On the Avenue.

Chapter 187 Border Army Guard
The gathering of the scattered people finally dispersed, and the last group of scattered people also left. Chen Shi and Li Tianqing set out on their return journey. Along the way, Li Tianqing remained silent, still immersed in the shock brought to him by the scattered people's preaching. From time to time, he jumped down from the wooden cart and demonstrated one or two spells.

Every time this happened, Chen Shi would stop the car and wait, not interfering or participating, but allowing Li Tianqing to display his insights.

He could see that Li Tianqing had absorbed too many ideas from other people, and it was time for him to digest the knowledge and use it for his own benefit. If he was disturbed, it would interrupt his train of thought and inspiration, and would be equivalent to ruining his future.

At this time, just try to give him a quiet environment.

The spells Li Tianqing performed became more and more powerful and complex. At first, it was based on the Li family spell Six Yin Jade Wheel, and then it gradually had the shadow of Xiao Wangsun's swordsmanship. When it was halfway through, Six Yin Jade Wheel and Xiao Wangsun's swordsmanship had many other people's things.

First is the Five Elements Method of gold, wood, water, fire and earth, then there is the thunder method, talisman method, formation method, escape method, sacrificial warfare method, close combat method, and even the shadow of Grandma Sha's soul method!

He learned too many different things and knew more and more spells, but it was difficult for him to master them all.

But as he got closer to Gongzhou, Chen Shi found that his magic was becoming more and more sophisticated, delicate and smooth.

Various spells are cast with ease and naturally like flowing water.

Chen Shi's heart was moved: "Tian Qing performed every spell so smoothly, can it be considered as mastering it?"

He denied this view. Li Tianqing, like himself, was just learning different types of magic. When they accumulated enough knowledge, they would be able to see the essence of the changes in the Taoism from these magics and thus comprehend their own path.

Only then, he became a master.

Only then can you be called a true independent person.

Li Tianqing woke up from his meditation and found that the two had been delayed on the road for three or four days, so he quickly apologized.

Chen Shi smiled and said, "As a friend, I should wait for you."

Li Tianqing said with emotion: "Xiao Wangsun taught me a lot in the past, which benefited me a lot and gave me the correct method of refining the spirit fetus. He strongly recommended me to participate in the gathering of scattered people. After I came here, I realized that there are so many ways in this world. Xiao Shi, what have you learned these days?"

Chen Shi shook his head and said, "I didn't learn anything. I just comprehended the magical power taught by Hanshan Sanren and refined my soul at the same time."

Li Tianqing felt even more guilty and said, "I have delayed you for too long. You could have left earlier. By the way, I think the magic that Hanshan Sanren taught us is missing something. I will teach it to you after I think it through."

Chen Shi smiled and said, "I have figured it out. I just need to use the Xiao transformation in reverse. The true energy can be transformed into sword energy or other spells. Or, instead of using the paper crane, I can use the magic weapon to transform the treasure and preserve the true energy."

As he spoke, he gestured, turning the knife into a bird that flew around them, and then turned back into a knife.

"If you can multitask, you can divide your mind into many parts. My limit some time ago was ninety-seven parts."

Chen Shi's mind moved slightly, and the stones around the wooden cart suddenly turned into frogs under his magic. They croaked and jumped around the wooden cart, saying, "Now that my soul has become stronger, I don't know how much I can distract myself."

Li Tianqing leaned out to look, and was shocked to see frogs everywhere around the wooden cart, at least several hundred of them!
The two communicated with each other, and Li Tianqing discovered that Chen Shi had only learned this one move, but he had mastered it to perfection and it was extremely powerful. He admired him very much.

"Tianqing, do you know the Resurrection Lotus?" Chen Shi asked.

"Know!"

Li Tianqing said solemnly, "It is a kind of holy medicine for souls produced in the underworld. It is a rare spiritual root! It can be used to treat injuries to the soul, and it can also be used to improve the attainments of the soul. Many techniques in the world cannot refine the soul. The techniques that can refine the soul are all secrets of major families, and some are in the hands of famous sects. Therefore, the Soul-Returning Lotus is extremely precious, and can even be used to cultivate the Yuanshen. But this kind of medicinal material is rare and expensive."

Chen Shi took out a few soul-resurrection lotuses and said with a smile, "We are brothers. I will sell you these five soul-resurrection lotuses for one thousand taels of silver."

Li Tianqing was shocked and said in a lost voice: "How can I get this? This kind of treasure costs at least four or five hundred taels per plant. How can one thousand taels of silver be enough? Besides, even if I sell it to me, it is not worth one thousand taels!"

Chen Shi stuffed it into his arms and said with a smile, "You can eat it yourself, or mix it with medicine, or even sell it. Anyway, you take it. I have more here. I am about to vomit. Remember, you owe me one thousand taels of silver. My clothes for the past few days..."

Li Tianqing hurriedly put away the white lotus and said, "I'll help you wash it!"

He was overjoyed and said with a smile: "How can such a treasure be eaten directly? Of course it has to be made into medicine! The soul-resurrection pill made from it can save lives. One lotus can produce nine soul-resurrection pills, and one can be sold for five hundred taels of silver!"

Chen Shi's heart was moved: "Do you know how to make pills?"

Li Tianqing was not without pride: "I know a little. To be honest, in Quanzhou, in addition to earning some pocket money by washing clothes, I also make money by helping people refine pills. I am a well-known alchemist in Quanzhou. I make ten taels of silver for each furnace of pills!"

Chen Shi's eyes lit up, and he said, "Tianqing, if you help me refine... one hundred furnaces of elixirs, you don't have to pay me back the one thousand taels of silver you owe me."

"Really?"

Li Tianqing was overjoyed. His monthly salary was only fifty taels. Although he could make money by refining pills, the monks in Quanzhou might not always come to him for help. It was considered good if he could get one or two orders a month. When he went to other places, it was the territory of other alchemists and there was no business to take.

One hundred furnaces of elixir and one thousand taels of silver, this is definitely an unprecedented big deal!

He still felt a little sorry for Chen Shi for the money, and asked, "Xiao Shi, what kind of pills are you refining? Will it be a loss?"

“No loss.”

Chen Shi took out the box, opened it, and revealed that it was filled with Resurrection Lotus, at least three to five hundred plants. He smiled and said, "If I refine the Resurrection Pill you just mentioned, I can earn four thousand five hundred taels for one furnace of the elixir. Work hard, Tianqing. Oh, and help me wash my clothes, too."

"Xiao Shi, have you been robbing the King of Hell's treasury during this period?"

Li Tianqing suddenly felt like he had become a farmhand for a landlord. The look he gave Chen Daguanren was not the look of a good brother, but the look of a landlord who was exploiting him.

"But I also have five furnaces of Resurrection Pills!"

He became happy again, "One furnace is 4,500 taels... Wait, if I prepare the medicine, I will have to deduct a few hundred taels."

He was nervous.

The cost of one furnace of pills alone is more than one thousand taels. If a furnace is ruined, the cost will be enough to bankrupt you and make you work for Chen Shi for the rest of your life!
He suddenly felt the pressure. As a young alchemist, could he bear such great pressure?

"It shouldn't be a big deal."

He thought about it and said, "Although I am a junior alchemist, there are not many alchemists in Quanzhou who are better than me."

The two returned to Gongzhou City, but saw that many scattered people had not left the city. Waves of breathtaking magical power came from the distant east coast, which was extremely terrifying.

People in the city were in a panic, and many were packing up and preparing to move away from Gongzhou.

Chen Shi went to the main hall of Hongshan Hall and found that there was no one there, even the real bodies of He Tongzi and Hongshan Niangniang were not there.

The cook in the back kitchen and the stone lions at the door were also missing. Chen Shi hurriedly asked around, and someone told him, "There are monsters landing in the sea. Before the monsters changed, there were troops on the frontier to resist them, but now most of the troops have been killed in the monsters. The monsters have been testing for a while and are now landing. The Jade Master of Hongshan Hall took the talisman masters to the coast to resist. People from the Cao Lao Hui and Yan Lao Hui also went there, and I heard that many people died."

Chen Shi was shocked when he heard this. He couldn't help but think of the time when Qianyang Mountain Lord revived, took over his body, and came to the border outpost in Xinxiang provincial capital.

There is a huge and insurmountable city wall, on which is placed a giant bronze mirror that illuminates the sea and drives away sea monsters.

The provincial capital of Xinxiang is close to the coastline, and Gongzhou City is more than a hundred miles away from the coastline, separated by a branch of the Henggong Mountain. This natural barrier can resist monsters for a period of time.

However, Gongzhou City lost its governor, general and other important officials, and the border troops suffered heavy casualties, becoming a loose group. They would certainly not be able to stop the invasion of the monsters in the sea!
Chen Shi asked where Yu Tiancheng and the others were resisting, and was startled: "The sea monster landed at Yanxialing? Isn't that where the Mazu Temple is located?"

The two men didn't even take a break and immediately drove to Yanxialing.

Yanxialing is the place where Hongshan Niangniang was born. It is close to the dark sea. The mountains cracked open, and the body of Hongshan Niangniang crawled out of the mountain, absorbing the moonlight. She could not control her power and caused serious pollution, resulting in the death of all people and animals within a ten-mile radius.

Last time, Chen Shi also discovered the Mazu Temple in the Grand Canyon of Yanxialing.

They arrived at Yanxia Ridge and saw many talisman masters and monks running fast between the mountains on the coast, casting spells as they retreated. The mountains and forests were shaking, and the air was filled with the smell of seafood.

Suddenly, huge trees were uprooted and used as sharp arrows to shoot at the talisman masters and monks. It turned out to be an octopus-like monster!
The talisman masters and monks each mobilized their sword energy to split the trees into pieces, but then huge rocks fell from the sky and hit them.

Master Lu Xiang rushed out from the side and sacrificed his Nascent Soul. The force field of his Nascent Soul lifted the huge rocks weighing thousands of pounds into the air, but then more than ten huge rocks came crashing down.

Master Lu Xiang groaned. The Yuanying force field was almost holding up a small hill, making it a bit too much for him to bear.

His Nascent Soul whizzed and flew out like lightning, disappearing in a flash, passing through the monster's head and out from the back of its head.

The monster's body fell down with a loud bang.

Master Lu Xiang's Nascent Soul force field could not withstand the hill of dozens of huge rocks, and his legs trembled. Fortunately, those talisman masters and monks rushed out of the force field. He immediately flashed and caused the small hill to fall, with the huge rocks rolling everywhere.

"Scholar, why are you here?"

He saw Chen Shi and Li Tianqing rushing over, and without bothering to greet them, he shouted, "The monsters in the sea have come ashore. I can't take care of you. Take care of yourselves!"

Chen Shi said yes and asked loudly, "Where is the hall master?"

"The hall master is at the forefront!"

Lu Xiangzhu rushed into the mountains and forests in a hurry, leaping like the wind to fight other monsters.

He killed several monsters in a row and rushed towards the guard post on the top of the mountain.

The garrison had been occupied by more than ten monsters. The border troops guarding the garrison were originally short of manpower, and the remaining few soldiers died in the monsters' charge.

Master Lu Xiang rushed into the guard post and fended off attacks from more than a dozen monsters at the same time, feeling the pressure.

Suddenly, birds flapped their wings and flew over, rushing into the guard post, passing by him, and then turned into short swords and daggers, stabbing into the bodies of monsters, causing blood to splatter.

Lu Xiangzhu was startled: "Which expert is helping me?"

Without time to think, he rushed to the top floor of the guard post. The top floor was covered with blood, and it was obvious that the fighting was extremely brutal. The huge bronze mirror on the top floor had been dismantled by the monster and thrown aside.

Master Lu Xiang raised his Yuanying and struggled to stand up the bronze mirror, hung it on the bronze frame, and pushed the bronze mirror with great effort, activating the talisman patterns on the bronze mirror and the base.

"Buzz!"

Beams of light shot out from the mirror, forcing back the huge monsters that were galloping through the mountains and forests. The smaller monsters were illuminated by the light and exploded with a bang, and a fishy smell filled the air.

Countless monsters crawled out of the sea, climbed up the mountain like locusts, and swarmed towards the guard post.

Master Lu Xiang turned the bronze mirror frantically, and the light from the mirror shot out the monsters one by one. He looked crazy and shouted loudly: "Come here! Come quickly! Help me defend the guard post!"

Many talisman masters and monks from Hongshan Hall, Yanlao Society, and Caolao Society fought hard, guarding the passes leading to the garrisons, occupying dangerous places, and fighting with the influx of monsters.

From time to time, a scream was heard, and someone was rolled up by the monster and eaten.

"Boo! Hah! Hah!"

Birds flew over and turned into short swords, short knives and iron sticks, piercing through the monsters that landed one by one, helping everyone to resist the first wave of attacks from the monsters.

With this support, everyone fought hard, and the monsters gradually retreated back into the sea.

In the dark ocean, pairs of huge eyes appeared, shining in the darkness, staring at the guard post standing on the hilltop by the sea, but did not continue the attack.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and looked around for the person who could help them.

"What a wonderful magic! Who helped us survive this disaster?" they asked one after another.

Chen Shi and Li Tianqing had already driven deep into the mountains. From time to time, monsters would rush out from the forest and pounce on them.

Li Tianqing jumped out of the car and joined forces with Chen Shi to fight the monsters. The two killed several monsters in a row and headed all the way to the beach.

The wooden cart also opened its mouth wide, its long tongue flying and attacking in all directions.

Whenever they couldn't resist, a mirror light would shine in the sky, blasting the monsters that pounced on them. It was Lu Xiangzhu on the top of the mountain who activated the bronze mirror to help them go deeper.

Others didn't know that it was Chen Shi who came to help, but Master Lu guessed that the master who turned the bird into a sword must be Coach Chen, so he helped all the way and escorted them to the beach.

But on the coast and other hilltops, countless sea monsters had already landed and were everywhere in the mountains and fields, frantically attacking the guards on the hilltops!

Many coastal outposts had been captured, and some mountaintops were constantly shining with mirror light, forcing back wave after wave of sea monster attacks. However, the sea monsters surged in like a raging tide, and in just a short moment, they submerged one of the outposts!

Chen Shi and Li Tianqing were terrified. How could they resist so many monsters?

Chen Shi came to the edge of the cliff and looked down, but saw that the cliffs on both sides of the canyon were full of monsters, crawling madly and heading straight for the Mazu Temple on the cliff. Among them were monsters with amazing physiques, standing out among the monsters like a crane among chickens, roaring like thunder, and fighting against the souls of Yu Tiancheng and others on par with each other!
Chen Shi was shocked: "The target of these monsters is the Mazu Temple!"

(End of this chapter)