Chapter 2204: Drunk for a Month, Lightly Dismissing a Lord

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Shangguan is Nanhou Hall Siming Zhenren Fu Zhaofan’s direct disciple, a first-rate sect prodigy, a considerable expert in the Shenlin realm, and someone destined to take over the sect’s great power. What danger could he possibly encounter?

In other words, if he encounters danger, he can find his master, find any one of the Nanhou Six Zhen, and can even find Changsheng Jun. Why would he look for friends in the Taixu Illusion, find a Zhao Tiezhu who is tens of thousands of *li* away?

Unless he has exhausted all methods and calculated all possibilities.

Unless… the matter is within Nanhou Hall.

Looking across the world, surveying the Nanhou region, what other place besides the vast Great Chu could make Shangguan send out such a desperate plea for help, a letter that only managed to write two words?

Zhao Tiezhu, no, Zhongshan Weixun is a smart person.

Zhao Tiezhu, at first glance at the letter, was endlessly anxious for his friend.

Zhongshan Weixun, however, at the second glance, thought clearly about everything.

What Nanhou Hall did, whether it should be settled, why it was targeted… none of it is important. This matter is related to the Chu country, that is the only important thing.

Then, can Zhongshan Weixun be the master of Yingyang Fu?

Can Yingyang Fu represent the Jing country?

What reason does the Jing country have to save people from the hands of the Chu country?

These three questions, each more serious than the last, each more demanding of thought.

And Zhongshan Weixun was stuck at the first question.

Huang Sheli is Huang Fu’s precious pearl, showered with ten thousand favors, willful and free, lawless. Even if she wanted to sell Huanglong Fu and make all the Huanglong Guard go farm, that hundred-compliant old dad would only clap and cheer.

He, Zhongshan Weixun, is different.

From a young age, he has been “other people’s child,” the person his grandfather hopes he will become, the appearance an heir of the Zhongshan clan should have.

He must be excellent, must be sensible, must be skilled in both literature and martial arts, and must also be likable.

He cultivates a body of killing methods, reads various schools of thought, learns how to navigate social circles, and is proficient in both civil and military strategies.

Elders appreciate him, peers look up to him, subordinates submit to him… When he was a child, who didn’t say the Zhongshan family’s child was sensible? When he grew up, who didn’t say the Zhongshan family had successors?

In all his life’s major decisions, he has never violated Zhongshan Yanwen’s wishes!

So he naturally needs to know—Zhongshan Yanwen absolutely, absolutely, absolutely will not agree to him intervening in Chu country affairs, going to save a “traveler friend” in the Taixu Illusion.

He sat silently in the Taixu space.

Occasionally, flying cranes would still fly in, constantly reminding people enthusiastically, repeatedly reminding him, what kind of iron plate he had bumped into in the Taixu Illusion.

He just sat.

Gracefully dancing paper cranes, like one by one unclear characters, forming hazy articles.

Sometimes they were like a "Bodhi Sitting Dao Sutra," sometimes like a "Five Punishments General Theory," sometimes like the names of Shangguan and Jia Fuguang.

In the end, all said "save me."

Not knowing how long passed, before his eyes, the dancing paper cranes accumulated again. They stopped outside the Taixu space, waiting for him to take and read them. He didn’t look again, got up, and left the Taixu Illusion.

Zhao Tiezhu sometimes wondered, where is the difference between illusion and reality?

Where are humans not living behind masks?

The mat was very thin, the camp bed very hard, even the wooden boards still had splinters.

Having reached a level like Zhongshan Weixun, does he still need to “labor his muscles and bones, starve his body”? Of course, Zhongshan Weixun also doubted this, but Zhongshan Yanwen also lived like this.

Zhongshan Yanwen is famous for treating his soldiers well. Under his generals, they wear fine clothes and eat fine food; outside the camp, it is extremely luxurious.

He uniquely treats himself harshly, and thus requires the same of his direct grandson.

Clothing, food, housing, travel, all are like “ascetic practice.”

Compared to that “Yellow-faced Buddha,” he is more like the one cultivating Zen, an ascetic monk-like figure among the high-level officials of the Jing country.

Zhongshan Weixun’s external luxurious enjoyments are usually under the guise of socializing. Only “entertaining friends, widely connecting talents” is not restricted.

So Zhongshan Weixun has many friends. He is the one among the aristocratic families of this generation in the Jing country with the best interpersonal relations.

But Zhao Tiezhu has only two friends.

One has had no news for a very long time, and one just sent him a letter.

Slowly sitting up on the camp bed, Zhongshan Weixun’s expression was very calm. He, as usual, tidied his appearance, then slowly put on his armor. He summoned a water mirror, carefully checked his clothing, confirmed there were no improprieties, then put away the water mirror, lifted the curtain, and walked out of the tent.

The sky had already darkened, but in the sky there were still occasional bright colors, which were scattered stars.

The ground was already dark, but on the ground there were enthusiastic torch fires, which were the dangerous eyes of the war behemoth.

Stretching for dozens of *li*, the military camp was everywhere visible with the cold light of blades and spears and the swaying flame light, like a cold city of iron and fire.

Zhongshan Weixun walked in such a military camp, he walked in the shadow of the Yingyang Guard Great General.

He still smiled at every passing person, returned salutes, and showed care, until he walked to the outside of the Great General’s military tent.

“Please report to the Great General, Zhongshan Weixun has important matters to see him,” he properly reported to the guard.

The guard also properly returned the salute, strictly entered the tent to report, then came out and invited Zhongshan Weixun into the tent.

First the soldiers, then the grandfather and grandson; without rules, there is no army.

Zhongshan Weixun was taught this principle by a rattan at the age of five.

In the tent was a huge mountains and rivers plate, yellow sand pervasive, demonic *qi* wandering, completely replicating the distribution of demon race forces in the Endless Quicksand—given the complex changes of the Endless Quicksand and the chaotic knowledge of most demons, who often scurry randomly without purpose or regularity, even the demon race themselves find it very difficult to clarify the demon race’s military distribution. Therefore, this huge mountains and rivers plate had to be remapped and updated periodically.

After the Yingyang Guard was stationed at the life and death line, a large part of the huge military expenditure was reflected in this detailed mountains and rivers plate.

Zhongshan Yanwen just sat on the ground, sitting in front of the mountains and rivers plate.

His gaze was so focused, as if observing some rare treasure.

Usually, Zhongshan Weixun would honestly wait at the side, waiting for Zhongshan Yanwen to ask before speaking. Today, however, he could not wait, walked closer and said: “Great General.”

Zhongshan Yanwen did not pay attention.

Zhongshan Weixun said again: “Great General. This subordinate reports a matter.”

Zhongshan Yanwen quietly looked at the mountains and rivers plate for a while, then opened his mouth: “I have gazed at the scenery of Absolute Peak for a long time. Each step must be taken steadily. No matter how much preparation, I still feel it is not enough. Huang Fu, Lou Yue, Huyan Jingxuan, all are brave and progressive, confident in themselves, and all are waiting, grinding.

How is governing the army not like this? To achieve an unprecedented great victory, one must do more than all preparations. Train soldiers for ten thousand days, organize an army for a thousand years, innovate for a hundred generations, all for use in one moment!”

He slowly asked: “How to achieve victory?”

Zhongshan Weixun answered: “Preparation for army and war is a thousand days and ten thousand days, in every word and action.”

This is the standard answer in military books, from Zhongshan Yanwen’s authored "Gong Ce Shu".

The Jing country is an era of prosperous military strategists, and "Gong Ce Shu" has certain innovative significance, a renowned work among contemporary military books.

This military book completely embodies Zhongshan Yanwen’s military ideas. He believes war is a meticulous art. It must be strictly required, with complete details, perfect. The process of war can be disassembled into countless steps, each step having its meaning, but absolutely not irreplaceable. Like the famous Yingyang Crossbow, every component is precise and convenient for replacement—once the war behemoth starts, everything fits perfectly, its momentum like a mad wave, only victory can stop it.

“So I take this step either to achieve enough merits or to wait for enough accumulation,” Zhongshan Yanwen still looked at the mountains and rivers plate: “Zhongshan Weixun, I dare not slack, do you?”

Zhongshan Weixun said: “This general also has not slacked. Winter training in the ninth period, summer training in the third period, using diligence and hardship, not just in spring and autumn!”

Zhongshan Yanwen still did not lift his head to look at him: “Say it, why did you come to find me late at night?”

“I have a friend in the Southern Domain…” Zhongshan Weixun paused, simplified the wording, and continued: “A friend I know in the Taixu Illusion. He is the direct disciple of Nanhou Hall Siming Zhenren Fu Zhaofan, named Long Boji. He encountered danger he cannot solve and wrote me a letter for help.”

Zhongshan Yanwen said faintly: “If he truly treats you as a friend and thinks for you, this letter should not have been written to you. In current times, when the hegemonic countries do not attack, everything yields to Shenxiao; in the east, the Mu country is undergoing great reforms, and in the west, the Li country is newly rising. Especially when our country needs to treat diplomacy carefully, how sensitive your identity is, do you really not know?”

“Great General,” Zhongshan Weixun said: “A person in a helpless life-and-death juncture, asking for help from the person he trusts most, I feel I cannot blame him for not thinking it through.”

Zhongshan Yanwen said: “You mean I am cold?”

“This general dares not,” Zhongshan Weixun lowered his head: “It’s just that my friend asked me for help, and I am unwilling to think too many unrelated excuses. I only know that I want to save him.”

“How do you compare to Long Boji?”

“Strong, but limited.”

“Can you solve the danger he himself cannot solve?”

Zhongshan Weixun said: “Cannot.”

The little old man sitting in front of the huge mountains and rivers plate shook his head, his tone contemptuous: “So you fundamentally have no ability to save him, you came to beg me.”

Zhongshan Weixun knelt down, supporting his knees with both hands, his head lowered: “I… came to beg you!”

“The country cannot intervene; this matter doesn’t even need to be discussed in court, it’s truly too ridiculous. A Long Boji in the Shenlin realm from tens of thousands of *li* away, what does he count for? Worth a state letter?” Zhongshan Yanwen said coldly: “Then only Yingyang Fu can intervene—”

Zhongshan Weixun crawled forward on his knees: “Great General—”

Zhongshan Yanwen was expressionless: “Since you know I am the Yingyang Fu Great General, then please tell me now. For Yingyang Fu to intervene to save a Long Boji, what does it need to pay, what can it gain, is this a wise decision, is this choice worth it?”

Zhongshan Weixun opened his mouth to speak, but Zhongshan Yanwen turned his head back to look at him: “Using the identity of Yingyang Fu Shaofu Duwei, seriously answer me this question.”

Above Shaofu Duwei are still Shaofu Qidu, Shangfu Canjiang, Shangfu Zhonglangjiang; Zhongshan Weixun’s military position is indeed not high. But as Yingyang Fu Shaofu Duwei, his responsibilities are very clear.

Zhongshan Weixun was silent for a moment, finally opened his mouth: “Grandfather!”

Zhongshan Yanwen withdrew his gaze and looked back at the mountains and rivers plate: “Here is the Jing country’s front line, here is the Yingyang Guard’s military camp. Shaofu Duwei, you make this general very disappointed.”

“Long Boji is my friend,” Zhongshan Weixun said.

He could only say this sentence.

However, even he himself felt that this sentence was too pale.

Compared to the interests of the entire Yingyang Fu, how insignificant is a Shaofu Duwei’s distant friend!

Zhongshan Yanwen’s voice became increasingly cold: “As the former Yellow River prodigies, Jiang Wang and Huang Sheli are at this moment slaying demons in the border wilderness, fighting to the death. What are you doing?”

Zhongshan Weixun was silent.

Zhongshan Yanwen continued: “With the strength and fighting will they have displayed, it is very likely to incite heavenly demons to act. I sit in front of the mountains and rivers plate, my eyes dare not blink, afraid of missing an opportunity—seizing an opportunity with a heavenly demon. You, Shaofu Duwei, what are you concerned about?”

Zhongshan Weixun was silent.

Together with the night of this vast military camp, silent.

After killing into the life forbidden zone, it is a checkpoint every hundred *li*. The demonic *qi* is increasingly dense, and the danger multiplies.

The human body needs to use increasingly more power to resist the world of the border wilderness, resist that omnipresent “drying,” and in the border wilderness, it is almost impossible to get effective supplementation, while facing increasingly strong demons.

Initially, Jiang Wang set the Shenlin limit monument at six thousand *li*, already encountering a true demon, and under early preparation, on the spot achieved Cave True, beheaded the true demon, and returned.

This time, he and Huang Sheli went together, easily breaking the previous limit, all the way deep into the border wilderness to seven thousand *li*. But unexpectedly, they did not encounter another true demon.

All the way were Yin demons and Jiang demons, Yin demons and Jiang demons… Even if this kind of demon gathers more, it cannot hinder the figures of Jiang and Huang, the two cabinet members.

They fundamentally do not have the ability to gather into a large army, let alone such an opportunity.

But similarly, killing more such demons is meaningless to Jiang Wang and Huang Sheli.

In the demon race’s worldview, Yin demons are just a kind of resource, Jiang demons are slaves, and true demons are the true demon race. Only at the true demon level do they have complete wisdom.

Only the loss at the true demon level can truly hurt the demon race.

But now they have already killed to seven thousand *li* past the life and death line, in this place which should be extremely dangerous… where are the true demons?

Jiang Wang looked at Huang Sheli, who was leisurely walking beside the towering Leiyin Tower within the Jiang demon group, and suddenly had the answer. The person beside him this time… was too strong!

It was all Huang Sheli’s fault.

He told her not to come, but she insisted on coming. Other people’s true demons are not stupid, why would they rush towards the Absolute Peak divine ability to deliver themselves to death?

“What is going on?” Huang Sheli was surrounded by Buddha light, and righteously said to Jiang Wang first: “Did you and Cangming kill too ruthlessly over there? Did you scare the opposite true demons so they dare not come out, making me follow you for a trip in vain!”

Jiang Wang thought about it and wisely did not argue, only asked: “Still going forward? With the current situation, we can probably easily break Great General Zhongshan’s border wilderness record.”

“Wow,” Huang Sheli said very exaggeratedly: “That might be truly impressive!”

The two smiled at each other, said no other words, and simultaneously turned and flew sideways.

For this kind of opportunistic record, they similarly do not care.

Because for absolute world prodigies like them, creating one cultivation record after another is a natural thing, and also just an incidental thing on the cultivation road.

If they truly seized the so-called border wilderness record in this special situation due to the demon race’s strategic contraction, it would not be glorious for them.

In this place where people value honor, opportunistic side moves are the diaper of the weak and the shame of the strong.

“Today, clear the seven thousand *li* line!” Huang Sheli wantonly stretched, Brahma sounds echoed in the wilderness, flying sideways in the air. Where she passed, demons fell in droves: “Let’s see who kills more?”

Jiang Wang flicked his sword and smiled: “For all the heroic spirits dyed in blood on the life and death line—today for this play!”

He poured into the sword tide, rolling eastward.

“With golden white jade, buy song and laughter, drunk for one, months pass, ignoring kings and marquises”—Li Bai.

Suddenly remembered there are still five thousand characters of year-end extra not written, going crazy.