Ming Dynasty: Gain one supernatural power every day

Zhu Gaoxi ignored the crowd and took out the dark green alchemy gourd, aiming it at the rebel leaders who were bound hand and foot at the city gate.

A faint light flashed at the mouth of the gourd, and the group of people were sucked in amidst the horrified gazes of the surrounding Annamese soldiers, leaving not even the ropes binding them behind.

The surrounding Annamese soldiers who had surrendered all shuddered, then secretly rejoiced that they had surrendered quickly, otherwise they would be the ones being sucked into the gourd now.

These people were originally farmers and ordinary people forcibly conscripted by the rebels. They had no loyalty to the rebels and were more concerned about returning home alive than anything else.

Zhu Gaoxi put away the gourd, glanced at the surrendered soldiers kneeling on the ground trembling, and felt a little regretful.

His original plan was to kill half of them, use his supernatural powers to collect half of them and refine them into human essence pills in the alchemy gourd, and leave the other half for the Ming army to practice on, so that the beast legion could see blood and arouse their fighting spirit that had not been on the battlefield for a long time.

As it turned out, the power of these four gourds was too great. With the triple attack of ice, fire, and lightning, the enemy was so frightened that they surrendered without even fighting.

What use is his carefully prepared army of beasts?

But so be it, Annam isn't just about this one city. There will be plenty of opportunities later.

Zhu Di summoned Zhang Fu, Zheng Heng, and others to his side, and the group briefly discussed the matter.

We set off early this morning, and it's only noon now. At this marching speed and siege efficiency, we should be able to capture at least one more city today.

Zhu Di immediately ordered the entire army to set up camp outside the city, rest briefly, and then break camp and set off to attack the next pass an hour later.

After entering the city, as long as the people do not obstruct the army, it is strictly forbidden to harass civilians; it is forbidden to massacre surrendered soldiers who have laid down their weapons; farmers and ordinary soldiers who have been forcibly conscripted should be disarmed and sent back on the spot, and given travel expenses to return home to farm.

This order was not a result of Zhu Di's momentary mercy, but rather had historical roots.

Previously, Hu Jimao usurped the Chen family's royal power. He imposed heavy taxes and oppressed the people, forcibly conscripted laborers to build fortifications, and conscripted able-bodied men year after year to prepare for war. Farmland was abandoned, and the people were extremely resentful.

Zhu Di's military campaign was ostensibly to punish the usurper Hu family and support the restoration of the Chen family's descendants. In the early stages, military discipline was extremely strict, and the army only attacked the defending troops and did not disturb civilians. As a result, the ordinary people of Annam were not hostile to the Ming army and even had some support for it.

After all, under the rules set by the Ming Dynasty, they lived a few years of peaceful life without fear and were able to trade with the Ming Dynasty, making their lives much better.

Just after the rebellion of Hu Ji Mao and his son was quelled, Jian Ding launched another rebellion, which led to today's battle. For these ordinary Annamite people, who is in power is not important; being able to farm in peace is what matters.

During his rest period, Zhu Gaoxi casually built a small house outside the city using his divine craftsmanship.

With its upturned eaves, carved beams and painted rafters, blue brick paving, and white jade steps, it was exactly the same as the one he built next to the post station in Chizhou Prefecture, enough for three to five people to rest and eat.

He invited Zhu Di, Zhu Bajie, and Zhu Gaoxu into the house.

Fourth Brother, what's the deal with that gourd's magical power? It can even hold people!" Zhu Gaoxu had just witnessed the gourd take in hundreds of people, and he was itching to know what to do with it. As soon as he entered the room, he couldn't wait to ask, his eyes full of curiosity and longing.

"Yes, Fourth Brother, what's the story behind this gourd? Tell your father." Zhu Di also resumed his fatherly expression, but the eagerness in his eyes was no less than that of Zhu Gaoxu.

Although Pigsy didn't speak, he pricked up his pig ears, after all, the gourd looked too much like the purple-gold red gourd of the Golden Horn and Silver Horn, and he also wanted to know the answer.

"Father, Second Brother, don't even think about it. This gourd needs magic to operate, and since you don't have magic, it won't be of any use to you." Zhu Gaoxi said calmly, knowing what Zhu Di and Zhu Gaoxu were thinking just by looking at their eyes, he said it beforehand to put an end to their hopes.

"Well, but..." Zhu Gaoxi suddenly smiled slightly, keeping everyone in suspense.

His spiritual power had just swept over the inside of the gourd, and the hundreds of Annamese rebels that had been taken in earlier had been refined under the full force of his magic power. One by one, those figures dissipated in the dark green halo, turning into rice-grain-sized Human Essence Pills, which spun around at the bottom of the gourd.

It was indeed refined in an instant, and the effect was even better than he had expected.

"But what? Fourth brother, tell me quickly!" Upon hearing the word "but," Zhu Gaoxu's enthusiasm, which had just been extinguished, surged back up.

Zhu Gaoxi then briefly explained the functions of the alchemy gourd.

This gourd can refine a living person into a elixir of immortality. Eating it can strengthen the body, enhance physical strength, and also cure diseases and injuries.

As Pigsy listened, a sudden thought struck him.

Turning people into elixirs? This method sounds a bit sinister, similar to the demonic arts he heard about in the Heavenly Court back then.

Isn't it a bit too much for Laozi's disciple to use such methods?

He glanced furtively at Zhu Gaoxi's calm and composed face, but didn't dare to say it aloud.

"Fourth brother, if we refine people into pills... can they really be eaten?" Zhu Gaoxu asked cautiously, his tone tinged with a hint of probing.

Although he was fearless, the thought that the pills were made from human bodies still made him feel a little uneasy.

Zhu Di also looked at Zhu Gaoxi, and although he did not speak, his eyes clearly showed the same question.

Zhu Gaoxi glanced at the two of them, smiled, and explained, "It's just extracting the life essence and energy essence of the human body and condensing it into a pill, not refining flesh and blood into a pill. It's clean and has no side effects."

"Father, Second Brother, think about it. These Annamese barbarians deserved to die. Using their energy to nourish our Ming soldiers is a blessing for them, and it can be considered as accumulating some good karma for them. You don't need to feel guilty."

"Fourth brother is right!" Upon hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu's initial unease vanished instantly. He waved his hand, his tone impassioned, "It was second brother who was too cowardly. These Annamese barbarians truly deserve to die; it's their good fortune that they can be used as medicine for us!"

"Yes, Father understands." Zhu Di nodded slightly, the slight doubt on his face quietly disappearing. Since they've already been killed, turning them into pills is putting them to good use.

"Let's eat first. We can talk about the pills after we finish eating." Zhu Gaoxi originally wanted to distribute the pills to them on the spot, but the food hadn't been served yet, so there was no rush.

Then, activating the magical power of the gourmet dining table, it began summoning dishes onto the table.

Knowing that his second senior brother had a big appetite, he specially summoned all the signature dishes from the eight major Chinese cuisines.

There are Shandong cuisine dishes like braised sea cucumber with scallions and braised pork intestines; Sichuan cuisine dishes like boiled beef and Kung Pao chicken; Cantonese cuisine dishes like poached chicken and honey-glazed char siu; Jiangsu cuisine dishes like squirrel-shaped mandarin fish and crab meat lion's head; Zhejiang cuisine dishes like Dongpo pork; Fujian cuisine dishes like Buddha Jumps Over the Wall; Hunan cuisine dishes like chopped chili fish head; and Anhui cuisine dishes like stewed turtle with ham.

A round rosewood table was filled to the brim with all sorts of dishes, including hot and cold dishes, meat and vegetables, fried, steamed and deep-fried dishes, and even several kinds of rice.

"Amazing, truly amazing!" Pigsy's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he looked at this dish and that dish, clicking his tongue in amazement. "Brother, your supernatural powers are incredible! You just muttered a few words, and this table is piled high with so much delicious food."

Thinking to himself, if he had this supernatural power on the journey to the West, why would he, Old Pig, need to go out begging for alms every day? He shook his head at this thought, a complicated expression on his face.

However, even if he had this supernatural power, it would be useless. There was still that monk on the journey to the West. Even if he could conjure up a table full of dishes, he could only eat steamed buns and drink thin porridge.