Eternal Immortal Dynasty: Starting as a Petty Official

Chapter 208 Joining Forces to Defeat the Bandits (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

The bright moon hangs high in the sky, and the night is deep.

The cold wind carried with it the sounds of wailing and howling.

Rows of soldiers, each wielding a long spear, mechanically thrust forward.

A row of long spears gleamed coldly, and several bandits who had just pounced onto the vehicle and hadn't even had time to get their footing were knocked to the ground.

Before they knew it, blood was flowing like a river at their feet.

"kill!"

Suddenly a loud shout rang out, and a lithe bandit leader suddenly sprang out from among the bandits.

He leaped onto the cart in a few quick steps, his ring-pommel sword gleaming with a chilling killing intent. Relying on his sturdy iron armor, he disregarded the spears thrusting at him, slashing left and right with lightning speed, cutting down several spears in succession.

"die!"

With a long howl, a strong wind swept in, and the armored bandit chieftain only had time to raise his hand to parry!

"Thump!"

A loud bang!

Immediately, the ring-pommel sword, a weapon of exceptional quality, shattered with a deafening roar, and a long spear struck the bandit's waist with unstoppable force!

"puff!"

A tremendous force surged forth, and the bandit chieftain immediately coughed up blood and was sent flying through the air!

"go!"

A broken spearhead shot out, striking the officer squarely in the chest and piercing him through!

"You petty bandits and outlaws dare to attack and kill us!"

Behind the cart, the tall, burly, blond-haired military officer sheathed his spear and couldn't help but sneer!

This scene was naturally observed by the group of bandits outside the cart. They weren't born from a crack in a rock; everyone has parents and isn't afraid of death!

In the blink of an eye, the thieves in the front row turned and ran away, scattering like birds and beasts.

Behind the bandits, a group of elite soldiers looked at the corpses lying haphazardly not far ahead, and then at the towering shield wall of carts, and their faces also showed a solemn expression.

Suddenly, dozens of cyan blades rained down like a shower of stars!

It was about to land on the soldiers in the front row!

"court death!"

Upon seeing this, Gao Jun immediately roared and a four-foot-long broadsword appeared in his hand.

With one step, I found myself beneath a shower of dazzling stars!

"Whoosh!"

In an instant, a layer of blood-red spiritual light appeared on the broad-bladed ring sword.

Immediately, the ring-shaped blade began to swing rapidly, creating a fierce wind and sharp explosions wherever it passed!

Meanwhile, Zhao Xian, Xu Dekun, He Can, Zhu Shen, and Liu Cai also used their spells to intercept the falling cyan wind blades!

With their combined efforts, they managed to block the vast majority of the blue blades.

However, a few sharp blades managed to slip through the net!

"Pfft! Pfft!"

In the blink of an eye, several cries of agony rang out from the ranks!

That cyan blade was formed from the magical power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and its sharpness was by no means inferior to that of ordinary low-grade weapons!

"Bullying the weak with their size—they've completely lost all sense of shame!"

With a shout, Gao Jun raised his hand and waved, and a war bow and a quiver of arrows flew to Zhao Xian's side.

"Your bow is too soft, use mine!"

"Today, the two of us will kill this scoundrel right here!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian naturally didn't stand on ceremony and immediately took the war bow in his hand.

The war bow I acquired was surprisingly heavy!

Zhao Xian took a deep breath, immediately drew out an arrow about the thickness of a thumb, and with a soft shout, drew his war bow to its full extent, aiming at the Foundation Establishment cultivator in mid-air!

"Pfft!"

A sharp arrow shot out!

A hundred paces away, a heavily armored bandit immediately fell to the ground!

"Truly a magnificent bow!"

"Gao Jun, you must stop this venerable one. I still have the strength to eliminate his henchmen first!"

As he spoke, Zhao Xian drew his bow and nocked an arrow again, and shot it out!

"Pfft!"

A hundred paces away, another heavily armored bandit fell to the ground dead!

"You've been hunting geese all day, but today one of them pecked your eye!" Seeing Zhao Xian kill two first-rate martial artists in just a few breaths, the Foundation Establishment cultivator in mid-air finally couldn't help but shout, "You little official, you're not old, yet you already have the ability to shoot an arrow through a willow leaf from a hundred paces. This truly surprises me!"

Although Huang Tiandao has occupied three counties and has more than 10,000 soldiers under his command, a first-class martial artist in the army must be at least a squad leader!

Although he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could not sit idly by!

Zhao Xian used his archery skills to hunt down the top-notch warriors under his command!

Looking down from his vantage point, the Foundation Establishment cultivator was shocked to realize that his own side had suffered over two hundred casualties in this night raid!

If this fighting continues, my team will really collapse!

There are also different ranks within Huangtiandao. As for how to distinguish between them, it is naturally based on their own strength and the number of soldiers under their command!

Without his own soldiers, he would not only be unable to continue commanding a force, but he would also likely become someone else's pawn!

"withdraw!"

With a furious shout, the Foundation Establishment cultivator glared fiercely at Zhao Xian and Gao Jun, then turned and left.

Riding on a flying sword, his ethereal figure truly made Zhao Xian and the other military officers envious!

"Heh~" Gao Jun chuckled lightly, seeing the envious looks on everyone's faces. "Don't be fooled by his carefree demeanor; he'll actually have to land after flying only ten miles!"

"Foundation Establishment is divided into three realms: Foundation Establishment, Heartbeat, and Jade Liquid. A cultivator who has just entered the Foundation Establishment stage can only ascend a few dozen feet into the air, flying a mere seven or eight miles on a sword!"

"Only as your magical power deepens and becomes more profound will you be able to fly higher and farther!"

"Even at the peak of the Jade Liquid realm, one can only fly about a hundred feet off the ground, and in one breath, one can travel a hundred miles!"

"Otherwise, why would you need to work so hard transporting supplies!"

"Just find a few Foundation Establishment cultivators and have them make a few trips back and forth using ration bags!"

Upon hearing these words, Zhao Xian and the others couldn't help but give a wry smile.

Gao Jun is a Xiantian martial artist, and in terms of realm, he is naturally at the same level as a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

He could say such things, but how could Zhao Xian and his group of minor Qi Refining cultivators possibly say them!

If Gao Jun hadn't been able to restrain that Foundation Establishment cultivator tonight, that cultivator alone could have turned the camp upside down with a sudden attack!

"Zhao Cheng led his troops to stand guard a hundred paces away, Zhao Ji led his men to clean up the battlefield, and Zhang Gong tallied the casualties of his own unit!"

"Here you go!"

Upon hearing this, the three of them responded in unison.

Moments later, the casualty figures were tallied first, and they were almost exactly as Zhao Xian had predicted.

No one died in battle; only about twenty people were wounded, including three seriously wounded, all of whom were injured by the Foundation Establishment cultivator's magic!

"Did you come up with the idea of ​​using these large wagons as a shield?"

"That's really good!"

Upon hearing about the casualties, Gao Jun, who was standing nearby, immediately realized the key point and asked with a smile.

"I learned this from what others have said!" Zhao Xian replied with a smile, then stepped forward and asked with considerable curiosity, "Master Gao, can innate martial artists use storage bags?"

"Innate martial artists unite their spirit and qi, drawing spiritual energy into their bodies to temper their internal organs, muscles, bones, and flesh from the inside out." Hearing Zhao Xian's question, Gao Jun paused slightly, pondered for a few breaths, and then transmitted his voice secretly, "Their divine sense is newly formed; although not as strong as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it is still about ten feet long, so they can naturally use storage bags!"

"The unity of spirit and energy is the key for a bone-training martial artist to advance to the Innate Realm!"

"This..." Zhao Xian showed a hint of surprise, then bowed respectfully to Gao Jun with a rather solemn expression, "I cannot thank you enough. In the future, whatever you command, I, Zhao Xian, will do my utmost!"

With a flick of his sleeve, a gentle breeze lifted Zhao Xian to his feet. The two exchanged a glance and smiled at each other.

"This escort of provisions is the last major event of the Third Elder's term!"

"You come from humble beginnings. Now that this matter is accomplished, return to the county office and report to the Third Elder. You can then ask him for your cultivation insights on breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage!"

"The Third Elder acts justly and will surely grant your request!"

Gao Jun then immediately gave him some pointers via telepathy.

"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Gao!"

Zhao Xian once again solemnly expressed his gratitude.

Subsequently, Gao Jun, Xu Dekun, and others also left, either to rest or to comfort their troops.

"Ah Ping, are there any Daoist followers taking advantage of the situation to cause trouble tonight?"

After everyone left, Zhao Xian looked at Liu Ping, who was standing to the side, and asked in a deep voice.

"Reporting back to the military commander, no one is causing trouble!"

"Um!"

"These scoundrels will not let this go so easily!"

With a sigh, Zhao Xian looked around the entire camp, a heavy feeling rising in his heart.

Only by acting cautiously can these villagers be brought back to Rongtai County alive!

Nothing happened that night.

The next morning, Zhao Xian ordered the camp to rest for the day and set off again the next day!

On a sunny day, these Taoist priests could no longer be bound by straw ropes.

However, the Daoist people could not be left idle, so Zhao Xian ordered that a martial arts competition be held in the camp today!

What is a martial arts tournament?

Then naturally, they would go on stage and compete in martial arts!

Swords and knives are forbidden; you must fight with your bare hands!

The first place winner will receive a bull, the second and third place winners will receive 2,000 coins, and the fourth through eighth place winners will receive 1 coin.

thousand!

Each participating Taoist practitioner will also receive one hundred talismans.

The news naturally caused a great stir among the Taoists!

People from all walks of life rushed to sign up!

Zhao Xian then ordered that the team should first determine the winner, who would then participate in the competition!

Zhao Xian divided the villages and hamlets into sections and villages, and the villagers in each team worked together for many years and were naturally very familiar with each other.

Everyone knows who has the best martial arts skills and who excels in hand-to-hand combat.

But in this competition, as long as you make it into the top eight, you will receive a reward of one thousand talisman coins. Even if you just participate, you will receive one hundred talisman coins, which are golden talisman coins!

At this point, naturally neither side would give in, and they would glare and fight until they finally stopped.

After more than an hour of work, each team finally selected their own participating Daoist.

Zhao Xian further decreed that the Daoist practitioners participating in this martial arts competition must not be officials, but only pure rural Daoist practitioners.

This decision also earned praise from the officials, who commended Zhao Xian for his fair conduct and for not competing with the people for profit!

They found a few clerks, and using scraps of paper and ink, they wrote one hundred number plates and distributed them.

After preparations were complete, the Taoist priests sat together, while on a makeshift earthen platform, two burly figures stood facing each other, glaring angrily!

"The first match begins!"

Upon seeing this, Liu Ping, as the referee, immediately gave the order.

"Bang!"

But on the earthen platform, the two men clashed violently like two wild bulls!

One of them was strong enough to knock the person opposite him back several steps!

Taking advantage of the situation, the man stepped forward, lowered his waist and bent his arm, and threw a punch. The force of the punch was so strong that it was aimed directly at the opponent's face.

The opponent, having failed in one move, had no choice but to hastily sidestep and parry, raising his hand to block. Amidst the clash of fists and feet, dust flew everywhere.

The two fought back and forth, locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle.

Before long, the strong man, relying on his brute strength, had already thrown his opponent to the ground.

"stop!"

Seeing the strong man raise his fist high, grabbing the man on the ground by the neck, and about to continue beating him, Liu Ping immediately shouted...

He raised his voice and stepped forward to stop the strong man.

"By order of the military commander, if one person falls to the ground, the other person must not continue to beat them!"

"Let go and get up!"

Liu Ping was the military commander of the camp. He was known for his ruthlessness and strict adherence to military regulations. Everyone in the camp, from officers and soldiers to clerks and civilians, respected and feared him.

Upon hearing Liu Ping speak, the man immediately released his grip and stood up, forcing a sheepish smile: "Commander, I got carried away with the fight!"

"Number One wins!"

Liu Ping merely nodded slightly, then looked at the other Daoists and shouted loudly.

"Sanlang is amazing!"

"Smash him on the head and make him famous throughout our Crouching Tiger Township!"

A cheer immediately erupted from the audience, especially from the team of Daoist No. 1, where the entire team of Daoists stood up and cheered!

Before we knew it, it was already noon.

The sun rises above the treetops, and the north wind howls.

Thousands of people gathered together, yet they did not feel cold at all.

Zhao Xian and his group of military officers stood guard on a large cart in the distance, keeping watch for the people in the camp.

As for his soldiers, Zhao Xian had already allowed them to come closer to watch the battle.

The soldiers had been on the move for more than ten days and naturally needed a rest.

While Zhao Xian's camp was bustling with activity, dozens of miles away in the mountains, a group of bandits remained numb and indifferent.

Weary, I sat down on the ground.

Last night's night raid on Zhao Xian's camp resulted in nearly two hundred bandits being killed or wounded, but several hundred managed to escape under cover of darkness!

After all this turmoil, the number of bandits in the camp is now only about half of what it used to be!

Since this morning, the Foundation Establishment cultivator stationed at the camp has already killed several foolish bandits!

The entire camp was eerily silent, utterly still.

"Immediately send a message to the captain, requesting him to send reinforcements!"

After venting his anger, the Foundation Establishment cultivator looked around at the military officers in front of him and gave orders without expression.

"I will obey Sima's orders!"

Upon hearing this, several military officers immediately responded solemnly.

Immediately, the officers carefully withdrew from the military tent.

After the officers left the tent, they heard the sound of breaking utensils coming from inside again.

Upon hearing the sound, the group exchanged helpless glances before dispersing.

The daytime martial arts tournament ended with a burly man who was over eight feet tall as the final winner.

His cultivation level wasn't high, only at the second-rate level, but his brute strength surprised even Zhao Xian!

He immediately ordered that a bull from the camp be given to him!

He then distributed the talisman money to the remaining seven people.

As for these hundred contestants, Zhao Xian also extended an olive branch, selecting the best to become his attendants.

Hearing that they could become Zhao Xian's attendants, many of the participating Daoists were naturally tempted.

After a selection process, sixteen people were finally chosen, all of whom were second sons from families with clean backgrounds.

Once they return to Rongtai County, these sixteen Daoist priests will become Zhao Xian's attendants.

As night fell, the people of the Dao remained bound, sleeping peacefully.

Meanwhile, Zhao Xian and the other military officers kept looking around, cautiously on guard.

As dawn approached, Zhao Xian finally ordered the officers on duty to disperse and rest.

The team set off today, continuing its journey towards Xiao County.

For the next three nights, nothing unusual happened.

As night fell, dark clouds gathered and the stars dimmed.

The first snow is coming!

Looking at the dense clouds in the sky, Zhao Xian suddenly spoke.

"The road ahead will be difficult!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Cheng, who was standing beside him, also sighed with emotion.

"Many of the militia members are still wearing straw sandals!"

Zhao Ji suddenly interjected.

"Straw sandals~"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding military officers all fell silent.

They probably can't do anything about this.

"After the snow, the road will be even more difficult to walk in straw sandals!" Zhao Xian nodded slightly, then looked at Huang Zhong beside him and sighed, "Tomorrow, Ah Zhong, you can get some talisman money from Liu Sheng and lead a team to the surrounding markets to buy some cloth shoes!"

"Here you go!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Zhong immediately accepted the order.

"The military commander is merciful!"

The others also chimed in with their praise.

"If we travel for another day, we can meet up with Lord Chen, right?"

Zhao Xian suddenly turned to look at a young official beside him and asked with a smile.

This young clerk was an official under Chen Sheng, the county magistrate of Ronghuai County. His purpose in coming to Zhao Xian's camp was to arrange for Zhao Xian to meet with Chen Sheng.

"Sir, the two places are now only twenty li apart!"

Upon hearing this, the young official immediately responded solemnly.

"Um!"

"If we join forces with Lord Chen, things will be much easier for me!"

Meanwhile, on the other side, an uninvited guest arrived at the bandits' camp!

"Zhu He greets Fellow Daoist Hua!"

The newcomer entered the military tent at a leisurely pace and bowed to the cultivator in the main seat.

"What brings Fellow Daoist Zhu here?"

Master Huaji naturally recognized the person in front of him. It is said that this person is quite favored under the command of the captain!

He immediately returned the greeting with clasped hands, not daring to be presumptuous.

"I have come here on the orders of the captain to assist Fellow Daoist Hua in burning the grain supplies being escorted by Ronghuai and Rongtai counties!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu He immediately smiled calmly.

He had previously escaped from Chen Sheng's clutches and, after recuperating for several months, finally managed to forge a seventh-grade Dao foundation with the help of the low-grade Xuan-rank spiritual artifact, the Crimson Heart Flame, thus successfully entering the Foundation Establishment realm!

After several months of seclusion to stabilize his cultivation, Zhu He went to the three southern counties of Xiao County to serve under a captain under Huang Tiandao!

He and this Master Huaji were under the same command.

As for why I came here, it is naturally because of Chen Sheng!

Zhu He hated Chen Sheng with a passion. If Chen Sheng hadn't wiped out his bandit Zhu He and left him with nowhere to go, he wouldn't have needed to join Huang Tiandao to find a safe place to live!

"Since Fellow Daoist Zhu came to help me burn the grain supplies the bandits were transporting, where are the reinforcements?"

"Could it be that Fellow Daoist Zhu is the only one who has come here?"

Upon hearing Zhu He's purpose for coming here, Master Huaji couldn't help but mock him.

Hua Ji Shangren naturally looked down on Zhu He, this rising star who had risen to prominence later in life!

Although there were rumors that Zhu He's foundation for attaining enlightenment was quite good, Master Huaji did not believe it at all!

"What's wrong with me being alone?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu He smiled and asked in return.

Seeing Hua Ji's expression turn cold, Zhu He immediately continued, "The celestial phenomena will change drastically tonight; a heavy snowfall is likely!"

"The official road was muddy and difficult to travel, and coupled with the freezing weather, those militiamen pushing wheelbarrows couldn't go very far in a day!"

"We harass the grain transport team day and night, and they must be on guard day and night. But how many days can such a strict defense last?"

'

"When they are exhausted, that will be our time to achieve our goals!"

Upon hearing this, both Master Huaji and the military officers were immediately impressed!

After all, you can only be a thief for a thousand days, but you can't guard against thieves for a thousand days!

"Fellow Daoist Zhu's arrival alone is worth a thousand troops!"

"Guards, prepare a feast to welcome Fellow Daoist Zhu and wash away the dust of his journey!"

Night had fallen, and snowflakes drifted down slowly.

Zhao Xian and other military officers and clerks kept watch by the campfire day and night, fearing that the fire would be extinguished by the heavy snow!

Without the campfire, most of the Daoist people in the camp would probably freeze to death!

They persisted like this until midnight, and only when dawn was breaking did the snow gradually stop!

"Ah Sheng, from today onwards, crescent-shaped rice and millet will be mixed in equal parts!"

"What?!"

Upon hearing Zhao Xian's order, Liu Sheng, who was in charge of the grain and pay, exclaimed in surprise!

"Sir, if the crescent-shaped rice and millet are mixed evenly, by the time we reach Xiao County, there won't be enough crescent-shaped rice for a thousand bushels!"

"With the first snow falling in just the next day or two, and the weather freezing cold, if we don't give the Daoist people more crescent rice to eat, they probably won't be able to hold on!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Sheng's urgency eased somewhat, but he immediately instructed Zhao Xian, "General, Crescent Moon Rice and Jade Pearl Rice are of paramount importance in this grain transport!"

"Not even the slightest mistake can be made!"

"Don't worry, Ah Sheng, I know the importance of this!"

When it was time for breakfast, many of the Daoist followers, wrapped in thin outer garments, held wooden bowls and looked at the crescent-shaped rice that had increased in the bowls. They felt a sense of gratitude towards Zhao Xian.

After finishing a bowl of hot crescent-shaped rice, many Taoists breathed a sigh of relief.

With such a compassionate official, we no longer have to worry about freezing to death on the grain transport route!

After finishing our meal, we set off!

Huang Zhong and his group had already set off ahead of time to buy warm shoes.

As for warm clothes, Zhao Xian didn't have enough spare money to buy them!

Even with these warm shoes, I probably can't buy many!

It's just a pretense, a way to make up for the guilt in my heart!

Along the way, the roads were slippery and muddy, and the wheels of the carriages often got stuck in the pits. Zhao Xian and his officers rolled up their sleeves and went to help!

They were all cultivators who practiced martial arts based on qi and blood, and their strength was naturally extraordinary!

Working together, the two men managed to lift the stuck wheel out with just a single effort.

Zhao Xian then ordered his soldiers to shovel sand and fill the pit.

Otherwise, the next big truck will also get stuck in it!

After a difficult half-day's journey, the group finally caught a glimpse of the campsite in Ronghuai County in the distance.

"Sir, should the troops from the two counties be merged together, or...?"

Just then, Zhao Cheng approached and asked in a solemn voice.

"There's no need to merge; we'll set up camp two miles outside the Ronghuai County camp!"

Zhao Xian didn't even glance at the subordinate sent by Chen Sheng, and immediately gave the order.

"Here you go!"

Zhao Cheng bowed respectfully and immediately turned to leave.

After he left, the Ronghuai County official immediately stepped forward and said urgently, "Sir, the county commandant wants you to join us!"

"Go and inform Lord Chen that the customs of the two counties are different, and that hastily joining forces might lead to conflict due to the unfamiliarity of the soldiers and civilians!"

After saying that, Zhao Xian turned around and went back to his team to continue his patrol.

Upon hearing Zhao Xian's words, the young clerk's face turned bright red in an instant!

Even if you, Zhao Xian, are unwilling to unite your forces, can't you at least come up with a plausible reason?

What does it mean to have different customs and habits?