Chapter Eight completed
According to historical records: In the sixteenth year of King Tan's reign, in the summer of May, the nobleman Chuo of Chen requested to complete the matter in a straightforward manner
A single failure is not sufficient to serve as a lifelong disgrace; the key is to learn from the experience, prepare diligently, and erase this shame. This is how Lord Chen communicated to his ministers. He immediately dispatched someone to investigate Sheng Mountain, and indeed discovered an astonishingly rich iron ore deposit. As a result, my position as a guest official was firmly established, and no one dared to raise any objections.
He no longer possesses the charm of his former self; his complexion is waxy yellow, and his cheeks are deeply sunken. Even his once high-arched eyebrows now droop weakly at the temples. "Are you a physician?" He noticed me approaching, gently turned his head, and opened his eyes. "You are... a physician?"
The first step of the Immortal's Sudden Plan has achieved complete success. After carefully analyzing my experiences, he concluded that because I was struck by the power enhanced by "Rain Jade" two years ago, I encountered a series of peculiar events, even experiencing a journey beyond the universe, witnessing the birth and extinction of stars. It is the divine artifact that guided me to become an important medium for the great calamity, thus I must be allowed to come into contact with the divine artifact again in order to see the connections involved.
When winter arrived, I finally got the opportunity. Through various means, I found the mother and brother of the female slave who served the mysterious man still living, and purchased them to make them my own slaves. I expressed to the female slave that as long as she arranged for me to meet the mysterious man, I would free her mother and brother, grant them land, and allow them to become free citizens. Given my current financial situation, freeing two slaves at once would be quite a significant loss, but if the female slave could help me find "Leichong," it would still be worthwhile. I expressed to the female slave that as long as she arranged for me to meet the mysterious man, I would free her mother and brother, grant them land, and allow them to become free citizens. Given my current financial situation, freeing two slaves at once would be quite a significant loss, but if the female slave could help me find "Leichong," it would still be worthwhile
Without a word, I jumped onto the chariot of Lord Chen, kicked aside the corpse of the charioteer, and took hold of the reins: "Your Majesty, in which direction is the capital?" Lord Chen pointed into the distance, and I immediately urged the chariot forward, racing in that direction
In an instant, Chen Jun regained his composure, truly deserving of being a bold hero who dared to challenge the authority of "Dong Bo." He immediately stood up, his expression calm as water: "I swear to my ancestors, if you can help me break through the encirclement and return to the capital, I will not only restore your status as a scholar but also immediately appoint you as a guest official"
Every ten or so days, the immortal appears in my dreams. He has yet to find Ran—I do not know whether Ran has already left this world or if he simply has not made a genuine effort to search. Even in the face of great calamity, I find that there is no urgency or haste in his actions. Perhaps it is because the lifespan of immortals is exceedingly long, allowing them to approach every task in life at a very leisurely pace
Due to the secret protection of the immortal, we did not encounter any formidable enemies along the way. Instead, we came across many of our own warriors, who gathered around the monarch, gradually forming a considerable contingent. When a valiant warrior, nearly ten feet tall, also jumped onto the chariot, voluntarily taking up the spear to serve as the charioteer for the monarch, I could distinctly sense the monarch letting out a long sigh of relief
After repeated deliberation, the other party finally agreed to the terms of the exchange, but indicated that they would still wait for an opportunity. More than half a month later, good news finally arrived, allowing me to disguise myself as a healer. Taking advantage of a recent moonless night, I would secretly infiltrate the inner court of Chen Jun to meet with a mysterious person.
The foolish, the superior person, the immortal, and the ultimate person—these four realms are distinctly categorized, yet they are closely interconnected. The immortal said to me, "You and those so-called 'divine artifacts' are the key to the turmoil of the lower realm, and also a driving force behind the changes in the other three realms." He instructed me to first enter the upper tier of Chen Kingdom and seek an opportunity to approach 'Lei Chong'.
However, even if I were to meet the mysterious person, how could I persuade him to take out the "Lei Chong" for me to see? I carefully consulted the immortal in my dreams, then repeatedly recited what I needed to say, patiently waiting for the opportunity to arise
The furnishings in the room are quite simple. I see a low couch against the north wall, where a person is wrapped in a thick quilt, lying facing inward. I cautiously approach him, slightly extending my head to see his face—indeed, it seems to be that mysterious person I encountered once on the battlefield.
In the year that followed, I returned to a life of luxury and comfort befitting a noble. I sought the favor of Ju Yan, but she could no longer be my wife—my status had changed—she could only serve as my household servant and concubine. I also approached Doctor Chuo Shang to purchase the wife and daughter of Kun Yuan, but the response I received was: "They have all passed away; it is very difficult for women and children to survive without their guardians." It is said that the overseer had considered assigning another man to be their new guardian, to be the husband of the woman and the father of the girl, but before a final decision could be made, they had already left this world due to hunger and cold. For several months, whenever I closed my eyes, I would see the sorrowful gaze of Kun Yuan just before his death. He had asked me to take care of his wife and children; I had no ability to do so before, and now that I had the means to care for them, I still could not fulfill his last wish. I am sorry for him... I am sorry for his family... He had asked me to take care of his wife and children; I had no ability to do so before, and now that I had the means to care for them, I still could not fulfill his last wish. I am sorry for him... I am sorry for his family...
In the past few months, on one hand, I have assisted Su Jun in overseeing the iron mine, producing nearly 1,000 iron swords and several hundred iron spearheads; on the other hand, I have sought various opportunities to approach the mysterious individual wielding the "Thunder Staff." However, my efforts have yielded little success. I only know that this mysterious person resides in the inner court of Chen Jun and seems to be gravely ill. Only Chen Jun himself and a few specially assigned slaves who serve him are able to get close to him
Every time we meet in my dreams, I succinctly report my progress to him, and he simply replies, "Very good, keep up the effort—about that woman, I have not yet found her." I can only take this opportunity to raise all my past questions and receive answers from the immortal.
"What is the magic of extermination?" I curiously asked him, but he could not provide a clear explanation. It seemed that during the last calamity in the realm of immortals, he had not encountered the demons directly, having fled to the outskirts with some other immortals. "In any case, you must remember," he said to me, "that all things are components of the universe. The birth and death of all things, as well as their changes, will affect the progression of the universe, and the development and decline of the universe will simultaneously influence all things." Where there are human calamities, there will inevitably be natural disasters. I believe that what he was elucidating was essentially this idea.
Because the immortal borrowed my body and took away the greatly enhanced magical power obtained through "Lei Chong" and "Yun Jue", the battles between Su and Chen in the future will be entirely determined by the standard combat between warriors. The Chen Kingdom was defeated, and the Chen monarch was almost captured by the Su people
I exerted great effort to learn the name of a female slave from the *Picture* book, and then instructed Wang to try to get close to her. The emotions of the past have gradually faded, especially in the context of my new life of luxury and abundance. Now, Wang is merely one of my concubines; I possess her body but do not wish to claim her soul. I regard her as a pawn in the execution of my plans, a mere tool, and I feel no sense of guilt in my heart. The emotions of the past have gradually faded, especially in the context of my new life of luxury and abundance. Now, Wang is merely one of my concubines; I possess her body but do not wish to claim her soul. I regard her as a pawn in the execution of my plans, a mere tool, and I feel no sense of guilt in my heart.
In the eighth month of autumn, Lord Chen dispatched three thousand troops to seize the wheat from the outskirts of the neighboring country, Pan. Pan is a vassal of Su, and during the summer when Su engaged in warfare, Pan sided with Su. This time, taking advantage of a minor conflict between Pan and Su, Lord Chen provoked Pan to gauge Su's reaction. As expected, the ruler of Su sent envoys to inquire about the matter. Lord Chen humbly received the envoys, explaining that this was to preserve Su's dignity by teaching Pan a lesson, and he presented generous gifts to completely suppress the impending turmoil.
Lord Chen granted me a modest residence and allocated thirty acres from his directly governed territory. He selected forty individuals from his group of slaves to serve my needs. Additionally, he bestowed upon me two warriors: Zhong Dang and Hu Zeng. In return, I supervised the forging of weapons and contributed my wisdom to accumulate strength, awaiting the day to retaliate against the Su Kingdom. Soon after, Lord Chen dispatched Chuo Shang to the Su Kingdom to request peace talks. The Su Lord only made minimal territorial concession demands and readily agreed—because it was said that after that battle, Su Yan's magical powers were exhausted, and I supervised the forging of weapons and contributed my wisdom to accumulate strength, awaiting the day to retaliate against the Su Kingdom. Soon after, Lord Chen dispatched Chuo Shang to the Su Kingdom to request peace talks. The Su Lord only made minimal territorial concession demands and readily agreed—because it was said that after that battle, Su Yan's magical powers were exhausted, requiring long-term bed rest, and he was no longer able to take the field, while the Su Kingdom also dared not engage in warfare for the time being
As a condition of exchange, I asked him to help find the whereabouts of Ran. He seemed a bit troubled and furrowed his brow, but ultimately agreed.
"No, I am not a healer; I am a guide, here to lead you." Following the method previously discussed with the immortal, I initiated the conversation. Our plan was quite simple: this person possesses such profound Daoist skills that he must be an accomplished practitioner. When I employed some of the esoteric and mysterious theoretical concepts taught by the immortal to enlighten him, he might yield and voluntarily present the "Thunder Cauldron" for our discussion. Our plan was quite simple: this person possesses such profound Daoist skills that he must be an accomplished practitioner. When I employed some of the esoteric and mysterious theoretical concepts taught by the immortal to enlighten him, he might yield and voluntarily present the "Thunder Cauldron" for our discussion
***
The tattoos on my arms have been erased with a whetstone and medicine, but the wrinkles and ravines on my face have forever left a mark in my heart... I was once a lowly slave, and I once struggled in agony on the edge of life and death as if experiencing a nightmare...
The nobles of the State of Chen are undoubtedly opposed to my appointment as a guest scholar. However, firstly, the Duke of Chen has already sworn an oath to his ancestors, which cannot be easily altered; secondly, the immortal has bestowed upon me an even greater achievement—"The Sheng Mountain in the eastern region of Chen is rich in iron ore, which can be used to forge weapons"
This sudden change left Chen Jun in a daze, as he leaned out from above the carriage, staring blankly at me. I knelt on one knee, supporting myself with my bloodied spear, and said: "I am a wandering soldier, mistakenly identified as a spy, and have been assigned as a slave in the household of the theater lord. I implore Your Majesty to restore my identity as a soldier, and I shall protect Your Majesty and fight my way out!"
I suddenly appeared beside him, seizing the opportunity to strike with my spear, hitting the gentleman squarely in the left side of his neck. Bright red blood spurted out, marking a distance of over two feet. The gentleman fell silently into the carriage. The driver was just about to rise when I also struck him down.
When I returned to the battlefield, I encountered a warrior from the Su nation blocking the chariot of Lord Chen. "The Su warrior is pleased, please dismount, Lord Chen." The warrior, imposing and dignified, brandished his long spear, aiming it at the curled-up Lord Chen in the chariot.
According to him, when calamity struck, the immortals seemed to be afflicted by a strange disease, their bodies becoming extremely weak and their emotions unstable. They no longer trusted their companions, nor were they willing to live in proximity to other immortals. Various suspicions, conflicts, and disputes arose as a result. Consequently, the entire realm of immortals fell into chaos and disorder, leading to great natural disasters and the emergence of demonic forces that sought to annihilate. Terrifying wars ensued
I first asked him about the calamities of the immortal realm, wanting to understand what it was all about. He furrowed his brow and thought carefully for a while, seemingly finding it difficult to articulate the confusion and pain he had experienced. In the end, he could only use the phenomena of birth, aging, illness, and death in the mortal realm as a metaphor: "Calamities occur every day in the mortal realm—wars, plagues, separations, and deaths. In the immortal realm, under normal circumstances, these sufferings of life do not happen. He could only use the phenomena of birth, aging, illness, and death in the mortal realm as a metaphor: 'Calamities occur every day in the mortal realm—wars, plagues, separations, and deaths. In the immortal realm, under normal circumstances, these sufferings of life do not happen. Until the day the calamity arrives..."
The door opened slightly wider, and I slipped in sideways. The female servant led the way in front, and I carefully followed behind, observing the surroundings. After turning through several courtyards, we arrived in front of a solitary building. The female servant gestured towards the interior, and I glanced around before hurriedly stepping inside.
That night was truly pitch black, with thick clouds obscuring the moon and stars. I draped a large cloak over my shoulders, pulled up the hood to cover most of my face, and quietly squatted outside the side door of the palace with a medicine box in hand. Around the hour of Hai, I saw a small crack open silently in the side door. I stood up and approached, and then I heard the voice of the maid: "My lord? My lord, can you really free my mother and brother?"
On one occasion, I asked him which of the two sects, the Sect of Existence or the Sect of Non-Existence, truly upholds the righteous path of the universe. He merely smiled and shook his head, remaining silent. It was as if two children were arguing over the rules of a game, while the observing adults found it amusing yet tedious, glancing over before walking away.
However, things are not as simple as we had anticipated
Although our side suffered a great defeat in this war, the enemy also incurred significant losses and has temporarily retreated, not daring to press directly towards Chendu. When we finally beheld the towering walls of Chendu Yanyi, everyone could not help but cheer. However, Lord Chen waved his hand to silence the cheers: "We have been defeated, what is there to be happy about? Can the joy of life offset the humiliation of defeat?" He turned to me: "Your name." "I am called Feng Yang, a person from the Peng State." "Good, from now on, you shall be a guest official of our country!"
"I swear by the honor of the scholar and the honor of my ancestors that I will liberate your mother and brother." I pointed to the heavens and casually uttered a curse. Is the honor of the scholar truly so precious? Is the honor of the ancestors of the scholar truly so precious? I believe that such an oath can only demonstrate sincerity when made in a public setting. Including the restoration of my status as a scholar by Lord Chen, I think it is only because I am still of use that he would keep his promise. I am very clear about this; that female slave certainly does not understand—though I have no intention of breaking my oath. Including the restoration of my status as a scholar by Lord Chen, I think it is only because I am still of use that he would keep his promise. I am very clear about this; that female slave certainly does not understand—though I have no intention of breaking my oath
"Why don't you go and obtain them yourself?" I believe that as an immortal, finding and acquiring any artifact should be an effortless task. However, the immortal thinks that I must obtain it through my own efforts, as this process is the best clue for studying the context of the great calamity.