Chapter 1898

"If the allied forces want to deal with me, they must first get past them." P Gu decided on a course of action, dividing interests into friends and foes, "Don't forget, Boss Situ He is also a member of the Hometown Association!"

It is easy to touch another's soul, but hard to move another's interests. "Let them pull and tug as they will. In the short term, even if the allied forces wish to curry favor with the heavens, they will find it difficult to do anything substantive against Yangshan."

In the short term.

"Will any power move against Yangshan? There certainly will be. But as long as they cannot form a consensus or unite their strength, Yangshan has nothing to fear."

"Why did Mu Guo try so many times before, yet fail to establish a foothold on the Flash Gold Plains?" He Lingchuan laughed, "Even if the heavens do not interfere, this place naturally repels outsiders—repelling outsiders, that is unity and cooperation."

"But for the current Flash Gold Plains, Yangshan is no longer an outsider, and I am no longer an outsider." He stretched lazily and stood up, "Wanting to strike from within is always especially difficult."

The wise are most skilled at using "momentum."

Zhu Xiuer seemed to half-understand, but the worry in her heart was finally eased by half.

And the other half: "Ah, no, the allied forces here are still manageable. Yangshan also has branches and does business in the former lands of Yao State—surely the heavens won't let that go?"

"You are quite right, I have already received word that Yangshan has indeed been targeted in Yao lands." Though he said this, He Lingchuan was not anxious, "Hah, we shall see, the good show is still to come!"

He walked out of the temple, and Wan Qi Feng came forward to ask: "My lord, where shall we go next?"

"Head east." He Lingchuan had already decided, "Within the territory of the True Person Jieshui there are many skilled avian beasts and monsters; we can take them. Besides, that place is also close to the Kasha tribe."

Wan Qi Feng's spirit was lifted: "At last we can cross blades with someone!"

These past days, they have merely wandered through the deep mountains and old forests.

He Lingchuan interlaced his fingers, turned his palms outward, and stretched lazily: "The territory of the Kasha tribe is vast; this time we shall deploy the woolly mammoths."

……

After the news of Miao Zhantian's fall spread to Tianshui City, great and small temples echoed with lamentations, all at a loss. Qingyang had just stepped out of Miao Zhantian's main divine temple when she issued an order:

Ban all Yangshan merchant guild branches within Yao territory, shut down their storefronts, seize their goods, and arrest their personnel!

After the Yao king died, the state collapsed, and several major powers each took a share. Qingyang's order could not actually be enforced throughout all of Yao territory, but even so, seven Yangshan branches were forcibly suppressed.

Since all sides vied to curry favor, Qingyang now held great power as the heavenly palace's guardian of the law, no longer the Yao state's "regent" who had been sidelined months before.

Since her word became law, when she gave an order, the Qing Guard naturally led people to rush to Yangshan branches everywhere to enforce it by force.

Yangshan violated the "heavenly statutes," their shops were sealed, their personnel were publicly dragged out and arrested, causing a great uproar locally, but Qingyang naturally needed not concern herself.

At this time, the news of Miao Zhantian's fall had just reached the mortal realm; the gods were unclear on the details, and the news of the Great Emperor of the Nine Abysses claiming credit for the killing had not yet reached Yao lands, and the heavens paid no mind to the Yangshan merchant guild.

But upon hearing the ill tidings in the temple, the first thing Qingyang thought of was not the Illusionary True Person, not Ling Mountain, but He Lingchuan!

She faintly felt that Miao Zhantian's downfall was inseparable from this person.

When the legend of the Dragon God sweeping across the Flash Gold Plains began to spread in all directions, the Yangshan branches everywhere had already been dealt with, and only then did the heavens seek out Qingyang, asking her to take action against the Great Emperor of the Nine Abysses.

Nine Abysses Great Emperor = He Huo, He Huo = the Dragon God's reincarnation—this is the formula she and Bai Ziqi deduced. The heavens scoffed at the first part, and sneered at the second.

Qingyang knew she could not convince the heavens, so she silently gathered people and prepared for war.

On the first evening, the Qing Guard just stormed into the Yangshan branch in Tianshui City, fierce as wolves and tigers; by the next dawn, someone had already rushed to pay a visit to General Bai Tan's residence, at least holding a private talk for three hours.

In the following seven or eight days, the number of visitors to Bai Tan increased, all coming from regions outside Tianshui City.

Yao territory was in turmoil, the roads unsafe. Yet even so, they could not avoid coming.

However, Bai Tan had been away on military duties for five days, only returning to Tianshui City yesterday evening.

The visitors came in a swarm.

Thus the light in his study remained lit until the next morning without being extinguished.

All night until dawn.

By daybreak, the last visitor had left the Bai residence, and Bai Tan immediately drove his carriage to the Lakeside Cottage, even eating breakfast in the carriage.

After great effort he arrived at the Lakeside Cottage, yet he did not see Qingyang.

Yuan Xian stopped him and said: "The palace master is currently engaged in morning cultivation, please wait, General Bai."

Every morning, before and after sunrise, Qingyang performs the secret practice of drinking the essence of heaven and earth, one of the keys to her longevity and health.

Bai Tan was secretly anxious, but could only suppress his impatience and wait.

Please... you.... collect_(!)

Two hours later, Qingyang finished her cultivation, then ate a bowl of qi-nourishing medicinal food, and only then did she see him.

"General Bai, what matters weigh so heavily on you?"

She now oversees Tianshui City; any abnormality in the Bai residence over the past few days would naturally have been reported to her.

This matter is awkward to bring up; Bai Tan frowned tightly: "Palace Master, my army attacked Chen Chuihua, and in his Bai Xiang wetlands there is a kind of biting midge that causes drowsiness, and in severe cases, eternal sleep. Now, several batches of medicinal materials we prepared for the offensive have been delayed in transit."

Chen Chuihua was the former Southern Pacifying General of Yao, Bai Tan rebelled and killed the king, raising his banner in the name of avenging the state, and many responded.

This man is of the same caliber as Xue Zongwu, a fierce general with his own troops, his own territory, his own logistics, and now even holds the moral high ground, making him harder to deal with than generals like Chongwu.

Bai Tan has exchanged blows with him on the battlefield, and now they are locked in a stalemate, leaving him extremely anxious.

Qingyang waited for him to make a move: "Is Yuan Li ineffective?"

"Ineffective, this is not a divine ability or magical art; even ordinary insect repellents have no effect on them." Bai Tan sighed, "I specially ordered hundreds of jin of Bai Mao Ting oil from Yi State, specifically to kill these midges. I finally managed to press the Chen surname into the Bai Xiang wetlands; according to the original plan, we should have attacked the Bai Xiang wetlands these two days!"

But because the Ting oil did not arrive, his offensive could only be delayed. "Alas, I must let Chen Chuihua get by for a few more days."

Qingyang took a sip of tea: "So?"

Military supplies cannot be obtained; why did this fellow come to the Lakeside Cottage to find her?

"Palace Master, do you know through what channel I ordered these Bai Mao Ting oils?"

The channel of purchase? Could it not be?

Qingyang furrowed her brow slightly: "Do not tell me it was the Yangshan merchant guild."

"It was!"

Qingyang spoke with mockery: "You, a grand White General, capable of killing even the Yao king, yet unable to secure a few hundred jin of foreign oil?"

"Yi State and the former Yao are on bad terms, refusing to sell us supplies." Bai Tan removed his hat, scratched his head, "But by ordering through the Yangshan merchant guild, one can easily obtain them."