The group approached the altar, stayed outside for a moment, and then stopped moving forward. After all, they did not step on the stone steps of the altar, let alone climb down from the pyramid of the altar. Instead, they walked down a path next to the altar. .
The path seems to be for people carrying things during sacrifices. It is not steps, but goes around like a winding mountain road.
This setting is probably to make it easier for sword slaves who have their feet to move around. In fact, the entire Gangliang Mountain is like this. All the roads under your feet lack edges and steps. They are like a thick blanket of sand. The sword slaves can go all the way there.
Going down from the second staircase, at a certain moment, it seemed as if a curtain was torn down, and the colors of the world were reversed again.
This is a new area - the third level.
In this area, the world is no longer just black, white and gray. Various colors come to the eye. The soil is yellow, the trees are green, and there are all the colors that should be there. It can be considered colorful, but no matter what color it is, it wants to be dull and old, just like the color of clothes has been washed away.
If the second step is black and white photos, then the third step is faded old-fashioned color photos. It's clearer and better looking than a black and white photo, but it has an old and depressing atmosphere.
But no matter what, according to ordinary people's perception, the third step is still more comfortable than the second step. Not only is there color, but the scenery is not just sand dunes, but mainly plains, with grasslands and shrubs being visible. Especially after coming down from the second level, I feel like I have been reborn.
Scattered houses and walls can be seen in the bushes. Those are all third-level manors. There are no residential buildings in Gangliang Mountain, and there is no place outside the manor.
Even those manors only occupy a larger area, and the buildings and construction are much rougher and cruder than those outside the Zhumen Xihu Mingtang with pure tiles, and they are completely inferior to the second-level Sunset Manor. Put it outside, that is, in the earthen compound of a rural landlord.
The manor on the third step does not have a separate "shadow space" like the manor on the second step, but is located in a large plain like the houses in the outside world. This can be said to be the benefit of not having major disasters such as the Ghost Disaster. It can also be said that the third-level manor cannot afford such high-end goods as a separate space.
Tang Zhao looked at it from a high place, and saw that the manors were not far from each other. Those manors were quite large in terms of building area, but they did not come with fields and other land, so the territory was not large, and there might not even be a village.
Think about it, compared to the "Five First-Level" and "Top Ten Second-Level" manors, which have a fixed number, the third-level manors are all self-financed and built by each manor owner. If you have the strength and free space, you can build one. In recent years, it has become easier to get the recognition of Yi Liang. As long as the sacrifices are in place, Yi Liang will not refuse anyone who comes, and the number of manors continues to grow. The two mountains are not expanding, and the space of each manor is getting smaller and smaller.
As a result, the friction between the manors is increasing. It just so happens that there is no such strong order as the "official government" in Gangliang Mountain, and even the third-order Yuanshi doesn't care about it. The public security situation can be imagined.
A new manor has laid its foundation, but most of the other manors don't like it, thinking that it is taking up their own space. If you want to eradicate it, then it is best to launch a direct attack before the first sacrifice while his foothold is not stable, and eliminate him in one fell swoop. A manor that has not undergone sacrifices is a wild manor. It is the most common thing to be established today and disappear tomorrow, without causing any splash.
If you pass the first sacrifice, it is equivalent to being recognized by Wang Liang. With proof of identity, it will not be easy to capture. But it's not that you can't move at all. It's just that after you capture it, you have to prepare a lot of sacrifices and report to Master Zuo. This is to pay the price for privately attacking the certified manor. As long as there is sincerity, Mr. Ji and Liang will not refuse anyone who comes.
The more sacrifices that pass through the manor, the greater the price that needs to be paid to destroy it, and the less economical it is to calculate it. Therefore, it is generally believed that after a period of sixty years, the manor can be considered safe, and the probability of "monster siege" is greatly reduced. The owner of the manor can also breathe a sigh of relief temporarily and spend some time going to Yulang City to eat, drink and have fun instead of staying at the manor every day.
Of course, if you really encounter a foreign enemy with a blood feud, there is nothing you can do about it, no matter what the price, they will risk your life to kill you. This kind of thing happens in the human world, how can Zongliang Mountain be an exception? If you encounter it, you can only admit that you are unlucky.
Generally speaking, Changfa Manor is a relatively safe manor. It has been... nearly sixty years since its establishment.
Almost sixty years. To be precise, after this year's sacrifice, the novice period of a decade has officially passed.
The reason why he knew it so accurately was because Tang Zhao saw the data from previous investigations, which happened to start from the investigation of the birth of Changfa Manor.
This information is—Kouzo’s last-minute investigation of Yuki Soo’s secret material.
"finally arrived at home."
From a distance, the walls of Changfa Manor were clearly visible.
As a backward manor, Changfa Manor is in a rather remote location. There is no running water around it, only a patch of gray thatch. The thatch grew very luxuriantly, with a few shallow patches giving off the feeling of a barren land.
On one side of the grass, there is a row of more than ten large pine trees. Surrounded by the pine trees, the ocher-red walls of Long Hair Manor are exposed.
Seeing the manor from a distance, four big words "in disrepair" flashed in Tang Zhao's mind.
Compared with the ordinary third-level manor, which at least has a decent appearance, Changfa Manor looks very old. The walls are faded, the door is cracked, and the stone slab in front of the door is incomplete. In other words, those big pine trees are pretty decent.
Tang Zhao observed the manor as calmly as possible, thinking only: Has the owner of the manor been dead for half a year? I also said he was half dead! Is it true that Xing Cang doesn't care about this? Isn’t it said that the manor is the most important thing?
The group of people came to the front of the mansion, Xing Cang signaled to Xing Jiu, Xing Jiu got off his horse and shouted loudly: "The general manager returns to the mansion, open the door to welcome him!"
This voice was quite noisy, and he was obviously used to shouting. I thought I had shouted like this before, so I wasn't surprised at all. Now that the owner of the manor is away, it's okay to shout like this. If the old owner had shouted so loudly before, regardless of the owner's presence, it would have seemed that Xing Cang's power had surpassed the owner.
Although Xingjiu had shouted loudly, it took a long time for the door to open. Only seven or eight weak sword slaves came out and knelt at the door to greet the group.
It seems that this is all the people left to look at the house. Most of the people were called down the mountain to eat and drink with the new owner.
Xing Cang said calmly: "There are only so many people left? Xing Jiu, you are the last one to go down the mountain, right? The master asked you to take everyone down, but you are obedient and don't even leave a reliable gatekeeper."
His voice was calm, but Xing Jiu's expression changed drastically. He suddenly came down and knelt down in front of Xing Cang and said: "General Manager. A slave is only following the master's orders, not..."
Xing Cang sighed: "I don't blame you. Ever since the master arrived at Gangliang Mountain, he has been the master of the manor. Who can disobey his orders? Even I have to listen. I taught you this truth. Now I I’ll teach you again.”
Maybe it was because the manor was right in front of him, but Tang Zhao felt that Xing Cang's voice was thundering beneath the lake.
Xing Wu, who was nearby, heard this and hurriedly ran over and knelt down in front of Xing Cang. The rest of the team are all sword slaves, how can they not kneel down? The ground was filled with darkness, and everyone was prostrate at his feet.
Xing Wu and Xing Jiu took the lead and said in unison: "Listen to the teachings of the Chief Superintendent."
So at this time, only Tang Zhao was standing. Stand out from the crowd.
Tang Zhao felt clear in his heart: It’s coming! As soon as the old man returned to the manor, he immediately started to tremble. He was not allowed to enter, and he first gave the newly promoted deputy general manager a slap in the face.
Xingwu and Xingjiu may not be involved in this matter, especially Xingwu. The reason why they cooperate so smoothly, as if they have been rehearsed, is probably due to Xingcang's accumulated power. This was how he used to be at Changfa Manor. Whoever he glanced at was naturally shorter, and whoever he lectured had to kneel in front of him and listen.
Tang Zhao hesitated for a moment and chose to hold on, resisting and not kneeling.
This decision was not Tang Zhao's, but Xingqi's. Xingqi was favored by the new master and was promoted to this position. He should have some ambitions. If he knelt down without even being able to stand a word, it would be too useless. Although Xingqi is not a tough guy who can be put to great use, he still has this tone.
However, Tang Zhao did not show disdain or even anger. He chose to look slightly pale, as if he was afraid but still holding on. It's just that his face is slightly pale and it's not easy to see on Kongliang Mountain.
Xing Cang didn't even look at Xing Qi, and said in a deep voice: "I'll tell you again. The new master is also the master, the master of Changfa Manor. As slaves, of course you must obey the master. I also obey the master, I My meaning is the same as my master’s, and there is no difference! Anyone who forcibly separates me from my master, chooses sides, or forces me to make a choice clearly has ulterior motives. I will never spare such a person."
As he was speaking, all the doors and windows of the manor suddenly opened wide with a loud "snap" sound, followed by countless drafts, blowing branches, flying sand and rocks, and the wind whined like a ghost crying.
Tang Zhao pursed his lips and made an expression of fear and composure. He only thought in his mind: the windows were opened so neatly, he could indeed control the manor.
Xing Cang sighed: "Of course, I also know that you want to stand out in front of the master. Life is so short, and maybe you will return to the arms of the two adults in the next moment. In the limited time, who doesn't want to live a better life? Who doesn't want to get the master's favor? Do you value it and have a higher status?"
"But what does this rely on? Do you rely on bragging and flattery to please you? Do you still remember what I taught you? There are not many benefits in this place in Zengliang Mountain. The only benefit may be purity. A slave's heart to serve his master is the purest, and he will serve his master wholeheartedly. If you have second thoughts, you will never take the wrong path. If you bring the evil spirits from outside into the manor, you will be cut into pieces with a thousand cuts!"
Tang Zhao thought to himself: Are you the only one who has the nerve to say that? Back then, Kouzo was still innocent and took the risk to investigate you for the sake of his previous master. Didn't you kill him? You old guy, why are you so thick-skinned? You dare to say anything just because you are back in your own territory.
Xing Cang continued: "If you want to gain the trust of the master, what do you need to rely on? Rely on diligence and merit. Do things for the master in a down-to-earth manner, go through fire and water, and never flinch, so that the master can trust you. Xing Qi——"
He finally called Tang Zhao's name. Tang Zhao pretended to be slightly shocked and raised his eyes to look at him.
Xing Cang said in a deep voice: "Master trusts you and promotes you. Isn't it a great kindness? As long as you have a little bit of loyalty, you should always charge forward. This time, can you back down from the sword fight with Sunset Manor? ?"
(End of chapter)
