Jiuguancheng.
This city is also a poor one among the cities in the generally barren Southern Territory. The city walls are still bricks and stones from the founding of the country, and the magical weapons and soldiers used for defense have gone through many vicissitudes of life. If the city is really attacked, I don't know how useful it will be.
However, the geographical location of Jiuguan City in the Southern Territory is actually extremely important. It is the hub of the Southern Territory, connecting three continents and four prefectures. It is a water and land transportation fortress and a battleground for military strategists.
And for a place with such an excellent location to be so poor, in the absence of natural disasters all year round, it is nothing more than a man-made disaster.
The southern region has high mountains and mountains, and imperial power is difficult to come by. Officials with ambitions, ambitions, and ability are unwilling to work here. It is not easy to be seen if they make achievements, and if they fail to make achievements, they will simply die here. It has always been a cold palace in officialdom.
After those mediocre officials came here, they no longer had the pursuit of power, so they had to make up for it financially. If you make a lot of money, if you work hard, you might have a chance to return to Yudu City. Hundreds of years after the founding of the Yu Dynasty, it was not without wise monarchs who were determined to govern. Five of the ten chief officials of Jiuguancheng were convicted of corruption, but this matter could never be stopped.
Because power is given by the emperor, these bureaucrats only need to flatter the emperor and do not need to be responsible to the people. In this place where the mountains are high and the emperor is far away, they are naturally unscrupulous. No matter how ruthless the killing is, there will still be no shortage of these insects who rely on the imperial power.
Even the peaceful and prosperous Yu Dynasty, with its virtuous and harmonious government, could not change this. If the emperor was in trouble, it would only make the people's livelihood more miserable.
Chu and Liang were walking on the road outside Jiuguan City, and this was what they saw and felt.
It was almost dusk now, and there were still many people coming and going, and the traffic flowed from the city gate to far away. It was obviously a prosperous place, but the city was dilapidated and the people were in poverty. Rich merchants and skinny local residents often passed each other. When it goes out of style, it creates a stark contrast.
"It is said that the Yu Dynasty's national destiny was lost. If there were more places like Jiuguan City, the country would be destroyed." Ling Ao frowned at the sight.
"Not for the time being." Chu Liang said: "The southern region is barren, but the larger cities in the eastern region and Zhongzhou are still prosperous. Talents in the Yu Dynasty like to go to such places, and there are more officials with ideals and ambitions. , Normally, the Eastern Region will become more and more prosperous... The Southern Region will become poorer, and then all the talents from the Southern Region will go to the Eastern Region and Zhongzhou, adding to the local poverty... If there are no natural disasters, maybe we can The cycle goes on and on.”
"It's just that the ordinary people in the Southern Territory have suffered, and they have done something wrong to be punished by these insects." Lin Bei scolded.
"Alas." Chu Liang sighed, and could only say: "The officialdom is complicated, and we consider ourselves to be righteous people. If we are really asked to do it, we may not be able to do it better. We can only handle our affairs first. "
"This still looks lively. Where are the Mangshan disciples?" Ling Ao asked, "Are we going to wait here for them to show up?"
"The Mangshan disciples are huge. Once activated, they will cause casualties. Even if my master comes, he can't stop it..." At this point, Chu Liang paused.
The emperor's daughter Feng went on a killing spree in the city. Not only could it not prevent the casualties, but it might actually aggravate them.
After a careful investigation, maybe there were more innocent people killed or injured by her hands.
Although he didn't say it, both Lin Bei and Ling Ao understood.
They often hang out on Silver Sword Peak, so they naturally have to understand this silent understanding.
Then Chu Liang continued: "We'd better think of a way to find some clues in advance."
"Hey, hey, hey!" Lin Beilang laughed, "Vicious Mangshan disciples, you are really unlucky today to meet us, Shushan's two prides, and take action!"
Ling Ao scratched his head and said with a smile: "With Senior Sister Jiang and Senior Brother Xu, how can I deserve to be called the pride of Chu Liang..."
Lin Bei looked at him strangely, "I mean Chu Liang and I, what are you thinking?"
"What am I thinking? I want to spit in your face." Ling Ao lowered his face instantly.
"Okay." Chu Liang waved his hand to stop them, looked at the city in front of him, and muttered: "Even though Jiuguan City looks crumbling, it is only the outer wall material, and the defensive formations on the wall are still rearranged every year. . This is the business of the Supervisory Government. All cities, large and small, will not be left behind. There will be no omissions in this. If there are no large monsters or magic weapons, it will still be difficult for them to attack the city. As long as there is a little delay, reinforcements from the imperial court may arrive. "
"But the Mangshan disciples only plunder and don't stop, so they don't have to worry too much about time." Lin Beidao.
"It's still necessary." Chu Liang said: "If I were the leader of the Mangshan disciples and attacked such a city, then I would definitely let some people sneak into the city first, and wait until the time of attacking the city to cooperate inside and outside. In this way, I can break the formation defending the city. The law is easy."
"That's the truth." Ling Ao nodded in agreement.
After saying this, he was shocked to realize that even though six years had passed and he was already the sole deacon of Shushan, as soon as Chu Liang came back, he would still unknowingly put down his mind and follow Chu Liang's footsteps.
He comforted himself again. Fortunately, Chu Liang's realm was blocked. Although he was not as quick as him in using his brain, his cultivation level was higher than his. He could be a thug and was not completely useless.
Thinking like this, Ling Ao felt calm in his heart.
…
Not long after, Chu Liang and the two of them approached the city. When the soldiers at the top of the city saw them coming, they immediately raised their spears and halberds and shouted, "Who are they coming!"
"We are the deacon disciples of the Shushan sect and want to see the general guarding the city." Chu Liang said directly.
The soldier looked at him carefully and said, "Disciple from Shushan? You guys want to..."
"This is for you." Chu Liang raised his hand and threw out a bag of silver, and then another bag, "Give this to him."
He slapped two bags of money and smashed the soldier's expression. He suddenly showed a flattering smile, "Okay, I'll go and report it now. Three young heroes, please come inside -"
After that, he rushed to the top of the city, shouting all the way, with vague words like "three male guests" in his mouth...
Immediately, the three of them saw the soldier guarding the city gate, saying that the general was really commendable, because he was only a small captain at most. As long as he is a low-ranking young general, it might be useful for Chu Liang to reveal his identity as his royal younger brother.
But for this low-level insect, if you claim too high a status, he won't know it. Even if he knew, he might think you were lying to him.
In order to save time, Chu Liang still used the fastest customs clearance solution.
Snapped.
Another bag of money was slapped on the table, "I want to know what kind of unusual people have entered the city today." He asked directly: "A large number of them."
"What are you talking about?" The soldier frowned, "This captain is here to guard, how can any abnormal person dare to..."
Snapped.
Another bag.
"Let me tell you, Jiuguancheng is very likely to become the new target of the Mangshan disciples. We received the news and came to investigate." Chu Liang also said at the same time: "The people from the Supervisory Government may come later. You If you keep hiding it, we won’t be able to save you.”
"Ah..." The soldier's expression changed drastically.
Snapped.
Another bag.
"I'm asking for money now, but I don't know what the Supervisory Government will ask for when the time comes." Chu Liang finally said: "If the Mangshan disciples really attack the city, I wonder if they will look at you for letting them in." For my sake, I’ll let you go.”
"No!" The soldier obviously got too much information and couldn't handle it. His face turned red all of a sudden, and he stood up anxiously and replied: "The only people who were let in without inspection today...are the only ones who have the warrant from the Prime Minister's Office." Our convoy, the others are all doing business on weekdays, how can there be any Mangshan disciples?!"
Chu Liang's pupils shrank, "Prime Minister's Mansion?"
"Yes." The soldier said: "They are the only ones in the large group of black convoys entering the city. They have the warrant from the prime minister's palace and the chief officer is saying hello. How can I dare to stop it? If something goes wrong, it's not me, the captain." can be committed.”
"Location." Chu Liang said without any nonsense.
An hour ago, the convoy holding a warrant from the Prime Minister's Office was covered with black cloth and all entered the city. With many years of experience, the captain could tell that the people in the car were all people, about two hundred people.
Those motorcades stopped at the "Nangong Mansion" in the city. It is said that the head of the Nangong family is a retainer of the prime minister, and the family members are very powerful in Jiuguan City.
The three people from Chu and Liang came and went in a hurry.
"Go back and inform the Supervisor of the situation in Jiuguan City. No one here is allowed to run away." Chu Liang said to Lin Bei as he walked, and then murmured, "Is my money so easy to collect?"
…
Nangong Mansion.
It was already dark now, and under the dim sky, the gray Jiuguan City looked even more dilapidated. But the mansion is extremely magnificent, with large red lanterns hanging high inside and outside, illuminating the majestic mansion.
Chu Liang and Ling Ao came outside the city wall and said to Lin Bei: "You are waiting outside, and the two of us will go in and take a look."
"Okay." Lin Bei patted his chest, "I'm good at this, so be careful."
He had cooperated with Chu Liang so many times before, and almost all of his work was lookout and support. He was considered a senior support person.
After explaining, Chu Liang and Ling Ao jumped into the high wall.
In fact, if Chu Liang directly transformed into the wind, it would be more concealed and faster, but in that case it would be difficult for Ling Ao to keep up. Since it was not good to ask someone to help without giving him a chance to show off, Chu Liang would just accommodate him a little.
Anyway, Ling Ao is now in the sixth realm of physical cultivation. He can move like the wind and his speed is extremely fast, so the difference is not too big.
With two whooshes, the two of them had entered Nangong's mansion from the backyard.
"There is a formation here, be careful." Chu Liang warned.
Ling Ao also realized something was wrong early on. He jumped twice, suddenly twisted in mid-air, and passed over an open space.
The two of them avoided all detections and arrived at the compound where dozens of black carriages were parked. There is a lot of aura hidden under the black cloth, which vaguely looks like a human being.
"But this aura is a bit weak?" Chu Liang wondered, "It doesn't look like a practitioner, let alone attacking the city?"
Suspicious, he flew forward and gently lifted the black cloth to take a look.
Under the black cloth, there were several women sitting in the car. They were all tied up, looked sallow and thin, and looked extremely weak.
Suddenly seeing the black cloth being lifted, a woman was suddenly frightened and shouted: "Ah!"
This shout immediately alerted the watchers.
"Who is it?" A group of men in black rushed in from outside the courtyard wall.
Just as Chu Liang was about to take action, he heard Ling Aodun shout: "Leave me alone!"
After a moment of contact, he dodged away, swinging his fists and feet.
Bang bang bang...
However, in the blink of an eye, a group of warriors had been knocked away one by one by his blows. Every time they got by, their bones were broken and their muscles were broken, and the sound of wailing could be heard all over the place.
This is still the result of his holding back. With his current physical strength, he can only kill these people with a snap of his fingers.
But this movement still attracted real experts.
Just as the wind howled, a man in a bright red robe fluttered to the ground, followed by four girls in colorful clothes, each holding a sword in his arms.
"Bold thief, you dare to break into my Nangong home!" The man in red robe had a pink complexion. He didn't know how old he was, but his eyes were bright and shining with an evil light.
He pushed with both palms, and a shadow of blood evil pressed towards the two of them.
"I'll deal with him!" Ling Ao took the lead and said, "You deal with those girls!"
He realized that the man in red robe was a strong man whose cultivation was even higher than his own. He was worried that Chu Liang would suffer a loss due to his lack of strength, so he took the initiative to bear the burden.
"I..." Chu Liang hesitated. Seeing that he had already rushed forward, he still did not stop him, but faced the four girls holding swords.
The four girls drew their swords in unison, drinking from their mouths. In an instant, the sword light merged into one, vaguely confusing the human eye, and then a red light bloomed out, as colorful as a flower blooming.
"Illusion?" Chu Liang blinked and said softly: "Back off."
boom--
A gust of wind whipped up from around him, spreading to four people at the same time like ripples, and knocked the four girls away at the same time.
He fell unconscious immediately after falling to the ground.
The gap in strength between the two sides is really too big and cannot be solved by having more people.
But Ling Ao's side is not that simple.
The man in red robe showed his cultivation level at the peak of the sixth realm as soon as he made a move. The blood demon in front of him turned into nine red and pink skeletons. He bared his teeth and claws in a terrifying manner and attacked Ling Ao one after another.
Although Ling Ao's fists and kicks were fierce, there were always eight skeletons surrounding the man. As soon as he charged forward, he would hit the skeletons. Once the skeleton is hit, it will instantly release a cloud of red mist. Inhaling it into the mouth and nose will make people confused, swaying, and losing their fighting mood.
The soul was Ling Ao's weak point. He was invaded by the red mist several times in a short period of time and was almost injured. The situation was full of dangers for a while.
Chu Liang looked over there and said, "I'll help you."
"You..." Ling Ao wanted to keep him away, but it was really difficult to get out of the red mist. It was only a matter of time before he lost, so he had no choice but to say: "You must be careful! His magic fog is powerful..."
boom--
Before he finished speaking, he saw a purple-gold thunder in the sky. Falling from the sky, he knocked the red-robed man to the ground, with no room for resistance.
The golden dragon flickered, and when it all faded away, Chu Liang's figure was revealed with her feet on his chest.
It turned out that Chu Liang came down with the dragon god's thunder and defeated the enemy with one blow.
What illusions, magical fog, and divine thunder are used to break the whistle.
"This..." Ling Ao looked at this scene in surprise. He was stunned for a while and then said: "Your cultivation level..."
What happened just now?
How come this enemy who is so difficult to deal with suddenly lies on the ground and asks you to put your feet on his chest?
To be honest, I didn't see it clearly.
"Yes." Chu Liang sighed: "My cultivation has indeed been delayed a lot in the past six years."
"..." Ling Ao felt a tightness in his chest and wanted to spit out something.
Although he didn't understand many things, he understood one thing, that is, he had misunderstood Chu Liang again. His current strength is definitely not comparable to his own. Maybe the gap between the two is even wider than it was six years ago.
Thinking of her regret and sympathy for him before, Ling Ao just wished that the black hair in front of her eyes could grow longer until it could completely cover her face...
"Don't mention this, let's ask him about the Mangshan disciples first." Chu Liang kicked the red-robed man lying on the ground, "Don't pretend to be dead! Tell me!"
"Ah? Spare your life, young hero..." The man in red robe quickly begged for mercy, but he was a little confused, "But... what are you talking about, the Mangshan disciples?"
"Of course they are the Mangshan disciples who rebelled before. Don't you know them?" Chu Liang asked: "They are about to attack the city, and today you are the only one who happened to pull people into the city secretly. It has nothing to do with you?"
"What's going on? These are all weak women I bought from the disaster area. I want them to practice as cauldrons." The man in red robe was trampled by Chu Liang and said with a cry: "What does it have to do with the Mangshan disciples?" relation?"
"Are you Nangong Zhi?" Chu Liang suddenly remembered.
Previously, I heard that one of the eight sects of Xiangdang, Yushuimen, specifically allows women to practice exercises, and then they will regularly take yin and yang to enhance their own cultivation. Because this skill of letting others practice for him and then harvesting it regularly was somewhat similar to his big-headed doll, Chu Liang paid more attention to it.
Everyone in Yudu said that Nangong Zhi relied on this skill to gain the respect of the Prime Minister. Now there are hundreds of women in the Prime Minister's Mansion, who are all training for the Prime Minister. They have been practicing hard for a whole year, but not even 30% of their cultivation can be left behind, and the rest will be taken away. Therefore, any woman with some spiritual talent will not do this and can only bribe some daughters from poor families.
However, the laws of the Yu Dynasty prohibited human trafficking, which may be the reason why Nangongzhi hid it.
Thinking of this, Chu Liang suddenly thought of his identity. It turned out that this person was the master of Yushui Sect.
After figuring this out, there's another thing I can't figure out.
Since it has nothing to do with this place, where did the Mangshan disciples go?
…
Jiangnan, Wu'an City.
The moonlight on the streets of the city was clear, like a pool of clear water.
Suddenly, a figure passed by, and a dark shadow spread on the street, like a hunting shark in the water. Then there was another one, and then another... hundreds of figures appeared from all directions.
"Move quickly." The skinny young man held a sharp knife, "The Supervisor's Office's attention is still over at Mangshan. What we have done will last a long time!"
In the night, the first wailing sound soon sounded!
Good morning.
I got up early today and worked hard all day. I stayed up until three o'clock last night and finished writing the update in advance. I have been busy these past few days, so the update has been a bit fluctuating. I'm really sorry. Fortunately, I will go home the day after tomorrow, and I can finally feel stable.
(End of chapter)
