leonardwarren Chapter 32 Commission
Chapter 32 Commission
As the saying goes: antiques are valued in prosperous times, while gold is valued in chaotic times.
This statement is absolutely true. It's nothing new that while the rich feast on meat and wine, the poor freeze to death on the streets.
The sixteenth year of Wansheng Dynasty
The nation was newly established, and everything needed to be rebuilt.
The group of bandits could no longer contain themselves and began searching for a way to escape. Anyone with even a little bit of connections did the same.
Those who could not escape were so anxious that they developed sores on their feet and blisters on their heads.
The reasons were nothing more than this: the national treasury was empty, and there was an urgent need to slaughter a group of bandits who had already been fattened up. One reason was to use them as military funds, and the other was to stabilize public sentiment and earn a good reputation for the new dynasty.
Lintao Prefecture bordered the territory of the Qiang and Yi ethnic groups, making it a particularly chaotic and disorderly place. Bandits and mountain thieves who ruled the mountains and claimed fiefdoms were everywhere.
The Central Army, sharpening its knives, naturally turned its attention to this place.
The group of cowardly mountain folk, who bullied the weak and feared the strong, had never witnessed such a horrifying scene.
In less than six months, Lintao County was pacified. However, some escaped. These bandits were not like the poor people who had no choice but to become outlaws.
Their entire clan transformed into mountain bandits, entrenched in the Kanze Mountains, outwardly appearing as a group of arsonists, murderers, robbers, and thieves who committed all sorts of atrocities.
In reality, they were engaged in the business of surveying mountains and locating graves, and searching for treasures. In times of chaos, they would sell the gold, silver and valuables in the tombs to cover their daily expenses.
In prosperous times, antiques and calligraphy would be displayed, and high-ranking officials and nobles would be sought for transactions.
This rampant activity continued for decades without incident, until the group unearthed something they shouldn't have. More than half of the clan's members, numbering in the hundreds, were killed or injured.
The remaining tribesmen were also unable to protect themselves and had no choice but to settle down in the area.
If that were the case, then so be it. But the older generation of these bandits hadn't lost much of their skills; relying on the notes left by their ancestors, they found a special mountain range.
Beneath the mountain range lies a ghost realm, where ghostly soldiers wage endless war. If the feng shui arrangement remains intact, this delicate balance will never be broken.
This group deduced that neither pure yin nor pure yang could thrive in this place. Therefore, they believed that this ghostly realm must contain something of extreme yang and yang.
After years of searching, the entrance was finally confirmed.
They built a village at the entrance and, using the wellhead as cover, dug day and night.
They eventually unearthed an underground palace, deep within which stood a bronze door... Behind the door, of course, lay the fierce ghosts of the underworld.
As Yan Chengrui spoke, his expression became even more ferocious.
"If they hadn't happened to be passing through this area, it's safe to say that no one in the vast Cangzhou, Lintao Prefecture, and its four subordinate counties would have survived."
"Then why did you end up like this, senior?" Fang Hongxuan asked, expressing his curiosity.
"Hmph, naturally it's to prevent the demonic realm from corrupting my mind. If it were twenty or thirty years, I could certainly endure it."
But now, fifty years have passed, and even though I have reached the pinnacle of refining essence into qi, I can only separate my head from my body to prevent future troubles.
"Moreover, the Tsukigami often goes out to find blood and food, and after absorbing life force, it attacks back into my body. That's how I barely managed to hold on."
"If it were an ordinary person, I certainly wouldn't want to do this. But those members of the Ge family deserve to die, they have no right to live or die..."
"Tonight is the 117th year of the Wansheng Dynasty. If we calculate carefully, could this person have lived for over a hundred years?"
Are there really immortals in this world who can prolong their lives?
Fang Hongxuan was somewhat taken aback, as this was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing.
Seemingly sensing Fang Hongxuan's doubts, Yan Chengrui narrowed his eyes slightly, his face devoid of a smile: "Those who have mastered the Refining Essence into Qi have a flawless physical body, indestructible like Vajra. As long as the soul remains, the physical body can naturally survive for a long time."
"How long can someone like you survive?"
"It's only three hundred years. If the times are turbulent enough, we might witness the rise and fall of dynasties and the change of imperial power."
"Now, the Yin army within the sect is becoming increasingly powerful. I imagine that in another two or three years, even I will be unable to defend this place."
Fang Hongxuan understood Yan Chengrui's implied meaning. He stood up and bowed slightly, saying, "If there is anything that you can do for me, I will certainly do my best."
Yan Chengrui laughed heartily, and even the headless armored soldiers seemed quite pleased.
"If possible, I hope that when you go to Qingzhou, you will find a man named Dou Ziqiao. Once he sees this Cuojin Blade, he will understand everything..."
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Yan Chengrui finally reprimanded Zhong Hu, satisfied, for sending Fang Hongxuan out of the underground palace.
...
In the deep forest at night, the full moon hangs on the treetops, its light like flowing water, and the mountain breeze at night stirs up ripples.
Instead of taking Fang Hongxuan to the pass east of Gejia Village, Zhonghu drove him back into the Bewitching Forest.
After Fang Hongxuan had traveled dozens of miles, Zhonghu stopped and watched the man and horse depart.
In fact, Fang Hongxuan wasn't particularly curious, so he didn't ask Yan Chengrui anything. For example, why did the ancestors of Gejia Village, who possessed skills similar to Fulong Zhenren in surveying mountains and determining burial sites, disregard the safety of their clan and search for something repeatedly?
For example, why did Yan Chengrui happen to be passing through this desolate wilderness when the underground palace was unearthed in Gejia Village?
A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. Since Fang Hongxuan has accepted Yan Chengrui's favor, he will do what Yan Chengrui asked.
However, all of this is done with the premise that one's own safety is absolutely guaranteed, in order to do everything possible to repay the favors owed.
...
The forest was rugged, and although the dense, thick canopy of trees blocked most of the moonlight, it was not dimly lit by the fireflies surrounding the swordsman.
Stroking the warm, jade-like scabbard in his hand, Fang Hongxuan was filled with emotion. In this world, all weapons, regardless of their type, were divided into four grades.
The lowest grade is the "ordinary" grade, which includes items used for self-defense by shoemakers and laborers. Even the swords, axes, and halberds used in the army are only barely considered "good" grade.
An ordinary craftsman, having devoted his entire life to forging a weapon of the highest level, can be considered an unparalleled master.
As for the legendary supreme weapon, the last time it was discovered was eighty years ago, and it was only a broken piece of weapon.
The Cuojin Blade that was handed over to Fang Hongxuan is a rare and exceptional weapon!
The scabbards used to hold these weapons are naturally no ordinary items; they are specially forged from materials that match the nature of the weapons.
The bird and beast eyes on the scabbard are the valuable filing stones. Any slight damage to the weapon can be slowly restored by the gentle care of the filing stones.
Once he had calmed down, Fang Hongxuan consulted the celestial omens to determine his location.
"According to Senior Yan, although this Bewitching Forest can dazzle people and make them lose their way, it is not dangerous at all."
"Simply compare your location with the Big Dipper in the sky; the way out is where the Yao Guang star is."
After several attempts, he still couldn't find a solution. Unable to escape from this place for the time being, Fang Hongxuan couldn't help but feel uneasy.
"This place is so eerie, and the Bewitching Forest covers a vast area. Could it be that the ghostly realm sealed off by the underground palace lies below?"
...