The Great Seminary

Chapter 409 One Dead, One Alive

It's like a caterpillar crawling on dirty mud with its tiny legs; if it can successfully undergo a metamorphosis, it can transform into a butterfly flying in the sky, fluttering its magnificent wings.

With the help of the Bodhi Tree, Zhang Gui was reborn from the ashes. After successfully crossing the extraordinary chasm of death and life, he became a completely different person.

The three treasures of body, mind, and spirit are thus harmonized and integrated into one.

A new pantheon was born, replacing the deposed queen.

And it no longer depends on the newly formed internal organs, bones, flesh, and blood.

The only main deity among them, Cong Niao, wrote the four characters "Hua Qi Xiao Sheng" (化炁小圣).

It is seven-colored and stands like a giant pillar between the skull and scrotum.

The fine branches spread all over the body, even extending beyond the flesh and into the shadows.

This allows Zhang Gui's shadow to move at will and change freely.

In the darkness, one awakens to the name and from then on, one can act in accordance with the Dharma of Heaven and Earth!

In addition, there is an 'Infinite Hand' from the Divine Cluster that wanders within his body.

All of the above constitute a system…

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Gui finally woke up and understood the dramatic changes that had occurred to him.

Looking around at the chaotic scene of the secret realm, he suppressed his inner elation and patiently began to tidy up.

"When faced with major events, one should remain calm. The closer one is to escaping death, the brighter the future will be. One should not be overjoyed, lest one become complacent."

Now we can't just focus on the benefits; we need to consider the losses as well.

First of all, all those old millet balls that were saved up are probably gone now.

Secondly, the "Tiangong Kaiwu" (the Exploitation of the Works of Nature) was disrupted by the Bodhi Tree Nirvana Ritual and had to be restarted again.

The once pristine 30,000-acre area has now been reduced to scorched wasteland…

He silently thought to himself, deliberately calming his mind...

Time passed quickly, and ten days went by in the blink of an eye.

After being renamed "Xiongbingjing", Fugui Manor, through Zhang Gui's personal and patient efforts in renovation, finally stopped resembling a ghost village and gradually regained some vitality.

The carts and horses that transported raw materials such as millet, rice, and fresh meat back and forth, along with finished food products such as "Zongxin Yuan" (a type of glutinous rice ball), "Fangyi Ma" (another type of glutinous rice ball), and "Qingxin Wan" (a type of glutinous rice ball), traveled back and forth without ceasing.

But if you add up the morning and afternoon, it always takes several hours to finish.

New tenants, craftsmen, servants, and guards were brought in, and they did what they were supposed to do, showing signs of prosperity.

That noon, after taking a short nap, Zhang Gui woke up in the innermost bedroom of the 'main courtyard'.

The territory of the 'underground realm' has been revitalized.

As for carrying forward and promoting it, and making him a truly qualified 'Xia Que' lord, that cannot be achieved by simply working hard and waiting for the right time.

It would be better to temporarily shift our attention back to the True Dragon Kingdom and further expand our military strength in preparation for the future.

After all, crossing the great chasm and becoming a 'True Person Seed,' the system of divine power, which was inherited and pieced together from the ancient times, has been transformed into its own 'original' system.

Zhang Gui's method for refining the unique special troop type "Rebirth Army" has unknowingly made further progress.

The total number of soldiers restricted from training in the Mystic Realm has increased from 330,000 to 810,000.

The limit for a general to command troops also jumped from "thousands of men" to "commander of ten thousand men".

Furthermore, the 'Reborn Army' has developed the abilities of everyone from lowly soldiers to generals, a tremendous change.

If these potential combat forces can be fully realized as soon as possible, Zhang Gui will undoubtedly be more confident in the face of the various variables in the 'Great Era of Contention'.

"I'll return to the True Dragon Kingdom this evening to discuss recruiting soldiers with Old Song and Old Sanggui. Let's get started..."

Having made up his mind, Zhang Gui got up and walked out of the room, only to see his new housekeeper, Li Min, hurriedly running over, bowing and scraping as he said:

"Master, a woman surnamed Shen, exceptionally beautiful and with an extraordinary bearing, wishes to see you." "Quickly, invite her in," Zhang Gui said, startled.

As soon as the words were spoken, a familiar, clear voice reached my ears.

"Since Governor of the Central Plains is willing to meet, then I will come."

Then auspicious clouds leaped in, the mist dispersed, revealing Shen Shizhen's graceful figure.

Having not seen her for many days, she suddenly "popped" out, prompting Zhang Gui to jokingly remark...
"Dr. Shen is being so polite, does that mean you should address people by their titles during working hours?"

"What strange things are you saying now?"

Hearing this inexplicable teasing, Shen Shizhen laughed and replied.

"Is your statement 'strange,' or am I 'strange'?" Zhang Gui said, pursing his lips.

When Emperor Wen of the Middle Ages raised an army to attack the Shang Dynasty, he was merely the "Western Marquis" among the "Four Hegemons".

The esteemed title of "Fangbo" is no ordinary one.

It's one thing if an unknown big shot uses me as a litmus test.

You are an old friend of mine, how could you make fun of me by calling me "Fang Bo"?

Speaking of which, you promised me the position of 'Xia Que', an inner court official, a central position in the Heavenly Court.

The result was a nominal but powerless warlord…

"Don't be so smug after getting the benefits. The princes and earls are so noble and powerful, how can they be compared to a mere 'palace attendant'?"

Shen Shizhen waved his hand to stop him, "Besides, as the old saying goes:
In this world, only fame and status cannot be lent to others.

Now that you possess the 'reputation and talent' of a regional governor, if you take the right steps, you might have such a future, wouldn't you?

“What do you mean? Feel free to speak,” Zhang Gui said bluntly.

"You should know that Young Master Zhenyao is about to conclude the 'Three Saints Sword Sect's' hunting expedition."

Shen Shizhen said, "Afterwards, he plans to go to 'Kunlun' for a date and hopes you can come with him."

"Kunlun, which Kunlun?"

Zhang Gui's eyes widened, even though he knew it was a rhetorical question. He couldn't help but ask it anyway.

“Apart from Kunlun, where else in the world dares to call itself ‘Kunlun’?”

"Of course I'd be willing to do this kind of eye-opening 'companionship',"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Gui nodded vigorously and said, "However, the imperial decree that enfeoffed me as a feudal lord just stated that I should 'guard the front and share the land'."

As a result, I ran away in less than half a month.

That's not good. We don't want it to leave any evidence that could damage our reputation.

Seeing his troubled expression, Shen Shizhen almost burst out laughing.

"In the first few sentences, he said that he was a 'noble figurehead in name only,' and then he worried that going out to 'run wild' would damage his reputation?"

Don't worry, the Queen Mother of the West in Kunlun is also a supreme being in the mortal realm.

Although according to ancient rites, you, as a vassal lord of Xiaque, are not allowed to meet with the lord who bestowed upon you the title of God of the State during wartime except for the Grand Court Assembly.

However, visiting other friendly human supreme beings is not a problem, which is a minor loophole.

This also made it convenient for powerful feudal lords in ancient times who, during major battles, were confined to their territories for extended periods and unable to "stretch their legs and move around."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Gui temporarily put aside his plans to return to the True Dragon Kingdom to expand its military strength, clapped his hands, and laughed:

"That's fine then. When shall we set off?"

(End of this chapter)