The Book of Troubled Times

Early the next morning, Zhao Changhe took Wu Zui with him, said goodbye to Yue Hongling and went north to Bashu.

Sisi did not send her far, she only reached the north of Erhai Lake and then stopped moving forward.

Because this time he was followed by Dali officials and an army of honor guards, and they were sent off in the official name of sending off King Zhao of the Han Dynasty. Zhao Changhe turned around and looked at the seaside grassland, where everyone was gathered together solemnly, and everyone still kept the gesture of bowing their hands in farewell. Only Sisi stood quietly, looking at him steadily, so among the crowd of people who were bending and bowing, especially Stand out from the crowd.

Thousands of troops and the vast sea have become the background. Only the girl's eyes are slightly tearful, as affectionate as the sea.

No one can connect the solemn farewell now with the charm last night.

This is the first woman who takes the initiative to serve her with others. It is said that Miao girls are not as reserved as Han people, but it actually reflects the deep-rooted lovesickness. Because everyone's reunions are always in a hurry. Last time we were separated, it took half a year to meet again. The so-called stay this time was quite long, but in fact, the total length of the stay was less than seven days. During these seven days, she was busy and did not see each other very often. , the so-called absurdity plus last night was only two nights.

Gods and demons appear in the world, and the world is in conflict. We say goodbye this time. I don’t know when we will meet again. It’s not impossible to say goodbye forever.

When will we know each other when we miss each other? It's embarrassing to be at this point in the night.

Hong Ling also understood and indulged him for a while.

Zhao Changhe rode Wu Zui, turned around three times with one step, finally handed over his hand, and galloped away ruthlessly.

The spirit clan's flesh and blood supplement is not only the most suitable place for Zhao Changhe's blood asura body, but it is also the most suitable place for raising Wu Zui. It was obvious that Wu Zhui had made greater progress than his master in the past few days, with his strength and speed increasing significantly. If you look closely, you can see that there are faint dragon-shaped textures on the body surface. It used to carry Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling on a flight, which would have been a bit hard, but now it is as light as empty and disappears in an instant.

Sisi looked at the direction in which the two men disappeared with blurry eyes, and whispered: "Send the order, gather the troops and horses, and conduct drills in the north. The louder the better."

"If you make a big noise, won't it be known to Bashu?"

"All that's needed is that they know."

"King Zhao wants to intimidate Bashu?...Then if Bashu is not intimidated, what if he really wants to fight?"

"Then fight." Sisi said calmly: "Our strength may not be just for self-protection. In this world of chaos between gods and demons, wouldn't there be a place for us?"

Pan Wan tried to ask: "The king also wants to strive for hegemony?"

"How can I?" Sisi smiled brilliantly: "Now is the time to recuperate and recuperate. If I insist on fighting, you will definitely criticize me."

Pan Wan smiled awkwardly: "Then what the king means is..."

"Because he will need it, not now, but also in the near future."

…………

Wu Zhui flew to Emei, and Zhao Changhe watched from a high position for a while. There were still many people in the mountain performing martial arts and iron in full swing. It can be seen that the Shenhuang Sect has not moved to Chengdu collectively, and there are still many disciples staying at the mountain gate.

Judging from this performance alone, the Shenhuang Sect does not seem to be competing for hegemony. Even if these are just low-level disciples of the Shenhuang Sect with low combat prowess, they are still absolutely elite soldiers. These days, other families are eager to go to Shihao Village to recruit old men to join the army. How can they allow a group of elite men who are playing iron to stay in the mountains without any organization?

"There should be their secret realm within the Shenhuang Sect, and they cannot give up their old nest easily." Yue Hongling observed for a while and said: "It is difficult to judge based on this alone. It is better to look around."

"Um."

Zhao Changhe didn't let Wu Zui fly anymore, and walked slowly to watch.

It is said that Li Shengtong is not good at governance and there are no nobles to help. After thinking about the past, it is not as good as before, and it looks like a mess. In fact, it is not bad.

After the initial chaotic period, Bashu now seems quite peaceful and peaceful, and the bandits that were once seen seem to have disappeared. At first glance, it looks more dilapidated and depressed than before, mainly because many wealthy gentry were slaughtered, Zhuangzi was burned down, and ruins can be seen everywhere. And the population is also reduced, because Li Shentong killed too many people, killing the entire Daxi King.

However, there is smoke from cooking in villages all over the country. Although the villagers are sallow and thin, their clothes are warm. It feels like Li Shentong should have beaten the local tycoons to share the money and grain, and the fields should have been divided, but there is no farming scene in winter now. Although the villagers were thin, they did not have the cowering fear they had seen before, and their spirits were much better.

With such a foundation, it can actually be managed. Wenzhiwen people are everywhere, and there are not many who are willing to join the team to help. Three-legged toads are hard to find, and officials are still worried about not finding them?

Passing by the county seat, you can also see the official offices and offices in an orderly manner.

Li Shentong said he couldn't do this, but as long as he was willing to take care of it, he would be better than Xia Longyuan... Lao Xia really didn't have the right to joke that everyone was the same.

This is a good thing. But Zhao Changhe's goals for this trip may not be so good.

If Bashu is still in chaos, let alone convincing Li Shentong to cooperate, it is even possible to take back Bashu without any bloodshed. But since the recovery has been managed in an orderly manner, it is really a force striving for hegemony, or at least a force that can separatist forces. Why do people still pay attention to you?

The young couple looked at each other, not knowing whether to be happy or to have a headache.

"Forget it, it's a good thing after all." Zhao Changhe said: "I won't do more observation, it's of little significance. I'll just go to Chengdu to see if I can have dinner."

At sunset, the two arrived in Chengdu. It's not as scary as a flying horse entering the city. It landed very low-key in the distance and led the horse through the city gate.

"Stop! The road... uh..."

Nowadays, the interrogation questions when entering the city are becoming shorter and shorter.

This time the guard didn't even finish his words, and the city gate fell silent. Not to mention the guards, even a civilian entering the city had his heart beating wildly, and the two names in his heart almost jumped out of his throat.

These young couple don’t wear makeup... Two years ago, Yue Hongling’s portraits were all over the world, and they were cosplayed everywhere. Even the bandits in the Beimang Mountains knew each other. They were truly popular idols, not to mention the God-Slaughter who is now gathering momentum. , King Shura? The love affair between the two is also known to the world. They appear together, and there is no doubt about their identity.

Normally someone might come up to ask for an autograph, but what about now? King Shura was the King of Zhao of the Han Dynasty, but here he was the anti-king.

Zhao Changhe looked around and suddenly smiled: "What are you doing? Please tell Situ Xiao that an old friend is visiting and wants a drink. Don't tell me he's not here?"

Before he finished speaking, a big cauldron suddenly fell from the sky: "Want a sip?"

The aroma of wine in the cauldron has spread all the way to the city gate.

It can be said that it is a sip, but with the big cauldron facing up, how can you drink the wine inside? Jump on and drink? very ugly. Let the tripod tilt? The spilled wine was all over the place.

Everyone watched Zhao Changhe's actions eagerly, but saw him grinning and suddenly stretching out a finger.

His fingers accurately touched the foot of a tripod, and the big tripod flew upwards in a swirl, and the water spray also swirled and spread out from the side of the tripod, like flowers from a fountain.

Zhao Changhe snapped his fingers, and the hops flying in the air suddenly gathered and turned into the shape of a cup, falling firmly into his hand.

Zhao Changhe raised his neck and drank the wine in the glass, but the wine glass was still there.

He flicked it casually, and the wine glass suddenly turned into a small water dragon, roaring into the sky, catching up with the large cauldron that was still spiraling up, and "plopped" into the cauldron and disappeared.

Everyone at the city gate looked like they were seeing an immortal magic... Is this something that human martial arts can do?

Zhao Changhe was smiling: "This wine is pretty average."

There was a sigh in the air: "We are poor, can we make do with it? May my daughter-in-law invite me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the cauldron rose to its highest point and began to fall.

But at the moment of sinking, the wine in the cauldron suddenly exploded, and countless water splashes scattered like swords, and then like thousands of swords, accurately stabbing everyone present.

No one had even reacted, and as soon as they thought of dodge, a small sword made of wine had already stopped at their mouth.

Yue Hongling's voice came: "When did Brother Situ become so stingy? He borrows flowers to offer to the Buddha. Anyone who sees it has a share, please!"

Everyone was so excited that they all said in unison: "My daughter-in-law, please come."

So he opened his mouth at the same time and put the wine and sword into his throat.

Situ laughed loudly: "Okay, okay!"

The cauldron once again entered the range three feet above Zhao Changhe's head. He suddenly smacked his head upward and said, "Return to Situ!"

"Boom!" The big cauldron did not move, but the wine in the cauldron roared up, gathered into a huge water dragon, and rushed straight to somewhere at the top of the city. The roaring sound along the way was really like the roar of a dragon!

"Tsk..." A palm was gently smacked, and the faucet paused, then slowly gathered into a large ball of wine. Situ's smiling face appeared at the top of the city, gulping down the wine and drinking heavily.

After finishing the drink in a moment, he laughed and came back: "Come on, we just arranged for people to kill pigs, so I have to treat you to a good meal."

Zhao Changhe hammered the big cauldron into the ground with a "clang" sound. The legs of the cauldron were completely submerged in the soil, and he led his horse into the city. Yue Hongling smiled slightly and followed leisurely in.

It wasn't until the two of them had entered the city for a long time that the sound of gasping came one after another from outside the city gate. It felt like many people were holding their breath and didn't dare to breathe, and they just breathed out at this moment.

Several guards came forward to move the big cauldron. This cauldron couldn't be inserted into the city gate. How would that be inappropriate?

As a result, the three people moved it in triangles, and the cauldron was stuck in the soil motionless and could not be pulled out at all. Two more people came, and they were surrounded by people who had no place to stand. They tried to lift him up, but they didn't move at all.

Everyone was shocked.

"It's too scary...Is this still human martial arts?"

"Or how can we say he is the God-Slayer?" Someone said: "It would be rare for Young Master Situ to be next."

"Because they are friends, right? That water dragon is just a toast?"

"You're overthinking this. This must be a test of strength. If either party shows cowardice, the situation will be different... This tripod city gate is really trying to establish its power. Speaking of which, the young master has already shown his cowardice. Holding the arms The whole group is not as light-hearted as those two people."

"Young Master is not on the Human Ranking today. Those two are at the level of the Heavenly Ranking. They only need one battle. The one who can really talk to them is Sect Master Li."

Sect Master Li... Zhao Changhe, who had already entered the city far away, still heard the whispers outside. Theoretically, Li Shentong has now claimed to be the King of Shu. This does not necessarily mean that he wants to be the king, but the situation dictates that a name is needed to rule the place. If the name is not correct, the words will not go smoothly. But to this day, do people still call Li Shentong "Sect Master Li"?

"Hey, what are you eavesdropping on there?" Situ Xiao leaned against the wall beside the road and smiled lazily: "Go straight in, do you know where to go?"

"Anyway, you will lead the way. Otherwise, why are you here, showing off?"

"..."

Zhao Changhe said casually: "Then again, isn't it in the former prefect's mansion?"

"Earlier before we arrived in Chengdu, there were already riots here, and the prefect's mansion was completely burned down." Situ smiled and walked over with a sigh, leading the two of them forward side by side: "It is said in the world that we are here Bashu killed a lot of people, but that's not necessarily the case. Many of them were done by people on their own initiative, and many of them were done by real bandits... Not all the perpetrators were rebels. Strictly speaking, the number of rebels in the world can only be counted in the palm of a hand. .”

Zhao Changhe said curiously: "You can still say the number of palms. I thought you would say that it is only your family."

"That's not the case. The whole world is rebelling. How can we be the only rebels? It's just that we are more famous." Situ smiled and said: "Of course, in the eyes of the court, there are no rebels. They are all rebels."

Zhao Changhe said: "That's not necessarily the case."

"Because the court is you? There is a difference in your eyes, so there is a difference."

"...You can think so."

Situ Xiao added: "Actually, strictly speaking, the Four Symbols Sect can also be considered a rebel army. Although their original intention may not be, what they are doing now is true. Maybe it is also because of you?"

Zhao Changhe finally smiled and said: "If you keep talking like this, I feel like your next sentence will say that everyone is messing around together."

Situ smiled leisurely and said, "I can't make a decision on this."

Zhao Changhe asked curiously: "According to your point of view, if you can make a decision, are you really willing?"

Situ smiled and said: "I have a pot of wine and a sword, and it will be so happy to travel around the world. If you want to fight for world supremacy, you can only do it if you have a bad brain. Just like some people, a pot of wine and a sword were quite happy before, but now they are full of worries. , I feel like I’m a lot older, tsk. The higher someone’s spiritual practice, the younger they look. Some people’s hair is almost gray as their spiritual practice is higher.”

Zhao Changhe: "Are you going to scold me again?"

Situ Xiao just laughed.

Yue Hongling suddenly said: "Since Brother Situ said so, why is it necessary to test the city gate?"

Situ smiled and said, "So you smelled so strong of gunpowder just now?"

Yue Hongling said: "It is Changhe who has friendship with you, not me."

Situ Xiao nodded and sighed: "Because everyone in the sect wants to take a look. If I don't test at the city gate, you will have to face the test in court. I think it's better for me to come. At least Old Zhao understands me, no Hurt and angry.”

Zhao Changhe said: "I don't know much about it, because people change."

Situ Xiao laughed and said nothing. He led the two of them into another street, pointed to the end and said: "That's the official office over there. It was originally the headquarters of the Bashu Suppressing Demon Division. The people of the Suppressing Demon Division are now Maybe there are still people hiding... In short, we didn't really go to the city to pursue them, we just occupied their place to do things. The territory of the Demon Suppression Division has an advantage. There are quite a few traps in it, which is very suitable for our situation. Ha ha……"

Zhao Changhe couldn't laugh or cry when he heard this: "Are you still afraid of assassination?"

"After all, Master can't stay here forever. He has his own things to do. The strongest ones here are Uncle Shi and me. It's not impossible to be assassinated. For example, if you, the Four Elephants Sect, have to risk your life, Tsk, it’s hard to say.”

"Your master, as the King of Shu, doesn't just stay here and take charge, but also travels all over the world?"

"You always have to go where you need to go." Situ said with a leisurely smile: "Master's heart is ultimately that of a warrior."

"Is he still trying to break through?"

"Of course." Situ said with a smile: "Era after era, gods and demons came to the land, and the previous barriers gradually collapsed. Now that we have the method to control the realm, my master can naturally try to break the control... Actually, let alone him, as a practitioner The Dharma has been raised, which also benefits low-level cultivation, just like the magical power obtained in previous years. The reason why you and I were far ahead of our peers has a lot to do with this. We all guessed that your Blood Evil Technique is the ancient demon god's method and internal power. It's Xia Longyuan's method, and the starting point is different from others who practice hard with third-rate techniques."

Zhao Changhe nodded and said: "What you mean is that the magic skills everyone has obtained now are more powerful than in previous years, and the universal practice speed will increase."

"Yes." Situ said with a smile, "So it's not you who everyone admires the most. It has always been Miss Yue, because her inheritance is very poor."

Yue Hongling said: "I also have ancient inheritance."

"But it's relatively handicapped, isn't it?"

Yue Hongling stopped talking. She didn't feel complacent in her heart, but felt a little solemn.

This statement is very reasonable. No one has thought about it carefully before. Although the so-called gods and demons are still not accessible to everyone, in general, as long as they have the opportunity, everyone is improving. At least I have seen the expressive power above Yujing. It is different whether I have seen it or not.

The era is no longer divided.

And Situ Xiao's words were not joking, they were meant to remind Zhao Changhe that his master had most likely broken the imperial guard, and he should not look at it with old eyes. It smells a little like Er Wu Zai...

Sure enough, Li Shentong's voice came from the courtyard ahead: "Situ, turn around and lift the thousand-jin cauldron two hundred and fifty times."

Situ smiled and covered his face.

Zhao Changhe strode into the hospital and said loudly: "Could it be that Sect Master Li is also imitating those arrogant people and not daring to reveal any of his cultivation to others?"

Li Shentong said calmly: "I reveal it myself, and others leak it are two different things. Forget about gossiping, is King Zhao coming here as an envoy on behalf of the Han Dynasty, or on behalf of you as a friend of Situ?"

Zhao Changhe said: "I already told you at the city gate that I am here as a good friend of Situ."

Lishen Channel: "If this is what you mean, your Excellency is here not to discuss business matters? Is Zhao Changhe starting to be hypocritical too?"

Zhao Changhe smiled and said: "Why can't we just talk about business? Everyone understands business and there is no need to talk about it at all. You and I will just talk about the world and leave as soon as we finish talking."

Li Shentong showed a smile and told Situ Xiao: "Place the wine."

Situ smiled and said, "You just asked me to lift the cauldron."

Li Shentong raised his palm as if to slap him, but Situ Xiao jumped back and ran away: "Okay, okay, the wine has been put on the table, what are you pretending to be there?"

Li Shentong sighed helplessly and turned to Zhao Changhe: "Five days ago, Suzaku single-handedly destroyed the Qiao family of Shanxi merchants. Not even a dog in the Qiao family ran out. In this battle, Suzaku's fire dyed the southern sky, and the emperor The power of the realm is shocking to the whole world, is this what you call... just talking about the world?"