Achieving the Dao from the Hundred Schools of Thought

"A hundred?! Brother Zezhong, even if I burned my heart fire dry, I still couldn't kill that many demons!"

Zhong Bai poured out his grievances, looking at Zhang Zezhong with resentment, as if Zhang Zezhong was forcing him to do something against his will.

"Why is that? Using 'Invulnerability to All Evils' in the public field should be enough to kill thirty or forty of them. With your and Brother Weiyang's help, the remaining gap should be filled quickly, right?" Zhang Zezhong was somewhat puzzled by Zhong Bai's reaction.

Logically speaking, we can complete a large part of the task today. If we hurry up and finish the rest in three days, it should be a piece of cake.

Zhong Bai stretched out his finger and shook it repeatedly, as if to say that this was not true.

"No, Brother Zezhong, you can't calculate it like that! Most of the demons that can be attracted by the public fields are wild demons. If they are lucky, they can break through the racial restrictions and refine their demon bodies."

This kind of monster has neither a clan nor a lineage, making it the weakest of all monsters.

Once we leave this place, Brother Weiyang and I will have to venture deep into the wilderness to hunt down any lone demons.

After the explanation, Zhang Zezhong finally understood how difficult it was to obtain the Hundred Demons quota, and he was also a little troubled.

"This number of demons is an understatement... what should we do then?"

Zhong Bai said sincerely, "Brother Zezhong, it's not that I'm not doing my best! If my brother-in-law and I were to each lead three thousand elite soldiers to venture into the wilderness, defeating a hundred demons would not be difficult!"

My elder sister is about to break through to the next level, and her path is extremely arduous. Not a single one of these soldiers can be moved… I’ve already deployed all my personal guards!”

"Alas, we lack soldiers and the land is barren. I, a mere physician, am constrained at every turn in fulfilling my duties. Alas..."

Zhuang Weiyang's heart fire kept pounding; he knew that the cultivation of the Yi Dao was within reach!

"Gentlemen, please hear me out." As the two looked at each other, Zhuang Weiyang stepped forward.

"I have a solution that can resolve our current predicament, but you two brothers will need to withstand some pressure."

"Wei Yang, please speak. As long as this matter can be resolved, everything is negotiable!" "Pressure? What is pressure? Bai is a military man, barely literate!"

Seeing that the two of them were somewhat determined, Zhuang Weiyang then began to explain her ingenious ideas.

"Ahem... No soldiers? That's easy to solve. Brother Zezhong commands tens of thousands of peasants; why not select a thousand and reorganize them into a new army?"

"No way!" "How can a savage join the army!" The two immediately retorted to Zhuang Weiyang's outrageous argument.

In this era, the common people are only fit to farm and hunt! To serve in the army and die for the country? Don't even think about it!

Zhuang Weiyang lowered her voice, and even though no one was around, she spoke with caution.

The tone was like when you were in school, trying to persuade your best friend to skip class together.

"Brother Bai, Commander Zhong is your father! The troop roster is decided by your Zhong family! Just think, with a thousand more soldiers under your command, you could go out of the city and slay a hundred or so demons. Wouldn't your Bright Radiance Realm be within your grasp?"

Upon hearing this, Zhong Bai immediately shut up and stopped saying anything about how uncivilized people could not join the army.

The world is vast, but the path to enlightenment is the greatest! With the assistance of a military cultivator who has mastered the art of war, marching to slay demons, sweeping away enemy strongholds, wouldn't that make the battles incredibly exhilarating?!

Seeing that Zhong Bai was showing signs of softening, Zhang Zezhong immediately said, "Brother Weiyang, I know you mean well! But the idea of ​​commoners joining the army is absolutely impossible! Not to mention the Second Young Master, even if that Minister Zhao knew, would he spare you and me?"

Zhuang Weiyang spread her hands, looking at him with a disappointed expression. "You could have just kept it a secret!"

"He's already transferred all his officials! You can take this opportunity to promote your own people! Take a thousand savages, it'll be a piece of cake!"

"But I just arrived in Zuili, and I don't have..."

"Then let's find Zhong Bai!" Zhuang Weiyang made a quick decision. "The Zhong family has been in Zuili for quite some time. There are only a dozen or so officials in the two counties. The Zhong family can't even muster enough people."

"Speak, Zhong Bai! If you want to lead troops, you have to put in the effort!"

Zhong Bai was also a little confused, but he couldn't resist the temptation of a thousand new recruits: "Yes! This is easy!"

"And what about the second young master...?"

Zhang Zezhong was, after all, a civil official; he wasn't so easily swayed. Seeing that the matter was only one step away, Zhuang Weiyang's anger flared, and she added the final words.

"This action is entirely for the greater good of the Wu Kingdom and to relieve the Second Prince's worries and difficulties!"

"There's no need to elaborate... If the Second Young Master asks, Wei Yang will take the blame!"

Zhang Zezhong waved his hands repeatedly, "How can I let Weiyang bear this responsibility? This whole thing was my doing!"

Both of them were straightforward and decisive, and since things had inexplicably come to this point, they decided to go all the way down this path.

Zhang Zezhong smiled wryly, looked at the excited Zhong Bai and the jubilant Zhuang Weiyang, and bowed, saying:

"Please, brothers, lend me your strength!"

Zhong Bai nodded repeatedly, then, as if remembering something, looked at Zhuang Weiyang shyly and said:

"Brother-in-law, you've been running around doing all this, but you haven't gotten any benefit in return... How about this, we recruit a thousand soldiers, and we'll each take half!"

Zhuang Weiyang gently waved her hand and declined with a smile.

"Allow me to serve as a subordinate general under you, just to practice my magic." Having said this, Zhuang Weiyang looked at Zhang Zezhong. "Brother Zezhong, beneath your position as Grand Master, grant me the role of advisor. I have some knowledge of politics and can help you with some paperwork!"

Both of them were secretly moved upon hearing this.

Wei Yang, so selfless! What a kind person!

Zhuang Weiyang was also very satisfied.

In this way, one fish can be used in three ways, and one's military and political skills and cultivation have all been addressed. The fire in one's heart keeps surging, and cultivation is within reach.

Zezhong and Zhongbai are such good people!

The three of them made up their minds and headed to the next public field.

Today we must complete the ritual at thirteen public fields!

……

As evening fell, the sun sank in the west, its afterglow spilling over the public fields. A gentle breeze stirred the dust, creating wisps of golden light on the ground.

Amidst such a beautiful scene, the three men, covered in blood, wore somber expressions.

"This is supposed to be fertile land? The wild men of Zuili can't even get enough to eat! How can they have the strength to farm?!"

Zhang Zezhong was indignant and continued to criticize the work of his predecessor, the Imperial Physician Sui. "He was truly a figurehead..."

"Vegetarian meals, Brother Zezhong, I'm tired of hearing you say it. Take a break. After using thirteen 'Invulnerable to All Evils' techniques, your face is pale. Be careful of kidney deficiency!"

Zhong Bai was also very annoyed, but he couldn't stand the constant chatter.

When military strategists and political strategists meet, this situation is highly likely to occur.

Zhuang Weiyang coughed lightly to smooth things over.

"Gentlemen, why are you so anxious? Once the forty-three bird demon corpses are purified and distributed among the savages, it will be enough to feed these tens of thousands of people for some time!"

"Let's hurry up with our plan. We can use the bodies of half-demons and first-level demons to hold out, at least enough to keep the savages alive until the autumn harvest!"

Zhang Zezhong quickly calculated and confirmed that Zhuang Weiyang's method was indeed feasible before he cheered up again.

"I was too irritable today, and my little girl acted out. Please forgive me, brothers."

Zhong Bai realized there was something wrong with his words and stepped forward to pat Zhang Zezhong on the shoulder warmly.

"What do you mean by that? You're making things too formal!" Zhong Bai laughed, and the atmosphere eased.

"Brother Zezhong, send that bird demon's corpse to the military camp outside the city! My men need to have a good meal too. I'll send you two more in a few days!"

"Of course, of course."

……

Zhuang Weiyang bid farewell to the two and returned to a small courtyard near the young master's residence.

Today, Zhong Bai was the one who did most of the demon-slaying, so Zhuang Weiyang didn't seem to be very tired.

The sun disappeared, and the light of day vanished. Zhuang Weiyang activated "A Thousand Years of Dreams" and entered the dream once more.

The art of war and the art of defense are his current means of dealing with enemies, and he needs to practice them diligently without slacking off.

"Brother Weiyang, have you found the path of cultivation?"