The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 257 They're all thousand-year-old foxes (4k)

Although she felt a little sad, her mind was already made up.

His expression remained completely unchanged; he simply said:

"The longer you live, the more you understand how precious it is to be alive. Therefore, I care more about whether I can live well than about these material possessions."

"This precious elixir is indeed rare, but for me, it's ultimately not as valuable as a practical life-saving technique. Now, do you have any other questions?"

The alluring woman frowned slightly, her captivating eyes scrutinizing him as if trying to discern the truth of his words.

In her memory, this person was never the type to make such a choice. But after pondering for a long time, she really couldn't see what was wrong with this exchange for her: after all, on one side was a way of escaping that she was already familiar with, and on the other side was the precious pill that she longed for but could not obtain.

In comparison, the exchange is naturally more worthwhile—after all, the method of saving one's life is not some closely guarded secret concerning the core of the Great Dao.

So she put aside her doubts and nodded happily, saying, "If that's the case, then of course it's fine."

Seeing that she agreed, the black-clad man's lips curled into a faint smile.

But to his surprise, the alluring woman suddenly frowned again, her tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible doubt:
Have you ever thought about this?

The man in black felt a sudden jolt in his heart, but maintained his usual calm expression, simply asking in return:
"What's the matter?"

The woman lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment. When she looked up again, her gaze held a more probing look. She spoke slowly and deliberately:

"Don't you think there are far too many swords lying here?"

She arrived early, and because the aura of the revealed artifact was faintly leaking out, making the area around Lanhe River seem to be covered with a layer of sharpness, she already knew that there was one hidden at the bottom of the river.

But once she stood there, she was surprised to find that there was more than one sword hidden here—even the one she was eyeing, which seemed "neither high nor low," was a rare immortal sword.

There were several swords of such high quality among them, which made her suspicious.

Little did he know, the moment he finished speaking, the man in black's eyes suddenly darkened, a hint of wariness flashing across them: this woman had vaguely sensed that something was wrong.

That won't do! If she really realizes what's happening, how will I get away?

His thoughts raced, and a sneer appeared on his face, his tone laced with mockery:

"Strange things happen all over the world, what's the point of investigating them? You're a renowned cultivator, don't you understand that the more precious the treasure, the more risks you have to take? If you don't have the guts to venture in, why come to this dangerous place?"

"Wouldn't it be better to retreat back to your cave and peacefully endure until the end of this great era, rather than getting caught up in these trivial matters here?"

These two provocative words hit the nail on the head. The glamorous woman was stunned for a moment, then slowly nodded, as if she had been persuaded:

"You're right. At this point, worrying about these things is pointless."

The man in black was completely satisfied.

"Hmm, I'll go check on those little monsters you found first."

"Please!" The alluring woman nodded slightly.

Once the figure of the man in black disappeared from his sight...

When the alluring woman looked up again, she was seen frowning deeply.

There's definitely something wrong with this guy!

And it seems he doesn't want to leave?

Thinking of this, she took out the extraordinary escape technique she had used to secretly learn from Tushan from her mustard seed.

This is a technique, not a law. Ordinary people might find it extremely difficult to master, but for cultivators of their level, to say that they can achieve mastery after just a few glances is naturally an exaggeration.

But after watching it, it's still easy to learn something roughly.

So without the slightest hesitation, she made a few minor modifications in several key areas.

We're all old foxes, so let's not talk nonsense about ghost stories.
-
In a restaurant in Hexi County, Du Yuan was telling a story to another group of people who had gathered around.

In the past, I told stories to make a living, but now it's a genuine interest.

It is truly a comforting thing to tell others the precious stories you have kept hidden in your heart, and to see their expressions of either holding their breath or marveling at them.

The sense of satisfaction is especially real when you hear heartfelt praise from the audience.

This feeling is different from the exhilarating relief I felt when I saved Southwest, but it has a different kind of comfort.

It's like basking in the warm spring sun, making you feel happy from the bottom of your heart.

But just as Du Yuan's story reached its most gripping point, an unexpected turn of events occurred.

Several figures suddenly burst in, causing the surrounding audience to frown.

Before they could speak, they were surprised to see that several of them were wearing iron armor and carrying weapons, clearly not ordinary people.

Even right behind them, the county magistrate and his yamen runners stood obsequiously, bowing and waiting.

While everyone was still filled with surprise and doubt, they saw the young master at the head of the group glance at Du Yuan, his eyes suddenly lighting up. He rushed forward and knelt down, his voice hurried and unsteady:

"I am Wang Chengye of the Langya Wang Clan. I have come today to express my gratitude to the young master for saving my life!"

"The Wang clan of Langya?!"

These four words struck like a thunderbolt, causing an uproar among those present.

Among the five surnames and seven prominent families, there is no clear ranking, but the Langya Wang clan has always remained out of the public eye!

After all, this is the foremost family in the Middle Ages!
Therefore, even ordinary people in Hexi County know exactly what the name Langya Wang Clan means.

For a moment, everyone stared at the young man.

The other person was well-dressed, but seemed to have been frightened, as his complexion looked rather strange.
When Du Yuan heard the name Wang Chengye, she asked curiously:
Who is Wang Chengsi to you?

Wang Chengye was startled and said:

"So that you may know, young sir, that Wang Chengzi is my cousin. However, he has not returned home for a long time, and the elders of the clan are all worried about him. Do you... do you perhaps know his whereabouts?"

Actually, there probably wasn't anyone in the clan who cared about him, not even his uncle and aunt.

After all, his cousin was always timid and cowardly. He also took a lot of valuables with him when he left. Who knows where he's hiding now?

So why would anyone need to worry about his safety?

On the contrary, we should worry that this guy will squander all his money, which will lead to his identity being exposed and tarnish the reputation of the Wang family.

Oh, we actually know each other.

Du Yuan found it amusing; he really knew that young master Wang all too well.

So he nodded and said:
"I know him, but I wouldn't say I know him well. After all, he's probably more familiar with the monk and the Taoist priest I've been discussing Buddhist teachings with before."

Wang Chengye was even more surprised:
"You are a reclusive master, possessing skills I have never seen before. Anyone who can discuss the Dharma with you must also be a renowned figure in the region. How could my cousin have such an opportunity?"

His cousin was always regarded as the epitome of a spoiled brat in the Wang family. Anyone who resembled him was considered a failure and could only rely on his family's influence to get a sinecure and make a living.

I heard a while ago that he ran away from home in a huff after arguing with his uncle, and the whole clan sighed, "Just as I thought." But now, according to what the young master said, his cousin has not only made friends with people from outside the secular world, but also seems to be behaving quite properly?

"Your cousin is quite a character. He went to Qingzhou first, and then to the southwest. He didn't do much in Qingzhou, but he was certainly kind-hearted."

"But once he arrived in the Southwest, he transformed himself, not only saving hundreds of thousands of disaster victims, but also making many contributions alongside the old general!"

No, are you really talking about my cousin?
Ever since he saw the wooden plaque that could subdue demons for just a few dozen coins, he thought he would no longer be moved by anything.

But now, he feels that the world has become unfamiliar.

First, a monster I'd never seen before started eating people on the road, and then my cousin, who was known for being a spoiled brat, became ambitious and outstanding.

After a long, stunned silence, he finally spoke in his heart with an extremely complicated expression:
'This world has gone so mad that I don't recognize it anymore!'

Seeing the disbelief still lingering on his face, Du Yuan added:
"This is not something I made up on a whim. After all, countless people in the southwest have seen it with their own eyes, so it cannot be faked."

After saying that, he changed the subject and asked the other person, "Since you say you have saved my life, what exactly happened to you just now?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Chengye seemed to snap out of his daze and hurriedly bowed, saying:
"My elders were urging me to hurry, and in my haste to get there, I took a shortcut through the mountains. Little did I expect to encounter a demon blocking my way! Three of my guards were killed on the spot!"

His tone still carried a lingering fear, and he quickly added:

"Fortunately, thanks to the two brave men who wielded your wooden plaque and came to my aid, I not only escaped with my life, but that demon was also dealt with by the golden-armored deity who received the wooden plaque!"

As he spoke, he pointed to two woodcutters behind him who looked rather awkward.

Upon hearing this, Du Yuan frowned slightly: "A monster has appeared in these mountains too?"

Wang Chengye nodded repeatedly, his tone becoming increasingly urgent:

"Indeed! Indeed! I have come here today for two reasons: first, to thank you for saving my life, and second, to ask you why demons and monsters are running rampant in this world."

This really bothered him deeply.

Not to mention the twenty years he's lived, even in the previous hundreds of years, no one has ever heard of such a thing!

If we don't figure things out or come up with a solution, the powerful and wealthy Langya Wang family will likely run into trouble sooner or later, just like him.

Du Yuan sighed softly and said:
"These things cannot be explained in a few words, but I can say for sure that the world will be different from now on."

He paused, then addressed the crowd with further instructions:

"Therefore, in your future lives, please do more good deeds in your interactions with others. After all, Heaven has eyes, and accumulating more blessings will always help you avoid some misfortune in times of danger."

These words sparked another round of discussion among the crowd. Some felt uncertain about the future, while others were relieved to have met the young gentleman so early.

Unexpectedly, Du Yuan then dropped another bombshell:

"And it's about time, I should go and take a look at Lanhe."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chengye hurriedly stepped forward and said:

"Young master, are you going to the Lan River to enjoy the scenery? The Lan River hasn't risen yet, so the scenery will probably be much less impressive. If you're willing to wait a few more days until the rainy season arrives, that will be the best time to see the confluence of the rivers."

Even his uncle thought his cousin was hopeless within the Langya Wang clan.

Therefore, he had a few other people who were being groomed as his successors.

In addition, he was exceptionally talented, and even though he had never been to various places, he was very familiar with the local customs, traditions, and seasonal changes.

Others simply thought he remembered these things to know where the scenery was best and when, giving him a reputation for being very knowledgeable.

Little did they know that what he kept in mind was full of practical matters, such as which seasons were prone to floods and which times were convenient for military marches. Every single one of these matters concerned the people's livelihood and the nation's military and national affairs.

Du Yuan shook her head and smiled:

"No, no, I came here to see a sword, and that sword is probably the root cause of the sudden increase in monsters here."

"Ah, is there anything else?"

"No wonder it's such a coincidence, that's how it is."

The crowd erupted in an uproar.

The young master also followed suit:
"In that case, please make the arrangements for me, young man."

After saying that, he called out to those behind him:
"Magistrate Han, quickly arrange for your constables to clear a safe place for the young scholar to be examined!"

The county magistrate also hurriedly bowed and said:
"I understand!"

At this point, Du Yuan suddenly asked curiously:
"Your surname is Han? Do you have any connection with the Han clan of Yidu?"

The magistrate was taken aback and said:
"In reply to your question, young master, I am indeed a descendant of the Han family of Yidu, but not a direct descendant of the main branch."

Du Yuan nodded slightly, thinking to herself that it was no wonder Gao Cheng kept saying that the emperor's various measures were only laying the foundation, not truly taking hold.

If he were to die suddenly under such circumstances, it is likely that within a few years, all the plans he made would be uprooted by powerful clans and aristocratic families.

More than ten years is still too short a time.

Thinking of this, Du Yuan suddenly turned to Wang Chengye and asked:
"What do you think of the pharmacist? You can answer or not. But if you do answer, you must tell the truth, as a way of repaying the debt of saving your life."

To address the emperor by his given name!?
Upon hearing this, Wang Chengye's lips twitched uncontrollably.

He thought to himself, "This is not something that can be discussed in broad daylight! I am not some otherworldly hermit like you!"
As he hesitated over how to begin, he suddenly noticed that the people around him seemed completely unaware.
After a moment of hesitation, he mustered his courage and said:
"May I ask, young sir, is there anyone else here who can hear us?"

Du Yuan laughed:

"I wouldn't go so far as to prevent you from getting off in public."

He asked the other party simply to hear the views of the true aristocratic families on the emperor.

Instead of wanting to put this unfortunate fellow, who had just escaped the clutches of a demon, back into the fire.

Upon hearing that this was indeed the case, Wang Chengye could only sigh inwardly – ​​what a divine intervention!

After a moment, he couldn't help but lean closer to Du Yuan and whisper in her ear:

"I shouldn't have said this, but you saved my life, so I dared not not answer. Therefore, I spoke frankly."

"The emperor is like a wolf or a dragon, ruthless and talented. His strategy for breaking the deadlock after he took power was so ruthless that it left no room for compromise. Even the great foundation of my Langya Wang clan is being slowly dug up by him, year after year."

"He has a firm grip on the power of the imperial clan and the roots of the aristocratic families, leaving them completely immobile. Such skill and composure would have been unbearable for anyone else. Therefore, even though he is destroying the Wang family's long-standing legacy, I have to admit that he truly possesses abilities that are unmatched by others!"

He actually had countless ways of saying these things, making them even more euphemistic, so that even if anyone heard them, they couldn't say anything bad about him.

After a moment's consideration, he still chose to speak his truest thoughts.

He did this partly to repay a debt of gratitude, and partly to let such a wise person see his honesty.

He was just an ordinary mortal; he didn't know if immortals could truly see through people's hearts. Since that was the case, he could only tell the truth.

Otherwise, they might develop aversion and needlessly sever this rare connection with the immortals!
(End of this chapter)