355 Once, Part 1

The common people, those in power, create an illusion.

Zhang Rongfang was already somewhat disgusted by these things.

Because no matter what, his true identity in this world is actually Zhang Rongfang.

Zhang Rongfang, on the other hand, came from Barbarian Confucian.

In other words, he was actually what the other party called a "lowly person".

Ning Hongli said a lot, mostly about how to guide him in thinking about the underlying principles.

But from every angle, he is completely separated from ordinary people.

The two chatted as they walked. Until Ning Hongli had to leave alone halfway through, Zhang Rongfang didn't say another word, only offering simple replies.

As night falls and the city lights come on, the night market in Mian Qiu County gradually comes into operation.

Barbecue, pancakes, and various fruit drinks—the subtle aromas waft everywhere, tempting all who smell them.

But at that moment he had no appetite for food or drink at all.

From his casual conversation with Ning Hongli earlier, he had already foreseen that once his identity was exposed, he would likely face a difficult choice.

The Great Dao Sect's choice regarding him.

Unless he is willing to demonstrate words and actions that completely abandon his own origins.

Otherwise, after regaining his senses, Zhang Rongfang closed his eyes and opened the Attribute Panel.

'Regardless, let's take it one step at a time. Perhaps a solution will emerge by then.'

He'd better check how many Attribute Points he'd gained from his Golden Toad Skill first.

At this point, the Free Attribute Points column in the Attribute Panel has increased by 3 points.

Six days have passed since the last breakthrough, and today is the seventh day.

'So it really is two days and one hour?!' Zhang Rongfang felt relieved and increasingly comfortable.

No matter how difficult the external rules and restrictions are, as long as he sees the growth of his Attribute Points every day, he will always have continuous hope.

I threw all my Attribute Points into the Life Attribute. I watched it rise from 207 to 210.

Satisfied, Zhang Rongfang closed the Attribute Panel and planned to buy some food to take back.

He was standing at a crossroads.

Facing ahead, there are three barbecue stalls, two wonton stalls on the left, and a dessert shop on the right.

He glanced around and was about to head towards the dessert shop when he suddenly stopped and stood still.

"That is!?"

Zhang Rongfang's gaze moved rapidly, quickly locking onto the slender figure selling barbecue.

The woman had almond-shaped eyes and willow-leaf eyebrows, long hair cascading down her shoulders, and wore a simple gray cotton dress, yet it still couldn't conceal her graceful figure.

Compared to many years ago, she seems to have matured a lot, and her figure is much fuller.

That once innocent and willful pretty face has now transformed into a gentle and clear one, carrying a See Through worldly wisdom.

'Xiao Qingying!?'

Zhang Rongfang recognized the woman's identity.

He still remembered that the beloved daughter of his first master should have mysteriously disappeared at Qinghe Temple.

How did you end up here?

He unconsciously walked over and stood in front of the barbecue stall.

There aren't many martial artists in this small County Town, and naturally, there aren't many like him who are over two meters tall.

Standing in front of the barbecue stall, he immediately stood out from the crowd of customers, looking completely out of place.

Xiao Qingying looked up at him.

"What kind of skewers would you like, and how would you like them? You might have to wait a little while, as there are still quite a few people being grilled here. For the prices, please see the wooden sign on the right."

Her voice was completely different from before; it had become soft and clear.

Zhang Rongfang realized that he had changed so much that the other person did not recognize him at all.

Back then, Zhang Rongfang was just a nobody at Qinghe Temple, but now, at the Great Dao Sect, he's a big guy.

Years of rigorous training and practice have brought about physical and mental changes that have made him completely different from the Zhang Rongfang of the past.

So now, even if he doesn't change his appearance, no one can recognize him.

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Rongfang hesitated, but ultimately refrained from speaking and disturbing her life.

"Ten skewers of meat, medium spicy, please." He took out his money pouch, counted out a few large bills, and handed them over.

Since the other person seems to be living a good life now, then don't bother them.

He sighed inwardly.

In reality, although he seems to be living a glamorous life now, he is actually walking a tightrope.

One wrong step and you'll fall off the cliff and be smashed to pieces.

His unwillingness to Worship God will be exposed sooner or later.

At that time, even the closest Great Dao Sect, Heavenly Treasure Palace, and even the Thousand Stone Sect, which he currently sees as his hope, might covet his strength because of his unknown origins.

Therefore, from the beginning until now, Zhang Rongfang has always been very clear that his only reliance is himself.

One's own strength is everything.

Soon, the meat skewers were grilled, sprinkled with chopped Scallion, and handed over.

Zhang Rongfang took it and looked deeply at Xiao Qingying, his memories of Qinghe Temple from back then flashing through his mind like fleeting shadows.

He paused for a moment, but still didn't say hello. Instead, he turned and walked away.

"Xiao Ying, business is good today." Suddenly, a new male voice, tinged with age, entered his ears again.

Zhang Rongfang's heart skipped a beat, and he turned around abruptly.

He was originally planning to leave, but then he heard that voice.

He turned and looked back at the barbecue stall.

Really!

To Xiao Qingying's right, a Goatee Old Man was walking slowly towards her with his hands behind his back.

The old man had sunken eyes and a mean-looking face. He had an Iron Kettle hanging from his waist and a pair of Tortoiseshell Glasses around his neck.

This person was none other than Zhang Xuan, his second master at Qinghe Temple! Zhang Rongfang's throat bobbed. He wanted to step forward and acknowledge him, but at this moment, he was Zhang Ying, not Zhang Rongfang.

There are likely experts from the Jade Void Palace protecting him in the vicinity, so he cannot expose himself.

Having traveled all the way from Great Capital to Ze Province, he had come to understand that one cannot rely on luck in many situations.

Now that my status and position are different, I must be careful about my words and actions at all times, otherwise, once my identity is exposed, it will bring disaster to those close to me.

In particular, Master Zhang Xuan has another identity.

Zhang Rongfang gave Zhang Xuan a deep look, then turned and left, heading back towards the Inn.

Qinghe Temple was one of the Rebellion Base. Now, with uprisings taking place in various parts of Ze Province, Master Zhang Xuan has reappeared nearby. Is it a coincidence? He doesn't think so.

They quickly returned to the Inn, Zhang Rongfang was about to write a note in his room to remind Master Zhang Xuan to leave as soon as possible.

Knock knock knock.

"Xiaoying, come out for a moment. We've called for a quick assembly." Ning Hongli gently knocked on the door.

Zhang Rongfang quickly put away the note he had written, a bad feeling suddenly creeping into his heart.

"Understood, Senior Hongli."

I pushed open the door and stepped out of the Inn.

Shangguan Feihe was not outside, but many of the others had already gotten up and gathered on the right side of the street in front of the door.

Grandmaster Shang Dingye had clearly become the temporary leader at this point.

He was holding a Paper Scroll that appeared to be a secret letter in his hand. He unfolded it and examined it closely, his brows furrowed.

After reading it for a short while, he gently crumpled the Paper Scroll and scattered it.

"Everyone, prepare to cooperate with the outside to seal off the entire County Town!"

All the experts from the Jade Void Palace present were taken aback.

"Master Shang," one of them asked in a deep voice, bowing, "The entire Mian Qiu County has been sealed off. Could it be that this was discovered here?"

"That's right, Prefecture Lord Shangguan has already gone to intercept and kill the high-ranking members of the rebel Rebel Alliance. He will return soon. The entire Mianqiu has been infiltrated by the Rebel Alliance. It has become the rebels' stronghold! It must be wiped out!" Shang Dingye said in a deep voice.

"But there are over 300,000 people in this entire County Town. We can't possibly have enough manpower!" Ning Hongli frowned.

"The Garrison has already been dispatched from nearby areas. The entire County Town, including the Prefect's own Garrison, has been infiltrated and must be completely wiped out." Shang Dingye spoke calmly, yet his words sent chills down one's spine.

Many people present looked grim.

Not everyone is a serial killer; this isn't just a few, it's hundreds of thousands!

Even though the Great Ling People have the most people and are constantly plundering people from the outside world, they still massacre entire cities at will. This kind of behavior is not a good experience for anyone.

"Gentlemen, carry out the order." Shang Dingye coldly surveyed the crowd. "In these extraordinary times, we don't have time to screen the identities of each rebel. Only by making an example of them can we show them that creating chaos is pointless! It only brings death!"

Bang!

Just then, a cannon blast suddenly exploded in the distance.

Then came a barrage of gunfire.

Zhang Rongfang's heart skipped a beat as he realized the gunshots were coming from the nearby area leading into the city.

The screams of the living, the terrified screams, the anguish, the roars of men, the weeping of women, the wailing of children.

At that moment, everything flooded into his keen ears like a torrent.

"Why must we resort to such violent methods? This is Ze Province, our territory. We can slowly blockade and then screen people!" Zhang Rongfang couldn't help but step forward and speak out loudly.

"We don't have time." Shang Dingye glanced at him indifferently. "If we don't seal off the operation and execute them completely as soon as possible, it is very likely that the high-ranking members of the Rebel Alliance will flee at the first sign of trouble. Such an outcome would render our operation largely meaningless."

Zhang Rongfang narrowed his eyes, wanting to say something, but his hand was gently grasped by Ning Hongli.

The master's old flame shook her head slightly at him.

"This is Prefecture Lord Shangguan's order, and we have no right to interfere."

"."

Zhang Rongfang was thinking about Zhang Xuan and Xiao Qingying, the barbecue stall owners.

He couldn't control others, but he used to think that the Great Dao Sect was a Daoist sect that originated from commoners and was rooted in the lower Daoist Sect.

But now it seems he was wrong.

Perhaps in the Heavenly Treasure Palace lineage, it wasn't this cruel.

However, in the Jade Void Palace, the interests of the Great Dao Sect, which belonged to powerful Great Clans, were laid bare at this moment.

"Alright, everyone, disperse and move freely. Remember, no matter how much wealth you acquire, half of it will eventually be handed over to the palace. Do not keep any for yourself," Shang Dingye said coldly.

"Yes!"

Some of them began to breathe heavily.

For them, what's most satisfying about massacring a city? It's breaking down doors like opening a chest and plundering its wealth! Besides that, they can also casually drag whoever they fancy into the shadows and humiliate them at will.

After doing this so many times, people become numb to it and indifferent to it. Instead, they treat it as a form of entertainment.

Only a small number of people who still retain some conscience look grim and remain passive and negative.

The dozens of people quickly dispersed.

As the Spirit Army entered, some of them rushed back to the Inn attacked the guests inside.

Amidst the sounds of doors being broken down, these elite warriors of the Jade Void Palace had completely transformed into monsters unleashing their bestial desires.

Screams, cries, and even some guests pretentiously scolding others, taking advantage of their status.

But it's all meaningless.

Anyone who resisted was beaten to death on the spot.

The experts from the Jade Void Palace who were dispatched this time were almost all Spirit Guard Spirit Vein.

They are impossible to kill. Unbridled and rampaging, like unleashed beasts of destruction, they wreak havoc on everything in their path.

Zhang Rongfang stood there, listening with a grim expression to the changes happening at the Inn behind him.

He didn't deal with it, but instead glanced at Ning Hongli beside him.

"I'm fine. Don't worry, I understand. I won't do anything reckless!" he said earnestly.

Ning Hongli looked at him with concern.

"It's alright, go do whatever you want. They are all lowly people, criminals, and deserve to be punished. Just don't treat them as human beings, treat them as playthings or livestock," she comforted softly.

However, her words of comfort only made Zhang Rongfang feel more depressed.

"I understand," he replied softly.