Chapter 54 The Test (Part Two) If Zhou Fuling fails to win the test, then...
She couldn't think of a loophole for a moment.
Among the elders, the elder from the Qinyun faction laughed and stood up, saying with emotion, "Young Master Ning Hong, the Wartime Law requires each department to pay taxes according to the proportion of their revenue, meaning that stronger departments pay more and weaker departments pay less, treating everyone equally. This is beneficial for unifying the four departments, and it is truly a good strategy."
Seeing this, Yu Shi sneered: "But how can the Qiang tribe easily obey? I think it will be difficult enough to get the nobles of their second tribe to cough up their money."
The elder replied, “But Young Master Ning Hong has arranged a ‘Cultivator Association.’ The Cultivator Association is selected by four departments, with a meticulous selection process. Each department consists of important cultivators who will assist the sect leader in managing finances. The system is detailed, fair, and comprehensive.”
An elder from the fourth division also said, "Indeed, Young Master Ning Hong's method of enlistment is very reasonable. The responsibilities of enlisting cultivators and mortals are clear and feasible. It is also an iron-fisted policy that can instantly expand the power of Yun Ning to fight against Zhongzhou."
Ning Chenghan felt a lump in his throat as he listened to these comments.
Will she win?
Xu Qingning listened, but her brows furrowed in worry.
"What do you think?" Miao Shanzhu asked Xu Qingning in a low voice.
Xu Qingning's status is not low; in the Central Continent, his position is even higher than Ning Chenghan's.
Xu Qingning sensed something was amiss, but outwardly said, "The situation in the Southern Continent is different from that in other continents, so I cannot make a hasty decision."
Under the watchful eyes of the two, Ning Hong had already announced the completion of the countermeasures, and the "Mirror Palace of Myriad Phenomena" was once again turned upside down.
Ning Hong's strategy and tactics were also put into the "Mirror Palace" simulation.
In stark contrast to Liu Wuxing's disarray, Ning Hong's decrees led to the rapid consolidation of wartime resources in the Southern Continent. In border skirmishes with the Central Continent, they withstood the pressure and even achieved several victories.
Zhongzhou was intimidated and dared not advance further, so it signed a border peace treaty.
At this point, the second member suddenly stood up, and his followers cheered, their voices almost shaking the heavens.
The First and Third Divisions remained silent. Ning Chenghan and the other elders from the First Division looked extremely grim.
Liu Wuxing snorted coldly, his teeth practically grinding to powder.
Upon seeing this, Xu Qingning thought to himself:
"I'm in a bad mood right now because I'm worried about the person above me, and I'm not from the Southern Continent."
"But the first and third departments, seeing that Ning Hong's strategy led to a favorable peace treaty, only thought about their own affairs and showed no joy. This is enough to show that Yun Ning is internally divided and has no one to rely on."
Then he thought, "The people of Tianji Gate are much more loyal."
While feeling a slight sense of relief, he couldn't help but worry even more about Zhou Fuling.
He also knew that if Zhou Fuling could not win the martial arts test, the martial arts test would be extremely dangerous.
Xu Qingning thought again, "It would be good if Ning Hong and Long Shi were just undeserving of their reputations, but that's unlikely."
-
On the other hand, the third part.
While Liu Wuxing's face was filled with bitterness, Shu Minglian and the five members of the military headquarters were listening attentively to Ning Hong's plan.
The crowd exchanged glances. Her fiancé, Huo Xiu, though poisoned, remained focused on the situation. When he saw that the diplomatic strategy was progressing smoothly, he breathed a slight sigh of relief and smiled.
Shu Minglian took her fiancé's hand and said, "It would be good if you could smile more."
Huo Yue is the young master of one of the five minor military units. He was poisoned while protecting Shu Minglian during their exorcism and could only lean weakly against his wheelchair, holding Shu Minglian's hand in return: "As long as I am here, I will accompany you in laughter every day. I only hope that you can always be at peace."
His breath was weak. Upon hearing this, Shu Minglian forced a smile, but did not want to reveal her vulnerability, and simply turned her head to gaze at the mirror palace.
She pondered for a while, then suddenly said, "This strategy of testing also has its flaws."
Knowing her intelligence, Huo Yue chuckled, "How so?"
The two lowered their voices and spoke privately. Shu Minglian said, "Even mortals have their limits."
"Hey, what nonsense are you spouting!" one of them suddenly burst into laughter, his voice booming, his spiritual energy still flowing.
Shu Minglian gritted her teeth and turned around. It was Zhong Buchen, the adopted husband of Liu Wuxing from another faction. With the air of a master thief, he coldly said:
"The predicted scene is thriving; where is there any sign of decay?!"
Shu Minglian remained silent. She had nothing more to say to these two people.
Suddenly, the Rain Master appeared and said, "Spell Cultivator, come out. The Grand Elder has something to discuss with you."
Shu Minglian felt somewhat uneasy. After she went out, she heard Yu Shi say, "You find a way to cripple someone. Yun Yi will give you what you want."
He took out a medicine pouch, the scent of which made Shu Minglian look up sharply: "Sacred Blood Pill!"
“I’ve heard that Huo Xiu’s injury requires ten pills, but we have three here,” Yu Shi said. “As long as you cripple the person I’m asking you to cripple.”
Shu Minglian asked, "Who is it?"
Yu Shi looked in the direction of the fourth part, and Shu Minglian was startled.
I had heard before that Yu Shi suffered the humiliation of "Ling Fu" in the fourth part of Yun Du, and Shu Minglian understood.
But whose intention was this? Was it the Rain Master, or the First Elder Ning Chenghan?
Shu Minglian was never a kind person and never adhered to the principle of not harming the innocent. Now that her beloved is about to pass away, she is being suppressed at every turn, and her heart is filled with inexplicable violence, so she is looking for a scapegoat.
Upon hearing Yu Shi's request, Shu Minglian said, "Give me one Holy Blood Pill first as a betrothal gift. After the trial, I will cripple that Ling Fu who is an eyesore to the adults. I will give you the remaining two later."
The Rain Master said, "Alright."
Shu Minglian nodded.
She had seen Ling Fu before; she was only a third-rank cultivator, nothing difficult to obtain. Shu Minglian now only wanted the medicine, and hoped that killing this insignificant Ling Fu would dispel the resentment in her heart.
-
The Mirror Palace simulation is still ongoing.
The members of the second group were initially in high spirits, but suddenly someone stood up and their expression changed drastically.
In the Mirror Palace, ten years after Ning Hong's new policies were implemented, the situation took a sharp turn for the worse.
It was under the strict rule that the order of the Southern Continent suddenly collapsed.
The second part led to uprisings in four places.
Ning Hong's expression changed drastically: "How could this be?"
Everyone was filled with fear. It turned out that Ning Hong's laws were very strict, and when they were implemented from top to bottom, some unscrupulous people profited from them, turning strict governance into tyranny.
Many mid-level bureaucrats used this opportunity to form cliques, bully others, and wreak havoc on lower-level monks and ordinary people they disliked, causing their families to be destroyed.
Just like when Ning Bai and others bullied the powerless and vulnerable "Ling Fu".
Seeing this, Ling Fu, who had also entered the Cloud Candle Tower, felt extremely uncomfortable and thought to herself, "Heavens above, please don't let this person from the second division become the sect leader. Sigh, sigh."
She looked in Zhou Fuling's direction and said, "We both offended the Second Division. If they get together, they'll probably be torn to pieces."
Once again, within the "Mirror Palace," the Han Party's influence has resurfaced.
It is also said that "preventing people from speaking is more difficult than preventing a river from overflowing."
However, Ning Hong, as a young master who grew up in the upper echelons, was accustomed to manipulating power in the upper echelons. Her previous decrees emphasized the distribution of benefits among the upper echelons, neglected the common people, and forbade anyone to resist.
Most ordinary people were content as long as they had enough to eat and their lives were not threatened, but when oppressive policies were introduced, everyone began to fear for power.
Once the flames of the Cold Party were ignited, uprisings broke out everywhere, setting the seeds of hatred sown throughout the nation. Although the upper echelons of the military were united, the common people were ultimately scattered.
Everything that reaches its peak must decline.
After a massive uprising that swept across the Southern Continent broke out, the Yun Ning Sect was annexed by the covetous and lurking Central Continent amidst the internal strife.
Upon seeing this, all around fell silent.
The Miao Mountain Master secretly watched Xu Qingning.
Xu Qingning's mother was born into a poor family; I wonder how he will view this scene.
Xu Qingning did not show his thoughts on his face, but thought to himself, "There are many such methods in Zhongzhou." He was preoccupied with his own thoughts.
If Zhou Fuling acts in the same wicked and cruel way in the future, how should he treat her and how should he get along with her?
Xu Qingning no longer wants to be Zhou Fuling's enemy, but she is unwilling to tolerate this kind of rule.
However, after thinking for a while, Xu Qingning realized that she was thinking too far ahead. She shouldn't let future matters bother the present.
The most important thing is that Zhou Fuling can become the sect leader (which seems extremely difficult at present).
He snapped out of his thoughts.
Looking at Yuntai again, Ning Hong's face was extremely pale, as if she had been punched hard.
Ning Bai's face was pale, but there was a mocking look on his lips.
The council of elders remained silent until one of them spoke up: "To be fair, with Yun Ning in internal strife, it's already a remarkable feat that they've managed to hold out for ten years under Zou Lanci. The foundation laid by Young Master Ning Hong is excellent. Now that the Mirror Palace has given us a hint, wouldn't it be better to take preventative measures before things escalate?"
However, Yu Shi from the first part said, "That's laughable. Yun Ning has not collapsed even after a hundred years against Zhong Zhou, but this young master Ning Hong, with just one move, is trying to tear Nan Zhou to pieces. That's quite a feat, why don't you just hand Nan Zhou over to them?"
"Rain Master!" Ning Chenghan scolded him.
The Rain Master fell silent, realizing that some ominous words should not be uttered. He could mock Yun Ning, but he must not curse the fate of the Southern Continent.
Ning Hong, proud and arrogant, was extremely distressed at this moment.
Ning Chengshan said in a low voice, "Hong'er, this question is not easy to answer. If we rebuild the reward and punishment system at that time, we can use force to control force, bribe informants, and make the Han clan fight among themselves to serve the Cloud Candle Tower. That is not impossible."
Ning Hong nodded in agreement, then looked at Yuntai and snorted coldly: "I want to see what answers the Dragon Master and the Fourth Division can come up with."
-
The third respondent was Master Long.
The Dragon Master makes his appearance.
Under intense public scrutiny, he presented his countermeasures.
This involved sending a delegation abroad to establish a "tripartite alliance" with the Tianji Gate of the Eastern Continent and the eight major mountain gates of the mortal realm.
The agreement stipulated that if either side was invaded by Zhongzhou, the other two sides would be required to provide support in terms of supplies and troops. This was intended to create a strategic deterrent, making Zou Lanci hesitant to initiate hostilities.
Internally, the Dragon Master also established a reward and punishment system, but it was not as strict as Ning Hong's.
Xu Qingning, who had been thinking about Zhou Fuling, was stunned when she saw this.
To form an alliance with the Eastern Continent and the Mortal Realm?
As the young master of the Eastern Continent, one must remain calm and focused to listen attentively.
The Dragon Master also seemed to have a good understanding of diplomatic policies, which included the strategy of befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones, with clear terms and conditions, making it far more just than when Ning Tingyue was in power.
Upon hearing this plan, many quick-thinking cultivators shouted, "Great!"
...
At this moment, Zhou Fuling and Liang Bucheng were also watching the battle from within the illusion.
Their answer sheets have been taken away, so they can now observe the strategies and tactics used in the previous tests.
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