Chapter 768: Evil Thoughts (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Shen Tang: "..."
When she was told the concepts of evil and good thoughts, she instantly fell silent as if she had been put under a spell, unable to utter a single word.
After a long while, she gazed at Chen Tang in white with a deep look in her eyes.
"You mean, we're going to have a fight?"
Only by eliminating evil thoughts can one break through the bottleneck between the fifteenth-level Lesser Upper Realm and the sixteenth-level Greater Upper Realm, while good thoughts are even more powerful.
Bai Yichentang said, "That's what I mean."
Shen Tang nearly went berserk: "This is called killing each other!"
A slight smile appeared on Bai Yi Chen Tang's usually icy face as she retorted, "Isn't it because you lack confidence in beating me?"
Shen Tang: "...What will happen if I lose?"
Bai Yichen pondered for a moment: "If an ordinary person loses to evil, the outcome would be nothing more than a sudden death, being struck by lightning, or becoming a mindless, humanoid killing beast. However, you are different, but I think you don't want to know the answer."
Shen Tang: "..."
In other words, she can't afford to lose.
Qian Yong looked at the two Shen Tangs talking peacefully with a curious expression. In his entire life, he had never even heard of such a thing, let alone seen one. Once evil thoughts detach from the original body, they will relentlessly pursue and kill the original body until it perishes or is killed.
Peaceful coexistence?
It doesn't exist!
Isn't the atmosphere between these two Shen Tangs a little too harmonious?
Dressed in white women's clothing, Shen Tang's aura was so peaceful that it didn't seem like an embodiment of malice. Even at such close range, Qian Yong hadn't sensed the slightest hint of hostility or coldness. While Qian Yong was thinking this to himself, Shen Tang frowned and said, "To be honest, I'm not entirely confident I can beat you right now. You need to give me time to prepare. Besides, as you can see, there are refugees all around. If we were to fight to the death, it would inevitably involve them. I think that's something you wouldn't want to see, is it?"
Shen Tang reasoned with Qian Yong, appealing to his emotions and logic, and just as Qian Yong was about to laugh, the latter nodded in agreement.
Qian Yong: "..."
Who would believe that someone so reasonable could be the embodiment of evil?
In comparison, he felt that Shen Tang himself was more like the real person.
Seeing that her other self was so easy to talk to, Shen Tang smiled and said, "Once I'm ready, we'll have a fair fight."
Bai Yichentang had no objections and readily nodded.
"As expected of 'me,' so reasonable!"
Shen Tang gave herself a thumbs up.
However, a problem has arisen.
The simultaneous appearance of two Shen Tangs would cause unnecessary trouble.
She asked, "Can you return to the Danfu Wengong Palace?"
Qian Yong was almost choked by Shen Tang's suggestion.
Normal people would love for evil thoughts to disappear, but Shen Tang took an unconventional approach and took the initiative to carry her.
Aren't they afraid that evil intentions might suddenly change their minds and betray them?
Little did she know, Shen Tang wasn't worried at all. If her "incarnation of evil" truly harbored malice, the other party would have plenty of opportunities to attack her; why would they use her as a cheat code?
Bai Yichentang: "Yes."
He closed his eyes, transformed into a cloud of mist, and entered Chen Tang's Dan Mansion.
After the white-robed Shen Tang completely disappeared, Shen Tang touched the location of his dantian with a hint of curiosity, once again marveling at the wonder of this world.
Qian Yong couldn't help but pour cold water on Chen Tang.
He said, "If you let the evil thoughts roam outside, their aura will gradually weaken over time, and their strength will not be as formidable. But if you let them return to your dantian, they will maintain their peak condition, and you still have no chance of winning."
Evil thoughts are also part of Shen Tang.
As Shen Tang grows during this period, his evil thoughts will also develop in tandem.
In Qian Yong's view, Shen Tang, this hothead, was courting death.
Unexpectedly, Shen Tang said mysteriously, "I have a brilliant plan! So what if it's malevolent? It's not nearly as clever as me. I'm going to fight magic with magic!"
Jiang Sheng asked, "Does the lord already have a plan?"
Shen Tang said, "Everything is ready except for Han Zhang."
She can't overcome evil thoughts, but a three-year-old's good thoughts can! Anyway, she's already had so many substitutes, one more time won't hurt.
Jiang Sheng: "..."
Ning Yan: "..."
Mr. Cui and his group, who were completely bewildered: "?"
The appearance of the Evil Incarnation signifies that Shen Tang is about to break through to the sixteenth rank of the Grand Upper Realm. At this critical juncture, this is undoubtedly encouraging and reassuring news. However, some doubts also puzzle Jiang Sheng—normally, the Evil Incarnation would begin to grow rapidly during the peak of the fifteenth rank of the Lesser Upper Realm. When it appears, it will be the time to break through the bottleneck.
but--
This isn't the first time the white-robed Shen Tang, who claims to be the embodiment of evil, has appeared. His earliest appearance dates back to when our lord was eleven or twelve years old. At that time, our lord's strength was already at the peak of the fifteenth-rank Lesser Upper Realm? That's clearly impossible.
Even if it wasn't then, now is too early.
At this age, fifteen-year-old boys reach the pinnacle of their cultivation...
His talent is so overwhelming it's unreasonable.
Furthermore, judging from the dialogue between the lord and the embodiment of evil, it is clear that not only the embodiment of evil exists, but also the embodiment of good.
Jiang Sheng cast a complicated look at his lord.
However, in the end, he didn't say anything.
His silence didn't mean Shen Tang hadn't noticed him. She comforted him with a cheerful attitude: "There's always a way out. One step at a time. Evil thoughts must be eradicated, and I suppose good thoughts should be eradicated as well, but that's a long time from now."
She thought Jiang Sheng was worried that Shan Nian would be difficult to deal with.
Jiang Sheng simply shook his head, indicating that he wasn't worried about these things, but in his heart, he was thinking of finding an opportunity to sound out Gu Chi. Among all his subordinates, if one were to ask who understood their lord best and knew the most secrets about him, it could only be Gu Chi.
I won't think of anyone else.
The appearance of the embodiment of evil made Shen Tang feel a little urgent.
To avoid any unforeseen complications, we need to resolve this issue as soon as possible.
The group mingled among the refugees, and after several days, they finally saw the surging Miao River, also gaining a clear understanding of the refugees' situation. From now on, as long as they crossed the river with the refugees and entered Yanzhou territory, they wouldn't need to worry too much about the aftermath.
While Qian Yong and the others were busy arranging the ferry, Shen Tang discovered that the number of refugees in the vicinity had not decreased but increased, and there were many more people speaking with different accents.
Just as I was wondering what was going on, a commotion broke out ahead.
Then, the already chaotic refugee line spiraled out of control, and Shen Tang struggled to squeeze forward: "What happened?"
I vaguely heard someone say, "We can't go."
A short while later, the crowd suddenly pushed backward.
Forced to retreat with the crowd, Shen Tang asked the woman in front of her curiously, "What's going on? Why is it so noisy up ahead?"
The woman had dark skin and a thin build; the long walk and food shortage made it difficult for her to even speak. When Shen Tang asked her a question, she ignored him. Only when Shen Tang cleverly slipped a piece of dry ration into her hand did she show a friendly expression.
She said, "Someone up ahead has fallen ill."
Shen Tang asked, "What illness?"
With refugees dying every day, people have become numb to it all. How could a simple illness cause such a huge riot?
The woman said, "That man has contracted the plague."
After saying that, he advised Shen Tang, "Whatever you do, don't go to Yanzhou."
Shen Tang asked, puzzled, "Why can't we go?"
Could it be that Yanzhou has already been occupied by some force?
The main force of the allied forces is currently fighting to the death in Ganzhou, and it is unknown which clever person has managed to retreat unscathed first.
The woman said, "The plague came from Yanzhou."
Shen Tang's almond-shaped eyes widened in shock.
"Is the epidemic... serious?"
“…Those who came from the other side of the river said that the people there had suffered from flooding, and after finally getting out of the water, they were struck by an epidemic… They have no food, no water… They are all going to die, all going to die… Waaaaah…” The woman’s expression went from numb to desperate.
She originally intended to seek refuge with relatives in Yanzhou.
She was a frail woman who had endured countless hardships on her trek, nearly being killed several times, but she had held on to her last breath. She never imagined that she would be told on the border of Yanzhou that the situation there was even worse than in Ganzhou—death was the only option!
There are quite a few refugees like this woman.
Some people couldn't bear the blow and immediately chose to jump into the river.
It thrashed around in the water for a couple of seconds and then sank.
Shen Tang was also shocked by the news: "Flood?"
She murmured, "Why are there floods?"
When Qian Yong and the others returned and informed her that the ferry was ready, they happened to overhear her words and clicked their tongues, saying, "No problem."
Shen Tang retorted loudly, "What's normal about it?"
She had previously researched the tributaries of the river system within Yanzhou, and the recent rainfall should be manageable. Even if there had been more rain recently, it shouldn't be this serious. Qian Yong, seeing Shen Tang's reaction, slapped his forehead, remembering that she hadn't been there at the time.
"Oh, it's like this..."
He revealed the details of the Dragon Slaying Bureau's allied forces: because the initial small-scale probing of Zheng Qiao's forces had wasted opportunities, and when the main army was launching a full-scale attack across the river, they happened to encounter heavy rain and a rapidly rising river level, in addition to the river freezing over during the crossing...
With all these factors combined, flooding was not unexpected.
Shen Tang's facial muscles twitched uncontrollably.
She could no longer contain herself: "Was the flood man-made?"
Qian Yong said, "There's at least a 90% chance it's man-made."
After he finished speaking, he saw Shen Tang smash a stone with his bare hands: "The Allied Forces are full of talented people, yet no one noticed the hidden danger?"
Qian Yong crossed his arms and shook his head: "It's not that no one noticed. Kang Jishou under your command made a suggestion, and Gu Ziyi in Shangnan also objected, but the arm can't twist the thigh. Although Huang Xiguang is a peasant from humble origins, he is very shrewd and has managed to hold back until now. Among the allied forces, the ones who have preserved their strength the best are him and Zhang Yongqing, oh, and Wu Zhaode."
Some of them paddled, and the damage wasn't too bad.
After saying that, Qian Yong looked at Shen Tang with a hint of schadenfreude.
The latter's expression indeed turned extremely ugly.
Qian Yong seemed to regret it, but in reality he added fuel to the fire: "Alas, if that alien named Gong Xichou hadn't appeared so early, perhaps Zheng Qiao's sixteenth-rank Grand Master could have killed Huang Xiguang's general. Tsk, he didn't succeed, so the advantage lies with Huang Xiguang."
There was one more thing he didn't say.
Huang Lie's sixteen Grand Masters are a threat; if they live, the other forces in the Dragon Slaying Bureau alliance are likely to suffer.
I wonder which unlucky soul will be the first to suffer.
Shen Tang clenched her fists: "Huang Xiguang!"
Even if the Heavenly King himself came, he couldn't save this thing!
She took a few deep breaths to calm her intense emotions.
"Why is Gongxi Chou here?"
This was a pleasant surprise. With him around, there was no need to worry about Kang Shi—a plague god would flee before overwhelming force!
Qian Yong said, "It seems they came specifically for you."
At this point, he was so jealous his teeth ached.
Why are all the sixteenth-grade high-quality items from other people's homes?
The best course of action now is to join forces if we can't win.
Qian Yong looked at the absent-minded Master Shen, and then thought of Huang Xiguang and Zhang Yongqing, who were confident of victory, and sneered inwardly.
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits.
Zhang Yongqing and Huang Xiguang colluded, reaching some unknown agreement, brimming with confidence that they would have the last laugh. Little did they know, the outcome was still uncertain, and the final result of this situation remained unknown. No—perhaps the answer already existed.
The group secretly crossed the river under the cover of night.
Qian Yong gloated as he watched Shen Tang, who was cold and aloof due to her bad mood and seemed to embody the essence of malice, not far away.
This player has a better chance of winning this round!
After crossing the river, the group found a place to rest and sent people out to inquire about the situation in Yanzhou and Ganzhou.
About half a day later, Jiang Sheng and the others returned.
For some reason, their faces showed a hint of sadness.
Shen Tang hurriedly asked, "How is the situation?"
——
Meanwhile, Chu Yao's troops had already looted the entire granary, ensuring that not a single grain of rice was left for the allied forces.
Once night fell, all the guards were transferred.
Thump thump thump—
A flurry of footsteps came from outside. The person who pushed open the door was Luan Cheng, Luan Xin's eldest nephew: "Uncle, we've picked them up!"
He couldn't wait to tell Luan Xin the news.
The men they sent out were lucky; they found out about the matriarch of the Luan family within Aoshan County and reunited with her without much trouble. They are currently disguised as refugees and should arrive in Yanzhou within half a month at the latest, at which time the family will be reunited.
Upon receiving the news, Luan Cheng nearly burst into tears of joy. He hadn't cried when he was almost buried alive, his only concern being his mother's safety. Now that both mother and son had escaped death, it was truly a stroke of good fortune. Luan Xin also breathed a long sigh of relief upon hearing this.
"That's excellent."
After saying that, he got up and walked outside.
Is everything ready?
Despite his young age, Luan Cheng is quite capable. Chu Yao directly conscripted manpower and assigned him to Luan Xin's side.
Luan Xin didn't stand on ceremony and was very comfortable with being ordered around.
"Uncle—there's another piece of news, but I don't know if I should say it—" Luan Cheng hesitated and blinked.
"explain."
"The messenger overheard rumors on the way that the Dragon Slayer Bureau's allied forces were in turmoil, and that their leader, Huang Lie, had sent troops to besiege Gu Ren's army. Gu Ren's side fought back with coffins... but ultimately they were no match for them..."
Luan Xin was startled: "What?"
He asked anxiously, "Why didn't you say so sooner?"
Luan Xin was anxious to find Chu Yao and the others to discuss the matter, but he had a limp and couldn't walk fast. Seeing his anxious expression and limping gait, Chu Yao reassured him, "Is something wrong, Gongyi?"
Luan Xin said, "Gu Ziyi's fate is sealed."
Luan Cheng, standing behind him, quietly corrected him.
"It's not just hanging in the balance, it's gone."
Chu Yao snapped the writing brush in two: "You mean Gu Ziyi?"
Luan Xin said, "Huang Lie did it."
Chu Yao frowned upon hearing this and said, "This shouldn't be the case. Gu Ziyi's sworn brothers are all brave and skilled in battle, especially Shao Chong, the thirteenth son... Even if Huang Lie has a sizable group of heavy shield warriors to help him, it won't be easy for him to take down Gu Ren..."
I guessed they would clash.
But the disparity in strength between the two was unexpected.
Luan Cheng whispered, "I heard that Huang Lie has a 16th-rank Grand Master under his command... that person is a great threat..."
(へ╬)
The boxed lunches for Gu Ren and the others are ready. Don't worry, three of them are still alive.
(End of this chapter)
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