Chapter 834: Who Is It

Chapter 834 Who is It

Hearing the abbot's words, the anxiety in Li Huowang's heart subsided.

As long as it did not delay his own affairs, no matter how sinister and bizarre their own household was, he would simply treat it as if it were invisible.

"That is well then. How is the grain situation? Now that there are mushrooms, sheep's milk, and cow's milk to fill the deficit, it should be much better, right?"

To Li Huowang's disappointment, Zhandu actually shook his head. "Benefactor Li, do not forget that ever since it became known that Youdu possesses grain, the people of the entire Great Qi have been rushing toward this place."

"No matter how much grain there is, it is never enough to eat. What is even more troublesome is that now there are not even enough dead people left to eat. If the pigs eat nothing but manure, it is exceedingly difficult for them to grow fat."

Hearing this, Li Huowang nodded. "Endure through it. Didn't you say the black soil over there yields three harvests a year? As long as we endure until the harvest comes, the troubles of Great Qi will be considered past."

"During this period, I will continue to bring grain continuously, striving to hold out until Great Qi becomes self-sufficient. In addition, regarding Great Qi's dragon vein, I have quieted my mind and thought it over carefully."

Hearing Li Huowang say this, Zhandu instantly pricked up his ears. "Does Benefactor Li have a solution?"

"I have no solution, nor could I possibly have one. I have taken care of the famine, but I will not interfere with the matter of the dragon vein."

Zhandu's eyes suddenly widened, almost believing he had misheard.

Li Huowang paid no heed to his reaction and continued onward, "I am a man of the Great Liang. First and foremost, I must certainly look out for the people I care about."

"Great Qi must ultimately rely on the people of Great Qi to be saved. If you wish to survive, you must cast aside past grievances and risk everything to pull through this crisis, rather than imposing your responsibilities upon an outsider like me."

"Furthermore, this matter truly has nothing to do with me. Helping you before was merely because I could not bear the sight of it."

Zhandu stared at Li Huowang with terror, as if looking at a total stranger. "You... Benefactor Li, could it be that you will simply watch with open eyes as they go to their deaths?"

"Do not use such words to pressure me. From beginning to end, this matter has had nothing to do with me. I owe you nothing. Does this Great Qi belong to me? Is everything under my jurisdiction?"

"This is something I learned from someone else—one matter is one matter. Although I truly want to help you, and I truly want you to survive, there are certain things that are more important than you."

"If you do not accept this outcome, then go find a way to change it yourself, rather than pinning your hopes upon others."

"Benefactor Li, think about it! As long as you can save Great Qi, the entirety of Great Qi will be yours. Whatever you desire, Great Qi possesses it all!"

"I will say it once more. I am a wandering Daoist cultivator indifferent to fame and wealth. Take those words of yours and try to tempt someone else."

Zhandu stood frozen in place for a long time. Ultimately, he accepted this reality with resignation, gave Li Huowang a Buddhist salute, and left in a hurry, unsure of whom he was going to consult regarding this matter.

Li Huowang watched his gradually receding figure from behind, saying nothing at all.

It was not that he did not wish to help; saving people was naturally for the better. The reason he spoke these words was that he did not want to stand at the very forefront in this kind of affair.

If the people of Great Qi truly united their efforts and risked everything to search for the dragon vein but still could not find it, it would not be too late for him to help then.

If one did not push these people, who could know whether they might succeed.

In the event that they found a way to discover it themselves, what would be the point of him wasting his own efforts.

Li Huowang stamped his feet forcefully upon the ground and directly departed from Zhengde Temple, walking along the broken roads of Youdu toward the outskirts of the city to see how the grain cultivation was progressing.

It could be seen that some new huts had begun to appear on both sides of the Youdu roads.

There were black lines upon the ground, all snapped out using ink markers, cutting the entirety of Youdu into individual blocks.

The laborers conscripted by the imperial court were currently clearing the ruins within those blocks.

Other items were disregarded, but any gold, silver, or copper coins excavated were entirely confiscated and turned over to the public.

Nearby, there was also an official tax and collection shop, currently exchanging grain for gold, silver, and copper coins—one tael of gold for one tael of rice, and ten taels of silver for one tael of millet.

From this, Li Huowang discerned some inklings; the Great Qi imperial court seemed prepared to re-establish a monetary system once again.

Several hunched figures walked past Li Huowang's side, currently refilling and smoothing out the pitted and rutted road.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion. It had to be said that certain matters indeed had to be handed over to professionals to execute.

Looking at the surrounding faces that, although gaunt, were no longer despondent, Li Huowang felt that everything he had done was entirely worthwhile.

Following this road, Li Huowang walked out of the city. Not far outside the city lay the black soil shimmering with green.

Rows upon rows of green sprouts upon the black soil were pleasing to the eye, and the nearby farmers were doing their utmost to fertilize and pour water, their cautious manner resembling how they would treat their own children.

These farmland fields stretched as far as the eye could see, and one could envision what a spectacular scene it would be when this stretch of land reached maturity.

Seeing an old farmer nearby fall to his knees to kowtow to him, Li Huowang pulled him up. "There are no issues with these fields, correct?"

"Bodhisattva, rest assured, these are all seeds bestowed by a Bodhisattva descended to the mortal realm. We dare not show the slightest negligence! This is all life-saving grain."

Having said this, a touch of indignation surfaced upon his wrinkle-laden face. "Yet I know not what scoundrel sent by a thousand strikes of lightning has been stealthily eating the sweet potato leaves! The moment one lets down their guard, a bite is gone; the moment one lets down their guard, another bite is gone. Even with people stationed to watch, they cannot be caught."

Li Huowang found this to be quite normal instead. With such a vast stretch of land and grain being so tight now, there would bound to be people with unclean hands; this was also entirely unavoidable.

As long as it did not delay the growth of this grain field, everything else could be set aside.

Just at this moment, the old farmer at the side called out excitedly toward the other farming families, "Everyone, come quickly! The greatly compassionate Bodhisattva has come to see us mud-legs!"

Hearing these words, the people tending to the crops all around put down the work in their hands and surrounded them excitedly.

Seeing more and more people gathering around, Li Huowang appeared somewhat displeased, and he prepared to depart.

Yet just as he was about to move his body, an excited elderly man blocked his path, appearing completely at a loss as if he did not know what he ought to do.

And just as Li Huowang focused all his attention upon him, several heavily calloused hands extended behind Li Huowang's back with residual shadows, firmly grasping the two spine swords, the copper coin sword, and the purple-tasseled sword, drawing them all out completely.

"Strike!"

Following a loud shout, all the farmers surrounding Li Huowang thrust their hands into their shirts in unison, directly pulling out various sharp weapons and stabbing them toward Li Huowang's body.

Li Huowang's body shifted positions rapidly, arriving at a distance of ten feet above in the air to evade the attack.

Yet in the very next second, an invisible sharp blade stabbed directly into Li Huowang's abdominal wall, continuously plunging deeper and tearing through his flesh.

Li Huowang's hands pressed down deathly hard against the sharp weapon in his abdomen, a murderous intent violently exploding in his eyes as he opened his large mouth wide and bit down savagely upon that invisible thing.

"Who is it that wants to kill me!?"

As Li Huowang tore with immense force, a ripping sound echoed, and that invisible thing was directly ripped into two halves by him.

Rapidly stepping his left foot against his right, flipping and maneuvering several times in midair, Li Huowang landed firmly upon the ground.

Looking at the surroundings where various weapons and Dharma treasures were being brandished as they rushed toward him, the incensed Li Huowang roared loudly toward everyone: "Who exactly wants to kill me!!!"

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