Sword of Coming

Eagles circled in the sky, and crows screamed on the dead branches.

The originally flat and wide official road was already in pieces, and a convoy was bumpy.

As the largest vassal state of the Zhuying Dynasty, Shihao Kingdom is located in the northwest of the dynasty. It is famous for its fertile fields and rich products in the central part of Aquarius Continent. It has always been the large granary of the Zhuying Dynasty. Both the dynasty and the vassal, the Shihao Kingdom and the Huangting Kingdom of the Sui Dynasty had completely different choices. The Shihao Kingdom, from the emperor and the important ministers of the temple to the vast majority of the frontier generals, chose to go head-to-head with a large Li cavalry army.

The war has spread throughout the Shihao Kingdom. Since the beginning of this spring, the fighting has been extremely brutal in the entire area north of the capital. Now the capital of the Shihao Kingdom has been deeply sieged.

Not only the people of Shihao Kingdom, but also several nearby small vassal countries whose military strength is far inferior to that of Shihao Kingdom, are all panic-stricken. Of course, there are many so-called smart people who have surrendered to the Song family of Dali early and are watching the fire on the other side, waiting to see. What a joke. I hope that the invincible Great Li Cavalry can simply massacre the city and kill all the Shihao Kingdom loyalists who are foolishly loyal to the Zhu Ying Dynasty. Maybe they can still remember their good deeds and fight without bloodshed. With their help, They successfully captured tall cities whose arsenals and treasury were not affected at all.

The bumpy road made many drivers of this convoy complain incessantly. Even many strong men with long bows on their backs and long knives on their waists were almost broken. They were all sluggish and struggling to cheer up. , looking around in all directions to prevent rogues from plundering. Almost all of these young and strong men who were familiar with riding bows and horses in their seventies or eighties had the smell of blood on their bodies. It can be seen that this journey south was not an easy journey in the chaotic world.

It's really like making money with your head tied to your belt. It's no exaggeration to say that you might accidentally drop your head on the ground while peeing.

The most dangerous interception during the period was not the refugees who had turned into bandits, but actually a group of 300 Shihao soldiers pretending to be horse thieves. They treated their caravan as a big piece of meat. That fight started early. Nearly half of the caravan guards who signed the life-and-death certificate were killed or injured. If it weren't for the fact that there was an invisible mountain god hiding among the employers, who would have made dumplings for the officers and soldiers, including the people and the goods.

This convoy needs to pass through the hinterland of Shihao Kingdom, reach the southern border, and go to Shujian Lake, which is regarded by the secular dynasty as a dragon's pond and a tiger's den. The convoy took a large sum of money, but they only dared to stop at the border pass. Otherwise, no matter how much money they had, they would not be willing to go one step further south. Fortunately, the dozen foreign merchants agreed and allowed the convoy guards to close at Chidori at the border. Head back, whether this group of merchants will live or die next, whether they will make huge profits at Shujian Lake, or they will die on the way and let the robbers have a good year, anyway, the convoy will not be responsible.

Going down this road is really a purgatory on earth.

Starving to death for thousands of miles is no longer a term used by scholars after a glimpse in a book.

Along the roadside, the convoy would often come across some thatched shops that were shouting loudly. Adults were constantly selling two-legged sheep. At first, some people couldn't bear to send their children to the chopping block and hand them over to the butchers, so they thought of a compromise. The best way is to exchange children with thin faces and yellow muscles between parents, and then sell them to the store.

Many hungry refugees, wandering in groups on the land of Shihao Kingdom like the walking dead and wild ghosts, swarm in whenever they encounter a place where there may be food. , the earthen forts built by the powerful families in some places were stained with blood, and there were some corpses that had not been cleaned up in time. The convoy once passed a large castle guarded by five hundred young men of the same race, and bought a small amount of food with a lot of money. A bold and capable young man was envious of the hard bow of a caravan guard, so he approached it and pointed at the wooden fence outside the castle. Over there, there was a row of shriveled heads used for demonstration. The young man squatted on the ground and said with a smile to a convoy attendant. Summer is the most troublesome, attracting mosquitoes and flies, and it is easy to get plague. But as long as it snows in winter, you can save money. Go to a lot of trouble. After finishing speaking, the young man grabbed a stone and threw it at the wooden fence, hitting a head accurately. He clapped his hands and glanced at the caravan attendants who showed admiration. The young man was quite proud.

At that time, a young woman wearing green clothes and a ponytail made the young man's heart flutter. The reason why he talked and did this with the caravan attendants was because the young man wanted to express himself in front of the beautiful sister.

It's a pity that the sister in Tsing Yi didn't look at him from the beginning to the end. This made the young man very disappointed and disappointed. It would be great if such a beautiful woman like a fairy on the temple murals appeared among the refugees who came here to seek death. ? Then she will definitely survive, and he is the patriarch's eldest grandson. Even if it is not his turn first, one day it will be his turn. However, the young man also knew that among the refugees, there were no such graceful women. There were occasionally some women, most of whom were dark-skinned, skinny and skinny, as thin as starving ghosts, and their skin was extremely rough, which was too ugly.

Next to the sister in Tsing Yi, there was an older woman standing, carrying a sword on her back, but her appearance was much different, especially her figure. If the latter appeared alone, the young man would also be moved, but at that moment They stood together, and the latter disappeared from the young man's eyes.

The caravan continued south.

There are often refugees blocking the road with sharpened wooden sticks. The smarter ones, or those who are not really hungry yet, will ask the caravans to bring out some food, and they will let them go.

Of course, the caravan didn't bother to pay attention and just moved forward. Generally speaking, as long as they drew their knives and took off their stiff bows, the refugees would scatter in fear.

There were also some refugees who just rushed forward with red eyes, planning to rob them. The caravan guards were originally from martial arts backgrounds, and were not from the Shihao country. They had already become numb all the way south, and so many brothers and friends died in the team. Deep down in their hearts, they still long for someone to rush forward and relieve their hatred, so the elite cavalry are thrown out like fishing nets, holding up their swords, or competing in archery skills. The one who shoots in the eye socket is the best, the one who shoots through the neck is the second best, and the one who shoots through the neck is the second best. If he could only hit the abdomen, legs and feet, he would be ridiculed and laughed at.

This time, there were only a few merchants who hired guards and convoys, about ten people.

In addition to the woman with a ponytail in green clothes who rarely appears, and a woman with a sword on her back who lost her right thumb, there is also an unsmiling young man in black robes. These three people seem to be in a group. Usually the convoy stops for repairs, or It’s outdoor camping, so it’s relatively group-friendly.

In addition, the leader of this group of merchants who wanted money rather than their lives was an old man wearing a green shirt and long coat. It was said that his surname was Song, and the guards liked to call him Master Song. Master Song has two retinues, one is carrying a long black stick on his back, and the other is not carrying a weapon. At first glance, he looks like a true member of the martial arts world. The two are about the same age as Master Song. In addition, there are three men and women whose eyes look cold even if they smile on their faces. They are very different in age, the women are mediocre in appearance, and the remaining two are grandfather and grandson.

The impression given to the subordinates is that this group of merchants, except Master Song, are all arrogant and don't like to talk.

That night, I rested in a dilapidated inn that had been abandoned and the subordinate staff had fled. All the items had been taken away.

A woman in green with a ponytail squatted on top of a mostly collapsed earth wall outside the inn.

The sword-carrying woman who was inseparable from her stood under the wall and whispered: "Senior Sister, in more than half a month's journey, we can cross the border and enter Shujian Lake."

The woman in green clothes was a little absent-minded and hummed.

Master Song slowly walked out of the post house, lightly kicked a young man who was squatting on the threshold, and then came to the wall alone. The woman with the sword immediately saluted in Da Li Mandarin and said: "I have seen Mr. Song. .”

The old man smiled and nodded, "Miss Xu is still so polite, she is too polite."

This doctor is not a medicine shop doctor.

This elegant and elegant old man in green shirt is the chief doctor of the Department of Ceremony and Qing Officials of the Dali Ministry of Rites.

In this position, small vassal states such as Huangting Kingdom and Shihao Kingdom belong to the larger Sesame Officials. Just the Yamen of the Ministry of Rites has a minister above it, and there is also a minister above it. Maybe one day it will be replaced by an auxiliary official of the same rank, Yuanwailang Got a seat. But in Dali, this is an extremely critical position. He is one of the three most powerful doctors in the Dali Dynasty. His position is not high, and he is from the fifth rank, and his power is extremely heavy. In addition to the nominal responsibilities of a temple worship official, he is also in charge of the evaluation, assessment, and recommendation of the righteous gods of a country's mountains and rivers.

The Chongdan River, where Da Li had never set up a river god or a temple, suddenly had a river spirit named Li Jin. From a shopkeeper who originally opened a bookstore in Hongzhu Town, he suddenly became a river god. It is said that he is the god of the river. Following the path of this doctor, I was able to jump over the dragon gate, ascend to a high position on the altar, and enjoy all kinds of incense.

The two women were Ruan Xiu and Xu Xiaoqiao who had left Longquan Sword Sect to travel down the mountain.

As for why they had to leave the Great Li Dynasty so far, even Xu Xiaoqiao and Dong Gu were surprised. As for their senior sister Ruan Xiu, it didn't matter at all.

Seeing that Mr. Song seemed to have something to discuss, Xu Xiaoqiao took the initiative to leave.

Doctor Song walked to the wall, sat cross-legged, and said with a smile: "I want to thank Miss Ruan for her generosity."

Ruan Xiu put away a handkerchief and hid it in her sleeve, shook her head and said vaguely, "No need."

Doctor Song asked with a smile: "I would like to ask, does Miss Ruan not care, or does she tolerate it?"

Ruan Xiu asked: "Is there any difference?"

The old man nodded and said seriously: "If it's the former, I won't bother. After all, as an old man like me, I have also had the years of admiration as a teenager. I know that it is difficult for a young boy of Li Muchi's size not to be unconcerned. If it is later "Moreover, I can give a few words to Li Muchi or his grandfather. Miss Ruan doesn't have to worry about forcing someone to do something difficult. This trip south is an official matter assigned by the court, and the rules should be followed. It's not that Miss Ruan is going too far."

Ruan Xiu said: "It doesn't matter. He can just look at it if he likes. His eyes are not my responsibility."

Dr. Song laughed dumbly.

Among the two accompanying him, there were two old martial arts warriors with him. One was a pure warrior who was temporarily transferred from the Dali army. He was in a golden state. It was said that he was the spy of Luboting who went to the army to command important figures. My son, let me throw a glass of wine in front of that accomplished general and scold him. Of course, I still have to hand him over.

A gang leader who came from the Da Li Jianghu sect and was also in the Seventh Realm.

The other three are a team of temporarily formed Niangan Lang. Among them, the young man named Li Muchi is a Taoist genius who is proficient in talismans and formations. He and his grandfather and father are all Dali for three generations. The father of Nian Ganlang of the imperial court had died in an accident not long ago, so for the grandfather and grandson, this trip to the south was not only official business in the yamen, but also mixed with personal grievances.

There are two things that need to be done on this trip south to Shujian Lake. One is on the surface, and it is not a big deal. He, the official in charge of the temple, is the talker, and all three of the Longquan Sword Sect need to take orders from him. , obey his command and dispatch.

At the beginning of autumn this year, two people died at once. A foreign Jindan monk with a hidden identity secretly took away a disciple. This young man was quite special. Not only was he He is an innate sword embryo and possesses martial arts fortune, attracting the attention of several martial arts temple saints in the local state.

Da Li was bound to win, and even the Imperial Master heard the news and took it seriously.

It was probably tit for tat, which is ridiculous to say, but it was Da Li Nian Gan Lang who first found the young man and the three of them found this good seedling. They took turns staying behind and cultivating the young man with all their heart for four years. After a long time, the secretive golden elixir monk jumped out of nowhere, killed two people, and then abducted the young man and fled south, escaping two pursuits and roundups during this period. , very cunning, with high combat power. During the escape, the young man showed an extremely amazing character and aptitude, and helped the Golden Core cultivator twice.

In the end, the Green Wave Pavilion’s intelligence showed that the Jindan monk and the young man fled into Shujian Lake. After that, the Niu Niu entered the sea and was never heard from again.

Regarding this kind of pursuit, not only the Great Li Dynasty, but actually all the mountain forces in Aquarius Continent will not be foolish and look down upon. Experienced sects, as long as they have some background, will strive to fight the lion with the rabbit, all in one go. Use all your strength to solve the problem, instead of adding fuel to the battlefield like a mediocre general, sending groups of people to die in vain, feeding the opponent with war, and ultimately raising tigers to cause trouble.

The opponent was an old Jin Dan who was good at fighting, and he also had a good location. Therefore, the combat power of Langzhong Song and his team was by no means as simple as that of two Jin Dans. Together, they were roughly equivalent to the combat power of a powerful Nascent Soul.

At this point, Dong Gu and Xu Xiaoqiao had conducted detailed deductions in private several times, and the conclusions they reached were relatively reassuring.

Otherwise, if the senior sister made a slight mistake, Dong Gu and Xu Xiaoqiao, the two founding disciples of Longquan Sword Sect, would no longer have to stay in Shenxiu Mountain due to their emotions and reasons.

As for the other thing that only Dr. Song himself knew the inside story, it was a bigger deal.

Involving the ownership of the entire Shujian Lake.

Even he needs to do as he is told.

Even the island owner who has been secretly established in Shujian Lake for eighty years is still a pawn.