Chapter 870: 怪

Thud! A heavy sack slammed heavily onto Feng Bawwan's sweat-soaked back, making his legs tremble instantly.

"Another one! Another one!" sweat-drenched Feng Bawwan shouted loudly, craning his neck.

As yet another sack was placed on his back, Feng Bawwan mustered all his strength and carried it towards the construction site ahead.

Though it was exhausting, he didn't slack off in the slightest, simply because working here truly meant enough food to eat.

"Clang, clang, clang!!" The sound of a gong rang out. "Food's ready! Food's ready!"

All the workers present immediately put down their tools and looked on eagerly at the heavy baskets being carried over on shoulder poles. This work was all they had now.

The covers on top were lifted, revealing golden-yellow soy sauce fried rice, which made everyone continuously swallow their saliva in anticipation.

The soy sauce fried rice wasn't just soy sauce; it also had wild vegetables and mushrooms mixed in. Even rarer, there were even diced pieces of meat.

This wasn't "rice meat," but genuine pork. Fewer people were starving to death these days.

Without even bothering to wipe the sweat from his forehead, Feng Bawwan picked up his chopsticks and continuously shoveled the fresh, smooth, fragrant, and delicious fried rice into his mouth.

It was clearly just a portion of soy sauce fried rice, yet as he ate it, he felt as if he were feasting on dragon's liver and phoenix's marrow.

After shoveling down more than half a bowl, he then picked up the bowl of soup he had been given and drank it.

Lowering his head to look at the wild vegetable soup in his bowl, he was pleasantly surprised to find a thin layer of pork lard floating on top and immediately began to drink it with relish.

With a slurp, his whole body trembled, and an indescribable aroma lingered between his lips and teeth, refusing to dissipate for a long time. It was truly delicious.

"Hah..." Wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, Niu San let out a long sigh. "This is the damn life a human being should live."

Just then, the murmurs of others nearby drifted into his ears in twos and threes.

"Ah, life is becoming more hopeful," one said. "Look at how much soy sauce they've put in, so generous. When my wife was alive, she wouldn't dare use this much soy sauce."

"Yeah," another chimed in, "this food is better than anything I've ever eaten before."

"This is all thanks to the Bodhisattva," someone else added, "all this grain was brought by him."

"I heard he delivered it for days and nights," another voice remarked, "and it's still not all delivered. Zhengde Temple has practically become a mountain of grain!"

Feng Bawwan didn't join the conversation because he knew more. He had even personally seen the Bodhisattva in red.

Although that Bodhisattva didn't have a very good temper, in his heart, he was a Bodhisattva who saved people from suffering and calamity.

At that moment, the ethereal Bodhisattvas from the stories he'd heard from the elders in the past suddenly took on a real form.

He even set up a divine tablet at home, sculpted by Clay Figure Zhang. Both the sword on the Bodhisattva's back and the red Taoist robe on his body were incredibly lifelike.

In front of the statue, there was also a plaque erected, inscribed with "Zhuge Yuan's Divine Seat."

Though there was no incense available now, he would still worship day and night every day. On the first and fifteenth day of each lunar month, he would deliberately save some grain to bring home as an offering.

"Hiss..." Feng Bawwan clutched his stomach with a pained expression. His stomach had started hurting again; ever since he ate the mushrooms he grew himself, it would ache every now and then, and he had no idea why.

Just then, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a flash of red streaking rapidly across the horizon.

"Bodhisattva Zhuge?" Feng Bawwan ignored his stomach pain. As soon as he stood up, the flash of red had already flown far away.

Meanwhile, Li Huowang paid no attention whatsoever to the insignificant gaze below; his entire focus was on the city defenses below.

The previously decayed and collapsed city walls were gradually rising again. Even if there was nothing inside the walls, they had to first establish the foundation.

Facing potential attacks from the Tianchen Kingdom army appearing anywhere, Li Huowang dared not relax his guard.

Based on the transmission speed and range of his own spine, it was unlikely that too many people would be transferred over. However, it's better to be safe than sorry, so it was always best to be prepared.

The newly established Imperial Astrology Bureau of Great Qi had now learned of the Tianchen Kingdom's origins. They had not only begun to patrol the surroundings but also started expanding their numbers.

However, not everyone possessed this talent. Few from the various sects and factions could join, so Great Qi's overall strength hadn't significantly improved.

The only ones who could rapidly expand were the military strategists. As the people of Great Qi continuously enlisted, Great Qi's military forces were gradually rebuilding.

Strangely enough, the Tianchen Kingdom seemed to be in no hurry. Facing a rapidly recovering Great Qi, no one came to attack or launch a sneak assault.

Li Huowang wasn't in a rush. Time was on his side; if they continued to stall, Great Qi would only grow stronger.

If Great Qi truly recovered its former national strength, then the people of Tianchen Kingdom would probably have no chance of passing through.

However, what made Li Huowang uneasy was that some strange things had been happening recently. He hadn't deceived anyone, yet 'Feigang' kept emerging.

And not just a little, but a great deal, and it was continuously increasing.

While so much Feigang might be useful in subsequent battles, it was far too strange.

"What's going on? Is it the scheme of the Sit-Forget Sect? Does the Die also want to get involved in this? Or is it Beifeng's doing?"

But after careful thought, he dismissed the idea as impossible. Beifeng didn't have such means. Moreover, he had thoroughly studied the Sit-Forget Sect's Deception Scripture and had never seen any Sit-Forget disciple give Feigang to anyone.

They always only cheated others out of things, never gave them away.

"Could it be a new deception tactic? Using Feigang to deceive Feigang?"

"When I get a chance to go back, I might as well have Suisui stir up some trouble for the Sit-Forget Sect, so they don't come here and cause more chaos for me."

As he pondered, Li Huowang had already arrived at the imperial palace within Youdu City. He floated directly downwards.

Youdu's imperial city had also been rebuilt by the Mohist School, but there was no longer an emperor here. It had been entirely taken over by the Imperial Astrology Bureau.

"Immortal Master," a military strategist reported, "the Qian family members and some colleagues skilled in divination and fortune-telling haven't been able to foresee where they will emerge from."

Li Huowang didn't blame them. No matter how much the people of this world calculated, they could only calculate things within this world. How could they possibly calculate the existence of the "Vacuum Homeland"?

Furthermore, the flow of geomancy in Great Qi had completely stopped. It was unlikely they could calculate anything even if they tried their hardest. As for choosing auspicious dates or astrology, that was out of the question.

"Since they can't figure it out, tell them to stop calculating. Focus on preparing for battle."

As soon as that military strategist left, the abbot of Zhengde Temple immediately stepped forward. "Amitabha, Benefactor Li, this monk has something to say."

"Are you out of your mind?" Li Huowang retorted. "Is this the time for pleasantries? Spit it out."

After a moment of deliberation, Chan Du spoke: "Benefactor Li, this monk believes the situation hasn't reached that point. Perhaps we can discuss it with the other party again."

"The information in your words is quite telling," Li Huowang looked at him intently, a cold smile slowly spreading across his face. "What? Do you think the Tianchen Kingdom is offering more grain? Do you think cooperation between Great Qi and Tianchen would be better?"

"National Master Chan Du," Li Huowang continued, "You are, after all, a monk, not a merchant meticulously calculating with an abacus."