Chapter 398

In Daze City, a little more than a li west of the West Gate, on a low mound of earth, a small wooden house resembling a courtyard compound was built.

Four rows of wooden houses enclosed an open space of about one mu; a large gate was opened on the east side, the gate made of planks one chi thick, just like the walls of the wooden houses, very solid and sturdy.

Apart from the governor's mansion, which was burned down and whose original appearance is unknown, this wooden house can be considered refined.

The other wooden houses in the city are built directly on the muddy ground; when it rains, both inside and outside become muddy pools. This small courtyard, however, is built on a higher mound, avoiding waterlogging, and the courtyard is even paved with a thick layer of gravel, so even after a heavy rain it feels relatively fresh.

In the west room of the courtyard, Huang Yu lay on a wooden bed, wrapped in a torn piece of burlap, his face expressionless.

Weak from hunger, Huang Yu's skin was covered with mosquito-bite scars, and the moisture had eroded his complexion to a deathly pallor like a floating corpse; if not for the faint rise and fall of his chest, he would have been a corpse.

Having just drunk a bellyful of cold water, Huang Yu's stomach kept emitting strange 'gurgle' and 'gurgle' sounds.

From the house to the direct south came a weak, feeble hum: 'Yu'er… you've been starving like this; surely we grandfather and grandson won't just starve to death here? Why don't you go outside and look for something to eat?'

Huang Yu rolled his eyes and said nothing.

Look for food?

Heh, easy to say.

In that southern house lived Huang Yu's grandfather, Huang Lang, once the governor of a commandery, a great and illustrious figure.

The Huang family was also a fairly prominent clan; Huang Yu had been pampered since childhood, dressed in fine clothes and jade food, and with his keen intellect he mastered poetry and books, excelled at painting, and was skilled at composing verse and prose, earning him the reputation of a 'child prodigy' and winning the hearts of many noble ladies.

But good fortune did not last; misfortune fell from heaven.

Who knows whom Huang Lang offended, but the accusation of 'colluding with enemy states and plotting rebellion' came down like a heavy black pot, nearly suffocating the entire Huang family; first their property was confiscated, then a gleaming slaughter knife was raised, ready to exterminate the clan.

Fortunately the Huang family still had some connections; through frantic maneuvering, a noble finally spoke up, and the Huang family was changed from extermination of the nine relations to being exiled as border troops to Daze Prefecture.

Originally they thought Daze Prefecture offered a slim chance of survival, but they never imagined that upon arrival it would be a true dead end, plunging them alive into a nightmare. The pampered Huang Yu finally understood what 'life is hard' means.

Now only grandfather Huang Lang and grandson Huang Yu remain in this courtyard, and the household has run out of food for five days.

When Huang Lang was exiled, his enemies had already crippled all his cultivation; now even moving a little is difficult.

Huang Yu, meanwhile, had no survival experience; though still a minor, he possessed second-level cultivation in the Chonglou Realm, but he had never engaged in combat or fought anyone.

Even though he was versed in various playful techniques, he knew none of the divine abilities or secret arts truly usable for slaughter and battle.

Originally there were two loyal old servants attending the grandfather and grandson, but five days ago the two old servants left the city for the mountains and forests, hoping to risk a hunt and bring back some game to fill their stomachs…

It has been five days, and they have not returned.

Three days ago, a gang of ruffians in Daze City had already been loitering at the door, peering in.

When the two old servants were still around, relying on their cultivation and the strength of the Huang family's ancestral arts, they could still intimidate these city ruffians; but now that the two old servants have been gone for several days, these ruffians, like flies smelling blood, have naturally gathered.

This Huang family courtyard, in today's Daze City, aside from the Black Phoenix garrison, counts as a top‑tier 'luxury residence'!

Several gang leaders in the city have already let word out that they are quite interested in the 'Huang family manor'!

If the two old servants still do not return… then these ruffians will be unable to restrain themselves from taking action.

No, before those ruffians act, Huang Yu and Huang Lang will already have starved to death.

Hunger, starvation… two lines of dry tears streamed from the corners of Huang Yu's eyes; he had never known starvation could be so agonizing.

Even with second‑level Chonglou Realm cultivation, one still needs to eat. Moreover, a cultivator's body requires far more energy and nutrition than an ordinary person's—not just to be full, but to eat well; ordinary grains and legumes cannot satisfy a cultivator's appetite.

Huang Yu felt that his intestines and stomach had begun to digest themselves.

Hunger, waves of dizziness rose from his intestines and stomach; Huang Yu went limp, his vision darkened, and it seemed as if a thread of his soul were about to drift out of his body.

Huang Lang's weak voice came from the southern house: 'Yu'er… you too have at least second‑level Chonglou Realm cultivation; you are my Huang family's son… your father, your uncles, your brothers and sisters—whether they are dead or alive is hard to say now… the hope of my Huang family rests entirely on you.'

'You must pull yourself together… otherwise my Huang family will be completely finished.'

A sour fluid rose in Huang Yu's throat.

He drew a deep breath, shakily pushed himself up from the bed, braced his hands on his knees, and panted heavily.

Cold sweat kept breaking out; the spiritual power within his body was barely there, almost completely dried up.

Huang Yu suddenly felt regret.

Perhaps back then he should have become a lowly body cultivator, the kind he used to look down on, training in those military body‑cultivation techniques.

If he were a body cultivator, his present situation would surely be much better.

Body cultivation represents formidable physical strength and powerful bodily defense; it means that with just a knife or a sword he could be careful enough at the forest's edge to hunt some game.

But he is a pure spell cultivator, born with a graceful, elegant bearing; yet his physique is very fragile.

A slightly fierce beast could kill him with a single swipe of its claw.

In this barbaric land, at equal cultivation levels, a body cultivator's survivability is at least a hundred times greater than that of a spell cultivator…

If… Huang Yu raised his thin, reed‑like hand and muttered softly.

'Yu'er…' Huang Lang strained his voice, weak and feeble: 'Think of a way; now it's just us grandfather and grandson, and only you still have cultivation… a few days ago grandfather passed on to you those few spells—have you learned them?'

Huang Yu's mouth twitched slightly; he slowly rose to his feet, step by step shuffled out the door and walked toward the east gate of the courtyard.

Practice spellcraft?

Heh heh, starving to the point of almost losing breath—how could he practice spellcraft?

Don't you need to replenish the spiritual power you consume? He's almost dead from hunger—where would he find the energy to sit and cultivate?

Not a single spiritual herb, not a single spiritual pill—how is he supposed to cultivate?

Huang Yu stumbled to the courtyard gate, leaned against the doorframe, and stared blankly at the muddy 'road' below the mound.

You two loyal old servants, where are you?

Are you still alive?

Did your hunt succeed?

You must stay alive, you must—don't abandon your old master and young master!

Huang Yu's stomach gave another 'gurgle'; he opened his mouth and finally vomited a mouthful of sour fluid, which burned his throat with sharp pain.

'Clang, clang!'

Several of the ruffians who had been loitering in front of Huang Yu's house a few days earlier, eyeing his residence like tigers, now carried a huge bronze gong, striking it as they went and shouting loudly as they passed from below the mound.

Everyone, listen up, hey…… Our army chief has a kind heart, giving you lot of filthy scum the chance to eat your fill.

Our army chief is building a city; everyone come help, white rice and flour, all kinds of fine grains, plenty for you, hey!

Those who do well, work hard, will be served fine wine and meat.

Listen up, hey, our army chief is building a city; you lot of damned riffraff, each of you hurry up and go work, we'll make you die happy.

Also, hey, listen up: anyone who can read and keep accounts? Anyone versed in administration, knows logistics management? Anyone who understands coordinating construction, managing craftsmen? If so, you kid, you've made it!

Our army chief is recruiting aides: those who can read, write, calculate accounts, especially those familiar with official correspondence… hurry up and apply, our army chief is recruiting aides, hey!

Once you become an aide to our army chief, you'll eat well, drink spicy, have heaps of gold coins, and in an instant you'll have turned your fortunes around, hey!

Huang Yu stood there, dazedly watching a few ragamuffins walking while beating gongs, when he suddenly realized that what these fellows were wearing were, in fact, standard military uniforms.

Huang Yu shuddered with a sudden chill.

Before his eyes he seemed to see countless flames, countless black smoke, countless swords and blades carrying a cold light falling from the sky, arrows whizzing past his ears, and he could even feel that faint, icy killing intent on the arrowheads.

He saw his father, his mother, and so many of his clansmen vanish amidst the fire and smoke……

He saw Huang Lang kicked over by someone, then heavily stomped on several times.

Only he, hiding in a crack between the foundations of the wooden hut, stared blankly, like a toad stunned by thunder, blankly watching all this.

As for the state troops……

After that night, not a single state troop appeared inside Great Swamp City……

Huang Yu trembled as he stepped back two paces.

He could read and write, do arithmetic and keep accounts, and even draw and paint—none of that was a problem for him.

But to become an aide to the state troops' army chief?

Heh heh……

A gentle breeze swept past Huang Yu; his cultivation had been ruined, he had grown feeble and aged, likewise starving for days, Huang Lang, already at death's door from hunger, gritted his teeth, eyes bulging, pupils flashing with a sharp gleam, he thrust his hands straight forward, staggering as he snatched it from beside Huang Yu.

Several brothers…… Your army chief is recruiting aides? I may be unworthy, but I do have some ability; these organizational arrangements are exactly my duty, and when I was young I once oversaw the construction of several major cities—this is familiar work!

Huang Lang shouted hoarsely: 'Food, drink, hurry…… Otherwise I'll starve to death, die of thirst, and you lot—aren't you afraid the army chief will come settle accounts with you? Talent, talent is hard to come by!'

Huang Lang laughed 'ka ka ka', laughing so hard saliva sprayed everywhere, laughing with utter abandon.

You lot of murderous scoundrels, you may be good at fighting and killing, but when it comes to actual ability, you still need someone like me! Huang Lang straightened his back, and on his gaunt, dark face suddenly appeared an inexplicable radiance.

At this moment he seemed to have returned to the governor's mansion of the commandery where he once presided, and once again became the exalted governor.

A few of the ragamuffins who had been walking by beating gongs heard Huang Lang's shouting, they turned and pointed at him, about to unleash a torrent of curses…… but in an instant they suppressed their anger, put on smiling faces, and hurriedly bowed to Huang Lang.

Oh dear, sir…… you really understand this? Hey, you've struck lucky—this is a straight shot to the heavens!

Our army chief deliberately said, someone like you…… should be heavily relied upon…… we must treat you with utmost respect!

Several ragamuffins would have loved to grab a brick and beat Huang Lang to death…… but recalling what Wu Tie had just said, especially thinking of those brothers miserably injured by Wu Tie's punch, they forced their murderous rage to turn into beaming smiles.

Huang Yu trembled as he grabbed Huang Lang's arm: 'Grandfather!'

Huang Lang turned his head, looked at Huang Yu and gave a firm nod: 'First stay alive, then make other plans…… hey, if we don't attach ourselves to this army chief, how else could you support your grandfather?'

On his aged face lay a hint of vicious malice; Huang Lang gently patted Huang Yu's shoulder: 'Yu'er…… alive, anything is possible. Dead, and everything is over.'

'Grandfather, I haven't lived enough…… hehe, how could I ever live enough?'

After half an hour, having eaten and drunk their fill, washed clean, and changed into fresh clothes, Huang Lang and Huang Yu, grandfather and grandson, stood before Wu Tie.

Although his cultivation had been abolished, at this moment Huang Lang stood there neither humble nor arrogant, hands behind his back, naturally exuding a dignified, majestic aura.

Wu Tie sat on the inspection platform's chair, gazing at the bright-eyed Huang Lang, rose, and smiled as he clasped his hands in greeting toward Huang Lang.

May I ask, elder, what is your background, and how did you come to be here?

Huang Lang took a deep breath, glanced at Wu Tie's insignia and token representing his rank of third-grade general, as well as the various badges and markings on his battle robe, then solemnly clasped his hands in salute to Wu Tie.

According to the personnel roster of the civil and military officials of the Great Jin Divine State, a third-grade general can command the troops of an entire prefecture, whereas Huang Lang had previously been merely the governor of a commandery. Therefore, in official rank, a third-grade general outranks Huang Lang.

Army chief, I am the governor of Lang River Commandery in Black Mountain Prefecture of Central Conduct State…… My Huang clan is also one of the most prominent families in Lang River Commandery, and the post of governor of Lang River Commandery has been held by my Huang family for over a thousand years.

Huang Lang looked at Wu Tie and solemnly said: 'This time I have offended a petty man, invited harm, and my whole clan was exiled to the frontier, sent to Great Swamp Prefecture…… Having arrived less than three months ago, we then suffered a sudden disaster, the clan scattered, and now only I and my little grandson Huang Yu remain.'

'A commandery governor!' Wu Tie's eyes suddenly brightened.

He clapped his hands and laughed loudly: 'Old governor, good, good, very good! Thus, all official correspondence and administrative affairs of the Great Swamp Prefecture army will rely on you.'

After a moment's thought, Wu Tie smiled: 'Old governor, you've had your cultivation abolished? What a coincidence—I have here a copy of the Void Nirvana Sutra; perhaps it will be useful to you.'

Huang Lang abruptly lifted his head, stared fixedly at Wu Tie, and in a hoarse voice said: 'The Void Nirvana Sutra, a royal secret cultivation method; for someone in my situation, if I switch to cultivating the Void Nirvana Sutra, I need only a few months of practice to regain my former level of cultivation.'

'Army chief……' Huang Lang glanced at Wu Tie with a flickering gaze.

'Just work for me!' Wu Tie looked at Huang Lang laughing: 'I don't need the old governor to be utterly loyal. As long as he can still bear the burden while serving me wholeheartedly, that's enough.'

Wu Tie pointed to those in the camp who had taken elixirs and were nursing their wounds, and said earnestly: 'The old governor and these fellows are naturally different.'

Huang Lang took a deep breath, then solemnly bowed deeply to Wu Tie.