Chapter 771
Chen 94's Dream of Becoming a Land Immortal
The residence of the Prince of Han in Huangzhou Prefecture.
Chen Jie was sitting in his study. At this moment, his strength had increased to the fifth level of the Fusion God realm, and he had a sense of oneness with heaven and man. He vaguely felt that he was connected with the Heavenly Dao, but this feeling was not particularly clear. He only had a vague feeling.
Presumably, if one goes a step further and enters the realm of terrestrial immortals, one will have a clear understanding of the Heavenly Dao. At that time, when he looks at the Heavenly Dao, it will be like looking at flowers through a fog, always through a thin veil.
With this understanding in mind, Chen Jie realized that what he lacked now was that final opportunity. By mastering the power of the world, he could completely enter the realm of terrestrial immortals. And if Chen Jie wasn't mistaken, that final opportunity should be the aura of an emperor.
The aura of an emperor will be scattered across the human world during each great calamity, and the one destined to face the calamity can then seize this imperial aura.
The final victors will share the imperial aura. With Zhang Shicheng dead, the imperial aura will be divided between himself and Zhu Chongba. If he and Zhu Chongba can then determine a victor, the imperial aura will be gathered in one person, allowing that person to enter the realm of a terrestrial immortal.
Through this experience, including summarizing his past experiences, Chen Jie has gained some insights into the Land Immortal Realm.
This "Land Immortal" title doesn't actually represent a significant improvement in martial arts cultivation, but rather a profound enhancement in one's understanding of the universe. Beyond martial arts cultivation, the fifth stage of the Fusion God realm is already the limit for a martial artist.
Chen Jie's understanding of martial arts, combined with his physical abilities, has reached the limit of martial arts. If he were to develop further, he would become a legendary immortal, or a cultivator of immortality.
Therefore, the status of a terrestrial immortal is not an improvement in martial arts, but rather an understanding of the Dao of this world, borrowing the authority of heaven and earth.
Think about the terrestrial deities that once existed in this world, and the terrestrial deities that still exist today, and you can clearly sense a direction.
That is, the immortals on land are people who have studied one aspect to the extreme. For example, Zhang Sanfeng is a representative of Taoism. He is the person who has studied the Tao and the Way of Heaven the most thoroughly and has obtained the authority of the Tao and the Heaven and Earth.
Following closely behind is the Living Buddha Phagpa, who is the representative of Buddhism and the person who has studied Buddhism most thoroughly, thus obtaining the authority over the Buddha's name in heaven and earth.
Let's take a look at the remaining two people who were once close to being immortals on land.
One of them was Feng Xuewen of the Wu Clan, who entered the Land of Immortals in a single day. Feng Xuewen entered the Land of Immortals in a single day of studying.
He represents Confucianism.
In other words, each of the three schools of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism can produce a terrestrial immortal.
These three schools are also known as the Three Religions, and each of them produced a terrestrial deity.
Then look at Han Shantong, who is closest to becoming a terrestrial immortal. He has already taken a step into the realm of terrestrial immortals, but he was forcibly carried out. Is it bad luck, or is it that the Heavenly Dao does not allow him to take that step?
You should know that Han Shantong also cultivates the Dao, so he can be considered a half-Daoist. However, the Daoist school already has Zhang Sanfeng as its supreme master, standing at the summit. It is almost impossible for you to cross that summit.
His battle with the Living Buddha Phagpa was both a man-made disaster and a divine intervention!
He ultimately failed to overcome that final hurdle and enter the realm of terrestrial immortals. Chen Jieli reasonably suspected that this spot had already been taken by Zhang Sanfeng, so Han Shantong had no chance to enter the realm of terrestrial immortals.
Therefore, under the Heavenly Dao, these terrestrial immortals represent the ultimate pursuit of the Heavenly Dao's power. Zhang Sanfeng occupied the Dao, Phagpa occupied the Buddha, and although Feng Xuewen's foundation was unstable, he also entered the realm of terrestrial immortals in a single day.
To become a terrestrial deity, one must excel in a particular category.
Each of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism has produced a terrestrial immortal. Therefore, there is probably not enough Heavenly Dao power below the three religions to support martial artists to become terrestrial immortals. Above the three religions, only the emperor remains. Imperial power and tactics may be qualified to allow people to touch the most supreme existence.
Emperors follow the path of the human sovereign, and at the pinnacle of the human sovereign, one becomes an immortal or a god; this is indeed a path.
In other words, the only ones in this world who can take another step towards the realm of terrestrial immortals are myself and Zhu Chongba, who have mastered the power of the Human Emperor. This must be the origin of destiny!
Having figured out the crux of the matter, Chen Jie knew that this fateful battle was inevitable.
It seems that Heaven deliberately designed things this way, making people fight and determine the strongest.
dong dong...
There was a knock on the door, and Chen Jie looked up at the door and said, "Come in!"
Upon hearing this, the door suddenly opened, and a man walked in, kneeling before Chen Jie and saying, "King of Han, battle report from Luoyang."
Chen Jie said, "Get up! I've already said, just do it like before."
Chen Jie looked at Chen Chun and said, "These rules still need to be followed."
Chen Jie looked at Chen Chun and asked, "Who made these rules?"
Chen Chun said, "The older generation."
"So, do you listen to the older generation or to me?"
"Of course, I will listen to what Your Majesty says."
"Then everything will remain the same. Also, inform everyone in the manor that no large-scale kneeling or worship is allowed. Just do it as before."
"promise!"
Chen Chun responded, and then Chen Jie said, "Give me the battle report."
The battle report from Luoyang arrived by express horse, but it was at least two days old.
At this moment, Chen Jie took the battle report, opened it, and began to read it.
The battle report stated that starting from November 12th, Tang He and Feng Sheng led a large army to attack Luoyang. The White Tiger Army and the Vermilion Bird Army resisted for five days, suffering heavy casualties, and finally repelled the invading enemy.
In this battle, the two armies of Luoyang suffered heavy casualties. The White Tiger Army lost 3,000 men, was seriously wounded, and almost all of the lightly wounded were still injured.
Its commander, Chen Xiaohu, fought Tang He for two days and nights, and finally defeated Tang He by exchanging serious injuries for serious injuries.
Deputy Commander Chen Wang also narrowly escaped death.
More than twenty of his officers died, a devastating loss. These twenty were all officers of centurion rank or higher, including two chiliarchs. They were all Chen Jie's closest and most trusted relatives.
The Vermilion Bird Army also suffered heavy casualties. Shi Gengming and Feng Sheng exchanged wounds, and Shi Gengming was also seriously injured. Fortunately, Chen Xiaohu gave Shi Gengming one of the life-saving pills that Chen Jie had given him.
The number of its officers who died was no less than that of the White Tiger Army.
The number of soldiers killed or wounded exceeded five thousand, making it an extremely tragic scene.
Tang Hejun and Feng Shengjun also suffered heavy casualties, or even more so than the White Tiger Army and the Vermilion Bird Army.
Needless to say, their head coaches Tang He and Feng Sheng were almost exchanging injuries for injuries with Chen Xiaohu and Shi Gengming.
Tang He's 3,000-strong Shenji Battalion was almost completely wiped out, with the remaining soldiers suffering over 10,000 casualties.
It can be said that Tang He's army suffered heavy losses this time, even more so than the Vermilion Bird Army and the White Tiger Army. The number of auxiliary soldiers accompanying the army may have exceeded 30,000.
This battle marked the official start of the decisive battle between the Chen Han regime and the Zhu Ming regime. Historical records state that in the eleventh month of the winter of the Bingwu year, Tang He and Feng Sheng led a combined force of 100,000 to attack Luoyang. The Luoyang garrison was defended by Chen Xiaohu, a member of the Han royal family. Together with Shi Gengming, the commander of the Zhuque Army, they fought fiercely for five days and nights, suffering thousands of casualties, and defeated the enemy Tang He and Feng Sheng.
In this battle, Tang and Feng, with an army of 100,000, besieged the fortified city, suffering 40,000 casualties but still unable to conquer it.
Xiao Hu, outnumbered but outgunned, protected the entire city's inhabitants, earning him fame throughout the land and making him a legend in the Heluo region.
Looking at the military report, Chen Jie frowned slightly and asked, "How are Tiger Commander and General Shi's injuries?"
Chen Chun said, "I heard from the messenger that they have all taken the lord's life-saving pills, so their lives should be safe." Chen Jie thought for a moment after hearing this and said, "Pass down the order to Ding Pulang and Ou Puxiang to lead the Buddhist soldiers into Luoyang City to relieve the White Tiger Army."
"The order is: Chen Xiaohu, Shi Gengming, to withdraw their troops and return to Hubei for recuperation."
"promise!"
After saying this, Chen Jie asked, "By the way, how is Sichuan?"
Chen Chun said, "The situation in Sichuan has been largely stabilized. The Emei Sect cooperated with us to eliminate the remnants of the Tang Clan. Some of the remaining outer disciples are also willing to join us and are now being closely monitored by us for selection."
"And the major chieftains in Sichuan were quite cooperative, while those who did not cooperate were completely eliminated by General Golden Swallow, but!"
Chen Jie looked at Chen Chun and said, "What?"
Chen Chun said, "Your Majesty, a civil official has submitted a memorial stating that the Emei Sect in Sichuan is dominated by women and wields considerable power. This time, General Jin Yanzi has once again led her army into Sichuan, causing the women of Sichuan to emulate the Emei disciples and General Jin."
"This has led to a more assertive and bold style among women in Sichuan than before."
"The men in Sichuan are quite pitiful now."
Upon hearing this, Chen Jie said, "Hehe, so the Sichuan-Chongqing Tyrannosaurus Rex evolved ahead of schedule?"
Chen Jie shook his head helplessly. When they attacked Shu, firstly, Jin Yanzi was indeed capable and had outstanding military skills, and she could handle things on her own. Secondly, the Emei Sect was full of women, and to subdue Shu, they would have to deal with the Emei Sect, so they sent Jin Yanzi there.
Unexpectedly, this inspired the strength of women in Sichuan, leading to the premature evolution of the Sichuan-Chongqing Tyrannosaurus Rex.
It's truly a case of coincidences.
Fellow countrymen in Sichuan, don't blame me, it's all part of the strategic plan.
Chen Jie thought to himself, "Pass on my military order, commanding Jin Yanzi to immediately lead the Azure Dragon Army back to Hubei. The decisive battle is about to begin."
Upon hearing this, Chen Chun immediately agreed.
Immediately afterward, he went to issue orders. At this time, Chen Jie calculated the strength at his disposal and gathered troops from all sides. Chen Jie was able to gradually gather an army of nearly 300,000 men, which was the strength that Chen Jie had accumulated over the years.
Now, the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Beggar, and Buddha Army are five armies, each with a strength of around 60,000 men, totaling 300,000 regular troops.
As for the defense of these newly established territories, Chen Jie intends to gradually transfer the manpower to the police.
The police force is not as simple as it seems on the surface. Chen Jie also reclassified the police force into five categories.
The first type is the stationed patrol officers. In a region, such as a village or town, two patrol officers are assigned to each area. These two patrol officers are in charge of the town's security and are called civilian patrol officers.
Some people say that two people can manage the affairs of a village or town. But don't forget that there are also joint defense and self-defense teams in the village. These are under the management of the police and can ensure the safety of the village.
Moreover, in villages and towns, a county would set up a patrol team, and a county patrol team would have at least one hundred people.
Above the county police force is the prefectural police bureau, and finally the provincial police department.
These are stationed patrol officers, in charge of minor cases, but when they encounter real notorious thieves, there are patrol officers in charge of their capture.
This also falls under the jurisdiction of the respective prefectures and provinces.
The third type is the civilian police officer, who is in charge of documents, including household registration and wanted notices. All of these are managed by these police officers.
The fourth type is the military police, who are under purely military management. They are generally used to deal with large-scale bandits that criminal police cannot capture. Now, Chen Jie has even entrusted them with the task of suppressing bandits.
Although their combat power is not as good as that of the main front-line troops, dealing with bandits is as easy as beating a son for them, and no bandit dares to mess with them.
Finally, there are the jailers who manage the prison; they do the same work as the former prison wardens.
Chen Jie thought for a moment, then called over the guard at the door and said, "Go and fetch Zhou Chu."
"promise!"
The guards quickly went and soon summoned Zhou Chu, who was one of the real big shots in Huangzhou Prefecture. At this moment, Zhou Chu entered, clasped his hands, and said, "King of Han."
"Old Zhou!"
Chen Jie beckoned, and Zhou Chu immediately came over. Chen Jie handed the battle report to Zhou Chu, who read it and said, "Little Tiger fought a brilliant battle."
Chen Jie said, "Yes, Zhu Chongba came with a firm resolve this time. I didn't expect Chen Xiaohu to hold him off. Tang He and Feng Sheng's military capabilities are not to be underestimated. Xiaohu has really grown up."
"However, this time, they have also reached their limit."
"I plan to bring them back."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Chu said, "Won't Luoyang be empty then? We've worked so hard to defend it, we can't afford to lose it."
Chen Jie said, "I sent Ding Pulang and Ou Puxiang to guard Luoyang."
"However, the roads we just conquered are now vulnerable, and we fear that bandits, local bullies, and powerful gentry will launch a counterattack."
Zhou Chu said, "Our patrol department will send people. Although our military police are not as powerful as our five major legions, they are more than capable of dealing with local bandits."
Chen Jie said, "That's exactly what I meant. I just brought Jin Yanzi back as well. So, these newly conquered areas will need your patrol department to maintain stability. Any problems?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Chu said, "My lord, rest assured, I pledge that as long as we conquer these territories, I guarantee that they will be peaceful and prosperous within five months, and I will annihilate any who harbor evil intentions!"
Chen Jie chuckled and said, "Good, I like your drive."
After saying that, Chen Jie said, "Alright, Zhou Chu, listen to my command!"
Zhou Chu immediately clasped his hands in a fist and said, "I obey your command."
"I order your patrol unit to immediately deploy to various locations, establish agencies, suppress bandits where they exist, and eliminate evil where they don't, to do everything possible to ensure stability on the ground and provide a stable rear for the decisive battle!"
"promise!"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Chu immediately clasped his hands in a fist salute, loudly agreed, and then left.
Watching Zhou Chu leave, Chen Jie turned to look at the map and said, "Now that the battle in Luoyang is stable, the next target should be Wang Baobao's place, right?"
Chen Jie looked at the map, and the area that Wang Baobao occupied at this time was the area east of Poyang Lake.
Chen Jie stared at the map, his gaze fixed on one place: Hongdu!
This place is the confluence of Poyang Lake and the Gan River, a necessary route for his eastward journey and also the gateway for Zhu Chongba's westward advance. Now that Hongdu is in Zhu Chongba's hands, Chen Jie is having trouble sleeping.
We must find a way to take Hongdu! (End of Chapter)