Da Zaojun

Chapter 92: All the people in the city look like they're going to die
Song Wuji and Chen Xiu chatted as they walked towards the county government office.

"Do you remember when the Rat Demon said he wanted to go to the Tiger Kingdom, join the gathering, and become the second ruler of the Tiger Kingdom?"

Chen Xiu sighed, "In the secret realm of Cang China, blood rice is being planted. But some minions appeared out of nowhere and attacked us!"

Song Wuji immediately understood and said, "Sure enough!"

Seeing that Song Wuji was not surprised, but instead had an expression of "as expected", Chen Xiu quickly asked, "What do you know?"

Song Wuji said: "The secret realm behind the tiger monster! The Tiger Kingdom has appeared!"

"Cangzhong is a vassal state of Hufang. Our occupation of Cangzhong will naturally trigger Cangzhong's request for assistance from Hufang."

"The tiger demon has awakened its spiritual intelligence, but not all other demons in the Tiger Kingdom have. These secret realms all have their own principles and stories, such as the grain and taxes in Cang China, and the household registration decree in the Soul-Calling Secret Realm!"

"The principles and stories of the Tiger Kingdom might be related to military affairs!"

Chen Xiu pondered for a moment, "Is it similar to the Ganges sand world described in Buddhist scriptures?"

"I don't know," Song Wuji said, "but it's more like the fables of Zhuangzi or Han Feizi, like those wild imaginations, or perhaps they come from the obsession and resentment of the people... In short, in the chaotic world of demons, the power of the mind becomes stronger."

Chen Xiu nodded in agreement, then took out a bronze artifact and showed it to Song Wuji: "This is the mask worn by the leader of the evil spirits."

[Tiger Square Bronze Face]
After touching it, Song Wuji discovered that it was a magical weapon with the power of a tiger, which could shock people, similar to a fox borrowing the power of a tiger.

"This is a tiger-shaped mask, and it looks like it was used for rituals."

"That's right. Outside the secret realm of Cang China, where we are stationed, a bronze door with tiger patterns appeared at some point. It seems to lead to the Tiger Kingdom, but the door hasn't been opened yet, and we can't push it open. It might be a direct connection."

Song Wuji said, "We should discuss this with Tian County. I'm afraid that this Tiger Country Secret Realm is the tiger demon's lair. Now that there is such a passage, it will be easier for the demon to attack the city, and even the Cang Zhongguo Secret Realm. Should we continue to send troops to guard the Cang Zhongguo Secret Realm to prevent greater changes?"

……

“When one wave doesn’t subside, another wave arises.”

Tian Chengbi held the Tiger Square Bronze Mask and said, "If we don't guard the secret realm of Cangzhong, there will be no blood rice production. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. But we need to observe this bronze door more carefully!"

"Also, the Soul-Calling Secret Realm that Wuji discovered near the Baliting Pavilion near Linjiazhuang can also be explored to see if there are any suitable finds. County Lieutenant Chen, there should be demons in this secret realm that can be used as your skull offerings for the ritual of martial arts."

Song Wuji did not hide anything and simply said, "I am currently building a stove. This stove is the shrine next to the Kitchen God, a place for worship. It is also the Kitchen God's office currently under construction. Completing this temple will help me get promoted to the eighth-rank Kitchen God. At the same time, it will also allow me to move from a low-ranking position to a high-ranking position and become a ninth-rank Kitchen God cook."

"But I don't trust the government, whether it's the common people or the disaster victims."

Song Wuji clearly stated his request, hoping that the county magistrate would help him.

After all, the City God came to visit last night. Among the many ways to get promoted, only the method of passing on the fire and collecting firewood by the Fire Master seems to be the easiest to achieve at the moment.

Upon hearing this, Tian Chengbi became excited: "Are you sure? A clear path?"

Song Wuji nodded: "I can guarantee it."

Chen Xiu was even more envious and said, "So easy to reach the eighth level? I want to hunt down an eighth-level demon and three ninth-level demons!"

Song Wuji said calmly, "The Fire Lord is in charge of the kitchen, and needs to cultivate the kitchen fire. When the kitchen fire was first cultivated, it only had ten kitchens. For example, when I first offered sacrifices to the kitchen god and asked for fire, I personally went to ten households." "Later, the Kitchen God Office was established, and a hundred kitchens had fires. It was a hundred households asking for fire. The fire came from one source, and there was also a return. Even when the Kitchen God walked around, one could gain corresponding power."

"The Fire Lord controls the stoves, spreads the fire, and gathers the firewood. The next key point is the fires of thousands of stoves, or even tens of thousands of stoves."

Tian Chengbi was obviously quite pleased with Song Wuji's frankness. His openness and openness would not breed suspicion and resentment, so he asked, "Will he be like the City God, requiring the people to copy his edicts every day? Will he need to donate a large amount of money?"

Song Wuji shook his head and explained the difference between the Kitchen God's belief and ordinary ghost and god beliefs: "The incense offered to the Kitchen God is the food incense of the meal, and the kitchen fire is the fire of the house, also called firewood fire, wood fire, human fire, and people's fire. These are not needed."

Song Wuji didn't know how to explain it specifically, so he thought for a moment: "Maybe it's a hope, the hope of a family reunion, of eating together, or maybe it's the warmth and light brought by the flames. I can't really explain it, or maybe there's some downside that hasn't manifested itself."

Upon hearing this, Tian Chengbi immediately made a decision: "I had originally planned to hold a public oath-taking ceremony to honor the sages of the past, both civil and military, as well as our ancestors. Now, in the name of the government, I will first offer sacrifices to you, the Kitchen God. Even if it means sacrificing my luck, I will not hesitate to allow you to attain the eighth rank of strength first."

"At the same time, the granaries were opened, and the people were given grain as long as they offered sacrifices to the fire."

Chen Xiu was shocked: "What should I do next?"

Tian Chengbi asked, "Do you know how to burn your boats?"

"Be it a tiger demon, a python, or even the City God, they will definitely cause trouble."

"Early this morning, Lu Han came to see me and said that he looked at the city gate and saw that the faces of the people in the city looked deathly."

"Even my face is filled with death."

"I asked him why he was so deadly?"

"He said that the dead energy is a fatal disaster. In three days, something big will happen. There is no way to hide from it. There is no way to avoid it."

"Three days!" Song Wuji was shocked: "Could it really be related to the Tiger Party Secret Realm?"

"If we distribute the food directly, it will still be useful. The people will feel grateful and can offer sincere sacrifices to the Kitchen God. If we don't distribute it, they may never have another chance!"

Tian Chengbi said, "I heard you say there's a hungry ghost tree in Baliting, and that the tree is full of ghosts that died of starvation. I just hope that all the people in the city can die as well-fed ghosts, not starving ghosts."

"Where is Lu Han?" Chen Xiu didn't believe it and wanted to go and ask in person.

Song Wuji also found it incredible: "Why didn't you, the county magistrate, tell me about this when I came back yesterday?"

"Things change so rapidly, who can predict them? Just like how I only learned about the tiger demons' gathering after hearing what the City God said?"

"Death energy wasn't there yesterday, but it's here today. Who could have predicted it?"

Song Wuji calmed down and said, "There is always a way out. The tiger monster is not invincible."

"One tiger demon is enough, but there are also pythons and city gods!" Tian Chengbi said, "Wuji, if anything unexpected happens, you need to survive and don't worry about us."

"I am the county magistrate, and Chen Xiu is the county lieutenant. We have the responsibility to defend our territory and fight to the death. You cannot do that. You are the hope. Just like Linjiazhuang left the last spark of fire to Tianming, the spark of Taichang County is handed over to you."

Song Wuji wanted to say something, but then he calmed down and finally said, "I will never be a deserter with a clear conscience."

(End of this chapter)