15th day of the 7th lunar month.
Ghost Festival.
Night.
Forbidden City.
On the incomparably spacious Troop Counting Ground, there was a dense mass of people standing.
These people were all over seven feet tall. They were tall, muscular, and well-developed.
Their muscular upper bodies were naked, and their hands and feet were shackled with heavy iron shackles. They stood ferociously on the Soldier Counting Field paved with green flagstones, staring at the people on the Soldier Counting Field with murderous eyes.
Beside them stood an executioner with a red cloth tied to their heads.
All of the executioners looked extremely tough and fierce.
They were holding large sabers with red silk tied to them. They were expressionless as if they were gods of death.
There were ten thousand prisoners on death row and ten thousand executioners.
The black iron shackles, the red silk that looked like blood, the shining sabers, the thick murderous aura coming from the prisoners, and the terrifying murderous aura coming from the executioners. The entire field was filled with murderous intent.
On the field in front of the field, the Savage Corpse King, who looked like Dao Xian, stood with his hands behind his back. He wore a golden silk Taoist robe.
He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the tens of thousands of prisoners who were about to become zombie monsters. It was as if he was looking at a delicacy.
At the thought of tearing open the throats of these prisoners and drinking their fragrant blood, the Savage Corpse King couldn't help but gulp down a mouthful of saliva.
He had not enjoyed such a feast for a long time since he was subdued by the Maoshan Sect.
The Savage Corpse King raised its head and looked at the dark clouds in the sky, calculating the time of 'eating meat'.
According to his calculations, in less than half an incense stick's worth of time, he would be able to 'eat' legitimately.
"The Imperial Advisor has arrived!"
Just as the Savage Corpse King was swallowing his saliva and waiting patiently, an old eunuch's hoarse voice sounded from outside the Troop Count Field.
A huge golden palanquin with eight carriers was carried in from outside as soon as he finished speaking.
The palanquin was made of extremely rare sandalwood. It was wrapped in gold leaf and decorated with jade. It was carved with flowing clouds and flames, and the interior was covered with soft velvet. It was luxurious and ancient.
On the roof of the palanquin, a fist-sized ruby sparkled like blood. It was very eye-catching in this pitch-black night.
Four beautiful palace maids were leading the way with exquisite palace lanterns in their hands. A little eunuch holding a horsetail whisk was standing on one side of the golden sedan chair, following closely behind, waiting for orders at any time.
The person sitting in the golden palanquin was none other than the Maoshan Sect Leader and Great Ming's Imperial Advisor, Lu Yuanshan.
That bastard, the Imperial Advisor's residence is only a few hundred steps away from here, and he still put on such a grand display!
With his current cultivation, he could arrive there in an instant with just a thought!
What a dog of a slave, acting as if he had never seen the world! When I was the ruler of a country, your ancestors weren't even born yet. How dare you put on airs in front of me!
Seeing Lu Yuanshan's golden palanquin approaching, Savage Corpse King cursed in his heart.
But cursing was just cursing. He was still not Lu Yuanshan's opponent. He could only swallow his anger.
The Savage Corpse King tapped the ground with the tip of its foot and floated down from the platform, landing in front of the sandalwood golden palanquin.
"Put down the sedan chair," the young eunuch on the left said.
The eight sedan bearers slowly got down from the palanquin.
The young eunuch flicked his horsetail whisk and carefully lifted the coral curtain of the palanquin.
Lu Yuanshan, wearing a purple robe and a jade belt, slowly walked out of the palanquin.
"Master." Savage Corpse King lowered his head and cupped his hands, bowing to Lu Yuanshan.
"Mm." Lu Yuanshan's face was dignified as he casually responded.
"Long live the Imperial Advisor!" All the executioners knelt on one knee and saluted Lu Yuanshan in unison.
As for the ten thousand death row prisoners, they did not move at all.
They had already been sentenced to death by beheading. They were all people who were about to die, so who would care about the Imperial Preceptor?
Even if the Emperor came, they would not put him in their eyes.
"Rise." Lu Yuanshan said with a smile.
"Thank you, Long live the Imperial Advisor!" All the executioners expressed their gratitude and stood up.
"Dao Xian." Lu Yuanshan called Savage Corpse King.
"Disciple is here," Savage Corpse King respectfully replied.
"Is everyone here?" Lu Yuanshan's gaze swept over the death row prisoners and calmly asked.
"Replying to master, all ten thousand death row prisoners are here," Savage Corpse King respectfully replied.
"Have you told them?" Lu Yuanshan turned his head to look at Savage Corpse King and asked.
"Not yet." Savage Corpse King replied, "Without master's order, disciple does not dare to exceed his authority."
"Mm." Lu Yuanshan smiled, very satisfied with Savage Corpse King's answer.
"Withdraw all the executioners and let them guard outside the door. Without my order, no one is allowed to enter. Those who disobey will be beheaded." Lu Yuanshan smiled as he played with his slender fingers while speaking to Savage Corpse King.
"Yes, master."
Savage Corpse King was delighted when he heard this and opened his mouth to reply.
He understood that Lu Yuanshan was clearing the area to prevent outsiders from knowing about this matter.
Thinking of this, Savage Corpse King turned around and waved his hand at the executioners.
All the executioners understood tacitly. They raised their blades and lined up, walking out in a line.
"All of you also leave and wait for me outside the door." Lu Yuanshan turned his head and said to the bearers, palace maids and eunuchs beside him.
"Yes." Everyone respectfully replied. They lifted the sandalwood palanquin and left the military field.
On the large military field, only Lu Yuanshan, Savage Corpse King, and the ten thousand death row prisoners were left.
Seeing all the executioners withdraw, the death row prisoners were puzzled.
They originally thought that they were escorted here in the middle of the night to be beheaded on the spot. Now it seemed that this was not the case.
The death row prisoners looked at each other, not knowing what the State Preceptor in front of them was up to.
Lu Yuanshan slowly walked to the military field with Savage Corpse King following closely behind.
After arriving at the military field, Lu Yuanshan stopped and turned around to face the death row prisoners.
"Everyone, listen up." Lu Yuanshan cleared his throat and said to the prisoners on death row, "I've invited all of you here in the middle of the night because I have good news to tell you. Right now, the imperial court is giving all of you a chance to redeem yourselves. As long as you grasp this opportunity, you won't have to be beheaded. Instead, you can even be promoted and bring honor to your family."
Not be beheaded? Promoted and promoted? Bring honor to their family?
When the death row prisoners heard this, their hearts moved and their faces were shocked.
Survival was undoubtedly the greatest hope for people who were about to die! Anyone would be tempted if they were in his shoes!
Most of them were carefully selected from death row prisons all over the country before being escorted to the capital. They were already very puzzled. If a death row prisoner was to be beheaded, then so be it. Why was there a need to escort them all the way to the capital? It was superfluous.
Now it seemed that there was another mystery behind this matter.
If they guessed correctly, the imperial court needed them.
As for what they needed to do, it was very simple.
Most of these death row prisoners were famous bandits, bandits who occupied mountains and killed people without blinking an eye. Other than killing people, they did not know how to do anything else.
They heard that the war around the imperial court was tense. The soldiers of the four countries were at the city gates and swords were drawn. At this time, the imperial court spared them from death and let them atone for their crimes. Other than going to the battlefield to kill the enemy, what else could they do?
"You want us to go to the battlefield to kill? To serve the imperial court? "
Among the death row prisoners, a tall man with a curly beard and a body full of muscles asked loudly.
"Smart," Lu Yuanshan said with a smile, "I like smart people."
"Good, you prepare good wine and good meat for me, and find three women for me to play with. Then give me a thousand taels of silver, and I am willing to serve the imperial court, hahaha …" The strong man shook the iron chain and laughed loudly.
"Hahaha …" The death row prisoners also laughed loudly.
"If you want to reward, you can, but you have to wait until you return from the battlefield. Before that, you can't fulfill any of your conditions, including wine and meat," Lu Yuanshan said with a smile.
"If you don't give us wine and meat, what will we eat? Huh? "Another strong man among the death row prisoners asked loudly," Are you going to let us go to the battlefield hungry? "
"Hehehe … of course there will be food," Lu Yuanshan said with an evil smile, "Eating people."
"Eat … eat people?" The strong man asked.
He thought there was something wrong with his ears.
"Let me tell you the truth, tonight I will turn you ten thousand death row prisoners into half human half demon corpse monsters, and form a corpse monster army to deal with the powerful mysterious army on the battlefield. If you return victorious, I will find a way to restore you to human form, and then I will report to the imperial court to give you a promotion, and let you live a life of splendor and wealth. Of course, the premise is that you can come back alive and retain your consciousness. If you die on the battlefield, or come back bloodthirsty and become a walking corpse, then I can only send you on your way. Consider it your bad luck, "Lu Yuanshan said concisely and comprehensively.
After hearing this, the death row prisoners were at a loss, as if they were listening to a heavenly book.
Half human half demon, corpse monster army, walking corpse, they didn't understand Lu Yuanshan's meaning.
Lu Yuanshan turned his head and looked at the Savage Corpse King, indicating that he should explain this matter.
The Savage Corpse King understood tacitly, and explained the matter in detail to the death row prisoners.
After hearing this, the death row prisoners were silent, and they no longer looked at death as if they were returning home.
"If you are willing, you may live and turn over a new leaf. If you are not willing, then we will follow the original rules and execute you. This teacher will not force you on this matter, you can choose for yourselves, "Lu Yuanshan said as he picked up the teacup on the wooden table beside him and took a sip.
The death row prisoners frowned and lowered their heads to think.
On one side was death, without any suspense, and on the other side was a chance to live, but they had to become corpse monsters!
The death row prisoners fell into a dilemma.
"How is it, have you thought it through?" Lu Yuanshan put down the teacup and asked the death row prisoners.
"If we come back from the battlefield, how confident are we in restoring our human form?" One of the death row prisoners broke the silence and asked Lu Yuanshan.
"Didn't I just say it? As long as you can control your bloodthirsty desire to kill and retain your consciousness, I have absolute confidence in helping you restore your human form. Before that, I will take away one of your souls and one of your souls. First, I will make you listen to my orders, and second, I will ensure that your souls and one of your souls will not be tainted by the desire to kill. In the future, you will be able to get rid of your desire to kill to the greatest extent, "Lu Yuanshan explained.
"Alright, then I am willing to gamble. At worst, I will still die, and it will be considered atonement for my crimes!" The death row prisoner hardened his heart and said.
"Count me in!" Someone in the crowd agreed.
"I am also willing."
"I agree."
"I will also go …"
Among the death row prisoners, more and more people joined the corpse monster army.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
