The Villain's Counterattack

Fengyun left safely and returned to Tianxiahui. Nie Feng had gained a lot. His martial arts skills were almost the same as Xiongba's. The World-Destroying Demon Body was indeed suitable for him. With the help of the Ice Heart Sutra, he did not lose control. Instead, he had some control over Mahamudra.

Bu Jingyun was still as cold as ever, his aura fluctuating wildly, and his hair was standing on end. Xue Yuan and Nie Feng were still unwilling to give up, and tried several times, causing Bu Jingyun to suffer two lightning strikes, two avalanches, and fall into an ice cave.

It was not until Xue Yuan left obediently that his luck changed for the better. He left safely and rushed back to Tianxiahui.

The Goddess Xiaoqing, Shuiling, Duanlang and the Demon Lord observed carefully in secret and saw what luck was. Even drinking cold water would get stuck in one's teeth. Bu Jingyun's bad luck became extremely worse as he came into contact with Xue Yuan again and again.

"It turns out that destiny really exists." The goddess Xiaoqing felt her three views shattered, but the demon lord Bai Suzhen's eyes lit up and she started to make her own plans.

Seeing this, Duan Lang quickly changed the subject and said, "Zhishan Tower's covert manipulation of public opinion has become quite influential in the Songshan area. How's your original plan to save the people from disaster going?"

Upon hearing this, Demon Lord Bai Suzhen's face turned pale. She snorted and said, "Don't you know how it's going?"

As the Demon Lord's designated military advisor, she often delivered intelligence about Zhishan Tower and the rescue plan to him through various means, many of which were meant to ask for advice. Duan Lang mostly predicted various possible drawbacks and bad results, but rarely took the initiative to offer suggestions, which made the Demon Lord very dissatisfied.

Just as Duan Lang expected, the poor face many problems when they suddenly become rich. The power and prestige held by the rich make it difficult for the poor to move forward. Even if they suddenly become wealthy, they cannot put their wealth to good use and may instead get into even greater trouble.

"When painting on paper, a blank space is best. Forcing ink onto a finished painting will inevitably result in half the effort and twice the result." Duan Lang continued, "Not to mention that you don't want to stand out in the open and make yourself a target for everyone to shoot at, which undoubtedly increases the difficulty."

"What good plan do you have?" The Demon Lord had been waiting for him for a long time, but he didn't expect Duan Lang to raise two fingers in anger. The Demon Lord was furious when he saw this and raised his index finger angrily. Duan Lang thought about it and nodded slightly.

The two people's charades left everyone looking at each other in bewilderment. The goddess Xiaoqing was quite clever and quickly realized: "A favor?"

Duan Lang nodded and said, "Although I lost a little, it's not bad. If she wasn't unwilling to return a favor and only wanted me to do something to offset the favor, there wouldn't be any need for such trouble."

When the Demon Lord orders Duan Lang to do something, he usually pays him for it and never asks for favors, so Duan Lang can choose to do it or not, but when Duan Lang orders the Demon Lord to do something, he must ask for favors, otherwise nothing will work.

The Demon Lord has no shortage of gold, silver, treasures, and martial arts secrets, but he lacks talents like Duan Lang.

Moreover, although Duanlang can get extra benefits from doing things, such as settling Yu'er, he can gain a loyal, stable and reliable subordinate like Yu Sanlang to help secretly guard Fengyun, and take the goddess Xiaoqing, Xueyuan and Shuiling into his pocket. In addition to them, it is said that there is a big fool named Ah Hei in secret, who is also a good hand, but a little silly.

"There are three methods. First, drive the tiger to devour the wolf. The biggest obstacle you encounter is the local entrenched rich and unkind people. You can guide the government or the dragon generals who cross the river to challenge the sitting tiger. You will benefit secretly."

Before Duan Lang could finish his words, he was interrupted by the Demon Lord, "This trick may not be effective. If you don't do it right, it will lead to a wolf entering the house."

"It's certainly possible, but outsiders are still outsiders. It's not easy for them to gain a foothold. As long as we provide some assistance during their conflicts, extract some promises, and then mobilize capable people from the lower classes to unite, we can still achieve some results." Duan Lang said solemnly, "Let them gain more exposure, experience more, learn more, and earn wealth through their own efforts. This will greatly help them change their own destiny."

The Demon Lord hesitated a little, and the Goddess Xiaoqing agreed, but said that such people were only a minority, but they did exist. As long as they could remain calm and not be greedy, they would be able to hold Guo Jianglong hostage in a short period of time.

"Second, open up new land! The world is so big, and there are still many so-called poor mountains, bad waters and uninhabited places. Do such places really have no development potential? Not really, it's just that no one has taken the initiative to explore and advance." Duan Lang's words gave the Demon Lord some inspiration.

"As the saying goes, a tree that is moved will die, but a person who moves will live. When your life is threatened, it's all nonsense to say that it's hard to leave your hometown. If you can't even get enough food to eat, is it really important to stay in your hometown?" Duan Lang pointed out several places with some potential but currently uninhabited for the Demon Lord, and told him about the resources that could be developed and the development direction there.

"The master chooses his subjects, and the subjects choose their master. The land nourishes the people, and the people protect the land. If this place doesn't work for me, I'll find another place that will!" Duan Lang said proudly, "If we really encounter a hurdle that's too difficult to overcome, we can just move our entire family. You just need to give them a push and some guidance at the critical moment, so they can join us on their own initiative. But you must keep it a secret. Once a place like this develops, someone will definitely come to grab it."

"As the saying goes, barren land is uncultivated, but cultivated land is fought over. This is the truth. What the world lacks most are scoundrels and robbers who get something for nothing."

Upon hearing this, the Demon Lord nodded fiercely and said, "I am least afraid of slaves who come to my door."

"Third, overseas!" Duan Lang's few words shocked the Demon Lord and others. "Tell me about it?"

Duan Lang chuckled and said, "The world is so vast, and it's not limited to the Middle-earth Shenzhou. There are many islands overseas that can also accommodate human survival. It's just that islands are smaller than the Shenzhou mainland, and resources are relatively scarce, but that's only relative. Places that are despised by heroes and nobles may be where parasites thrive. I don't seek great wealth and honor, but a stable life is still acceptable."

"Even if the ruffians and bandits from the Middle-earth Shenzhou knew about that kind of place, most of them wouldn't want to go. Not only is it remote and desolate, but there are also many dangers and inconvenient transportation on the sea. Ordinary people wouldn't want to get involved."

"Everyone outside of Middle-earth is a barbarian. This idea is deeply rooted and difficult for the upper class to change, unless they are wise." Duan Lang made suggestions for the Demon Lord, disguised himself as the owner of an overseas island and the ruler of a barbarian country, and semi-publicly recruited people under the pretext of admiring the superior country of Middle-earth.

"Using something edible but not delicious as bait is the most appropriate, along with a sea fish to fill you up, and then showing off with a few slightly fishy sea foods that won't enter the upper layer, and deliberately feigning ignorance, will achieve twice the result with half the effort."

The Demon Lord and Xiaoqing looked at each other in surprise when they heard this, and then applauded at the same time. This kind of pig food was looked down upon by anyone who had a little bit of ability to survive starvation. Although it tasted like meat, it was difficult to swallow and was definitely not a good choice for them. But for the poor who could not get enough food, having something greasy and filling to eat was a good life like a god.

Hearing Duan Lang enumerate the various good and bad ways to prepare seafood, the Demon Lord's face showed a hint of suspicion. "You seem to be very knowledgeable about food, especially seafood?"

Could it be that he had already thought about fleeing overseas?

"I'm not only proficient in seafood, but also wild delicacies." For Duan Lang, who has lived in several worlds, there is nothing in life that he doesn't know, and he is very good at many of them, including cooking, casting, medicine, carpentry, architecture, music, chess, calligraphy and painting, as well as Qimen Dunjia.

"A favor, please help me open up a paradise, or build up a power on an overseas island." The Demon Lord knew what it meant to be easier said than done, and seeing Duan Lang seemed to be confident, favors would be the most useful at this time.

"Two favors. I will choose an island and also take over the peninsula or coastal wasteland facing the island. I will also complete the establishment of the island power and the desolate paradise."

"Deal!" The Demon Lord agreed immediately without thinking.

"It seems like you only have two favors. I proposed three strategies and you've already used one. Do you think you'd owe me a favor?"

"I can exchange it for books, knowledge, martial arts, gold, silver, medicinal herbs, and intelligence."

"Never mind. I don't need it right now. It's still a favor."

"You, you're not going to ask me for help again, are you?" The Demon Lord looked at him suspiciously. Duan Lang raised his eyebrows. "How about you do it yourself? Or, I'll choose a place, and I'll only be responsible for one, and you guys will be responsible for the other?"

"Your smile is very cunning, there must be something strange going on!"