Zhang Rongfang instantly understood, stopped talking, and began to change the subject.
Seeing this, Zhao Yanting smiled slightly. He then brought up another major power in Citong.
"Speaking of which, we have other troubles in our area, and these troubles and the Chain Gang support each other, which is exactly what Zhang Shoujiao is responsible for."
"But is it about inappropriate teaching?"
"Exactly."
Zhao Yanting nodded and continued, "In Citong, there have always been two folk Secret Teaching operating in secret."
One branch is named White Ten. The other is named Reverse.
"White Ten Sect? Rebel Sect?" Zhang Rongfang repeated, "Could this White Ten Sect be related to the Black Ten Sect?"
"Indeed, the White Ten Sect is extremely large in scale and is the state religion of many Western countries. It is said that even their kings must undergo a ceremony held by their pope before inheriting the throne."
Zhao Yanting explained.
"The Black Ten Sect was originally a branch of the White Ten Sect. After submitting to my Great Ling, it changed its name and developed independently."
As for the Rebel Sect, it is much, much weaker than the White Ten Sect. Its destructive power is also weaker; however, no matter how we try to encircle and suppress it, it is like a persistent thorn in our side, impossible to remove.
The most urgent task is to suppress the White Ten Sect's influence.
"The princess must have planned this all along, so there's no need for the Prefect to worry. It shouldn't be long before things take a turn for the better," Zhang Rongfang reassured him.
"That's for sure. Now that Princess Yongxiang has come in person, these bandits will surely be like clay chickens and earthen dogs, sandy beaches Earthen Fort, washed away by the waves."
Zhao Yanting smiled and nodded.
Of course, that's what he said, but what he really thought is anyone's guess.
These shrewd individuals have already honed their acting skills to perfection.
Zhang Rongfang lacked experience and couldn't tell the difference between truth and falsehood.
While we were chatting idly,
The long convoy slowly began to approach the city.
When Zhang Rongfang several hundred meters away from the Citong, he could see the scenery in the distance.
On the wide, flat land, stands a boundless city of different colors, heights, and architectural styles.
There are no city walls, only a cluster of buildings that look like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
Many of them are architectural styles that he seemed to have seen before in his previous life.
European style, Arabic style, minimalist Nordic style, Stone Fortress, church, and so on.
Spires, domes, flat roofs, polygonal roofs—all kinds of buildings reflect different colors of light under the sun.
This is a city with a dazzling array of colors.
The Official Road became wider and wider, and the road surface was gradually paved with thick White Stone slabs.
On both sides, there are also trees of unknown species planted in proportion, with their shade hanging down, where many passersby stop to cool off and rest.
Zhang Rongfang took a deep breath and smelled the increased moisture in the air, with a faint salty and fishy odor.
As the road gets closer and closer to the city center.
On the flat land outside the Official Road on both sides, buildings and houses gradually began to appear.
The houses are mostly residential, and the buildings are mostly Inn and restaurants.
As the distance increased, the surrounding roads converged, and the flow of people increased.
The soldiers leading the way started banging gongs to remind passersby to make way.
Zhang Rongfang sat in the carriage, looking out along the road.
Everywhere you look, there are white, black, and yellow skin people mixed together, and surprisingly, yellow skin people are no longer the majority.
Many of them have curly hair, blonde hair, or red, brown hair, blue eyes, or green eyes, and their appearance is clearly that of Hu Xi People.
"Speaking of which, there's a joke about my Citong," Zhao Yanting said from the side.
Seeing Zhang Rongfang looking at him, he continued, "It is said that a wealthy businessman from Italy came to my Citong for the first time. He hired a translator and stayed at Inn."
He was suddenly awakened by hunger that night and decided to go out to find food.
You know, there is no curfew in Great Ling.
So he went out.
Before leaving, the hired translator, who was so tired, designated a street for him to find food on, otherwise he would easily get lost.
"Then the wealthy merchant agreed," Zhao Yanting laughed. "But when he went out, he found that none of the food on that street was to his liking."
The shops across the street, on the other hand, smelled delicious. So he thought, "It's only a short distance, I'll be right back."
Then he went."
"And the result?" Zhang Rongfang asked.
"As a result, the wealthy businessman didn't get to eat anything," Zhao Yanting said with a smile.
Why is that?
"Because the language spoken on that street is completely different from what he understands. The people there only sell food to people who speak their own language," Zhao Yanting explained.
"This is the current situation in my Citong. Lord Zhang may not know this, but there are 132 languages recorded in the entire Citong region."
It's no exaggeration to say that hundreds of countries from around the world gather here; in fact, it might even be an understatement.
Among these people, many are powerful and skilled individuals who, once they commit evil and succeed, vanish without a trace, leaving no one to catch them and making them virtually impossible to guard against.
Zhang Rongfang nodded knowingly.
He had gained a preliminary understanding of the chaos in this place. Such a region was indeed extremely difficult to govern, but what did it have to do with him? He was just here to observe; all he needed was a place to refine pills and cultivate.
Putting these thoughts aside, Zhang Rongfang and the Prefect continued their casual conversation, which could be described as lively and cheerful.
The convoy slowly entered the Citong City.
It feels like entering a world exhibition park, with houses of different styles mixed together along the roadside.
Western mercenaries, tyrannical armored swordsmen, red-nosed sailors with curved daggers and rapiers, and arrogant Noble in white stockings riding tall horses.
There are also traditional Sand Country women who are completely covered in white veils, with only their eyes showing.
Aside from these, the most conspicuous were the Da Ling Soldiers responsible for maintaining order, each of them averaging 1.8 meters tall.
They were dressed in full white armor, carried Crossbow and arrow quivers on their backs, and held iron spears and single-armed shields.
Through the T-shaped gap under the Helmet, you can see the eyes, nose, and mouth protruding from inside.
The equipment was luxurious, but the officers and soldiers stood lazily in place, not caring about anything, like statues.
Zhang Rongfang even saw that several of them were dozing off.
Boom! Suddenly, a blue firework exploded in the sky on the right.
Judging from the location, it should be an area a few streets away.
A loud, desperate shout drifted from afar.
"Heaven is dead! Gods and Buddhas lie in hiding! We warriors! What do we have to fear from death! If we wish to break free, the only way is through great rebellion!!"
"An outcast controls the government! They oppress the people! Anyone with a shred of courage should rise up and fight back!!"
The sound wasn't just one person shouting; it was a chorus of shouts from many other people.
There were men and women, young and old among them. The number wasn't small, but it wasn't many either.
There were only about ten of them.
Zhang Rongfang frowned and looked at Zhao Yanting and the other officials beside him.
They realized no one cared. It was as if this happened every day, and they were already used to it.
"It's alright, these are just members of the Rebel Sect, shouting slogans everywhere. They all run extremely fast, and we can never catch them. After a while, we just stopped bothering with them."
Zhao Yanting smiled.
"Anyway, nobody cares what they say."
"." Zhang Rongfang glanced at the direction of Princess Yongxiang's carriage and found that there was no movement there either.
As he listened to the shouts around him, he suddenly had an inexplicable thought of Worship God.
These people... this Rebel Sect seems to know something.
The shouting didn't last long, only seven or eight times, before it quickly faded into the distance and the person left.
Everyone around them went about their business as usual. Nobody cared at all.
Zhang Rongfang recalled the joke the Prefect had just told him. If the joke was true, then the shouts were indeed useless because not many people could understand them.
It's hard to imagine that a city could have hundreds of languages. Soon, the group arrived at the reception area specially set up in Citong — Far Star Residence.
The name is very small, and it's just a one-bedroom apartment.
However, this reception area is actually a large complex of buildings located on the mountainside of a small mountain called Han Ling Mountain.
The pavilions, terraces, Rockery, artificial hills, and artificial water features create a unique charm reminiscent of a southern family's homeland, complete with small bridges and flowing water.
As soon as Zhang Rongfang checked in, he immediately took his men out to the pharmacy to inquire.
What about Guardian and suppressing religious cults? That's all Yong Xiang's business. He needs to find what he needs first.
This time, without Master Chongxuan interfering, everything went quite smoothly.
He casually found a decent-looking pharmacy at the foot of Far Star Residence Mountain and ordered a Hundred-Year Red Ganoderma.
The next day, you can exchange money for goods.
After selecting the medicinal materials and preparing the medicine, Zhang Rongfang immediately began searching for a suitable place to refine the elixir.
Such a place needs to be spacious, uninhabited, and have running water.
Zhang Rongfang wandered around for a while, but before he could find anyone, he first encountered the abbot of He Xing Temple Daoist Temple, a local Great Dao Sect temple that had come to pay a visit.
"I am Qian Qiu, and I am late in welcoming you. Please forgive Daozi."
Inside the Far Star Residence, in the courtyard where Zhang Rongfang lived.
Zhang Rongfang sat on Prayer Mat under the tree, intently observing the old Daoist priest before him.
The old Daoist's skin was wrinkled all over, like the bark of an old tree, and his two old eyes were cloudy, as if he had severe presbyopia.
Even though he was sitting on the left side of the courtyard, this person was clasping his hands in a gesture of respect towards the center.
"Abbot, there's no need for such formality. Our sect has no distinction of rank or status," Zhang Rongfang said gently as he rose.
"When Daozi entered the city, did you hear any Rebel Sect shouting loudly?" the Qianqiu Elder suddenly asked.
"Exactly, I wonder what they mean by shouting. What does this Rebel Sect have to do with my Great Dao Sect?" Zhang Rongfang.
He didn't know what this person meant by mentioning the Rebel Sect as soon as he arrived.
"Does the Daozi know that this Rebel Sect claims everywhere that the gods worshipped by the various sects of the Great Ling are all villains, and that people should never join any sect other than theirs?"
When my Great Dao Sect went out to preach and teach, we were attacked by them. Later, the matter was dropped.
"The Qianqiu Elder sighed."
"In other words, if I come here to revive our sect, I will inevitably encounter the Rebel Sect and cause conflict?" Zhang Rongfang frowned slightly.
"Exactly." Qian Qiu nodded. "Therefore, Daozi, please be sure to take care of your own safety."
"Thank you for the reminder." Zhang Rongfang nodded, and then asked the other party if they had any Pill Furnace for sale. Only after receiving confirmation did he let the other party leave.
After that Qianqiu Elder completely left.
Chen Han, who was inside the courtyard, suddenly spoke up.
"Daozi, speaking of that Rebel Sect, I have had some contact with them before. I suggest you be careful."
"What do you mean?" Zhang Rongfang frowned slightly. Chen Han possessed Internal Method Spirit Vein, so for him to take the initiative to remind him showed that the other party attached great importance to this matter.
"That's how it is," Chen Han explained. "Nowadays, although the main path of the Great Ling is Worship God."
But many years ago, it wasn't like that. Back then, everyone pursued the path to the Extreme Realm a martial arts master.
Although the main body has changed, there are still some of these people who eke out a living in various corners of the world.
They believed that Worship God would lead to being controlled by Gods and Buddhas, turning them into puppets of the Gods and Buddhas, and losing control of their own lives and deaths.
Therefore, I have always insisted on practicing martial arts solely on my own.
"You mean, this Rebel Sect is this kind of power?" Zhang Rongfang's heart stirred; this Rebel Sect seemed to be very similar to what he had imagined.
"Exactly." Chen Han nodded. "In fact, this group of people Eastern Sect as their last stronghold. Not long ago, the Eastern Sect was also completely defeated and is about to disappear into the long river of history, completely eliminated."
No God Worshipping, relying solely on the human body, not to mention lifespan, just the physical strength alone—knife wounds, sword scars, a single hidden arrow, or a dose of deadly poison—can easily lead to a violent death.
He sighed, "Even if one cultivates to the Extreme Realm, to the level of a grandmaster, one cannot break through the limits of the human body. If one is hit by a spear, one still cannot defend against it, and if a vital point is hit, death is certain."
"Then why are some grandmaster-level experts so powerful? Even if Worship God can rapidly increase one's strength, as long as one reaches the grandmaster level, there should still be some hope of fighting against them, right?" Zhang Rongfang asked the question that had been bothering him for a long time.
"He was defeated but not killed. Besides, every grandmaster has a powerful background behind them," Chen Han replied in a deep voice.
"For ordinary people, the Grandmaster is the limit, the pinnacle. But for those who Worship God, the Three Voids levels of Spirit Vein are of the Super Grade. After Worship God, one's all-around qualities can be doubled."
In a fight between the two, Spirit Vein can lose many times, but a Grandmaster can only rely on skill to maneuver. If they make even one mistake, they will surely die.
You tell me, is it the grandmaster who is stronger, or...?
Chen Han's words made Zhang Rongfang fall into deep thought.
Combining what he had just learned from the Rebel Sect, he suddenly realized that this place, Citong, was quite interesting. His coming here was very likely not accidental.