"In other words, Mr. Fang, you have made a lot of profits in the past two years?"
The banquet had ended, and Mr. Fang invited Zhao Mi to his home for a detailed discussion. He learned that Luo Xixian had done a lot of practical things for the local people during his time in power in Xingluo County.
And because Wang Juncheng wrote a letter that in order to restore the livelihood of the people in Xingluo County, the ban on mountains and rivers was temporarily lifted, so that local gentry could enter the mountains to mine, and with tax exemptions and exemptions, many refugees from neighboring counties came to Xingluo County to replenish the population, reclaim wasteland, and let
The once withered Xingluo County became prosperous.
"Ashamed that I made Marquis Zhenming laugh." Mr. Fang added: "I sincerely remember that it was Marquis Zhenming who gave me a way to survive, so that I would not fall into trouble with the rebellious party."
"The chaotic party, the chaotic party..." Zhao Shu sighed with emotion and smiled bitterly.
"Why is Marquis Zhenming laughing?" Mr. Fang could see that Zhao Shu's temperament and temperament were now very different from those of Zhao Fu, and he was not someone he could offend.
Zhao Shu was speechless for a long time, and then asked: "Will Mr. Fang regret betraying Chiyundu?"
Mr. Fang was not sure what Zhao Shu was thinking, so he had to say: "No matter what, it is a good thing for the people to be able to live a peaceful life now. Even those of us with small fortunes will not be able to keep our wealth if we encounter constant wars."
Zhao Shu shook his head: "Master Fang refuses to tell me his true feelings."
"This..." Mr. Fang was shocked. He had already heard about Zhao Shu's actions in the south. Even the Wang family of Chiyang was crushed and flattened by Zhao Shu at will. To deal with him, a wealthy local man, would be like flipping the palm of his hand.
easily?
Now that he has returned to Xingluo County again, Zhao Shui's view of Yang Liujun's group of Red Cloud monks is different from the past.
Compared to the three elders of Chiyun who were trying to accumulate strength in the mountains and countryside, Yang Liujun hoped to use the power of the divine sword to establish a chance of victory in one fell swoop. For this reason, he didn't care who he hired, even if it was someone who only wanted some benefits.
Among the casual cultivators in the martial arts world, Mr. Yangliu always welcomes those who come.
Therefore, except for a few who came from Chiyun City, most of Yang Liujun's subordinates were a mixed bag of good and bad, and there were even some bandits and thieves.
With such a mixed force of good and bad morals, against the imperial court's 30,000 officers and soldiers, as well as a group of monks, Yangliujun was still able to control both offense and defense, and suffered losses for General Wei several times, which shows that he is highly talented.
Zhao Shu's cultivation today is not much different from that of Yang Liujun. If the magical weapon helps Zhao Shu, he may have a chance of winning against Yang Liujun again.
But thinking about Yang Liujun facing Liang Tao, Zhao Shu couldn't help but ask himself, could he risk his life and fight to the end like Yang Liujun did at a critical moment?
The higher the cultivation level, the more one understands the profoundness of Liang Tao's realm. Facing such a living immortal, all kinds of magic and magic are useless. Only the divine sword can hurt the immortal body.
As luck would have it, the person who lost the edge of the divine sword was Zhao Shu. His sudden cleverness allowed Liang Tao to avoid disaster, and he also placed himself in the opponent's plan, unable to escape. It can be said that he suffered the consequences.
.
After thinking about it for a while, Zhao Shu still did not reveal his opinion of Chi Yundu, and left after chatting for a few words.
"Xin Shunying came here before."
It was late at night, and Jiang Ru told Zhao Shu about what she had seen during the day.
"I have nothing to talk about with them." Zhao Shu said: "I just came to decorate the altar and left after finishing my work. I have no intention of fighting for power and gain."
Jiang Ruyan said: "Xin Shunying probably hopes that you and Luo Xixian will get back together."
"Then what?" Zhao Shu threw the scroll down and said with a smile: "I, Senior Sister Xin, are proficient in calculations, so naturally I feel that people's hearts can be firmly grasped through calculations. Ultimately, she just hopes that Luo Xixian and I can advance and retreat together in the court.
, support each other.”
"You don't plan to do this?" Jiang Ru was confused and added: "Don't worry, I won't tell the chief about this."
"What stupid things are you saying?" Zhao Shuyan said: "Do you think I have any other options? Still going forward and retreating together in court is something that not only Master Liang but also His Majesty cannot tolerate."
"That's right." Jiang Ru felt inexplicably worried for Zhao Shu. The dangers and hardships he had to bear were far more than he wanted.
Seeing Zhao Shu put down the book and leave, Jiang Ru asked: "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to the City God's Temple to take a look. You don't have to follow me." Zhao Shu waved his hand and left the house alone.
Except for the soldiers guarding outside the door, all the other people in the City God's Temple had been asked to leave. Zhao Shu walked straight inside. The lights around him were lit silently, following Zhao Shu's steps, slowly illuminating the way forward.
When Zhao Shu came to the main hall, the brass lampstands shaped like hibiscus trees on both sides lit up with flames, reflecting the majestic and solemn statue of Hengbi Gong.
"Little friend Zhao Mi, you are finally here." The sigh of Lord Hengbi echoed in the main hall.
"Xiao Zhao pays homage to Lord Hengbi." Zhao Shu bowed and bowed.
Duke Hengbi's tone was less friendly than in the past: "You are already a great man in this world and are highly regarded by Liang Tao. I am not worthy of your respect."
Although places like the City God's Temple were protected by barriers, Zhao Shu was still wary and said: "I know that Lord Hengbi is disappointed, but this place is not suitable for in-depth discussions. Can we choose another place?"
The true form of Lord Hengbi emerged from the statue silently, floated down to the altar, raised his hand and pressed Zhao Shu's shoulder, and shouted: "Follow me."
Zhao Shu gathered his spiritual energy, only to feel his whole body tightening, and the light in front of his eyes flashed out. The method of shrinking the earth relies on the communication of earth veins, and it is not easy to use it. Now, although Zhao Shu has obtained a shrinking god from the stone fire light,
talisman, but I am still on the way to enlightenment.
What's more important is that Shukuchi Shenxing cannot easily bring mortals to and from him. If he is not careful, he will be shaken to the point of chaos and panic.
When Zhao Shu stood firm again, he felt that the surroundings were full of fresh air. He was in an empty valley, with half a bright moon hanging high in the sky and stars twinkling. Even without candlelight, the valley was filled with dim light and clear brilliance, and he could see things as usual.
.
This place was Tiegong's cave in the past, and it was also the site of the Ascension Immortal Relic. Infected by the pure air, it has now turned into a blessed land in the world.
"Don't worry, the atmosphere of this blessed land is unique. Even if Liang Tao has the ability to see from the sky and the earth, he can't spy on this place." Duke Hengbi led Zhao Shui to a grass pavilion and sat down.
At this time, I saw a group of fat and honest little guys who looked a bit like mice. They were holding cups and plates with both hands and quickly placed them on the table. The plates were mostly filled with Poria, Polygonatum and other mountain delicacies. The fragrant aroma was poured out of the pottery pot.
, amber-colored fruit wine.
"The poverty in the mountains is nothing more than this." Duke Hengbi said sarcastically: "It can't be compared to the food and clothing expenses of the nobles."
Zhao Miao didn't pay attention, and looked at the naive marmots. They were hiding outside the pavilion, their expressions were smart, and they peeked over from time to time.
"Are they the otter demons who dug the Yingzhuo Stone in the first place?" Zhao Shu asked.
"That's right." Hengbi Gong said: "This group of otter demons are bound by me, so they have a place to live, and let them repair the blessed land. However, these otter demons are short-sighted, and although they are psychic, they are slow to
Can't change shape."
Zhao Shu pondered for a moment, and he occasionally talked to Jiang Ru about monster cultivation. Because the vitality of the original body is different from ordinary people, most of the immortal scriptures and techniques since ancient times are not suitable for monsters, unless they are spiritual birds and auspicious beasts with extraordinary natural talents.
You can only understand and explore on your own.
What Jiang Ru practiced was a method specially modified by Liang Tao for the Jiang family. Zhao Shu once heard Jiang Ru report that it was actually by concentrating on the true form of the jade girl in the immortal jar, guiding his own energy, and thus changing his human form.
.
"I can try to give them some guidance." Zhao Shu said.
As soon as these words came out, the group of otter demons immediately became excited, chirping, and knelt down to worship like humans.
"Have you learned these tricks to win people's hearts since you left Xingluo County?" Duke Hengbi waved his hand gently, telling the otter demon to retreat, his tone was unkind.
Zhao Miao looked ashamed: "I have disappointed Mr. Hengbi."
"I am indeed disappointed!" Mr. Hengbi slapped the table, and the dishes trembled: "I didn't expect that you would actually seek refuge with Liang Tao, and follow him to build a kingdom in the world! Forget about his wishful thinking, you just follow along and fool around.
What?!"
Zhao Shu did not answer, and Duke Hengbi continued: "You have seen how Liang Tao behaves. You have passed through the door of death yourself, why do you still want to collude with him? Have you also become greedy for power and status?
Or is it that this world of mortals has made you lose your true nature?"
"Liang Tao took the initiative to approach me regarding the matter of the Dao Kingdom in the Human World." Zhao Shu said: "It was precisely because I set up an altar in Xingluo County to practice magic to suppress the divine sword that he took notice of my merits in the rituals. He thought that
This is indispensable to the great cause of the Taoist country on earth."
"Then you can escape!" Duke Hengbi said: "The world is vast, why do you have to stick to a corner of Huaxu Kingdom? With your ability, why worry about not being reused in other countries?"
Zhao Shu shook his head and retorted: "Not to mention whether I can escape from Liang Tao's control, I can't just give up everything and escape from Huaxu Kingdom. What's more, my abilities have been improved step by step through the training of the past, so that I can be recognized by others.
.Otherwise, other countries may not take in a defecting monk."
"What if you are acting against the will?" Hengbi Gong said earnestly: "But I see all your actions now, it is clear that you regard the Taoist country as your career. Could it be that you have also been bewitched by Liang Tao?"
"Mr. Hengbi, I am the descendant of the Zanli Official of the Tianxia Dynasty." Zhao Shu replied: "There are some things that I still want to personally verify. No matter whether it is successful or not, I want a result so that I can feel at ease."
Duke Hengbi stood up and said: "According to what you say, the Tianxia Dynasty had officials who praised the ceremony, and they were supposed to live forever and live forever. Why was the imperial line cut off after a few hundred years? This kind of wishful thinking of a Taoist country in the world, ordinarily you should be better than
Everyone knows that this is absolutely impossible to succeed!"
"If it fails, it will be Liang Tao's doom." Zhao Shu said in a deep voice.
Duke Hengbi paused for a moment, then asked: "Is this your plan? To use rituals and rituals to counter Liang Tao?"
Zhao Miao's expression was serious: "Mr. Hengbi, you have succeeded Iron Gong and become a city god. I would like to ask, how vast is your magic power?"
"I shouldn't say this." Duke Hengbi sighed softly: "But since you asked, I also tell you clearly - from Panlong Mountain to the south to the seaside, wherever the air flow of the territory is,
That is where my magic power can reach. It will not be a problem to cover Xingluo County. If there are my shrines in nearby counties, the magic power may be even deeper and wider."
"What if your shrines are spread throughout Huaxu Kingdom?" Zhao Shu asked again.
Hengbi Gong was stunned when he heard this. After thinking for a long time, he shook his head slightly and said, "Virtue is not worthy of its place. If you offer sacrifices in such a big way, I will be swallowed up by the incense and my true spirit will be swallowed up immediately."
Zhao Shu said: "Gong Hengbi should understand at this time why the Emperor, Heaven, Empress, Earth, and the Five Virtues are all selfless, desireless, and innately sacred, right? If you have a selfish heart, how can you carry the faith and wishes of all living beings?
?How to illuminate the creation of heaven and earth?"
Duke Hengbi asked: "Do you think that with Liang Tao's selfish intentions, once he goes to the altar to practice law and tries to control the energy of heaven and earth, he will be immediately counterattacked?"
"This is not a backlash, but a hurdle that he must face." Zhao Shu said: "When Mr. Hengbi asked me what my plan was, I can also make it clear that I have no plan, because I don't need to be deceived at all.
Liang Tao."
This answer really surprised Hengbi Gong. Zhao Shu went on to say: "Actually, I suspect that Liang Tao himself also understands this matter. After all, he is a living immortal family. Some things will naturally be clear to him when he reaches the realm."
"What if Liang Tao passes this level?" Hengbi Gong asked again.
"Then Liang Tao will no longer be Liang Tao." Zhao Shu said: "The world is selfless. This is something Liang Tao cannot resist. Since he has chosen this path, he must take responsibility."
Liang Tao intends to become the master of Shinto. To control the energy of heaven and earth, he must set up laws and regulations. And those who preside over the laws cannot escape from the laws. Liang Tao's cultivation realm will be deeply embedded in the new settings in the future.
In the laws and regulations of the world, the creation of heaven and earth, and the faith and wishes of all living beings will be presented to him without any concealment, and there is no way to avoid them.
When Zhao Shu practiced the Dharma at the Jianjia Pass Well Altar to ward off the plague, he was almost dissolved on the Dharma Altar. This was because of his own true Qi, magical power, cultivation realm, body, spirit, and soul, and the laws and regulations were inextricably linked to each other.
Although Liang Tao has achieved extremely high achievements in the immortal way, what he will face in the future is the new and complete laws and the vaster creation of heaven and earth. Even if he can barely maintain himself, I am afraid that he will not be able to survive in the immortal family.
.
Zhao Shui himself is well versed in rituals and rituals, especially when refining the souls of the dead, he must endure and face all kinds of misery of the deceased. And when Liang Tao really tries to master the energy of heaven and earth, all living things in the world will surely come together, and even Zhao Shui dare not
Imagine that scene.
Zhao Shu was compiling rituals during these days and was also thinking about how to deal with and resolve them. But no matter how much he exhausted his past knowledge, he could not find a feasible solution. Liang Tao would either die directly on the altar, or he would become a human being.
The mainstay of the Tao Kingdom's Qi Shu operation, there cannot be a third way.
However, Zhao Shu knew very well that he could not do it at all, so he placed his hope on Liang Tao. He very much expected Liang Tao to find a way that even he could not think of.
"It's too risky." Hengbi Gong said: "If nothing else, what if Liang Tao chooses to kill you first and then make a desperate move before finally ascending to the altar? Do you have any way to deal with it yourself?"
"At that time, I have no choice." Zhao Shu was in a daze. He found that unknowingly, he and Liang Tao seemed to regard each other as an opportunity to realize their ideals.