Chapter 407: The Holy Infant is Captured

The sword light of the two boy attendants, Water and Fire, was quite claw-flashing and tooth-baring; the two were at the height of their playful spirits.

There was only one such green steel sword, a sample Xu Jia had forged for the steel mill, and the two were constantly snatching it from one another, each wanting to play with it.

One moment it was a white exhaust trail, the next a blue flame jet; in less than two quarters of an hour, they arrived outside Ganzhou City.

True Person Ye and True Person Zhang in the city both sensed them, but seeing that the two attendants were young in appearance and had auras roughly at the Earth Immortal level, they were alert but did not consider them major enemies, merely sending men first to ascertain the origins of the two attendants.

Although only those two were in Ganzhou, they had Luofu disciples at their disposal to scout for information and communicate back and forth with Luofu Mountain.

After Sheng Ying Ao Jin arrived and landed on the ground, he did not hear any wailing; it turned out that the wounded soldiers preferred to bite down on wood rather than let out a sound, and some who could not help it had even fainted.

Because they had been smeared with sesame oil, there was an additional scent of charred flesh and sesame oil intertwined.

Chen Gongming came personally to welcome them: "Two attendants, what Divine Ability is Master practicing?"

"That we do not know, but it is likely related to the Spirit Veins. Now, thousands upon thousands of minor demons, all those belonging to the Earth Office Yamen, have gone to search for Yin veins and Yang veins. Once the Spirit Veins are formed, it will truly be a place of outstanding people and spirits; the threshold for cultivation will be greatly lowered, and the speed of cultivation greatly increased. This applies not only to people, but the materials needed for cultivation, the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, will also increase along with the Spirit Qi."

"Truly, this is for the sake of the world," Chen Gongming said repeatedly. "Since that is the case, it is better not to disturb him lightly. If we can solve it ourselves, let us solve it ourselves first."

He immediately invited the two attendants to the military hospital, to the ward for wounded soldiers. There were over fifty wounded suffering from burns, scalds, and smoke inhalation, and thirteen had been burned to death; this was the first time there had been so many deaths.

Before, they held the guns while the opposition held cold weapons, a complete crushing victory; even if there were casualties, it was only one or two, or even casualties caused by unfamiliarity with firearms leading to barrel explosions. This time, it was truly real; before they had even achieved merit, nearly a hundred were dead or wounded.

Seeing this situation, the two attendants immediately said: "These wounds can be treated."

Sheng Ying'er flew a cluster of Fire Essence out from his nostrils. This Fire Essence transformed into individual fire mosquitoes. The fire mosquitoes took a breath against the wounded, sucking out the Fire Poison along with the toxic blood. Their bellies immediately swelled into balls and exploded, turning into clusters of dark, poisonous fire, which Sheng Ying then sucked back in.

"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! This fire has a strange taste!"

Having swallowed the Fire Poison, Sheng Ying said: "This doesn't look like fire burned from ordinary fuel oil. It has bean oil added, and corpse oil added. Bean oil is Wood Fire, fuel oil is Stone Fire, and this corpse oil replaces Air Fire; it is extremely vicious and sinister."

Ao Jin took out the Ao Pearl and channeled his Dharma Power, immediately emitting light. The wounded bathed in the light felt an itch where they were injured, but their flesh and blood grew wildly, healing as before without even a scar, consuming only a little of their original Qi.

Afterward, he took out some pearls: "Grind these pearls into powder and boil them in water to drink; they contain Water-Moon Essence and can cure the lingering effects left by the Fire Poison."

……

"Tell me, what exactly is the situation with the fire array on the other side?" Sheng Ying asked one of the burn victims: "Only with a general idea will I know how to deal with it, so I can avenge you."

"It is a vermilion-colored unicycle. There are two triangular flags on the cart. Each cart has three people: two pushing the cart, and one on the cart controlling the direction of the fire spray. Their feet seem to be moving too, as if they are stepping on pedals."

Hearing this, Sheng Ying had a rough idea. He burned furnaces at the steel mill and, through constant exposure, was well-versed in refining tools and manipulating fire.

"This is just a flamethrower. If they can build it, we can build it too, and it doesn't have to be so cumbersome and bulky."

Having said this, he ordered a furnace to be cast and dug up red clay directly. This red clay was rich in iron and difficult for ordinary people to refine, but he was no ordinary person, and he quickly refined steel.

He took the fiery red true steel and, using his hands as if it were modeling clay, molded it into the desired shape, struck in restrictions, and made a Magic Tool.

"Alright, this flamethrower, as long as it is connected to an external oil drum, can spray a ten-zhang fire dragon."

"No," Chen Gongming said. "Those soldiers are just unawakened; they are not our true enemies. War is war, but we must never use such cruel methods to torture people. We are, after all, different from them."

"Fine, fine, you people are always so full of nonsense."

Ao Jin rolled his eyes at him: "What did the Master teach us? The Dao of Spirit Treasures is a kind of spirit, a spark that keeps the fire alive; one cannot disregard life."

"I didn't disregard life. It's just that having a weapon in hand and not having one are two different things. We can choose not to use them, but we cannot fail to understand or study them. Otherwise, look at this time—they suffered a great loss, didn't they?"

"That is indeed true," Chen Gongming nodded. "A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit."

"Tomorrow we continue to attack the city, and I will go with you!" Sheng Ying flipped the Southern Red Flame Flag he was born with, and the various fires took the shape of different animals, listening to his command: "However much fire there is, I will collect it all."

……

The next day, Chen Gongming boosted the morale of the troops and went to attack the city. The city of Ganzhou still sent out flame carts, in greater numbers than before, and behind the flame carts were others holding windmills.

They immediately formed a great array. The fire dragons sprayed by the flame carts, combined with the wind blown by the windmills, caused the wind and fire to merge, burning until the space itself distorted.

"Hahaha!"

On the city wall, the Ganzhou Prefect laughed: "Burn this Chen Gongming to death, and we will have eliminated a major general of the rebel army."

True Person Ye, however, said: "They have brought in reinforcements; the Wind and Fire Great Array might not be so effective."

"Aren't there still two Immortal Truths here? Only by making them lose again and again can we strike north in one go, recover Nanchang, Jiujiang, and other places, and quell the rebellion!"

Then they saw the various fires coming head-on, the fire carrying poisonous smoke, and the wind brought by the windmills carrying an even more evil nature, turning the entire formation into a wind-fire tornado.

Even Sheng Ying dared not be overconfident. He waved the Southern Red Flame Flag, swirling up the various fires, and then charged into the fire array, opening his mouth to swallow the fires into his belly. His figure grew larger and larger, especially his head, which swelled up like a big-headed doll. His face turned red, then purple, and from time to time, flames threatened to burst out from his nostrils, eyes, and ears.

It was because he had swallowed the fire but had not yet refined it.

"Return it to you!"

The next moment, Sheng Ying waved his flag, and the various fires transformed into fire oxen and fire horses, charging toward Ganzhou City.

Seeing this, True Person Ye said lightly: "So it is a Fire Essence Child. I had long heard that under that person's seat are many demons and ghosts, creatures of moisture-birth and egg-transformation, mostly non-human. Now that I see it, it is indeed so."

He immediately lifted his hand, and the Magic Treasure he had previously revealed, the "Luofu Flame Cart," was released.

The flame cart grew in the wind, entirely red-gold, with a single wheel surrounded by flames, releasing many fire bats, fire crows, and fire flying snakes. These fires were not ordinary fires but True Fire of Dharma nature. Attacking the fire beasts released by Sheng Ying, they disintegrated most of them and reinforced the various ordinary flame carts. Suddenly, the flame carts seemed to gain sentience, no longer controlled by the soldiers, and began to drive automatically, forming a circle and surrounding Sheng Ying.

Seeing this fire-department flame cart, Sheng Ying was not panicked; instead, his eyes lit up.

There was no helping it; boys' toys were usually things like carts, and Sheng Ying liked them immensely. He said directly: "This little fire cart can be my carriage. If I find a few more fire beasts, it will be a top-tier carriage, much more majestic than that bad guy Ao Jin!"

He could no longer hold back and revealed his true form as a Drought Demon—a small, charred-black child with a red face and fangs.

"Fire Essence Drought Demon!" True Person Ye saw this and sneered: "He collects anything."

Sheng Ying lunged at the fire cart and succeeded in his first move, but the next moment, many chains grew out from the fire cart. These chains were like golden wish-granting ropes, binding Sheng Ying's hands and feet. Sheng Ying was unable to break free for a time.

"Run! There's a powerful fellow here!" Sheng Ying had just said this when the flame cart Magic Treasure was retracted.

Chen Gongming had no choice but to retreat, his heart in great turmoil: "Defeat after defeat, what is to be done?"

Returning to the main camp, Chen Gongming sighed repeatedly, and Ao Jin's expression was also poor: "That was a strike from the God Immortal Realm just now. I serve by the Master's side, so my eyes are sharp. That treasure used pure Yang Dharma Power, and the treasure itself is a pure Yang Magic Treasure, which can only be refined by someone who has cultivated the Yang Spirit. Looking at the appearance of that fire cart, I once saw its reflection in the Immortal Pond of the Heavenly Palace; it is a treasure of the Fire Department. The troops under the seat of the Three Carts and Five Fires Wang Lingguan include those who are adept at using fire carts. This person has a background."

Ao Jin had wanted to make a move just now, but in the end, he did not; otherwise, he would have been captured along with them, which would have been futile.

Chen Gongming said: "Shall we go and beg the Master?"

Ao Jin thought about it: "Better not disturb the Master yet. I will go to the South Sea to find my father. My father is a Dragon God from the Shangjie, knowledgeable and experienced, and he cultivates Water Virtue; breaking his fire method will not be difficult."

Chen Gongming had no choice but to say: "Go quickly and return quickly."

This time, Ao Jin was truly serious; he escaped in a streak of sword light to seek his father.

Ye Zhenren also saw this situation and said to Zhang Zhenren, "Should we chase after him and catch that loach?"

Zhang Zhenren shook his head: "He cultivates Water Virtue and is a True God. The Merit on his body faintly transforms into a halo, nourishing this land for hundreds of years. He is likely the one from whom the name of Raozhou originates. He holds a treasure in his hand called the Rao Pearl, a treasure of the Divine Path passed down from Shangjie. Catching him would hinder our own fortunes."

"Our mission is only to make them suffer three defeats here. After three defeats, their fortune can be broken, making it difficult for them to accomplish anything, and then we can return to the mountain to report. By then, someone will naturally be sent to Sanqing Mountain to negotiate with that sect leader. It is nothing more than acknowledging their orthodoxy. It is already time for the world to change, but it must follow the rules of the Five Emperors Rotation; that method of the Yellow Heaven Holy Venerable cannot be used."

As they spoke like this, they also shook their heads and simply said: "This is a struggle of Shangjie, and we at Luofu have only chosen a side. But as individuals, we must still have a way to preserve ourselves and leave a path open, to avoid future Cause and Effect. Let us not refine this Fire Essence Drought Demon into a magic treasure to become a Spirit Vessel for now, and wait to see how things turn out after this matter."

Ye Zhenren nodded: "Then I will listen to you, Daoist brother. Let us see what other reinforcements he can bring!"

(End of this chapter)