Chapter 213: Harvest

Upon hearing Li Huowang's question, Bai Lingmiao nodded and softly replied, "The female general had a token. Gouwa thought it was gold at first, but it turned out to be copper, so he said it wasn't worth much."

"A token? Bring it here, let me see."

Soon, the item appeared before Li Huowang. It was a square copper plaque. From the name and military rank inscribed on it, it was clear this was used to verify Peng Longteng's identity.

"The plaque has a tiger head imprint; this should be a military waist token," Li Huowang said. He pressed his finger on the tiger head pattern on the plaque, then told Bai Lingmiao to put it away.

It was better to be prepared. This item might genuinely come in handy someday, and even if it didn't, it was just one more token to carry, not weighing much.

Danyangzi's so-called 'Heavenly Book' was much heavier and had also proven useless, yet he always kept it with him.

"Oh, by the way, Senior Brother Li, she also had a book on her. None of us could read, so Gao Zhijian took it to look at."

"A book?" Li Huowang, who had just relaxed his guard, instantly became vigilant. "Bring that book here."

Bai Lingmiao immediately pulled back the curtain and walked away, but after a moment, she returned, looking hesitant.

"Zhijian said it's just a military strategy book, nothing interesting."

"He won't give it to you? Call him over; I'll speak to him myself." Li Huowang's suspicion, which had just risen, intensified. If it was just an ordinary military strategy book, why was he hiding it?

When Gao Zhijian, pale and bandaged, appeared before him, Li Huowang looked at him with a serious tone and said, "I know you might strongly desire Peng Longteng's immense power, but some things come with risks. If not handled properly, it could cost you your life. Do you understand what I mean?"

Li Huowang suspected the book contained Peng Longteng's cultivation methods, and that Gao Zhijian was secretly practicing them.

After so many experiences, he had long understood that in this crazy world, gaining power through cultivation without any sacrifice simply didn't exist.

To gain something, one must pay a price. Any cultivation technique was extremely dangerous, and he didn't want Gao Zhijian to become another Peng Longteng someday.

"It's... just... a military strategy," Gao Zhijian said, sounding a bit wronged.

"If it's just military strategy, why are you hiding it? Let me see!"

After a moment of hesitation, Gao Zhijian finally handed over the book.

"General's Garden" — that was the name of the book.

Li Huowang used his charred fingers to open the rough pages, and the contents appeared before him: "In general military strategy, a general receives orders from the sovereign, assembles the army and gathers the multitude. In devastated lands, do not encamp. In crossroads, unite. In isolated lands, do not linger. In surrounded lands, strategize. In death grounds, fight. There are paths not to be followed, armies not to be attacked, cities not to be assaulted, territories not to be contended for, and sovereign's commands not to be obeyed..."

"It really is military strategy?" Li Huowang was very surprised. He looked up at Gao Zhijian, then carefully flipped through the book again.

Although the content was abstruse and difficult to understand, and Li Huowang struggled to read towards the end, he went through the entire book and confirmed it was indeed just a military strategy text.

"Snap!" The book closed. Li Huowang looked at Gao Zhijian in confusion. "If it's just an ordinary old book, why are you so concerned about it?"

"It's... it's... interesting," Gao Zhijian said, extending his thick hands and taking the book from Li Huowang.

At that moment, Li Huowang saw blood seeping from Gao Zhijian's wounds again and quickly said, "Go back and lie down. You can read it after your injuries heal."

Gao Zhijian, grinning foolishly, nodded, hugged the book, and turned to leave.

After seeing him leave, Bai Lingmiao quickly picked up a thin blanket from nearby and placed it over Li Huowang. "Senior Brother Li, your injuries are so severe. Stop worrying about these things. Your health is important; rest first."

Li Huowang also wanted to sleep, but the intense pain in his back, caused by the Great Thousand Records, left him completely without drowsiness.

He stared blankly at the ceiling, his mind empty, unsure what to think.

After a while, he spoke: "Miao Miao, help me sit up. I want to look outside."

Bai Lingmiao clearly didn't want to, but at Li Huowang's insistence, she eventually complied.

The carriage curtain was pulled back, revealing a refreshing expanse of green grassland outside. Li Huowang felt as comfortable as if he had taken a big gulp of cool water on a summer day, and the repeatedly wind-swept grass undulated like silk.

"Is this Qingqiu? The scenery is much better than before."

Hearing Li Huowang's words, Bai Lingmiao nodded. "My father told me that Qingqiu is to the left of Liang Kingdom. I also heard that the horses and sheep here are good."

Li Huowang nodded. "I see the 'Qing' (green), but where's the 'Qiu' (hill/mound)?"

Bai Lingmiao, who had never traveled far, clearly couldn't answer this question.

"Who among us are locals from Qingqiu?" Li Huowang asked.

"Sun Baolu is, and... there was one junior brother, two Daoist novices, but they're all dead."

Li Huowang sighed. "Find all their addresses. We'll send them back to their roots."

So many had died or been injured on this journey.

"Hmm, but I heard that people here in Qingqiu don't bury the deceased in the ground. We can ask Sun Baolu later."

Bai Lingmiao spoke for a while, but then noticed Li Huowang wasn't responding. She looked over curiously and found him frozen in place, eyes wide open.

He seemed to have seen something shocking, but there was clearly nothing outside except grass!

"Senior Brother Li, what are you—" Before she could finish her sentence, she saw Li Huowang, still covered in wounds, suddenly grab his long sword, leap out of the window, and fall to the ground.

Under the impact, his charred left leg shattered with a "snap" like a withered branch, and cracks appeared all over his body.

Li Huowang, however, ignored his injuries. He held his sword with one hand, pointing it at his left arm, as if he was about to cut it off at any moment.

Gouwa, who was closest, quickly rushed forward and grabbed Li Huowang's sword-wielding arm. Anxiously, he yelled to his companions nearby, "Bring the chains quickly! Senior Brother Li is having another episode!"

Li Huowang stiffly turned his neck towards Gouwa. "Can't you see?"

"Huh?" Gouwa looked bewildered. "See what?"

Hearing this, Li Huowang's body went limp, and he fell weakly onto the soft grass.

With his head on the ground, Li Huowang's single eye shifted upwards. Only he could see the headless Peng Longteng, standing there like a statue, a massive shadow covering his entire body.

Peng Longteng's battle armor appeared dark red, as if scorched by fire, and some blood seeped from its seams. It looked as if he had just come from the battlefield where he previously fought Li Huowang.

"Why has she become my hallucination? Why?" Li Huowang constantly pondered this question.

Just then, he suddenly saw something moving behind Peng Longteng.

It was Jin Shanzhao, or rather, only the upper half of Jin Shanzhao. His decaying internal organs spilled from his abdominal cavity, trailing far behind him on the ground.

As Li Huowang was being awkwardly tied up with chains by his fellow disciples and lifted onto the ox cart, he saw Jin Shanzhao open his mouth, as if trying to say something to him.

"What exactly do you want to say?"

Jin Shanzhao's stiff jaw repeatedly opened and closed, but no sound came from his mouth.