Chapter 112 Ruzhou

The Henan region is blessed with outstanding people and vast resources; it is populous and has been a strategic battleground for every dynasty.

Yet now, due to the drought, it shows some scars.

As Jiang Chen traveled along the way, the further east he went, the more he could clearly sense a feeling of withered vitality.

I do not know if it was a coincidence, but this time, Jiang Chen happened to pass by the place where he had previously confronted Master Chengjue.

There was still a trace of moisture in the original rice fields, and the brownish-black soil was cracked with lines.

The original rice had already been harvested, leaving only the stalks in the fields.

They had been traveling for a day from Chang'an to this point, which was twice as fast as their previous trip to the capital.

"Daoist Priest Jiang, although this place is arid, one can still feel a trace of moisture. But if we go any further, I fear it will truly be a thousand miles of scorched earth."

Jianzhen said with a look of pity.

"It is truly strange. The sun here is not more intense than in Chang'an, yet it feels drier and hotter than Chang'an."

Accompanying Jiang Chen and Jianzhen were two Imperial Agents responsible for keeping records.

They were responsible for recording the actions of Jiang Chen and the other along the way, which would serve as the basis for assessing their merits later.

However, the Imperial Agents did not walk with Jiang Chen and his companion; instead, they followed far behind, sometimes even subconsciously hiding their tracks.

After all, one was a candidate, and the other was an examiner.

If they walked together, it would inevitably arouse suspicion of cheating and lead to speculation.

However, given Jiang Chen's cultivation, he could naturally sense the presence of those two.

They had been following closely all the way from Chang'an to outside the Jingzhao Prefecture.

"Daoist Priest Jiang, those two..."

"It is fine. They are irrelevant."

"Although this place does not belong to the Huainan or Henan Circuits, there are signs of drought emerging. If it does not rain soon, I fear it will eventually spread here. Fellow Daoist Jiang, why don't we pray for rain here before moving on?"

"That suits me perfectly!"

Meanwhile, two others were also heading towards the Henan Circuit.

These two were none other than Zhang Huaiyi and Zhang Gaoxian from Mount Longhu.

Unlike Jianzhen, these two did not separate but traveled together.

"His Majesty setting this task is truly advantageous for our Daoist school. The art of praying for rain and wind is our specialty."

"As for those bald donkeys, hmph, what do they know about the method of praying for rain?"

"This time, in the competition among the younger generation, it is surely a sure thing that you will take the top spot."

"The opportunists of the Jingming Sect are not to be feared."

"The Louguan Sect focuses on star divination; in terms of rain-praying techniques, they are no match for you."

"The Three Sovereigns lineage Cultivates earth vein techniques and is not versed in this path either."

"The Complete Perfection lineage is nothing more than mediocre."

"As for the other Daoist temples, they are all just worthless rabble!"

"This time, you only need to pay attention to Jiang Chen of the Maoshan Sect. Previously in Chang'an, I observed his cultivation, and I fear it is not inferior to yours. The Great Immortal Master of Maoshan took him as a Disciple; he must have exceptional qualities, so do not underestimate him!"

Along the way, Zhang Huaiyi had already exhorted Zhang Gaoxian at least three or four times.

Zhang Gaoxian was actually long since impatient. Jiang Chen was just a newcomer who had gotten lucky and apprenticed under a good teacher.

He himself had trained diligently through cold and heat; if he still couldn't beat him, wouldn't all that cultivation be in vain!

But he showed no sign of it on his face, continuing to act respectful and accepting the advice humbly.

"Junior Martial Uncle, I understand," he said.

Then Zhang Gaoxian continued to ask, "Junior Martial Uncle, traveling with me might cause you to fall far behind the others. Are you not worried about not receiving a good evaluation from His Majesty?"

Zhang Huaiyi smiled with confidence and then said.

"This time, so many of us are going to subdue the demon, but there is only one demon. Therefore, only the one who finally succeeds in subduing the demon can gain His Majesty's favor."

"Moreover, this demon can cause a thousand miles of scorched earth and corpses everywhere in the Huainan and Henan Circuits. It is likely not an ordinary monster; they may not be able to take down this demon anytime soon."

"It is better to let them go ahead as the vanguard, and I will go to finish it off. Naturally, this will make the prestige of our Mount Longhu unparalleled!"

Hearing that Zhang Huaiyi would not be leaving anytime soon, Zhang Gaoxian felt somewhat disappointed, but on the surface, he still acted extremely impressed.

"Junior Martial Uncle, this strategy is truly brilliant. You can sit back and reap the rewards as the fisherman, gaining both fame and fortune!"

Zhang Huaiyi was also extremely pleased with himself.

"After another two days, I will head to the location of the demon. By then, there will naturally be a resolution."

As the two walked, judging by the direction, they were in a different location than Jiang Chen and his group.

But if they wanted to go to the Huainan Circuit, they would eventually have to converge on the same path. I fear there will be some talk then.

"Junior Martial Uncle, I see the rice fields here are withered, and in some places, you can see wildfires. It looks like the conditions of a drought. Could it be that we have already reached the Henan Circuit? Should we pray for rain here?"

"There is still some distance to go. We are still in the Capital Region. Let's pick up the pace; let's not waste our True Qi and energy."

"Very well!"

And behind them, the Imperial Agents following from afar noted:

'Mount Longhu Daoists Zhang Huaiyi and Zhang Gaoxian, concerned for the people of the Huainan and Henan Circuits, have traveled without rest, passing through Mount Funiu in the Capital Region, heading straight to Zhongmou, Zhengzhou.'

'Maoshan Sect Daoist Jiang Chen and Vinaya School monk Jianzhen, passing through Ye County to Ru Prefecture, saw the dry weather and felt pity. Thus, the Maoshan Sect Daoist grasped thunder, called for wind and rain, and in an instant, rain fell like fine needles upon the land of Zhengzhou!'

The two Imperial Agents finished their notes and then carefully ran to a place to take shelter from the rain.

A heavy rain fell, dispelling some of the dryness in Ru Prefecture. The flowers and plants that had been on the verge of withering now had green shoots appearing, showing signs of spring returning to the land!

The common people who had been hiding at home to escape the heat or save energy were quite excited to suddenly hear the heavy rain; they found various pots, bowls, and basins in their homes to collect the rainwater.

"This rain is good! This rain is truly wonderful!"

Jiang Chen and Jianzhen walked along the road, occasionally seeing commoners using various utensils to collect rain.

"Daoist Priest Jiang, is your Origin Qi alright? The rain just now was all thanks to you."

Jianzhen asked, his face looking slightly pale.

Jiang Chen shook his head and said, "This Daoist is fine."

In fact, his True Qi was abundant, several times more than other practitioners of the same Realm.

Moreover, during the rain-praying just now, Jianzhen had exerted the most effort. Because he had proposed it, he felt it was necessary to lead by example.

It was just that he was not very skilled at the art of praying for rain, which caused him to consume a lot of True Qi, and in the end, his effectiveness was not as good as Jiang Chen's.

However, by working together, the two still successfully summoned a heavy rain in Ru Prefecture.

"This humble monk has a lotus seed here, which was produced by the spiritual lotus in the temple. Consuming it can nourish one's energy and replenish True Qi. Please accept it as this humble monk's compensation."

There was a hint of reluctance in Jianzhen's eyes, but he appeared calm and indifferent. He reached into his robes and pulled out a clean cloth, which was wrapped around a tiny lotus seed glowing with a pink lotus light.

Jiang Chen looked at him and knew that if he did not accept it, Jianzhen would likely continue to blame himself the whole way.

So he accepted it generously, "Then this Daoist thanks you, Fellow Daoist."

Only then did Jianzhen beam with joy.

"It is only right, it is only right."