Published at 4th of January 2023 2:18 pm

Book 16: Chapter 84: Food is Still the Most Important

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Human emotions could often decide many things.

For some believers that were in Yunqin’s east to begin with, their journey here wasn’t that far. But for some that were a part of this expedition from the very start, they ate and slept outdoors, walking for several months of time.

In the eyes of most people, this type of migration that crossed the entire empire naturally seemed extremely bitter. Yet under the inciting and encouragement of many Divine Adjudicators and the lack of much obstructions along the way, fanatical joy instead spread throughout this troop. This made it seem as if they were all headed out to participate in some grand concert, or as if they were headed to see some World Cup.

Humans were also a strange type of being that liked to form communities. When a group reached a certain size, the thoughts and mood of the individual would often be affected.

That was why as this group carried out this great migration, some people who didn’t have any concept of the devil king or salvation, because of the novelty and being mysteriously influenced, also joined this army.

This army grew larger and larger.

Zhang Ping expressionlessly looked forward through the banners and curtains.

Sometimes, when there were some things weighing down the heart one didn’t want to admit, yet discovered that they couldn’t break free from them, it would start to burn within like a wildfire. When he vaguely realized that Qin Xiyue and Lin Xi entered Frozen God Domain together, when he thought about how Qin Xiyue might have died, that he would never see her again, that she would die together with Lin Xi, he already knew that there was no way for him to break free from the influence of Qin Xiyue, just like how he couldn’t break free from that female spy named Chang Jingxiang.

Chang Jingxiang’s naked body would even often appear in his mind, while Qin Xiyue’s face would even appear during his meditation cultivation, interrupting him.

That was why even though he understood clearly that Lin Xi and Qin Xiyue entering Purgatory Mountain hand in hand was deliberately done for him to see, he still couldn’t prevent himself from entering the greatest state of anger.

It was because he understood fully well that Qin Xiyue’s feelings for Lin Xi were real. He even fantasized that even if Lin Xi didn’t do anything, even if he couldn’t be with Qin Xiyue, even if the two of them just peacefully lived as neighbors and lived out their lives like that… even this type of scene was impossible for him to accept. Even this would trigger endless anger within him!

Even though Devil Transformation fully transformed the body, transformed it down to the genetic level like Lin Xi said, in the end, this type of transformation wasn’t perfect. Under extreme anger, he could feel that his liver seemed to be melting, that some horn-like black roots were growing inside.

This made him feel extreme pain. It also prevented his soul force from circulating freely.

But he still firmly believed that he would be the one who seized the final victory.

This massive army already entered East Forest Province. Dragon Snake Mountain Range was already within view.

Zhang Ping was already eager to see the scene of Lin Xi and Green Luan Academy fighting against these Yunqin people. He really wanted to defeat Lin Xi and Green Luan Academy’s people, destroy their powers, and then let them watch themselves be destroyed by the very Yunqin people they protected.

“Is this worth it?”

“Making us spies die for the sake of these people, was it worth it?”

Zhang Ping wanted to ask Lin Xi this question before he died.

But what he didn’t know was that this massive army that was heading east already began to experience some small issues.

…

As they moved through East Forest Province’s vast plains, these black or red clothed believers were like locusts.

During noon, these ‘locusts’ entered a town, instantly filling it up and covering it.

Several believers entered an ordinary small courtyard to ask for some food. However, they were instead met with refusal.

This was something that had never happened before. After all, Yunqin people were always hospitable. Moreover, Central Continent City’s Imperial Princess already proclaimed an imperial decree, ordering all granaries and commoners along the way to provide the armies with food. Under the Imperial Princess’ decree, the biggest reason for providing these believers with food was to avoid disorder and to expand into Great Desolate Swamp.

These believers who were met with refusal were stunned. As such, they separately used many reasons to ask for food, even if they could only receive a single meal.

The master of this small courtyard was a robust, simple and honest farmer. He felt more and more troubled the more these people asked. In the end, he still said in an apologetic manner, “It isn’t that I am not willing… it is just that my family’s food is only enough for a few more meals. The local rice shop said they were going to close for several days, so we don’t even have rice to eat ourselves.”

Most of the believers who entered this town encountered similar situations.

They quickly discovered the source of this disaster. The town’s Auspicious Virtue rice shop was already closed for several days. Moreover, according to the news, this shop was going to be kept shut for many more days.

There really wasn’t much that could be done if there was no food. Even these households didn’t have enough to eat, so how could they take care of others?

That was why these believers whose stomachs were rumbling with hunger could only continue onto the next town.

But they quickly discovered that the next town and the next city all experienced similar situations.

…

“Why isn’t Auspicious Virtue opening their stores?”

“Does Auspicious Virtue want people to starve to death?!”

In a certain town, a group of believers who had already skipped many meals gathered in front of an Auspicious Virtue rice shop. The powerful feeling of hunger made them all cry out, their fists pounding this shop’s entrance.

These people’s minds already went crazy from hunger. However, for most of the other Yunqin people, Auspicious Virtue was a company that they were even willing to use their lives to respect and defend.

“Why does Auspicious Virtue have to always remain open? Maybe something is wrong with the transport fleets, maybe something happened to their reserves.” These believers shouting and pounding immediately triggered the complaints of many townsmen. “Whether they remain open or not is completely up to Auspicious Virtue!”

“Does your family own Auspicious Virtue or something? Do they open because you want them to?”

“I was thinking of giving you guys a flatcake, but with how you all are acting, forget it!”

“Do you think rice is as plentiful as water, that you can make it go wherever you want? Do you think that it’ll appear just because you guys make some noise?”

Under these curses, there was a believer who flew into a rage out of humiliation. He cried out, “They can just stay closed then! I just refuse to believe that only Auspicious Virtue sells rice in this world! Is there really no other rice stores apart from Auspicious Virtue that I can buy from?!”

While this believer screamed hatefully, a sixty something year old long-bearded elder dressed in a short silk jacket shook his head. He said with a sigh, “Youngster… rice really cannot be purchased from anywhere other than Auspicious Virtue on this side.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but it was full of deep meaning. Even these believers could feel the emotion behind these words. All of them entered a mysterious state of shock.

This elder had a reason to carry this much emotion. It was because he himself was precisely the shopkeeper of another rice store in this town. After Changsun Jinse’s death, all of Yunqin entered a state of great chaos, returning to a divided state similar to before Yunqin was founded. Only this summer when the Imperial Princess resumed rule and sorted out Yunqin’s royal court, did the situation gradually calm. During the past half year, during that chaos, most merchants had no way of continuing their business. This was especially true for rice stores, which had an even harder time earning a living. After all, provisions were extremely important for any power. Even if they could gather food, they might just end up suffering an attack along the way. But during this past half year, Auspicious Virtue operated just like before, almost every single shop opened like normal.

Perhaps it was because Auspicious Virtue won the respect of Yunqin people’s hearts, perhaps it was because Auspicious Virtue itself represented enough food for this entire empire, but no powers dared to or needed to act against Auspicious Virtue, or perhaps Auspicious Virtue had great power backing it… Regardless of what reason it was, the ultimate result was that Auspicious Virtue already dominated the rice business of most provinces.

As for the rice companies that had their own source, they all signed agreements with Auspicious Virtue, entrusting the transport and selling to Auspicious Virtue.

That was why this elder was certain that as long as Auspicious Virtue didn’t have any rice, even if it wasn’t the entire empire, at least the nearby provinces definitely wouldn’t have any rice to eat.

…

Even though the locals’ rice jars were nearing their bottom, they still had some ways to continue on. Moreover, Auspicious Virtue has also promised before they closed that they wouldn’t close for too long.

However, for these people who were carrying out some type of mass migration, their hungry stomachs quickly ate away at their confidence.

Moreover, even more severe information began to spread through the troops… Not even the granaries and army provisions to come were enough.

“It’s all because you all believe in the devil king that this will happen. This is heaven’s punishment for you all!”

“Isn’t it because you all oppose the devil king that the devil king’s reward cannot smoothly arrive?!”

Now that the zealous and fanatical atmosphere was shattered by hunger, the difference in faith between the believers evolved into intense arguing.

Several farmers with hoes in their hands, about to dig out some canals, passed by one of these disputes.

While looking at these dozens of believers whose faces were flushed with anger, these farmers sneered in disdain. “What believer or non-believer, what devil king or no devil king? Do you all have food to eat? You all don’t even have food to eat, so what bullshit beliefs are you all arguing about? Can belief be as important as food?”

These farmers didn’t stop, their cold words criticizing these believers. The arguing believers instead stopped their arguing, entering a long state of silence.

“We don’t even have food to eat… what the heck are we even doing here?”

One of the believers was the child of an official. He used to think that these boorish farmers were extremely stupid. But now, he suddenly felt like he seemed more like an idiot.

All of his anger suddenly vanished.

More and more believers left this army. Many people secretly left under the night, but later on, they began to disperse in large groups in broad daylight.

Some people tried to fish to get money, some offered to take care of various tasks, others decided to just put their strength to some use… These people scattered through East Forest Province, using all types of methods to obtain food to eat and go home.

These individuals came from the common populace, and they were scattering back into the common populace.

…

Zhang Ping looked ahead through the banners and curtains.

He could already clearly make out Dragon Snake Mountain Range’s outlines. However, he could also clearly sense his own army scattering scattering like ants.

He could kill these people, but he already couldn’t make them obey him, make them fight Lin Xi and Green Luan Academy.

This ‘army’ of his, the scene he wanted to see the most, at the very end, it was defeated by Auspicious Virtue.

…

Everyone knew that this was because of Auspicious Virtue.

This wasn’t just a simple shortage of food.

This army had enough food throughout the first part of their journey, none of them noticing anything odd. Yet when they arrived in East Forest Province, the surrounding provinces all lacked provisions, just happening to run out of food. It was already too late by the time they noticed. This was something that could have only been arranged for through meticulous and careful calculations.

This was something only possible through the cooperation of Auspicious Virtue who enjoyed a market monopoly and several other major powers….

A group of red robed Divine Adjudicators and some cavalry troops sped through Jadefall City.

The middle-aged Divine Adjudicator in the lead had gray hairs around his temples. His expression was full of killing intent that was impossible to hide.

Zhang Ping naturally had his supervision of a massive giant like Auspicious Virtue. There were normally many Purgatory Mountain Divine Adjudicators and some religious troops stationed near Auspicious Virtue’s farms. On the surface, their intention was to preach, but they were actually here to manage Auspicious Virtue. That was why when the army arrived in East Forest Province and suddenly lacked food, the Purgatory Mountain Divine Adjudicators here already noticed that Auspicious Virtue played some tricks in some areas.

Auspicious Virtue had always acted according to procedure. Right now, this middle-aged Divine Adjudicator precisely wanted to ask why Chen Feirong dared to do this type of thing at this type of time.

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