Chapter 1015 I, Call upon you immortals, Return to the Heavens!

Most of the waist tags had already been dug out, with some Jinyi (embroidered-uniform) guards still tidying up. The remaining Jinyi guards were reorganizing the waist tags that had been piled up here.

Zheng Lin remained kneeling. If his mother didn't tell him to get up, he couldn't.

Therefore, Zheng Lin clearly saw Liu Dahu leading more than a dozen Jinyi guards, with booklets in hand, comparing the waist tags one by one.

The Jinyi guards next to them wrapped the matched waist tags in a small piece of silk cloth and neatly stacked them into large boxes.

The prior preparations were extremely meticulous. These things were all procured within Jinghai City while the city was still under siege.

So, his own father was able to ponder this while feeding the goldfish.

Below the high platform, the Sword Saint stood with his arms crossed, the wind gently blowing his clothes. As if sensing his disciple's gaze, he turned his head to look over.

Zheng Lin remembered his master telling him that people should be trustworthy and keep their promises, but how many in the world could truly do that?

His master even said that his father was the most trustworthy and promise-keeping person he had ever met in his life.

Therefore, although he was somewhat convinced in his heart, the Heir Apparent, whose words and body language still habitually expressed a bit of rejection, truly believed his father when he said that he was merely destroying a country as a side effect.

It wasn't deliberately trying to show off anything or trying to flaunt anything.

Everything was just so natural and matter-of-course.

He wanted to dig out and rebury the eight thousand soldiers who had died for him, but the journey was difficult, with the Qian people setting up checkpoints and barriers.

So,

Since the Qian people wouldn't make it easy for him, then he would make it thoroughly easy for the Qian people.

The local Qian armies in the two or three prefectures near Shangjing had been provoked into actively converging towards Shangjing. The various troops represented by Tian Ge and others, along with the fierce battles on the three sides, had long since spread the flames of war to the "limbs and bones" of the Qian Kingdom.

In contrast, the area around Shangjing City was now exceptionally safe.

Zheng Lin supported himself on the plank beneath him.

He had once wondered,

Wondered why his godfathers had always stayed by his father's side,

Wondered why someone like his master was willing to live next door to his family, and whenever his father went out, his master would follow;

Wondered about his own mother,

Why she chose this man and gave birth to him.

This kind of doubt had accompanied him for a long time;

Accompanying his father on this trip to the Qian Kingdom, he still hadn't found a definite answer because, gradually, the answer didn't seem so important anymore.

Liu Dahu stepped forward and knelt to report:

"Your Highness, the waist tags have been counted and properly placed."

The Prince nodded.

Liu Dahu got up and silently retreated.

The Prince's gaze first turned to the three large flags standing on either side of the offering table on the high platform.

One was the Black Dragon Flag;

One was the Jingnan Army Flag;

One was Zheng Fan's royal flag.

Back then, it was under these three flags that tens of thousands of iron cavalry cleared the way for him, using the most direct, barbaric, and primitive methods to carve out a path of blood for him.

There are always some things, always some people, who can leave a different mark in the depths of your memory.

Before that day,

Zheng Fan didn't have much feeling for the so-called Black Dragon Flag. More than anything, he just remembered the promise that Lao Tian (Old Tian) had made to the flag.

But after that day,

Eight thousand Yan soldiers, with their flesh and blood, dyed that Black Dragon Flag into the heart of this great Yan's contemporary military god.

Brother made me swear that I must never put down this flag in my life.

Because when you keep holding this flag,

Countless Yan soldiers will rush forward, one after another, blocking in front of you,

Charging and killing for you,

Breaking through enemy lines for you,

Dying in battle for you!

The Prince's gaze shifted to the pit in front of him.

He closed his eyes,

And said:

"I've come back to take you home.

Are you,

Still here?"

The autumn wind kept gently blowing here. The surrounding Jinyi guards were exceptionally quiet, and the surrounding Qian laborers were kneeling obediently to the side, not daring to be presumptuous.

But in the darkness,

Just in this "quiet" where only the wind could be heard,

After asking this question,

In the Prince's ears,

It seemed as if a deafening, unanimous roar suddenly rang out:

"We are!!!"

The Prince took a deep breath,

And tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.

The corners of his mouth,

However, outlined a slight arc.

"I,

Have chosen a treasured geomantic location,

For you."

……

When the Yan iron cavalry approached the capital region along the Wangjiang River, a huge wave of refugees immediately erupted throughout the capital region, including Shangjing City.

In the past, the people of the capital region would probably habitually run towards the capital city. Those with connections would seek refuge with relatives and friends, and those without connections would rather sleep on the streets than continue to be exposed to the Yan's sabers outside.

After all, for a long time, in the perception of most people, the towering city walls of Shangjing City, the officials and ministers in Shangjing City, were their greatest source of security.

But all of this was changed by the fall of the city in that year.

The Yan had killed their way into Shangjing City.

The capital city, which had originally held an awe-inspiring majesty, fell into days of continuous chaos, becoming a living hell.

The news of defeats everywhere couldn't be concealed from below. Or rather, the operating system of the Qian court, which was now enduring a thunderous shock, had begun to develop extremely serious problems.

The window paper that had been pasted over and over again, after encountering a real storm, would still be broken through and drenched, revealing the shocking, dense holes.

The Qian people in the capital region, the people in Shangjing City, began to migrate outwards, as if fleeing for their lives.

That Prince... is here again!

Li Fusheng had been dead for many years, so the people of the enemy country had long forgotten Li Fusheng. In fact, even if Li Fusheng were still alive, as far as the Qian people were concerned,

The one who led the army across the Bian River and questioned Shangjing more than ten years ago was no longer the Tiger Might Earl, but the Regent Prince's army!

Even though the Prince was just a small garrison commander back then.

But not to mention history books, even the memories of people living in the present day, ten years is a big cycle. The currently powerful and meritorious Regent Prince is enough to become a similar big star on the stage in all stages of his journey.

In more than ten years, Shangjing City had heard the Yan's horses twice, all thanks to this Prince.

And this time, when that Prince's army appeared again, the people really began to vote with their feet.

Even more embarrassing was that the official army inside and outside the capital city couldn't stop these people from "fleeing," because from a military point of view, the fewer people in the city, the lower the difficulty of defense.

Shangjing City was too big. Under normal circumstances, once something went wrong with the Qian River waterway, and grain failed to be transported to Shangjing in time, grain prices in the capital city would panic.

But the problem was... the emergence of this "escape" wave also gradually drained the morale of Shangjing and even the entire capital region.

……

"Many more people have come."

"Yes, more and more people are coming."

On the second floor of the restaurant, two white-clothed old men were drinking and playing chess face to face.

And on the street, there was a crowded mass of people.

This was Houshan Town.

As the name suggests, this was a town adjacent to Houshan (Back Mountain).

The scale of the town was very large, but it had no city walls and no garrison.

There was a local official, but the local official was just a nominal position, more of a symbol.

The real management of Houshan Town was the "immortals" on Houshan.

Even if a few of the Qi refiners on Houshan could achieve *bigu* (grain avoidance, a Taoist practice), most people still failed to cultivate to the point of detaching from their mortal bodies.

And even the real immortals might not be able to live without the enjoyment of human wine and meat.

Therefore, this town was designated to be under the jurisdiction of Houshan during the reign of Emperor Taizong.

Houshan didn't lack wealth. Every year, people from all over the Qian Kingdom and even other countries would flock here to burn incense, make wishes, and donate incense money, which could be said to be the most in the world.

But after all, gold and silver couldn't be eaten as food. Someone had to farm, someone had to weave cloth, someone had to peddle goods...

Houshan Town and Houshan were in this kind of interdependent relationship.

In this town, various industries were filled with registered disciples of Houshan, who could also be called outer disciples.

Because the Yan people entered the country, and the Jiangnan region was defeated, the Great Qian was in flames and in urgent need everywhere. Under the panic, many people who originally lived in the capital region, whether wealthy or poor, instinctively fled to Houshan Town.

The official army couldn't be relied on, the court couldn't be relied on, the ministers couldn't be relied on, and the emperor couldn't be relied on...

Fortunately,

Everyone still had gods to rely on.

"The situation is very bad."

"Yes, Shishu (Uncle-Master) Li Xundao went down the mountain back then, and we thought there was hope for restoring the country. In recent years, we did see signs of revitalization, but who knew that it would collapse like a thunderbolt."

"Who says otherwise? I don't know if the Great Qian can survive this disaster."

Li Xundao was the closed disciple of Master Cang, so although his age was not very old in Houshan, his seniority was extremely high. After all, Master Cang had lived for more than two Jiazi (120 years).

"Shixiong (Senior Brother), what do you think of our Houshan..."

"What? Are you also afraid?"

"This Shidi (Junior Brother) hasn't cultivated enough."

"Hehe, this is Houshan."

"Yes, yes."

"Houshan is a land beyond the secular world. If the late Emperor hadn't insisted on self-dissection, he should have come to this Houshan. Entering Houshan means entering the world beyond.

Outside the gate is the great world,

Inside this gate is our Houshan's small world.

To say something heartfelt, even if this Great Qian is gone, this Houshan will always be here.

From emperors and generals to the common people, they all need our Houshan, and they can't live without our Houshan."

"Shixiong is absolutely right, absolutely right."

"Put your heart back in your stomach, play this chess well, and take a look at the surging refugees outside.

A sip of wine,

A move of chess,

Outside the window is the people's livelihood, inside the window is detachment from the world,

This coming in and out, and then out and in again, can bring a breakthrough in your state of mind."

"Thank you for your guidance, Shixiong!"

"You're welcome, Shidi. You and I are..."

"The Yan dogs are here!!!!!!"

"Run!!!!!!!"

"The Yan people are here, the Yan people are here, run!!!!!!"

The wine cups in the hands of the two Qi refiners fell to the ground at the same time.

They both looked out the window,

And outside,

Where was it the mortal world? It was clearly an earthly cloud formed by black-armored knights, roaring towards this town without city walls.

The Yan army knights had no mercy at all.

After rushing in,

They drew their swords and slashed at anyone they saw, drew their bows and shot, and began the most tragic slaughter.

Screams of anguish kept coming, and then converged into the most terrifying melody, constantly intertwining and revolving above this town.

Blood,

Despair,

Corpses,

Began to fill this pure land that was once said to be the closest to immortals in the entire world!

……

The Sword Saint sat on horseback, overlooking the scene of hellish carnage in front of him.

The Jin Dong cavalry was the best iron cavalry in the world. They were disciplined, they were first-class in archery, they were well-coordinated and well-trained, but there was one skill that even the rookies entering the army didn't need to be taught additionally...

That was to point their weapons at the people.

The Qian army had repeatedly staged the scene of being defeated by the Yan army on the front battlefield, and then turning into routed soldiers to plunder the people they were supposed to protect.

The reason why Chen Daxia came to find Zheng Fan back then was also due to this misunderstanding.

There was no reason why the Jin Dong army wouldn't know what the Qian army knew.

Especially... their Prince had personally given the order.

The Yan people's reputation in the other countries of Zhuxia (the central plains) was not good. Or rather, it wasn't just in Zhuxia, the Yan people's reputation was not good even outside of Zhuxia.

They were extremely cruel when they killed the barbarians and savages.

Whether it was the previous Prince of Jingnan,

Or the Regent Prince who inherited the mantle and military flag of the Prince of Jingnan,

Their military careers were not lacking in examples of massacring cities and killing prisoners.

Zheng Lin, who was not riding the Pixiu with his father this time but riding a horse alone, glanced curiously at his master beside him.

At his young age, he didn't think there was anything wrong with this kind of wanton killing. In fact, he couldn't wait to join in and enjoy it.

But his mother was also here,

In front of his mother, if he stained his clothes with blood and got them dirty... then he would have to face his loving mother's needle and thread again.

But in Zheng Lin's view, his master had always had a compassionate heart. Even if he didn't stop his father, who seemed completely out of control, he shouldn't be so calm about it.

The Sword Saint also looked at Zheng Lin at this time, and then shifted his gaze away again.

Following the Zheng family, even the most compassionate Buddhist monk would be "converted" into a Shura (demon).

The current Yu Huaping,

Might cherish the duck in the chicken coop that he's been reluctant to eat,

And he also didn't have much interest in caring about the people of other countries and other places on the battlefield.

Most importantly,

He respected Zheng Fan's promise,

And the scene in front of him,

Was Zheng Fan fulfilling his promise... to his own promise.

The Sword Saint would never forget the assassination on the frozen Wangjiang River that day.

One wave had not subsided, and another rose. Zheng Fan was actually "invited" to the mountain by the Qi refiners of Houshan.

Although Zheng Fan was able to return to his mind in the end, it was extremely dangerous. A slight mistake, and the current world-renowned Regent Prince would have become an idiot.

It was also on that day,

That Zheng Fan swore,

"One day, I will leave no chicken or dog alive in your Houshan!"

The Sword Saint didn't feel very comfortable listening to these killings and screams. He liked to wear white clothes, which meant that he loved cleanliness, which was very different from the Yan army and the Yan prince, who always favored black.

But just like what the Zheng family had said: the one who provokes first is the cheap one.

There was no reason why you should be allowed to plot behind people's backs and try to kill them, but not allow people to come back to their senses and destroy your entire family.

The matter of revenge and extermination was also commonplace in the martial world.

The Prince's hand,

Gently stroked the Pixiu's mane;

His gaze would occasionally turn to the rows of large boxes that had been placed behind him.

He had once said that when he returned in the future, it would not be to move their memorial tablets and take them home, but to turn the land beneath his feet into the territory of Great Yan.

The sons of Great Yan who died in their own territory were naturally not considered to have died in a foreign land.

But even if they were buried at home, where exactly they were buried was also important.

Since these eight thousand soldiers died for him, Zheng Fan,

Then he, Zheng Fan,

Would personally choose a treasured geomantic location for them to be their true burial place.

So,

Where else,

Would have better geomancy, than here!

……

The killing,

Continued.

And at this time,

The people on the mountain could finally no longer sit still.

The "immortals" of Houshan might not care about the life and death of the people at the foot of the mountain. After all, under their often "compassionate and world-saving" faces, there was also a mocking face that called them "ants."

But they had to care about one thing,

That was, after this prince of Great Yan was done with his killing at the foot of the mountain, would he not stop and take the opportunity to kill up the mountain!

Qi refiners were very mysterious and powerful. Houshan had developed to the point where its status was comparable to the ancestral home of the Qi refiners of Zhuxia.

But no matter how high your ancestral home was,

In front of these tens of thousands of brave iron cavalry, it was completely not enough to see.

In an instant,

Figures flew down from the mountain, truly giving off a feeling of being detached from the world like immortals.

Among them,

There were even the three highest-ranking third-grade Qi refiners taking the lead, supporting their own Dharma forms, and three very tall illusory figures appeared, like mirages.

"Regent Prince, what do you mean by this? Have you heard the cries of the common people!"

"Your Highness, please stop."

"Prince of Great Yan, Houshan is a pure place for immortals, it must not be desecrated like this!"

The Prince sat on the back of the Pixiu,

Holding a riding crop,

Pointing to the three illusory figures in front,

He said loudly:

"I only know that,

True immortals,

Should live in the heavens, not be tainted in the mortal world.

Since this Houshan is the land of immortals;

Then the ones living on the mountain are naturally true immortals, no doubt about it. Good, I admit it.

I,

Have always been happy to do good deeds and help others!

Today,

I will personally,

Send you immortals on this Houshan,

Back to the heavens!"

"You!!!!!!"

"How dare you!!!!!!"

"Regent Prince, don't say that this Great Qian hasn't fallen yet. Even if Great Qian really falls, even if your Great Yan truly unifies this Zhuxia.

From the emperor's sacrifices, the appointment of mountain and river land gods, the definition of yin and yang order laws, and the good or bad of celestial phenomena;

Down to the guidance of the common people, the domestication of the common people, and the appeasement of all living beings;

Even if your Great Yan can truly seize this world, if you want to sit firmly on this country,

You can't live without Qi refiners,

Naturally,

You can't live without this Houshan!"

"Hahahaha..."

Hearing this,

The Prince laughed loudly,

Then he shouted:

"Still dreaming this... Spring and Autumn Dream.

You 'immortals,' the times have changed.

Because,

From today onwards,

This world,

Will be personally taught by me!"