Pawn Crossing the River

After the fire formed, billowing black smoke rose into the sky and turned into a black dragon, hovering in the night sky.

In the sea of ​​​​fire, tongues of fire kept rising and rising, like dragons leaping out of the water, and from time to time there were roaring and cracking sounds.

This is the Zhenwu concept at this time.

Some of the spiritual officials who had survived by chance were evacuating Zhenwu Temple. They were all in a miserable state, and almost all of them were injured.

Such a big movement also alarmed others.

The first one to arrive was the Soldiers and Horses Command Department, whose responsibilities are to patrol thieves, sort out streets and ditches, and deal with prisoners, fire bans, etc. Therefore, fire fighting is the responsibility of the Soldiers and Horses Command Department. However, in the face of such a fire, the first The number of rescuers who arrived was too small, and a few water trucks were of little use.

After the spiritual officials withdrew, they gathered together.

The Jiangnan territory has been peaceful for a long time. The Jiangnan Daofu Lingguan responsible for peripheral security cannot say that his swords and guns are in storage, but he rarely experiences such changes, so he is inevitably a little at a loss. However, the spiritual officers of Tiangangtang are "border troops" transferred from the border of the Western Regions. They have experienced hundreds of battles. Although they suffered heavy losses in the "Tianting" raid, they did not panic at this time and have already begun to organize the treatment of seriously injured people. , and be on guard to prevent a second raid.

According to the rules of Tiangang Hall, if the command system is broken up, the highest-ranking spiritual officer or Taoist priest will take command. At this time, the person in charge will be a third-level spiritual officer.

This is also one of the functions of the Taoist sect's grade system, allowing the scattered Taoist sect disciples to quickly integrate into one place and regain their organization and combat effectiveness.

This is also one of the main reasons why Buddhism was completely defeated during the dispute between Buddhism and Taoism. The two sides once had an extremely important battle that was not planned by both sides. Due to terrain and other reasons, the two sides fought into a huge "whirlpool". All the establishments were broken up, and the generals didn’t know where the soldiers were, and the soldiers didn’t know where the generals were. The situation was extremely chaotic. However, the Taoist sect relied on the grade system to quickly integrate into one place, and gradually divided and eliminated the Buddhist people who were fighting each other with the advantage of their numbers. , and finally won.

During this process, Buddhist people naturally tried to reintegrate, but the situation at that time was that no one was convinced by the other. This one said who his teacher was, how he came from a noble family, and the other said that he had the highest level of cultivation, so how could he organize it? ? Mere wrangling has delayed the opportunity to fight.

On the other hand, in the Taoist sect, Xuan Sheng has set the rules to death. No matter what one's background is or what level of cultivation one has, one's grade is the most useful thing.

Of course, there are also situations where high-grade Taoist priests are not as good as low-grade Taoist priests. For example, high-grade Taoist priests lack experience, are not proficient in command, etc. But again, stability cannot be restored, reorganization cannot be completed, and command cannot be mentioned at all. Therefore, the most effective plan is to quickly move closer to the person with the highest rank. To choose the lesser of two evils, the rules must be firmly established. .

After gathering the remaining soldiers, the high-grade Taoist priest can completely authorize the low-grade Taoist priest who is good at command to take command on his behalf, thus completing the temporary reorganization.

After the initial integration is completed, the next step will be like a snowball. Many separated middle and high-level Taoist priests will quickly get closer and then perform their respective duties according to their level.

Under such circumstances, Buddhism, which is still in disarray, is bound to fail.

This battle directly led to the Buddhist sect beginning to imitate the Taoist sect in restructuring, and was also divided into nine and twelve grades internally.

The fire alarmed all government offices. After the Military and Horse Command Department, the Qingluan Guards also arrived, but the Qingluan Guards were also helpless against the fire and could only evacuate some of the crowd who came to watch the excitement.

Fortunately, Zhenwu Temple is a relatively independent building. One side faces the lake, and the other three sides are streets. It is not adjacent to other buildings, so the fire will not spread.

At this moment, a group of cavalry rushed over quickly. The men and horses were all black. The knights' armor covered almost all parts, but it was not as heavy and oppressive as the heavy cavalry of the men in black. It was more like a group of heavy horsemen. The infantrymen, at a glance, were known to be elite spiritual officers affiliated with Jiangnan Daofu.

Bai Yingqiong, dressed in the formal attire of a Taoist priest, hurried over surrounded by more than a dozen high-ranking spiritual officials.

When such a big event happens, no matter what Bai Yingqiong thinks, he can't just sit back and watch.

Bai Yingqiong raised her head and observed the fire in Zhenwu Temple without saying a word, with no expression on her face.

One of the followers murmured: "This is the Zhenwu Temple, the Zhenwu Temple that has received the Grand Master."

Bai Yingqiong said softly: "Send people to put out the fire and rescue the wounded."

All the followers responded with a roar.

Bai Yingqiong took a deep breath and trembled slightly when she exhaled.

At this moment, there was no trace of schadenfreude in her heart, but only shock and anger.

Just now, my subordinates have found several surviving spiritual officials for questioning. According to the descriptions of these spiritual officials, the people who attacked Zhenwu Temple were actually equipped with "Sun-shooting Long Guns" and "Dragon Eyes Yiyi". Therefore, the spiritual officers stationed in Zhenwu Temple were only Not an opponent. Although Tiangangtang also has "Sun Shooting Gun" and "Dragon Eye Yiyi", these firearms will only be issued before the war and will not be equipped in normal times.

After Bai Yingqiong heard this, she was only shocked and angry. How dare they? How dare you break the rules so much?

This sneak attack happened to be at a time when Zhenwu Temple's defenses were empty. It could be said that it was just right. No one would believe it if there was no coordination between inside and outside.

At the same time, Bai Yingqiong also saw Taiping Dao's huge ambition and determination, especially the determination to realize its ambitions, which was far incomparable to Zhengyi and Taiping Dao.

By this time, the little dispute between her and Zhang Yuelu was nothing, after all, no eggs were left intact after the nest was overturned. If the big tree like Zhengdao falls down, even if he can become Master Cihang, it will be meaningless.

A Taoist sect with a family in the world can be regarded as bad news for people who are not directly related to Li.

Even if they don't take these things into account and just discuss the matter, they dare to attack Zhang Yuelu and Zhenwu Guan today, and dare to attack her daughter, but what about tomorrow? Don't you dare to attack her?

Thinking of this, Bai Yingqiong clenched the handle of the whisk tightly with her fingers, all kinds of emotions intertwined in her heart. ..

At this moment, a spiritual officer came to report: "Master Qi, we have found Deputy Hall Master Zhang."

Bai Yingqiong was startled. She couldn't tell whether she was happy or disappointed. She immediately said, "Where is Deputy Hall Master Zhang? Take me to see her."

"No need to bother senior sister." A voice said, and a group of well-preserved Tiangang Hall spiritual officers were seen walking towards this direction, led by Zhang Yuelu.

Behind Zhang Yuelu are Qi Xuansu and Mu Jin respectively. Especially Qi Xuansu, because of the real person Donghua, Bai Yingqiong's memory is particularly profound.

Then Bai Yingqiong discovered that Zhang Yuelu was still holding a human head in his hand, and he refused to rest in peace.

Bai Yingqiong didn't know what to say for a moment. Probably because of her complicated mood, she didn't even want to pretend to act anymore and asked Zhang Yuelu if he was injured, so she simply asked directly: "Junior sister, who is this?"

Zhang Yuelu raised the head in his hand: "Marshal Lei of the 'Tianting' was killed by me."

Bai Yingqiong was shocked.

The reputation of the two elders Fengling and Lei was not small, Bai Yingqiong had also heard about it, but he did not expect that Marshal Lei would die here, and he would also die in the hands of Zhang Yuelu.

She immediately realized something: "Junior sister has become a heavenly being?"

Zhang Yuelu nodded.

Bai Yingqiong opened her mouth, and finally she could only say: "Junior sister is indeed a genius."

Zhang Yuelu, however, was not happy: "'Tianting' dispatched two heavenly beings, and the other heavenly being, Marshal Tianpeng, is temporarily missing. I was also lucky enough to be able to kill Marshal Lei."

At this moment, someone else withdrew from Zhenwu Temple and carried a seriously injured person.

Qi Xuansu was the first to look, his eyes focused.

I saw that this man was about his age, with a weathered look on his face, and a scar on his face. At this time, his abdomen was stained with blood, and even his intestines were leaking out. He was already on his deathbed.

He recognized this person and was an old friend who he had worked with before.

When Zhang Yuelu just took office, he appointed six deacons. This person was the oldest of the six deacons, named Zhou Bai, a sixth-grade Taoist priest.

This time I also came to Jinling Mansion, but I didn't expect to die in Zhenwu Temple.

Zhou Bai reluctantly opened his eyes, moved his eyes slightly, and looked weakly towards Zhang Yuelu, opening and closing his mouth.

Zhang Yuelu also recognized Zhou Bai, took the initiative to step forward, leaned forward, and asked softly: "Deacon Zhou, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?"

After a long while, an extremely weak voice came: "I, I only have one daughter... not yet an adult... I lost my mother when I was young, and now I have lost my father, so I am now an orphan... Orphan, please, Deputy, Deputy Hall Master...take care of one or two..."

Zhang Yuelu closed his eyes for a moment, opened them again, and said in a slower tone: "Don't worry."

Zhou Bai slowly closed his eyes, and after a while, his breathing stopped suddenly.

Zhang Yuelu stood up and saluted the body. Everyone in Tiangang Hall who followed Zhang Yuelu also saluted.

Mu Jin knelt down and took out a handkerchief to wipe the dust from Zhou Bai's face.