Chapter 170: An Incident

"The Fifth Level Jade Wall contains the True Intent of countless Grandmasters, some strong, some weak. When your spiritual thoughts enter, you’re essentially fighting against those others’ True Intent. If you win, you can absorb their power to nourish yourself.

But the Jade Wall is ultimately an external object; it can’t allow a Grandmaster to reach the peak of the mental system.

Once you reach a certain point, if you can’t improve any further on your own, you’ll need to venture out and gain experience. That’s why, although there are some Grandmasters in the Martial Pavilion, very few of them actually stay here."

Zhong Ning spoke in a deep voice.

He wouldn’t have said so much to anyone else.

Shen Changqing, after all his entreaties, was someone he had personally brought in, and his talent was indeed remarkable.

If he could maintain this talent until the end, then there was a chance, however slim, that he could break the human limit and reach another level altogether.

Hearing Zhong Ning’s words, Shen Changqing understood.

"So, the secret rooms are for those who are just starting out in the mental system, while the Jade Wall is for those who have already manifested their True Intent. Both are treasures for laying a foundation.

But whether one can reach the peak ultimately depends on the individual."

"Indeed."

Zhong Ning looked like a teacher pleased with his student.

"If a Grandmaster at the peak of the mental system could be created so easily, there wouldn’t be so few experts at that level in the world."

"How many experts at that level are there in the world?"

"I’m not too sure about other places, but in our Great Qin, there should only be a few Pavilion Masters who can be considered at the peak of the mental system."

"What about the Town Guardians?"

"The Town Guardians walk a different path from us."

Zhong Ning shook his head, then looked at him with interest.

"You seem very interested in the Town Guardians. But then again, the reputation of the Town Guardians is quite resounding in Great Qin. They are the true protectors of Great Qin. Once you reach the second stage of the mental system, then you can consider this matter.

Right now, you shouldn’t be thinking so much."

He didn’t want to discuss the matter any further.

Seeing this, Shen Changqing didn’t press him.

Whether it was Dongfang Zhao or the Zhong Ning before him, they both maintained a secretive attitude towards what a Town Guardian truly was.

The more mysterious they were, the more curious he became.

But since Zhong Ning wouldn’t say, there was nothing he could do to find out more.

Then.

Shen Changqing took out two light golden Demon Suppression Coins from his robes.

The moment he saw the Demon Suppression Coins, Zhong Ning immediately sat up from his reclining chair, his eyes shining with a light that made it seem he would snatch them away.

But remembering his position, he forcefully suppressed the impulse.

After a light cough.

The Martial Pavilion Elder squeezed out an enthusiastic smile.

"Are you planning to continue using the secret room?"

"Didn’t Elder Zhong say that one hundred merit points can be used for three days in the secret room?"

"That’s right, that’s right! If you give me two hundred merit points, you can use the secret room for six days straight."

Zhong Ning replied quickly.

When he saw Shen Changqing handing the Demon Suppression Coins to him, he swiftly snatched away the two coins with lightning speed.

His speed was so fast.

Shen Changqing almost didn’t see the movement clearly.

After collecting the Demon Suppression Coins.

Zhong Ning coughed lightly, looked at him solemnly, and said, "You can go in now. When the time is up, I will notify you to come out."

"Thank you for your trouble."

Shen Changqing nodded and was about to return to the secret room when.

Suddenly.

Zhong Ning stopped him.

"Wait."

"Is there anything else, Elder Zhong?"

"This time, you will be using the Thirteenth secret room on the right hand side. That secret room hasn’t been used for a long time. The spiritual energy accumulated inside is much stronger than other secret rooms."

"Oh, thank you for the guidance, Elder!"

Shen Changqing cupped his fists in thanks, and then followed Zhong Ning’s instructions and opened the stone door of the Thirteenth secret room.

As expected.

When the stone door cracked open a small gap, a large amount of spiritual energy surged out.

That spiritual energy.

Even threatened to slam the stone door shut again.

Seeing this, he forcefully pushed open the stone door. Before too much of the spiritual energy could leak out, he quickly flashed inside, and the stone door slammed shut.

As Shen Changqing entered.

Zhong Ning took out the two Demon Suppression Coins from his robes, the smile on his face undiminished.

"Tsk, two hundred merit points. This kid is quite wealthy. But then again, being able to afford Enlightenment Tea, he doesn’t seem like someone short of money. If he was rich enough to book the secret room all the time, that would be great."

Having two hundred merit points in hand made him feel very good.

However.

Zhong Ning also understood that it was already a miracle that the other party could take out two hundred merit points. It was unlikely that he would be able to give any more.

After putting away the two Demon Suppression Coins, he reclined back in his chair.

After the morning rain, there was a lot of standing water on the pitted road surface. At this time, a fast horse galloped past, splashing a lot of sewage.

"Giddy up!"

"Giddy up!!"

A person with blood on his body, pulled the reins with one hand, and constantly whipped the horse under his crotch with the other, urging the horse to run wildly.

Before long.

A magnificent city was already looming in the distance.

Suddenly.

The horse under his crotch softened in the front legs, and the whole horse fell to the ground. The person on the horse’s back was also thrown from the horse’s back by the sudden change.

As soon as he landed.

He skillfully rolled over and got up, ignoring the mud on his body, and ran wildly towards the city.

Due to the curfew.

The capital was sealed off after nightfall, and the city gates would not be reopened until the morning, allowing the villagers to enter and exit.

At this time.

The city gate had not yet been opened, and many villagers had gathered outside the city, either pushing wooden carts or carrying baskets on their backs, all piled with things.

These people were all villagers from nearby, just to enter the city every day to sell things in exchange for the necessities of life.

"Make way, everyone make way!"

A loud shout came from behind, and many villagers turned their heads. They saw a person mixed with mud and blood, running towards them.

This scene.

Made many people instinctively step aside, giving way to a passage.

The man stood at the city gate, looked up at the garrison above the city wall, and shouted hoarsely.

"I am Deputy General of the Flying Phoenix Army of Luo’an Prefecture. I have an important matter to report to Your Majesty, open the door quickly!"

The sound shook all directions of the city gate.

The garrison on the city wall was also alarmed immediately.

Soon.

A general-like man leaned over from the city wall and shouted loudly.

"Do you have any proof!"

"This is my identity token!"

The man took out a blood-stained token from his arms, with a phoenix spreading its wings on it, as if it was about to fly away from the token.

The moment he saw the token, the general’s complexion changed drastically, and he waved his hand directly.

"Open the city gate!"

After speaking.

He turned around and hurried down the city wall.

The city gate opened, and a large number of soldiers poured out from inside, intercepting the villagers who were preparing to enter the city, and letting the Deputy General of the Flying Phoenix Army in.

As soon as he entered the city gate tunnel.

He saw the general who had just been on the city wall coming towards him.

"I am Wang Hu, the Deputy General of the city. Please show your identity token!"

He looked at the blood-stained person in front of him, and a bad feeling rose in his heart, but he did not forget the due process.

Showing the identity token just now only proved that the other party was from the Flying Phoenix Army.

Now look again.

It is to confirm the specific identity.

Hearing this.

The man handed over the token.

Wang Hu took it, and saw the contents on the token.

Deputy General of the Fifth Battalion of the Flying Phoenix Army—Fang Shi.

Seeing this.

He handed the identity token back, and then asked in a deep voice: "I don’t know what happened in Luo’an Prefecture?"

"Seven days ago, Great Zhou suddenly attacked Luo’an Prefecture, and the Five cities were lost!"

Fang Shi finished speaking quickly, and then ran wildly towards the city.

In place.

Only Wang Hu was struck by lightning, and stayed in place for a long time without recovering.

In his mind.

Only what Fang Shi said just now.

Great Zhou suddenly attacked Luo’an Prefecture!

"Great Zhou suddenly attacked Luo’an Prefecture, how is that possible, how could this be–" Wang Hu staggered, as a general in the military, he naturally understood the seriousness of this matter.

Taking a deep breath.

Wang Hu barely calmed down, then looked at the soldiers around him who were also shocked, his complexion turned cold.

"Without the permission of the Imperial Court, no one is allowed to spread this news. You are well aware of the consequences of violating this order!"

Hearing this.

Those soldiers looked flustered.

"Lord, don’t worry, we didn’t hear anything."

"It’s best if you didn’t hear anything. Otherwise, not only will you suffer, but even your family members may have some trouble!"

Wang Hu snorted coldly, then turned back to look at the villagers who were being intercepted.

"Let the people enter the city!"

Soon.

The order came out, and the soldiers who stopped the villagers retreated.

At the same time, someone shouted loudly: "Don’t crowd, everyone must show the road permit to enter the city. Whoever dares to break the rules will have to squat in prison for a few days!"

A few words.

Let those villagers not dare to crowd, but lined up in an orderly manner, showing the road permit they carried with them.

The other side.

Wang Hu left in a hurry.

Great Zhou’s surprise attack on Luo’an Prefecture was too big of a deal, and he had to report it.

"How could this be!"

"Great Zhou has never had any disputes with Great Qin, so why would they attack Luo’an Prefecture at this time!"

No matter how hard Wang Hu tried, he couldn’t figure out what kind of reason would allow Great Zhou to attack Luo’an Prefecture at this time.

If it was in the past.

He didn’t have too much to worry about.

After all, Great Zhou was strong, and Great Qin was not weak either, and the other party might not be able to deal with Great Qin.

However.

At the moment, when the Barbarians are attacking Dahuang Prefecture, Great Zhou has come to join in, and the matter has become much more serious.

"Could it be—that Great Zhou’s attack on Luo’an Prefecture has something to do with the Barbarians?"

Wang Hu was startled by the thought that had just popped into his head.

He understood in his heart.

If this matter was really related to the Barbarians, then the seriousness of the problem was much stronger than he imagined.

He didn’t dare to stay under his feet, and disappeared directly at the city gate.

The other side.

Six days passed.

Zhong Ning’s reminder awakened Shen Changqing from his closed state.

"Time flies so fast!"

He shook his head slightly. Six days had passed, and he hadn’t noticed how much time had passed.

Looking at the Sea of Consciousness again.

The phantom of the second petal of the blood-colored lotus had become much clearer.

End of Chapter