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墨書 Inktalez
Lin'an Island is the second largest island in Hainan Duke Province. Among the twenty-eight coastal cities of Hainan Duke Province, over forty percent of the residents belong to the Fengfeng Tribe, making Hainan Duke Province essentially the territory of the Fengfeng Tribe. Despite the fact that the Fengfeng Tribe is known for its free-spirited nature and lack of political expertise, most officials in Hainan Duke Province, including the governor and many city lords, are not from the Fengfeng Tribe. However, most affairs in Hainan Duke Province are still determined by the council of elders from the Fengfeng Tribe.
According to the ancient traditions of surnames and bloodlines within the Fengfeng Tribe, there are roughly as many councils of elders as there are coastal cities and thousands of islands in Hainan Duke Province. The efficiency of governance and wisdom in decision-making of these power structures, controlled by elderly individuals nearing their end, can be easily imagined.
After Tengu Zongyuan returned to Lin'an Island with the remnants of his defeated troops from the battle against Fang Lin Kong's First Guard Brigade, the patrolling Lin'an Army immediately stopped him, demanding that he declare his identity and purpose.
Confronted by these aggressive soldiers, Tengu Zongyuan could only smile bitterly. He had left Lin'an at a young age to study under Martial Saint Li Canghai. Since then, he had traveled extensively across Gouli Continent and even ventured to Southern Continent for broader experiences, but he had never had the chance to return home. He self-deprecatingly thought, "If people knew that I, Tengu Zongyuan, would one day be questioned about my origins, at least eighty percent of the warriors in Lihan Empire would laugh until they spit."
He honestly reported his name; however, the soldiers of Lin'an seemed to have no trust in this seemingly ordinary man. The leading soldier laughed heartily and said, "If you are Tengu Zongyuan, then I must be the Beast Clan Blade Saint! Who doesn't know that Master Tengu Zongyuan is one of the four great marshals of our empire and also leads the Royal Knights Order—Skybreaker Knights? If he looked like you, wouldn't that ruin three generations of his descendants?"
Tengu Zongyuan could only smile wryly as he revealed his magical insignia as a marshal of the empire. The soldiers who had been mocking his appearance fell silent immediately. The royal emblem of Lihan Empire is a Moonshadow Dragon; anyone who could bear this insignia engraved with this imperial beast was not someone these lower-ranking soldiers could provoke, regardless of whether they were a marshal or not.
The unusual behavior of the soldiers finally caught the attention of their commanding officer. Upon seeing Tengu Zongyuan's magical insignia, he was instantly shocked and immediately greeted him with utmost respect, saying, "Lin'an City’s Outer Guard Army—Southern Fire greets you, my lord! May I ask if you have come here for inquiries or if there is another matter?"
Tengu Zongyuan initially felt quite dissatisfied with this army; however, upon seeing Southern Fire, his heart suddenly jolted. This junior officer's apparent negligence and irresponsibility towards his subordinates did not seem intentional. Having led countless armies himself and having many officers under his command, he recognized talent when he saw it. Southern Fire's ambitious gaze clearly indicated that he was not one to settle for mediocrity. Reflecting on the outdated council system of elders within the Fengfeng Tribe, Tengu Zongyuan could only sigh; it wasn't that there were no talents among them but rather a lack of an environment for talent to flourish. Remembering how Jiu Li's various clans possessed formidable strength yet were always dominated by others left Tengu Zongyuan feeling disheartened.
He said to Southern Fire, "I have come here to visit home; it has nothing to do with official business. However, just now a military force dispatched from Lin'an City was utterly defeated; even General Jiugui Yuzhai was captured alive. I need to discuss this matter with the council of elders in this city."
Upon hearing Tengu Zongyuan's words, Southern Fire felt half-convinced but couldn't ignore Tengu Zongyuan's disheveled comrades behind him. He had no choice but to believe him and replied, "In that case, I will report to the council of elders first. Please take your time so that Lin'an City can prepare for your arrival!"
Tengu Zongyuan nodded slightly as Southern Fire took charge of Jiugui Yuzhai's defeated troops and returned to the city, leaving behind some soldiers to follow Tengu Zongyuan.
The seven elders of Lin'an City had long forgotten about their expedition against Fang Lin Kong’s forces. With three thousand men facing just over a hundred opponents in their minds, they envisioned an effortless victory and triumphant return. When Southern Fire came to report, Elder Qin—the only elder still present in the council hall—was instantly enraged and shouted, "That useless Jiugui Yuzhai can't even handle such a trivial matter! Immediately strip him of his position as general!"
Before Elder Qin could finish speaking, Southern Fire gleefully added fuel to the fire: "General Jiugui Yuzhai is currently on the enemy's prisoner list; this punishment can only be communicated once he returns!"
Elder Qin intended to summon Jiugui Yuzhai for a thorough reprimand but was taken aback upon hearing that even this nephew had not returned unscathed. He immediately called out repeatedly: "Quickly gather all generals above my rank in this city! I will personally lead an army out!"
Jiu Gui Yu Zhai was a close relative of Elder Qin, holding a hidden status far above Southern Fire. If any harm came to him, Elder Qin would immediately disregard everything and summon all the military generals he could mobilize, planning to march out at once. Southern Fire had not forgotten this and reminded Elder Qin, "Our army's retreat could have led to total annihilation, but fortunately, General Tengu Zongyuan happened to pass by while visiting his family on the main island. He rescued the defeated troops of Jiu Gui Yu Zhai. At this moment, General Tengu Zongyuan is waiting outside the city for the elders' reception!"
Elder Qin calmed down, lamenting inwardly, "Why did the imperial general have to return at such an awkward time? That fool Jiu Gui Yu Zhai has embarrassed himself to this extent; it truly is an anomaly. I had intended to promote him to the position of Wolf Tooth General in this city, but now all my plans are ruined!"
In the Lihan Empire, military ranks were divided into four levels: General, Lieutenant, Captain, and Guard. The Imperial Royal Family also had higher ranks such as Commander and Marshal in the Four Great Capitals. The highest military officer in Duke Province was traditionally the governor who also held military command. Depending on the size of the city, there would typically be one or two, or even three or four generals ranked below the city lord. Lin'an was already considered a fairly large city; thus, there were eight top military commanders, among which the former Wolf Tooth General had already retired due to old age, leaving no successor. In larger cities, it was not uncommon to have over ten top generals. In the Four Great Capitals, there were even hundreds of generals.
Elder Qin dared not confront Tengu Zongyuan alone and hurriedly ordered his subordinates to summon the other six elders of Lin'an City to discuss this matter together.
Upon hearing that the imperial general had returned home in splendid attire, Lin'an City suddenly became unusually lively. No one cared about Fang Lin Kong and his group anymore. Although Tengu Zongyuan was not one for extravagance, he could not resist the enthusiastic feasting that ensued until five days later when he finally had time to visit his family.
Tengu Zongyuan actually came from a very humble background; he had wandered for many years without being able to care for his widowed mother and younger sister at home. This time, he was promoted to imperial general after joining forces with seven of the empire's greatest experts to slay a three-headed golden beast that had invaded Eastern Capital Chang'an. His promotion was also a result of competition among various factions within the empire and did not come with much actual power.
When Tengu Zongyuan nervously knocked on his own door, he heard a cheer from inside: "Brother is back!" A beautiful young girl rushed out of the door. Tengu Zongyuan looked at his grown-up sister and felt a surge of emotions as he scooped her up and tossed her into the air. Tengu Kaen was overwhelmed with excitement at seeing her brother who had been away for so long. The siblings returned home hand in hand just as their mother was cooking in the kitchen. Upon seeing Tengu Zongyuan, she was so overwhelmed with joy that she could hardly speak; their family wept tears of happiness.
As they were enjoying their reunion, there was suddenly a knock at the door. Tengu Zongyuan froze in surprise and thought to himself, "Who could be visiting?"
To avoid disturbing his family with officials from Lin'an, Tengu Zongyuan did not mention anything about his home situation. He had never spoken about his family's circumstances during his travels either; thus, these officials from Lin'an could not have found out anything. As a disciple of Martial Sage from the Four Great Saints of the empire, if Tengu Zongyuan were followed without noticing it, that would indeed be a joke.
Tengu Zongyuan opened the door in confusion and saw a sharp-looking young man alongside a man in his thirties who exuded no presence at all standing outside. He took a closer look and gasped in surprise before quickly inviting them inside.
Fang Lin Kong and Yamata no Orochi smiled as they greeted Tengu Zongyuan's mother and sister with courtesy. They spun elaborate tales about how they were companions of Tengu Zongyuan during his travels across the continent and had faced life-and-death situations together countless times; their bond was like that of brothers... Such lies flowed like a tide, convincing Tengu Zongyuan's mother instantly. Upon learning that they were not annoying officials from Lin'an City, she warmly welcomed them.
Although Tengu Kaen was kind like her mother, she possessed a bit more cunning. While Fang Lin Kong spoke animatedly, Yamata no Orochi remained silent but sensed something off about these two men; she just couldn't pinpoint what it was. However, since her brother showed no objections, Tengu Kaen felt it inappropriate to treat their guests poorly.
With her son back home, Tengu Zongyuan's mother personally cooked her best dishes while Fang Lin Kong and Yamata no Orochi naturally took their seats at the head of the table without hesitation. Although they appeared warm during dinner, they exchanged various secretive glances filled with unspoken tension.
The first question Tengu Zongyuan asked was: "How did you two find me? I didn't sense any energy fluctuations or tracking around me."
Fang Lin Kong chuckled and replied, "Brother Tengu is still stuck in outdated concepts; please take a look at this!" He casually handed over an Earth-made detector. Although Tengu Zongyuan prided himself on being well-informed, he did not recognize this device. Fang Lin Kong explained in detail how it worked for communication and how it could detect biological energy signatures or even search for powerful beings over large areas. Tengu Zongyuan marveled at its capabilities but then asked, "I usually conceal my aura so that I appear just like an ordinary person; how could you find me based on my qi strength?" Fang Lin Kong pressed a button on the device and demonstrated how to lock onto a target's spiritual frequency so that regardless of fluctuations in energy strength or weakness, they would never miss their target's location.
The three of them spoke quietly, their expressions animated. Watching this, Tengu Kaen, the sister of Tengu Zongyuan, felt quite annoyed. She secretly kicked her older brother hard and said, "What are you three talking about? Are you afraid I and Mom will find out?"
Tengu Zongyuan's face turned awkward as he was about to explain when Fang Lin Kong chuckled and jumped in first, saying, "When we were wandering around on our adventures, we often heard Tengu Zongyuan talk about how adorable Fire Moon is. I was just thinking that since it’s my first visit and I didn’t bring any gifts, I should discuss with Tengu Zongyuan about giving Fire Moon something we obtained during our last adventure together. But Tengu Zongyuan was complaining that my gift was too shabby and wouldn’t let me show it!"
Fang Lin Kong's sharp words left Tengu Zongyuan speechless. If he tried to stop him again, it would only confirm that he thought Fang Lin Kong's gift was indeed shabby... Even Tengu Zongyuan's mother, who initially wanted to refuse a stranger's gift on Fang Lin Kong's first visit, found it difficult to speak up.
Tengu Kaen, being a young girl, would have outright rejected any boastful claims from Fang Lin Kong about rare treasures. However, since he claimed his gift was shabby and even Tengu Zongyuan felt embarrassed to let him show it, she became curious to see what it was.
"Since Brother Huanhuo wants to give me something, I shouldn’t be picky. I've never received a gift from a boy before!"
Everyone watched eagerly to see what Fang Lin Kong would produce. Even Yamata no Orochi couldn’t guess what Fang Lin Kong would bring out to please Tengu Kaen. He knew that Fang Lin Kong had countless treasures, but deciding what to give could be a costly consideration; expensive items might not necessarily have the desired effect. Giving a young girl something like the Liexie Twin Hooks might not win her favor.
Fang Lin Kong rummaged through his belongings and pulled out a very small mirror. This item was something he had casually bought at a market for one coin. The craftsmanship was rather rough by Earth standards but appeared delicate and exquisite on the Gouli Continent. He handed the mirror to Tengu Kaen and whispered, "This piece of stone is something I stumbled upon while defeating Dog-headed Man bandits. It reflects faces quite clearly but has no special features. It's also very fragile; I've broken several before this one remained intact. Later, I asked a craftsman to make an iron casing for it so it's easier to carry."
Upon seeing the small mirror, Tengu Kaen immediately felt fond of it. She reached out to take it and saw her own face reflected clearly in it—her beautiful eyes sparkling like stars and her skin flawless. With a slight smile, she looked almost like a real-life painting. What girl doesn’t love beauty? The Gouli Continent had yet to master glass-making techniques, so such a clear mirror was rare. Usually, they used basin water for grooming, which had become common practice. Wealthy families might have metal mirrors, but their reflections paled in comparison to Fang Lin Kong's glass mirror.
Yamata no Orochi watched from the side with an inward smirk but showed no outward reaction. Although Tengu Zongyuan didn’t know where Fang Lin Kong had acquired this item, he could tell there were no magical fluctuations emanating from the mirror; it didn’t seem like any precious crystal either. While its design was intricate, it still bore signs of roughness in finer details. Clearly not a valuable item, yet its rarity made Tengu Kaen cherish it even more, leading Tengu Zongyuan to develop some fondness for Fang Lin Kong as well. He encouraged his sister to accept the gift.
Tengu Kaen tucked the mirror away and smiled slightly as she said, "At first, I thought you two had ulterior motives; now I apologize for my suspicion towards Brother Huanhuo!"
After speaking, Tengu Kaen gathered some clear water in her cup and drank it all down. Once she set her cup down with a smile, she said, "Our family doesn’t have fine wine; please accept this clear water as an apology from Fire Moon to Brother Huanhuo and Mr. Yamata no Orochi!"
Tengu Zongyuan's mother was very amiable and said, "Fire Moon has always been somewhat blunt with her words; she often offends others without meaning to. Please don’t hold it against her!" Fang Lin Kong quickly replied, "Not at all! Fire Moon is straightforward; people like us are naturally secretive in our actions—it's no wonder others might be suspicious." Yamata no Orochi raised his cup slightly and drank without saying anything.
Tengu Zongyuan chuckled and said, "Let’s not speak of such formalities! My mother’s plain water tofu is renowned in Lin'an; no one here can make it quite like her! You two should eat more! It’s been years since I’ve had any."
Fang Lin Kong smiled and indeed picked up his chopsticks to grab a piece. At first bite, he didn’t think much of it; however, suddenly he remembered his parents. Perhaps he was still young and often wandered around without considering them much. But as soon as he tasted the plain water tofu, memories flooded back—he realized he hadn’t eaten his mother’s cooking at home for quite some time. Maybe her cooking wasn’t particularly exquisite or special in flavor; usually Fang Lin Kong thought it wasn’t very tasty at all. Yet after being away for so long, he suddenly appreciated how precious that taste was because no matter how far you traveled or how many delicious dishes you tried elsewhere, those chefs could never replicate the warmth of home-cooked meals.
Lost in thought, Fang Lin Kong touched his face and suddenly realized tears were streaming down without him noticing. Feeling embarrassed about this unexpected display of emotion, he quickly covered his face with his sleeve and awkwardly wiped away the tears before saying, "I got a bit homesick there; I hope I didn’t embarrass anyone!"
Tengu Zongyuan's mother smiled and said, "If you find these dishes to your liking, feel free to eat more!" Fang Lin Kong nodded repeatedly in agreement. He momentarily lost his composure but quickly regained his calm. As a result, the atmosphere became much more lively than before.
After finishing dinner, Fang Lin Kong noticed that Tengu Zongyuan's home did not have any extra accommodations, so he pulled Yamata no Orochi aside to take their leave. Tengu Zongyuan felt embarrassed to let them leave like this and said, "I have some standing in Lin'an; if you two don't mind, you can stay at the relay station with me."
Fang Lin Kong chuckled and replied, "The relay stations in Lin'an are quite dilapidated and inconvenient for living. We have our own place, so there's no need for you to worry, Tengu brother!" Tengu Zongyuan was slightly taken aback, thinking to himself, "The relay stations in Lin'an are specifically designed to accommodate high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants. They are lavishly decorated; if such places are considered dilapidated, then there are hardly any decent accommodations left in Lin'an City."
Seeing Tengu Zongyuan's confusion, Fang Lin Kong said, "We still have some matters to discuss with you, Tengu brother. Although it feels a bit rude to interrupt your family reunion, please come with us! It will only take an hour or two at most."
Tengu Zongyuan informed his family and stepped outside, following Fang Lin Kong and Yamata no Orochi for a short distance. Once they were out of sight of others, the three of them used Teleportation to soar into the sky. Tengu Zongyuan noticed that Fang Lin Kong was flying straight up without any intention of turning and wondered, "Could their residence be in the sky? Aside from the Heavenly Capital Golden Turtle, I haven't heard of any floating buildings on Gouli Continent."
As they broke through the clouds, Tengu Zongyuan realized his guess was correct; a five-star hotel-like structure floated in mid-air, supported by a peculiar island beneath it. The two elements seemed so out of place that even though it was Tengu Zongyuan's first time seeing it, he felt certain that the island must have come first before the hotel was built.
Fang Lin Kong called out to Tengu Zongyuan, saying, "This place was gifted to me by a friend named Flora Dam, who is a Grandmaster in magical artifact creation. This hotel is his work. As for the island below, I stumbled upon it by chance; I’m not even sure what its effects are. Right now it's being underutilized."
After Yamata no Orochi uncovered his identity, Fang Lin Kong no longer hid the fact that he was from a different realm. He valued quality of life and found it difficult to live on an Offshore Platform without proper amenities like bathrooms or comfortable beds. Although Yamata no Orochi also had access to luxurious comforts, he didn't carry them with him; they were not as convenient as Flora Dam's Pocket Grimoire.
This magical hotel offered a variety of Chinese cuisines including the Manchu Han Imperial Feast and local delicacies from various regions, along with French steaks, Italian dishes, American fast food, and Japanese cuisine. The restaurant employed a group of little fairies who flitted about serving food and acting as waitstaff—making for an exceptionally enjoyable experience.
Not only did Tengu Zongyuan find this lifestyle astonishing as someone from Gouli Continent, but even Yamata no Orochi marveled at Flora Dam's craftsmanship after experiencing the service firsthand. The three of them sat in the most spacious and luxurious royal dining room, savoring aged red wine while admiring the night view of Lin'an City. They momentarily forgot about serious discussions and instead chatted about their experiences—Tengu Zongyuan shared tales of Gouli Continent's customs while Yamata no Orochi recounted his various adventures around the world. There was no need for them to hide their backgrounds from each other; Fang Lin Kong openly stated that they came from Earth in another dimension.
At this point, Tengu Zongyuan asked, "Since you are not from Gouli Continent, I assume you won't be involved in the internal disputes of the Lihan Empire?"
Fang Lin Kong quickly denied this and said, "We only wish to excavate some minerals that are no longer produced on Earth; we have no intention of interfering in Lihan Empire's internal affairs. Gouli Continent belongs to the Gouli people. We outsiders will absolutely not meddle in anything."
Tengu Zongyuan was initially skeptical but became intrigued when Fang Lin Kong began discussing concepts like freedom and equality, separation of powers, and international principles from Earth’s political landscape. Although he wasn't well-versed in such matters, they were quite novel compared to the backwardness of Gouli Continent. After hearing all these unique theories, Tengu Zongyuan finally sighed and said, "I have an old friend who devoted his life to achieving equality and freedom for the residents of Gouli Continent—everyone should have rights corresponding to their abilities. I once admired his ideals and concepts greatly. I never expected that the world you live in could be so wonderful—ten times better than what he envisioned!"
Upon hearing Tengu Zongyuan's exclamation, Fang Lin Kong spat out some red wine he had just sipped and hurriedly corrected Tengu Zongyuan’s misconceptions. He explained about various injustices on Earth throughout history—the darkness produced by progress such as slave trading and racial discrimination—and how entire populations were nearly exterminated to secure colonial footholds. In the name of statehood, citizens' properties were seized; one decree could lead to farmers losing all their land for grazing purposes. He cited an example of a building in Beijing that could accommodate millions of children for basic education at an extravagant cost that seemed unfathomable compared to Lihan Empire.
Upon hearing this, Tengu Zongyuan's expression changed dramatically. He asked anxiously, "Is there really no way in this world for common people to live better lives without being exploited by officials?"
Fang Lin Kong shook his head and said, "Countless lunatics on Earth have believed they could establish such a system. But the truth is, while an individual commoner might improve their life through personal effort, as a whole, the people are forever the objects of manipulation. The only possible path forward lies not in the system itself, but in how to elevate the self-awareness of the people and involve them in the governance of the nation. This requires the efforts of countless individuals, not just the enlightenment of a single person."
What Fang Lin Kong spoke was something he had picked up from watching online debates among angry youths, and he didn't fully understand it himself. Tengu Zongyuan listened and felt that what he said made a lot of sense, but when it came to summarizing it into a clear and understandable thought process, he found it somewhat lacking.
Although he didn't fully grasp Fang Lin Kong's points, after some detailed discussion, Tengu Zongyuan set aside his doubts and turned to ask how they were handling the soldiers from the Fengfeng Tribe. Upon hearing this question, Fang Lin Kong's anger flared up as he replied, "We captured these prisoners of war during battle, and logically speaking, they should be returned safely after the war. However, the authorities in Lin'an City are so incompetent that no one has come to negotiate for so long. We simply cannot bear the cost of feeding such a large group of people any longer; that's why we had to come here."
Tengu Zongyuan was taken aback. He had thought that since Lin'an City was dealing with its own affairs, it would be inappropriate for him to intervene, so he hadn't inquired about this defeated army at all. To his surprise, while the elders were busy entertaining him, they had completely forgotten about those soldiers.
When he asked about Fang Lin Kong's plans, Fang Lin Kong chuckled and said, "If Lin'an City doesn't take care of these people, then I will have no choice but to organize them into a labor camp where they must work to earn their food. If Lin'an City intends to negotiate a resolution, I heard that there is a group of Dog-headed Men being held in Lin'an City that are difficult to manage. I want to exchange this group of Dog-headed Men to work as miners."
After asking a few questions, Tengu Zongyuan learned that Hainan Duke Province has always discriminated against the Dog-headed Man tribe and often imposed unequal policies regarding employment. Originally, Hainan Duke Province produced black iron ore, which required a large number of miners for such dangerous work. Therefore, most members of the Dog-headed Man tribe relied on this for their livelihood. Recently, there had been several major mine collapses resulting in tens of thousands of Dog-headed Men losing their lives. Consequently, these Gnoll Miners had staged several riots. Most cities in Hainan Duke Province were holding large numbers of rioters.
Fang Lin Kong's proposal to use Gnoll Miners to call out to prisoners wasn't impossible. However, after hearing countless political theories earlier, Tengu Zongyuan still hadn't fully processed everything and said to Fang Lin Kong, "Since Earth places such importance on human rights, why do you have no sense of guilt about this kind of indirect exchange?"
Fang Lin Kong rolled his eyes and replied, "Theory is one thing; reality is quite different. These theories aren't mine! Just because I've heard them doesn't mean I believe them!"
After a moment of silence, Tengu Zongyuan finally understood and said, "I see now. Those who shout beautiful slogans and formulate seemingly equal policies are politicians. And those who benefit from these things are just a small group of interest groups among politicians; it has nothing to do with you common people. Am I right?"
Fang Lin Kong sighed and said to Tengu Zongyuan, who still seemed confused, "You got one thing right: I am one of the people!"
(To be continued)
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