Chapter 58

Zhao Futu stepped into the room and realized that there were not many people at the banquet, only a handful of four or five. Each person was seated on a low square table with a carpet underneath, kneeling on it, which was somewhat uncomfortable for modern people. With just a glance, Zhao Futu noticed that everyone present was a Contractee, and surprisingly, apart from Zhang Jue, there were no other characters from the story. These Contractees sat in various postures, seemingly unaccustomed to kneeling, with some sitting cross-legged and others simply sitting on the ground. This was quite impolite in this era, but Zhang Jue seemed to notice nothing, maintaining his gentle and warm demeanor as always.

A servant led Zhao Futu to his seat, which was the first on the left. This made the other Contractees glance at him with deep gazes.

These Contractees who had arrived earlier were all discontent. They still did not understand why, despite helping Zhang Jue defeat Lu Zhi and Dong Zhuo, they had not yet earned his true trust! Yet this Contractee who had just arrived at the Yellow Turban camp had gained Zhang Jue's trust simply by killing an unknown Dong Min, and was even appointed as a Yellow Turban general.

The difference in treatment was too great!

How could they be content? How could they not harbor resentment?

Zhao Futu knelt on the mat, with eight exquisite dishes and fine wine before him. The person below him had six dishes, and the one at the end had only four.

The Contractees' faces showed discomfort, but they dared not act out of line due to Zhang Jue's presence, though their faces were pale with anger. As modern people, their self-esteem was strong, and such clear differences in treatment were hard for them to accept. Only two of the Contractees seemed indifferent, which made Zhao Futu look at them more closely.

One was a woman seated at the first position on the right. She looked graceful, with a veil covering her face, thin lips, and long, delicate eyebrows. She exuded a sharp and commanding presence, giving Zhao Futu the most pressure among all present. She wore a large gray cloak that almost enveloped her entire body, but even so, her long legs were still noticeable.

Her hair was tied in a single ponytail, and her aura was vibrant. What shocked Zhao Futu the most was that she was wearing high heels!

In the task space, the Nightmare Space usually modifies the appearance and attire of Contractees to better fit the era, but this woman seemed to have resisted such changes, dressing herself as she pleased. Zhao Futu couldn't help but wonder what she was wearing underneath.

The woman, noticing Zhao Futu staring at her high heels as if he had seen a ghost, slightly curled her lips and ignored him.

The other was a pale-faced scholar, with skin so pale it seemed almost like that of a vampire. His features were handsome and refined, and even from a man's perspective, he could be rated above 80. When Zhao Futu entered, he glanced at him and then focused on the wine glass in front of him, his eyes fixed on his nose, and his nose on his heart, showing no interest in external matters.

"Everyone!" Zhang Jue raised his cup, his face beaming, and said to the Contractees at the banquet, "Today, with your help, I have defeated Lu Zhi and Dong Zhuo. All of this is your doing!"

"I toast to you all, please drink!"

Everyone raised their cups and said, "To the Great Virtuous Teacher!"

Zhang Jue drank in one gulp, looked at the few people present, and laughed heartily, "With your help, I will surely overthrow the corrupt Han court and rebuild a peaceful and prosperous era!"

"We are willing to serve the Great Virtuous Teacher!"

The Contractees all seemed to have rehearsed their lines, and Zhao Futu could only follow suit. The way of speaking in this era was somewhat different, though he couldn't pinpoint exactly how. However, the space wouldn't deliberately make things difficult for them in this aspect.

The banquet was just a formality. They exchanged a few toasts, and then Zhang Jue appointed Zhao Futu as a Yellow Turban general. The other Contractees, each harboring their own thoughts, exchanged glances and left one by one. Seeing nothing else to do, Zhao Futu also left. But he had not gone far when a mysterious guard suddenly appeared and said, "General Huangshi, the Great Virtuous Teacher requests your presence!"

Huangshi?

Zhao Futu was momentarily stunned, then realized that his alias was Huangshi.

He followed the mysterious guard through several corners and entered a mansion, turning into a room. Upon entering, he knew it was a study, where Zhang Jue was sitting cross-legged on a couch, reading a book.

"Great Virtuous Teacher..."

Zhang Jue looked up at him, his face devoid of the warm smile he usually wore, and said calmly, "Sit down. No need for formalities."

"I have a few questions for you!"

Zhao Futu did not sit but respectfully said, "I do not know what the Great Virtuous Teacher wishes to ask."

Zhang Jue put down his book, looked at Zhao Futu, and his eyes flashed with a sharp light. He said slowly, "They helped me defeat Lu Zhi and Dong Zhuo but did not receive such a significant reward. You, however, were appointed as a general for merely killing a minor figure like Dong Min. Do you know why?"

Zhao Futu was taken aback, his mind racing with thoughts. After a long moment, he slowly replied, "I do not know."

Zhang Jue stood up and came to Zhao Futu's side. He was tall and imposing, his gaze sharp as he looked at Zhao Futu and said in a deep voice, "They serve me, but they are not my followers, nor do they seek to establish a peaceful and prosperous era. They are merely after short-term gains."

Hearing this, Zhao Futu was stunned, realizing he had underestimated the leader of the Yellow Turbans.

His thoughts raced, and he couldn't help but ask, "How does the Great Virtuous Teacher know I am not like them?"

Zhang Jue smiled and said slowly, "You are different from them because you follow the Dao."

Before Zhao Futu could react, Zhang Jue continued, "I learned from the immortal Nan Hua, who bestowed upon me the three volumes of the 'Tianping Scripture,' teaching me the art of talismans and saving the people."

"If I am not mistaken, you practice the ancient method of internal cultivation, the art of inner alchemy. You must be a descendant of Zuo Ci, right?"

Zuo Ci?!

Zhao Futu was stunned, a realization dawning on him.

Here, it is important to mention the lineage of Daoism in China. One of the most famous figures is Ge Hong, the author of 'Baopuzi.' Whether or not he was a cultivator, he is known to some extent. Ge Hong was a disciple of his great-grandfather, Ge Xuan, who was a figure from the Three Kingdoms era.

The key lies in Ge Xuan.

He was a disciple of the famous Three Kingdoms figure Zuo Ci, from whom he learned the 'Taiqing,' 'Jiuding,' and 'Jinye' scriptures.

Zhao Futu's path was in the art of inner alchemy, specifically the method of 'Yuye Huandan,' which bears similarities to the cultivation methods in the 'Jinye' scripture. The lineage of talismanic Daoism began to decline seriously in the Three Kingdoms era, primarily because after Zhang Jue's death, the talismanic methods in the 'Tianping Scripture' were largely lost. The talismanic methods that were passed down later were mostly superficial.

Zhang Jue, during the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, saved people and led his disciples to areas affected by plagues. His followers either recovered through the use of talismans or did not survive.

Regardless of the historical accounts, one fact cannot be denied: Zhang Jue did save many people from plagues and diseases. Otherwise, the rapid growth of the 36 factions and the large number of people willing to sell all their possessions and join him would not have been possible. Even with modern scientific standards, it would be impossible to cure all diseases, and in the primitive hygiene conditions of ancient times, who could say that Zhang Jue was just pretending?

In an era where plagues spread from the dead, who could have done better than him under those conditions?

...

Zhao Futu took a deep breath and said slowly, "I do not know what the Great Virtuous Teacher wishes to ask."

Zhang Jue's face was solemn, and he closed his eyes in deep thought before slowly saying, "You and they are of the same kind! Your fate is not within the Dao!"

Zhao Futu did not speak, but his wrist twitched slightly.

Zhang Jue did not notice this and continued in a tone tinged with melancholy, "They serve me, but they have ulterior motives! At night, they gather secretly to discuss, unaware that within a mile, everything is within my sight and hearing!"

"They have said that, according to history, I will die of illness in two months, and the Yellow Turban uprising will be suppressed by the Han court! Tens of thousands of my followers will die!"

Zhang Jue's eyes suddenly flashed with a terrifying light, and he roared, "Is this true or false!?"

At that moment, his aura changed, and a massive pressure enveloped Zhao Futu. The terrifying power even condensed a bolt of lightning in the air behind him! The Nightmare Space suddenly emitted a series of urgent warning sounds, but before it could issue a warning message, it was suppressed and isolated from the room.

If Zhao Futu had opened his attribute page at that moment, he would have found it completely blank.

However, he had no time to think about that, as Zhang Jue's eyes, filled with tangible golden light, had locked onto his mind. Zhao Futu had no doubt that if he said even a half-truth, the bolt of lightning behind Zhang Jue would strike him, turning him into a charred corpse, and even his soul might not escape!

Life and death.

— Were just a thought away!

...

(I wrote these two chapters slowly, not daring to write too quickly, as I had to think deeply before putting pen to paper. I won't write too much about the Three Kingdoms, but since I am writing, I want to make it stand out. Please understand and allow me to write a bit slower over the next few days, giving me more time to think.

There is another update today.)

{Piaotian Literature}