An unexpected encounter with the sleeping Little Dragon Girl leads to the annihilation of the Quanzh

Their reaction was even more direct.

Some of the more timid were terrified after hearing about Lin Ye's "glorious deeds" in slaughtering the Quanzhen Sect. They immediately announced a seclusion of the mountain, remaining secluded and fearing that one day this god of death might, on a whim, come and "ravage" them as well.

Meanwhile, the bolder, or rather, the more speculative, saw a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"A divine marshal! He's a living god! If we could get a position under him, wouldn't that be bringing glory to our ancestors and rising to the top in one step?"

"That's right! I heard the Marshal is recruiting soldiers and horses, preparing for a northern expedition to strike at the heart of the enemy! What are we waiting for? Let's hurry and join the Marshal!"

"Let's go! Let's go together!"

In an instant, countless martial arts practitioners, like cats that had smelled blood, flocked from all directions toward Diaoyu City.

Some of them genuinely wanted to serve their country and fight the enemy, but most of them wanted to take advantage of Lin Ye's influence to secure a better future.

The entire martial arts world became more lively and chaotic than ever before because of Lin Ye alone.

……

at the same time.

On the way north to pursue the remnants of the Mongol army.

Meng Gong, however, was not happy at all.

Looking at the 100,000 Imperial Guards behind him, who were full of high morale and worshipped Lin Ye like a god, he felt a chill run down his spine.

The battle was won.

Moreover, it was an unprecedented and resounding victory.

He led this army, pursuing the fleeing enemy all the way back, and recovered large swathes of lost territory. The routed Mongol soldiers dared not resist at all, and fled at the mere sight of the Song army's banners.

At this rate, it won't be long before they completely drive the Mongols out of Sichuan.

This should be the glory that any general would dream of.

But Meng Gong always carried a heavy weight in his heart.

Because he knew that all the credit had nothing to do with him or the 100,000-strong army.

They were just following behind that god or demon, picking up the heads of others.

He is currently, in name, the Privy Councilor and Deputy Marshal of the Army of the Great Song Dynasty.

But in reality, he felt more like a high priest, a god or demon in the human world.

His task was not to command battles.

Instead, he comforted the god or demon, tried to understand his thoughts, and took care of all the mundane matters that the demon found troublesome.

"well……"

Meng Gong sighed and took out the "commander's seal" that he had wrapped tightly in silk from his bosom.

He also received the emperor's latest imperial edict.

What "Grand Marshal Protector of the Nation and Guardian of Heaven"? What "He will not kneel before me, but will enter the palace with a sword and shoes"?

In Meng Gong's view, all of this was like a joke.

Would that gentleman care about these things?

He even sat on the dragon throne.

Meng Gong felt that the emperor and the ministers in the court still hadn't figured out the situation.

They also wanted to use the fame and fortune of mortals to ensnare a god.

How is that possible?

"General, we have pursued them for three hundred li, and ahead lies the eastern route of Lizhou. Shall we set up camp and rest for a day?" Vice General Zhang Jue rode up to his side and asked for instructions.

Meng Gong reined in his horse, looked into the distance, and fell into deep thought.

He didn't know what to do next.

Should we continue the pursuit? Or stop here and consolidate our defenses?

His word doesn't count.

This matter must be consulted with the actual marshal.

The thought of seeing Lin Ye sent shivers down Meng Gong's spine.

He still remembers the scene from a few days ago in the Imperial Guard camp in Lin'an, where Lin Ye held Xiaolongnu and flew around in the sky like a kite.

I also remember the terrifying scene at Diaoyu City, where he waved his hand and annihilated 100,000 enemy troops.

Each meeting deepened Meng Gong's awe of him.

He really didn't want to disturb that gentleman's "private time."

Heaven knows where he is now, in some beautiful, secluded place, entertaining his wife and playing some new games.

What if I disturb his enjoyment and he gets upset?

However, matters of national importance cannot be ignored.

"Pass on my orders." After much deliberation, Meng Gong made his decision: "The army shall set up camp here and await further instructions."

"Zhang Jue, choose one hundred of your most elite personal guards and come with me."

"Where to?" Zhang Jue asked.

Meng Gong gave a wry smile and pointed behind him in the direction of Diaoyu City.

"Go...pay your respects to the Marshal."

On the banks of the Jialing River, in an unnamed valley.

The valley is shaded by green trees and covered with wildflowers, with a clear stream flowing gently through it.

A bonfire was burning by the stream.

Lin Ye was squatting in front of the campfire, holding a branch in his hand, carefully poking at the fire.

On the fire, a cleaned wild rabbit was roasting, sizzling and emitting an enticing aroma.

Lin Ye's expression was unusually focused.

His brows were slightly furrowed, as if he were pondering some enormous problem.

"That's strange. Why does the book say that you have to bake it slowly over a low flame to make it crispy on the outside and tender on the inside?"

"But what is a gentle fire? How small does the fire need to be to be considered a gentle fire?"

"And this spice, when exactly should I add it? If I add it too early, it will burn. If I add it too late, it won't be flavorful."

A fierce internal struggle was raging within Lin Ye's mind.

Since that day, when the Mongols were defeated at Diaoyu City.

He then brought Xiaolongnu to the valley that he had temporarily created using magic.

The scenery here is beautiful and secluded, making it a perfect place for them to live the quiet life they desire.

The only drawback was the food situation.

Although they could abstain from grains, Little Dragon Girl seemed to have developed a strong interest in human food.

In particular, she enjoys eating all kinds of delicious food.

To satisfy his son Long'er's cravings, Lin Ye, the divine marshal who could slay 100,000 with a single sword strike, had no choice but to begin researching a field he had never ventured into before—cooking.

He used magic to obtain a large number of cookbooks from the bookstores in Lin'an City.

What are "Shan Jia Qing Gong", "Zhong Kui Lu", and "Sui Yuan Shi Dan"?

He wore out all those books from reading them so much.

I learned a lot of theoretical knowledge.

But problems always arise when it comes to practice.

It's either burnt or undercooked.

It's either too salty or too bland.

This made Lin Ye feel a sense of defeat.

He discovered that cooking was much harder than killing 100,000 people.

"Brother Lin, are you done? I'm so hungry."

A clear and pleasant sound came from the side.

Little Dragon Girl sat on a smooth, large rock, swinging her snow-white legs, staring longingly at the roasted rabbit, her mouth practically watering.

"Almost there, almost there." Lin Ye immediately put on a smiling face, his tone so gentle it could melt your heart. "This time I promise it won't burn, and I'll definitely let you eat the best roasted rabbit in the world."

"Mmm!" Little Dragon Girl nodded vigorously, her eyes crinkling into two crescent moons with laughter.

Looking at her smiling face, Lin Ye felt all his troubles vanish.

It's just cooking, isn't it?

What's so difficult about it?

He, Lin Ye, who dares to defy even the laws of heaven, can't even handle a little rabbit?

He refused to believe it!

Lin Ye focused his attention on the roasted rabbit again.

He used his divine sense to carefully perceive the temperature changes of every muscle fiber inside the roasted rabbit.

He used his spiritual power to precisely control the size and direction of every flame in the campfire.

At this moment, he displayed the most rigorous and serious attitude he had ever had in his life.

He was a hundred times more serious than when he faced a Mongol army of 300,000.

Just then.

An untimely voice came from the direction of the valley entrance.

"Your subject... Meng Gong requests an audience with the Marshal!"

His voice was filled with caution and unease.

Lin Ye's brows furrowed instantly.

It's that old man again.

Isn't it annoying?

Can't you see I'm busy?

A surge of impatience welled up in Lin Ye's heart. He really wanted to wave his hand and throw this tactless fellow to the ends of the earth.

But he glanced at his side and saw the Little Dragon Girl staring curiously at the entrance of the valley.

In the end, I held back.

"Come in," he said calmly.

The sound was not loud, but it was clear and reached Meng Gong's ears outside the valley.

Meng Gong felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, straightened his clothes, and then, with his deputy Zhang Jue, cautiously entered the valley.

When they saw the view in the valley.

Both of them were stunned.

They imagined many possibilities.

Perhaps the marshal is in seclusion cultivating, surrounded by an aura of immortality.

Perhaps the marshal and his wife are enjoying a peaceful time in a pavilion, playing the zither and painting, like a perfect couple.

But they never expected this.

What they saw was a scene full of everyday life.

Their god-like marshal was squatting on the ground, intently roasting a rabbit, just like a cook.

The marshal's wife, who looked like a fairy, sat on a rock like a little girl next door, waiting for dinner to be served.

This……

This is so different from what they imagined, isn't it?

Meng Gong and Zhang Jue both felt that their brains were not working properly.

Zhang Jue, in particular, was seeing Lin Ye for the first time outside of the battlefield.

In his heart, Lin Ye was a god who was high above, able to decide the life and death of ten thousand people with a single thought.

But the young man in front of me is squatting on the ground, looking distressed over a rabbit.

Is it really the same person?

Zhang Jue's worldview was greatly impacted.

"What is it?" Lin Ye didn't turn around; his attention was still on the roasted rabbit.

Meng Gong quickly stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

"Reporting to Marshal Qi!" He took out a map and an imperial edict from his bosom.

"Your Majesty, I have already led my troops and driven the remnants of the Mongol army out of Sichuan. Now, our army has reached the eastern route of Lizhou. What should we do next? Please advise!"

"Furthermore, this is an imperial edict sent by His Majesty, bestowing upon the Marshal the title of 'Grand Marshal Protector of the Nation and Guardian of Heaven,' and granting him numerous honors..."

As Meng Gong spoke, he secretly observed Lin Ye's reaction.

However, Lin Ye's reaction was no reaction at all.

He acted as if he hadn't heard anything and continued to concentrate on dealing with his rabbit.

After a long pause, he finally said "Oh".

"understood."

And then, that was the end of it.

Meng Gong stood there, holding the map and the imperial edict, stunned and embarrassed.

That's... that's it?

I'm reporting military intelligence and conveying imperial edicts, and all you give me is a simple "I understand"?

What's the next strategic direction?

What was their attitude towards the emperor's bestowal of titles and rewards?

At least give me some instructions!

Meng Gong felt that he and this marshal were never on the same wavelength.

Just when Meng Gong was at a loss.

Lin Ye finally turned around and glanced at him.

Meng Gong was overjoyed, thinking that the marshal was finally going to talk about serious matters.

As a result, Lin Ye's first question almost made him stumble and fall to the ground.

"Meng Gong, you've fought wars your whole life, you must have camped in the wild quite often, right?"

"Huh?" Meng Gong was taken aback. Although he didn't understand why the marshal asked that, he still answered honestly, "Yes...yes."

"Do you know how to roast chicken?" Lin Ye's eyes suddenly became eager. "I mean, the kind that's roasted until the outside is golden brown and crispy, but the meat inside is tender and juicy. Do you know how to make it?"

Meng Gong was completely dumbfounded.

His brain went blank for a full three seconds.

roast chicken?

The marshal asked me, "How do you roast a chicken?"

I...I am a Privy Councilor, and the Deputy Marshal of the Army of the Great Song Dynasty! I am reporting to you on the important military and national affairs of recovering lost territories and pursuing the fleeing enemy!

You don't ask me about the enemy's movements, your supplies, or your next strategic deployment.

You asked me, how do you roast a chicken?

Meng Gong felt that his worldview, which he had built up over the decades, was shattered at this moment.

Zhang Jue, standing behind him, gaped wide-eyed, his jaw practically dropping to the ground.

Looking at Lin Ye's face, which was filled with "desire for knowledge," and then at his own commander's expression of having seen a ghost, he felt that the scene before him was utterly absurd.

"What? You don't know?" Lin Ye frowned again when he saw that Meng Gong hadn't spoken for a long time.

"No...no!" Meng Gong snapped back to reality in an instant.

Although he felt like a million grass mud horses were galloping through his mind, he dared not show it on his face.

He knew that the man before him could not be judged by ordinary standards.

In his eyes, perhaps, how to roast a chicken well is far more important than those 200,000 Mongol deserters.

Meng Gong's brain began to work at lightning speed.

He began searching through all his memories related to "eating" from his decades-long military career.

Although he was the commander-in-chief, he was served by his personal guards and did not have to lift a finger.

But in his early years, when he was just a soldier, he did learn some survival skills in the wild from the cooks.

"Reporting to...Reporting to the Marshal!" Meng Gong cleared his throat, trying to make his tone sound more professional.

"Roast chicken, I... do know a little about it."

"Oh? Tell me quickly!" Lin Ye's eyes lit up instantly.

Looking at Lin Ye's expression, which resembled that of a studious student, Meng Gong felt a mix of emotions. He steeled himself and began his "cooking lesson."

"To make roast chicken crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the key is... the word 'simmering'."

"Ordinary open-flame grilling easily results in the outside burning while the inside remains uncooked."

"The best way is to first wrap the marinated chicken in lotus leaves, layer upon layer."

"Then dig a hole in the ground, and use mud to make a mud ball out of the chicken wrapped in lotus leaves."

"Finally, throw this mud ball into the blazing campfire and simmer it slowly over the charcoal. This way, the heat can penetrate evenly, locking in the juices and allowing the chicken to absorb the fragrance of the lotus leaves."

"When the time comes, crack open the mud ball, and the chicken will surely be fragrant and melt in your mouth."

Meng Gong blurted out everything he knew in one breath.

This dish is the famous "Beggar's Chicken".

Lin Ye nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with a sudden realization of "I see".

"Wrap it in mud and bake it? That's a great idea!" He slapped his thigh. "That way we don't have to keep watching the fire, it's so much easier!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Marshal is wise!" Meng Gong quickly flattered him.

"Hmm, not bad." Lin Ye nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Meng Gong like a curious child and continued to ask, "What about grilled fish? How can you grill the fish skin without breaking it and without it smelling fishy?"

Meng Gong: "..."

I fucking...

Meng Gong felt like she was about to cry.

He, the Grand Councilor of the Song Dynasty, has come to the front lines, not to command battles, but to become a cook?

But looking at Lin Ye's eager eyes, did he dare to say "no"?

He dare not.

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and begin explaining the techniques for grilling fish.

What about "first using a high flame to seal the surface, then slowly roasting it over a low flame"? What about "stuffing ginger slices and scallion segments into the fish's belly to remove the fishy smell"? What about "making a few cuts on the fish to make it easier for the flavors to penetrate"?

Meng Gong emptied his pockets of everything he knew.

Lin Ye listened with great interest, and occasionally asked a few questions to discuss with Meng Gong.

The two of them, one teaching and the other learning, had an unusually "harmonious" atmosphere.

Zhang Jue, standing to the side, was completely dumbfounded.

He felt as if he were not in a military camp, but in the kitchen of New Oriental.

Just then.

"Brother Lin, the rabbit is going to burn!"

Little Dragon Girl's exclamation interrupted this unique "cooking seminar".

Lin Ye was startled and quickly turned around.

Sure enough, he had been so focused on asking questions that he forgot to watch the fire. The poor rabbit had one leg charred black.

"Oh dear!" Lin Ye felt a pang of heartache.

This is the result of his research over half a day!

He hurriedly and frantically took the roasted rabbit off the fire.

He tore off the uncooked rabbit leg, carefully blew on it, and then handed it to Little Dragon Girl.

"Long'er, try this."

Little Dragon Girl took the rabbit leg, took a small bite, and then her eyes lit up.

"Delicious! Brother Lin, this one is much better than the last one!"

"Really?" Lin Ye was overjoyed.

"Um!"

Receiving Xiaolongnu's approval gave Lin Ye a greater sense of accomplishment than winning a hundred battles.

He smiled contentedly, then remembered that there were two other people standing next to him.

He turned his head to look at Meng Gong, his expression returning to that faint, distant one.

"Oh, right, what did you just say?"

Meng Gong's lips twitched slightly.

So, all that I was reporting military intelligence and conveying imperial edicts, and you didn't hear a single word I said?

He could only helplessly repeat what he had just said.

"Marshal Qi, the remnants of the Mongol army have already fled north. What's our next move..."

"North?" Lin Ye interrupted him, looking up at the northern sky. "They've all run in the same direction?"

"Yes, they probably want to escape back to the northern desert, their hometown," Meng Gong replied.

"Oh, that's perfect, saves me the trouble of looking for them one by one." Lin Ye nodded and said casually.

The tone was as if to say, "The radishes in the field have all grown together, so let's just pick them all at once."

Meng Gong's heart skipped a beat.

He understood the meaning behind Lin Ye's words.

Is this gentleman planning to... wipe them all out?

"Marshal, what do you mean...?" Meng Gong asked tentatively.

"You just wait here," Lin Ye said. "Clean up the battlefield, appease the people, and I'll handle the rest."

"As for that imperial edict..." Lin Ye glanced at the bright yellow scroll in Meng Gong's hand, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes, "Burn it, it's an eyesore."

"Ah?" Meng Gong exclaimed in shock. "Marshal, this...this is an imperial edict! Burning it is a grave offense of disrespect!"

"A crime?" Lin Ye asked, as if he'd heard something amusing. "Does he dare to convict me?"

Meng Gong was speechless.

Yes, the emperor... he really wouldn't dare.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, hurry up and leave." Lin Ye waved his hand impatiently, as if shooing away flies. "Don't stay here, you're disturbing my dinner with Long'er."

After saying that, he ignored Meng Gong, turned around and walked to Xiaolongnu's side, sat down, and began to concentrate on dealing with the half-cooked rabbit.

Meng Gong and Zhang Jue stood awkwardly in place, unsure whether to leave or stay.

In the end, Meng Gong reacted quickly. He pulled Zhang Jue, who was still in a daze, and bowed to Lin Ye's back.

"Your subject... takes his leave."

After saying that, he turned and fled without looking back, leaving the valley that had terrified him.

Meng Gong finally breathed a sigh of relief after walking quite a distance.

He felt as if he had just walked through the gates of hell.

"General...General," Zhang Jue stammered, following behind him, "We...we're just leaving like this? What...what does the Marshal mean?"

Meng Gong turned around and glanced at the misty valley, a bitter look on his face, and a hint of... relief.

"What he meant was that we should just ignore everything."

"He wants to deal with the remaining 200,000 Mongol troops by himself."

"All we need to do is wait and hear the news of his victory."

Zhang Jue gasped after hearing this.

One person, facing an army of 200,000?

Although he had already witnessed the marshal's divine power, hearing about such a thing again still made his heart feel like it couldn't take it.

"Then... what do we do now?"

Meng Gong glanced at the imperial edict and the detailed military map in his hand, and smiled self-deprecatingly.

"What should we do?"

"Let's go back, set up camp, and drink and eat meat."

"Then, we'll wait to collect the bodies of those 200,000 Mongols."

While the world's attention was focused on Diaoyu City.

Guo Jing and Huang Rong, however, went the other way and headed north, arriving at Shaanxi Road.

Their destination was Zhongnan Mountain.

Huang Rong's decision was very simple.

Instead of going to Diaoyu City and squeezing in with those江湖人 (jianghu people) who want to curry favor with powerful figures, it's better to stay away.

Why not go to Zhongnan Mountain, the starting point of all the legends, and take a look?

Only by seeing the traces left by that man with your own eyes can you truly understand what kind of person he was.

Guo Jing agreed with this view.

He wanted to see what had become of the once number one sect in the world.

He also wanted to know what was going on in the mind of someone capable of slaughtering an entire clan and annihilating a sect.

As they traveled, their mood grew increasingly heavy.

What they saw was a devastated land and displaced people.

The Mongol hordes ravaged this once rich land, leaving it in ruins.

But at the same time, they also saw a glimmer of hope that they had never seen before.

In every town and every village, they could see the shrines erected in honor of Lin Ye.

Those emaciated people would save their last bit of food, turn it into dry rations, and respectfully place it before the tablet of the "Divine Marshal."

There was an almost fanatical worship in their eyes.

"Brother Jing, look," Huang Rong said softly, pointing to an old woman who was devoutly bowing before a memorial tablet. "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world. No matter whether Lin Ye is a god or a demon in the eyes of the martial arts world, in the hearts of these people, he is a living bodhisattva who saves them from suffering."