for a look," Zhao Ti said.

The soldiers were ordered to go out, and a moment later they carried in two wolf carcasses. The generals were all stunned when they saw them. These wolves were completely different from the grassland wolves. Not only were they much larger, but their fur was also bluish-black and faintly shimmered with a dark luster.

Zhao Ti squinted for a moment, then said to Zhou Tong behind him, "Go and call Huang Tianbiao over."

Zhou Tong left the hall, and a moment later the old weasel followed him in. It immediately saw the wolf carcass on the ground and was taken aback.

Then it stepped forward and bowed in a human-like manner, saying, "Young master, what brings me here? What are your instructions?"

Zhao Ti asked Zhe Yanzhi to recount the events again, saying, "Huang Tianbiao, when I took you back to Wulahai before, we encountered a wolf attack from the grasslands, but we had never seen this kind of wolf before. Can you take a look at what this thing is?"

Huang Tianbiao bowed and said, "Young master, what I just heard from this general is indeed the Wolf Mountain area. Wolf Mountain is a branch of Yin Mountain, and they are connected to each other. There is indeed a pack of fierce wolves on it, but they are not the same kind of grassland wolves we encountered when we returned to Wulahai."

"Not one company?" Zhao Ti nodded.

"Indeed, they are not from the same family. The wolves of Wolf Mountain are independent and have little contact with the wolves of the grasslands... However, their appearance and size are not much different. If these two wolf corpses are indeed from Wolf Mountain, it is probably due to a mutation that occurred after the great changes in the world."

"A mutation has occurred?" Zhao Ti raised an eyebrow and asked, "Will other grassland wolves do the same? Or will all grassland animals do this?"

Huang Tianbiao pondered for a few moments, then shook his head and said, "It's probably not all like that. In my memory, Wolf Mountain seems to be somewhat special. According to the memories passed down from my ancestors, this place is good for cultivation and is a treasure land for cultivation."

"A cultivation paradise?" Zhao Ti thought for a moment: "There are supernatural forces in the grasslands. After the changes in the world, the spiritual energy is thinner and thinner in different places. Which one could it be?"

Huang Tianbiao said, "Originally, it naturally referred to the supernatural power of the grasslands, but now it seems that Wolf Mountain is also rich in spiritual energy, so it has both."

Zhao Ti asked, "And whose voice was that on Wolf Mountain?"

Huang Tianbiao said, "There is a famous leader in Wolf Mountain called 'A Swift Wind Wolf.' He originally only had his horizontal bones opened and could speak human language, but I estimate that he may have already cultivated into human form by now."

"Cultivated into human form?" Yao Shimin exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't that a demon?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Tianbiao blinked, revealing a strange expression, but remained silent.

“That…” Yao Shimin suddenly realized that the talking old weasel in front of him was also a demon. What animal could talk, and talk so eloquently?

Zhao Ti said, "A wolf that has cultivated into human form is indeed a demon. However, there is a supernatural power in the grassland. Even if the world changes drastically outside, it would not become a demon so quickly. It is just the supernatural power of the grassland that is enhancing it."

Huang Tianbiao said, "What you say is absolutely right, young master. I myself am a prime example."

Zhao Ti said, "Since it has become a spirit, it might have some skills. What kind of abilities do you think this wolf spirit might possess?"

"This..." Huang Tianbiao scratched his head: "Young master, it's hard to say. I originally heard that this Wind Wolf Demon is good at creating wind and mist."

“Wolves are indeed adept at maneuvering the wind,” Zhao Ti nodded.

"So, my feeling is that it might still be this kind of skill, only more refined and powerful in terms of magic. Just now, I heard the young general say that white mist rose up on the mountain, and people couldn't see each other even a few feet away. I'm afraid that's the Wolf Demon's method," Huang Tianbiao said.

The generals stared at the old weasel, their faces twitching. One demon talking about another seemed utterly absurd, but it wasn't an illusion; it was a real scene unfolding before their eyes.

Zhao Ti asked, "Do you have any way to break this white mist technique?"

Huang Tianbiao said, "Young master, although my magic power will be fully restored after I arrive at the grassland, and I might even be able to cultivate into human form by chance, I haven't figured out a way to get rid of this miasma yet. I still need to think about it carefully."

Zhao Ti waved his hand: "Go back and think about it carefully, and let me know when you have a result."

"Yes, yes..." Huang Tianbiao bowed again, then went out and returned to Zhou Tong's residence. The two had been living together for a long time, and Zhou Tong and Huang Tianbiao had learned some Qi cultivation techniques, practicing them every day and making considerable progress.

Zhou Tong then asked, "Your Highness, once Huang Tianbiao returns to the grasslands, will he truly be able to cultivate into a human form?" Zhao Ti replied, "It's hard to say. After all, there are extraordinary forces existing on the grasslands. With the added blessing of the great changes in the world, it's possible that he could transform into human form."

Upon hearing this, all the generals blinked, secretly wondering what an old weasel would look like after transforming into human form.

Zhao Ti looked at Zhe Yanzhi: "Get up. Although we suffered losses this time, the root cause was the work of a demon. It's not your fault."

Zhe Yanzhi said, "Your Highness, if it weren't for that white mist, even if the wolves were large and fast, they wouldn't have come to this. I could have dealt with them with my troops."

Zhao Ti nodded: "That fog should only be able to be released in Wolf Mountain, otherwise it wouldn't disappear after descending the mountain and still remain inside."

Zhe Yanzhi said, "Your Highness is wise; it is indeed so."

Zhao Ti said, "I forgive you for your innocence. Let's adjourn the court."

Upon hearing this, the generals stood up, and Zhe Yanzhi also stood up, dragging the two wolves out. After a moment, the hall fell silent, leaving only Zhao Ti and Zhou Tong and Wei Hanchen standing behind him.

Zhao Ti closed his eyes and pondered for a while, then said, "I will write a letter, and Wei Fuwang will send it to Wanqing and a few others in Xingzhou."

Wei Hanchen stepped forward, bowed, and said yes.

Zhao Ti said, "Let Wanqing stay in Xingzhou to oversee matters of gods, ghosts and monsters, and have Azhu and Kumārajīva come to Wulahai to assist with military affairs."

As he spoke, he began to write a letter. If he were to wage war on the grasslands, having only Huo Linglong, a person with magical abilities, by his side would not be enough; he would need as many as possible.

However, at this moment, he only had Huo Linglong, Mu Wanqing, A Zhu, Kumārajīva, Xu Zhu, Xiao Feng, and Tong Guan by his side. Since he also needed someone to oversee things in Xingzhou, he left Mu Wanqing and the other three to help him. He also called Wula Hai to help the others.

After finishing writing the letter, Zhao Ti handed it to Wei Hanchen, who quickly left. Zhao Ti then got up and returned to the Empress's bedroom.

He felt his internal magical power stirring these past few days, and he estimated that he would advance to the next realm once he visualized the God of War.

At this time, he asked Zhou Tong to guard the door, and then began to cultivate. Before he knew it, it was already late. When the God of War had only visualized more than half of it and had not yet completed it, he suddenly felt a surge of magical power in his body, which rushed straight to the third floor of the Twelve-Story Tower, the Azure Dragon Ridge, and he directly advanced.

Zhao Ti felt the power of the Great Freedom Sutra flowing continuously within his body, eventually settling on the Azure Dragon Spine layer, where it was more than twice as potent as before, filling him with a mixture of joy and surprise.

But just a few breaths later, his expression changed slightly, and he narrowed his eyes. His inner demons had actually arrived at this moment.

The tribulation corresponding to the Azure Dragon Ridge on the third floor of the Twelve-Story Tower is the Great Medicine Demon Realm Tribulation, which means the temptation of the devil.

At this moment, Zhao Ti's vision shifted, everything became hazy, and then he involuntarily sank into introspection.

And what one sees upon introspection is not the internal landscape of meridians and acupoints, but another world entirely.

What appeared to be a bustling, ordinary world was a scene of prosperity and activity, where a person was pulling him toward a restaurant ahead.

In a daze, Zhao Ti felt that he was a guest of this place, with the same name, and seemed to be a scholar, studying hard and wanting to make a name for himself in the imperial examination.

The person pulling him ahead was a classmate from the state school named Mo Xun, a rich kid who spent his days indulging in pleasure and had no ambition; he wasn't very good at studying.

But because he couldn't compose a poem for a poetry gathering a few days ago, he asked me to write two poems for him. He then showed off at the poetry gathering and was grateful to me, so he invited me to drink now.

Zhao Ti couldn't help but think to himself, "This Mo Xunren is quite righteous and grateful, unlike those ungrateful people in the book who not only don't repay kindness but also act like villains and plot against others."

Upon arriving at the restaurant, there was a horizontal plaque above it with the three large characters "Taibai Tower," indicating that it was the best restaurant in Yuzhou City.

Mo Xun turned around at this moment, and there was a handsome young man with a sincere expression: "Brother Zhao, to express my gratitude for your poem, I have booked the entire Taibai Tower today to host a banquet for you."

The entire Taibai Tower has been booked? Zhao Ti was shocked to hear this. As the largest restaurant in Yuzhou City, it was always packed with customers. He wondered how much gold and silver it would cost to book the whole place.

Moreover, the guests at this restaurant are all wealthy and powerful people. Sometimes, even if you have money, you may not be able to book the entire place. I only knew that he came from a wealthy family, but I didn't know that he also had a powerful background.

Zhao Ti said, "Brother Mo, this is unacceptable. I have only written two poems. How can I accept such a banquet? It is far too much of a waste. I should go back now."

Mo Xun shook his head and laughed, "Brother Zhao, what are you saying? Since you've already booked this place, you've already spent the money whether you go in or not. Besides, I sincerely invited you, so it would be impolite for you to refuse."

"This..." Zhao Ti thought about it and agreed. Since the money had already been spent, he couldn't get it back no matter whether he accepted the invitation or not. He wasn't a stubborn person, so he might as well have a meal with the person.

"Brother Zhao, let's go, let's go." Mo Xun pulled Zhao Ti up again, and this time Zhao Ti did not refuse and followed him into the building.

But what one sees is a magnificent and resplendent scene, with the surroundings arranged like a palace, beautiful and noble, adorned with jewels and precious stones.

Zhao Ti was slightly taken aback upon seeing this. He had never entered Taibai Tower before, and he couldn't help but wonder, was this still a restaurant? Where else would a restaurant be decorated like this?

"Let's go, let's go to the third floor!" Mo Xun said. "From the third floor, we can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Yujiang River. Drinking wine while admiring the scenery would be one of the greatest pleasures in life."

Yuzhou has a beautiful river called Yujiang, which flows through the city and can be seen from Taibai Tower.

Following Mo Xun to the third floor, they were greeted by a large hall. There were no tables or chairs, but instead, imitating the banquets of ancient times, there was a table with upturned ends used by nobles and kings during the Spring and Autumn Period to sit and eat. Similar tables were placed on both sides.

Mo Xun said, "This third floor is not a place that ordinary people can go up to. Even if you have money, you can't. It is a place where nobles entertain guests. It follows the style of ancient times and has a unique flavor."

Zhao Ti nodded. He quite liked this ancient atmosphere. He also enjoyed reading ancient documents and works when he was studying. He felt that people in that time were simple and honest, with little deception. Doors were left unlocked at night, and lost items were not picked up on the road. It was a truly happy era.

In his daily conduct, he often took the ancient philosophers as his role models, adhered to their teachings, maintained his integrity, and never did anything that violated morality.

"Brother Zhao, please sit down." Mo Xun said, walking behind the main table and kneeling down, then inviting Zhao Ti to sit down as well.

Then, musicians came out from both sides and played the ancient Shao music on the oldest instruments. The sound was sometimes deep and profound, and sometimes clear and ethereal.

Zhao Ti couldn't help but exclaim, "The music of Xiao Shao is played nine times, the phoenix comes to pay homage, the virtuous governance of the ancients, the ancient civilization."

Upon hearing this, Mo Xun clapped his hands and said, "I'm glad Brother Zhao likes it."

Then the wine and dishes were served. There were dozens of kinds of wine, which were simply a collection of famous wines from all over the world, including Yingzhou Spring, Rose Dew, Liuxiang Wine, Meishou Xianlao, Baiyang Wine, Ruilu Wine, Yuhuchun, Lanqiao Fengyue, and so on.

The dishes number in the hundreds, including delicacies from land and sea, birds and beasts, shark fin, deer tail, monkey head, bird's nest, bear paw, elephant trunk, camel hump, and orangutan lips. It is a veritable feast of all kinds of delicacies.

Zhao Ti frowned slightly as he looked at the table laden with food and wine.

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(End of this chapter)