Chapter 119 Yan Chixia, Painted Wall
This is very strange, but in the extremely strange Guixu, it seems very normal, because Mazu was also like this at the beginning.

The only difference from that time is that in the past few months, there are much fewer shadowless monsters in Guixu.

There is no need for Ding Hai to do anything, Zhang Zhiwei and the other two can handle it.

The sect's attitude was also very strange, ever since it allocated personnel to Guixu for the second time.

Both Maoshan and Tianshi Mansion seemed to have forgotten about this place.

If Zhang Zhiwei hadn't left for half a day every once in a while to submit a report on the four of them's current progress to the Tianshi Mansion.

Ding Hai almost doubted whether his sect had completely given up on Guixu.

Retracting his scattered thoughts, Ding Hai began to think about the situation he was facing.

After coming to this world for several years, most of the secrets of this world are no longer secrets to him who is in a high position.

Because of the decline of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Confucianism that once flourished to the extreme in the Great Zhou Dynasty has also declined.

Under the deliberate suppression of Buddhism and the imperial power of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the leader of the Taoist sect, Xuanxin Zhengzong, gradually lived up to its glory.

The most intuitive demonstration is that Yan Chixia, a swordsman from the Xuanxin sect, actually went to Bingzhou to join the army two years ago.

Although many Buddhist forces took advantage of the coming troubled times and quietly pushed their own strength to a peak.

However, due to concerns about the Confucian school which is still alive and kicking and the Taoism school which is gradually declining, it currently does not dare to display its own strength blatantly.

All these reasons combined have led to a problem: the demons, monsters, and monsters in the Great Zhou are particularly rampant.

If it weren't for the incomplete martial arts still circulating among the people, and if there weren't martial arts masters emerging from time to time to draw their swords and put an end to injustice, the Great Zhou would have probably reached its end long ago.

In addition, there are big problems with the history of this small world.

The Great Zhou was a country with an extremely mature feudal system, no worse than the Ming Dynasty established by Zhu Yuanzhang.

Logically speaking, for such a highly centralized feudal state to be born, the accumulation of at least several dynasties would be necessary.

But Ding Hai looked through history books and found that the history of this small world was very "empty".

Each school and sect has its own great principles, but once their origins and development histories are traced back, they become all vague.

It has only been two hundred years since the end of the previous dynasty, but except for a few individuals, few people can explain why the previous dynasty fell.

The same is true for records about gods and Buddhas. Everyone knows that gods and Buddhas once existed.

One can even talk about the various contributions these gods and Buddhas have made to the human world.

But once you ask about the origins of these gods and Buddhas, you will find that everyone has no idea.

It’s as if these gods and Buddhas appeared out of thin air.

After finishing the pot of muddy wine, Ding Hai put down the wine glass in his hand and said, "Gentlemen, I am going to Kyoto to congratulate the new emperor on the change of the reign. The situation of Bing and You continents will be left to you to maintain. Don't let me down."

Ding Hai, who was sitting at the head of the general's tent, briefly talked about the cultivation level of the generals in the tent and began to talk about the core issue of the day.

The old emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty practiced Joy Zen excessively last year and died. It is said that the place of his death may be extremely ignominious.

This year is the first year of the new emperor's accession to the throne.

According to the regulations, Ding Hai had to return to Beijing to report on his work.

After hearing Ding Hai change the topic to business, a scholar standing second from Ding Hai's right immediately stood up to persuade him.

"General, it is true that the border troops have an important mission and cannot move lightly, but your personal safety is also very important.

I recommend the ruthless detective Yan Chixia and Captain Xiahou to accompany you." The person who spoke was named Zhuge Wulong.

You read it right, it is the unlucky Zhuge Liang who has been unlucky for eight lifetimes.

A few years ago, not long after Ding Hai set up the banner of recruiting talents in Yanmen County, he came to the door on his own initiative.

Yan Chixia and the swordsman Xiahou Wu also came to recommend themselves at about the same time.

"Mr. Zhuge is thoughtful. I will pay attention to my own safety. I will bring Yan Shenfei and Xiahou Xiaowei with me as you said."

Although those guys in the Zhou Dynasty who were just sitting there doing nothing hated Ding Hai for his power expanding too quickly.

But those guys who are used to eating carrion don't have the courage to raise their claws to the warlord Ding Hai.

However, we need to be careful with the young boy who has just ascended the throne, because he is full of vigor and vitality when he first ascended the throne.

Ding Hai, the warlord who actually controls You and Bing states, is probably one of the sources of his unrest.

If he didn't show some strength, that brat might take some risks and use some despicable means to disgust him.

At present, the prestige of the Great Zhou royal family in You and Bing states has dropped to freezing point, because of the implementation of policies such as fighting against the Huns, suppressing the powerful, suppressing bandits, and clearing out demons and monsters.

It is no exaggeration to say that its prestige in You and Bing states is at its peak.

If the Great Zhou wanted to regain control over You and Bing states, it would have to take all of Ding Hai's reputation and contributions in You and Bing states into its pocket.

During this trip to Kyoto, there will inevitably be a fierce battle between the Great Zhou royal family and Ding Hai over the sovereignty of You and Bing states.

This is exactly what Ding Hai wants.

After coming to this small world for several years, Ding Hai has already discovered some of the truths and secrets of the blood totem method of the foreign races outside the Great Wall.

Now it’s time to experience the charm of Buddhism, Taoism and Buddhism.

After adopting Zhuge Liang's advice, Ding Hai did not stay in the general's tent for long.

After dawn the next day, Ding Hai took Yan Chixia, Xiahou Wu, and 18 other riders and left Yanmen County.

Although winter has arrived in the north and heavy snow has almost closed all roads, it is not a problem for Ding Hai and his crew.

Among the twenty-one people on this trip, the weakest ones are all acquired realm warriors, and the horses they ride are mostly famous horses from exotic species outside the Great Wall, which cannot be stopped by ordinary wind and snow.

As they hurried their journey, they left Bingzhou and arrived north of Taihang Mountain at noon the next day.

In the evening, the group rode their horses across Taihang Mountains.

After running in the snow for two consecutive days, even though everyone was very strong, they couldn't help feeling a little tired.

After leaving Taihang, we watched the sky gradually darken.

"General, judging by the weather, it should rain around noon tonight. It would not be a good idea to camp in the rain.

If the terrain doesn't change much, and there is an abandoned temple ten miles ahead, why don't we go ten miles ahead and spend the night in that temple?"

As the person who proposed the rest, Xiahou Wu had already had a plan in mind. Having traveled all over the country for many years, he had a map in his mind.

Ding Hai nodded in agreement to Xiahou Wu's proposal. With their current strength, they could reach Kyoto in three to five days at most, but there were still more than ten days before the New Year, so there was really no need to rush.

Ten miles is not a far distance for an ordinary horse team, let alone the team led by Ding Hai.

In less than a minute, a group of twenty-one riders stopped in front of a dilapidated temple.

Lifting the coat wrapped around him, Ding Hai looked at the dilapidated temple in front of him with interest.

A Buddhist temple, a Buddhist temple with both Buddha and devil inside.

When he saw the dilapidated temple from afar, Ding Hai habitually used his spiritual sense to scan the dilapidated temple in front of him.

As a result, he discovered something very interesting. In the dilapidated temple mentioned by Xiahou Wu, there was actually a place with golden and black Buddha light.

After shaking off the snow and wind on his body, Ding Hai took the lead and walked towards the dilapidated temple.

There is something wrong with this abandoned temple, but Ding came here just to find trouble. It would be better if there is a problem, right?

Yan Chixia, who was following behind him, also noticed something wrong because of his profound inheritance.

However, before he could open his mouth to remind them, Ding Hai, who had already stepped into the ruined temple, had already passed on the message to them: "The guards should move the horses to the front yard of the ruined temple and place them properly.

You can make a fire, eat and rest in the room in the front yard, and then you can go on duty as usual at night. Captain Xiahou will lead them to keep watch.

Tonight, if there is any noise coming from the courtyard or the backyard, you don't have to come and investigate, just take care of yourselves.

"Actress Yan, follow me into the hall. Your inheritance is quite good, and you have a lot of experience in the martial arts world. Come to the hall and help me identify who this person is."

After listening to Ding Hai's instructions, Xiahou Wu could no longer fail to know that there was something strange about this dilapidated temple.

Being impulsive, he immediately wanted to rush into the back hall and kill all the disobedient people with the sword in his hand.

However, when he saw Ding Hai's disapproving glance at him, he forcibly suppressed the impulse.

Unless necessary, he didn't want to confront the general not far in front of him head-on when he was not sure enough.

Three years ago, when the general's reputation was at its peak, he was chasing a group of thieves who had a huge reward on them, and he accidentally got into a conflict with the constables in the county town of Yanmen County.

After killing the thief with his martial arts skills, he did not retreat immediately, but instead teased the local constables.

But he had bad luck and happened to meet this person who was inspecting the counties under his jurisdiction.

And then, nothing happened, except that there was a man with a crotch hung upside down for three days and three nights in front of the county town of Yanmen County.

Because of his unyielding character, he hanged himself in front of the county seat of Yanmen County seven or eight times.

It was not until the fool Yan Chixia took over his position that he willingly joined the Zhenbei Army on the condition that the general promised to challenge him once a year.

After stopping Xiahou Wu who was about to get violent with a look, Ding Hai strode into the courtyard of the ruined temple. Seeing this, Yan Chixia had no choice but to follow closely behind him.

Unlike Xiahou Wu, the martial arts fanatic, he sincerely hopes for the best for the general.

As a Zhou person, and as a Taoist disciple who was taught to slay demons and protect the people since childhood, Yan Chixia has an inexplicable sense of responsibility for the life and death safety of people in the world.

It is precisely because of this sense of responsibility towards the people of the world that he, who came from a mysterious family, earned the reputation of being the ruthless judge of twenty-six provinces.

Those who were judged by him were not only bandits and demons, but also corrupt officials and landlords who held power, fame and wealth.

This is also the reason why he could only hide in Lanruo Temple in a miserable state in A Chinese Ghost Story.

After being unaccepted by the world, what else can he do except to live in seclusion from the world.

Since his departure, he has traveled all over the territory of the Great Zhou, practicing his chivalry and eliminating injustice in the world.

But from the young and vigorous swordsman to the frosty middle-aged man now, he found that he was doing useless work.

The world is becoming more and more chaotic. The demons and monsters that could only survive now dare to differentiate between yin and yang and living people.

In some remote places, it is the world of living people during the day, but at night it becomes a world of demons and monsters.

In the days when their power was in danger, the landlords and tyrants began to exploit their fellow villagers even more severely, completely breaking away from their former status as village elders, just to enjoy more wealth and splendor.

Those corrupt officials chose to degenerate under heavy responsibilities, treating the people under their command like pigs and dogs, and some were even bold enough to dance with demons for money and sex.

When he had never set foot in Bingzhou in the past, he thought it was because of the harm caused by barbarians.

I'm afraid the situation in You and Bing states is even more miserable than that in the Great Zhou. Not to mention that bones are exposed in the wild and there is no human habitation for thousands of miles, it's definitely not much better.

But who would have thought that he would actually see a glimpse of prosperity in You and Bing, these traditionally bitter and cold places.

Those who till the land have their own fields, those who live have their own houses, they have clothes to keep out the cold, and those who are hungry have food to eat.

This is something that the Great Zhou Dynasty had never achieved during the restoration of Emperor Taizu!

When Yan Chixia saw the people of Youzhou and Bingzhou living and working in peace and contentment, he finally realized where he had gone wrong.

The small righteousness of one man and one sword may save a few people temporarily but it cannot save everyone in the world forever.

So, he gave up his position as the chief constable of twenty-six provinces and turned to Ding Hai, who was recruiting talents, and became the chief constable of the Six Gates of Bingzhou.

After entering the atrium, the first thing that caught Ding Hai's eye was a stone Buddha statue. Passing the nearly ten-foot-tall Buddha statue, the murals throughout the atrium came into Ding Hai's sight.

Looking at the brightly colored murals that didn't fit in with the dilapidated atrium, Ding Kai had a rough idea of ​​what the Buddhist sect was up to.

Ding Hai, who hadn't had any entertainment for months, felt like continuing to play.

He really wanted to see what the Buddhist sect in this world was like.

"General, there are many strange murals in Buddhism. You must not look at this mural!"

Just as Ding Hai was about to observe the flying mural in the courtyard from the beginning to test the depth of Buddhism in this world, Yan Chixia, who was not very good at reading people's expressions, suddenly ran up and ruined the atmosphere.

After reaching out his hand to stop Yan Chixia from saying what he was about to say, Ding Hai said confidently: "Chixia, it's okay. Buddhism has only so many tricks. What we are setting up in this courtyard is nothing more than a trip through the mortal world in a dream.

If you are interested, why not have a dream with me? If not, just stay in the courtyard and take good care of my body."

Looking at the confident Ding Hai, Yan Chixia thought about the experience of being beaten up when he approached this general, and then he was speechless. It was true that this general was not a mortal.

He was able to withstand tremendous pressure, eradicate evil landlords and powerful people, and kill corrupt officials.

He pursued enemy troops to the north on the grasslands beyond the Great Wall and pacified the people in You and Bing states. The firmness of this general's will can be said to be rare in the world.

Drawing the sword from its sheath, Yan Chixia slowly stepped back a few steps and took a alert stance.

With no one to disturb him, Ding Hai looked at the mural on the atrium wall with great interest. Although the main style of the mural was relatively freehand, the details were mainly realistic.

(End of this chapter)