Chapter 240

The winter sun shone pale white on the earth, seemingly with infinite light, yet it didn't bring a shred of warmth.

The cold wind on the street was fierce.

Shen Shijing seemed not to have heard Zhang Gui's excuses and asked another question on her own.

"Before our Hanli nation was overturned, Xianrong Island had a population of fifty million.

Do you know how many are left now?"

"I don't know.

But I know that although Xianrong Island has an area of over 300,000 li, it is mostly mountainous, and the remaining plains have mostly very barren soil.

Water sources are considered abundant, but there are few artificial large-scale canals.

Actually, being able to comfortably support thirty million people is already the limit; if it were fifty million, it would mean half the common people are in a state of long-term hunger.

It would be strange if they didn't rebel."

Zhang Gui saw Shen Shijing playing dumb, so he stopped pretending to be polite.

Shen Shijing's cheeks flushed with anger, but she suppressed the fury in her heart.

"Now there are only over three million Xianrong islanders left, and most of them are teenagers."

In the end of a dynasty, there is no one for a thousand miles, wailing is heard everywhere, and countless common people die—this is the norm.

But to die to the extent of 'less than one in ten remaining', while it has happened in history, it is rare.

"I knew Xianrong Island was miserable, but I didn't expect it to be this miserable!

No wonder the running dogs under the 'God King and Supreme Saint', who are high above and mysterious, would appear.

Hanli and Qianji are of the same clan and ancestor, just living separately in plains and mountains, so this struggle for the nation is actually brothers fighting within the walls.

Fighting for the foundation left by their ancestors, but now it has 'collapsed' to the point where victory or defeat has lost its meaning.

People, oh people, sometimes it really is, why bother!"

Even with a disposition as carefree as Zhang Gui's, hearing this answer was shocking and moving, and for a moment, he was speechless.

Unexpectedly, seeing him freeze, Shen Shijing misunderstood and smiled coldly.

"I heard that ever since Longhu landed on Xianrong Island, the corpses of any Xianrong islanders who died miserably in battle have all been refined by you with secret arts and used for other purposes.

Why, now that you've counted the dead and the ones you've refined, do you feel the numbers don't add up?"

"Fairy Shen has misunderstood.

I just feel that a civil war, each inviting strong reinforcements, resulting in such a situation, is truly beyond comment."

Other things could be argued, but using the main divine cluster 'Tai Sui Enter Spirit' to store the corpses of millions of Xianrong islanders.

From any perspective of public order and good customs, it is wicked and smoke-emitting.

Especially since the 'permit' to do this came from a 'thank you' from Shen Shijing herself.

Now being questioned by her in a tone of grief and indignation, Zhang Gui could no longer maintain his previous 'strong stance', explaining in a low voice and cupping his hands in mourning.

"The wild geese fly, their feathers rustling... reaching the distressed, mourning these widowers and widows.

The wild geese fly, these children are at the walls... all hundred walls are built... the wild geese fly, crying mournfully.

The nation has been overturned to this point; I ask you to restrain your grief, sir!"

"You, although inexplicably arrogant, are someone who wants 'face' and understands 'reason'."

Shen Shijing was silent for a while, her expression gradually softening, and she said quietly:

"So I am willing to trade a huge benefit with you.

You know about Emperor Da Qi's 'Xiaque' and Queen Mother of the West's 'Kunlun' sending special envoys to Xianrong Island, right?"

Zhang Gui wasn't a fool; clearly knowing the situation of the Hanli royal family at this time, he wouldn't have cared about Shen Shijing's deception.

But hearing the names 'Xiaque' and 'Kunlun', he couldn't help but nod.

"I know, I heard.

That great power who 'ascended to heaven' on Xianrong Island stayed on the island for too long and caused too much trouble, almost leading to national subjugation and clan extermination..."

Speaking to this point, seeing Shen Shijing's expression change,

"In short, it was because of this that the disciples of Xiaque and Kunlun came to Xianrong Island and 'invited' her away.

But Fairy Shen, what does this have to do with you?"

"It's not just about me, but the special envoys saw the miserable sight on Xianrong Island.

They felt that if our Hanli royal family continued to fight internally with the Qianji people, it would truly be 'national subjugation and clan extermination' as you just said.

Therefore, they mobilized our 'Four Sects' to leave Xianrong Island and migrate to the Earth Cave Realm to establish a new foundation."

"Does he have old ties with your ancestors? Otherwise, how could such high-and-mighty figures be so kind?"

Zhang Gui said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, clearly half-believing.

"Our 'Four Sects of Hanli' have after all established a nation for a thousand years; we do have a few secret realms."

Shen Shijing flicked her sleeves, finally revealing the demeanor of a royal aristocrat.

Zhang Gui, the 'nouveau riche', could no longer criticize and curled his lips.

"I not only don't have any, but I haven't even seen these so-called 'secret realms'.

But I imagine they are just like ordinary cities. Oh, wait a moment.

You just said you wanted to trade a huge benefit with me; does it have something to do with this 'secret realm'?"

Unexpectedly, before she could even get to the point, Zhang Gui 'buzzed in' with the answer.

Shen Shijing smiled faintly. "Exactly."

Zhang Gui couldn't hold it together anymore, thinking tremblingly in his heart:

"Has my luck on this trip to Xianrong Island become this good? Not only did I get what I wanted, but I can also fleece the 'bankruptcy clearance sale' of the Hanli royal family!

What is a 'secret realm'? That is the only standard configuration for dynasties, royal families, and ancient wealthy clans!

With it, you can say your 'family heritage is very ancient'; without it, you are just a 'new force' among the nouveau riche.

What does this mean? It means its importance!

Anything related to a 'secret realm' is absolutely top-tier supernatural knowledge, not to mention the finished product.

In short, even if the deal doesn't go through, just chatting for a few sentences might be of great benefit.

Knowledge is power; among three people, there must be my teacher. When asking for advice, one must have a proper attitude.

It's not shameful."

So, his posture quickly became respectful, and his head, which had been held high, drooped down.

His sword-like eyebrows also became like 'caterpillars'.

"Sir, please allow me to report.

Actually, I have always been very yearning for everything related to 'secret realms'.

If I could have my wish today, I would truly be overjoyed.

Please, teach me."

"For someone with your divine cluster bloodline, cultivation aptitude, and status, being interested in 'secret realms' is a matter of course.

But aren't you quite good at sophistry? I thought even if you were yearning, you would pretend to..."

"Even the most eloquent person, unless they meet a fool, can only go so far as 'calling a deer a horse'.

And with your wisdom, sir, if I were to deceive you, wouldn't I be bringing humiliation upon myself?

Therefore, I dare not."

Zhang Gui took the initiative to give his answer respectfully to Shen Shijing's questioning.

Shen Shijing revealed an extremely strange expression upon hearing this.

"When you are 'smooth', you make people feel like they are bathing in a spring breeze; when you are 'adverse', you make people grit their teeth.

At such a young age, where on earth did you learn these power-shifting tactics?"

"Sir, please forgive me.

I come from the marketplace; in the past, I had to do it to make a living, oh, in short, I developed many bad habits.

As for 'Spring and Autumn talk', I just have a little bit of talent."

Zhang Gui replied with a simple and earnest demeanor.

(End of chapter)