Chapter 1050: Taking the Initiative (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
"From the same era as Yunda..."
Shen Tang rubbed her temples, feeling a slight headache.
"Also a rank 20 Marquis?"
She thought of that troublesome, paranoid, and mad old man, Deng.
If it weren't for Yunda's grander, more eccentric dream, which led to Tudege's fatal strategic blunder due to information asymmetry—wiping out his elite troops and severely weakening his forces in a single battle—the Battle of the Northern Desert wouldn't have ended so quickly. Now, another old geezer has emerged, stirring up a rather large-scale, quack cult with a wide distribution of followers, making him even more troublesome than Yunda.
Kang Shi nodded solemnly: "Yes."
Shen Tang exhaled a breath of turbid air, spread his hands and said, "Since that's the case, we can only deal with it as it comes. No matter how powerful the 20th-rank Marquis Che is, he is still made of flesh and blood. If we take his head off and stab his heart, I don't believe he can still live."
Kang Shi's facial muscles seem to be stiffer.
He said, "That one should not be made of flesh and blood."
A question mark popped into Shen Tang's mind: "What do you mean?"
"This person is almost on par with Banbu, teetering between life and death. There are still legends of several famous generals in the old capital of Wu Kingdom. Every year on the anniversary of the fall of Wu Kingdom, children in the countryside would dress up as them and parade through the streets to pay homage to their ancestors. That general is the image of the White Bone General." Kang Shi was also aware of this, but he did not expect that this White Bone General was the same person as the leader of the Eternal Life Sect. These were not the worst pieces of information. Kang Shi said, "This person has been famous for a longer period than Yun Da. When Wu Kingdom fell, he was already a 20th-rank Marquis."
Shen Tang's heart sank a little.
Kang Shi added, “Since the descent of the thief star, there have been three marquises of the twentieth rank with traceable records, and he is one of them.”
There must have been more than three marquises of the twentieth rank in the more than two hundred years. However, a large number of documents were lost in the war, and some generals retired after achieving their goals and went into seclusion. Their strength did not become known to the outside world, which is why there are so few clear records.
That person was able to secure a spot, which shows how important they are.
Shen Tang: "..."
She sighed, "It's really tricky."
He's an even more troublesome old man than Werder Bremen.
Although Yun Da established a sect, he adhered to a system of chance and elite education, only accepting those he found suitable as disciples, thus limiting its size. Two of his disciples even joined Shen Tang's ranks, essentially benefiting her. This old Deng is different; he casts a wide net, using religion to develop followers. Shen Tang doesn't even dare to imagine how many followers the Eternal Life Cult has in the Southwest Continent.
Tens of thousands?
A few hundred thousand?
Millions or even more?
Kang Shi looked at Shen Tang, whose face was filled with sorrow, and hesitated, unsure whether to continue: "...During the ancestral parade on the anniversary of Wu Guo's death, this military general was always accompanied by a scholar. This scholar disappeared after the fall of Wu Guo..."
Gu Chi said nervously, "Ji Shou's meaning..."
Kang Shi nodded with a forced smile: "It's just as you think. This scholar retired with him. The literary spirit of a scholar is not as masculine and violent as that of a martial artist, but it has a stronger effect on nourishing the muscles, bones, and flesh, and his lifespan will not be short."
This means that the scholar Wenxin is still alive.
According to legends passed down in the former territory of the Wu Kingdom, the two were uncle and nephew. Their mother remarried, bringing a scholar with her. In that chaotic world where life was precarious, children were hope, and even children from a wife's previous marriage could be raised as family members. Therefore, the uncle and nephew, who were close in age, got along well and grew up together, developing a deep bond. One was a scholar, the other a warrior, complementing each other perfectly.
Wherever one person appears on the battlefield, the other will inevitably appear as well, to the point that legends of the two still circulate in the former territory of the Wu Kingdom.
Shen Tang not only had to face an old-fashioned martial artist with unwavering courage, but also an old-fashioned scholar with profound literary talent. Just thinking about it gave her a headache. She asked Kang Shi, "How much information do we have about this scholar with profound literary talent? His way of the scholar, his preferred military formations, and his use of words? Can we find any records of him in battle?"
Kang Shi could only shake his head in regret.
It wasn't that he didn't want to search, but the Wu Kingdom's existence was too short. After its fall, the smaller kingdoms destroyed by Wu Kingdom re-established themselves, and more or less burned any documents related to Wu Kingdom. The few records that survived were mostly inherited by the states built by Wu Kingdom's loyalists, and very few were lost elsewhere. However, it wasn't entirely hopeless. Kang Shi turned his gaze to Qi Shan: "The Gods' Society might have records there. If the Gods' Society doesn't have them either, then they're truly gone."
Qi Shan searched her memories.
He had read and recorded almost all the documents from the Southwest Branch of the Pantheon, including a considerable amount related to the Wu Kingdom. There were indeed scholars and military generals who met Kang Shi's criteria… Qi Shan's eyes brightened slightly, but were quickly replaced by disappointment: "The library does indeed have records related to two people, but they are mostly about their backgrounds and experiences, with little description of their battle achievements. The only description of the scholar…"
Qi Shan paused for a moment, his expression strange.
"Only the four words 'cunning and valiant'..."
It's a bit strange to put these four words on a scholar with a literary mind, after all, no one had successfully mastered both literature and martial arts before the lord. With his limited martial arts skills, who could he fight head-on? There are more records of the White Bone General. His fighting style is similar to that of Gong Shu Wu. He can command not only the living to fight, but also the dead. The dead he summons are all his guards and confidants.
Their combat power is quite terrifying.
Wherever their iron hooves trod, not a blade of grass grew.
Shen Tang carefully pondered the meaning of these four words.
This was a literary figure of the same era as Yun Da!
While she found the task challenging, she also felt a surge of eagerness: "An old relic who's lived to such an advanced age, mastering the Way of the Scholar and achieving its perfection should be standard for him. I just wonder if, after all these years of cultivation, he's reached any higher levels of attainment..."
The system of the literati is different from that of the martial arts practitioners.
Martial arts practitioners are divided into twenty ranks, advancing one rank at a time. Literary scholars, on the other hand, only gain proficiency, and the Way of the Scholar only has two states: initial and perfect. I wonder if this old man, having lived so long, has managed to create a Perfect Plus version?
"We know absolutely nothing about the enemy, but don't panic. If this scholar dares to come, we'll strip him bare! All we need to do is send out the righteous!"
Luan Xin sees all the ways of the scholar completely in his presence; not only are they transparent, but he can also copy and paste them for his own use.
Shen Tang's concern was that the other party's scholarly skills were too advanced, and Gongyi's old-fashioned phone might not be able to handle it. However, obtaining specific information would still be a great achievement: "Where are these two, uncle and nephew, now?"
Kang Shi quietly dropped a bombshell.
"The whereabouts of the Eternal Life Cult leader are unknown, but that scholar Wenxin is currently in Wuxian Kingdom, and he will most likely be involved this time." This uncle and nephew are always inseparable; if the battle drags on, the Eternal Life Cult leader will most likely bring his Death Guards into the fray, making this a difficult battle. Even if our side holds out, the Eternal Life Cult will still have a large number of believers going to the battlefield one after another.
Shen Tang could only manage one word in response: "6!"
For a moment, she even considered giving up.
Anyway, the twelve-year countdown to the end of the world has begun.
If you really can't win, just give up. Twelve years later, no matter if it's the leader of the Eternal Life Cult or some old scholar, the Gods Society, Wu Xiangao, Mei Meng, or anyone else, they'll all be wiped out!
"You're going to die sooner or later anyway, so why not die early and wait in line? Maybe you can even drink the Meng Po soup and start your next life sooner." Shen Tang was in a bad mood and cursed every enemy she could remember.
Gu Chi silently endured the heartbreaking cries of his master.
Shen Tang has always had a strong ability to heal herself and an excellent ability to withstand pressure. After collapsing, she silently repairs herself. A thought flashed through her mind: "Ji Shou, you said that Wenxin Wenshi is already by Gao Guo Wu Xian's side? Is his position in the Eternal Life Sect an honorific?"
"I don't know."
The two corpses learned a lot of secrets by working for Mei Meng, but they weren't Mei Meng herself, and as henchmen, their knowledge was limited. Kang Shi wanted to interrogate Mei Meng, but he was afraid of alerting her and accidentally adding fuel to the fire.
Although there was no definitive answer, Shen Tang was more inclined to believe that the worshipper and the old scholar were the same person, and hoped they were one person. If they were two people, it meant that Shen Tang would not only have to deal with the old scholar whose strength was unknown, but also face a mysterious person whose aura was completely reversed, a person whose yin and yang were inverted. That would be too terrible! Shen Tang sighed and rubbed his face, gesturing to his guards to summon the master and disciple pair.
This master and apprentice also have many secrets.
Perhaps we can get some clues from them.
Before long, the others arrived one after another.
He arrived with a relaxed smile on his face.
In their view, the great victory in the Northern Desert battle greatly reduced the pressure on Kang Kingdom. Now, their only remaining enemy was Gao Kingdom, a fact they were almost certain to defeat, which could be resolved in less than six months. With Gao Kingdom dealt with, the southwestern kingdoms would not dare to act rashly, and their mood naturally lightened. However, upon entering the tent, they sensed a tense atmosphere, the source of which was their lord sitting in the main seat. Their hearts sank, and their smiles unconsciously faded. After bowing, they silently took their seats, each keeping their eyes downcast, not daring to whisper or make a sound.
After a long while, Shen Tang looked around at everyone in the camp.
"Is everyone here? Let's begin."
As he spoke, he gave Kang Shi a wink.
Kang Shiyi stood up and, under the curious or worried gazes of the crowd, recounted the information found about the two corpses.
The crowd reacted much more strongly than Shen Tang; some gasped in shock, while others were practically tearing their hair out. Zhao Feng's thick eyebrows shot up: "This is truly bizarre! Why are these Rank 20 Marquises acting like they're possessed, determined to stand against us and cause trouble?"
When Kangguo was still a makeshift regime, it was normal for these fierce generals to look down on it. But now, in its sixth year of existence, it has conquered almost all the territories in the Northwest Continent, except for Gaoguo, and has also taken over the two territories of Shiwu in the Northern Desert. In terms of territory size alone, it is second only to Wuguo in recorded history! It has the manpower and the land, and its literary and military fortunes are always in surplus.
Most importantly—
Their lord is still very young!
His brilliant and powerful state can be maintained for many more years.
Even if it doesn't attract powerful figures to join its ranks, surely it won't all side with the opposing side? Zhao Feng couldn't figure it out; where did things go wrong?
Zhao Feng's words resonated with everyone.
Many people felt indignant on behalf of Shen Tang.
You say one thing, I say another.
Qian Yong slapped his thigh and said in a deep voice, "How about this, they have twenty ranks of Marquis, let's go and invite one too."
Shen Tang raised an eyebrow: "Does Shuhe have any news about the 20th-rank Marquis?"
Qian Yong: "No, but we can look for those famous generals who have suddenly gone into seclusion. Maybe one of them will make a breakthrough."
This suggestion sounds absurd, but it's actually feasible.
After some small states are established, they lack the strength and confidence to do so, and they will indeed seek out retired famous generals. Even if they don't completely recruit them, they can still attract them to their own territory to be nominally registered, and then use the reputation of famous generals to attract other talents, which is a sure-fire way to make money.
It would be even better if we could persuade a famous general to accept the offer of service.
Even if that's not possible, one can still recruit and give important positions to the descendants of military generals.
If the descendants are punished, how can the ancestors sit still?
Historically, some countries have actually done this.
A small country, at the critical moment of its demise, managed to summon two 17th-rank generals of four-chariots to help it in battle. The two countries were evenly matched in military strength and had fought more than a dozen battles. The final battle was about to decide the outcome, but the emergence of these two 17th-rank generals of four-chariots completely tipped the scales and became the key to victory.
Even with hard work, Shen Tang can still cram at the last minute.
Shen Tang: "..."
She looked at Qian Yong expressionlessly.
He sighed and said, "Let alone where to find a rank 20 Marquis, even if you do find one, how can you guarantee that it's reinforcements and not enemy reinforcements? Praying to gods and Buddhas is not as good as relying on yourself."
Qian Yong: "..."
This is indeed a problem.
He also found it strange. In the past, there were very few martial artists with the courage to surpass the sixteenth level of the Great Supreme Realm. They were either worshipped by powerful countries, lived in seclusion, or held sway over a region. But in the last ten years or so, they have all appeared, and one after another they die, lining up to report to the King of Hell. It's really eerie.
There's something even stranger.
Kangguo's current resources would allow it to dominate in any era, but in the present, it gives the impression that anyone could gang up on it. Even someone like Gaoguo, with his rank of 20th-grade Marquis, can flaunt his power. Qian Yong felt aggrieved for Shen Tang and the others.
Especially the generals of the Seven Guards and Four Commands.
None of them were weak; figures like Chu Jie and Wei Shou were even worthy of being recorded in history, their names alone enough to intimidate the lesser villains. Yet, they were all suppressed by stronger enemies, their brilliance dimmed.
Isn't this just outrageous?
After much thought—
Qian Yong felt that the master before him was even more sinister.
What country could be so unlucky? It wipes out one enemy only to have an even stronger one emerge. Even a war of attrition isn't this frequent.
Qian Yong thought to himself, which drew a sidelong glance from Gu Chi.
He glared back directly and lowered his voice, saying, "What are you looking at, Gu Yatai? Did I say something wrong?"
Gu Chi: "..."
Yes, that's not wrong.
The Lord is indeed quite unlucky.
Just as everyone was frowning in worry, a voice came from above the tent: "I know something about that uncle and nephew. The Gongxi clan has relatively complete records, so please don't worry."
"Feng En knows them?"
Gong Xichou jumped down from the top of the tent, holding a piece of paper that was slowly dissipating in his hand: "I just sent a message to my elder brother about this matter. He replied that the 20th-rank Marquis has a weakness and is easy to deal with. The real problem is that scholar... To win a war against them, you must use both civil and military forces in reverse. Those who do not understand them are often caught off guard."
￣へ￣
Who exactly said that Yihe Qingtan smells good? _(:з」∠)_
I blindly bought a sample to give as a gift, and it almost killed me after I sprayed it...
(End of this chapter)
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