Chapter 72: Lord, Please!
The place where the Crow People Vassal Army was stationed, Ang Ri was now summoning these kin of his in the military tent.
Groups of Crow People suffering from increasingly severe mutations saw their leader summoning them, mistakenly thinking it was to carry out a suicide mission, hence feeling somewhat sorrowful.
After their tribe arrived on this planet from the pollution of Primordial Wind, too many tribe members had died.
These Crow People who had already undergone mutation understood their fate: when necessary for the tribe, they should make the sacrifice to contribute to the new footing of the new force in the Southern Border for the newborn tribe members.
However, just as they prepared to obey orders, Ang Ri said to these kin in a tone of “announcing liberation”: “Everyone, we have found an opportunity!”
Then, Ang Ri opened a Fire Jade Gourd, took out a pill like a gemstone. After this pill appeared, all Crow People held their breath, because they sensed they were facing a warm power, just as comfortable as sunlight in winter. Every breath they took caressed their organs, making the Evil Qi recede.
Ang Ri called a Crow People confidant and had him try the medicine first. This Crow Person jumped out of the line struttingly like a rooster.
Facing the pill handed over by Ang Ri, he extended his claws—three glass-like claws—clamped the crimson pill, put it into his mouth where teeth had sharpened like shark teeth, and swallowed it without hesitation.
However, smoke and dust immediately rose from his body, as the Chaos pollution was forced out by the heat from the pill. These Chaos Evil Qi turned into Crow People facial shapes, some in pain, some in joy, some mad, some evil, seeming to want to bare fangs and brandish claws. Just as these thousand forms of Evil Qi emerged, Ang Ri summoned Yimu Divine Thunder to annihilate this Evil Qi.
The Crow Person in the red light finally began to reshape: first his wings contracted and folded, then the avian sharp claws on his hands retracted. After three incense sticks, he was repaired, becoming like Da Yao citizens, no longer like a Crow Person.
After this Crow People guard finished taking the medicine and saw his appearance, he immediately touched his face, then looked bewildered. But as he scratched his head, suddenly a pair of beautiful feathered wings unfolded from his back. He was stunned, flapped the wings once, and found he could still fly, only without the claws on his hands. But in the Wu Family Army here, no one used native sharp claws anyway; they had blacksmiths forge iron claws to wear on hands.
The Crow People guard looked at Ang Ri with inquiring eyes.
Ang Ri was also astonished by the changed effect of this pill. As a Crow Person, he could now maintain his innate Dao body because he had taken the “Qi Ling Dan” refined by top pill masters from Haotian Realm, and cultivated it for decades to control his transformation.
Now, this Crow Person after taking this improved version of “Ash Flow Pill” seemed instantly like a human, with wings that could turn into a Feather Robe attached to his back.
Ang Ri suddenly thought of something and murmured: “This is atavism. The Feather Tribe of Xi Ren Realm was originally like this. Now solving the Primordial Pollution problem here is returning to our original form in this realm.” His tone trembled as he spoke.
The Crow People didn’t understand, but knew it was a good thing. In their aesthetics, tending toward human wasn’t ugly; as long as the wings were strong, it was beauty. And now the Feather Tribe who took the pill, when unfolding wings suddenly, produced strong airflow that nearly knocked bystanders off their feet.
Ang Ri said slowly to the Crow People: “This realm has accepted us.”
Then Ang Ri took out the remaining twenty-plus pills from the Gourd, and the remaining Crow People looked at each other, because there were forty-five people present total, minus the one who just tested the pill, there were forty-four left. They looked at each other, wondering if they should yield to other tribe members.
Seeing this, Ang Ri held back tears and smiled with effort: “Children, no need to yield. The materials for refining these pills were given to us by Lord Wu Fei. He will protect every one of us. These pills are just the first batch of favor.”
…Feather segmentation line…
Ang Ri brought the medicine to his tribe’s camp this time, though sneakily, but emphasized to the tribe members that it was Wu Fei’s favor.
Sneaky to get the moon first near the water tower, taking advantage before other forces discovered, to pluck more “feather powder” from Wu Xiao Que. He knew in ten days, everything Wu Fei had touched would be allocated.
Recalling from leaving Haotian Realm until now, this branch’s return was under the Moon Empress’s orders. There were dozens of Crow People branches fleeing Haotian Realm, all polluted by Primordial Dust while crossing the starry sky. Each branch received different missions to land on different planets. As long as one succeeded in finding opportunity, even if others perished, the Crow People could survive.
Their line’s order was to seek Vermilion Bird Remains. Southern Border of Xi Ren Realm was one of the few places confirmed in thousands of years where Vermilion Bird had landed. And Alchemists said: Southern Region Bing Ding Fire cinnabar too, digging liquid forms dragon, condensing qi forms bird, its qi rises to heaven, its substance arrays to earth, thus the foundation of great pills.
The wood essence fire source Bi Fang Fire that Ang Ri carried was left by Moon Empress for pill refining. Two years ago seized by Jia Mude, it once made him feel utter despair.
But after breaking away from those unlucky bastards in Southern Border, Ang Ri suddenly found his luck improved. First relocked Bi Fang origin, right at Wu Fei’s camp female Master, and Wu Fei was famous for reward and punishment, so tribe’s Bi Fang Fire could still be borrowed in future.
And today, fortune shone high. No need to seek Vermilion Bird Remains; Vermilion Bird’s own power had returned to Xi Ren Realm. Even slight ashes were enough to expel Primordial Pollution.
Ang Ri walked out of the main camp, pondering how to make the request to Wu Fei tomorrow. At this moment, he suddenly felt his heart-linked Tai Yue Luan unusually excited, her slender beak rubbing against him. Ang Ri knew she wanted a pill, and could only awkwardly say to his mount: “Forgot to save one for you.”
Tai Yue Luan angrily lifted the claw on her long leg. Ang Ri quickly soothed: “Tomorrow, five for you tomorrow.”
Tai Yue Luan extended her claw to haggle, but her toes weren’t enough.
…On the other side…
Before Ang Ri could prepare to pledge loyalty, Jia Mude and Wu Qing had already come to Wu Fei.
Wu Qing’s loyalty went without saying. Upon discovering Jia Mude’s complexion change and escape from Ash Flow Pill’s influence, coming to report was normal. But Jia Mude willingly coming too was different.
Wu Fei looked at the two, set aside Jia Mude’s tattling on Ang Ri for now, and praised their current “husband and wife” harmony, which satisfied him greatly.
This remark stunned Jia Mude slightly, then he immediately understood and pledged loyalty.
Wu Fei now calling them “couple” instead of “master and servant” indicated he could lift Jia Mude’s slave status.
Jia Mude’s proactive cooperation this time aimed to show his usefulness, no intent to escape, hoping Wu Fei would give normal treatment.
After heartfelt exchange, Wu Fei formally approved his request, making him an Enshrined Master under his command, but required not to disappoint Xiao Qing.
As for Xiao Qing beside? She had no idea Wu Fei sold her a favor. These days she had grown feelings for Jia Mude; if long-term, she didn’t care if he was a slave. Her report this time was partly loyalty, partly hoping Wu Fei would recognize Jia Mude.
As for Wu Fei, of course he approved, even wishing they’d quickly have a baby.
After hearing Jia Mude on the medicinal value of ashes on his body, Wu Fei nodded, took out an edict allowing Jia Mude to mobilize funds from his treasury, and gave him another garment from yesterday covered in ashes for study.
Jia Mude still didn’t forget to dig a pit: “What about Master Ang Ri?”
Wu Fei smiled and waved: “Just met him yesterday. I’ll ask him another day. Oh, rest assured, he won’t know what you said today.”
Jia Mude nodded, then stood solemnly to bow to Wu Fei. Wu Fei raised hand to help him up, but thought of something and sat back first.
Jia Mude: “In youthful arrogance before, I didn’t recognize Sacred Fire, took pride in false smoke—truly ashamed. Today my lord doesn’t abandon, I wish to take South of Ling River for my lord.”
Wu Fei smiled; from here, lord-minister relations were set.
Recruiting a person falls into three categories: 1. Recruit body, 2. Recruit heart, 3. Recruit will.
1: Recruit a petty person’s body—spend betrothal gifts to buy a concubine, or slave money for a servant.
2: Recruit citizens’ hearts—do benevolent acts, make them feel safe under him with protection, cultivate constant property with constant heart.
3: Recruit scholar-officials’ will—offer a big project here with resources, let them achieve fame and success.
Wu Fei had always reserved this opportunity for Jia Mude, though unsure before if he’d appreciate and accept it.
If Jia Mude were a petty man, he’d bitterly resent being forced into slavery to Snake Woman, and upon slight freedom, might scheme revenge. (Not everyone is like Wei Qing, never forgetting origins.)
From previous life online experiences, such people are numerous. Fortunately, Jia Mude had read Central Plains sages’ books, had his own vision, and avoided those topics.
Thus, Wu Fei helped Jia Mude up: “Mude, rise. Though I am good at conquest, Southern Border folk sentiments and customs are like flowers in mist to me! With Mude’s aid today, Southern Border can be stabilized somewhat.”
After being helped up, Jia Mude performed minister’s propriety in sitting, and fulfilled minister’s duty with advice to Wu Fei.
His advice began by completely exposing Li Huo Sect’s background.
Jia Mude: “Now Li Huo Sect, from top to bottom, are all demons, violating Way of Heaven by forcibly seizing other beings’ vitality. Their cultivated bodies rely entirely on a strand of ancient Vermilion Bird Remains. But Vermilion Bird Remains increasingly loathes their perversity, no longer granting fire’s favor, but punishing with withering. Now my lord seems more fated with Vermilion Bird. As long as—”
Here he paused, because he wanted Wu Fei to cross the river, but this opposed the Wu Family Army internal group’s current goal of keeping Wu Fei safe. And as former slave, his advice sounded a bit…
Wu Fei said without doubt: “I will cross Ling River. Mude, please continue. Oh, what other means does Li Huo Sect have?”
Jia Mude answered along Wu Fei’s question: “Li Huo Sect’s Orthodox Lineage has great origins, from ancient times, existing before Cheng Dynasty. When Haotian Dragon Clan hadn’t left Xi Ren Realm yet, it was one of the top sects, with Vermilion Bird descendants directly in charge—on par with Dragon Emperor’s direct descendants then.”
Jia Mude glanced at Wu Fei, dropped a bombshell: “Southern Border has so many strange races because for thousands of years, endless struggles among beings produced malign qi in mountains and rivers, so humans infused into mountains and rivers all mutated.”
Even after Great Cheng, at Da Yao’s peak prosperity, by regulating mountains and rivers, Southern Border tribes developed toward human-like forms, washing away some lightly corrupted citizens’ demonic shapes. But Southern Border malign qi was too strong, couldn’t fully succeed.
As long as Sacred Fire is reignited, it can purify all evils. Then, Southern Border tribes will be no different from Central Plains (Da Yao’s current core area) citizens. All submit under General.
Wu Fei heard this intelligence as highly useful. Then had him choose a tent in his main camp to live in.
Wu Fei remaining in the tent lightly tapped the table with bamboo tally, with each tap,
Xuan Chong irritably like stuck on a problem: “Cross river, not cross, cross, not cross. (Repeats over ten seconds) Cross river—what conditions am I still lacking here? Not cross—what tasks will I leave behind, and are those tasks inevitable anyway?”
…System silent segmentation line…
At Ling River’s edge, three-route armies seized four ferry crossings of Ling River, from east to west controlling 100 km of river. Soldiers familiar with waters piloted walking ships and covered assault ships along the river; over ten thousand soldiers arrayed ready to cross anytime. Then, accompanying near ten thousand Vassal Armies camped at designated spots, sending squads to patrol the banks.
As Ling River standoff began, merchants inside the pass heard profits and came to sell goods. Road construction workers began building roads and water docks in the shade protection circle made by the army.
These laborers mostly fled famine from North, also something Wu Fei created while maintaining Northern Army self-sufficiency.
These two years, Wu Fei treated brother Wu Hengyu with clear accounts: Southern Region old home eating taro, rice and millet all given to you; now exchange some labor for us—one stone grain for two men, or four women.
This request, Wu Hengyu gladly agreed, because receiving full grain from old home each time made him feel guilty eating it, and sending population to Southern Region suited army’s rear.
These laborers, once driven out, under Southern Merchants’ foremen, began segmented road construction. Daily wages only ten cash, food just pickles and taro, but these penniless famine-fled Northern laborers ate joyfully.
If local Lingnan youths, for same pay inside pass, would do such “road construction” work. Problem is, this is Outside the Pass, with mosquitoes, miasma, wild people risks, so can’t recruit; only totally propertyless Northern labor willing to come for survival.
Seventh day after waking from great illness, Wu Fei watched those citizen laborers digging pebbles from river, checked related report. In this construction in mere five days, already ten smashed dead by stones. Without warfare cheapening life, who would come open borders and reclaim land!
Of course, after Wu Fei transformed to Vermilion Bird, laborers no longer fell ill from miasma.
…Purification…
In Wu Fei’s rear, two Guiche now coughing in barracks. Each cough produced a smoke ring; Guiche’s nine heads originally spat flying sand and poisonous smoke, so breeders didn’t mind.
But Guiche coughed out a red-black interspersed thing wriggling—maggots, but ignited, half red half black, just like Ash Flow Pill.
Logically, burned like this they’d be dead, but maggots had abnormal vitality sustaining them amid smoke.
Guiche much better after coughing out abnormality, saw the smoking wriggling thing on ground, stomped it dead with one claw.
Then nine heads deeply inhaled toward South, mouths condensing pure fire qi at edges. Looking closely, directions from Wu Fei’s position.
Guiche like rooster facing sun, raised heads to breathe.
Not just Guiche—on Southern Border map, all Evil Qi sparked. On big map, centered on Wu Fei, a vast fire qi diffusion area formed. Miasma, evil things all smoked with fireworks.
Yet Wu Fei at center was unaware.
