Chapter 474: Zhao Duan Enters the Worldly Realm (Double Monthly Ticket Request)
An opportunity for advancement? Zhao Duan was stunned, his heart twitching at this moment: "Your Majesty, are you talking about... advancement to the worldly realm?"
Along the way, he spent countless days and nights thinking about advancing as quickly as possible.
But everything in the world has its own implicit rules. As the saying goes, more haste makes waste. In this world, the "worldly" realm is considered an absolute "master" in any force.
After all, there are only four celestial beings in the open.
Therefore, although he was stuck at the bottleneck of the Divine Chapter, it was extremely difficult for him to truly take this last step.
"Yes," the empress, wearing a simple skirt and a normal female hairstyle, paced excitedly in the farmer's room, her eyes sparkling as she explained to him:
"If you want to reach a great realm, there are usually several ways. The first is to practice diligently, day after day, over a period of time. The so-called success will come naturally, and this is the principle."
No... what I lack is time. Slow and steady work doesn't suit me... Zhao Duan frowned.
Xu Zhenguan continued to talk:
“The second is that in a desperate situation of life and death, one may be able to break through.
For example, Ma Yan, during the Xuanmen coup, was stabbed several times and on the verge of death before he finally broke through the barrier... However, this method has a very high probability of failure, so almost no one uses it except madmen."
Well, I don’t need it even if I change. The success rate of this thing is not high. What if I die... Zhao Duan nodded.
"The third method is sudden enlightenment, which activates celestial phenomena. When you first crossed from the mortal realm to the divine realm, Eunuch Hai used this method to guide you. However... this requires opportunity, which cannot be obtained."
Xu Zhenguan sighed softly and said:
"As for the fourth method, it is to use special natural treasures to assist in breakthroughs.
However, treasures like these are extremely rare. The Yin-Yang Tree you described is one of them. It appeared several times in historical books, but was later lost. Unexpectedly, it fell into the hands of that demonic Taoist priest!
Zhao Duan's breathing tightened: "Your Majesty, please explain in detail!"
Xu Zhenguan said with a smile:
“This Yin-Yang tree must be planted beside a spring and nourished by the warmth of the spring water before it can bloom and bear fruit.
According to your description, the fiery red color flowing through the leaves indicates that this substance has been nurtured for many years and has accumulated a lot of "medicinal power". As long as you soak your body in the spring water and breathe in and out, you can use this wonder to break through the bottleneck...
However, the fiery red color of this tree will continue to be consumed. Once it is used up, it cannot be used anymore. It must be planted for at least another ten years before it can recover a little bit..."
"Now it seems that the Bewitching Demon Daoist chose this place as the treasure house, which is more reasonable. In the area surrounding Baihua Village, flowers and plants from all over the world can thrive. The soil and water here are already extraordinary, so it is appropriate to use the spring water here to warm them."
Zhao Duan became more excited as he heard this:
"If this Yin-Yang tree is so magical, Your Majesty, if you go to the spring..."
Xu Zhenguan gave a bitter laugh: "This kind of rare item is only effective for entering the mortal world, but it is of no use to me."
So... Yes, if this thing could reach the heavens, the old Taoist priest would have used it himself long ago, and wouldn't have bothered to hide it... Zhao Duan was not disappointed:
"So, can I use this to break through?"
"Yes!" Xu Zhenguan was excited: "If you can break through, the journey back to the capital will be much safer!"
Zhao Duan stared at the empress in front of him without blinking.
Their eyes met, the orange candlelight flickered, and the sound of dogs barking came from outside the house. It was quiet and peaceful.
The atmosphere suddenly became weird!
Because both the emperor and his minister thought of the "alternative plan" that they had mentioned jokingly before the Fengshan ceremony!
If the Fengshan fails, there is still "dual cultivation" to try to help the empress reach the heaven again.
Originally, this plan was not feasible because Zhao Duan was stuck in a bottleneck, but the appearance of the Yin-Yang Tree brought a turning point!
The imperial court does not lack a worldly realm expert, so whether Zhao Duan can break through or not is not of great significance.
The two people are at the same level and can use "Dragon Soul" to practice dual cultivation, which is of strategic value!
Once the dual cultivation is successful, the empress can regain her peak power without having to return to the capital.
This is the best way to turn the tide and stabilize the corrupt situation of the "Eight Kings Rebellion".
"Your Majesty... I..." Zhao Duan subconsciously moved closer, and the two could almost smell each other's breath.
Xu Zhenguan's cheeks suddenly turned red and his eyes avoided.
At this moment, Zhao Duan's ears suddenly moved, he walked to the door, and suddenly opened the door a crack with both hands!
“Ouch!”
At some point, the innocent and cute "Sayuri", who was squatting quietly at the foot of the wall, with her hair combed into two pigtails and a little baby fat, fell backwards.
"Lily?" Zhao Duan stared blankly at the little girl eavesdropping on the wall, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"What are you doing?"
The mischievous little girl peeked in through the crack of the door with her thumbs extended on each hand, moving them forward and bringing them together, winking:
"I came out to pee and saw my brother and sister doing this... Dad and Mom doing the same..."
“…” Zhao Duan.
“…”Xu Zhenguan.
I almost forgot that our shadows would be reflected on the window paper.
"Lily? Come back quickly! Don't disturb the guests' rest!"
Hearing the noise, Liu Wangshi came out with her clothes draped over her shoulders. Upon hearing these words, both the woman and the man Liu Qi who followed her blushed and dug their toes into the ground in embarrassment.
He smiled awkwardly but politely at the king and his ministers, grabbed the little girl and walked into the house.
Sayuri was still unconvinced: "Brothers and sisters haven't rested yet, they want to eat... wu... wu wu..."
Bang!
After the three members of the Liu family closed the door, Zhao Duan turned around with a helpless smile, and saw Xu Zhenguan sitting sideways on a round stool beside the table.
Under the light, her skin is as white as peach blossoms.
"It's late, go to sleep."
"oh."
After collecting the spoils on the table, Xu Zhenguan went to bed, while Zhao Duan slept on the floor. The latter blew out the candles in the room with his palm, and the room was plunged into darkness.
The moonlight shines in through the window paper.
Xu Zhenguan said softly, "Although the Yin-Yang Tree is extraordinary, it won't help you break through in just one or two attempts. We'll have to stay here for a few more days."
"This will delay His Majesty's return to the capital." Zhao Duan said hesitantly.
Xu Zhenguan was silent for a moment, then said, "It's okay. Breaking through is more important."
Compared to running for a few more days, whether Zhao Duan can advance is related to the future direction of the dynasty. She has a clear understanding of which is more important.
"good."
"Go to sleep."
"kindness."
Insects chirped and dogs barked, and there was no conversation all night.
…
The next day, after the king and his ministers got up, they found an excuse to avoid the war, gave the Liu family some silver, and expressed their desire to stay for a few more days.
The Liu family readily agreed and were willing to let Sayuri interact and learn more from the two "young men and women from wealthy families."
So, the king and his minister settled down temporarily. Zhao Duan went out during the day on the pretext of "going out to find out the situation outside", but in fact he went up the mountain, entered the spring in the temple, and used the Yin-Yang Tree to help him break through.
He would come back in the evening, and wait until late at night when everyone was asleep before quietly going up the mountain, doing this day and night.
This Yin-Yang tree is indeed magical. As long as you soak in the spring water and breathe in and out, your whole body will feel like it is on fire.
The red flames flowing between the leaves of the black and white trees burned Zhao Duan's energy and soul again and again, making them more refined.
He could clearly feel that his stagnant cultivation was beginning to improve at a speed visible to the naked eye. He believed that within a few days, he would be able to "overflow" and break through the barrier.
After talking to the empress, the emperor and his minister became more determined to stay, break through the border first, and then escape.
Xu Zhenguan stayed in the village. In addition to taking the elixir left by Guhuo Zhenren to heal his wounds, he simply put on a straw hat, picked up a hoe, and went to the flower fields with the Liu family to weed and catch insects.
As the emperor, he has no reservations at all.
In just one day, all the villagers in Baihua Village fell in love with this "young lady from a wealthy family" who was noble, gentle and polite, and had no contempt for people like them, the lower class.
The lively, active and clever little girl "Sayuri" also hangs around the empress all day long and becomes more and more intimate with her.
On the first day, the empress learned the basic skills of farming and growing flowers from the Liu family.
On the second day, the empress was able to keep up with the villagers' work in the fields and not fall behind.
On the third day, he had mastered all the farming work and was better than the best flower grower in the village.
On the fourth day, the whole village was surprised to find that the flowers cared for by "Miss Xu" grew exceptionally moist and beautiful, which was incredible.
…
…
Just when the king and his minister seemed to have integrated into the paradise of Baihua Village.
A group of uninvited guests came to the county town where Baihua Village is located.
Inside the county government office.
Wearing a hood that concealed the tattoos on his face, Ouyang Ye sat on a chair in the lobby of the county government office. Above his head was a plaque with the words "upright and open" written on it.
Sitting on the left and right of the hall were Yao Shi Niang, who had a curvy figure, heavy makeup, but a few wrinkles on her face.
And the sorcerer "Bald Eagle" with messy white hair and a red bone flute hanging from his waist.
The three of them used "teleportation" to escape from the clutches of Eunuch Hai and saved their lives that day. Then they regrouped and, with the support of reinforcements sent by the prince, set out on the road of pursuit again.
Although Eunuch Hai is a powerful martial artist, he has limited manpower, and no matter how powerful a cultivator is, he cannot withstand continuous work.
Despite their best efforts to stop them, this rebel group still entered the Huai River and was once again caught up by following the "smell".
"Lord Ouyang, I really don't know the whereabouts of Zhao Duan," the local county magistrate said humbly, smiling fawningly, but his forehead was actually covered with sweat.
He was not a subordinate of Prince Jing, but a newly appointed county magistrate in the Huai River Channel.
Before they could even sit down, they learned that His Majesty had been assassinated during the Fengshan ceremony and his whereabouts were unknown. The various vassal kings rose up in arms to "support the king."
This period of time was extremely torturous. We were prepared to surrender to whichever group arrived first.
He hurriedly said, "This humble official has been looking forward to meeting Prince Jing for a long time. Now that the royal palace has arrived, this county will do its best to serve the prince..."
Ouyang Ye put his legs on the big table in the court, glanced at him and said:
"I received a report from a secret agent that thieves were found in your jurisdiction. As the county magistrate, you are completely unaware of this?"
"I really don't know..." the county magistrate explained with a bitter face.
Ouyang Ye looked at him with a smile, and suddenly, a bright flash of a knife flashed across the court!
"puff!"
The blade cut through the flesh, and everyone in the hall was shocked to see that Ouyang Ye cut off the county magistrate's head with one knife!
A head rolled down, with astonishment in the pupils. Then, the headless corpse in official robes spurted blood and fell backwards!
"ah--"
The registrar, constable and other officials in the hall were so frightened that their faces turned pale and their hearts and livers were broken!
He wanted to run, but he was being watched by a whole team of rebel cavalry in the yard, and he couldn't escape even if he had wings.
Ouyang Ye turned his wrist, shaking off the blood on the Miao Dao, splashing a red line on the gray ground. He sneered:
"The prince won't accept just any rotten fish or shrimp. If the prince accepts someone who turns against his side at the last minute, he will have to worry about backstabbing and betrayal."
At this time, two secret agents came in from outside the hall, and one of them said:
"Sir, the interrogation is complete. It is suspected that the thief Zhao entered the local Baihua Village a few days ago and stayed there in hiding."
No one mentioned the "Empress". In the public propaganda, Zhao Duan mysteriously disappeared that day and was defined as "colluding with evil people to assassinate the Empress."
Therefore, the banner used by Ouyang Ye and others was to capture the "Zhao thief".
"Baihua Village? He didn't leave?" Ouyang Ye's eyes lit up. "That's strange. Is he tired from running?"
Yao Shi Niang, who was standing by, suddenly said in a sinister tone, "I'm afraid it's still to heal his injuries."
The last time she burned her life and activated the lamp god, she hated the court and Zhao Duan to the extreme.
"Oh, not surprising. However, even if the false emperor recovers from his injuries, he will only be at the worldly level at most. We are well prepared this time and can restrain him."
Ouyang Ye sneered, stood up and walked out of the county government office, looking at the elite rebels lined up in the courtyard.
I saw that every armored soldier was wearing magic armor, holding a magic sword, with a magic crossbow hanging from his waist, and some of them had a golden net hanging from their waist.
Combined with the military formation, it is enough to deal with the warriors in the world head-on.
"Let's go to Baihua Village and capture the adulterous couple!" Ouyang Ye's eyes were grim.
In the courtyard, the private soldiers of Prince Jing's Mansion responded in unison:
"Yes, sir!"
…
afternoon.
Xu Zhenguan wore a square turban and cut grass in the flower field. The emperor's involvement in agriculture and sericulture was part of the ancient ritual.
In addition to letting emperors of all dynasties know about farming, doing these things as the Son of Heaven can also play a certain role in stabilizing the dragon energy.
The sun was scorching. Xu Zhenguan raised his head from the flowers, wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, and looked up at the mountain behind the village.
She knew that Zhao Duan was in the temple on the mountain. After a few days, Zhao Duan was only one step away from promotion. According to her estimation, he might be able to break through in a day or two.
"When the time comes, heaven and earth will work together. Could it be that the luck I have accumulated has taken effect here? That's why he has this opportunity?"
"When he enters the world..."
Xu Zhenguan thought about the "dual cultivation" again in his mind, and he couldn't help but be distracted and confused. For a moment, he was both hoping that he would break through, and afraid that he would break through.
At this moment, the empress's crystal earlobes moved, and she suddenly came back to her senses and looked into the distance.
On the dirt road leading to the village, from afar, a large group of cavalrymen, wrapped in murderous intent, were sweeping towards them like a raging wave.
Xu Zhenguan's pupils suddenly narrowed!
cavalry?
Although these soldiers were not carrying flags and their identities were unknown, how could the small Baihua Village attract cavalry?
There seems to be only one answer.
Xu Zhenguan's heart sank suddenly. At this moment, she was not thinking about escaping, but was afraid that the people of the Yu State here would be implicated by her.
She looked around and saw that in the endless sea of flowers, flower growers straightened up one after another, looking at the cavalrymen with awe and curiosity.
He had no idea that he and his companions were about to suffer a devastating disaster.
Xu Zhenguan's heart tightened. She knew that she should take advantage of the chaos to escape. No rebel would guess that the empress would disguise herself as a peasant woman and work in the fields.
Therefore, she had a chance to escape during the chaos.
But……
Xu Zhenguan pursed his lips, looked at the villagers who were confused about the situation, then glanced at the back mountain. Suddenly, he resolutely took off his headscarf, raised his hand and wiped his face, peeling off the mask on his face.
"As the Son of Heaven, how can I drag my people into danger?"
Xu Zhenguan's dress fluttered, and wisps of energy tore the surrounding flowers into pieces. For a moment, petals of various colors flew all over the sky with her as the center.
"He's there! Capture him!"
Ouyang Yeren, who was leading the troops into the village, was on horseback. When he noticed this scene, his eyes lit up and he shouted loudly. Then he whipped his horse and rushed into the sea of flowers!
The cavalry charged towards the Queen of Yu State in a charging formation!
A breeze rose around Xu Zhenguan. Instead of fighting against the enemy, he rode the wind and fled out of the village!
Escape in the opposite direction of the mountain where Zhao Duan was practicing!
She wanted to lead these pursuers away as much as possible!
Just like...
Just like Zhao Duan led the enemies away for her at the beginning.
"ah--"
When the villagers of Baihua Village saw this scene, they realized what was happening and exclaimed in surprise.
Somewhere in the flowers, a little Baihua, who was sleeping soundly with her hair combed into two chirping flowers, got up and looked blankly at Sister Xu flying away and the horses' hooves trampling the sea of flowers.
…
On the mountain, in the ruined temple.
Zhao Duan sat cross-legged in the spring water, and suddenly opened his eyes. He frowned:
“Why is it still a little short?”
In his perception, his own cultivation level was just like when he was downloading resources through Thunder in his previous life, stuck at the last 99%, motionless.
"What's missing? Could it be that the remaining power of the Yin-Yang Tree isn't enough to help me break through? Or is there something else missing?"
Zhao Duan walked out of the spring, circulated his Qi to evaporate the water on his body, put on his clothes, and frowned as he stared at the black and white trees that were about to lose their luster due to days of exploitation.
The once brilliant red tree now only has a few red leaves left.
"I have a feeling that a breakthrough is just a thought away. I'm just missing that last tiny bit."
Zhao Duan shook his head and looked at the sky. The sun was setting in the west, and it was time for him to go down the mountain and return to the village.
"I'll ask Zhenbao when I get back. She should be able to help me solve this problem."
Zhao Duan quickened his pace and walked down the mountain, but after he walked out of the ruined temple, he was stunned.
Looking at the mountain village from afar, the setting sun has been blocked by the mountain at his feet, and Baihua Village is plunged into shadow.
At this moment, the scattered houses were set on fire and turned into balls of fire, like piles of bonfires standing on the ground.
“Oh no…”
Zhao Duan's face turned pale instantly, and he left a shadow as he approached the village at the foot of the mountain at a terrifying speed.
…
At this moment, the peaceful and harmonious Baihua Village has been trampled by the rebels' iron hooves.
In the dim sky, houses were set on fire, and the straw on the roofs burned with fierce flames.
A group of rebels from Prince Jing's Mansion were gathering the villagers at the entrance of the village.
"Don't burn my house! General! Please don't burn it..."
A white-haired old woman was crying and was dragged out of the yard by a soldier with one hand.
The old woman was very old and had been bedridden for a long time. She was unable to stand, but the strong soldier dragged her with one hand, as light as a dog, and turned her head to look at the burning house and shed tears.
"Let my mother go..." Another man who was being driven forward had red eyes and rushed forward like a madman, but was hit hard by a rebel with a scabbard, and fell to the ground with a scream.
The royal palace has invested a huge amount of money and has an elite private army equipped with magical weapons. How can a group of villagers resist?
At the entrance of the village, a group of villagers were driven together, surrounded by the sharp blades of the soldiers.
Liu Qi's family was also among them. At this moment, the man named Liu Qi had bruises on his face and body, as if he had been beaten, but he protected his wife and daughter behind him tightly.
The gentle Liu Wang cried silently, holding her husband with one hand and tightly grasping Xiao Baihua's hand with the other.
The little girl named Baihua stared at the scene in a daze, as if she was frightened. She didn't understand what was happening.
All I know is that in the afternoon, Sister Xu suddenly flew away, and then the group of soldiers followed her out.
Then, some of the soldiers came back and drove the villagers away fiercely. She could vaguely hear some scattered words from the rebels' conversation.
It seemed that Sister Xu and Brother Xu were important figures, and they were going to be arrested and convicted for sheltering them.
Those people kept asking about the brother's whereabouts, and the village chief was beaten to the point of vomiting blood.
"Everyone is here. It seems that the thief Zhao has escaped. It's a pity that we can only capture these unimportant villagers to complete the task. At least it can be considered a credit." A leading rebel said at the village entrance.
Another rebel shook his head and said:
"Perhaps his escape wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for us. Lord Ouyang and the others aren't here. If we were to encounter that Zhao thief, we might not be able to deal with him."
The former laughed and said, "So what if this man is powerful? Didn't he just abandon his master and flee? Okay, let's go too. It will be dark before we get back to the city with these burdens."
The rebels were chatting and laughing, and were about to drive the villagers away, when suddenly everyone heard a sharp and low sound of breaking through the air.
The elite soldier who had just been joking had a flying knife that came out of nowhere and cut a bloody line on his neck. He covered his neck and fell down in horror.
The other soldiers also looked in horror at the sea of fire that was burning into a continuous sea.
Xiao Baihua was stunned. Her big eyes reflected a flame of anger, and in the flame, a familiar but extremely indifferent figure slowly walked out.
The Golden Crow Flying Knife was wrapped in a dark golden light and was caught in Zhao Duan's hand.
"It's him! It's the thief Zhao!"
"The thief Zhao has appeared!"
The soldiers were horrified and drew their swords, some even firing crossbows.
However, there was no expression of fear on Zhao Duan's gloomy face.
He took a step forward, leaving behind a shadow that suddenly appeared beside the Liu family. His warm palm slowly covered Xiao Baihua's eyelids.
"Close your eyes."
Zhao Duan spoke softly, looking at the magical sabers coming from all directions with an unusually calm expression. The shadows of the countless sabers overlapped in his pupils, which were filled with flames.
"In this world..."
Zhao Duan suddenly understood what he was lacking.
“It’s this human world.”
He raised his eyes and looked at the countless illusory red threads extending towards the sky, and met the eyes of Pei Niannu, who was standing in the air, wearing a wedding dress and a golden mask.
At this moment, Zhao Duan stepped into the worldly realm.
(End of this chapter)
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