Chapter 1024 Come On!

The wind in the depths of the Great Swamp, regardless of the season, always gives a delicate and graceful feeling;

Slippery and moist, it caresses your cheeks, leaving a faint aftertaste.

If it weren't for the corpses of demonic beasts scattered throughout the swamps and the embellishments of miasma and venomous insects, many literati and poets would surely gather here to hold poetry gatherings.

For the locals, as long as they don't live in the truly deep areas, they won't feel anything even living within the broad definition of the Great Swamp;

But for outsiders, the words Great Swamp seem to carry the original sin of rot and stench.

At this moment,

In a swamp,

A head slowly poked out.

This wasn't a human head; its face was covered in scales, and upon closer inspection, one could see the runes carved into the positions of its eyes.

It opened its mouth,

Emitting a series of "ya... ya... ya" sounds,

Immediately afterward, similar cries began to echo in the distance.

The head slowly retracted,

And soon after,

A team of people galloped past on horseback, stirring up a cloud of mud, disturbing a swarm of snakes, insects, rats, and ants.

…

At the central high platform of Ming Village,

The Chu Emperor, whose hair was half-white and whose face was beginning to show signs of aging, was playing chess with the young man in the yellow robe.

"What is your surname?"

The Chu Emperor asked.

"Huang."

"What is your name?"

The young man in the yellow robe didn't answer for a long time.

The Chu Emperor glanced at him, continued to move his piece, and didn't urge him.

The young man in the yellow robe laughed self-deprecatingly:

"Taking the ‘di’ (第) character from ‘men di’ (门第, family background) would make it seem too blatant; taking the character ‘yi’ (一, one) would feel silly.

Fortunately, I don't use my name often, so I've been procrastinating.

If Your Majesty is interested, you can help me choose one."

"Wouldn't that be taking advantage of you?"

"Your Majesty speaks too kindly; it should be my honor."

"Then let's call you Huang Lang."

"That's... such a perfunctory name.

Fine, I'll use it for now."

"How can one be so casual about a name?"

"How often is Your Majesty's name used now? Throughout Great Chu, scholars writing poetry and official documents must avoid Your Majesty's name; as for foreign countries, they only know that Your Majesty was originally the Fourth Prince of Chu, and was also the Regent of Chu, and now, is the Emperor of Chu;

How many people can truly remember Your Majesty's name?"

"You have a big heart."

Huang Lang covered his mouth with his hand and began to laugh again, saying:

"To say something that Your Majesty might find deserving of a beating,

It's innate."

"It is quite deserving of a beating."

"I think so too." Huang Lang pointed to his ears. "Ever since I can remember, I've always felt like someone was talking to me in my ears, saying nonsensical things; even now, it's still there."

"Oh?"

"Otherwise..."

Huang Lang glanced around slightly,

"Otherwise, how could these great experts who have been sleeping to prolong their lives be so respectful to me?

As for the rest,

I'm too lazy to say it; I guess Your Majesty wouldn't like to hear it anyway.

It's all mystical stuff, bizarre visions;

I once read the history books written by Lord Meng Shou, which also recorded many strange scenes at the births and childhoods of ancient sage kings and famous ministers.

I can only say,

They can't make things up or boast as well as I can."

"That's interesting." The Chu Emperor smiled. "You can deceive them?"

These reclusive fellows who have been sleeping, calling themselves within the sect, isolated from the outside, are not immortal; they have been storing their remaining lifespan, exchanging it for slower consumption through slumber.

But now, they have all awakened.

For whom?

For,

This young man before him.

"I myself think it's fake, but they believe it even more than I do, so what can I do?

Everything is possible in dreams,

But after waking up, nothing comes true.

I even suspected that I had hysteria, that I was an idiot and a madman.

But after meeting them,

I realized,

That there really is a group of people in this world who are even more like madmen than I am.

Oh, right,

Your Majesty,

Do you believe in the will of Heaven?"

The Chu Emperor nodded, then shook his head, saying, "Twenty years ago, if you said that the Yan Kingdom would unify the Xia, who would have believed it?"

"Your Majesty didn't answer my question; do you believe it?"

"I believe there is such a thing, but whether to believe it or not depends on the person."

"Talking to Your Majesty is indeed much more interesting than talking to them; some things are completely inviolable in their eyes."

"They can't afford to lose."

"That's right; they can't afford to lose; they've already staked everything; they not only don't allow themselves to lose, but they don't even allow this gambling table to exist."

"And you, you don't believe?" the Chu Emperor asked.

"Like Your Majesty, I believe in the mandate of Heaven, and I also believe that the heavens above have their own thoughts.

But..."

"But what?"

"The phrase 'Man will conquer Heaven' sounds too grandiose, but if you think about it another way, why have people, whether commoners or high-end Qi refiners, always had a reverence for the heavens above, for that vast will of Heaven, that seems to come from the depths of their bones for thousands of years?"

The Chu Emperor pondered slightly,

And replied:

"Perhaps it's because the will of Heaven has never lost."

Huang Lang also imitated the Chu Emperor's previous gesture, nodding and then shaking his head,

Saying meaningfully:

"Because even if it has lost, no one would know."

Huang Lang conceded the game,

Patting his knees,

And said:

"Since ancient times,

Whoever wins,

Isn't that who is blessed by Heaven?"

At this moment,

The Wine Old Man appeared on the high platform,

Reporting:

"Your Majesty, the wind is rising."

"Oh, right, Wine Old Man, I just got a name, Huang Lang, the 'lang' (郎) from 'lang jun' (郎君, young master)."

"A good name."

Huang Lang pointed at the Wine Old Man and spread his hands towards the Chu Emperor.

The Wine Old Man's gaze remained fixed on the Chu Emperor.

Huang Lang then asked:

"Is it confirmed?"

"Someone has already gone; we need to wait until after entering the formation to ensure safety."

"Good."

The Wine Old Man descended from the high platform.

Huang Lang then looked at the Chu Emperor and asked, "Does Your Majesty need to rest?"

"It hasn't reached the critical point for my niece yet; let's give her a little more."

"Your Majesty is truly a good uncle."

"There's no point in saying that now."

"Yes, even if you stop now, that Regent won't know, unless you and he already had an understanding; but if there was an understanding, he wouldn't have come at all."

The white hair on the Chu Emperor's temples began to flutter,

Reaching out,

He began to gather the chess pieces on the chessboard,

Saying:

"I didn't quite understand my brother-in-law's temperament before, but now, I think I understand it; just as you said a few days ago, he's coming just to crush me, and at the same time, to crush you all.

He's different from other overlords,

He has a fatal weakness,

Which is... seemingly cold-blooded, but in reality, he values family and kinship very much."

Huang Lang then said:

"But it's also his strength; there have always been many overlords in the world, even if they emerge from troubled times; but whenever there are troubled times, many more emerge.

But the ability to be an overlord while also compensating for the overlord's weaknesses is true power.

Otherwise, how could King Jingnan have supported and shielded him with all his might? Daring to let his own嫡son grow up by his side.

Otherwise, how could the current Emperor of Great Yan dare to play this game of exchanging flirtatious glances and harmonious ruler-minister relations with him?

Ultimately,

This man,

Is reliable and steadfast.

This is a gold-lettered signboard,

This light,

Can blind people's eyes."

"You're right, so, let's wait for news; if he really comes..."

"Does Your Majesty mean that if he really comes, then it means he's too deeply immersed in the play?"

The Chu Emperor shook his head,

Not guessing the move,

But directly placing the piece,

Saying:

"It's that he's too lazy to act at all."

…

"Master, beyond the valley ahead is the territory of Ming Village; your subordinate has just scouted ahead and found a large formation."

Xue San reported.

A'ming pointed to the valley ahead,

Where there was a clear and distinct color separation between the sky there and the sky here:

"Did you really need to scout that?"

The Blind Man said, "Master, that formation should be the Four Directions Formation."

"Blind Man, how many lessons have you secretly made up?" Xue San asked curiously.

"You'll know if you read more books usually; after annihilating Back Mountain, we seized many books; after entering Qian Capital, I also ordered people to collect many books."

"But even if you don't use your eyes to read, there's no reason you could have read and remembered them all so quickly, right?"

"There certainly isn't enough time, but I've deliberately browsed the top-ranked, the most awesome ones.

This Four Directions Formation is a formation driven by luck, equivalent to a large barrier; outsiders who enter will be suppressed in all aspects.

This is an extremely clever technique for Qi refiners; it's like setting up a very shameless home-field advantage for themselves."

Zheng Fan turned his head to look at the Blind Man beside him,

And asked:

"Can it be broken?"

"Your subordinate only has this glib tongue; for small formations, your subordinate can try to analyze them with spiritual energy to break them, but for this kind of large formation, your subordinate is temporarily unable to do anything.

However, the laws of breaking formations will never change; the best and most direct way is to use corresponding things to bombard the foundation of the formation.

Since it's a formation based on luck,

If nothing unexpected happens,

Once Master enters,

It'll probably be broken.

After all,

In terms of luck,

The luck of Great Yan is the most prosperous now; compared to it, the others are simply not in the same league.

Master is the Regent of Great Yan,

Although you're not wearing royal robes or riding a pixiu now, Master is still Master; from a legal point of view, you are qualified to be protected by luck."

"Oh."

Zheng Fan nodded and instructed:

"Let's cook."

"Yes."

The devils began to set up pots and pans.

Fan Li put down the large iron pot that he had been carrying on his back all the way and set up a barbecue grill at the same time.

Xue San went hunting; there was a lot of wild game nearby.

The Blind Man used his mental power to filter water, and Si Niang took out the spices she had been carrying and began to stir-fry them.

Before long, Xue San returned, catching two prey; one looked like a rabbit, but much larger than an ordinary rabbit, with green eyes, and the other looked like a wild boar, but much smaller.

They were both demonic beasts that had not completely evolved; Third Master skillfully skinned, cleaned, and marinated them, and finally, put them on the grill.

The red soup hot pot in the pot was now beginning to boil.

A'ming and Liang Cheng picked a lot of wild vegetables from nearby, and when they placed the things in front of Si Niang's cutting board,

Si Niang suddenly smiled:

"Really, I was negligent; I shouldn't have let you two go."

"What's wrong?" A'ming asked.

"Did you two taste them?"

Si Niang pointed to the mushrooms and wild vegetables placed in front of her and asked.

"We did."

Si Niang nodded and said, "It would be difficult for you two to be poisoned to death anyway."

"..." A'ming.

Si Niang took out a silver needle and began to test for poison.

There were many demonic beasts in the Great Swamp, and there were also many strange plants; it was difficult to completely apply previous survival experience here.

It took longer than expected, but the meal was finally prepared.

Everyone gathered around the hot pot and the grill,

A'ming took out a wine pouch and poured wine for everyone.

The red stone was placed at Zheng Fan's feet, and A'ming didn't forget it, pouring some red wine on it as well.

After pouring a round,

A'ming sat down,

And took out another wine pouch; the wine inside was even redder, but only he and Liang Cheng could enjoy it.

The hot pot was bubbling,

The barbecue was sizzling with oil,

Everyone held a cup in their hands,

Before starting the meal, the person with the highest status had to say a few words;

This was a ritual that would be preserved no matter where, no matter when, or even whether it was people or ghosts...

Facing everyone's gaze,

Zheng Fan, as the Master, raised his glass,

And said:

"I quite enjoy this feeling, everyone gathering together, eating and drinking.

I remember before, this was a common occurrence; we would gather together almost every night to eat and chat; in recent years, the number of times has decreased a lot.

Some are busy and can't come back;

Some have families;

There are fewer opportunities like this now.

It's been a long time since we've been,

So pure.

So,

This meal,

Everyone,

Eat and drink well, and drink and eat well."

"Hahaha."

"Wuwuwu!"

"Ohoho!"

Xue San, Fan Li, and the others made some appropriate noises to create the atmosphere.

Next,

Everyone began to eat formally.

Even A'ming was given a piece of grilled meat.

A'ming picked it up and took a bite.

"Don't force yourself too much; just take a token bite," Liang Cheng said.

A'ming shook his head and said, "It's fine; compared to maoxuewang, other foods are delicious."

After all, during those six months when his strength hadn't recovered and everyone was basically an ordinary person, maoxuewang can be said to be the most "original" delicacy that A'ming could come into contact with.

Although he had never eaten it again afterward, the terror of being dominated by maoxuewang was rooted in his mind.

Fan Li sat there, eating meat in big mouthfuls; Xue San stood by the pot, picking hot pot dishes.

"Master, I also made some hand-pulled noodles; should I put them in too?"

"Good."

Si Niang put the noodles into the pot.

While waiting for the noodles to cook,

Zheng Fan, who had already eaten and drank a round, propped his hands on the ground behind him, facing upwards in a very lazy manner,

And said:

"It really feels like we're on a team-building exercise."

…

"They've started eating and drinking; aren't they anxious?"

On the slope on one side of the valley, two women in black robes stood there, looking at the situation over there; in the center of one of the women's eyebrows, there was a black mark, as if it had been burned by fire.

"It's aimed at him, not his daughter; he's already here; now we're hoping he comes in; as long as he doesn't come in, his daughter is safe.

Don't you even understand this logic?"

"I understand, but I just feel like they're too relaxed, like they don't take us seriously at all."

"They compare us to rats in a stinky ditch, and we're doing the low-down thing of threatening people with their daughter; why should they look up to us?"

"Aren't you angry?"

"I'm not angry; I admire him quite a bit; let's go back and report it again."

"Okay."

…

"He's finally here."

The Chu Emperor and Huang Lang had just finished another game of chess; Huang Lang lost again.

"Anyway, Your Majesty is sitting firmly on the fishing platform," Huang Lang laughed.

"It's just a lightheartedness after losing everything; it's nothing.

What I can give, with your help, can be considered for my niece; as for the rest...

Whether you kill him in the end or he kills you,

I'd be happy to see it."

"Yes."

Huang Lang responded perfunctorily and turned to look at the woman standing next to the Wine Old Man, asking:

"How many people did he bring?"

"Reporting to Master, he brought a total of six people, plus... a spirit."

"The Sword Saint of Jin is there too, right?"

"No."

"No?" Huang Lang was a little puzzled.

The Wine Old Man said, "Master, rest assured; before they approached the vicinity of Ming Village, our people had already been watching them; Master, please look there."

Below the high platform, an old woman was sitting on an abacus, floating up; floating up with her was a vat in front of her.

The old woman reached out and scooped out a handful of water from the vat, and a scene appeared in front of her.

The scene wasn't very clear, but you could see a lively scene of a group of people eating and drinking.

The old woman said:

"Master, we have nine Qi refiners who have been watching them; that Regent really didn't bring an army; the only people accompanying him are these six people, plus the spirit of that red stone; that spirit isn't deliberately hiding its aura either."

"What kind of people are they?" Huang Lang asked.

The old woman replied:

"One, a woman with a strong aura of the brothel;

One, a fortune teller wearing a Taoist robe;

One, a big fool who carried a large pot all the way;

One, a dwarf who plays magic tricks with a nunchaku;

Plus two invalids, one who is thirsty for blood and one who seems to be poisoned by corpses.

The last one is a wailing orphan spirit from a lonely grave."

Huang Lang frowned,

And said:

"Explain it more clearly."

The old woman smiled, her expression very relaxed,

And said:

"One is the current Regent's consort, and one is the Great General of Eastern Jin;

The other four are the legendary gentlemen under the Prince's Palace; there's a legend in the martial world that the Prince Regent's Palace has several Gentlemen Fan Li; it's probably these few.

As for that resentful infant, it should be similar to Your Majesty's fire phoenix spirit."

"What about their strength?"

"The Regent himself has an obviously unstable aura; he should be a newcomer to the Third Rank, or he was forcibly piled up with some medicines and tonics.

The consort and several gentlemen, including that resentful infant, are all Fourth Rank when divided according to realm."

Finally,

The old woman chuckled to herself,

And said:

"One small Third Rank, seven Fourth Ranks;

They're all minor problems."

Huang Lang frowned and said:

"I originally thought that this Regent, not bringing a large army, would at least choose some real experts to bring with him; it's not like he doesn't have them by his side; as a result, among the subordinates he brought,

The strongest is actually himself?

So,

Either this Regent has a problem with his brain, or we will have a problem ourselves.

And it's hard for you to say that a person with a problem with his brain has won so many battles, destroyed so many countries, forcing us to not even dare to breathe normally.

Therefore…"

Huang Lang scratched his head,

"I think we might face a... big problem."

The old woman was a little dizzy from this series of "problems" that she started, and didn't know how to respond for a moment.

The Wine Old Man spoke at this time:

"Master, after today, your fate and the fate of the world will gradually return to their original trajectory.

After all,

Regardless of whether that Regent is truly free and easy or deliberately feigning pretense,

In the face of absolute strength, everything will not be a problem.

That Prince is good at fighting battles,

But here,

Is the martial world!"

…

The picnic was coming to an end.

Except for Fan Li, who was still insatiably gnawing on grilled meat,

Everyone else,

Had long put down their bowls and chopsticks.

Zheng Fan took a wet towel from Si Niang,

Wiping his hands while he couldn't help but smile:

"I'm getting a little tired of fighting wars all the time, to be honest.

It's really rare,

Finally,

It's time for a martial world."

———

I'll post this much first; I'll continue writing the next chapter; everyone can read it when you wake up tomorrow morning.