The new era of chaos begins in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 417

Chapter 147 Guan Family Secret Treasure

If the Song Dynasty chose to make peace with the Western Xia as it did with the Liao Dynasty, then from an extraordinary perspective, the Song Dynasty would be equivalent to giving up its right to inherit the orthodox Chinese culture, and would only be regarded as a local separatist force waiting to be conquered and annexed by the Lord of Heaven.

Sadly, due to some problems in the founding of the Song Dynasty and changes in the succession of the first two generations of emperors, the Song Dynasty royal family, who should have known the truth, were quite ignorant of it.

The Song Dynasty's army fought desperately with the Western Xia, but its commanders and decision makers did not know why they were fighting, and thus wasted countless great opportunities to win the final victory.

And waste will be punished.

In a sense, the Jingkang Incident can be regarded as God's backlash against the inaction of the Zhao Song royal family, but it also caused millions of ordinary people to suffer, so the Zhao Song royal family was guilty of a heinous crime.

Western Xia’s rule over the Western Regions also stopped outside Yumen Pass. Further west was the territory of the Western Region Uighurs.

The Western Region Uighurs were the most struggling force in the Western Regions, because to its west, the poor Black Khanate had sunk into the hands of the evil spirits. Every once in a while, war gangs composed of chaotic evil followers would pour into the Western Region Uighurs from the Black Khanate to burn, kill and loot.

Khotan in the south of the Western Region Uighurs was declining, and countless corrupt monks from Khotan who were carrying plagues were trying to infiltrate the territory of the Western Region Uighurs.

The Western Region Uighurs struggled hard in the face of the invasions from both sides. To their north was the Liao Empire that spanned the northern desert, and to their east was the secluded Western Xia. These two countries blockaded and isolated the Western Region Uighurs, leaving them with no way to retreat.

Oh! The Western Region Uighurs were not completely without a way out. To their southeast, the Yellow-headed Uighurs, who shared the same fate, were located in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the roof of the world, to the south. Although the land was a bit barren and the environment was a bit harsh, it was at least a place with depth.

Even though the Western Xia fought the Song Dynasty every year, they were even more wary of the Western Region Uighurs.

Hundreds of the most elite and experienced soldiers from the Western Xia capture army were stationed at Yumen Pass.

But they are not the main force. The real main force defending Yumen Pass is the thirteen generations of demon-suppressing people.

The heritage of this group of demon-suppressing people is extremely special, as their ancestors were the thirty-six demon-suppressing generals who followed Ban Chao, Marquis of Dingyuan, to sweep across the Western Regions during the Eastern Han Dynasty.

The first battle between Ban Dingyuan and the thirty-six demon-suppressing generals was a thousand-mile surprise attack that beheaded the fallen high priest of the Huns, who had just been promoted to the Demon Lord of the Wanbian system. This allowed the Western Regions, which were about to sink, to return to the big family of human civilization.

In the surprise attack on the fallen high priest of the Huns, ten demon-suppressing generals were killed on the spot.

Afterwards, the Demon-Suppressing Generals led the coalition forces of the Western Regions to sweep away the evil demons in the Western Regions and fight against the Northern Hun invaders who were infected by Chaos. Especially in the Battle of Shule City, twenty-six Demon-Suppressing Generals, led by their leaders Geng Gong and Guan Chong, led hundreds of ordinary soldiers in a bloody battle, resisting the siege of tens of thousands of Chaos Hun cavalry for half a year. When the reinforcements from the Central Plains arrived in Shule City to relieve the siege, there were only thirteen seriously injured Demon-Suppressing Generals and thirteen Demon-Suppressing Apprentices who had been in the sect for less than half a year left in Shule City.

Afterwards, the surviving demon-suppressing generals and apprentices followed the Han army that came to support them and returned eastward.

But in the end, only thirteen of these demon-suppressing generals and apprentices were able to reach Yumen Pass. Among them, only four were former demon-suppressing generals: Geng Gong, Shi Xiu, Zhang Feng, and Fan Qiang, and the remaining nine were all demon-suppressing apprentices.

From then on, the thirteen surviving Demon Suppressors took root in Yumen Pass. In the following thousand years, no matter how dynasties changed in the Central Plains, the inheritors of the thirteen Demon Suppressors always guarded this ancient pass.

Even though this land is now ruled by the Dangxiang people, the descendants of the Thirteen Demon Towns still stubbornly guard the Yumen Pass.

In the early days of the founding of the country, the Tangut people of Western Xia experienced several tragic turmoil because they were not vigilant enough against the chaos and evil demons. In particular, the depravity and madness of their founding monarch Li Yuanhao made them heartbroken.

From then on, Western Xia gave almost unconditional support to the demon-suppressing people stationed at Yumen Pass and Yangguan Pass, providing them with manpower and supplies. When they really couldn't get enough people together, they directly sent a large army to invade the territory of the Song Dynasty and plunder.

The Iron Harriers, the most elite army of Western Xia, were actually a super elite force formed by mixing unqualified sharp soldiers who retreated from Yumen Pass and Yangguan with Dangxiang warriors who were similar to the sons of generals.

This also means that a situation has emerged that makes Xixia feel quite confident.

In the minds of the Western Xia people, they have always been fighting against the Song Dynasty with second-rate troops, and the truly strongest fighting force has always remained in the two major passes to fight to protect the eastern land. Therefore, although the Western Xia is small, it psychologically has a somewhat condescending mentality towards the Song Dynasty.

Of course, if the Xixia people wanted to regard the two pass demon-suppressing people as their trump card to fight against the Song Dynasty, it can only be said that they were blindingly thinking.

Because compared to most demon-suppressing people, the Thirteen Demon-Suppressing Inheritance is more transcendent. They only care about the double barrier (chaos) inside and outside, and never pay attention to the changing flags of the king on the city walls.

Chen Shen knew a lot about the inheritance of the Thirteen Demon-Suppressing Techniques of Yumen Pass, but it did not come from the Demon-Suppressing Secret Files, but from the disabled Demon-Suppressing Person he had treated before.

Due to the important strategic position of Yumen Pass and Yangguan, in the first year when Chen Shen established Siming Mansion, the demon-suppressing people at the two passes all got quotas for disability repair. However, the thirteen demon-suppressing inheritors of Yumen Pass were too stubborn and did not trust the new Siming Mansion, so they gave the quotas to the demon-suppressing people stationed in Yangguan.

Different from the purity of the demon-suppressing people in Yumen Pass who were passed down from generation to generation, most of the demon-suppressing people in Yangguan came from the Song Dynasty or the Liao Dynasty. The personnel mobility was relatively large, and they had a high degree of trust in the upper echelons of the demon-suppressing people. Therefore, they had no objection to the quota of Siming Mansion, and they sent four disabled demon-suppressing people to Xiangzhou in the first year.

Needless to say, the final result was that half a year later, the four demon-suppressing warriors returned safely.

Their return caused a huge sensation.

You have to know that when they left, they were still disabled people with missing limbs; when they returned, their defects had been restored and they became powerful demon-suppressors again, even more powerful than before they were disabled.

Moreover, the difference in appearance between the new limbs and the old body tells everyone that their limb regeneration is real and consistent with people's commonly known phenomena.

Of course, after the shocked Yangguan Demon Guards were convinced of Siming Mansion's capabilities, they came up with a plan of their own.

The returnees also brought back the next batch of healers' quota, but the demon-suppressing people of Yangguan temporarily concealed this from the demon-suppressing people of Yumenguan, and they occupied the demon-suppressing people of Yumenguan's healing quota for the second time.

However, not long after the second group of disabled demon-suppressing people from Yangguan left, the secret they were hiding was discovered by the demon-suppressing people from Yumenguan.

A powerful group of Chaos evil warriors launched an attack on Yangguan, while Yumenguan sent some personnel to support.

The leader of the demon-suppressing people among the supporters keenly discovered the abnormalities in the first group of people who were cured.

The four demon-suppressing warriors who once lost their fighting ability due to their disabilities were now able to roam freely among the chaotic evil followers and kill people in all directions without any damage.

Even if they deliberately concealed their figures on the battlefield, how could they hide from the sharp perception of the demon-suppressing people? The demon-suppressing people at Yumen Pass only spent a little effort to find out the truth of the matter.

Then the demon-suppressing people of Yumen Pass and Yangguan fell out, and a fierce conflict broke out between the two sides. Finally, the incident was settled with the mediation of the Taoist sect and the Liu family of the northwest.

This was the only large-scale internal conflict caused by treatment quotas since the establishment of Siming Mansion. Chen Shen was deeply impressed by it.

It is also because of this that Chen Shen pays more attention to the demon-suppressing person at Yumen Pass.

He and Dou Chong'er appeared on a small barren hill south of Yumen Pass through the internet. After identifying their location, Chen Shen took Dou Chong'er to Yumen Pass.

Yumen Pass may not be the most dangerous pass in the world, but it is definitely one of the most difficult passes to conquer.

The reason is very simple. It is absolutely impossible for any army to conquer this place without sufficient siege equipment. However, this pass is surrounded by wasteland and Gobi desert, with scarce trees and vegetation. If one wants to obtain wood and other materials for making siege equipment, one must go at least a thousand miles away.

As for using human wave tactics to climb the city wall?

Sorry, the Huns had tried this before. They almost wiped out tens of thousands of elite soldiers, but they still failed to capture Shule City, which had only a few hundred people. The ruggedness of Shule City was far inferior to Yumen Pass.

There is only one way to break through Yumen Pass, and that is to conquer it from the inside.

Of course, there is another stupid way, which is to send troops to block Yumen Pass from the east and west, cutting off the inside and outside, thus trapping Yumen Pass. When the Mongolian army destroyed Xixia in the future, it used this trick to capture Yumen Pass.

When Chen Shen appeared outside Yumen Pass, a group of evildoers disguised as a merchant caravan were trying to capture the gate of Yumen Pass. Unfortunately, their plan was unsuccessful. The city wall ensured that even if these evil people occupied a gate, they would be helpless against the entire Yumen Pass's defense system.

Chen Shen naturally contributed a lot to the protection of Yumen Pass, and he intercepted and killed several escaped fish.

However, this did not make the demon-suppressing people in Yumen Pass relax their suspicion and vigilance towards Chen Shen, until Chen Shen revealed his identity and displayed the exclusive token of the demon-suppressing general - several strands of the princess' hair that had the effect of isolating spiritual energy, packed in a magic bag woven with jade thread.

If most of the hair had not been consumed in the Iron Ruins, Chen Shen should have had more of the princess' hair in his hands.

Not all demon-suppressors in the world possess the hair of the princess as a token of their love, but those who possess the hair of the princess as a token of their love must be powerful and important demon-suppressors.

Chen Shen and Dou Chong'er were politely invited into Yumen Pass, and then several demon-suppressing people who had had contact with Chen Shen before - they were all disabled patients treated by Chen Shen - were surprised by his appearance.

Anyone who has seen Chen Shen in Siming Palace knows his importance. Even if they don’t know that Chen Shen is the real Lord Siming, they also know that Chen Shen holds very important inside information about Siming Palace.

The leader of the demon-suppressing people inside Yumen Pass was called Guan Zhong, the true direct descendant of the righteous and brave Emperor Guan Yu. He was not the same as the so-called "direct descendant" of Guan Sheng, the later Pudong Inspector.

Among the thirty-six demon-suppressing generals who followed Ban Dingyuan to sweep across the Western Regions, Geng Gong was the first, followed by Guan Chong.

After Guan Chong died in battle, the Thirteen Demon-Suppressing Sect's inheritance entered Yuguan. One of the branches was the inheritance of an orphan of the Han family adopted by Guan Chong (who was also Guan Chong's apprentice). This orphan of the Han family did not forget Guan Chong's kindness, so he chose an outstanding son from Guan Chong's descendants as his second-generation disciple.

Due to the uniqueness of the Demon Suppressor inheritance (it is easy for problems to arise when the son inherits the throne after the father's death), this branch of the Demon Suppressor has formed a unique tradition - to pass on the inheritance to every other generation.

In other words, this branch of the Demon Suppressor has been passed down from generation to generation by descendants of the surname Guan, and the disciples of the Demon Suppressor surnamed Guan must not have the surname Guan.

Guan Yu, a famous general in the Three Kingdoms period, was the descendant of Guan Chong, the demon-suppressing general. However, Guan Yu was born at the wrong time, and it was his uncle who inherited his ancestor's demon-suppressing power (and was chosen as the heir).

It was unexpected that Guan Yu's talent was unrivaled throughout the ages. He actually awakened his thoughts on his own on the battlefield and achieved the reputation of a martial saint.

The next generation of Guan family who inherited the Yumen Pass Demon Suppression legacy was Guan Yu's grandson Guan Tong, the brave general who was recorded in history books as having died young. In fact, he faked his death and escaped to become the new Yumen Pass Demon Suppression commander.

Guan Zhong is the descendant of Guan Tong's branch.

Speaking of which, since Guan Gong, the descendants of the Guan family have become very interesting.

To judge whether a member of the Guan family has the talent to inherit the magic-suppressing legacy, one only needs to look at their appearance.

Any member of the Guan family who is born with phoenix eyes, long drooping eyebrows, a face as red as a date, lips as red as rouge, and long flowing beard must have good talent and can be said to be the destined general to suppress demons.

Guan Zhong is a tough guy who inherited the looks of his ancestors, with phoenix eyes, drooping eyebrows, a red face and red lips, except for a short beard under his chin that makes him look a bit out of place.

When he saw Chen Shen, he asked, "Why are you here, brother Chen?"

Chen Shen said, "Brother Guan, I have something important to do and need to go to Xihe. My little brother has nowhere to stay for the time being, so I have no choice but to ask you for help."

Guan Zhong smiled when he heard this, but said, "As long as Brother Chen has given us an order, we will obey it. Why should we be so polite?"

Chen Shen shook his head and said, "Brother Guan, I am not being polite, but I am really making things difficult for you. I heard that there is a special secret room under Yumen Pass. If a person enters it, he will be imprisoned for a thousand years and will be immortal for a thousand years. I have been persecuted by evil spirits and my vitality has been severely damaged. I need to take a big medicine every day to prolong my life.

I have important matters to attend to and cannot take care of him for the time being, so I have no choice but to borrow your precious treasure to protect him for a while."

Guan Zhong's expression suddenly became serious when he heard this.

The secret room under Yumen Pass is nothing but a treasure from heaven discovered by Guan's ancestors. It has the ability to freeze time, and Guan's descendants call it the [Spring and Autumn Cicada].

Of course, it also has another scientific name, called [static field].

This secret treasure is known only to the descendant of the Guan family in Yumen Pass and another descendant of the Zhou family (the descendants of the orphan adopted by Guan Chong). Ordinary people rarely know about it. The fact that Chen Shen knew about this only shows that his origins are extraordinary.

(End of this chapter)