Chapter 193: Precious

In his previous life, what Zhang Gui found most headache-inducing were those who were clearly very intelligent, even cunning, yet lacked even a shred of empathy, and were narrow-minded and prone to splitting hairs.

Because such people would always forcefully impose the positions they deemed correct onto others.

They seemed forever unable to grasp the extremely simple truth that "what is correct for me might be wrong for others."

So, once he saw through that Eunuch Gong was this type of person, he immediately turned around and left, not wasting another second of time...

Now, seeing that the third "Small Nation War" on Xianrong Island was about to end.

There were not many benefits left to be reaped by continuing to stay on the island.

Plus, following Zhang Gui's instructions, Sang Gui led the Zhenlong Kingdom's Stone Corpse Soldier army into the Eastern Continent.

Stirring the chaotic situation in the Ming Song Dongyue and Xiyue provinces into even greater chaos.

In a short time, the number of commoners sent to the Zhenlong Kingdom had already exceeded a million, which was simply inconceivable.

There must have been a major change that occurred.

And although Zhang Gui was on Xianrong Island, restricted by the "Territorial Divine Authority," he could not activate his divine authority.

But as long as he had a sufficient amount of "Substance and Void," he could remotely control his own Earthly Divine Kingdom to exert divine authority and the power of elemental rules.

And use his consciousness to sense everything within the Earthly Divine Kingdom.

The result revealed that this change actually originated from another son of the Hezheng Emperor, Prince Feng, who had been ordered to leave the capital to inspect Xiyue Province.

It turned out that after this prince arrived in the Southern Kingdom, he set up his "Traveling Residence" in Guilong Commandery, which, besides the provincial capital Southern Yong, was the most densely populated and commercially developed area in the province.

At first, he did proper work for a few months.

Holding "Fame and Authority" in his hands, he gathered an extremely formidable force.

Afterwards, not knowing what ghost he had encountered, his style suddenly took a 180-degree turn, and he began to collude with noble families and powerful clans, disregarding tomorrow, and carving up the national treasury and granaries.

He even went so far as to heartlessly take advantage of the annual floods in Xiyue to secretly dig through embankments and divert water to flood fields.

Forcing disaster victims to sell their land to survive.

Triggering scorched earth for a thousand miles and continuous civil unrest, which was how old Sang Gui coincidentally profited.

But while he had such superficial intelligence, there was still no answer to the deeper reason why Prince Feng's "style changed abruptly" from a wise prince to a scourge of the country and the people.

More importantly, because of the constant changes in the situation, old Sang Gui's mischief in the Ming Song Dongyue and Xiyue provinces gradually evolved into "rebellion."

Forcing Zhang Gui to have long had the intention of returning to the Eastern Continent to set things right...

In the blink of an eye, an afternoon passed.

The summer heat of the Eastern Inner Sea in the sixth and seventh months was steaming, and the crow wind was dry and hot.

The time approached dusk.

Zhang Gui, who had long since run back to the office, waited and waited, but saw no news of Eunuch Gong meeting with an accident.

Knowing that he was still safe for the time being, he felt relieved.

He leisurely crossed the main road outside Hancheng Prefecture.

Triggering "Zongheng As You Wish," he truly flew through the air like land-flight, breaking through the sky.

Before the sun set, he arrived at the mass grave.

The number of corpses abandoned there by the Hanli coroners and laborers under his command using wooden carts was becoming fewer and fewer.

After all, once the weather warmed up, even digging for wild vegetables could save many people from dying.

Zhang Gui did not feel regret about this.

Firstly, although his nature was not exactly pure and kind, he was not a pervert who viewed human life as grass.

Deep down, he still felt that except for his enemies, it was always good for fewer people to die.

Secondly, the recent third "Small Nation War" between Prince Zhen and the Yuanshan Guard Army on Xianrong Island had added over a million new ghosts to the Ningrang Plain.

And the remains they left in the human world naturally benefited Zhang Gui.

With the "big meal" making him full to the point of bursting, the "snacks" naturally became unimportant.

"The interval between the so-called 'Small Nation Wars' on Xianrong Island has gradually stabilized between two to three months.

The number of participants, whether it is the 'New Army' under Prince Zhen or the Yuanshan Guard Army, is constantly increasing.

But overall, the growth rate of the New Army is still faster.

After all, it is good to enjoy the shade under a big tree.

Using the disaster victims of the entire Ming Song Kingdom as a source of soldiers, the scale is naturally incomparable to that of the mere Xianrong islanders.

I remember the last dynastic change.

When the Ming Song Kingdom was founded and the 'Yellow Register' was established, the total population of the country was less than one hundred million.

But before the chaotic times of the previous dynasty appeared, the total population living on Ming Song territory was over 1.5 billion.

So for a large country in the Eastern Continent, the few people dying now are nothing.

But for Xianrong Island, where the total population in peaceful years is only fifty million.

If this 'bleeding' continues, the whole country might just disappear."

Zhang Gui calculated in his heart, and could not help but whisper to himself:

"To turn the country into such a ghostly state, even showing signs of 'national extinction and racial annihilation.'

I don't know if the Qianji people who successfully rebelled now regret it,

or if they feel that even if they perish together with the Hanli court, it is better than letting their mortal enemies live a good life while they linger on in a desperate situation."

"If it were me, I would definitely choose the latter."

A faint voice came from behind Zhang Gui.

His body stiffened, and he slowly turned around. After seeing the face of the person who had come, he immediately cupped his hands and bowed deeply, "So it is True Person Tao who has arrived. This junior has been disrespectful."

While speaking, the black fungal mat slowly wriggling around Zhang Gui rapidly withered and turned into fly ash.

Seeing this, Tao Yaoyao asked curiously:

"Young man, the divine cluster you use to devour corpses, which demon god does it originate from?"

"Reporting to the True Person, I really don't know.

At that time, I was in the Mushroom Valley, the last land of the Stone Corpse tribe, a lone commander holding an enthronement ceremony for myself.

Afterwards, I went home and slept, and suddenly..."

Zhang Gui honestly told everything in detail,

"True Person, this junior has not told a single lie.

I really don't know."

"Don't be nervous. In the future, you will almost certainly become a backbone of the human race, a seed of a True Person.

So unless you harm me first, with my nature, I will not harm you."

"May I ask True Person, what is a seed of a True Person?"

Feeling that there was a chance to get high-level supernatural knowledge for free, Zhang Gui immediately widened his eyes and asked curiously.

"It is like this.

Actually, there is no need to listen to the nonsense that 'Heaven rewards diligence; as long as one can practice and enter the Dao, and persist in ascetic cultivation, anyone can become a god or a saint.'

Ordinary cultivators can never break through the barrier to become a Great Venerable.

Only True Persons have a glimmer of hope.

And the standard for becoming a True Person is,

Before the age of twenty... the bloodline divine cluster evolves a complete 'True Form'...

Practice the Dao-entering technique... break through the Heavenly Moat within three years...

Before the age of twenty, use the practiced technique... to nourish the divine cluster and generate a 'True Form'...

There are thirty-three such items in total; as long as one meets three of them, they are a 'seed of a True Person.'

Continuing to reach the B-grade of 'Not Human,' one becomes a 'True Person'."

Tao Yaoyao answered without reservation:

"You previously met: before twenty... evolved a 'True Form'...

Practiced Dao-entering technique... broke the Heavenly Moat in three years...

Mastered two True Form transformations... three items.

You are already considered a solid seed of a True Person.

Now you have added 'nourishing the divine cluster with the true meaning of the technique to generate a True Form.'

It can be said that you have climbed to a higher level.

You are even more precious."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 194 =====