Chapter 311

"The troubled times are coming, and there are many more demons and ghosts in the world."

Lin Jue stood at the bow of the boat, looking around.

In fact, he couldn't see through the darkness, he just felt his fox's meaning and followed the fox's gaze to look around.

"It has always been like this." Daoist Jiang's voice came out, calm and indifferent, "It's still okay now, the war and chaos haven't spread yet. The hearts of demons often change with the hearts of people. Once the war starts, the people in the world are often forced to change their nature and become man-eating demons. Everywhere is killing, blood, and evil energy. In the turmoil, these little demons may not be able to maintain their inner purity."

Daoist Jiang said it very mysteriously, but in fact, it was nothing more than two points:

One is being influenced by what one sees and hears, and the other is the heavy temptation.

In an era when people eat people, how can you guarantee that demons won't eat people? In troubled times, as long as demons let go of their restraint, their cultivation can advance by leaps and bounds, the risk is small, and how many can resist this temptation?

Lin Jue asked: "The northern clans have already openly rebelled. When will the descendants of King Yue and the Magistrate of Huizhou raise their flags?"

Daoist Qingxuan didn't dare to answer, only looked at Daoist Jiang.

"Not yet time."

Daoist Jiang's voice was still short, as if she knew where Lin Jue's heart was, and also knew that he would not affect the grand plan of the south, so she didn't hide anything from him at all.

"How do the two fellow Daoists intend to eliminate the demons this time?"

"There is no other strategy for the time being, only to enter the city with swords, fight a quick battle, and take its head before it leaves." Daoist Jiang said.

"Fellow Daoist Lin is thoughtful and smart, do you have any other strategy?" Daoist Qingxuan also spoke.

"It is also only the four words 'quick battle, quick decision'." Lin Jue shook his head and said. He didn't know much about Jinping County and the demon, but fortunately, the demon probably didn't know much about them either. "Can Fellow Daoist Qingxuan and Fellow Daoist Jiang invite many divine beings to help this time?"

"Not many."

Daoist Jiang shook her head.

Daoist Qingxuan then took over the conversation at the right time and said in detail: "To tell you the truth, Fellow Daoist Lin, the Emperor has three True Lords under his command, two of whom are fully guarding the south, and the matter of Qinzhou is only handled by Lord Yi Li. However, these days, several prefectures in the south are not peaceful, and coupled with the fact that our Yili Shenjun has other pressures here, the matter of this northwest Leopard King is only handled by the Fire General among the Thunder and Fire Generals under the Yili Shenjun's command. Those experts from the Gathering Immortal Mansion who were originally dealing with the Leopard King in the northwest were able to fight against the Leopard King with his help."

Lin Jue nodded after listening.

Emperor Yu Jian occupies the south and has managed the south very well, at least relatively better than the incense grounds of several other Emperors—except for a few remote and miasmic places, several other prefectures are very stable. Stability brings more trade, and merchants enjoy this prosperity, so they are more pious and bring more incense.

This is a virtuous cycle.

And this obviously requires a lot of energy.

This place was originally the incense ground of Lord Tianweng. It is not easy for them to come here to develop incense, and it is impossible for them to use all their strength here without caring about their base camp.

And it sounds like there are many struggles and confrontations that mortals don't know about.

"Then you..."

"We only invited a number of various talismans and borrowed thirty Celestial Soldiers to protect us." Daoist Jiang said simply, "Other Celestial Soldiers and divine power must be used on the other side. Otherwise, once too much is mobilized or consumed in a short time, those experts from the Gathering Immortal Mansion who have the heart to eliminate demons may die under the Leopard King."

"So that's it."

"Fortunately, Fellow Daoist Lin is accompanying us." Daoist Qingxuan said, "Otherwise, we would only be fighting with our lives."

"When Fellow Daoist Lin went back to pack his things, I had already asked my Husheng Husheng Zhenjun for instructions. The Husheng Husheng Zhenjun is grateful for your help and explicitly told me that if you can eliminate the demons this time, no matter what disaster you face in the future, our Husheng Husheng Zhenjun can help you once." Daoist Jiang turned to look at Lin Jue, her face snow-white, "When you want to use it, just call me."

"I am not doing this to help you."

"I know, it's the same."

Lin Jue felt that this Fellow Daoist Jiang spoke quite similarly to his own Fuyao when she was having an episode, both very short.

But he didn't refuse either.

Such a promise is rare after all, and it can be considered what he deserves.

At the time of the Yixian rat demon, this Daoist Jiang had written to explain that she had recorded merit for him in heaven. Later, during the corpse tiger king incident, she even solved a nail buried very deep and very dangerous in Emperor Yu Jian's own backyard for him. Plus this time, he can be considered the third time.

Three times and he didn't get anything substantial.

Lord Fuchi is still straightforward.

It's just that now the wind and clouds are rising. Lord Fuchi and Emperor Zi Xu behind him occupy the north, and the northern clans are all their believers and have openly resisted the imperial court. Emperor Yu Jian and Lord Yi Li represent the south, and the descendants of King Yue and the Magistrate of Huizhou in the south are also recruiting troops, and their hearts are known to everyone. These True Lords will inevitably collide sooner or later, just like the northern and southern armies in the human world will inevitably meet.

I don't know what kind of demeanor that will be.

Lin Jue just wants to avoid taking sides and doesn't want these to affect his becoming a true Daoist and achieving carefree longevity.

The night is quiet, and the wind on the river is whistling.

Behind him, Daoist Tao is discussing the Jinping County matter with Lord Luo, Wan Xinrong is silently sharpening his sword, and a fierce tiger with five toes is standing on the deck, looking at the dark night in the distance.

Lord Pan is too humble—

He said that he would arrive outside Jinping County before dawn, but in fact, when the long night was only half over, the dragon boat had already begun to slow down and slowly stopped at the shore.

With a splash!

A figure jumped out of the water and jumped onto the bow of the boat.

With the help of the light, it was a middle-aged man wearing a coir raincoat and a bamboo hat, looking like a fisherman. Everyone immediately looked at him.

"Go ashore from here. There is a small river on the shore that passes through Jinping County and flows into the Wei Shui River. There is a road by the river. Follow the road and you can enter Jinping County." Lord Pan pointed in a direction to Lin Jue and bowed to him, "Benefactor, you are going to eliminate demons. I should have followed you, but all my skills are in the water, and most of them are in the Wei Shui River, so they are useless on land. Therefore, I can only follow you along this small river at most. If there are demons that are difficult to eliminate, you can try to lure them into the water, and I will deal with them. If you are not a match for the demons, you can jump into the water, and I will do my best to keep you safe."

"Thank you, Lord Pan."

"Thank you, Lord Pan!"

Everyone bowed to Lord Pan one after another.

In the dark night, a gust of breeze blew, and the lights of the dragon boat went out one after another, outlining the trajectory of the breeze.

A white shadow jumped down from the bow of the boat, very lightly, and didn't make a sound when it landed.

The fox raised its head and looked left and right.

Immediately after, there was a roar beside it.

"Roar!"

A fierce tiger jumped down and landed beside it, spitting out a hot and foul-smelling breath. The fox almost instinctively turned around and raised its claws, giving it a few slaps quickly and lightly, then bent its body and jumped away from it.

There was a sound of horse hooves all around.

Most of the people got off the dragon boat leading their horses.

But everything around was pitch black. The only light sources were a few scattered stars above their heads and a few fireflies in the grass beside them, almost pitch black. Only those wearing light-colored clothes could vaguely distinguish where people were through their clothes.

"How can we travel like this?"

"Should we wait until dawn?"

Ma Shidi and Fellow Daoist Wan both asked.

Lin Jue chanted a spell in a low voice, rubbed his hands together, and blew on them.

"Hoo..."

Suddenly, a swarm of fireflies was blown out from his cupped hands, much brighter than ordinary fireflies, like small lights, forming countless points of light. It was like a brilliant galaxy flowing into the dark night. It also seemed to be surging with the wind, flying past everyone and scattering on both sides of the road.

Points of light illuminated the road and the grass.

Wan Xinrong and Daoist Tao opened their eyes wide and looked over in surprise. The fierce tiger also turned its head, reflecting the fireflies flying all over the sky with a pair of bright yellow eyes.

Even Lord Luo was surprised, and Daoist Jiang, Daoist Qingxuan, and Ma Shidi also showed different colors in their eyes.

This sky full of flying fireflies, even at this time, even if used to illuminate the road to eliminate demons, one still couldn't help but marvel at its beauty and dreaminess.

"Fellow Daoist, what a great magical power!"

Daoist Qingxuan said.

Lin Jue had already summoned the paper donkey and flipped onto it.

"Let's go."

Everyone came back to their senses and got on their horses one after another.

The donkey under the Daoist's crotch stepped forward, and the fireflies flew quickly.

It is midsummer now, and fireflies are not rare, but in the mountain night, there was an extra light constructed by a piece of fireflies, which was brighter than ordinary fireflies, illuminating the mountain road and revealing many figures.

The fireflies followed a Daoist riding a donkey, and there were people riding horses following the Daoist before and after.

There was a fox jumping on the branches, as if it had no weight, stopping on the treetops from time to time, or turning its head to look at the spirits in the mountains, thinking and judging, or stretching its neck to scan the surroundings.

There was also a fierce tiger walking through the mountains and forests, scaring many wild beasts and demons.

Walking along the river, footsteps never stopping.

Sometimes walking on the bridge, the fireflies illuminated the horse's panting. Sometimes walking along the river, the quiet water surface at night reflected points of light, and also reflected the figures in the points of light. Sometimes the fox jumped down from the branches beside it and jumped to the Daoist's side, and the wind it brought blew the fireflies to turn and fly back.

This scene is simply not like the real world.

In the middle, the fireflies lowered their height and flew toward a stone tablet. The fluorescent green light was shone on the stone tablet by them, reflecting the four big characters "Jinping County Boundary".

The donkey and the horses passed by.

Without knowing it, there was a hint of fish-belly white in the sky, and the light at this time was enough to illuminate the gray-white of the road.

"Thank you all."

Lin Jue said and waved his sleeves.

Countless fireflies in the air suddenly dissipated into smoke.

"Ying~"

The fox jumped back and said to them.

"What did it say?"

Lord Luo sat on the horse with his back straight, looking exceptionally tall.

"Duck! People!"

The fox didn't wait for Lin Jue to answer and spoke first.

Wan Xinrong and Fellow Daoist Tao were both shocked when they heard this.

The fox doesn't like to speak human language so much; this is the first time they have heard the fox speak.

However, thinking of Master Lin's ability, it is not surprising that the fox in the Master's house can speak. Among them, Wan Xinrong had seen the fox change into its original size and show its four tails, and even seen it spitting spiritual fire on the roof of the palace, and it had saved his life at that time. What is so strange about such a fox that is like a great demon speaking a word?

But hearing the two words it spat out, they were still confused.

Before they could ask again, the fierce tiger had already returned, stood up immediately, turned into a person in purple clothes, and said to them: "There is a duck herder in front who hasn't suffered the demon's poison. Can we ask him about the situation here?"

"Duck herder?"

"Yes."

"Where is he?"

"Sleeping in the duck shed by the road."

"Then we will meet him anyway, so let's go and ask."

"Good!"

The group walked forward with the morning light.

(End of chapter)