After everyone dispersed, Yang Tuo said to Jiang Ziya: "We need to prepare early to avoid being caught off guard."
Jiang Ziya nodded and immediately ordered Yang Jian to go to Huoyun Cave, but he did not bother the two masters about anything.
Yang Jian was familiar with the route, so he asked him to go to Huoyun Cave again and go to the Holy Emperor Shennong to ask for something to restrain the acne poison.
Xiqi's army temporarily stopped their offensive. If Tongguan was breached, Yu De would lose his ties and become even more difficult to deal with.
If he follows the army, makes sneak attacks from time to time, and secretly poisons him, then the army will inevitably be defeated over time.
Xiqi paused the offensive, and Tongguan guard Yu Hualong let out a long breath. Although the danger was temporarily relieved, the 600,000 troops outside the city were still weighing down on him like Mount Tai.
Yu Hualong was frowning all day long, and his four sons had also lost their former vitality. He originally thought that the world was so big that he and others could also occupy a place.
Unexpectedly, he had a big battle with Xiqi and saw the strength of Xiqi's generals. The pride in his heart was extinguished and he lost all energy.
Just when everyone was at a loss what to do, the fifth son, Yu De, descended from the sky in a flying light. As soon as Yu De returned home, he saw his father and four brothers, all looking sad.
He couldn't help but ask: "Father, brothers, why are you so worried?"
Yu Hualong was originally happy to see Wuzi, but when Yu De asked, he thought of the Xiqi army outside the city.
Suddenly he frowned again, and Yu Hualong said to Yu De: "Originally, my father and son guarded Tongguan and lived a worry-free life. Unexpectedly, Xiqi's army came eastward and broke through Qinglong Pass, Jiameng Pass, Sishui Pass, Jiepai Pass, and Chuanyun Pass along the way.
There are five important towns in the pass. Now the troops are approaching Tongguan. We went out to fight, but we were killed and defeated!"
"When you return to Tongguan, you should have seen the scene outside the city. Xiqi's 600,000 troops are approaching the city. My father is really not happy." Yu Hualong finally sighed.
Yu De raised his eyebrows, looked outside the city, and replied: "I have certainly seen the scene outside the city, but all the brothers have different skills, so they can't beat Xiqi?"
Yu Hualong sighed: "We were also full of confidence. Unexpectedly, there was a big battle. There were many monks in Xiqi's army, all of whom were disciples of the Taoism. Their Taoism was profound and we were no match for them. We managed to escape back to the city with great difficulty.
"
After hearing his father's words, Yu De looked at his brothers again. Seeing that his brothers all had sad faces, he knew that what his father said was true.
However, outside the city there are all disciples of the teachings, who possess Taoism. Although he has practiced Taoism for many years, he knows it well, and his magic power is not very good.
If we go to battle, I am afraid that I will not be able to defeat the Xiqi generals. Yu De paced back and forth, gritted his teeth at the end and said: "Father, don't worry, I have a method that can defeat the army outside the city!"
Yu Hualong was overjoyed when he heard this and said: "If my son has any clever ideas, tell me quickly!"
Yu De's heart skipped a beat, he didn't want to do this method at first. Because once this method was opened, it could not be taken back, and it would cause endless disasters.
But now that the army is pressing down on the country, if he fails to win, his whole family will die on the spot. He doesn't care so much anymore.
Yu De looked at the expectant expressions of his father and four brothers and said: "I studied with Wu Yunxian from Jiejiao. The teacher made a kind of pox poison. As long as it is used, the army outside the city will be completely wiped out in seven days!"
When Yu Hualong heard this, he couldn't help but ask: "Is there such a magic trick? Come quickly!"
Yu De said: "I still need to make some preparations, otherwise the pox poison will spread into the pass, and I'm afraid there will be endless disasters."
Seeing this, Yu Hualong could hold back his excitement. Yu De took a bath to purify himself, and asked his four brothers to also bathe and change clothes, and cast spells together at night.
At night, Yu De first cast talismans on each of his four brothers to prevent them from being harmed by the pox poison.
He also took out five brocade handkerchiefs and spread them on the ground in five colors: green, yellow, red, white and black, and distributed them according to the five elements.
Afterwards, he took out five small buckets, each containing poisonous pox. The five brothers stood on the brocade handkerchief, and Yu De stepped on the gang to fight, made hand seals and recited incantations, and then sacrificed the talisman.
The brocade handkerchief instantly turned into five clouds, still in the five colors of green, yellow, red, white and black. The five people stood in the clouds and flew over the Xiqi Camp.
Xiqi's 600,000-strong army was so vast that it probably stretched for dozens of miles. Although the generals were well prepared, Yu De found a loophole and spread poison pox into the camp.
This pox virus is invisible and hard to prevent. And there are no symptoms at all in the initial stage. In less than two days, dozens of camps have been affected by the epidemic.
This pox virus is also an infectious disease that spreads rapidly. Yang Tuo hurriedly ordered people to go down and prohibit movement in each camp to avoid the spread of the pox virus.
There is no other good way. Even if it can cure some people, it will be of little help to the army.
When Jiang Ziya saw that what Yang Tuo said came true, he felt very depressed. Yang Tuo explained: "Brother Taoist, don't worry, just wait for Taoist friend Yang Jian to return, then Tongguan can be broken!"
Jiang Ziya nodded and said: "Although we have banned movement among the battalions to temporarily alleviate the spread of the epidemic, there is no news exchange. I am afraid that the soldiers will have resentment and say that we will abandon them and ignore them."
Yang Tuo heard Jiang Ziya's concerns and felt that they were reasonable. After thinking about it, he said: "I am not afraid of this poison. I will go to each camp every day to appease the soldiers!"
Jiang Ziya didn't have any good ideas. If he didn't sacrifice the defensive magic weapon, he might be infected by the pox poison.
However, one cannot keep sacrificing the magic weapon. Not to mention what the soldiers thought after seeing it, his magic power may not last long.
Finally, Yang Tuo went to each camp every day to express condolences and appease the morale of the soldiers. Seeing that he was not afraid of the epidemic, the soldiers personally visited each camp, which unknowingly left a deep impression on everyone.
Many of these soldiers will be rewarded for their merits in the future. Many of those who died in battle were gods in heaven, and most of the 48,000 evil stars were the heroic souls of Xiqi who died in battle.
Unknowingly, Yang Tuo left an image among the Zhoutian Star Gods of not fearing hardships and sharing joys and sorrows.
This had only lasted two or three days, and the soldiers who were sick were still in the early stages and did not have much reaction. Those who were physically strong were still walking as fast as flying, as if they were perfect people.
At this time, Yang Jian had returned from Huoyun Cave. Not only did he bring antidote pills, but Holy Emperor Shennong also passed down a medicinal herb called Cimicifuga to Ziyun Cliff.
This herb specifically suppresses the symptoms of pox, as evidenced by poems:
The purple-stemmed, yellow-rooted, eight-petaled flower is said to be associated with acne.
Chang Sang once said that there is something wonderful in the mysteries, and when it is passed down to the world, there is no need to praise it.
Jiang Ziya scattered the elixir in the water, sprinkled it in each camp, and swallowed it. Within half a day, all the soldiers in each camp improved.
Later, Jiang Ziya discussed with Yang Tuo and wanted to break through Tongguan. Yang Tuo also felt that it was time, but Tongguan was strong and he was afraid that there would be a lot of casualties.
Yang Tuo thought for a while and said to Jiang Ziya: "We have cured the pox poison, but the people in Tongguan don't know it. It's better to pretend to be sick and lure them to attack the camp. We can use our plan to surround his army and attack Tongguan."
It can reduce your own casualties!”
Jiang Ziya felt that this plan was feasible. Even if he saw through it, it would be no big deal. He could just attack as planned.
Nowadays, with the elixir of Emperor Shennong, we are not afraid of pox poison. As long as we are not afraid of casualties, we can conquer Tongguan very quickly.
However, in order to reduce casualties, it is better to follow Yang Tuo's strategy first.