I am a living immortal.

Chapter 563 Guiding the Country

It's just a special food.

This private room had a prime location, clearly reserved for the occasion. It afforded a view of the bustling streets. Judging from the waiter's respectful expression, Wei Ming held a high position here. It wasn't his status, but his prestige. After all, the waiter's respect was genuine; he could sense it in the diners' gazes.

This is not the same as a feared status, but rather a recognition from within.

Of course, this was mainly due to the disappearance of the foul odor. With the Chengde River's self-purification abilities, it wouldn't have lasted long without intervention. But the general public, unaware of this, attributed the situation to Wei Ming. He was a true magistrate, and the outward appearance of orderliness had unknowingly enhanced Wei Ming's prestige.

Lord Wei, now he is really Lord Wei.

"Are all towns like this?"

Wei Ming put down his chopsticks. "They're all pretty much the same. There's no longer any distinction between counties and towns along the riverbank; it's all called Yujiangguan. This is the most prosperous place, because there are so many docks here, and it's also considered the provincial capital."

In fact, there is no provincial capital in Yujiang Pass. Wherever Wei Ming is, that is the provincial capital.

Rumors abounded that Lord Wei had immense powers and connections, from the political world to the underworld, boasting he was omnipotent. Actually, not many things stumped Wei Ming; some even enshrined his immortality tablets in their homes.

The rumors became more and more outrageous, with stories of a banished immortal, a Wenquxing (literary star) descended from heaven, the reincarnation of an immortal or Buddha, and so on. This was also why the people from the Demon Slayer Division turned to Wei Ming for help. Of course, they were trying their best to save him.

"A year and a half?"

Wei Ming shook his head. "More than a year and a half. In fact, we had a premonition after the Lin Kingdom lost the first time. According to our predictions, a lean camel is bigger than a horse. Even if the Lin Kingdom is in trouble, it should be able to hold out for five to ten years. And this is indeed the case. The frequency of wars has obviously decreased, but the Lin Kingdom is still at a disadvantage."

"Plus, at the court of the neighboring kingdom, although the emperor, encouraged by his ministers, is gathering his remaining troops for defense, the general sentiment is generally pessimistic. The capital is too close to the front lines, and while there's no shortage of money, food is a concern. There are generals who could turn the tide of the war, but they lack elite soldiers, and there's not enough time to intensify training. The capital will be defeated in a year or two at most."

"Once the capital is destroyed, the real chaos will begin."

"That would also be a good time for Yan Dynasty to send troops?" said Shenlong.

"That's right, at least not now. After all, the country is still standing. Even if the emperor is incompetent, as long as the emperor and the imperial power are there, the country will not fall. And those truly ambitious people in Lin State will completely step onto the stage of history. Their loyalty is not to the emperor, but to the royal power of Lin State."

"Let's see how Linguo's final performance differs from the previous ones."

"This is also the reason why the emperor did not issue an order to separate the refugees gathered here."

Su Mu understood: "So Lin State really still has a chance to counterattack?"

Wei Ming shook his head again: "I don't know, no one knows. After all, with the whole country's strength, a miracle is not impossible."

"Success or failure depends on this battle. It's a gamble on the fate of the country." Su Mu understood.

Wei Ming nodded. "Actually, I don't like to rely on fate for success or failure, but I don't deny that this is a move that requires great determination."

Several of them seemed to be planning and winning a battle from thousands of miles away.

Su Mu agreed with Wei Ming's self-analysis. Gambling on luck before a battle was a last resort. If one could be fully prepared beforehand, the chances of winning would be much higher. Unfortunately, Lin State didn't have that opportunity. The treasury was empty, having already been squandered. The major families had already made their decision to gamble, providing food and weapons.

Maybe we can really put together an army that can fight to the death.

At this time, no one cared about why these aristocratic families were able to get together to form an army.

If it were the Yan Dynasty attacking, or if there was civil unrest, the aristocratic families would never have fought so hard. But the invaders were a group of small, scattered nations and barbarians. They claimed a century of imperial power and a thousand-year-old aristocratic families, but barbarians wouldn't reason with you, nor would they care about the consequences; they would only loot and plunder.

In fact, the aristocratic families had not expected to be beaten like this by a group of small countries.

It is possible that this extravagant lifestyle could ruin a century-long foundation in just ten years.

I just hope that our ancestors can take care of them.

Only by dampening the opponent's fighting spirit can they become a group of scattered sand.

Outwardly strong but inwardly weak, against a team of scattered individuals, it's hard to say who will win or lose. It's just a fight between weaklings. Normal predictions are impossible; anyone could win.

Su Mu thought of this and glanced at the people from the Demon Slaying Division.

"By the way, doesn't Linguo have an organization similar to the Demon Slayer Division?" It shouldn't be possible. After all, almost all the countries Su Mu had visited had such organizations. After all, the supernatural and the mysterious had a fatal attraction for the emperor, and after all, these mysterious things directly led to immortality.

Wei Ming nodded. "Yes, but Lin State is not like Yan State after all. Yan State has a strong sorcerer base, firstly because it experienced decades of civil strife, and secondly because of the legacy of Qingxuan Temple, which led to a large number of sorcerers."

"And the Lin Kingdom mostly relies on the City God Temple priests and some folk sorcerers."

"There are official ones, but they are definitely not as powerful as Yan Chao. These sorcerers have magical powers, but they are still mortal and can't play a big role in a war like this." Wei Ming explained.

"Come to think of it, some of them have escaped. The Demon Slayers have been keeping an eye on them. These people have adapted well, more so than some ordinary people."

Sorcerers are truly skilled, and because so many people have died in Yujiang Pass, strange things are happening all the time. These master sorcerers' reputations are immediately apparent in Yujiang Pass. Furthermore, talented people have no worries anywhere. Yujiang Pass has nothing but wealthy people, and people from all walks of life can thrive here.

So those warlocks who escaped were reluctant to leave.

The Demon Slayers kept a close eye on those with considerable strength, but there was no need to be overly aggressive, as they knew exactly where they were and what they did every day. Warlocks relied on reputation to make a living; fame led to money, and they were known to be quite high-profile. Furthermore, these capable individuals were not fools, having learned from others that an organization like the Demon Slayers would not seek death.

So while there were instances of sorcerers causing chaos, after killing a few unlucky souls, no one dared to act rashly again. In today's Yujiang Pass, death is a waste; no one will seek justice for you. In this chaotic zone, there's only a fragile order.