Killing Dao Fruit
Chapter 265 - 262: The Only Death in Endless Hardship!

Chapter 265: Chapter 262: The Only Death in Endless Hardship!

Boom—!

The golden cyan Dharma Light suddenly surged, transforming into a massive axe as large as a small mountain, and collided violently with the overwhelming Gang Strength rushing toward it like mountains crumbling and seas overturning.

The fierce Qi Force instantly exploded in all directions.

Mirror Lake, which had been smooth as a mirror, was instantly torn into fine choppy waves. The shockwaves and waves lapped against the lake shore, and it took a long time for the large hole in the center of the lake to close again.

In the midst of the misty water, two towering figures fell one after another into the pavilion on the small island at the heart of the lake, like arrows.

Wang Yuan and Zhou Jinghuan, drenched in sweat, lay down directly on the bamboo mats in the pavilion after finishing their practice session for the day.

Seeing that Huang Wu, who had been watching all along, had already prepared some thirst-quenching green plum wine using a small red clay stove.

They hurriedly picked up the cup and poured it for themselves.

"Ha," said Zhou Jinghuan, "a mage’s Dharma Light, defensive and ever-changing, is truly difficult to guard against. If I had not used the ’Military Dao Dharma Image’ with all my might, you would have disassembled all my bones.

Luckily I can now adapt in advance; had we encountered each other suddenly outside, I might have suffered a great loss."

After downing a cup of wine, Zhou Jinghuan exhaled a sweet breath of alcohol.

He couldn’t help but lament that after his own promotion to Military Leader, he finally managed to outdo Wang Yuan.

But the good times did not last long, as this man quickly overtook him again.

Even though their practice seemed evenly matched, Zhou Jinghuan distinctly felt that his cousin was still holding back some strength.

Moreover, he had a Military Leader Level Ghost General, Lingxiao, who had not been used.

Turning his head, he saw Wang Yuan enjoying the devoted care from his sister with a fully content face, paying no heed to him.

Zhou Jinghuan could only pick up his handkerchief to wipe off the sweat, muttering to himself, "Such favoritism."

Alas, beholden to the man who supported all his military expenses, arms, and provisions, what could he say?

Old Master Wang, are you satisfied with my sister’s service? If not, shall I... serve you personally?

After catching his breath, his expression suddenly turned serious again:

"News from the Capital has come back, the play has started, and those two old fogies shouldn’t bother us for a while.

Just wondering if after the No-Life Dao suffered a complete loss with the Inverted Taoist, will they still come to Dengzhou Prefecture seeking revenge?"

Wang Yuan, lying on the mat, swallowed the apple his sister handed him slowly, then raised his eyelids and said irritably:

"The No-Life Dao demons were ambushed in the Dream Realm while chasing the Yellow-Dressed Child; it’s not our problem if their whole army was wiped out.

The only survivor, White Lotus Holy Daughter Su Guyun, can testify for us.

If they want revenge, they should look for the indestructible Dream Moth in the Dream Realm. I, Wang Qianshan, have never met any Inverted Taoist.

But what do you think, who will win if they start fighting each other on the second day of February next year?"

Zhou Jinghuan sipped the fine wine in his cup and pondered for a while before slowly saying:

"Although Great Yan’s national strength has declined year after year, the five Martial Saints who are the pillars of the nation are still enough to suppress the country’s fate.

On the other hand, none of the more than a dozen sects have more than two Green Seal Sages or Strange Immortals, some don’t even have one.

I think if their only opponent is the No-Life Dao’s One-Eyed Stone Man, Great Yan will certainly win.

However..."

Wang Yuan caught the hint and continued:

"Problems might arise among the Martial Saints? Even winning the battle but losing the bigger picture?"

The No-Life Dao side’s Three Yang Sect, as the largest branch in the north, apparently has only one Green Seal Strange Immortal · One-Eyed Stone Man.

Starting from Sect Master Marshal Red Lotus, Qing Yezi, Yu Jiezi, and a host of protectors are all Yellow Seal Mages.

The very nature of Heavenly Officials is chaotic and selfish; they do not consider the bigger picture.

Whichever sect succeeds in Red County Shenzhou, the Heavenly Officials honored outside the Heavenly Gate will definitely see their fortunes soar to suppress all others of their kind.

This is something the other Heavenly Officials would not wish to see.

Not causing trouble at critical moments is already the greatest support they can offer; it is nearly impossible for them to unite and provide external aid.

The likelihood of an incident on the sect’s side is small.

But in times of chaos, people’s hearts waver, and no one knows what lies beneath the surface of those Martial Saints.

Zhou Jinghuan, the second prince of Great Yan, did not shy away from expressing his concerns:

"Exactly! The five Martial Saints and nearly one hundred thousand Daoist Soldiers are the confidence of Great Yan’s rule over the world and undisputedly the greatest force in Red County Shenzhou.

But I fear internal strife might lead to the collapse of these pillars of the state.

Each Martial Saint is a legendary figure, and their decisions are crucial to the fate of the dynasty..."

He incidentally gave Wang Yuan and Huang Wu a brief introduction to all the Martial Saints of Great Yan.

The first, "Leaves Flying Flowers at the Bottom", Xu Chuanyun, the only female Martial Saint currently in Great Yan, was once a Empress of the Zhou family.

The main ancestral lineage of the Zhou imperial family are her descendants, and although she is nearing the end of her lifespan, she remains a stabilizing figure like the Sea Stabilizing Needle in Great Yan.

The second, Marquis Wu Yi Zhou Xinglou, a pure Martial Fool, showed amazing talent in Military Skill and was personally trained by Xu Chuanyun, belonging to the real direct lineage.

He just turned fifty this year, younger than Zhou Wenrui, and in normal circumstances, he could maintain his peak state for another hundred years.

The other three are outsiders, "Precariously High Tower" Pei Yulou; "World’s Number One Sword" Xie Tianke; "Clear Sight for Thousands of Miles" Jiang Baimei.

All are around a hundred years old.

Historically, the national protectors, although only ennobled as Marquis and restricted from intervening in high-ranking politics, are treated almost on par with Princes due to their superlative status.

Their martial prowess alone is their greatest reliance, comfortably maintaining their stance without getting involved in succession disputes.

Every "Martial Saint" who protected the country would pledge allegiance to the Dynasty Dragon Qi immediately after their promotion.

At the Heavenly Altar in the Imperial City, witnessed by the Director of the Imperial Observatory, the Heavenly Official of the Five Senses, the Emperor, and all the ministers.

Once they betrayed the dynasty or the people’s hearts, they would suffer a tremendously brutal backlash from the Dragon Energy.

This backlash from the "Dragon Qi Prohibition" was not something mere martial strength could withstand; it represented the collective willing power of an entire dynasty—dying by the curse of thousands pointing their fingers!

In the reign of the dynasty, all things were in a delicate balance.

It was precisely because of this "Sacrificial Technique: Oath of Alliance" that the highest martial power was ensured not to side with others.

Under normal circumstances, within a dynasty ruled like a family, the Emperor and the dynasty were unified.

To be loyal to the dynasty was to be loyal to the Emperor.

Only two scenarios were exceptions:

The first was if the Emperor lost the Dragon Energy and the people’s hearts due to his tyrannic rule; the second, when chaotic times arrived and the "Dragon Qi Prohibition" weakened to such an extent that it could no longer kill a "Martial Saint."

It was precisely this reasoning that periods of powerful ministers dominating the court occurred frequently at the end of a dynasty, coercing the Emperor to command the world.

Thus, Zhou Jinghuan’s worries were not unfounded.

Everything was fine during peaceful times, but when chaos struck, the "Oath of Alliance" might not be reliable.

Moreover, Emperor Jianming himself wasn’t a True Dragon and had sown the seeds of disaster early on.

Zhou Jinghuan finished the wine in his cup in one gulp and sighed deeply:

"The greatest difficulty through the ages is only one’s death!

The No-Life Dao has been operating at the core for many years, and since it could bribe the Grand Eunuch in the palace, it could certainly bribe others, even the country-protecting ’Martial Saint.’

Especially since these individuals had once stood at the pinnacle of all creatures, after experiencing the joys of time, who would willingly live for only a mere hundred and fifty years?

Testing human nature is the most foolish!"

Wang Yuan, who practiced both Daoist Skill and Military Skill, had the most authority on this subject.

A Magician uses Daoist Skills to protect their own body, ultimately seeking Immortality.

Impervious to fire, unfazed by water, undamaged by axes and spears, aware of evil thoughts before they arise, enduring through the cycles of time, living a life of peaceful happiness, experiencing ultimate freedom and ease.

Why can they attain Immortality?

Because the one thing that never changes in the world is change itself. Orthodox cultivators control all laws without depending on them but focus on cultivating a transcendent Light of Spirit, moving with the world imperishably!

However, the system of "Daoist Soldier" is different.

The physical body indeed becomes Non-Human at the stage of "Daoist Soldier," theoretically living as long as demons and other creatures, but the soul, still retaining human nature, remains mundane.

For the human soul, one hundred fifty years is the limit.

Even a "Martial Saint" has only permanently fixed their optimal state, not moved with the world like a "Corpse Dissection Immortal."

Comparing the two, one turns themselves into flowing water, while the other becomes as solid as rock or even steel.

Flowing water does not rot, and the pivot of a door does not decay!

Rock and steel, though seemingly indestructible, cannot withstand the erosion of time, unlike the enduring flowing water.

This is precisely the military foundation initially designed by "Nine Soldiers" when establishing the "Daoist Soldier" system using "Slaughter Science."

The Hundred-Man Enemy Skill is for self-cultivation, the Ten Thousand Enemies Skill is for gathering the masses, both aiming to protect humanity, not to allow an individual to transcend.

This design allows "Military Skills" to be unaffected by Dragon Energy and also significantly reduces the risk of mutation.

In other words, these two paths do not lead to the same goal; they diverge from the very beginning.

The "Magician" ensures that the top-tier combat power remains unlost, the "Daoist Soldier" solidifies the foundational defenses of the middle and lower levels, preventing Red County Shenzhou from collapsing entirely.

As long as the severity of demons and deceitful monsters wreaking havoc within Red County Shenzhou remains controllable, those "Corpse Dissection Immortals" who truly rule the destiny of this world do not mind a small number of civilian casualties.

In this world where magic and laws are unified, an absolutely peaceful environment cannot cultivate "Corpse Dissection Immortals" capable of resisting "Heavenly Officials!"

Therefore, under this mindset.

The stony "Martial Saints," if they wanted to continue living, the only way was to steal a "Killing Dao Fruit," ceasing to be human both inside and out!

This provided an opportunity for the sect.

Bystanders see clearly.

All of them could see that with the current strength of the "Dragon Qi Prohibition," there probably wouldn’t be an issue.

But once Emperor Jianming, Zhou Wenrui, lost his virtue and fell from the divine throne, this potential problem might become reality, causing a massive upheaval in the dynasty.

Unfortunately, with their current power, they could not yet reverse the wheels of history.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the pavilion became somewhat somber.

Suddenly.

A piece of pure, crystalline whiteness descended from the sky, landing on Huang Wu’s cheek.

"Oh? Is it snowing?"

Wang Yuan and Zhou Jinghuan abruptly looked up towards the gray and overcast sky.

Countless snowflakes were gently falling down to the mortal world.

Little Ice Age! Little Ice Age!

For the countless people living in the vast land stretching from Desert North to Qiongzhou, the harshest days of the fifteenth year of Great Yan Jianming had finally arrived.

"Green ant new fermented wine, small fire stove of red clay. As evening approaches, the sky desires snow; can one drink a cup without care?"

It’s just the romanticism of poets.

If both of them had been mere scholars, perhaps they could have composed a poem at this moment, but unfortunately, they were not.

He who wears the crown must bear its weight!

The livelihood of Dengzhou Prefecture relied on Zhou Jinghuan, and the faith on Wang Yuan, with responsibility inescapable.

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