As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 232 Kill the Immortal
The North is a desolate land, broken cities, and sparsely populated.

During the reign of the old emperor, Qian Yuan waged war against the Northern Lie, and the wars continued.

A large amount of human and material resources consumed in the war were drawn from here.

After enduring countless hardships until the war ended, the two countries signed an alliance and ceased hostilities.

The peace was short-lived, but then a traitor usurped the throne, and a great battle broke out with the Blood-Clad Army. The territory changed hands and belonged to the State of Chen, and the people there were left to suffer hardship and uncertainty.

The war never stopped, and it was always the people here who suffered the most.

In fact, they lived worse than the people in the enemy-occupied areas assigned to the Jinglan Alliance.

Massive population loss and death, farmland turned to yellow earth, tree bark and grass roots were all eaten away.

Before they could even eat a single bite of what they grew, the government confiscated it.

With bandits causing chaos, their lives were precarious.

There is no hope ahead, so it's better to give up and do nothing.

The city streets are filled with people who are in a daze, with empty eyes.

Some people even broke down into the cult of ghost worship, and after frantically singing and dancing, they died silently and were swept away into the embrace of the underworld.

A land devoid of hope.

The people here may not yet know that the Blood-Clad Army has breached Yueyang City, the Chen Kingdom has been destroyed, and the heavens above their heads have once again been replaced.

However, there is really no difference between knowing and not knowing.

They're just going with the flow, moving from one hell to another.

In this desolate environment, a figure that seemed completely out of place quickly passed by.

The people waiting to die by the roadside looked up in a daze and saw a handsome white wolf galloping along the road, its pure white fur flowing and swaying in the air. Leaning against its back was a dashing young man with red lips, white teeth, and a face as handsome as jade. He sat boldly, not afraid of falling off the white wolf. There was also a well-behaved child, as adorable as a rag doll. Both of them were dressed in the finest fabrics, suggesting they lived a comfortable life.

It was Mingchen, after bidding farewell to the monk, who continued his journey north.

Wang Huai survived and entered the capital, thus achieving his purpose in coming to Yueyang, and naturally left without hesitation.

He never considered seeing his sincere brother again.

The next time you meet, you'll only be rivals; men shouldn't put on those sentimental dramas.

Meanwhile, sitting on the white wolf's back, he played with the jade pendant in his hand with great interest.

He murmured softly, "If the old emperor would accept it, why wouldn't this cunning old thief accept it?"

"He's not dead yet?"

Upon entering Beijing, Wang Huai's first act was to kill Dong Zhenghong.

A country cannot have two rulers.

When a new king comes, the old king must die.

Just like when Dong Zhenghong entered the palace, instead of looking for Xiao Xinyue, he first wanted to confirm Xiao Zhengyang's life or death.

So much time has passed, even if Wang Huai's knife is dull, it would be enough to kill him several times over.

However, even now, the Immortal Jade Record has not been able to collect Dong Zhenghong's spirit.

Is he still alive?
Or is this mediocre, calculating person simply not qualified?
The old emperor, that calamity dragon, has already come up, but Dong Zhenghong can't?
After so much time has passed, Mingchen has probably figured out some of the rules of the Immortal Jade Record.

One reason is that they have a noble status and an extraordinary destiny. For example, the old emperor, whose reign ended with Xiao Anhong abdicating the throne, actually declined under the old emperor's rule, ruining a perfectly good situation. That's the kind of person who was like him.

Secondly, there are those who adhere to their principles, are resilient and persistent, and are exceptionally brave, such as the general who slays demons.

These are internal conditions; either one is sufficient.

Mingchen believes there are also external conditions, namely, that their lives are legendary enough and their deaths are heroic enough, making it easy for them to leave behind legends and be remembered by people.

Ling Yu had told Ming Chen about Zhao Rujie. As the commander-in-chief, he covered the rear of the army until he was beheaded. His body stood upright on the bridge, remembered by the soldiers of the Northern Border. They even built an unyielding statue of him on the opposite bank.

Similarly, the old emperor, the sick crown prince, and that county magistrate... these people, whether good or bad, and the other people who made it onto the Immortal Jade Record, will probably all leave behind some legends.

Mingchen deduced that Dong Zhenghong, who had been a traitor who had stolen the country for a year, should at least be able to be listed in the Immortal Jade Record.

Notorious, that's still notoriety!
Those three scoundrels under Wang Huai might also be involved.

But so far, there has been no movement.

Either he's still alive, or there's some other reason.

Don't dwell on problems that lack the necessary conditions or proof; it's a waste of time.

Mingchen shook his head, not caring about it at all.

Instead, he took out something else.

Time flows slowly, and fate propels us forward. Many things are accomplished without us even having to put in much effort.

For example, Wang Huai's long-cherished wish was hinted at.

From the day Mingchen met him until now, so much time has passed, and finally, the fruit has been borne.

The rebel army rose up with unstoppable momentum and captured the capital.

Wang Huai exhaled the heavens and earth, and Ming Chen also got what he wanted.

The next instant, the white wolf running beneath him seemed to sense something, its steps faltered, and it shuddered violently, as if it had sensed something terrifying.

"kill!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

……

It was as if I could hear the deafening roar of the fierce battlefield and the mighty army of a million soldiers.

His magical power was weak, and he felt that he dared not even breathe, as if he would be crushed to dust by the thousands of troops in the next instant.

But there's clearly nothing around here!
In this desolate and impoverished land, even a few people were burning incense, let alone this murderous and terrifying army.

What is that big guy on his back studying?
An invisible aura spread out, seemingly isolating Mingchen and his group from everything around them.

But the root of it all lies in Mingchen's hands, where a small, blood-red flag flutters in the wind.

As Mingchen's thoughts grew, they gradually expanded.

It grew larger and larger, until it was indistinguishable from the military flag in the army formation.

If Old Ghost knew such a trick, then Mingchen would be happy to take his cheap master out for a stroll.

How come this soulless magic weapon can change size at will, while the old ghost, who has a spirit, can't?

Old Ghost, reflect on your own problems. Have you even tried?
A vow made by ten thousand troops.

This is the reward I received after fulfilling the long-cherished wish of the Blood Demon Wang Huai.

The rebel army's disruption of the country was a momentous event that would change the fate of the dynasty.

Rising from humble beginnings to command a million soldiers is a feat that requires an odd number of people to accomplish.

The rewards were naturally extraordinary.

This small flag has the power to absorb the spirit of the army and create a million brave soldiers.

In the battle of Yueyang, the Blood-Clad Army emerged victorious, but Mingchen reaped considerable rewards.

As ghosts and gods made their appearance, the immortals, ghosts, gods, and demons hidden above the clouds gradually revealed themselves, confirming many of Mingchen's conjectures.

Even the high and mighty immortals are not without desires; they too have desires and fears.

The military is a very special entity in this world.

The military is the embodiment of the most tenacious will and the most powerful, unstoppable spirit.

As long as there is no chaos and everyone shares the same hatred for the enemy, the warriors' courage can not only defeat the enemy army, but also slay evil spirits and break all laws in the world.

Even immortals and spirits cannot face an army directly; they must use some means or take a detour.

On that day, even the strange and monstrous spirits in the underworld, who wanted to attack Wang Huai and his group, had to carefully plan the timing and location to create a barrier that kept Wang Huai and his men within it before daring to make a move. But even so, Wang Huai's elite troops remained composed, and they were still suppressed, unable to exert their full power, and could only fight using the most rudimentary methods.

The military flag in Mingchen's hand is a portable army. Although it does not have ten thousand soldiers fighting bravely, it has the momentum of a thousand troops galloping.

It looks unremarkable, but in Mingchen's eyes it is an extraordinary magic weapon.

For mortals, it might only instill fear in them by presenting them with an army, but for spirits with magical powers, it can suppress their opponents and prevent them from unleashing their supernatural abilities.

It's convenient and straightforward, and unlike ordinary human armies, it's not difficult to control.

However, it still needs to absorb military spirit to recharge before it can be effective. Many people died on the Yueyang battlefield, and Mingchen has already achieved some results after wandering around there.

Under the might of the army, all beings are equal. With this thing in his hand, Mingchen can rely on it when facing some strange immortals and demons.

Besides that, there's one more thing.

Seeing the timid white wolf trembling, he put away the flag, flipped his hand, and a small knife lay quietly in his palm.

Compared to the menacing and imposing military flags.

The knife seemed rather ordinary, looking like a toy, unable to even cut the white wolf's fur.

The name is indeed imposing and powerful: Immortal Slayer.

Slaying Immortals: Slaying spirits and thoughts, disregarding calamities, nothing in the world, and everything in heaven and earth with a name, can be slain.

Magical artifacts can only unleash their awe-inspiring power under specific conditions.

The tools used to slay immortals are certainly not for cutting vegetables.

Mingchen held the Immortal Jade Record in one hand and a small knife in the other, already anticipating its function.

The soft jade emitted a soft, shimmering light, and the book that only Mingchen could see had turned a few pages.

The old emperor, the sick crown prince, the demon-slaying general... these familiar names flashed by one after another.

Finally, two lofty figures came into view.

Li Huoxingjun, Yu Dongchuan.

Zhuo Yao, the King of Beheadings.

They are people who died thousands of years ago; they are immortal spirits and deities who live on in people's beliefs.

These deities cannot be relied upon.

Mingchen had always found the reason for their appearance on the Immortal Jade Record somewhat strange. Now, having obtained the Immortal Slayer Sword from Wang Huai, Mingchen seemed to have made some deductions.

Now, he needs to conduct an experiment.

"Whoever the little rooster points to, I'll choose!"

He held the knife and jokingly tapped between the two paintings.

Finally, it landed on the majestic deity who sat with his eyes closed, bathed in flames.

"What a pity, little brother."

The day Fuyao underwent her transformation was a moment of chaos that Mingchen experienced in his life.

He is petty and holds grudges.

If they are enemies, not friends, then these time bombs must be dealt with promptly.

He didn't know if the immortals would still covet his own Fuyao'er, this unique phoenix of the world, so he might as well start by targeting him now.

Holding a small knife, pointing it at the deity in the painting, he chuckled softly, "Who told you to offend our Fuyao'er?"

The knife was used to gently slice from bottom to top.

"No no no!!!"

"Forehead……"

"ah!!!" ……

The next moment, something strange happened.

The toy knife, which could cut through nothing, gently sliced ​​through the pages of the book that existed entirely in the realm of illusion.

The Immortal Jade Record was reflected in Mingchen's eyes. Only Mingchen could see the pages of the book. As the knife sliced ​​through them, the pages were slowly split in two.

Mingchen seemed to sense some resistance as well, and the further he scrolled down, the more difficult it became.

The strength he's using now is enough to cut down a large tree, yet it's so difficult to sever this seemingly thin scroll of paper.

At the same time, the light and shadow shifted before my eyes, and the environment had changed.

The impoverished and dilapidated city and streets slowly disappeared, replaced by a raging sea of ​​fire, with ten suns swirling around his head, and a divine palace standing amidst rolling lava.

One by one, burning puppets emerged from the sea of ​​fire and surged toward him. Countless shrill screams surrounded him, shouting at him, pleading with him, fearing him, and screaming... all begging him to stop what he was doing.

Even so, Mingchen remained unmoved. Despite the pressure, the veins on his hands bulged as he swiftly chopped the page off.

Neatly arranged, the pages of the celestial book in my imagination were cut in half.

The deity in the book, who had been keeping his eyes closed, suddenly opened them.

The revered and aloof celestial beings seemed to have lost all their ethereal and noble aura at this moment.

She just stared wide-eyed at Mingchen, her eyes revealing a fear and despair that only a person would have.

His eyes reflected Mingchen's appearance, staring intently as if in a curse.

Sparks suddenly flew from the two halves of the book, burning little by little from the edge to the center... until finally, the open eyes turned to ashes and disappeared.

Mingchen's Immortal Jade Record has been continuously updated with names and portraits.

But one is missing today.

Mingchen, holding a small knife, sat on the back of the white wolf, looking dazed and seemingly in a daze.

That's strange, it feels really weird.

Just now, he seemed to have slain a god.

A gentle breeze ruffled a few strands of hair at his temples, and he unconsciously looked up at the sky.

The sun still hangs in the sky, its rays shining on the earth, bright and warm.

He had previously heard Chen Yutang say that the Mars Lord in Dongchuan was a deity who lived on the sun.

He controls all the flames in the world; cooking, smelting, calcining... all fall under his control.

Is he dead now?
Has anything changed?

He looked down at his palms, where the soft words and the knife lay quietly.

For some inexplicable reason, he curled his lips into a strange smile.

The elder brother rose from humble beginnings, leading the Blood-Clad Army to crush the dynasty, using brute force to destroy the old, corrupt system and slaughter all the powerful and noble families.

But he fulfilled his vow with something that could slay those ancient beings, the immortals and spirits that lived in faith... It was a perfect match!
"elder brother?"

The child beside Mingchen seemed a little nervous as he watched the changes in him.

She tugged at Mingchen's clothes and kept calling out to him.

Mingchen snapped out of his reverie, his eyes seeming to return to their old state. He gently patted the child's head and asked, "What's wrong?"

"..."

The child simply shook his head and didn't say anything.

Mingchen lowered his eyes and put away the small knife and the soft jade in his hand.

The experiment was successful; this concludes the experiment.

He was a little hot, and being surrounded by flames made him mentally exhausted.

We'll talk about the beheaded ghosts and spirits later.

"Sir, are you okay?"

The little bird that had been scouting in the sky landed down in front of Mingchen. Gone was its usual noisy and mischievous demeanor; it just looked at Mingchen with concern and asked him questions.

She is a phoenix born of fire, and is extremely sensitive to the scent of flames.

She had just clearly felt it; it was as if blazing flames were burning and flowing on Mingchen's body, and a familiar feeling flashed by.

Mingchen simply shook his head: "It's alright!"

Focusing on the present, Mingchen smiled and asked the child, "Tired? Hungry?"

The child was very well-behaved and never complained, even when conditions were tough.

Mingchen told her to do whatever he asked.

Sometimes she would even wear a mask, change her face, and talk to Mingchen.

Mingchen was quite happy traveling with the child.

The child just shook his head.

"Almost there, just a little more running and we'll be out of the pass."

"We've arrived at Xizhou."

"Let's go try what the Jinglan Alliance has to offer!"

The three prefectures outside Zhenling Pass that the Crown Prince once stingily claimed have now been given to the Jinglan Alliance by the Chen Kingdom.

Even if the State of Chen were to fall, it wouldn't change anything.

Mingchen looked at the distant mountain range, his eyes shining with anticipation.

I wonder what that country that crossed the ocean is like?
I wonder how far they've progressed in their technology tree, which includes firearms?

I wonder what kind of beauty their leader, blessed by the sea, must be?

Exciting!

"Young master, those Jinglan Alliance people are from overseas, right? Do you think they might have some novelties?"

Seeing that Mingchen was unharmed, the little bird was relieved.

Upon hearing Mingchen mention the Jinglan Alliance, she seemed to have thought of something, her small eyes sparkling as she asked Mingchen with a hint of anticipation.

Progress comes from the collision and exchange of different cultural ideas!

During her trip, it didn't actually affect her learning how to make pickled beans much.

During the month she spent outside Yueyang City, she could do whatever she wanted.

Outside the sycamore tree, no one could sense anything; the senior and junior monks went about their business as usual.

Inside the sycamore tree, everything was under her control. The child slept peacefully, unaware that in another branch of the sacred tree, a one-on-one epic battle was taking place.

Without Ling Yu by her side, Fuyao is now in a bit of a predicament, and she feels that her thinking has reached a bottleneck.

The path of dipping beans is profound and complex; one can only learn through contemplation, practice, and enlightenment on one's own. Little Peach Blossom can no longer teach her anything.

She had heard Mingchen say that the Jinglan Alliance was more advanced than the Qianyuan Alliance.

Yes, she's curious about that too!
Mingchen: ...

Looking at the little bird's darting eyes, you can tell she's up to no good!
He really didn't expect that this unlucky guy would completely let himself go, stop practicing magic, and start thinking about these things.

The novelties she mentioned were clearly things that were not suitable for children.

He had no doubt that the first thing this guy would do upon arriving at the Jinglan Alliance was to visit that exotic brothel, not to spy on others dipping beans, but to see if there was any new or special equipment.

However new the Jinglan Alliance may be, can it be as fresh and extensive as the learning materials in his mind?
……

Mingchen rode the white wolf northwards, traveling with the child and playing with the birds.

But in other places, it's a different story.

The new Qian Yuan era has gradually begun, and summer is approaching, bringing warmer weather.

The east side is in chaos, with war and strife, and widespread suffering.

However, the new dynasty under Xiao Xinyue's rule was secretly developing and flourishing.

Peace is the greatest guarantee that a dynasty can give to its people.

The flames burned fiercely, and the child beside him vigorously pumped the bellows.

Inside the ordnance bureau, a burly man, shirtless, wielded a hammer, hammering and pounding on a red-hot blank, sweat pouring down his face.

Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew by.

A small statue of a deity hanging high on the east wall was trembling slightly.

"Kakaka!"

With a series of teeth-grinding cracking sounds, it shattered into two halves and turned into dust.

The hardworking blacksmith had just raised his hammer when he suddenly stopped in his tracks, his whole body trembling violently.

I have a strange feeling that something has been taken away from me.

But this is not a bad thing. It's as if you've put down the heavy sack you've been carrying all along, and your mind becomes lighter and freer.

Without realizing it, he raised his head and looked towards the east wall.

Blacksmiths, who live alongside flames, may not be devout believers, but they all have some expectation of the deities with whom they live.

He didn't know who this deity was or what his name was, only that he was in charge of fire.

Occasionally, while doing chores, they would unconsciously pray for divine protection, hoping that everything would go smoothly for them.

It's better to believe something is true than not; there's no harm in doing it.

But something strange seems to have happened today; the statue that was once enshrined is now broken and shattered...

"Dafu, what's going on with that thing?"

He stopped the fire, patted the boy working beside him, and pointed to the shattered statue, asking a question.

"what?"

"Master, what?"

"I do not know!"

The boy stopped what he was doing and looked in the direction his master pointed, seemingly a little confused.

The system of experienced masters mentoring apprentices was one of the new measures in the Xin Dynasty's artisan system, making it more standardized. Masters were expected to diligently teach their apprentices, while apprentices were expected to repay their masters, preserving the essence of the craft and discarding some of the dross of traditional folk master-apprentice culture.

"Oh."

"Perhaps someone accidentally broke it while working."

"Have someone clean it up later."

"What kind of god was this again? Never mind... whatever it was, it's all broken anyway, leaving it here is bad luck."

If even the master was confused, the young boy naturally knew even less.

He simply nodded earnestly and said, "Oh... okay! Master, I'll do it right away!"

Similar incidents are occurring in various corners of the mainland, in blacksmith shops, ceramic kilns, restaurant kitchens, and other locations in various countries.

It seemed as if something had been lightly erased.

It should have been a high and mighty being, controlling the great power of heaven and earth, but it disappeared so inconspicuously and simply.

……

(End of this chapter)