Chapter 364: Chapter 364: The Flood Ends and Returning to Yizhou
The next day, we set off again.
On the road, Lu Zheng ran into disciples of Pan Shui Cave blocking their way. The first village they went to was completely destroyed, and Lu Zheng thought this was the rhythm of entering a turbulent era.
Fortunately, it wasn’t...
After all, Chuandong Dao was still under the rule of Great Jing. Although they later encountered demons eating people, there were no incidents of village massacres.
However, because the water disaster continued, many people died, leading to numerous Ghost Kings from the Netherworld appearing in the mortal world, collecting souls and causing chaos.
Along the way, Lu Zheng took out several Centennial Ghost Generals and repelled a Ghost King.
Distributing food, treating diseases, setting up shelters to rescue people, slaying demons and banishing evils...
The group traveled through the mountain valleys of various fields and villages, saving more and more people along the way.
Another month passed, and Lu Zheng and his group made it through Junzhou, the easternmost part of Chuandong Dao, where the water disaster finally ended.
Indeed, over two months had passed since the disaster broke out, and it was well past the peak rainy season. The Court had fully allocated resources, the Anomaly Suppression Bureau and military, as well as cultivators from various paths, had thoroughly entered each area.
The hidden big shots hadn’t made a move. The little demons and little ghosts were quickly taken care of, but those who didn’t retreat quickly ended up as ghosts under the swords of the Anomaly Suppression Bureau and cultivators.
A water disaster that affected several southern regions of Great Jing had finally come to an end.
...
"I just got an initial success. I thought there would be more good things later, but it turns out there was nothing."
Lu Zheng and his group had returned from Chuandong Dao to Lingbei Dao, entering the land of Yu State.
Hearing Lu Zheng’s words, Du Yueyao and the women of Five Beauties Manor couldn’t help but laugh.
Ever since the incident with the Crimson Spirit Fruit, knowing that Chuandong was mountainous and sparsely populated, Lu Zheng burst into great enthusiasm, diving into the deep mountains every day, wanting to find more spirit plants and fruits, seemingly obsessed, even Liu Qingyan’s persuasion was to no avail.
However, because Chuandong Dao became increasingly safe and ordinary little demons and little ghosts couldn’t do anything to their group, no one managed Lu Zheng, letting him go into the mountains continuously.
Lu Zheng claimed he was a true actor.
He still didn’t know that spirit fruits were rare; they were not so easy to find.
But without finding an excuse, how could he traverse to the modern world to be with Lin Wan, how could he receive food and medicine from the modern world?
You must know, during the month they entered Chuandong Dao, their consumption of food and medicine was no less than before in Lingbei Dao.
It’s just that no one knew the size of Lu Zheng’s gourd’s space, and because of their absolute trust in Lu Zheng, they never asked.
If they knew some details, they might have suspected long ago.
The only person who suspected was Liu Qingyan, as she had long known that Lu Zheng would disappear from time to time.
Only...
The person who trusted Lu Zheng the most was also Liu Qingyan.
So...
As long as Lu Zheng said something, she fully believed it; if Lu Zheng didn’t mention something, she never asked.
Thus, upon hearing Lu Zheng’s words, Liu Qingyan laughed with the other women, then said, "Eating too many spirit fruits and having too much spiritual qi gather within isn’t beneficial.
Just that one Vermilion Fruit alone raised our cultivation level by more than one-tenth incredibly, so we must not be too greedy.
After all, cultivation cannot rely only on spirit fruits; otherwise, wouldn’t all the famous mountains and rivers be explored by cultivators?"
Lu Zheng nodded in agreement, as the same theory had been told to him many times by Daoist Mingzhang. Spirit fruits, magical treasures, and such external items are merely aids, one’s self is fundamental.
Uh, fighting doesn’t count, only speaking of cultivation.
...
"Lady Qingyi!"
"Lady Qingyi has arrived!"
The calls drew everyone’s attention over.
At this time, they were just walking into a town they previously passed during disaster relief.
Upon seeing Lu Zheng and his group appear, several children and passersby immediately called out, and the entire town seemed to come alive.
Helping the elderly and caring for the young, they came one after another.
"Thank you Lady Qingyi for saving my life!"
"Thank you Immortal Master Lu for saving my life!"
"Thank you, ladies and heroes for saving my life!"
This town had thousands of people who quickly gathered around them, continuously expressing gratitude, and some villagers brought their food, wanting them to accept it.
Offering food and drink, welcoming the arrival of rulers, seems no different from this.
"Please get up, elder!"
Lu Zheng quickly helped an elderly man who wished to kneel; he wasn’t accustomed to this.
"Were it not for Lady Qingyi and Immortal Master Lu, our town would have lost at least half its people to the plague, parents losing children, husbands losing wives, children losing fathers," the elderly man said.
"It wouldn’t be so bad!"
"Yes, it would be! Fifty years ago, during a flood which I lived through as if it were just yesterday, the entire town lost 40% of its population, mostly dying from the plague or freezing and starvation. It took over ten years to recover," the old man said. "This time? Aside from the dozens swept away by the flood, not one died afterward!
Shelters that protect from wind and rain, food that filled the stomach, medicines that cured plague and sickness saved over a thousand lives!
Though I am old, I am not foolish. Don’t I know who saved this life of mine?"
"Yes! Yes!"
"Thank you, Lady Qingyi and Immortal Master Lu!"
They entered the town among the grateful voices of the people.
At this point, it was noon, and with the invitations from the villagers, they could not leave the town no matter what, and ended up having a meal at the mayor’s house, also receiving local specialties the villagers gave, only leaving with the townspeople waving goodbye.
"Too enthusiastic!"
"Hard to resist!"
Two guards each held a pork knuckle, which an elderly aunt relentlessly offered them, saying they were strong and could eat more, so they ate and carried, oil dripping from their mouths.
...
After the incident at this town, they dared not walk the main road, or they walked around places they had previously been.
Anyway, Lu Zheng had a tent in his gourd, so food wasn’t lacking. The group had already been traveling for months, so they didn’t mind a few more days.
A few days later, they passed the northwest states of Lingbei Dao and entered Yizhou.
...
As they were walking on the main road, they saw a group of people emerge from a pavilion where travelers could rest.
"Dad!"
Du Yueyao exclaimed and rushed towards Du Yuru, who led the group.
"Prefect!"
The two guards quickly stepped forward to salute.
"Lord Chu! Brother Duan! Sister Du!"
Lu Zheng didn’t expect that Chu Jin, Duan Changzai, and Du Huanzhen from the Yizhou Prefecture Anomaly Suppression Bureau were also present.
"Younger Brother Lu! Miss Liu!"
Duan Changzai laughed heartily, "This time you guys have certainly made a big name for yourselves!"
"Lady Qingyi, saving countless lives!" Du Huanzhen said, holding Liu Qingyan’s hand with a smile, "Countless people of Great Jing owe their lives to you, sister. You truly have inexhaustible merit."
Liu Qingyan blushed a bit, "Qingyan only exerted a little effort."
"Not taking credit nor being conceited, such humble effort indeed," Du Yuru praised. "Even His Holiness has heard of Miss Liu’s deeds and decreed commendation."
Not only Liu Qingyan but even Lu Zheng was startled, "His Majesty?"
He hadn’t even left Yizhou, and he had already come into contact with the Emperor?