I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 331 A white rainbow pierces the sun, a golden rooster crows.

Just as the two, one stiff and one chicken, were discussing how to go out to eat, the Eight Banners Marshal on the front line suddenly roared, and then his long spear, like a whip, carrying the power of the dragon of fortune behind him, slashed straight down at the dark clouds above their heads.

Jinluan became tense all over, thinking to herself, "Don't break my rice bowl, at least leave me some rice, right?"
Xu Qing reached out and grabbed Jin Luan, who was trying to break out of the army formation.

This chicken was so hungry it was practically delirious; it dared to approach the cook when he was at his most capable, just for a bite to eat.

"The rice isn't cooked yet, so stay put!"

"I'll call you when the food is ready!"

Haste makes waste. Looking at the imposing Yin Shi Fa Wang before him, Xu Qing knew that this battle was far from over. As for Jin Luan...
A good chicken should be used on a big worm. Right now, Yin Shi Po Nan's Yin Shi Banner hasn't even been unfurled yet. There are countless lurking poisonous insects waiting to show themselves inside. We can't let this little appetizer alert the enemy!
Above the dark clouds, the Yin-Erosion Dharma King held an iron mace, with the spirits of the dead swirling around the bone artifacts used for exorcising grievances. Countless evil spirits flew out from the bone artifacts, tearing at the great dragon of fortune in the sky.

At the same time, the Dharma King swung all four arms, with an iron mace weighing over a thousand pounds facing the shadows of spears, while his other two arms swung large axes, ready to strike at any opportunity, displaying a truly ferocious and awe-inspiring power!
Looking at the Eight Banners Marshal, his figure, which was even taller than the city gate tower, was already obscured by the clouds of insects, and even the moon was disturbing him from above. Fortunately, there was a great dragon of fortune churning and roaring around him, so he was not at a disadvantage for the time being.

The giant dragon used both its mouth and claws to tear apart the countless Gu worms. The roar of the dragon and the hiss of the insects replaced the thunder and lightning. Xu Qing, who was in the formation, felt as if he were experiencing a rain of insects.

Jinluan excitedly picked up the insects. Although it didn't understand why it had been hungry for the past six years, at least it had hope for a life where it wouldn't have to worry about food.

Looking at Jinluan's greenish-red eyes, Xu Qing couldn't help but wonder if this chicken had been deliberately dieting ever since it heard that he was treating it to a buffet.

"This chicken can't be that stupid, can it? Does it really think it's only been starving for half a year?"

Above the dark clouds, the Eight Banners Marshal and the Yin Shi Fa Wang were locked in fierce combat.

However, just when the two armies were evenly matched, a sudden change occurred on the battlefield.

The dragon of destiny behind the Eight Banners Marshal, which was still displaying its ferocious power, suddenly let out a mournful cry, and then its body shrunk violently, as if all its muscles and bones had been pulled out.

The female prime minister Yin Shi Po Nan's eyes lit up. Although she didn't know why the Great Yong Marshal's momentum had suddenly weakened, this was undoubtedly the best time to take advantage of the situation and pursue him.

Yin Shi Po Nan held the insect drum and flute in her left hand and raised the Yin Shi Banner in her right. As the banner rose in the wind, more than a thousand insect kings led various kinds of Gu insects out of the banner. In just a moment, the insects gathered into an army, and the stench filled the sky.

Xu Qing, observing the sudden reversal of the battle situation, seemed to sense something and turned his gaze outside the battle formation.

At this time, north of Beijing and Tianjin.

It was the dead of winter in the area inside the pass.

A middle-aged man wearing a black cloak stood on the high platform.

This man must have lived in the northern borderlands for a long time, for his expression and brows were full of the hardships and frost that only the harsh frontier places could bear. However, the slight frost could not hide the sharpness on his face. Even standing there, he was like a sword drawn from its sheath, his sharpness undeniable.

Before the middle-aged man stood a well-organized group of civil and military officials, as well as a dense mass of elite soldiers.

Behind him were sacrificial offerings of three kinds of animals, along with a large quantity of fine wine.

Banners, altars, smoke signals, and military formations—the middle-aged man, draped in a black cloak, looked at everything before him and felt all the pent-up emotions of the past decade or so released, leaving only soaring ambitions.

The man shook his sleeves and bowed deeply, offering sacrifices to the Heavenly Emperor and Earthly Mother. Then, facing the gate of Tianjin, he prostrated himself three times and said:
"Father's spirit is not far away. Although I, Zhu Yong, live here, I have never forgotten my filial duty. Unfortunately, I am not in my homeland and can only express my condolences with these words. I hope that my father's spirit in heaven can bear witness to this."

After paying homage to Heaven, Earth, and one's parents, Zhu Yong rose and faced the crowd, saying:
"Gentlemen, you have followed me through countless battles for over a decade. Do you know that I was not born a common soldier?"

Ignoring the thoughts of his generals and ministers, Zhu Yong continued, "I am the orphan of Zhu Sheng, the Prince of Changting. When the Prince's mansion was destroyed, I shaved my head and fled, and later concealed my identity in the army."

“I could have relied on the legacy of the late king to establish myself in the army, but—”

Zhu Yong looked around at his generals and said firmly, “How can a man establish himself in this world by relying on the empty reputation of his ancestors?”

Zhu Yong raised his hand and pointed to the majestic pass behind him, saying, "This prairie fire is not a gift from heaven, nor is it due to the legacy of my father; it began with the humble soldiers!"

"For over a decade, I rose from a lowly soldier, sharing the same coarse water and lying on the same frosty ground as you. Every step forward was earned through the blood and sweat of our soldiers, with our own flesh and blood!"

"Today's position as commander-in-chief is not based on bloodline, but on the trust and sacrifice of my comrades in the army, which is why I have earned this title!"

"In these past ten years, I have never sought any fame or fortune in the name of the heir apparent. All I have relied on is the weapon in my hand, the ambition in my heart, and the camaraderie with you all!"

"Today, I, Yong, as the heir of the Prince of Changting, only wish to clarify my identity and declare my innocence to my comrades."

After speaking, Zhu Yong raised his wine cup with both hands and faced the assembled officials.

"The Great Yong is now tyrannical, ruled by a foolish emperor who abuses his power with treacherous officials, resulting in the people's livelihood being impoverished and starving people filling the roads! I, Zhu Yong, though I have neither the talent to govern the world nor the strength to move mountains and cover the world, am willing to take the lead, obey the mandate of heaven, follow the will of the people, act on behalf of heaven, and cleanse the world!"
With the wind and snow as my witness, and with gods and spirits as my witness, I hereby establish my capital and raise my banners before this formidable snow-covered pass, declaring myself 'King Xiang,' vowing to reverse the decline of the world and restore peace to the land!

As soon as Zhu Yong finished speaking, outside Xuehou Pass, among the mountains, suddenly a myriad of rays of light appeared, like a phoenix emerging from a valley, circling the mountaintops several times before transforming into a rainbow that pierced the sun and dissipated into the world.

A general surnamed Yin, named Chengshan, seized the opportunity to shout the title of the King of Beixiang. The rest of the generals responded with a resounding voice, and in an instant, the entire Xuehou Pass, which was covered by wind and snow, became scorching hot!

Outside Xuehou Pass, two figures were hidden in the snow and wind of the mountains.

"I'm getting old. It took so much effort just to activate a few phenomena."

"You're not old, you're just born at the wrong time. In this age of great calamity, who else can display such pure and radiant magical phenomena as you?"

"Indeed, I haven't seen anyone who upholds the righteous path for many years. Apart from my old friends at the Five Elders Temple and Henglu Mountain, you are the only one left."

"Hehe, I can hardly be considered a good person. I did all this only to become an immortal. I only sought you out because you care about all living beings and are a kind-hearted person."

The old man walking in front glanced at the strange man wearing a Nuo mask beside him and shook his head.

"I hope that, as you say, this young man with the aura of an emperor can restore a moment of peace to this world."

The ancient Yinhe River Road.

The moment Zhu Yong declared himself king in the north, the great dragon of national destiny hovering above the capital of Dayong seemed to have half of its essence drained away, and its entire body shrank.

At the same time, the great dragon of fortune behind the Eight Banners Marshals also shrank and weakened.

Xu Qing sensed something was wrong. He activated his Heavenly Eye and Yin Pupil to observe. In addition to seeing the rapidly declining aura on the Golden Armor Marshal, he also saw a large dragon of fortune tightly wrapped in a dark cloud of insects behind him.

At this point, the great dragon had been reduced to a long snake rolling in the mud, struggling bitterly in the cloud of insects.

"At least half of our fortune has been lost."

Xu Qing had a vague guess in his heart: given the current situation, the only option was for the chubby boy with half of the Emperor's Purple Qi to become king or emperor. The Eight Banners Marshal, who was currently battling the Yin Erosion Dharma King, was utterly shocked.

What foolish thing has the late emperor's descendant, the current emperor, done this time?
If he had made a mistake at any other time, the Eight Banners Marshal would not have felt so resentful.

Right now, he is at a critical juncture in his decisive battle with his nemesis. How could we cut off his supplies and weaken his magical foundation at this time?

In contrast to the Eight Banners Marshal who was suffering terribly, the Yin Shi Dharma King's eyes shone brightly.

The male attendant beside the Dharma King laughed loudly, "Heaven is helping me!"

Yin Shi Po Nan also revealed a ecstatic smile: "This is an opportunity not to be missed! I will do my utmost to help. Your Majesty must seize this opportunity to settle this old grudge!"

After saying that, Yin Shi Po Nan pushed her witchcraft to its limit. The Gu worms in Yin Shi Banner instantly rolled like waves of ink. The sound of the insect drums and flutes was like a death knell. The evil light of the black and red insect moons hovering above the battle formation became even stronger!
Judging from their posture, it seemed they were going to swallow the Eight Banners Marshal and his entire army in one fell swoop!
However, at this critical moment, a loud, excited rooster crow suddenly came from the rear of the army!

Where did that rooster's crowing come from?
Not only was the Yin Shi Dharma King taken aback, but even the Eight Banners Marshal was stunned.

After Jinluan arrived at the Yin River, Xu Qing laid down three rules for her: she was not allowed to be picky about food, she was not allowed to crow, and she was not allowed to wander around at will.

For the past six years, the Eight Banners Marshals thought Xu Qing had raised a mute, but now this mute rooster, who had been living a secluded life all day, has suddenly crowed, and this crow seems to carry the dawn's yang energy before sunrise.

That voice, which terrified all ghosts, awakened the fear etched into the very bones of the spirits, and the entire battlefield fell silent!
Above their heads, a huge insect moon, composed of insects, twisted and thrashed restlessly, while the ever-changing insect clouds surged and churned like boiling water.

The two heads of the Shadow King turned to look at each other almost simultaneously.

On the top of a towering tomb stood a golden rooster, emaciated but with gleaming eyes!
Beside the rooster with its green eyes, there was a young man in white carrying a broadsword on his shoulder, smiling as he looked at it.

Yin Shi Po could not sense the fear emanating from the thousands of insect kings simultaneously, and she almost instinctively said:

"Quick! Kill that rooster first!"

King Pangzan and Yin Shi Po Nan had shared meals and slept together for hundreds of years, and the two were almost of one mind. After sensing the fear in the other's words, he did not hesitate to raise the iron mace in his hand.

As the iron caltrops fell, countless bone artifacts used to resolve grievances transformed into vengeful spirits and swept towards the grave where the golden rooster was located.

Xu Qing's gaze sharpened, and he drew his Ghost-Slaying Sword with a backhand motion. While using the Mysterious Maiden Sword Technique to intercept the Vengeance-Resolving Bone Artifact, he spoke:

"Jinluan, dinner's ready!"

Having said that, Xu Qing stomped his foot on the ground, crushing the grave beneath him, his body like a cannonball, clearly aimed at the Dharma King.

As Xu Qing issued the unlock command, Jin Luan seemed to have unlocked her Ren and Du meridians, transforming into a golden stream of light and plunging headfirst into the insect moon above the army formation.

"."

Has this chicken gone mad?

Xu Qing glanced at the golden phoenix disappearing into the 'moon' out of the corner of his eye, and felt a little uneasy.

He had considered that the chicken might pounce on the worm cloud and suppress the Gu worms with its own abilities, but he never expected that the chicken would dare to plunge into the moon wheel where the Gu worms were most densely packed!
What's the difference between this and jumping into a pot of boiling soup when you're starving?
Fearing the loss of the Golden Phoenix, Xu Qing showed no mercy. Before he could even reach the Dharma King, the Mysterious Maiden Sword Technique in his hand instantly transformed into the Heavenly Gang Axe Technique.

When the Dharma King Pangzan saw the golden rooster disappear into the moon, he almost burst out laughing. But when he saw the young man who threw out the banner, instantly appeared above his head, and swung down the broadsword in his hand, his expression changed instantly.

Something's wrong with this young man in white!
So the Golden Rooster was just a decoy; the real adversary is waiting here!

Sensing the threat above, the Dharma King Pangzan's body erupted with ghostly flames. The next moment, the giant axe of Shouyang, enveloped in eerie green ghostly flames, shot out several meters high, blocking the young man in front of him.

The broadsword and the giant axe clashed, and the explosion, accompanied by a surging shockwave, spread out from the chaotic formation of the two armies. Countless skeleton ghost soldiers were thrown far away, like pieces of paper, along with their horses!
When the shockwave dissipated, only Xu Qing remained in the spot where the Dharma King had been standing.

Outside the battlefield, in a place where several miles of ravines had been dug out, the Yin Shi Dharma King was trembling, leaning on his iron mace.

The Eight Banners Marshal, who was about to join the battle, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Could this be the skill displayed by a military doctor?

At this moment, King Pangzan finally came to his senses. He looked at his own white bones, which were covered with shamanic runes and had developed many cracks. His giant axe weapon, unable to withstand the power of the Heavenly Gang Divine Power, was knocked away to a distance.

"This isn't swordsmanship; you're using axe techniques."

With deep apprehension, the Dharma King asked, "Who exactly are you?"

Xu Qing frowned slightly as he watched the ghostly flames in the eyes of the Dharma King, which had almost been extinguished but then reignited.

It seems that the Dharma King and the Yin Shi Panan are essentially one and the same. If one wants to eliminate one aspect, it is necessary to simultaneously destroy the other aspect.

Xu Qing ignored the other party and flashed to the front of the insect moon. However, just as he was about to make a move, he suddenly realized that the insect moon, which was dozens of feet in diameter, had shrunk by one size.

"Ok?"

Xu Qing frowned, activated his Heavenly Eye Yin Insight, and saw a faint golden light and shadow within the Insect Moon, resembling a hungry tiger, devouring everything inside!

The swarms of Gu worms were like sesame seeds floating on a noodle soup. Without even chewing, they were sucked in by the golden phantom in a whirlwind, mouthful after mouthful!

"."

Xu Qing relaxed, and the violent aura he had been displaying subsided.

He looked at the Dharma King beside him and said with a smile, "I'm a military doctor. I was just joking with you. You and the Marshal continue fighting. Don't worry about me."

"."

Enraged, King Pangzan was about to speak when he discovered that the Eight Banners Marshal, taking advantage of his injury, was wrapped in a long dragon of fortune and pouncing on him with a long spear in his hand!
Yin Shi Po Nan had just come to her senses when she said quickly, "Your Majesty, please calm down! I have millions of spirit insects; how big can that hairy beast's intestines be?"

"That pale-faced boy is using his silver tongue; he must have exhausted his magic power with that sword strike earlier, so he's stalling for time to distract Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, do not fall for our trap!"

Having said that, Yin Shi Po Nan played the insect drum and flute in her hand even more urgently, as if she wanted to use more Gu insects to overwhelm the golden rooster that the young man had tamed.

(End of this chapter)