Chapter 358 Aren’t You Afraid of Death? !
"Still returning it. It's been a whole day."
"Judging from the quantity, almost all of what was eaten has been sent back."
"I heard that it's not just Shengjing, but other counties as well."
There were still discussions in the teahouses and restaurants on both sides of Yongsheng Street, but the volume was much more restrained than before.
After the refugees stopped entering the city, carriages from aristocratic families from all over the country continued to pour into the city, delivering huge quantities of food back to the Wuliu Trading Company. This process lasted for a whole day.
Now, if you stand on a high place and look down, you can see countless bulging grain bags lined up in the streets, blocking the road so much that no one can move forward.
However, Wuyou Company did not move the grain back, but left it lying on the street.
During this special period of food shortage, there was so much food on the streets, but no one dared to touch it.
Even the magic weapon that was delivered with the car was in a state where it was being stared at by countless eyes, but no one dared to approach it.
The whole atmosphere seemed to be frozen and stiff.
But even though the surface was calm, they could still feel two invisible hands turning the situation upside down.
One of them naturally came from Ji You, and the other was the alliance of thousands of noble families in Qingyun World.
Most of the immortal cultivators were just watching the excitement and had no idea what was happening behind the scenes. However, as the stolen food was sent back, they could determine the result.
Ji You did not apologize, but the aristocratic families in the world were the first to admit defeat.
This result really strongly irritates everyone and makes people feel very uncomfortable.
Because in the thousands of years since the rise of the human race, only the Immortal Sect has been able to make the aristocratic families admit defeat.
But now there is a person who is alone, sitting quietly in the northeast, but he has forced all the noble families to bow their heads.
In the teahouse, countless people were holding cups and thinking quietly, with complicated expressions.
No matter what the process was, they felt that this invisible battle should end with Ji You's victory.
But in fact, the matter is not over. On the contrary, it is stuck at a juncture that makes all parties feel extremely nervous.
"Did Ji You reply?"
"In reply to the Palace Master, there has been no response from Fengzhou."
In the meeting hall behind the cloud and mist cliffs in front of the five main peaks of Tianshu Academy, Lu Fengchuan frowned deeply when he heard the report from his disciples. At the same time, this response also sparked discussions among the elders.
"Is he going to see this through to the end?"
Elder Ge murmured, a hint of timidity flashing in his eyes.
For thousands of years, he had never heard of anyone trying to deprive the world's taxes from the immortal sects and aristocratic families.
Not to mention his combat power and identity, just looking at the current situation, he discovered that the student who had entered the academy five years ago and had been sent to the countryside for private training for a long time was now extremely powerful in facing the affairs of the world.
"I've lived for nearly a hundred years, and this is the first time I've seen someone so aggressive, yet the Immortal Sect chose to restrain themselves immediately instead of suppressing them directly."
Elder Peng was sitting next to Elder Ge, and at this moment he couldn't help muttering to himself.
Elder Ge came back to his senses after hearing the voice. After thinking for a while, he looked at Elder Peng and said, "If it were anyone else, they would have been surrounded and killed. But Ji You is indeed special. He tore openly the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice and killed Chu Xian. Theoretically, he has done a favor to the six major immortal sects. It is difficult for the immortal sects to deal with him openly."
"Favors have always been worthless in the eyes of the Immortal Sect. I believe many people would not consider this a favor."
"That's true. Cutting off the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice is only the least noticeable aspect. The most important thing is the attitude of other immortal sects, including our Heavenly Academy."
As Elder Ge spoke, he looked up at the Acting Sect Leader Zuo Qiuyang who was sitting in the middle of the conference room.
Elder Peng frowned upon hearing this: "Everyone knows that Ji You is not well-liked by the Heavenly Academy. How can he be sure that the Heavenly Academy will stand on his side?"
"I have my doubts about the attitude of Tianshuyuan, but he is absolutely certain that there must be others on his side."
After the words fell, the two couldn't help but look at each other, thinking of Lingjian Mountain, which had remained silent in this matter just like Tianshuyuan.
They had also been to the Dongping Mountains before, and Elder Ge almost died there, so he naturally heard about the family affair.
"After the disaster, the six major immortal sects were severely damaged. The Xuanyuan Sect Leader died, the Chen Immortal Clan Sect Leader has not been seen since, and our Dean has also passed away. Under the watchful eyes of the barbarians and demons, everyone is trying to avoid further internal strife and give the other clans an opportunity to exploit."
Elder Ge murmured, "From the time he woke up to the time he left, it was only half a month. I saw him wandering around the mountains several times, but I never thought he had already calculated everything in the world."
Elder Peng stroked his beard upon hearing this. "Perhaps it's the hesitation of our human race in the face of the demonic invasion that has convinced him that the last thing the Immortal Clan wants to do right now is go to war in a weakened state, leading to the undercurrents of today."
"Is this what he thinks about when he's in his wheelchair?"
"It's better to say that all he has thought about along the way is these things. Not cultivating immortality, not ruling the world, but always these things."
Talking about this, the two couldn't help but recall once again that he was admitted to the academy because his cultivation was exposed when he saved a little girl, and then he went on a diplomatic mission to the Snow Region, killed the King of Soldiers with a sword, and after defeating Chu He and entering the inner courtyard, he immediately returned to Fengzhou to establish the Immortal Manor.
Inertial thinking would make people think that Ji You has been trying to get rid of his private cultivation identity and climb higher and higher, but after a long time, it will be discovered that what he wants is always different from others.
"His level of enlightenment has never been able to improve. He has been in the Tongxuan realm for four years but has not made any progress. Many people say that he has a demon in his heart."
"You mean his inner demon is here?"
Elder Ge thought for a moment and said, "Obsessions will be reflected in behavior, but I have no way of knowing what they are. However, regarding the tax issue, I still feel that Ji You cannot do it."
Elder Peng raised his eyes and asked, "Why?"
"Ji You's bottom line is too high, and his corresponding weaknesses are too obvious. A person with an excessively high bottom line can never defeat someone with an extremely low bottom line."
Southeast of Yuzhou, Wanchuan County.
While the Tianshu Academy was holding a meeting, under the thick night in the wilderness, a group of private scholars from Fengzhou, wearing the immortal robes of Shanhai Pavilion, walked all the way across the endless wild ridges.
They moved with extreme caution, using their spiritual energy to block the vibrations and air currents generated by their movements, so that they walked silently.
As they went up the hill, they kept exploring with their spiritual senses, and saw large tracts of farmland and countless wells.
As they watched, they locked onto the direction of a dirt road in the field, and then the group rushed away.
In a flash, these private practitioners landed in the cold wind and came to the dirt road, and then their eyes suddenly narrowed.
In the middle of the road, thirteen horse-drawn carriages from the Wuliu Trading Company were parked quietly, while the horses pulling the carriages had already been beheaded and blood was spilled all over the ground.
Such a scene seems particularly strange in the quiet night, making people feel a chill in their hearts.
"Where are the people?"
"No one is left."
While they were talking in low voices, someone walked to the front of the carriage, where the horses had fallen, and reached out to touch the bloodstains.
The winter is cold and the blood will coagulate.
Judging from its solidified and diffused state, these horses have been dead for a long time.
Seeing this scene, the Fengzhou private cultivator wearing the immortal robe of Shanhai Pavilion fell silent for a while.
Ordering the noble families to send back the grain and providing relief to the civilians on their behalf is a courtesy, but courtesy is often followed by military action.
After a long silence, these private practitioners couldn't help but look up towards the northeast.
There is a magnificent and towering mountain range, surrounded by fairy light and mist, which is the immortal Taoist temple of the Wendao Sect.
"This Black Iron Frost Prison has held people from the Rong Dao Realm and even the Ying Tian Realm. Private cultivators like you, who are only in the lower three realms, are not even qualified to be imprisoned here."
"The fact that you, the country folk, can now witness the Celestial Prison of the Immortal Sect is a testament to the good deeds of your ancestors."
On the west side of the mountain behind Wendao Mountain, in the stone prison below the black cliff, raging flames continued to illuminate the prison, illuminating it dimly.
The deacon elder Shang Ye was looking at the prison with a ferocious look on his face, and there was a chill in his words.
And as far as his eyes could see, twenty-six shopkeepers and more than three hundred employees were tied up, locked in a kneeling and forward-lying position, with gloomy expressions on their faces.
They were responsible for leasing land in Yuzhou. They had received news from Fengzhou earlier and were preparing to return with the last batch of fish scale books, but they were still captured.
Seeing their silence, Shang Ye couldn't help but twirl his long beard and said, "Write a letter to your master and tell him you want to live. Tell him that as long as you return the Fish Scale Book, I will let you go!"
"Bah!" Shopkeeper Yu forced himself to look up and spat at him.
"you!"
"court death!"
Shang Ye suddenly raised his hand, countless spiritual energy gathered in his palm, and murderous intent burst out instantly.
But before he could drop his hand, he remembered the scene where his cousin Shang Ting's body was brought back from Danshan, and he dropped his hand fiercely again.
"Aren't you afraid of death?"
"Do you know why I became a private cultivator?" Shopkeeper Yu braced himself, "Because there was a severe drought twenty years ago, you forced me to collect taxes and forced my parents to death. Since then, I haven't been afraid of death!"
Shang Ye narrowed his eyes and said, "Then you know that I, the Daoist Sect, have ten thousand ways to make your life worse than death."
Shopkeeper Yu clenched his fists and asked, "Have you ever been to Fengzhou?"
"Why would I go to that remote place?"
"Then you definitely don't know that after Fengzhou was renovated, our boss loved writing slogans on the walls. One of them is my favorite."
"?"
"Rise up, those who refuse to be slaves, and forge our new Great Wall with our flesh and blood."
With the shoulders tied up with ropes and tied backwards, the person can only kneel and bend forward. This posture is the most torturous and can make a person exhausted in half an hour.
The unyielding voice was indeed exhausted, yet hard and full of hatred.
A fierce look flashed in Shang Ye's eyes. Just as he was about to speak again, he heard footsteps behind him.
He turned around and saw that it was the deputy headmaster Shang Xingkong who had brought several elders to the prison.
Seeing this scene, Shang Ye bowed instantly.
Shang Xingkong stopped and took a quick look before speaking slowly, "First, take off their badges, put them together and send them to Fengzhou."
"yes!"
After hearing this, Shang Ye immediately winked at the disciples around him.
The next moment, the twenty-six shopkeepers and more than three hundred waiters were all trampled to the ground, and the iron plates around their waists were all taken off and thrown into the wooden box.
During this process, some people began to tremble all over, and some even sobbed.
After thousands of years of paying taxes and offering sacrifices to immortals, the fear of immortal cultivators has been almost ingrained in mortals. They would tremble even when they looked up at them, let alone being stepped on.
"Call back the people of the state and secretly monitor all Wuyou businesses in the city. If you don't see the Fish Scale Book within three days after the waist badge is delivered, you will be sent a head every day."
After Shang Xingkong finished speaking, he turned around, waved his robe and left, walked out of the dungeon and headed up the mountain.
In early winter, the air on the Wendao Mountain was already cold and desolate.
As he walked, Shang Xingkong saw his nephew Shang Xiyao in a pavilion, and saw Shang Xiyao stand up and salute him.
Shang Xingkong nodded slightly, then looked at an elder behind him and asked, "How is Xiyao's weapon and cultivation going now?"
"To reply to the Deputy Headmaster, the progress is not that great. It is quite different from the first half of the year."
"Go tell him that he's the wielder of a sacred weapon and the future head of the Wending Sect. The people he's competing with are Huo Xingzhong of the Shanhai Pavilion, Chen Luo and Chen Xi of the Chen Immortal Clan, and the young Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain. No matter how vicious or reckless some of these random people are, they'll never reach his level in their entire lives."
"yes."
After Shang Xingkong finished speaking, he continued walking up the mountain towards his residence.
During the battle at the ruins, my nephew witnessed Ji Youqiang opening the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice, and saw him killing Chu with a hundred swords amidst the murderous aura. After he came back, his Dao heart has been unstable, his cultivation has been difficult to progress, and his speed in mastering weapons has been extremely slow.
Shang Xingkong actually understands this phenomenon.
Because Ji You was indeed too strong. Even if he had met such a person when he was young, he would probably have found it difficult to accept.
This difficulty in accepting is not only due to the other party's combat power, but also because the other party came from a humble background and never had enough resources, but was able to reach this point.
The four words "private cultivation in the countryside" were once an excuse used by prominent families to trap children from poor families, but now it has become a cage that traps oneself.
But just as he instructed, his nephew was a weapon holder, so why would he compare himself with such a person?
No matter how strong Ji You is, he can only reach the perfection of the upper five realms in the end. However, as a holder of a weapon, he will definitely enter the fairyland in the end. The gap is too huge, and there is no need to compare them.
Shanghang went up the mountain and when he arrived at the mansion, he suddenly saw his nephew stand up in the pavilion at the foot of the mountain and bow to him.
Afterwards, he saw that his nephew was surrounded by mystery and immortal light was surging, so he nodded with satisfaction.
At the same time, Shang Ye of the Daodao Sect rode out of the mountain in a sedan chair and headed north with the wooden box full of waist badges.
"Boss, the person was taken away. By the time we arrived, it was already too late."
"You've worked hard, go and rest first."
In the backyard of Jizhai in Fengzhou, Ji You and Kuang Cheng stood side by side, seeing off the private cultivators who were going to look for the manager of Sanzhou, and fell into silence.
According to the original plan, the land lease would be completed quietly.
Afterwards, the shopkeepers from each state withdrew and spent the winter safely. After the autumn harvest the following year, they would come back with the fish scale book to argue with them.
At worst, we can ask the Heavenly Academy and Lingjian Mountain to act as guarantors, pay the full amount of tribute to the Immortal Sect first, reduce the share of the aristocratic families, and then slowly move forward to change this system.
But perhaps because the thousand-year-old families joined forces to commit evil under their noses, the sensitivity of the six major immortal sects became stronger, and the efficiency of information transmission and command execution also increased, so that the rhythm of the whole thing was disrupted.
This is what is called plans cannot keep up with changes, and it is also what is called man cannot conquer nature.
While they were thinking, Qiu Zhong came hurriedly with three people and handed three boxes to them.
"Young Master."
"Sent by Shanhai Pavilion, Wendao Sect, and the Chen Immortal Clan?"
"In reply to Young Master, it was them. Businesses in Qingzhou, Yuzhou, and Yongzhou are also under surveillance."
Qiu Zhong reached out and opened the box, revealing more than 800 iron waist badges.
Seeing these badges, Kuang Cheng couldn't help but look at Ji You. Cao Jinsong and others who were gathered around the tea table in the yard also looked over at the same time.
From the very beginning, Ji You's attitude towards this matter was very firm. Even when the head of Tianshuyuan wrote to him, he did not respond at all, so they were not sure what decision Ji You would make.
If they refuse, then more than 800 people will surely die. If they agree, then all the efforts will be in vain.
"Send the Fish Scale Book back." Ji You said slowly, "Wait for another opportunity."
Kuang Cheng sighed: "It seems that our efforts were in vain."
"But we are not qualified to choose sacrifice for them."
"You evil disciple, you only know how to make trouble!" Cao Jinsong's beard stood up wildly.
"Who knew they would be so sensitive and figure out what I wanted to do right away? Damn it, the Chu family has been acting in secret for years without any problems. They used all their intelligence on me."
At this moment, a group of noisy figures kicked bamboo balls and ran over from the front yard. The playful sounds instantly broke the solemnity in the yard.
At this time, Qiu Ru kicked hard, and the bamboo ball suddenly rushed towards Cao Jinsong, who caught it with one hand and threw it back.
At the same time, another little girl walked to the corridor panting and looked at Ji You: "Master, I haven't seen my father for a long time. When will he come back?"
"Soon, I'll be back in a few days and will celebrate the New Year with you."
"Very good!"
Ji You couldn't help but say after watching the girl walk away: "It would be such a pity if she became an orphan."
Kuang Cheng turned and looked at him. "It's already good to be able to sign the contract for 10,000 civilians. Even if they still have to pay taxes, life will be better than before. And the lost food will be recovered. Brother Ji, your decision is not wrong. After all, if you don't agree, these 800 people may just be the beginning."
Immortal cultivators have a very low bottom line. Even if they kill these eight hundred, there may not be another eight hundred.
This road is difficult to walk, and perhaps it is not the right time for this world.
But at this moment, they don't know when the time will be...
As the cold deepened, a horse-drawn carriage left Jizhai and headed out of the country. The carriage was filled with wooden boxes containing fish scale books.
At the same time, Wuyou shops in various places opened their doors, moved the returned grain into their courtyards, and resold it at the original price.
But this time, no one cursed.
They all knew that the aristocratic family had bowed their heads, so they knew that it would be useless even if they continued to scold them. What they had to accept still had to be accepted, and they couldn't help but tremble in their hearts.
But the most shocked people were not them, but another group of people who gradually heard the news about the farmland.
In Hongding Tower, Fang Jincheng and others were sitting at the wine table with Princess Changle and her entourage, holding their wine glasses in silence for a while.
When the noble families continued to drive away the refugees and everyone else thought it was just a fight for food, all the offerings that the cultivators could get were almost taken away by that person.
Everyone at the table had complicated expressions.
Especially Fang Jincheng, because he suddenly realized that since when, whenever the figure of the rural cultivator appeared in his mind, he was looking up.
In the following days, the weather suddenly turned cold.
The people who had obtained food began to spend the winter peacefully. The tense atmosphere gradually dissipated, and it seemed as if nothing had happened.
Shanhai Pavilion, the Chen Immortal Clan and the Wendao Sect were also relatively trustworthy. After seeing the fish scale book being sent back, they released the detained shopkeepers and assistants on the same day.
Ji You was afraid that trouble would arise again, so he and Kuang Cheng left Fengzhou to pick up the person.
The next morning at Jizhai, three carriages slowly stopped in front of the gate.
Cao Jinsong, Ban Yangshu, Wen Zhengxin, Pei Ruyi, and the Lu sisters were loading their luggage into the car.
Because of the farmland leasing issue, the Lu sisters were reluctant to leave some time ago, but as the matter came to an end, it was almost time for them to leave.
Everyone decided to see him off for a while, as a way of showing hospitality.
At this time, at a roadside stall on the south side of the main city road of Fengzhou Prefecture, a woman with a beautiful face raised her eyes slightly and looked at the countless beautiful women coming out of Ji Village. A hint of sword energy flashed in her eyes.
However, the waiter at the breakfast shop quickly walked out of the store and interrupted the rising sword energy.
"What do you eat, girl?"
Yan Shu also took out a piece of silver from his pocket and said, "Give me a basket of steamed buns and a bowl of rice porridge."
The waiter nodded and took note: "Judging from the girl's accent, she shouldn't be from Fengzhou, right?"
"It's from Fengzhou."
Hearing this answer, the waiter was thoughtful and thought that this girl must have married to our Fengzhou.
After a simple breakfast, the sun began to become much warmer.
Yan Shuyi strolled around the street for a while, then bought a roasted sweet potato and headed towards Ji Village. He walked up the steps briskly and stepped over the threshold.
Old Qiu was in the yard at this time, sending the workers in the mansion to reinforce the doors and windows in preparation for winter. When he saw the figure of the young master Jian, his eyes widened instantly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
"Madam, why are you here?"
Hearing the long-lost name, Yan Shu couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly.
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu, who stayed behind in Ji Village, also ran out from the front hall after hearing this and looked at her in surprise: "Master Jian, why are you here?"
"I haven't seen Qiu Ru for a while. I came to see her practice and hang out for a while, and then I'll go back."
Hearing this, the two girls couldn't help but look at each other, and couldn't help but feel secretly worried.
The brother-in-law said that he would go to Lingjian Mountain to see her after selling the grain, but due to various coincidences, this matter lasted for more than a month.
The appraiser must have been unable to wait any longer, so he just came here on his own.
He has grown up, and I have to say that the master of the appraiser has also grown up.
I remember when Tianshuyuan went to Lingjian Mountain to ask for advice, Master Jian couldn't even wait for one night and secretly went to the inn. It is really not easy for him to endure for so long to see his husband now.
"Where's Qiu Ru?"
"Playing with her friends in the backyard."
"Where's Wei Rui?"
"Take the account book and go to the granary with the Fengzhou Prefecture's legal advisor to count the amount."
"Where's Lao Qiu?"
"Madam, I'm behind you." Old Qiu couldn't help but answer
Yan Shuyi thought for a moment and then asked, "Where's Xiaoyue?"
Xiaoyue'er was also a little girl in Ji Village. Like Qiu Ru, she once studied with Master Chen. Later, she went to Lingjian Mountain with her family to stay for a few days.
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu exchanged a glance and coughed. "Wendao Sect, Shanhai Pavilion, and the Chen Immortal Clan have detained a group of shopkeepers and employees from Ji Village. They were just released from the mountain the day before yesterday. My son-in-law was afraid of any accidents, so he went out with Master Kuang to fetch them yesterday. They're not at the mansion right now, but they'll probably be back tomorrow."
Yan Shuyi's eyelashes trembled slightly after hearing this, and then he stepped into the main hall.
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu pursed their lips and thought to themselves, see, she really didn't want to ask Xiaoyue, she just wanted to know where her husband had gone.
There are many little girls in Ji Village, some are from farmers, some are privately trained, and they all look similar at a young age.
They felt that if they lined up these little girls together, even the appraiser might not be able to recognize which one was Xiaoyueer.
(asking for monthly ticket)
(End of this chapter)
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