Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty: Simplified Divine Skills Lead to an Invincible Myth

Chapter 94 Hidden Star Guard, Documents Delivered in Falsehood! Nourishing Life and Cultivating Essence Technique Completed! The Furious Du Fuwei [Seeking Further Subscriptions!]

Su Yang helped Chen Shun up and solemnly instructed, "Initially, there are three things: First, closely monitor the remnants of the Huang family and the Tianlian Sect's spies within the city; this is of paramount importance. Second, infiltrate the Jianghuai Army to gather basic intelligence. Third, conduct a special investigation into the former site of the Xuan Gui Hall and news from the Jinling area to pave the way for our future southward advance."

After the two memorized their mission, Chen Wenyuan asked, "The intelligence agency needs a large number of absolutely loyal people, and the current manpower in the city may not be enough to support it."

"I've already planned this." Su Yang stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the night sky. "Besides Tingfeng Pavilion, I will also establish the Hidden Star Guard, a group of young bodyguards. Hidden in the shadows, they will be my personal protectors and the foundation for Jingling's future."

"Young bodyguard?"

The two were taken aback for a moment, then understood—young people are more easily loyal when their minds are still developing, and their bonds with them are far stronger than those recruited later.

Su Yang turned around and said clearly, "Choose children aged twelve to sixteen, with strong potential for growth. Prioritize war orphans and loyal sons from poor farming families within the city. Those without ties will be more focused. The core is character; tenacity, resourcefulness, and loyalty come first, followed by talent."

Chen Wenyuan volunteered: "Chen Shun and I are the most suitable to handle this matter. I will screen candidates from the household registration records, and he is familiar with the urban vagrants and can secretly find promising candidates."

"it is good."

Su Yang nodded and said, "I will personally teach you martial arts, and you two will personally instruct you in intelligence and literacy. The core is to instill in you the belief of 'loyalty to Su Yang and protection of Jingling.' Initially, there will be twenty-four people; quality is more important than quantity. You will train discreetly and not show yourselves to outsiders. You will be responsible for my personal protection, carrying out classified missions, eliminating traitors, and at the same time, cultivating future military officers."

Chen Wenyuan and Chen Shun exchanged a glance in agreement, then rose and bowed, saying, "Your subordinates will go and make the preparations immediately!"

"Wait a minute." Su Yang called out to the two, his tone serious, "This matter must be kept secret, especially the selection and training of the Hidden Star Guards. We must not let any word of it leak out. The establishment of the Listening Wind Pavilion must be done step by step. First, we should integrate the existing reliable manpower to avoid alerting the enemy."

"Understood!"

After the two left, the study returned to silence.

Su Yang started working on improving his proficiency.

He knew that establishing a government and recruiting guards was only the first step in consolidating the foundation.

In the subsequent counterattacks from the Huang family, the Yuwen clan, and the Jianghuai army, while cultivating new forces, the most important thing is to improve our own strength!

at the same time.

In the main tent of the Jianghuai Army, the generals stood on both sides, the candlelight was bright, but it exuded a bone-chilling cold.

"Bang!"

Du Fuwei, clad in armor, slammed the wine bowl onto the table, shattering the celadon bowl and scattering wine and porcelain shards everywhere.

His face was contorted with bulging veins, his eyes were bloodshot, and he stared intently at the trembling scouts below the tent, gritting his teeth: "Say it again."

That century-old wild ginseng, gone?

The scout didn't dare raise his head, his voice trembling: "Yes! I found all twenty-three brothers escorting the ginseng on the ancient post road fifty miles outside Jingling City. They were all wounded by knives, clearly ambushed! The scene was cleaned up spotlessly, without any identification marks! The century-old ginseng has disappeared!"

"These useless pieces of trash!"

Du Fuwei suddenly stood up, his sword slightly drawn, a cold glint in his eyes.

He paced back and forth, saying in a deep voice, "That century-old wild ginseng was the key to my breakthrough, and I spent a fortune to acquire it! I suffered heavy losses in the battle of Jingling, and now someone dares to intercept our team, steal the ginseng treasure, and even clean up the scene. Apart from Su Yang, who just occupied Jingling, who dares to be so arrogant? They don't take me, Du Fuwei, seriously!"

Du Fuwei slammed his fist on the table, which cracked and scattered military reports.

The generals inside the tent remained silent, none daring to offer any advice.

"Su Yang————"

Du Fuwei's eyes were filled with malice as he spoke slowly and deliberately: "I only intended to let you linger on, but I didn't expect you to dare steal my things so soon after you've gained a foothold! Issue the order to gather 30,000 elite troops and launch a full-scale attack on Jingling in three days! Regardless of whether he did it or not, we must raze Jingling to the ground! If it was him, I will personally kill him and seize the ginseng treasure; if not, we will teach him a lesson and let him know who the ruler of Jianghuai is!"

"Here you go!"

The generals under his command accepted the order in unison, daring not to hesitate in the slightest.

Du Fuwei walked to the tent entrance, lifted the tent flap and looked at the night sky, his eyes burning with rage, which needed to be vented—Jingling should have been taken. In three days, he would send troops to flatten the city, both to vent his anger and to consolidate his hegemony in Jianghuai!

The next day, early in the morning.

Inside the secret chamber of the Jingling City Lord's Mansion, Su Yang sat upright within a golden bell, diligently cultivating techniques such as the Overlord Blade, Snow-Treading Without a Trace, and Golden Bell Shield, increasing his proficiency. In his mind, the interface flashed incessantly.

"Reporting to the city lord, a document from the government office is being used to request an audience, claiming to have important matters to report."

The sound of a guard announcing something suddenly came from outside the door, breaking the tranquility of the secret room.

Su Yang frowned slightly. Although it was a pity that his cultivation had been interrupted, he quickly regained his composure.

His medicinal bath inside the Golden Bell was a secret, and it must never be seen by outsiders. He lightly tapped the inner wall of the Golden Bell with his fingertip, and the mechanism clicked softly. The medicinal bath was quickly drained through a hidden channel, and at the same time, a prepared blue close-fitting outfit slid down to his front. He quickly changed into it, straightened his robes, and then slowly walked out, saying in a deep voice, "Understood. Have him wait in the side hall outside the secret room. I will be there immediately."

The guards received their orders and withdrew.

Su Yang left the secret room and went to the outer side hall. As soon as he sat down, he remembered the name he had just heard. A thought flashed through his mind—a document, a virtual journey?

That name—he instantly recalled the important strategist from the original work, who came from Jingling and later assisted Kou Zhong in his struggle for supremacy! It was this very person, Zhang Liang, who managed Kou Zhong's internal affairs and devised strategies during the early stages of his career, and could be called the "Young Marshal's Army".

He never expected that Xu Xingzhi would actually come to him on his own initiative.

With this in mind, he ordered the guards waiting outside the door, "Let him in."

Before long, the curtain was lifted, and a scholar of about thirty years old, dressed in a faded blue cloth robe, slowly entered. He was thin and had a refined appearance, but his eyes were calm as a deep pool, revealing an insight and composure that were inconsistent with his status.

"The document is issued on a dubious basis; pay respects to the city lord."

He bowed respectfully, his posture respectful but not humble.

Su Yang suppressed his inner turmoil and asked calmly, "What urgent matter brings you to see me this morning, Xu Wenshu?"

Xu Xingzhi stood up straight and calmly met Su Yang's gaze: "I apologize for disturbing you so late at night. Firstly, I have seen that since you took over Jingling, you have rectified the administration and stabilized the situation, which seems to make you a wise ruler. Secondly, I am well aware of the internal and external troubles facing Jingling, so I would like to offer three strategies to resolve the current crisis and consolidate the foundation of Jingling."

"Oh?"

Su Yang raised an eyebrow, leaned forward slightly, and asked with a scrutinizing look in his eyes, "What is the most urgent matter in Jingling?"

""

"First, to reassure the people and make the public aware: post notices to announce the Huang family's crimes and irrefutable evidence of collusion with the enemy, reduce taxes for three months, open granaries to sell grain at fair prices, set up a drum for appealing grievances, and respond to grievances within three days to stabilize the people's hearts."

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"Secondly, to consolidate the foundation: eight former officials with questionable accounts were transferred from the government office for investigation, and clean clerks were temporarily appointed to replace them. The transfer was carried out openly, but the investigation was carried out covertly to eliminate the remaining factions."

"Thirdly, to deter foreign forces and delay their advance: interrogate prisoners of war from the Jianghuai Army, and have those who tried to persuade them to surrender write letters that undermine morale. Strengthen night patrols and counter-reconnaissance. Capture enemy scouts, cut off their ears, release them, and attach a note to deter them."

Xu Xingzhi spoke clearly and logically, finishing his explanation in one go.

Su Yang was secretly astonished. These three strategies progressed step by step, from pacifying the people to pacifying the internal situation and then deterring external threats, with a rigorous logic. More importantly, their core idea was to first stabilize the internal situation before expanding outwards, prioritizing winning hearts and minds while using deterrence as a secondary measure—which perfectly aligned with his own strategic vision!

The ruthless psychological warfare tactic of "cutting off the ear to release him" was something even he hadn't anticipated.

This person not only understands politics, but also has a deep understanding of human nature and strategy.

Looking at the clerk before him, whose gaze was calm and whose clothes were simple, Su Yang felt as if he were looking at a rough, unpolished piece of jade.

But Su Yang also understood that the power arena has its own rules.

Promoting him too quickly would actually harm him.

His eyes flashed, and he probed, "How many people will be needed to implement these three strategies? How will we deal with any obstacles encountered?"

"The policy of pacifying the people requires the coordination of the three departments and the military council; the policy of suppressing internal strife should use a reward and punishment mechanism to prevent resistance; and the policy of deterring external threats can be implemented by General Li Lie."

Xu Xingzhi was very familiar with the workings of the government office and answered calmly.

Su Yang made his decision: "Starting tomorrow, you will be transferred to the Military Advisor's Office as a Recorder, assisting Military Advisor Wang Yanzhang in coordinating the two policies of pacifying the people and pacifying the internal affairs. You will have the authority to review documents and report progress directly. The three policies should be submitted to me before dawn tomorrow."

This position, though unconventional, does not overstep its authority, making it a perfect test.

A glint of light flashed in Xu Xing's eyes.

He understood that this was an exceptional appointment and a tremendous opportunity, so he immediately bowed solemnly: "Your subordinate obeys! I will do my utmost to live up to the city lord's trust!"

"remember."

Su Yang looked at him meaningfully and said, "What I want is not just the plan, but the result. If the three strategies are effective, I will give them an important position. If you encounter resistance—you can report it to me directly."

"Understood!"

Xu Xingzhi bowed solemnly, and when he reached the door, he paused almost imperceptibly, his gaze sweeping meaningfully over the "Map of Jingling Mountains and Rivers" on the wall before turning and leaving.

"Xu Xingzhi—I didn't expect you to arrive so early. Very well, let these three strategies serve as your stepping stones to advancement. If you truly possess the great talent described in the original work, then Jingling will be my place of origin."

Su Yang stood alone in front of the candlelight, a slight smile on his lips.

Three days later.

in the afternoon.

In the secret chamber of the city lord's mansion, Su Yang picked up a bowl of ginseng soup shrouded in white mist. This was the essence of the soup, which Chen Wenyuan had made by simmering a century-old wild ginseng with precious herbs over a low flame for more than half an hour. The soup was amber in color and full of pure herbal essence.

He drank it all in one gulp, and the powerful yet gentle medicinal power instantly swept through his limbs and bones, transforming into a level of proficiency in his mind.

This century-old ginseng, seized from the Jianghuai Army, was cut into thirty slices. Each slice could increase proficiency by 2500 points, which is three times that of a fifty-year-old ginseng!

[Nourishing Life and Strengthening Vitality Exercise (Completed)]

At that moment, Su Yang suddenly shuddered!

A vast and refined stream of information surged into his mind like a flood bursting its banks, instantly merging with his consciousness.

That was all the insights, cultivation techniques and life experience of the perfect state of the Nourishing Life and Cultivating Vitality Technique. From the subtle methods of internal energy circulation to the core secrets of nourishing the physical body, and then to the underlying logic of harmonizing various forces, everything was clear and understandable, as if he had been practicing this technique for decades.

at the same time.

His dantian suddenly roared, and his internal energy surged wildly. With the surge of internal energy, his clothes moved without wind and fluttered.

An invisible wave of energy emanated from him and spread outwards.

The tables, candlesticks, and other objects in the secret room trembled violently, the bowls and plates rattled softly, the candlelight flickered erratically, and even the walls seemed to hum faintly. To Su Yang's even greater surprise, his dantian (energy center) expanded wildly amidst this violent surge, more than tripling in size!

The originally abundant internal energy surged, increasing nearly fourfold in total, and each strand of internal energy carried the unique warmth and purity of perfect true qi.

At the same time, the perfected state of the Nourishing Life and Cultivating Essence Technique cleansed and smoothed out all the sluggish meridians and minor hidden injuries in his body. It was as if all the major and minor meridians and acupoints in his body had been completely opened up, and the flow of true energy was no longer hindered. The speed of its circulation was several times faster than before. The feeling of being completely clear and unobstructed made him unable to help but let out a soft sigh.

Within the Qi Sea.

Under the guidance of information flow and the nourishment of the century-old ginseng soup essence, the originally abundant vital energy has undergone a qualitative transformation, becoming a more refined and harmonious vital energy.

Under his inner vision, he clearly "saw" a wisp of "primordial energy" as thin as a hair being born in the core of his dantian. It rotated on its own, carrying eternal vitality, and continuously transformed into essence to nourish his whole body, making his endurance, recovery ability and healing speed far exceed those of ordinary people.

More importantly, the harmonizing properties of perfect true qi are fully activated. The bright moon true qi in Tanzhong acupoint, the red yang true qi in Guanyuan acupoint, and the mysterious water true qi in Shenque acupoint, etc., spontaneously adjust their trajectories under its connection, forming a subtle and stable balance, with cold, heat and warmth complementing each other without conflict.

"The ultimate state of health preservation and vital energy cultivation!"

"My strength has increased dramatically once again!"

Su Yang slowly opened his eyes, a gentle light flashing in them.

He gently clenched his fist, the harmonious and flowing power within his body and the clear understanding in his mind mutually reinforcing each other. He felt completely comfortable, his hearing and vision were sharp, and his control over every inch of his skin and bones reached an unprecedented level of refinement.

This was not only a surge in power, but also an elevation of his life level and a thorough consolidation of his martial arts foundation. Moreover, the flow of information in his mind saved him countless hours of trial and error.