Their strengths varied, and Jiang Liu discerned from their clothing that four of the seven people came from Maoshan.
The Three Mountains of Talismans, the First Blessed Land, the Eighth Grotto-Heaven, Maoshan is located in the Jiangnan region and is a major sect of the Zhengyi School of Taoism.
Blessed lands produce earth immortals, and grotto heavens are frequented by celestial immortals. Within the blessed lands of Maoshan Grotto Heaven, there are celestial and earth immortals who have never left the world.
Of the remaining three, one was a woman dressed in red, with a slender waist and graceful figure. In Jiang Liu's eyes, she was a mature and alluring woman. However, Jiang Liu was not attracted by her stunning figure. His eyes were fixed on her hands, which were as red as flames and displayed strange silver patterns. Her nails were as black as ink, extremely eerie.
The remaining two people, one of whom sat cross-legged with his sword across his knees and his eyes closed.
I was alone, clad in heavy armor, my entire body shrouded in black armor, my face obscured.
"Greetings, fellow Daoists Jiang Liu and Xie Chou! I witnessed the slaying of that divine envoy today from within the central army. You two possess remarkable strength. Our Great Tang is fortunate to have your assistance!" Li Jian, seated at the head of the table, bowed and then gestured to the prayer mat, saying, "Please be seated, fellow Daoists!"
Since they could give their names and the water buffalo's names, it seemed that their identities had been fully ascertained. Jiang Liu clasped his hands in greeting and said, "This humble Daoist Jiang Liu greets all the seniors!"
Seven pairs of eyes were fixed on Jiang Liu, and then the mature woman spoke first: "The Hundred Schools of Thought, the Yin-Yang School, and the Great Master of Fate!"
"The Hundred Schools of Thought?" Jiang Liu was somewhat surprised. This was the second pre-Qin cultivation sect he had encountered, besides Confucianism.
Taoism is naturally an exception. Whether it is Maoshan, Longhushan, or Qianlong Temple on Qianlong Mountain, which is passed down from the True Man Jingchun, they are all Taoist traditions passed down from the Three Pure Ones of ancient times, and cannot be compared with the various schools of thought in the pre-Qin period.
"Maoshan Xuansheng...Cheng Lin...Cheng Yin...Cheng Hai..."
"Swordsman, Li Chungang!"
The remaining armored man said in a deep voice, "The Mohist School, Jing Xuan!"
Book Recommendation
I'd like to recommend a book to a friend, a science fiction book called "VR Virtual World System," 500,000 words.
An accident during a VR game grants Du Yu the ability to enter virtual space.
Then began his legendary journey "wandering" through various worlds.
Upon learning that the VR system could be redeemed like a divine power, Du Yu used his "waves" to propel his small boat of dominance further and further down the path of ruin...
Chapter 82 Parting Ways
Jiang Liu sat cross-legged on the futon, observing the seven people with great interest.
Xie Chou stood behind him, holding a giant axe, like an iron tower. The white egret perched on Xie Chou's broad shoulders, eyes closed in concentration.
These seven people are very strong, at least much stronger than Jiang Liu in cultivation. The most unfathomable is the white-haired old Taoist from Maoshan, whose three junior disciples are also quite powerful, all with cultivation levels comparable to Jiang Liu's.
Maoshan is one of the "Three Mountains of Talismans", so it is naturally good at talismans. In addition to drawing talismans, Maoshan magic also includes exorcism and corpse refining, encompassing a wide range of skills.
At this moment, behind the Maoshan Taoist priest named Cheng Yin stood an armored zombie. According to the corpse refining technique obtained from "Master Four Eyes", this zombie should be a golden-armored zombie, which is many times stronger than the bronze-armored zombie refined by Jiang Liu.
The other person had a golden bell hanging from his waist, which Jiang Liu estimated to be a magical artifact.
As Jiang Liu was pondering the strength of these cultivators, the white-haired old Taoist said coldly, "Fellow Daoist Li, I understand that you, as the commander of the army, must prioritize the overall situation and not act rashly. But after defeating the enemy in broad daylight and the East Sea, we only need three thousand elite cavalry to break through the blockade. My senior brother and more than ten Maoshan disciples, nearly a hundred elite soldiers from various schools of thought, and three hundred swordsmen from Tiger Hill Sword Pool... are in imminent danger... Are you so indifferent as to stand by and watch them die?"
Upon hearing his question, Li Jian, sitting in the center, remained ashen-faced.
The mature and powerful Grand Master of Fate smiled and said, "Junior brother, ever since Dong Zhongshu dismissed all other schools of thought and exclusively honored Confucianism, all the schools of thought have been of the same origin, advancing and retreating together. Don't forget, you are not only the Grand Commander of the Jiangnan Military Region of the Great Tang Dynasty, but also a disciple of the Military School!"
Li Jian raised his eyelids, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, as if he were drawing two sharp swords.
"Master Xuanrui of Maoshan, Yunzhongjun of Yin-Yang School, Master Guan of Mo School, and many others, were all greedy for merit and acted rashly. If you hadn't coveted the Ghost King's treasure, how could you have ended up in such a dangerous situation and been trapped in Tiger Hill Sword Pool!"
"The Ghost King's Treasure?!" Jiang Liu silently memorized this information, thinking to himself: What kind of treasure could possibly attract the attention of Maoshan Qi cultivators? Judging from this old Taoist's strength, that Xuanrui Zhenren's strength is only increasing, not decreasing; he's definitely just one step away from becoming an Earth Immortal. Maoshan occupies a blessed land, protected by Earth Immortals and Celestial Immortals, and possesses countless inherited treasures, unlike my Qianlong Mountain… This treasure truly seems to be a supreme treasure!
The title of Yun Zhongjun of the Yin Yang School is a name passed down from the pre-Qin period. Like the woman sitting in front of him, Yun Zhongjun is an elder in the Yin Yang School, and his strength is naturally not weak.
As for Master Guan of the Mohist school, Jiang Liu had never heard of his name, but the fact that Li Jian singled him out suggests that he must be quite powerful.
Tiger Hill Sword Pool is a lineage of sword immortals who cultivate flying sword techniques.
Jiang Liu felt a chill run down his spine at the sight of so many cultivators still being besieged at Tiger Hill. He realized he had underestimated the strength of the East Sea and the Ghost King whose name he did not yet know.
Li Jian snorted coldly and said, "After the three hundred swordsmen of Tiger Hill helped our Great Tang resist the invasion and wiped out the enemy, I will naturally report to His Majesty to request credit for the Tiger Hill lineage."
After he finished speaking, the swordsman with his sword across his knee said, "So, fellow Daoist, you won't be sending troops! In that case, I'll take my leave!"
"Fellow Daoist, please wait..." the old Maoshan Daoist advised.
Li Chungang shook his head and said, "Tiger Hill Sword Pool has done me a favor, and now that it has suffered such a calamity, I cannot stand idly by. We have already wasted too much time..."
With that, he rose and left, swift and decisive, without any hesitation. His sword transformed into a golden light, and he rode away, disappearing into the long, dark night.
"What a pity! Li Chungang's swordsmanship is divine, and he has already forged a flying sword, but if he wants to rescue his fellow Daoists at Tiger Hill, he can only go and never return!" The old Daoist from Maoshan sighed.
Jiang Liu's eyes also shone brightly; he was truly envious of this ability to fly on a sword!
As Li Chungang departed, the Maoshan disciples were all furious, one of them shouting, "Li Jian, are you truly so cold-blooded and ruthless!"
"Being in this position means I am no longer in control of my own destiny. I am responsible for the millions of people of the Tang Dynasty, and I am responsible for the three thousand iron cavalry you need. I am burdened by the Emperor's grace. Sitting here, I am not Li Jian, the strategist, but the Grand General of the Jiangnan Road Army of the Tang Dynasty... The iron cavalry you need is absolutely impossible!"
Li Jian's aura surged, reverberating in all directions with his words, unstoppable by anyone.
His mere presence embodied the glorious power of the Tang Dynasty, and the imposing aura of a vast army, combined with his military prowess, overwhelmed all the Qi cultivators present.
After a long silence, the old Taoist priest from Maoshan finally said, "Enough! We are not on the same path, so we cannot work together. I will take the Maoshan cultivators from the army away tonight. You should take care of yourself... There are people in Tiger Hill that my sect must save, Li Jian... You will regret your decision today."
After saying that, he led a few Maoshan disciples away.
"Junior brother, you've really given your senior sister a headache. Alas! That Lord Yun Zhong is greedy for treasures, so we can only let him fend for himself... Our Yin Yang School is a small sect, not a major sect like Maoshan, and we can't withstand this kind of torment!"
As he spoke, he rubbed his temples with his blood-red fingers, looking dejected, and then said to the armored man, "Jing Xuan, you were right."
Seeing that most of the people in the tent had left in the blink of an eye, Jiang Liu stroked his chin, his mind racing with the information he had just received.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang Liu, you flatter me!" Li Jian, seated at the head of the table, withdrew his imposing aura and said, "In today's battle, you two displayed remarkable supernatural powers, instantly killing a high-ranking official and saving at least a thousand Tang soldiers. I wonder if you two would be willing to stay and lend a helping hand to our Great Tang!"
"This..." Jiang Liu wanted to stay, but it would be too beneath him to stay so easily.
Li Jian laughed loudly, "Fellow Daoist, rest assured, although the Maoshan disciples have left, the army will not be much different with or without them."
"Our injuries haven't healed yet..."
"No problem! Here are two Grade Two Healing Pills!"
"The magical artifacts were also damaged..."
"You two may choose one item from the army's top-tier supply depot! From now on, any spoils of war from any cultivators killed will also belong to you."
“There are three people!” Jiang Liu pointed to the egret on Xie Chou’s shoulder.
"..."
Since Li Jian was so generous, Jiang Liu naturally understood that the departure of the Maoshan group would significantly reduce the army's high-level martial arts force. However, Jiang Liu wanted to obtain the power of merit to activate the Nine Provinces Cauldron, so joining the army on the expedition was the best option, and he reluctantly agreed.
Jiang Liu walked out of the central command tent, somewhat excitedly following the armored men to the supply depot.
This armored man was completely shrouded in iron armor, standing ten feet tall. His strength was impossible to discern, as his aura was completely concealed within the armor.
This armor was even more peculiar; Jiang Liu's five senses were extremely sharp, so he could naturally hear the sound of gears meshing and rubbing together.
"Could it be a mecha? The Mohist school has already created such advanced equipment? Interesting. It seems I still know too little about this world!"
Jing Xuan was a disciple of the Mohist school and also served as the army's military commander, in charge of the supply depot.
When a large army goes on a campaign, military supplies are of paramount importance. Li Jian entrusted him with such a task, which clearly shows that he had great trust in him.
Chapter 83 Biting Back
The armored man spoke very little, and went straight to opening the supply depot, saying, "One item, choose whichever you like!"
Jiang Liu took a look and saw that the tent was heavily guarded, and inside were more than a dozen large boxes containing a lot of miscellaneous items, most of which were spoils of war from the annihilation of the East China Sea army.
"This must be the Yata no Kagami!" Jiang Liu took out a bronze mirror. The back was engraved with auspicious patterns such as pine, bamboo, plum blossoms, tortoises, and cranes, while the front was covered with cracks. He had seen this thing on the chest of the East Sea Priest before. It had all sorts of magical functions and could even reflect energy attacks.
"It's a pity it's already damaged! Otherwise, it would be a top-grade magic weapon! Sigh, I still don't have a decent magic weapon. Although I can make one myself to connect with spirits faster, it takes too much time. Hmm, these shoes... they're mink shoes!"
The skin of the mink tapir has a magical function: any moisture that appears on the inside of the mink tapir skin is quickly filtered through the fur to the outside, thus keeping the inside of the shoe dry.
Moreover, through his senses, he discovered that the shoes were imbued with a permanent supernatural power—the Divine Speed Technique! The most obvious sign was that there were two lines on the side of the shoes that were faintly glowing, and wearing them would increase a person's speed by about 10%.
Jiang Liu shook his head and tossed the mink shoes aside.
"Are you trying to get me to shop on Taobao?! This is just one shoe, are you asking me to cut off my leg?"
Jiang Liu rummaged through the treasure chest, while Xie Chou had already chosen his treasure: a pair of wrist guards. These wrist guards were made from the white fur of a bear demon that refused to submit, which the Great Tang's Demon-Slaying Bureau had skinned while searching for demon mounts. They had also enlisted the help of a Qi Refining Master who lived in seclusion on Zhongnan Mountain to create these Bear Tyrant Wrist Guards. According to the assessment, they were mid-grade treasure artifacts, capable of adding an extra thousand jin of strength to the wearer.
Bai Lu then carefully selected a small bottle of Eastern Morning Dew Essence, which, when ingested, could cleanse her marrow and strengthen her bones. Although not extremely precious, collecting even one bottle of this essence would take three years, an extremely time-consuming process. She needed this kind of enlightenment to undergo a complete transformation in her desire to take human form.
Jiang Liu picked and chose, but couldn't find any equipment that suited him.
Just as he was about to choose the lightning-struck wood, Jiang Liu glanced at a large pile of jars in the corner and asked curiously, "What are these?"
The jar Jiang Liu was referring to appeared to be coarse pottery made from black clay. It was extremely rough and unglazed, just like an ordinary household's vegetable jar. However, it was tightly sealed, and when shaken slightly, it made a gurgling sound, as if it contained some kind of liquid. Touching it with one's fingers felt incredibly cold, as if the coldness would seep into one's very bones.
"The soul of the mechanical beast!" The armored man narrowed his eyes behind his mask and said in a deep voice.
"Mechanical beasts?!" Jiang Liu couldn't help but recall the battle during the day when the vanguard of the left wing army consisted of several mechanical figures: "You mean those mechanical figures are the souls of these jars controlling the battle?"
Seemingly, the conversation turned to the armored man's area of expertise, and he became more talkative, explaining, "This thing was originally called a Chang jar. You should know that those devoured by the tiger demon become Chang ghosts, slaves of the tiger demon, driven by it, and unable to be reborn. In order to break this miserable fate of being enslaved even after death, the shamans of the Southern Frontier invented this Chang jar to break the tiger demon's curse. This thing is quite troublesome to make. You have to go to an ancient tomb on an unlucky day and time, collect seven ounces, seven mace, and seven fen of soil from under the coffin of the tomb owner, and then mix it with the blood of five kinds of birds: crows, swallows, magpies, bats, and orioles, and tan it into shape."
"After this jar is fired, it can be placed at the place where the victim was killed. When the ghost has the chance to pass by, it can hide in the jar and be protected, no longer being enslaved by the demon tiger. When the family retrieves the jar, the shaman will perform a ritual to appease the ghost and successfully allow it to be reborn!"
The armored man paused for a moment, then said, “When our Mohist founders were developing mechanical beasts, they could infuse them with the souls of beasts. However, mechanical beings cannot use beast souls; they can only use human souls… Killing people to steal souls is the work of demons, which the Mohist school naturally despises. Thus, this improved Chang jar was created. Most of the people inside are generals who died in battle. Their souls are powerful enough to control the mechanical beings in battle. After the great battle, their souls return to the Chang jar to recuperate…”
After hearing the armored man's explanation, Jiang Liu immediately understood that the mechanical man's ability to perceive the outside world and its intelligent AI functions seemed to be controlled by the soul inside the jar. Essentially, it was like a person driving it, which explained its swift response and flexible, unrestricted movements. The jar appeared to function as the "brain."
"By restricting their reincarnation, how are you any different from demons?"
The armored man chuckled and said, "In life, people strive for glory and wealth, and in death, they become ghost generals, seeking the position of ghost gods. Aren't the city gods, land gods, mountain gods, and other underworld deities all appointed by the emperor? If they don't want to be reincarnated and want to become ghost immortals, they naturally have to fight for the Tang Dynasty. If they have rendered meritorious service to the Tang Dynasty, my king will naturally not be stingy with rewards!"
"So that's what it was!"
To accomplish the affairs of the emperor and the realm, and to gain fame both before and after death. The path to immortality is elusive; to even attain the status of a ghost immortal is already a great achievement for a mortal. Given such an opportunity, one would naturally give it one's all.
Fingertips traced between these unassuming jars. These people fought for their country in life, their blood staining the battlefield, their bodies wrapped in horsehide. Even in death, they became heroic ghosts, clinging to steel and continuing to fight. Regardless of whether they had selfish motives, they all deserve respect.
"Huh!"
Jiang Liu's fingers trembled involuntarily for a moment, then he moved on to the next jar.
Lü Jilue, a traitorous general of the Southern Liang Dynasty: A Ghost General