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Desolate City quickly sprung to life.

Liang Ying’s forces were just the beginning, and subsequently, more than ten groups arrived.

The smaller contingents had three to five hundred people, the larger ones had a thousand or two. They found quarters in the city and then ordered the county magistrate to muster food and fodder.

“Desolate City doesn’t even have ghosts, how are we to muster food and fodder?”

Zhao Tai faced scholars that could rely on their scholar-mentor connections, but against these starving defeated soldiers, he couldn’t clearly or dare to articulate his reasoning, so he had no choice but to transport the food from the mines to be distributed.

With several thousand people combined in the city, that food would last at most three to five days.

The generals and commanders of the various units were also aware that Desolate City had no food, and they communicated in private.

They claimed to the outside world they were enacting a scorched earth policy to resist Great Yong, then they began looting the villages around Desolate City.

The soldiers passed through like a comb, legally and systematically robbing, leaving the homes of the commoners empty of everything, forcing them to become refugees dragging their families south to flee for their lives.

Those who dared to resist were accused of being Great Yong spies!

At the city gates.

Li Hong watched as cart after cart of food and goods were transported to the various military leaders within the city, struggling to contain the rage in his heart.

“Sir, I often hear my elder brother talk about how the million strong army of the Northern Border used to, if not completely refrain from harming the commoners, at least maintain strict discipline. How could they have degenerated to such a state in just a few years?”

Fearing death in foreign warfare, oppressing the commoners at home, the poison of these bandit soldiers is even worse than that of mountain bandits and rebellious armies!

“Human nature is just so. It’s difficult to become better, as one must abide by various rules and constantly be tamed and disciplined. Becoming worse, however, is very easy; never mind five years, a few months are enough to turn an iron army into bandits!”

Zhou Yi slowly said, “The situation at the Northern Border is about to escalate, and with the dangers of war looming, a wise man does not stand under a collapsing wall. Today, I am returning to Divine Capital. Remember, in times of great turmoil, your first and foremost duty is to preserve your life.”

After lingering in Desolate City for half a month, a succession of news of defeats from the Northern Border had arrived.

Just yesterday, the defeated soldiers in the city nearly rioted because the last military force with a complete structure at the Northern Border was encircled and defeated by Great Yong’s army.

The Northern Border’s Yi and Su provinces, which were once Great Yong’s old territories, have now been completely reclaimed. How much more of Fengyang Country will fall is still unknown.

Li Hong expressed surprise, “With your strength, Sir, even surpassing my father’s, who in this world could possibly retain you?”

“You haven’t even left Fengyang Country; how can you speak of the vastness of the world?”

Zhou Yi solemnly said, “Those who practice cultivation must remember not to be arrogant. The world is vast, vast enough that ordinary people cannot traverse it in their entire lifetime!”

Li Hong performed a disciple’s salute and bowed deeply, “Thank you for your guidance, Sir.”

In recent days, the exchange with Zhou Yi and the extravagant ideas expressed in these conversations had broadened Li Hong’s horizons. Some ideas seemed unimaginable, yet upon careful reflection, they were truly profound and mystical.

Li Hong gained an understanding of many principles not found in books, and although there was no formal master-disciple name between them, there was indeed such a reality.

“I’m leaving.”

Zhou Yi was not one to dawdle; possessing a life so long and boundless, he needed to get accustomed to partings sooner rather than later.

Li Hong bid farewell with tears, “I wish you a smooth journey, Sir.”

With his parents and brothers all dead, and now parting ways with Zhou Yi, he truly stood alone in the vast Northern Border.

Zhou Yi turned back to take a look and said through a voice transmission.

“The chaos in the Northern Border is a catastrophe for the commoners, the soldiers, and the Imperial Court. The only one who benefits is you. If you wish to emulate Marquess Zhen Guo, you should use your silver to buy a Guerilla General rank.”

After speaking, he mounted his horse and whipped it, galloping away into the distance.

A Guerilla General with real power to command troops cost only a few tens of thousands of silver, and even though Marquess Zhen Guo’s residence was in decline, Li Hong could still afford it.

…

Following the official road southward.

Three days later.

From afar, he could see smoke rising from the chimneys; up ahead was Chen Family Ridge, where he had stayed during his journey.

The village head, Old Chen, was a remarkable person, skilled at roasting delicious crispy rabbit and brewing high-quality yellow wine, and his conversation and insight were extraordinary.

Zhou Yi engaged him in extensive discussions about the world and history, only to find that he could not gain the upper hand. They talked throughout the night until they were both content.

“Mountain hermits are no different,” he muttered.”

Zhou Yi patted his withered pocket, “Not even a single piece of silver left behind. Brother Chen knows the stars and the geography; he would not begrudge the mere two silver for lodging, would he?”

Poor at home but rich on the road, Zhou Yi had left with five thousand silver notes, and ‘heroes’ on the way had gifted him a few thousand more. Now, he had spent every last penny.

As Zhou Yi pondered, he did not stop his horse, drawing ever closer to Chen Family Gully.

A gust of wind blew, and his expression subtly changed!

“What a strong scent of blood.”

Zhou Yi leaped from the horseback, covering a hundred zhang in an instant.

Indeed, there was smoke in the village, though it wasn’t from farming households cooking. Instead, two to three hundred soldiers had started fires at the entrance of the village.

The soldiers on guard noticed someone approaching and shouted with their broadswords in hand, “What are you looking at, old man? If you don’t wish to die, scram!”

“Where are the people of Chen Family Gully?”

Zhou Yi didn’t need to ask to guess. The soldiers’ garments and swords were stained with fresh blood, the cooks were slaughtering pigs and sheep, and piles of large and small sacks of grain lay nearby.

The leader spoke, “What nonsense, just kill him with arrows.”

At that command, bows twanged, and dozens of arrows flew at him.

“Zhou has never been fond of fighting, but some people just seem hell-bent on seeking death!”

Zhou Yi’s figure blurred, moving faster than lightning, exceeding the reaction limit of ordinary people.

The leader only saw a faint shadow weaving through his soldiers. They didn’t even make a sound before they collapsed like mowed grass.

“Ghosts!”

The leader screamed and ran towards Chen Family Gully, clutching his head.

Butchering over two hundred soldiers took merely a few breaths. Zhou Yi pursued in a few leaps, and his icy voice reached the leader’s ear.

“You’re so keen to see ghosts; I shall grant your wish!”

With those words, he activated the Peaceful Home Talisman, and shadows of the dead drifted out of the houses in the village. Most were indistinct and faceless, but some with missing arms or legs and covered in blade and gunshot wounds were clear to see.

Among them, one particularly distinct vengeful spirit had a broken neck and two holes in its stomach, from which blood oozed.

Shriek!

Upon seeing the leader, the vengeful spirit’s resentment soared, its face contorted with fury, and it let out a piercing ghostly wail.

The other confused ghostly entities, stirred by the vengeful spirit’s call, rushed to attack.

The leader, who had never witnessed such a terrifying scene—seeing one ghost dragging its intestines and another carrying its own head—passed out as his eyes rolled back in terror.

The swarm of ghosts descended upon the leader, about to devour his life force and blood, when suddenly, the malevolent energy of a military formation manifested around him for protection.

The pain was as if they were being cut and stabbed, causing the ghosts to scream and retreat, daring not approach any further.

The vengeful spirit’s eyes nearly burst from its sockets, its mouth spewing black fog towards the leader.

Zhou Yi circulated his mana and used the martial technique Lion’s Roar, “Brother Chen, spare him for the moment; I still have questions to ask him.”

His voice boomed like thunder, and the vengeful spirit awakened from its fury, recognizing Zhou Yi’s face, its eyes weeping blood.

“Thank you, sir, for avenging the bloodshed of Chen Family Gully!”

“Brother Chen, restrain your grief.”

Zhou Yi approached the leader, mana piercing through several acupoints, the excruciating pain awakening him from unconsciousness.

“Are you a deserter from the Northern Border?”

The leader, surrounded by ghostly spirits with blood-red eyes staring vengefully at him, chilling him to the bone, quickly crawled up and began to kowtow, pleading desperately.

“I had no choice. After the defeat and desertion at the Northern Border, the Imperial Court never issued new orders or distributed food or salaries!”

“For the last seven or eight days, we’ve had no food. To avoid starving to death, we had no option but to plunder the civilians!”