Chapter 199: The Innocent Suffer for Their Treasures

"Nation-Protecting Martial Saint?" "Unexpectedly, the Imperial Court actually hid such an expert, a martial general at the Dharma Image realm."

The news from Jizhou shocked Su Fan and Xi Zhicai.

Of course, what was even more shocking was that even such a Nation-Protecting Martial Saint had not taken down Zhang Jiao. It was said that both sides were severely injured, because afterward, someone discovered that Zhang Jiao had returned to Julu.

Zhang Jiao's strength was known to the world: the peak of Yin Spirit, definitely the youngest Yin Spirit cultivator in the last thousand years.

Outsiders did not know the specific situation of the battle, but it was said to be very intense, shattering several mountain peaks.

The Imperial Court dispatched the Nation-Protecting Martial Saint and several Grandmasters at the ninth layer of Soul Refining, and even used the Imperial Clan's divine artifacts, yet they still could not suppress Zhang Jiao.

"It seems Brother Ning'an, you were right."

The news from Jizhou also made Xi Zhicai's understanding of the Taiping Dao even clearer.

"With the cultivation at the peak of Yin Spirit, does this not mean that the Imperial Court cannot suppress the Taiping Dao?"

Zhang Jiao was the leader of the Taiping Dao. If Zhang Jiao did not die, even if the other Taiping Dao members were wiped out, Zhang Jiao only needed a few years to develop a new Taiping Dao.

The Yellow Turban Army was also like this, so Xi Zhicai's expression was a bit ugly.

"This is not necessarily the case."

Su Fan shook his head and said: "Zhang Jiao must be injured, and even more importantly, now the whole world is spreading that the Taiping Book in Zhang Jiao's hands is an extremely profound cultivation method."

"Zhang Jiao was able to cultivate to the peak of Yin Spirit in just a few decades, all relying on this strange book, the Taiping Book."

"The innocent suffer for their treasures! The world is spreading the effects of this strange book. Zhang Jiao was originally just a fool, but after obtaining this strange book, he was able to cultivate to the peak of Yin Spirit."

"Brother Zhicai, tell me, what would others think?"

"If it were me, perhaps I would have broken through the Yin Spirit long ago and become a True Monarch of Yang Spirit." Xi Zhicai muttered, but his eyes suddenly lit up.

"Brother Ning'an, do you mean that someone is fanning the flames behind this?"

"Correct. If it were before, fearing Zhang Jiao's strength, no one would dare to move. But the Imperial Court dispatched the Nation-Protecting Martial Saint, and both sides were severely injured, so someone must be restless."

"This is human nature! The person releasing this news behind the scenes has no low means; it is very likely from the Imperial Court."

Su Fan said with certainty.

At the same time, he was secretly sighing. This move was indeed vicious, but it was also an open plot. Even he couldn't help but have great curiosity about that Taiping Book.

He also wanted to snatch it and take a look.

A cultivation method to reach Yang Spirit—how precious this was. A Yin Spirit True Person could live for three to five hundred years, and a Yang Spirit True Monarch was even more powerful, at least eight hundred or even a thousand years old.

He was not clear about which was stronger between the Yin Spirit/Yang Spirit and the Golden Core/Nascent Soul of the main world.

If calculated by lifespan, it was definitely not as good as the main world; after all, cultivators in the main world at the Nascent Soul stage could live for three thousand years.

However, Su Fan knew that the laws and rules of each world were different. Perhaps the combat power was stronger, but the lifespan was not long.

But Su Fan knew that the Yin Spirit was definitely more powerful than a Purple Mansion cultivator. He could feel this point.

His cultivation had now recovered to the Foundation Establishment stage, and his magic power had even advanced to the second layer of Foundation Establishment, and his soul power was not inferior to a cultivator at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment.

According to his dual cultivation of law and body, his real combat power was not inferior to those cultivators at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment in the main world.

Against a Purple Mansion cultivator, he indeed had no chance of winning.

But for a Purple Mansion cultivator to take him down, it would definitely take some effort. However, Zhang Jiao had captured him from ten miles away, and he had no ability to resist at all.

This was terrifying.

It could be seen that this combat power at the peak of Yin Spirit definitely exceeded the Purple Mansion, and perhaps even exceeded the Golden Core.

Zhang Jiao's strength exceeded imagination, but the Imperial Court's foundation was not bad either: the Nation-Protecting Martial Saint, a super fierce general at the Dharma Image realm.

The personal combat power of ordinary martial artists was often more terrifying than other cultivators of the same level; that is, their fighting spirit was peerless, and they often had the advantage when fighting.

So he believed that Zhang Jiao must have been injured facing the Imperial Court's encirclement and suppression; it was just a matter of the depth of the injury.

However, no matter what, this time also represented that Zhang Jiao would be attacked by all sides in the future.

He was not an invincible existence, so for Su Fan, it was naturally a good thing.

He had been waiting for an opportunity, and now he saw it.

"Brother Zhicai, I want to go back and prepare."

"Hmm! Brother Ning'an has decided?"

"Correct. I estimate that Zhang Jiao is in trouble this time. There must be many hidden experts in this world, and there must be many who want to break through. Zhang Jiao was the leader of the Taiping Dao before. Before the Imperial Court suppressed him, some people would fear the Daoist sect and not make a move."

"But now that he has been characterized by the Imperial Court, there will inevitably be countless people making a move to attack Zhang Jiao. Furthermore, the Imperial Court has also released word: whoever beheads Zhang Jiao will be enfeoffed as a Marquis of Guannei."

"Marquis of Guannei, ah. I fear there will be countless heroes making a move."

In the Divine Han Dynasty, the atmosphere of wandering knights was not weak. Although it did not form the kind of martial arts world of later generations, there were very many wandering knights, and many were not weak.

For example, the Sword Saint Wang Yue was a wandering knight in his previous life, but it was said that he defected to the Imperial Court and was recruited by Han Lingdi to become a royal sword instructor.

The Sword Saint's strength, according to Su Fan's speculation, was at least at the ninth layer of Gang Refining. The path he took might be a bit different from martial generals, but they were all still tempering their physical gang energy.

So if it were foot combat, among the fierce generals of the world, it would be very difficult for anyone to defeat his sword, unless they were at the Dharma Image realm.

There was no lack of such experts as the Sword Saint among the people. If they were utilitarian, they would definitely go to assassinate Zhang Jiao.

"Then Brother Ning'an, what are you preparing to do?"

Xi Zhicai looked at Su Fan with burning eyes.

The latter laughed and said: "Brother Zhicai, do you have any teachings for me?"

"Hmm!" Xi Zhicai nodded and then said seriously: "Brother Ning'an, if you want to pursue military merit and obtain promotion in the Imperial Court, then first you must have an official position. Only then can you be better promoted in the future when requesting merit."

"Haha! Actually, I have already asked my family to run around for me, recommending me as the County Lieutenant of Gaoyou, so this is not a problem."

Planning ahead, Su Fan had long asked that uncle to help, and the strength he displayed did not make that clan head refuse.

After all, the stronger Su Fan was, the better it was for the clan.

And Su Fan told that clan head his previous plan, and the latter did not object.

And a County Lieutenant of three or four hundred *shi* was indeed not difficult for the Guangling Gao Clan to discard some benefits for.

Previously, Guangling didn't care about this County Lieutenant at all, because to tell the truth, the County Lieutenant didn't have much power; the military power of a county, however, was useless, as you couldn't rebel.

"Then what is left?"

"Haha! As for what is left, naturally, Brother Ning'an, you must first sweep away the Yellow Turbans near Guangling and Xiapi to exchange for the attention of the Inspector of Xu Province. If this person helps you request merit, your chances of seeking the position of a Commandery Prefect will be even greater."

"As for the Prefect of East Sea Commandery, it will depend on your performance in Luoyang at that time."

Xi Zhicai's planning was not much different from Su Fan's original intention. ===== CHAPTER 200 =====